While we know high cholesterol causes heart diseases and health problems, did you know, according to the World Health Organization, raised cholesterol has been attributed for 2.6 million deaths across the globe? High cholesterol has become an increasing issue for many people. According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, between 2027 to 2020 10% of adults from the age of 20 or older had high cholesterol. More than 47 million people could benefit from cholesterol medicine. Even 7% of kids from the ages of 6 to 19 have high total cholesterol. To combat this, people often adopt a healthy diet, exercise and other lifestyle changes to control cholesterol, however, ever thought why is high cholesterol such a bad thing? It’s important to understand that within reasonable amounts, cholesterol is necessary for your body to make hormones, vitamin D as well as help you digest food. Cholesterol is a waxy fat like substance that is found in the cells of your body. When you have too much cholesterol in your blood stream it can form plaques by combining with other substances. These stick to the walls of your arteries, restricting blood flow and this build up is known as atherosclerosis. This can lead to heart diseases like coronary heart disease which is a condition where your coronary arteries become narrow or blocked. Signs You May Have High Cholesterol It is said that there are no symptoms of high cholesterol, and it can only be diagnosed through a blood test. But how can a person know before the problem becomes worse? A common sign would be deposits on your eyelid skin known as Xanthelasma or in the collective tissue xanthoma. Xanthelasmas are small, yellowish bumps of cholesterol that develop near the inner corner of the eye. The Cleveland Clinic explains that these form as cholesterol deposits build up under the skin. A surprising fact is that you can also have cholesterol in your eye, this condition is known as corneal arcus. This appears as a faint white ring that circles the iris, which is the colored part of your eye. Cardiologist Francisco Lopez-Jimenez from the Mayo Clinic explains that this arc may eventually form a complete ring around the iris. Experts at the National Health Services UK (NHS) are urging people to be aware of these two facial symptoms that might signal high cholesterol. They note that certain factors increase your likelihood of having high cholesterol, including being over 50, being male, having gone through menopause, or having South Asian or sub-Saharan African heritage. It can also be inherited, a condition known as familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH). How Can You Make This Better? According to the Heart UK without treatment, FH can lead to heart disease at a very young age. However, once diagnosed, it can be managed with medication and a healthy lifestyle. FH means that a person's cholesterol levels can become much higher than others, even with a healthy lifestyle, because their body processes cholesterol differently. To effectively manage high cholesterol, NHS guidelines advise several key lifestyle modifications. These include, reducing the intake of saturated fats, adopting a healthy and balanced diet rich in nutritious foods, engaging in regular physical activity, quitting smoking, and moderating alcohol consumption. Medical experts emphasize that allowing cholesterol levels to become too high can lead to the blockage of blood vessels, significantly increasing the risk of developing serious cardiovascular events such as heart problems or a stroke. Therefore, it is crucial to consult with your GP if you have any concerns about your cholesterol levels.