Both high blood pressure and high cholesterol are directly linked to an inactive, sedentary lifestyle and poor diet. Unfortunately, millions of people with high cholesterol also suffer from high blood pressure, raising the question of whether or not there is a direct correlation between the two conditions.
High blood pressure and high cholesterol are the two main causes of heart disease and stroke. Although common and preventable, nearly two-thirds of adults with high cholesterol and half of adults with high blood pressure have been unable to control it. Therefore, more needs to be done to address these health risks.
It is essential to act when you have more than one risk factor for heart disease, such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
These risk factors don’t act independently – they work together to cause more damage to your blood vessels and heart. If left unchecked, they can lead to serious consequences such as heart attack, stroke, kidney dysfunction and loss of vision. So if you have two or more risk factors, lifestyle changes are essential to reduce your risk and protect your health.
High Cholesterol – An Overview
If you’ve been diagnosed with high cholesterol, your blood contains more cholesterol than is considered healthy.
Cholesterol is a fatty substance that the body needs to make hormones, produce vitamin D, and build healthy cells. We generate some of it in our body, while some comes from our diet. However, too much cholesterol in the blood can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke.
When cholesterol is too high, it can stick to artery walls, forming a buildup of fat that hardens over time. It creates plaque that can damage the arteries, making them stiff and narrow and preventing blood from flowing as easily. If an artery becomes too narrow, a blood clot can block blood flow, leading to a serious cardiovascular event.
Genetics and lifestyle factors can lead to high cholesterol, with several different genes associated with this condition. Eating a diet high in cholesterol and saturated fat, not getting enough exercise, and smoking are all lifestyle factors. Additionally, certain diseases and medications, such as low thyroid hormone levels, nephrotic syndrome, steroids, protease inhibitors, and some birth control pills, can all cause high cholesterol.
Understand the relationship between cholesterol and blood pressure
If you’ve been diagnosed with high cholesterol, you may already be taking medication and making lifestyle changes to help lower your levels. However, it is also essential to pay attention to your blood pressure, as people with high cholesterol levels often end up dealing with high blood pressure.
The CDC reports that about half of adults in the United States have high blood pressure, but only half receive the proper treatment. Additionally, two-thirds of American adults suffer from high cholesterol, and only one-third receive the necessary treatment.
So what is high blood pressure? The American Heart Association states that hypertension occurs when the pressure of blood against the walls of blood vessels is too high.
To explain further, think of an old garden hose, full of dirt and stiff with age. You need to turn the faucet high to get the water out with enough pressure. Likewise, if you have high blood pressure, your heart and arteries have to work harder to pump blood through them because the arteries are narrowed due to cholesterol buildup.
This forces your heart to open the valve fully and push blood through to get enough oxygen and nutrients to all the organs in the body that need them, which raises your blood pressure.
The long-term effects of high blood pressure can damage your arteries and other blood vessels because they cannot carry a constant flow at high pressure. Damage to these vessels can lead to tears and other forms of damage, providing a habitat for cholesterol buildup.
High cholesterol can cause plaque to build up and narrow arteries, which puts extra pressure on the heart to pump blood. This vicious circle of high blood pressure and cholesterol puts additional strain on the heart and other organs, such as the eyes, kidneys and brain.
Note from The Fitness Freak
The interaction between high cholesterol and high blood pressure is more complex than previously thought. When these conditions occur together, their effects on increasing the risk of cardiovascular events, such as heart disease and stroke, are compounded. Therefore, treating both conditions is more effective in reducing this risk than treating either one alone. Additionally, high cholesterol is associated with high blood pressure, so it is essential to look for and treat other risk factors when one is present.
Take steps to manage cholesterol and blood pressure
High cholesterol and high blood pressure are two of the most common risk factors for heart disease. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to reduce the likelihood of developing heart disease.
It is essential to stay in contact with your doctor and to monitor your blood pressure and cholesterol levels closely. Additionally, lifestyle changes such as not smoking, exercising regularly, eating a balanced, nutritious diet, and maintaining a healthy weight can help keep your heart and blood vessels healthy and protect you. against any adverse effects.
Manage cholesterol and blood pressure like a pro
You need to focus on healthy eating and regular physical activity to control high cholesterol. However, it’s always a good idea to consult a nutritionist who can create a plan tailored to your needs.
HealthifyPRO 2.0 comes with a metabolic panel to help you measure your levels and a smart scale to monitor your weight and body mass. With this information, HealthifyPRO’s nutritionists and in-house fitness trainers can establish a diet and exercise routine that won’t require drastic lifestyle changes.
Moreover, HealthifyPRO is powered by the AI, Ria, which can analyze your meals and break them down into macronutrients and micronutrients. This way you can identify any key contributors that may have caused you to go over your calorie limit.
Potential health risks
The potential health risks associated with high cholesterol and high blood pressure are as follows.
Atherosclerosis
A condition in which plaque buildup in the arteries leads to blockages and narrowing of the lumen, hardening of the walls, making them brittle.
BODY
CAD, or coronary artery disease, refers to the buildup of plaque in the arteries that are directly connected to the heart. This can lead to heart attack, heart failure, and possibly death.
Peripheral arterial disease
Plaque buildup in the arteries that connect to the limbs can cause claudication or pain when walking or moving the limbs. Additionally, severe blockages can lead to ischemia, where a lack of blood reaches the lower extremities, resulting in non-healing wounds that eventually require amputations.
Carotid atherosclerosis
When the blood supply to the throat, neck and brain is obstructed by plaque deposits, it is called carotid atherosclerosis and it can lead to stroke.
Mesenteric ischemia
Plaque deposits in the blood vessels supply blood to the intestine, leading to severe pain after consuming meals and weight loss.
Note from The Fitness Freak
There is a direct correlation between high cholesterol and high blood pressure. If left unmanaged, it can be difficult to control both conditions; however, with proper diet and exercise, it is controllable. To ensure that these conditions are diagnosed at an early stage, regular testing is essential. They are so closely linked because high cholesterol levels create plaque that builds up and clogs arteries, restricting blood flow and causing blood pressure to rise, which puts extra strain on the heart.
Reference Meal Plan for Cholesterol Management
For your reference, here is a diet to help manage cholesterol levels.
Breakfast:
- IDLI: 2
- Sambhar: 1 cup
- Tomato chutney: 1 teaspoon
- Milk (toned): 1 glass
Mid meal:
Medium apple: 1
Lunch:
- Multigrain chapati – 2
- Fish curry 1 cup with 80-100 g of fish
- Cabbage sabzi 1 cup
- 1 cup tomato and cucumber salad
Evening:
- Boiled chickpea sprouts with lemon: 1 cup
- Green tea: 1 cup
Having dinner:
- Multigrain chapati: 2
- Palak dal: 1 cup
- sabzi green beans: 1/2 cup
- vegetable salad: 1 cup
Other Ways to Manage High Cholesterol
Effective management of high blood pressure and cholesterol involves making lifestyle changes and taking medication if necessary.
The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week, such as walking, running or cycling.
A healthy diet should include plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and nuts while limiting saturated fat to less than 6% of daily caloric intake. In addition, red meat, foods high in salt, and sugary foods and drinks should be avoided. A plant-based diet is incredibly beneficial.
Weight loss of 5-10% of excess weight can also help lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
Smoking and alcohol consumption should be avoided or limited, as smoking breaks down high-density lipids (HDL) or “good cholesterol”, and alcohol raises triglycerides in the body and thus raises blood pressure.
If lifestyle changes are ineffective, it’s best to see a doctor and get tested regularly. Commonly prescribed medications include statins to lower cholesterol and RAS blockers to control blood pressure, which can reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack.
The last word
Although they may not show signs, high cholesterol and high blood pressure should not be overlooked, especially if seen together.
Additionally, exercise and a diet rich in heart-healthy foods can significantly reduce your risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the future.
Some people may need medication to reduce their count, depending on the situation. Talk to a health care provider to find out your risk for heart disease and what you can do to prevent further heart problems and strokes.
