High cholesterol: Nutritionist reveals top prevention tips

Cholesterol is not intrinsically harmful, in fact, your body needs it to build healthy cells. High levels of cholesterol is harmful, however, because it causes fatty deposits to develop in your blood vessels. This increases your risk of heart disease, a major cause of death in the UK and worldwide. Spotting unusual yellow bumps around the eyes could be an indication your levels are too high.

Dr Ranj Singh said: ““A condition to be aware of is yellowy, pearly spots around the eyes.

“It could be a mark of high cholesterol.”

While there are few signs of high cholesterol, some people with the condition may develop small skin-coloured lumps around the corners of the eyelids, known as Xanthelasma.

While they aren’t harmful – the skin condition should not be ignored and should be checked out by doctors.

The condition is caused by a collection of yellowish cholesterol deposits underneath the skin around the eyes.

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It is rare, but it is an indicator of high levels of cholesterol or other fats in the blood – but experts said it is also possible to get it even if cholesterol levels are normal.

High cholesterol causes the narrowing of the arteries – atherosclerosis – heart attack, stroke and peripheral arterial disease.

Cholesterol is a fatty substance known as a lipid and is vital for the normal functioning of the body. It’s mainly made by the liver but can also be found in some foods.

High levels of cholesterol can create a build-up of plaque in the arteries which can block the flow of blood and increase your risk of heart attacks, strokes and aneurysms.

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In a study published in the National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, xanthelasma as a sign of high cholesterol was investigated. 

The study noted: “The medical term xanthelasma is a lipid-rich deposition, mainly cholesterol.

“It is mostly semisolid yellowish deposits that are commonly found on the medial aspect of the eyes. It is often seen along the corners of the upper and lower eyelids.

“It is characterized by soft, yellowish papules and plaques that occur more commonly near the inner canthus of the eyelid, more often at the upper eyelid. Lesions are usually symmetrical. There might be one or multiple.

“About 50 percent of patients who develop xanthelasma have lipid disorder.”

How xanthelasma is treated

The patches probably won’t go away on their own. They’ll either stay the same size or grow over time, said WebMD.

The health site continued: “If you’re worried about how they look, you can have them removed. Your doctor can do that with one of these methods:

Dissolve the growth with medicine

Freeze it off with intense cold (they’ll call this cryosurgery)

Remove it with a laser

Take it off with surgery

Treat it with an electric needle (you might hear this called electrodesiccation)”

Lower levels

To reduce your cholesterol, try to cut down on fatty food, especially food that contains a type of fat called saturated fat.

Saturated fat raises cholesterol levels which is a harmful type of cholesterol that gums up the inside of your arteries.

According to the NHS, saturated fat can be found in the following:

Meat pies, sausages and fatty meat

Butter, lard and ghee

Cream and hard cheese, like cheddar

Cakes and biscuits

Food that contains coconut oil or palm oil

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