TCM Perspective On High Cholesterol
High cholesterol is a medical condition in which the amount of cholesterol in one’s bloodstream exceeds a normal or recommended level. Cholesterol is a complex organic compound that occurs naturally in the body and is used to produce bile acids, vitamin D, and a number of hormones needed by the body to function normally. When excessive amounts of cholesterol are present in the body, they may deposit on the inside lining of arteries, leading to a number of coronary heart disorders. While high cholesterol can be treated by a variety of western medical approaches, such as statin drugs, there are often unwanted side effects and unclear benefits. Traditional Chinese Medicine offers a safe, natural alternative form of care than can be used in conjunction with regular checkups to manage your cholesterol levels.

High Cholesterol in western medicine
Cholesterol is a type of fat (lipid) made by your body and found in some foods. It's essential for good health and is found in every cell in your body. But having a high level of a certain type of cholesterol in your blood can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, such as heart disease and stroke.

You probably won’t notice if you have high cholesterol, as it doesn’t usually cause any symptoms. But having a high level of cholesterol in your blood can cause fatty deposits (known as plaques) to build up inside your arteries. Over time, this can make your arteries narrower and narrower, restricting the flow of blood to important organs such as your heart. This can cause symptoms like chest pain (angina).

More importantly though, if one of the plaques in your arteries bursts, it can cause a blood clot. This can completely block the blood supply to your heart, causing a heart attack. Or it might block the blood supply to your brain, which would cause a stroke.