“If you didn’t know, high cholesterol causes plaque to form in your blood vessels. “The plaque then affects blood circulation, causing the nails to be pale.” According to the NHS, this isn’t the only sign that can appear on your nails. The health department shares that brittle, slow-growing toenails could also indicate high cholesterol levels. Brittle toenails are one of the warning signs associated with a condition called peripheral artery disease (PAD). DON’T MISS OUT He said: “Other problems caused by plaque build-up include heart attack, stroke and numbness. “If by chance you spot pale nails or other symptoms mentioned above, seek medical help as soon as possible. “Your healthcare provider will do a blood test to help you find out whether or not high cholesterol is affecting you.” While these signs could indicate high cholesterol levels, the condition rarely causes symptoms. High cholesterol, called “silent”, can be detected most reliably through a blood test.
How to lower high cholesterol levels
Fortunately, there are many different measures that can help lower your levels, from diet to medication. For example, the key to a cholesterol-lowering diet is to limit fatty foods high in saturated fat. You should reduce your intake of offenders such as sausages, biscuits and cheese. Other helpful lifestyle changes include exercising, stopping smoking and cutting back on alcohol. However, some people may need to start taking a drug called statins to avoid further health problems.