High cholesterol levels can be life-threatening and often called a – “silent killer”.\u00a0 What makes it too dangerous is that there are usually no visible signs of high cholesterol in the body until the levels have gone out of hand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Unhealthy eating and a sedentary lifestyle cause high levels of cholesterol in the body. This is because the fat is not being broken down by exercise. When the fat is not broken down, it builds up and \u2018coagulates\u2019 in various transport routes within the body, forming plaques. The arteries are the first to be targeted. The arteries are narrowed down and the flow of blood to various organs of the body becomes insufficient. This is called <\/span>arteriosclerosis<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n As a result of the narrowing of the arteries, blood flow from and to the heart becomes less optimal, leading to various heart diseases.<\/span><\/p>\n Apart from the heart, narrowed and hardened arteries prevent the sufficient flow of blood to the legs. When this happens, it is called <\/span>peripheral arterial disease<\/span><\/a>. The first signs include pain while walking that goes away with rest. As the situation progresses, other symptoms like discoloration of the feet and toenails appear. There may also be a loss of hair from the legs. This happens because there are fewer nutrients and oxygen to feed the cells around those areas.<\/span><\/p>\nSubtle Symptoms Caused by High Cholesterol<\/b><\/h3>\n