You may think that there’s been an over-emphasis (or borderline obsession) about Cholesterol,
Before looking into some myths let’s clarify exactly what Cholesterol is.
Myth #1: “Cholesterol” is Cholesterol
While Cholesterol is an actual molecule, what it is bound to while it’s floating through your blood is more important than just how much of it there is overall. In fact depending on what it’s combined with, it can even have opposite effects on your arteries and heart. Yes, opposite effects!
So Cholesterol is just one component of a compound that floats around your blood. These compounds contain cholesterol as well as fats and special proteins called “lipoproteins.”
They’re grouped into two main categories:
HDL: High Density Lipoprotein (AKA “good” Cholesterol) that “cleans up” some of those infamous “arterial plaques” and transports Cholesterol back to the liver.
LDL: Low Density Lipoprotein (AKA “bad” Cholesterol) that transports Cholesterol from the liver (and is the kind found to accumulate in arteries and become easily oxidized hence the “bad kind”).
And yes, it’s even more complicated than this. Each of these categories is further broken down into subcategories which can also be measured in a blood test.
So “Cholesterol” isn’t simply Cholesterol, because it has very different effects on your body depending on which other molecules it’s bound to in your blood and what it is actually doing there.
Myth #2: Cholesterol is unnecessary
You absolutely need Cholesterol in order to produce Vitamin D when your skin is exposed to the sun.
Maintaining a healthy digestive system requires input from lipids, which include molecules such as Cholesterol.
It is critical for supporting your sex hormones such as oestrogen and testosterone.
Cholesterol is the precursor to bile acids which are required to digest and absorb long chain fatty acids.
Your cell membranes require healthy Cholesterol. Cells lining the digestive tract are particularly rich in cholesterol.
Talk about an important molecule!
The overall amount of Cholesterol in your blood (AKA “total Cholesterol”) isn’t nearly as important as how much of each kind you have in your blood.
While way too much LDL Cholesterol as compared with HDL (the LDL:HDL ratio) may be associated with an increased risk of heart disease it is absolutely not the only thing to consider for heart health.
Myth #3: Consuming cholesterol increases your bad cholesterol
Most of the Cholesterol in your blood is made by your liver. It’s actually not derived from the Cholesterol you eat. Why do you think Cholesterol medications block an enzyme in your liver (HMG Co-A reductase, to be exact)? Because that’s where it’s made!
What you eat can still affect how much Cholesterol your liver produces. After a Cholesterol-rich meal your liver doesn’t need to make as much.
Myth #4: Your Cholesterol should be as low as possible
As with almost everything health and wellness related, you must maintain a healthy balance. There are very few extremes that are going to serve you well.
People with Cholesterol levels that are too low have increased risk of death from other non-heart-related issues such as certain types of cancers, as well as suicide.
Myth #5: Medications are the only way to get good Cholesterol balance
Don’t start or stop any medications without talking with your doctor.
And while drugs can certainly lower the “bad” LDL Cholesterol they don’t seem to be able to raise the “good” HDL Cholesterol all that well.
So How Do You Raise HDL Cholesterol In Your Body?
Nutrition and exercise are key ways that will help you raise HDL Cholesterol.
You’ll want to keep these things in mind in order to help you along your path of making sure the bad kind stays low:
Be sure to exercise and include movement in your life.
Lose weight if you’ve got too much of it.
Stop smoking if you do
Consume high quality fats: Wild caught fatty fish, avocadoes, Olive oil, walnuts
Ditch over-processed hydrogenated oils and trans-fats.
One of the most practical ways to lower your Cholesterol with diet is to eat healthy fats, grass-fed meat, cruciferous vegetables and leafy greens and to cut out the processed food and sugar!
To Recap this week’s Blog:
The science of Cholesterol and heart health is complicated and we’re learning more every day. You may not need to be as afraid of it as you have been taught to be. And there is a lot you can do from a nutrition and lifestyle standpoint to improve your Cholesterol levels.
Tired of boring vegetables and salads?
The delicious recipe below will help you to increase your intake because it tastes so delicious. Remember, it’s all about the sauce.
Orange Hemp Seed Dressing RECIPE (Dressing to go with your salad):
Makes about ¾ cup
½ cup hemp seeds
½ cup orange juice (freshly squeezed from an orange)
½ cup Udo’s oil
1 clove of garlic, peeled
Dash salt and/or pepper
Blend all ingredients together until creamy.
Serve on top of your favourite greens – baby spinach, mixed greens, baby kale, chopped swiss chard, rocket and so many more greens to choose from. This dressing really coats the greens well and tastes delicious.
Tip: Store extra in airtight container in the fridge. Will keep for about a week.