“I drive way too fast to worry about cholesterol.” - Steven Wright
Cholesterol is one of the conditions we hear constantly on people’s lips, pooled together with other ailments such as high blood pressure and thyroid problems. So what is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance found in all parts of our bodies, known as a lipid. It is mostly produced by the liver from the fatty foods we eat, as these food products contain cholestero. It’s important to understand that the body needs cholesterol at the right levels making it vital for our health and wellbeing.
How is cholesterol good for us?
Believe it or not, when cholesterol is at the right level, there are numerous important functions it is responsible for:
It is needed to build cell membranes – making sure that enough oxygen and nutrients get in while ensuring that the waste products get out.
It allows cells to be flexible – our body temperature fluctuates depending on what we expose ourselves too, requiring our cells to remain fluid across a large temperature range; cholesterol is what allows our cells to remain flexible.
It helps our body to produce bile – bile is an alkali fluid (i.e. the opposite to acidic), that is produced by our liver and stored in the gallbladder until required in the stomach to help breakdown fatty acids, such as that hamburger we could not resist.
It is an integral part of healthy conception – healthy levels of cholesterol help in the production of the sex hormone progesterone.
Nature does not waste, therefore because cholesterol is a natural-forming substance it is important to remember that it is there for a reason.
When is cholesterol bad for us?
As with most things in life, excess often equals problems. When elevated levels of cholesterol occur in the bloodstream (hyperlipidemia) this can lead to severe consequences, with continued elevated levels increasing one’s risk of having a heart attack or stroke. High levels of cholesterol can result in blocked arteries leading to atherosclerosis (the thickening of plaque building up in the inner lining of the artery).
GOOD Cholesterol vs BAD Cholesterol
Being a fat-soluble substance, cholesterol cannot travel around the body on its own as it cannot dissolve in water. For this reason, it is carried around the bloodstream by molecules known as lipoproteins. As many of us will already know, cholesterol is generally termed using LDL and HDL – the two main lipoproteins:
1. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is the main cholesterol carrier and transports cholesterol from our liver to the cells that need it. If there is an over-supply and the cells can’t use it all, a build up occurs in the blood, turning potentially harmful. Too much LDL cholesterol in the blood can cause a build up in the artery walls, leading to disease of the arteries. For this reason, LDL is considered ‘bad’ cholesterol and lower levels are considered better.
2. High-density cholesterol (HDL) carries cholesterol way from the cells and back to the liver, where it is either broken down or passed through the body as waste. This is considered ‘good’ cholesterol and higher levels are understood to be healthier.
How is cholesterol tested?
The amount of cholesterol, both LDL and HDL, in our blood can be measured using a blood test. Your doctor or nurse may also test your levels of triglycerides (the fats we use for energy that come from the fatty foods we eat). In fact triglycerides are the most common fats digested by humans. While these fats are a source of energy to help transport fat molecules around the body, excess fat is stored in the fatty tissues of the body. Excess triglycerides in the blood also increase heart problems.
Know the numbers – what do they mean?
As a general guideline, health professionals surmise that healthy cholesterol levels are 180 mg/dL or less.
The measurement mg/dL refers to milligram per deciliter. In other words, this gives the number of milligrams (thousands of a gram) of cholesterol molecules per deciliter (tenths of a liter) of blood.
The number 180, or sometimes 200, is a generally accepted number that helps doctors to rate your risk based on problems people have had at those levels. For example, those with a cholesterol reading of 240mg/dL are considered to be at double the risk compared to those who have a 200mg/dL reading.
Your cholesterol result should give you four numbers; your total level, your LDL and HDL along with your triglyceride levels.
LDL levels – healthy readings are considered to be 100mg/d L or less.
HDL levels – to an extent, the higher the level the better; less than 40 mg/dL for men and 50mg/dL for women is considered unhealthy. Over 60 mg/dL is optimal.
Triglycerides – a normal level is less then 150mg/dL.
Each of these levels can be affected by how we treat our bodies, from the food we eat, the chemicals we put into out bodies and the amount of exercise we do.
What to eat and what not to eat
Cholesterol is found in eggs, dairy products, meat and poultry. Egg yolks and organ meat (i.e. liver and kidneys) are high in cholesterol. Fish generally contains less cholesterol than meat, but certain shellfish also have high levels.
Plant foods contain no cholesterol – these include vegetables, fruits (avocados and olives contain the ‘good’ fats), grains, cereals, nuts and seeds. So even more reason to love fruit and vegetables!
NB: It is important to note that fat content is not a good measure of cholesterol levels, as liver and other organ meats contain no fat but are in fact high in cholesterol.
So how can you lower and look after your cholesterol levels?
High cholesterol levels affect a big portion of our adult population. Undesirable levels often occur already in childhood – with some children being at higher risk due to a family history of high cholesterol.
So, keep these tips in mind to help keep your cholesterol levels in check:
Invest in natural remedies that help support and maintain healthy levels of LDL and HDL, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Find out more about our CholestoRite remedy.
Animal-based foods are high in cholesterol and the fats in meat and dairy products cause our livers to manufacture far more cholesterol than our cells need. Therefore, keep your meat intake to a minimum and limit total fat intake to 25 – 35% of total daily calories. Try not to exceed 7% of daily calories with saturated fat.
Avoid processed foods as these contain trans-fats, which also negatively affect our cholesterol levels.
Plant-based foods are great! They contain mono- and polyunsaturated fats that are neutral and sometimes even healthy for cleaner arteries. Olive oil, nuts, canola oil and avocados contain monounsaturated fats.
Include more fiber in your diet – getting 20 to 30 grams of soluble fiber helps to absorb cholesterol.
Cut back on sugar
As we hear so often from health gurus world wide, stop smoking!
Limit your alcohol intake
Lose weight
Exercise, exercise and exercise! While exercise doesn’t affect our LDL much, it does improve HDL levels, which in turn causes triglycerides to fall.
Real Life Feedback
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Disclaimer: The information on this website is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure and is not a substitute for a professional consultation with a medical or health professional. Do not make any changes or additions to your prescription medicine without first consulting your doctor. Should symptoms persist, please consult your doctor.
