Well-Balanced

Busting the Cholesterol Myth

For years I have gleefully sung the praises of full fat foods, and the typical response is a pregnant pause, one raised eyebrow, a chuckle, or all three. Saturated fats and cholesterol have been vilified for 30 years, but the truth is, they’re essential for good health and a necessary component of every cell in your body.

We crave fat and cholesterol because we can’t live without these vital components of a healthy diet. They regulate insulin levels, help convert food into energy, protect liver function, and help monitor the body’s innate cholesterol production, which is generated by the liver and makes up about 75% (depending on heredity) of the cholesterol our bodies need. The rest we eat in the form of full fat dairy, meat, eggs, and shellfish.

According to Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP, “Cholesterol is the mother of all fat molecules in our bodies. We literally run on the stuff. It maintains neurotransmitter and brain function, builds brain and nerve tissue, and nourishes the immune system. It provides the insulation around nerves that transmit electrical impulses. It is a keystone of normal cell function and mood regulation and helps us digest fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K. Importantly for women, many of our most important hormones, including estrogen and progesterone, are made from cholesterol.”

If you shun cholesterol, you may be eating too many carbohydrates and sugars, forcing your liver to overproduce cholesterol to take up the slack. Until you enjoy some moderate amounts of cholesterol-rich foods, this valve doesn’t shut off. Consequently, a carbohydrate-rich diet can actually lead to high cholesterol.

So, What’s the Problem?
As with all degenerative conditions, the problem lies in chronic inflammation due to poor dietary habits, stress, inadequate exercise, and exposure to toxins. Cholesterol is produced when cells become damaged and indeed, inspection of the arteries of someone at risk for a heart attack shows cholesterol and plaque buildup. Cholesterol will only remain in the artery if damage is present. So you see, it’s the response to chronic inflammation that has given cholesterol it its bad name.

According to Ms. Pick, “Our natural defense to…toxins is low-grade inflammation. But that response was designed to deal with temporary problems. When the triggering factors are ever-present, the inflammation gets out of control. This, and the preponderance of trans fats in processed foods, may turn out to be the real culprit in our epidemic rates of obesity and heart disease — not cholesterol or healthy fat.”

Lastly, Dr. Joseph Mercola states, “Whatever you do, don’t fall for the mistaken belief that the lower your cholesterol goes, the better. If you lower your cholesterol through artificial means (statin drugs) without addressing the underlying causes, your body will continue to degenerate.”

Full Fat Cheese Please
As you can see, full fat is where it’s at (organic/sustainably-produced, because you don’t want all of the hormones and antibiotics, which cause inflammation). This really scrambles a lot of people’s brains, but I can assure you that it does help maintain healthy weight. You want to eat foods in their natural state as much as possible and foods that have had the fat removed have been processed. You’re better off eating moderate amounts of full fat animal products than eating a larger volume of low fat foods. You’ll feel more satiated and your taste buds will thank you!

What You Can Do Now

• Eat real, natural forms of full fat and cholesterol every day (avoid proteins with growth hormones, antibiotics, and environmental toxins, which accumulate in animals’ fat cells)
• Strictly avoid hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils and trans fats
• Store all oils in the refrigerator to avoid rancidity
• Get your vitamin D – preferably via sunlight
• Get your B vitamins – B6, B12, and folic acid, which reduce an amino acid that damages arterial cells
• Take essential fatty acids daily – fish oil, evening primrose oil, flax seeds, etc.
• Strictly avoid high fructose corn syrup
• Get exercise that’s right for your body type
• Reduce stress
• Get your thyroid checked – thyroid converts cholesterol into hormones
• Follow Dr. Andrew Weil’s anti-inflammatory food pyramid

Jill Grunewald

Jill Grunewald is a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City and a Certified Holistic Health Counselor. She has a private health counseling practice, with specialized knowledge in weight loss without deprivation and struggle, women's health, thyroid issues, osteoporosis, hypoglycemia and diabetes, candida, energy issues, and acidic conditions. You can find out more about her personalized nutritional approach at www.healthfulelements.com. You can also reach her at jill@healthfulelements.com.