Cholesterol Is for Lovers

For the past 60 years, we have heard more and more about the evils of cholesterol and why we need to avoid it. But would you believe me if I told you that cholesterol is not a villain, but is incredibly vital nutrient to every cell in the body?The anti-cholesterol theory has been full of holes since its inception. The research paper that launched the anti-cholesterol campaign clearly showed that six countries with the highest cholesterol intakes had the most deaths from heart disease. Well, that’s if you only look at the data that supports the cholesterol-heart disease connection.

Ancel Keys, who wrote the paper, had researched data from 22 countries. Since the data from the remaining 16 countries showed absolutely no correlation between cholesterol levels and heart disease, they were left out of the final paper. Finland, for example, consumed almost half as much fat as the United States, but suffered the same amount of heart disease.

Here are some other facts about cholesterol that you may like to know:

1. LDL and HDL are proteins that shuttle cholesterol to and from the sites where it is needed in the body.
2. The sex hormones are made from cholesterol. Lowered cholesterol often results in decreased libido and increased infertility and miscarriage.
3. Sixty percent of the brain is made of cholesterol. Levels under 180 are associated with increases in depression, dementia and mental illness.
4. Cholesterol is not a fat, but is a type of alcohol called a sterol. It moves at lightening speed. In fact, there is more cholesterol in muscle meat than in fat!
5. If you don’t eat enough cholesterol, your body will make it. If your body has to make it, it is because it detects a famine. In turn the body will not be able to control the amount it makes. I have seen people who avoid animal foods altogether with cholesterol levels over a thousand!
6. Cholesterol is used to repair tissue throughout the body. Blaming cholesterol for clogging arteries is like blaming a policeman for a bank robbery just because he showed up after the crime has taken place. Cholesterol happens to be the last substance the body sends out to rescue the damaged artery.
7. High cholesterol levels are associated with longevity. Perhaps this is the real reason the French outlive us, not red wine.
8. Cholesterol only comes from animal foods: meat (beef, chicken, fish etc), eggs, and dairy.

This week, the What Your Baby Needs Before Conception class learned that cholesterol elevates as a defense mechanism in response to damaged tissue*. These women also discovered how misconceptions about both saturated and unsaturated fats have damaged fertility and children’s health in the industrialized world.

Remember, your body and real foods, such as those that provide cholesterol, are on your side. So be wary of slick advertising that promises to artificially lower your cholesterol by selling you a highly processed (often expensive) food substitute, drug or even supplement. Instead, try to determine which stresses on your body are causing the increased levels and eliminate them.