We need Cholesterol
With so many clients coming to me with their blood tests showing ‘high’ cholesterol - combined with my nutrition training that taught how good ‘good’ fats are to the body my interest was peaked and my research began.
Clients who are in perimenopause and menopause, and both men and women over 50 - I’ve been left wondering, why are blood results showing ‘high’ cholesterol. Our bodies are smart - what is the reasoning for this?
Taking statins doesn’t seem to be the long term answer for optimal health and they haven’t appeared to lower the rates of heart issues in our community.
Our bodies need cholesterol for vital functions. Statins can be taken to ‘lower’ cholesterol, but what is the consequence of this on other systems of the body such as brain health , immunity and digestive function?
Cholesterol is needed in the body for:
Vitamin D production (essential for immunity & bone health)
Cell Membrane Formation (we want our cells to be in their best shape!)
Nerve Cell Insulation (helping nerve cells exchange important signals)
Hormone Production (think oestrogen, testosterone, progesterone, cortisol)
Bile Production (which is needed to break down fats in digestion)
My intuition tells me that lowering cholesterol isn’t the answer and the price paid for doing so with medication is just too high.
We need to look at WHY the body is making this extra cholesterol, diving deeper and addressing the cause. For example, with 80% of cholesterol being made from glucose (rather than fats) in the liver, it leads me to think that high blood glucose is more likely the answer to the ‘why’. And this matches up with the blood results also showing blood glucose on the very high end of normal and beyond into pre-diabetes from results I’ve seen.
Inflammation is also another reason the body may be making extra cholesterol. Avoiding sugar, alcohol, dairy and limiting coffee to one per day as well as following the diet tips below and improving gut health all help in lowering inflammation in the body.
Inflammation is the body flooding with healing factors to an area of damage to heal. Cholesterol is needed to replaced the damaged cells allowing the body the chance to heal itself with the generation of new healthy cells. In this way, the body is smart in thinking that increasing cholesterol is helpful. If the inflammation is the ‘fire’ then cholesterol is the ‘firefighter’, we need to put out the fire by finding the cause of inflammation rather than reducing the firefighters (cholesterol). Each persons cause will be different (food intolerance, gut dysbiosis, stress levels, high sugar intake as some examples).
DIET TIPS
Increase
Fibre (Root Vegetables - sweet potato, pumpkin, carrot)
Low Carb / Keto (focus on protein and not carbs, limit fruit to 2 pieces per day and choose low carb fruit such as berries)
Increase Good Fats (Salmon, Tuna, Mackeral, Sardines, Chia Seeds, Flaxseeds, Hemp Seeds, Olive Oil, Nuts, Seeds in their pure form, not the oils (Sunflower, Pepita, Sesame), Avocado)
Avoid
Avoid Saturated Fats (Processed Foods, Fried Foods, Packaged Foods, Seed Oils, Margarines)
Sugar, Alcohol, Limit Coffee
GUT HEALTH
The intestinal lining is sensitive and susceptible to becoming ‘leaky’ with the junctions being looser and allowing particles for elimination back into the bloodstream. This is a key driver in inflammation. So lets look at how we can fix this by getting the right balance of bacteria in the gut and healing the intestinal wall so the junctions become tighter as they should be.
Fibre is a pre-biotic that the good bugs in our intestines love and thrive on. Probiotics are a great idea to supplement to increase the good bugs in the intestines that help keep the not so beneficial bugs at bay.
If there are gut symptoms experienced (bloating, irregular bowels, reflux) then a more targeted approach will be needed such as gut healing powders/herbals and antimicrobials such as SB, calendula and lemon balm to name a few.
Written by Amanda Roe-Hunter. Adv.Dip.Naturopathy.