Cholesterol: What is it?

 

It may be the reason you change your diet, start exercising or add a statin to your drug regimen but do you really know what cholesterol is?  A hot topic in our society, the word “cholesterol” is bandied about frequently but few actually know what it is.

With a texture similar to petroleum jelly and classified as a “fat”, cholesterol is a naturally occurring substance in the body.  Although it has a negative connotation, cholesterol performs vital bodily functions.  It produces steroid hormones including estrogen, testosterone and cortisol.  It also facilitates bodily vitamin D production and comprises part of cell wall structure.

Your body produces all the cholesterol it needs and auto-regulates based on the amount you consume in your diet.  If you primarily eat a plant-based diet, your body will make more.  If you eat more meat than plants, it will adjust and produce less.

As an advocate for your own health, you’ve probably heard of Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL) and High Density Lipoproteins (HDL).  Low Density Lipoproteins serve as the transport service for cholesterol.  It delivers cholesterol to areas of the body needing it most.  If there is too much cholesterol, the low-density lipoproteins deposit cholesterol in the arteries and open up the possibility for arterial blockages and heart attacks.

High Density Lipoproteins function in the opposite manner and serve a vacuum cleaner for excess cholesterol.  HDL’s locate extra cholesterol and transport it to the liver where it becomes bile or is recycled.

Both types of lipoproteins perform essential functions making it critical to “know your numbers” and get your cholesterol checked regularly.  Appropriate levels of high-density and low-density lipoproteins are critical for optimum health.

High cholesterol happens for one of two reasons: there’s a familial predisposition to high cholesterol or high-fat diets.  Although high cholesterol is treated the same way for either cause, one is entirely preventable and the other is not.

Whether you have genetic leanings towards high cholesterol or not, it’s wise to incorporate healthy habits and nutritional choices into your lifestyle.  Choose low or reduced fat dairy products.  When possible, opt for lean cuts of meat to reduce your consumption of cholesterol.  Avoid polyunsaturated fats add more fiber to your diet.  A few times a week, replace meat with fish.  If you smoke, quit.  Get regular exercise and moderate alcohol consumption.

Speak Your Mind