When my blood lipid panel was taken in November of last year, my cholesterol was 214.
One might assume I got anxious, seeking consult for massive dietary and workout changes to get the number below 200.
What I did instead? I smiled and went about my business.
I know what is and isn’t supported in the literature quite consistently. If you’re looking for elevated blood cholesterol to be linked to disease, you’ll be hard pressed to find it.
Over $75 billion a year in cholesterol reducing medications are sold yearly in the US. You can’t go to an MD or cardiologist with blood cholesterol over 230 and not leave without a statin prescription.
But physiologically and pathologically, it makes no solid sense to blame cholesterol.
My six-figure education had some intense biochemistry and physiology courses. It also taught me how to read research articles, for the most part.
One thing I’d put my entire reputation on is this: cholesterol is not the problem.
Every single cell in our human existence requires a phospholipid bilayer made of – you guessed it -the components of cholesterol.
Cholesterol is a vital life component, for every system that requires a cell (which would be all of them).
Let’s break down atherosclerotic plaquing, for instance. Cholesterol is villainized for this, yes?
I call the bluff.
Endothelial lining of a blood vessel gets damaged or inflamed from your stress or insulin. Platelets aggregate to seal off the damaged area. Platelets are sticky. Things floating in the blood stick to the platelets. These things include proteins – and cholesterol.
Question: Which is the path of least resistance to correct the above pattern?
Choices:
A. Decrease the cholesterol in blood, affecting every function in the body by leaving every cell susceptible to breakdown/damage.
B. Decrease platelet aggregation, at the risk of inducing bleeding (i.e., aspirin, warfarin)
C. Decrease the inflammation to the blood vessel wall.
Yeah – I choose C, also. Here are ways to get there:
1. Eat clean.
2. Eat less – particularly less processed and high glycemic foods.
3. Move often with proper movement patterns.
4. Intermittent fast.
5. Control your reactions to stress.
6. Meditate.
7. Breathe from the gut and without hyperventilating.
8. 1-7 cover it, but again – control your blood sugar. Insulin is pro-inflammatory.
Numbers 1-8 are free of side effects (read: consequences).
Really think before choosing A or B.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley