By Jenna Jackson

Cholesterol is usually the first thing we think of when heart health is on the table. I want to re-open the case against cholesterol, it has many roles in the body and should not be feared. Here is a look into how cholesterol is used and how we can prevent it from harming our heart health.

 Introducing, Cholesterol:

Cholesterol is a pre-cursor for many different hormones in the body. These hormones include, testosterone, progesterone, estrogen, cortisol and is needed for the synthesis of vitamin D. When we are not consuming enough good quality fat to have cholesterol in the body, we are running the risk of being deficient in these hormones.  Low hormone manufacturing means, low mood, low libido, low immune system, irregular menstruation, declined cognitive function and increased menopausal symptoms. Furthermore, cholesterol’s primary role is to repair damaged cells in the body. This means when an artery is damaged cholesterol will be there to repair it, therefore arterial plaque does contain cholesterol. Just by doing its job cholesterol has created a bad name for itself, however there is more to the story.

Inflammation and Cholesterol:

Yes, cholesterol can become dangerous but that still doesn’t mean cholesterol itself is dangerous. It needs to be egged on by oxidation and inflammation. When cholesterol particles are being packaged in the liver they are coated in an antioxidant membrane. This coating should protect the cholesterol package if the body it’s travelling in has normal or lower amounts of free radicals and inflammation. Free radicals and inflammation will cause the cholesterol package to oxidize by using up its anti oxidant coating. Oxidized cholesterol then creates an inflammatory response throughout the whole body, and inflammation is what causes cell damage and damaged arteries. I can see where the “lower cholesterol is healthier” argument comes in at this point but hear me out. Without inflammation we would not have damaged cells and damaged arteries, therefor we would not need cholesterol to repair the damage. It’s a vicious cycle starting with inflammation and ending with oxidized cholesterol creating more inflammation. We need to look less at lowering cholesterol levels and more at lowering free radicals and inflammation, and this comes down to what we are eating and what kind of lifestyle we are living.

Reducing cholesterol oxidization:

How do we know if we have high levels of inflammation? Do you experience rashes, allergies, joint pain, brain fog, autoimmune conditions and chronic colds and flus? If so, you may be on the higher end of the spectrum of inflammation. Does your diet consist of packaged and processed foods, processed meats, little to no fruits and vegetables? This is an acidic way of eating and acidity will cause inflammation. Increasing foods high in omega 3s (wild salmon, sardines, flax, chia, hemp hearts and walnuts) and foods high in antioxidants (dark berries, pomegranates, purple cabbage, yellow, red, orange and dark green vegetables) will create an environment with fewer free radicals and less inflammation in the body. Getting in lots of greens, fruits and healthy fats will put you in a more alkaline state which is not an environment for inflammation. Heart health is so much more than lowering cholesterol, it’s all about staying balanced, making healthy food choices and living as stress free as possible.