Part 1 - What is Cholesterol?
While cholesterol has gotten a bad rap in both the media and medical/fitness community, it isn't as evil as it has been portrayed to be. In fact, cholesterol is essential for our body’s overall health. It is produced by our own liver and has many functions including;
Helping to maintain healthy cell membranes
Aiding in bile production, digestion, and absorption of fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, K
Helping in the synthesis of sex and steroid hormones
Acting as an internal band-aid and assisting with the healing process
As you can see, cholesterol is an important part of a healthy and happy life, but as is the case with most things in life, too much of a good thing can be bad. There are two primary ways we can have a positive or negative impact on our cholesterol; diet and lifestyle.
Diet
All foods containing animal fats contain cholesterol to some extent. However, ingesting cholesterol doesn't impact your overall profile as much as other foods. It’s best to limit saturated fats and trans fats in any healthy diet but especially when trying to control your cholesterol. Additionally, a high carbohydrate intake has been shown to negatively impact cholesterol levels.
Eating a diet rich in vegetables, monounsaturated fats such as olive oil and avocado, along with a daily fish oil supplement can be beneficial to your overall health and cholesterol levels.
Lifestyle
We've all heard that physical activity can help to regulate your cholesterol levels and it’s definitely true. But did you know that stress, whether from work, home, or even too much exercise can raise cholesterol levels through the roof. Other stress inducing activities include excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, and lack of sleep. Be aware, you could have your nutritional habits under healthy control and your lifestyle could still rob you of a perfect cholesterol profile.
Join us for part 2 – Cholesterol's role in atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, and heart health
While cholesterol has gotten a bad rap in both the media and medical/fitness community, it isn't as evil as it has been portrayed to be. In fact, cholesterol is essential for our body’s overall health. It is produced by our own liver and has many functions including;
Helping to maintain healthy cell membranes
Aiding in bile production, digestion, and absorption of fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, K
Helping in the synthesis of sex and steroid hormones
Acting as an internal band-aid and assisting with the healing process
As you can see, cholesterol is an important part of a healthy and happy life, but as is the case with most things in life, too much of a good thing can be bad. There are two primary ways we can have a positive or negative impact on our cholesterol; diet and lifestyle.
Diet
All foods containing animal fats contain cholesterol to some extent. However, ingesting cholesterol doesn't impact your overall profile as much as other foods. It’s best to limit saturated fats and trans fats in any healthy diet but especially when trying to control your cholesterol. Additionally, a high carbohydrate intake has been shown to negatively impact cholesterol levels.
Eating a diet rich in vegetables, monounsaturated fats such as olive oil and avocado, along with a daily fish oil supplement can be beneficial to your overall health and cholesterol levels.
Lifestyle
We've all heard that physical activity can help to regulate your cholesterol levels and it’s definitely true. But did you know that stress, whether from work, home, or even too much exercise can raise cholesterol levels through the roof. Other stress inducing activities include excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, and lack of sleep. Be aware, you could have your nutritional habits under healthy control and your lifestyle could still rob you of a perfect cholesterol profile.
Join us for part 2 – Cholesterol's role in atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, and heart health