When is cholesterol dangerous?

Back in 2010 I had blood work done and the results were “extremely impressive” according to my physician. My cholesterol levels were virtually non-existent and I was encouraged to keep doing whatever I was doing. Despite the fact that I was depressed, lethargic and anaemic, this medical praise further encouraged the discipline I needed to maintain a 2 year vegan lifestyle.Fast forward to late 2012 when I started adding pastured,organic animal products into my diet and noticed an immediate increase in energy and iron levels as well as obvious healing from what I call apathetic depression. I noticed my hormones were balancing out, I became less puffy and actually began craving exercise. Yet despite the obvious healing, my cholesterol levels had increased significantly and my Doctor encouraged me to see a dietician (to which I actually laughed out loud).This little personal story backs up the truth that I have come to know about cholesterol. It is not as simple as High/ Low cholesterol and even the Good (HDL) vs. Bad (LDL) cholesterol idea is a dangerous misunderstanding that can lead to an unnecessarily prescription of statin drugs.First lets look at some of the bodily functions that are dependent on cholesterol:

• Cholesterol is nature’s repair substance, used to heal wounds, including tears and irritations in the arteries.

• Many important hormones are made of cholesterol, including all of the sex hormones (testosterone, oestrogen and progesterone) which affect fertility, mood, and body composition. Loss of sex drive is one of the most common symptoms of a low-cholesterol diet, and why so many gentleman rely of viagra to counteract, the fun side-effects of statin drugs.

• Cholesterol encourages mental clarity and protects against depression, anxiety, insomnia, and alzheimer disease. It is used to help build the myelin sheath which surround the axon of our neurons. Cholesterol is also needed for the utilisation of serotonin, a “feel-good” neurotransmitter that many are deficient in.

*Its also important to note that tryptophan, the precursor to serotonin is almost exclusively found in cholesterol containing animal products like eggs, cheese and meat.

• Cholesterol is necessary for vitamin D utilisation through ultra-violet light.

• Cholesterol is a powerful antioxidant that protects us against free radicals and bodily deterioration.When is high cholesterol dangerous?

In short, high cholesterol is damaging in the presence of oxidative stress and inflammation in the body. The finding of cholesterol in arteries does not prove a causation. Like I mentioned previously, cholesterol is our body’s natural healing substance and is sent where inflammation is present. In fact, if there were inflammation and tearing of the arteries, and cholesterol was not present, there would be much more serious problems than potential cardiovascular disease. That being said, most people are interested in understanding personal lipid profiles.Understanding your blood tests:While LDL is typically associated with higher risk of cardiovascular disease, that does not mean it is the cause. Low density lipoprotein is typically broken into two categories of large low density lipoprotein and very low density lipoprotein, each having a different particle structure and effect on the body.Large LDL: These are the large, buoyant LDL particles. They tend to contain more cholesterol and show little risk to cardiovascular disease.Very Low Density Lipoproteins: There are the dangerous, small, dense lipoproteins that are often associated with inflammation, showing a risk for cardiovascular disease.Unfortunately general blood tests do not distinguish between the amount of LDL and actual particle size, leaving physicians to assume that high levels of LDL are dangerous, and that cholesterol lowering statins are needed. If you have high LDL cholesterol and want a more accurate understanding of your risk, you can order a more specific blood test that shows particle size such as the NMR lipid profile.More accurate indicators of risk include:

• Specific cholesterol profile: The NMR lipid profile shows particle size of LDL cholesterol and is available through all major labs.

• Your HDL/Cholesterol ratio-- HDL percentage is a very potent heart disease risk factor. Dividing your HDL level by your cholesterol should give you a number above 24% Below 10 percent, it's a significant indicator of risk for heart disease.

• Your Triglyceride/HDL ratios—Triglycerides are a much better indicator of cardiovascular risk than LDL levels.Divide your triglycerides by your HDL level. This percentage should ideally be below 2.

• Your fasting insulin/blood sugar level: Sugar and refined carbs are shown to be inflammatory to arterial walls leading to heart disease. Theses foods lead to an increase in blood glucose and insulin which can indicate risk.Studies have shown that people with a fasting blood sugar level of 100-125 mg/dl had a nearly 300 percent increase higher risk of having coronary heart disease than people with a level below 79 mg/dl.

Of course, cholesterol is not the problem. Cholesterol is a band-aid highlighting a previous problem most likely coming from internal or external stress. I suggest not being too concerned with cholesterol levels as they vary from person to person in accordance with our bio individuality. I of course suggest focusing on a nourishing diet, high in brain-boosting, hormone encouraging fats, protein and inflammation fighting carbohydrates. Giving our body access to the organic materials it needs for healing is a much safer alternative to cholesterol lowering, libido killing drugs.http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2002/05/25/fasting-part-one.aspxhttp://qjmed.oxfordjournals.org/content/96/12/927http://www.nmsociety.org/docs/aboutfat/The-Questionable-Role-of-Saturated.pdf