According to the Center for Disease Control, heart disease is the number one killer in the United States, and most professionals would agree that high cholesterol is the leading cause. However, contrary to popular misconception, while there may be an association between high cholesterol and heart disease, this does NOT mean that high cholesterol causes heart disease.
What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is an essential fatty substance that the cells and tissues in your body need in order to produce its protective cell membranes. Cholesterol is also used by your body to make vitamin D, and produce essential hormones in your body like sex hormones, adrenal hormones and bile salts. Because cholesterol is so vital to your body, your liver produces the cholesterol that your body needs to survive even if you do not consume any cholesterol in your diet!
Here are a few facts about cholesterol that showcase how vital this substance is to our bodies:
- Breast milk from healthy women contains large amounts of cholesterol
- All of your sex hormones (testosterone, progesterone and estrogen) and other adrenal hormones (like pregnenolone, DHEA and cortisol) are made from cholesterol
- The highest concentration of cholesterol in your body is in your brain
- Vitamin D is made from the cholesterol in your skin cells when exposed to ultraviolet light
- All the nerves in your body are covered by a protective coating (myelin sheath) which is made from cholesterol
You have to wonder, why would your body expend so much energy to make and retain cholesterol if it is so detrimental to your health? The only logical conclusion that an unbiased, intelligent person can come to is that in some way, cholesterol must be good for you!
You are being bombarded with misinformation on the dangers of cholesterol on a daily basis. If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of cholesterol, and a truly heart healthy diet, review my articles and blogs online or schedule a consultation by calling (732) 268-7663 to learn more about my holistic practice.
