Cholesterol: Good or Bad...

 Sometime ago I had some marketers over at my place to advertise their product for healthy eating and subsequent healthy and longer life. OK, I am a Medical Practitioner and a Nutritionist so I am all for that but what got me ticking in their speech is the way make Cholesterol out to be all bad….

 Most times we do not know and we do not make an effort to know then we go ahead and advertise our ignorance.

-What Is Cholesterol

 First and foremost, Cholesterol has its use in the body. Yes, I agree that increased Cholesterol in the body has so much adverse effect and it is a good idea to be weary of it but then it is not all that bad.

Let me start by describing Cholesterol; it is a waxy, fat-like substance that’s found in all cells of the body. Cholesterol travels through your bloodstream in small packages called lipoproteins. There are 2 kinds- The Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) and the High Density Lipoprotein (HDL). The LDL is also known as the bad Lipoprotein (Cholesterol) because it tends to build up in the arteries and cause blockages while the HDL is known as the good Lipoprotein (Cholesterol) because it carries Cholesterol form other parts of your body back to your liver. Your liver removes the cholesterol from your body. Having healthy levels of both types of lipoproteins is important.

-Where Do We Get Cholesterol From?

All foods containing animal fat contain cholesterol to varying extents. Major dietary sources of cholesterol include cheese, egg yolks, beef, pork, poultry, fish, and shrimp. Human breast milk also contains significant quantities of cholesterol. From a dietary perspective, cholesterol is not found in significant amounts in plant sources.

This is to say that except you are exclusively a vegetarian, there is no way you can have a Cholesterol free diet.

Even if you are avoiding it in your diet, it will be wise to know that all animal cells manufacture cholesterol for their use, the quantity produced depends on the cell type and organ function. Examples are the liver, ovaries and intestines. There is an overall balance; if you have little in the diet, the body increases its production and if you have more in the diet, the body produces less.

Making healthy eating choices and increasing exercise are important first steps in improving your cholesterol values.

-What Does Cholesterol Do In The Body?

 Cholesterol is not all that bad, it has so many vital functions. Many body functions will be faulty with low body Cholesterol.

. Manufacturing Hormones such as estrogen, testosterone (both are sex hormones), progesterone, aldosterone and cortisone.

. Vitamin D production

. Cholesterol produces bile acids which aid in digestion and vitamin absorption.

. Cholesterol plays a very important part in both the creation and maintenance of human cell membrane.

. Used as an insulator around nerves, cholesterol promotes healthy nervous system function and helps to prevent diseases associated with the nervous system. It is absolutely essential for brain function.

 

 

Continued……