Cholesterol and Triglycerides

Cholesterol is regarded by the body as such an important metabolic aid that every cell has a mechanism to manufacture its own supply. (Erdmann, 1995)

Cholesterol is a soft, waxy lipid molecule manufactured in the liver and in human cells, produced in the liver, and derived from animal fat we eat.

Cholesterol is a soft, waxy lipid molecule that is mainly manufactured in the liver and produced in amounts the body needs. It’s not bad or good. LDL repairs and rebuilds, while HDL acts as the carrier. It’s the quality of fat, the kind of food we eat, and other substances we ingest, such as medication and harmful chemicals found in toothpaste, that are known to cause issues with the arteries. Our body produces around 2 grams of cholesterol every day, which is found in most of the body’s tissues and is used to aid healing. Cholesterol fatty acids travel in the bloodstream, where they help make cell membranes, vitamin D, bile acids, and hormones. There are two forms of cholesterol:

1. Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL)  takes cholesterol away from the liver to use throughout the body. LDL repairs, rebuilds, and delivers cholesterol to the brain, which is composed of 20% fat, making it the fattiest organ in the body.

2. High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) carries cholesterol to where it needs to go, and then the excess is returned  to the liver to be reused, conserving our body’s energy.

Triglycerides are Very-Low-Density lipoproteins (VLDL), also made in the liver. Triglycerides are secreted into the bloodstream and carried to tissues, where they are the most common form of fat in the blood. Triglycerides are made in the liver from food we ingest and stored calories, which are used later for energy.  When we eat too many calories, those excess calories are stored as triglycerides.

It isn’t the cholesterol in foods we need to worry about; it’s a diet high in simple carbohydrates and overeating that causes plaque build-up in the arteries. High triglycerides in the blood come from eating a diet high in simple carbohydrates, excessive starchy complex carbohydrates, and trans- fats. They also come from eating too much throughout the day without enough exercise. Best to focus on a wholesome diet of complex carbohydrates from leafy greens, tart fruit,  nuts, legumes, whole grains, and some vegetable oils such as olive oil and coconut oil with a higher ratio of grass-fed/finished animal fat and protein. This kind of diet reduces the likelihood of high triglycerides in the blood, which can lead to arteriosclerosis.

Simple carbohydrates are: sugar, bread and pasta, potato/corn/cheese chips, crackers, and sugary drinks. Complex carbohydrates are found in whole foods such as legumes, root vegetables, and leafy greens.  

Trans- fats found in margarine and commercial snack foods should be avoided.

Eating a wholesome diet with a focus on complex carbohydrates from leafy greens, tart fruit, some nuts and seeds, some legumes, some grains, and some vegetable oils with a higher ratio of animal fat, then there is less chance for high triglycerides, which can lead to arteriosclerosis.

Both cholesterol and triglycerides are made in the liver and must be obtained through whole foods, animal and plant.

Cholesterol:

• Is the body’s natural healing substance
• Is an antioxidant important for the immune system
• Manufactures sex hormones — androgen, testosterone, estrogen, progesterone for a healthy reproductive system.
• Makes corticosteroids precursors — glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids, the stress hormone, and the hormone that protects the body against heart disease and cancer by protecting and supporting the immune system.
• It is needed for maintaining intestinal wall health, and a diet low in cholesterol can lead to intestinal disorders.
• It is vital for brain function and development, forming membranes inside the cells to keep them permeable.
• Low levels have been linked to aggressive and violent behavior, depression, and suicidal tendencies.
• Stabilizes neurotransmitters, which regulate moods
• Serotonin receptors in the brain are necessary for function; we know serotonin as the “feel-good” chemical.
• It is necessary for the synthesis of Vitamin D. Bioactive Vitamin D, known as Calcitriol, is a steroid hormone and a fat-soluble vitamin. We produce vitamin D in the kidneys, which is important for:

1. Regulating blood calcium levels
2. Mineralization of bone and teeth.
3. The nervous system
4. Proper growth
5. Mineral metabolism
6. Muscle tone
7. Insulin production
8. Reproduction
9. The immune system.