Here’s the truth: cholesterol isn’t the villain we’ve been led to believe it is. In fact, your body literally can’t function without it.

🧠 What Is Cholesterol, Really?

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in every single cell of your body. It’s so essential that your body makes 80–90% of it on its own, that’s how important it is.

✨ What Cholesterol Does:

Builds flexible, healthy cell membranes
Produces hormones like estrogen, testosterone & cortisol
Helps create vitamin D
Supports bile production (key for fat digestion)
So, cholesterol isn’t the problem. Context is everything.

🧬 Why Does the Body Make Cholesterol?

Your liver is in charge of cholesterol production, and it ramps up production when it needs to protect or repair the body.
Your body may increase cholesterol when:

• There’s inflammation it needs to patch up
• You’re stressed, triggering more cortisol
• Blood sugar spikes are damaging vessel walls
• You’re eating lots of refined carbs or processed seed oils
• Your body isn’t sabotaging you, it’s responding to internal stress.

🔥 Cholesterol & Inflammation: What’s the Link?

Cholesterol doesn’t cause heart disease. Inflammation does.
When your internal environment is inflamed or metabolically imbalanced, cholesterol tries to help, and in that process, it can build up in arteries.

Think of cholesterol like firefighters.  If they’re at the scene of a fire, they didn’t start it, they’re responding to it.

🍩 What Really Drives “Bad” Cholesterol?

Blood Sugar Imbalance / Insulin Resistance

• Raises triglycerides
• Lowers HDL (good cholesterol)
• Creates small, dense LDL (the dangerous kind)

Chronic Inflammation

• From stress, processed foods, poor sleep, gut issues
• Oxidizes LDL particles, making them sticky and damaging

Liver Issues

• Poor bile flow = cholesterol builds up instead of being cleared

Gut Dysbiosis

• Certain microbes recirculate cholesterol improperly

🥑 So, Should We Be Afraid of Fat?

Nope. That fear is outdated.
✅ Healthy fats like olive oil, avocados, ghee, coconut, and wild-caught fish can be anti-inflammatory and cholesterol-supportive.
❌ Unhealthy fats like trans fats or refined seed oils drive inflammation.

What matters most:

• The source (grass-fed, wild, cold-pressed, etc.)
• The context (your metabolic state)
• The balance (not too little, not too much)

🧘🏽‍♀️ How to Support Healthy Cholesterol & Inflammation

• Prioritize fiber-rich plants (leafy greens, chia, flax, legumes if tolerated)
• Include anti-inflammatory fats (omega-3s, EVOO, nuts, seeds)
• Balance blood sugar: include protein + healthy fats with every meal
• Move your body daily, even a short post-meal walk helps
• Get restorative sleep
• Minimize chronic stress
• Support gut & liver health (think cruciferous veggies, bitter greens, proper hydration)

🩺 Why Is My Doctor Telling Me to Go Low-Fat or Take a Statin?

You’re not alone, this is one of the most common frustrations I hear.
The traditional medical model has long believed:

• High cholesterol = high heart disease risk
• Lowering cholesterol = better outcomes
• Best way to do this? Low-fat diets + statins

And yes, statins can be helpful for some people, especially those at high immediate risk. Doctors are doing the best they can with the tools they have.
But here’s the catch:
This approach lowers your numbers, but doesn’t always fix the why.

🌱 The Functional Perspective:
In functional nutrition, we don’t treat high cholesterol as a “disease”, it’s a symptom of something deeper:

• Chronic inflammation
• Poor blood sugar regulation
• Oxidative stress
• Thyroid issues
• Hormonal shifts (especially for women over 40)

The goal? Not just to reduce cholesterol, but to address the environment that’s causing the imbalance.

🧈 So, Why Do Doctors Still Recommend Low-Fat?
It’s based on old science that said:
“Fat → cholesterol → heart disease.”
But we now know:
It’s not about the amount of fat, it’s about the type.
Going low-fat often means eating more carbs and sugar, which drives inflammation. So while doctors mean well, many nutritionists disagree, we aim for quality fats that nourish the body, support hormones, and lower inflammation.

💡 TL;DR:

“Cholesterol is not the enemy, it’s a messenger.
When inflammation and blood sugar are out of balance, cholesterol becomes part of the damage-control crew.
Let’s stop blaming the firefighter… and start putting out the fire.” 🔥

❤️ Ready to Support Your Heart from the Inside Out?

If you’re ready to take a food-first, root-cause approach to cholesterol, blood sugar, and inflammation, I’d love to support you.
We can work together to rebuild your internal foundation so your body doesn’t feel the need to over-protect itself.
Let’s take a breath, skip the fear, and get to the root 🌿

Join the next Clean-in-15.  or work with me 1:1.