Cholesterol is one of the most important molecules in your body. Often vilified by mainstream medical doctors and the media, cholesterol serves many functions including: cell membrane integrity and function; production of vitamin D; digestion (it is a large component of bile); the precursor to hormones such as testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol.
Cholesterol is so important that every animal and every fish make it as well. Why do eggs contain cholesterol? Try forming a chicken without it!
I have written extensively on cholesterol, that is why I dedicated the first chapter of my book, “The Paleo Cardiologist” to this subject. As a cardiologist, I have listened to the anti-cholesterol rhetoric from medical doctors and the media for years. This is all Big Pharma propaganda to sell us drugs. These drugs lower cholesterol down, but do very little, if anything, for outcomes that matter such as heart attacks, stroke, and dying.
Is There Such a Thing As a Perfect Cholesterol Level?
The truth is that total cholesterol has very little to do with living and dying. Studies confirm that between 160 and 260, there is very little difference is mortality. My goal is to find the perfect cholesterol level for each patient as an individual. Your perfect cholesterol level is different from your best friend, your spouse, and your neighbor. You can follow the tenets in “The Paleo Cardiologist” to achieve the best cholesterol for your body’s needs (more on that below).
Quickly, LDL has been considered the “bad” cholesterol and HDL the “good” cholesterol. But this version of the story is false. Humans and animals alike make LDL and HDL for a reason. Both serve the immune system and transport vital nutrients (like cholesterol and fat soluble vitamins) for a reason.
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