Cholesterol Myths You Should Avoid
We're all concerned with our cholesterol levels these days, so it's no surprise that cholesterol myths have become so common. Here are a few to avoid.
If you believe the media, cholesterol is likely to be the death of us all -- but please don't overreact to all the cholesterol myths you hear. Contrary to popular belief, cholesterol isn't a poison. It's a metabolic chemical produced naturally by your liver, and without it, you'd die.
Medical science has been aware of the facts about cholesterol for decades; they're right there in the relevant journals and books. It's just that the general public rarely hears them from the folks who want to sell us cholesterol-reducing drugs and diets. Well, here are the facts about four cholesterol myths for you to consider.
Myth 1: Cholesterol comes only from the foods you eat.
Nonsense; this is just one of the more misleading cholesterol myths. If it were that easy to control your cholesterol, a healthy diet would soon put you in the black. However, the truth is that your body produces cholesterol naturally -- and a lot of it, too, generally 3-4 times more than you get from the food you eat.
Even worse, when you decrease your cholesterol intake, your body compensates by making more cholesterol; conversely, a high cholesterol diet results in a decrease in natural production. Your body needs a lot of cholesterol and won't let you do without it, so dieting can only lower its levels by a few percent at best.
Myth 2: Cholesterol is bad for you.
While this cholesterol myth may seem obvious to those of us suffering from an excess of the stuff, you should be aware that cholesterol is in fact a good thing -- as long as you don't get too much of it in the wrong form. Cholesterol performs several vital roles in your body chemistry.
Among other things, cholesterol holds you together -- it's required to build and maintain cell membranes. It plays a role in manufacturing hormones. It aids in the production of bile, which digests fats, and helps you metabolize vitamins A, D, E, and K. It's also a chemical precursor in the synthesis of Vitamin D.
You do need to worry if you have high cholesterol levels, but let the doctor determine what needs to be done -- if anything. Don't let "common knowledge" or the cholesterol myths in the media stress you out or, worse, lead you to attempt to medicate yourself.
Myth 3: There's only one type of cholesterol.
There's only one type of cholesterol molecule, but it comes in three different packages called lipoproteins that affect the body differently. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is the bad kind; it contributes to clogged blood vessels. So does very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), which also contains fats called triglycerides.
Contrary to this cholesterol myth, some lipoproteins are actually good for you. High-density lipoprotein (HDL), which is mostly protein with a bit of cholesterol added, helps clear LDL and VLDL out of your bloodstream and off the walls of your blood vessels, thus lowering your risk of heart disease.
Myth 4: I'm too young/too slim to have a cholesterol problem.
While both youth and slimness are good things when it comes to cholesterol, you still need to have your cholesterol checked by means of a lipid blood panel at least once a year after you reach age 20. Why? Because you might have a genetic form of high cholesterol called familial hyperlipidemia.
Even if you're safe from that, for some reason smokers, people with high blood pressure, and those with a family history of diabetes are all likely to have high cholesterol -- so don't let this one of many cholesterol myths keep you from getting yourself tested occasionally.
