Education & Resources for Healthy Living 

Cholesterol.  The molecule that seems to cause a lot of commotion.

It is true, cholesterol has a very important purpose in our bodies.  It is the fat content in our blood and made up of several different components (LDL, HDL, triglycerides, Lp(a)).  We will talk about each component.

The importance of cholesterol is significant.  It is the first molecule that starts the cascade of production for all of our hormones: our thyroid, stress (cortisol) and sex (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone) hormones.  Without that first cholesterol molecule, our hormones cannot produce correctly.

It is also necessary for the health of our vessels. The cholesterol is essential for the lining of the vessel (endothelium) to maintain its pliability and tenacity.   Which is ironic as it is also the molecule found in the plaque that causes atherosclerosis.  Our liver makes all of the cholesterol that we need.  Sometimes it makes too much, but more often lifestyle factors contribute to the imbalance of the molecules.

The endothelium is the lining of all of our blood vessels.  It is one-molecule thick layer with very small channels to allow the transference of nutrients and electrolytes from the blood into our system.

Sometimes under conditions of inflammation, those channels get too big.   When that happens then the very small LDL particles can get into the lining of the vessel, then it oxidizes, which ignites an immune response and turns into the dreaded plaque that can cause heart attacks, strokes, etc.

So, let’s talk about LDL. This is the molecule that gets the most conversation. Because it is a Low Density Lipoprotein, meaning it is very dense with cholesterol and not as much protein on the molecule, it can slip into those larger spaces created by inflammation (“leaky vessels”) to start developing plaque.  But it is not just the amount of LDL you have.  It is the size of them that makes a difference too.  The size is not always measured, but should be.  We will discuss this in a future blog!.

Ideal LDL <100 mg/dL if you have a low risk of heart disease;

<70 mg/dL if you already have CAD;

<50 mg/dL if you are diabetic.

HDL is the High Density Lipoprotein which means the molecule has more protein than cholesterol on the molecule so it is fluffier and acts like a garbage truck and picks up the LDL to take it back to the liver for processing.  There are several types of HDL and certain ones are more protective against coronary artery disease.  That is why we like more of the HDL.

Ideal HLD >60 mg/dL

Triglycerides, or blood fats elevates with sugar/carbohydrates thus increasing risk of coronary artery disease and clotting.  Thus, it is directly related to your diet.  It can also be familial in that your family may also have it.  But we often eat the same in our family and community. And to make things worse, as the triglycerides go up, the HDL goes down. 

Ideal Triglycerides <150 mg/dL

Lp (a) is a type of LDL that is associated with higher risk of heart disease and thought to be more indicative of inherited elevated cholesterol.  This test is not routinely done but you can request it from your physician.

Ideal Lp (a) is <30 mg/dL

If we go back to the beginning, we started talking about the endothelium, the lining of the vessel.  This is the key!  If we keep that lining strong, yet pliable, it can stay healthy and not allow the plaque to develop. 

Having said all of that, keep in mind that more than 50% of all heart attacks have normal cholesterol levels!

So, the goal is to keep the level of inflammation low in our body.  Starting in our mouth.  Bad teeth are very inflammatory and cause bacteria to get into our blood stream.  More on that later!

The good bacteria of our mouth, however, create Nitric Oxide, the essential anti-oxidant for vessel health which lowers oxidative stress all through the body which lowers blood pressure, keeps the vessels wide open, reduces atherosclerosis, and reduces blood clotting.   Note: oral mouthwash kills both bad AND good bacteria!

Other mechanisms to reduce inflammation include getting a good night sleep (7-9 hours), actively reducing stress, exercise and most importantly, a whole food, low inflammatory diet such as the Mediterranean, DASH or MIND diets.  More on each of these in future blogs. 

Welcome to Bluestone Functional Health Solutions! 

Jennifer and Jill