Cholesterol is a fatty substance (known as a lipid) and helps make hormones, cell membranes and vitamin D. It’s absolutely vital.  Cholesterol is made in the liver and carried in the blood stream in the form of lipoproteins.  There are a) low-density lipoproteins (LDL) known as the “bad cholesterol” because it can contribute to plaque building up in arteries and is therefore linked to heart attacks and strokes and b) high-density lipoproteins (HDL), this is the ”good” stuff.

Time for my no-nonsense hat.  If you have high overall cholesterol then the first focus should be to lower the LDL. If our HDL is high, but our LDL is also high, we can’t be content with that.  The work we do must focus on reducing the LDL. To do this (and therefore help keep our arteries clear) we need to action the following.  1. Eat more unsaturated fat.  We may have been told a decade ago to cut out fat completely, but actually it’s eating more of the good stuff which is crucial.  Namely unsaturated fats.  That’s oily fish, tofu, nuts (especially walnuts) seeds and seed oils (pumpkin, olive, flaxseed). Traditionally we were told to cut out all saturated fats to lower LDL, but actually fermented cheese and yogurt are helpful along with a little red meat now and then. 2. Eat less refined carbohydrate.  White bread, white rice, sugary and ultra-processed foods are a surefire way to raise LDL.  Try and reduce them and replace with wholegrain alternatives.  3.  Eat more fibre. Adding more fibre (vegetables, fruit, pulses, beans and wholegrain carbohydrates) is another firm winner as it reduces the absorption of LDL into the blood stream.  4.  Keep our weight down. Losing body-fat will definitely have a positive impact on LDL.  5. Stop smoking.  Why bother to cut down, just take the plunge and give up! 6. Exercise.  Move that lovely body!  Exercise raises our HDL. Fact.

Annie
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(Adapted from a piece written for ‘Woman’ magazine in 2024