Please forget what you read in this story is more like it.
The reason for this is because it starts off all informative, then progresses into same old story which has been told a millions times before. That is, HDL is good, LDL is bad, avoid saturated fat.
The problem is here is that there are sub-type LDL particles which vary in size from large LDL cholesterol particles to smaller LDL cholesterol particles. Now it is has been observed that smaller LDL is commonly associated with cardiovascular heart disease cases.
Smaller LDL particles are more commonly found when you consume larger amounts of carbohydrates, or sugar. This is due to increased insulin in the blood system and other related topics I am not going to go to in right now. Carbohydrates directly impacts insulin levels.
Now, with increased inflammation there does seem to be more problems within the arteries, and it also raises C-Reactive Protein levels. This triggers the body to use LDL particles almost like a band-aid. If these LDL particles are small enough, they get stuck, and with the inflammation and C-Reactive Proteins causes the LDL particles which is stuck to oxidise.
When these LDL particles are larger, they do not get stuck and you will not see this oxidation and atherosclerosis occurring. So you can still have a “high” LDL count, but no risk to CHD. They should also give you your C-reactive protein levels and well as separate large and small particle LDL cholesterol.
LDL Cholesterol does not cause CHD, it’s more and indication that something might be wrong or you are struggling with inflammation.
As for saturated fat increasing cholesterol, well, it also increases HDL cholesterol, does not create the insulin spikes requires to increase c-reactive protein or inflammation.
Lastly, I want to quote Kimberley Gomer, R.D., in the story:
“The No. 1 thing you can do to lower your cholesterol is quit smoking,”
Ever thought that smoking increases damage and inflammation in your body? So by quitting, you will lower inflammation and require less “band-aids” internally.
Don’t fool yourself or others into thinking because there is a correlation between cholesterol levels and CHD that cholesterol causes it.
