When we talk about health and longevity, a key player often comes up: cholesterol.
You might hear about cholesterol being “bad,” but it’s essential for building healthy cells. The real challenge lies in the balance between the two main types.
Decoding Cholesterol: HDL vs. LDL
Think of cholesterol as two types of delivery trucks circulating through your body:
- HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein): The ‘Happy’ Cholesterol. This is the good guy. HDL acts like a clean-up crew, scavenging excess cholesterol from your body and arteries and transporting it back to the liver for removal. High HDL is protective.
- LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein): The ‘Lousy’ Cholesterol. This is the one we watch closely. LDL contributes to the buildup of fatty deposits in arteries, narrowing the pathways and increasing risks. High LDL is a concern.
So, how do you manage the balance and keep the “lousy” truck under control? The answer isn’t always a pharmaceutical one: it’s often as simple as a humble addition to your diet: fibre.
Fibre: Your New Secret Weapon Against High LDLs
Fibre, particularly soluble fibre (the kind found in oats, beans, apples, and citrus fruits and berries), is an absolute superhero for cholesterol management.
Here’s the simple science:
- It traps cholesterol: When you eat soluble fibre, it dissolves in water in your digestive tract to form a thick, sticky gel.
- It binds bile: This gel traps bile acids (which the body makes using cholesterol) and prevents them from being reabsorbed back into the body.
- It forces removal: Because the bile—and the trapped cholesterol—can’t be reabsorbed, it’s eliminated as waste.
- The result: Your liver has to pull more LDL cholesterol out of your bloodstream to make new bile, which effectively lowers your total LDL levels.
It’s an elegant, natural process that proves, in this case, your diet is your most powerful medicine. Has your cholesterol been flagged as a problem? Mine had too and it’s a common discussion point in appointments. Email me, christine@bodylab.health and we can make an appointment that suits you to go through your blood test results and empower you to help manage your cholesterol in a way that works for you. I am excited to partner with you to achieve not just great movement, but truly exceptional health from the inside out.
Dr Christine Fraser, Senior Osteopath and Certified Nutrition Consultant.
