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P A GE 58 www.OverTheHumpSaver.com September 2025
THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE
CONFUSING ABOUT CHOLESTEROL
C holesterol can be a the liver where it is cleaned out, says
complicated subject
the Cleveland Clinic. LDL is the “bad”
that many people
cholesterol because, when amounts
might admit they do
not fully understand. of it are excessive, that contributes
to plaque buildup in the arteries. You
need some LDL to carry cholesterol to
Most people have been taught that the body’s cells, but having too much
cholesterol is a bad thing. And for can be troublesome. HDL carries
a while it was thought that dietary some LDL away from the arteries but
cholesterol, which is the cholesterol other steps are needed to lower HDL.
found in food, had a big impact on Another lipid in the blood includes
raising cholesterol in the blood. triglyceride, which is a type of fat.
However, Healthline reports that High levels of triglycerides also can
more recent science indicates this put a person at risk for heart issues,
is not the case for most people. Is it including atherosclerosis, which is a
any wonder that cholesterol is still a hardening of the blood vessels.
mystery to so many?
Dietary cholesterol vs. blood
What is cholesterol? cholesterol and lipoproteins so they are
beneficial to the body.
Cholesterol is a fat-like, waxy The amount of cholesterol in the
substance that occurs naturally in blood and the amount in one’s diet
the body. Although widely believed are two different things. Typically, • Choose foods lower in saturated
to be harmful, cholesterol is actually eating foods that contain cholesterol fat and be mindful of foods that
necessary for the body to function. does not directly correspond to can impact blood sugar levels.
Healthline says the body needs it an elevated blood cholesterol • Quit smoking
to make hormones and vitamin D, level. Blood cholesterol is mainly • Reduce stress levels, which may
and cholesterol contributes to the determined by the amount of fats help you avoid eating high-fat
membrane structure of every cell in and carbohydrates in the diet, as well foods as a coping mechanism.
the body. as genetics. Some people are simply • Exercise regularly
genetically prone to high cholesterol • Weight loss can both increase
What are lipoproteins? levels. Even for people whose blood HDL and lower LDL
cholesterol is affected by dietary • Choose low-fat or nonfat dairy
When people talk about heart cholesterol (hyperresponders), products and lean meats
health and cholesterol, they’re research shows dietary cholesterol • Incorporate more fiber into your
really speaking about lipoproteins only moderately increases LDL, and diet, which will help remove
and not about cholesterol itself. in these cases it does not seem to excess LDL.
Lipoproteins are structures that carry increase their risk of heart disease,
cholesterol through the blood. There offers Healthline.
are two main types of lipoproteins: There is much confusion about
high-density lipoprotein (HDL) How to maintain good cholesterol cholesterol among the general public.
and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). health? But learning the basics of cholesterol
HDL is typically called the “good” can help individuals make more
cholesterol, because it moves extra According to Piedmont Healthcare, informed decisions about their diet
cholesterol from the bloodstream to there are ways to control cholesterol and overall health.