Food Fight: Give Cholesterol an Upper-Cut! Round One

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” - Hippocrates

The first fight I have decided to pick is with cholesterol. In preparing for this entry I feel that I have embarked upon a Master's thesis so in attempt to reduce the boredom factor, I'll try to stick to the nitty-gritty with some reputable facts so you know I'm not just making stuff up! Warning... it will be a little lengthy so I'll split it into multiple posts.

According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) website, over 102 million Americans have unhealthy levels of cholesterol. While it is recommended that all adults over age 20 should have their cholesterol levels tested, the CDC reports that 20 percent of 12-19 year old individuals have elevated cholesterol levels and children with a family history of heart disease, diabetes and certain other diseases should begin testing at age two! This is a real problem, folks!

Here are some science facts. Cholesterol is a waxy, oily steroid that plays an important role in cell formation, manufacturing hormones and maintaining a healthy immune system. It is actually a valuable substance unless it is oxidized, a chemical change that occurs when combined with unstable oxygen molecules, the amino acid homocysteine or chlorine. Yawn, I know. Basically cholesterol is oxidized and enters the blood stream by consuming processed food, certain animal products, environmental pollutants and stress and damages arteries. We need those arteries to be nice and strong to carry blood from the heart to all organ systems and keep them in healthy working order. Unhealthy arteries lead to many health complications including stroke and heart disease, which is the number one cause of death in the United States. Serious stuff.

Good news. A simple blood test by a doctor can determine cholesterol levels. According to the CDC, high cholesterol levels can be reduced by diet and lifestyle changes, and in other cases by pharmaceutical intervention. Don't do drugs, people! Stay tuned to learn how to reduce bad cholesterol levels the healthy way!