****** If you just want to know some foods to avoid and go for, scroll down to "Good food Bad food"
This letter will be fairly short but focused. I get a lot of questions about "Good" cholesterol and "Bad" cholesterol, so I figure a lot of you may be having the same questions.
Many people get confused about this. There is no such thing as "good" and "bad" cholesterol. Cholesterol is or is not, it doesn't take sides
The purpose of cholesterol in your body is to allow your cells to maintain permeability. That is, it makes it so your cells can let in resources and out waste.
It is created in the liver and delivered to cells throughout the body by lipoproteins which are classified into 4 to 5 types, depending on the categorization system you're using, but we're only going to cover HDLs and LDLs, the other 2 types being VLDLs and ILDLs.
You have Low Density Lipoproteins (LDLs for this discussion). This is the "bad" cholesterol. They take cholesterol from the liver and bring it to cells throughout the body.
Sometimes though they begin to gather in arteries after dropping off the cholesterol and can cause arterio and athero sclerosis (hardening of arteries and chambers of the heart).
VLDLs (Very Low Density Lipoproteins) and ILDLs (Intermediate Density Lipoproteins) essentially have the same risks as LDLs but with slightly different functions.
You have High Density Lipoproteins (HDLs for this discussion). These are the "good" cholesterols. HDLs take excess cholesterol as well as those LDLs that have gathered in the arteries and heart back to the liver and endocrine system to be turned into things such as stomach acid, mucus, and certain hormones.
So there you have it. Quit blaming the cholesterol, it didn't have a choice! Blame your LDLs :)
==================== Good Food Bad Food ======================
Good Foods:
Foods high in soluble fiber can help. Brussels sprouts, pears, apples, oatmeal and barley. Chicken and Turkey. Almost all fis. Try to shoot for a 1/1 ratio of polyunsaturated fats to saturated fats... more polyunsaturated fats the better.
Eat walnuts and almonds, but remember: They're high cal foods.
Also eat foods high in your EFAs (Omega 3s and 6s)
Bad Foods:
Egg Yolks. Like Eggs? Just remove the yokes. Personally I eat 3-4 eggs per day but only the whites... My dog gets the yolk.
Any foods high in saturated fats will raise your LDLs more than any other factor (aside perhaps from heredity). So be sure you eat these foods in moderation:
Coconut Oil and Palm Oil are two of the worst possible cooking ingredients out there. stay away.
bacon, loin chops, salami, sausage, cheesecake, cream cheese, coconuts. Coconuts are terrible, but sooo yummy.
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