The Great Cholesterol Confusion

September and October are cholesterol awareness months in different parts of the world. So, I thought this is the perfect time to dispel some myths. For decades we have been told to panic about cholesterol-rich foods like eggs, shellfish, octopus - as if a single bite would cause an instant heart attack. But scientists now realise that a lifetime of eating Flora with cardboard crackers and treating eggs as scary yellow pocket devils, hasn’t really been making us healthier. Dietary cholesterol has only a pale effect on blood cholesterol. 

Eggs are not the enemy we once thought they were

What matters more is the overall pattern of what we eat.

If you want to lower your cholesterol, aim for lots of fruit and veg, whole grains, fish (and yes, eggs), and cut back on anything that comes in a wrapper and has a shelf life of a million years.

The Mediterranean way of eating is the most cholesterol-friendly

Moving more and lifting things also helps: it raises the ‘good’ cholesterol that keeps arteries spick and span.

Moving and lifting helps to keep cholesterol levels balanced

Of course, some people are born with troublesome genes and others have medical reasons that mean they need medication. But there’s almost no downside to eating well and moving more — your arteries, your waistline and your future self will all thank you.

If you'd like to know more how to best manage your cholesterol with your lifestyle, just drop me a line and I'll be happy to share my knowledge with you .

Now is the right time to prioritise your health