DEMYSTIFYING CHOLESTEROL
Lequadrillage Research Staff

Wikipedia  defines cholesterol as a sterol a combination of a steroid and an alcohol - also known as a phospholipid ( a kind of fat).  Cholesterol is found in all human and animal cells.  The liver processes dietary cholesterol and also manufactures its own.  The liver also combines cholesterol with protein and other phospolipids, and triglycerides (Walker & Shah, p126-7).  One of these combinations becomes the low density lipids, or LDLs.  The other becomes the high density lipids, or HDLs.  Both forms are needed in the body.

This information raises more questions.  Why does cholesterol need to be combined with anything else?  Why are LDLs considered "bad" and HDLs "good?"

Cholesterol is so important that the liver can make up to 1.5 grams a day if the diet is deliberately kept low in cholesterol containing foods!  (Page, Healthy Healing p 195). Furthermore (Wikipedia), cholesterol cannot liquefy in the body because its melting point is 150 degrees Celsius, or 302 degrees Fahrenheit and the human body temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, too low to melt cholesterol.  In order to get to the body cells, cholesterol is combined both with the LDLs and the HDLs fomed in the liver.  These mobile combinations can travel throughout the body (Page, p195).

Dr Page explains what happens next::The LDL borne Cholesterol travels through the bloodstream for cell building, but the LDLs tend to leave behind any excess cholesterol on arterial walls and also in the tissues.  The ionic calcium in the bloodstream come upon this residue and are attracted to these fats (Walker & Shah, p 126-7).  When ionic calcium form complexes with the deposits on the arterial walls, these complexes eventually solidify and build up, narrowing the arteries to a point where the build-up causes heart attacks and strokes.  The cholesterol is now "bad;"  the LDLs have become "bad"  too.

(Page, p195) Often before the worst can happen, the HDLs come along to sweep up the excess cholesterol left behind and carry it back to the liver which processes the material into bile salts which are used in digestion.  The HDLs do not form complexes with ionic calcium, which labels them as "good."   So cholesterol itself is labeled both good and bad; it simply depends on what its function is at any given time.

A word about triglycerides,  also called "bad."  (Page, p195) Triglycerides, provided only by the diet, are stored in connective tissue for future use as fuel energy.  They also supply cushioning for the vital organs.  In these capacities, triglycerides are "good."  High triglycerides are strongly implicated in diabetes 2, making them "bad."

To conclude: While a proper diet can control total fat to some extent, sometimes diet alone cannot totally maintain desired levels of total cholesterol or LDLs.