If you or someone you love has been told they have high cholesterol, this article is a must-read.
I just finished watching an interview with Dr. Robert Lustig M.D., author of Metabolical, and wow… my mind is blown!
I’ll give you a brief summary of the key takeaways below, but trust me—it’s worth watching the whole thing, especially if you've been told by your doctor that you have high cholesterol.
To find it, search "Understand Your CHOLESTEROL PANEL & Metabolic Health Tests - the ULTIMATE Guide Dr. Robert Lustig" on YouTube.
Now, I’ve known for many years that eating foods high in cholesterol and fat does NOT cause high cholesterol levels in your body. There are countless studies and books written by leading doctors that support this truth.
But somehow, despite all this science, so many people still think that foods like eggs, shrimp, red meat, butter, and healthy oils (like coconut oil) are the problem.
I’m here to tell you… they are NOT!
I would scream it from the mountaintops if I could! This is so important.
The real culprit? Can you guess?
SUGAR! (And refined carbs come in at a close second.)
It all boils down to your metabolic health—how well your body processes glucose and handles insulin.
Here are some key points from Dr. Lustig’s interview that everyone should know:
- Triglycerides: When measured in a fasting state, they tell you how your liver handles carbs and sugar in your diet.
- VLDLs and triglycerides: Your liver converts sugar into fat and packages it into VLDLs (a type of cholesterol).
- Small dense LDL: This is the harmful type of LDL that can lead to plaque formation and cardiovascular issues.
- Triglyceride-to-HDL ratio: This is a crucial marker for insulin resistance and heart disease risk.
- Fasting insulin levels: These can give you insight into your liver function and overall metabolic health.
- Sugar and refined carbs: These contribute to liver fat, but exercise and intermittent fasting can help reduce it.
- Cholesterol panel interpretation: It’s essential to understand how the different markers work together. The total cholesterol number? It’s often misleading.
- Triglycerides and HDL: Their ratio tells you more about your liver health and heart disease risk than the total cholesterol number.
- Small dense LDL and liver fat: Sugar consumption and liver fat cause high levels of small dense LDL, which is more concerning than your total LDL levels.
- Insulin resistance: This, often indicated by elevated fasting insulin, is a key factor in chronic metabolic diseases.
Making lifestyle changes—like cutting back on sugar, exercising, and intermittent fasting—can go a long way toward improving liver health and overall metabolic health.
So, what do you do if your lab results show high cholesterol? Here’s exactly what I’d tell you:
1. Ignore the total cholesterol number. Instead, focus on the ratio of triglycerides to HDL. If it's 1.5 or lower, you're in great shape! (The lower, the better.) My own recent blood test showed triglycerides at 88 and HDL at 98, giving me a ratio of 0.9—which, according to Dr. Lustig, means I should live forever… lol!
2. Ask if your fasting insulin levels were measured. If not, go back to your doctor and ask for that test. This will give you much deeper insights into your metabolic and liver health.
3. Cut out refined sugars and carbs. If you’re already following the New Life Promise meal plans, this is exactly what we do in the first four weeks.
4. Exercise is non-negotiable. If you’re not exercising yet, start with walking, and then work up to strength training three times a week.
5. Begin taking an Omega-3 supplement immediately. “There's strong evidence that omega-3 fatty acids can significantly reduce blood triglyceride levels.” as reported on the MayoClinic website. I’ve already written extensively on how the quality of Omega-3s you buy is vital so here is the one I recommend to all of our members:
Pure, clean, and effective OmegaPure-> Get your OmegaPure HERE
*NOTE - Dr. Lustig does recommend intermittent fasting, though I typically don’t for women. Men seem to do well with it, but for us ladies, our hormones (especially during perimenopause and menopause) can make it a little trickier.
But I promise, even without intermittent fasting, these changes can make a world of difference.
Take Patricia G., for example—a member of our NLP family. She started her journey in January, and by May, her cholesterol levels were fantastic. Here’s what she shared:
"I began this journey not necessarily to lose weight, but to get healthier. In December, my cholesterol was high, and I was prescribed medication, which I couldn’t take. I found this program, and something about it just felt right. I followed the plan faithfully, and I even enjoyed the food! By May, my doctor told me my cholesterol levels were great—better than they’ve been in years. I’m so thankful to be part of this group. Never give up—just take it one day at a time!"