Human bodies are smart, intricate machines that respond to what we put in our body. Have a diet loaded with unhealthy fats and chemicals? Your body will respond in various ways – fatigue, sore throats, etc. Ignore these clear signs and you pay the price in the long term with increased risk for life-threatening diseases. However, stick to a good diet and your body will reward you!
In this article, we will be covering the increasingly common phenomena of high cholesterol levels, inflammation in the body, and how to handle this just from making the right food choices.
What Is A Healthy Cholesterol Ratio?
Total cholesterol level, which you can find by adding HDL level + LDL level + 20% of your triglycerides level, is the default indicator for many people to assess heart disease risks, obesity, etc. However, research has shown that a more sensible indicator is to review your cholesterol ratio instead of total cholesterol level.
Finding your cholesterol ratio is done by dividing your total cholesterol level to your HDL level. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), your cholesterol ratio should not be higher than 3.5. To read more about your cholesterol ratio, you can refer to our previous article here.
Source: Tech Explorist
Inflammation
Our body naturally produces cholesterol and one of its key functions is to repair inflammation in the human body. Inflammation can be caused by chemically-processed food or food with impurities, where the impurities or chemicals travel through your blood vessels causing micro-abrasions. The micro-abrasions result in an inflammatory response. Cholesterol helps to repair damaged inflamed blood vessels quickly by forming a covering over the damaged site, known as a plaque. However, if too much cholesterol is built-up, the large plaque may dislodge, causing fatal heart attacks and stroke. Read more about this inflammatory process in our previous article here.
How To Reduce Inflammation?
Many have heard of the phrase ‘You Are What You Eat’, and the food we consume daily plays a part in causing and reducing inflammation depending on what we eat. Here are a few ways to reduce inflammation through recommended food choices:
Cut Down on Carbs and Sugar
One should cut down on carbohydrates, or opt for a high fat and low carb (keto) diet instead. Carbs turn into sugar when digested by the body, which in turn raises blood sugar level. The increase in blood sugar level results in your body responding by increasing your insulin level. Insulin is responsible for lowering your blood sugar level by moving glucose out of the blood to be used as fuel.
High insulin levels prevent fat from being broken down as energy as it forces the body to use the glucose in the blood. Hence, it indirectly encourages fat storage in the body. This triggers inflammation in the surrounding tissue where the fat is stored, as the fat cells in your body are stuffed with excess fat, which can lead to chronic diseases. A study in 2018 has contributed results that those who consumed more dietary sugar have more inflammatory markers in their blood.
Consume Oils with Stable Fats
You may be thinking: Then what is my source of energy without carbs to fuel me through the day? Well, research and testimonials have shown that a high fat and low carb diet (also known as keto diet) can keep you satiated and energetic the entire day!
However, it is important to eat the right type of fats. Some fats, like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, are unstable and could turn rancid easily. Rancid fats degrade and produce free radicals. Free radicals are not only cancer-causing agents but also increase the risk of inflammation. Examples of unstable fats are omega-6 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fats found in sunflower, safflower, soy, sesame, and corn oils. Moreover, such oils were being extracted using harsh chemical processes repeatedly. Such processes could destroy and remove any natural nutrients, and thus rendering these oils empty calories with high inflammatory properties.
The best fat you can eat is saturated fats that are stable and do not turn rancid easily. Saturated fats are considered one of the most stable as they are composed of single carbon-carbon bonds. Moreover, Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil contain saturated fats which are medium chain triglycerides (MCT). They are most easily processed and used as fuel by the body, without adding workload to our liver. Healthy saturated fats for cooking can be also be found in beef or butter from grass-fed cattle.
Consume Food with Minimal Impurities
As mentioned previously, food with impurities causes inflammation to the human body when we consume them. Hence, this is why we should always opt for good quality food products. Cheap salt contains many impurities, such as microplastics. These tiny impurities are the causes for inflammation, cancer and damage to the blood vessels, which then require the body to produce more cholesterol to repair the damages in the blood vessels.
By opting for nature, animal products which are raised ethically, oils extracted using chemical free cold-pressed technology, and uncontaminated sea salt, we can thus lower inflammation in our body naturally. Doing so, our body will thus naturally reduce production of cholesterol, lower LDL and increase HDL overtime. Less cholesterol will be required to remain in the blood stream.
Cocomi Organic Coconut Aminos
Cocomi Organic Coconut Aminos is the perfect culinary seasoning made from the sap of the coconut tree, that lowers inflammation and total cholesterol levels. Using only pure sea salt, it does not contain microplastics and promotes anti-inflammation. Cocomi Organic Coconut Aminos is currently available in 3 savoury flavours – Original, Teriyaki, and Onion and Garlic.
Healthy Saturated Fats From Grass-Fed Cattle
Featuring our new launch of healthy red meat from Rosedale Ruby and Pure South, Rosedale Ruby is an award-winning cattle, producing one of the finest grades of beef in the world. Pure South cattle on the other hand are known for being 100% grass-fed, free of hormones and chemicals. They are as good as Organic! Here at Primest, we only source the highest quality of livestock, ethically farmed, and meeting stringent storage requirement for our customers.
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Disclaimer: This article is not medical advice, nor can we provide you medical advice. Everything here is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing medical advice. You should contact your doctor to obtain advice with respect to any particular health issue or condition. Also, some of the links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning, at no cost to you.