How to Lower Cholesterol with Diet

If you’re wondering how to lower cholesterol with diet, you’ve come to the right place! The choices we make when eating and in our day-to-day lives can play a major role in our overall health, and I can’t wait to dive into it for you.   

I believe that some of the reasons cholesterol levels may be elevated are sometimes overlooked. In my myth busting workshop, where I talk about cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels, I dive into this in great detail, but for the sake of this blog post, I will keep things short and sweet!

We’ll dive into what cholesterol is, what role of cholesterol is in the body, what factors may contribute to high cholesterol and what we can do to support ourselves naturally.

If you are looking for tailored, personal nutrition and diet support for cholesterol (whether you’re looking to get pregnant or not), that’s something I’d be happy to chat with you about! You can also sign up for my newsletter to get updates on all things blog, nutrition, lifestyle and so much more!

In the meantime, I hope you find a golden nugget in these writings to help you on your path.

What is the Role of Cholesterol in the Body?

Simply put, cholesterol has many roles in the body. In no order of importance, cholesterol:

– Makes up nearly all cell membranes in the body

– Is a precursor to steroid hormones

– Acts as an antioxidant

– Strengthens the immune system

– Has a role in digestion

– Is needed for growth, repair and reproduction

With elevated cholesterol, and even with too little, it leaves room for dis-ease to present. 

Are High Cholesterol Levels Bad?

High cholesterol levels aren’t necessarily bad. Hear me out.

First of all, here are a few questions worth pondering:
1) What made you aware of this problem? What is a symptom that presented and that lead you getting lab work done to confirm?
2) Do you have family history of elevated cholesterol that caused problems and you are concerned?
3) Are you concerned that your elevated cholesterol will affect your heart? Causing a future heart attack or stroke?

Those are the big ones I’d start off with. Next I’d really want to dive into why your cholesterol levels may be high and by how much? Additionally, I’d really want to know if there are signs of inflammation? High blood sugar? High blood pressure?

If your cholesterol levels are just slightly above normal, you’re inflammatory markers are low, you’re eating well, moving your body regularly, stress is relatively low, I’d dare say – maybe this is your normal? If all of these are in check and your numbers are still higher than desired, I’d wonder – how is the state of your hormones? How it your liver functioning? Are their others areas that may need extra support that may have been overlooked? These are all taken into consideration when working together on your nutrition and health goals.

Let’s say your cholesterol levels are significantly raised, your hormones are imbalanced, your inflammatory markers are high, blood sugar high… In that case I’d say there is a need to have a serious discussion with not only your doctor, but with yourself. Maybe it means asking yourself what areas in your life need some TLC? Maybe you need to reassess some of the components I will be discussing below? While cholesterol levels can be lowered using medications, it doesn’t always mean that it should be regulated that way.

*Self accountability is very important here, and not to push too many buttons, but… lifestyle and diet likely caused your imbalance, it is what will help you reverse it.*

Symptoms, whether we feel them, or see them on a lab report, are our bodies way of communicating with us. So that said, what are your symptoms trying to tell you? Are you listening? Ready to put in the work? 

Can Cholesterol Levels Rise when Entering Menopause?

We can’t forget to mention the effect of menopause on women’s hormones! Cholesterol levels can in fact rise when entering menopause as our hormones are shifting.

When entering menopause, we produce less estrogen, which is needed to metabolize cholesterol and move it out of the body. This mechanism alone can result in an increase in cholesterol. 

Can High Cholesterol Affect Fertility or Pregnancy?

High cholesterol can affect both fertility and pregnancy. If cholesterol levels are out of balance, it can affect the rest of our hormones – hormones that should ideally be well balanced going into pregnancy. 

High cholesterol may also have an effect on blood pressure and blood sugar management, which can in-turn affect fertility and our ability to carry out pregnancy. 

There are ways to help manage cholesterol levels throughout your fertility journey and through pregnancy. You can see those methods to help protect your health and the health of your baby by reading below! 

How can I Lower Cholesterol with Diet?

There are many ways to can help lower cholesterol with diet – hurray! That’s why you came here in the first place, right?

I had to share everything I shared above to help drive home the idea that while cholesterol is necessary, it’s not always bad. While it’s not always bad, there are times where we should start to actively make changes to our diet and lifestyle to support our health and wellbeing. These are my top tips for lowering cholesterol through diet.  

#1 Eat the right fats, ditch the seed oils and processed “fats”. Avoid fried foods, too. 

#2 Reduce your processed sugar intake, wholefood sugar sources are generally ok in moderation!

#3 Avoid alcohol, smoking and drugs.

#4 Focus on a diet that is composed of real, whole foods. Foods that contain no ingredient lists are you best options!

#5 Reduce or remove processed and packaged foods from your diet. Anything with a ingredient list that contains a long list of unknown ingredients should ideally be avoided. (I know – I basically said the same thing in point number 4, but this helps drive the idea home, right? Packaged foods with simple, clean ingredients can absolutely be ok, too!) 

Online searches for how to lower cholesterol with diet commonly state that you should reduce foods that are high in cholesterol like eggs, steak and so on… I’m here to tell you not to fear those foods and to eat them! *gasp* Yes, they contain cholesterol, but not enough to affect your cholesterol levels. Your body makes more than you could ever eat in a day. Your body makes what it needs for all the reasons I listed above so if cholesterol is high, I suggest you dive into what is going on internally which might be causing it!

Let this is your sign to keep eating your eggs and your steak! Enjoy your whole foods, don’t fear it! Do try to source a quality product when you are able: not only is it great for you, but if it’s from a a good, reputable, regenerative farmer, you’ll know the animal was well treated and that the farm is doing their part to protect our lands 🙂 If you’re in Ontario, I’m a big fan of Wild Meadows Farm and A Cut Above Meat for their well managed and/or properly sourced animal products.

How can I Lower Cholesterol Without Drugs?

In many cases, it is possible to avoid drugs and lower cholesterol with diet and lifestyle changes!  Please note that if you received labs that show elevated cholesterol and it is a concern, you should speak with your medical doctor.

You should understand though, that being mindful of the types of foods you’re eating and the type of activities and relationships you’re fostering can help heaps as well! We’ve discussed how to lower cholesterol with diet above, but in terms of lifestyle, there are many things you can consider adding to your repertoire:

– Ensuring you are getting good quality sleep

– Hydrating adequately

– Reducing toxic load (chemicals, yeasts, heavy metals, drugs, alcohol)

– Supporting liver detoxification

– Breathing fresh air

– Enjoy the simple pleasures in life

– Watching the sunrise and sunset

These may seem like simple enough tasks, but they are often overlooked. In my practice, they are part of the foundations to health and longevity. They are included in every single one of my protocols, including my digestive healing protocol, which is the first thing we work on when helping to manage conditions like high cholesterol. 

Where do I Start When Trying to Lower Cholesterol?

So here’s the deal… if you need help lowering your cholesterol levels, just know that you can do this!

You are in control of your health and it starts with making one change, starting today.

Start by making choices in your diet and lifestyle that make you feel good and make your body feel energized and fantastic!

If all you’re concerned about is a number, you have no symptoms and you see something on this list that you need to focus on, then get on it!

If you’re overwhelmed and don’t know where to start, choose one thing that you can be most consistent with, start slow and steady and make it a new habit.

Eat whole, real foods – ditch the rest. Move your body, smile, dance, play. Take deep, clearing breaths. Watch the sunrise and the sunset. Get good sleep. Find healthy coping mechanisms to your stressors. Rest, relax and have fun.

With a hectic schedule, I understand that it may seem impossible to do these basic life skills, don’t beat yourself up over it. Slowing down and being mindful with the foods we eat is honestly, a lost art. We live in a fast paced world that supports and encourages behaviors and lifestyles that aren’t conductive to our overall wellbeing. It’s time to take back what’s ours – our time and our health.

You. Got. This.

If you need support and you’re not entirely sure where to start, there are a few ways I can help you out!

1) You can join my Myth Busting Workshop: Cholesterol, Blood Pressure & Blood Sugar! If you can’t make it live or see this after the fact, you can always email me for recording details 🙂

2) You can schedule a free discovery call to chat, or send me an email, anytime! For Oakville and West Grey locals, I can set up in-person appointments and for those in Ontario or Canada wide, virtual appointments can also be arranged.

All the best, happy healing and happy discoveries <3

Véronique,
your fertility nutritionist and lifestyle coach.