To believe blindly is easy. However, with all the sources of - often - contradictory available on social medias, it becomes difficult to sort out the true from the false.

Sometimes we hear and believe facts without really taking the steps to confirm if they are based on a reality that we can relate to.

I think it's important to be curious and double check to make your own idea and deepen your knowledge. It's a great way to improve yourself.

That's why we're going to cover the big myths about cholesterol, nutrition, training, and supplementation together. I will be able to bring my expertise to clarify and lift the veil that covers the most common myths.

Cholesterol

Something that is not well known or well informed about is cholesterol.

Cholesterol is not a bad thing as we sometimes hear. In fact, it is a lipid that serves several physiological functions in our body. Whether it is for the formation of our hormones like testosterone or for the formation of the membrane of our cells, cholesterol is essential.

Blood Cholesterol

For a long time, when an individual was diagnosed with high cholesterol, he or she was told to reduce dietary cholesterol without knowing that dietary cholesterol has very little impact on blood cholesterol levels.

What impacts most of the blood cholesterol is actually carbohydrates!

The carbohydrates we don't spend can be converted to fat (triglycerides) to meet a future energy need.

The real problem is eating carbs AND not being active.

Instead of cutting back on eggs, the best option would probably be to cut back on sugary drinks and carbs. Especially if they are consumed in front of the television and not after physical activity.

“Good" and "Bad" Cholesterol

The most common myth about cholesterol is that there is a "good" and a "bad" cholesterol.

When we talk about good and bad, we mean LDL and HDL.

These are acronyms used to designate the lipoproteins that carry cholesterol.

• Some are saturated with many molecules: HDL (Heavy-Density-Lipoprotein).
• Some are saturated with few molecules: LDL (Low-Density-Lipoprotein).

Okay, but... what does it mean really?

Imagine a bus stop during rush hour. Many people have just finished work and are waiting for public transportation. There are two types of buses. The first one has a very large number of seats (HDL). The second is a small neighborhood bus (LDL). Both buses are important because they do not serve the same needs. Some buses will stay in the municipality while others will go to the metropolis.

The important thing to remember is that the problem is not really the type of bus that will be used, but rather the number of users of each bus. That is, when there are too many people at the stop who must wait, and the buses can no longer sufficiently meet the need to transport them.

This is why we want to have more high-density lipoproteins (HDL) in terms of ratio, because cholesterol is likely to be carried around more.

That being said, all lipoproteins have their role to play. What is bad is not the cholesterol itself but having too much of it stagnating and not moving.

Would you like to have alternatives to take control of your health and adopt an active lifestyle? We are offering you a free consultation with one of our Everwell coaches today to provide you with advice and a personalized approach to your needs.