Before we dive in, there are a few important things to understand about the different types of fat and how they function in your body:

LDL, HDL & Triglycerides, What Do They Actually Mean?

LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein) – often labelled the “bad” cholesterol, raises red flags in conventional medicine. When levels get too high (by today’s standards), doctors typically prescribe statins to lower them.

But here’s what isn’t often mentioned:
When your body is functioning optimally, LDL particles carry antioxidants like Beta-Carotene, CoQ10, and alpha tocopherol. These antioxidants help prevent LDL from oxidising, and that’s when it becomes harmful. We’ll delve deeper into this shortly.

HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein) – the “good” cholesterol, is protective because it helps transport cholesterol back to the liver. This prevents it from building up in your arteries.

Triglycerides - a type of fat stored in your body to be used for energy. When we consume more calories than we burn, especially in the context of a sedentary lifestyle or overeating, triglycerides can rise to unhealthy levels. High triglycerides are associated with an increased risk of metabolic dysfunction and cardiovascular issues.

The Truth About Fat: It’s Not the Enemy

Because of misleading marketing and outdated guidelines, many people believe that eating a high-fat diet leads to weight gain, and increased risk of heart attacks, and strokes.

But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Cholesterol is essential to your body’s daily functions. It’s a type of lipid naturally produced by your liver and used for:

• Hormone production
• Bile production
• Cellular health
• Vitamin D synthesis

In other words, you don’t need to fear fat, you need to understand it.

So, What Does Cause Clogged Arteries?

If cholesterol itself isn’t the issue, then what is?

The real culprits are:

• Oxidative stress*
• Hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar)
• Elevated triglycerides

These factors can cause the cholesterol in your body to oxidise. Once oxidised, LDL cholesterol becomes sticky, turns into plaque, and builds up in the arteries, a process called atherosclerosis. This is what increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.

And here’s the good news:
All of these root causes are 100% preventable through a whole food diet, such as an animal-based approach rich in nutrients and free from inflammatory, processed ingredients.

The Shifting Standards for “Normal” Cholesterol

In 1970, an LDL level of around 6.26mmol/L (240mg/dL) was considered completely normal and healthy.

Today, anything over 2.20mmol/L (85mg/dL) is flagged as “less than optimal”, even though most people remain completely healthy at these levels.
This is part of why so many people, especially older adults, are placed on statin medications.

The Problem with Statins

Let’s talk about statins (such as rosuvastatin, one of the most commonly prescribed medications in Australia).

These are petroleum-based drugs that work by blocking a liver enzyme called HMG-CoA reductase, which reduces cholesterol production.

But here’s the issue:

• Your body doesn’t recognise statins as natural
• It uses valuable energy to break them down and detox them
• This puts significant strain on your liver

Even more concerning?
Statins have been linked to dementia, a condition that’s increasing in prevalence, right alongside the rise in statin prescriptions.

Coincidence? We don’t think so.

These risks are often not communicated, and many patients aren’t told that statins have been associated with side effects such as:

• Renal failure
• Myopathy (muscle damage)
• Interstitial lung disease
• Increased blood glucose levels

These drugs are prescribed to reduce risk, but they often create new issues that are then treated with even more medication.

Before long, many of our elderly loved ones are taking 5 to 10 prescriptions a day, sometimes more.

All of this raises an important question:

Why are we suppressing symptoms with lifelong medication, instead of being educated on how our bodies actually work?

With real knowledge, we can prevent these issues through diet and lifestyle and allow the body to do what it’s meant to do: thrive.

This isn’t about blaming our doctors, it’s about recognising how the current system prioritises symptom management over root cause healing. It’s about asking questions, educating ourselves and taking our health into our own hands, giving our bodies the nourishment they deserve.

This is why we believe education on nutrition, lifestyle, and cellular health should be the first intervention, not the last.

What You Really Need to Know About Cholesterol

Cholesterol is not the villain we’ve been taught to fear.
It’s a critical substance your body produces naturally, because it’s needed for survival.

We’ve been led to believe that high cholesterol = heart disease, but this is not the case.

Cholesterol doesn’t cause damage on its own.
It becomes dangerous when it's oxidised, when it’s exposed to inflammation, high blood sugar, and a poor-quality diet.

This is what leads to clogged arteries, not the cholesterol itself.

Your Key Takeaways:

• Cholesterol is essential for hormone production, cell repair, bile creation, and vitamin D synthesis.
• LDL isn’t “bad” unless it becomes oxidised through inflammation or poor metabolic health.
• HDL is “good” because it helps your body move cholesterol safely back to the liver.
• Triglycerides rise when we eat more than we burn, especially ultra-processed foods.
• Statins don’t heal the root cause. They lower a number without paying attention to the real threat.
• The real threat is oxidative damage and inflammation, not fat itself.

*Want to understand more about oxidative stress and how it damages your cells?

💻 Read our post:
“Oxidative Stress, Free Radicals & Antioxidants: What You Need to Know”

Available now on The Ren Journal