I'm Not Afraid of My Cholesterol.

For most of my life, I had great cholesterol numbers.

And also… I wasn’t healthy.

I was tired. Foggy. Living on pasta and pretzels. And wine. Let’s not forget the wine.

My cholesterol? Fantastic.

My brain? Not so much.

Then I changed everything. I quit the drink. Cut the sugar. Ditched the grains. I started cooking real food again—eggs, butter, broccoli, beef—and my brain came back online.

And my LDL went up.

I was not surprised.

I'd been hanging out in the keto/low-carb spaces. I expected this.

See, I've learned that the total LDL by itself tells us very little.

What matters is the health of our LDL.

Big fat LDL particles are dandy.

But oxidized LDL, particles damaged by chronic inflammation, now that is a problem.

What causes chronic inflammation?

Not the eggs and beef I've been eating.

It comes from the sugar, seed oils, ultra-processed junk food...that I've given up.

There's a new number in town.

One that requires the teensiest bit of mathing.

Instead of obsessing over one high number, I calculate my triglyceride-to-HDL ratio.

•  Example:

  • Trigs = 100, HDL = 50

  • Ratio = 100 divided by 50 = 2

• Under 2 = Great!

• Over 4 = Not so great.

Not to brag, but my last numbers came out to 0.77. That suggests I have big, fluffy LDL particles that are unlikely to cause harm.

Even with ideal blood pressure, a healthy weight, no diabetes, and no family history of heart disease, my doctor still recommends a statin.

I am not a statin fan.

For one thing, consider:

• Cholesterol targets keep getting lower.

• Statins are widely prescribed.

• Heart disease is still the leading cause of death in the U.S.

Something doesn’t add up.

Then there is this side effect: Some patients report confusion or memory loss on statins. I’m trying to heal my brain—not cloud it. No, thank you.

Why this push for low cholesterol, anyway?

Our bodies makes cholesterol. It is essential:

• Every cell membrane needs it

• Hormones and vitamin D depend on it

• Myelin, the protective sheath around neurons, is built from cholesterol

And your brain? It contains 20% of your total cholesterol. That’s not a mistake. It’s biology.

So when my brain got sharper and my LDL rose, I started to wonder: Could cholesterol be part of the recovery, not the problem?

Truth is, I am proud of my new cholesterol!

I am not a doctor. This isn’t medical advice. But I am someone who reversed early cognitive decline through food. And I want you to have access to the same hope.

Want to learn more?

I've created a free guide to help you take action right now: 7 Days to a Clearer Mind

It walks you through simple steps that support your brain and body—no pills, no supplements to buy, no fluff. Just the concepts & habits that helped me reverse the worst of my early Alzheimer's symptoms.

Until next time, stay strong, wise, kind, and good.

Choose good food for good health.

🔬 Research & Resources

I’ve collected the key studies and public info I referenced here: 👉 Full Source List – Click Here

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, not a scientist, not a nutritionist. I am not qualified to give medical advice. I am just a late boomer sharing what I’m learning on my journey to good health through good food.