Breaking Up with Statins: How to Embrace Healthy Cholesterol and Thrive

Sep 22, 2024

6 min read

Updated: Oct 11

Part 2: Understanding Your Numbers and Taking Control of Your Health

With every problem, I like to offer a solution!

In Part 1, we talked about why cholesterol is essential, the controversy surrounding statins, and why inflammation deserves more attention.

Now let’s talk about what you can actually do to support your body, starting with food, lifestyle changes, and understanding your bloodwork.

Because I’m a firm believer that knowledge gives us the tools to help ourselves!

Step 1: Questioning Statins? Start Here!

If you’re taking statins and questioning whether you need them, the first step is having a conversation with your healthcare provider.

Never stop or change a prescribed medication on your own.

Here’s where I’d start:

Talk to your doctor: Ask why you were prescribed a statin, what your individual risks are, and whether lifestyle changes or other treatment options are appropriate.
Discuss your options: Depending on your health history, your doctor may consider adjusting your dose, changing medications, or discussing whether discontinuation is appropriate.
Know your numbers: Regular bloodwork can help you understand what’s happening inside your body. Look beyond total cholesterol to LDL, HDL, triglycerides, and potentially inflammatory markers such as CRP.

And speaking of CRP, we’ll get to that in a minute!

Step 2: Appreciate What Cholesterol Does

We covered cholesterol’s important jobs in Part 1, so I won’t repeat everything. But here’s what I want you to remember.

Your body produces cholesterol because it needs it!

Cholesterol plays an essential role in hormone production, brain function, cell health, vitamin D production, and digestion.

Research, including the Honolulu Heart Program, has raised interesting questions about the relationship between low cholesterol levels and mortality, particularly in older adults.

That doesn’t mean higher cholesterol is automatically healthier, but it does remind us that cholesterol deserves a more thoughtful conversation than simply labeling it good or bad.

Rather than obsessing over one number, I believe we should be asking what else is happening inside the body.

Step 3: Nourish Your Body With Real Food

Now we’re getting to my favorite part!

FOOD!

I’m a big believer in returning to simple, traditional, nutrient-dense foods and reducing the highly processed ingredients that have become so common in our diets.

Here’s where I’d start.

Bring Back Real Food

Traditional fats: Butter, ghee, lard, tallow, and coconut oil have been used in cooking for generations. Extra virgin olive oil is another favorite.
Omega-3s: Wild-caught salmon, sardines, and mackerel provide essential fatty acids that support heart health.
Eggs: Especially the yolks! They’re packed with nutrients, including choline and fat-soluble vitamins.
Quality meats: Grass-fed beef and lamb provide protein, iron, B vitamins, and other essential nutrients.

Limit Highly Processed Foods

I encourage people to start reading ingredient labels. You might be surprised at what you find!

Refined vegetable oils: I prefer limiting oils such as soybean, corn, and canola, especially in highly processed foods.
Refined carbohydrates and added sugars: Cut back on pastries, sugary drinks, and packaged snacks. Choose nourishing carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, vegetables, and quinoa.
Artificial trans fats: Watch for partially hydrogenated oils on ingredient labels.

Add More Nutrient-Dense Foods

Don’t just focus on what you’re removing. Think about what you’re adding!

Leafy greens: Spinach, kale, and arugula provide magnesium, potassium, and antioxidants.
Fermented foods: Sauerkraut, kimchi, and plain yogurt help support gut health.
Berries: Blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries are full of antioxidants.
Nuts and seeds: Walnuts, chia seeds, and flaxseeds provide fiber and beneficial fats.

The goal isn’t another restrictive diet. It’s learning to nourish your body with foods that provide the nutrients it needs.

Count ingredients, not just calories!

Step 4: Move, Rest, and Manage Stress

Food is important, but it isn’t the whole picture.

Your everyday habits have a tremendous influence on your overall health.

Move your body. Walking, cycling, swimming, and strength training help support cardiovascular health, circulation, and metabolic function.

Manage stress. Chronic stress can affect blood pressure, sleep, and inflammation. Try deep breathing, stretching, meditation, or simply making time to slow down.

Prioritize sleep. Aim for 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep each night. Your body needs time to recover and restore itself.

It doesn’t have to be complicated!

Small changes practiced consistently can make a big difference.

Let’s Talk About CRP: Your Body’s Smoke Detector!

Alright, I know your brain might be feeling a little overloaded, and now I’m throwing bloodwork into the mix!

But stick with me. This is information worth understanding.

CRP stands for C-reactive protein. It’s a protein produced by your liver in response to inflammation.

Think of CRP as your body’s smoke detector.

It doesn’t tell you where the fire is, but it lets you know something may be happening!

CRP levels can rise due to infection, injury, or chronic inflammatory conditions.

For cardiovascular risk assessment, doctors may order a more sensitive version of the test called hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein).

Understanding hs-CRP Results

The following ranges are commonly used when evaluating inflammation as an additional cardiovascular risk marker:

hs-CRP Level	Interpretation
Under 1 mg/L	Lower relative risk
1–3 mg/L	Average relative risk
Over 3 mg/L	Higher relative risk

These numbers don’t diagnose heart disease or identify the cause of inflammation. Recent illness or injury can also affect your results.

So why am I bringing this up?

Because I believe inflammation is an important part of the cardiovascular health conversation, and it’s worth discussing with your healthcare provider.

You may need to specifically ask about hs-CRP testing, since it isn’t automatically included in a standard cholesterol panel.

Understanding Your Cholesterol Numbers

Here’s where things get interesting!

Most of us get bloodwork done, look at the highlighted numbers, and wait for the doctor to tell us whether they’re good or bad.

But what do those numbers actually mean?

A standard lipid panel measures several things.

Total Cholesterol

This measures the overall amount of cholesterol in your blood.

Common reference ranges for adults are:

Under 200 mg/dL: Desirable
200–239 mg/dL: Borderline high
240 mg/dL and above: High

But remember, total cholesterol alone doesn’t tell the whole story!

LDL Cholesterol

LDL transports cholesterol throughout the body.

Common reference ranges:

Under 100 mg/dL: Optimal
100–129 mg/dL: Near optimal
130–159 mg/dL: Borderline high
160–189 mg/dL: High
190 mg/dL and above: Very high

Having higher LDL doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to experience a heart attack, but it is an important risk factor to evaluate.

HDL Cholesterol

HDL helps transport excess cholesterol back to the liver.

Generally, an HDL level of 60 mg/dL or higher is considered favorable, while levels below 40 in men or 50 in women are considered low.

Triglycerides

Triglycerides are another type of fat circulating in your blood.

Elevated triglycerides can be associated with excess added sugar, refined carbohydrates, alcohol intake, insulin resistance, and other metabolic concerns.

A typical fasting triglyceride level is under 150 mg/dL.

This is another reason I encourage people to look closely at their eating habits!

What About the Cholesterol-to-HDL Ratio?

Here’s another number worth understanding.

Your cholesterol-to-HDL ratio compares your total cholesterol to your HDL cholesterol.

The calculation is simple:

Total Cholesterol ÷ HDL = Cholesterol-to-HDL Ratio

For example:

Total Cholesterol: 220

HDL: 60

220 ÷ 60 = 3.67

A lower ratio is generally considered more favorable, but it shouldn’t replace evaluating LDL, triglycerides, and your overall cardiovascular risk.

How Is Total Cholesterol Calculated?

Total cholesterol is measured in your blood. However, LDL is sometimes estimated using a calculation involving total cholesterol, HDL, and triglycerides.

A traditional formula for understanding the relationship is:

Total Cholesterol ≈ LDL + HDL + (Triglycerides ÷ 5)

This is an approximation used with certain lipid calculations, not a universal formula for every test result.

See? A little math wasn’t so terrible!

The Bigger Picture: Help Yourself by Understanding Your Body

My goal isn’t to tell you to ignore your cholesterol numbers. It’s to encourage you to understand them.

Read your bloodwork. Ask questions. Learn about inflammation. Take a closer look at your food choices and everyday habits.

And most importantly, don’t forget that your body is an interconnected system.

I believe nutrition, movement, quality sleep, and stress management should be part of every conversation about long-term health.

You have more influence over your daily habits than you might realize!

Start with the simple things. Read your labels, nourish your body, move more, rest well, and become an active participant in your own health.

Because understanding your body is one of the most valuable things you can do for yourself.

I’ve included articles written by doctors below so you can explore the research, ask questions, and come to your own conclusions.

After all, knowledge is power, especially when it comes to your health!

Cholesterol, "High" - The Weston A. Price Foundation

Cholesterol and Heart Disease: A Phony Issue - The Weston A. Price Foundation

Why Is My Cholesterol So High On This Diet? - The Weston A. Price Foundation

Part 2: Understanding Your Numbers and Taking Control of Your Health

With every problem, I like to offer a solution!

In Part 1, we talked about why cholesterol is essential, the controversy surrounding statins, and why inflammation deserves more attention.

Now let’s talk about what you can actually do to support your body, starting with food, lifestyle changes, and understanding your bloodwork.

Because I’m a firm believer that knowledge gives us the tools to help ourselves!

Step 1: Questioning Statins? Start Here!

If you’re taking statins and questioning whether you need them, the first step is having a conversation with your healthcare provider.

Never stop or change a prescribed medication on your own.

Here’s where I’d start:

Talk to your doctor: Ask why you were prescribed a statin, what your individual risks are, and whether lifestyle changes or other treatment options are appropriate.

Discuss your options: Depending on your health history, your doctor may consider adjusting your dose, changing medications, or discussing whether discontinuation is appropriate.

Know your numbers: Regular bloodwork can help you understand what’s happening inside your body. Look beyond total cholesterol to LDL, HDL, triglycerides, and potentially inflammatory markers such as CRP.

And speaking of CRP, we’ll get to that in a minute!

Step 2: Appreciate What Cholesterol Does

We covered cholesterol’s important jobs in Part 1, so I won’t repeat everything. But here’s what I want you to remember.

Your body produces cholesterol because it needs it!

Cholesterol plays an essential role in hormone production, brain function, cell health, vitamin D production, and digestion.

Research, including the Honolulu Heart Program, has raised interesting questions about the relationship between low cholesterol levels and mortality, particularly in older adults.

That doesn’t mean higher cholesterol is automatically healthier, but it does remind us that cholesterol deserves a more thoughtful conversation than simply labeling it good or bad.

Rather than obsessing over one number, I believe we should be asking what else is happening inside the body.

Step 3: Nourish Your Body With Real Food

Now we’re getting to my favorite part!

FOOD!

I’m a big believer in returning to simple, traditional, nutrient-dense foods and reducing the highly processed ingredients that have become so common in our diets.

Here’s where I’d start.

Bring Back Real Food

Traditional fats: Butter, ghee, lard, tallow, and coconut oil have been used in cooking for generations. Extra virgin olive oil is another favorite.

Omega-3s: Wild-caught salmon, sardines, and mackerel provide essential fatty acids that support heart health.

Eggs: Especially the yolks! They’re packed with nutrients, including choline and fat-soluble vitamins.

Quality meats: Grass-fed beef and lamb provide protein, iron, B vitamins, and other essential nutrients.

Limit Highly Processed Foods

I encourage people to start reading ingredient labels. You might be surprised at what you find!

Refined vegetable oils: I prefer limiting oils such as soybean, corn, and canola, especially in highly processed foods.

Refined carbohydrates and added sugars: Cut back on pastries, sugary drinks, and packaged snacks. Choose nourishing carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, vegetables, and quinoa.

Artificial trans fats: Watch for partially hydrogenated oils on ingredient labels.

Add More Nutrient-Dense Foods

Don’t just focus on what you’re removing. Think about what you’re adding!

Leafy greens: Spinach, kale, and arugula provide magnesium, potassium, and antioxidants.

Fermented foods: Sauerkraut, kimchi, and plain yogurt help support gut health.

Berries: Blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries are full of antioxidants.

Nuts and seeds: Walnuts, chia seeds, and flaxseeds provide fiber and beneficial fats.

The goal isn’t another restrictive diet. It’s learning to nourish your body with foods that provide the nutrients it needs.

Count ingredients, not just calories!

Step 4: Move, Rest, and Manage Stress

Food is important, but it isn’t the whole picture.

Your everyday habits have a tremendous influence on your overall health.

Move your body. Walking, cycling, swimming, and strength training help support cardiovascular health, circulation, and metabolic function.

Manage stress. Chronic stress can affect blood pressure, sleep, and inflammation. Try deep breathing, stretching, meditation, or simply making time to slow down.

Prioritize sleep. Aim for 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep each night. Your body needs time to recover and restore itself.

It doesn’t have to be complicated!

Small changes practiced consistently can make a big difference.

Let’s Talk About CRP: Your Body’s Smoke Detector!

Alright, I know your brain might be feeling a little overloaded, and now I’m throwing bloodwork into the mix!

But stick with me. This is information worth understanding.

CRP stands for C-reactive protein. It’s a protein produced by your liver in response to inflammation.

Think of CRP as your body’s smoke detector.

It doesn’t tell you where the fire is, but it lets you know something may be happening!

CRP levels can rise due to infection, injury, or chronic inflammatory conditions.

For cardiovascular risk assessment, doctors may order a more sensitive version of the test called hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein).

Understanding hs-CRP Results

The following ranges are commonly used when evaluating inflammation as an additional cardiovascular risk marker:

hs-CRP Level

Interpretation

Under 1 mg/L

Lower relative risk

1–3 mg/L

Average relative risk

Over 3 mg/L

Higher relative risk

These numbers don’t diagnose heart disease or identify the cause of inflammation. Recent illness or injury can also affect your results.

So why am I bringing this up?

Because I believe inflammation is an important part of the cardiovascular health conversation, and it’s worth discussing with your healthcare provider.

You may need to specifically ask about hs-CRP testing, since it isn’t automatically included in a standard cholesterol panel.

Understanding Your Cholesterol Numbers

Here’s where things get interesting!

Most of us get bloodwork done, look at the highlighted numbers, and wait for the doctor to tell us whether they’re good or bad.

But what do those numbers actually mean?

A standard lipid panel measures several things.

Total Cholesterol

This measures the overall amount of cholesterol in your blood.