Cholesterol: What Camp Are You In?

THE CHOLESTEROL CONTROVERSY CONTINUES. Every day we’re barraged with news about this enigmatic and potentially frightening topic. Whether it’s in the newspaper with an article about a new fad diet, or on television with a commercial touting the newest statin drug. It seems we’re drawn into three main “camps” on this subject without any proven way to go. One camp touts a low-fat, low cholesterol diet. Another tells you to eat lots of fat - the right kind or fat - since restricting fat consumption will only result in the body’s production of more cholesterol. Carbohydrates are thought to be the culprit due to the over production of insulin when too many are consumed. A third group is probably the most intimidating of all. With world-class commercials, newspaper, and magazine ads, the pharmaceutical industry haunts us with morbid news about imminent death if our cholesterol numbers are too high.