Inflammation and Cholesterol: 3 Tips to Lower Cholesterol that Start in the Gut
Did you know that over 86 million adults in the US have high cholesterol? What’s even more alarming is that up to 4 in 10 don’t even know they have it.
What does this have to do with gut health, you ask?
Most of us already know common factors that lead to high cholesterol. These include poor diet, lack of exercise, stress, inflammation and genetics. But many of us don’t realize that lousy digestion may be yet another risk factor.
The reality is, it’s not just simply eating the wrong foods that drives up cholesterol. It’s the combination with inflammation that sets the scene for cholesterol to become dangerous.
And sometimes that inflammation starts in the gut.
How is inflammation and cholesterol related?
A recent research paper discussed that when our digestion is messed up, say in cases like irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease, inflammation is produced. Studies have linked this rise in inflammation with high cholesterol levels, meaning inflammation and cholesterol appear to be related.
Additionally, another article linked food sensitivities and cardiovascular disease risk. Foods that trigger an immune response produce inflammation, and that may alter cholesterol levels.
Clearly what happens in the gut does not stay in the gut.
The good news is that steps we take to enhance our digestion may have very real impacts on our cholesterol levels and overall heart health.
How to decrease inflammation and cholesterol: A gut focused approach
First off, focusing on your gut does not mean ignoring all the standard advice to lower cholesterol levels.
You still need to decrease sugar and processed foods, improve sleep, exercise regularly and take your medications, if prescribed.
But here are a few lesser-known approaches that may take your health to another level.
1. Add probiotics
Probiotics certainly are having their time in the spotlight. It is estimated that globally we spend over $18 million on probiotic supplements and products. That’s a lot of capsules. But what are probiotics?
Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that reside in our gut. Through years and years of research, we now know that these good gut bugs are extremely important to our health. They help us digest, prevent disease and infection, and may even impact our mood.
Unfortunately, many of us have an imbalance of bacteria in our gut. Through stress, poor diet and other environmental factors, “bad” bacteria can get in there and push out the good guys.
This bacteria imbalance leads to inflammation. So how do we fix it?
Thankfully, research is showing that adding probiotics may help correct this imbalance AND is linked to improved cholesterol levels.
But don’t think you have to jump right into supplements. Adding probiotic foods is a great place to start.
Probiotic foods include:
- Sauerkraut
- Kimchi
- Yogurt
- Kefir
- Miso
- Tempeh
- Pickled veggies
- Natto
I recommend adding a probiotic food with at least 2 meals per day for good gut health.
Examples?
- A high-quality cultured yogurt for breakfast
- Adding kimchi or sauerkraut to your lunch or dinner
- Using miso as part of a salad dressing
- Crumbling tempeh into a chili or on top of a salad
- Pouring some kefir into your smoothie
Where do probiotic supplements fit in?
In some cases, probiotic foods are not enough. But before you grab a probiotic supplement off the shelf, discuss your health concerns with a practitioner first to make sure jumping into supplements is a good idea.
The type of digestive issue you have may determine which probiotic is best and at what dosage, so don’t waste money by taking the wrong type. Get advice first. A nutrition consult can get you on the right track.
2. Try a Low FODMAP Diet
Another way to address inflammation stemming from bacterial imbalances is with a low-FODMAP diet. What is a low-FODMAP diet?
This article here is a good primer, but basically, a low-FODMAP diet is a plan that restricts certain fibers that feed “bad” bacteria in the gut. When we stop feeding those bacteria, their growth slows down and symptoms improve.
What are low-FODMAP foods? Unfortunately knowing which foods are high vs low is not intuitive, so referring to lists can be a huge help. I routinely recommend my clients use resources created by my low-FODMAP dietitian guru, Kate Scarlata.
Kate’s handouts are super easy to read and provide a great entry point into the diet plan.
But, always seek guidance from a qualified practitioner while on a diet plan like this, because surprising to many, this is not a forever diet.
If you respond well to a low-FODMAP diet, this may mean you have a bacterial imbalance that needs to be fixed, and diet alone won’t do the trick.
And if you don’t respond at all to the diet, we need to dig deeper to see what is at the root of your digestive issues.
Curious and need some help? Please reach out.
3. Consider food sensitivities and food sensitivity testing
Another contributor to inflammation and cholesterol can be certain foods we eat. When the gut barrier breaks down and allows more interaction with the immune system, the body sometimes can mount an attack against things we eat every day.
This type of reaction is known as food sensitivities, and food sensitivities cause inflammation.
Common symptoms from food sensitivities can include diarrhea, abdominal pain, constipation, gas, bloating, fatigue, brain fog, joint pain, headaches, migraines, fibromyalgia … the list goes on.
But, an underlying symptom not commonly associated is a rise in cholesterol levels. Several papers have discussed this and linked inflammation and cholesterol.
If you think you might have food sensitivities, I highly recommend talking with a dietitian. We are very skilled at helping to identify trigger foods, from customized elimination diets to food sensitivity testing.
In my practice, I routinely use the MRT test by Oxford Biomedical to help uncover hidden food sensitivities, especially in cases where standard elimination diets did not work.
Basically, if you are struggling to make a dent in your cholesterol levels and have other symptoms of inflammation, consider making an appointment to look into food sensitivities.
The Bottom Line
High cholesterol levels can be caused by so many different factors, but inflammation is at the heart of it.
Inflammation and cholesterol are definitely linked, and if your digestion is not at its best, that’s just one more way inflammation may be increasing your cholesterol levels.
Supporting a healthy gut with things like probiotics, trying a low-FODMAP diet, or addressing food sensitivities may be additional ways to help.
If you are struggling with high cholesterol and nothing seems to work, please reach out. We at Food Sense Nutrition specialize in gut health and cardiovascular disease and understand the often overlooked connections between the two.
Let’s make a plan today to get your health to the next level.
