Cholesterol helps with several functions in the body. It circulates throughout the body in the blood and is found in every cell.
The body uses cholesterol to:
help build new tissue and repair damage to existing tissue
produce steroid hormones, including estrogen
help create bile in the liver
aides in production of vitamin D
To help reduce the level of oxidized fats (including about 60% of your brain) and cholesterol, take anti-oxidants such as Alpha- or R-Lipoic Acid, grape seed extract, vitamin C (needed to help cholesterol do what it does -- and maybe add some ascorbyl palmitate, a fat-soluble form of C), and others, and eat foods (and take supplements) that boost your body's production of glutathione and Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) -- and moderate your intake of oxidized and oxidizing foods like packaged ground meat, fried foods, and seed oils (other than organic virgin olive and coconut oil, Butter and Ghee from grass-fed cows or goats, and organic animal fats, darn few "cooking oils" aren't nightmares for your health.
Bad oils (per Dr. Hymam; see below) include especially non-organic soybean oil, ANY type of Canola oil, and even sunflower, safflower, corn oil, Palm oil, Peanut oil, butter substitutes, anything "hydrogenated" ("it's poison" says Dr. Mark Hyman).
Non-advice commentary from a non-doctor:
Oxidized (i.e., rancid) cholesterol is bad for you, "fresh" cholesterol is needed for important processes in the body.
To help reduce the level of oxidized fats (including about 60% of your brain) and cholesterol, take anti-oxidants such as Alpha- or R-Lipoic Acid, grape seed extract, vitamin C (needed to help cholesterol do what it does -- and maybe add some ascorbyl palmitate, a fat-soluble form of C), and others, and eat foods (and take supplements) that boost your body's production of glutathione and Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) -- and moderate your intake of oxidized and oxidizing foods like packaged ground meat, fried foods, and seed oils (other than organic virgin olive and coconut oil, Butter and Ghee from grass-fed cows or goats, and organic animal fats, darn few "cooking oils" aren't nightmares for your health.
Bad oils (per Dr. Hymam; see below) include especially non-organic soybean oil, ANY type of Canola oil, and even sunflower, safflower, corn oil, Palm oil, Peanut oil, butter substitutes, anything "hydrogenated" ("it's poison" says Dr. Mark Hyman).
See Food: What the Heck Should I Eat?" by Dr. Hyman for more commentary.