I would dare say that there is no subject in this world that is as falsely portrayed and completely misunderstood as cholesterol. The extent of most people’s knowledge of cholesterol is that it’s the demon that clogs arteries and leads to heart disease, and that the magic numbers to strive for are: Total cholesterol under 200 LDL cholesterol under 100 HDL cholesterol at 60 or higher And if your blood tests show you're in...

  I get my inspiration for the articles I write in a variety of ways. Talking with folks about their health concerns, reading literature and studies from experts I trust, scanning (garbage) literature from sources I don’t trust (so I’m aware of all the bad information that’s out there), and even observing people in the airport or grocery store! All of these may trigger an idea for a blog. But today’s inspiration comes from yours...

  On this very special “Christmas Eve-Eve,” I would like to share this heartfelt message with you: Many people tend to get caught up in all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, but please try not to get stressed out. Christmas will be just as special even if you don’t get all the cookies baked or the cards sent out. (FYI—I just mailed my cards two days ago!) A casual dinner is just...

  People often ask me where I get my motivation to work out consistently and maintain a healthy diet. Easy: Motivation usually comes from wanting to create something positive—or avoid something painful. In my case, I have a heavy reminder in my family history. My dad (who would have turned 106 today) had his first heart attack at just 35 years old. His second heart attack took his life at age 58, when I was...

  Back when I was completing my nutrition degree, one of my reading requirements was Deep Nutrition by Dr. Cate Shanahan. In her book, Dr. Shanahan shares how she was taught in medical school that cholesterol causes heart disease, that low-fat/low-cholesterol diets were “heart-healthy,” and that statins were the gold standard for lowering cholesterol. But something didn’t add up for her. If saturated fats and cholesterol were truly the villains, why were so many of the...