The ‘teleserye’ of your cholesterol: Angels, demons, and drama queens
If your blood had a teleserye, cholesterol would be the main cast—complete with kontrabidas (villains), bida-kontrabidas (heroes-villains), and misunderstood heroes. Like every teleserye, there are angels trying to save you, villains trying to kill you, and drama queens who make everything more complicated than it needs to be.
Most patients I see in clinic arrive worried: “Doc, mataas po cholesterol ko, bawal na po ako sa lahat? (Doctor, my cholesterol is high; I can’t eat anything anymore?).” And I have to say, “Not quite.” Cholesterol isn’t pure evil. It’s part of life, literally—every cell in your body needs it. The problem is balance: too much of the wrong kind, too little of the good kind, and you end up with clogged arteries faster than you can say lechon kawali (fried pork).
So let’s dive into the secret life of cholesterol—the angels, the demons, and the drama queens running through your arteries and veins.
Meet the cast
- HDL: The Angel. High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) is cholesterol’s guardian angel. It sweeps excess cholesterol out of your arteries and delivers it back to the liver, where it can be broken down and disposed of. Think of HDL as the “Mr. Clean” of your bloodstream. More HDL = less plaque, less heart attack risk.
- LDL: The Demon. Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) is the cholesterol that sticks to artery walls like dirty chewing gum under a classroom desk. For my patient struggling with his diet, "LDL" also stands for lechon de leche, which he has resolved he won’t unapologetically feast on anymore. Over time, LDL hardens into plaques, narrowing arteries. This is what cardiologists dread: atherosclerosis, the root cause of heart attacks and strokes.
- Triglycerides: The Drama Queens. Technically, triglycerides aren’t cholesterol, but they travel in the same gossip-filled bloodstream. They spike after too much rice, sugar, or alcohol. They’re quick to rise, quick to fall, and quick to stir trouble—like the neighborhood tsismosa (gossip monger).
Why Filipinos should worry
The Department of Health reports that one in five Filipino adults has high cholesterol. That’s millions walking around with arteries slowly clogging, without feeling anything. Unlike a toothache, high cholesterol doesn’t hurt—until it does.
The Philippine Heart Association also warns that Filipinos are particularly vulnerable because of two things:
Diet. Rice with every meal, fried food, instant noodles, and love for fatty cuts of pork.
Lifestyle. Sedentary jobs, endless traffic sitting, and stress that fuels overeating.
Result? Heart disease remains our number one killer.
Cholesterol myths we love to believe
I’m thin, so I’m safe. Wrong. Thin outside, fat inside (TOFI) is real. You may look slim but still have high cholesterol and fat around your organs.
Eggs will kill me.The poor egg has been unfairly demonized. Moderate egg consumption is safe for most people. It’s the fried bacon and instant noodles beside the egg that’s the problem.
If I take statins, I can eat anything. Statins lower LDL, but they don’t make you invincible. Think of them as a shield—not a license for a lechon buffet.
Herbal teas can melt fat in my arteries. Sorry, no. Some herbs may support health, but none can scrub your arteries clean. If there were a magic tea, I’d be prescribing it to every patient.
How cholesterol pulls off its villainy
Here’s the science in simple terms:
- LDL particles sneak into artery walls.
- White blood cells, trying to be heroes, attack the LDL but end up causing inflammation.
- Over time, fatty streaks turn into hardened plaques.
- These plaques can rupture, form blood clots, and suddenly block blood flow.
That’s how heart attacks happen—not slowly, but suddenly. Like a teleserye twist, everything looks fine until—boom!
Outsmarting the villains
Thankfully, you can rewrite the script. Here’s how:
- Load up on fiber. Oats, vegetables, and beans act like “cholesterol sponges” in the gut, trapping LDL before it hits your bloodstream.
- Choose healthy fats. Swap pork fat with fish, nuts, and olive oil. Remember: Not all fats are bad—some protect your heart.
- Move your bod. Exercise raises HDL (the angel) and lowers LDL (the demon). Even brisk walking for 30 minutes a day makes a difference.
- Quit smoking. Cigarettes lower HDL and inflame arteries. Your cholesterol battle is already hard enough—don’t add fuel to the fire.
- Sleep more and stress less. Chronic stress and poor sleep disrupt metabolism, pushing triglycerides and LDL higher. Relaxation isn’t laziness—it’s medicine.
- Get tested, don’t guess. You can’t manage what you don’t measure. A fasting lipid profile is much cheaper than a hospital bill for angioplasty.
- When medicine is needed. For some, lifestyle changes aren’t enough—especially if genetics are involved. That’s where statins and other cholesterol-lowering drugs come in. They’re not punishments; they’re tools to level the playing field against bad genes.
Think of it this way: If your arteries are the MRT at rush hour, statins are the ones shooing away the extra passengers (LDL) before the train collapses.
The Filipino diet dilemma
Can we enjoy our favorite food and still outsmart cholesterol? Yes—with tweaks.
Love adobo? Cook with lean cuts and less oil. Can’t live without rice? Try “half-rice” portions or mix with vegetables. Pasalubong of chicharon? Share it—don’t eat the whole bag.
Moderation, not deprivation, is the name of the game.
Closing: Who writes the ending?
Cholesterol isn’t just a number on your lab results. It’s a story unfolding in your arteries—a teleserye with angels, demons, and drama queens. The good news? You’re not a passive audience. You’re the scriptwriter.
With smart choices, you can keep the angels strong, the demons weak, and the drama queens quiet. And the ending? A heart that beats strong well into your 80s, 90s, maybe even 110.
So next time someone tells you cholesterol is all bad, smile knowingly and say: “It’s complicated. But I’m the one writing the script.”
