How stress can increase cholesterol
by Sue Kira, Naturopath & Clinical Nutritionist
Client name and identifying information changed
I have an interesting cholesterol and stress case study, which relates to my mum.
When my dad was rushed to hospital after a heart attack and put into intensive care, you can imagine the stress that created for my mum.
The doctor took one look at mum, saying, “If your husband is like this and you two have been together for the past 60 years, then surely you must also have high cholesterol”. So they tested her and her levels were very high.
In a panic, she rang me saying that she was likely to be in the bed next to dad within a day or so. After calming her down, I reminded her that she didn’t eat the same food as dad and she was also more active (mum was active and ate healthy, nutritious food most of the time, while dad loved to kick back in front of the TV and eat desserts and ice cream).
I also told her that her previous cholesterol and blood pressure readings were always low and I strongly felt that the results from the hospital tests were stress related.
I suggested that she wait until everything settled down with dad, then get re-checked. She did, and her levels were normal again.