47. The One Where I Changed My Mind About Cholesterol

Cholesterol confusion is real, especially for women. In this episode, Dr. Sarah Vadeboncoeur shares her personal shift in understanding cholesterol, women’s cardiovascular risk, and what truly matters when it comes to protecting your heart.

Sarah breaks down the basics of LDL and HDL (and why they’re not “good” vs “bad” types of cholesterol), explains why context matters more than one lab result, and busts common myths about saturated fat, seed oils, and hormone health. She also discusses the unique heart-health clues women get during pregnancy, perimenopause, and menopause, and how lifetime exposure to high LDL shapes long-term risk.

If you’ve ever been told you're “too young to worry about heart disease,” felt overwhelmed by lab work, or been confused by all the conflicting cholesterol advice online, this episode will leave you informed, empowered, and clear on what to do next.

What You’ll Learn

• Why LDL, HDL, and APO B matter (and what they actually mean)
• How lifetime exposure (& not just today’s numbers) affects risk
• Myths about cholesterol, saturated fats, and seed oils
• Why pregnancy complications are early cardiovascular “warning signs”
• How perimenopause and menopause change cholesterol levels
• When to consider advanced testing like Lp(a)

Key Takeaways

• Know your numbers: LDL, HDL, APO B, Lp(a)
• High HDL does not cancel out high LDL
• Diet matters most through fiber + reduced saturated fats
• Your personal history (pregnancy, genetics, menopause) matters
• Updating your beliefs as evidence changes is powerful

💌 Have a question about heart health?
I want to hear from YOU. Leave me a voicemail with your questions about heart health or share your story.

Leave me a voicemail here: Speakpipe.com/TheFatigueFixer

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Dr. Sarah Vadeboncoeur is a Naturopathic Doctor, mom, and fatigue fixer who’s on a mission to help women fix their fatigue and get the health care they deserve. You can find her talking about all things fatigue on Instagram and learn more about her services at drsarahv.ca.

The Fatigue Fixer is produced by Story Studio Network.