Cholesterol Is Vital—Not the Villain (And What E. Coli Has to Do With Colon Cancer)

Meg ORourke, RD-LDN
5 days ago
4 min read

Hi, I’m Meg Marie O’Rourke, functional nutritionist and proud host of the Harmony with Food show. Today I’m tackling two major topics that your average doctor probably isn't diving into—because, let’s be honest, most conventional doctors aren’t trained in nutrition, food sensitivities, or the microbiome. That’s where I come in.

If you're tired of nutrition confusion, guessing games, and wellness trends that lead nowhere, you’re in the right place. Let’s get to the truth about cholesterol, colon cancer in young adults, and what you need to know to be your own best healthcare advocate.

The Big Fat Lie About Cholesterol

Here’s your friendly reminder: cholesterol is vital, not villainous.

Despite what outdated Western medicine wants you to believe, cholesterol is essential to your health. It’s your body’s ride-or-die when it comes to:

Making sex hormones
Supporting cell membranes
Synthesizing vitamin D (aka the Kim Kardashian of micronutrients)
Helping your body digest fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K
Aiding in bile acid production and food digestion

🧠 Pro Tip: It’s not the cholesterol in food that raises your cholesterol. It’s the saturated fat and processed junk like cakes and cookies that do the damage.

So no, eating fish or eggs isn’t going to clog your arteries. In fact, fish may even help reduce inflammation—if it works with your genome. That’s why I always say: test, don’t guess.

Schedule a Call With Meg

Nutrigenomics Is the Future (And It’s Already Here)

We now have the tools to eat and supplement according to your unique DNA. That means we can tailor your nutrition plan to support your metabolism, hormones, and gut health using real science—not outdated recommendations.

When you book a free discovery call with me, I’ll walk you through your options for advanced functional nutrition testing:

Food sensitivities
Microbiome imbalances
Micronutrient deficiencies
Omega-3 and Omega-6 ratios
And yes—cholesterol markers that actually matter

1 in 7 People Have Food Sensitivities (And Don’t Know It)

Let’s talk facts:👉 One in seven people has a food sensitivity they don’t even know about.

That food could be making you feel bloated, foggy, exhausted—or worse. But until you test for it, you won’t know. I’ve never seen two results that are the same (unless someone took a sketchy test from a big-box social media ad). Don’t waste your time on dry blood spot tests—real results come from real labs.

PSA: Cholesterol Is Made in the Liver—Because You Need It

Cholesterol is so important, your body makes it on its own. That’s how essential it is.

It helps you:✔ Keep your hormones balanced✔ Build healthy cells✔ Digest fat and absorb vitamins✔ Support hair and skin health

So maybe we stop blindly handing out statins like candy, yeah?

When we look at your cholesterol alongside other markers like Omega-3 and Omega-6 ratios, we get the real story. Inflammation? That’s what we don’t want. And that’s what too many processed foods, seed oils, and unchecked habits can create.

Breaking: E. Coli Toxin May Be Fueling Colon Cancer in Young Adults

Here’s the shocking news: colorectal cancer is rising in adults under 50—and now we may know one reason why.

Researchers from UC San Diego just found that a DNA-damaging toxin produced by certain strains of E. coli—called colibactin—is leaving a “mutational fingerprint” in the cells of people diagnosed with early-onset colon cancer. In fact, these specific mutations are 3.3 times more common in patients under 40 than in people over 70.

If trends continue, colorectal cancer is on track to become the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in young adults by 2030.

Let that sink in.

So, What’s Causing the Spike?

It might not be what you think. Many younger patients have:

No family history
No classic risk factors
No obvious warning signs

But here’s the deal—this toxin exposure likely starts early. Childhood, even.

The culprits? Possibly things like:

Birth method (C-section vs. vaginal)
Lack of breastfeeding
Overuse of antibiotics
Low-fiber, ultra-processed diets
And the chemical soup in our food supply

Let’s not pretend the crap in our food doesn’t matter. I’ve been waving that red flag for 20 years.

Functional Testing = Answers Without the Guesswork

This is why I do what I do. With functional nutrition testing, we can check for:

Overgrowth of harmful gut bacteria
Specific strains like toxin-producing E. coli
Inflammation markers
Digestive function
Personalized probiotics that actually work

And no—you can’t just grab the “#1 probiotic” off the shelf at GNC. If you’re not testing first, you’re just guessing. And I don’t do nilly-willy.

Be Your Own Healthcare Advocate

Let’s be real. Conventional medicine is not moving fast enough. You have to step up to the plate and advocate for your health—or your loved one’s.

If you're seeing symptoms like:

Unintentional weight loss
Chronic bloating or fatigue
Brain fog or migraines
Resistance to weight loss

Then it’s time to dig deeper. GI conditions like SIBO, microbiome imbalances, or nutrient deficiencies could be at play—and your primary doctor may not be looking in the right direction.