Saturated fats are not the enemy – processed carbohydrates increase cardiovascular disease. Perhaps that explains why the push to low-fat/no-fat and high grain diets has actually seen rates of cardiovascular disease increase. Want to know more? Read the report here.
Despite its bad reputation, cholesterol is a type of fat that exists in all cell membranes. Cholesterol is essential for the healthy functioning of:
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transmission of nerve impulses
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formation of vitamin D
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synthesis of testosterone and oestrogen (major reproductive hormones)
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formation of bile (needed to break down fats & eliminate toxins)
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keeping the cell healthy and functioning properly.
Cholesterol serves as a starting point for the synthesis of four critical regulatory hormones in the body which help maintain essential functioning of biological mechanisms.
Approximately 80% of total body cholesterol is manufactured in the liver with the remaining 20% derived from the diet. The liver balances total body cholesterol depending on dietary intake. However, when dietary intake is chronically high, the liver’s ability to compensate with decreased production may become compromised.
A possible reason why the liver produces more cholesterol than is needed by the body is toxicity. We are exposed to thousands of toxic substances daily and the liver is our major filtering organ. When it can no longer eliminate toxins, it may wrap these in cholesterol to protect our tissue from oxidative damage. So if you have elevated cholesterol consider the following factors.
Numerous factors increase high blood cholesterol:
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low fibre intake
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high sugar intake
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caffeine
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stress
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lack of exercise
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smoking
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high saturated fat intake
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nutrient deficiencies
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toxic overload
A healthy liver filters cholesterol for removal from the body as bile salts. Fibre also helps to bind and eliminate cholesterol.
How to keep cholesterol at a healthy level
By ensuring a healthy lifestyle, nutritious diet and functioning digestive system, cholesterol imbalances may be controlled naturally. Due to the liver’s function in maintaining healthy cholesterol levels, it is imperative that this organ be healthy. A great way to check is by Haemaview Live Blood Screening which reveals signs of liver stress long before dangerous enzymes are released and traceable in blood pathology.
Blood tests to check cholesterol
When having your cholesterol levels checked, request a breakdown of the following components in order to receive an accurate indication of what’s happening in your body:
VLDL = very low density lipids which are produced to repair blood vessel damage or inflammation
LDL = low density lipids which float freely in the blood stream and are considered “bad” cholesterol
HDL = high density lipids which collect the LDL for removal by the liver and are considered “good” cholesterol
Triglycerides = major cause for inflammation within the body and are stored as fat and often an indicator of insulin resistance
Trans-fats = these are plant-derived fats that have had their structure changed due to food processing (margarine, vegetable shortenings and any foods containing these products such as cakes, biscuits and hot chips). The body is unable to get rid of trans-fats so they accumulate in tissues and blood vessels and increase triglyceride levels in the blood stream.
Eating More Frequently May Lower Your Cholesterol
A person’s cholesterol levels may depend not only on what he or she eats, but also how often.
Researchers found that middle-aged and older adults who ate frequently throughout the day had lower “bad” cholesterol levels compared with those who tended to down one or two large meals per day. This was despite the fact that the frequent eaters, on average, had a higher calorie and fat intake.
The researchers looked at data on more than 14,600 men and women aged 45 to 75 who were part of a larger cancer study. Participants were asked about their current eating habits and activity levels, and had their cholesterol levels, blood pressure and weight recorded.
The researchers found that participants’ total cholesterol counts declined as their eating frequency increased. Those who ate at least five or six times a day had the lowest total cholesterol, on average, while the highest measurements were found among those who dined only once or twice a day. The same pattern showed up for LDL (“bad”) cholesterol.
They found a decrease of approximately 5% in concentrations of total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in men and women who eat six or more times a day compared with those who eat once or twice a day.
Frequent eaters did not, however, have higher levels of “good” HDL cholesterol, which is believed to help protect the heart from disease.
Yet the findings are biologically plausible. Animal research has shown that those given infrequent large meals show metabolism patterns different from animals fed more often — including a higher absorption of sugar in the intestines, higher after-meal peaks of the sugar-regulating hormone insulin, and greater activity in enzymes that synthesize cholesterol.
As for humans it could also be that frequent eaters metabolize what they eat rather differently than infrequent eaters.
Despite the higher calorie and fat intake among frequent eaters in this study, the findings do not give people license to gorge on French fries.
The authors stressed that their data do not provide evidence for advocating frequent snacking on junk food. They advised that people who wish to hold down their cholesterol levels should first and foremost eat more fruits and vegetables and cut their saturated fat intake.
British Medical Journal December 1, 2001;323:1286-1288
For more information about the dangers of cholesterol lowering medication visit Dr Mercola’s website.
The REAL danger
After years of being told that we have to keep our cholesterol levels down, the medical industry is slowly acknowledging research as far back as early 1960′s. As we saw above, cholesterol is an important component of our body. So why do some people build up cholesterol plaque in their arteries causing heart disease? The answer is inflammation.
Inflammation of blood vessels is largely caused by high homocysteine levels and free radicals. Major contributors of these free radicals are cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, eating excessive amounts of fatty foods and diabetes. The linings of our blood vessels are extremely sensitive and vulnerable to even the slightest irritation. The chemical reactions that occur when there is elevated inflammation + oxidative stress due to free radicals + elevated homocysteine = plaque build up.
Damage to blood vessels triggers increased liver production of VLDL increases fibrin and risk of clotting.
Next time you have a blood test, ask your doctor to request that homocysteine levels be tested. Elevated homocysteine has been linked to increased cardiovascular risk. Then see your naturopath for treatment that is lasting and effective.
The Danger of STATIN Drugs
Please view this video by Dr Russell Baylock - fast forward to 7 minutes into the report. I apologise about the first report on this video.
Research now shows that sugar, carbohydrates and NOT fats cause cardiovascular disease.
Statin Medications increase the risk of prostatic cancer
Middle age men are being urged to reduce cholesterol levels by medical doctors. The number one weapon against cholesterol used by doctors are the statin drugs (eg Lipitor, Simvastatin). While they reduce cholesterol levels, common side effects of statin drugs include peripheral neuropathy, paraesthesia, gastrointestinal upset; pancreatitis; dizziness; myalgia; muscle cramps; pruritus; alopecia; rash; gynaecomastia; anaemia; asthenia; insomnia; memory impairment; hypotension; depression; and sexual dysfunction. Recently, prostatic cancer has been added to this list.
In a recent study, if was found that every use of any statin was associated with a significant increase in prostate cancer risk. This equates to a 55% increase of cancer rates. Unfortunately, thestudy also found that the higher the dose, the higher the risk of prostatic cancer. In this study, the researchers concluded that “statins may increase the risk of prostatic cancer.” Statin drugs are a multi-billion industry - I suggest you read this article and make up your own mind.
More research is coming to light regarding the dangers of Statin medication. The latest report highlights their link to causing diabetes.
Natural medicine offers a number of options which may help reduce cholesterol without these unwanted side effects.
