I have written about cholesterol and heart health before (see other articles below), and how the media, government sources and medical profession are still telling you that cholesterol is bad for you and that it increases your risk of heart disease. But the scientific research on cholesterol over the past 20+ years shows the opposite!
Let's get some background info... cholesterol is allegedly bad because it is found in the walls of blood vessels, which over time can lead to blockages, clots and heart attacks. Then there's the allegedly "good" HDL cholesterol, and the "bad" LDL cholesterol.
In reality however, cholesterol is cholesterol - there are no good and bad types! Cholesterol is a protein for transporting fats around in the blood. Cholesterol is needed in the body to make new cells, help digest our food, make all of our sex hormones, and other essential hormones without which we would die. A reduced cholesterol intake (cholesterol is only found in animal foods) causes your body will make all the cholesterol it needs every day anyway. However if you eat a diet high in cholesterol-rich foods, your body will need to make less for what it needs. Cholesterol is also needed for healthy cell walls and a better response to body hormones. The smaller "good" HDL actually pick up accumulated fat molecules out of atherosclerotic plaques in blood vessels to take it to the liver or other organs for reuse. The larger "bad" LDL carry fat molecules to the cells for use in energy production, making of hormones, making new cells and more uses. LDL is therefore not bad at all - it's all good!
All of this information was backed up again today (16th June 2016) with a new published paper in one of the most prestigious medical journals - the British Medical Journal - reviewing many other studies done on high LDL cholesterol levels (the "bad" one) in relation to it increasing the risk of death in older people (over 60 years). This paper reviewed 19 other studies done on over 68,000 people and found that high LDL cholesterol was NOT associated with an increased risk of death from any cause or heart disease. In fact 92% of the participants showed a REDUCED risk of death with a higher cholesterol level! These conclusions confirm many other research articles I've read on the subject recently.
The analogy of cholesterol is of a fireman at the scene of a fire. While the fireman is found at the fire, it isn't the cause of the fire! Cholesterol is found in narrowed or blocked blood vessels (ie, atherosclerosis) but it is not the cause of the problem. Chronic (long-term) inflammation causes damage to the lining of blood vessels, and cholesterol is deposited on the damaged walls to protect the blood vessels. Continued inflammation, from a poor nutrient intake of too much sugar and processed carbohydrates including whole grains, high intake of oxidised fats, not enough antioxidant foods, high blood sugar, toxins and other factors are just some of the causes of inflammation of blood vessels, and therefore the cause of atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease and heart disease.
Only by looking at the causes of inflammation and heart disease and resolving the causes can the risk of heart disease be reduced or eliminated. Statin medications (prescribed to reduce cholesterol) don't fix the cause (they just hide the symptoms) and actually make your health worse. Another study done in 2013, also in the BMJ, it was found that simply adopting a Mediterranean diet is 3 times more powerful at reducing your risk of death from heart disease than taking a statin!
My family has a history of heart disease and dying too young. I don't want the same for you and your family because of the misinformation or dangerous advice about low fat diets and cholesterol. That's why I'd like to help you and your family to reduce your risk of heart disease with advice that is based on recent and independent scientifically proven research.
If you think your blood pressure or cholesterol levels are high or if you have a family history of heart disease, there is a lot that can be done for prevention or treatment with a Naturopathic consultation to find the cause and treat the cause, not the effects.
Let's get some background info... cholesterol is allegedly bad because it is found in the walls of blood vessels, which over time can lead to blockages, clots and heart attacks. Then there's the allegedly "good" HDL cholesterol, and the "bad" LDL cholesterol.
In reality however, cholesterol is cholesterol - there are no good and bad types! Cholesterol is a protein for transporting fats around in the blood. Cholesterol is needed in the body to make new cells, help digest our food, make all of our sex hormones, and other essential hormones without which we would die. A reduced cholesterol intake (cholesterol is only found in animal foods) causes your body will make all the cholesterol it needs every day anyway. However if you eat a diet high in cholesterol-rich foods, your body will need to make less for what it needs. Cholesterol is also needed for healthy cell walls and a better response to body hormones. The smaller "good" HDL actually pick up accumulated fat molecules out of atherosclerotic plaques in blood vessels to take it to the liver or other organs for reuse. The larger "bad" LDL carry fat molecules to the cells for use in energy production, making of hormones, making new cells and more uses. LDL is therefore not bad at all - it's all good!
All of this information was backed up again today (16th June 2016) with a new published paper in one of the most prestigious medical journals - the British Medical Journal - reviewing many other studies done on high LDL cholesterol levels (the "bad" one) in relation to it increasing the risk of death in older people (over 60 years). This paper reviewed 19 other studies done on over 68,000 people and found that high LDL cholesterol was NOT associated with an increased risk of death from any cause or heart disease. In fact 92% of the participants showed a REDUCED risk of death with a higher cholesterol level! These conclusions confirm many other research articles I've read on the subject recently.
The analogy of cholesterol is of a fireman at the scene of a fire. While the fireman is found at the fire, it isn't the cause of the fire! Cholesterol is found in narrowed or blocked blood vessels (ie, atherosclerosis) but it is not the cause of the problem. Chronic (long-term) inflammation causes damage to the lining of blood vessels, and cholesterol is deposited on the damaged walls to protect the blood vessels. Continued inflammation, from a poor nutrient intake of too much sugar and processed carbohydrates including whole grains, high intake of oxidised fats, not enough antioxidant foods, high blood sugar, toxins and other factors are just some of the causes of inflammation of blood vessels, and therefore the cause of atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease and heart disease.
Only by looking at the causes of inflammation and heart disease and resolving the causes can the risk of heart disease be reduced or eliminated. Statin medications (prescribed to reduce cholesterol) don't fix the cause (they just hide the symptoms) and actually make your health worse. Another study done in 2013, also in the BMJ, it was found that simply adopting a Mediterranean diet is 3 times more powerful at reducing your risk of death from heart disease than taking a statin!
My family has a history of heart disease and dying too young. I don't want the same for you and your family because of the misinformation or dangerous advice about low fat diets and cholesterol. That's why I'd like to help you and your family to reduce your risk of heart disease with advice that is based on recent and independent scientifically proven research.
If you think your blood pressure or cholesterol levels are high or if you have a family history of heart disease, there is a lot that can be done for prevention or treatment with a Naturopathic consultation to find the cause and treat the cause, not the effects.
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