Understanding Cholesterol & Heart Disease. It’s interesting when I see a patient and go over their blood work. They’re always most concerned about one thing – their cholesterol. Other blood levels could be significantly out of normal range, but typically most are worried if their cholesterol level is high, or not. Medical doctors, the media, and of course the pharmaceutical industry has ingrained in each person (including children) the notion that cholesterol is bad and if you don’t lower it, you’re gonna die. I’m doing everything I can to raise mine. Who is dying from high cholesterol? Cardiovascular problems, such as heart disease and heart attacks, are a major health problem in today’s societies – they’re the number one cause of death. Cholesterol is often implicated as a major player in these types of problems. High cholesterol may be a factor of an underlying problem, or it may just be a coincidence that one’s cholesterol is elevated due to other health problems, related or unrelated to the cardiovascular system. Typically, due to medical intervention, patients are already on cholesterol lowering medications yet they’re still having health problems, and definitely not living any longer. So if it was just all about high cholesterol causing heart disease and lowering cholesterol resolving these problems then there would be a major improvement in this healthcare crisis. Cardiovascular disease is caused by a wide range of nutritional, lifestyle and environmental factors that result in inflammation that gets out of control. Sure genetics most likely have some factor, but minimal compared to the rest. The genetic link is typically a cop- out when someone doesn’t take control of their own health. Toxins, infections, excessive stress, lack of proper exercise and diet are far more damaging to the heart than high total cholesterol. I’m not at all insinuating that high cholesterol is okay, but I am definitely saying that less is not necessarily better. You might be wondering what cassava is before you think to ask what it might be good for, but in light of its amazing properties, this rather sweet.There’s more to it than just that. Cholesterol just doesn’t shift to a dangerous level without other contributing factors. A poor diet and overall health lead to unhealthy cholesterol levels whether that’s low, (as mine were back in the early 1. I’ll discuss this more in a bit. Why do you need cholesterol? I have been trying for years, decades actually, to raise my cholesterol. Finally after a more significant (call it strict if you like) change in diet, it’s happening and that’s a good thing. The Dukan diet seems to be the latest diet in Dietland. Carole Middleton, Kate’s mom, acknowledged using the plan to shed pre-wedding pounds. American Diabetes Association: Help for Diabetics? The American Diabetes Association was founded in 1940. Their mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve. How about Campbells Tomato juice cans? I am starting my diet next Monday and trying to get all my facts together first so sorry for asking silly. It is nice to see the intermittent fasting approach that I have recommended for some time now is starting to catch on. This is no surprise to me as it. Before viewing my diet suggestions, please understand that health begins with what you eliminate from your diet, not with what you add. The 411 on Kidney Disease. For a comprehensive overview of chronic kidney disease (CKD), from basic terminology to risk factors and matching a treatment option to. Technically, chana dal (or Bengal gram dal) is, to use the Latin, Cicer arietinum. That is exactly the same name as that of garbanzo beans (chick peas), which of. One of the most curious diets that I’ve had the chance to review, the General Motors diet (also known as the GM Diet plan) is a 7 day eating plan which is supposed. You see, low cholesterol is often much more dangerous than high cholesterol even though we’re led to believe that cholesterol is evil. A cholesterol level below 1. I often tell a patient that if they had to pick one, high cholesterol is better than low. Of course, a healthy level is best – which is based off the components that make up cholesterol as discussed below. Some notable cholesterol functions: It acts as a precursor to vitamin D – low cholesterol means it will be more difficult to absorb this vitamin necessary for a healthy immune system, bones, and DNA. More on vitamin D here. It is the precursor to all steroid hormones such as glucocorticoids which control blood sugar, mineralcorticoids which regulate electrolyte balance and blood pressure, and sex hormones such as progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone. It is used to synthesize bile acids in the liver, which are important for the digestion of fats. These bile salts are then stored in the gallbladder. Cholesterol is found in every cell of your body and is a necessary component of a healthy brain that needs to store and recall memory, process ideas, and function at its highest level. About 2. 0 years ago my total cholesterol level dropped to 9. I was a student at the University of Miami, well known for its pre- med program. The leading physician at the student health center at that time thought I was extremely healthy; I had the “best” cholesterol level he had ever seen. As nice as he was, this unenlightened doctor did not realize that it was actually perhaps one of the worst he had discovered. I, at the time, knew no better and clearly didn’t know the dangers of such a low level. I was training hard, studying hard, and following the low- fat, high carbohydrate diet of the late 1. Good, bad & ratios. Most of us know that cholesterol is made up of HDLs, LDLs, and VLDLs (which are mostly triglycerides). The HDLs tend to remove cholesterol from tissues so many think of them as the “good” cholesterol whereas the LDLs tend to deposit cholesterol into tissues, so we are told this is the “bad” stuff. In reality it is not that cut and dry, because there are also good and bad LDLs, and good and better HDLs. Triglycerides are major transporters of dietary fat in the bloodstream – especially fat that has resulted from excess carbohydrates in the diet. On average, a diet consisting of 6. I’ll leave the determination of “heavy” up to you, but typically that means two or more drinks per night, sometimes less. Your tissues need cholesterol or you will die; so not all LDLs are as bad as they’re made out to be. All cholesterol particles can be either large or small. Ideally you’d like to have more large, buoyant HDLs and LDLs than small, and more small VLDLs/triglycerides than large. These can be measured through a more thorough lipid analysis, and are readily available today – click here for more info. If your HDLs are at least one- half of your triglycerides, then you most likely have large LDLs. So for example, if your HDLs are 4. Another good ratio to look at is the total cholesterol to HDL ratio. Most lab reports say this ratio is normal if it is 5: 1 or lower. That is still very high, and in my opinion you should shoot for 3: 1, if not lower. So if your total cholesterol is 1. HDL is 6. 0 that is good. If your total cholesterol is 2. HDL of 1. 00, LDL of 1. The LDLs really freak people out. I tell patients that it is almost impossible to pass a cholesterol test today. At least one result from the lipid panel is most likely going to be flagged. You’re destined to fail – healthy or not. You see, what has happened is that the LDL upper limit was dropped several years ago by most labs from 1. So now a LDL of say 1. LDLs. Interestingly, around the same time this happened, the pharmaceutical industry was trying to get the upper limit of total cholesterol lowered from 2. That way, if your cholesterol level was 1. This never happened, but the LDL was soon lowered – a whopping 3. So now a lipid panel of say 1. HDL, 1. 05 LDL, and 1. LDL. That’s not cool. LDLs however are the big issue when it comes to heart health but it is the oxidized LDLs rather than LDLs per se that contributes to atherosclerosis and “cholesterol problems.” What causes LDLs to oxidize? Free radicals, unhealthy fats, and a high carbohydrate diet cause the oxidation. Free radical damage is often the result of lack of antioxidants in the body, such as vitamins A, C, and E but perhaps more importantly are all the healthy antioxidants found in fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Vitamin D is also a very important antioxidant – and one that won’t be well utilized by a low cholesterol body. Coenzyme Q1. 0 is a very an important antioxidant needed by the heart and for the body to make energy. Statins (cholesterol meds) block Co. Q1. 0 from being made naturally in the body, therefore increasing free radical damage and further oxidizing LDLs. The more stress one is under – physical, nutritional, and emotional – the more free radical damage your body will succumb to. Unhealthy fats mean partially hydrogenated “trans” fats as well as all polyunsaturated vegetable oils – corn, soy, sunflower, safflower, peanut, cottonseed, and yes definitely canola. More on that here. And yes high carbohydrates (refined sugar especially) will lead to oxidized LDLs. More on cutting the carbs here. Oxidized LDLs cause the body’s immune system to respond by sending in specialized white blood cells to absorb the oxidized LDLs. This creates what are called foam cells which are not able to process the oxidized LDLs, so they ultimately grow then rupture, depositing a greater amount of oxidized cholesterol into the artery wall. This of course triggers more foam cells, continuing the cycle. Foam cells can accumulate and lead to atherosclerosis (inflammation in the vessel wall), a thrombus or emboli (properties of a stroke), from all the accumulated plaque (fats and cholesterol particles). The occlusion of small vessels results in ischemia and can also result in a stroke and myocardial infarction (heart attack). The point here – small, dense LDLs are the problem because they’re easily oxidized. Once you get more and more oxidized, you’re in trouble. Cholesterol and Satan (I Mean Statins)Statins are known as HMG- Co. A reductase inhibitiors – they stop the synthesis of a compound called mevalonate from being formed. Mevalonate is the precursor of cholesterol, but also the precursor of squalene and coenzyme Q1. Statins, other than blocking how cholesterol and other compounds are made, are touted as beneficial as some studies show they greatly increase the amount of nitric oxide made by the blood vessel lining which results in stroke reduction and its residual neurological effects. Some also say that statins protect against stroke by increasing the body’s ability to dissolve blood clots independently of both nitric oxide and cholesterol. Of course, as mentioned previously, you can significantly lower your risk of stroke by limiting your number of oxidized LDLs. Additionally, nitric oxide is made naturally in high amounts in healthy individuals with adequate protein intake (via the amino acid arginine) and proper cofactors (primarily manganese and vitamin B6). The Lancet recently published a study saying how safe and effective statins are. These studies often come out to reassure doctors and patients that “all is good.” This one is no different. You can see the study here.
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