How's Your Cholesterol?

This is an email that came in my email today.

It's about as casual and common a question as, "How's it going?" And because cholesterol is made out to be the dirty culprit responsible for high rates of heart disease, many stay on top of their cholesterol levels and try desperately to keep them below whatever the doctors are touting as the "now", new dangerous level.

Men of all ages can't even watch a TV hockey game without being prodded to: "Ask your doctor if Lipitor is right for you." Well, don't bother asking. The answer is "No!" Plain and simple.

Lipitor's website begins with the words, "If you have high cholesterol, you may not even know it."(1) Well, that's true. If indeed high cholesterol was the cause of heart disease, the reminder and warning might be appreciated, but what the mainstream media doesn't tell us is this:

---- Cholesterol is not a proven cause of heart disease.

Or this:

---- Diets high in saturated fats and cholesterol do not equate to heart disease or high cholesterol levels.

And this:

---- There is very little cholesterol or saturated fat in the arterial plaque that clogs.

How 'bout this?

---- Rates of heart failure have doubled since the advent of statin drugs. (2)

The truth is, cholesterol-lowering drugs (not cholesterol) cause more harm to the heart than elevated cholesterol levels.

Conversely, statins are know for the following:

---- They inhibit the production of coenzyme, Q10, which the muscles, including the heart need to function.

---- are know to cause heart failure.

---- are a depressant.

---- rob the mind of its cognitive ability.

---- have been shown to cause cancer.

Cholesterol is not the culprit it's made out to be. In fact, it is a wonderful thing.

Let me repeat: Cholesterol truly is a wonderful thing and necessary to many areas of the body, including the heart.

Did you know that cholesterol is: (3)

---- Made by almost every cell in the body?

---- A waterproofing mechanism that helps build cell walls, allowing the cellular function to proceed without impediment?

---- A powerful antioxidant, which helps protect against cancer?

---- A building block for hormones - particularly those that address stress, and regulate mineral metabolism, blood sugars, and sex hormones?

---- Necessary for brain function as well as the central nervous system?

---- Like an anti-depressant, only the real thing? It helps the body make use of serotonin; the chemical that helps make us feel mentally well.

So, if you're trying to catch cholesterol, you're going after the wrong perpetrator!

But wait a minute. What about the "good" vs. "bad" cholesterol debate? Maybe we shouldn't be up in arms against all cholesterol, but only the "bad" cholesterol?

Yes, this, too, is an ill-waged war.

The only thing "bad" about the "bad cholesterol," LDL (low-density-lipoprotein) is that it carries homocysteine along with the necessary cholesterol, from the liver to the other areas of the body.

Homocysteine is an amino acid that we rarely hear about within the cholesterol debate.

Too much homocysteine can damage the arteries and the heart.

Instead of lowering cholesterol levels, endeavor to lower homocysteine levels, which run rampant when our body doesn't have enough vitamin B6, B12, and Folic Acid.

Unfortunately, this is all too often the case, since the body is ultimately depleted of these vitamins thanks to processed foods. B6, B12, and folic acid are destroyed by technological advances, which are appealingly called "refined" and "processed." Think: white refined sugars, white flours, canning and heating processes, etc.

Let the case against cholesterol come to a close. It is a beautiful and necessary substance needed for healthy minds and bodies. As are saturated fats and cholesterol rich foods. What we don't need is a statin drug to cover up symptoms that don't necessarily point to disease in the first place.

So if you really want to arm yourself against heart disease and truly want to stop worrying about cholesterol levels, try these easy, safe, & delicious ideas:

---- Stock your refrigerator with free-range eggs and raw milk.

---- Don't be afraid of fat-soluble vitamins A and D and the butter and lard from which they are deliciously and naturally delivered.

---- Enjoy gourmet, nutrient dense foods such as coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and liver and organ meats from free range animals.

---- Find a friend who hunts, and stock your freezer with venison and bones for making genuine hearth-healthy bone stocks for your soups.

---- Eschew canned, processed fruits and vegetables as well as pasteurized dairy, especially ultra-pasteurized. Replace these with homemade or cottage industry provided sources.

---- Eat vegetables, but not in lieu of fatty meats and whole fat dairy products which are packed with homocysteine regulating vitamins: B6, B12, and Folic Acid. More importantly, include crispy, fermented vegetables.

It's really rather easy. Just eat like an old time farmer, OR like a European immigrant, OR like a connoisseur seated at the finest restaurant in Paris, Rome, or Munich.

Then enjoy your meals knowing that your heart will love it. In fact, it might just have a love affair with genuine food.

References:

(1) www.lipitor.com (2) www.westonaprice.org (3) www.westonaprice.org

The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and may not be construed as medical advice. The reader is encouraged to make independent inquires and to seek the advice of a licensed healthcare provider.