Cholesterol…..There’s More to This Story
Maureen McDonnell, RN
I always find it amazing how we reach a tipping point in our culture (causing many of us to accept a certain theory as “the Truth”) and then, we find out the whole concept was wrong? Remember when we were convinced that margarine was a healthy food? Or, how about when we thought a low fat diet was the only way to lose weight and prevent heart disease? Then research emerged showing the destructive nature of trans-fatty acids (found in most margarines) and the fact that there is such a thing as “good” fats (such as those found in extra virgin olive and organic coconut oil), and that these fats are not only incredibly healthy, they can assist in weight loss and preventing heart disease!
Well, there is a similar misguided myth about cholesterol. Although many believe it’s an evil, destructive substance that is solely responsible for cardiovascular disease leading to heart attacks and stroke and should be reduced at all costs, we now know that’s simply not true.
According to Dr. Uffe Ravskov, MD, PhD, author of Fat and Cholesterol are Good for You “Cholesterol is actually one of the most important molecules in your body, indispensable for the building of your cells and for producing stress and sex hormones as well as Vitamin D.”
Cholesterol is a soft waxy substance that is found in every cell in the body. In addition to its role in the production of hormones and Vitamin D, it is involved in the formation of cell membranes and bile salts (that help you digest fat) and it is essential for memory. The neurotransmitter serotonin (which helps us sleep and stay in a good mood) and other neurological functions also rely on cholesterol for proper function. 75% of the body’s cholesterol is made by the liver.
4 Measurements of Cholesterol:
HDL or High Density Lipoprotein is what people refer to as the “good” cholesterol. It actually removes or shuttles excess cholesterol away from your arteries and can help prevent heart disease.
LDL or Low-Density Lipoprotein is referred to as the “bad” cholesterol which can build up in your arteries and form plaque, making your arteries less flexible and narrow. If a clot forms in one of these narrow arteries it can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
Triglycerides: these fats are considered dangerous when elevated and have been linked to both diabetes and heart disease. They tend to become elevated when one is inactive, eats too much sugar or processed carbs, is overweight or obese, smokes or drinks excessive amounts of alcohol
Lp(a) Lipoprotein (a) is made up of an LDL part plus a protein (apoprotein a). When these levels are elevated, there is a strong risk for heart disease.
What’s Behind an Elevated Cholsterol Level?
When arteries become damaged, inflammation occurs and cholesterol levels rise: Let’s first look at the process of inflammation. If you cut yourself, the blood vessels constrict to keep you from bleeding excessively. Then your blood thickens so clots can form. Your immune system sends specific types of cells and chemicals to fight any germs, and finally cells multiply to repair the damage which leads to the formation of a protective scar.
Now if we take this scenario and apply it to your arteries, a similar process occurs except the “scar” in your artery is known as plaque. When plaque forms and the blood thickens, the inflammatory process in your arteries also involves a constriction of the blood vessels. Although these are natural consequences of inflammation, you can see how this constriction could lead to higher blood pressure and heart attacks. But believe it or not, with all that’s going on with arteries at this point in response to inflammation , cholesterol hasn’t arrived yet. As Dr. Mercola explains in his many excellent reports on this subject “Cholesterol comes in because in order to replace your damaged cells, it is necessary. Remember that no cell can form without it. So if you have a bunch of damaged cells that need to be replaced, your liver will be notified to make more cholesterol and release it into the blood stream. This is a deliberate process that takes place in order for your body to produce new healthy cells”.
Don’t’ get me wrong, cholesterol is not totally exempt as a culprit. If it oxidizes (goes rancid) it can irritate or inflame tissues where it is lodged (such as in the lining of the arteries). But oxidized cholesterol is only one of many numerous causes of inflammation in the arteries.
Why Put All the Blame on Cholesterol?
If a car accident occurred, and an ambulance arrived on the scene to come to the rescue, would you think the ambulance was responsible for the accident? Of course not!. Same is true with cholesterol, it is called on by the body to come to the rescue when arteries become damaged by the inflammatory process.
Many more naturally oriented health care practitioners feel that the conventional medical approach of lowering cholesterol as the main way to reduce the risk of a person having a heart attack or stroke is too simplistic and may be missing the most important point. What is actually more essential to understand and address whatever is causing damage to the arteries and leading to the inflammation. Basically, it is the underlying inflammation that is causing the increase in cholesterol.
The Typical Statin Drugs Are Not Dealing with the Cause:
If you’ve been reading my articles each month (Common Sense Approaches to Health) its probably become quite obvious to you that I’m not a big proponent of pharmaceuticals as the best or only solution for all our ailments. I’ve been a registered nurse for 34 years, so I’m not naïve enough to state that drugs are never necessary. What I am saying is, drugs mask symptoms they do not deal with the underlying cause of the condition. In recent yeara, many savvy individuals and a whole host of integrative health practitioners including MDs have begun to look deeper at the reasons the body calls on the liver to make more cholesterol. These medical detectives probe into why the individual developed inflammation. Causes of inflammation range from excessive stress, too much sugar or processed carbohydrates, consuming foods with trans fatty acids, smoking, excessive alcohol, and eating too many foods with a high glycemic index.
By remedying the causes of the inflammation, we often see a drop in the cholesterol levels. One of the country’s leading anti-aging experts, Dr. Rosedale says it best: “If excessive damage is occurring such that it is necessary to distribute extra cholesterol through the bloodstream, it would not seem very wise to merely lower the cholesterol and forget about why it is there in the first place. It would seem much smarter to reduce the extra need for the
cholesterol — the excessive damage that is occurring, the reason for the
chronic inflammation.”
Statin drugs are typically prescribed for elevated levels of cholesterol and they work by inhibiting an enzyme that your liver needs to manufacture cholesterol. Ever since my early days as a nurse working in labor and delivery and teaching childbirth classes, I developed an understanding that “when you mess with Mother Nature, be ready for her wrath”. Taking a drug that inhibits a naturally occurring enzyme might for instance create unintended consequences. In the case of statins, the production of cholesterol is reduced but the drugs also can cause other problems. According to Sally Fallon from the Westin A. Price Foundation and author of Nourishing Traditions “statin drugs deplete the body of Coenzyme Q10 which is beneficial to heart health and muscle function.”. If you know about this side effect, you can take Coenzyme Q 10. If not, then the depletion can lead to fatigue, muscle weakness, soreness and possibly heart failure.
In addition, other side effects including dizziness, decreased function of the immune system, liver problems (this is the reason liver enzymes are monitored while on statin drugs) cognitive impairment and an increased risk of polyneuropathy (nerve damage that causes pain in the hands and feet) have been reported with the use of these medications.
Several studies have shown that when cholesterol becomes too low there can be an increase in depression and or violent behavior (as cholesterol affects the metabolism of serotonin the neurotransmitter that regulates mood and sleep) and one Dutch study showed very low levels were associated with higher rates of suicide.
Tips for Lowering Cholesterol Naturally by Reducing Inflammation
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Exercise regularly
Avoid Smoking and Excessive Alcohol consumption
Avoid eating pro-inflammatory foods such as: sugar, trans fats (found in margarine, potato chips and baked goods) avoid foods cooked at a high temperatures, processed foods and foods with a high glycemic index including grains
Supplements: Dr. Mark Hyman, MD former medical director of Canyon Ranch and author of Ultra-Metabolism) believes that, after eliminating the causes of inflammation, adding herbal remedies and supplements can dramatically improve the inflamed state of the body. He suggests that, along with a standard regimen of multivitamins and minerals, fish oil (for the anti-inflammatory Omega 3’s), probiotics and enzymes, such as bromelain, can be powerful additions. Read more at http://www.livestrong.com/article/273941-list-of-foods-to-reduce-inflammation-in-the-body/#ixzz1X5oL7JZY
Diet: Unlike the diet developed by the National Institutes of Health, (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes or TLC) and promoted on the statin drug websites, here is a list of Anti-inflammatory foods compiled by Jack Challem, a trusted nutrition and health writer and bestselling author. For more information go to: www.Dlife.com. The food suggestions below have more to do with reducing inflammation, than avoiding foods that contain fat.
Anti-inflammatory foods are:
1. Salmon. Coldwater fish, including salmon, contain anti-inflammatory fats called omega-3s.Wild salmon has more of these super-healthy fats than does farmed salmon.
2. Grass-fed beef and other animal foods. Meat from grain-fed animals has virtually no omega-3s and plenty of saturated fat.
3. Olive oil. …Opt for extra-virgin olive oil, which is the least processed,
4. Salads. Dark-green lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, and other salad veggies are rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants, nutrients that dampen inflammation.
5. Cruciferous vegetables. broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts,and kale,
6. Cherries. A study in the April 2006 Journal of Nutrition showed that eating cherries daily can significantly reduce inflammation.
7. Blueberries.
8. Turmeric.
9. Ginger.
10. Garlic
11. Green tea.
CRP: You might want to ask your doctor to measure your CR P level (C Reactive Protein level) which is a blood test used to determine if you have chronic inflammation
In Summary: I don’t think I, or any of these doctors and authors I’ve quoted have all the answers for solving the problem of elevated cholesterol for every person. What I do know is, when it comes to finding the underlying causes of our health challenges, we must dig below the surface and do our own research in order to obtain the information required to make better and more informed decisions. Taking responsibility for our health as opposed to blindly accepting what others tells us can be challenging, but also empowering, enlightening and rewarding. My advice: Do your homework, find a health care practitioner who stays up with the research from both sides of the discussion and let common sense, rather than profit-driven propaganda influence your decisions.
New Bio: Maureen McDonnell has been a registered nurse for 34 years (in the fields of: childbirth education, labor and delivery, clinical nutrition, and pediatrics.) She was the former national coordinator of the Defeat Autism Now! Conferences and is the co-founder of Saving Our Kids, Healing Our Planet. Her published articles on health can be found at www.SOKHOP.com . She is the owner of Nutritionist’s Choice multi vitamin: www. NutritionistsChoice.com. Most recently, Maureen became the Medical Coordinator for the Imus Ranch for Kids with Cancer. She and and her husband H Hanson have five grandkids and feel blessed to be living in the beautiful mountains of WNC
Side Bar: Working the Numbers:
According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, MD “HDL percentage is a very potent heart disease risk factor. Just divide your HDL level by your cholesterol. That percentage should ideally be above 24 percent. You can also do the same thing with your triglycerides and HDL ratio. That percentage should be below 2. Keep in mind, however, that these are still simply guidelines, and there’s a lot more that goes into your risk of heart disease than any one of these numbers. In fact, it was only after word got out that total cholesterol is a poor predictor of heart disease that HDL and LDL cholesterol were brought into the picture. They give you a closer idea of what’s going on, but they still do not show you everything.”
References:
- Dietary Fat And Coronary heart Disease: Summary of Evidence from Prospective Cohort and Randomized Controlled Trials, C.Murray Skeaff Jody Miller, Univ of Otago, New Zealand Ann Nutr Metab 2009:55:173-201
- Fallon, S. and Mary Enig. “Dangers of Statin Drugs: What You Haven’t Been Told About
- Popular Cholesterol-Lowering Medicines,” The Weston A. Price Foundation
- http://www.westonaprice.org/moderndiseases/statin.html
- Asgard, R., A. Basu, E. Rytter, et al. 2007. High intake of fruit and vegetables is related to low oxidative stress and inflammation in a group of patients with type 2 diabetes. Scandinavian Journal of Food and Nutrition 51:149-
- Mozaffarian D et all Dietary Intake of trans fatty acids and systemic inflammation in women Am J Clin Nutr 2004 Apr; 79(4): 6006-12
- Read more at http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/10/26/think-twice-before-using-statin-drugs.aspx?e_cid=20111026_DNL_art_1
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