HEALTH TIP
Want to avoid heart disease and obesity? Then QUIT worrying about cholesterol and fat! That's right. Eating fat (at least the right kind of fat) does NOT make you fat... carbohydrates do.
Concerning the cholesterol and heart disease, there are thousands of HEALTHY 80+ year old folks with cholesterol levels in the 200's! The cholesterol "medical myths" are definitive proof of the labyrinth of lies propagated by Big Pharma. You see, they are able to make the American "sheeple" believe just about anything, based on the methods outlined by Edwin Bernays.
Once a LIE is generally accepted by the people, thin it is considered to be "gospel truth." This is what happened with water fluoridation, and this is what has happened with cholesterol. There are many "myths" associated with cholesterol, including:
- High-fat foods and cholesterol cause atherosclerosis leading to the obstruction of blood vessels in the heart
- Lowering your cholesterol will lengthen your life
- Polyunsatured oils are good for your health
- All scientists and doctors support the idea that high cholesterol causes heart disease
- Statin drugs are essential in controlling cholesterol levels and preventing heart disease
Believing all of these cholesterol myths, Americans decreased their intake of good fats and oils (like coconut oil, fish oil, olive oil) and started consuming more vegetable oils and margarine (a trans fat). This diet has *CAUSED* thousands of deaths from heart disease, as have the statin drugs which supposedly prevent heart disease, but in reality have numerous deleterious effects, which all contribute to the "Big Pharma Trap."
Statins are "HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors", that is, they act by blocking the enzyme (HMG-CoA reductase) in your liver that is responsible for making cholesterol. There are over 900 studies proving the adverse effects of statin drugs, including anemia, cancer, chronic fatigue, acidosis, liver dysfunction, thyroid disruption, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and even diabetes! Statins have been shown to increase your risk of diabetes through a few different mechanisms. The most important one is that they increase insulin resistance, which contributes to chronic inflammation (the common element of most diseases) and actually *RESULTS* in heart disease, which, ironically, is the primary reason for taking a cholesterol-reducing drug in the first place!
Perhaps most importantly, cholesterol is *NOT* the cause of heart disease. Your body NEEDS cholesterol. What Is Cholesterol? Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that's found in all the cells of our body. It has a hormone-like structure that behaves like a fat in that it is insoluble in water and in blood. Cholesterol travels through your bloodstream in small packages called "lipoproteins" which are made of lipids (fats) on the inside and proteins on the outside.
Cholesterol plays a critical role in body chemistry. It is ESSENTIAL to our health. When we lower cholesterol, we actually CREATE sickness and disease!
Every cell of the body needs cholesterol to maintain the integrity of its cell membrane. Cholesterol makes the cell membrane more rigid but prevents it from crystallizing. Cholesterol is needed for the liver to make bile; it is the precursor for steroidal hormones (estrogen and testosterone), and in the presence of sunlight, the body can use the photolytic action of UV light on the cholesterol in the skin cells to make Vitamin D, which is essential for our immune system and also maintains the balance of calcium and phosphorus for strong bones and teeth.
Perhaps most importantly, cholesterol is an essential component in the machinery that triggers the release of neurotransmitters in the brain. Mother's milk is especially rich in cholesterol and contains a special enzyme that helps the baby utilize it. Babies and children need cholesterol-rich foods throughout their growing years to ensure proper development of the brain and nervous system. Cholesterol is very concentrated in the brain, where it contributes to the functioning of "synapses" (tiny gaps between cells which allow nerves to communicate with each other).
There is also strong evidence that having too little cholesterol INCREASES your risk for cancer, memory loss, Parkinson's disease, hormonal imbalances, stroke, depression, suicide, and violent behavior.
According to recent research at Harvard, the primary causes of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries which leads to heart disease) are lesions and plaque in the arteries caused by SUGAR which causes insulin to be released. Insulin causes lesions in the endothelium of the arteries that become clogged with cholesterol. So, cholesterol gets the blame, but the real culprit is sugar. So, if you avoid sugar and simple carbs, cholesterol is not an issue.
IMHO, the three essential keys for managing your weight and reducing the risk of heart disease and diabetes are
- restrict your intake of carbohydrates (like sugar, bread, grains, etc)
- increase your intake of healthy fats (like coconut oil, olive oil, avocados, fish oil, nuts, etc) and
- reduce your intake of unhealthy fats (like corn oil, safflower oil, soy oil, canola oil, margarine, etc).
