The Story of Cholesterol: The Beginning

One of my chief goals is to help others achieve radiant health by exposing erroneous, and often times intentionally misleading, information. There are many areas of our lives where these errors adversely impact our health and one of them is cholesterol. I must admit that prior to becoming a certified holistic health practitioner (holistic health coach) I would see the commercials for cholesterol lowering medications and agree wholeheartedly with its use. After all, one of the main ways to prevent heart disease and heart attacks was to ensure cholesterol levels were kept in check by lowering the amount in the bloodstream, right? I was convinced of this "fact" and all it took was a series of 30 second commercials to convince me and millions of others. Now the alarms are being sounded as more and more evidence would suggest that cholesterol is not what we think it is.

The Story of Cholesterol: The Beginning is the first article in what will be a continuing series on the cholesterol story and how it affects each and everyone of us. Whether you are taking a cholesterol lowering medication now or you pay insurance premiums to help cover the cost of those who do we are all paying a hefty price only to decrease what we hope to increase: our health.

The history of cholesterol as the boogie man!

Like most pharmaceutical success stories ours starts in the lab with a guy in a white coat who promises to save your life if you buy what they are selling. Enter Ansel Keys, Ph.D. He was one of the first to begin making the extraordinary and revolutionary claim that cholesterol was at the heart of cardiovascular disease (also known as the lipid hypothesis) and lowering it would reduce heart attacks and other adverse cardiovascular events. And so the myth was born and from that point in the 1950's until this very day many millions continue to believe this unsubstantiated myth (more on this in another article). The commercials haven't stopped and the myth is continuously perpetuated because statins and other cholesterol lowering drugs are a $31 billion a year industry all by itself!

What is cholesterol?

Have you ever wondered what cholesterol is and why we have it. I know personally I never stopped to consider it. The truth about cholesterol and what it does for our bodies is astounding. Here are a few things about cholesterol that you may not know:

• The brain is approximately 60% cholesterol (one of the listed side effects of statin drugs is reduced cognitive function!)
• Cholesterol is so important that it is manufactured in almost every cell in the body
• Cholesterol is an important structural molecule that is the basis of how many other molecules get built
• Cholesterol is the body's natural inflammation fighter
• Cholesterol helps to synthesize Vitamin D
• Without cholesterol we would be unable to produce bile affecting our ability to digest dietary fats
• Without cholesterol sex hormones like testosterone, estrogen and progesterone cannot be made (one of the listed side effects of statin drugs is reduced testicular and ovary size!)
• If we were able to remove all the cholesterol from our bodies we would die very quickly

As you can see cholesterol plays an important part in our health and well being. So the question becomes: How and why has cholesterol been so vilified and who profits from our media/doctor induced manic hatred for such an essential element in our lives? There is more to come shortly. Stay tuned!

Good Fats and How They Help You Control Your Weight

Quality Weight Loss/Weight Management Shake 

For most of us we know the old nutritional mantras like "eat healthy", "exercise", "stay away from fat". These mantras are true and should be followed but some extra thought should be given to the one about fat. In our craze to lose weight many doctors, nutritionist, dietitians and the like unfortunately began lumping all fats into the same category. It is vitally important to point out that not all fats are made the same and knowing which fats to consume in their proper quantities and which fats to stay away from in their totality is one significant key to overall health and weight loss.

Fats, Weight Gain, and the Brain

In the 1960's total calories derived from fat in the average American diet was about 45%. Americans managed to decrease their fat consumption to 38% in the 80's and down to 35% in the 90's. Remarkable, right? However, despite a steady decline in overall fat consumption in the U.S. we are still heavier. Much heavier.

Fats have become a modern day dietary boogie man sacrificed for the pursuit of good health. Interestingly, our brain is approximately 60% fat in the form of cholesterol. The fats are necessary for proper brain health. Speaking of our brain health and cholesterol, the FDA issued stronger warnings in July 2012 about how cholesterol lowering drugs could lead to cognitive dysfunction such as memory loss, confusion and fuzzy thinking. We need our fats!

Powerful, all natural, triple sourced essential fatty acids for body and mind

Good Fats vs. Bad Fats

Being properly informed about which fats to consume and which to stay away from is important as a matter of course so lets take a look at which fats to stay away from first.

• Trans Fats - These highly toxic fats had long been a cornerstone of the American diet for years.They are man-made fats that create inflammation, raise cholesterol levels and lead to adverse cardiovascular conditions such as arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis. Trans fats is also a leading contributor to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity and cancer. These poisonous fats can be found in fast foods, processed foods like crackers, cookies, pies, cereals and bread (just about anything that comes in a box), margarine, shortening and deep-fried foods. 
• Hydrogenated Fats - These are the "new" trans fats since many people are starting to catch on to the fact that trans fats are terrible for you. Make no mistake, however, hydrogenated fats and oils are notoriously harmful to our bodies and a detriment to our health. All the things highlighted above that trans fats do to our bodies just keep that in mind here. In 2007 the FDA nearly banned Crisco because of trans fat issues but the not-so-happy compromise ended up being hydrogenated fats. Be watchful because the words "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" will appear on ingredient lists of both products in grocery stores and on restaurant nutrition information guides.
• Refined Polyunsaturated Fats - These are fats that were heated during the manufacturing process to a temperature that rendered them rancid and therefore toxic. These fats help contribute to weight gain since they tend to increase insulin resistance in the body. Most salad dressings and vegetable oils such as sunflower, corn, cottonseed, safflower and soybean oil contain these fats. For your health and safety insure the salad dressings and cooking oils you use are not refined. Search for cold pressed or expeller oils to use.
• Deep Fried Foods - These foods are are cooked in super heated oils that become rancid because of the high heat. The oils are absorbed by the food that it is frying because oil displaces water in high heat situations. These rancid oils are consumed and are extremely detrimental to the body causing significant inflammation and has been known to be a carcinogen.
• Saturated Fats - This is partially a spin-off from deep fried foods but they also include fats from other familiar sources such as milk, cheese, processed meats, pork, red meat, butter and the skins of poultry. While all deep fried foods should be avoided some of the other items may be perfectly fine unless you consume them in excessive amounts. Saturated fats, excessively consumed, can lead to inflammation increasing cholesterol and setting you up for systemic and chronic cardiovascular issues.  

Now we will discuss the good fats. These are the fats that help build and maintain our brain, cardiovascular systems, endocrine systems and help reduce inflammation. Without these fats it would be difficult to produce certain hormones, cholesterol (for inflammation control) and reduce free radicals in the blood and tissues. Good fats are also great sources of fuel second only to carbohydrates. A word of caution, however. There is a such thing as too much of a good thing. While we do need to incorporate these fats into our diets we do not need to over do it. In a bit we will discuss how much and how often to consume these beneficial fats but first things, first. Let us identify these valuable fats and what they do for us:

• Omega 3 - An essential fatty acid that is well known for reducing inflammation, lowering triglyceride levels, supporting immune function, prevent or reverse insulin resistance, prevention and treatment of heart disease and helps the body release stored fat. Sources of omega 3's are cold water fish and fatty fish (cod, salmon, herring, sardines) and flax seed and flax seed oil. There are three forms of omega 3 with two forms found in fish (EPA and DHA) and one form found in flax seed and flax seed oil (ALA) it is a good idea to get a healthy mix of both sources or take a high quality supplement. It is estimated that approximately 99% of Americans are deficient in omega 3's. 
• Omega 6 - This fatty acid Americans tend to get readily usually from grain sources and meat sources (because they tend to be grain fed). This necessary fat helps the body produce the type of prostaglandins that allows for inflammation which is a necessary bodily function when repairs are required to take place. The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 should be around 4 to 1. Most Americans consume way too much omega-6 in the form of processed foods which distorts the ratio to 20 to 1. Healthy, unrefined sources of omega-6 (the kind you should focus on) include expeller or cold pressed oils, most seeds and nuts, and grass fed chicken or beef. Avoid omega-6 from grain fed poultry or beef, refined oils (corn, soy, safflower and cottonseed), processed foods, fast food and restaurant food.
• Omega 9 (including Monounsaturated Fats) -  These fats can actually be produced by the body from converting other fats and therefore are not considered to be essential. They are often left out of the conversation concerning fats but are very beneficial nonetheless. They have anti-inflammatory properties and have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol which is a major benefit for almost everyone consuming a Western style diet. Foods high in these fats include olives, olive oil, avocados, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds to name a few things.
• Certain Saturated Fats - This may seem counter-intuitive but hold on just a second. The saturated fats found in, around and on the flesh of animals should be avoided whenever possible. This is not healthy. However, short-chain varieties of saturated fats are an excellent source of fuel for the body and are easily digestible which makes them healthier and less likely to increase cholesterol. The good version of saturated fat can be found in unrefined coconut oil and palm kernel oil.

Conclusion

It is far too simple a matter to completely dismiss fats from our eating regimes. The good types of fat are vitally important to our health whether it applies to weight maintenance, cardiovascular issues, hormone support and proper brain function. To figure out how much of the good fats to consume calculate your average caloric intake for a given day. Your healthy fat intake should be 20-35% of your total calories. Incorporate the good fats, eliminate or sharply curtail the bad ones and live a healthy, balanced, and productive life!

Power away cellulite with a natural, non-toxic cream

Gout: A Painless Solution to a Painful Condition

Powerful anti-inflammatory support for your body

Below is a reprint of an article I wrote several months. Review this article with open eyes and an open mind. Below you will find some of the things we desperately need to be aware of. I will continue to bring new, reviews and suggestions that not only challenges the status quo but will hopefully bring fresh, meaningful insights in this sound bite world...

If you have watched any television of late you probably saw a commercial for Uloric. Uloric is a new drug designed to relieve gout sufferers of their symptoms. With gout's new found prevalence Uloric is right on time to rake in profits for Big Pharma. Perhaps now is a great time to take a fresh look at gout for what it is and how to eliminate the condition as opposed to masking the symptoms.

Gouts Place in History

Gout is a condition that leads to acute inflammatory arthritis. It is often painful resulting in tender swollen joints that are red and hot. Long regarded as "the disease of kings" gout has a lengthy history dating back to ancient Egypt. Imhotep, a noted Egyptian physician, was treating gout 4600 years ago. The 6th century physician Alexander Tralles used Autumn Crocus (Colchium Autumnal) specifically for gout which was a first at the time. Fast forward to medieval times and one would find that bloodletting was the norm. Gout's position in history was usually reserved for the elite of society. During those times only the affluent could afford rich foods and sedentary lifestyles. Contemporary food production has brought us more meat consumption and processed foods that we tend to overindulge in. Add nutritionally unbalanced diets to the equation and one can understand gout's steady increase in society over time.

Relief

Gout is thought to have multiple origins but a general consensus has formed around increased plasma (blood) acidity mainly due to uric acid. The issue of acidosis is more prevalent in our society so a good start would be to address this issue. The average diet today has 30% of our calories coming from protein. Combined with a diet lacking essential nutrients because of consumption of over-processed foods, the chance of developing gout greatly increases. Here are a few tips to reflect upon:

1. Combat gout by insuring protein consumption does not exceed 10 -15% of calories consumed per day. The proteins should be of high quality derived primarily from vegetables, beans, nuts, and legumes. Proteins from these sources are more readily absorbed.

2. In addition to quality proteins the body needs adequate nutrients, primarily Vitamins B3 and B6 along with Zinc, to properly breakdown and utilize the protein that has been ingested.

3. Decrease or eliminate consumption of acid forming foods, some of which are coffee, sugar, alcohol, vinegar, meat and dairy products. Alcohol is known not only to increase uric acid production, but also to decrease the body's ability to excrete uric acid through the kidneys. Some may find that the elimination of alcohol is all they needed to do to rid themselves of gout.

4. Micheal Murray, N.D. recommends gout sufferers consume 1/2 pound of cherries for relief. Dark red and blue berries are excellent sources of phytonutrients that reduce joint inflammation.

5. If a person with gout is obese emphasis on proper weight reduction is advisable. Weight reduction should be accomplished through a low fat, high fiber diet with an eye towards alkaline forming foods, some of which are aloe vera, wheat grass, alfalfa, parsley, dates, string beans, raisins, prunes, and banana.

6. Avoid refined carbohydrates and saturated fats. These increase blood acidity.

There is no cookie cutter approach to treating the condition of gout but some of the common measures mentioned above are a great place to start. Seek balance and prudence in your diet. Be diligent and discover for yourself or with the help of practitioners how to give gout the boot.

Sources

Alternative Medicine: A Definitive Guide, Deepak Chopra, M.D.

http://sharonporter.hubpages.com/hub/History-of-Gout-Remedies

http://www.fertilefoods.com/healthy-pregnancy/fertility/alkaline-foods-for-conception/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16820040


Post Script:

In the coming weeks ahead I will be preparing a series of presentations on weight gain, weight loss and weight maintenance. The information provided will not be your "run of the mill" infomercial styled misguidance but actual information that could change your life, your mind and your body. I will post snippets of these presentations on the blog for your perusal. I will also look into conducting webinars to present this information to a wider audience. Stay tuned!

Powerful anti-inflammatory support for your body