Food Freedom Friday Edition 266 - Cholesterol Myths

Cholesterol could well be the most vilified nutrient of all time. The very word “cholesterol” conjures up associations with obesity, disease, heart attacks and death. As a result, foods high in cholesterol are avoided like poison. Particularly in the face of the recently lowered cholesterol-treatment guidelines, high blood-cholesterol levels may motivate desperate corrective actions.

In truth, though, many of your preconceptions about cholesterol are based on pervasive misinformation and myth, and some of the actions you may be encouraged to take based on these misconceptions can be counterproductive. It may be a while before anyone gets the whole cholesterol story straight, and far longer before everyone agrees on all the details. Here we will discuss common cholesterol myths – and a few of the truths they obscure. As always, check with your own healthcare professional before making any significant changes to your current diet and medication regimen.

You must be our own health advocate. Take control of your health. Find what works for you.

What Is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is required by almost every cell in your body. It is so vital you are able to manufacture it. Cholesterol is predominantly made by your liver. Cholesterol is so vital you make the bulk of the body's requirements despite dietary intake or lack thereof.  Because cholesterol is essential to so many functions, inadequate cholesterol levels may lead to a number of health problems, including mental illness.

When the body has an infection or inflammation or wound, cholesterol is concentrated in the areas that are getting healed. In other words, it’s possible that the presence of cholesterol may be an indicator of inflammation rather than a root cause.

Cholesterol is the structure which is the base of all your reproductive hormones, bile acid and Vitamin D is made from. Cholesterol maintains cell walls, allows cellular communication and transportation of substances. Low cholesterol is not healthy. Low cholesterol is linked with depression, aggression, Alzheimer's, suicidal thoughts to name a few. Cholesterol is required to make brain cells. You need cholesterol for memory and cognitive function

Cholesterol aids the body in fighting infection. When there is an infection present in the body, HDL goes down because it is used to fight the toxins, and this may be one of the reasons why cholesterol is found at the site of inflammation. But this is not to say that cholesterol is to blame for the inflammation, in fact, it could be the opposite, it is present to calm the inflammation.

Cholesterol is a poor predictor of heart disease. Half of those with heart disease have 'normal' cholesterol levels. Half of those with 'high' cholesterol levels have healthy hearts. Most heart attack victims have cholesterol within the "normal" range.

What about the much-hyped distinction between “good” cholesterol and “bad” cholesterol? These labels, too, are a bit simplistic. High-density lipoproteins (HDL, or “good” cholesterol) and low-density lipoproteins (LDL, or “bad” cholesterol) are actually not cholesterol at all; they are the fat molecules that transport cholesterol through the bloodstream.

LDL is responsible for shuttling cholesterol from the liver (where it is made) through the bloodstream and then depositing it in the tissues where it’s needed. HDL transports cholesterol from the tissues back to the liver, where the majority of it is secreted in the bile that is used to break down food. What’s more, both HDL and LDL are indispensable. In the proper ratios, both are good. The reason LDL is called “bad” is that a too-high ratio of LDL to HDL cholesterol in the blood is associated with a higher risk of coronary heart disease. But make no mistake: You couldn’t live without LDL.

Cholesterol & Heart Disease

To better understand your heart disease risk, you need to look at particle sizes and patterns. Type A LDL are large fluffy particles that look like a cotton ball and do as much damage. Type B is a small, hard, dense one which becomes oxidised and angry, sticking to the endothelium and creating inflammation. Knowing your particle size and how many of Type A or Type B you have is more important than simply knowing your LDL number.

Cholesterol carriers are only a problem when they are oxidised (damaged). Once they are damaged, they stick to the lining (endothelium) of our blood vessels and starts the process of inflammation. Cholesterol cannot accumulate in arteries without inflammation.

Low-density lipoproteins are small particles, and those that are especially small can infiltrate the lining of an artery and get deposited in its wall. There are a number of reasons cholesterol might end up there, including preceding damage to the artery caused by infection, previous inflammation or the presence of free radicals.

Some of the LDL that does get trapped in artery walls can then get oxidized (i.e., damaged) by any number of factors and then provoke a complex (secondary) inflammatory response. These trapped fats are subsequently ingested by the immune system’s white blood cells, which accumulate (along with fibrous material, calcium and other substances) within the artery wall. Over the years, these areas of accumulation form scab-like plaques, which partially or even completely block the artery. This condition is known as atherosclerosis. Either a complete blockage or a ruptured plaque can cut off blood supply to the heart or brain, resulting in a heart attack or stroke.

The important point here is that high LDL levels alone are not sufficient, nor even necessary, for atherosclerosis to develop. Atherosclerosis is common in individuals with low LDL levels as well, perhaps because there is a disproportionate number of small LDL particles or because too many are being oxidized. Likewise, individuals with high LDL levels often have perfectly healthy arteries, because one or more of the many other causes of plaque formation are not a contributing factor.

As is the case with many other diseases, genetic predisposition is one of the main culprits in causing CHD. Some of us are simply more prone to high LDL levels, LDL oxidation, easily damaged arteries and blood clotting. Other strong predictors of CHD are family history of the disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and smoking. (Stress and anger are weaker, but still significant, predictors.)

Fat & Cholesterol

The theory that there is a direct relationship between the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in one’s diet and the incidence of high blood pressure and coronary heart disease (CHD) is known as the “lipid hypothesis” – and it’s hotly debated.

Saturated fat does appear to raise LDL by down-regulating LDL receptors in the liver, which are then cleared out of the bloodstream more slowly. On the other hand, it also raises “good” HDL. The most important thing to remember is that cholesterol levels and heart-disease risk are affected to a much greater degree by a combination of other dietary factors:

Eating more good healthy fat raises your level of Type A fluffy particles, eating more sugar raises the Type B angry little particles, which really causes the damage. There appears to be some evidence that high amounts of omega 6 oils can also increase LDL type B.

Glycation is the process responsible for oxidizing Type A LDL and forming Type B LDL. This occurs when there is too much glucose in the blood, pointing to sugar and refined carbohydrates being far more detrimental to your health than dietary fat.

A diet containing more carbohydrates than you need, along with excessive sugar and refined grain consumption causes inflammation. Sugar raises insulin which raises blood pressure, appetite, triglycerides and Type B LDL. Sugar in the blood attaches to proteins and causes AGE's (advanced glycation end-products). High levels of circulating insulin may cause microvascular damage to capillary walls in kidneys, which increases blood pressure, and causes the kidneys to retain sodium, which collectively increases blood pressure.

Furthermore, consistently elevated blood sugar results in high triglycerides, which is by far the biggest danger sign for heart disease. Lower your sugar, lowers insulin, lowers triglycerides, lowers your risk.

Furthermore, eat less inflammatory fats. Omega 3 fats are anti-inflammatory, Omega 6 fats cause inflammation. It's the balance we must get right. Avoid Omega 6 fats (from processed vegetable oils such as canola oil, soy oil), and increase our Omega 3 fats - walnuts, flaxseeds, macadamia nuts, wild fish, grass-fed meat.

The Problem With Statins

The benefits of statins have been grossly exaggerated, the side effects have been underreported. There is a great debate between the statin lobbyists, and pharmaceutical companies to release their figures. There are class actions taking place in North America against the statin drug companies, stating they knowingly have underreported side effects such as muscle damage, memory loss and diabetes. There is also research into the fact that statins reduce Co-enzyme Q10, an enzyme required by your mitochondria for energy transfer, resulting in muscle pain and damage (most importantly, this affects your heart muscle), may actually contribute to heart disease!!!

The biggest side effects of statins are memory loss, muscle damage, diabetes, loss of energy and low immunity. Statins reduce hormone production, bile production and Vitamin D.

Still Worried?

Cholesterol treatment and advice has not changed over the past few decades, whereas science has. The message is not getting out there because of the strong statin lobbyists, huge financial gains and rewards but the pharmaceutical industry, and research grants still available. Research is showing that cholesterol is not what was once thought, but it is not appearing in the clinical setting.

Factors To Consider

1.     What is your CRP reading (C-Reactive Protein is a marker for inflammation, which we know is the true cause of heart disease and all other major diseases).

2.     What is your calcium score? This is also known as your CAC score and is a much more accurate reflection of heart health.

3.     Lifestyle factors

o   Don't smoke. Don't drink alcohol to excess.

o   Exercise moderately.

o   Maintain a healthy weight.

o   Eat whole, unprocessed foods, with plenty of omega 3 fats and improve gut health.

o   Manage stress.

Cholesterol is not mentioned here because it is of little real value. The best indicators for long life are high HDL, low triglycerides and low insulin levels.

Stress contributes to almost every disease known. It affects your ability to recover, our immunity, inflammation, blood pressure, overproduction of platelets (which start blood clots which block arteries) and adrenal depletion.

How you deal with stress and cope with stress is vital to your health and well-being.

Clearly, science has a way to go before the full story on cholesterol, to say nothing of its connections with inflammation and oxidation is clear. Emerging science is showing that cholesterol levels are a poor predictor of heart disease and that standard prescriptions for lowering it, such as ineffective low-fat/high-carb diets and serious, side-effect-causing statin drugs, obscure the real causes of heart disease and can cause more harm than good.