LOWER THAT LDL CHOLESTEROL- (It Can Kill You)

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LOWER THAT LDL CHOLESTEROL- (It Can Kill You)

JoAnn Guest

Sep 30, 2004 13:27 PDT

 

 

 

More than anything else, the 'types' of fat you eat affects your

" cholesterol " levels. It's everywhere: Some 40 to 50 percent of

every calorie the average American consumes comes from fat.

 

Fat is hidden in virtually every processed and packaged food known

to man-—cookies, crackers, chips, dips, frozen dinners, snacks,

cakes, pies—you name it, it's probably loaded with fat.

 

And don't forget fast foods- hamburgers, fried chicken, pizza,

tacos—are high-fat foods to begin with and to top it all off,

they're generally cooked in hydrogenated oil, lard or some other

type of processed fat, so you get a double whammy there.

 

Types of fat:

Fat are classified into polyunsaturated, saturated and

monounsaturated fats. The foods we eat from day to day normally

contains a mixture of all three.

The most problematic of all are processed transfats and

saturated fats from factory fed animals. These fats turn into more

solid fats at room temperature. To provide more healthier

alternatives, use lauras lean organic beef.

www.laurasleanbeef.com

 

Doctors say fewer than 10 percent of your total calories should come

from saturated fats and less than 7% from transfat. These oils

inevitably lead to high blood cholesterol levels

 

Here is a handy listing of the worst offenders:

Pork, cheese, chocolate, lard, milk, palm oil, vegetable shortening,

margarines (all of them, even Benecol and Take Control), mayonnaise,

ice

cream, lobster and shellfish. Certain vegetable oils ( coconut and

palm

oil) contain saturated fats as well.

 

Monounsaturated (oleic) fats and oils (omega-9s):

Monounsaturated fats are usually liquid at room temperature.

They come mainly from plant foods. They have a deserved reputation

of

being 'better for you' than " transfat " and saturated fat because

they do

not tend to lower HDL and for this reason the liver does not

'synthesize' them into LDL cholesterol. (All other refined oils

lower

beneficial HDL while elevating hramful LDL cholesterol). In simple

terms, we know that extra virgin olive oil is the only oil that does

not

deplete your good HDL cholesterol.

 

Nutritionists claim monounsaturated fats do not raise total

cholesterol

or lower HDL cholesterol. In most cases, these types of fat may

actually

have a beneficial antioxidant 'effect'. They tend to lower 'total'

cholesterol levels and raise " HDL " (good cholesterol) as well.

 

Foods high in Monounsaturated fats (n-9s): Avocadoes, olives,

extra-virgin olive oil. Almonds, filberts, pecans, cold water fish,

macademia nuts and oils.

 

Just because it's " vegetable " oil does not necessarily mean that

it's

good for you, as many advertisers would like you to believe!

Whenever you see the words, " hydrogenated " or " partially

hydrogenated "

vegetable oil, beware. This is the type of fat you're most likely to

find in packaged foods, it is extremely unhealthy and is a causative

factor in the majority of weight gain!

 

The word " hydrogenated " means that polyunsaturated fats have been

converted from their natural liquid to a more solid state.

Hydrogenation is good for food manufacturers because it keeps longer and does

not go rancid, as the other vegetable oils do.

 

As this transformation (hydrogenation) takes place, however, the

naturally unsaturated fats in the oils are converted into

" artery-clogging " saturated fats.

Be extremely cautious every time you see " made with pure vegetable

oils " . It doesn't mean a thing if the specific vegetable oil has

undergone " hydrogenation " .

 

 

Three schools of thought:

 

Organizations such as the American Heart Association say you should

get no more than 30 percent of all your calories from fat. That's

the

minimum reduction needed to stop the artery-clogging process known

as

*arteriosclerosis*.

 

Many leading cardiologists believe that the above recommendation

does not go far enough.

 

They have their patients aim for an even greater reduction of fat

intake, which they say is necessary to obtain meaningful protection

from heart attack.

 

Dr. Sheldon Saul Hendler, author of the Vitamin and mineral

Encyclopedia

(Simon and Schuster)

and professor of the medicine at the University of California at San

Diego, says the " ideal cholesterol-lowering diet " consists of 20

percent calories from fat.

 

Then there's the school of thought led by Dr. Dean Ornish, author

and founder and director of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine

Research Institute in California and Professor of Medicine at the

University of California in San Diego, and long advocated by Dr.

John

McDougall, of St. Helena Hospital, in Santa Rosa, CA, and others.

 

They are on the farthest end of the spectrum.

 

They say that no one should consume more than 10 percent of total

calories in the form of fat.

 

Dr. Ornish's landmark Heart Disease Reversal studies have shown that

at

that low intake level of fat, you can " unclog " arteries and reverse

otherwise deadly heart disease.

 

Start with the most conservative cholesterol-reduction option and

work from there. Don't be satisfied with 30 percent of calories from

fat; look at it as a temporary stage along the way. But get

comfortable with each stage as you go before progressing to the next.

 

Regarding oils:

Some people would have you believe " refined " polyunsaturated oils,

because they contain unsaturated fats, are ok. Well, that can be

quite DECEPTIVE! " Fat is FAT " ,says Dr. John Mc Dougall, " and NO oil

qualifies as health food!

 

Tests at the University of Texas and throughout the Mediterranean

have shown that *monounsaturated* fats provide the most benefit.

They

lower total cholesterol slightly while raising good cholesterol. The

best source of these " monounsaturated " fats is extra-virgin Olive

Oil!

 

Dietary Cholesterol:

 

Food -Portion- Cholesterol

 

Whole milk 1 cup 34 mgs

Skim milk 1 cup 11 mgs

Cheddar cheese 1 oz. 30 mgs

Ice Cream 1 oz. 88 mgs

Butter 1 Tbs 33 mgs

Mayonnaise 1 Tbs 27 mgs

Lean Beef 4 oz 80 mgs

Chicken 4 oz 100 mgs

Fish 4 oz 80 mgs

Oysters 4 oz 225 mgs

Shrimp 4 oz 140 mgs

 

Beware of packaged foods touting a " no cholesterol " label.

 

While this may be true, it does not necessarily mean the food is

healthful. Once you read the label, you may discover it contains a

great

deal of " refined " polyunsaturated fat. If that's the case, it can

raise cholesterol and clog your arteries as well.

 

A significant source of saturated fat is from " tropical " oils, such

as coconut and palm oil. Many manufacturers have removed them, but

you'll still find them in " non-dairy " creamers, some breakfast

cereals, whipped toppings and other things. Keep an eye out for them and

avoid them!

 

" Easy Fat Tips "

Here are five ways to reduce your fat intake. Put one into practice

per week for the next five weeks,... you'll knock numbers off your

cholesterol total without even having to count!

 

1.) If you fry foods often, commit to using other low heat cooking

methods, such as poaching, steaming, baking or broiling. Anything

over

118 degrees creates harmful carcinogens in your food!

 

2.) Learn how to stir-fry and sauté' with organic sesame seed oil.

 

3.) If you use Tran fatty salad dressings and mayonnaise, resolve

to switch to an organic brand or use small amounts of extra-virgin

olive oil with red wine vinegar for salads.

www.spectrumnaturals.com

 

4.) If you cook regularly with butter or lard, make a commitment

right now to switch over to extra-virgin olive oil.

Note: Organic butter is less problematic than traditional brands

(Growth hormones and antibiotics have been added making them much more

harmful to eat).

www.horizonorganic.com

 

5.) If you use butter regularly on bread, pancakes, potatoes and

vegetables, cut the amount you use in half, then find substitutes,

such as organic nut butters, and Spectrum Naturals or 'Soy Garden'

non-hydrogenated spreads.

 

" Cut Your Cholesterol 30 points in 30 Days! "

A Drug-free, doctor-approved plan--

By James O'Brien

 

----------------------------

Cholesterol

Lowering Benefit of Mono-unsaturates (MUFAs-Omega-9s)

---

 

While a certain amount of saturated fats may not harm a young

healthy

individual (if they are organic in nature), the elimination of heavy

fats may very well be the difference between life and death for the

elderly who are experiencing serious heart and artery problems.

---

" Blood Curdles (clots) Are Formed by 'Oxidative' Injury "

---

*Oxidants*, like adrenaline, damage ('cook') fats, proteins and

sugars

in the blood and tissues just as heat cooks meat. Thus, a rational

program for heart disease must seek to...

 

(1) prevent 'formation' of microclots and microplaques in the

circulating blood(with prayer and meditation, optimal hydration,

proper choices in the kitchen, and with heart-smart nutrients

and herbs for restoring the battered bowel-blood-liver ecosystems;

 

and

 

(2) improve the flow characteristics of the circulating blood with

heart-smart nutrients and herbs, exercise and EDTA chelation.

 

Triglycerides, homocysteine, lipoprotein(a), C-Reactive Protein, and

LDL

Cholesterol are commonly recognized factors in the conditions known

as

" Coronary Heart Disease " , High blood pressure,arteriosclerosis and

other

illnesses.

 

However many of these problems also are linked to other factors

such as an abundance of *free-radicals* which enter the body

from 'processed' foods and our totally unhealthy environment.

Overall

artery health plays a vital part in the whole scenario as well.

 

This is where certain " antioxidants " come in.

 

Although cholesterol may be problematic, it's not the cholesterol

itself

that kills us, but the way the body handles it as well.

Existing artery deposits typically are formed from harmful free

radicals

that enter the body from our polluted environment,from the

consumption

of processed foods (i.e. hydrogenated fats, msg,aspartame,coal tar

derivatives, etc.).

 

The introduction of free Radicals into our bloodstream, from our

totally

toxic environment is a determining factor in

coronary thrombosis and CHD. LDL cholesterol causes heart disease

only

when it

is 'oxidized' or subjected to * free radical* damage.

 

Cholesterol damage occurs when *free radicals* are taken up by our

white

blood cells ( " macrophages) and deposited in " fatty streaks " (clots)

on

the artery walls. This fosters *plaque* buildup in the arteries and

is

key in the development of heart disease! "

 

The pharmaceutical companies have used cholesterol as an excuse to

promote statins. Apparently this phrase was coined initially to sell

drugs.

 

Everyone is truly familiar and fearful of this phrase (cholesterol)

Opinion is that it is synonymous with heart attack. Nothing could be

farther from the truth!

 

Studies have shown that transfats in processed foods may damage the

arteries, as well as iron, excessive supplemental calcium and

refined

sugars(also called triglycerides) have been analyzed in a number of

artery clogging deposits as well.

 

" The nutritional villain of the heart is supplemental calcium,

refined

sugars and transfats, and not necessarily in that order.

 

The pharmaceuticals do not explain how cholesterol forms these

deposits

and would have you believe that cholesterol drugs are the only

answer!

The truth is that cholesterol drugs may elevate HDL cholesterol but

they

also

deplete Co Q10 and other vital nutrients to dangerously low levels,

making you more susceptible to heart attacks than before! This is

documented in the PDR, if you care to research it a little more

extensively!

 

The drugs the pharmaceuticals are peddling (Statins) do ONE thing:

prevent the production of HMG Co-A Reductase.

So why do Statins?

There is absolutely no reason at all to take them. They do NOT

Prevent

Heart Attacks, rather they elevate your risks of getting one!

---

 

Polyphenols:

Extra Virgin Olive oil has more good fats (HDL) commonly called

Good cholesterol...per Tblsp than any other cooking or salad oil.

 

Whenever arterial blockages exist,whatever the reasons behind these

blockages, we must make a number of radical changes in dietary fat

consumption to rebuild our health in this area.

 

A study at Stanford shows that extra-virgin olive oil lowers blood

pressure. A particular association has been reported between certain

*Polyphenols* found in Olive Oil and the lowering of blood pressure!

In the study, scientists examined 76 middle aged men with high blood

pressure. 3 Tblsp a day lowered systolic pressure by 9 points and

diastolic pressure by 6 points!

 

" Fats that heal, fats that kill " by Udo Urasmus. Ph.d.

(Alive books)

http://www.udoerasmus.com

---

Understanding " Triglycerides "

---

Whenever cholesterol is discussed, knowledgeable people also talk

about triglycerides.

 

Triglycerides are chemicals produced in the process of converting

excesscarbohydrates into 'stored' body fat and are linked to heart

disease.

 

Blood triglyceride levels increase when you eat refined

carbohydrates.products made with white sugar, such as cookies, cake,

candy, anything made with white flour and even pasteurized sweetened

fruit juices have been found to elevate triglycerides.

 

Refined sugar is converted in the body to " non-essential "

fatty acids (glycogen 'stores') and cholesterol.

 

Individuals who consumed 30 percent of their total calories from

refined

sugar-–which is a little more than the average-

in the American diet –developed significantly higher levels of LDL

cholesterol and triglycerides in their blood than the control

subjects

in the experiment.

 

Sweet and Dangerous-

 

Many authorities, including the biochemist and researcher John

Yudkin,

M.D., Ph. D, author of five books including " Sweet and Dangerous " ,

states that triglyceride levels are an important factor in

predicting

the likelihood of an individual developing a heart attack. Both

triglycerides and LDL cholesterol contribute to heart disease

potential. "

 

Dr. Yudkin blames sugar consumption for increased heart disease in

the

industrialized nations, and has a great deal of research to back up

his

claim.

 

He contends that sugar is not only a cause, but the

main cause.

 

An article in " The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition " reported

that

the most consistent data dealing with diet and high triglyceride

levels

concerns sugar.

 

When sugar is withheld, triglyceride levels fall.

 

Diets high in 'complex' carbohydrates such as whole grain cereals,

breads, vegetables and seeds do not have the same effect. "

 

Obesity is the major cause of mild elevated triglycerides. However,

other situations that can lead to high triglyceride levels include

alcohol abuse and the use of certain drugs,

some diuretics, oral

contraceptives, products containing female hormones, Acutane (an

acne

drug),and some drugs used in treating heart conditions. "

 

Vitamins have primarily a regulatory effect.

They lower these blood factors only when necessary.

 

Vitamin C decreases total cholesterol, harmful LDL cholesterol, and

triglycerides, and it increases good " HDL " cholesterol.

 

Vitamin C and Collagen-

 

In making their argument, Drs Pauling and Rath pointed out that

stores

of vitamin C in the body directly determine the stability of the

body's

structural tissues, especially collagen, which functions in the body

somewhat like steel reinforcement in a skyscraper.

 

When there is an acute vitamin C deficiency, the collagen dissolves

and

the body literally breaks apart at the cellular level.

 

Although acute and complete vitamin C deficiency is virtually

unknown in

America today, chronic dietary vitamin C deficiency is widespread.

 

The consequences of insufficient vitamin C over decades can have a

disastrous effect on the body and especially on the walls of the

blood

vessels. "

---

 

Deposits of Plaque and Vitamin C-

 

These two researchers believe that the deposit of plaque on the

arterial

walls is something of a desperate 'defense' reaction on the part of

the

body.

 

The arterial wall, having become fragile because of vitamin

deficiencies

needs to be 'repaired' from the inside.

 

In depositing 'plaque' and other clotting factors, the body is

attempting to strengthen or 'build up' the walls that have weakened.

 

Hardened 'fats' increase the amount of 'oxidation' in the body,

resulting in greater amounts of 'free-radicals' roving around in

your

body.

To fight these free radicals, consume antioxidants such as vitamin

E, C,

A, beta-carotene, selenium, grape seed extract and/or pine bark

extract

(Pycnogenol).

 

We need better overall nutrition, and must eliminate white sugar,

overly

processed foods, chemical preservatives, white fat on meats and

hydrogenated, hardened fats in margarines, snacks and desserts.

--

 

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A strict vegetarian diet can reduce high

cholesterol levels about as effectively as cholesterol fighting

drugs called statins, Canadian researchers said on Tuesday.

---

 

-

The diet containing natural plant sterols found in plants,

organic vegetables, fruits, almonds, cold-pressed unrefined oils,

and

viscous fibers found in oats, barley and psyllium, was credited with

reducing " bad " cholesterol levels by 29 percent over four weeks in a

group of 16 subjects.

 

 

Another group of study participants who took a daily dose of 20

milligrams of the drug lovastatin lowered their cholesterol levels

by a comparable 31 percent over four weeks, and a third group on a

low-fat diet cut their cholesterol by 8 percent.

 

 

The findings suggested that patients with high cholesterol try a

dietary approach for six to 12 weeks before turning to cholesterol-

lowering drugs, Dr. James Anderson, of the University of Kentucky in

Lexington, wrote in an editorial accompanying the study published in

the Journal of the American Medical Association (news - web sites).

 

 

" Dietary management is an essential part of the treatment for lipid

disorders, although adherence to strict and intensive dietary

interventions requires motivation by patients, encouragement by

physicians, and, perhaps, counseling by dietitians and nutrition

experts, " Anderson wrote.

 

 

High cholesterol is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease,

and statins reduce the risk of mortality from

heart-related illnesses by up to one-third.

Unfortunately however, there are many dangers involved in taking

statins.

 

 

Study author David Jenkins wrote: " Using the experience gained,

further development of this approach may provide a potentially

valuable dietary option for cardiovascular disease risk reduction in

primary prevention. "

_________________

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjo-

DietaryTi-

www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Genes