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The Truth About Cholesterol
I am going to let you in on something shocking. Cholesterol is not the
major culprit in heart disease. I know this may be hard to believe
after all we have heard about the dangers of high cholesterol from our
doctors, and the media. But the truth is, it is not the cholesterol
levels themselves or the cholesterol containing foods that are the
culprits in heart disease, it is those foods and any other thing that
causes inflammation in your body that is the major cause of heart
disease (as well as diabetes and high blood pressure).
So what is cholesterol and why do we need it?
Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance found among the lipids (fats) in
the bloodstream and in all your body's cells. It's an important part
of a healthy body because it's used to form cell membranes. Cholesterol
also aids in the manufacture of bile (which helps digest fats),
and is also important for the metabolism of fat soluble vitamins,
including vitamins A, D, E and K. It is the major precursor for the
synthesis of vitamin D and of the various steroid hormones (which
include cortisol and aldosterone in the adrenal glands, and the sex
hormones progesterone, the various estrogens, testosterone, and
derivatives ).
So how could something so good be so bad?
Cholesterol has been wrongly accused because upon inspection of the
arteries of someone at risk for a heart attack, levels of cholesterol
and plaque build up are very high. Cholesterol is actually being
transported to tissues as part of an inflammatory response that is there
to repair damage. It will only lodge itself onto the artery and cause
plaque if the artery has become damaged. Inflammation in the artery
is what causes this damage. In fact, it is now known that the coronary
disease that causes heart attacks is now considered to be
caused mostly from chronic inflammation.
To blame cholesterol for heart attacks would be the equivalent of
blaming increased police security in a high crime area. It was not the
police that caused the crime, they were just placed there in response to
the crimes.
So a more important question to ask ourselves, is how do we decrease the
amount of inflammation in our bodies so that cholesterol will
not bind to our arteries?
We must decrease all of those things that we do that cause inflammation
and increase things that decrease inflammation. First and
foremost we must stay away from foods that cause inflammation in our
bodies. Any food that causes a fast rise in blood insulin levels will
quickly cause inflammation in the body. These foods are sugar, white
breads, most dairy products and almost all packaged and processed
foods. What does this leave you with? Fresh, wholesome foods such as
fruits, vegetables, lean animal proteins, nuts, and lots and lots of
water. Also, taking in lots of omega-3 rich foods will dramatically
decrease inflammation in the body (salmon, organic eggs, walnuts and
sardines).
What about your cholesterol medication?
Some may be thinking, it is just easier to take a pill and not have to
change what I am eating. But you may want to think twice
considering the side effects of statins (cholesterol lowering drugs).
The most common side effects reported are fatigued, headaches,
nausea and the most common of them all, severe muscular pains and
muscular degeneration. If you remember that cholesterol is
essential for the formation of cell membranes, taking a drug that is
drastically lowering cholesterol may be causing membrane damage in
neural and muscle tissue. Most people on statins complain of neck, back
or leg pain.
Millions of Americans are now on cholesterol lowering drugs, but the
number of people suffering from heart attacks and heart disease is
only increasing. Let’s take a personal responsibility for our health and
truly get to the root of the problem. Managing your diet and
staying away from those foods that are causing an inflammatory response
in your body is your first step to decreasing your chance of
heart disease and heart attacks.
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Learn “The Top 5 Essential Truths You Must Know Before You Go on Any
Diet Ever Again” from Isabel De Los Rios at
www.thedietsolutionprogram.com. Isabel is a nutrition, exercise and
lifestyle coach who has helped hundreds of people lose their
unwanted weight and take complete control of their health. She is the
author of
The Diet Solution Program, a complete and
comprehensive nutrition program that is helping people all over the
world finally reach their ideal weight. For more information on The Diet
Solution Program and how it can help to change your life, visit
www.thedietsolutionprogram.com.
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