The Controversy



There is a controversy on the benefits of lowering cholesterol levels and what normal cholesterol levels should be. For some time the medical community has preached that lowering cholesterol directly reduces the risk of heart attacks. While studies have shown that there is a link between cholesterol and heart attacks, other studies have shown that there is not. The studies showing this link have been widely publicized by some pharmaceutical companies that are making staggering sums of money on chemical cholesterol treatments. With guidance and help from the pharmaceutical industry, the federal government has repeatedly adjusted its guidelines for normal cholesterol levels. Each time the normal cholesterol level is adjusted, a larger percentage of the population falls under the definition of patients with high cholesterol that need medication. The problem lies in the fact that these studies deal with human beings that are exposed to many risk factors. Some of these risk factors can be accommodated through mathematical adjustments. However, the more mathematical adjustment that is done to compensate for risk factors, the less reliable the resulting data becomes.

So why worry about your cholesterol levels?

Cholesterol is an essential fatty substance that is normally insoluble in blood. In order to move the cholesterol to where it is needed, the body has two different types of fats, called lipoproteins. High density lipoprotein (HDL) moves cholesterol safely to its destination and tends to pickup cholesterol from artery walls. On the other hand, low density lipoprotein (LDL) can damage you arteries when it oxidizes. This damage leads to mineral and fat deposits which can thicken and stiffen the artery walls, thus constricting your arteries. This constriction, can limit blood flow to all of your vital organs. While there is a lot of attention focused on getting sufficient oxygen to the heart, the fact is that all of your organs need blood. The brain, when starved for blood, suffers a stroke, which can harm brain function permanently. In order to help get blood moving to your organs, when the kidneys sense a problem in blood supply, they excrete a chemical that causes your heart to increase blood pressure. This increased blood pressure puts an added strain on the hardened arteries and all of your organs. Increasing your HDL cholesterol levels and lowering your LDL cholesterol levels can stop the progression of artery hardening and constriction and in some cases even reverse it.

Why isn't completely avoiding high cholesterol food the answer?

Your liver creates 3-8 times the cholesterol that the typical person consumes. Eliminating cholesterol from your food will only cause your body to compensate by increasing its cholesterol production. Foods high in cholesterol also contain many other vital nutrients. In fact, if it wasn’t for cholesterol tainting its benefits, eggs would probably be considered a super food. Eggs contain high concentrations of lutein, vitamin B12 and selenium which have been shown to help fight ailments such as macular degeneration and cancer.

Cholesterol Treatment Plan

An effective cholesterol treatment plan should focus on reducing LDL cholesterol and increasing HDL cholesterol levels in your blood, not merely on lowering cholesterol in the food you eat. An effective and safe way to do this is using a common sense, natural cholesterol treatment plan consisting of exercise, controlling blood sugar levels – because blood sugar levels can affect your cholesterol levels - and eating food that lowers cholesterol.