High Cholesterol

We’ve all heard about “high cholesterol”, and most of what we’ve heard is that it’s bad for us, especially our heart, and many of us worry about what our cholesterol levels are. Maybe you or someone you know is taking a medicine in order to lower their cholesterol. But are the drugs really necessary, and is “high cholesterol” as dangerous as it sounds? Or is there something more that we should know about cholesterol?



Current Medical Thinking

The current thinking about cholesterol is that it causes heart disease or heart attacks. The theory is that if you eat foods that are high in cholesterol or saturated fats, you then will have high levels of cholesterol in your blood. (This is what is tested when you get your blood drawn in order to test your cholesterol levels.) If you have high cholesterol in your blood, especially if your “bad cholesterol” is high, it is thought that you will develop atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of “plaque” in the arteries, and be at greater risk for heart disease or a heart attack. This theory is called the Lipid Hypothesis and is the reason why doctors and organizations such as the American Heart Association recommend a diet low in cholesterol and saturated fat.



Some Facts about Cholesterol

The first thing we all need to know about cholesterol is that every cell in our body is made up of cholesterol. When we look down at our hands and feet, arms and legs, we’re really looking at a very highly organized collection of roughly 10 trillion human cells. To imagine what a cell looks like, think of a water balloon. It has a particular shape, but if you can squeeze it the balloon will change its shape and not pop (unless you squeeze to hard). Think of that rubber balloon: it’s keeping water in and air out. Each cell has a membrane that, like that balloon, keeps certain things in and other things out. Cell membranes are made up of many things, but mostly fat and cholesterol, which give each cell its strength and flexibility. If we eat too many vegetable oils and not enough saturated fats, then more cholesterol is put into the cell membranes to keep it strong. In other words, without the proper fats and cholesterol, our cells can’t function properly...which mean we can’t function properly.

The second thing we need to know about cholesterol is that many of our body’s functions depend on cholesterol. Many of our hormones – chemicals that communicate messages between cells - are made up of cholesterol. Specifically, the hormones that help us deal with stressful situations and allow us to reproduce and grow are all made up of cholesterol. Cholesterol is needed to help us digest our food properly, and it plays a vital role in our immune and nervous systems. Even the development of health bones depends on cholesterol. Our liver produces most of the cholesterol that we need to function properly. Because the liver is producing cholesterol based on what is going on in our bodies, for most people, reducing the amount of cholesterol in the diet will result in little to no reduction in cholesterol levels. Instead, eating healthy sources of cholesterol actually helps us to grow and function properly and reduces the amount of work done by the liver. Cholesterol levels were studied in college students and it was discovered that the levels rose when the students were taking exams, and then dropped when their tests were over. Even after a dental appointment cholesterol levels rise as the body repairs any tissue damage that happened. Cholesterol is so vital to our health and well-being that, without sufficient cholesterol, babies and children will not develop properly.

The third thing to know about cholesterol is that if it’s in the wrong form, it can be bad for you. Think back to the theory about heart disease and how it’s caused by a build-up of plaque. That plaque isn’t made up of fat, like was once thought. Rather it’s made up of white blood cells, which are part of the immune system. Why would white blood cells, which help keep us healthy, go to the arteries of the heart? Well, it turns out that those white blood cells are trying to protect the arteries from the damaging effects of oxidation. Oxidation irritates, inflames, and damages the cells that line the artery of the heart. One example of oxidation is what happens when vegetable oils are exposed to heat, sunlight, or oxygen, and become rancid such as trans-fats (commonly known as hydrogenated fats). Powdered eggs and powdered milk are sources of oxidized cholesterol. In our body, cholesterol in our cells can become oxidized if we eat oxidized foods. It can also be oxidized by too much sugar in our diet. Whatever the cause, white bloods cells arrive to try and repair the damage. And, most importantly, because good cholesterol actually functions as an antioxidant, the liver will send more cholesterol to the arteries to help reverse the damage done by oxidation.



East Meets West

If someone comes to me with a concern about high cholesterol, the first thing I will do is to explain how vital cholesterol is for our health, and that dealing with high levels involves finding the root cause. This is one of the essential principles of oriental medicine: distinguishing the root of a disease from its branches or symptoms. For example, a drug that lowers the cholesterol is treating the symptom or branch, but not the root cause of the disease.

Both western and eastern medicines recommend exercise because it helps reduce stress, improves metabolism, and facilitates the elimination of toxins. Acupuncture and herbal medicines can also help to reduce stress, balance the nervous system, and facilitate healing. Nutritional supplements help to make up for deficiencies in our diet and provide the nutrients that are vital for our health.

And, if someone has extremely high cholesterol in addition to several risk factors for a heart attack, then perhaps a drug may be necessary in order to help temporarily reduce it. But there are several things you can do to take charge of your health and your cholesterol levels.



What To Do If Your Cholesterol Is High

First, ask yourself: Why would my body think I need more cholesterol? If you are under stress, you need more cholesterol. If you have a diet that is high in sugar, refined carbohydrates such as white flour, and trans-fats, you may have higher levels of cholesterol. If you have had any injuries, you will have higher cholesterol. If you are pregnant or are a nursing mother, you need more cholesterol both for you and your baby. In fact, if you are preparing to have children, it’s recommended that both the mother- and father-to-be eat more high quality sources of good fats and cholesterol. Also, know that despite the popular theory, studies have shown that levels of cholesterol in the blood do not indicate accurately whether or not you have arterial plaque.

Second, think about dietary remedies. When it comes to diet, try to reduce or eliminate the trans-fats, rancid vegetable oils, and refined sugars and flours. Eat healthy, stable sources of cholesterol such as eggs, butter, cheese, milk, and meat from grass-fed animals. When you use vegetable oils, concentrate on olive oil that is cold-pressed and comes in a dark glass bottle.

Third, don’t forget about exercise. Exercise is a wonderful remedy for so much of what ails us. We evolved as a very active species, and the relatively recent development of our mostly sedentary lifestyle is unfamiliar to our bodies, which are 99.9% genetically the same as they were 10,000 years ago. Exercise reduces stress, and it helps your body move out the old and bad stuff while bring in the new and good. Even 10-20 minutes a day of walking will make a difference.

Lastly, If you’re considering or are already taking drugs to reduce cholesterol levels, know that they only reduce the cholesterol levels while you’re taking them and do nothing to address the underlying cause. They drugs can have severe side effects, such as muscle pain, nerve degeneration, and memory problems, so it’s worth doing the research. And if you want to get a test to determine what your risk of heart attack is, then consider getting what’s called a C-Reactive Protein test. This indicates the presence of inflammation and therefore is often a better indicator of whether or you are at risk of having a heart attack.



Food Highlight: Eggs

Eggs are a particularly good source of healthy cholesterol. It may seem like heresy at first, but remember: every one of our 10 trillion cells is made up of cholesterol. Plants only have a very small amount of cholesterol, but animals have a lot of it because they, like us, need it to survive. Your liver determines how much cholesterol you have, not your diet: when you eat good cholesterol, you simply reduce the amount of work you liver has to do.

Whereas popular egg white substitutes have been shown in studies to be unable to sustain life, eggs – especially the yolks – are particularly good for us. In fact in China, if a mother can afford it, she will eat 10-12 eggs per day while pregnant and nursing in order to have a healthy, intelligent child. Eggs provide cholesterol, which accounts for a large portion of our nervous tissue (20% of the myelin sheath which coats our nerves and allows them to work quickly). And, it turns out scientists have discovered that eggs also contain something called phosphatidylcholine, a component of the more well-known substance lecithin, which is critical for the health of the membranes of our brain cells and improves our brain function.



Conclusion

Although the Lipid Hypothesis has become the most well known theory of heart disease, it’s not the only one. Many medical professionals and scientists now recognize that heart disease is not simply a result of eating saturated fat and cholesterol. There is still much research to be done on the roles of viruses, bacteria, and other pathogenic organisms, as well as improper digestion of dietary meats, over-consumption of sugar, stress, deficiencies of vitamins and minerals, and more. In the meantime, we can protect our health by eating whole, nutrient-dense, properly-prepared foods and getting regular exercise.



Further Reading & Resources

MSNBC Health/Diet and Nutrition: “What if bad fat isn’t so bad?”

“The Cholesterol Myths” by Uffe Ravnskov, MD, PhD

Nourishing Traditions by Mary Enig, PhD and Sally Fallon New Trends Publishing

Weston A. Price Foundation