For nearly two decades, the topic of cholesterol was rarely discussed. Now, cholesterol is the scapegoat for nearly every case dealing with heart disease. It\u2019s plastered on billboards; it’s on commercials and on signs in your doctor\u2019s offices. Each display piece is trying to persuade you for the need of medications to lower cholesterol and listing the consequences if it goes too high. But what if high cholesterol was really just your body\u2019s attempt to heal and repair? Cholesterol is needed for fat digestion, the utilization of Vitamin D, hormone production, and repair and growth of every cell in the body. The notion that cholesterol is the cause of heart disease is very much engrained in most people’s minds.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, it is a myth that is slowly being put to rest. Cholesterol\u00a0is a vital component of every cell membrane on Earth. Lowering cholesterol too much actually increases mortality risk. People with low cholesterol do not fight off infections as readily. Cholesterol is also a precursor to all of the steroid hormones. You cannot make estrogen, testosterone, cortisone, and a host of other vital hormones without cholesterol.
\nDo you have arthritis? For those with inflammatory diseases, cholesterol is necessary to heal the damaged cells. Remember, cholesterol is a vital component of every cell membrane\u2026you cannot repair or make new healthy cells without it. When someone is in a healing phase or if there are toxic elements and infection to deal with, the cholesterol will go higher but that\u2019s a normal response to healing. So, in short\u2026we\u2019re not so worried about cholesterol. We want to investigate why the cholesterol is high.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Is associated with longevity among the elderly
\n\u2022 Protects the body against infections
\n\u2022 Reduces the risk of death from heart failure\/attacks
\n\u2022 Protects the heart from stress\/injury<\/p>\n
\u2022 Greater risk for infection\/diseases
\n\u2022 Linked to malabsorption\/malnutrition
\n\u2022 Decreases Vitamin D production
\n\u2022 Reduces the metabolism of fat soluble vitamins (including: Vitamin A, D, E, K)<\/p>\n
The American Heart Association has \u201cbad\u201d and \u201cgood\u201d classifications of parts of the cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is typically classified as \u201cbad\u201d cholesterol because it is thought to contribute to plaque. Plaque is a thick and hard deposit that can clog arteries and make them less flexible. HDL is considered to be \u201cgood\u201d type of cholesterol. HDL is important for the synthesis of steroid hormones and transports cholesterol away from the arteries and into the liver for excretion or re-utilization.<\/p>\n
First, we must address that there is no such thing as \u201cgood\u201d or \u201cbad\u201d cholesterol. Cholesterol is just\u2026 cholesterol. HDL and LDL are lipoproteins, which means they are fats combined with proteins. These lipoproteins combine with other fats and proteins to be carried through the bloodstream. Since fats have a hard time traveling in the bloodstream, proteins are needed to shuttle the fat into tissues or cells making cholesterol the most vital component of every cell membrane on this Earth. By lowering the cholesterol, the body doesn\u2019t have that tool to shuttle fat into tissues or repair cell members. When you have faulty cells because of low cholesterol, it increases mortality risk. Cholesterol has the ability to spike if there is a need for healing or repairing of the body\u2019s tissues.<\/p>\n
Instead of relying on the medication group called \u201cstatins\u201d to help regulate your cholesterol levels. Why not figure out WHY your cholesterol is high? As stated earlier, cholesterol is typically high because the body is trying to heal something. Why not support that process? Supporting that process will result in normalizing cholesterol levels when the cholesterol has done it job. Here are a few things to consider to support healing and repair and optimize cholesterol levels (5):<\/p>\n
\u2022 Make sure to take a high quality, animal based omega 3-fat\u2026AKA: Fish Oil.
\n\u2022 Reduce grains and sugars in your daily diet.
\n\u2022 Add in more vegetables and healthy fats.
\n\u2022 Monitor your Vitamin D levels. Vitamin D levels should be between 50-90 ng\/mL.
\n\u2022 Exercise Daily
\n\u2022 Avoid smoking and\/or drinking alcohol
\n\u2022 Take a daily multiple vitamin. Refer to our previous newsletter \u201cHow to Choose a Multiple Vitamin\u201d.
\n\u2022 Consume ginger, turmeric and Vitamin C to help reduce inflammation. You can consume these ingredients in foods or concentrated in supplement form.<\/p>\n
What can you do to truly monitor your heart health? Have a comprehensive blood test done. It is important the blood test include the following tests which can give you a good picture of your overall heart health and tendency toward disease:<\/p>\n
\u2022 C-Reactive Protein
\n\u2022 Creatine Kinase
\n\u2022 Complete Cholesterol Panel: HDL, VLDL, LDL, and Total Cholesterol\/HDL Ratio
\n\u2022 Triglycerides
\n\u2022 Hemoglobin A1C\/Glucose
\n\u2022 Platelets
\n\u2022 B-Type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP): This is a blood test that checks a substance secreted by the ventricles of the heart during response to excessive stretching (stress) of heart muscle cells in the ventricles. If there is an elevation of BNP, it can show left ventricular dysfunction and can correlate with severity of symptoms and prognosis of congestive heart failure. BNP is a great test to check cardiovascular risk.<\/p>\n
In our clinic, our job is not to have you stop your medication. Our job is to work with you to get you healthy enough so you no longer need the medication. One can only do this with proper testing and monitoring. By completing a comprehensive blood panel and tissue mineral analysis, we will be able to determine your starting point and exactly what changes need to be made and then retesting to document progress.<\/p>\n
By optimizing the body\u2019s foundation with the correct supplements and dietary guidelines specifically designed for you based on your test results, you can see drastic changes in just weeks. Prevention is key. So even if you feel like you don\u2019t have heart disease symptoms, it is never too early to start monitoring. Set up your consultation today to get started on a healthier lifestyle!<\/p>\n
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For nearly two decades, the topic of cholesterol was rarely discussed. Now, cholesterol is the scapegoat for nearly every case dealing with heart disease. It\u2019s plastered on billboards; it’s on commercials and on signs in your doctor\u2019s offices. Each display piece is trying to persuade you for the need of medications to lower cholesterol and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n