High Cholesterol

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A high blood cholesterol level, especially elevated low-density lipoproteins (LDL), is considered to be a contributor to plaque building up in the arteries and impeded blood flow to the brain, kidneys, genitals, extremities, and heart. It is among the primary causes of heart disease, because cholesterol produces deposits in arteries. High cholesterol levels may also be implicated in gallstones, impotence (although it is often the drugs prescribed to deal with high cholesterol that cuases this), mental impairment, and high blood pressure.

Cholesterol is an essential part of every cell structure and is needed for proper brain and nerve function. It is also the basis for the manufacture of sex hormones. Cholesterol is manufactured in the liver and transported through the bloodstream to the sites where it is needed. It is a fatty substance and, because blood is mainly water, it has to latch on to molecules called lipoproteins to travel around successfully. Low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) are the major transporters of cholesterol in the bloodstream and, because LDLs seem to encourage the deposit of cholesterol in the arteries, it is known as "bad cholesterol." High-density lipoproteins (HDLs), on the other hand, are considered to be "good cholesterol" because they carry unneeded cholesterol away from the cells and back to the liver, where it is broken down for removal from the body. If everything is functioning as it should, this system remains in balance. However, if there is too much cholesterol for the HDLs to pick up promptly, or if there are not enough HDLs to do the job, cholesterol can form plaque that sticks to artery walls and may eventually cause heart disease.

It is important to distinguish between serum cholesterol and dietary cholesterol. Serum cholesterol is the cholesterol is the cholesterol in the bloodstream. Dietary cholesterol is cholesterol that is present in food. While eating foods high in dietary cholesterol can raise serum cholesterol, it is not the only source of serum cholesterol. Indeed, you would have some amount of serum cholesterol even if you never ate any food containing dietary cholesterol because the body produces its own cholesterol.

Cholesterol levels are greatly influenced by diet, but they are also affected by your genetic makeup. The consumption of foods high in cholesterol and/or saturated fat increases cholesterol levels, while a vegetarian diet, regular exercise, and the nutrients niacin and vitamin C may lower cholesterol.

The National Cholesterol Education Program has set the "safe" level of total serum cholesterol (including both LDL and HDL) at 200 milligrams per deciliter of blood 9mg/dl). A reading above 200 indicates an increased potential for developing heart disease. A level of 200 to 239 is borderline, and levels over 240 are considered to indicate high risk. The normal HDL level for adult men in the United States is 45 to 50 mg/dl, and that for women is 50 to 60 mg/dl. It is suggested that higher HDL levels, such as 70 or 80 mg/dl, may protect against heart disease. An HDL level under 35 mg/dl is considered risky. So if you have a cholesterol reading of 200, with HDL at 80 and LDL at 120, you are considered at low risk for heart disease. On the other hand, even if you have a total cholesterol level well under, if your HDL level is under 35, you would still be considered at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. In other words, as your HDL decreases, your potential for heart problems intensifies, even if your total is on the low side.

CHOLESTEROL LEVEL SELF-TEST
A test called the Advanced Care Cholesterol Kit, produced by Johnson & Johnson, can be used to check your cholesterol level at home. It is available in drugstores without a prescription, and it gives a cholesterol reading in fifteen minutes. Be aware that the results can be skewed if you wait longer than five minutes after blood is drawn to perform the test or if you have taken the test four hours after taking a 500-milligram dose of vitamin C or after taking acetaminophen. This test shows total cholesteral level only. It is 97 percent accurate.
The test contains pads that are the size of a credit card and have a chemical reagent zone. When a drop of blood is placed on the surface of the pad, the reagents react with enzymes in the blood and the treated zones changes color. The color of the zone is then matched against a color-coded chart to find the serum cholesterol level. If you have high cholesterol, follow the nutritional guidelines and recommendations in this section, and consult your health care provider. (Continue Article)

02.12.08

Article (Cont...)
HERBS

• Cayenne (capsicum), goldenseal, and hawthorn berries help to lower cholesterol.
Caution: Do not take goldenseal internally on a daily basis for more than one week at a time, do not use it during pregnancy, and use with caution if you are allergic to ragweed.
• Spirulina, taken on a daily basis, has been shown to lower cholesterol.
RECOMMENDATIONS

• Include the following cholesterol-lowering foods in your diet: apples, bananas, carrots, cold-water fish, dried beans, garlic, grapefruit, and olive oil.
• Make sure to take in plenty of fiber in the form of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Water-soluble dietary fiber is very important in reducing serum cholesterol. It is found in barley, beans, brown rice, fruits, glucomannan, guar gum, and oats. Oat bran and brown rice bran are the best foods for lowering cholesterol. Whole-grain cereals (in moderation) and brown rice are good as well. Since fiber absorbs the minerals from the food it is in, take extra minerals separately from the fiber.
• Drink fresh juices, especially carrot, celery, and beet juices. Carrot juice helps to flush out fat from the bile in the liver and this helps lower cholesterol.
• Go on a monthly spirulina fast, with carrot and celery juice or lemon and steam-distilled water.
• Use only unrefined cold- or expeller-pressed oils. Coldpressed oils are those that have never been heated above 110°F during processing—at this temperature, enzyme destruction begins. Use vegetable oils that are liquid at room temperature, such as olive, soybean, flaxseed, primrose, and black currant seed oil. Olive oil is recommended.
• Do not eat any nuts except raw, unsalted walnuts and almonds. Almonds are rich in the amino acid arginine, and were found in in one study to cut cholesterol levels by sixteen points over a four-week period.
• Reduce the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in your diet. Saturated fats include all fats of animal origin as well as coconut and palm kernel oils. Eliminate from the diet all hydrogenated fats and hardened fats and oils such as margarine, lard, and butter. Margarine that contains plant sterols, however, is a healthy option. Consume no heated fats or processed oils, and avoid animal products (especially pork and pork products) and fried or fatty foods. Always read food product labels carefully. You may consume nonfat milk, low-fat cottage cheese, and skinless white poultry meat (preferably turkey), but only in moderation.
• Do not consume alcohol, cakes, candy, carbonated drinks, coffee, gravies, nondairy creamers, pies, processed or refined foods, refined carbohydrates, tea, tobacco, or white bread.
• Get regular moderate exercise. Always consult with your health care provider before beginning any new exercise program.
• Try to avoid stress and sustained tension. Learn stress-management techniques.

CONSIDERATIONS
• High cholesterol is directly related to conditions such as arteriosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, circulatory problems, heart attack, and hypertension. These conditions are discussed separately in Part Two. It is advisable to refer to all of the sections on these interrelated diseases to learn about all aspects of, and contributing causes to, high cholesterol.
• Meat and dairy products are primary sources of dietary cholesterol. Vegetables and fruits are free of cholesterol.
• Many people use margarine or vegetable shortening as substitutes for butter because they contain no cholesterol. However, these products contain compounds called cisand trans-fatty acids that become oxidized when exposed to heat can clog the arteries. They have been linked to the formation of damaging free radicals.
• In large amounts, coffee can elevate blood cholesterol levels, more than doubling the risk of heart disease. According to a report published in The New England Journal of Medicine, observation of 15,000 coffee drinkers revealed that as the intake of coffee rises, the amount of cholesterol in the blood goes up.
• Cream substitutes (nondairy coffee creamers) are actually poor alternatives to cholesterol-heavy diary products. Many contain coconut oil, which is a highly saturated fat. Soymilk or almond milk is preferable.
• The body does need some fats, but they must be the right kind. Good fats supply essential fatty acids, which are a very important link in our health chain. Fats supply energy, and they stay in the digestive tract for longer periods than proteins or carbohydrates, giving a feeling of fullness. They act as an intestinal lubricant, generate body heat, and carry the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K in the body. The protective myelin sheaths that protect nerve fibers are composed of fats. All cell membranes are composed of fats as well. Unfortunately, most Americans consume much too much of the wrong fats—that is, saturated, hydrogenated, and heated fats—which are linked to obesity, cardiovascular disease, and certain types of cancer.
• Human growth hormone therapy has been found to decrease cholesterol levels.
• Many fast-food restaurants use beef tallow (fat) to make their hamburgers, fish, chicken, and French-fried potatoes. Not only do these fried foods contain high amounts of cholesterol, but this fat is subjected to high temperatures in the deep-frying process, resulting in oxidation and the formation of free radicals. Heating fat, especially frying food in fat, also produces toxic trans-fatty acids, which seem to behave much like saturated fats in clogging the arteries and raising blood cholesterol levels.
• Certain drugs can elevate cholesterol levels. These include steroids, high-dose oral contraceptives, furosemide (Lasix) and other diuretics, and levodopa (L-dopa, sold under the brand names Dopar, Larodopa, and Sinemet), which is used to treat Parkinson's disease. Beta-blockers, often prescribed to control high blood pressure, can cause unfavorable changes in the ratio of LDL to HDL in the blood. Check with your physician if you are taking any of these medications, or any other medications, that might affect high cholesterol levels.
• Some people claim that taking charcoal tablets lowers blood cholesterol. However, charcoal also absorbs good nutrients along with the cholesterol. Activated charcoal should not be consumed daily, and it should not be taken at the same time as other supplements or medications. Other "experts" recommend taking fish oil capsules to lower cholesterol, but fish oil is 100-percent fat, and the evidence is lacking that the ingestion of fish oil reduces serum fats.
• Pure virgin olive oil appears to help reduce serum cholesterol. A monounsaturated-fatty-acid-rich diet that includes olive oil may be the reason for the low serum cholesterol levels found in people living in Italy and Greece.
• Studies have shown that diets consisting of grains, fruits, and vegetables result in lower blood cholesterol levels. In the United States and northern Europe, where people consume large amounts of meat and dairy products, extremely high rates of heart and circulatory disease are present. Even children in these nations show signs of progressive vascular disease due to hypercholesterolemia (an excess of cholesterol in the blood.)
• There are a number of cholesterol-lowering drugs on the market. Available by prescription only, these tend to be costly, and they can have serious side effects. We believe that these drugs should be used only as a last resort. The sensible way to keep the serum fats within a safe range is to follow a diet that excludes animal fats (including meat, milk, and all dairy products) and includes ample amounts of fiber and bulk (whole grains, fruits, and vegetables).
• Sunlight, or rather the lack of it, has been shown to have adverse affects on cholesterol levels.
• Some people have hereditary disorders that prevent even the healthiest diet from lowering LDL levels. For these people, researchers are working on a device that uses an enzyme to break down LDL and accelerate its removal before it can fasten onto artery walls to form plaque. The device would be implanted under the skin to control the LDL levels in the blood.
• There are opposing theories about high cholesterol levels. Some medical practitioners believe that it has little to do with heart disease and that a direct correlation has never been fully established. Studies in India, Guatemala, Poland, and the United States claim to have proved that there is no relationship between atherosclerosis and cholesterol levels. However, it is probably best to take cholesterol levels seriously, and also to consider other tests that may help to assess your likelihood of developing heart disease.

The information presented is for informational purposes only. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. Consult your doctor or health care practitioner for any health problem and before using any supplements.