I bet we all know someone who has been diagnosed with "hyper-cholesterol-emia" (a.k.a. high cholesterol), and it's almost a guarantee they were prescribed at least one cholesterol lowering medication to achieve "healthy" levels. This of course is due to the fact that cholesterol "increases the risk of heart disease," right?...WRONG! Saying that is like saying yellow fingers cause lung cancer! Increased cholesterol is absolutely something we see when heart disease is present, however, did the yellow fingers cause the lung cancer, or did the cigarettes cause it? Cholesterol is being framed here for something it did not do! Let me explain...
First off, what is cholesterol?- a waxy substance found in the blood stream and ALL your cells
What does it do?
- Helps produce cell membranes, hormones, Vitamin D and bile acids (digest fats)
- Also helps in formation of memories and neurological function
- Vital to nearly EVERY function in your body
- 75% of it is made in your liver
- Many have called HDL "good" and LDL "bad" types of cholesterol. The truth is that your cholesterol levels are always appropriate to your external and internal environment, which in the end is almost always dictated by your lifestyle choices.
- More often than not, inflammation is what causes cholesterol levels to rise. Let's use a cut on your finger as an example. What happens? Well, first your blood vessels will constrict so that you don't bleed to death and your blood thickness will increase to make clotting easier. Some might call this high blood pressure...insane! Next your immune system will kick into high gear and cells will start to multiply to repair any damage.
- It's no different with arteries, only the "scar" is plaque.
- CHOLESTEROL!!! It shows on the scene AFTER the damage is already done.
- depression
- suicide
- violent behavior
- aggression
- increased risk of cancer
- increased risk of Parkinson's
So how low should my levels be? And who decides?
- before 2004, LDL levels of 130 were considered "healthy"
- U.S. government's National Cholesterol Education Program panel then advised they be lowered to 100 and even 70 for "high risk" individuals
- levels that low almost ALWAYS need one OR MORE drugs to achieve
- in 2006 a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine found these numbers to have no scientific basis
- 8 of the 9 people on this panel had direct financial connections to the companies producing the cholesterol lowering drugs...I know...shocking.
- depletion of CoQ10 (important for heart health and muscle function)
- rhabdomyolysis (muscle pain and weakness)
- polyneuropathy
- dizziness
- cognitive impairment and memory loss
- increased risk of cancer
- decreased immune system function
- depression
- liver problems
- Lou Gehrig's disease
- Business Week exposed a Pfizer claim that Lipitor reduced heart attack incidence by 36%
- What the study actually showed was that 3% of placebo patients got heart attacks and that 2% taking Lipitor got them...really a 1% improvement...but Pfizer used 1% divided by 3% to come up with their 36% number...again, shocking and misleading!
- So basically, you're exposing yourself to all the conditions mentioned above for a 1% improvement...
So what causes chronic inflammation?
- Oxidized cholesterol (cholesterol that has gone rancid, such as that from overcooked, scrambled eggs)
- Eating lots of sugar and grains
- Eating foods cooked at high temperatures
- Eating trans fats
- Improper spinal movement or a sedentary lifestyle
- Smoking
- Emotional stress
- It's easy! Just follow my Top 10!!!
(For the references to the information provided in this blog, please email Dr. Eric at eric@pierceresults.com)
Very interesting. And now I have a million questions....
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you printing this article. I have known about this for years. People don't believe me. They keep taking those stupid drugs. Why would you take something that affects the liver and possibly and probably does cause cancer. Most heart attacks are caused by inflammation which comes from free radicals which comes from a bad diet. Look at what they are finding out about soda. Only two sodas a week increase your chances of getting Pancreatic Cancer, plus the carmel coloring in most sodas are highly carcinegetic.
ReplyDeleteAgain I have told people and they basically do not listen. One woman said it would not be on the store shelfs if it were bad. Sometimes I just want to scream. If you eat as close to nature as possible and stay out of the middle of the store people would be much better off. I could go on and on. Andrew Lessman from Pro Cap Laboratories has a natural Cholestrol lowering product that does not affect the liver and works as well as any drug. Why would people take a RX when there are natural products. If people took care of their bodies they way they do there cars, they would be a lot healthier.