Cholesterol Facts
Autor Cristina Longhi
Assunto AutoconhecimentoAtualizado em 16/06/2011 09:46:41
Many people dont understand what is really behind their cholesterol reading and start taking the statins recommended by their GP without a thought. Here, I want to give you the information you need to make up your own mind. Im a great believer in retaining control of your own health. No one has more interest in retaining your good health than you do.
First what is cholesterol? Its an essential substance made by your liver. You can also obtain it from eating animal protein. On its own, high cholesterol levels do not contribute to a higher risk of heart related disease or any other health problem.
What is more important is the different levels of lipoprotein, which carry your cholesterol around in your blood. These come under the headings of LDL (low density lipoprotein) and HDL (high density lipoprotein).
LDL and HDL are not different types of cholesterol. LDL carries cholesterol to your arteries, so is mistakenly called ‘bad cholesterol. HDL carries cholesterol away from the arteries to your liver, so is mistakenly called ‘good cholesterol.
The cholesterol found in animal protein is not harmful to your health in any way, on its own. However, damaged cholesterol is a totally different matter. Damaged cholesterol comes about from heating it at high temperatures and processing it.
This means that if you ate your animal protein raw, you would not consume damaged cholesterol.
Cooked and processed meats are good sources of damaged cholesterol and free radicals, which will increase your LDL levels. And its the higher LDL levels which increase your risk of heart disease. Not high cholesterol.
If you consume a lot of damaged cholesterol, you want low levels of LDL and high levels of HDL.
By lowering your cholesterol, you may not be doing anything to your LDL levels, the main culprit, and you may lower your HDL, your main helper, depite claims to the contrary.
Diet is critical to your overall healthy cholesterol. By consuming a predominantly plant based diet rich in nutrients, you levels are likely to be healthy, whatever the individual readings may be. Limiting your consumption of cooked and processed animal protein will naturally lower your LDL levels.
Here are some readings that are considered safe and healthy by many health practitioners.
An minimum cholesterol level of 150 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L) is best.
Sadly, 70 mg/dL is now cited as the best level to achieve. Of course, this ensures a steady sale of the statins. But does it ensure better health for you?
Whilst a natural low level can be perfectly safe, all things considered, an artificially lowered one is unlikely to do anything other than harm your long term health.
Other readings need to be considered in the totality of your cholesterol levels.
The ratio of HDL/cholesterol should be 25% or more. Lower reading can indicate an increased risk of heart related problems.
The triglyceride/HDL ratio should be 2.0 or lower.
Even those who have a cholesterol of 350 mg/dL (9.0 mmol/L) or more have been shown to have no increased risk of heart disease as long as their ratios are within the indicated range and they dont consume damaged cholesterol.
The statins are those drugs which lower your levels. They include lipitor, mevacor, zocor, pravachol, and lescol. These drugs are known to cause cancer in rodents. Although they are considered to reduce the risk of heart disease, this is unrelated to cholesterol.
Please note that low fat diets are not necessarily healthy as damaged cholesterol may still be a part of the diet.
What are the side effects of taking cholesterol lowering drugs, the statins?
These include the inhibiting of CoQ10, along with the enzyme in your liver that manufactures cholesterol. CoQ10 contributes to good heart health.
Debilitating muscle pain is another common side effect and these pains can take months to disappear, even after stopping the drug.
This muscle pain can indicate that body tissue is breaking down. This can lead to serious kidney damage.
Other serious side effects include liver damage, nausea, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, headaches, skin rash, disturbed memory and flu like symptoms. You may like to read the following article on statin drugs. Statin drugs cause liver damage, kidney failure and cataracts, says BMJ Higher levels of HDL cholesterol reduce the risk of Alzheimers disease Statins Cause Memory Loss Cholesterol and Fats
References
Uffe Ravnskov, MD, PhD.
Dr Ben Kim
Dr. Matthew Budoff
Natural News
Ray D Strand
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Sou Terapeuta, Programadora Neurolinguista, Escritora e Comunicadora da Rádio Mundial. Atuo como terapeuta nas questões relacionadas a baixa estima, medos, ansiedades, traumas e questões relacionadas a relacionamentos no geral. Atendo adultos, adolescentes, casais e crianças. Autora do livro Anjos e Mentores, Lei da Atração para Crianças e outros. E-mail: [email protected] | Mais artigos. Saiba mais sobre você! Descubra sobre Autoconhecimento clicando aqui. |
