The Pentagon's Discovery of Cholesterol

[Guest guest]

An Interesting Story Regarding the History and Discovery

of " Cholesterol "

 

The cholesterol story began in 1951, when the Pentagon sent

pathologists to Korea to study the bodies of servicemen lost in the

war there. The pathologists autopsied some 2,000 soldiers.

 

Although almost no one under 35 dies of coronary heart disease, more

than 75 percent of the soldiers, average age 21, had yellow deposits

of atherosclerotic plaque on their artery walls. These artery-

clogging deposits, doctors had wrongly assumed, were only prevalent

in much older men. The reports of the Army pathologists shocked the

medical community. Before the Korea autopsies, doctors didn't

realize how early the process of heart disease begins.

 

Not long afterward, a waxy substance in the blood--cholesterol--was

identified as a major contributor to the buildup of plaque and to

heart disease risk. More recently, scientists have discovered that

for every 1 percent drop in cholesterol levels, there is a 2 percent

decrease in heart attack risk.

 

Understanding the Numbers

 

The total cholesterol level of the average American is higher than

200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl) of blood. Because heart attack

risk rises sharply above that level, the American Heart Association

urges everyone to take measures to reduce cholesterol if it's

anywhere near that high.

 

How far below 200 should you go to feel that your risk is

significantly less? That's not entirely clear, but research suggests

that very low cholesterol levels, below 150 or so, increase risk of

death from other causes, including liver cancer, lung disease and

certain kinds of stroke. My reaction is that people should strive

for a cholesterol range of 170 to 190.

 

To make matters more complicated, there are two kinds of cholesterol-

-low-density lipoproteins (LDL), which increase risk of heart

attack, and high-density lipoproteins (HDL), which actually reduce

it. You want to get your total cholesterol down below 190. But if

you have high cholesterol, your doctor may focus specifically on

your LDL levels and have you work to reduce those, since the " bad "

kind is most clearly linked to heart disease.

 

An estimated 25 percent of Americans have cholesterol levels high

enough to place them at risk for heart attack, and 10 percent have

levels so high that doctors are quick to prescribe drug treatments.

But they're far less likely to tell you the Green Pharmacy ways to

reduce your heart disease risk.

 

Fiber Power

 

Any and probably all plant fibers can lower cholesterol. That means

eating a diet that includes lots of fruits, vegetables and whole

grains, hopefully one with a minimum of fats.

 

In one study, a high-fiber supplement (Fibercel, which is still

being tested and not available for commercial sale) was added to the

diets of laboratory hamsters, enough to constitute 5 percent of

their daily calorie intake. The Fibercel lowered their total

cholesterol by 42 percent and their " bad " LDL cholesterol by 69

percent. Beneficial HDL increased 16 percent.

 

Oat bran has gotten a lot of publicity as a cholesterol reducer, but

it's just one of many high-fiber foods. Fruits, vegetables and

grains have similar effects. In fact, oat bran is far from the best

fiber for lowering cholesterol. Hamsters fed a diet with 5 percent

oat bran showed reductions in total cholesterol and LDL of only 19

and 29 percent, respectively, a weak showing compared with that

obtained with Fibercel.

 

The components of oat bran that lower cholesterol are beta-glucans.

But here again, oat bran is not the richest source. Barley contains

up to three times more beta-glucans than oats, and beans are also

significant sources.

 

The good news is that often it isn't necessary to resort to drugs.

There are plenty of foods and herbs that can help bring cholesterol

levels down.

 

Green Pharmacy for High Cholesterol

 

Along with getting adequate fiber from the foods you eat, there are

a number of individual foods and herbs that can prove helpful.

 

Carrot (Daucus carota) and other foods containing pectin. Scottish

studies showed that over a period of three weeks, a daily snack of

two carrots lowered cholesterol levels by 10 to 20 percent in study

participants. Carrots are high in the fiber pectin. Other good

sources of pectin include apples and the white inner layer of citrus

rinds. Enjoy these foods on a daily basis. (Yes, if you're eating an

orange, nibble on a little of the white stuff.)

 

I know that juicing is really big these days, so I'd like to offer a

little advice. If you want to take these fruits and vegetables in

beverage form, fine. But don't use a juicer on them if you want to

get the full benefit of their pectin content. Just whir them in a

blender instead. If you use a juicer, you extract most of the fiber,

and only about 10 percent of the cholesterol-lowering pectin

remains.

 

You can also take supplements. University of Florida scientists

reported that three tablespoons of grapefruit pectin daily, taken in

capsules or as a food additive, can lower cholesterol by about 8

percent. If you go the supplement route, however, you should be

aware that this type of fiber interferes with the uptake of certain

important nutrients, including beta-carotene, boron, calcium,

copper, iron and zinc. This is less of a problem when you consume

the whole plant, because the plant itself supplies extra nutrients.

But if you take pectin capsules, remember to eat your fruits and

vegetables at a later meal to make sure you don't trigger any

deficiencies.

 

Avocado (Persea americana). Avocado is one of the highest-fat

fruits, so people with heart disease often avoid it. But according

to a report in the Lawrence Review of Natural Products, a respected

newsletter, avocado can help reduce cholesterol. In one study, women

were given a choice of a diet high in

monounsaturated fats (olive oil) with avocado or a diet rich in

complex carbohydrates (starches and sugars.) After six weeks, those

on the olive oil-avocado diet showed an 8.2 percent reduction in

cholesterol.

 

I'm not advocating that you should cut back on complex

carbohydrates, which are important to a healthy diet, but I am

suggesting that you enjoy an occasional avocado. It contains some

unique chemicals that you may not be getting elsewhere.

 

Beans (Phaseolus, various species). Beans are high in fiber and low

in fat--just the ticket for lowering cholesterol. And they contain

lecithin, a nutrient that also helps cut cholesterol. One study

showed that a cup and a half of dried lentils or kidney beans a day,

about the amount in a bowl of bean soup, can lower total cholesterol

levels by 19 percent.

 

Celery (Apium graveolens). In one study, researchers fed laboratory

animals a high-fat diet for eight weeks, which raised their

cholesterol levels. Then they gave some of them celery juice. The

juice significantly lowered total cholesterol and LDL levels in the

animals. It isn't clear whether eating celery would help reduce

cholesterol levels in humans, but it certainly can't hurt to include

more of this delicious vegetable in your diet.

 

Garlic (Allium sativum) and onion (A. cepa). Many studies show that

the equivalent of one clove of garlic a day (or half an onion)

lowers total cholesterol levels by 10 to 15 percent in most people.

In one study, people given 800 milligrams (about one clove) of

garlic daily experienced lower cholesterol levels as well as lower

blood pressure. Garlic is an approved remedy in Europe for

cardiovascular conditions, especially high cholesterol.

 

In another study, two to three tablespoons of onion oil a day helped

to lower cholesterol in about half of people with moderately high

cholesterol. Their blood cholesterol levels fell 7 to 33 percent

while they were taking the onion oil.

 

It sounds to me as if it would be a good idea to include generous

amounts of both of these tasty herbs in your daily diet.

 

Ginger (Zingiber officinale). Many studies show that ginger helps

lower cholesterol. Why not add some ginger to spice up other

cholesterol-lowering foods?

 

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum). This herb is rich in a

soothing fiber called mucilage. Its cholesterol-lowering activity

has been demonstrated in laboratory experiments with animals and has

also been demonstrated in humans.

 

Nuts. You might think that people with high cholesterol should avoid

high-fat nuts, but a study of more than 25,000 Americans showed that

those who eat the most nuts are the least likely to be obese. These

subjects were all healthy, so I wouldn't recommend nuts to those

with heart disease or high blood pressure. But for reasonably

healthy folks, nuts don't seem to do much harm and are better than

too much meat.

 

It's possible that the nuts help produce feelings of satiety.

Walnuts, for example, contain the neurotransmitter serotonin, which

is involved in the sensation of satiety.

 

High nut consumption, by the way, was also associated with lower

incidence of fatal and nonfatal heart attacks. This should be of

interest to anyone who is at risk because of high cholesterol

levels.

 

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius). One study showed that switching

from other oils to safflower oil for eight weeks reduced total serum

cholesterol levels by 9 to 15 percent and LDL cholesterol by 12 to

20 percent.

 

Sesame (Sesamum indicum). All plants contain phytosterols, compounds

that can be absorbed into the bloodstream, nudging out some of the

cholesterol that's there. In my database, the food that shows up the

highest in phytosterols (based on dry weight) is sesame seeds.

 

Other foods that contain high amounts of phytosterols, in descending

order of potency, include lettuce, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts,

cucumbers, asparagus, okra, cauliflower, spinach, figs, onions,

strawberries, pumpkin or squash, radishes, apricots, tomatoes,

celery and ginger.

 

You could easily use this information to concoct cholesterol-

lowering salads and soups to replace cholesterol-raising meats. A

high-phytosterol fruit salad, for example, would include figs,

strawberries and apricots with ginger.

 

Shiitake (Lentinus edodes). These delicious mushrooms contain the

compound lentinan. According to the Lawrence Review of Natural

Products, lentinan has cholesterol-lowering action, along with anti-

tumor, antiviral and immune-stimulating effects. In experimental

animals given a low dose of a compound related to lentinan,

cholesterol levels fell 25 percent.

 

Dining for Low Cholesterol

 

There are many, many foods and herbs that lower cholesterol. Why not

mix them all to create a tasty, healthy diet that gets those numbers

down where you want them to be? Here are some suggestions.

 

For Breakfast

 

* Orange, grapefruit, apple and carrot whirred in a blender instead

of plain

orange juice

 

* Whole-grain muffins

 

* Fresh fruit as available

 

* Oatmeal with a touch of safflower oil (no butter or margarine)

 

For Lunch

 

* Cholesterol-cutting soup made with beans, barley, onions, carrots

and garlic, plus other spices to taste

 

* Whole-wheat bread topped with any nut butter--even peanut butter

(not butter or margarine)

 

* High-fiber salad

 

* Whole-fruit cocktail

 

* Oatmeal cookie or bran muffin

 

For Dinner

 

* Burrito made with refried beans, rice and salsa and wrapped in a

whole-grain tortilla

 

OR

 

* Vegetarian chili made with tofu; cornmeal muffins slathered with

nut butter

 

OR

 

* Hot Doggones: Hot dog buns filled with coleslaw, barbecue sauce,

mustard and onions (if you just can't do without hot dogs, make them

vegetarian); lentil or black bean and wild rice soup

 

OR

 

* New England Boiled Dinner: One cup each of diced cabbage, carrots,

onions, celery and potatoes, with a dash of herbs

 

AND

 

* A big green salad

 

* Fruit cocktail

 

After a week or two on a diet like this one, I'll wager there'll be

a cholesterol reduction of 10 to 20 percent in most people who have

elevated levels.

 

http://www.mothernature.com/Library/bookshelf/Books/41/66.cfm

_________________

JoAnn Guest

mrsjoguest

DietaryTipsForHBP

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/CholesterolFacts.html

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/GoodCholesterol.html