High Cholesterol - Dr. Michael T. Murray, N.D.

[Guest guest]

High Cholesterol

 

What is cholesterol?

http://www.doctormurray.com/conditions/High_Cholesterol.asp

 

Cholesterol is a fatty substance in the body that serves several

vital roles. It is a building block for various hormones and bile

acids; and it plays a major role in stabilizing cell membranes.

While proper cholesterol levels are important to good health, the

evidence overwhelmingly demonstrates that elevated blood cholesterol

levels greatly increase the risk of death due to heart disease. (See

also Atherosclerosis.)

 

Cholesterol is transported in the blood by lipoproteins. The major

categories of lipoproteins are very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL),

low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL).

VLDL and LDL are responsible for transporting fats (primarily

triglycerides and cholesterol) from the liver to body cells, and

elevations of either VLDL or LDL are associated with an increased

risk of developing atherosclerosis, the primary cause of heart

attack and stroke. In contrast, HDL is responsible for returning

fats to the liver, and elevations of HDL are associated with a low

risk of heart attack.

 

Currently, experts recommend that your total blood cholesterol level

should be less than 200 mg/dl from a fasting blood sample. The HDL

level should be greater than 40 mg/dl. The LDL level limit is based

on your current health history and risk factors:

 

Less than 100 mg/dl for people who have coronary heart disease.

These people have had a myocardial infarction, has angina or a

revascularization procedure, such a coronary bypass surgery. The

same limit applies to people who have not had one of these cardiac

events, but have atherosclerosis outside of the heart, such as the

carotid arteries or other peripheral arterial disease, diabetes, or

an elevated 10-year risk estimate, as determined by a physician.

Less than 130 mg/dl for people who do not have coronary heart

disease or equivalent risk for it, but have two or more risk

factors. Risk factors include age, low activity, smoking, and being

over weight.

Less than 160 mg/dl for people who have no or one risk factor for

coronary heart disease.

For every 1% drop in LDL levels, there's a 2% drop in the risk of

heart attack. By the same token, for every 1% increase in HDL, the

risk of heart attack drops 3-to-4%.

 

The ratio of your total cholesterol to HDL and the ratio of LDL to

HDL are clues that indicate whether cholesterol is being deposited

into tissues or is being broken down and excreted. The ratio of

total cholesterol to HDL should be no higher than 4.2, and the LDL

to HDL ratio should be no higher than 2.5.

 

Another important lipoprotein to be aware of is a form of LDL called

lipoprotein (a), or Lp(a). This form of LDL has an additional

molecule of an adhesive protein called apolipoprotein. That protein

makes the molecule much more likely to stick to the artery walls and

cause damage. New research suggests that high Lp(a) levels

constitute a separate risk factor for heart attack. For example, it

appears that high Lp(a) levels are 10 times more likely to cause

heart disease than high LDL levels. Lp(a) levels lower than 20 mg/dl

are associated with low risk of heart disease; levels from 20-to-40

mg/dl pose a moderate risk, and levels higher than 40 mg/dl are

considered extremely risky. Elevated blood cholesterol is usually

without symptoms but may be associated with conditions like high

blood pressure, angina, and heart disease. It is currently

recommended that the total blood cholesterol level be less than 200

mg/dl. In addition, it is recommended that the LDL cholesterol be

less than 130 mg/dl, the HDL cholesterol be greater than 35 mg/dl,

and triglyceride levels be less than 150 mg/dl.

 

What causes high cholesterol?

 

Elevated cholesterol levels are usually reflective of dietary and

lifestyle factors, although it can also be due to genetic factors.

 

What dietary factors are important in lowering high cholesterol?

 

Eat less saturated fat and cholesterol by reducing or eliminating

the amounts of animal products in the diet. Increase the consumption

of fiber-rich plant foods (fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, and

raw nuts and seeds). See also ATHEROSCLEROSIS. When attempting to

lower cholesterol through diet it is important to eat a variety of

cholesterol-lowering vegetables including celery, beets, eggplant,

garlic and onion, peppers and root vegetables. In addition,

dandelion root and Jerusalem artichoke contains the fiber inulin

which improves production of antioxidant enzymes while decreasing

total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and raising

concentrations of beneficial HDL cholesterol.

 

Diets rich in legumes, including peanuts, are being used to lower

cholesterol levels and soy protein has been shown in some studies to

be able to lower total cholesterol levels by 30% and to lower LDL,

or " bad " cholesterol, levels by as much as 35-40%. Nuts and seeds,

particularly almonds and walnuts, are also quite useful in fighting

against heart disease by lowering cholesterol through their fiber,

monounsaturated oil, and essential fatty acid content. Hazelnuts

have an exceptional concentration of copper, a key component in the

intracellular form of an important antioxidant enzyme called

superoxide dismutase, which disarms free radicals that would

otherwise damage cholesterol and other lipids. Ground flax seed

lowers two cholesterol-carrying molecules, apolipoprotein A-1 and

apolipoprotein B.

 

Other foods that have shown beneficial effects on lowering

cholesterol include avocados, Brewer's yeast, royal jelly, shiitake

mushrooms, saffron, turmeric, honey, shellfish, alfalfa sprouts .

[Guest guest]

In absence of oxidative stress one's high cholesterol does not

produce disease conditions. The elevated risk is due to oxidation

factors, not cholesterol itself.

 

See the myth that high cholesterol leads to disease, and other

cholesterol myths, exposed in the well referenced and aptly

titled " The Cholesterol Myths " .

 

http://www.ravnskov.nu/cholesterol.htm

 

Duncan Crow

 

 

 

> Posted by: " JoAnn Guest " angelprincessjo mrsjoguest

> Tue Sep 19, 2006 6:13 pm (PDT)

>

> High Cholesterol

>

> What is cholesterol?

> http://www.doctormurray.com/conditions/High_Cholesterol.asp

>

> Cholesterol is a fatty substance in the body that serves several vital

> roles. It is a building block for various hormones and bile acids; and

> it plays a major role in stabilizing cell membranes. While proper

> cholesterol levels are important to good health, the evidence

> overwhelmingly demonstrates that elevated blood cholesterol levels

> greatly increase the risk of death due to heart disease. (See also

> Atherosclerosis.)

[Guest guest]

Duncan,

 

Thanks! I agree! Read also, " Nourishing Traditions " by Sally Fallon.

 

Domingo

 

Duncan Crow wrote:

>

> In absence of oxidative stress one's high cholesterol does not

> produce disease conditions. The elevated risk is due to oxidation

> factors, not cholesterol itself.

>

> See the myth that high cholesterol leads to disease, and other

> cholesterol myths, exposed in the well referenced and aptly

> titled " The Cholesterol Myths " .

>

> http://www.ravnskov .nu/cholesterol. htm

> <http://www.ravnskov.nu/cholesterol.htm>

>

> Duncan Crow

>

> > Posted by: " JoAnn Guest " angelprincessjo@

> <angelprincessjo%40> mrsjoguest

> > Tue Sep 19, 2006 6:13 pm (PDT)

> >

> > High Cholesterol

> >

> > What is cholesterol?

> > http://www.doctormu rray.com/ conditions/ High_Cholesterol .asp

> <http://www.doctormurray.com/conditions/High_Cholesterol.asp>

> >

> > Cholesterol is a fatty substance in the body that serves several vital

> > roles. It is a building block for various hormones and bile acids; and

> > it plays a major role in stabilizing cell membranes. While proper

> > cholesterol levels are important to good health, the evidence

> > overwhelmingly demonstrates that elevated blood cholesterol levels

> > greatly increase the risk of death due to heart disease. (See also

> > Atherosclerosis. )

>

>