# Yum!  Cholesterol, Eat Up!



## SeaBreeze (Jul 1, 2015)

Yum!  Cholesterol, eat up!  http://criticalhealthnews.com/health-news/25-ben-fuchs-articles/164-yum-cholesterol-eat-up


Yum cholesterol, eat up! Despite the fact that for decades doctors have demonized cholesterol as a molecular monster, these days the conventional understanding has changed. Earlier this year the United Sates Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee reversed its longstanding words of wisdom about avoiding egg yolks, shrimp, lobster and other cholesterol containing foods, proclaiming that the much-maligned substance is “…no longer a nutrient of concern”. 

No longer a nutrient of concern? Great, it’s about time! But what’s missing from the lifting of the medical and social stigma associated with eating cholesterol-containing foods is some actual love for what the under-appreciated biochemical really is and what it does to keep the body healthy.

Cholesterol is an anabolic (building) chemical. It plays an important role in the production of the hormones of youth, fertility, and growth. Its mere presence tells the body that anti-aging and repair can proceed and its production is stimulated by stress and tissue breakdown, which, in just the right amount, functions as growth signals. This partially accounts for our societal tendency to have higher blood cholesterol levels than we actually need. 

Our cultural inclinations to long term chronic stress and degenerative diseases, along with high blood sugar and insulin (there’s a reason that diabetes and elevated blood cholesterol go hand-in-hand), not to mention the physiological burden of nutritional deficiencies, are the ultimate cause of elevated cholesterol and the real bad guys in the epic decades-long drama called “CHOLESTEROL-MANIA”.

In the same way that automobiles are manufactured by attaching assembly components to frames, cholesterol acts like a chassis, which is chemically modified in a multitude of ways to create a who’s who of the hormones of health, wellness and anti-aging including progesterone, DHEA, estrogen, testosterone and Vitamin D.

 Cortisol, the superstar stress hormone, is also a type of souped-up cholesterol. But Cholesterol doesn’t j ust get turned into hormones. Bile, a key player in detoxification and digestion, is also a type of accessorized cholesterol.

Cholesterol also acts as a thickener and stabilizer for the outer coating of cells: the cell membrane. Not just any thickener/stabilizer, but a bio-intelligent one, that adjusts to the environment the cell is sitting in. It’s responsive to the cellular environment and congeals on demand, creating a more or a less viscous system, depending on what’s required. 

The cholesterol in cell membranes takes the form of a crystalline complex that allows it to act as a type of electron storage device. In much the same way that a LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) works by chemically changing the liquid “shape” of crystals to convey information, cholesterol uses its liquid crystalline structure to exert an effect on the consistency of the cell membrane, making it more or less “sticky” and permeable. 

It is essentially a biological capacitor, storing and releasing electricity (electrons). In addition to allowing it to behave as a cell membrane modifying molecule, this property makes cholesterol an energy processor and information storage element, much like a biological nanoscopic Intel computer chip. This is especially relevant for the health of the nerve cells and the brain, which are especially dependent on electrical energy.

Cholesterol also plays a particularly important role in the skin. It has a tendency to create and store positive and negative charges, which comes in handy in the body’s largest organ, which uses this property to turn cells into bio-solar panels, that can convert the sun’s energy into a useable biochemical format. And speaking of skin, cholesterol plays a major role in the health of the body’s 22 square foot covering who’s fatty (lipid) nature depends on the multifunctional substance, which acts as a precursor to moisturizing, protective and anti-microbial factors.

When all of these benefits of cholesterol are accounted for, it becomes difficult to justify any pharmaceutical or medical strategy to force the body to make less cholesterol, let alone a toxic one that puts an especially onerous load on the liver, the same organ responsible for purifying the body of the poisonous pharmaceutical chemicals. Recently, drug companies have announced the development of a vaccine that is specifically designed to kill off parts of cells that process and store cholesterol in an evil-genius, high-tech attempt to lower blood cholesterol concentrations. Nice! A vaccine against our own biochemistry, which in the convoluted logic of the pharmaco-medical model will somehow make us healthier.

If you are interested in changing your cholesterol levels (up or down), the most important thing to recognize is that cholesterol levels are the manifestation of a biochemical context of stress chemistry. Reduce the stress chemicals (especially sugar, insulin and cortisol) and cholesterol levels will drop like a stone. That means less refined carbs and sweets, more protein and quality fats, deep breathing and relaxation techniques and nutritional supplementation.

The B-vitamins play an especially important role in lowering blood cholesterol. They also play a role in sugar metabolism. While this is true about all 8 B-vitamins, its especial true of niacin (B3) which plays a key role in sugar metabolism. Vitamin B3 is a component of the Glucose Tolerance Factor (GTF), a complex molecular structure that plays an important role in clearing sugar out of the blood. 

Not coincidentally, niacin also helps lower cholesterol quite substantially. According to numerous studies, niacin is more effective than statins for lowering cholesterol levels and it works without side effects. The mineral chromium can also play an important cholesterol lowering role. Like niacin, chromium is part of the GTF and like niacin, chromium also lowers blood fats.

 Other nutrients which lower cholesterol include Omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin C and a ubiquitous plant glucose derivative called beta glucan, which has shown promise as a blood cholesterol lowering agent.


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## tnthomas (Jul 1, 2015)

Thanks, great informational post that's a worthy read.   Subscribed!


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## Lon (Jul 1, 2015)

I have been fortunate over the years to have exceptionally  low and normal levels irrespective of diet. Gotta be a genetic thing I guess.


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## QuickSilver (Jul 1, 2015)

As someone who has had cholesterol levels up close to 400 without medication.. YOU eat up!   I'll pass thank you very much.


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## SeaBreeze (Jul 1, 2015)

You're welcome Thomas!  Lon, I also have had low or normal levels of cholesterol irrespective of diet.  They say that seniors on statin drugs to lower cholesterol are more likely to develop conditions like Alzheimer's, because cholesterol is much needed for the body and brain to function properly.

http://healthimpactnews.com/2014/the-redemption-of-cholesterol-how-it-supports-your-health/

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/a...4/02/cholesterol-statin-drugs-guidelines.aspx


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## imp (Jul 1, 2015)

*"They say that seniors on statin drugs to lower cholesterol...."

*A "biggie" just learned by my wife, who has traditionally had very high triglycerides, and high combined cholesterol, is that statins have now been found to seemingly accelerate the onset of diabetes! Since taking a statin, about 6 months now, tolerated fairly well, her glucose has risen from mid-90s to 115, a danger sign! She's worried, I'm worried, and she plans to talk to her doctor about it. 

Some years ago, a well-known medical spokesman publicly stated that "probably all American adults should be on Lipitor"!  What quackery, IMO! Give that guy big, free, doses, I say!     imp


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## SeaBreeze (Jul 1, 2015)

Past discussion here on cholesterol.  https://www.seniorforums.com/showth...Thoughts-Forget-The-Numbers?highlight=statins


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## SeaBreeze (Jul 1, 2015)

imp said:


> A "biggie" just learned by my wife, who has traditionally had very high triglycerides, and high combined cholesterol, is that statins have now been found to seemingly accelerate the onset of diabetes! Since taking a statin, about 6 months now, tolerated fairly well, her glucose has risen from mid-90s to 115, a danger sign! She's worried, I'm worried, and she plans to talk to her doctor about it.



About statins and diabetes, Imp, most doctors are trained to promote statins, and only know the limited amount about these drugs as told to them by the pharmaceutical salesmen who make frequent stops to doctor's offices whenever a new drug comes out.  Problem is, so many of these drugs have side effects worse than the condition they're treating. 

 Your wife should not do anything without her doctor's approval, but I like to research first before taking drugs or vaccines that the medical profession pushes.  So far so good, I'm in my 60s and on no prescription medications, although those in my immediate family have been on high cholesterol, high blood pressure drugs, insulin, etc.

http://www.natmedtalk.com/showthread.php?t=29018&highlight=statins


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## WhatInThe (Jul 1, 2015)

SeaBreeze said:


> About statins and diabetes, Imp, most doctors are trained to promote statins, and only know the limited amount about these drugs as told to them by the pharmaceutical salesmen who make frequent stops to doctor's offices whenever a new drug comes out.  Problem is, so many of these drugs have side effects worse than the condition they're treating.
> 
> Your wife should not do anything without her doctor's approval, but I like to research first before taking drugs or vaccines that the medical profession pushes.  So far so good, I'm in my 60s and on no prescription medications, although those in my immediate family have been on high cholesterol, high blood pressure drugs, insulin, etc.
> 
> http://www.natmedtalk.com/showthread.php?t=29018&highlight=statins



...trained to promote...

And that's the problem with many doctors in the medical industry in general. Too many 'memorize' what they are told without thinking about it or truely understanding it let alone contemplate the consequences. Alot of doctors practice medicine like "a" job and not a career. Yes a doctor can be a clock watcher too waiting for Friday afternoon.


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## QuickSilver (Jul 2, 2015)

A word of caution... there ARE people (like me) with TRUE hyperlipidemia...  and they will DIE of atherosclerosis if not controlled..  Scaring the crap out of the uninformed is not a good thing..  Granted.. there are folks with high normal cholesterol that would do better with diet control rather than statins.. however threads like this do a disservice to those that really need to be on statins and maybe will read this and stop..  We need to be careful with Doctor Google...  there is no one size fits all in medicine.


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## Josiah (Jul 2, 2015)

QuickSilver said:


> As someone who has had cholesterol levels up close to 400 without medication.. YOU eat up!   I'll pass thank you very much.



From what I have read recently, the amount of dietary cholesterol you consume has little effect on your fasting lipid labs. see

http://chriskresser.com/the-diet-heart-myth-cholesterol-and-saturated-fat-are-not-the-enemy/


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## QuickSilver (Jul 2, 2015)

Josiah said:


> From what I have read recently, the amount of dietary cholesterol you consume has little effect on your fasting lipid labs. see
> 
> http://chriskresser.com/the-diet-heart-myth-cholesterol-and-saturated-fat-are-not-the-enemy/




Yes.. I know that...  No matter how well I try to eat, my cholesterol is severely elevated..   This is true hyperlipidemia and likely genetic.   In other words, my liver over produces cholesterol and then add any dietary indiscretion to that and it could eventually kill me.   That's why I caution people to really understand their condition before listening to advise or opinions on a forum..

It would be very sad for a person to take this information and figure that he/she didn't need to take the prescribed statin, because their doctor is just stupid and greedy..  and something happened to that person.. like a massive heart attack due to lipid build up in their coronary arteries..


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## SeaBreeze (Jul 2, 2015)

QuickSilver said:


> A word of caution... there ARE people (like me) with TRUE hyperlipidemia...  and they will DIE of atherosclerosis if not controlled..  Scaring the crap out of the uninformed is not a good thing..  Granted.. there are folks with high normal cholesterol that would do better with diet control rather than statins.. however threads like this do a disservice to those that really need to be on statins and maybe will read this and stop..  We need to be careful with Doctor Google...  there is no one size fits all in medicine.



I'm sorry you have these types of health issues Quicksilver, and I agree that there has to be some treatment that controls the hyperlipidemia, or high cholesterol/fat in the blood.  But there are alternative ways to consider, like diet and supplements, rather than dangerous statins prescribed by doctors like candy.  Anyone who wishes to wean themselves off of these pharmaceuticals, must do so of course with their doctor's supervision.  The choice to use these drugs only, is a personal choice of the patient.  So I respect your decision, that's none of my business.

I disagree, threads like this are to inform the uninformed and not "scare the crap out of them".  The senior people here are certainly capable of researching such things on their own if they are interested in helping themselves in a more natural way.  I give people more credit than to just read an informative thread and abruptly stop their treatment without consulting their doctor and doing additional research on their own.  No need to discredit natural medical information which is found on the internet by referring to it as "Dr. Google".  Perhaps for some, a compliment of natural treatment along with lower limits of prescription drugs is key to better health.

More food for thought for those interested, calcium is more of a concern over cholesterol.  https://www.lewrockwell.com/2013/12/bill-sardi/will-big-med-give-up-its-cholesterol-cash-cow/


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## Josiah (Jul 2, 2015)

I'm not suggesting that statins are not appropriate for a person with hyperlipidemia, but statins are now one of the most frequently prescribed drugs and they are a family of drugs with a lot of serious side effects. Here is an article in a top pharmaceutical journal warning about the over use of statins. Big Pharma wants everyone on statins because they are greedy, not because they help people live longer.

http://www.pharmaceutical-journal.c...g-statins-time-to-rein-it-in/20068145.article


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