Today's blog is brought to you by way of John R. Lee, MD. and his book titled What your Doctor May NOT Tell You About Menopause. This is a dense volume of information about every aspect of menopause, hormone replacement therapy, and all the pertinent health issues surrounding the second half of life for women. All the quotations and references will be taken from this book.
You'd never know if from watching television commercials but most cardiology researchers now agree that serum cholesterol levels are NOT predictive of coronary artery disease or death. In fact, research clearly shows that lowering cholesterol with drugs after the age of 65 does more harm than good. (p. 206) But drugs like Lipitor are BIG business! A lot of people continue to make big money as long as plenty of people stay on these drugs.
So what IS cholesterol, anyway?
Cholesterol is a fat-soluble steroid from which all steroid hormones are made. Cholesterol is vital to brain function as it is a component of the myelin sheath that protects nerves. Both your hormone production and your brain function suffer when cholesterol is excessively low. Yes, I did say LOW!
Eating foods that contain dietary cholesterol does not cause high serum cholesterol levels. In humans, 80 to 85 percent of our cholesterol is synthesized in the liver from sugars. The remaining 20 percent or so is synthesized from dietary fats. Any excess cholesterol that is consumed through the diet is simply excreted. (p. 207)
One problem with cholesterol in the bloodstream is when it becomes "rancid" or oxidized. This sets up the conditions for plaque that can clog arteries, possibly leading to heart attacks. So what causes LDL to become oxidized?
A diet that is low in anti-oxidants, such as vitamins C, A, E, the carotenes, and bioflavonoids can result in higher levels of oxidation. And the B vitamins found in high quality protein sources such as meat, fish, and eggs, help to lower LDL levels and raise HDL levels. Higher HDL levels work to protect LDL from becoming oxidized.
Bottom line? A healthy diet rich in whole foods like vegetables, meats, fish, eggs, grass-fed butter, nuts, and olive oil will minimize oxidation while a typical American diet high in refined sugars, cheap vegetable oils, trans-fats, and processed grains will create oxidation. So don't stress out over your cholesterol! But do make sure to eat plenty of whole foods rich in anti-oxidants.
You'd never know if from watching television commercials but most cardiology researchers now agree that serum cholesterol levels are NOT predictive of coronary artery disease or death. In fact, research clearly shows that lowering cholesterol with drugs after the age of 65 does more harm than good. (p. 206) But drugs like Lipitor are BIG business! A lot of people continue to make big money as long as plenty of people stay on these drugs.
So what IS cholesterol, anyway?
Cholesterol is a fat-soluble steroid from which all steroid hormones are made. Cholesterol is vital to brain function as it is a component of the myelin sheath that protects nerves. Both your hormone production and your brain function suffer when cholesterol is excessively low. Yes, I did say LOW!
Eating foods that contain dietary cholesterol does not cause high serum cholesterol levels. In humans, 80 to 85 percent of our cholesterol is synthesized in the liver from sugars. The remaining 20 percent or so is synthesized from dietary fats. Any excess cholesterol that is consumed through the diet is simply excreted. (p. 207)
One problem with cholesterol in the bloodstream is when it becomes "rancid" or oxidized. This sets up the conditions for plaque that can clog arteries, possibly leading to heart attacks. So what causes LDL to become oxidized?
A diet that is low in anti-oxidants, such as vitamins C, A, E, the carotenes, and bioflavonoids can result in higher levels of oxidation. And the B vitamins found in high quality protein sources such as meat, fish, and eggs, help to lower LDL levels and raise HDL levels. Higher HDL levels work to protect LDL from becoming oxidized.
Bottom line? A healthy diet rich in whole foods like vegetables, meats, fish, eggs, grass-fed butter, nuts, and olive oil will minimize oxidation while a typical American diet high in refined sugars, cheap vegetable oils, trans-fats, and processed grains will create oxidation. So don't stress out over your cholesterol! But do make sure to eat plenty of whole foods rich in anti-oxidants.
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