Valuable Guidelines On Why Cholesterol Does Not Cause Heart Disease
The terms cholesterol and heart disease seem to be permanently linked together, almost as if the former is the main cause of the latter. Nothing could be further from the truth, though, as there is good evidence to suggest that one of the major causes of coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis is in fact caused by ruptured scar tissue within the lining of arteries, rather than a buildup of plaque on the artery walls. Certain scientists believe that as cholesterol moves within our bloodstream it invariably sticks to the artery walls, leading to a heart attack, even though a body of opinion provides contrary evidence. A great deal of publicity has been given to the circulation of cholesterol within our bloodstream, automatically linked to saturated fat content and we are told that these two “evils” inevitably provide a dangerous blockage as they cling to the artery linings.
We absolutely need cholesterol within the makeup and control of our bodily cells, as it is involved in transferring nutrients, regulating neuro transmitters, as well as hormones and is said to be a precursor to vitamin D transportation, which is another essential element. Therefore, if we don’t have enough cholesterol, we can develop problems with our hormones and this can promote disease and other major issues in its own right. Nerve fibers can be coated with cholesterol, thereby protecting them and it is no surprise that scientists have linked some of the worst diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s to low levels of cholesterol.
Cholesterol can be measured three different ways as we hear all the time — total, HDL and LDL. We are told that we may have high cholesterol or low cholesterol and that HDL is “good” and LDL is “bad.” HDL and LDL are lipoproteins, responsible for transporting cholesterol. LDL is low-density, carrying the cholesterol from the liver, while HDL is high-density and re-circulates the cholesterol to the liver for redistribution. Remember that fat is transported through the bloodstream, along with cholesterol, in the form of triglycerides. If you think about it for a moment, why would our bodies continue to move and recycle cholesterol in this way if it was so bad for us, as those scientists constantly preach?
It is far more likely that cellular damage and inflammation in the artery walls, leading to atherosclerosis, can be caused by high blood sugar, poor nutrition, stress, or high blood pressure, a sad consequence of our modern lifestyles. While research dating back to the 1950s tells us that heart disease is supposedly linked to the amount of fat in our diets, there’s been plenty of contradictory evidence, although this has not achieved such strong exposure. Just look at the Eskimos as an example. They have longer than average lifespans, yet their diet is almost exclusively composed of meat.
The Surgeon General advises us how to construct our diets. The Surgeon tells us not to eat saturated fats, but to focus on monounsaturated fats or polyunsaturated fats, but the majority of vegetable oils are high in Omega-6 fatty acids; most of us don’t counterbalance this with Omega-3 fatty acids, the beneficial acids found in fish. We’re told to focus on a diet low in trans fat and even to focus on high carbohydrate diets, but this can cause elevated blood sugar, which we have already discussed as being a potentially major cause of atherosclerosis.
More often than not, if we have a supposed cholesterol imbalance we are prescribed medication, but this can have side effects by itself. The popular form of medication, statin, is believed by many to create more problems than it attempts to solve. Rather, we should change the way that we conduct our lifestyles if we want to see real change.
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