Tag Archives: cholesterol

Cholesterol

by health
After reading the article “Dr. Google is a Liar”, I can only say that this is its own brand of misinformation.  I believe people should not get their medical information from Dr. Google, and this article is just infuriating. Written by a cardiologist, it is designed to get everyone on statins.

Why are they targeting women?

Women have now become the target for taking statins, and it pisses me off!  Every single woman in this country should not be a target for statins simply because of biology. Unfortunately, we are not taught how our bodies work as we age and that leaves us under-educated and potentially placed on statins even if we don’t really need them. Here’s how your female body works when it comes to cholesterol.  After you go through menopause, your body stops needing so much estrogen. Because the body uses cholesterol to create hormones (in this case, estrogen) you can wind up with higher cholesterol. It’s not harmful unless it’s super high and your triglycerides, ratios, and inflammatory markers are elevated. It’s the way your body is designed to work. In fact, some studies show that older people with higher cholesterol live longer. This is part of why I feel it important to look at each person as an individual and not suggest across-the-board medication simply because of age or sex.

Statins and your health

The use of statin drugs can deplete Coenzyme-Q 10 from the body yet nowhere in the above-referenced article does it talk about this depletion.  Found in every cell in the body, the antioxidant Co-Q 10 is used for energy to support cell growth and maintenance. Depleted CoQ10 can cause other health issues as well, including:
  • physical or mental fatigue
  • chronic pain
  • a weakened immune system
  • increased risk of obesity and/or heart disease
  • the possibility for neurological disorders
  • statin use can also impair gut function.
The connection with gut function would be why so many statin users eventually wind up on that little purple pill. Statins may increase the risk of developing diabetes. Yet nowhere in this article is that discussed. I won’t give you the litany of other health issues related to statin use. But if there are concerns about cardiovascular health, why are we not discussing nutritional support, exercise, and meditation? All of which have been shown to be beneficial for cardiovascular health. It turns out the author, Dr. Warraich, is a medical researcher and a medical instructor. It has been my experience that those two things can come with corporate sponsorships. However even if he truly deeply believes this, he’s only telling half the story and ignoring the holistic/functional side of the equation. 

Are we ignoring the science? 

And it really pissed me off to no end that he has glommed onto the fake news label and created the category of fake medical news. Are we simply going to scream fake news at each other and whoever screams loudest wins while completely ignoring the science? I admit to a bias against statins. However, I admit I can envision a possibility where they might be helpful. But only after all other functional interventions had been tried, didn't help to correct the situation, and more support was needed. And only with a properly supportive nutritional plan to go along with it. Again, this is why healthcare needs to be individualized, looking at each person’s current health status and needs. Another cardiologist suggests that many adults over age 50 need statins, even if they’re “healthy.” What??? Again, this cardiologist has both private and federal sponsorship. So yes, while there are many good studies out there doing research, it is always important to also look at who is paying for the research and backing these researchers. The above article is not just one-sided, it’s shallow. Each of us needs to invest in our own health and do our own research and ask questions of our healthcare team. Sources
  "Higher Cholesterol Is Associated With Longer Life". Medium, 2016, https://medium.com/the-mission/higher-cholesterol-is-associated-with-longer-life-b4090f28d96e.  "Coq10 And Statins: What You Need To Know". Healthline, 2022, https://www.healthline.com/health/coq10-and-statins. "Do Statins Increase The Risk Of Esophageal Conditions? Findings From Four Propensity Score-Matched Analyses.". Greenmedinfo.Com, 2022, https://greenmedinfo.com/article/statin-therapy-was-associated-higher-odds-being-diagnosed-esophagitis-and-gast. "Meditation Offers Significant Heart Benefits - Harvard Health". Harvard Health, 2013, https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/meditation-offers-significant-heart-benefits. Accessed 5 Aug 2022.
September - cholesterol awareness month

September Is Cholesterol Awareness Month – Part 3

by baking, health, recipes

Focusing on cholesterol awareness

This month we've covered what you need to know and healthy food choices. I've shared lots of great information to help you really understand the importance of cholesterol and how changing your diet can help with heart health. Now for the best part, delicious recipes!!

After all, let's be honest, it's great to know about what to do to make healthy changes, but sometimes it can be just a little challenging to know what to do with that information.  I'm taking the guesswork out of figuring it out by giving you this great roundup of recipes. I start with a few tasty recipe cards below followed by delicious shares from some of my friends to help you add new recipes for your heart-healthy diet.

Heart-healthy recipes

Garlic

This first one was submitted by Sam, a newsletter subscriber who sent it in along with a delightful story:

Peggy's Garlic Soup
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Ingredients
  1. 1 head of garlic, peeled and smashed
  2. 32 ounces organic chicken broth
  3. 32 ounces water
  4. 1 handful each of three of these herbs (fresh): Rosemary, Thyme, Sage, Marjoram
Instructions
  1. Put in a large pot, bring to a boil
  2. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes or till the garlic is soft
  3. Remove garlic and herbs
  4. At this point you can freeze or eat
  5. To eat, put back into pot on LOW heat
  6. Add 1 small container of organic cream
  7. Season with a dash of white pepper
  8. Serve over homemade croutons and Gruyere cheese grated on top
The Ingredient Guru, Mira Dessy https://theingredientguru.com/
If you're shrinking at the thought of peeling an entire bulb of garlic here's a quick an easy way to get the job done.

And now for the story:

My sister's knitting group meets at the library.  Last year the group had a drop-in.  We were talking about fall soups.  She said she once made a garlic soup but lost the recipe. I gave her this one.

Yes, she was THE Peggy! We laughed at how far her soup had traveled before she got it back.

Oat Bran

Another great recipe is oat bran muffins.  Now before you run for the hills I promise, these are delicious. It is important to note that if you're not used to a lot of fiber you will need to start with ½ of a muffin and bumping up by ½ of a muffin every 3-5 days in order to allow the body time to re-regulate when adding this much fiber.

Fruity Oat Bran Muffins
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Ingredients
  1. 2 cups oat bran, uncooked
  2. ¼ cup fresh ground flax seed
  3. 2 teaspoons baking powder
  4. ½ teaspoon salt
  5. 1 cup organic whole milk
  6. 2 egg whites, slightly beaten
  7. 1/3 cup honey
  8. 3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
  9. 1 cup unsweetened dried cranberries
  10. ¼ cup chopped walnuts
  11. 1 mashed banana
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 F
  2. Line muffin tins or grease bottoms only
  3. Combine dry ingredients, mix well
  4. Combine wet ingredients
  5. Add wet to dry and mix until combined
  6. Fill muffin tins 3⁄4 full and bake 15-17 minutes
Notes
  1. Pre-ground flaxseed meal is often de-germed for shelf stability.  Flax seeds can be purchased inexpensively and ground into meal at home.  This way you get all of the beneficial parts of the seed. Use a clean coffee grinder, pulse them for one minute and then use.
The Ingredient Guru, Mira Dessy https://theingredientguru.com/

 

Broccoli Avocado Bowl

This delicious dish is from my friend Shawn Borup. It is one packed with heart-healthy ingredients including leafy greens, avocado, beans, and seeds, so yummy!

Broccoli Avocado Bowl
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Sauce
  1. 1 Tbsp. miso
  2. 1 Tbsp. unfiltered apple cider or coconut vinegar
  3. 1 Tbsp. organic tamari or coconut aminos
  4. 1/2 organic lime, juiced
  5. ¼ cup organic Greek yogurt
Bowl
  1. 2 cups organic broccoli, chopped
  2. 3 Tbsp. organic pumpkin seeds
  3. 3 Tbsp. organic sesame seeds
  4. 2 cups organic leafy greens, packed
  5. 1 ripe avocado, sliced
  6. 1 ½ cups cooked white beans (soaked overnight and preferably sprouted) or 1 can, No BPA
Instructions
  1. Mix all your dressing ingredients together in a bowl. Steam the broccoli until crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. Set aside. Toast the pumpkin and sesame seeds in a pan over medium heat until lightly golden. Chop the greens and put into a serving bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and fold in the sauce. Serve over organic quinoa or brown rice if desired. Top with sauerkraut and cayenne pepper to taste.
The Ingredient Guru, Mira Dessy https://theingredientguru.com/

 

Recipe Roundup

I reached out to a number of friends and I'm delighted to share all of these amazingly delicious recipes with you.

The goal was to create a list of fabulous new recipes for you that include healthy fats plus use ingredients like garlic, onions, high fiber, fish, olive oil, and are low sugar, no crappy ingredients. This roundup covers a wide range of ideas from dressing to dessert. Be sure to bookmark this page so you can stay up to date as it continues to grow.

For more information about healthy food choices don't forget to check out my book, The Pantry Principle: how to read the label and understand what's really in your food. This is your information resource about the ingredients in your food that are not a good choice for health and how you can take back control of your pantry.

 

cholesterol awareness

September Is Cholesterol Awareness Month – Part 1

by health

What is cholesterol

Chances are you've been encouraged to reduce dietary fat because you've been told that fat is bad for you.  While there are certainly some fats that are not good choices, corn oil, soybean oil, and canola oil among them, it turns out that what you eat doesn't have as much of an impact on your cholesterol as previously believed. 

Cholesterol is a waxy steroid. For years we have been inundated by the message that we need to avoid cholesterol.  But what this message doesn't tell you is that cholesterol can actually be beneficial for your body.  While you want to be aware of how what you eat affects your cholesterol, you really need to understand the numbers that truly matter.

Cholesterol is produced by the liver.  It is very important for overall body health.  Measured in low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and triglycerides, cholesterol can accumulate in the body. This is what has so many of us scared of higher levels.  You've been told that HDL is good, LDL is bad, and your overall cholesterol number is critical.  However, this is not the entire picture and you may have been looking at information that's not complete.

Why we need cholesterol

Cholesterol is critical for good health. It's responsible for healthy cell membranes, insulating nerve tissue,  and for the production of a wide variety of hormones (sex hormones, cortisol, corticosterone, and others).

It's important to ensure that your body has enough cholesterol for what it needs.  Too little is not healthy; without hormones, the body does not function well.  Cholesterol is also used by the body to convert sunshine to vitamin D and it helps to metabolize fat-soluble vitamins A, E, and K.  Without these fat-soluble vitamins you may experience a wide variety of health issues including bone pain, muscle weakness, fatigue, and foggy thinking.

Studies show that higher levels of cholesterol may be beneficial for women. And one study published in The American Journal of Medicine concluded, “Among older hospitalized adults, low serum cholesterol levels appear to be an independent predictor of short-term mortality.”  In other words, lower cholesterol was not better.  Furthermore, it appears that having higher levels of cholesterol as an older adult may be linked to a reduced risk for Alzheimer's and dementia.

Food-based sources

After years of being told to avoid low-fat foods and to not eat things like eggs, seafood, and organ meats, studies now show that whole food sources of cholesterol do not have much of an impact on blood levels. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, “Don’t worry about the percentage of calories from fat. Focus on choosing foods with healthy fats.” Furthermore, these are all very healthy nutrient-dense foods. You should be including healthy fats in your diet, not avoiding them.  

It turns out that low-fat foods are the real problem.  Without good sources of healthy fat, you reduce your body's ability to metabolize fat-soluble vitamins.  And often low-fat foods are highly manipulated with chemicals, sugars, or simple carbohydrates to make up for the loss of the taste and mouth-feel of fat.  These are non-nutritive ingredients that do nothing to help support your body.

Foods that impact cholesterol

The foods which do have a major impact on cholesterol include trans-fats (anything marked hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated), high-fat poor quality carbohydrates such as pastries and cookies, and high levels of alcohol consumption.  Obesity and smoking can also negatively affect cholesterol levels.

Reducing cholesterol

It is important to note that new studies show that simply reducing your cholesterol level is not sufficient to reduce your risk of heart disease.  Indeed your overall cholesterol level may not be the indicator we've been taught to believe it is. It turns out that when it comes to cholesterol it's more important to look at inflammatory markers such as Homocysteine and C Reactive Protein as well as Lipoprotein (a). 

And the risk factor for cardiovascular disease can vary greatly; even those with “healthy” cholesterol levels (i.e., under 200) can still have an elevated risk of heart disease.

While we have all heard that a cholesterol level higher than 200 is unhealthy, the truth is that just looking at your cholesterol level does not reveal the entire picture.  

In the video below Drs. Stephen Sinatra and Jonny Bowden cholesterol.

This information is covered in more detail in their book The Great Cholesterol Myth.

In summary

The important things to know about cholesterol:

  • Don't rely on just one number, total cholesterol
  • Don't look only at the traditional cholesterol panel (total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides)
  • Be sure to also test for inflammatory markers and lipoprotein particles
  • Include more high-quality, healthy fats in your diet
  • Remove all poor-quality fats

Be sure to check out the rest of this series. Part Two – heart healthy foods, and Part Three  – delicious recipes

 

If you enjoyed this article join The Ingredient Guru Community to get the ingredients for living a healthy life.

 

Sources: 

 

Texas A&M University. “‘Bad' cholesterol not as bad as people think, study shows.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 8 May 2011.

“Ask The Expert: Healthy Fats”. The Nutrition Source, 2012, https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/2012/06/21/ask-the-expert-healthy-fats/#percent-calories.

Petursson, Halfdan et al. “Is The Use Of Cholesterol In Mortality Risk Algorithms In Clinical Guidelines Valid? Ten Years Prospective Data From The Norwegian HUNT 2 Study”. Journal Of Evaluation In Clinical Practice, vol 18, no. 1, 2011, pp. 159-168. Wiley, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2753.2011.01767.x. 

Onder, Graziano et al. “Serum Cholesterol Levels And In-Hospital Mortality In The Elderly”. The American Journal Of Medicine, vol 115, no. 4, 2003, pp. 265-271. Elsevier BV, doi:10.1016/s0002-9343(03)00354-1. 

Mielke, M. M. et al. “High Total Cholesterol Levels In Late Life Associated With A Reduced Risk Of Dementia”. Neurology, vol 64, no. 10, 2005, pp. 1689-1695. Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health), doi:10.1212/01.wnl.0000161870.78572.a5. 

People.Csail.Mit.Edu, 2022, http://people.csail.mit.edu/seneff/EJIM_PUBLISHED.pdf. 

“Trans Fat”. U.S. Food And Drug Administration, 2022, https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/trans-fat. Accessed