Did you know that cholesterol is a vital nutrient for human health?
Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in your bloodstream, and in every cell in your body. As a matter of fact, some of the cells with high levels of cholesterol and saturated fats are the cells that line certain parts of blood vessels to make them strong enough to withstand the pressure of the blood flowing through them. Cholesterol helps produce cell membranes, hormones, vitamin D and bile acids which aids in digesting fat.
About 25% of all body cholesterol is taken by the brain. The connections between brain cells is entirely dependent on cholesterol. We would have no learning or memory without cholesterol.
Immune cells rely on cholesterol. Cholesterol in the cells helps the immune system fight off infections. LDL binds and deactivates bacterial toxins. For example, the MRSA bacterial toxin does not destroy red blood cells when LDL is present. Interestingly enough, before antibiotics, a common cure for tuberculosis was daily raw egg yolks and fresh cream!
Other Benefits of Cholesterol:
- Allows the arteries and veins to withstand the pressure of the blood flowing through them and heals them after we have any injury.
- It has been found that cholesterol levels in the blood increase post-surgery aiding in the healing process.
- Most of our hormones are made from cholesterol including sex hormones. Without enough cholesterol we see infertility.
- Bile is made from cholesterol and is needed for absorption of fat and fat-soluble vitamins.
- Vitamin D, essential for cell repair, is made from cholesterol and sunlight in our skin.
- Fetuses and infants require cholesterol for eye and brain development.
- Without enough cholesterol emotional instability and behavioral problems result, including violent and aggressive actions.
What Causes High Cholesterol?
- Sugar: Sugar Binds with proteins in the blood and makes them “sticky” and attaches to the blood vessel walls starting atherosclerosis, blindness, kidney failure, Alzheimer’s, impotence, loss of memory, etcetera. What happens just depends on where the sticky proteins get stuck.
- Magnesium deficiency: Sugar strips the body of magnesium – we know so far that magnesium is needed for over 300 metabolic reactions in the body which occur every second. Magnesium is required for detoxification pathways.
- Nutritional deficiencies, such as B vitamin or Vitamin C deficiencies
- Trauma, including surgery for healing
- Stress: For adrenal hormone production and the liver needs it to handle the storm of free radicals the stress causes
- Infection
- Toxic chemicals
- Abnormal intestinal microorganisms. These can damage the intestinal lining and allow toxins and bad microorganisms into the blood.
- Hyperinsulinemia: After overeating processed carbohydrates (ie. Bread items, grain pastas and refined sugars)
Foods High in Cholesterol:
- Caviar
- Cod liver oil
- Fresh egg yolks
- Butter
- Cold water fish and shellfish
- Lard
“Scientific studies have conclusively demonstrated that cholesterol from food has no effect whatsoever on the level of cholesterol in our blood.” Cholesterol is so important to us, the body at all times keeps blood cholesterol at a given level and if we eat more, we make less and if we eat less, we make more. 85% of our cholesterol is made by our bodies and 15% comes from food.
Medication
There are many sides effects of cholesterol reducing drugs, including memory loss. The FDA warns statins may cause some people to have memory loss or confusion while taking statins. In some cases, the risks, outweigh the benefits. However, cholesterol is not the villain it is made out to be. So before taking a statin medication to lower your cholesterol, do your homework and educate yourself.
There Is A Way!™
– Dr. Diane®
Blog contributors: Dr. Diane Roberts Stoler, Ed.D., Martha Lindsay, MS, CNE, certified in Nutrition Response Testing SM, GAPS certified practitioner, and Terry Anderson.
References
Eat Fat Lose Fat, Dr. Mary Enig and Sally Fallon, Plume Publishing (member of Penguin Group, 2003.)
The Cholesterol Hoax, Dr. Sherry A Rogers, Sand Key Company, Inc, 2008.
The Great Cholesterol Con, Dr. Malcolm Kendrick, John Blake Publishing, Inc., 2007.
Know Your Fats, Dr. Mary G. Enig, Enig Associates, Inc., 2000 (7th printing, 2006).
Put Your Heart in Your Mouth, Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, Medinform Publishing, 2007.
