Tina the Nutritionist
Cholesterol
Hello Vivamin Members!
I hope everyone is enjoying this Holiday Season! ;-)
There is a famous line that I heard in a movie many years ago... I do not remember the name of this movie but I still hear the line used to this day (I actually heard it last night)! Right now, I think it is a PERFECT way to describe the way I feel about what is going on in the medical world...
"I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!"
I am angry because we are being "mislead" and it just infuriates me! We are lead to believe the ONLY way a disease can be CURED is by taking drugs. I totally disagree with this way of thinking. I have personally experienced the healing effects of foods, exercise, vitamins, minerals, homeopathy, acupuncture, massage therapy, heat and ice, and the list goes on and on. There are literally THOUSANDS of natural and non-invasive remedies on our beautiful planet to choose from " if you know where to look.
I remember back in my college days... I went to the school doctor to get my blood work up done. When the results came back, he proceeded to inform me that I had arthritis and high cholesterol. He then went on to recommend I see a "nutritionist" and possibly go on medication for my (so called) cholesterol "problem."
Come to find out (by looking at the test results MYSELF!), my total cholesterol was only 219 (still is to this day) and that my HDL's (high density lipoproteins) were much higher than my LDL's (low density lipoproteins). I actually had to point this startling fact out to the doctor myself! He did not even take the "ratio" into account.
The fact is that I was as healthy as a horse! I was in shock that a medical doctor seemed to know less about cholesterol than a college student working on their degree " in Nutrition! In addition to knowing nothing about nutrition himself, his first suggestion was for a healthy person to go on a DRUG " scary.
As far as the "arthritis" goes " it is now 15 years later and I feel better than ever!
Why do I tell you this? Because I did not go on a DRUG for either "disease." If I had started the vicious cycle of taking these drugs back in my 20's - imagine where I could be today - still taking them plus possibly even more!
So, what did I do? I ate healthier, upped my exercise routine and increased my water intake (not for the 219 cholesterol "problem" " but, for overall health and as a way to prevent further decline from this new "arthritis" discovery).
The old saying - "You are what you eat" - is RIGHT ON TARGET! This is truly "THE KEY" to overall health and well-being. If you have a genuine DESIRE to live a healthy and disease free life - you can! Change your DIET! And NEVER think of a change in your eating habbits as a "diet" you are "on" - it's a SOLUTION for the rest of your LIFE!
Questions and Answers
Here is the question sent by one of our members which pushed me to cover the Cholesterol topic this week".
*******************************************************************
Hi Tina-
I have recently been informed that I have an LDL of 171 and a combined level of 261 on my cholesterol count.
I have been cutting back on my intake of fried foods, eggs and red meats. My question is that some foods are high in fats and low in cholesterol and some are high in cholesterol and low in fat. How does one balance the intake of these foods?
Does Vivamin have a product that would help in the control of my situation. I have just started taking Simvastatin for my cholesterol but should probably be taking a vitamin supplement also. Please advise. I will be looking forward to hearing from you. Thank you very much!! Dave K. *******************************************************************
Hey Dave " do not worry! We will help you with your cholesterol "situation" ;-)
To begin, 261 is not an extremely high Cholesterol count. This level can easily be lowered by diet, exercise and a healthy lifestyle! You can begin by cutting out any "unhealthy" habits listed below:
Smoking, drinking alcohol (excessively), lack of exercise, refined and processed foods, deep fried and fast foods, high sodium foods, 'unhealthy' fats, soda pop, "fruit juices," lack of water, negative outlook on life, stress " there is a very long list of "bad" habits.
*Please understand that I am not accusing you of anything I have listed above, these are just factors that everyone reading this letter must pay attention to.
Another topic I must clear up before I begin " I will never suggest that anyone stop taking their medication(s). This is only for you and your doctor to decide. What I do hope to accomplish here is only to plant a "seed." Hopefully, this seed will sprout and a tree of knowledge will grow which will enable you to make educated decisions in the future - for yourself and your loved ones.
On to the next part of the question "
I have been cutting back on my intake of fried foods, eggs and red meats. My question is that some foods are high in fats and low in cholesterol and some are high in cholesterol and low in fat. How does one balance the intake of these foods?
One does not "necessarily" need to cut out or even down on meat and eggs (depending on how much of these foods you eat in the first place). There tends to be a misconception that meat and eggs are the culprits or the "bad guys" and that these foods alone increase your LDL's and triglycerides. This is simply not true. It is not the "meat and eggs" that cause an increase in your total cholesterol ... there are actually many factors involved such as how you cook your food, and what you cook it in, what other ingredients you add, and all the other foods you eat along with your meat and eggs. In addition, what are you drinking with your meals? (high sugar drinks and fruit juices are out!)
You will experience some very beneficial results in lowering your trigyclerides and LDL's if you LIMIT or even REMOVE refined sugars and flours, processed foods and deep fried foods from your diet. One who is attempting to reduce their cholesterol levels may want to cut out fried foods completely for quicker results. But, please, do not cut out protein sources that you are fond of. I am not saying you need to continue eating eggs and red meat on a daily basis (if that is currently the case), but you can have eggs and red meat a few days out of the week - cooked in a healthy way.
*I suggest cooking eggs and meats in extra virgin olive oil, pure virgin coconut oil, virgin palm oil or boiling.
What about Cholesterol Lowering Statin Drugs?
Even with all the controversy about cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, sales of them still will be in the billions of dollars this year. There are indeed some people with extremely high cholesterol that can be helped by statins, but many users can be better served with any number of natural alternatives
Where does cholesterol come from and what is its role in the body?
Our body absorbs cholesterol from the foods we eat; it also reabsorbs the cholesterol-like molecules and bile salts our bodies naturally produce during digestion. Here's how it works - when we eat, the body secretes cholesterol into the digestive tract where it emulsifies fats. After these cholesterol molecules complete their initial job, they are reabsorbed. The absorption of cholesterol from foods and the re-absorption of the cholesterol-like molecules made by our body increase our total cholesterol burden.
For many of us, in this day and age, the biggest problem is our food is not what it used to be. There are a variety of reasons for this fact which I briefly touched upon in last weeks newsletter i.e. the overuse and depletion of our soils, chemical pesticides and fertilizers, processing of foods, cooking, freezing, microwaves, chemical food additives etc. As a consequence of the new technologies we now incorporate into the "manufacturing" of our foods, we no longer benefit from the nutrient dense crops our Grandparent's once enjoyed. This is where supplementation comes in - especially nutrient dense green foods which include "Phytonutrients" and "Plant Sterols."
Unfortunately, our modern Westernized diet just doesn't provide enough phytosterols to give us the cholesterol-lowering and heart-healthy benefits we need. Thus, supplementation is the only real way to get adequate amounts of these powerful plant compounds. Providing pure, natural phytosterols at levels researchers have established is extremely helpful in keeping your cholesterol levels in balance.
Phytosterols are plant-derived and have been clinically proven to safely lower total and LDL Cholesterol levels. Phytosterols share a very similar molecular structure to our own cholesterol, but the very subtle differences between these two compounds allow phytosterols to lower total and LDL cholesterol. Phytosterols help to block the absorption of the body's normal dietary cholesterol. It also affects the absorption and excretion of bile salts and other cholesterol-related compounds.
Plant sterols also help force cholesterol and bile salts out of solution in the intestinal tract by crystallizing them, which prevents absorption. Both cholesterol and the plant sterols are then excreted out of the body, which also lowers the body's total cholesterol burden.
Does Vivamin have a product that would help in the control of my situation. I have just started taking Simvastatin for my cholesterol but should probably be taking a vitamin supplement also. Please advise.
From your Vivamin Product Shop " here is what I would highly recommend:
*Please go to the shop and read the entire write-up on these products.
If you feel part of your high Cholesterol level stems from being overweight - or if you simply have cravings for foods which are high in sugar - here is what I suggest:
Hoodia Gordonii - Naturally decrease cravings!
Weight Loss Pill - Thermogenisis (increase metabloismn) and liposysis (breaks down body fat to use as an energy source)
For daily health maintenance and over all health " here is what I suggest:
Multi Vitamin Pill - Will provide a variety of health benefits for the entire body!
Super Greens Pills - Rich in Pytonutrients! Plant Sterols are very beneficial.
If you want to add any single nutrient .. here are supplements which can be beneficial in helping to lower your Cholesterol levels:
*Beta Sitosterol 50-100 mg *Inositol - 10-30 mg *Cirus Bioflavanoids - 100-250 mg *Garlic - 150-500mg *Oat Bran Fiber - 500mg-1g *Lecithin - 300-600mg
*Gugulipid - 500-1g *GTF Chromium - 200-400mcg *CoQ10 - 60-100mg
*L-Carnatine - 500-1g *Flax Seed Oil - 1g * CLA-1g *Alpha Lipoic Acid-300mg
To You and Your Health!
Tina Brorby Cox
The Vivamin Nutritionist
|
Health & Nutrition Guide:
 Nutritional Support for a
"HEALTHY BODY" Cholesterol
Cholesterol
Homeopathy
Acid free diet
|
