Life-saving tips on cholesterol

Are cholesterol and saturated fats different?

Yes, they are different, but in excess, they are both harmful to our body. Cholesterol is the substance normally manufactured by the liver (endogenous) needed in the production of hormones, vitamin D, and other essential substances our body requires to function normally. Cholesterol could also be found in animal products, such as red meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, and dairy products, and is called as dietary (exogenous) cholesterol. This is prominently high in egg yolk and organ meats like brain, liver and kidneys. The endogenous cholesterol is all we need. Exogenous cholesterol poses health risks. Cholesterol is not a form of fat, but it is found in foods with saturated fats.

Saturated fats and dietary (exogenous) cholesterol which are also found in meat, poultry and dairy products are both not essential to our body. So, medically speaking, our body does not really need these food items. We do not need saturated fats at all. We can live without them. It is even healthier to skip them and to eat only fish, vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts, whole grains, all high-fiber foods, if we are to reduce and minimize metabolic (diabetes, thyroid diseases, etc.), cardiovascular diseases (high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke), Alzheimer’s, and especially cancer.

What are legumes?

Legumes, which contain some essential amino acid and methionine (although higher in meat, egg, and dairy products), are among the best sources of protein in the plant kingdom. The more legumes we eat, the higher protein we get. Legumes include the different variety of beans (red beans, pinto beans, black beans, kidney beans, black-eyed beans). Red beans contain more antioxidant than blueberries, gram per gram; pinto beans also contain selenium and also has more antioxidant power than blueberries; black beans are a top source of magnesium; kidney beans is second source of most powerful antioxidant next to red means; kidney beans is top cource for fiber; and black-eyed beans contains high level of calcium, folate and magnesium. Combinations of rice and beans, tofu and beans, tortilla with beans, and peanut butter and wheat bread have been found to be healthy, without any meats, poultry or dairy products.

Coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, all have saturated fats, like in red meats. These oils, like high fructose corn sugars, are popularly used in cookies and crackers. These oils are also found in a lot of processed foods, which increase the risk for cancer. Food labels that says “no cholesterol” may still contain saturated fats, which is worse than cholesterol.

What is the safe level of saturated fat intake?

There is no such safe level. Avoiding saturated fats altogether is the safest. If one indulges in red meats, no more than 20 G should be consumed. The less the better, to avoid not only heart attack and stroke, but cancer, and Alzheimer’s. For cholesterol, no more than 300 mg daily intake is advised. Again, the lesser, the better.

What are the normal levels of cholesterol?

Total blood cholesterol level  should be around 150 mg/dl. The recommended level before was “less than 200,” but since that level still led to significant risk in cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer’s and cancer, it was lowered. For the HDL (High Density Lipoprotein, the good cholesterol), the level is 40 mg/dL or higher, and for the LDL (Low Density lipoprotein or bad cholesterol), it should be 100 mg/dL or lower.  The normal triglyceride level is 150 mg/dL or lower. Triglycerides are the products of the breakdown of saturated fats from meats, and are usually deposited and stored in the belly and hips. The lower the LDL and triglycerides, the better.  Low-fat and low-cholesterol diet and daily exercise will control all these to a healthy, life-saving, level.

Why is high fat or cholesterol dangerous?

High fat or cholesterol level (especially the bad cholesterol) thickens the blood to a thick, turbid, cloudy liquid (like paint) that coats the inner walls of the arteries, reducing their caliber as years go by, and eventually the very narrowed channel of the arteries clogs up and cuts off the circulation to the organs, like heart (causing heart attack), brain (causing stroke), legs (gangrene), etc. Staying away from red meats and egg yolks and doing exercises will prevent these debilitating illnesses.

Is high blood cholesterol found in children?

Yes, children could also develop high cholesterol level, including the bad cholesterol. This is mostly due to consumption of saturated fats and cholesterol in the food they eat, like red meats, processed foods, and junk foods from fast food chains. This is the reason while childhood obesity and early diabetes are common among children today. We, parents, must protect them from these unhealthy diet, which I stressed in my book, Let’s Stop “killing” Our Children (available at philipSchua.com and Central Book Stores). A chubby kid is not a healthy child. The overweight and their unhealthy diet and lack of exercise will shorten their life. All because we love them so much as to allow them to eat whatever they want and not to exercise as they (all of us) should.

Does fiber lower cholesterol?

Most definitely, yes. Oat meal is a great source of soluble fiber. Beans, vegetables, fruits, nuts also are. A bowl of oat meal and a banana, which provide 10 grams of fiber, every morning lowers the bad cholesterol by 5 percent. And this is a healthy way to control our cholesterol naturally. Children will greatly benefit from this regimen.

What are statins?

Statins are a class of drug that lowers blood cholesterol by blocking the action of a natural chemical in the liver that is needed in the production of cholesterol, so the liver manufactures less cholesterol. It also enhances the ability of the liver to remove the bad cholesterol and raises the good cholesterol. Excess cholesterol causes arteriosclerosis (hardening and blockage of arteries). This very popular cholesterol-lowering medication can drop the bad cholesterol by 20 percent to 55 percent.

Does everyone need statins?

No, not everyone needs to take statins or other drug to lower cholesterol. Low-fat, low- cholesterol, high fiber diet, plus exercise and weight control alone, have been found to lower the cholesterol level in a more natural way, including those with moderately high levels. This diet-exercise strategy also controls blood pressure among hypertensive people, without medications. Among those with cholesterol level not controlled by diet and exercise alone will greatly benefit from taking statins as shown in various studies. This drug may even be good to reduce the risk for Alzheimer’s, but more clinical research is needed to confirm this. Statins should be taken under a physician’s supervision.

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