People are so frightened about their high cholesterol that we just have to set the record straight. There has never been any proven link between high cholesterol and heart disease, heart attack or stroke. All of the hype was at best started based on conjecture (the fancy term for guessing) and at worst, a conspiracy to get people to take expensive prescription drugs!
If you’re one of the millions of people who believe these “facts” about cholesterol, get ready for an education. Take this True or False quiz to see if you can separate fact from myth about cholesterol.
1. Cholesterol is a vital substance necessary for good health. T / F
2. The lower your cholesterol, the healthier you will be. T / F
3. Having cholesterol levels of less than 150 significantly reduces your risk of dying from heart disease. T / F
4. The lower your cholesterol levels are the greater your risk of dying from cancer. T / F
5. Cholesterol plays a role in helping to protect the body against environmental toxins. T / F
6. Cholesterol is important in maintaining fertility and sex drive. T / F
7. Eating foods high in fat will raise cholesterol levels. T / F
8. The use of statin drugs has lowered the incidence of heart disease. T / F
9. Oxidative stress and inflammation are the root cause of cardiovascular disease. T / F
10. High insulin levels are a greater risk factor for cardiovascular disease than high cholesterol. T / F
(See answers at the bottom of the page)
Most people in North America believe that high cholesterol causes heart disease and that lowering your cholesterol is one of the best ways to protect yourself from dying of a heart attack or stroke. Another popular belief is that the lower your cholesterol, the better. Based on these beliefs, millions of people are taking statin drugs to lower their cholesterol.
Recent studies have shown that the groups of people who have the longest lifespan actually have high cholesterol. How high, you ask? Over 300 and some as high as 500 mg/dl. Crazy you say? Facts are facts. In fact, more studies have shown that low cholesterol levels can be far more dangerous.
The idea that too much animal fat and a high cholesterol level are dangerous to your heart and vessels is nothing but a myth. Cholesterol is not a deadly poison, but a substance vital to the cells of all mammals. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, point out that high cholesterol in those over 75 years of age is protective, rather than harmful and that low cholesterol is a risk factor for heart arrhythmias (leading cause of death if heart attack occurs).
Researchers from the University of Denmark report that about 15% of cholesterol lowering drug users over the age of 50 will suffer from nerve damage as direct result of using statin drugs. USA Today reported that Statins have killed and injured more people than the government has acknowledged.
The Journal of the American Medical Association published a study entitled: Cholesterol and Mortality - 30 Years of Follow-up from the Framingham study. Shocking to most, this in-depth study showed that after the age of 50 there is no increased overall death associated with high cholesterol! There was however a direct association between low levels (or dropping levels) of cholesterol and increased death. Specifically, medical researchers reported that cardio vascular disease death rates increased by 14% for every 1 mg/dl drop in total cholesterol levels per year.
There are a lot of things you can do and supplement with to protect yourself from heart disease, heart attack and stroke without being worried about your cholesterol levels. Coenzyme Q10 is the most studied supplement on the planet. The research papers on its efficacy would fill a sports arena. Everyone who has a heart should be taking 100 mg daily. And add a little garlic to your daily diet. (Take NSP’s parsley coated tablets, High Potency Garlic, if you don’t want to offend your vampire friends.) Another taste treat for your heart is Capsicum & Garlic with Parsley Capsules! It’s better than take-out!
Minerals are so critical to health. We perspire and lose all minerals, not just sodium and potassium. Physically active people actually lose more minerals! If you don’t replace the copper, you’re at risk for aneurysm. If you don’t replace the selenium, you’re at risk for heart attack or cancer, if you don’t replace the manganese, you’re at risk for carpal tunnel or other joint deterioration. Take Trace Mineral Maintenance (tablets) or Colloidal Minerals (liquid) every day. Then you can get out and exercise without losing your mineral support!
PS Here are the Answers to the quiz above.
1. True; 2. False; 3. False; 4. True; 5. True; 6. True; 7. False; 8. False; 9. True; 10. True
Scoring: 10 Correct = Heart Health! You Win! All others must supplement with CoQ10!
|