The Cholesterol Myths

by Keli MacIntosh

For the last several years many people have been concerned about their cholesterol. We are constantly reminded that we should monitor our levels of this important blood constituent. Advertising and food packaging promote low fat products, assuring people that their consumption will allay the threat of cardiac disease. Even the little guy in the TV ad who awakened his parents with a bowl of cereal was concerned.

Just recently the standard for the optimal cholesterol blood level has been lowered. The newly revised standard places the majority of adults and a surprising percentage of children at a level at which it is suggested they take medication.

This announcement concerns me. My first response was to question why more information has not been given to educate the public instead of just adding another medication to their regimen. Why didn’t anyone explain how cholesterol affects the body—how it might factor into disease? And why weren’t lifestyle changes suggested before recommending more drugs?

A client suggested I read The Cholesterol Myths by Uffe Ravnskov, M.D., Ph.D., to have a look at cholesterol from a new perspective. And I’m glad I took her advice! This book is a compilation of research on cholesterol and the effect it has on health.

Dr. Ravsnkov has spent years trying to find answers to some questions that had been troubling him. Questions like:

• Why do some indigenous people who have a very high-fat diet (like the Masaii, a group of nomad people in Africa, who eat only the meat, milk, and blood of their cows) show very little cholesterol in their blood and do not suffer from cardiac disease?
• Why have many experiences with patients (and even some studies) shown no consistent correlation between high blood levels of cholesterol and the incidence of atherosclerosis (coronary artery disease)?

Dr. Ravsnkov challenges the general assumption that high fat foods cause an increase in blood cholesterol. After analyzing huge amounts of research he states that “the mostly likely interpretation is that high cholesterol is not dangerous in itself, but a marker for something else.” He has found that the fat in your food has little or no influence at all on the cholesterol in your blood. We regulate our own production of cholesterol according to our needs; if we eat large amounts of cholesterol-rich foods our body produces less and, conversely, if we eat small amounts of cholesterol our body produces more.

“There is little or no evidence that blood cholesterol plays any role at all in coronary heart disease.” Many people with low cholesterol levels suffer from heart attacks. As a matter of fact, some studies have shown that an elevated cholesterol level, especially in older women, may actually be protective. There is a larger number of older women with low cholesterol suffering from heart attacks than their counterparts with high levels. Low cholesterol levels have also been associated with a higher incidence of cerebral hemorrhage (strokes).

So why is there a big push to encourage more people to begin taking medication to lower their cholesterol levels? Remember that much of the present practice of medicine is dictated by pharmaceutical interests. Did you know that practicing physicians get much of their information from drug companies? The lowering of accepted cholesterol levels seems to be a pharmaceutical ploy to insure sales of products. And think how much money is being made by the food industry from promoting low cholesterol foods. Unfortunately there has been little concern for the well-being of the public. Otherwise why would these big businesses not even mention the more natural approach to controlling cholesterol?

Dr. Ravnskov asks practitioners to consider the following lifestyle changes before resorting to medication:

• Increase physical exercise. Even the simple act of going for a daily walk can help. It is believed that the coronary health of the Masaii is due to their abundance of physical activity.
• No smoking!! This is one the thing everyone agrees on as a negative factor in cardiac health.
• Encourage the loss of extra weight. Cholesterol is stored in fat tissue; the less fat you have, the lower your cholesterol levels will be.
• Maintain regular bowel movements. Cholesterol can be reabsorbed through the colon if bowel movements are sluggish. A daily bowl of oatmeal is a great idea!

So do some investigating of your own to determine if your cholesterol is a health risk. Dr. Ravnskov’s book is a great resource. And please give some consideration to other alternatives before you rely on drugs to control your cholesterol.

May your lifestyle be a healthy one!

Keli MacIntosh has over 35 years of experience in the medical field as a Registered Nurse. She is also a Certified Nutritional Consultant and regional manager of Natural Health Specialists. For a health consultation, call Keli at 231.946.3872.