High Cholesterol Levels Don't Cause Heart Disease

The root cause of most heart problems is a condition called atherosclerosis, often referred to as "clogging" or "hardening" of the arteries. The blame for this condition is usually placed on having too high a level of cholesterol in your bloodstream, but if you examine all the statistics on the rate of heart attacks in industrialized nations, this theory doesn't hold up. The Statistics Don't Support the Hypothesis. A comparison of different western cultures and their rate of heart disease will demonstrate that there is no correlation to cholesterol levels. Switzerland, where people have higher levels of cholesterol than any other European country, has one of the lowest rates of heart attacks of any industrialized nation. In Russia, which has a very high rate of heart disease, people have one of the lowest average levels of cholesterol of any nation. The Pharmaceutical Industry Promotes The Cholesterol Myth How did the medical and scientific community, and the public, come to align with such a hypothesis? You have to look at the power and influence of the pharmaceutical industry, which has spent over thirty years marketing very lucrative cholesterol-lowering drugs that promise to reduce your risk of heart disease. These drugs, commonly called statins, are the most widely prescribed and profitable drugs on the market. High Cholesterol Levels are a Symptom — Not a Cause. Although an unusually high cholesterol level may be a symptom of problems, it is not a cause of anything by itself, including atherosclerosis and heart disease. What is Cholesterol? Cholesterol is a waxy, fatty substance that is manufactured in your liver and by individual cells in your body. It is also found in foods, as we all know. Because cholesterol is a fat, it doesn't mix with water, the primary component in your blood. To get the cholesterol from your liver to other parts of your body where it is needed, the cholesterol is wrapped in what are called lipoproteins, which transport it through your bloodstream. There are several kinds of lipoproteins in your bloodstream. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) delivers cholesterol to your tissues. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) carries cholesterol back to your liver to be removed. You have probably heard these terms used when cholesterol is being discussed. HDL is often referred to as the "good" cholesterol and LDL as the "bad" cholesterol. There Really is No Such Thing as Good or Bad Cholesterol. Your body needs cholesterol. Cholesterol is a vital component in your body's natural metabolic processes. Here are just some of the jobs that cholesterol does: • cholesterol makes and repairs cell membranes and the sheaths that cover and protect your nerves • cholesterol metabolizes vitami D from sunlight and produces many essential hormones that regulate your body chemistry • cholesterol promotes a healthy nervous system • cholesterol is an essential component for the brain neurotransmitters that regulate brain function • cholesterol is used in your intestinal tract to aid proper digestionr As you can see, cholesterol is an critical element for your good health. What Causes High Cholesterol Levels? It's Not the Cholesterol in Your Diet! There are four main reasons why your cholesterol levels may be high: • Your liver is not processing lipoproteins efficiently; in which case, there is some underlying problem, probably unrelated to your dietary intake of cholesterol. • Your blood sugar levels are frequently elevated due to a diet high in carbohydrates. • You may be genetically predisposed to having high levels. This is extremely rare. • And finally, the most likely reason: your arteries are under constant attack from free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive particles that can damage cells and tissue anywhere in your body. When free radicals attack your arteries, it leads to atherosclerosis and heart disease. Free radicals are also an essential part of your body's natural defense system, but an overload of them can be very damaging. Excess free radicals are caused by a poor diet and an unending list of environmental stress factors and toxins. In your arteries, free radical damage to the arterial walls encourages the formation of cholesterol deposits and plaque, because your liver will produce more cholesterol in an attempt to repair the damage. This is what leads to higher levels of cholesterol, not foods like eggs and butter. Prevention of Heart Disease The best way to prevent heart disease is by eating a healthy diet rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants give your body the defense it needs against free radical attacks to your arteries. With an abundant supply of antioxidants, the free radicals are neutralized quickly enough so that your artery walls will remain intact and your cholesterol will not form plaque.