Cholesterol Levels and Heart DiseaseMany people keep a close eye on their cholesterol levels, but why? While keeping your HDL's (the "good") up, and your LDL's (the "bad" ) down may be important, but it may not be as important as watching your oxidation levels. Did you know that half of all heart attacks take place in individuals with normal cholesterol levels? There may be more than simple HDL's, LDL's and Triglycerides that plays a part in heart disease. Research shows that it may not be cholesterol itself that is the danger to your cardiovascular health. The danger may come from oxidized cholesterol. Oxidation is the crucial factor not being screened by conventional physicians. The quantity of cholesterol is not the only problem: the quality of the cholesterol must also be monitored. Cholesterol can easily be altered through oxidation into a dangerous substance that contributes greatly to cardiovascular disease. Oxidized cholesterol is a silent killer. You can’t feel it happening and conventional physicians don’t screen you for oxidation. Testing for oxidation levels is a simple process but an important factor. Read the following article below, by Dr Stephen Stiteler, and decide for yourself.
Normal Cholesterol = Low Risk of Heart Disease, Right?....Think Again! © 2005 Stephen Stiteler, L.Ac., O.M.D., N.M.D., D. Hom., FBATCM, FOHAI, FANMA Simply lowering your cholesterol may not be enough to prevent serious heart disease. Numerous studies show that even with low or normal cholesterol levels people may be at a high risk of heart attacks (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9). In fact, half of all heart attacks take place in people with normal cholesterol levels! (1, 2, 3) If normalizing the level of our cholesterol isn’t enough, what is? Although doctors routinely monitor the quantity of the cholesterol, very few monitor its quality. They are missing a critical risk factor…whether the cholesterol has been oxidized into dangerous molecules that can damage the cardiovascular system. OXIDATION ALTERS THE QUALITY OF YOUR CHOLESTEROL Literally, oxidation is “electron theft”. Due to various factors (see below), molecules in the body can lose electrons and become unstable. In an attempt to “normalize” their electron bonds, these incomplete molecules may steal electrons from other molecules. LDL cholesterol molecules are particularly susceptible to oxidation. When an "attacked" LDL molecule loses an electron a chain reaction results causing neighboring LDL molecules to become oxidized. adrenaline shifts from stress insulin shifts from carbs & sweets low anti-oxidant diet eating too late eating too much pesticides FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO OXIDATION fast foods sweets petrochemicals stress heavy metals Rx meds LDL cholesterol is not dangerous until it is oxidized. At this point it converts into a substance known as oxysterol. M.D.’s rarely screen you for oxidation, so in most people it often goes unnoticed until much of their LDL becomes dangerous oxysterol. OXYSTEROL: THE HIDDEN CHOLESTEROL CULPRIT Oxysterol is the result of oxidized fragments of LDL cholesterol and related compounds. Oxysterol causes the damage and breakdown of the vascular system that makes cholesterol infamous (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24). Oxysterol, even at low concentrations, stimulates chronic inflammation to the arteries that leads to primary heart disease. The inflammation causes the arteries to constrict and blood to clot. White blood cells are called to the area to gobble up damaged tissue and debris, and adjacent cells begin to multiply, ultimately forming scar tissue known as arterial plaque. Constriction of our arteries and the "thickening" of our blood further predispose us to high blood pressure and heart attacks. If you want to control heart disease, you must not only normalize your cholesterol levels, you must also control the oxidation of cholesterol into oxysterol. WHO TESTS YOU FOR OXIDATION? Not your M.D. He’s only concerned about the quantity of your cholesterol, not the quality of it. Easy-to-use in-office or at home urine oxidation tests are now available to give you instant results regarding your oxidation status. Find a health practitioner (we provide this service for you to do at home, followed by a consult ) who uses urine oxidation tests. Without correcting the oxidation levels, your risk of cardiovascular disease still exists. WHAT ABOUT CHOLESTEROL-LOWERING DRUGS? Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs are now proving to be a considerable risk to your health. Statin drugs can produce such serious side-effects that doctors insist on blood tests at least twice per year to detect early stages of liver damage (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32). Statin drugs also lower Co-Q-10, a naturally occurring vital cellular nutrient. Co-Q-10 is important in protecting the vascular system and the heart against inflammatory oxidation damage and is also critical to cellular energy production (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39). LOWER & PROTECT YOUR CHOLESTEROL NATURALLY Research has identified numerous nutrients and herbs that effectively improve cholesterol metabolism (40 - 65). A properly balanced program will accomplish much more than statin drugs. A balanced program should simultaneously: · lower your Total Cholesterol level · raise your HDL (good) cholesterol level · lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol level · protect your cholesterol from oxidation damage A balanced program should be personalized to your specific metabolic needs by an experienced health practitioner. No two people have the same requirements, and only an experienced health practitioner can help you determine your individual needs. 
HOW TO REDUCE YOUR RISK OF HEART DISEASE 1) Find a health practitioner who tests the quantity and the quality of your cholesterol. 2) Exercise aerobically at least 3 x weekly, a magnificent regulator of cholesterol. 3) Eat 5-6 cups of fruits and vegetables daily, giving you the fiber needed to remove excess cholesterol, as well as providing powerful antioxidants to protect LDL cholesterol from oxidation. 4) Eat up to 30% of your calories from total fat, but most should be from unsaturated fat, which does not raise cholesterol levels. 5) Where possible, eat organic food and do not over-cook it. 6) Drink only filtered water. Never drink tap water. 7) Learn to relax. Learn to play. High stress is implicated with high cholesterol. If your cholesterol is out of balance, use safer nutritional and herbal products to balance your cholesterol naturally. Properly prescribed nutritional and herbal supplements provide better protection than statin drugs, without the potential side-effects. Allow your health practitioner to individualize your program. Remember, until you protect both the quantity and the quality of your cholesterol, you are still at risk. A personalized program, can not only help with your cholesterol levels, but also create a better environment for your body to function. Being oxidized does not mean you will heart disease, or plague build up, but it does mean the environment is right for it. I think a good example thats easy to visualize is one of a fish tank. When the water is flowing, and is aerated, and the ph is balanced, you have healthy fish. If the water stops flowing, the ph changes, the water gets dirty, you may or may not get algae build up in the tank, but the environment is right for it. All you need to do, is ensure you provide the best environment for your body, we would like to help you to find that balance. If you would like to have your oxidation test done, and have a personal wellness program made for you, please visit our E-Clinic to order your at home test, and schedule a consult. Adjusting your cholesterol levels may not mean a lifetime of harsh drugs and chemicals. Cholesterol levels being is only a sign there is something out of balance. Ignoring this imbalance can lead to more serious health problems. In addition to adjusting your oxidation levels, cholesterol levels may be adjusted with diet and exercise, with out the nasty side effects. Refrences for the above article can be found here. cholesterol Levels Page Top Home
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