The Truth About Cholesterol

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Cholesterol is not really the villain portrayed in the pharmaceutical ads. It is actually a vital substance needed in every cell of the body as it is the chemical precursor from which the body produces bile acids, provitamin D3, male and female sex hormones, and adrenal hormones (hydrocortisone and aldosterone that regulates sodium and potassium balance). Cholesterol is needed to construct the important membranes which surround cells.

The body is able to manufacture cholesterol but is unable to destroy this substance. Cholesterol is removed from the body combined with bile acids. This removal is increased by dietary fiber and diminished in the absence of dietary fiber. Up to 94% of cholesterol and bile acids are reabsorbed and reused when dietary fiber is lacking.[1] This is one reason that low fiber diets may increase blood cholesterol levels.

The body can make cholesterol whether there is any cholesterol in the diet or not. By removing all cholesterol from the diet, the blood cholesterol will only fall by about 20% to 25%.

Cholesterol is dissolved and kept in solution as a flowing liquid when there are adequate amounts of essential fatty acids. The melting point of cholesterol, where it would deposit on artery walls, is 300 degrees F. When lecithin is present, the melting point of cholesterol falls to 180 degrees where it is still insoluble. However, when the essential fatty acids linoleic and linolenic are present in sufficient quantity, the melting point of cholesterol falls to 32 degrees which is below normal body temperature. Even in the presence of an arterial injury, cholesterol will have a more difficult time depositing with fibrin and platelets on an injured artery surface because the essential fatty acids have made the blood more fluid.

After gazing at a television advertisement depicting an attractive young woman collapse on the street with a heart attack because her cholesterol was 280 mg. % you would certainly be justified in having considerable fear if your cholesterol is elevated. Massive amounts of money are being spent by pharmaceutical firms on advertisements to convince the public that their lives are in great danger if their cholesterol levels are high.

These firms have gained nearly total control over the curriculums taught in medical schools, the articles published in medical journals and who receives research grants and what they are going to be allowed to study in these grants. This control over research expenditures prevents research that might lead to cures of serious diseases (cancer, schizophrenia, HIV, Alzheimer's Disease). Conventional medical therapy uses drugs which generally have no ability to cure these diseases. Persons thinking outside the box who might discover information that would disturb the current pharmaceutical dogma about diseases will experience considerable difficulty getting funds.

Of great importance the pharmaceutical industry has established the precedent with the state boards of medical license that any therapies that do not use pharmaceutical drugs are quackery which is dangerous to the public and should be suppressed. This pressure to conform to pharmaceutical drug use has caused great personal anguish and financial loss to many innovative physicians who have dared to treat patients with alternative therapies that do cure patients. Often these physicians must spend large amounts of money defending themselves from attempts to remove their licenses.

The current dogmas about treating cholesterol are formulated by a committee named National Cholesterol Education Program NCEP. This committee is a part of the National Institute of Health within the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

Their most recent recommendations (2004) included more aggressive efforts to lower blood cholesterol. The lower limit of safety for LDL cholesterol was lowered from 130 mg. to 100 mg. Cholesterol lowering drugs were recommended for all diabetics and elderly patients with high cholesterol levels. If implemented, these recommendations would add about 4,000,000 persons to the multitudes already taking statin drugs. (What a bonanza for drug company profits). Six out of the nine members[2] of the NCEP making these new recommendations are affiliated with the drug companies that manufacture statin drugs. Do you think this is a coincidence?

This 2004 call for the "aggressive and increased use of statin medication to treat high blood cholesterol values" would not be alarming if there would actually be many lives saved by these new recommendations. The disturbing part of this information is that there is little credible scientific information to support these changes and there is a large amount of valid scientific information suggesting that many persons taking statin drugs are suffering serious even fatal side effects. Obviously increasing the number of persons taking statin drugs would greatly increase the number of patients being injured by these drugs.

Two years ago Dr. Julian Whitaker proposed to the FDA that the package insert supplied with a statin drug contain information that statin drugs decrease the levels of the critical nutrient CoQ 10 in patients. He wisely suggested. that all patients taking statin drugs should also be taking 100 to 200 mg. of CoQ 10 daily to avoid complications (heart failure, muscle breakdown with potentially fatal kidney failure {myoglobulinuria}, muscle weakness, peripheral neuritis, transient global amnesia etc.) The FDA ignored Dr. Whitaker's suggestion because admitting that there was a danger from statin drugs, even if true, might hurt the sales of statin drugs.

Cholesterol Is Not A Major Cause Of Arterial Disease

Several factors appear to be of greater importance than cholesterol in causing arterial disease. Among these are deposition of toxic metals in the lining endothelium of arteries, Vitamin C deficiency, excessive amounts of lipoprotein (a), inflammation in arteries, excessive clotting of blood, homocysteine elevation (hyperhomocystinemia) and dangerous foods.

An important study by Dr. Harlan Krumholz revealed that persons with low cholesterol levels over the age of 70 died twice as often from heart attacks[3] as older persons with high cholesterol values. Most studies in old persons have shown that cholesterol is not a risk factor for coronary artery disease. Approximately 90 % of cardiovascular disease is seen in persons over 60 years of age. Almost all studies have shown that high cholesterol is not a risk factor for women.[4] This leaves cholesterol as a risk factor for less than 5 % of those persons dying of a heart attack.

High cholesterol values protect against infection. In a review of 19 studies involving 68,000 persons low cholesterol values revealed an increased risk for dying from lung and gastrointestinal diseases. Both lung and g.i. diseases are often related to infections. This information was confirmed by a 15 year study of 100,000 healthy persons in the San Francisco area. Persons entering this study with low cholesterol values were more often admitted to hospitals because of infectious diseases.[5] Patients with a history of a sexually transmitted disease or liver disease were twice as likely to develop HIV infection[6] over 7 to 8 year follow up if they had a low cholesterol value when entering the study.

Patients with severe heart failure have high levels of endotoxins and cytokines in their blood. Endotoxins are toxic substances derived from gram negative bacteria. Cytokines are hormones secreted from white blood cells responding to an inflammatory process in the body. A medical team in Germany learned that the strongest predictor for death in a patient with heart failure was the concentration of cytokines[7] in the blood. They felt that bacteria in the gut found it easier to penetrate tissues when the pressure in abdominal veins was elevated by heart failure. Endotoxins were highest in patients with edema and endotoxin levels fell significantly when heart failure improved with therapy. Patients with heart failure whose immune function is unable to respond to bacterial antigens (anergy) had a higher mortality than patients who still responded to bacterial antigens. In addition the mortality was higher in those patients who had the lowest cholesterol, LDL, and triglyceride values. The risk of dying in a group of 1000 patients with heart failure followed for 5 years was 62 % in patients whose cholesterol was below 129 mg/dl. whereas patients whose cholesterol was over 223 mg./dl had only one half this risk of death.

When arteries are examined visually, by xrays or ultrasound there has never been any correlation between changes in cholesterol values and the extent of arteriosclerosis.

Why Metal Deposition In Artery Linings (Endothelium) Is So Important

After more than 30 years of use intravenous chelation therapy (EDTA) has become an accepted form of therapy because it has been found to be an effective, safe relatively inexpensive way to reverse occluded arteries to the heart, brain, kidneys and extremities. Chelation is known to have powerful anti-oxidant effects but this may not afford a complete explanation for the benefits observed.

An important new concept about chelation relates to the inner lining of blood vessels (endothelium). This lining tissue generates the powerful arterial vessel dilator nitric oxide. The endothelium also produces prostacyclin which decreases the clotting of blood and also causes dilating of arteries. A third important endothelial product is heparin, a potent substance that helps prevent clots from forming. Excessive deposition of heavy metals in the endothelium diminishes the endothelium's ability to produce nitric oxide, prostacyclin, and heparin.[8] Chelation may restore the body's ability to create these important substances by removing these metals (iron, cadmium, lead, mercury) from the endothelial lining. Additionally removal of excess iron can decrease the risk of subsequent heart attacks.[9] By improving blood circulation, chelation may benefit patients with angina pectoris, claudication, impotence, macular degeneration, glaucoma, pancreatitis, gout, rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, dementia, multiple sclerosis, and cancer. Several of the pioneers in chelation therapy are alive in good health in their 90's after receiving thousands of intravenous chelation treatments.

The latest improvement in chelation permits this therapy to be administered orally. Oral chelation obviously will not be as fast as intravenous chelation but this is not an important issue for most patients who have massive amounts of metals needing removal. Doing chelation orally is simpler and less expensive than the intravenous approach.

Lead poisons enzyme systems in the body. The bones of modern man contain 1000 times more lead[10] than the bones of men living 400 years ago. It takes 7 to 20 years for the body to completely replace the tissue in bone. Since bone is the primary storage area for lead there is clearly no necessity in most patients for rapid chelation by intravenous therapy. Nearly all health problems (learning disorders, cancer, heart disease, infections, AHHD, autism, hypertension etc.) are made worse by the high levels of lead found in our bodies. Lead is an important cause for hypertension and removal of lead from patients with hypertension often permits blood pressure values to return to normal. Recent studies have implicated lead in the genesis of cataracts. The EDTA present in chelating solutions binds lead so it can be excreted by the kidneys.

One of the leading authorities in chelation therapy, Dr. Garry Gordon, has developed an oral chelation product Essential Daily Defense EDD. EDD contains Niacin, garlic powder, Calcium EDTA, MSM (Methyl Sulfane Methane), Malic Acid, Betaine HCL, Carrageenan, Papain, Silica, dl Methionine, Beta-Sitosterol, Crataegus 6x (Hawthorne Berry), Modified Cellulose Gum, Cholesterol Free Stearic Acid, and Gelatin.

Iron is now being recognized as a health hazard. The malic acid in EDD derived from apples binds iron and decreases iron stores in the body. This does not proceed to a state where iron deficiency anemia appears but it does lead to decreased production of free radicals which is, of course, desirable.

One of the most important components in EDD is the sulfated polysaccharide derived from red algae. This polysaccharide interacts with EDTA to produce a definite decrease in the clotting tendency of blood (lower viscosity due to heparin). This decrease in viscosity permits blood to flow more freely which decreases the work load on the heart. Additionally, this heparin anti-clotting effect acquired with EDD therapy makes it nearly impossible for a patient to have a heart attack, stroke or gangrene. In this state of absent clotting and high anti-oxidant activity arteriosclerotic plaques are slowly and steadily dissolved. There is no problem with bleeding. Blood clots in arteries often occur in sites where there is no or minimal plaque formation. The anticlotting effect of heparin produced by chelation may help explain the nearly complete disappearance of strokes and heart attacks in patients receiving chelation therapy. Patients with severe arteriosclerosis may need 6 to 9 capsules daily along with other measures to improve arteries (anti-oxidants, correct diet, cessation of cigarettes etc.) The garlic, which EDD contains, binds mercury facilitating its removal from the body.

Anyone taking EDD needs to be taking a good vitamin mineral supplement because EDD over time might deplete the body of minerals. Half of all Americans are taking a daily Multiple Vitamin Mineral Supplement. The results of this supplementation are less than optimal because our bodies are being steadily poisoned by toxic substances found in our water, food, and air. Oral chelation is proving so effective in improving health that many practitioners have largely switched from intravenous to oral forms of chelation.

Oral and intravenous chelation are complex so therapy ideally should be guided by a practitioner experienced in chelation. At times the metals simply move from one site in the body to another instead of leaving the body. There is no doubt that removing metals from the endothelial membranes improves oxygenation and nutrient entry into cells resulting in improved health. Because of the toxic metal, chemical, herbicide and pesticide exposure we all are exposed to I think everyone should consider taking EDD or a similar oral chelation product and remain on it permanently. Many leaders in the natural health field are already doing so.

Vitamin C Deficiency

The late Dr. Linus Pauling and his associates were convinced that the arteriosclerotic plaque is formed because of a deficiency of Vitamin C. In their explanation of arteriosclerosis the structural protein (collagen) of arteries is lacking due to Vitamin C deficiency. This causes the body to supply lipoprotein (a) to these weak areas in an attempt to patch the weakness. This substance lipoprotein (a) is very sticky and when it deposits onto an injured artery surfaces it seizes platelets, calcium, fibrin and cholesterol from the blood which causes a deposit (plaque) that narrows the opening in the artery. These narrowed openings can proceed to clot over (heart attack, stroke, or gangrene), produce symptoms (angina, leg pain with exertion, brain symptoms from lack of adequate blood flow) and small pieces of fibrin clot may break off the plaque and are thrown to arteries more distant again producing strokes, heart attack and gangrene.

In 1994 Linus Pauling and his associates announced that arteriosclerosis could be cured by a substance important in making collagen (lysine 6 grams daily) and large doses of Vitamin C (6 grams daily). The Pauling associates have never seen an individual who was taking 10 grams of Vitamin C daily who had any evidence of arteriosclerosis. Ninety five per cent of patients with advanced arteriosclerosis admitted they took no Vitamin C or less than 500 mg. daily. These findings have been confirmed by the Life Extension Foundation of Hollywood, Florida.

The Pauling associates relate that end stage arteriosclerosis patients have been completely cured by high dosage Vitamin C and lysine often within weeks. These individuals lose their anginal pain, blood pressure drops to normal, arterial blockages disappear, lipid profiles become normal, and energy increases. They become able to pass treadmill tests normally.

Human beings and guinea pigs are unable to manufacture Vitamin C. Depriving guinea pigs of vitamin C leads to the production of arteriosclerotic lesions similar to human arteriosclerosis. No plaque forms in control guinea pigs getting Vitamin C. Dr. Kilmer. McCulley has shown that guinea pigs depleted of Vitamin C get high blood levels of homocysteine whereas the control guinea pigs have normal homocysteine values.

Animals other than guinea pigs do not develop arteriosclerosis. Arteriosclerotic plaques were studied by Dr. Earl P. Benditt with an electron microscope[11] in 1977. His studies showed that plaques contain almost no cholesterol. They are actually composed of new cell growth resembling what would be seen in a tumor. The absence of cholesterol is certainly not what would expect if cholesterol circulating in the blood was the cause of the atherosclerotic plaque.

The human arteriosclerosis plaques are often located at sites where injury to blood vessels occurs from the impact of the arterial stream of blood rather than in a random fashion which should occur if a toxic material in blood i.e. cholesterol was the cause of arteriosclerosis. This explains why major plaque formation often occurs at the sites where the forceful blood stream from the aorta strikes the arteries to the heart and the arteries to the brain. Dr. Pauling's findings have been ignored by the conventional medical community because to accept such convincing insights would spell the end of the multi billion dollar coronary bypass industry and the lucrative sales of cholesterol lowering drugs.

All this evidence makes a strong argument that lack of vitamin C plays a role in causing arteriosclerosis and that taking large quantities of vitamin C along with lysine should help narrowed arteries open back up. Large dosages of vitamin C are safe but may cause loose stools.

Another aspect of Vitamin C therapy that has considerable importance is the widely acknowledged role that Vitamin C has in healing infections (polio, HIV etc.) The healing of infections might also be a reason for favorable response of arteries to high doses of Vitamin C therapy as infections are becoming recognized as a probable cause for arteriosclerosis.

High Levels Of Lipoprotein (a) Cause Accelerated Arteriosclerosis

Elevation of blood levels of Lipoprotein (a) is considered one of the best predictors of impending trouble with heart disease. Lipoprotein (a) is a substance found in the blood that has a "sticky" character. It has a strong tendency to attach to sites of artery damage. This permits a clumping together with platelets, calcium, cholesterol and fibrin derived from circulating blood at this location decreasing the size of the artery. Free flow of blood past this site is obstructed which may produce symptoms (angina, brain ischemic symptoms and muscle ischemic symptoms i.e. claudication) or actual occlusion of an artery (stroke, heart attack, gangrene).

The amino acid N-Acetyl Cysteine has been found to be the most effective agent to lower lipoprotein (a) levels in the blood. With NAC therapy lipoprotein (a) levels may decrease by up to 70 %. Obtaining lipoprotein (a) values during health evaluations is a wise idea. Patients with elevated levels of lipoptotein (a) should take N-acetyl cysteine 500 mg. twice daily. This can be obtained from Natural Health Team and health food stores.

Arteriosclerosis Caused By Elevated Homocysteine And Its Correction

Methionine from red meat, milk and milk products is converted in the body into homocysteine. When the body's stores of B6 (pyridoxine), folic acid and B12 fail to bring this homocysteine down to normal values there is a three times greater risk of heart attack in males than in males with normal homocysteine values.

Dr. Kilmer McCulley gets credit for discovering the critical role homocysteine plays in the genesis of arteriosclerosis. Homocysteine stops the production of the valuable vasodilating nitric acid, causes blood to thicken, and facilitates the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, thus setting the stage for an atherosclerotic plaque and blood clots to form. As more patients are studied it has become evident that elevated levels of homocysteine are a common cause for arteriosclerosis (at least 40 % of patients). If you have artery problems, measuring homocysteine in the blood will frequently provide clear evidence that homocysteine is causing the problem, not cholesterol.

A Norwegian[12] study discovered that in 587 patients with coronary heart disease the risk of death within four years was proportional to total plasma homocysteine level. The risk rose from 3.8 % with homocysteine below 9 micromols per liter to 24.7 % in patients with homocysteine levels above 15 micromols per liter.

The only way to be certain that you are getting the proper dosage of folic acid, Vitamin B 12, Vitamin B6 and trimethylglycine to treat homocysteine excess is to have regular blood homocysteine tests. Each 3 unit increase in HC causes a 35% increase[13] in the risk of heart attack.

Trimethylglycine (TMG) also called Glycine Betaine is the most effective[14] agent to lower homocysteine levels. The usual dose is 500 mg. three times daily. If Homocysteine levels have not fallen adequately, up to 9000 mg. daily of TMG may be needed daily.

Folic acid (800 mcg with each meal) and 1000 mcg. of B 12 daily is also needed.

B6 (pyridoxine) reduces HC by a different method than folic acid. The dose of B6 should be 100 to 200 mg. daily.

In a patient with previous bypass surgery, anginal chest pain reappeared along with new areas of blockage of heart arteries. This man was taking 15,000 mcg. of folic acid daily. His blood homocysteine (HC) level was very high risk at 18. On 6 grams daily of trimethylglycine, his HC fell to 4 in one month.

Trimethylglycine functions in treating elevated HC levels by donating methyl groups, which convert HC to the harmless aminoacid methionine. Trimethylglycine (Glycine Betaine) can be purchased in health food stores.

Inflammatory Conditions In the Body Predispose To Artery Damage

Inflammation in the body is strongly associated with the development of occlusion in arteries. For this reason blood tests that measure inflammatory reactions (sedimentation rate, C reactive protein) have been found to be of great value in detecting persons who are at higher risk of developing heart attacks and strokes.

Bacteria and viruses from inflammatory conditions in the body (gingivitis) and acute infections (cytomegalovirus, Chlamydia pneumonia (TWAR bacteria), Coxsackie, herpes, etc. appear to be responsible for 25 % of heart attacks and a similar percentage of strokes. Evidence of bacterial and viral infections in the walls of arteries have been found by electron microscopy and immunoflourescence microscopy in many patients. Two hundred reviews about infectious relationships to arteriosclerosis[15] have been published but this evidence has been largely ignored as it does not encourage the use of statin drugs which remains the prime focus of the pharmaceutical industry with their control over the media and medical community. Infectious disease causes deleterious affects on blood clotting with sludgy blood flow which promotes vascular occlusion. Discovering and treating inflammatory conditions like gingivitis may permit patients to avoid vascular occlusions.

During the weeks preceding a heart attack or stroke many patients have experienced a bacterial or viral infection. Thirty seven of 166 patients with a stroke had a bacterial or viral infection[16] within 7 days of the vascular accident. Eleven of 40 male patients below age 50 had suffered an influenza like illness within[17] 36 hours of onset of their heart attack.

During infections an inflammatory infectious reaction may be occurring in the arteries. Infections also are associated with slow sludgy blood flow which would make it easier for a clot to occlude an already narrowed artery where blood flow is already slower than normal.

There appears to be a conflict between the concept that high cholesterol causes arterial disease and the observation that high levels of cholesterol have an ability to protect against infection. The high cholesterol causing arteriosclerosis theory is damaged by the observations that:

• Persons with high cholesterol do not have any more arteriosclerosis than persons with low cholesterol values
• Lowering cholesterol values by drugs does not cause a decrease in the amount of arterial disease
• High cholesterol is associated with longevity in older persons. High cholesterol occurs in elderly persons with the lowest mortality rates and appears to protect against infectious illnesses.
• Less than 50 % of persons having heart attacks have abnormal cholesterol values

Measuring indices of inflammation appears to be a wise preventative health measure. There is evidence that the statin drugs have an anti-inflammatory effect and this may be the main reason for any beneficial effects seen with statin therapy rather than actual lowering of cholesterol values.

Dangerous Foods Cause Arteriosclerosis

The proper diet for patients with angina and heart attacks to follow has been a source of controversy. The two parts of the world that have the lowest incidence of arteriosclerotic heart disease are the island of Crete and the Japanese island of Kohama. People in both these places eat a diet that is high in linolenic acid, an essential fatty acid. The Cretans get their linolenic acid from walnuts and purslane, whereas the Japanese islanders are getting their linolenic acid from non genetically modified soybeans and canola oil (rapeseed oil).

Researchers in France followed 605 patients after a first heart attack, with one half receiving the American Heart Association Diet (low cholesterol) and the other half receiving the Cretan Diet (lots of whole grains, roots, and green vegetables, fish, daily fruit, chicken and olive oil). The study was terminated at 27 months and all patients were switched to the Cretan diet because of dramatic benefits from this diet (see chart)

Linolenic acid has two desirable qualities. It makes blood less likely to clot and prevents ventricular arrhythmias. Note the 8 sudden deaths on the AHA diet and the absence of sudden death in the Cretan diet.

Sudden death is caused by an electrical gradient being established between an area of well oxygenated heart muscle and an adjacent area of poorly oxygenated heart muscle. This gradient often permits a dangerous heart rhythm (ventricular fibrillation) to occur. This is a condition where purposeless, small, feeble muscle contractions move no blood and cause instant death. This is seen often in smokers, when the nicotine constricts a coronary artery so much a gradient is created leading to ventricular fibrillation. When smokers quit cigarettes their incidence of sudden death instantly returns to the same as a nonsmoker. Tragically, in approximately 35 % of individuals, the presence of serious coronary artery arteriosclerosis is uncovered by the occurrence of sudden death.

Linolenic acid is found mainly in seeds (flax, hemp, soybean, walnut, pumpkin). It is easily destroyed by light, air, and heat. By the end of 27 months, the blood linolenic acid levels in the French patients had reached the same range as those seen in Crete. Notice that all foods consumed in the Cretan diet will spoil (no processed food).

The processed food diet consumed by 90 % of Americans certainly contributes to promoting arteriosclerosis. The U.S. soil has been seriously depleted of nutrients with important minerals lacking. Selenium is no longer found in much of the U.S. soil. This mineral has dramatic effects in lowering the incidence of cancer when 200 mcg. is consumed daily.

Highly significant deterioration in the health of U.S. citizens was brought about by the introduction of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium NPK chemical fertilizer which has promoted the development of chronic degenerative diseases. This use of chemical fertilizer instead of manure caused the protein content of vegetables to drop. Additionally farmers no longer can afford to replace the vital soil minerals. This has lead to steadily decreasing deficiencies in the mineral content of food grown from U.S. soil. Humans lacking the trace minerals from food have failure of proper enzyme function. The trace minerals (zinc, chromium, manganese, vanadium, selenium etc) are vital to normal enzyme performance in the body. Many soil samples lack some or most of these minerals and the quantity of minerals in U.S. soil has been steadily declining since the introduction of NPK fertilizer.

Numerous foods have been genetically modified which subjects the consumer to a myriad of unnecessary dangerous problems. No testing for safety could be done on GMO foods because these GMO foods were likely to increase the incidence of cancer and degenerative diseases like arteriosclerosis. Powerful agribusiness forces wanted GMO foods released.

One of the world's leading geneticists Dr. Mae-Wan Ho states "Genetic engineering bypasses conventional breeding by using artificially constructed, parasitic, genetic elements, including viruses as vectors to carry and smuggle genes into cells. The insertion of foreign genes into the host genome has long been known to have many harmful and fatal effects[18] including cancer of the organism".

Ninety percent of U.S. families are using synthetic chemical oils to cook food. These are dangerous transfats that the body has a hard time processing. Use of this synthetic food causes massive production of free radicals and leads to the development of Type 2 diabetes, arteriosclerosis and cancer.

The substances Americans think they use in cooking (corn, saffola, canola, sunflower, and soy oils) are actually chemicals compounds manufactured at high temperatures using harsh chemicals that completely remove all nutrient value from food. These chemical oils will not spoil, have no nutritional value and are very hard for the body to process and eliminate. Prolonged usage of these synthetic chemical oils leads to arteriosclerosis, Type 2 diabetes and cancer. These synthetic oils are a major factor in the deteriorating health of the American people.

The nutrients, vitamins, minerals and fiber have been largely removed from white bread, white flour, and white rice. Non organic food consumed by most persons has heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides, chemicals and estrogenic hormones. A simple remedy would be to eat only organic food that spoils.

Increased Clotting Can Produce Heart Attacks And Strokes

An increased tendency of blood to clot can have a major influence in causing vascular occlusions in persons with narrowed arteries. Among the conditions which make blood clot easier are fibrinogen excess, increase in number of platelets, abnormal platelet function, lipoprotein [a] excess, high blood lipids values and infections. Screening tests for fibrinogen excess are prudent as systemic enzyme therapy with products like Zymitol or Wobenzyme may correct the increased clotting tendency and prevent vascular accidents from occurring.

Males living in Kampala, Kenya in 1960 were found to have the same degree of arteriosclerosis in their heart arteries as those living in St. Louis, Missouri. However, an autopsy study of 2237 males in St. Louis and 827 males in Kampala revealed only one well healed heart attack in the Ugandan males whereas in the black and white males in St. Louis one quarter of the deaths were caused by heart attacks. There was extensive clotting in the arteries in St. Louis males and nearly none in Kampala males. The population of Uganda at that time were grain vegetarians existing on corn and millet. Millet contains a protease inhibitor that prevents blood from clotting which may explain the lack of blood clots in the arteriosclerotic arteries of the Ugandan males.

Dr. Kilmer McCully,[19] who discerned the importance of homocysteine in producing -arteriosclerosis, believes that B6 (pyridoxine) has unique anti-oxidant[20] properties that cause the human body to be protected from damage from sugar loaded diets by blocking the infectious problems usually caused by excess sugar. Studies have shown that individuals consuming Western diets are more depleted of B6 than other vitamins. Fats, which constitute 30 to 40 % of the calories in the Western diet, are lacking in water soluble B vitamins. Additionally, foods grown in soils fertilized for decades by NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium) fertilizer (USA) are low in micronutrients including B6 even if grown organically. In addition to both these problems Vitamin B6 is fragile so much of the B6 found in western food is lost in food processing, storage, transport and cooking.

To compound this problem sugar intake depletes[21] B6 from the body. The air we inhale, our food and medicines are full of substances that destroy B6 in our bodies and thus increase our need for it. Stress, which is high and rising, depletes the body of B6 as does the new sources of electromagnetic radiation[22] according to Dr. Robert Becker.

The simple taking of B6 (Pyridoxine) in doses of 100 mg or more daily decreased the incidence of heart attacks by 70 % in two large medical practices. Additionally, B6 decreases the incidence of cancer[23] even in persons who continue to smoke.[24]

The Ireland Boston Brothers Heart Study[25] compared the health of a brother eating Irish food with a brother who had immigrated to the U.S. At that time the Irish brothers were eating approximately 1 ? pounds of butter weekly and had oatmeal daily for breakfast. The brother living in the U.S. was eating the standard low cholesterol and saturated fat and high polyunsaturated fat diet consumed by most Americans. Many were surprised by the results which showed that there were far more heart attacks in the U.S. brothers that those in Ireland. The protease inhibitor found in oatmeal appeared to be protecting the Irish brothers from heart attacks while the synthetic low saturated fat diet in the U.S. was proving to be dangerous.

In England during the 1800s persons ate lots of saturated fats like butter, lard, meat, milk and eggs and there were almost no heart attacks discovered by reviewing London hospital records. In the 1960s persons living in Udaipur, India ate large quantities of ghee (butter) but had very few deaths from heart attacks. Sharp increases in deaths from heart attacks were noted in Udaipur in the 1980s when inexpensive margarine had replaced ghee as the primary fat eaten. Obviously type and character of the food we eat has major influences on heart disease.

Many Health Problems Are Associated With Statin Drug Usage

Among the health conditions related to therapy with statin drugs are:

1. Congestive Heart Failure The decrease in CoQ 10 blood levels caused by statin therapy diminishes the energy output of heart muscle cells leading to congestive heart failure. A mysterious rise in the incidence of heart failure has been noted in the U.S. in recent years which may well relate to the continually increasing use of statin drugs
2. Muscle Weakness Weakness of muscles when taking statin drugs probably relates to decreased muscle cell energy production caused by diminished levels of CoO Q 10. When severe this muscle weakness may progress to a state where muscle soreness and pain appears. In this state the muscle cells break up releasing muscle protein and enzymes into the blood. If the muscle damage is extensive kidney failure (myoglobulinuria) and severe acidosis due to lactic acid production may occur (often a fatal problem).
3. Hyperinsulinemia Rise in fasting insulin values by 13 % is seen after statin therapy is started. This is undesirable because high levels of insulin increase the construction of arteriosclerotic plaques over time. Also high insulin values accelerate the rate of development of both diabetes and aging.
4. Anti-Oxidant Blood Levels Decrease Alpha Tocopherol and Beta Carotene levels in the blood fall by up to 22 % in patients taking statin drugs. Decreasing one's anti-oxidant stores in the blood is obviously undesirable as this means that our ability to remove free radicals will be impaired.
5. Peripheral Neuritis The cause for peripheral neuritis is often obscure. The incidence of peripheral neuritis is 15 times greater in persons taking statin drugs than in control subjects. This could also relate to deficiency of CoQ 10.
6. Transient Global Amnesia TGA This interesting neurologic disorder causes patients to have a total loss of memory for several hours. During these episodes the person does not know who he or she is, does not know what they are doing and often has a complete loss of memory about their past history. Recently it has been discovered that many persons taking statin drugs have experienced TGA and that there are thousands of persons with memory dysfunction, extreme forgetfulness, incapacitating confusion and profound disorientation for every person who has an episode of TGA. The relationship of these memory problems to usage of statin drugs is nearly completely unknown in the medical community. Stopping the statin drug leads to recovery which may take several months.
7. Liver Injury Abnormal results of liver function tests are common in persons taking statin drugs. Severe abnormalities are uncommon and the abnormal liver function disappears when statin therapy is stopped. The package insert gives guidelines for the levels where abnormal liver tests should cause therapy to be terminated.
8. Stroke risk goes up when cholesterol values are lowered below 140 mg. Dr. Gilbert Gordon suggests keeping cholesterol values near 220 mg.[26] to preserve the natural antioxidant benefits of cholesterol for the body.

A large population study of cholesterol levels in patients taking statin drugs revealed a decrease in deaths from heart disease but this occurred at the expense of an equivalent increase in deaths from suicide and cancer. Lowering cholesterol decreases the number of receptors for serotonin on brain cell membranes. Serotonin acts to suppress aggressive behavior so lowered serotonin levels could lead to increased violence and suicide.

Possibly of greater importance several early studies of the results of statin therapy suggested that there might be an increased risk of developing cancers and lymphomas in persons taking statin drugs. These studies were ignored and aggressive marketing of statins began. Such adverse results could easily take more than 10 years of statin usage to become manifest and the rapidly increasing rates of cancer might tend to obscure cancers being caused by statin therapy. Certainly some of this increase in cancer incidence could be due to the rapidly increasing statin drug usage. Knowing that CoQ 10 is a fine therapy for cancer suggests that lowering the levels of CoQ 10 with statin drugs might increase the risk of cancer. All persons using statin drugs should be taking 100 to 200 mg. of CoQ 10 daily which could probably prevent some of these adverse effects.

The availability of natural substances like food (flax oil) to lower cholesterol and fish oil to lower triglycerides suggests that these natural products might be able to safely replace the more expensive and somewhat dangerous statin drugs. Many physicians are not aware of the necessity for patients taking statin drugs (Mevacor, Lipitor, Lescol, Zocor, Pravachol, etc.) to take regular doses of Co Q10 (at least 100 mg. to 200 mg. daily). If you take statins be sure you get CoQ 10.

Footnotes:

1. Fats That heal Fats That Kill Udo Erasmus page 68 Alive Books Vancouver, Canada
2. Well Being Journal September/October 2004 pg. 44
3. Krumholz HM et al Lack of association between cholesterol and coronary artery mortality and morbidity and all-cause mortality in persons older than 70 years. Journal of the Americam Medical Association 272, 1335-40, 1990
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