New Thoughts on Cholesterol and Dietary Fats in Relation to Optimal Health ~

 Last January 10, 2018 at SHAPE Healthcare Facility, was the first in a series of H & W seminars for 2018.  We started off the New Year focusing on Optimal Health, An Holistic Approach as an overview for seminars to come.

Beginning of a Shift~

Toward the end my presentation a question was asked specifically about my thoughts on cholesterol. In my response I basically stated that the subject of cholesterol is extremely complicated, far more complicated than just the “good cholesterol”, “bad cholesterol” narrative we have all been spoon fed over the past 50 years. Although it could be irresponsible and even potentially dangerous to try to address this topic in one five-minute segment of a seminar it is still important to understand that newer findings are helping to reshape and even discredit the old hard line story about cholesterol and its relationship to health.  I believe that these newer understandings and reshaped findings have helped start the beginning of a shift in our cultural consciousness on the subject of cholesterol and dietary fats and their vitally important roles in human health.

This new narrative, as I understand it, is important as it is potentially life changing. Presented below are some interesting facts and the newer views about cholesterol and dietary fat. I hope these details will shed some light and help to create a better understanding for such a controversial topic. To start off, one of the most important facts I have come to understand is that primarily …

Cholesterol Is Vital for Life! ~

To begin, it is important to know that cholesterol is found to naturally reside within the body and it is a building block for every single cell of the animal (human in our case) body.  All of our hormones and cells require cholesterol to metabolize and function properly, as cholesterol is the very substance which coats our cell walls and acts as a neuro-transmitter for hormonal and neural messages sent within the body. A few such examples for which cholesterol helps to play a synergistic role are: the production of cell membranes, steroid hormones and Vitamin D. 1.

Cholesterol is Vital for Organ Functioning: The Liver Heart and Brain~

Love Your Liver~

The Liver is the body’s largest gland and makes 80 percent of the body’s total cholesterol. The liver both produces, and clears cholesterol from the body through cholesterol’s transport Lipoproteins system (HDL & LDL).  Within the liver, cholesterol helps to make bile acids that are required for the processing of fat and enzymes needed for digestion. Poor liver health can inhibit its ability to either make or remove cholesterol, which can create an imbalance in the body’s cholesterol levels thus negatively affecting overall health.

You Gotta Have Heart! ~

According to some of the latest research in the cholesterol arena, many cutting edge doctors are now questioning the whole mainstream medical paradigm which has for the past five decades demonized both cholesterol and dietary fats and what has been misunderstood to be their adverse connection to heart disease. In the bestseller, The Great Cholesterol Myth, Doctors Stephen Sinatra and Johnny Bowden, helped me to view cholesterol in a whole new way.  Doctors Sinatra and Bowden see inflammation, not cholesterol as the main contributor to heart disease and that mainstream medicine’s singular focus on high cholesterol heads us in the wrong direction toward poor heart health. Doctor Sinatra states that the, “erroneous focus on high cholesterol is diverting research dollars away from the real cause of heart disease – inflammation.” 2.

Cholesterol’s New Role ~

And as cholesterol is now seen to play a critical role in the healing and repair of  body tissues, a new understanding for its place in heart disease has evolved. Although cholesterol can accumulate in arteries as a healing response to inflammation, cholesterol is not the initiating factor in artery damage.  It instead serves a protective and healing role, yet additionally along with swelling from inflammation, cholesterol can contribute to arteries narrowing and thus restricting blood flow.  Mainstream Medicine looks to treat one symptom of heart disease, too high cholesterol, without taking notice as to its root cause. Functional medicine however focuses on the root cause of heart disease, chronic inflammation, and its antidote. In taking care of the root cause of a disease, its symptoms will take care of themselves. 3.

Beware Brain Drain!~

In regard to brain function, it is important to realize that along with the human brain being comprised of between 60 to 70 percent fat, 25 percent of this fat is in fact, cholesterol. According to board certified neurologist, nutritionist and author of The Better Brain Book, Brain Grain and Brain Maker, David Perlmutter MD, “Cholesterol is vitally important for brain function!” Perlmutter goes on to say that, “in a recent study available on the NIH Public Access site, researchers showed that in the elderly, the best memory function was observed in those with the highest levels of cholesterol.” 4. So especially for the aging brain, exciting scientific findings abound which show the critical need for both cholesterol and dietary fats.

The Importance of Dietary Fats~

As the traditional theory of cholesterol is being reconsidered by some cutting edge medical experts, so is the role of fats in our diet. A newer theory holds that healthy dietary fats are actually essential to our body, especially our brain. In regard to brain function, remember that the human brain is comprised of between 60 to 70 percent fat.  Research points to the numerous benefits of Omega 3 Fatty Acids for the prevention of, or reversing from various inflammatory based conditions such as autoimmune diseases, mood disorders, dementias, and numerous gut disorders including Crone’s Disease. According to Mark Hyman MD, author of Ultra-Metabolism “Omega 3 fats are just one example of a type of fat, which are a real brain boost”. 5.

* It is important to note that cooking with fats at too high temperatures, can cause healthy fats to lose their medicinal properties and can actually turn them into dangerous trans-fats.

We will be sure to touch more on the topics of both cholesterol and healthy fats during my upcoming seminar: Weight Loss and Management, Naturally, to be presented on February 7^th.

To explore more positive findings on fat and cholesterol as it relates to brain health and neurological function, be sure to attend another upcoming seminar: Brain Health-Top Findings on Affects of Diet and Lifestyle, to be presented on April 18^th.

A Votre Santé,

Alyce Childers

http://3wellliving.com/

This blog post in no way serves as medical advice. As always be sure to consult with a knowledgeable medical practitioner when you have any medical questions.

1. https://www.docsopinion.com/2013/10/20/ldl-cholesterol-particle-number-particle-size-made-easy/
2. https://www.drsinatra.com/the-great-cholesterol-myth
3. https://metabolichealing.com/cholesterol-among-the-most-vital-lipids-the-body-produces/
4. https://www.drperlmutter.com/brain-needs-cholesterol/
5. http://drhyman.com/blog/2016/07/01/the-missing-fat-you-need-to-survive-and-thrive/