Cholesterol, what we are learning
In case you hadn’t noticed, there is so much emphasis on diets right now, and their impact on heart health. You might be feeling overwhelmed, should you eat low fat? High protein? No fruit? Eat vegan? Omit soy? Take statins? How do you know who and what to believe?
That’s where people like Dr. Ahn can help, along with others who are trying to unravel old doctrines, to create a new reality which ensures full and vibrant health for everyone. Cholesterol has been demonised for so long, without any devil’s advocate, that is, until recently. Cholesterol does serve a positive and huge function in the body, it’s a precursor to all the steroid hormones in the body, without it we wouldn’t be able to synthesize Pregnenalone, which starts the wonderful cascade of all our other delicious hormones, which keep you happy, fit, and full of vibrant energy.
Both Dr. Anh and I are committed to health, especially seeking the truth behind health related claims. I get questions all the time about cholesterol and what to do. I work mainly with women who have hormone issues, and I have found strong correlations between low thyroid hormones, elevated estrone, and elevated LDL. This is a pattern that cannot be ignored, and cannot be continually band-aided with drugs. It is an obvious issue with glaring common themes, which is unapologetically ignored.
If you fit these guidelines, you are generally popped onto statins no questions asked:
Women over 55, can’t lose weight with a history of low fat dieting with elevated cholesterol – tick
Women post-menopausal with slightly elevated cholesterol – tick
Women with low thyroid coupled with slightly elevated cholesterol – tick
Female with NO history of a heart condition, has a history of low fat dieting, eats no fat but has high cholesterol – tick
Can i highlight here, many women have a history of eating very little fats in the diet, yet saturated fats have been the culprit for many years?
If women fit the box, they are put on cholesterol lowering meds. It doesn’t matter that she eats low fat, it doesn’t seem to correlate that she is overweight, has energy issues, and her sex hormones are dropping due to loss of ovarian function. This seems to be standard medical practice, but the puzzle doesn’t seem to fit in all cases.
I know these women, I see them in my clinic each and every day, and I can’t tell you how much it breaks my heart, that very few other options are open to women who fit this medical profile.
Once these women are on statins, they remain fatigued, depressed, suffering with low thyroid, and menopausal symptoms, but now, on top of all that, her hormone synthesis is also being impeded, and her slow decline is inevitable. No answers are given for her thinning itchy skin, aching joints, and continual loss of energy.
I see a pattern, that truly needs attention, and the first step is to get the message out there that:
Cholesterol Is Required!
Cholesterol Is Good!
Cholesterol is Vital!
I want women to think twice and get a second opinion when it comes to their medication requirements.Cholesterol is particularly important for cognitive function. Your brain makes up only 2% of your body weight, but contains 25% of the body’s cholesterol!
Dave Asprey – Bulletproof Exec
Dr Anh is an expert, and in the interview she explains the risk factors and the times when you would want to take statins, but statins are not necessarily the answer each and every time. It needs to be determined on an individual basis, and we should be treated as individual human beings.
I encourage you to use this interview, along with other resources I suggest, so that you can get further educated on cholesterol, and make informed decisions about your health, diet, and medication needs.
We tried to pack all the information we know about cholesterol and heart health into an easy to follow interactive webinar. We focus on many areas that are typically swept under the carpet. We hope that we can deconstruct it for you, so that you can make informed and safe choices for yourself and family.
First, I would like to introduce you to Dr Ahn.
Dr Ahn
Food as Medicine Podcast Show
Dr.Anh is a Board-Certified Ambulatory Care Pharmacist (BCACP), avid foodie, and nutrition expert.
She graduated magna cum laude from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey with her Doctorate in Pharmacy, and went on to complete a post-graduate Community Pharmacy Practice Residency with the University of Iowa.
Dr. Anh is a lifelong learner, and was among the first 500 in the world to receive her BCACP board certification when it was first offered in 2011. She also went on to get certified as a Health Coach, and is currently working on her personal training, sports nutrition, and fitness nutrition certifications from the International Sports Sciences Association. She also practices what she preaches, and is training for her first natural bodybuilding competition in the figure category!
Here is the full interview, we go into many areas surrounding cholesterol, its function, testing, plus tips for knowing what is best for your own health. Also a little light chat at the end, i forgot to take us off record 🙂
Other resources which you might find useful are:
Bullet Proof Podcast
Dr. Stephanie Seneff
Hormone Synthesis Diagram
I would love to get your feedback, feel free to comment below.