In 1953 Ancel Keys launched the ‘fat hypothesis’. According to Keys saturated fats and cholesterol from food caused higher blood cholesterol levels. This in turn causes atherosclerosis (or hardened arteries), which in turn causes cardiovascular disease. Although experts discovered a great many hiatuses in his hypothesis, his story was a big hit, and rapidly became widely disseminated.
Although Nathan Pritikin’s fat-free Spartan diet was hugely successful, he himself died of cancer at a very young age. Recently studies that proved the contrary have caught on. A large-scale British study showed after only 1 year that twice as many people died in a group of test subjects (who were asked to reduce their intake of saturated fats and cholesterol, to stop smoking and to increase their intake of unsaturated fats and margarines) compared to the control group, which maintained its intake of saturated fats. (46) The Lancet published the results of a study, whereby 2,000 men were put on a diet low in saturated fats in order to measure its impact on cardiovascular health. It was demonstrated over two years that the chances of a heart attack did not decrease. If the reduction of saturated fats in a diet does not help to reduce the risk of a heart attack, it is wise to assume that other factors play a role.
Scientists have proven in animal tests that a diet including saturated fats reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. (20,21) The Framington study, which was in fact developed to substantiate the ‘diet-heart hypothesis’, seemed to prove the contrary. In 1988 the person in charge of this study for more than 40 years stated the following: ‘people who consumed more saturated fats and cholesterol, were more active, slimmer, and had lower blood cholesterol levels. (47) The study eventually demonstrated that excess weight and a high cholesterol level in blood did not originate in the intake of saturated fats or cholesterol from food. The study also demonstrated that a higher blood cholesterol level and excess weight gave rise to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. So something else in our food has to be responsible for cholesterol levels that were too high!
Today it is generally known that scurvy is the result of a total lack of vitamin C. Gums will start to blood, teeth fall out and the arteries will burst. Over the centuries many seamen died of scurvy. Today we also know that blood cholesterol is produced mainly by the liver and is only partially absorbed through food.
Two-time Nobel Prize laureate Linus Pauling and Dr. Matthias Rath established a link between scurvy and cholesterol. They clearly state that cholesterol is produced by the liver as the body’s first defence mechanism. The liver produces cholesterol to repair cracks in the arteries. Cholesterol will seal arteries as it were in order to protect them. These cracks in the arteries are the result of bigger or smaller shortages in food, according to both gentlemen.
Deficiencies regarding minerals, vitamins, healthy fats, proteins, vegetable nutrients, etc. If you want to reduce your cholesterol, you need to attack the cause of the problem. So eating healthier and experiencing less stress.
Dr. Willett W., Prof. Harvard University: ‘These days we have still not established a link between the consumption of saturated fats and cardiovascular disease, even in the most extensive studies’. In 1995 he published a study about the relation between fat and cardiovascular disease and concluded: ‘ these data do not support the strong relation between the consumption of saturated fats and the risk of cardiovascular disease, which exists according to international research’. (73)
Mary Enig, international fat expert and nutritionist. ‘The idea that saturated fats cause cardiovascular disease is completely wrong. But the fat hypothesis has penetrated people’s brains so efficiently that it is difficult to convince them of the contrary, except for those who are willing to read up on it’. (58)
Michael Gurr, professor and biochemist at Oxford: ‘The fat hypothesis has many shortcomings and the statement that fat causes cardiovascular disease is putting things too simplistically’ (59); Whatever the cause of cardiovascular disease, it is definitely not the high intake of saturated fatty acids.’ (73)
George Mann, professor and biochemist Vanderbilt University: ‘Studies among Masai tribes have shown that saturated fats do not cause high cholesterol levels and cardiovascular disease.’ ‘The fat hypothesis is the biggest scientific lie of our time.’ (60)
Michael Oliver, professor Wynn institute for metabolic research (London): ‘A strong decrease of cholesterol levels can certainly be dangerous in the long term for the composition of cellular membranes. Luckily the body and its natural desire for equilibrium (homeostasis) can counter a forced cholesterol reduction.’ (61)
Pinckney Edward, co-editor of the ‘Journal of the American Medical Association’: ‘the level of someone’s blood cholesterol is nothing more than a very rough indication of a large number of pathologies. In the worst cause this can cause stress and stressrelated illnesses. Lowering cholesterol can do more bad than good.’ (62)
Raymond Reiser, professor and biochemist at the University of Texas: ‘Certain saturated fats do not impact cholesterol levels while others can even increase cholesterol levels slightly, but never too much. (63) (note: Extra virgin coconut oil will reduce it, hardened coconut oil will increase it).
Paul Rosch, professor, Medical College New York: ‘The general public has been brain washed to such an extent by the fat hypothesis that people believe that the lower their cholesterol levels are, the healthier they are and the longer they will live. Nothing is further removed from the truth. The cholesterol cartel of pharmaceutical companies (which for example continue to promote statins), the soy industry and the manufacturers of fat-reduced cookies, etc. continue to score synergetically with their marketing campaigns.’ (64) Cardiologist Ray Rosenman, experimental psychologist Russel Smith, Professor William Stehbens of the Wellington Medical School, professor Lars Werkö, etc. all reject the fat hypothesis.
As is the case with many natural substances, cholesterol too has positive properties. There is proof that even older people do not produce sufficient amounts of cholesterol and that they would benefit from adding cholesterol to their diet. Healthy people produce sufficient amounts of cholesterol themselves in order to ensure that their body functions as it should.
Cholesterol is essential to ensure that cellular membranes are in top condition. Depending on the type of fats present in our body, cellular membranes will not use cholesterol. Unsaturated fats will keep our cellular membranes smooth, and saturated fats will make them stronger. Cholesterol flows in and out of cellular membranes in order to find the right balance between sufficient tightness and sufficient flexibility of the cellular membranes. This balance is so important that every cell in itself can produce its own cholesterol. Thus cholesterol can protect and even repair a cell. Cholesterol is your friend!!! Next to this cholesterol is also important for the production of our hormones, for generating vitamin D and healthy gall, the liver secretion that helps us process fats.
The actual cause of cardiovascular disease is mainly due to an excess of free radicals (unstable, aggressive molecules) and a shortage of protective antioxidants. As a result free radicals can cause great damage to cellular membranes and the blood vessel wall. In first instance our body will start producing cholesterol as a defence in order to repair any damage to the vessel walls.
If the damage is considerable, then a lot of cholesterol will be fired at the ‘wounds’ in the blood vessels. If too much cholesterol is deposited in one place and plaque starts to form, then this might bring about a blockage. In other studies such as a recent study conducted by the Cleveland clinic, which studied 120,000 heart patients, the researchers arrived at the conclusion that smoking, transfats (bad quality fats), refined food, stress, environmental pollution, the inhalation of toxic substances, diabetes and cholesterol shortages can bring about cardiovascular disease. High blood pressure and high cholesterol are only indications of cardiovascular disease, but never its cause.
American researcher Mary Enig even points out that it is becoming increasingly clear that cardiovascular disease can also be caused by infections of the blood vessel walls. Certain viruses, such as the herpes virus and the cytomegalovirus virus, could play a role in this. Coconut oil is effective against both viruses and thus could have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular disease. (33)
All cholesterol-lowering medication undermines our health. Cholesterol-lowering medications prevent our body from repairing our damaged blood vessels and lungs with sufficient cholesterol. They block an enzyme that is needed to produce cholesterol, but as a result also block the production of the co-enzyme Q10, a substance which is of crucial importance… for our heart and muscles. The heart muscle can weaken and as a result cardiovascular disease is fostered. Muscles can weaken, decrease in volume and start showing signs of infection more rapidly. Moreover the production of high-quality gall salts will also be reduced: the proper digestion of fats and among others the absorption of omega-3/6 fatty acids will decrease. But shortages of the latter substances will precisely… promote cardiovascular diseases, next to rheumatism symptoms and depression.
Too high cholesterol levels are largely due to shortages or errors regarding nutritional balance and excessive stress. Tackling the cause, i.e. the nutritional imbalance or stress, is the message. It is thus not very sensible to immediately start slowing down our body’s first natural defence, i.e. cholesterol. Cholesterol is not at fault, but rather our nutritional imbalance and stress.
Cholesterol, calcium, collagen and other substances are produced by the body in order to repair wounds. Cholesterol is the body’s most important repair material. (72) When hamsters are exposed to petroleum odour, their liver will start producing more cholesterol in order to repair the damage caused by the free radicals from petroleum gases. Also the cholesterol will only be sent to the damaged cells. (Dr. R. Dowdell, Heath freedom news, 1987).
Low cholesterol levels are related to bad cognitive functions. In order to establish the correct relationships, to have an easy conversation, for your concentration, and in order to pay attention, you are better off having more cholesterol than too little of it. According to university study published in 2005, that is (107). Cholesterol is in fact an important component in the membranes of our nerve cells. Cholesterol is also needed for the proper functioning of the serotonin receptors, which are responsible for the ‘I feel good’ sensation. Low cholesterol levels are often correlated with violence, depression and even suicidal tendencies.
People who are under a lot of stress often display high cholesterol levels. This is because stress produces adrenalin, the hormone used by the body to react to stress. You need cholesterol to produce adrenalin. Here too reducing your cholesterol is bad for you. Learning to deal with the stress situation or reducing stress is the message.
Lactating babies need cholesterol for the development of their brain and eyes. Breast milk will provide the baby with huge amounts of cholesterol. The milk gland contains a special enzyme, which ensures that mother milk contains sufficient cholesterol. The American Academy of Paediatricians states that cholesterol is of essential importance for growing children, and contributes to the production of gall acids, hormones and nerve cells.
Cholesterol is also crucial for developing strong bones. Vitamin D cannot be used without cholesterol. And without vitamin D bones will not grow strong.
Before you start worrying about excessive cholesterol, why not read the book ‘The Cholesterol Myths’ by Dr. Uffe Ravnkov or the book ‘The Cholesterol Controversy’ by Edward and Cathy Pinckney. Without cholesterol there are no sex hormones.
No cholesterol = no sex. A healthy person weighing 70 kg will have up to 145 g of cholesterol circulating in his body.
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