Heart Disease: Inflammation or Cholesterol?

By Dr. Dwight Lundell MD 03/31/2010

During my 25 years as a cardiac surgeon, along with other prominent physicians labeled “opinion makers,” we insisted heart disease resulted from the simple fact of elevated blood cholesterol.   The only accepted therapy was prescribing medications to lower cholesterol and a diet that severely restricted fat intake. 

Pharmaceutical giants reported $33 Billion dollars in cholesterol lowering drugs last year. As a nation, we reduced the fat content in our diets faithfully and yet with 25% of the population taking statin medications, more Americans will die this year of heart disease than ever before and at a younger age. 

Don’t you think something is terribly wrong?

Let me say those traditional recommendations are no longer scientifically or morally defensible; in fact, the consequences dwarf any historical plague in terms of mortality, human suffering and dire economic consequences.

Statistics from the American Heart Association show that 75 million Americans currently suffer from heart disease, 20 million have diabetes and 57 million have pre-diabetes. These disorders are affecting younger people in greater numbers every year.

Low-fat diet recommendations with elimination of saturated fat are responsible for epidemics in inflammation, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.  Let’s look at why:

Hidden Omega-6 Oils 

Processed foods are manufactured with Omega-6 oils for longer shelf life; chips and fries are soaked in soybean oil.  Omega-6’s are essential as they are part of every cell membrane controlling what goes in and out of the cell but without a correct balance to Omega-3’s, more harm sets in.

If the balance shifts to excessive Omega-6, the cell membrane produces chemicals called cytokines that directly cause inflammation.  Today’s main stream diet has produced an imbalance from 15:1 to as high as 30:1 in favor of Omega-6. That’s a tremendous amount of cytokines causing inflammation.  A ratio of 3:1 would be optimal and healthy.

Animal fats contain less than 20% Omega-6 and are much less likely to cause inflammation than the supposedly healthy oils labeled polyunsaturated.  The science that saturated fat alone causes heart disease is non-existent. The science that saturated fat raises blood cholesterol is also very weak.

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Add Harm From Sugars and Simple Carbohydrates

Simple carbohydrates and refined sugars cause the body to produce high levels of insulin from the pancreas.  Over time, cells will become sensitive and less resistant to excessive insulin creating Type 2 diabetes.  Then they become abnormally stiff from an overload of Omega-6 fatty acids.

When we consume more sugars than we use or need, a cycle of internal terror begins as our bodies are not designed to eliminate toxic substances.  Cells will become overloaded producing a substance called resistin that makes cells even less responsive to insulin. 

LDL is chemically changed from this cycle of internal terror becoming abnormal.  The LDL chemical changes are perceived by the body as an invader, an infection or foreign substance to be destroyed and the inflammatory process begins. 

The important point to remember is LDL would not become trapped in the artery wall and cause a plaque unless the LDL changed from oxidation or high blood sugar in the presence of inflammation.

Without inflammation being present, cholesterol would move freely throughout as nature intended.

What About Weight?

Excess weight creates overloaded fat cells that pour out large quantities of pro-inflammatory chemicals that add to the injury caused by having high blood sugar. In time this vicious cycle creates heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and finally, Alzheimer’s disease, as the inflammatory process continues unabated.

Arterial Inflammation 

Inflammation is simply your body’s natural defense to a foreign invader such as a bacteria, toxin or virus.  The cycle of inflammation is perfect in how it protects your body from bacterial and viral invaders.  However, if we chronically expose the body to injury by toxins or foods the human body was never designed to process, a condition results called chronic inflammation.

Chronic inflammation is just as harmful as acute inflammation is beneficial.

I have seen inside thousands upon thousands of arteries.  Arterial inflammation (diseased artery) looks as if someone took a brush and scrubbed repeatedly against its wall. Several times a day, every day, the foods we eat create small injuries compounding into more injuries, causing the body to respond continuously and appropriately with inflammation.

What’s the Answer to This Fire Raging in Our Bodies? 

It’s not as difficult as you might think.  Return to foods closer to their natural state.  If a food is packaged and processed or labeled “low-fat or no-fat diet” it is high in sugar or high in Omega-6 oil.  Check a few packages and you’ll see soybean oil as a major ingredient.

Choose carbohydrates that are very complex such as colorful fruits and vegetables.  Cut down on or eliminate inflammation-causing Omega-6 fats.  One tablespoon of corn oil contains 7,280 mg of Omega-6; soybean contains 6,940 mg. Instead, use olive oil or butter from grass-fed beef.

You can reverse inflammation in your arteries and throughout your body from consuming the typical American diet by following my recommendations in The Great Cholesterol Lie.  You’ll learn essential vitamins and minerals to add, inflammatory foods to eliminate, how to eat safely in fast food chains and a list of recommended tests to measure your risk factor for heart disease.

This is neither complicated nor mysterious yet conflicting information abounds making it appear so.  Death happens only once but good health is a continuum. 

Editor’s Note: Dr. Dwight Lundell is the past Chief of Staff and Chief of Surgery at Banner Heart Hospital, Mesa, AZ. He is the founder of Healthy Humans Foundation and Chief Medical Advisor for Asantae. In 2003, Dr. Lundell made the most difficult decision of his 25 year surgical career. As traditional medicine continued to chase the cholesterol theory of heart disease, Dr. Lundell closed his surgical practice. He then devoted the rest of his life to speaking the truth that inflammation causes heart disease. By lowering inflammation, heart disease has a cure.

Dr. Lundell is the author of the world-wide bestselling book, The Great Cholesterol Lie. This book is a revealing look at heart disease and the faulty theories of low-fat diets and cholesterol. He also reveals his clinically-tested recommendations for lowering inflammation that can prevent and reverse heart disease. Click here now to learn more.

 “This article appears courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs which offers alternative health solutions for mind, body and soul”

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Understanding Heart Disease

Heart Disease and fats, is it all a scam?

 By Renee Pullman

Are you ready to quit smoking? Facts are that 9 out of 10 smokers who say they want to quit never really give it 100% effort because they believe that it is difficult: they start out by expecting to fail.

Mark Twain said “Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I’ve done it thousands of times.”

What is your attitude, do you laugh off your desire to quit smoking with an attitude and a thought like Mark Twain?

Is There The Fear That You Will Fail Because You Know That Quitting Smoking Is Difficult?

Smoking is an addiction and smoking will seriously affect your health and possibly kill you. Sure everyone has heard the story of someone’s uncle who smoked everyday and lived to be 100, but everyone has also seen someone they love holding on to life by sucking air from an oxygen tank after many years of smoking have destroyed their lungs. Maybe you’ve even seen that person need to go on a ventilator and then die.   Quit smoking facts: smokers pay more for health and life insurance.

Quit Smoking Facts: Quitting Smoking Is Serious and You Know It

Here is the truth, another quit smoking fact, and it’s about why so many fail: they believe it is difficult, they believe they will fail; they have no expectation of success.

Here is a timeless truth as stated by Henry Ford: “Whether you think you can or can’t, you’re right.”

Our beliefs affect how much effort we are willing to put into any goal we set. Many start out with ideas in the back of their minds on how to explain the expected failure.

This is not the way to approach quitting smoking; you have too much at stake.

Why Do You Want To Quit Smoking?

Is it for yourself and your health? Is it for your family, so you will be there for them, or do you just want them to have cleaner air to breathe?

Do you want to save money? I remember when cigarettes were $2 a carton and now they are around $50. Cigarettes can take up a significant part of a family’s budget.

These are all good reasons to quit and they all deserve an honest effort from you. They will never be achieved unless you are serious and unless you believe that you will succeed. It is important that you have these reasons in mind as the cigarette addiction challenges you to pick them up again. It is also important that you maintain the conviction that you will succeed.

The desire to quit and good reasons to quit along with the conviction that you can quit will go a long way to helping you successful in quitting smoking.

When you are serious about quitting smoking get the quit smoking facts, a good plan and a methodology. Visit http://quitsmokingfacts.us/ and take the next steps to your freedom from this addiction.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Renee_Pullman
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Quit Smoking Facts On The Web

More Quit Smoking Facts

Electronic Cigarettes:

Raw Foods, Enzymes, Vioxx, Vitamin B-12, Chronic inflammation, Heart Disease

Nutritional information to improve your health and lower dependence on prescription drugs.

Part 1
Medical mistakes and prescription drugs are causing great harm to our population. Can natural health remedies solve the crisis of chronic illness?

Part 2 Are large drug companies getting a free ride while they bilk the American people?  Should drug company executives be held accountable for dangerous drugs that are on the market.

Part 3 Nutrients that protect the heart against side effects of chemotherapy treatment.  A survey of Oncologists in Canada shows that they would not take chemotherapy nor would they recommend it for their families.  Cancer and heart attacks remain the leading cause of death in the US.  They are followed by side effects from taking prescription drugs.

Part 4 Green tea extract improves brain function.

Part 5 Natural progesterone revitalizes neurotransmitters and other parts of your nervous system.  ALS and other degenerative diseases including Alzheimer are helped.

Part 6 Vitamin C users are at lower risk for heart disease.  It also helps control cholesterol.  Add vitamin E and get even farther ahead.

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By Renee Pullman

Since I write about health issues, including hemorrhoids, people come to my website asking about some of the worst hemorrhoid symptoms. Recently this included anal leakage and bleeding.

These symptoms can happen even with relatively mild hemorrhoids. An external hemorrhoid swollen a little and right on the anus can distort things just enough to produce anal leakage. The wetness and rubbing can inflame things more and soon you will begin to have leakage and blood. All of this produces a challenge for the hemorrhoid sufferer who must engage in business, with family, and with friends. There is the ick and the smell to deal with and this can lead to self consciousness and withdrawal.

There is no worse thing than having your clothes soiled by such a condition. You may not be aware that it is happening. Sitting for long periods can inflame the issue and when you get up it may take a bit to become aware of what has happened. Likewise if your work is standing and walking then things can get out of hand before you know it.

One sufferer described taking feminine hygiene pads, cutting them into smaller pieces and placing them against the anus. He held them in place by wearing a g-string under boxers. Changing the pads several times a day got him by, controlled anal leakage, avoided smell and soiled clothes..

What all of this means is that many people don’t have an effective way to deal with hemorrhoids. It is one thing to have a little itching, pain is pretty awful, but the embarrassment of having hemorrhoids can be beyond comprehension. It means that the hemorrhoid cremes and expensive treatments either aren’t available because of cost or they haven’t worked.

These problems need no longer stand in your way of solving your hemorrhoid problem. Inexpensive natural hemorrhoid treatments can resolve almost any hemorrhoid problem, even those not responding to traditional medicine.

The solution involves nutrition and topical treatments. Did you know that a lot can be done by adding more vegetables and fruits to your diet while avoiding processed foods: think green, think colorful fruit. Think about dumping bread, products laced with high fructose corn syrup, sugar, and additives. Think about the micro nutrients in good raw foods and how these will strengthen the veins all over your body, including those that have been stressed and pressured until they balloon out to form hemorrhoids.

Then there are the immediate steps to attack the symptoms. Topical treatment of inexpensive, readily available, natural medicines like Witch Hazel. This will shrink hemorrhoids and reduce inflammation. Learn about sitz bath and cold packs, even a bar of soap held against the anus will help. This treatment can burn but it will help heal.

Hemorrhoids symptoms are often embarrassing as well as painful. I invite you to visit http://www.NaturalHemorrhoidTreatments.org and discover all of the best natural hemorrhoid treatment and cures.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Renee_Pullman

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by Renee Pullman

You may have heard some of the old myths about body builders, that it will all just turn to fat and that they have big muscles but the quality of the exercise is not good like aerobic exercise is.

The facts are that if you do it right you will use a blend of weight training exercises, aerobics, and possibly yoga or some other stretching and strength system.  Aerobics a couple of days a week interspersed with weight training.  This brings the body to it’s most efficient state with a strong cardiovascular system and muscles to support whatever it is that you want to do.

Let’s face it there is nothing sexier than a body toned and trained that way.

If you are overweight the chances are you may be avoiding weight training because you think it will cause you to gain even more weight.  The facts are that robust exercise as described in combination with a sensible diet is the best way to lose pounds.

Following such a system may mean that you would lose 5 pounds for a particular period whereas someone only dieting may have lost seven.  But that doesn’t tell the whole story.  The rest of the story is that you will also have gained three pounds of muscle.  Muscle is a fat burning engine and as you continue you will achieve your goals and succeded well beyond anything possible with diet alone.

People just dieting will revert after a time and the weight comes back.  Those in a lifestyle change involving exercise will continue to progress.

Such a combination of exercise involving weight training is a lifestyle that will serve you throughout your life.  It will give you the juice to excell in all areas because lets face it, if you are tired all the time you severely limit your chances of success.  Such a lifestyle also contributes to longevity and quality of life.

Your success program begins with your body.  The daily ritual of caring for it includes keeping it fit and a workout routine weight training schedule.

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Weight Training For Chest And Shoulders