Getting Clear on the Cholesterol Controversy

When it comes to cholesterol, don’t overlook these life-saving factors.

This is important news for everyone because heart disease is still the Number One killer for both men and women in our country.

By 2030, nearly 25 million people will die from cardiovascular disease. Heart attack and stroke are projected to maintain their lead as the main causes of death.

So, what can we do about this, right now, today?

For the most effective detection, prevention, and treatment of heart disease, it now appears that your cholesterol numbers in and of themselves are relatively meaningless. But, safeguarding cholesterol-rich foods with proper cooking and storage techniques and measuring the LDL cholesterol particle size and pattern are not.

Buried research published 40 years ago in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition paints an enlightening cholesterol picture. Researchers discovered that pure, fresh cholesterol does not damage arteries, but oxidized cholesterol does. Oxidized cholesterol from food sources that are left out of room temperature or are fried, smoked, cured (sausage), or aged (cheese) can be highly plaque-producing.

Cholesterol in our diets is dangerous only when it becomes oxidized, and processing, packaging, storage, and preparing of foods have a profound effect on oxidation. Animal foods cause problems when they have been exposed to the ravages of oxygen for extended periods of time – for example, improperly stored eggs, milk, or butter that is exposed to room temperature for long periods of time or not stored in tightly sealed containers.

Other sources of oxidized cholesterol can be found in many fast foods – fried chicken, fried fish, and hamburgers. Dried milk, dried eggs, and packaged dry baking mixes (for custards, cakes, puddings, pancakes) are also on the list. These are some of the greatest sources of oxidized cholesterol, and they are the very products often touted and recommended for their cholesterol-lowering effects.

In addition to the oxidized cholesterol factor, which you have within your control, there is one particular test which is probably one of the most important health assessments your doctor can order.

Advanced testing is now available throughout the country for the VAP (Vertical Auto Profile) assessment in which a high speed centrifuge isolates the lipoprotein particles and identifies specific patterns of cholesterol health.

If you have the pattern known as the A cholesterol profile, congratulations! This means that your cholesterol is the large fluffy kind which is not related to the oxidative stress and inflammation associated with full blown heart disease.

On the other hand, if you have the B pattern profile, your LDL cholesterol is composed of small, sticky compact articles that are especially atherogenic and inflammatory resulting in arterial plaque.

If you are a B, then you will want to supplement with Integrative Cardiologist Dr. Stephen Sinatra calls the “fearsome foursome”:

·  CoQ10 (100 – 300 mg) to fuel the heart

·  L-Carnitine (500 – 4, 000 mg) to transport critical fatty acids into the muscle cells of the heart

·  D-Ribose (5 grams) to increase cellular function and energy recovery

·  Magnesium (400 – 800 mg) to relax arterial walls and reduce blood pressure

Since inflammation is a hidden heart disease risk factor, include lots of natural anti-inflammatories in the diet like wild salmon, berries, cherries, grass-fed meat, vegetables, nuts, beans, moderate dark chocolate, garlic, turmeric, and extra-virgin olive oil.

Finally, as an extra preventative measure, an iron-free daily multiple is absolutely essential for those over 40.

Iron overload—which can be measured by a ferritin blood test over 70 ng/ml — has been linked to cardiovascular disease, arthritis and accelerated aging as well as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

For years, iron-free multivitamins were nearly impossible to find on the market which led to my formulation of UNI KEY’s Male Multiple and Iron-Free Female Multiple.

The Male Multiple is not only iron-free, but contains the highest amounts of B vitamins including 100 mg of B6, 1000 mcg of B12 and 800 mcg of folic acid so helpful in keeping homocysteine levels low—another cardio risk factor that can come into play.

In addition, this comprehensive multi is uniquely designed to meet a man’s special needs and includes saw palmetto and lycopene for extra prostate protection, plant enzymes to support healthy digestion and a resveratrol blend for anti-aging.

The Female Multiple is a uniquely designed multi that’s copper-free — excess copper can be the culprit for women with fatigue, hair loss and skin problems –and contains the ideal 2:1 magnesium to calcium ratio to optimize calcium absorption and wild yam for hormone support.

And, the good news is, these multis are absorbed easily…

With another year almost behind us, isn’t it time you got serious about protecting, healing and supercharging your heart health for many seasons to come?