Cholesterol Treatment Alternatives

Lowering High Cholesterol: Truth and Myth

The standard cholesterol test is over 60 years old! I learned about newer cholesterol tests more than 22 years ago. In October, 2003 at a St. John’s Cardiovascular Research Center symposium, the concept was about “small, dense, LDL particles.” Back in 2003, these SD-LDLs were supposed to be the “baddest of the bad.” If not present, risk for cardiovascular disease was considerably less. So, even if you have elevated LDL levels, if no SD-LDLs, no worry. Unfortunately, that number is not included in standard cholesterol tests.

50% of people who have a heart attack or stroke don’t have high cholesterol. (American Journal of Critical Care, May 1998 Vol. 7, No. 3)

Advanced Cholesterol Tests

Advanced tests for this sub-fraction of LDL are called: NMR Lipo Profile (LabCorp), Lipoprotein Particle Profile (LPP), and LipoprintTM. We can easily order these advanced cholesterol tests for you.

Oxidized cholesterol

At the”Keys To Cardiovascular Health” seminar in October 2006, the key point was about oxidized cholesterol. High cholesterol is virtually meaningless without knowing if you have oxidized LDL or not. The “oxidized LDL” directly measures if your LDL is dangerously oxidized. Oxidized LDL is also a special-order test, but we can order it for you.

According to research in Nature Medicine published January 26, 2014: Apolipoprotein A1 (apoA1) is the primary protein present in HDL, that allows it to transfer cholesterol out of the artery wall … The apoA1 normally gives HDL its cardio-protective qualities, but it can do the opposite when it is oxidized… it contributes to the development of coronary artery disease.

You want more Apo A1 vs. Apo B, in your HDL, but if Apo A1 is oxidized it doesn’t protect you. We can special-order the ratio test (CPT 82172). The ratio is upside down, so lower is better. The ApoB/Apo A1 ratio is better at predicting cardiovascular risk than a standard cholesterol test.

Standard cholesterol tests don’t measure the particle size either, but there’s an advanced test we can order for you. It measures the HDL particle number. That HDL particle number is a component in the MVX blood test.

Additionally, we could do a simple urine test for oxidized cholesterol. The Oxidata test can detect if your cholesterol is oxidized or not. If the Oxidata test is negative, lowering elevated cholesterol would NOT be a priority.

Other cholesterol treatment factors

The National Centers for Biological Information (ncbi) website contains plenty of research regarding lowering cholesterol. One study on rats showed that dietary acetic acid reduced serum total cholesterol. This is analogous to having a strong enough stomach acid capability when you eat.

Warning: there’s a common OTC remedy that disturbs your stomach environment. That class of drugs are the antacids. So, taking antacids could be a reason why cholesterol goes up in the first place.

8 out of 10 common side effects of cholesterol-lowering drugs are related to gastrointestinal health. Examples are: stomach pain, stomach upset, gas, bloating, cramping, nausea, diarrhea and constipation. Antacids can make these symptoms worse. Taking apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice with your meals could potentially help your stomach enough to lower cholesterol naturally. The most common whole food supplement we use to support a normal stomach environment is called Zypan. Don’t let TV ads fool you. Enough stomach acid is necessary. A lack of stomach acid gives you heartburn.

Another research study showed that pea protein stimulates formation and excretion of bile acids, which leads to a reduced hepatic cholesterol concentration. This means you get less cholesterol made in the liver, The liver makes cholesterol. It’s normal, and needed.

You could start forming more bile by taking a supplement containing organic pea protein, or with a supplement like A-F Betafood, which supports bile production.

Cholesterol treatment alternatives

Cholesterol has important functions in the body. It is a precursor to your hormones. It preserves brain function, prevents memory loss, and transports essential fats to the places you need them, like your brain! Cholesterol is also used to repair vascular abrasions. What a concept! This was part of the discussion at the “Keys to Cardiovascular Health” seminar.

If “high” cholesterol is part of a “protective” mechanism by your body, what’s the idea to lower yours? Discuss this with your doctor. Your doctor should investigate the possible causes of your body producing the extra cholesterol.

The cause of higher cholesterol is generally NOT “genetics.” It is rare for a condition to be truly genetic. Blaming high cholesterol on genetics is B.S. Standard care has no long-term solutions to lower cholesterol without drugs. Drugs are only a short term solution; they are not a good long-term 1st choice.

Our bodies need cholesterol

Our bodies need cholesterol to produce bile, which emulsifies essential dietary fats. Suppose a person doesn’t emulsify their essential dietary fats due to not producing enough bile acids. Now, they avoid eating fatty foods because eating them causes distress. The excess junk fats they used to eat have also compromised gall bladder function. To compensate, the body produces more cholesterol. Why? In order to produce more bile acids. It is a back-up mechanism to get all the nutrition you need from the essential fats. What good is lowering cholesterol in this case? NONE! It would be better to support essential fat digestion with the correct digestive enzymes such as Multizyme, or 1 bottle of Cholacol before switching to Multizyme for the long term. Then, in that case, there would be reduced NEED for increased production, by your liver.

“The adverse effects suffered by people taking statins are more common than reported in the media and at medical conferences… Increased rates of cancer, cataracts, diabetes, cognitive impairments and musculoskeletal disorders more than offset the modest cardiovascular benefits of statin treatment.”Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology, March 2015, Vol. 8, No. 2, Pages 201-210

How to lower high cholesterol without drugs

Fats in the diet, and dietary cholesterol are not the major factors that influence your cholesterol levels. In 2015 the the US Dept. of Health’s Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee finally admitted that cholesterol overconsumption is no concern. But that cholesterol myth is still perpetuated to this day!

So, what dietary factor drives up cholesterol? Sugar and high carbo foods! It’s no problem to eat 3 eggs for breakfast, but including a donut, bread, or potatoes would hike your cholesterol!

Cut out high carbohydrate foods like pasta, bread, and potatoes, and eat much less sugar (you might lose weight too). Wait a few months before taking your next cholesterol test, and use advanced tests like the ones we can order for you.

Can see the difference between conventional care and our cholesterol treatment alternatives? We use diet and functional medicine. When you need support against oxidative stress (not just vitamin C, or ascorbic acid), we determine what you need. We also determine which digestive enzymes, clinical nutrition, and numerous other possible supplementation needs you may have.

By addressing one patient’s post concussion neurology, her high cholesterol over 300 for 2 years, came down by 65 points!

Let us help you with oxidized LDL, or when HDL is not high enough.

Get your initial appointment. Contact Us Today!

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