Cholesterol - What's In a Number?

We all hear about cholesterol and how it increases our risk of heart disease.  Most everyone either knows someone who is on a cholesterol lowering medication, or is on one themselves.  We are left to believe that high cholesterol is just an inevitable thing, or that it is genetic.  But the truth is that it doesn't have to be inevitable.  Unfortunately we are, to some degree, set up to fail.  Even those who want to lower their cholesterol by following the national guidelines are failing.  This is due to the fact that these guidelines are not based on the research.  If you take a closer look, you'll find that following the current guidelines will not help one achieve their goal.  So what will?  Keep reading, bear with me, and I'll let you know.

First we need to understand what cholesterol is.  Cholesterol is made by all animals and is not essential to obtain in the diet.  In fact the body makes cholesterol on it's own.  The purpose of cholesterol - it's an essential component of all sex hormones and the membrane that surrounds our cells.  Since we don't need more than the body can make, excess consumption actually leads to a build up of cholesterol in our bodies, which later accumulates in our blood vessels.  It isn't just cholesterol consumption that increases blood serum cholesterol levels.  Eating excess amounts of dietary fat actually increases the body's production of cholesterol as well.   This is why a vegetarian who eats oil, dairy, and processed foods like cookies, chips, doughnuts, pastries, etc. can still have a high total cholesterol level. 

LDL cholesterol (low density lipoprotein) is nasty stuff.  Just remember the first "L" in LDL stands for LETHAL.  LDL cholesterol is the stuff that, in excess, creates deposits in the vessels causing a build-up along the walls of the arteries that create a narrowing, and possibly an eventual complete blockage of the artery opening, causing the blood flow to significantly decrease through the vessel.  

One would think that the most common cause of a heart attack is the complete blockage of an artery.  In fact, more often the case is that a small, fatty piece of plaque ruptures or breaks off from the artery wall and travels through the blood stream to another location where it gets stuck and causes a blockage.  This could occur in the brain, a lung or coronary artery.  Scary stuff, no?

The current guidelines found on the American Heart Association's website are as follows:
Total cholesterol:  Less than 200 mg/dl
LDL: optimal is less than 100mg/dl, 100-129 mg/dl is considered "near optimal"

Now, if you look at medical research, the appropriate numbers seem a lot different than those listed above. For example, it's been known in the medical community for decades that 1 in 4 heart attacks occur in those with a total cholesterol level between 180-210 mg/dl.  The Framingham Study is a 50 year (and counting)  multi-generational heart study that revealed 1/3 of those with heart disease, participating in the study, had a total cholesterol of 150-200 mg/dl.

The Framingham Heart Study also found among their subjects that NO ONE WITH A HEART ATTACK EVER HAD A TOTAL CHOLESTEROL VALUE UNDER 150mg/dl!  That's huge!  Another study known simply as "The China Study", and considered to be one of the most comprehensive nutrition studies ever, discovered that residents of rural China (where heart disease is nearly non-existent) had total cholesterol levels that ranged from 90-150 mg/dl. 
So, you see, millions of Americans who are doing their best to follow the guidelines to decrease their risk for heart disease are getting sick, despite their best efforts, simply because they don't have accurate, complete information. Argh!! I get so worked up over this!

This is only a sampling of the research that can allow us to come to the following conclusion...
If we REALLY want to avoid heart disease, we need to get our total cholesterol levels below 150 mg/dl, LDL below 80 mg/dl, and decrease our fat intake. The most appropriate and effective way to achieve this goal, with or without cholesterol lowering medication, is to significantly increase our intake of high fiber vegetables, fruits, legume and whole grains and limit our intake of animal products.
 
So there you have it: the national guidelines and what the research tells us about the reality of avoiding heart disease.  If you are interested in learning more about this topic, I highly recommend reading Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr., The China Study by T. Colin Campbell, and Dr. Dean Ornish's Program for Reversing Heart Disease. 
 
Now that you have the information, you have the power to make your own educated decision about your cholesterol.  If you haven't had it checked recently, ask your doctor for a fasting blood serum cholesterol test.  You can also call your local pharmacy about cholesterol testing.  Some blood banks also offer to send your blood cholesterol results when you donate a pint of blood too.  
 
A great place to start is to try the recipe posted for Everyday Oatmeal - a great, cholesterol lowering way to start your day!  
 
In good health,
Your Nutritionista

Everyday Oatmeal

This is literally what I make for breakfast at least 3 times per week. The kids devour it and it stays with them throughout the a.m. - unlike when they have boxed cold cereal and are already asking for more food on the way to school. The shredded apple is a little extra touch that I think adds a nice bit of texture and sweetness. The kids definitely eat more of it when I add the apples. Cooking the nuts and dried fruit with the oats also helps to plump up the raisins and soften the nuts.

Oatmeal is full of soluble fiber which actually binds with cholesterol in the digestive track and lets it hitch a ride out of the body, which in turn, can help to decrease serum cholesterol levels.

Cinnamon is also great for anyone dealing with having to control their blood sugar. Studies have found that daily cinnamon may actually help to stabilize blood sugar.

Everyday Oatmeal
original Your Nutritionista recipe

Yields 1 large or 2 small servings
½ cup Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup water
¼ teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons raisins or dates
2 tablespoon walnuts or pecans (I just break them into small pieces with my hands).
¼ medium apple, shredded with the large holes of a box grater

Combine all above ingredients and microwave for 1-4 minutes, depending on your microwave.

If you prefer not to nuke your food, you can also cook this on a stovetop. Just boil the water in a small saucepan, then carefully add the remaining ingredients and cook for about 5 minutes or until at desired consistency. Don’t forget to stir occasionally while its cooking on the stovetop!

Chocolate Almond Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie

The following recipe is one of my kids' all-time favorite afternoon snacks. 
Chocolate Almond Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie

Yields 2-3 servings
Ingredients can be found in most grocery stores
Dump the following in a blender. And blend until smooth. Enjoy! Super Yum!

2 Cups chocolate almond milk
2 heaping Tablespoons natural peanut butter (try to avoid anything with ingredients other than peanuts and maybe salt).
1-2 large ripe  bananas

The following are optional additions to kick up the nutritional value of your smoothie

• 2T flax seed meal - Flax provides cancer fighting lignans, and omega 3 fatty acids for brain health
• 1 large leaf kale, spine removed - Kale is one of THE most nutrient dense green leafy veggies on the planet! It really boost the nutritional punch of this smoothie and you can hardly taste it, though Kale might make your smoothie a little green, it will taste amazing and your body will thank you for those leafy greens!
• 1/4 avocado - Avocado will increase the calories and fat content of your smoothie.  However, avocado is high in healthy fats and is considered to be an anti-cancer food. 

Your Nutritionista is here!

Hi!
Wow, my very first blog post EVER!  Very exciting.  This is where my lifelong passions for cooking, and promoting health converge.

So what on earth made me decide to "pull the trigger" and become a blogger?  The desire to help others and provide support and reliable information to those who want to make educated decisions about their own health.  The U.S. is in a major health crisis right now and so many of the ills that plague Americans today CAN be prevented with a change in how we look at food, and what we choose to eat.  The more I have learned about nutrition and human health over the years as a Health Education professor, Health Coach, Exercise Specialist, and a mother, the more of a believer I have become in the power of healthy eating. 

So what IS "healthy eating"?  Ahhh, that's a subject for a future post! 

So many people want to make a change or have already started.  If you are in either of these categories, then good for you! Making the decision to make a lifestyle change and taking the first steps is HUGE!  Others desperately need to change but aren't sure if they can or want to.  Many are scared to fail or are just so overwhelmed by all of the conflicting information flying around that they don't know where to begin. 

Please understand that the more knowledge you have going into it, and the more prepared you feel, the more likely you are to succeed!   And even if you have made attempts in the past and have failed always remember this...

The harder you try, the smarter you get!  Regardless of the outcome.  If you don't give it much effort, it probably won't be as rewarding of an experience. 

I know this from personal experience.  It was just over one year ago that I began digging into learning more about plant-based nutrition and the effects of various foods on the way the body works.  When I started looking into it, I was cynical, and more than a little leary, but remained open minded.  The research evidence was compelling and sound enough to convince me and my family to make changes to our diet and change some of our cooking and eating habits.  As a parents, we weren't just concerned with our own future health, but that of our children as well.  Helping them to learn about the importance of healthy eating was a skill we wanted them to learn now and take with them throughout their lives. 

I can't wait to share this with you!

Of course we can't forget the cooking component. Heck no!  That's the fun part!  I'll try to include a new recipe with each post. They will be original, kid tested "Your Nutritionista" recipes.

It has been a remarkable journey with a substantial learning curve.  I can't wait to share these findings and experiences, tips and, of course, recipes with you.  If my husband and I can make healthy eating work for us, and bring our two young children on board, then anyone can do it! 

In good health,
Your Nutritionista