Cholesterol is necessary for all Life. Cholesterol is the precursor of the five major classes of steroid hormones.(1) In fact, our adrenal hormones are made from cholesterol. Metaphorically, cholesterol is the concertmaster of our hormones. We can’t live without cholesterol, yet we believe it can make us sick. Why are there so many secrets surrounding the good, bad and the ugly of cholesterol? Are you confused?
The chemical formula for cholesterol is C27H46O.(15) There is no good or bad version of this formula. “HDL stands for High Density Lipoprotein. LDL stands for Low Density Lipoprotein. Lipoproteins are carriers of cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids and proteins.”(13)
The truth is: Inflammation created by poor dietary habits cause cholesterol imbalances. In fact, I have found these same habits that hinder our cholesterol balance, can also disrupt our skin health.
Cholesterol Secrets & Heart Health.
• Toxic oils. Procter & Gamble debuted Crisco in 1911 and we fell in love with lard. It was claimed to be all vegetable and we were told trans fats were good for our heart! Today trans fats are no longer recognized as safe. However, they are still found in restaurants, and foods such as commercial salad dressings, french fries, dough conditioners in breads, popcorn and mayonnaise. Today we are surrounded by vegetable oils, which have been said to increase inflammation in our bodies.(2) Inflammation plays a crucial roll in disrupting cholesterol levels.(16)
• Toothpaste and City Water. Fluoride found in drinking water and toothpaste, is a known excitotoxin, and endocrine disruptor. (It disrupts hormones) Fluoride is the waste product from aluminum and fertilizer plants, which is continually deposited into our body.(3)
• Sugar. Sugar & HFCS causes inflammation in many body systems. HFCS causes elevated blood triglycerides. “Sugar and refined carbohydrates (bread, pasta, pizza, drives cholesterol to be misplaced, cause a rise in triglycerides, creates small damaging cholesterol particles, and causes metabolic syndrome or pre-diabetes. That is the true cause of most heart attacks”.(4)
• Acidosis. “An acid blood pH allows the binding of cholesterol with heavy metals and other cellular debris. Specifically, an acid pH initiates electrostatic potential, damaging arterial walls, causing cholesterol oxidation and the bonding of plaque with heavy metals.”(6)
• Estrogen Dominance, Obesity, Inflammation, Colon Toxicity. “One-half of all antibiotics in the United States are used in livestock which is 25 million pounds a year. These antibiotics can contribute to our hormone disruptor exposures as well as estrogen dominance. Feeds used for animal warehouses may contain a myriad of hormone-disrupting toxins including pesticides, antibiotics, and drugs to combat disease.”(7) Obesity and endocrine disruptors share commonalities. Endocrine Disruptors affect our body’s Hormones. Besides weight gain, toxic processed foods (Endocrine Disruptors) are linked to both hormone problems and Candida, for men or women. Candida is a fungus that disrupts our estrogen balance, which can disrupt cholesterol balance. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and per-fluorinated compounds (PFC) are endocrine disruptors. These can increase cholesterol levels.(5) Caffeine intake from all sources is linked with higher estrogen levels regardless of age.(7) And while connecting the dots to cholesterol and inflammation, we find the SAD diet increases gut dysbiosis, which actually converts metabolites of cholesterol to forms of estrogen that can be reabsorbed from the digestive track back into the body. If you carry your weight primarily in a protruding belly, it may be time for you to ask for help.
• Mercury. It’s a toxic metal that can be found in your mouth. This metal can affect cholesterol levels. “If there are dental mercury amalgams in teeth, then it is stored in the kidney, liver and brain and would classify as a heavy metal impacting your cholesterol.”(14)
• Stress. With stress the digestive system slows or stops completely. Fats and sugars are released from their stores in the body, giving rise to gut inflammation, an acid pH, and elevated cholesterol levels. Stress increases estrogen dominance, which can than increase insomnia.
• Statins. These stop the body from producing the cholesterol that it is designed to produce. They literally stop one of our fundamental body processes from being able to function.(13) Not good.
Cholesterol Secrets & Premature Aging.
• Trans-Fats. These can contribute to diabetes and aging.(8)
• Fluoride. Fluoride causes health problems that affect bone, muscle, and skin problems. It disrupts the synthesis of collagen and leads to the breakdown of collagen in bone, tendon, muscle, skin, cartilage, lungs, kidney and trachea.(9)
• Sugar. We know that the typical Western diet, high in sugar and devoid of fiber is correlated with the risk of acne. Sugar proves harmful to our gut, brain, and skin health.(10)
• HFCS. “Glycation can happen when sugars attach to lipids and proteins. The more sugar, the more glycation, resulting in damage to protein fibers such as collagen and elastin. They become stiff and malformed, causing skin to become wrinkled and lose elasticity.”(11)
• Endocrine Disruptors. Endocrine disrupting chemicals can be found in toxic laundry supplies which can increase weight gain, skin aging and disrupt our hormones. Not only do we ingest endocrine disruptors when we take in pthalates on medication coatings, but we also wear them on our faces in the form of toxic cosmetics and contaminate our water sources with chemical toxins in widely used herbicides.
• Obesity. Having a toxic gut (gut inflammation) because of a poor diet, can only increase skin inflammation.
• Acidosis. The pH (potential hydrogen) levels of our blood directly affect our skin health. Consuming junk & fast foods, increase acid pH, and increases stress on all of our body systems, including our skin.
• Heavy Metals. Mercury has been linked to skin rashes and skin discoloration. It can be found in dental amalgams, fish, HFCS and skin care products.
• Stress. Stress can upset the delicate balance of our skin. Stress gives rise to gut inflammation, cholesterol imbalances & skin allergies.
• Statins. Yes even statins can have an adverse reaction on skin health.(12) Studies show- women taking statins for 10 years increase their risk for cancer.(17)
Solutions: Find ways to increase self care. Next time you sit down for dinner, ask yourself – am I eating the best foods possible to feed my heart and my skin health?
Connie Rogers is a Certified Cosmetologist and a Certified Holistic Health Coach. Owner of www.bitesizepieces.net and weightlossforlifechange.com She supports you in finding the root causes of your symptoms and reminds you that “bite size changes”are possible and within your reach. She believes that whole foods are the tools for optimal wellness. She teaches Skin Health from Within and Tune up Your Hormones She invites you to connect on Facebook www.facebook.com/ReverseageWellnessSpa
footnotes
1 –http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK22339/
2- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18648182
3- http://www.science20.com/print/33292
4- Quote by Dr Mark Hyman
5- http://www.ehjournal.net/content/pdf/1476-069X-12-108.pdf
6-http://www.tuberose.com/Acid_Base_Balance.html
7-http://www.drlam.com/blog/estrogen-dominance-part-1/1704/
8-http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21308896
9-http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19812419 see also http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7080075
10-http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3038963/
11-http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11453901 see also http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22102339
12-http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9667459 see also http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8513188 see also http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7706076
13-http://preventdisease.com/home/tips87.shtml
14- http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/health-hazards-of-mercury/
15-http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/cholesterol
16- http://www.newsweek.com/quieting-bodys-defenses-120005
17- http://www.nextpharmaceuticals.com/nextword/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Statins-Breast-Cancer.pdf
Connie believes health and wellness are established with proper nutrition, fitness, and mindfulness. Connie takes a natural and holistic, common sense approach to rebuilding well-being from the ground up. As she works with each client, together they open a door that empowers them to rewrite their life, one bite size step at a time!
