Cholesterol and statins - is it fallacy?

"The ubiquitous nature of the word cholesterol can be attributed to giant pharmaceutical companies engineering medical conspiracies to indoctrinate the medical fraternity which finally trickles down as fright to gullible people", says my friend Dr. Mass R. Usuf, the Vice President of the Homoeopathic Medical Association of Ceylon, a versatile Naturopath and holder of a Doctorate in Acupuncture and a PhD in medical palm diagnosis.

During a recent discussion on the subject he expressed his views as follows:

"Cholesterol is found among lipids (fats) in the bloodstream. The liver produces 80 percent (circa 1,000 mg a day) with 20 percent coming in an extraneous form by way of food. It is a vital component of every cell membrane without which no human being can survive, so how can it then be evil"?

"The irony is that for over two decades people have been made to believe that a 'high' level of cholesterol in the blood contributes to coronary artery disease leading to heart attack and this 'high level' is determined in research labs funded by these giant pharmaceutical companies".

"Basically, the body manufactures the cholesterol it requires. If a person's constitution requires 2,000 mg of cholesterol every day, so be it, and that's what his body requires. Another would need only 750 mg! Therefore, how can we standardise it and dictate to the nature within us by way of impersonal computerised printouts that place our health at risk with man made pre-determined parameters," he exclaims. The human body is designed by nature never to work against itself, but to sustain and protect it. Tinkering with nature is one reason why there are so many auto-immune diseases where the human body is attacked by the very armour designed to protect it.

LDL and HDL

Statins (cholesterol lowering drugs) are prescribed to reduce the LDL levels and slightly increase the HDL. "These drugs not only block HMG coenzyme A reductase (the enzyme that prods the liver to make cholesterol) but also blocks Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), which is an extremely vital enzyme that the human body needs for energy and cardiovascular health. Statins are potentially dangerous for health, and all the while, millions around the world keep popping it in glee intent in reducing their cholesterol levels which has nothing to do with heart disease - but which in fact can bring it about", says Dr. Usuf shrugging his shoulders.

Research

Numerous researches have indicated that 'despite controlled cholesterol levels (through statins or otherwise), an increase of calcium in the coronary arteries could contribute to higher risks of precipitating a 'heart attack'. People with excess calcium in the coronary arteries cannot benefit from taking statins and are in a higher risk category for developing cardiovascular related conditions'.

In the Blaylock Wellness Report, published by NewsMax.com, it states that: "Fifty percent of all strokes and heart attacks have absolutely nothing to do with elevated cholesterol levels and this fact has been concealed from the public eye and from physicians' medical education". Dr. Blaylock, in his report, explodes the myth that dietary cholesterol is responsible for coronary artery disease and statins only can preclude heart attacks and strokes by lowering cholesterol levels in the blood.

Insulin and leptin (hormone produced by fat) resistance have also been strongly linked to coronary artery disease than to cholesterol. "Insulin and leptin resistance precipitate 'small dense' LDL particles".

Never has it been conclusively proved by consistent research that lowering cholesterol prevents heart attacks. In truth, several studies have demonstrated that lowering cholesterol to levels currently recommended is correlated with an increased risk of dying, especially of cancer.

"Statins actually can increase heart disease by blocking the important heart friendly CoQ10 enzyme. Low cholesterol levels can worsen the condition of patients with congestive heart failure, a life-threatening condition where the heart becomes too debilitated to effectively pump blood".

"Removing cholesterol will do nothing to improve the underlying problems, the real roots of chronic disease, which will always have to do with improper communication, and the generals of metabolic communication are insulin and leptin. They are really what must be treated to reverse heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, and to some extent aging itself", says Dr. Ron Rosedale.

Risk factor

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association discovered that while cholesterol-lowering medications may decrease cholesterol levels, their benefits may be offset by an increase in 'type 2 diabetes' risk.

In this study of 153,000 women, the scientists found that those who took a popular type of statins were more likely to suffer from increased blood sugar and type 2 diabetes. The scientists believe that statins interfere with the body's ability to regulate blood sugar naturally.

'Type 2 diabetes' is the more common type afflicting mankind today'! Tony adds: "Anti-cholesterol drugs are also associated with depression, suicidal tendency, muscular weakness, early aging, cancer, muscle pain, liver damage.....and many more yet to be discovered! It is a dangerous drug! Cholesterol is a myth and there is no disease called cholesterol. Imagine the fate of diabetic patients taking statins?", he adds.

He resolutely maintains that statins are very bad for human health. His advice would be to keep away from sugar/confectionary products, vegetable oil/margarine, refined/processed food/beverages, and include organic/near organic vegetables and fruits, onions and garlic regularly in your diet. Honey and herbal beverages are some of the natural ways to avoid having coronary occlusion and many other diseases.

Moreover, Dr. Usuf says that there are ample alternative therapies that can be safely resorted to, in order to counter coronary artery disease instead of having to subject oneself to expensive surgery which carries with it a percentage of risk to life and limb.

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