High Cholesterol

On WebMD one can find the current definitions high cholesterol as the following:

• Total cholesterol: 240 or above

• LDL (bad) cholesterol: 160 – 189 is high, 190 and above is very high

• HDL (good) cholesterol: below 40 is bad

• Triglycerides: 200 and above is high

There has been much attention put on the high cholesterol issue since the late 1980's. It is no coincidence that the introduction of the first statin drug was in 1987. Dr. John Abramson wrote a very well researched and easy to read book entitled Overdosed America in 2004. It reveals the truth about the limited health risks the high cholesterol and why all the hype on lowering it. Also, the article The Skinny on Fats, Part 3 contained on this website is a synopsis of what cholesterol actually is and does for the healthful function of the body. It is paraphrased from Dr. Mary Enig, the foremost authority on fats, and her book called Know Your Fats.

There are conditions in which it is prudent to lower cholesterol, however, it is important to understand that the increased cholesterol that the body is producing (and the greatest majority of blood levels of cholesterol is manufactured in the liver) is in answer to an increased need for that cholesterol. The target of treatment is not to forcibly lower that needed cholesterol as the statin drugs do, but rather help the body repair and balance that increased need for cholesterol so that it will naturally and within physiologically necessary norms, lower cholesterol itself. This can be accomplished with lifestyle changes and the help of natural medicine.