PDF Ebook Cholesterol & The French Paradox
The French Paradox is the unexplained riddle of how a nation of alcohol-quaffing, croissant-munching gourmands stays healthy and slim, while a disproportionate number of health-obsessed Americans are obese and at cardiovascular risk. The French Paradox has baffled American dieters and scientists, puzzled by the ability of the French to remain trim while downing buttery croissants, creamy brie and decadent pastries.
When I was first tested for cholesterol – I was 25 years old – and my cholesterol level was a staggering 13.2 mmol/L or 504 mg/dl under the USA system of measurement. I realized back then that I needed to understand what cholesterol was all about for the sake of my own health, but the information that I required was impossible to find at that time. My really serious investigations into cholesterol began some years later in the year 2000. To cut a long story short, I spoke to a number of highly-regarded doctors in both the USA and Europe who had done serious research into cholesterol, and heart disease.
Let’s take a moment to explain why we ‘mere mortals’ have this material called cholesterol swirling around our arteries. Cholesterol is an essential material found in the human body, and our liver produces most of it.
The liver produces approximately 3 grams of cholesterol (about ½ teaspoon) every 24 hours. Once produced, this cholesterol circulates within the bloodstream combining with proteins to become Lipoproteins. That’s because cholesterol won’t dissolve in water or blood, so it needs to be wrapped in something that’s water soluble, which is what the Lipoprotein is. Just as an envelope holds a letter, protein is the envelop that holds cholesterol, which enables it to be delivered to the cells throughout the body. So think of Lipoprotein as the combined envelope and letter.
What level of blood cholesterol is actually normal? And who determines what is normal? How are these levels determined? Let’s investigate.
Many medical tests are based on “population norms”. This is the traditional way of determining whether your medical test results are somewhere near the general norm of the population.
The better tests are divided into age groups, because test scores vary with age.
Contents
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
PREFACE BY CHARLES T. MCGEE, MD
PART 1: EXPLORING THE MYTH
- CHAPTER 1 THE FRENCH PARADOX
CHAPTER 2 THE MEDICAL WORLDS
- Research Doctors
Practicing Doctors
Pharmaceutical Industry Doctors
CHAPTER 3 LET’S TALK CHOLESTEROL
- Is Cholesterol Clogging Your Arteries?
New Research into Cholesterol
CHAPTER 4 WHAT LEVEL OF CHOLESTEROL IS NORMAL?
- Recommended Cholesterol Guidelines
Do You Have Coronary Heart Disease, or High Cholesterol?
Cholesterol Tests are Inaccurate
Scanning & Imaging Your Arteries
CHAPTER 5 CHOLESTEROL LOWERING DRUGS – ARE THEY SAFE?
- Naturally Derived Statins
Synthetic Statins
Statin Side Effects
Muscle Inflammation / Deterioration
Kidney Damage (Rhabdomyolysis)
Nerve Damage (Polyneuropathy)
Memory & Cognitive Damage
CHAPTER 6 STATIN USERS, CASE EXAMPLES
- Medical Case – Chief Executive Officer, Serious Muscle & Memory Problems, USA
Medical Case – Business Executive, Serious Muscle Breakdown, Australia
Medical Case – Company Director, Cognitive Memory Damage, USA
CHAPTER 7 ALTERNATIVES TO STATIN DRUGS
- Summary of Statin Side Effects
Policosanol / Sugar Cane Wax Alcohols
Red Yeast Rice
Ayurvedic Medicine for Cholesterol-Lowering
Plant Sterols
Naturopathic Physicians
CHAPTER 8 WHO DETERMINES CHOLESTEROL GUIDELINES
CHAPTER 9 DOES HEART DISEASE RUN IN THE FAMILY
CHAPTER 10 WOMEN AND CHOLESTEROL
- Older Women with Elevated Cholesterol Live Longer
Pregnant Women - Special Alert
Research Data for Women
CHAPTER 11 CLINICAL TESTS FOR YOUR HEART
- C-Reactive Protein
Homocysteine
Lipoprotein(a)
CHAPTER 12 BLOOD PRESSURE / HYPERTENSION
- Risks of High Blood Pressure
Salt Formulations
Magnesium – An Essential Nutrientc
L-Arginine, Nitric Oxide and Vasodilation
CHAPTER 13 SMOKING
- Free Radical Damage / Inflamed Arteries
Collagen Damage and Haemorrhage Stroke
Surgical Risks for Smokers
PART 2: A HEALTHY HEART
- CHAPTER 14 WHY HEART DISEASE IS DECLINING
- Heart Attack Epidemic 1920 - 1968
Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies 1920 - 1968
CHAPTER 15 IMPROVED MEDICAL & SURGICAL TECHNIQUES
Angioplasty
Coronary Stents
Chelation Therapy
CHAPTER 16 IRREGULAR HEARTBEAT / ARRHYTHMIAS
- Artificial Sweeteners and Irregular Heartbeat
Bread Preservatives - Calcium Propionate #282
CHAPTER 17 FRENCH CUISINE
- French Cuisine - Eating Food in Season
CHAPTER 18 WINE & PHYTONUTRIENTS
- The French Paradox Is Born
The Copenhagen Heart Study
LDL Cholesterol
Phytonutrients in Foods – Powerful Antioxidants
Microwave Cooking Destroys Phytonutrients
CHAPTER 19 WINE ALLERGIES
- Sulphur Dioxide, Sulphites, Preservative #220
Low Preservative and Organic Wine
CHAPTER 20 INFLAMMATION IN THE ARTERIES
- Foods That Heal
Foods Causing Inflammation
Eating Out / Travelling
CHAPTER 21 OILS & FATS (LIPIDS)
- Trans Fats / Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils
Interesterification / Interesterfied Fats
Palm & Coconut Tropical Oils
CHAPTER 22 MEDIA REPORTS
CHAPTER 23 THE FRENCH PARADOX UNRAVELLED
CHAPTER 24 ACTION PLAN - YOU AND YOUR PHYSICIAN
- Action Plan & Recordkeeping
Reminder Checklist
CHAPTER 25 READER COMMENTS
- Before We Finish
APPENDIX 2 CHOLESTEROL: HOW IT BECAME A DISEASE
APPENDIX 3 THE HISTORY OF FATS & OILS (1900 TO 2000)
- Interesterfied vegetable oils
REFERENCES
INDEX
- ABOUT THE AUTHOR
CHOLESTEROL & THEFRENCH PARADOX – BACK COVER
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