Chapter 4-4 of Healing Foods
by Walter Last
Have a
closer look at meat and fat. They can be beneficial but as commonly used they
tend to create a lot of problems for our health
Health problems associated
with meat fall into three categories: those common to all meat, those with
cooked meat, and those with factory farming. Common to all meat is a high
phosphorus content with an unfavourable phosphorus to calcium ratio. The main
problem with cooked meat is the destruction of food enzymes in the meat, and
the formation of carcinogenic chemicals at higher temperatures. Factory farming
introduces unbiological chemicals, makes the fat more saturated, and the
animals more stressed and unhealthy.
Those who eat a lot of red meat tend to develop the opposite
characteristics and health problems to those on a sweet diet. Red meat has a
stimulating effect on the sympathetic nervous system and on the adrenal
hormones. This improves the ability to 'push through' and provides 'drive';
heavy meat eaters may become powerfully assertive and even aggressive.
Another important effect of eating red meat is a tendency for the blood pressure
to rise because of its effects on the adrenal hormones and the nervous system. Eating
beef has the strongest influence on blood pressure. All this can be beneficial
for hypoglycemics with low blood pressure, lack of drive, and weak adrenal
glands but for others, especially stressed males, it may mean hypertension
and kidney problems.
The high phosphorus content of meat stimulates the parathyroid glands
and raises the calcium blood level, in some cases by activating calcium from
the bones. In combination with a prevailing over-alkalinity, this leads to
stone formation, such as kidney stones, kidney damage, arteriosclerosis, stiff
joints, ankylosis and arthritic bone deformations.
Carnivorous animals in the
wild do not have the problem of an excessive intake of phosphorus, because they
also eat the calcium-rich bones. We, too, can avoid this problem by using bone
broth or other foods and supplements high in calcium.
Heavy meat eaters have been found to excrete up to four times more calcium
than normal with the urine; this is the cause of kidney stones and other kidney
damage. It is even worse when high meat consumption is combined with a high
sugar intake. This can increase the loss of calcium and corresponding kidney
damage up to tenfold above normal, while at the same time greatly accelerating
osteoporosis and tissue calcifications, such as arteriosclerosis. The
probability of forming kidney stones is 700% higher in habitual meat eaters
than in vegetarians.
Meat, because of its high phosphoric acid content, is regarded as an
acid-forming food. However, in habitual heavy meat eaters or in those with a
weak digestive system the metabolic and hormonal stimulation resulting from red
meat consumption gradually declines and eventually leads to a sluggish
metabolism. These individuals are called 'slow oxidizers'. With a slow
metabolism, a deficiency in metabolic acids develops and this makes the whole
body too alkaline.
Furthermore, because of the over-alkalinity, histamine remains tightly bound
to tissue proteins, and the skin, as well as the whole body, becomes rather
insensitive. This insensitivity is also a sign of the typical schizophrenic
(low-histamine type). For such people, even the emotions are sluggish and the
individual appears unresponsive with little outward expression.
With low histamine levels, inflammatory responses, required for many
self-healing actions of the body, are suppressed. Allergens entering the
bloodstream will not cause a warning allergic reaction; instead, autoimmune
diseases may develop from a continued invasion of allergens. Histamine dilates
the blood vessels, causing the blood pressure to drop. This is a problem of
hypoglycemics. However, lack of histamine in slow oxidizers greatly contributes
to the development of high blood pressure.
In one study 98 vegetarians were compared to a matched group of
non-vegetarians. The average blood pressure of the vegetarians was 126/77 as
compared to 147/88 for the non-vegetarians. Only 2% of the vegetarians had
hypertension compared to 26% of the non-vegetarians.
A diet high in meat, together with weak kidneys, often leads to the
accumulation of uric acid in the muscles, causing gout and rheumatism. General
over-alkalinity leads to a lack of gastric acid in later life, resulting in
poor absorption of minerals and an incomplete digestion of proteins. Intestinal
putrefaction and eventually cancer may follow, aided by chronic constipation
and a depletion of pancreas enzymes.
One main problem of a diet high in meat and actually of all high-protein
diets is the accumulation of protein fragments in the spaces between tissue
cells that causes or contributes to water retention or edema. In addition, the
basement membrane becomes clogged, preventing efficient nutrient supply to the
tissues, and lymph glands congested with protein fragments are breeding grounds
for bacteria and weaken the immune system. All these complications aid the
development of degenerative diseases and cancer.
Heavy meat eating is the more harmful, the more sedentary the life-style
and the older the individual. Carnivores not only have stronger
protein-digesting enzymes, they also eat their meat raw, except for
domesticated animals who have no choice. There is a significant amount of
protein-digesting cathepsin in raw meat, which greatly aids its digestion.
With cooked food generally, and especially with meat eating, the weight
of the pancreas has been shown to increase with a permanently raised
requirement for digestive enzymes. The pancreas of animals on cooked diets is
about 300% heavier than it is for those on a raw-meat diet. While animals on
raw meat remained healthy, those on cooked diets developed a variety of
degenerative diseases typical of human conditions. Permanently raised enzyme
requirements appear to be responsible for early enzyme depletion and, with
this, to early aging and its related diseases.
This shows the folly of feeding pets the glowingly advertised tinned and
dried foods that are not only lacking in enzymes but also contain a high degree
of starches that carnivores cannot digest well. The results are arthritis and
other degenerative diseases. To remain healthy, dogs and cats need a raw-meat
diet that includes offal and bones.
Formerly Eskimos remained healthy on partly predigested raw meat and fish;
with the introduction of Western cooked food their health has now deteriorated.
In our society the enzyme-depleting effect of cooked meat is accompanied by an
accumulation of toxic chemicals and hormones. Chemical contamination is much
worse in grain-fed feedlot beef than in grazing animals. Nevertheless, even
chemical-free meat produces vastly more metabolic waste than any other food;
this can be an important factor in the development and treatment of kidney
failure.
Beside Eskimos, several other cultural groups eat predigested meat by
hanging it for long periods before consumption or wrapping it in papaw leaves.
If one cannot obtain the meat of healthy, chemical-free animals and eat it raw
- for instance minced or marinated - or add digestive enzymes from other
sources, then it is better for our health to eat meat only sparingly.
Furthermore, free-living carnivores not only eat their meat raw, they also eat
the bones and they have a very active lifestyle and efficient elimination of
metabolic residues. If we want to remain healthy on a diet high in meat, then
we have to adopt the same principles.
POLYUNSATURATED OILS
Another major problem often associated with the consumption of red meat
is the excessive intake of saturated fats. Fat is an important source of energy
and some of its components - the polyunsaturated fatty acids and lipotrophic
factors - are essential for our health.
While in a classical sense all fats and oils are often grouped together
as 'fats' or 'lipids', commonly we speak of fats when they are solid at room
temperature and of oils when they are liquid at that temperature. Fats and oils
are composed of fatty acids, chemically linked with glycerol.
Fatty acids with one free binding capacity are called 'unsaturated' and
with several free binding capacities, 'polyunsaturated'. Animal fats consist
mainly of long-chain saturated fatty acids with a high melting point. Beef and
mutton have the hardest animal fats; butter is only marginally softer.
A high consumption of these hard fats poses two basic problems. If no
special attempt is made to use sufficient polyunsaturated oils that provide the
necessary essential fatty acids (EFA) and lipotrophic factors (for example,
lecithin, vitamin E), then a deficiency of these is likely to develop. The
other basic problem is that the liver may not be able to metabolize an
oversupply of long-chain saturated fatty acids.
The EFA and lipotrophic factors are important in forming cell walls, for
the immune system, for platelet aggregation in blood clotting to prevent
bleeding but also unnecessary clotting. They also form tissue hormones, called
prostaglandins and other important bio-chemicals.
Deficiencies in these nutrients cause the following: a weak immune
system; blood vessel and cardiovascular diseases; blood clots causing heart
infarcts, paralysis and strokes; skin problems, often starting with scaliness
and including eczema, acne and psoriasis; poor growth; impaired reproduction;
and bronchial diseases.
Many degenerative diseases have been linked with an oversupply of
saturated fats and a subsequent deficiency in EFA, such as atherosclerosis,
nerve and brain disorders, schizophrenia, psychoses and neuroses, rheumatoid
arthritis and multiple sclerosis. However, an oversupply of polyunsaturated
oils may have its dangers as well, especially if it contains chemical
anti-oxidants or if ample vitamin E is not available. Polyunsaturated oils
easily oxidize in contact with air to form oxides and peroxides that have a
high potential for causing cancer and liver damage. This danger is greatest
when these oils are heated as in frying.
Poultry cause less of a problem in its fat composition than butter or
beef. Chicken, for instance, has 14% linoleic acid (with two reactive double
bonds), while beef has only 2% and butter 1%. Fish and seafood are even better
in that they provide the fatty acids of the 'omega-3 series' with three
unsaturated bonds. However, even beef can be quite high in omega-3 fatty acids,
provided that it is from grass-fed animals that have not been in feedlots.
OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS
There are two groups of essential fatty acids. The common oils from
warm-climate seeds (for example, sunflower, safflower) contain mainly the
omega-6 series of EFA, based on linoleic acid with two unsaturated or double bonds.
Cold-climate plants and fish oils, on the other hand, contain mainly omega-3
fatty acids. Linolenic acid in linseed with three double bonds has the shortest
carbon chain in this group. In fish oils the longer DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)
and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) predominate.
Except if eating much seafood, the omega-3 fatty acids have generally
been neglected in modern nutrition. This has led to widespread deficiency
symptoms, often as part of a chronic disease. Their fundamental importance can
be seen in the fact that DHA is the main unsaturated fatty acid in the retina
and the brain and is exceptionally high in the thymus and the reproductive
glands, especially the testes. DHA is obviously most needed during pregnancy
and early infancy for brain and gland development. It is up to 30 times higher
in breast milk than in cow's milk or formula. This may bear some relation to
epilepsy and eye weakness in infants and has also been linked to colic,
inflammation of the lungs, digestive tract, joints and kidneys; also to crib
death (SIDS), skin diseases and a predisposition to frequent infections. A
recent scientific study reported an eight-point higher intelligence quotient in
pre-term babies fed breast milk as compared to those on cow's milk formula. As explanation
the deficiency of DHA in cow's milk was cited.
Fish oils are now commonly used to prevent heart disease, while linseed
oil with its 45% alpha-linolenic acid has been successfully used with various
mental diseases. Even severe cases of schizophrenia and manic depressive
illness have reportedly been overcome or controlled with linseed oil. However,
often it can only be used within a narrow range for in these diseases: One or
two tablespoons of linseed oil daily may overcome depression but twice that
amount may cause a manic episode with racing thoughts.
Generally, however, this dosage can be increased about tenfold before
negative symptoms develop. Not only mood swings, irritability and anxiety are
relieved but premenstrual tension and other menstrual problems, and vaginal
lubrication after menopause are improved; prostate enlargement, arthritis, eye
problems, immune deficiency, hair loss (alopecia areata), obesity and skin
problems are all relieved.
The EFA and especially the omega-3 fatty acids regulate the fluidity or
softness of the cell membranes. A deficiency is noticeable in a hardening of
the skin, as with dry, scaling and flaking skin, patchy eczema, acne and skin
sensitive to the sun. Most common is phrynoderma with rough, hard skin on buttocks,
thighs and arms. The colder the climate the more omega-3 fatty acids are needed
for membrane fluidity.
The omega-6 series predominantly forms prostaglandins that increase
inflammation and with this pain in many diseases, while the omega-3 series
forms anti-inflammatory prostaglandins. Thus omega-6 fatty acids aggravate
allergic reactions, including asthma and rheumatoid arthritis, while omega-3
fatty acids reduce these. Another important function of both groups of EFA is
their production of oxidative energy. This can be seen in the normalizing
effect that linseed oil reportedly has on the energy production of cancer
cells. Also the 'brown fat' that produces and regulates our body heat is mainly
stimulated by omega-3 fatty acids. This is especially important for overweight
individuals who want to convert body fat into body heat and for those who
habitually have cold hands and feet.
While individuals with deficiency symptoms related to omega-3 require a
higher intake for some time, it is generally estimated that a normal diet
should provide 2-3% of calories from omega-3 and 5-10% from omega-6 fatty
acids. The average modern diet provides about 0.4% of calories from omega-3 and
10% from omega-6 fatty acids.
While using polyunsaturated oils instead of saturated fats has been
found to reduce the cholesterol level and cardiovascular diseases, the rate of
cancer has risen. Besides the damage due to peroxides and free radicals (highly
reactive molecule fragments) formed from polyunsaturated fatty acids, the common
seed oils also have a strong inflammatory influence as they tend to form
pro-inflammatory tissue hormones.
This not only increases allergic reactions and arthritic inflammations
but potentates the growth of tumors. In addition, it has been reported that melanoma
sufferers had a higher rate of polyunsaturated fatty acids in their skin than
non-affected individuals. A high intake of polyunsaturated oils also requires a
greatly increased intake of antioxidants, especially of vitamin E. However,
refined oils as well as our normal diet are very low in vitamin E. Therefore
ultraviolet rays striking the skin can easily peroxidize its polyunsaturated
fatty acids. This, in addition to a low intake of bioflavonoids and
carotenoids, is probably the main factor in the present high incidence of skin
cancer.
More health problems are caused because of the unbiological production
of polyunsaturated oils. These oils are very delicate substances that should be
produced and stored at cool temperatures and excluding oxygen and strong light.
Instead, they are either extracted with chemical solvents or cooked and pressed
hot and then refined with bleaching and deodorizing at very high temperatures.
Even many cold-pressed oils are refined in this way. This causes not only
oxidative damage to the oils, but also a structural change by which a high
percentage of the natural cis-fatty acids form unnatural trans-fatty acids.
Finally, oils are sold in clear plastic bottles instead of in brown glass
bottles; they are thus exposed to light and dissolve chemicals out of the
plastic.
However, there is one oil reasonably high in omega-3 fatty acids that
should be avoided. This is canola or rape seed oil. There are warnings that an
ingredient, erucic acid, apparently can agglutinate (clump together) red blood
cells and reportedly contribute to loss of vision or blindness, emphysema and
other respiratory problems, anemia, also problems with the central and
peripheral nervous system. While this may no longer be much of a problem with
modern canola oil low in erucic acid, I would not use it, except if it were
certified organic, cold-pressed and definitely not genetically engineered.
SATURATED FAT
The liver has only a limited potential for handling fat. When the liver
is flooded with a consistently high supply of saturated fats, it cannot
metabolize it all. And fats do not come only from fatty food - any surplus of
sugars, too, can be converted into saturated fat.
Normally fats are broken down into keto-acids in the liver and
transported by the bloodstream to other cells where they combine with products
from the sugar metabolism to create energy. When fats are oversupplied, there
may not be enough glucose to efficiently produce energy, either because the
glucose intake is insufficient or because the effectiveness of insulin is
reduced with the high epinephrine levels induced by meat eating. A surplus of
keto-acids may then be resynthesized to saturated fatty acids and cholesterol.
Another difficulty is that not all the fat may be able to be converted
into keto-acids and a high percentage of fatty acids and fat molecules are then
released directly into the bloodstream. The body may reduce these surplus fats
by storing them in adipose tissue, forming fat deposits. This happens
especially with heavy meat eaters who have become slow oxidizers. However, to
keep this in perspective, I have no doubt that most excess weight is due to a
diet high in sugars and starches.
Some of the fatty acids and cholesterol may react with the usually
elevated calcium levels of slow oxidizers to form fatty plaques, also called
'sludge', in the blood vessels. Technically speaking, fatty deposits are called
'atheromas' and consist mainly of smooth muscle cells filled with sludge,
similar to fatty tumors. Such deposits cause arteriosclerosis and
cardiovascular diseases.
Not only animal fats, even peanuts and peanut oil have properties that
cause atherosclerosis: peanut oil contains some saturated fatty acids with
unusually long chains - arachidic and behemic acid. However, it is just these
fatty acids that seem to be beneficial for arthritic joints. Again, keeping
clogging of the ateries in perspective, atheromas usually contain more
polyunsaturated than saturated fatty acids.
In those with a sensitive skin, especially during adolescence, the body
tries to cleanse itself by removing fatty sludge through the sebaceous glands,
causing acne and an unclean skin. Eating sweet food is as much to blame for
this as is fat intake.
Fats in the feet, for instance, have a melting point of 330 F,
while fats of the inner organs melt at 1140 F. If the diet contains
too much saturated fat and sweet food, then the melting point of the outer fats
will be raised. In cold parts of the skin, those that are exposed or with poor
blood circulation, the fats will harden within the sebaceous glands and block
the outflow of sludge or normal skin oils. This causes inflammation of these
glands such as with acne and other skin problems.
Even worse than natural hard fats are those that are chemically
hardened, such as margarine. During the hydrogenation process unbiological
fatty acids are formed - trans-fatty acids - which the body cannot properly
metabolize and which also interfere with the utilization of essential fatty
acids.
Besides cardiovascular diseases and an increased incidence of cancer,
fatty degeneration of the liver is also a frequent outcome of a diet habitually
high in red meat and saturated fats. It has been reported that the blood
becomes more viscous or sluggish after a fatty meal. This causes a reduction in
tissue oxygenation and increased susceptibility to arthritic pain, heart pain
or shortness of breath. In addition, the blood flow to the brain is reduced,
producing tiredness and decreased mental alertness.
Some of the adverse effects of fatty foods result from a deficiency of
lecithin, which is a natural emulsifier of fats. Lecithin can be synthesized in
the liver but often a deficiency develops because naturally occurring lecithin
or choline are lacking in refined food. This is a main cause of fatty
degeneration of the liver, which can be reversed, however, with cleansing and
lecithin supplements.
Another problem on a high-fat diet is the destruction of naturally
occurring lipase in cooked food. Lipase is important as our main fat-digesting
enzyme and we rely to a significant degree on natural food lipase to supplement
our pancreas lipase. With the destruction of food lipase by heating we
gradually develop a lipase deficiency on high-fat diets, which leads to the
development of fat-related diseases.
Formerly various cultural groups such as inhabitants of Bulgaria and the
Caucasus lived on high-fat diets without developing fat-related diseases, even
on an abundance of full-fat milk products. They were famous for their health
and longevity; they generally used unheated fats. Also the Masaii traditionally
live on high-fat diets while maintaining excellent health. Again, their health
secret is that the fats largely remain unheated.
Here is another example of the significance of natural lipase in our
diet. The skin disease psoriasis is generally aggravated by fatty foods, and
fats must be avoided to cure it. However, earlier this century an American
doctor reported to cure psoriasis routinely with an intake of two pounds of raw
butter per week for six weeks and with reduced amounts afterwards. Modern
pasteurized butter definitely aggravates psoriasis but raw butter cures it -
what is the key difference? Raw butter from free-ranging cows is very high in
lipase and pasteurized butter is devoid of it.
The healthiest saturated fat may actually be coconut oil. This is due to
its high content of short-chain fatty acids that can easily move into cells to
be converted to energy. The long fatty acids of other fats, in contrast,
require L-carnitine for this process. Individuals who have added coconut oil to
their diet generally seem to have more energy without putting on extra weight.
There is research evidence that diets high in saturated fats cause less
cardiovascular disease than those high in polyunsaturated oils. However, I see
the healthiest option in a diet that provides a variety of fats and oils
predominantly in an unrefined and unheated form.
To sum up the main problems with fats and oils that may lead to
diseases:
·
Heating
and refining destroys enzymes, changes the chemical structure, removes
antioxidants and increases rancidity
·
Imbalances
from using too many saturated fats or omega-6 fatty acids and not enough
omega-3 fatty acids lead to deficiencies, inflammations and fatty degeneration
of arteries and organs
·
Problems can be avoided and
health deterioration reversed by using mainly unheated fats and oils, plenty of
antioxidants and sufficient omega-3 fatty acids
CHOLESTEROL
You may read about HDL and
LDL in connection with cholesterol and heart disease. HDL is short for high-density
lipoproteins and LDL for low-density lipoproteins. Lipoproteins are
biomolecules composed of proteins and lipids; they can be used to transport
cholesterol between the liver and tissue cells. Those that carry cholesterol
from the cells to the liver, are the high-density lipoproteins, and regarded as
beneficial. The cholesterol in them is called HDL cholesterol. Low-density
lipoproteins carry LDL cholesterol from the liver to tissue cells, a low level
of these is regarded as good.
The aim of medical intervention is to increase the value of HDL
cholesterol, and lower the value of LDL cholesterol in the blood. However, I am
not aware of evidence that these medical strategies are successful. Therefore,
I tend to disregard measurements of HDL, LDL and cholesterol, and specific
interventions to normalize values; instead I focus on a natural lifestyle to
improve health in every way.
Cholesterol is now portrayed as the great villain in causing
cardiovascular disease and heart attacks by clogging the arteries and
especially the coronary arteries of the heart muscle with fatty sludge. However,
cholesterol is an extremely valuable biochemical. It forms, for instance, the
base of steroid hormones and vitamin D and is especially highly concentrated in
the brain as well as in the liver, adrenal glands and nerves. Hypoglycemics or
fast oxidizers usually have low levels of this important nutrient.
Recent studies link low cholesterol levels with an increased risk of
cancer. Excess cholesterol is normally excreted with the bile but may form
gallstones if there is a lack of lecithin and taurine needed to form bile
salts. The cholesterol content of food is not normally a problem in itself.
Most cholesterol in the body is formed in the liver from breakdown products of
saturated fats, and the more cholesterol that is ingested with food, the less
is it synthesized. Thus the overall cholesterol level normally remains stable.
Cholesterol overproduction arises partly from the stimulating effect of
high epinephrine levels but mainly from an oversupply of saturated fats and a
deficiency of chromium. The body tries desperately to lower the keto-acid and
fatty levels in blood and liver, and cholesterol overproduction provides a
temporary solution. Even elevated glucose and fructose levels may be reduced by
conversion into cholesterol. In this way sweet foods, too, contribute to the
development of cardiovascular diseases Sugar ingestion raises the insulin level
and a key enzyme that synthesizes cholesterol is actually regulated by insulin.
The higher the sugar intake, the higher is the insulin level, and the more
cholesterol is synthesized in the liver.
A higher intake of polyunsaturated oils in males has led to some
decrease in cholesterol levels, however in women it has led to an increased
risk of cardiovascular disease. In animal experiments it was found that high-sugar
diets were less damaging in the presence of saturated fats such as beef tallow
or coconut oil. Despite huge efforts, medical research so far has not
conclusively shown that a high-cholesterol diet or high-cholesterol blood
levels cause heart disease. As we can see from the following published
scientific facts and observations, it is often to the contrary.
·
Medically supervised trials with
low-cholesterol diets were unsuccessful in significantly lowering
blood-cholesterol levels or reducing the risk of heart disease.
·
Low blood cholesterol does not mean
freedom from heart disease. Some drug treatments to lower cholesterol have
resulted in increased rates of heart disease.
·
About 50% of men under the age of 55
who die of heart attack do not have elevated cholesterol levels or any of the
other risk factors such as hypertension, smoking, obesity or diabetes.
·
Some other cultural groups have a
low risk of heart disease despite a high intake of cholesterol and so had
Western populations before the compulsory pasteurization of milk products and
chlorination of water supplies.
Recently an evaluation was published of six major trials entailing the
lowering of cholesterol in the blood and involving tens of thousands of individuals
over many years. The result was surprising. There was on average a cholesterol
reduction of about 10% and indeed a small reduction of 14% from death of
coronary heart disease. However, the total number of deaths was significantly
higher in those patients who had their cholesterol lowered compared to the
control group. This included not only higher mortality from cancer but on
average a 67% higher mortality rate from violent death, such as accidents,
homicides and suicides. This high rate of death from violent causes was found
in every one of these trials.
In looking for an explanation for this increased violence, researchers
found that monkeys on a diet low in cholesterol and saturated fat became more
aggressive. Studies on humans found lower cholesterol levels among criminals,
individuals with aggressive or violent behavior or limited self-control and
those involved with homicide and suicide. This is probably due to a more
erratic sugar metabolism that results if cholesterol and fats are curtailed in
an inappropriate way. Erratic blood-sugar fluctuations tend to induce
uncontrollable mood swings, including aggressive behavior. Criminal and
aggressive individuals have been shown to frequently have an erratic or
hypoglycemic-type sugar metabolism.
After decades of habitual sugar and meat consumption, the insulin level
rises permanently because of a reduced efficiency in controlling glucose
levels. Then cholesterol levels also remain chronically high. Reducing
cholesterol in this situation, as with drugs, means that less sugar is
converted into cholesterol. Therefore blood-sugar levels become more erratic
and behavior is more aggressive. Thus low-cholesterol diets are only
appropriate if they are also low in sweet food.
There is, however, a connection between cholesterol intake and
atherosclerosis and heart disease. If cholesterol in food is heated, especially
with access to air, then cholesterol is oxidized to oxy-cholesterol and this
damages the blood vessels to cause atherosclerotic lesions. Once such lesions
exist, normal cholesterol in combination with high calcium levels may also
contribute to a further build-up of plaques. In experiments using animals it
was found that with high intakes of either cholesterol or oxy-cholesterol,
atherosclerotic degeneration occurred only with oxy-cholesterol, not with
cholesterol.
Oxy-cholesterol is also carcinogenic. This means that the high disease
rate from cardiovascular disease and atherosclerotic aging processes are mainly
due to the heating - especially frying - of meat, eggs and milk products.
Avoiding chlorinated water and using high levels of antioxidants would also
insure that cholesterol does not become oxidized inside the body.
In conclusion, to avoid cholesterol-related health problems:
·
Minimize the use of sweetened food,
heated fats, oils and chlorinated water
·
Maximize the intake of unheated
fats, oils, antioxidants, and fresh raw foods
·
Lower high cholesterol levels with
cleansing periods and plenty of lemon juice
Chapter
4: PROBLEM FOODS AND FOOD PROLEMS
·
Cow’s Milk Products and Lactose
·
Chemicals and other Food Problems