Cholesterol Myths, Masai Tribe, Kitavans, and More

[bangbongbong]

I LOVE YOU

[jackofalltrades50]

I have my own cholesterol monitor. A couple of times I've taken a reading half an hour before my blood test at the clinic. The difference can be huge - eg. 5.0 at home and 6.8 from the test. My first thought was 'rubbish device' but now I'm thinking that just maybe cholesterol can increase under stress. Same as blood pressure. I'm okay with my monitor but way too high if a doctor or nurse does it. What's the evidence, can you get 'white coat cholesterol'?

[auggiedoggy]

Well good for the Massai but saturated fat definitely raises MY cholesterol. If I ate their diet, I would have died by age 50. I keep both my weight and cholesterol in check with a high-carb, low-fat diet plus 60 minutes of walking 5 days per week.

Have you looked at any research involving plant sterols (2g/day) significantly reducing LDL-C?

Btw, the Massai don't live very long lives.

[tbursee]

cholestorol is a matter of poor nutrician. Your liver produces more in response to your cells being under nourished. Improve nutrician at the cellular level and cholestorol down.

[AppleSouffle]

Thank you for this video!

Tweak: People with high, moderate and low cholesterol levels all have heart attacks. There is NO correlation between cholesterol and heart attacks. Check the video Cholesterol and Heart Disease, glynwainwright.

LDL is low density lipoprotein. It is NOT bad cholesterol. It's a lipoprotein; it's right there in the name. Calling LDL cholesterol is like calling a 3rd grade student a school bus. The bus moves the students but the bus is not the students.

[auggiedoggy]

The Masai however, do tend to live short lives but CHD is not their enemy. I've read Lindeberg's book on Western disease. Very interesting and its amazing how little solid scientific evidence actually exists out there with regards to human nutrition and health issues.Lindeberg's book is extremely well referenced (over 2000 references).

[AppleSouffle]

Auggiedoggy, I would love to look at the book you alluded to, but you didn't list the title! You didn't even list his or her first name. Please, share the intel.

[auggiedoggy]

@auggiedoggy : His name is Staffan Lindeberg and the book is titled: "Food and Western Disease: Health and Nutrition from an Evolutionary Perspective".

[TheRosa63]

I understand choelsterol as a anti oxidant, used by body to quelch free radicals, protect cells from oxidation, etc, if it is too high it is a symptom of to much inflammation and free radical damage like a.g.e.s. used by cells to stiffen up squishy cells from to much poly and not enough sat fats in diet.

it also protects cells from glycation. it is first responder to stimulate immune when invaders are found esp around the heart. fat around heart is probably due to this immune response.

[proteanview]

Seems like health has a whole lot more to do with eating whole foods, than whether or not it has saturated fat or not. The Masai cows eat grass, not corn. They're not injected with hormones to artificially produce milk year round. I wonder if they even cook their meat with heated oils or if they simply grill them. It may be the saturated fat in conjunction with these factors are the issue.

[LuluBre02]

People such as the Masai dont consume loads of sugar and they dont eat tons of vegetable oils and they are healthier for it. So in a sense, cholesterol is fine for humans in any amount, except when it is paired with copious amounts of sugars and bad fats. What do u think?

[180degreehealth]

@LuluBre02 I think metabolism is the key, and the key to metabolism is a very nutritious diet, great heredity, and lack of vegetable oil and refined sugar like you suggest.

[LuluBre02]

I really think that organ complications have to do with ingesting too much sugar like added fructose to foods and consuming too much artificial sweeteners. This would explain why the West suffers so many heart attacks and liver failure. I also think that vegetable oils play a huge role in disease. I mean, if u think about it, humans are not designed to be taking in so much sugar and bad fats....it is not natural at all and therefor, we suffer for it.

[pat557]

Okay, we're confused. So now what? go Breatharian?

[180degreehealth]

@pat557 Yes! Breathetarian is the way! Oh wait, that will make you hypometabolic, which is the primary cause of heart disease :)

[nymike59]

Dude Dr. Atkins , Susan Summers , protein power diet, carbohydrate addicts diet , Doug kaufman know the cause . com... all prove low carb diet reduce bad cholesterol..... Bad Cholesterol is PRODUCED by the the liver breaking down carbs... Also elevated insulin levels reak havac

[180degreehealth]

@nymike59 Then why is heart disease and hyperinsulinemia non-existent in cultures eating a very high-carbohydrate diet such as the Kitavans, Ugandans, rural Zulu tribe, etc.?

[slash3rr]

@180degreehealth so what causes high colesterol. Fat doesnt sugar doesnt...

[auggiedoggy]

@180degreehealth : And you can add Okinawans to your list. I see after one year your question is still unanswered. Not surprising. Whenever I ask an LC advocate this question, they usually disappear.

[belovedideas]

@nymike59 There's a difference between "proving" and "arguing for". Make room in your life for different points of view. You'll be happier and live longer.

[nymike59]

Dude Dr. Atkins , Susan Summers , protein power diet, carbohydrate addicts diet , Doug kaufman know the cause . com... all prove low carb diet reduce bad cholesterol..... Bad Cholesterol is PRODUCED by the the liver breaking down carbs...

[180degreehealth]

Stabby - Glad you're confused. Atherosclerosis is NOT the driver of heart disease. I'm not aware of the Masai eating "a lot" of honey. Maybe a very small amount. Atherosclerosis is a natural progression of aging. If anything, their calcium intake stabilizes plaques, which is more important than the amount of the plaque.

[sdpgposd]

pretty fascinating

did you study something at college/university to become this knowledgeable? is it your job? or is it just an interest you have with nutrition thats lead you here?

[180degreehealth]

@sdpgposd I became interested in it. Applied myself fully to learning as much about it as I could until it became my job. I studied writing in school. I'm sort of a health "journalist" if you will.

[StabbyRaccoon]

Yes now I'm very confused. I know that it is not simply cholesterol but oxidized cholesterol that causes athersclerosis. The cholesterol becomes oxidized via inflammation and reactive oxygen species of all types. The Maasai eat a lot of honey which would result in atherogenic lipoproteins and could explain the plaque. But the lack of actual episodes is staggering and confounding

Is it a good guess that inflammation from eicosanoids and oxidized polyunsaturates is needed to complete the picture?