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what patients are saying:
"My visit with Dr. Malik yesterday was a very different experience from my typical doctor visit and very refreshing. I came away knowing more about the anemia and what's going on in my body instead of feeling like I have no control over the situation." |
what patients are saying:
"Thank you for all you have done for me this past year. I am well on my way to a healthy body and healthy mind. You have been a tremendous support." |
what patients are saying:
"I truly appreciate the time Dr. Malik spent with me and for his listening. People I know asked me how ‘it went,’ and I replied with a resounding ‘wonderful!’ I felt as though we were talking about MY health, not just some ethereal, benign concept of health. It was the first time in my entire life that I felt a doctor really HEARD me!" |
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| High Blood Cholesterol: A Holistic Perspective |
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By Richard Malik, ND
As published in the Lakeville Journal, Millerton News, & Winsted Journal
28 June 2007 |
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High cholesterol is not a danger in and of itself. This statement may be hard to believe, but cholesterol is a molecule with important biological functions. The body needs cholesterol to make many important substances that are vital for every day life; cortisol, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, vitamin D, and other hormones all require cholesterol for their production. Cholesterol also is an important part of the membranes of every cell in the body.
So why is it that modern medicine so adamantly wants you to lower your elevated cholesterol levels? High blood cholesterol levels increase the risk of the cardiovascular disease atherosclerosis - also known as arterial plaque or clogged arteries. Clogged arteries can cause pain from decreased blood flow to limbs or important organs. For instance, decreased blood flow to the legs can cause pain that is brought on by walking. Decreased blood flow to the heart causes chest pain from exertion (angina). If an arterial plague breaks it may cause an embolism or the resultant clot can bring about a heart attack or stroke. |
| What Causes Clogged Arteries? |
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Elevated cholesterol is one of many factors that increases the risk of clogged arteries. Elevated cholesterol alone does not cause them. Damage to the arterial wall and oxidation (the opposite of anti-oxidants) play very important roles.
When the wall of the artery becomes damaged it is exposed to the cholesterol in the blood. The only way that cholesterol will deposit into the arterial wall is if that cholesterol is oxidized. So, it is possible to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis by preventing damage to the arteries and preventing the oxidation of cholesterol. |
| Preventing Clogged Arteries |
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There are many ways to prevent damage to the arterial wall. High blood pressure, elevated blood sugar and smoking directly damage blood vessels. Adequate vitamin C is important for healthy collagen synthesis - an important component in artery walls. Remember that vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy - a disease marked by excessive bleeding from blood vessels. Vitamin C is also an anti-oxidant that may prevent cholesterol oxidation. 800 - 1000 mg is a good place to start for most people.
There are also many ways to prevent cholesterol oxidation. First, avoid oxidized cholesterol in food. Oxidation of cholesterol happens when it is exposed to heat and oxygen. Scrambled eggs contain plenty of oxidized cholesterol, while hard boiled eggs do not. Meat that is well-done will have more oxidized cholesterol that meat that is not well-done. |
| The Role of Inflammation |
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Inflammation in the body can be a major cause of oxidation. A blood test biochemical marker of inflammation, high sensitivity CRP, is used to assess the risk of cardiovascular disease. Recent evidence suggests that anti-inflammatory fish oils prevent cardiovascular disease and that statin drugs are effective because they both lower cholesterol and are anti-inflammatory.
Homocysteine is another blood test that provides information on risk of cardiovascular disease - high levels are bad. It seems that homocysteine reduces the ability of the arteries to produce their own, local acting anti-oxidant. Vitamin B-12, folic acid, and vitamin B-6 are effective in most cases of elevated homocysteine.
Infectious organisms, like bacteria, colonizing the vessel wall are implicated in atherosclerosis. The immune system sees the infection, attacks it with free radicals which cause inflammation and oxidation. This immune response to the infection encourages plaque formation. Addressing these infections or enhancing immune function may prove to be effective for preventing clogged arteries. |
| What You Can Do |
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Things you can do to lower cholesterol, reduce atherosclerosis, and prevent cardiovascular disease:
- Implement dietary and lifestyle changes that lower cholesterol and cardiovascular disease risk
- Lower your cholesterol with a pharmaceutical drug or a natural cholesterol lowering agent that works for you
- Prevent damage to your arteries by maintaining a healthy blood pressure, blood sugar levels and not smoking
- Improve or maintain the integrity of your blood vessels with optimal nutrition
- Lower your systemic and arterial inflammation by having plenty of fish oils (about 1 gram a day) and anti-oxidants in your diet or using supplements to get these nutrients.
Most of the work of lowering cholesterol and improving cardiovascular health will fall on your shoulders. But, it is important to get support and medical care from qualified professionals to make sure you are going in the right direction.
© 2007 Richard Malik, ND |
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