Thoughts on Managing VITILIGO Naturally

"My experience with vitiligo started when I was nineteen years old. I was in my second year of university, struggling to meet academic expectations, and unhappy with my relationships at home. 

Ultimately, trying to meet my parents' expectations for my academic career and failing to reconcile the mixed feelings that I had about being a pastor's kid of a new church created more pressure than I was capable of handling. 

During this angst-filled time, I distinctly remember days when I would lie face down in bed and wish that I could get sick in some way so that there would be less expectations for my life. 

I guess on some level, I thought that if I became ill, my parents would feel sorry for me and show me that it was okay if I didn't fulfill their hopes for my life. After several months of constant stress, worry, and self-pity, I woke up one day and noticed a small patch of white skin under my right eye. I didn't think too much of it until a few days later, I noticed another white spot on my neck. A few weeks and several new spots later, a visit with our family doctor and a dermatologist led to a diagnosis of vitiligo. 

Over the next several years, unaware of how my diet and emotional stress were causing steady progression of my vitiligo, I went on to lose about 25% of my skin color. 

 

Fortunately, my studies led me to a field of promoting health via healthy living called natural hygiene. Over time, I came to an understanding of autoimmune illness, which helped me formulate a plan to address vitiligo through natural means. 

 

Here's what everyone with vitiligo should know: 

- Your melanocytes (pigment-producing cells), unless irreversibly destroyed, are always ready and willing to restore pigment to your skin. 

- In order to restore color to areas of your skin where your melanocytes are still functional, the key is to make sure that your diet and lifestyle (including emotional stress) don't continuously undo the re-pigmenting work that your melanocytes are constantly engaged in. 

If you read through my articles on the root causes of autoimmune illness and natural ways to prevent and reverse autoimmune illness, you'll have the knowledge you need to follow a diet and lifestyle that minimize the inflammation that characterizes the loss of skin color in people with vitiligo. 

To briefly summarize these dietary and lifestyle measures, they are: 

- Eat a plant-centered diet - the bulk of your food choices should be vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains that your body doesn't have trouble digesting. 

- Ensure adequate intake of vitamin B12 and DHA (an omega-3 fatty acid that strict vegans tend to be deficient in). 

- Ensure adequate vitamin D status through diet and sunlight exposure and supplementation if necessary. 

- Avoid intake of dairy products and flesh meats. 

- If you choose to eat some animal products, stick with small amounts of organic eggs and wild fish. Closer to raw is best. Lightly cooked is acceptable. 

- Strive to be emotionally balanced. Work at being a master of managing emotional stressors. 

- Get high quality sleep as often as possible. For most humans, nine to ten hours of restful sleep every day is an optimal amount. 

These measures give your melanocytes all the support that they could ask for to produce pigment in areas that need it, as well as to minimize new bouts of inflammation that can create more loss of skin color. 

But there is one other essential stimulus for re-pigmentation: sunlight exposure. Your melanocytes produce pigment (melanin) in response to sunlight exposure, as melanin serves to protect your skin against burning. 

The trouble with this requirement for re-pigmentation is that for someone with vitiligo, sunlight exposure is hard to tolerate physically and emotionally. 

 On a pure physical level, the challenge is avoiding sunburn because areas with no pigment are unprotected against ultraviolet rays. 

For this challenge, I recommend being ultra conservative with sunlight exposure - just a few minutes at a time - and increasing intake of red beets, carrots, and dark green vegetables - these pigment-rich vegetables appear to provide some level of natural protection against sunburning from the inside-out. Just be careful not to overdo it with the beets and carrots if you have a problem with your blood sugar-regulating mechanisms, as these root vegetables are rich in natural sugars. 

Emotionally, sunlight exposure can be challenging because it leads to greater contrast between areas that still have pigment and areas that have lost pigment. 

And because some melanocytes in de-pigmented areas may no longer be functional, there's no guarantee of full re-pigmentation with sunlight exposure, which means that getting lots of sun can help stimulate some re-pigmentation, but at the cost of having the vitiligo that remains to be more noticeable. 

As someone who has lived with vitiligo for almost 20 years, I know full well that the emotional component of living with vitiligo can be a huge challenge; it's not an exaggeration to say that it can be crippling. 

Because you look different, particularly if you have darker complexion to begin with, having your vitiligo be more noticeable with sunlight exposure increases the number of stares that you get on the street. It can affect what you wear, your confidence level, and how you interact with others. Because everyone's situation is unique, I don't think there are any sure-fire ways to deal with and overcome the emotional challenges of living with vitiligo. My belief is that all of us have to create our own journeys and make choices and realizations on our own timetables. 

Though my vitiligo has been relatively stable for many years now and I do experience some re-pigmentation here and there during the summers, I would be lying if I said that I never feel self conscious about it. At the same time, I can say that I'm deeply grateful for all of the experiences and realizations that I've had because of my vitiligo. 

Developing vitiligo was the main stimulus that caused me to learn about experiencing optimal health through healthy living - I'm grateful in knowing that I'm coming close to accessing my full health and life potential because of my daily choices. 

Having vitiligo has deepened my capacity to empathize with others who suffer with anxiety about their appearance or any other perceived disability. Having vitiligo has given me the gift of being able to almost instantly identify and appreciate people who have extra compassion for others. I think it takes especially kind souls to treat others with vitiligo or some other unique physical trait as though nothing stands out. 

I'm not writing about being apathetic to another person's appearance at first glance. Rather, I'm thinking about this special gift that some people have, this gift of communicating warmth, acceptance, and genuine care through their friendly gaze. And I believe that living with vitiligo has developed my radar for such people. 

Really, I could write many pages on how having vitiligo has made me feel more human. It's forced me to mature in ways that I may not have without it. 

During the first few years, I remember being humiliated whenever someone asked me about my vitiligo. For example, one day while having lunch with a good friend and Matt, my friend's adorable toddler son, Matt suddenly paused his chewing, looked at me intently with cupcake icing covering his lips, and asked, "what are those white spots around your mouth?" 

Matt's question, perfectly innocent and appropriate for an inquisitive 3-year old, paralyzed me. I was too embarrassed to answer. As the years went by and I grew to accept that I shouldn't be ashamed of my vitiligo, I realized that people who ask about vitiligo - especially young kids - just want to know more about it; rarely is there intention to cause embarrassment. 

These days, whenever children ask me about my white spots, I typically ask them if they know of any animals that have white spots, say, those that emit "moos" or dogs that live at fire halls. As soon as their eyes answer yes, I explain that I'm the same way, that I have white spots here and there, but that they don't hurt, that that this is just the way that I am, just like some animals. And as soon as they understand this, I see in their eyes that I am nothing unusual to them - I'm just Ben, Joshua and Noah's daddy. 

Adults really are the same as children in this regard. Even those who stare at first and appear to be a bit uncomfortable, wondering if what I have is contagious - once they see that I'm comfortable with who I am, it seems that they become more comfortable with who I am. 

When I was younger and not as comfortable with my vitiligo, I think that others could feel my self consciousness, which may have contributed to them being extra conscious of my unique appearance. 

 

I suppose my point here is that natural management of vitiligo should go far beyond nutritional considerations. In almost all cases, even those involving young children, my belief is that there is a significant emotional component. To work at curing vitiligo without taking time to consider the many life lessons that it presents is to miss out on some serious marrow, I think. 

Which brings us to one final life lesson that I've learned from living with vitiligo, one that I'll end this post with: "...there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so." 

Thanks to my good friend, Chet Day for putting good old Shakespeare back into my head this morning. :) 

If you would like to share any thoughts on vitiligo or anything related to the main themes in this post, please feel free to add to this discussion via the comments section below. Thanks for reading."

MORE:

Autoimune illness: https://drbenkim.com/treat-prevent-autoimmune-illness.htm

Natural Ways to Prevent and Reverse Autoimmune Illness: https://drbenkim.com/autoimmune-illness-natural-treatment.htm

Source: http://drbenkim.com/vitiligo-natural-management.htm

HPV - Natural remedies

For various reasons (like hormonal and emotional changes), HPV comes back and produces lesions. The aim of these home recipes is to strengthen your immune system so that the virus doesn’t have the chance to “come out from hiding”.

Powerful antivirals / immune system strengthening: 

1. Probiotics

1. Garlic

3. Medicinal Mushroom

4. Astragalus

5. Oregano Oil

6. Bee Propolis

7. Grapefruit Seed Extract

8. Coconut Oil 

9. Olive Leaf Extract

More antivirals: https://www.facebook.com/irisnutrition/photos/a.1559449567624817/2014929895410113/

Source: www.steptohealth.com, etc.

Glyphosate in Food: Complete List of Products and Brands Filled with Popular Cancer-Causing Weed-Killer

Glyphosate is the main ingredient found in the popular weed-killer Roundup. Back in 2015, a famous study published by the International Agency for Research of Cancer (IARC) came to the conclusion that glyphosate is “probably carcinogenic to humans (1).”

The link between glyphosate and Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is particularly strong. One study, published in 2008 by Swedish researchers, found that exposure to glyphosate tripled the risk of a subtype of non-Hodgkin called small lymphocytic lymphoma (2).

Another study published in 2003 showed a suggestive link between glyphosate-based herbicide use and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The more pesticides a subject used, the more non-Hodgkin lymphoma incidences increased. Subjects who used five or more of the nine pesticides were “twice as likely to be NHL cases than controls (3).”

Aside from cancer, glyphosate has been associated with a host of health issues, like kidney disease (3), reproductive problems (4), liver damage (5) and birth defects (6).

Glyphosate also interferes with the ability of a plant to uptake nutrients from the soil. Glyphosate, which is a patented chelating agent, binds with nutrients in the soil, and prevents plants from absorbing them. It also acts as an antibiotic (7), which can kill bacteria both in the soil, and our own guts (both of which are incredibly important for plant and human health).

Regardless of the evidence, Monsanto still states that “Glyphosate has a 40-year history of safe and effective use. In evaluations spanning those four decades, the overwhelming conclusion of experts worldwide, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has been that glyphosate can be used safely.” Despite the lawsuit, it seems Monsanto is still in denial.

Products and Brands Filled with Glyphosate

Aside from the EWG report on glyphosate in food, other companies have also done independent testing for glyphosate residues in everyday food products. In 2016, Food Democracy Now! and The Detox Project commissioned tests that found high levels of glyphosate in many American foods – even products that are certified organic or non-GMO.

Below is a complete list of foods that contain glyphosate residues. I’ve combined data from both the report EWG released, as well as the reports released from Food Democracy Now! and the group’s “Detox Project.”

EWG Report (source):

• Granola– Nature’s Path Organic Honey Almond granola– Back to Nature Classic Granola– Quaker Simply Granola Oats, Honey, Raisins & Almonds– Back to Nature Banana Walnut Granola Clusters– Nature Valley Granola Protein Oats ‘n Honey– KIND Vanilla, Blueberry Clusters with Flax Seeds

• Instant Oats– Giant Instant Oatmeal, Original Flavor
– Simple Truth Organic Instant Oatmeal, Original
– Quaker Dinosaur Eggs, Brown Sugar, Instant Oatmeal
– Umpqua Oats, Maple Pecan– Market Pantry Instant Oatmeal, Strawberries & Cream

• Oat Breakfast Cereal– Kashi Heart to Heart Organic Honey Toasted cereal– Cheerios Toasted Whole Grain Oat Cereal– Lucky Charms– Barbara’s Multigrain Spoonfuls, Original, Cereal– Kellogg’s Cracklin’ Oat Bran oat cereal

• Snack Bars– Cascadian Farm Organic Harvest Berry, granola bar
– KIND Oats & Honey with Toasted Coconut– Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bars, Oats ‘n Honey– Quaker Chewy Chocolate Chip granola bar– Kellogg’s Nutrigrain Soft Baked Breakfast Bars, Strawberry

• Whole Oats– 365 Organic Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats– Quaker Steel Cut Oats– Quaker Old Fashioned Oats– Bob’s Red Mill Steel Cut Oats– Nature’s Path Organic Old Fashioned Organic Oats– Whole Foods Bulk Bin conventional rolled oats– Bob’s Red Mill Organic Old Fashioned Rolled Oats (4 samples tested)

Moms Across America (source):

– Tropicana Orange Juice– Minute Maid Orange Juice– Stater Bros Orange Juice– Signature Farms Orange Juice– Kirkland Orange Juice

Food Democracy Now! and The Detox Project (source):

– Original Cheerios– Honey Nut Cheerios– Wheaties– Trix– Annie’s Gluten Free Bunny Cookies Cocoa & Vanilla– Kellog’s Corn Flakes– Kellog’s Raisin Bran– Kashi Organic Promise– Kellog’s Special K– Kellog’s Frosted Flakes– Cheez-It Original– Cheez-It Whole Grain– Kashi Soft Bake Cookies, Oatmeal, Dark Chocolate– Ritz Crackers– Triscuit Crackers– Oreo Original– Oreo Double Stuf Chocolate Sandwich Cookies– Oreo Double Stuf Golden Sandwich Cookies– Stacy’s Simply Naked Pita Chips (Frito-Lay)– Lay’s: Kettle Cooked Original– Doritos: Cool Ranch– Fritos (Original) (100% Whole Grain)– Goldfish crackers original (Pepperidge Farm)– Goldfish crackers colors– Goldfish crackers Whole Grain– Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pies– Oatmeal Cookies Gluten Free– 365 Organic Golden Round Crackers– Back to Nature Crispy Cheddar Crackers

Other Brands/Products and Miscellaneous:

– Ben & Jerry’s Ice Creams (source)– Tampons (source)– Non-organic cotton clothing products (source)– Rainwater (source)– Groundwater supplies (source)

How To Steer Clear of Glyphosate in Foods

Glyphosate contamination cannot be removed by washing (it is absorbed into the plant while it’s growing). It also is not broken down by cooking or baking.

1. Always Look for Non-GMO Project Verified

If you’re purchasing a processed food item (that is, something boxed, bagged or canned), you can make sure it doesn’t contain GMO ingredients by looking for the Non-GMO Project Verified symbol (see below).

2. Certified Organic is Better Than Non-Organic

By purchasing certified organic foods, you’ll be rest assured that your food doesn’t contain any glyphosate-containing chemicals. Unfortunately, glyphosate use is so rampant, that some organic foods may contain small amounts of glyphosate residues (say, from neighboring crops). The good news is that organic foods contain much lower levels of glyphosate compared to their conventional counterparts.

3. Look for Glyphosate Residue Free Labels

The Detox Project, a research and certification platform that uses an FDA-registered food-testing lab to test for toxic chemicals launched their own “Glyphosate Residue Free” label. This label offers more transparency and assures the purchaser that they’re not getting any glyphosate in the food they’re buying. While these labels aren’t mainstream, the Detox Project is working with food manufacturers and grocery chains to get this label on more products.

Source: livelovefruit.com

Chakra, Auras and energy influence

Because our chakras continually receive and send out energy, we are continually being affected by and affecting others, sometimes in positive ways, sometimes not. No wonder some people want to be hermits.

If your energies are strong, you will have an immediate impact upon anyone who comes into your presence. Specifically what kind of impact will depend on the condition of the other person's energy system. Someone who has weak energies or is not feeling well may be intimidated, overwhelmed or wiped out in your presence; that person also could be energized by you. If the other person also has strong energies, there is likely to be better balance and a better rapport-a feeling of being equal.


We experience energy primarily through our most open chakras. If your sexual chakra is the most open, then regardless of what you receive from others, you will experience it on the sexual level. Not only that, but the other person's energy will primarily go out the sexual level. If your heart chakra is the most open, you tend to experience life as love.

Energy received by overly open spleen or navel chakras will cause emotional reactions. Some people receive most energy through their third or fifth eye; they deal with the world primarily on a mental level. The unexpected reactions of others are due to this chakra "snagging" process; more on this later. The reverse also true; you receive strong energies from others through your strongest chakra. When you become aware of a strong reaction to another per son but do not understand that reaction, seek to know the area or chakra of your body where you feel this energy most strongly. If you think your energy response is inappropriate, consciously move the energy to a different chakra area (such as the heart or brow).

When you become aware that your energies are too intense for comfort, stretch your body and breathe deeply. This breaks up the stress pattern and increases energy flow. Another way to achieve balance is to send energy out your feet and the top of your head. Dancing equalizes energy throughout the body and is therefore a good release when you feel pent up or blocked; it can also be used as a preparation for meditation or intense mental work.

Energy Ties

People who have strong mutual feelings establish energy ties which bind them even when they are not physically together. The bind may be at the heart, brow, navel, or sexual chakras, or combinations of the chakras. Those who are very sensitive to these energies can feel them and the clairvoyant can see them. Two people who care deeply for one another but ignore each other when in the com pany of others might suppose they are hiding their connection; still, the bond between them can be felt or psychically seen.

When one person of a married couple starts sending energy to a third person, his or her mate may notice something is missing, suspect an affair is brewing, or feel a sense of loss and not know why. The reason is the diminished flow in the couple's energy connection.

In marriage or close friendships a strong tie can be very beneficial and comforting. When there are connections at all chakra levels, the partners have a feeling of blending and really fitting together. Relationships with an easy flow and strong contacts have a stronger chance of lasting. But intensity can be overwhelming. Too strong a tie may represent a loss of individuality. Sometimes one person takes on characteristics of the other. This is one reason we should be careful with whom we have our deepest contact.

Sometimes a parent will feel closer to or love one child more than another. This may stem from a strong past life connection, or may be due to chakra energy rapport in this life. Even when the par ent tries to treat all the children alike, the other siblings usually sense who receives the most energy attention. They may insist the parent likes the other child better when actually there is only a stronger connection. Such connections can and do change during lifetimes. Negative feelings between people often manifest in a ha tred connection between their spleen or navel chakras.

Exercise.

Close your eyes. With whom do you have psychic ties? Are they negative or positive? Where do you feel them in your chakras? What are your ties with the other person's chakras? Do these ties drain or reinforce you?

Charisma and High Energy People

Charismatic people have strong energy fields which they can use in positive or negative ways. Have you ever listened to a speaker whom you thoroughly enjoyed only to wonder later how you could have agreed with the person's ideas? You were under the speaker's "spell," feeling a charismatic energy while in his or her presence. Great speakers can send the essence of their message through their energy and really touch their audiences, sometimes inspiring them. Great actresses and actors do the same thing. So do con artists. A charismatic person has the ability to send energies from different chakras which can snag the chakras of others.

Sometimes you will find that other people literally blow your mind with their forceful energies. You may be at a loss to answer the person, think clearly or verbalize your thoughts. You feel defense less. This type of person usually sends very strong energies from the third eye (between the eyebrows) or the fifth eye (in the center of the forehead). If you find this happening to you, send energy out either your third or fifth eye, whichever seems appropriate, and let it meet the other person's half way; you will keep your thought patterns from getting messed up. If you find it difficult to follow or compre hend a speaker, send energy gently out your fifth eye.

Some charismatic people are so filled with love and peace that they seem single-handedly to change the vibrations everywhere they go. Just being in their presence others can experience the ele vating effect of their energies.

Toxins

Another's strong energy flow from a particular chakra may intoxicate you in that same chakra. Being with someone who is very irritable and upset may make you feel the same; you become irritable and upset yourself. You may wish to send peace from your navel chakra to counteract the other person's energies. You may also find that concentrating on a higher chakra will help to balance things.

We all have to be careful of being sucked into others, careful too of what we send to others. One person in a crabby mood can set off everyone else, whether at home or work. Co-workers often leave a negative situation only to go elsewhere and complain about it, unaware they got sucked in the negativity and are spreading it. A wonderful gift you can give to other people is to let them have their space and not get caught in their moods or acting as if you caused them; likewise, you can feel your own moods without feeling compelled to snag others into it.

Children, especially, can drain their parents with their negative thoughts and emotions. Adults may give children their own way or totally shut them out as ways of getting them to stop draining the chakras. Living together creates a situation where all people in a group tend to block or open the same chakras. children pick up many of their parents' attitudes and feelings, even on a subliminal level, getting clues that certain chakras should be closed or open at certain times; without anyone's realizing it, the child takes on the parents' ways of relating to the world.

Every thought and feeling you have about another person becomes an energy form which goes to that person. It affects the person on some level. Do remember that anything you send out eventually returns to you. You get what you give.

If you feel inundated with thoughts and feelings from others, imagine yourself surrounded with a psychic ultraviolet light. If the feelings or thoughts get stronger, they are yours; if they fade away, they are someone else's. You may even be aware of the person sending them or see his or her face. The person probably does not mean any harm. There are many careless thoughts and feelings which pollute our air.

Do Unto Others

When you want someone to have certain energies, such as confidence or peace, feel that in your energies and usually it will reflect in the other person. Sometimes you may be angry over another's lack of calm or peace, but this only makes matters worse.

Clarity

Feeling what you are thinking or saying helps you be aware of what you really mean. It also helps convey the essence of your message and you will be more easily understood.

Energy Drainers

People with low levels of energy may unconsciously drain or sap energy from others. Such people have not learned to absorb energy from the surrounding air, instead pulling it predigested from another person; or they are so emotionally disturbed or physically weak as not to be able to pull energy in for themselves. "Predigested" means that the energy has already been brought in by another person and transformed to a usable frequency; it is an easy way out.
People who for no apparent reason make you feel drained or irritable are sapping your energy. Energy pulled from you leaves you weakened. You may feel your aura shutting down. When this happens, your energy comes back toward you and your body tightens. You may look for excuses to get away from the sappers. When you have gotten away and your energy truly becomes yours again, you may wonder why you acted as you did . Were you uncaring or too hasty? Should you have stayed? Guilt feelings may ensue, which an awareness of this sapping dynamic may help you understand.

Feeling drained, you may wish to become aware of the chakra or chakras from which energy is being pulled. You can then make the choice either to close the chakra or send energy to the other person. Sharing energy is a gift, and what you give strengthens you. But when the person to whom you send energy does not relax and come into strength, you may need to stop sending energy. Sometimes people become dependent on others' energies. When you choose not to send energy, seek protection by filling and surrounding yourself with a white light, consciously willing your own aura to be stronger and creating a force-field against draining influences. Another procedure is that of imagining a glass wall between you and the sapper.

Those Who Stir It Up

A person with highly charged or unbalanced chakras may seek stimulating conditions, such as arguments, which aid the release of these excess energies. Some people are happier when they have caused a commotion. Their needling and fight-starting may stimulate their own energy and release blocks, but neither does much for the other person. Gossip, heavily judgmental, is another form of stir-it-up release. In the company of someone who is trying to stir it UP, try to remain peaceful and not get snagged. You may need to change the subject or ask the person not to talk meanly of others in your presence.

Sex:

Preoccupation with sexual thoughts or feelings may stem from excessively opened sexual chakras. Whether or not a person in this situation is aware of it, others pick up the sexual energies, perhaps even to the point of supposing interest in a sexual encounter. This can be confusing. Make sure in this situation that your own sexual chakras are balanced or your higher chakras are open; you will be less inclined to take things personally.

Sometimes people with very high spiritual energies and blocked sexual energies will attract people with blocked spiritual energies and high sexual energies. It is an attraction of opposites; but we are also dealing with higher and lower octaves of the same energy and it may be that one person's very spiritual energies attract sexual responses from another. Seek protection by filling and surrounding yourself with a radiant light and feeling balance all over your body. Relationships and sex are best when all chakras are balanced, open and flowing well.

Blocking

We spend a great portion of our lives in relationships, surrounded by the energy others are sending out. It is important both how we receive others' energies and how our own energies are received by others. In the company of someone whose chakras are blocked, you may feel shut out, as if that person wants nothing to do with you. This may not be the case at all- The person may very much want interaction but is so used to having blocked chakras that to open them in your company is a frightening proposition; relationships in this situation can be scary and tense

When you want to be more open, feel your chakras as relaxed, open, and receptive to others' energies. There are some very positive benefits to openness: a sense of connection, strength, cuddliness, or of not being alone in the world. When you want others to be more receptive of you, let your energies out in a peaceful way. Do not force them or the person receiving them may feel bombarded.

Better Understanding Your Chakras: 
An Exercise

Close your eyes. Imagine that a significant person in your fife is standing in front of you or near you. Be aware how your body reacts to this presence. Which chakras open or close? You will feel relaxed where they are open and tight where they are closed. More aware of the movement of your own energies, you will be able to have more control and enjoyment in life. Remember that energy patterns change according to the situation and the people you are with. Anodea Judith has written a lot of detailed books about chakras and auras.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/notes/source-of-origin/chakra-auras-and-energy-influence/192780987611/ 

Poor cholesterol - so misunderstood

...cholesterol is innocent until corrupted by refined carbohydrate....

All animal cells require cholesterol for proper structure and function. The vast majority of cholesterol in the body does not come directly from foods like eggs and meat, but from the liver, which can make cholesterol out of anything we eat. So, if cholesterol-rich foods don’t cause high cholesterol, what does?

WHAT IS CHOLESTEROL?

Most people have no idea what cholesterol actually is.

Life without cholesterol would be impossible. Cell membranes, which wrap around and protect the inner contents of all cells, must contain cholesterol in order to function properly. Cholesterol contributes firmness to membranes and keeps them from falling apart. But wait, there’s more!

All of the following critical body components are made from cholesterol:

• Estrogen
• Testosterone
• Progesterone
• Cortisol (anti-inflammatory stress hormone)
• Aldosterone (regulates salt balance)
• Vitamin D
• Bile (required for fat and vitamin absorption)
• Brain synapses (neurotransmitter exchange)
• Myelin sheath (insulates nerve cells)

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FAT AND CHOLESTEROL?

Cholesterol is made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, just like fat is, but it is not fatty; it is a hard, waxy substance that contains no fat. A molecule of fat looks like this:

whereas a molecule of cholesterol looks like this:

As you may be able to appreciate just by looking at them, they are very different from each other.

Fat is a simple long chain, whereas cholesterol is mainly a complicated combination of rings - 3 hexagons plus a pentagon; in medical school we affectionately called it “three rooms and a bath.” Fat is relatively easy to build (11 chemical steps from acetyl-coA to triacylglycerol), whereas cholesterol is hard to construct - more than 30 chemical steps are required to build one molecule of cholesterol (from acetyl-coA to cholesterol). The body would not go to the trouble of making it for no reason. Especially since, as it turns out, once it’s built, it’s impossible for the body to break it down - we do not have any way to take apart its complex ringed structure.

CHOLESTEROL IN FOODS

How much cholesterol do we need to eat?

NONE.

Cholesterol is so important that the body can make cholesterol out of ANYTHING - fats, carbohydrates, or proteins. You don’t have to eat cholesterol to make cholesterol. Even if you eat a completely cholesterol-free diet, as vegans do, your body will still make cholesterol. Type “vegans with high cholesterol” into your search engine and you will find plenty of accounts of vegans whose cholesterol is too high - despite the fact that they eat ZERO grams of cholesterol.

Which foods contain cholesterol?

Since every single animal cell contains cholesterol, all animal foods contain cholesterol.
Many people don’t realize that all muscle meats (chicken, fish, beef, pork, etc.) contain about the same amount of cholesterol per serving.
Certain animal foods—liver, egg yolk, dairy fats, glandular organ meats, and brain— are especially high in cholesterol.  Why is that?  Liver is where the body manufactures cholesterol. Egg yolks contain concentrated cholesterol because the growing baby chick needs it to build new cells. Milk fat contains lots of cholesterol because the growing baby calf needs it to build new cells. Glandular organ meats (pancreas, kidney, etc.) contain more cholesterol because glands make hormones, and hormones are made from cholesterol. Brain contains very high amounts of cholesterol in its myelin sheaths, which insulate its electrical circuits.
All plant foods are considered “cholesterol-free.” Well, it would be more accurate to say that plant foods do not contain any animal cholesterol. Plants contain their own special forms of cholesterol called “phytosterols”, but phytosterols are toxic to human cells, so our intestines wisely refuse to absorb them.
So, in most cases, animal foods contain some cholesterol that the body can absorb and use, and all plant foods contain cholesterol that our body cannot absorb. The only exceptions I know of to these rules are shellfish.

There are two types of shellfish: crustaceans (lobsters, shrimp, crabs, etc.) and mollusks (clams, oysters, mussels, etc.). Crustaceans—giant sea insects who hunt for their food—contain animal cholesterols that can be absorbed by the body, but mollusks—who gather nutrients by filtering seawater—contain a different type of cholesterol that we can’t absorb.
In fact, plant cholesterols and mollusk cholesterols are not only rejected by our intestinal cells, they actually interfere with the absorption of animal cholesterols. This is how margarines such as Benecol® work. The manufacturer has added a chemically altered form of plant cholesterol to the spread, which interferes with the absorption of animal cholesterol.

WILL EATING CHOLESTEROL RAISE MY CHOLESTEROL?

Yes, but only if your body needs more cholesterol.
The cells lining the small intestine each contain transporter molecules (NPC1L1) that absorb cholesterol. [The cholesterol-lowering drug Zetia® works by blocking NPC1L1 yet does not reduce risk of heart disease]. However, if the body doesn’t need any more cholesterol, there are other molecules (ABCG5/8 transporters) that pump the cholesterol right back out into the intestines to be eliminated from the body. This is one reason why it is virtually impossible for cholesterol from food to cause “high cholesterol.” The intestinal cells know exactly how much is needed and will not allow extra to be absorbed.

This is brilliant when you think about it (the body is so smart)—it is impossible for the body to break down the complex structure of the cholesterol molecule, so it would make no sense to absorb too much—once it’s inside the body there’s only one way to get rid of it, and that is to excrete it in the bile. Why take in more than necessary, if it’s just going to have to be eliminated?

However, if your body cholesterol levels are low, the intestinal cells will not kick it out, and it will make it into your bloodstream—because you need it.

What’s more, cholesterol is recycled very efficiently by our bodies, because it is so hard to make. Why make more from scratch if you don’t have to? Remember that it’s also impossible for the body to break down cholesterol, so the only way to get rid of it is to excrete it. The liver gets rid of any excess by excreting free cholesterol into the intestines along with bile. This free form of cholesterol is the only form that intestinal cells are able to absorb. Most of the cholesterol molecules in food (85 to 90% of them) are not free; they are in the form of “cholesterol esters.” [Cholesterol esters are just cholesterol molecules with a fatty acid attached]. Intestinal cells are incapable of absorbing cholesterol ester, which is the major form of cholesterol in food. Therefore, if the intestinal cells sense that the body needs more cholesterol, it will typically reabsorb most of what the body needs from the bile, not from food.

To summarize the relationship between food cholesterol and blood cholesterol:

1. Most cholesterol from foods does not get absorbed unless body levels are low.
2. The amount of cholesterol you eat has almost no effect on your cholesterol levels.
3. The vast majority of cholesterol in your body is made by your body’s own cells. Remember that creepy line from the movie When a Stranger Calls? “The call is coming from inside the house.” The excess cholesterol is coming from inside your body, not from the food you eat.

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How does the body make cholesterol?

All cells can make their own cholesterol, but liver cells are especially good at it. Only liver cells are capable of making more than they need for themselves - and shipping it out to other parts of the body.

Remember how it takes more than 30 chemical reactions to build one molecule of cholesterol? The most important of all of these steps is step #3. In this step, a critical enzyme called “HMG-CoA reductase” converts a molecule called HMG-CoA into another molecule called mevalonate. Once this step occurs, there’s no turning back, so it’s a big commitment. This reaction is the one that determines whether or not cholesterol gets made. Therefore, the enzyme that runs this reaction, HMG-CoA reductase, is very important—it’s like the foreman in charge of the cholesterol assembly line. This enzyme needs to be carefully controlled, because we don’t want cells wasting their time and energy building expensive cholesterol molecules willy-nilly.

The activity of this critical enzyme HMG-CoA reductase is controlled primarily by two things:

1) cholesterol levels inside the cell

2) insulin levels in the blood.

This is where things get really interesting. It makes sense that HMG-CoA reductase would respond to the cell’s cholesterol levels—if the cell’s levels are low, you want to turn that enzyme on, so you can make more cholesterol, and if the cell has enough cholesterol, you want to turn that enzyme off and stop making cholesterol. But what is insulin doing in the mix?
We think of insulin as a blood sugar regulator, but its real job is to be a GROWTH HORMONE. Insulin is supposed to turn on when we need to grow. What do we need to make in order to grow? More cells. What do we need to form new cells? Cholesterol. So, at times when we need to grow (babies, teenagers, pregnant women), insulin turns the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase ON, which tells cells to make more cholesterol, so we can build new cells.

What causes high cholesterol?

Why would the body make more cholesterol than it needs?

Now here’s the problem: when people eat too many sugars and starches, especially refined and high glycemic index foods, blood insulin levels can spike. When insulin spikes, it turns on HMG –CoA reductase, which tells all of the body’s cells to make more cholesterol, even if they don’t need any more. This is probably the most important reason why some people have too much cholesterol in their bloodstream. Sugars and starches can raise insulin levels, which fools the body into thinking it should grow when it doesn’t need to. This is how low glycemic index diets and low-carbohydrate diets normalize cholesterol patterns—these diets reduce insulin levels, which in turn lower HMG-CoA reductase activity.

“Statin” drugs, such as Lipitor®, which are prescribed to lower cholesterol levels, work partly by interfering with the activity of HMG-CoA reductase. If your cells happen to need more cholesterol under certain circumstances, but the statin drug is blocking this critical enzyme, your cells may not be able to make cholesterol when needed. And what’s worse is that the cholesterol synthesis pathway doesn’t just make cholesterol; branches of this same pathway are responsible for synthesizing a wide variety of other important molecules, including: Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, and Coenzyme Q. So, you may want to think twice before you artificially interfere with this pathway by taking a statin drug.

When you eat less carbohydrate, you are not artificially blocking the pathway; you are simply allowing HMG-CoA reductase to listen to other more important signals (such as cholesterol levels and growth requirements) and decide naturally when it should turn on and when it should turn off.
So, to recap: refined carbohydrates speed up the cholesterol assembly line and statins slow it down. Which approach would you rather take to manage your “cholesterol problem”—taking a drug that artificially slows down this assembly line, or changing your diet so that the assembly line only runs when it’s supposed to? [Hint: Dietary changes require no monthly co-pays, and have no potentially dangerous side effects.]

Chances are: if you have “high cholesterol” you do not have a cholesterol problem—you have a carbohydrate problem. 

Good Cholesterol and Bad Cholesterol

This gets into the very complicated relationship between cholesterol blood tests and heart disease risk. This is an enormous topic that will be covered in future articles on this site, but I’ll summarize some basic points here now.

When you get your cholesterol levels checked, you will see numbers for HDL and LDL, as well as triglycerides.  Triglycerides are fats, so we’ll set them aside and just focus on HDL and LDL.

HDL particles collect extra cholesterol from around the body and carry it back to the liver to be eliminated from the body if we don’t need it. It is typically thought of as “good cholesterol” so higher HDL levels are considered a good sign.

LDL particles carry extra cholesterol made in the liver out to the rest of the cells in the body. We used to think of LDL as “bad cholesterol” so lower levels of LDL were considered a good sign.

The cholesterol inside of HDL and LDL particles is exactly the same, it’s just that, for the most part, HDL is carrying it in one direction and LDL is carrying it in the opposite direction. The reason why LDL had been dubbed “bad” and HDL has been dubbed “good” is that numerous epidemiological studies (most famously, the Framingham Heart Study) told us that high LDL levels were associated with a higher risk of heart attack, and that high HDL levels were associated with a lower risk of heart attack.

We used to think that HDL was good because it acted like a garbage truck, clearing evil cholesterol out of our bodies, and we used to think that LDL was bad because it burrowed its way into our coronary arteries, depositing evil cholesterol there—forming plaques and causing heart attacks.

Cholesterol, Carbohydrates and Heart Disease

However, this simplistic way of thinking about cholesterol and heart disease is changing before our very eyes. It turns out that it is more complicated than this. LDL, for example, exists in a variety of forms. It can be big and buoyant and “fluffy” or small and dense and oxidized (damaged). The new thinking is that small, dense, oxidized LDL may be the only type of LDL that is associated with heart disease. Therefore, instead of thinking of all LDL as “bad”, it would be more accurate to say that all LDL is not created equal—big fluffy LDL is “good” and small, dense, oxidized LDL is “bad.”

Unfortunately, standard blood tests can’t tell you which type of LDL you have because it lumps all types of LDL particles together.  Standard tests can only estimate how much of your cholesterol is travelling inside of LDL particles.  They can’t tell you how many LDL particles you have, how big they are, how dense they are, or how oxidized they are.  [For a detailed explanation of the complexities involved in interpreting cholesterol blood test results, I recommend Dr. Peter Attia’s blog at www.eatingacademy.com.]

What we do know from research studies is that people who eat a diet high in refined carbohydrates tend to have a higher number of “bad” (smaller, denser, oxidized) LDL particles. This makes sense, because we know that carbohydrates are “pro-oxidants” —meaning they can cause oxidation.

There is also lots of evidence telling us that refined carbohydrates can cause inflammation.  Just because doctors find cholesterol inside artery-clogging plaques does not mean that cholesterol causes plaques. It is now well established that heart disease is a disease of inflammation. It is not simply that an innocent, smooth, buoyant sphere of fat and cholesterol traveling through the bloodstream decides to somehow randomly dig its way into a healthy coronary artery. The first step in the development of a vessel-clogging plaque is inflammation within the lining of the artery itself. When doctors cut into plaques they don’t just find cholesterol—they find many signs of inflammation (such as macrophages, calcium, and T cells). 

Wherever there is inflammation in the body, cholesterol is rushed to the scene to repair the damage—because we need cholesterol to build healthy new cells. Jumping to the conclusion that coronary artery plaques are caused by the cholesterol found inside of them is like assuming that all car accidents are caused by the ambulances that are found on the scene.

The latest research suggests that diets high in refined and high glycemic index carbohydrates increase the risk of inflammation throughout the body, especially in blood vessels. Diabetes, a disease which is intimately associated with high blood sugar levels, is infamous for causing damage to blood vessels in the retina, kidneys, and tiny vessels that feed nerve endings in the feet. It is well established that people with diabetes are also at higher risk for heart disease. It should therefore not be a stretch for us to imagine that all people with high blood sugar and/or insulin levels due to diets rich in refined carbohydrates may also be at increased risk for cardiovascular disease.

Cardiology researchers are now turning away from the notion that saturated fat and cholesterol cause heart disease. After all, how could saturated fat and cholesterol, which we have been eating for hundreds of thousands of years, be at the root of heart disease, which is a relatively new phenomenon? Cardiologists are finding instead that refined carbohydrate (such as sugar and flour), which we have only been eating in significant quantities for about a hundred years, is the single most important dietary risk factor for heart attacks:

“Strong evidence supports …associations of harmful factors, including intake of trans-fatty acids and foods with a high glycemic index or load.”
“Insufficient evidence of association is present for intake of…saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids; total fat,… meat; eggs; and milk.” [Mente et al 2009].

Sweetheart?  
There are several plausible mechanisms for how refined carbohydrate could increase risk for heart disease and change cholesterol profiles:

• Diets high in refined carbohydrate lower HDL levels and set the stage for high insulin levels, oxidation, and inflammation throughout the body, including in the coronary arteries.
• High blood sugar and insulin levels turn big, fluffy, innocent LDL particles into small, dense, oxidized LDL particles, which are associated with increased risk for heart disease.
• High insulin levels turn on the cholesterol building enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, forcing the body to make more cholesterol than it needs.

It is becoming increasingly obvious that cholesterol is innocent until corrupted by refined carbohydrate.

Source: http://www.diagnosisdiet.com/food/cholesterol/

Learn How Inflammation Affects The Body 

Inflammation controls every aspect of our life. If you or someone you know suffers from ongoing, chronic pain, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, ADD/ADHD, peripheral neuropathy, migraines, cancer, thyroid issues or dental issues, you are often dealing with inflammation. Learning how inflammation affects the body, and what you can do to stop it, is the first step in realizing your body’s full potential.

 Instead of getting to the root cause, doctors, when presented with patients suffering from the aforementioned problems, give their patients pharmaceutical drugs to cover up problems that continue to manifest and get worse. If we were simply told that in order to get better, we have to eliminate the inflammation in our bodies, then we would never have to take another pharmaceutical drug in our life.

Inflammation begins in our gut, with an autoimmune reaction which progresses into systemic inflammation. Thus, we can see how important it is that the foods that we eat are clean, wholesome, and largely plant-based to reduce the level of acidity and “backing-up” which is normally caused by eating animal-based products, refined sugary foods, highly processed foods, and wheat (gluten).

Diseases that result from a build-up of inflammation in the body range from allergies, Alzheimer’s, anemia, asthma, autism, arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, celiac disease, chron’s disease, congestive heart failure, eczema, fibromyalgia, fibrosis, gall bladder disease, GERD, heart attack, kidney failure, lupus, multiple sclerosis, neuropathy, pancreatitis, psoriasis, scleroderma, stroke, and surgical complications. 

GI Tract (Stomach, Intestines)

The degree of permeability of your gut depends on a variety of lifestyle factors. If you are relatively stressed most days (raised cortisol), or your thyroid hormone levels fluctuate, your intestinal lining becomes more permeable, making it more vulnerable to toxins, viruses, yeast, bacteria, and undigested food particles from your last meal – otherwise known as leaky gut syndrome (LGS). With LGS, these toxins, yeasts, bacteria and viruses, when moving through the intestine, have better access to the bloodstream.

Having a damaged intestinal lining results in poor nutrient and enzyme assimilation, and eventually results in a variety of diseases by responding with inflammation.

Chronic immune mediated inflammation damages our intestinal lining and can result in issues such as Celiac disease and Chron’s disease. Not only that, but when our esophagus and digestive tract become inflamed due to poor food choices, which mess with the natural pH of our stomach, we may experience heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Brain

Inflammation causes the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines which results in an array of physical and psychological symptoms. In fact, these pro-inflammatory cytokines can actually cause lack of energy, difficulty concentrating, sleepiness, and loss of appetite. More importantly, the connection between depression and inflammation has been made clear in a variety of studies. One study found that patients with major depressive disorder have significantly higher levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha than their non-depressed counterparts.

Inflammatory cytokines are also responsible for inducing autoimmune reactions against the myelin sheath and vascular and connective tissues which irritate our nerves, which can ultimately result in neuropathy and multiple sclerosis. Destruction of brain cells caused by chronic inflammation is also responsible for Alzheimer’s disease.

Autism is also inflammatory based, where inflammatory cytokines induce autoimmune reactions in the brain, arresting right hemisphere development.

Liver

A build-up of inflammation in the body can lead to an enlarged liver (swelling beyond its normal size), or fatty liver disease, which can ultimately result in liver failure. It can also lead to an autoimmune condition called hepatitis which can scar the liver. The liver is our main way of ridding the body of toxins (including the kidneys and intestinal tract). Without a properly functioning liver, toxins will build up in the body, resulting in ill health and disease. Dandelion greens and dandelion root tea are a great way to start building a healthier liver.

Kidneys

Inflammatory cytokines slow down and restrict blood circulation to the kidneys and damage the delicate nephrons and tubules which make up the majority of our kidneys. This can result in nephritis, and eventually kidney failure. High levels of inflammation reduce urine output, and thus results in a retention of waste products. As a result, we may experience mild hypertension and edema (fluid retention), as well as toxic waste retention which can bottleneck into a series of other medical problems.

Cardiovascular System (Heart, Blood, Veins, Arteries)

A few years ago, a discovery was made that inflammation in the artery wall is the real cause of heart disease. Without inflammation, cholesterol would move freely throughout the body. Instead, when we are burdened with an inflammation-heavy body, cholesterol accumulates in the wall of our blood vessels and causes heart disease and strokes.

Foods loaded with refined sugars and simple carbohydrates, foods processed with omega-6 vegetable oils like soybean, corn and sunflower (aka. pretty much any and all processed foods), or saturated fat heavy animal products like meat, eggs and dairy are all major contributors of inflammation in the body, which leads to clogged arteries and veins. Excessive over-consumption of omega-6 vegetable oils must be in correct balance with omega-3’s – without this balance, the cell membrane produces chemicals called cytokines that directly cause inflammation.

Today, the mainstream American diet has produced an extreme imbalance of these two fats, so much so that the imbalance ranges from 15:1 to as high as 30:1 in favour of omega-6 (whereas the optimal healthy ratio would be around 3:1).

In addition, carrying excess weight on the body creates overloaded fat cells which pour out large amounts of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which add to the injury caused by having high blood sugar. Eliminating inflammatory foods and eating a largely plant-based diet will help you reverse years of damage in your arteries and throughout your body.

Lungs

A body that manifests a high state of inflammation can seriously affect the functioning of the lungs.

In asthma, for example, inflammatory cytokines induce autoimmune reactions against the linings of the airways. This is also the case for different allergy types that affect the lungs, specifically Hay Fever and other plant and animal-related allergies.

Build-up of excess mucus in the lungs as a result of poor diet, and resulting inflammatory response is also the cause for bronchitis and cystic fibrosis.

Thyroid

Inflammation has a profound effect on all aspects of thyroid metabolism and physiology. Autoimmunity, resulting in inflammation, can reduce the rate of T4 to T3 conversion, reduce receptor function and also disrupt the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis.

Studies have shown that even a single injection of the inflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha reduced blood levels of TSH, T3, free T4, free T3 and TRH for 5 days, demonstrating how inflammation disrupts the production and regulatory mechanisms of thyroid hormones.

In addition, the number and sensitivity of thyroid hormone receptors are reduced when there is a high level of inflammation in the body. It won’t matter how much thyroid medication you take – the cells simply won’t be able to use it!

Lastly, inflammation reduces the conversion of T4 to T3 (T4 is the inactive form of thyroid hormone and the body needs to convert it to the active T3 form before it can be used).

If you are suffering from hypo- or hyper- thyroidism, you may want to re-think your medication, and instead get a move on modifying your diet and lifestyle choices.

Bones

Inflammation interferes with the body’s natural ability to repair bone mass, resulting in a greater number of fractures, breaks and conditions like osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis (chronic synovial inflammation is often accompanied by bone erosion, one of the main reasons for disability in RA patients).

In fact, one of the most overlooked methods of preventing osteoporosis is reducing chronic inflammation. Nurturing your gastrointestinal system to improve nutrient absorption from the foods you take in, as well as focusing on a high-alkaline, anti-inflammatory diet devoid of gluten, meat and dairy, are great ways to start improving bone quality and function.

Muscles

Chronic inflammation can cause muscle pain and weakness. It can also manifest as carpal tunnel syndrome, where excessive muscle tension causes shortened tendons in the forearm and wrist, compressing the nerves and creating pain and stiffness. It is also important to remember that our heart is a muscle too, and chronic inflammation can contribute to heart muscle wasting, resulting in congestive heart failure.

Autoimmune reactions against muscles and connective tissue induced by inflammatory cytokines are also responsible for polymyalgia rheumatica, a condition characterized by widespread aching and stiffness in older adults.

Skin

The number one enemy to our skin is systemic or chronic inflammation. This is usually a result of chronic inflammation of the gut and liver, our main detoxifying organs, which when compromised, results in an expelling of toxic substances from our skin (how else is our body going to rid itself of toxins?). Poor detoxification as a result of inflammation can manifest as eczema, acne, unexplained skin rashes, psoriasis, wrinkles, fine lines and a variety of other dermatitis types.

If you want beautiful, clear skin, you must eat a diet that is rich in plant-based foods and devoid of dead animal products, processed greasy foods and refined sugary sweets like donuts, muffins, candies, and pastries. Remember – your skin is a direct reflection of how well your gut and liver are functioning. Detox these organs, eliminate inflammation, and your skin will be clean and clear!

How To Get Rid of Inflammation

If you truly wish to be healed of any health problem you may be experiencing, you must consider inflammation’s role in your issue, and dealing with it as the root cause. Inflammation is the result of an autoimmune reaction in the gut, which then spreads to other areas of the body.

Removing autoimmune triggers from your life, such as:

– Food (animal-based products (meat, eggs, dairy), refined sugary products, highly processed foods, wheat)

– Lifestyle factors (stress, poor sleep, over-exercising, not enough exercising – these are all huge things to consider as well…the stress response triggers the immune marker IL6 which switches on the TH17 immune pathway, fast-tracking the body into autoimmunity)

Replacing these with beneficial ways of living, such as:

– Food (plant-based foods like all fruit and vegetables, nuts and seeds, mineral supplementation to make up for lack of mineral deposits in the soil that our food grows in)

– Lifestyle factors (create conditions of love, appreciation and gratitude, exercise properly, maintaining a positive attitude, getting enough sleep, and maintaining healthy social interactions. These will all help release natural systemic opioids which helps push the immune pathway TH3, helping to reduce autoimmunity)

Source: http://livelovefruit.com/