Not Eating Eggs Because of Cholesterol?

 

I have a fair number of patients with so called high cholesterol or family with history of heart disease so they are taking statins and altering their diets. I recently had a patient who has a history of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, family with high cholesterol and heart disease. He needs to lose weight to reduce blood sugar levels, but he’s eating hardly any food and the food he is eating is boring and repetitive. He’s not getting any closer to his weight loss goals as a result. Does this sound familiar?

Did you know that statin drugs can increase your sugar levels? And, if you are on a statin, you MUST supplement with CoQ10 because a statin will block production of this vital nutrient. CoQ10 is essential for cell growth and maintenance. Also, did you know that diabetes can increase your risk of stroke and dementia? And get this one, children who are breast fed for at least 6 months have 50% reduced risk of developing type 1 diabetes. Now that’s amazing.

[tweetthis]Statin drugs can increase your sugar levels. And, if you are on a statin, you MUST supplement with CoQ10[/tweetthis]

Ok, let’s talk eggs.

Eggs used to be seen as an evil cause of high cholesterol and that would lead to heart disease. Not true. Eggs have been eaten by humans for centuries, but heart disease is relatively new. It wasn’t until the 1920s when the first heart attack was recorded. If you remember the ad campaigns urging Americans to reduce fat consumption by eating margarine and other processed foods/oils, that’s when heart disease started its steady rise in the US.

If you are fascinated by health studies and want to know all there is to know about cholesterol and the real causes of heart disease, I suggest the book “The Great Cholesterol Con.”

So please don’t eat fake eggs or just egg whites. You need the nutrients that are found in the yellow part of the egg. Have you ever read the ingredient labels on those egg substitutes? They remove the yellow part then fortified it with the nutrients and other fillers.

Here is what you get when you eat the whole egg.

Vitamin B12, which is depleted in people with stress, choline, which is essential for a healthy pregnancy and liver function, and vitamin A, which is great for skin and hair health. Then there are the anti-oxidents. Lutein is essential for eye health. Keep this in mind, if you don’t eat enough cholesterol, which is essential for a healthy body, your body/liver, will make more to keep the balance.

Now, let’s take a look at sugar. Some have called it a toxin, but I have to disagree. Sugar itself is not toxic, it’s how much sugar is put into processed foods and the number and amount of processed foods you eat that make it toxic. Think of it this way, if the manufacturer takes out fat, what do you think they put in to give it flavor? Yes, sugar. It will also increase the shelf life of foods. So your goal, when shopping is to buy foods that will last the SHORTEST amount of time in the pantry or fridge. When it comes to sugar, even fructose, which is fruit, enjoy it in moderation and always combo it with a protein to slow down the sugar spike and insulin response.

I also consider carbohydrates as sugars because they break down quickly in the body and you get a sugar spike and insulin response as well. This is for the processed white foods and even whole-wheat breads/baked goods fall into this category. What you want to eat is fiber so that is a complex carbohydrate such as brown rice or quinoa. Keep in mind that a serving size is just ¼ of a cup. If you want a pasta, keep the portions small and try some of the newer types made from chickpeas or lentils. These are still processed foods, so keep consumption to a minimum.

Lastly, I’ll leave you with a list of what does cause heart disease from “The Great Cholesterol Con”

 So WHAT does cause heart disease?

  1. Smoking. It increases cortisol levels and DHEA, the steroid hormone make in the adrenal glands in response to stress.
    2. Lack of exercise. It’s important to choose exercise that you enjoy. Human beings need some exercise; if they don’t get it, they degenerate. They also become depressed, anxious and unhappy.
    3. Too much or too little alcohol. Small amounts of alcohol taken with friends or sociably is healthy.
    4. If you hate your job or have a bully for a boss. Don’t be a victim or feel trapped. Assert yourself and ensure that people give you the respect that you deserve.
    5. Lack of friendships. Make a new friend. Join a club. Find an area of life that you enjoy and can enjoy in the company of other people. Praise other people and try to compliment people more often. Look forward to something enjoyable every day, every month and every year.

Everyone knows that stress kills. By the way, there is a great program on what stress does to the body that you can watch instantly on netflix. It’s from Natiional Geographic and it’s called “Stress:Portrait of a Killer.” There are difference between good stress and bad stress.

Good stress:
exercise
massage
singing
rock climbing
passing an exam
clinching a successful business deal
organizing a social event
giving a well received lecture

Bad stress:
excessive, intense exercise in adverse conditions, eg. working in a coal mine
cocaine use
smoking
major surgery/trauma
steroid use
bullying boss
poor social network
suffering racism
money worries, long term debt

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