February is Heart Health Month and we finally see the end of Cholesterol being the bad guy. For over 50 years the Medical Profession and Governments have been telling us that we must cut down our saturated fats and cholesterol if we want to avoid obesity, heart attacks and strokes but in a dramatic turnaround they are now conceding that they were wrong. Heart disease is still a leading cause of death worldwide and obesity is far worse a problem than it was, we now have other major health concerns that have been accelerating like Diabetes, Autism, Dementia, Alzheimers, Autoimmune disease, GERD, Cancer and Chronic Fatigue – could there be a link? Could going low fat for 50 years be a causative factor?

Cholesterol is essential, it is needed by every cell in our bodies. Here are some of the things that it does:-

• It strengthens and protects the cell membranes -which could be vital in protecting us against diseases like Cancer and Alzheimer’s
• It is a building block for the manufacturing of Vitamin D in the body – essential for our immune system.
• It is essential to our neurotransmitters, nervous system and brain.
• It enables the liver to make Bile Acids that break down fats and help us to absorb the vital fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Bile acids are essential for good digestion and transit time.
• It is the base for all the steroid hormones; oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone, aldosterone and Cortisol

Our bodies manufacture Cholesterol in the liver, approximately 2,000 mgs a day. If we deprive ourselves of cholesterol in the diet then the liver tries to make more. It also makes more in response to inflammation within the body in an attempt to protect and heal cells. The average daily intake of Cholesterol from food is 200-400 mgs.

So have we been trying to look after our heart at the expense of the rest of our body? YES.

Should we be eating eggs, quality real meat, liver, butter, ghee, duck and goose fat, coconut oil, olive oil? YES.

Should you be concerned if your cholesterol is high? YES because it shows that you have inflammation in your body, not that you had bacon for breakfast.

What should we be doing to cut down our health risks for all these diseases?

• Do not eat low-fat and fat-free processed food
• Do not consume bad Cholesterols and other fats that have been changed by processing as in processed meats, margarines, corn oil, trans -fats, hydrogenated fats, rapeseed and sunflower oil that contain inflammatory Omega -6
• Cut down all sugars: sodas, sweeteners, fruit juice and alcohol
• cut out all gluten grains and products
• get your Homocysteine blood levels checked and if it is high it means that your methylation processes are not working well and therefore you may be low on Glutathione which is the body’s strongest antioxidant. If so take a Homocysteine lowering supplement that contains methyl group nutrients – Betaine, choline, methionine, Vitamin B6, B12 and Folic Acid.
• Help your body deal with detoxification and inflammation by eating healthy foods like Beets and carrots, Tomatoes, spinach, cabbage and Avocados that all contain Glutathione or help the body produce it.
• Eat non-farmed fish and seafood often
• Use Celtic Sea salt to help get 80+ good minerals into your diet and not just sodium and notice how much better your food tastes.
• Get plenty of Magnesium into your body by diet, supplements, Magnesium Spray or Magnesium Bath Flakes.
• STATINS are not necessary in the majority of cases – discuss with your Doctor and read more about these.

I know it is difficult to comprehend, after all this time, that we no longer need to eat low cholesterol and that we can tuck in to eggs and bacon, good quality steak, chicken, pork, lamb, duck, venison because animal fats do not cause heart disease.  We can eat Avocados, coconut oil, olive oil, butter and ghee.

I made all these changes and:-

1. I enjoyed my food so much more
2. was never hungry between meals
3. became more flexible
4. had more energy.
5. I also lost 1 stone in weight from all the right places
6. no more joint pain.

Food with natural fat in it tastes so much better. The Paleo Diet is the easy way to get recipes and ideas but we don’t actually need to go back to the Paleolithic era we only need to go back to the 1940’s-1950’s diet basics and home cooking with lots of fresh vegetables. We also need to support sustainable farming, biodiversity, and buy more seasonal products and locally produced foods so we support our local economies. Go out and forage in your local neighbourhood instead of relying on the supermarket for everything and try new things, food should be enjoyable not just a necessity.

Good fresh food gives us vitality and health.

Processed, factory food gives us inflammation and a poor quality of life.

Listen to your body.

 bodykind stock several good Homocysteine lowering supplements and Magnesium products plus Omega 3 oils.