Cholesterol

Hi Micheal

I would definitely not recommend Benacol.

Benacol has never been proven to lower cholesterol, it states that by including plant stanol it proven to lower cholesterol, this is a lie.

Plant stanols can be effective ' very slightly' I might add in reducing LDL but Benacol contains a huge amount of Trans fats which are known to increase Triglcerides ( fat in blood) and increase hugely LDL bad cholesterol.

Benacol specifically instructs consumers to eat more than one serving per day to meet minimum requirements of plant stanol but Benacol contains more partially hydrogenated soybean oil ( trans fat) than it contains plant stanol. The more Benacol you consume the less healthy your diet is.

Plant stanols included in a spread or yogurt drink doesn't actively lower cholesterol.

The science linking trans fats to coronary heart disease is clear, the more you eat the higher the risk.

The limited benefit of plant stanols cannot overcome the clear danger of trans fats.

The scientific verdict is quoted below

' many spreads of margarine are bad for your cholesterol health but only Benacol spread is dishonest enough to pretend to be a health food while giving you coronary heart disease'

If you've been using Benacol or infact any other lowering cholesterol spread, then your intake of trans fats is great and therefore this would explain you high Triglceride and LDL result.

Hope that helps

Hi Sonya

No I haven't had any Benecol but I was thinking about it. Will not bother now.

Thanks

Mick

Just stick to butter you can't go wrong

Hi, loads of good advice here, there is a documentary on the TV this Wednesday, BBC2, Horizon Sugar v Fat. I think that it may be an eye opener! my wife read an article out to me yesterday based around the whole debate on fats/cholesterol etc and many now think that the real reason for CHD is due to inflammation in the blood vessels and arteries which it looks like is caused by highly processed carbs and the over

consumption of sugar, the view is that saturated fat and cholesterol would not stick to the vessel and artery walls but because of inflammation it just builds up, so stop eating simple carbs and highly processed foods use fresh ingredients, non starchy vegetables, eat less or none at all of cakes, biscuits pastries, chocolate. Soya and soya products look like they may be a problem too, the Japanese eat some of the lowest

amounts of Saturated fats in the world but have some of the highest rates of CHD! it looks like that Soya

has an inflammatory effect! the French have some of the highest consumption levels of saturated fats in

Europe and take less exercise that us and smoke more and they have lower rates of CHD than us!

My advice to anyone would be take plenty of exercise, eat a diet rich in fish, fresh vegetables, fruits, pulses and lentils, high fibre food to keep your digestive and intestinal system working well, eat high quality

proteins, animal and plant based, nuts, eggs, limit your carb intake but if you do eat them make sure they

are from the complex forms, wholemeal bread, wholemeal pasta and rice and keep away from white flour

products and high sugar. Google Pure, White and Deadly....

processed foods

Yes Tim let's just hope the ' great cholesterol con' is banished forever but I'm afraid it won't be in my lifetime.

Rightly pointed out that sugar is one of the main culprits to heart disease so we all need to check the sugar content in everything we eat, I'd also say keep fruit to a low level, fresh fruit does contain essential vitamins but it also has high volume of sugar, particularly oranges.

I also believe stress plays a part in CHD and maybe that's why the French have a lower risk, they are by nature completely laid back and they're meal times are relaxing family affairs.

Let's hope that the medical profession take note re sugar, along with the benefits of saturated fat verses any other fat, once this happens the food industry along with pharmaceutical companies will stop making billions from at the detriment of our health

Unfortunately I think your right, the big pharma companies are just to powerful and have too much influence over NHS policies on treatments etc, as for fruit yes your right about the sugar but to access the sugars the body has to break down the fruit in to it's constituent parts which takes time and energy so some of the

sugars are used to help with this process but unlike a can of coke there are the other nutritional benefits to be weighed up but it's a case of being sensible too much of a good thing is bad for you! I read an article

written by a professor of nutrition which said that we should only eat foods that grow naturally in the country that we live in and originate from, this would limit the fruits available to us along with many other foods...not sure how we would get on with this one....

Hi

Just a quick update.

After talking to the good people on here I have been researching cholesterol. I have downloaded to my Kindle " The Great Cholesterol Con" today and look forward to reading this. Will be watching the Horizon programme tonight on TV.

Also have contacted my doctors surgery regarding my results.

Original letter just said cholesterol is quite high at 8.1 and HDL is1.4, having spoken to the practice nurse it turns out that my LDL is 5.8 HDL is 1.4 and Tryglycerides are 3.1. I don't know how they calculate this to 8.1, any ideas?

Mick

Hi Michael

Really pleased your reading the great cholesterol con, fantastic book.

From the figures you've shown above I have no clue where the 8.1 comes from? It makes no sense.

Cholesterol is calculated using the following

Triglceride divided by 5 which is 0.62 then this figure is added to you HDL and LDL your total would then be 7.8 not 8.1

Only slightly lower I know.still not as much of a scare than when they told you your HDL alone was 8.1.

Enjoy reading the truth and let me know your thoughts

hi tim i hope you read this i suffer with c.o.p.d or chronic obstuctive pulminary decease im 61 i have been taking statins for years but from today i plan to stop and start drinking green tea instead i have changed my diet after learning about the interference of science on our diet you should check out wheat belly on youtube im over weight and i have always struggled to lose the fat but after watching that,i have decided to cut out anything containing wheat and i am sticking to a more organic diet i also have stopped drinking milk and eating cheese i only started about a week ago but i am feeling much better and lighter by the way i weigh 18 stone or did i am also juicing a combination of fruit and veg every day i am sure if you cut out wheat it will help with your problem  

Hey Tim

Healthy Med diet,great,I'm glad I haven't done too strenuous exercise in the past.

Been seeing too many chaps with knee etc, problems due to strenuous exercise when younger.

I take statins and some work for me,busy with a new one so will see again.