Hey, What’s Your Cholesterol?

It’s about as casual and common a question as, “How’s it going?” And because cholesterol is made out to be the dirty culprit responsible for high rates of heart disease, many stay on top of their cholesterol levels and try desperately to keep them below whatever the doctors are touting as the now, new dangerous level.

Men of all ages can’t even watch a hockey game without being prodded to “Ask your doctor if Lipitor is right for you”. Well, don’t bother asking. The answer is “No!” Plain and simple.

Lipitor’s website begins with the words, “If you have high cholesterol, you may not even know it.”  Well, that’s true. If indeed high cholesterol was the cause of heart disease, the reminder and warning might be appreciated, but what the mainstream media doesn’t tell us is this:

• Cholesterol is not a proven cause of heart disease.

Or this:

• Diets high in saturated fats and cholesterol do not equate to heart disease or high cholesterol levels.

And this:

• There is very little cholesterol or saturated fats in the arterial plaque that clogs.

How ‘bout this?

• Rates of heart failure have doubled since the advent of statin drugs[2]

The truth is, cholesterol-lowering drugs (not cholesterol) cause more harm to the heart than cholesterol levels.

Conversely, Statins are dangerous with their proven crimes:

• They inhibit the production of a coenzyme, Q10, which the muscles, including the heart need to function.
• Statins cause heart failure.
• Statin drugs are a depressant.
• Statin drugs rob the mind of its cognitive ability.
• Statin drugs have been shown to cause cancer.

Cholesterol is not the culprit it’s made out to be. In fact, it is a wonderful thing.

Let me repeat: Cholesterol truly is a wonderful thing and necessary to the body.

Did you know that cholesterol is [3]:

• Made by almost every cell in the body?
• Waterproof and helps build waterproof cell walls, allowing the cellular function to proceed without impediment?
• A powerful antioxidant, which helps protect against cancer?
• A building block for hormones- those that address stress, those that regulate mineral metabolism and blood sugars, and sex hormones, too?
• Necessary for brain function as well as the central nervous system?
• Like an anti-depressant? It helps the body make use of serotonin-the chemical that helps make us feel…well, good?

So, if you’re trying to catch cholesterol, you’re going after the wrong perpetrator!

But wait a minute-what about the “good” vs. “bad” cholesterol debate-maybe we shouldn’t be up in arms against all cholesterol, but only the “bad” cholesterol?

Yet, this, too, is an ill-waged war.

The only thing “bad” about the “bad cholesterol”, i.e., LDL (low-density-lipoprotein) is that it carries homocysteine along with the necessary cholesterol, from the liver to other areas of the body.

Homocysteine is an amino acid that we rarely hear about within the cholesterol debate.

Too much homocysteine can damage the arteries and the heart.

Instead of lowering cholesterol levels, endeavor to lower homocysteine levels, which run rampant when our body doesn’t have enough vitamin B6, B12 and Folic Acid.

Unfortunately, this is all too often the case, since the body is ultimately depleted of these vitamins thanks to processed foods (The Heart Revolution, 15). Vitamins B6, B12 and Folic Acid are destroyed by technological advances, which are appealingly called “refined” and “processed”.  Think white: white refined sugars, white flours, canning and heating processes, etc.

Let the case against cholesterol come to a close. It is a beautiful and necessary substance needed for healthy minds and bodies. As is saturated fats and cholesterol rich foods. What we don’t need is a statin drug to cover up symptoms that don’t really even exist and the onslaught of processed foods.

So if you really want to arm yourself against heart disease and truly want to stop worrying about cholesterol levels, try these easy, safe and delicious ideas:

Stock you refrigerator with free-range eggs and raw milk.

Don’t be afraid of fat-soluble vitamins A and D and the butter and lard   from which they are deliciously delivered. Enjoy gourmet, nutrient dense, foods such as coconut oil, palm kernel oil, liver and organ meats from free range animals. Find a friend who hunts and stock your freezer with venison and bones for making genuineheart-healthy bone stocks for your soups.

Eschew canned, processed fruits and vegetables as well as pasteurized dairy, especially ultra-pasteurized. And replace these with homemade or cottage industry provided sources.

Do eat fresh fruits and leafy greens. These are packed with homocysteine- regulating Vitamins: B6, B12 and Folic Acid. Then include crispy, fermented vegetables.

It’s really rather easy.  Just eat like an old time farmer, OR like a European immigrant OR a connoisseur seated at the finest restaurant in Paris or Rome.

Then enjoy your meals knowing that your heart will love it.   In fact,  it  might just have a love affair with genuine food.

Sources and further reading:

Charles T. McGee, M. (1993). Heart Frauds . Coeur d'Alene: MediPress.

Duane Graveline M.D., M. (2009). The Statin Damage Crisis. Duane Graveline M.D., M.P.H.

Kilmer S. McCully, M. a. (2000). The Heart Revolution . New York: HarperCollins .

SHerry A. Rogers, M. (2008). The Cholesterol Hoax. Sarasota : Sand Key Company, Inc.

Uffe Ravnskov MD, P. (2000). The Cholesterol Myths. Washington DC: NewTrends Publishing, Inc.

Joseph Mercola  www.Mercola.com

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Instant in-the-Freezer Cookies

(-From “Secret Spoonfuls-Confessions of a Sneaky Mom” CD booklet)

I like this cookie recipe because there is no need to soak the flour. (All grains need to be soaked in lacto-fermented fashion.) Arrowroot is not a grain so there’s no problem with allergies. It is naturally white, too! From this one cookie dough many variations can be formulated. I freeze rolled dough and when in a pinch, I can cut them to size still frozen and pop in the oven. Sometimes I add ingredients to the frozen dough such as walnuts and raisins.

Have your ingredients at room temperature. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Blend    4 sticks of unsalted butter

1 ½-2 cups of Rapidura (Whole can sugar available at health food stores)

1 tsp Celtic salt (Whole salt)

4 tsp vanilla

Add        3 eggs

Reduce speed on blender

Slowly add 5 cups of arrowroot powder or flour

Divide the dough in 4 separate sections and choose your flavors

For Ginger Cookies– Add 1-2 Tbsp fresh ginger

For Tahini Cookies– Add ¼- ½ cup tahini butter (or peanut butter)

For Dried Fruit & Nut Cookies– Add ½ cup walnuts and ½ cup raisins. These are good with ¼ tsp allspice, 1/8 tsp of gloves, ½ tsp of cinnamon, ¼ tsp nutmeg and ½ tsp of ginger.

For Lemon Cookies– Add 1 tsp grated lemon peel. Scrub before grating.

For Orange Cookies– Do the same as above, substituting orange peel for lemon

For Coconut Cookies– Add 1 cup of finely chopped or flaked coconut

For Seed Cookies- (Sesame or Poppy) Add 4 Tbsp of your own seed of choice

Chocolate Chip Cookies-Add shards of organic chocolate bar

Lay each section in waxed paper and roll into a dough roll. Wrap and place in the freezer. They’ll remain fresh in the freezer for 2 months. When it is time to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees, unwrap the roll and cut into ½ inch rounds. Place on cookie sheets approximately 1 inch apart and bake for 6-8 minutes.

Transfer the cookies to a cookie rack, cool before eating. They store well in a cookie tin or jar.

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MSG; The Flavor We Can Do Without

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Homemade Vanilla Extract

When you read how simple this is, you’re going to wish you had know about it years ago.  Goodness!  I’ve spent a lot of unnecessary money on the store-bought version before I learned about this.

 

The recipe:  (if you could call it that)

You  break up about 10 vanilla beans either dried or  not, into small pieces and put  them in an amber bottle  of 1 pint of the finest alcohol you’re willing to buy.  I’ll be honest, I splurge when it comes to my vanilla extract and I buy Courvoisier brandy. It’s  delicious French brandy but I’ve also had decent result with plain old 180 proof vodka.

Let it sit in a cool dark place for at least a month or so.

 

Then it’s vanilla extract!  I often present it as a housewarming gift  after decanting  to a lovely bottle.

As the volume goes down, I add more alcohol and I’m often able  to eek out  another rendering.

Here are my sources of vanilla beans that  are usually less costly than buying from the local grocery store.

 

1)       http://myworld.ebay.com/vanillaproducts

2)       Bulkfoods.com

3)       Penzey’s

 

Enjoy!

 

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Old Fashioned Scottish Oatmeal

When McDonald’s recently announced their new oatmeal breakfast, I thought it was time to   pass along  some information I’ve learned from  the Weston A Price Foundation and have employed in my own home for years.

Real oatmeal; that is oatmeal that is  made the traditional way in Scotland is made with old fashioned oats.    They’re cut, not rolled, however rolled oats will do.

 

Because of a substance called phytic acid that can interfere with digestion, all grains are best prepared by soaking them in water over night.  The addition of an inoculant, such as a little bit of live yogurt, furthers the  breakdown of  the digestive inhibiting acid.

Here’s the way it has been done for centuries in Scotland and the method we should follow in our own kitchens.

 

The night before, assemble the following:

 

• 2 cups of  dried organic steal cut or rolled oats (never instant)
• Enough water to cover the oats by an inch or so
• A tablespoon of plain, live cultured yogurt
• 1-2 sticks of (preferably raw) butter
• Organic raisins
• 1 teaspoon  organic vanilla
• 1 teaspoon Celtic salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

 

Stir together the first three ingredients in a pot. Cover and put aside on the counter for 12-24 hours.  24 hours is best.  In the morning, add another cup of water, raisins, salt and cinnamon and cook for a few minutes on medium heat.  Stir once, reduce the flame to low and cover.  Let it gently cook for another few minutes. Just before serving, add butter and vanilla.

This is authentic Scottish oatmeal yet after soaking overnight, it's nearly as quick as instant.

 

Now thars a breakfast fit fur traditional lassies and ladies!

 

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Shrove Tuesday Gumbo

Here’s a  traditional recipe to start Lent

• 10  oz  andouille sausage  but if you can’t find a good source without nitrates and from quality pork, then  Polish, Italian or any smoked sausage will do.
• 2 cups chicken meat
• raw shrimp (preferably wild)
• ½ cup crab meat

2T lard, tallow or duck fat

• 1 stick organic butter
• file powder (optional) found at gourmet stores
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 whole lemon
• 2 cups okra ( this is optional because some don’t like okra, but I like a more traditional gumbo)
• 2 T fresh parsley
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped bell peppers
• 3 chopped garlic cloves
• 8 medium chopped organic tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped garlic
• 1 sprig fresh  thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh oregano
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne(I like more)
• 1 tsp ground peppercorns
• 1 tsp  Celtic or other whole salt
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 2 cups dark beer. (Optional but adds depth)
• 2-3 cups  bone stock. (Homemade is best)
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup flour or arrow root for thickening

 

Directions

Slice sausage and fry in lard, tallow or duck fat until lightly crisp. Remove  sausage and place in a bowl. In the same pan, fry  chicken pieces on both sides. Set to the side with the sausage.

In the same pan, saute chopped onion, celery, bell peppers, okra and garlic  a few minutes until tender. Add more fat if needed.

In a large pot, combine spices, tomatoes, meat, stock and  beer. Bring to a simmer. Add bay leaves and cover.

Make a roux by melting ½ stick butter in a small pan and then sprinkling four into it until it thickens and is slightly browned.  If you’re on a gluten free diet, do the same with arrowroot powder. You will need to constantly stir this mixture so it doesn't burn.

Add roux to gumbo, cover and simmer for about 2 hour, stirring from time to time.  A few minutes before serving, add the shelled shrimp.  As soon as they pink up, add the juice of the fresh lemon, remove bay leaves, add file powder and serve over cooked rice.

It tastes better the second day, so you might want to prepare this in advance.

Incredible!

Serves 8-10

 

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Shrove Tuesday Gumbo

Fat Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday is March 8

Here’s a  traditional recipe to start Lent

• 10  oz  andouille sausage  but if you can’t find a good source without nitrates and from quality pork, then  Polish, Italian or any smoked sausage will do.
• 2 cups chicken meat
• raw shrimp (preferably wild)
• ½ cup crab meat

2T lard, tallow or duck fat

• 1 stick organic butter
• file powder
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 whole lemon
• 2 cups okra ( this is optional because some don’t like okra, but I like a more traditional gumbo)
• 2 T fresh parsley
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped bell peppers
• 3 chopped garlic cloves
• 8 medium chopped organic tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped garlic
• 1 sprig fresh  thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh oregano
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne(I like more)
• 1 tsp ground peppercorns
• 1 tsp  Celtic or other whole salt
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 2 cups dark beer. (Optional but adds depth)
• 2-3 cups  bone stock. (Homemade is best)
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup flour or arrow root for thickening

 

Directions

Slice sausage and fry in lard, tallow or duck fat until lightly crisp. Remove  sausage and place in a bowl. In the same pan, fry  chicken pieces on both sides. Set to the side with the sausage.

In the same pan, saute chopped onion, celery, bell peppers, okra and garlic  a few minutes until tender. Add more fat if needed.

In a large pot, combine spices, tomatoes, meat, stock and  beer. Bring to a simmer. Add bay leaves and cover.

Make a roux by melting ½ stick butter in a small pan and then sprinkling four into it until it thickens and is slightly browned.  If you’re on a gluten-free diet, do the same with arrowroot powder. You will need to constantly stir this mixture so it doesn't burn.

Add roux to gumbo, cover and simmer for about 2 hour, stirring from time to time.  A few minutes before serving, add the shelled shrimp.  As soon as they pink up, add the juice of the fresh lemon, remove bay leaves, add file powder and serve over cooked rice.

It tastes better the second day, so you might want to prepare this in advance. Incredible!

Serves 8-10

 

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