Determine Your Risk of Stroke With the PLAC Test

by Dr. Stephen Sinatra

When screening for heart disease, include this new test to assess your stroke risk

Until now, there hasn’t been a test that could measure your risk of having a stroke. The latest technology gives us, for the first time, a conclusive test for stroke risk. The PLAC test, as it’s called, detects the presence of an enzyme that could lead to a stroke. Scientists have identified an enzyme called lipoprotein associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2 for short) that’s involved in the inflammation of blood vessels. This inflammation contributes to both plaque formation and instability. Eventually the unstable plaque can rupture, turning potentially lethal clots and debris loose in your bloodstream—causing a stroke or a heart attack.

Results from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study performed by the National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute demonstrated that folks with elevated Lp-PLA2 had double the risk of suffering an ischemic stroke over a six to eight year period compared to those with low Lp-PLA2. This risk was found for everyone, not just those with other cardiac risk factors such as smoking, diabetes, or obesity. Moreover, when high Lp-PLA2 was combined with high systolic blood pressure (more than 140 mmHg), it created six times the risk of developing a stroke. This result makes it quite clear that anyone with high blood pressure and elevated Lp-PLA2 needs to take very aggressive preventive measures to avoid a stroke.

If you have risk factors for stroke—especially high blood pressure—ask your physician to do a PLAC test. Other common risk factors include a family history, race (African Americans are at higher risk), advancing age, diabetes, obesity, arterial disease, atrial fibrillation, valvular heart disease, tobacco use, high levels of inflammatory markers such as CRP and interleukin-6, and an HDL cholesterol level less than 40. For more information on the test, visit the Web site www.plactest.com.

Read more: http://www.drsinatra.com/heart-disease-tests-stroke-risk/#ixzz2pkfwqDOR

Review of Soy

Guest Post: A Review of Soy

by LYDIA on APRIL 3, 2013

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 As the “plant-based diet” has gained mainstream momentum, so has the popularity of soy, and more and more people seeking out dairy and meat alternatives.  Where did this idea of eating mass quantities of soy (soy milk, soy ice cream, soy cheese, soy yogurt, soy burgers, tofu, soy flour, soy chips, soybean oil, soy lecithin, soy protein isolate) come from?  A general rule of thumb that I find extremely insightful: Follow the money.

The History of Soy 

After World War I, soy was used to regenerate the soil during the “Dust Bowl” and drought stricken “Dirty Thirties” because of its nitrogen fixing properties.  Henry Ford became a great voice promoting soybeans and the soy industry, spending approximately $1.25 million (this was in the early 1930s) on soy research, helping to develop its use as both a food and industrial product.  By 1935, soy was involved in the manufacture of every Ford car, using the crop as a paint base on his automobiles and in the fluid of the shock absorbers.  It didn’t stop there.  Ford even went so far as to make an entire car out of soy.  Government demands for soy grew stronger, and more farms began increasing their production of the crop.  By the 1940s, soy farming really took off.1,2  During World War II, the US experienced a “dizzying rise” in soybean production that “exceeded even the wildest expectations or hopes,” as farmers produced more to help aid the wartime effort, making plastics, oils, lubricants, and other industrial products.1,3  After the war, with increased prosperity in the United States and a higher demand for meat as peoples’ diets improved, it was soymeal that was used to feed the livestock.  ”Chickens, turkeys, cattle and hogs were fed diets containing tens of millions of tons of soybean meal each year.”2   The United States soon become the world’s biggest producer of soy, where it still remains today.

With what was now a huge surplus of soy on their hands, of course manufacturers couldn’t pass up the opportunity to eventually capitalize on this cheap source of revenue.  They began spending a lot of money to market this processed gunk as a health food and meat replacement.  ”Meatless Monday” was born.

Soy has grown into a monster, becoming one of Monsanto’s major “biotech foods” (meaning it’s genetically modified).  In 1995, approximately 8% of all soybeans in the US were genetically modified.  By 2011, that figure reached 94%.

Considering that soy has found it’s way into the majority of processed foods (including the actual packaging materials of these foods, such as the plastic), combined with the fact that many Americans are willingly consuming soy in it’s more obvious forms of milks, ice creams, tofu, and the like, it’s no surprise that it’s one of the top food allergens.  Genetically modified soy is particularly problematic because of the GM connection with increased food allergies in general.   Additionally, because it’s actual taste is totally unappealing, chemicals, “natural flavors” and “yeast extract” (aka MSG) are often thrown into the mix to make it more palatable.

Soy Problems: Anti-nutrients and Toxins 

Traditionally, soy was fermented, a process that breaks down its anti-nutrient properties, making it more digestible.  The tofu and processed soy products of today are a far cry from traditionally eaten soy, such as natto.  Furthermore, fermented soy was eaten in condiment portions, and not as the main meal.
7

(Traditionally fermented natto.)

Because plants can’t run away from predators like animals, they’ve evolved to defend and protect themselves in a variety of other ways.  The following is a list of some of the components of soy that make it particularly problematic.

Protease inhibitors.  Soy is often consumed as an alternate source of protein.  The issue here is that soy contains something called protease inhibitors.  Protease is the pancreatic enzyme that allows for the breakdown and digestion of protein.  Thus, the protease inhibitor component of soy actually inhibits the protein it contains from being accessible to the human body.  Furthermore, foods containing protease inhibitors overburden the pancreas, as it desperately tries to pump out more of the enzymes that are being blocked.5,6

Phytates.  Phytate containing foods, such as soy, are considered “anti-nutrients” not simply because they are devoid of nutrients, but because the phytates in the food actually bind tightly to minerals (e.g. calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, and zinc), thereby blocking their absorption into the body.  Consistently eating a big hunk of tofu with some whole grains is a sure fire way of making yourself mineral deficient and developing ailments like osteoporosis, anemia, rickets, immune deficiencies, etc.5,6,7  Mixing tofu with some veggies?  The phytates in the tofu will halt the absorption of the minerals in the veggies as well.  This is a serious and real problem.

Lectins.  Lectins injure the gastrointestinal lining, thereby contributing to leaky gut.  In fact, pathological lesions develop in animals injected with kidney bean extract (legumes in general are high in lectins).7  This is because lectins agglutinate (adhere or stick).  In your gut, they stick like glue to the lining of your small intestine, eventually damaging it enough to pass through (along with other particles) into your bloodstream.  Once the flood gates are open, these lectins are now free to stick to other tissues in your body (e.g. your thyroid).7,8  As noted by Cornell University’s Department of Animal Sciences: “When given orally to experimental animals, lectins interact with the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract causing acute gastrointestinal symptoms, failure to thrive and even death.”  It is also believed that lectins negatively alter the function and properties of cell membranes.7  In short: you definitely don’t want to mess around with these guys.

Phytoestrogens.  Soy’s Effect on Reproductive Health.  Soy contains compounds called phytoestrogens (plant estrogens) that mimic the body’s own estrogen and lower testosterone levels.  These phytoestrogens have the ability to attach to the body’s estrogen receptor sites.  Because of this, soy is an endocrine disruptors (even moreso than BPA).  High consumption of soy has been linked to infertility, including lowered sperm count in men, and changed sex hormone status.9

Goitrogenic.  Soy is goitrogenic, meaning it promotes the formation of goiter, an enlarged thyroid, and suppresses thyroid function in general.  The thyroid may be especially vulnerable to soy if paired with a deficiency in iodine or a preexisting thyroid disease.  The agent in soy that appears to be most destructive against the thyroid are the isoflavones.  Dr. Mike Fitzpatrick, an internationally known expert on soy, has implored that manufacturers at least remove the isoflavones from infant soy formula.  Studies have indicated that autoimmune thyroid disease is more likely to be found in children who have been fed soy-based infant formula.9

Soy Joy?

No.  There’s definitely no joy in a product like Soy Joy.  Soy is something I make a concerted effort to stay away from.  Checking labels, as always, is paramount.  For instance, I’ve recently found out that soy is even present in some canned tuna!

I never recommend processed soy to anyone.  I think that fermented soy is okay in small amounts if you don’t have an allergy and if it is properly fermented.

I hope this article was enlightening and perhaps makes you rethink the soy health craze.

Resources:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soybean#United_States

2. http://www.ncsoy.org/ABOUT-SOYBEANS/History-of-Soybeans.aspx

3. http://www.soyinfocenter.com/HSS/production_and_trade2.php

4. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeffrey-smith/genetically-modified-soy_b_544575.html

5. http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=32326

6. Dr. Kaayla Daniels: “Myths and Truths about Vegetarianism” Weston A Price Conference, Detroit.

7. http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/toxicagents/lectins.html

8. http://www.marksdailyapple.com/lectins/#axzz2OaXZEkOj

9. http://thyroid.about.com/cs/soyinfo/a/soy_2.htm

Photo credit 1

Photo credit 2

Eat your greens-build strength

Popeye was right! Studies have shown that eating spinach really does make you stronger, including one out of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden that revealed nitrate found naturally in spinach helps tone the muscles.

The researchers believe that consuming nitrates from a rich source like spinach increases the muscle strength available for things like lifting weights or sprinting up a steep hill, and that it may also increase endurance.

It may help muscles work more efficiently during exercise as the nitrate fuels mitochondria, which are the “little engines” in our cells, enabling more energy on less oxygen, similar to a car running on less fuel but at the same speed.

This fantastic superfood offers numerous health benefits that include:

Supporting stronger bones

Spinach is not only good for strong muscles, it is essential to bone health as a rich source of vitamin K. Just one cup provides 181 percent of the recommended daily value for this vitamin, which also helps to prevent an excessive amount of osteoclasts, which are cells that can destroy bone.

It also promotes the production of osteocalcin, an essential protein for the bones and contains key nutrients like calcium and magnesium which are important for bone health.

Healthy skin

Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin A, which helps to promote healthier skin by allowing better moisture retention within the epidermis, fighting all types of skin problems like psoriasis, acne and wrinkles. Just one cup provides 337 percent of the recommended daily value for this vitamin.
Cancer prevention

Spinach provides flavonoids and phytonutrients that are powerful anti-cancer agents, with studies confirming that its extracts have the ability to inhibit cell division in stomach cancer cells and reduce skin cancer as well. A regular intake of spinach has also been linked to a decreased risk of breast and prostate cancers.
Boosting the immune system

Spinach is rich in antioxidants with its flavonoids and carotenoids providing powerful benefits, including helping to protect the body from the effects of oxidative stress, helping strengthen the immune system and battle disease. They also help to combat the onset of osteoporosis, atherosclerosis and high blood pressure.

Spinach ranks among the highest in flavonoids and phytonutrients which have very strong anti-inflammatory properties and are known to reduce pain associated with inflammation, in addition to preventing a host of diseases and illnesses, including many types of cancers.

Everyone should include plenty of spinach in their diet. If you aren’t sure how, here are some ideas to get you started:

• Hide it in a smoothie. If you have trouble eating your veggies, consider adding it into a smoothie with frozen fruit to disguise the flavor. The iron is more readily absorbed along with vitamin C which is abundant in many fruits like strawberries or raspberries.
• Add fresh, organic baby spinach leaves to an omelette.
• Replace lettuce or other greens with baby spinach leaves in a salad.
• Create a healthy side dish by sautéing spinach in coconut oil with chopped garlic. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and a little pepper to taste.

What’s your favorite way to use this super, anti-aging food?

Watercress Found to Block Breast Cancer Cell Growth

You may have never tasted watercress, but you’ve likely heard of it. It’s a peppery tasting, delicate leaf vegetable related to broccoli, kale, and collards. And like just like those other vegetables, watercress offers some amazing health benefits. One new study from the University of Southampton indicates that watercress could even be useful in the fight against breast cancer.

According to the study, published in a recent edition of the British Journal of Nutrition, a compound in the cruciferous plant could work to turn off signals in the cells that are used to facilitate cancer growth, thereby starving cancer cells to death.

When a tumor outgrows its own blood supply, it sends signals to surrounding tissues to deliver more oxygen and nutrients. Its these signals that phenylethyl isothiocyanate—the watercress compound—may actually shut off.

For the research, a small group of breast cancer survivors ate a bowl of watercress and then had their blood tested for a period of 24 hours following. The participants had a significant level of phenylethyl isothiocyanate in their blood following the meal and the signaling function was “measurably affected.”

According to the study’s abstract:

“Although further investigations with larger numbers of participants are required to confirm these findings, this pilot study suggests that flow cytometry may be a suitable approach to measure changes in 4E-BP1 phosphorylation following the ingestion of watercress, and that dietary intake of watercress may be sufficient to modulate this potential anti-cancer pathway.”

The research is promising, and when paired with research on the benefits of other cruciferous vegetables, we may have identified the family of vegetables that can successfully combat cancer.

Broccoli, related to watercress and a nutrition powerhouse in its own right, contains several compounds that may be effective in fighting cancer. One of the well-researched compounds, sulforaphane, has been found to not only suppress the growth of tumors, but also stop the spread and even the onset of cancer. Indole-3-carbinol, another broccoli compound, has been found to destroy cancer-related molecule known as Cdc25A and to reduce tumor size substantially.

Cruciferous vegetables have many health benefits and are easy to come by. While more research may be needed to determine how they are able to fight cancer, there’s no reason we can’t start reaping the benefits now.

4 healthy secrets of avocados

Avocados have been called the perfect food by some, and this title doesn’t come simply from its role as the primary ingredient in guacamole. They are one of the sexiest vegetables out there. Correction, they are one of the sexiest fruits. Actually, avocados are a bit of everything; they are actually berries in disguise. But no matter how you label the…food, avocados still offer a wealth of benefits.

The health benefits of avocados are many. One recent study published in Nutrition Journal found that people who eat avocados are more likely to have lower body weight, lower waist circumference, and lower BMI than their avocado-abstaining counterparts. Researchers also found that those who eat avocados have higher good cholesterol levels, a lower intake of sugars, and a better diet overall. Overall, the study concluded that avocado-eaters are especially healthy.

So, what else could these little berries be hiding from us? Here are 4 healthy secrets of avocados.

• 1. They are loaded with protein - Avocados are one of few high protein fruits, with one avocado containing about 4g of protein. They have all 18 important amino acids, and all of those are highly bioavailable. This makes avocados a great source of protein for vegetarians and vegans and even for meat eaters alike, as some of the amino acids in animal products are not readily available for your body’s use.

• 2. More potassium than a banana - We usually think of bananas as the potassium champs, while there are numerous fruits and vegetables with more. Avocados are one of them, with an average of 975 milligrams. Potassium is important in maintaining kidney health, blood pressure, and muscle health.

• 3. They can be softened with the help of an apple - Avocados are often rock-hard when you go to purchase them at grocery stores. They can be easily ripened at home, however, by sticking them in a brown paper bag with an apple. Apples release ethylene gas, a naturally occurring plant hormone that will help soften your avocados in a few days.

• 4. Avocados are one of the “Clean 15” - If you’re concerned about pesticide exposure (and if not, you should be), avocados are one of the “cleanest” of all produce. Their tough exterior helps protect them from contamination. So, if you can’t afford to buy all organic, this is one piece of produce you could purchase conventional.

Loaded with healthy fats and mild flavor, avocados are great on sandwiches, salads, and more. You can even use them as a butter substitute in some recipes.

Read more: http://naturalsociety.com/4-healthy-secrets-of-avocados/#ixzz2p0BVMnCj
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Acid reflux drugs linked to dementia?

Has your memory been slipping lately? Have you experienced unexplained pain, weakness, numbness or tingling in your arms of legs? Have you also been taking an acid reflux drug like Nexium, Prevacid or Prilosec for a couple years? If so, then you may be the latest victim of the pharmaceutical industry’s medical model of healthcare.

After that first paragraph, you may have expected to see an attorney’s phone number to call and join a class action lawsuit! Well, I am sure that it won’t be long before that actually happens. New research, published Monday in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), showed that certain acid reflux drugs are “significantly associated” with vitamin B12 deficiency. In turn, vitamin B12 deficiency causes serious health consequences including anemia, osteoporosis, depression, memory loss,dementia, neuropathy and cardiovascular disease.

If you have acid reflux, you need to understand what is causing it. Find the cause and correct the cause. Simply popping pills to block the natural production of stomach acid has proven to only cause even more serious health conditions. Read on to learn how to restore your health without these dangerous drugs!

Acid Reflux Drugs Linked to Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Acid reflux drugs, like Nexium, have long been known to cause some very serious side effects. Among them are problems such as anemia, heart problems, hypertension, osteoporosis and further digestive problems including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In fact, drugs used to treat acid reflux do not treat the condition itself but only the symptoms. They are not designed to correct the cause of the problem. As a result, the problem continues to worsen over the years. Drug treatment is continued and the drug side effects continue to worsen as well.

This new research(1) sheds further light on this problem. It showed that people taking certain acid reflux drugs are far more likely to suffer from vitamin B12 deficiency. The study implicated proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) – Nexium, Prevacid and Prilosec – and histamine 2 receptor antagonists (H2RAs) – Pepcid, Tagamet and Zantac. Proton pump inhibitors proved to be the worst.

Unfortunately, the study’s senior author, Dr. Douglas Corley, stated(2) that patient’s should not stop taking the drugs but should get their B12 levels checked. If your levels are deficient, then presumably, you should treat that as another symptom as well. All the while, the underlying causes are left unaddressed. Vitamin B12 deficiency cannot be corrected unless the cause of the deficiency is addressed. In this case, the cause may be your acid reflux pill.

Left uncorrected, this leads to fatigue, anemia, irritable bowel syndrome, increased risk of bone fracture, hypertension, dementia, depression and neuropathy. It is dangerous, costly, and simply ridiculous to continue treating symptoms of any condition rather than addressing the cause. Wouldn’t it be much better to find what is causing the acid reflux and correct the cause?

Why Do You Have Stomach Acid?

Stomach acid has been unjustly vilified as the cause of acid reflux and GERD. In a similar fashion, cholesterol was incorrectly pegged as the cause of deadly heart disease. Just as pharmaceutically lowering cholesterol increases the heart attack death rate, blocking stomach acid with drugs only makes the problem of reflux and GERD even worse!

You have acid in your stomach for a reason. The cells that line your stomach produce it. In fact, your stomach is specifically designed with a layer of cells that protect it from the otherwise damaging effects of the acid. This stomach acid is required by your body for:

• proper digestion of food, especially carbohydrates
• Absorption of nutrients (such as vitamin B12)
• Killing harmful bacteria and limiting bacterial overgrowth

Without this acid in your stomach, you cannot properly digest carbohydrates or effectively absorb certain nutrients. Blocking this acid production also allows for overgrowth of bacteria and opens the door for H. pylori infections. Simply having the stomach acid is not the problem. In fact, most people suffering from acid reflux actually have too little stomach acid rather than too much.

What Causes Acid Reflux and GERD?

The problem is when the acid leaks (refluxes) into the esophagus. Your esophagus does not have the protective lining that your stomach has. When stomach acid gets into the esophagus, the burning pain of acid reflux results.

Your body has a very strong valve – called the Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) - between the stomach and esophagus that is designed to prevent the reflux of acid. The cause of the acid reflux is a dysfunctioning LES muscle which allows the acid to reflux into the esophagus.

It is not a problem of having too much acid. Again, most cases of acid reflux actually occur with low levels of stomach acid. The acid is just in the wrong place. Lowering acid levels or blocking its production does not fix the problem with the LES. As a result, the acid reflux continues and you are prescribed acid blocking drugs for the rest of your life.

So, the real question is what is causing the dysfunction with the LES muscle and how can your correct this cause of acid reflux?

Correcting the Cause of Acid Reflux

• Your Nerve System and Chiropractic Care. The LES is an autonomic muscle. That means that it is automatically controlled by your autonomic nervous system. Stress on the nerves that control this muscle can cause it to malfunction. Additionally, production and secretion of stomach acid is controlled by your nerve system. Ensuring proper nerve system function is the first step to healing acid reflux and GERD naturally. Chiropractic physicians are trained to find and correct nerve interference such as this. As a result, many people experience significant relief simply from including regular chiropractic care in their wellness lifestyle.
• Eliminating Drug Effects. It is also important to consider other prescription drugs that you are taking that may be causing the problem. Common culprits include steroid drugs, NSAIDS (such as Advil and Aleve), and aspirin. These drugs are commonly prescribed for various pain syndromes. However, there are many natural, safe, and more effective methods for correcting these conditions as well.
• Excessive Carbohydrates. Consuming excessive carbohydrates – especially simple carbs like sugars, breads, pastas, pastries, etc. – create an inflammatory environment in your body. This can prevent normal production of stomach acid and allow bacterial overgrowth. This leads to gas production and increased intra-abdominal pressure. As a result the LES muscle becomes inhibited and acid reflux occurs. Simply switching to a low carbohydrate, anti-inflammatory diet naturally corrects this cause of acid reflux.
• Balancing Bacteria. Low stomach acid allows for bacterial overgrowth and disrupts the balance of healthy gut bacteria. Consuming foods rich in probiotics (healthy bacteria), such as raw fermented foods, restores this balance. Taking a probiotic supplement may be necessary as well. Restoring the normal, healthy bacteria in your gut helps to correct many digestive disorders, including acid reflux.

Natural Remedies for Acid Reflux

Another solution is to eat your largest meal in the middle of the day, that way you are more active and upright than you would be in the evening. The evening should be a light meal and you will experience less reflux then.

Taking digestive enzymes with ea meal and daily probiotics also helps.

Using these methods addresses the actual cause of acid reflux and GERD and allows your body to heal itself naturally. While you are healing, you may need to use some natural remedies as well to help with the symptoms. As mentioned earlier, the problem is most often a result of not enough stomach acid production in order to digest food, absorb nutrients and kill harmful bacteria.

Bitter herbs can be used to increase production of stomach acid. These include herbs such as barberry bark, caraway, dandelion, fennel, ginger, goldenseal root, peppermint, and wormwood. They are typically taken in very small doses and made in a tincture of water. Consult an well-trained herbalist for best results.

While you are reconditioning your body to produce the proper amount of stomach acid, you may benefit from natural digestive enzyme supplements as well. Without proper levels of stomach acid, the pH is too high to stimulate the release of these enzymes naturally. These supplements can help provide your body with the support it needs to break down carbohydrates and proteins more effectively.

As with all health conditions, dangerous drugs are not the only option. It may seem easy to simply pop a pill and ignore the problem. However, your body and your long-term health will ultimately suffer the consequences. You can live a radiant and vibrantly healthy life! Simple lifestyle changes make a huge difference in your vitality and they will help you heal acid reflux naturally!

TIP: Check out Klamax, a revolutionary stem cell releaser that has been nominated for Nobel Prize in Medicine for 2017! It improves and helps digestive problems! 

MimiHughes.com

How LOW Cholesterol Can Harm Your Health

Granted most individuals have High Cholesterol but there is a NORMAL range for a reason and in the last few yrs of practice I have never seen such low values, way below the normal range...just like more is better, most providers think lower is better...

You've heard for decades about the dangers of high cholesterol, but did you know that LOW cholesterol can lead to violence towards self and other, and has been linked to premature aging, death and other adverse health effects?

In a world gone mad with anti-cholesterol anxiety, and where gobbling down pharmaceuticals designed to poison the body into no longer synthesizing it is somehow considered sane behavior, it is refreshing to look at some of the research on the health benefits of cholesterol, or conversely, the dangers of low cholesterol.

Benefits of Cholesterol

• Cholesterol Is Needed To Prevent Aggression: It has been known for almost 30 years that low serum cholesterol levels are associated with habitually violent tendencies of homicidal offenders under the influence of alcohol.[i] Since then, there are at least 8 other studies that have either confirmed or explored the cholesterol-violence link, including both violence towards self and other.  One of the possible explanations for this association was discussed in an article published in the British Journal of Psychiatry in 1993: "One of the functions of serotonin in the central nervous system is the suppression of harmful behaviour impulses...Low membrane cholesterol decreases the number of serotonin receptors. Since membrane cholesterol exchanges freely with cholesterol in the surrounding medium, a lowered serum cholesterol concentration may contribute to a decrease in brain serotonin, with poorer suppression of aggressive behaviour".[ii] Not surprisingly, several reports have now surfaced on cholesterol-lowering statin drugscontributing to irritability and/or aggression.
• Cholesterol Is Needed To Fight Cancer: The inverse relationship between cholesterol levels and the risk for a variety of cancers, and mortality associated with cancer, has been known about since the late 80's.[iii] Since then, the cholesterol-cancer connection has been confirmed over and over again. It is to be expected, therefore, that statin drug use would be linked with increased cancer incidence, which indeed it is.[iv] Even when you take so-called "bad" LDL-cholesterol and administer it to a culture of highly malignant, multi-drug resistant leukemia cells, the cells lose their resistance to chemotherapy. Not exactly what can be characterized as a "bad" substance, now is it? [v]
• Cholesterol Is Needed To Prevent Hemorrhagic Stroke:  There are two types of stroke: 1) Ischemic, associated with lack of blood flow and oxygen to the brain 2) Hemorrhagic, associated with the rupture of a blood vessel in the brain, and bleeding. The risk for the former, in theory, could be raised in the presence of excessive oxidized cholesterol. However, it is the risk for the second, hemorrhagic stroke, which is increased when cholesterol levels are low. Noted as far back as 1994 in the British Medical Journal, in an article titled, "Assessing possible hazards of reducing serum cholesterol," researchers found "The only cause of death attributable to low serum cholesterol concentration was haemorrhagic stroke."[vi]  Other studies can be viewed that confirmthis association on our stroke-cholesterol link page.
• Cholesterol Is Needed for Memory:  Low HDL cholesterol has been identified as a risk factor for deficit and decline in memory in midlife.[vii] Even in Parkinson's disease, higher total serum cholesterol concentrations are associated with slower clinical progression of the disease.[viii] Statin drugs, which inhibit the production of cholesterol, hence severely affecting the brain, are now required by the FDA to display the black box warning that they may adversely affect the memory.[ix] We have indexed over 50 studies from the National Library of Medicine's bibliographic database, Medline, on the neurotoxicity of statin drugs, with six of these specifically addressingstatin-induced memory impairment.
• Cholesterol is Needed for Longevity: In a fascinating study published in PLoS in 2011, telomerelength – the shoestring cap-like ends of the chromosomes which prevent DNA damage associated with cellular aging – was linked to higher LDL and total cholesterol levels. The longer the length of these protective caps, the higher the cholesterol.[x]  Indeed, several studies indicate that lower cholesterol is associated with increased mortality.
• Cholesterol Helps Us Fight Infection: It has been observed that a cholesterol-rich diet improves patients with tuberculosis, leading researchers to suggest "cholesterol should be used as a complementary measure in antitubercular treatment."[xi] Cholesterol-lowering drugs, incidentally, exhibit immunosuppressive and potent immunotoxic properties, likely in part due to their cholesterol depleting effects.