Cholesterol Vs Sugar. Which Will Kill You First?
This week is Sugar Awareness Week and I feel it is appropriate to blog about the subject which is not only destroying the health of our Nation but which is so close to my heart – excuse the pun.
The NHS continues to get us to lower our cholesterol by following their Eatwell Guide. This Guide promotes the avoidance of saturated fat and red meat and is mainly a carbohydrate diet with the inclusion of starchy vegetables and grains. It does not warn us to avoid sugars completely but do recommend no more than 30gms of free sugars a day (7 sugar cubes/teaspoons).
Sugar is not Just Sugar
Sugar comes in many different forms:
- Free sugars – refined sugar added to food and drink whether added at home, by a chef or food manufacturers
- Honey, maple syrup and fruit
- Naturally occurring sugars in milk, fruit and vegetables which are included in ‘total sugar’ figures found on food labels.
Whilst the NHS recommends avoiding saturated fats, they do not recommend avoiding free sugars, nor do they mention how the sugars from starchy vegetables and grains are turned into glucose (a different form of sugar) upon digestion and has a similar effect on the body as ‘free sugars’.
The reason they give for watching our sugar intake is to avoid weight gain which increases your risk of health problems such as Heart Disease, some Cancers and Type 2 Diabetes.
For more information on cholesterol, check out my Blog “Is Cholesterol ‘Bad’ or ‘Good’” published on 19th October 2022 to celebrate National Cholesterol Awareness Month.
The Clot Thickens*
Since my last blog on Cholesterol, I challenged my Cardiologist as to why I should take Statins and where’s the proof that cholesterol causes atherosclerosis. Her answer of ‘we follow NHS Guidelines’ was insufficient for me and did not justify why I should continue to take Statins, given the amount of information available about cholesterol not being the baddy and the harmful side effects from taking this medication.
For the past few weeks, I’ve been delving deeper into this ‘conspiracy’ – that high cholesterol causes heart disease and I’ve discovered more information published by various medical professionals that has convinced me that all cholesterol is good and that it’s the sugar that’s the baddy.
There is a lot of information about the negative impact of sugar on the body. All sugars, whether from refined added sugar, natural sugar occurring in fruits and vegetables or the sugar resulting from the digestion of starchy vegetables and grains, they can all cause inflammation. Inflammation then causes oxidation and it is when cholesterol becomes oxidised that it becomes ‘bad’ cholesterol. Inflammation is also blamed to be the main cause of chronic disease.
My Journey Evolves
It’s now 7 weeks since I ditched my Vegan diet in favor of saturated fats and red meat and 4 weeks since I took my last Statin. I’m feeling much better – although I still have a way to go.
One of the people who has helped me move forward with my recovery from open heart surgery is Dr Mark Hyman, a Functional Medical doctor. His course ‘Hacking your Healthcare’ helped me to have the confidence to ask my GP and Consultant the right questions and how I have the right to push for the answers I need. Another resource I trust is the YouTube channel ‘Zoe’ in addition to resources sent to me by some of my Social Media followers.
Join my private Facebook Group “❤️Fit Warriors” to find out what medical rebels are saying and to stay currant of all things to do with the Heart and Heart Disease. Click HERE to join. I’ve also just posted the video where Dr Ludwig explained how he discovered that the sugar industry bribed politicians back in the 1960’s, with the sum equivalent to £50,000, to exonerate sugar and to blame fats as the cause of heart disease.
The knowledge I’ve gain over the past few weeks, together with feeling so much better physically and mentally after giving up Statins and taking up an Omnivore diet, has empowered me and convinced me that I need to go against the NHS guidelines, the advice of my Cardiologist and the norms of Society. I believe in my gut feeling and what makes sense to me having listened to my medical team and done my own research and I believe that, given the chance, the body will heal itself.
Summary
Everyone’s journey and requirements are unique and what works for me may not work for you. But what I’d like you to take away is just how important it is for you to question what your GP prescribes and recommends for you. Whilst GPs are indispensable in the event of acute illness, they are not equipped to advise on lifestyle chronic disease. Nutrition plays a key role in prevention, management and recovery and nutrition is not included in the training undertaken by most doctors.
Your Life Pie Over 60
A fit and healthy body is not just about being disease free but it’s also about your lifestyle and life balance. This is why I’ll be running a brand new 90 minute workshop “Your Life Pie Over 60” later this month to help you to focus on what really matters in your life, how to achieve your goals and how best we can navigate what’s looking to be rocky times ahead. Contact me if you’re interested to join this face-to-face workshop.
Let me have your comments on this blog. Was it helpful? Or do you disagree?
*Apart from being a suitable heading, this is also the name of Dr Malcolm Kendrick’s latest book on cholesterol
PS Please pass my blog on if you think someone would benefit from reading it. Thank you