[escapee]

It has become increasingly clear to me that the absolute number of LDL or total cholesterol level is meaningless if you're taking responsibility of what you consume daily. I recommend that you read what Brian peskin has to say about LDL . http://www.brianpeskin.com/townsend-2007/NewLookLDL.pdf

By Pro Brian peskin

It is primarily the oxidized (altered) parent
omega-6 that clogs the arteries, NOT saturated fat! Renowned interventional cardiologist,
Dr. David Sim, makes a great analogy that anyone can understand:
“It’s like building a wall without having enough bricks. You use another material
and ‘fill the hole,’ but it doesn’t work correctly. The same thing happens when
cholesterol doesn’t have enough parent omega-6 to incorporate.”

In nature, with the consumption of organic, unprocessed EFAs rather than adulterated
oils and transfats, LDL cholesterol should be made up of significant amounts of
properly functioning “parent” omega-6, linoleic acid (LA), and as a result it will not
be harmful. Furthermore, it is the natural transporter of parent omega-6 and parent
omega-3 into the cells. That’s why it is not necessary to lower LDL cholesterol, nor is
the absolute LDL number as important, when the diet contains sufficient unadulterated
EFAs. Also note the body has no natural “cholesterol sensor” in the bloodstream. Unlike
sodium, calcium, and glucose levels, your body does not need to maintain a strict
cholesterol level. For example, glucose levels are maintained to an amazingly tight 0.1%
(just 1 teaspoon of sugar per every thousand teaspoons of blood) in each of us!

For vast majority of population with relatively high cholesterol, I would say what they need to do at the utmost urgency is to get informed by the right media with the right information and change their dietary approach and lifestyle ASAP. Statin, as with any drug, should be reserved for the purpose of trauma intervention or as a last resort ( as said early ).

The below study shows that Elevated lipid and lipoprotein levels were not associated with reduced coronary reactivity. It is what composed of the lipoprotein that matter the most. So after so much of discussion, what are you going to do when the doc says you have high cholesterol ? Still rush to the Statin eventhough you understand that a good diet naturally support healthy cholesterol level without side effects ?

IngentaConnect High oxidized LDL and elevated plasma homocysteine contribute to ...

Impairment of coronary blood flow reserve has been shown to be an early manifestation of atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease (CAD). We studied more closely the contribution of various risk factors on early deterioration of coronary function. Materials and methods

Fifty-one young, apparently healthy adults, with normal or mildly elevated serum cholesterol levels but without other major risk factors for CAD, such as diabetes or hypertension, underwent positron emission tomography (PET) studies. Coronary flow reserve (CFR) was measured using O15-water. In addition to the classical risk factors, the role of several new risk indicators, such as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation, infection (Chlamydia pneumoniae antibodies), and inflammation parameters (adhesion molecules, ICAM, VCAM, selectin, and C-reactive protein), homocysteine and body iron stores were investigated. Results

Elevated lipid and lipoprotein levels were not associated with reduced coronary reactivity. However, high autoantibody titers against oxidized LDL (oxLDL) were associated with 21% lower CFR than low oxLDL (P < 0·05). Furthermore, high homocysteine levels predicted low CFR (P < 0·05). The other measured parameters, Chlamydia pneumoniae antibody levels, C-reactive protein and adhesion molecule concentrations did not associate with myocardial blood flow. In a stepwise regression model, oxLDL (P = 0·03), homocysteine (P = 0·04) and triglycerides (P = 0·018) were significant predictors of CFR. Conclusions

The present study suggests an important role for oxidized LDL and plasma homocysteine on early impairment of coronary reactivity in young adults.