Cholesterol: Friend Or Foe?

 Cholesterol: Friend Or Foe?

Written by Natasha Campbell-McBride, MD   

2008-May-04

The art of medicine consists in amusing the patient while nature cures the disease. –Voltaire

In our modern world, cholesterol has become almost a swear word. Thanks to the promoters of the diet-heart hypothesis, everybody "knows" that cholesterol is "evil" and has to be fought at every turn. If you believe the popular media, you would think that there is simply no level of cholesterol low enough. If you are over a certain age, you are likely to be tested for how much cholesterol you have in your blood. If it is higher than about 200 mg/100ml (5.1 mol/l), you may be prescribed a "cholesterol pill." Millions of people around the world take these pills, thinking that this way they are taking good care of their health. What these people don’t realize is just how far from the truth they are. The truth is that we humans cannot live without cholesterol. Let us see why.

Our bodies are made out of billions of cells. Almost every cell produces cholesterol all the time during all of our lives. Why? Because every cell of every organ has cholesterol as a part of its structure. Cholesterol is an integral and very important part of our cell membranes, the membranes that enclose each of our cells, and also of the membranes surrounding all the organelles inside the cell. What is cholesterol doing there? A number of things.

Structural Integrity

First of all, saturated fats and cholesterol make the membranes of the cells firm—without them the cells would become flabby and fluid. If we humans didn’t have cholesterol and saturated fats in the membranes of our cells, we would look like giant worms or slugs. And we are not talking about a few molecules of cholesterol here and there. In many cells, almost half of the cell membrane is made from cholesterol. Different kinds of cells in the body need different amounts of cholesterol, depending on their function and purpose. If the cell is part of a protective barrier, it will have a lot of cholesterol in it to make it strong, sturdy and resistant to any invasion. If a cell or an organelle inside the cell needs to be soft and fluid, it will have less cholesterol in its structure.

This ability of cholesterol and saturated fats to firm up and reinforce the tissues in the body is used by our blood vessels, particularly those that have to withstand the high pressure and turbulence of the blood flow. These are usually large or medium arteries in places where they divide or bend. The flow of blood pounding through these arteries forces them to incorporate a layer of cholesterol and saturated fat in the membranes, which makes it stronger, tougher and more rigid. These layers of cholesterol and fat are called fatty streaks. They are completely normal and form in all of us, starting from birth and sometimes even before we are born. Various indigenous populations around the world, who never suffer from heart disease, have plenty of fatty streaks in their blood vessels in old and young, including children. Fatty streaks are not indicative of the disease called atherosclerosis.

Lipid Lifesavers

All the cells in our bodies have to communicate with each other. How do they do that? They use proteins embedded into the membrane of the cell. How are these proteins fixed to the membrane? With the help of cholesterol and saturated fats! Cholesterol and stiff saturated fatty acids form so-called lipid rafts, which make little homes for every protein in the membrane and allow it to perform its functions. Without cholesterol and saturated fats, our cells would not be able to communicate with each other or to transport various molecules into and out of the cell. As a result, our bodies would not be able to function the way they do. The human brain is particularly rich in cholesterol: around 25 percent of all body cholesterol is accounted for by the brain. Every cell and every structure in the brain and the rest of our nervous system needs cholesterol, not only to build itself but also to accomplish its many functions. The developing brain and eyes of the fetus and a newborn infant require large amounts of cholesterol. If the fetus doesn’t get enough cholesterol during development, the child may be born with a congenital abnormality called cyclopean eye.¹

Human breast milk provides a lot of cholesterol. Not only that, mother’s milk provides a specific enzyme to allow the baby’s digestive tract to absorb almost 100 percent of that cholesterol, because the developing brain and eyes of an infant require large amounts of it. Children deprived of cholesterol in infancy may end up with poor eyesight and brain function. Manufacturers of infant formulas are aware of this fact, but following the anti-cholesterol dogma, they produce formulas with virtually no cholesterol in them.

Vital Brain Matter

One of the most abundant materials in the brain and the rest of our nervous system is a fatty substance called myelin. Myelin coats every nerve cell and every nerve fiber like the insulating cover around electric wires. Apart from insulation, it provides nourishment and protection for every tiny structure in our brain and the rest of the nervous system. People who start losing their myelin develop a condition called multiple sclerosis. Well, 20 percent of myelin is cholesterol. If you start interfering with the body’s ability to produce cholesterol, you put the very structure of the brain and the rest of the nervous system under threat.

The synthesis of myelin in the brain is tightly connected with the synthesis of cholesterol. In my clinical experience, foods with high cholesterol and high animal fat content are an essential medicine for a person with multiple sclerosis. One of the most wonderful abilities we humans are blessed with is the ability to remember things—our human memory. How do we form memories? By our brain cells establishing connections with each other, called synapses. The more healthy synapses a person’s brain can make, the more mentally able and intelligent that person is. Scientists have discovered that synapse formation is almost entirely dependent on cholesterol, which is produced by the brain cells in a form called apolipoprotein E. Without the presence of this factor we cannot form synapses, and hence we would not be able to learn or remember anything. Memory loss is one of the side effects of cholesterol-lowering drugs.

In my clinic, I see growing numbers of people with memory loss who have been taking cholesterol- lowering pills. Dr Duane Graveline, MD, former NASA scientist and astronaut, suffered such memory loss while taking his cholesterol pill. He managed to save his memory by stopping the pill and eating lots of cholesterol-rich foods. Since then he has described his experience in his book, Lipitor: Thief of Memory, Statin Drugs and the Misguided War on Cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol in fresh eggs and other cholesterol-rich foods has been shown in scientific trials to improve memory in the elderly. In my clinical experience, any person with memory loss or learning problems needs to have plenty of these foods every single day in order to recover.

Necessary Product Of The Body

These foods give the body a hand in supplying cholesterol so it does not have to work as hard to produce its own. What a lot of people don’t realize is that most cholesterol in the body does not come from food! The body produces cholesterol as it is needed. Scientific studies have conclusively demonstrated that cholesterol from food has no effect whatsoever on the level of our blood cholesterol. Why? Because cholesterol is such an essential part of our human physiology that the body has very efficient mechanisms to keep blood cholesterol at a certain level.

When we eat more cholesterol, the body produces less; when we eat less cholesterol, the body produces more. As a raw material for making cholesterol the body can use carbohydrates, proteins and fats, which means that your pasta and bread can be used for making cholesterol in the body. It has been estimated that, in an average person, about 85 percent of blood cholesterol is produced by the body, while only 15 percent comes from food. So, even if you religiously follow a completely cholesterol-free diet, you will still have a lot of cholesterol in your body. However, cholesterol-lowering drugs are a completely different matter! They interfere with the body’s ability to produce cholesterol, and hence they do reduce the amount of cholesterol available for the body to use.

Dangers Of Low Cholesterol

If we do not take cholesterol-lowering drugs, most of us don’t have to worry about cholesterol. However, there are people whose bodies, for whatever reason, are unable to produce enough cholesterol. These people are prone to emotional instability and behavioral problems. Low blood cholesterol has been routinely recorded in criminals who have committed murder and other violent crimes, people with aggressive and violent personalities, people prone to suicide and people with aggressive social behavior and low self-control.

I would like to repeat what the late Oxford professor David Horrobin warned us about: "Reducing cholesterol in the population on a large scale could lead to a general shift to more violent patterns of behavior. Most of this increased violence would not result in death but in more aggression at work and in the family, more child abuse, more wife-beating and generally more unhappiness."

People whose bodies are unable to produce enough cholesterol do need to have plenty of foods rich in cholesterol in order to provide their organs with this essential-to-life substance.

What else does our body need all that cholesterol for?

Endocrine System

After the brain, the organs hungriest for cholesterol are our endocrine glands: adrenals and sex glands. They produce steroid hormones. Steroid hormones in the body are made from cholesterol: testosterone, progesterone, pregnenolone, androsterone, estrone, estradiol, corticosterone, aldosterone and others. These hormones accomplish a myriad of functions in the body, from regulation of our metabolism, energy production, mineral assimilation, brain, muscle and bone formation to behavior, emotions and reproduction. In our stressful modern lives we consume a lot of these hormones, leading to a condition called "adrenal exhaustion." This condition is diagnosed very often by naturopaths and other health practitioners. There are many herbal preparations on the market for adrenal exhaustion. However, the most important therapeutic measure is to provide your adrenal glands with plenty of dietary cholesterol.

Without cholesterol we would not be able to have children because every sex hormone in our bodies is made from cholesterol. A fair percentage of our infertility epidemic can be laid at the doorstep of the diet-heart hypothesis. The more eager we became to fight animal fats and cholesterol, the more problems with normal sexual development, fertility and reproduction we started to face. About a third of western men and women are infertile, and increasing numbers of our youngsters are growing up with abnormalities in their sex hormones. These abnormalities lead to many physical problems.

Recent research has "discovered" that eating full-cream dairy products cures infertility in women.² Researchers found that women who drink whole milk and eat high-fat dairy products are more fertile than those who stick to low-fat products. Study leader Dr Jorge Chavarro, of the Harvard School of Public Health, emphasized: "Women wanting to conceive should examine their diet. They should consider changing low-fat dairy foods for high-fat dairy foods, for instance by swapping skimmed milk for whole milk and eating cream, not low-fat yoghurt."

The Liver And Vitamin Regulation

One of the busiest organs in terms of cholesterol production in our bodies is the liver, which regulates the level of our blood cholesterol. The liver also puts a lot of cholesterol into bile production. Yes, bile is made out of cholesterol. Without bile we would not be able to digest and absorb fats and fat-soluble vitamins. Bile emulsifies fats; in other words, it mixes them with water, so that digestive enzymes can get to them. After it completes its mission, most of the bile gets reabsorbed in the digestive system and brought back to the liver for recycling. In fact, 95 percent of our bile is recycled because the building blocks of bile, one of which is cholesterol, are too precious for the body to waste. Nature doesn’t do anything without good reason. This example of the careful recycling of cholesterol alone should have given us a good idea about its importance for the body!

Bile is essential for absorbing fat-soluble vitamins: vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin K and vitamin E. We cannot live without these vitamins. Apart from ensuring that fat-soluble vitamins get digested and absorbed properly, cholesterol is the major building block of one of these vitamins: vitamin D. Vitamin D is made from the cholesterol in our skin when it is exposed to sunlight. In those times of the year when there isn’t much sunlight, we can get this vitamin from cholesterol-rich foods: cod liver oil, fish, shellfish, butter, lard and egg yolks. Our recent misguided fears of the sun and avoidance of cholesterol-rich foods have created an epidemic of vitamin D deficiency in the Western world.

Unfortunately, apart from sunlight and cholesterol-rich foods there is no other appropriate way to get vitamin D. Of course, there are supplements, but most of them contain vitamin D₂, which is made by irradiating mushrooms and other plants. This vitamin is not the same as the natural vitamin D. It does not work as effectively and it is easy to get a toxic level of it. In fact, almost all cases of vitamin D toxicity ever recorded were cases where this synthetic vitamin D₂ had been used. Toxicity is almost impossible with natural vitamin D obtained from sunlight or cholesterol-rich foods because the body knows how to deal with an excess of natural substances. What the body does not know how to deal with is an excess of synthetic vitamin D₂.

Vitamin D has been designed to work as a team with another fat-soluble vitamin: vitamin A. That is why foods rich in one tend to be rich in the other. So, by taking cod liver oil, for example, we can obtain both vitamins at the same time. As we grow older, our ability to produce vitamin D in the skin under sunlight is considerably diminished. Taking foods rich in vitamin D is therefore particularly important for older people. For the rest of us, sensible sunbathing is a wonderful, healthy and enjoyable way of getting a good supply of vitamin D.

Skin cancer, blamed on sunshine, is not caused by the sun. It is caused by trans fats from vegetable oils and margarine and other toxins stored in the skin. In addition, some of the sunscreens that people use contain chemicals that have been proven to cause skin cancer³.

Immune System Health

Cholesterol is essential for our immune system to function properly. Animal experiments and human studies have demonstrated that immune cells rely on cholesterol in fighting infections and repairing themselves after the fight. In addition, LDL-cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol), the so-called "bad" cholesterol, directly binds and inactivates dangerous bacterial toxins, preventing them from doing any damage in the body. One of the most lethal toxins is produced by a widely spread bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus, which is the cause of MRSA (Methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus), a common hospital infection. This toxin can literally dissolve red blood cells. However, it does not work in the presence of LDL-cholesterol. People who fall prey to this toxin have low blood cholesterol. It has been recorded that people with high levels of cholesterol are protected from infections; they are four times less likely to contract AIDS, they rarely get common colds and they recover from infections more quickly than people with "normal" or low blood cholesterol.

People with low blood cholesterol are prone to various infections, suffer from them longer and are more likely to die from an infection. A diet rich in cholesterol has been demonstrated to improve these people’s ability to recover from infections. So, any person suffering from an acute or chronic infection needs to eat high-cholesterol foods to recover. Cod liver oil, the richest source of cholesterol (after caviar), has long been prized as the best remedy for the immune system. Those familiar with old medical literature will tell you that until the discovery of antibiotics, a common cure for tuberculosis was a daily mixture of raw egg yolks and fresh cream.

Varying Blood Cholesterol Levels

The question is, why do some people have more cholesterol in their blood than others, and why can the same person have different levels of cholesterol at different times of the day? Why is our level of cholesterol different in different seasons of the year? In winter it goes up and in the summer it goes down. Why is it that blood cholesterol goes through the roof in people after any surgery? Why does blood cholesterol go up when we have an infection? Why does it go up after dental treatment? Why does it go up when we are under stress? And why does it become normal when we are relaxed and feel well? The answer to all these questions is this: cholesterol is a healing agent in the body. When the body has some healing jobs to do, it produces cholesterol and sends it to the site of the damage. Depending on the time of day, the weather, the season and our exposure to various environmental agents, the damage to various tissues in the body varies. As a result, the production of cholesterol in the body also varies.

Since cholesterol is usually discussed in the context of disease and atherosclerosis, let us look at the blood vessels. Their inside walls are covered by a layer of cells called the endothelium. Any damaging agent we are exposed to will finish up in our bloodstream, whether it is a toxic chemical, an infectious organism, a free radical or anything else. Once such an agent is in the blood, what is it going to attack first? The endothelium, of course. The endothelium immediately sends a message to the liver. Whenever our liver receives a signal that a wound has been inflicted upon the endothelium somewhere in our vascular system, it gets into gear and sends cholesterol to the site of the damage in a shuttle, called LDL-cholesterol. Because this cholesterol travels from the liver to the wound in the form of LDL, our "science," in its wisdom calls LDL "bad" cholesterol. When the wound heals and the cholesterol is removed, it travels back to the liver in the form of HDL cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol). Because this cholesterol travels away from the artery back to the liver, our misguided "science" calls it "good" cholesterol. This is like calling an ambulance traveling from the hospital to the patient a "bad ambulance," and the one traveling from the patient back to the hospital a "good ambulance."

But the situation has gotten even more ridiculous. The latest thing that our science has "discovered" is that not all LDL-cholesterol is so bad. Most of it is actually good. So, now we are told to call that part of LDL the "good bad cholesterol" and the rest of it the "bad bad cholesterol."

Marvelous Healing Agent

Why does the liver send cholesterol to the site of the injury? Because the body cannot clear the infection, remove toxic elements or heal the wound without cholesterol and fats. Any healing involves the birth, growth and functioning of thousands of cells: immune cells, endothelial cells and many others. As these cells, to a considerable degree, are made out of cholesterol and fats, they cannot form and grow without a good supply of these substances. When the cells are damaged, they require cholesterol and fats to repair themselves. It is a scientific fact that any scar tissue in the body contains good amounts of cholesterol.⁴

Another scientific fact is that cholesterol acts as an antioxidant in the body, dealing with free radical damage.⁵ Any wound in the body contains plenty of free radicals because the immune cells use these highly reactive molecules for destroying microbes and toxins. Excess free radicals have to be neutralized, and cholesterol is one of the natural substances that accomplishes this function.

When we have surgery, our tissues are cut and many small arteries, veins and capillaries get damaged. The liver receives a very strong signal from this damage, so it floods the body with LDL-cholesterol to clean and heal every little wound in our blood vessels. That is why blood cholesterol goes high after any surgical procedure. After dental treatment, in addition to the damage to the tissues, a lot of bacteria from the tooth and the gums finish up in the blood, attacking the inside walls of our blood vessels. Once again, the liver gets a strong signal from that damage and produces lots of healing cholesterol to deal with it, so the blood cholesterol goes up.

The same thing happens when we have an infection: LDL-cholesterol goes up to deal with the bacterial or viral attack.

Apart from the endothelium, our immune cells need cholesterol to function and to heal themselves after the fight with the infection.

Our stress hormones are made out of cholesterol in the body. Stressful situations increase our blood cholesterol levels because cholesterol is being sent to the adrenal glands for stress hormone production. Apart from that, when we are under stress, a storm of free radicals and other damaging biochemical reactions occur in the blood. So the liver works hard to produce and send out as much cholesterol as possible to deal with the free radical attack. In situations like this, your blood cholesterol will test high. In short, when we have a high blood cholesterol level, it means that the body is dealing with some kind of damage. The last thing we should do is interfere with this process! When the damage has been dealt with, the blood cholesterol will naturally go down. If we have an ongoing disease in the body that constantly inflicts damage, then the blood cholesterol will be permanently high. So, when a doctor finds high cholesterol in a patient, what this doctor should do is to look for the reason. The doctor should ask, "What is damaging the body so that the liver has to produce all that cholesterol to deal with the damage?" Unfortunately, instead of this sensible procedure, our doctors are trained to attack the cholesterol.

Many natural herbs, antioxidants and vitamins have an ability to reduce our blood cholesterol. How do they do that? By helping the body remove the damaging agents, be they free radicals, bacteria, viruses or toxins. As a result, the liver does not have to produce so much cholesterol to deal with the damage. At the same time, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, herbs and other natural remedies help to heal the wound. When the wound heals there is no need for high levels of cholesterol anymore, so the body removes it in the form of HDL-cholesterol or so-called "good" cholesterol. That is why herbs, vitamins, antioxidants and other natural remedies increase the level of HDL-cholesterol in the blood.

In conclusion, cholesterol is one of the most important substances in the body. We cannot live without it, let alone function well. The pernicious diet-heart hypothesis has vilified this essential substance. Unfortunately, this hypothesis has served many commercial and political interests far too well, so they ensure its long survival. However, the life of the diet-heart hypothesis is coming to an end as we become aware that cholesterol has been mistakenly blamed for the crime just because it was found at the scene.

Sidebars

Dietary Sources Of Cholesterol

·       Caviar is the richest source; it provides 588 mg of cholesterol per 100 grams. Obviously, this is not a common food for the majority of us, so let us have a look at the next item on the list.

·       Cod liver oil follows closely with 570 mg of cholesterol per 100 grams. There is no doubt that the cholesterol element of cod liver oil plays an important role in all the well-known health benefits of this time-honored health food.

·       Fresh egg yolk takes third place, with 424 mg of cholesterol per 100 gram. I would like to repeat: fresh egg yolk, not chemically mutilated egg powders (they contain chemically mutilated cholesterol)!

·       Butter provides a good 218 mg of cholesterol per 100 gram. We are talking about natural butter, not butter substitutes.

·       Cold-water fish and shellfish, such as salmon, sardines, mackerel and shrimps, provide good amounts of cholesterol, ranging from 173 mg to 81 mg per 100 gram. The proponents of low-cholesterol diets tell you to replace meats with fish. Obviously, they are not aware of the fact that fish is almost twice as rich in cholesterol as meat.

·       Lard provides 94 mg of cholesterol per 100 gram. Other animal fats follow.

Vitamin D Deficiency

What does it mean for our bodies to be deficient in vitamin D? A long list of suffering:

·       Diabetes, as vitamin D is essential for blood sugar control

·       Heart disease

·       Mental illness

·       Auto-immune illness, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, inflammatory bowel disease and multiple sclerosis

·       Obesity

·       Osteoarthritis

·       Rickets and osteomalacia

·       Muscle weakness and poor neuro-muscular coordination

·       High blood pressure

·       Cancer

·       Chronic pain

·       Poor immunity and susceptibility to infections

·       Hyperparathyroidism, which manifests itself as osteoporosis, kidney stones, depression, aches and pains, chronic fatigue, muscle weakness and digestive abnormalities

References

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Chavarro JI and others. A prospective study of dairy foods intake and anovulatory infertility. Human Reproduction, Issue 28, Feb 2007.

According to one theory, trans fats interfere in the metabolism of omega-3 fats, making them ineffective in producing their derivative eicosanoids, which leads to many types of cancers, including skin cancer. Trans fats also interfere with enzyme systems that help protect the body against cancer. References for the relationship of trans fats to skin cancer include: 
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This article appeared in Wise Traditions in Food, Farming and the Healing Arts, the quarterly magazine of the Weston A. Price Foundation, Fall 2007.

About the Author

Natasha Campbell-McBride, MD, MMedSci (neurology), MMedSci (nutrition), graduated with honors as a medical doctor in 1984 from Bashkir Medical University in Russia. In the following years she gained a postgraduate degree in neurology.After practicing for five years as a neurologist and three years as a neurosurgeon, she started a family and moved to the UK. Fairly shortly after that her son was diagnosed autistic, which prompted an intensive study into causes and treatments of autism. It was during this time that Dr. Campbell-McBride developed her theories on the relationship between neurological disorders and nutrition. She then completed a second postgraduate degree in human nutrition at Sheffield University, UK.

Having successfully treated her son, Dr. Campbell-McBride has returned to practice in 2000 and runs the Cambridge Nutrition Clinic. She has specialized in using nutritional approach as a treatment, and has become recognized as one of the world’s leading experts in treating children and adults with learning disabilities and other mental disorders, as well as children and adults with digestive and immune disorders.

In 2004 she has published Gut and Psychology Syndrome: Natural Treatment Of Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Depression and Schizophrenia, in which she explores the connection between the patient's physical state and brain function. The book gives full details of the GAPS Nutritional Protocol, highly successful in treating patients with learning disabilities and other mental problems.

In her clinic, Dr Campbell-McBride works with many patients suffering from heart disease, high blood pressure, arrhythmia, stroke and other complications of atherosclerosis. She has become acutely aware of the existing confusion about nutrition and these conditions, which spurred an intensive study into this subject. The result of this study is her new book Put You Heart In Your Mouth! What Really Is Heart Disease and What We Can Do To Prevent and Even Reverse It.

Dr Campbell-McBride is a keynote speaker at many professional conferences and seminars around the world. She frequently gives talks to health practitioners, patient groups and associations. She is a member of the Society of Authors and a regular contributing health editor to a number of magazines and newsletters.

Gettin' Ready for the Storm

Gettin' Ready for the Storm

As we prepared to enter into our Fall Harvest Season, our minds are turned toward preparing needful things. While many seem to be oblivious to the storm clouds gathering about us, others of us can see the potential for times of scarcity and change.  

 I encourage each of us to get healthy.  Too many have gone down the path of poor health and addiction.  Wonderful people that we dearly love, who cannot live without Diet Coke or sleeping pills, or sugary treats.  I see too many in their 40's, 50's and 60's stuffing their mouths with food and drink they know is not healthy and with full mouths complaining about their arthritis and diabetes, their whacked out hormones, their fat bodies and their irritable dispositions.  

And I am certainly no help, because I talk about lifestyle changes, spending time in the kitchen and going to bed on time.  "But can't you just give me a supplement that will make me healthy?!"  NO! I can't.  You think it is difficult teaching a kid about natural consequences of their behavior, try teaching an unhealthy addicted adult!  After 50 years of being brainwashed by the medical media that there is a pill or drug for anything that ails ya, (even though medicines track record screams of the contrary), getting someone to make even minor changes can be monumental.  

Fortunately, I have been blessed to see many people who have had enough.  They have learned that fast-foods and pharmaceutical do not lead you down the path of long-term health.  Our bodies do not demand perfection or exactness in diet or lifestyle.  But, we do need to be eating healthy MOST of the time.  I give people the 18 meals per week rule.  3 meals a day, 7 days a week equals 21 meals.  18 of those should be healthy.  That means the 3 of those meals can be absolute stinkers.  However, if you skip a meal - that counts as one of your bad meals.   Snacks between meals should be healthy. And do I even need to tell you the Diet Coke , the daily candy or whatever else you are addicted to has got to go.

Listen, I don't make up the rules for health.  I am more of an observer trying to figure things out and helping point out what I think can help.  I really am on your side.  Some people are born with rock solid constitutions and can get away with all kinds of physical abuses and indulgences.  Chances are if you are reading this - that is not you.  Others take impeccable care of themselves and still struggle with their health.  Luck of the draw or prearranged lessons for mortality?  Yet many have sown the seeds of a broken down bodies and premature aging through long years of reckless habits and addictions.  

Can we turn this around?  I don't know.  Maybe.  Not if you don't grow up and start acting like an adult. Can you give up your addictions and vices? Do you love your caffeine and sugar more than enjoying the future lives of your grandkids?  What is it going to take for you to get it?  What cracks me up is that so many people don't exercise, eat like crap, are constantly vacillating between stimulants and sedative and complain like their bodies have betrayed them and they are innocent victims of their failing health - as if their body somehow should have been able to put up with endless abuses and neglect  and remained youthful and vibrant.

Natural Consequences - remember.  

Do you understand, this world is unraveling. If you haven't opened your eyes already, take a look around you.  You think that just because we live in the United States, that we some how will always enjoy charmed lives with abundance and prosperity.  Our economy, our government and just about every aspect of modern life is careening  out of control.  Just because things haven't crashed yet doesn't mean they won't.  Just because we have never experienced the direct effects of a famine and scarcity, doesn't mean we are immune.  

We are like spoiled kids (I include myself) - I've seen a lot of them of all ages.  And trust me, the adults are the worst.  As good parents, we will allow our children to stumble and fall.  We will allow them to fail and learn lessons the hard way (of course doing our best to keep them safe).  We know that the child who is indulged can become a monster.  Something for nothing and Entitlements have twisted and warped our generations resulting in a self-absorbed, narcissistic populace who care primarily for themselves, their gratification, recreation and luxury.  What have we become?!

In ancient times, the prophet Isaiah, describes a future time when good would be called evil and evil good.  He also describes that there will come a time of entire separation from those that follow the path of truth and those who remain deceived.  Those who maintain and live true principles will be spared the destruction awaiting those who  have chosen the road of apparent ease. 

I promise you, there is coming a day of reckoning.  Whether we experience this individually or en masse, we will experience the consequences of our actions, attitudes and behaviors for good or ill.  I plead with each of you (myself included), to turn away from that which is not true.  Turn away from foods, drinks, and lifestyle practices that  are enslaving not only your body but your soul.  Addictions are selfish masters that care only for themselves.  Addictions blind your mind so that you cannot see, feel and hear the subtle whisperings of your conscience.  It is only through this inner voice, this voice of the spirit, that we will be able to negotiate the stormy seas, which are at our shores.  

It is time.  We no longer have the luxury to procrastinate.  It will be hard to put off the enticements of a pleasure seeking and convenient loving society and culture.  We must immerse and surround ourselves with that which is good, nourishing and edifying.  Your motivation has got to come from within.  You cannot making lasting change because someone else is pressuring or nagging you.  

Let me guide you and help you if you don't know where to start.  We truly are all in this together. Rally together with those within the circle of your influence.  Listen to and follow that inner spirit of truth.  Please come back. 

Blessings,

Dr. Kyle Christensen

August 17, 2013

Benefits of Redmond Clay

 

The Redmond Clay Story

Millions of years ago, long before modern pollutants contaminated the Earth, a range of volcanoes erupted—sending volcanic ash into the water of the ancient Sundance Sea that covered much of North America. The water in this sea evaporated, leaving behind a bed of mineral-rich sodium bentonite.

Fremont Indians living in what is now rural Southern Utah once told tales of the healing properties of this clay deposit, which the legend holds was discovered when the natives noticed herds of deer frequently gathering to nibble at the soil around the deposit.  Native Americans were known to carry a ball of clay with them in their packs, dissolving some in water and with their meals to ward off the effects of stomach ailments and food infections, and the practice persisted for generations.

During the 1960’s, the Bosshardt family began experimenting with the clay deposit on their property, using it as the Indians had to treat bee stings and upset stomach, and eventually began hearing from local health food stores inquiring about the benefits of the clay.  The interest prompted them to send a sample to be tested in a lab, and when the results showed it was safe for human use, the family began selling the healing clay under the name Redmond Clay®.

Redmond Clay® has grown up a bit since then, but the product remains as pure as it was when the Fremonts discovered its uses.   The ancient volcanic ash is carefully extracted from deep within the earth, bringing it to you in its pure, natural state.  Many people consider it their first aid kit in a bottle. We couldn't agreee more!

This bentonite clay contains just about equal parts of calcium and sodium so it shares the advantages of both (literature abounds on the Internet about the advantages and disadvantages of calcium bentonite versus sodium bentonite. Not every source is reliable though so question everything!).

Since zero to only negligible counts of bad bacteria metal or virus are ever detected in regularly-administered clinical analyses of the clay and since the clay is a pure bentonite with no foreign matter contained in it, it is completely safe for internal consumption as well as external application.

External Uses: Detoxification: Apply it as a slurry to the skin and allow it to dry (1/2 hr - 2 hrs) then clean off. You can also mix several tablespoons - 1/2 cup to 2 cups of the clay into your bath water and soak in it for 45 min or longer. Foot baths with the clay also are great. FYI 1 to 2 hr clay facials leave a youthful soft and tingling feeling and look to your skin! Skin Problems: Apply a slurry of the clay to the affected area and wrap with a cotton cloth to form a poultice. To prevent it from drying out too fast you may also wrap the cloth with plastic. Great for rosacea, eczema, rashes (including diaper - sprinkle it on dry at diaper changes), boils, bone felons (inflammation of outer bone membrane – periosteum), hang nails, infections of all kinds (including fungus) cuts, wounds, bruises, etc. Bites and Stings: Apply immediately to bites and stings of all kinds (while you're seeking immediate medical help as need be) - snake, spider, other bugs, bees, wasps, dogs, cats, (scratches as well) etc.

Internal Uses: Detoxification: The clay particles are negatively charged and when taken internally, they magnetically attract the mostly positively-charged toxins, bacteria, virus, metals, radioactive contaminants, etc onto their surface and out through elimination.

Radioactive Contamination: As just mentioned, bentonite clay is a known antidote, if you will, for radioactive contamination.  Along with boron, bentonite clay was used at Chernobyl to curtail what would have been an even more devastatingly widespread contamination.

GI Tract Problems: Redmond Bentonite Clay works wonders with correcting digestive disorders, pH imbalance, bowel disorders of all kinds (including colitis, candida, acid reflux, diarrhea, dysentery, ulcers, and more)

            All Natural Redmond Betonite Clay has a myriad of beneficial uses. It can eliminate food allergies, food poisoning, mucus colitis, spastic colitis, viral infections such as stomach flu, and parasites (parasites are unable to reproduce in the presence of clay). Betonite Clay works well with burns, bug bites, detoxification, etc. It can be used externally in many ways such as a clay poultice, mud pack or in the bath, as well as in skin care applications. In addition, it can be taken internally with water or spread upon food.

Take Internally

            Mix 1 teaspoon of dry powder clay in a half glass of water, stir it up, and let it sit 6 to 8 hours. Then drink either the clear liquid off the top, or stir it up and drink all of it. Depending on your liking, you can drink it in the morning, throughout the day, or in the evening. People find that the clay water tastes better cold than at room temperature.

• Because the clay draws toxins to itself, some conditions may appear worse before they get better.
• Do not leave metal in contact with the wet clay, as it will quickly rust.

            Conveniently, have Redmond Clay available to drink by adding 1/4  cup of dry powder Redmond Clay to a two/three quart glass pitcher of water, stir it briskly and put it in the refrigerator. Within a few hours, the clay will settle to the bottom and most of the water will be clear. Drink freely, and when the water level gets low just wash out the remaining sediments and start over. In the book, Our Earth Our Cure, notes that drinking the clear water off the top gives basically the same results as drinking the clay itself.

            Some sources recommend that you drink the clay water once a day. However, we have received feedback from customers that have had great success drinking it multiple times a day, and others drink as the need arises.

Apply Externally

            Prepare Redmond Clay for external use by mixing it with enough water to make a gel about the consistency of mustard. Use filtered or distilled water when available, but you can use tap water as well. Once mixed it will never dry out, separate, or go bad as long as you store it in an air tight container. If it does start to dry out, simply add more water and stir. The Redmond Clay gel can be stored in the fridge, the cupboard, or car; heat and cold do not affect it.

            There are many different ways of using the clay externally. One of the best ways is to apply it generously in a 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch layer directly on the skin. An alternative that allows for more mobility is to apply the gel to a piece of cheese cloth, fold the cloth as if making a 'burrito', and secure to the skin with an ace bandage.

After applying there are several options:

    Uncovered: Some people put on the clay and leave it uncovered so that it dries out within the hour. As it dries, it will draw or pull.

    Covered with Cloth: Covering the Redmond Clay with a cloth will hold it in place and cause the clay to dry slower. Doing this enables you to leave the clay on overnight or to walk around the house without getting wet clay all over the furniture. Wetting the cloth with water will slow the drying rate and cause more of a cooling sensation.

    Covered with Plastic: Covering the Redmond Clay Gel with plastic wrap or a plastic bag keeps the clay from drying out which is important if you are applying to a burn. Even though the clay doesn't dry out, some people will wash the clay off and replace it once or twice a day. Other people have left the same pack on a burn for a couple of days until the burn was 'just pink skin'. One key: Do not let the clay dry on a burn; keep it moist until it is time to wash it off.

    Using the Dry Redmond Clay: People say using it as baby powder causes diaper rash to disappear by the next diaper change. Some people feel that sprinkling the dry Redmond Clay on an open, infected wound causes more of a drawing/healing action than using the gel.

    Clay Baths: Many people in the health food industry feel that the skin is a primary avenue for detoxificaiton. Putting Redmond Clay in the bath seems to increase the drawing effect which helps people detoxify. To use the clay for a clay bath, simply add 1/2 to 2 cups of Redmond Clay under the faucet as you fill the tub of hot water. Soak in it for 30 to 45 minutes.

    An alternate technique is do a foot bath. To do this simply put 3 tablespoons of the Redmond Clay in a pan of water and soak your feet for 30- 45 minutes.

 Shopping for Redmond Clay can be very expensive or quite inexpensive.  At the Health Food Store you can pick up a jar of Redmond Clay for about $10 for 10oz.  That is $800 for 50 pounds.  We get ours at the animal feed store (IFA) for $8.99 for 50 lbs.  As far as we can tell, it comes from the exact same source, but is packaged differently.

Illness and Injury  

as a Spiritual Path

It seems as though so many of us are on life’s troubled path that is wrought with difficulty, pain and trouble. Too often our course in life seems to be more of a distraction that pulls us away from our happiness and spiritual growth than foster it. But perhaps, in reality, this path of hardship and sorrow may be exactly the path set before us on our journey of peace and spiritual development.

Sometimes we are inclined to see those who suffer and judge that they have brought on their troubles because of wrong decisions or behavior. Sometimes this is true. Many or even most of today's chronic and degenerative health problems are the natural consequences of poor or unhealthy lifestyle choices. Eating too much processed foods and sweets, inadequate exercise, not enough sleep, and poor management of stress will all lead to the eventual breakdown of health.

Other problems are truly beyond our direct control and can result from circumstances or behaviors of others. Regardless of how we got there, illness and injury can and must be our starting point to a better life. Heck, life’s journey would be futile if “you couldn’t get there from here”. So no matter where you are in the course of your condition, the starting point for your healing is exactly where you are, right now!

How to Get Started

Remember, this is a spiritual journey on the path to happiness. First, you must understand that there is no magic pill. It is not likely that your recovery will pivot on the precise combination of essential oils, the correct pH of water, the right combination of vitamins or herbs, or even the masterfully delivered chiropractic adjustment or physical therapy procedure. People come through my office every week looking for that one thing that will require minimal effort on their part (“Here, just take this pill and you can expect a remarkable recovery”) and produce maximum improvement. Rarely, does this happen. Many are not yet ready to come to grips with this reality and will keep searching, going from doctor to doctor and laying out hundreds even thousands of dollars in hope of finding “the cure”. And trust me, there is a never ending line of those with palms opened to take your money.

I am not saying that there are not good and effective treatments and therapies out there. I am saying, that there are many treatments and therapies that are not right for you. And what is right and beneficial for one may not produce the same results for another. Boy, it sure would be easier if there was consistency in treatment and results. But it is kind of like raising kids. There are general principles that hold true, but not every approach works equally well for every kid. Yes, they all need good nutrition and to learn to work and be respectful. But what motivates one may discourage the other.

Simple But Not Easy

Something that I emphasize with many of my new patients is the importance of listening to your inner voice. I often view myself as a pretty good resource for ideas. Admittedly, I do not have all the answers. My diagnoses are not always correct. I, like you, am trying my best to do my best, but often fall short. With this said, please understand, that each of us has been endowed with a true source of inspiration and light. This is often referred to as our conscience or the Light of Christ. My experience has taught me that this subtle inner voice always (ALWAYS!) speaks the truth. When a course of action or direction is needed, posed by a question as simple as “What should I do?”, answers will come. The challenge is that these answers are not always a direct answer to your question, nor do they always make sense. For example, Question: “What should I do for my tired and aching back?” Answer: “Go do the dishes, your wife has had a difficult day”. WHAT!!! How does me getting up and doing the dishes have to do with helping me feel better. Understand, that God and Spirit see the big picture. My tired back (after a 40 mile bike ride) wanted to rest, but helping in the kitchen brought greater peace and harmony to the home and let’s face it, my tiredness was an inconvenience not a crisis.

But what if your problems or issues are serious? What if you are in crisis? I promise you the same holds true. Listen to the subtle prompting and follow them with exactness. It may not make sense. You may find yourself rationalizing or justifying why you can’t follow these subtle promptings of the spirit. However, this I have also learned, the more I follow, the clearer the direction I receive. And when I don’t follow or drag my feet in following, it is like turning down the volume for further guidance.

I view it like this, we have problems, all of us, no exceptions. I believe that it is through our challenges and problems that God gets our attention and in essence invites us to be humble and come to Him. For me, it seems my prayers are a little more intense during difficult times rather than when things are going pretty good. With that in mind, if we could view hardships as invitations to come to God, draw on His Spirit for guidance and inspiration, then we can be lead to greater peace and happiness. I do not believe that all of our problems will be resolved as neatly as a one hour TV show. But I do believe we will be better off and will find answers and solutions that may have eluded us.

Whatever your course of action, you must feel good about it. Sometimes, answers to your biggest and most pressing questions will not be forthcoming. Your willingness and obedience may first need to be tried and tested (by God). I will often ask “What should I do?” If I leave the question wide open, then I can follow and not have to exert specific demands for specific questions. I have even found that as I follow the mundane direction, insights and inspiration will come to me (that I believe may not have come otherwise). Here is something else I’ve discovered and many others have concurred with this. I’ve learned that when I receive an answer to a prayer or impression, the answer is the first thing that flashes in my mind. Whether it’s a name or an image of something. The first impression seems to be pure and true before its diluted by my  reasoning or polluted by the adversary. This has been proven many times in my life.

The direction to follow inspiration is simple, but it is not easy. I strongly believe that this is the path that will lead us to greater health and happiness. And I believe that the illnesses and injuries that afflict us just may be the pathway to greater light, peace, love and understanding. It is said that Christ learned by the things which he suffered, and so it is with us. But only if we learn to listen and obey.

Blessings,

Dr. Kyle Christensen

July 11, 2013