Research on cholesterol and cardiovascular health has a long and controversial history, starting in about 1950. Since that time the following details have emerged:

• Arterial plaque contains cholesterol
• The most abundant substance in arterial plaque is calcium
• About 50% of heart attack victims do not have clogged arteries
• About 90% of heart attack victims have no previous cardiovascular symptoms
• Cholesterol is important for proper functioning of cell membranes
• Dietary cholesterol has almost no effect on serum cholesterol levels
• Cholesterol levels are easy to measure
• Cholesterol levels are easy to control by synthetic drugs called statins
• Statins block the synthesis of CoQ-10, which is crucial for heart health
• There is no such thing as 'bad' cholesterol
• Low cholesterol levels, especially when induced by statins, are associated with neurological disorders such as Parkinson's Disease and ALS
• High cholesterol levels do not predict heart disease or mortality
• The only factor that characterizes ALL cardiovascular disorders is inflammation

Several years ago the federal government, with the helpful guidance of the pharmaceutical industry, adjusted its guidelines for managing cholesterol levels. At that time the definition of what was considered too high changed from 300 mg/dL to 200 mg/dL (i.e., milligrams of cholesterol in each deciliter of blood serum, which is a little more than 12 ounces). Under the old guidelines, roughly 13 million people in this country were recommended to take cholesterol-lowering medications. The new guidelines brought this number to 36 million people, which almost tripled the market for these drugs.

The bottom line is that the widespread use of statins is clearly based on a false premise that cholesterol causes heart disease. Nevertheless, annual sales of statins worldwide exceed $25 billion. The issues of cholesterol and human health disappeared from the realm of wellness long ago and have been replaced by issues of money and politics. This is in spite of the well-known and lengthy list of side effects of these drugs, including unexplained muscle weakness, cramps, twitching, slurred speech, difficulty in walking or motor skills, nerve pain, depression, memory loss, and impotence. Indeed, this money machine continues to grow in spite of recent research on two drugs, Zetia and Vytorin, which shows that they don't even work.

Maintaining Your Body's Natural Balance

Cholesterol and overall lipid balance is still important, because every cell membrane in your body depends on cholesterol and other lipids for proper functioning. The way your cells handle them says a lot about your general state of health. Controlling them with drugs is just not the best choice for real wellness. It you have been frightened into taking statin drugs, it is time to find a doctor who will work with you to get off of them. Several natural approaches will ensure that you are on the right track. Since inflammation is at the root of cardiovascular disease, the most important strategy that you can adopt, which also offers benefits against many other chronic conditions, is to address inflammation with a combination of good anti-inflammatory and fiber supplements, the right eating plan, optimal exercise, stress and lifestyle management, and hormone balance.

I have found only one product that combines the best anti-inflammatory herbs with a fiber component that is backed by solid scientific research for heart health. Indeed, out of all the many kinds of fiber that are available on the market, this is the only one that is approved by the FDA for making a heart health claim. The product that contains this fiber in clinical doses is CardioGreens, which is available at Doctors Nutrition Center. In my opinion, this is the best greens formula for providing the right heart healthy fiber plus the right greens for reducing inflammation and boosting your immune system. This formula is loaded with vitamins, minerals, flavonoids and other high-level antioxidants from whole fruits and vegetables.