subject: Inflammation vs High Cholesterol - The Real Cause of Arterial Plaque Build Up [print this page] Inflammation vs High Cholesterol - The Real Cause of Arterial Plaque Build Up
Did you know that about 50% of heart attack victims actually have normal or low cholesterol levels? The problem is for years and years we've been bombarded with misinformation about how "cholesterol" is killing us and ravaging our arteries. Like cholesterol is the only thing causing heart disease?
Inflammation vs cholesterol
This is only a partial truth, because the root cause of deadly heart disease and arterial plaque buildup starts with excessive inflammation, not simply high cholesterol. If you'r on choesterol lowering drugs, coming off statins should be highly considered asthese drugs may do more harm than good.
Inflammation 101
Actually, inflammation is a natural response when our bodies are subject to trauma. When injury and infection invade your system, inflammation is a natural response called from our immune system to combat trouble. in small, acute doses, inflammation is a GOOD thing, attacking the bad guys...
However,chronic inflammation due to poor diet and can be a huge catalyst for disease and accelerate aging as well.
How does inflammation increase risk of heart disease?
Anything that increases blood sugar levels eventually increases inflammation to the system. In a chronic state of inflammation with no real infection or invader as a threat inflammation starts attacking the interior lining of your arteries.
Imagine the interior walls of your arteries being scrubbed vigorously with a steel wool dish sponge. What was once smooth arterial walls are now rough and divitted, perfect for lodging excess plaque and cholesterol buildup as it travels through the blood.
You see, sticky plaque buildup will not stick to smooth arterial walls but will easily stick to rough damage arteries.
So even with low cholesterol levels, deadly arterial plaque buildup can happen because it is more likely to lodge into damaged arteries.
Simple Diet Change is The Solution to Inflammation
The key critical element for decreasing inflammation and lowering your risk for heart disease is SIMPLE...modify your diet!
The best proven way to QUICKLY decrease inflammation is to eliminate all sugar and simple carbohydrates as these two food groups cause the quickest surge in blood sugar thus the greatest potential for chronic inflammation.
Here's a simple regimen anyone can do. Try to eliminate all sugar (and hidden sugar) as well as simple carbohydrates for 7 days. Sugar cravings take about 3 or 4 days to vanish but after that your taste buds re-adjust and cravings practically disappear.
It's incredible how much your blood sugar will even out if you eliminate these two foods as well as how "even" your energy level will become.
Don't let the simplicity of these 2 tips fool you or underestimate its effect on improving your heart health. If you're like the majority of us you probably are totally unaware of how much sugar and refined carbs you actually take in, and how much damage it is slowly doing.
Get a plan Knowing HOW to implement a diet that lowers inflamation and at the same time is satisfying and interesting can be a challenge. It can easily be the difference between sticking it out and quitting.
