This is the really important question.
It seems that we really do need both types of cholesterol. The idea that there is good and bad cholesterol is wrong. There is tons of info. out there now to back this up.
The cholesterol helps ouur system to deal with inflammation of the tissues - but why is there inflammation - there seems to be so many reasons: bad food, stress, pollutants in the environment (tricky to get away from!!!!!) etc etc
So it would seem that raw fooders need to be careful not to let their cholesterol levels drop too low - all sorts of problems will then ensue.
But where do raw fooders - or even vegans for that matter get cholesterol from?

I sometimes wonder if it is better not to have an extreme diet in any direction - the science constantly changes - what we think is a truth one day gets disproves the next etc.
[www.metabolichealing.com]

[qjmed.oxfordjournals.org]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/01/2012 10:14AM by flipperjan.

Extreme diets are generally not good in my opinion because they force you to walk a tight rope and the chances of problems(deficiencies etc) increase. Whilst in the short term things may be good because you are no longer eating junk, are now eating clean or avoiding common food allergens such as gluten etc, long term is where the problems creep in with extreme diets.

Cholesterol is very important precursor to adrenal hormones which are some of the bodies main anti-inflammatory steroids.

A healthy liver can produce cholesterol but there comes a point where an individual may need dietary cholesterol due to chronic stress etc, in my opinion.

As to why is there inflammation there are many different factors involved in inflammation some include excessive meat consumption which contains pro-inflammatory arachidonic acid, too much vegetable spreads and other foods rich in omega-6 which again is pro inflammatory which also includes imbalances im omega-3/6 fatty acids, poor adrenal gland function which are the bodies main source of anti-inflammatory and immuno regulatory steroids.

There are some of the common causes of inflammation. Supporting the adrenal glands, making sure you are getting enough omega-3 and other anti-inflammatory foods is a good idea.

[www.vegankingdom.co.uk]



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/01/2012 10:32AM by powerlifer.

Developing adrenal fatigue and other endocrine problems due to a lack of cholesterol isn't uncommon following a raw vegan diet.

You hear of people all the time being cold, fatigued, hair thinning, lack of menstrual cycle and other endorcine/hormone related problems due to following a raw diet.

[www.vegankingdom.co.uk]



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/01/2012 10:57AM by powerlifer.

Yes. I have read that wheat is a big inflammatory factor for our arteries. An interesting book on the subject is Wheat Belly. It is certainly true that most people eat wheat at every meal - a huge onslaught for the body. Spikes the blood sugar hugely too.

Personally i have come to the conclusion that most grains are a big no-no for me, they were definitley a factor in causing my leaky gut which is the start of systemic inflammation throughout the body.

Gluten and wheat are terrible for the body.

[www.vegankingdom.co.uk]

Another common cause of inflammation is increased homocysteine levels which can be caused in part as a result of a Vitamin B12 deficiency. Which is an area of vegan nutrition that must be kept in check.

[www.vegankingdom.co.uk]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/01/2012 11:07AM by powerlifer.

First of all, let’s start with what some people say about what Causes most of our Diseases. Dr. Fred Bisci says that, “all disease starts with Inflammation” same as Dr. Andrew Weil. From 1930 to 1934 Otto Warburg said the same thing and called Inflammation “Fermative Non-Oxidative Respiration.” Verkile, a scientist from Vienna 200 years ago said that all disease commences with Inflammation. Of course, the Natural Hygienists knew that Inflammations lead to Ulcerations and Indurations and Fungations, but they also knew that Toxemia Irritated the lining membranes of our Organs and that lead to the Inflammations. In contrast, Dr. Weil says that our “hormones made from omega-6 fatty acids Upregulate Inflammation, while those made from omega-3 fatty acids Downregulate It.”

Now let’s take a closer look at what the Natural Hygienists have to say about the 7 Stages of Disease. When I analyzed these 7 Stages, my analytical mind broke them up into 2 Causes and 5 Symptoms and then, I combined the first 2 Symptoms as 1.

So the First Main Stage of "Destructive Disease" is "Irritation/Inflammation." When Poisons Irritate the lining membrane of one of our Internal Organs, our Defense System responds with an Inflammation, and there are always the Same Five Symptoms associated with all Inflammations. The First Four of these Symptoms, Pain, Fever, Redness and Swelling, are all obviously the Same Symptoms of the Same Disease. But the Fifth Symptom, Impairment of Function, is what confuses us all into thinking that it is a Different Disease because every Organ has a Different Function. So now we have what appears to be a Different Symptom, which leads us to believe that it is also a Different Disease. Just because we have a Different Malfunction does not mean that we have a Different Disease because Impairment of Function is still one of the Same Five Symptoms of Inflammation.

Now let’s take a look at the First Two Stages of Disease that are the Causes - Enervation and Toxemia. Enervation leads to Toxemia and then, Toxemia Irritates the lining membrane of one of our Internal Organs and our Defense System responds with an Inflammation. Interestingly, this once again, illustrates the Serendipitous Effects from having a High Biophoton Level because just yesterday I made an Audio Tape where I said…

The one thing you got to love about Natural Hygiene is that it’s all based on Enervation and that’s something they openly admit that they don’t understand. Now isn’t that convenient? Everything is based on Enervation, but we really don’t understand it that well. No one really knows what Enervation is, but that’s going to be our 1st Step. Hahahahahaha - how convenient! The 1st Step - we don’t know what it is. No one knows it, but there it is - it’s Enervation!

For those not familiar with the word Enervation - it just means a state of Lowered Nerve Energy and is the opposite of Energizing. And then, for those who are not familiar with Natural Hygiene’s Seven Stages of Disease, here they are…

The Seven Stages of Disease
by Dr. Robert Sniadach

There are seven stages of disease. The underlying cause of disease in all stages is enervation and subsequent toxicosis.

1. Enervation

This first stage is called enervation. Most people call it nervous exhaustion, or just plain “tired and run down.” Enervation is a state in which the body is either not generating sufficient vital energy for the tasks the body must perform, or the tasks the body must perform may be greater than the normal vital energy supply can cope with.

In any event, the body becomes impaired, and an impaired body generates less vital energy if the conditions of overwork or non-regeneration persist. The great revitalizer is sleep, for sleep regenerates vital energy. Insufficient sleep and rest are the primary causes of enervation. Once enervation exists, all body functions are debilitated and diminished. This can quickly lead to:

2. Toxicosis

When toxic substances from whatever source saturate the blood and tissues, the lymph system and interstitial fluids, then the condition of toxicosis exists. Living cells are surrounded by waste products - garbage.

Tissue and blood saturation with toxic materials can be caused by both internally generated wastes and pollutants taken in from the outside which the body has not been able to eject from its domain. Intoxication occurs when we overload the body with toxic materials from the outside, or we fail to observe our capacities, and overwork, get insufficient sleep, or are subjected to great stress, or when any number of other factors deplete the body of vital energy or prevent its sufficient regeneration.

For instance, stresses, emotional shocks, or traumatic experiences can drain our bodies of vital energy very quickly. Often toxicosis creates feelings of unease, vague discomfort and subtle negative emotional states. At some level of intoxication we begin to experience the next stage of disease which is called:

3. Irritation

Irritation results from toxic materials being sensed by our nervous system. Any toxic material, be it salt, caffeine, condiments or external chemicals will irritate or stimulate. This is a condition wherein the body sets in force its defensive mechanisms and accelerates its internal activities.

This might well be likened to an alarm aboard ship where all hands are summoned. A frenzy of activity results in a bout with enemy forces. Unfortunately, this often temporarily makes us feel good or hyperactive or even euphoric. It is distressing to see a euphoric condition arise out of a situation that is damaging to the organism. If the causes of enervation/intoxication/irritation remain in force and the body can’t cope with it the body initiates a responsive crisis called:

4. Inflammation

This is usually the stage in which physicians recognize pathology. It is the stage where sufferers are keenly aware of a problem, for it involves pain. As well, it involves bodily redirection of vital energies. The intestinal tract is closed down. Energy that would normally be available for digestive activity is preempted and redirected to the massive effort to cope with a severe condition of intoxication. Energy is also redirected from use by the muscles. There is little or no desire to be active; all sensibilities demand that you sleep and rest. Lest the integrity of the organism be dealt a mortal blow or become crippled, the body musters its all to the emergency.

In inflammation, the toxicants have usually been concentrated in an organ or area for a massive expulsive effort. The area becomes inflamed due to the constant irritation of the toxic materials. When inflammation exists we are said to have an “itis,” appendicitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis, hepatitis, or nephritis for example. The names of “itises” are usually after the organ or tissue area that is inflamed.

Thus if we have a cold we have rhinitis. If we have inflammation of the sinus cavities we have sinusitis. If we have inflammation of bronchial tissue we have either bronchitis or asthma. And so it goes. We have these peculiar pathologies because in each case the body elected to eliminate the extraordinary toxic load through the organ affected.

For instance, asthma exists because the body has selected the bronchi as an outlet for toxic materials. The condition is chronic because the toxic condition is unceasing. While the sufferer continues to intoxicate himself or herself, the body continues to eliminate the overload through the bronchi or alveolar tissue.

Why does the body choose one site or another for elimination? There are many variables to consider to answer this question. There is the predisposing genetic “constitution” that you are born with. Some of us can handle increased elimination through normal channels, while others do not have this capacity and the body has to rid itself of the extra poisons through the skin via pimples, rashes, etc. Also we must consider that the type of toxic material being eliminated will tend to be detoxified by one or more particular organs. Also the outlet that is most convenient for excretion, nose, eyes ears, throat, lungs, bladder, rectum, etc. will be utilized to expel the morbid material.

Inflammation or fever is a body crisis response to a life-threatening situation. The body and the body alone creates the fever. It is an evidence or symptom of increased and intense body activities directed at cleansing and repair. The extraordinary energies employed for a fever are at the expense of energies normally involved in digestion, work or play, thinking and seeing, etc.

Fever is a healing activity. The idea of suppressing it is equivalent to hitting a drowning man over the head so he'll stop struggling. For instance, if rhinitis or influenza sufferers are drugged, it amounts to hitting the body's healer over the head. Thus, the eliminative effort is suppressed, and the toxicity increases until other organs, usually the lungs, become saturated - not only with the toxicity but the drugs administered as well.

When body vitality reasserts itself a condition known as pneumonia is likely to result. Inflammation is the fourth stage of disease and is the body’s most intense effort to cleanse and restore itself. The next stage of disease is destructive and degenerative. It will result if the causes of general body intoxication are continued.

5. Ulceration

Ulceration means that a staggering amount of cells and tissue structures are being destroyed. Physiological systems are wiped out due to the body's inability to live in an unceasing toxic media. Where tissue is destroyed there remains a void.

An example is a canker sore of the mouth. Lesions or ulcers can occur in other areas of the body also. These conditions are often intensely painful, for there are exposed nerves. While the body may use an ulcer as an outlet for extraordinary toxic buildup thereby relieving itself, it will heal the ulcer if causes are discontinued, or if the toxicity level is significantly lowered. This process of repairing the damage is like patching up pants with holes in them. This patching up process is called induration.

6. Induration

Induration is a hardening of tissue or the filling in of tissue vacancy with hard tissue. Scarring is a form of induration. But in this stage of disease, there is direction and purpose in hardening. The space is filled, and the toxic materials that threaten bodily integrity are encapsulated in a sac of hardened tissue.

The ulcer and the toxic materials are sealed off by the hardening of the tissue around them. This is a way of quarantining the toxic materials, often called tumor formation. It is this condition that is often diagnosed as cancer when in fact no cancer exists. Induration is the last stage during which the body exerts intelligent control. Should the pathogenic practices which brought matters to this stage be continued, cells and tissue systems go wild. They survive as best they can on their own.

Cells become parasitic - living off the nutrients they can obtain from the lymph fluid but contributing nothing to the body economy. They have become disorganized. Their genetic encoding has been altered by the poisons. Thus, they are not capable of intelligent normal organized action within the context of a vital economy. When cells go wild in this manner, the condition is called cancer.

7. Cancer

The endpoint of the evolution of disease is cancer. It is the last stage of disease and is usually fatal, especially if the causes that brought it about are continued. Cessation of causes and indulgence of healthful practices may arrest it, for they can so revitalize the body that they may even destroy the cancer cells. It's all relative.

Cancer cells live in a hostile environment but still divide and flourish as long as nutrients are available to them. Cancer cells may be regarded as cells that have become independent and have reverted to the status of uncontrolled primitive cells -- cells that live entirely on their own as do protozoa. These stages of disease are quite distinct in their characters, yet the lines are more or less arbitrarily drawn. This often happens in attempts at categorization where one form evolves into another. The dividing lines have no clear-cut delineation.

People sometimes ask when cancer begins. Natural Hygienists say that it begins with the first cold or rash of childhood. The first crisis a baby endures begins the pathological chain that leads to cancer. This evolutionary chain begins then because the phenomenon of life is one constant violation of the laws of life from beginning to end.

*****

Obviously, these Seven Stages are NOT perfect, but they are a good guideline to make some sense out of Conventional Medicine’s explanations. Every time I work with someone who has a Disease I’ve never heard of or have never studied, I look at what Conventional Medicine thinks it is and I look for Key words, like Scarring or Hardening (i.e. Induration) or Inflammation, etc.

Now as far as Cholesterol, here’s an oversimplified way to look at Fiber & Cholesterol. All Plants use Fiber to build their Cell Walls and all Animals use Cholesterol to build their Cell Walls. And then, when it comes to Cholesterol Causing problems, it’s Oxidized Cholesterol that’s Causing all of the problems and Oxidized Cholesterol is introduced into our system every time we eat something cooked in vegetable oil. As soon as the oil is heated and mixes with oxygen, it goes rancid. Rancid oil is oxidized oil, and should not be consumed. This is why so many people recommend avoiding all vegetable cooking oils and replacing them with organic coconut oil, which remains stable and does not oxidize at higher temperatures.

On a final note, powerlifer made a great point which we both agree on and that is if our Livers are Damaged or Impaired, as in Inflamed, we might not be able to make our own Cholesterol and since Cholesterol is the precursor to all of our other Hormones and if we’re Not making it, we either have to have an outside source or take Dr. Gabriel Cousens approach by using Coconut Oil to help people with Low Cholesterol.

[www.gabrielcousens.com]
I have also noticed a tendency in vegans for low cholesterol, which is below 140 (an unhealthy range). I typically address this by having clients add therapeutic doses of coconut oil to their diets, which raises cholesterol to healthy levels.
[www.gabrielcousens.com]

Peace and Love..........John

inflammation is a huge issue. until you've done the tests both blood and prick, you don't have an informed answer. After the diagnosis, you can ground truth it though experience but the tests are test for a reason. Most people handle gluten just fine, myself included.

Pony up ...learn your personal truth and see with a qualified allergist if it can be reversible...i.e something you can outgrow or at least test to outgrow.

I just hope it's not treenuts. My son will never outgrow the allergry. and they have so much benefit.

Paul

'Pony up' - now there's an expression I have not heard before. I'm not quite sure if I understand it's meaning from your post either.

Paul - have you read Wheat Belly? - it is very interesting (although I find the style of delivery very irritating)

Lack of adequate sleep. Many health issues come from the lack of sleep, 8 hours of good sleep per day. The body does all of repair and healing but it must be given the tools and sleep is one of them



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/02/2012 06:25PM by RawPracticalist.