Lynn Capehart Wellness Project

STOP THE SILENT DANGER THAT KILLS WITHOUT WARNING

CATEGORY: 3: Blockage

RECOMMENDED SUPPLEMENT: Lecithin

It is the day after Thanksgiving as I begin this post. I spent yesterday with a family of friends ranging from an exasperated teenager, who ate only hot buttered dinner rolls smothered with mashed potatoes—no gravy, she was on a diet—as she glared at the mother who refused to buy her a car on her nearing 16th birthday, to a 95-year-old great-grandpa who lamented about everyone having their face shoved into some kind of machine all the time. If it’s a phone it’s supposed to be next to your ear, not with your nose buried in it. There was a library with big comfortable chairs, perfect soft lighting, and shelves filled with so many classics it could make a book lover weep. Luckily, I had my hankie. They had to pry me out of one of the chairs when it was time to leave. I had a wonderful time.

I also ate too much; seconds on everything. I had no shame. When I got home I went straight to the refrigerator where I swallowed 10 Lecithin softgels, one after the other. The meal I had just put away was full of cholesterol, which would turn to sludge and plaque in my bloodstream, putting me at risk of numerous blockage disorders, including high cholesterol. Lecithin would start the emulsifying process right away, keeping the cholesterol particles in suspension, separated, until they could be processed, and utilized or eliminated.

Definition: Emulsifying Process: It is important to understand that emulsification is the key, and the only way to avoid the long list of blockage disorders that kill millions every year. The emulsification process permits the combining of two substances that normally would not mix, like oil and water, or cholesterol and blood. It does this by breaking down the oily globules into particles so minute they mix easily with water—despite the fact that oil and water don’t mix naturally.  When you emulsify any kind of fat globule you essentially make it behave in a water soluble manner, by suspending water particles throughout its mass, forcing it to combine with liquids into a smooth mixture, and to remain as a mixture over time. The emulsifying process enables large fat globules to be broken down into smaller evenly distributed particles that will not clump together to form plaque and other organic debris that cause blockage disorders like high cholesterol.  Think of the Giant in Jack and The Bean Stalk. He was fearsome and hard to control because of his large size. Suppose Jack’s magic beans had given him additional special powers, and he had cast a spell that turned that one giant into a hundred itty bitty pipsqueaks he could crush underfoot and easily control. It could be said then that Jack had “emulsified” the Giant, taken a large dangerous mass and broken it down into smaller controllable bits with no ability to do harm. The magic spell would be called Lecithin. That’s what Lecithin does, turns large fat globules into tiny fat particles so small your system can handle them without harm or distress. It works equally well on any kind of fat, including cholesterol.

CHOLESTEROL TAKES UP PRECIOUS SPACE IN YOUR ARTERIES

The more cholesterol you have in your bloodstream, the less space there is for blood to flow. It’s that simple. There is a finite amount of space inside your body where necessary processes can be performed, and every function has its own allotted space. The problem with cholesterol is that it takes up room in your arteries reserved for the flow of blood. Your coronary system of arteries, veins, and capillaries is like a complex series of highways and roads that transport vital nutrients and oxygen to every part of your body. Like a real life road system, arterial byways must be kept clear because space on them is limited.

If there is an accident on a real road, wreckage is removed as quickly as possible so other traffic can move past. Otherwise, a complete flow shutdown is possible. Then you have traffic gridlock. Cholesterol has to be removed quickly from your bloodstream, like those wrecked cars on the highway, or it will build up and eventually prevent enough blood from reaching all the spots serviced by the arterial system. Then you have arterial gridlock.

This leads to countless blockage disorders, but most immediate are heart attack and blood clot stroke due to the flow stoppage. Thus, the core goal in trying to control cholesterol levels is to get it out of your bloodstream quickly, before the globules can clump together, rob space, and cause damage. Every steak, ice cream cone, and chicken leg, every coconut shrimp, butter pattie, and scrambled egg you eat robs a bit more space inside your arteries. That’s where Lecithin comes in.

THE STICKY GAME

To help you better understand the connection between Lecithin and cholesterol, let’s pretend there’s a new game called Sticky. The game runs 24 hours and has as many as a hundred players at any given time. The game board is the size of two football fields, and is composed of criss-crossing channels of various circumference that players must navigate in order to find a single exit, and collect a monetary prize, ranging from $1,000 to $100,000, depending on the player’s time. The trick is to avoid getting Stuck and being unable to exit. If a player gets Stuck and has to be removed by clean-up, she is fined $500 for impeding the flow of the game and endangering other players.

Two things make Sticky a difficult game: (1) All players must wear special Velcro  uniforms, and the channels are lined with Velcro. If a player gets stuck to a wall he can’t reach the exit and will have to be extracted; (2) Players can only exit one at a time. If two players get Stuck together, they can’t get out of the game even if they find the exit. Once two players are Stuck together, it’s only a matter of time before other players get Stuck to them and blockages occur.

Here, the players are cholesterol particles that must navigate the channels that represent the arterial system. The exit is the liver, where you want the particles to go once they’ve made a hasty departure from the bloodstream. The monetary prize represents the importance of the speed at which the particles leave the bloodstream. Lecithin is the cleanup crew. (Some games are poorly managed and either don’t have a cleanup crew or don’t have a large enough staff, so that the channels are narrowed by Stuck players and difficult to get through. This would be comparable to someone who never takes Lecithin.) Velcro symbolizes the nature of cholesterol particles to “stick” to each other and the walls of your arteries.

You can see the connection between the Sticky game and what goes on inside your body with cholesterol. Please keep this in mind as you read.

CHOLESTEROL AND BLOCKAGES

Cholesterol is a waxy, greasy, high viscosity substance that is elemental to the fats in your body. It comes from two sources: (1) your liver, which produces all you need for good health, and sometimes more than you need, and (2) the food you eat that contains it. That means healthy people don’t have to depend on diet for cholesterol. Highest in cholesterol are animal origin foods including meat, eggs, milk, cheese, and butter. Cholesterol is even found in fish. Plant origin foods have no cholesterol, and along with grains actually help lower overall cholesterol.

Definition: Viscosity: This is a way of measuring how fast or slow a fluid moves. A fluid with high viscosity is thick, resists motion, and moves slowly. A fluid with low viscosity is thin and moves quickly. Compare how fast water, cooking oil, or molasses would flow through a hole in a paper cup. Water, thin and with very low viscosity that doesn’t resist motion, would drain quickly; cooking oil would take longer because it’s thicker; and molasses would take the longest because it is the thickest, with the highest viscosity of the three.  Blood Viscosity is a measure of the thickness of blood and how fast it moves. Cholesterol is sticky and contributes to making blood thick and high viscosity, which in turn makes it slow moving inside your arterial system. That’s why having high blood viscosity is linked to blockage disorders like high cholesterol.

Blockage disorders are a whole subset of health problems in my paradigm of wellness, which I call The Seven Categories of Illness. (Blog 30) Blockages are the Category 3 disease group, and high cholesterol is in that category, along with many other disorders. A high cholesterol diet that causes arterial blockages, like my Thanksgiving abuse, puts one at risk for many health problems besides high cholesterol. But all blockage disorders can be treated successfully with Lecithin, because of its emulsifying abilities and because all blockages have the same root cause.

What starts as high cholesterol will contribute to the development of other blockage disorders, from lung congestion to angina (chest pains), heart attack, coronary artery disease, erectile dysfunction, gallstones, blood clot stroke, glaucoma, arthrosclerosis plaque, high blood pressure, loss of mobility in joints, fatty liver disease, Alzheimer’s, and so many more. They all stem from blockages and will all respond favorably to Lecithin.

However, as much as it can wreak havoc in your system, cholesterol is found throughout your body and is vital to good health. You need it, but too much can harm and even kill you.

TYPES OF CHOLESTEROL

Based on behavior inside the body, there are two primary cholesterols, referred to as good and bad. If the cholesterol globule can quickly exit the bloodstream and get to the liver for processing, it is considered good, as in well behaved, because it doesn’t remain long enough in the bloodstream to create a blockage. But if the cholesterol can’t get out of the bloodstream quickly, it stays there long enough to get stuck to other particles, form plaque and stick to the walls, hence bad. Remember the Sticky game.

THE TWO CHOLESTEROLS  High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HD): This is low viscosity cholesterol, fast moving good cholesterol, so called because it gets out of the bloodstream quickly and promptly checks in at the liver for processing. It does not contribute to blockages in your arteries or elsewhere. You can remember the difference by thinking of “H” for healthy, or that HD moves like the hare. Quickly. Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (LD): This is high viscosity cholesterol, slow moving bad cholesterol, so called because it stays too long in your blood stream. Its particles stick to each other and the walls of your arterial system, hardening and narrowing the channels and causing blockages as they accumulate. You can remember the difference by thinking of “L” for life-threatening, or that LD moves like the tortoise. Lazily.

Definition: Lipoprotein: A cholesterol particle can’t transport itself in your bloodstream without help, so each particle latches on to a protein and uses it to travel through the bloodstream, like a passenger in a rickshaw. Clinically, a fat is referred to as a lipid; hence the protein that transports a lipid is called a lipoprotein.

 WHY LECITHIN LOWERS CHOLESTEROL

As a natural emulsifier, Lecithin has the ability to keep organic particles in suspension as a mixture, preventing them from clumping together. It is extracted from soybeans and other natural sources. It is known to be safe, and has been used in our food supply for over 100 years. Take a look in your cabinets and refrigerator and you’ll see Lecithin used in many foods and cosmetics, because of its ability to maintain the stability of a mixture—to keep it in a mixed state.

Without Lecithin, when you opened a box of biscuit mix, it wouldn’t come out in a nice powdery stream, but would plop into your bowl in funky clumps. Without Lecithin, facial moisturizer wouldn’t be creamy and smooth, but would show the oils coagulated and greasy. Without Lecithin, mayonnaise would be a congealed mess; likewise, peanut butter. Lecithin is what keeps ingredients in suspension, as a mixture.

Some food and cosmetic producers opt for chemicals to replace Lecithin because they’re cheaper. Something has to be used to stabilize the mixed components in commercial food and cosmetic products or they would separate from the mixture. Lecithin is the natural way. It’s Lecithin’s ability to keep organic particles in suspension—mixed—that makes it such a valuable food supplement.

It isn’t such a huge leap from witnessing Lecithin’s known properties on other organic and biological material outside the body to understanding that it can do the same thing inside it.

READER COMMENT ON LECITHIN’S EFFECTIVENESS LOWERING CHOLESTEROL

The following is from one of my other blogs, posted by someone who is using Lecithin to treat a different blockage disorder than high cholesterol.

“Thank you for your helpful advice…. Using Lecithin my triglycerides dropped from over 200 to 137, and my total cholesterol dropped to 125. Now, my concern is that I read that one’s cholesterol should not be lower than 160 since your brain, hormones, etc. need cholesterol. Is the emulsified cholesterol still available for brain and hormone requirements? Your insight would be appreciated.”  Thanks, Ken Johnson

Mr. Johnson wasn’t trying to lower his cholesterol or triglycerides. He was treating something completely different, but since all three problems are blockage disorders they all responded to Lecithin. He guessed correctly that emulsified cholesterol is still available for the body’s health requirements. Cholesterol is measured by a blood test that indicates how much is in the bloodstream. Once cholesterol leaves the bloodstream and enters the liver for processing it is still available to the body to use. All that Lecithin does is prevent cholesterol from blocking your arteries. It doesn’t stop your body from utilizing the cholesterol.

The Difference Between Triglycerides And Cholesterol  Triglycerides and cholesterol are separate types of fats that circulate in your bloodstream. The function of triglycerides is to store unused calories until you need them for energy, while cholesterol builds cells. Alcohol, sugar, and calories you don’t immediately burn are converted into triglycerides and stored in fat cells throughout your body. High concentrations of triglycerides indicate an elevated risk of stroke and other blockages, just like cholesterol.

MANAGING YOUR CHOLESTEROL NATURALLY

Genetics aren’t important when it comes to high cholesterol. Even if you have family members with the disorder, or your liver makes more cholesterol than you need, Lecithin will keep your levels low. This is true because what is really inherited are poor eating habits, and resulting nutritional deficiencies.

Unless you eat fruits, vegetables and grains exclusively, you have a daily additional intake of cholesterol your body doesn’t need but must still process. Lecithin is the answer. Also helpful are making a few dietary changes to include more fresh fruits and vegetables, regular exercise, and a little restraint from time to time. A good balance is never have a cooked food without eating something fresh and raw with it, whether fruit or vegetable. Canned and frozen products do not qualify unless you do not have access to fresh fruits and vegetables.

HIGH CHOLESTEROL IN CATS AND DOGS

Cats and dogs are also susceptible to high cholesterol, and other blockage disorders. Lecithin can also help them to avoid these health problems.

Last summer fate brought me a kitten, a Calico with orange and black markings on top, white underneath, beautiful green eyes, and a tail twice her size. I named her Nikki. She was mischievous and the name seemed right. When I brought her home she fit in my palms.

The photo on top is Nikki on Christmas morning opening presents from her godparents in Seattle. In the middle shows how Nikki helps me get ready for work everyday. Below is a nice close up of my pretty girl.

Nikki was born in a comic book store to a stray the clerks fed when they remembered. She was taken from her mom at about six weeks and given to a friend who shortly thereafter had to leave for Europe. It was either me or the pound for the little girl. I watched her sitting up on those tiny hind legs, batting a piece of paper like it was the best toy in the world, and fell in love.

No one was certain exactly when the little fluff had been born, but I think she got her shots and spaying late. From the beginning Nikki was always sneezing; sometimes in a series of ten or more. Then she got digestion problems and stopped eating after just two weeks. I naturally reasoned that she needed more nutrition. I started giving her at alternate meals, drops of Beta Carotene, or Vitamin D3, or Vitamin E, or Cod Liver Oil. I also give her ¼ teaspoon of Lecithin granules a couple times a week, mixed in with one of two daily wet meals. I read a list of elements harmful to cats and was confident that these supplements were ok.

During the holidays Nikki’s godmother gave me a book, The Natural Cat, by Anitra Frazier, written with Norma Eckroate. I was relieved to read that I was taking the right path by supplementing Nikki’s diet. Frazier suggests creating a mixture of equal parts wheat bran, yeast, kelp or mixed trace mineral powder, bonemeal, and Lecithin granules. Yes, Frazier recommends Lecithin for cats because it emulsifies fat in a cat’s diet the same way it does in a human’s diet. And thereby prevents blockage disorders. Frazier recommends adding ½ to 1 teaspoon of this mixture to each meal, totaling 1-2 teaspoons per day. She also adds weekly supplementation of Vitamin E softgels, and Vitamin A & D softgels. (p. 68) I’m going to wait until Nikki is a year old before putting her on this mixture regimen. Kittens have sensitive stomachs and Nikki’s is especially sensitive.

I also treated a large loveable dog named Dino. We even did a wellness video together. At each of his two daily meals I recommended adding a teaspoon of Lecithin granules to keep his arthritic joints mobile and to fight high cholesterol, and a teaspoon of bran for roughage. Dino also got a Beta Carotene 25,000 IU softgel and a Vitamin E 400 IU softgel, each hidden inside its own cream cheese ball and then buried in the food. He lived to be 18.

High  Cholesterol Quick Glance Chart
Supplement	Breakfast	Dinner	Brand	Strength
Lecithin softgels	6 softgels	6 softgels	Puritan’s Pride   #303	1200 mg
Lecithin granules	1 rounded   tablespoon		Puritan’s Pride #1064	NA
Lecithin Granules are best used in blender drinks and sprinkled on salads, fresh cut fruit, and cereals. Make sure to consume it uncooked, in its natural state. You can use it in cooked recipes for texture and smoothness, but those amounts do not count toward your daily maintenance dose. One tablespoon of Lecithin granules equals six softgels. You can’t take too much. Feel free to use additional amounts liberally of either the granules or softgels.

High Cholesterol Quick Glance Chart Cats & Dogs
Supplement	Breakfast	Dinner	Brand	Strength
Lecithin granules	¼  to 1 teaspoon depending on size of animal	¼ to 1 teaspoon   depending on size of animal	Puritan’s Pride #1064	NA
Lecithin granules are odorless and tasteless. The granules mix easily into wet food. They are harder to go unnoticed over dry food. It’s probably a good idea to wait until an animal is a year old before putting her on this daily regimen.

NOTES

• I recommend Puritan’s Pride because their Lecithin contains a minimum of 70 mg of phosphatides in each 1200 mg softgel, equivalent to 61 percent. The value of a Lecithin product is determined by the percentage of phosphatides, as they activate the fat emulsifying process. You may use another brand but make sure it conforms to these specifications.

• When you use Lecithin regularly, in the beginning you may notice you are expelling more wastes than usual. This happens because Lecithin breaks up blockages, causing mucus and other wastes to be released. This is a good sign and will taper off as your body cleanses itself.

• Lecithin will NOT cause chunks of plaque to rupture, fall off the artery wall and threaten a flow stoppage. It emulsifies, working on a molecular level, keeping fat particles in suspension, making sure they don’t clump together and cause a blockage.

• Some of you are concerned that soybean production is almost entirely controlled by corporations practicing genetic modification. They are in the process of obtaining ownership of the very food we eat, an ugly business. You’re worried that certain soya Lecithin may be coming from these genetically altered soybeans. This bothers me too, and I avoid these food types whenever possible. But if you can’t find Lecithin that you are sure is from non-modified soybeans, it becomes a question of the tiger in the room versus the tiger in the backyard. There is definitely danger presented by the tiger in the yard, but not nearly as much as that posed by the tiger in the room with you. Blockage disorders are the tiger in the room. Genetic modification is the tiger in the backyard. You’ll get sick and die faster from a blockage disorder than you will from consuming genetically modified soybeans. There is also the alternative of sunflower Lecithin, which readers tell me works fine.

Please be nice to each other, and look for my next blog: Blog 33: Crohn’s Disease, where I tell you how to control this chronic inflammation and get back to eating what you want.

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Lynn Capehart Wellness Foundation, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, meaning that any donation you make is tax deductible. We appreciate your support for our current efforts to establish a Vitamin Scholarship Program, so that we may supply supplements to those who could be cured of their disorders, but who cannot afford the annual cost. You may make your donations to lynncapehartnonprofit@outlook.com at www.paypal.com using any credit card or bank anywhere in the world. Thank you.

 

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