[podcast flashvars=”titles: ‘Chris Masterjohn on Cholesterol'”]http://www.thelivinlowcarbshow.com/shownotes/wp-content/uploads/llvlc314-chris-masterjohn.mp3[/podcast]
Hello and welcome back to The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore!
Today Jimmy shares his recent interview with cholesterol expert Chris Masterjohn. Chris is a very smart young man who writes quite prolifically on the subject of cholesterol and health for the Weston A. Price Foundation.
Listen in not only for Chris’ personal story about how he was a former vegetarian who discovered why he was dead wrong, but for an in-depth look at why most people take it as fact that cholesterol is such a dietary villain. You’ll also hear about the positive role of cholesterol and the effects of insufficient serum cholesterol, too!
LINKS MENTIONED IN EPISODE 314
– Chris Masterjohn bio
– Chris’ experience with vegetarianism
– Cholesterol-And-Health.com
– Chris Masterjohn on cholesterol YouTube video
Fricken Brilliant!!!
I enjoyed this episode and learned a lot. Thanks, Jimmy!
It’s wonderful to see Chris MasterJohn featured here. I’ve been reading his work for years. He is an outstanding researcher and scientist.
It took far too long for the truth about hydrogenated fats to come out, so I hope it won’t be much longer for the truth about cholesterol and animal fats to be mainstream too.
I feel very sad when I think about my grandmother who had heart disease and was told by doctors to substitute dairy products and eggs with various soy and vegetable oil products. That was in the 70s and 80s when the misinformation was rampant – when eggs were depicted as almost evil.
He is neither a researcher, nor a scientist. Just thought you might like to know that minor detail.
How many PubMed papers have you published?
Great interview,
I always tell people exactly what Chris says: eat natural unprocessed food and try to get it locally.
I understand most of what is said about Cholesterol and how Oxidation is causing the damage to the arteries but what I don’t understand is what is causing the traffic jam? What is slowing and building up the LDL in the blood?
In a word, Carl…SUGAR…defined as carbohydrates that set off a metabolic chain reaction of events that makes LDL and triglycerides go berserk!
Great info! This was super, Jimmy, an education in a nutshell.
Most excellent and informative podcast, Jimmy & Chris! Thanks so much!
The politics and self-promotion going on in the research, medical and scientific community as discussed here, by Taubes and others is just downright infuriating – but more than that, the fact that the general public does not even seem to care about it when the information is put in front of them.
Carl,
The “traffic jam” is caused by poor functioning of the LDL receptor. There are multiple causes. In familial hypercholesterolmeia, genetic defects prevent the LDL receptor from reaching the cell membrane or prevent the LDL receptor from binding to the LDL particle. Poor thyroid function will sabotage LDL receptor function. Oxidative stress and its related processes, whether due to high PUFA intake, high sugar intake, high exposure to heavy metals or toxins, poor intake of fresh, whole, antioxidant-rich foods, will also sabotage LDL receptor function.
Hope that helps clarify,
Chris
Wow! This was my favorite podcast yet. Thanks so much for bringing Chris Masterjohn to us. I’ve read his articles, but it so much easier to understand when he explains it.
Great job and I’m heading over right now to donate to help keep this podcast alive. What a valuable resource!
I've been reading lately how High fructose corn syrup causes an increase in uric acid, and that the irritants are a major problem, and that elevated uric acid not only causes gout, but also high blood pressure.
Great interview! I might add one tidbit about a problem with Ancel Keys’ research that a doctor pointed out – not only did he cherry pick the countries in his chart, but those countries with higher fat intake also had higher sugar intake, which correlates nicely with heart disease. And also we’re seeing the reasons why sugar is one of the real culprits!
Take control of your own health.. U should never fear real food.. Fear the genetically modified/processed foods.. Live a happy/healthy life..
[Note: this comment was reworded to clarify certain copyright matters. There is no substantive change in meaning due to these edits.]
Just listened again to this interview. If Chris’ metaphors were a bit tricky to understand, here’s something I found that helped (from http://bit.ly/alru7L):
People will often talk about cholesterol without mentioning either LDL or HDL. It is important to know what is specifically meant. The term “Cholesterol” is usually used to refer to LDL because HDL doesn’t have much cholesterol. Also, cholesterol isn’t just freely floating around in the blood supply. For everything cholesterol does -making hormones, vitamin D, bile, cell membranes, and even brain tissue – it relies on LDL to carry it. Somehow, medical terminology now refers to LDL as “bad cholesterol” under the belief that elevated cholesterol is caused by the over-production of LDL in the liver. The harm that is being laid on the shoulders of LDL rightly should be ascribed to the action of Free Radicals.
Here’s an appropriate quote from http://www.actualcures.com/heart-disease-cholesterol-doesnt-cause-plaque-buildup/ “It doesn’t matter whether an oxidized LDL molecule contains cholesterol or jelly beans, when a molecule of LDL becomes oxidized by free radicals and the oxidized LDL molecule comes in contact with an artery wall, the oxidized LDL damages the artery wall and the body will repair the damage. Reducing the number of LDL molecules with statins leaves the same number of free radicals to oxidize fewer LDL molecules, increasing each cell’s chance of being damaged by an oxidized LDL molecule. Fortunately antioxidants neutralize free radicals.”
Can someone tell me who funds the Weston Prince Foundation? Its just seems like a front from the website. Besides all of their direct means of communication are down, including donation info, which hasn’t been updated since June. Also, Weston Prince was a dentist, not someone who studied diet. Furthermore, he never published a study with any empirical evidence to support his claims. He is just some obscure dentist who travelled the world in the 1930s.
It’s either a secret cabal of organic farmers or Sally Fallon. I think they are supported by dues from local chapters, but I could be wrong about that.
I’m sure it’s not some food conglomerate or agribusiness PAC, because there’s not a ton of money in eating whole, natural foods.