Apple against Cholesterol

12 rings of dried apple per day, for 3-6 months can lower cholesterol by 12% according to study re-published at Nutrition Facts org.

(The equivalent of 12 rings is two fresh organic apples per day.)

Cholesterol lowering properties of APPLE:

The unique PECTIN - FIBER composition of apples is known to increase the fecal excretion of bile salts thereby reducing cholesterol.

Bile or gall is a bitter-tasting, dark green to yellowish brown fluid, produced by the liver that aids the process of digestion of lipids in the small intestine.

In many species, bile is stored in the gallbladder and upon eating is discharged into the duodenum.
Bile is a composition of the following materials: water (85%), bile salts (10%), mucus and pigments (3%), fats (1%), inorganic salts (0.7%).

The ancient four element theory: the body's health depended on the equilibrium between four "humors" or vital fluids: blood, phlegm, "yellow bile" (or choler) and "black bile".

Underlying this is the idea that the organs of the body are connected to the soul, specifically the astral body, and reflect the emotional state of the soul.
Thus excess anger for example would give rise to liver derangement and imbalances in the humours. This is similar to the Chinese medical system.

Bile acts to some extent as a surfactant, helping to emulsify the fats in food and their digestion.

Since bile increases the absorption of fats, it is an important part of the absorption of the fat-soluble substances, such as the vitamins D, E, K and A.
Besides its digestive function, bile serves also as the route of excretion for bilirubin, a byproduct of red blood cells recycled by the liver.
Bile is alkaline and also has the function of neutralizing any excess stomach acid before it enters the duodenum, the first section of the small intestine.
Bile salts also act as bactericides, destroying many of the microbes that may be present in the food.

• The cholesterol contained in bile will occasionally form gallstones in the gallblader. Cholesterol gallstones are generally treated through surgical removal of the gallbladder. However, they can sometimes be dissolved by increasing the concentration of certain naturally occurring bile acids, such as chenodeoxycholic acid and ursodeoxycholic acid.

In the absence of bile, fats become indigestible and are instead excreted in feces, a condition called steatorrhea. Feces lack their characteristic brown color and instead are white or gray, and greasy.^[2] Steatorrhea can lead to deficiencies in essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins. In addition, past the small intestine (which is normally responsible for absorbing fat from food) the gastrointestinal tract and gut flora are not adapted to processing fats, leading to problems