Book
The Great Cholesterol Myth: Why Lowering Your Cholesterol Won't Prevent Heart Disease - and the Statin-Free Plan That Will
Publish date:
November 1, 2012
Heart disease is the #1 killer. However, traditional heart disease protocols--with their emphasis on lowering cholesterol--have it all wrong. Emerging science is showing that cholesterol levels are a poor predictor of heart disease and that standard prescriptions for lowering it, such as ineffective low-fat/high-carb diets and serious, side-effect-causing statin drugs, obscure the real causes of heart disease. Even doctors at leading institutions have been misled for years based on creative reporting of research results from pharmaceutical companies intent on supporting the $31-billion-a-year cholesterol-lowering drug industry.
The Great Cholesterol Myth reveals the real culprits of heart disease, including:
Inflammation
Fibrinogen
Triglycerides
Homocysteine
Belly fat
Triglyceride to HCL ratios
High glycemic levels
Bestselling health authors Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., and Stephen Sinatra, M.D. give readers a 4-part strategy based on the latest studies and clinical findings for effectively preventing, managing, and reversing heart disease, focusing on diet, exercise, supplements, and stress and anger management.
Get proven, evidence-based strategies from the experts with The Great Cholesterol Myth.
MYTHS VS. FACTS
Myth–High cholesterol is the cause of heart disease.
Fact–Cholesterol is only a minor player in the cascade of inflammation which is a cause of heart disease.
Myth–High cholesterol is a predictor of heart attack.
Fact–There is no correlation between cholesterol and heart attack.
Myth–Lowering cholesterol with statin drugs will prolong your life.
Fact–There is no data to show that statins have a significant impact on longevity.
Myth–Statin drugs are safe.
Fact–Statin drugs can be extremely toxic including causing death.
Myth–Statin drugs are useful in men, women and the elderly.
Fact–Statin drugs do the best job in middle-aged men with coronary disease.
Myth–Statin drugs are useful in middle-aged men with coronary artery disease because of its impact on cholesterol.
Fact–Statin drugs reduce inflammation and improve blood viscosity (thinning blood). Statins are extremely helpful in men with low HDL and coronary artery disease.
Myth–Saturated fat is dangerous.
Fact–Saturated fats are not dangerous. The killer fats are the transfats from partially hydrogenated oils.
Myth–The higher the cholesterol, the shorter the lifespan.
Fact–Higher cholesterol protects you from gastrointestinal disease, pulmonary disease and hemorrhagic stroke.
Myth–A high carbohydrate diet protects you from heart disease.
Fact–Simple processed carbs and sugars predispose you to heart disease.
Myth–Fat is bad for your health.
Fact–Monounsaturated and saturated fats protect you from metabolic syndrome. Sugar is the foe in cardiovascular disease.
Myth–There is good (HDL) cholesterol and bad (LDL) cholesterol.
Fact–This is over-simplistic. You must fractionate LDL and HDL to assess the components.
Myth–Cholesterol causes heart disease.
Fact–Cholesterol is only a theory in heart disease and only the small component of LP(a) or “bb shot” LDL predisposes one to oxidation and inflammation.
Authors
Image | Author | Author Website | Twitter | Author Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Jonny Bowden |
Topics
Heart Disease | Heart disease, also known as cardiovascular disease, refers to a range of conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels. It is a broad term that encompasses various conditions, including coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmias, and valvular heart diseases, among others. Heart disease is a leading cause of death worldwide. | |
Diet-Heart Hypothesis | The diet-heart hypothesis, also known as the lipid hypothesis, proposes that there is a direct relationship between dietary fat intake, particularly saturated fat and cholesterol, and the development of heart disease. It suggests that consuming high amounts of these fats leads to an increase in blood cholesterol levels, specifically low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which in turn contributes to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in the arteries. Some consider this hypothesis nothing more than wishful thinking. | |
Cholesterol | Cholesterol is an animal based molecule that forms cell membranes. It's a lipid known as a sterol. Cholesterol is found in all animal foods and is healthy to eat, despite the opinions set forth by the diet-heart hypothesis. Lipoproteins carry cholesterol as well as other lipids. |