Cholesterol, Fat, and Heart Disease: Cholesterol is a substance that is not well received by heath professionals and consumers alike. A large portion of the population believes that consumption of foods with cholesterol and fat is dangerous to their heath. Food advertised as low fat or fat-free attracts consumers worried about their health, but is a low fat/cholesterol diet really the answer to a healthy life without heart disease? According to Dr. Jonny Bowden and Stephan Sinatra cholesterol is not the harmful molecule that it’s considered to be. “We fervently believe that neither cholesterol nor fat is the major villain in the American diet – sugar is.” Jonny Bowden and Stephen Sinatra stated in a recent article, we also believe that the case against cholesterol, which was made nearly 30 years ago, was based on faulty evidence. The case needs to be re-opened and the evidence needs to be re-examined.” This quote reflects new and rediscovered information that fats and cholesterol are no longer considered to be the main culprit behind Coronary Heart Disease. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the desirable level for cholesterol is under 200. However, a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society found that people with cholesterol levels lower than 189 were more likely to die than those with cholesterol levels significant higher than the desirable 200. Even considering other influences such as smoking, patients with lower cholesterol were found more likely to die than those with higher amounts. Disisto 2 Cholesterol is categorized as a sterol, which is an organic molecule derived from animals. It is considered a lipid, a category that includes fats, waxes and fat-s... ... middle of paper ... ...he present day, the suggested proportions of fats to carbohydrates are very similar to what they were in 1977. Another reason this unproven theory is still accepted as fact, throughout the medical community, as well as the general public, is the influence of large pharmaceutical companies promoting cholesterol-lowering medications, known as statins. Statins are the most widely sold pharmaceutical drugs in history. According to Forbes Magazine cholesterol lowering medications earn drug companies twenty-six billion dollars a year, accounting for 6.5% of the total market share. It may not be a coincidence that over the past twenty years, the recommended acceptable cholesterol levels for prescribing statins has come down drastically, even though no credible correlation between high cholesterol and coronary heart disease exists.
In the article “Paranoia about Fats is Driven by Junk Science” by Jill Richardson discusses the idea of how many Americans’ have false beliefs on the consumption of fats. Many think fats are bad and unhealthy for our diets, when in reality; we need them to maintain a healthy diet. For me and just like many others, I had the wrong impression on fats. Since many products today contain the label fat-free, I always believed that this was bad for diets. Since reading this article, it helped me take into account that eating omega-3 and omega-6; such as fish, greens, seeds, and oils are part of a well-balanced diet. This can be related to chapter 3, as omega-3 fatty acids are essential in preventing
Hypercholesterolemia is the presence of high levels of cholesterol in the blood. Cholesterol is a waxy fat-like substance and is a major class of lipid, so it gets into the blood by lipoproteins [1]. A high level of lipoproteins is unhealthy. A high level can result in an elevated risk of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease [2]. The high levels of lipoproteins are often influenced by a combination of genetic and environmental factors such as obesity or dieting habits [2]. High cholesterol can be caused by mutations in the following genes: APOB, LDLR, LDLRAP1, and PCSK9 [3]. Mutations in the LDLR gene are responsible for causing familial hypercholesterolemia, which is the most commonly seen form of inherited high cholesterol [3]. The LDLR gene contains instructions for making LDL receptors or low-density lipoprotein receptors. LDL receptors play critical roles in regulating levels of cholesterol in the blood by removing low-density lipoproteins from the bloodstream. Mutations in the LDLR gene can make the amount of LDL receptors produced less than normal or affect their job of removing the low-density lipoproteins in the blood [4]. People who have these mutations will have higher levels of cholesterol. There are many ways that the environment can affect the levels of cholesterol in the blood. Reducing the amount of dietary fat you consume lowers the total amount of cholesterol in the blood [5]. Sucrose and fructose can raise the amount of LDL in the blood. Reducing fatty foods will however lower the amount of LDL [5]. Having a healthy body and maintaining physical exercise plays a key role in keeping your cholesterol at a healthy level. If you are overweight or obese you can lower your cholesterol levels by simply losing ...
CAD is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the worldwide. The prevalence of biological and metabolic risk factors were also found to be high in development of coronary artery disease. Patients with hypercholesterolemia are at increased risk to experience cardiovascular events and to die from vascular disease [2]. .Statins, among the most commonly prescribed drugs worldwide, are cholesterol let downing agents used to manage cardiovascular and coronary heart diseases and to treat hypercholesterolemia. Statin’s therapy ...
This study conducted in 2012, compared a low fat diet and a low carbohydrate diet when it comes to reducing risk factors of heart disease. For people without diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and kidney disease there is decrease in risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as weight, bad cholesterol levels, and blood pressure with a low-carbohydrate diet. There are limitations to this study including things like the participants were counseled extensively on their diet, the study was only around 150 people, and only conducted for a year. This diet isn’t as cure for cardiovascular disease or weight loss, but with appropriate exercise, applying this research to your daily life may show benefit.
The article “The Skinny on Low-fat Diets” by Alan Ling is about the drawbacks of low-fat diets. The author talks about how low-fat diets don’t necessarily work and uses facts to strengthen her claim. One of the ways the author strengthen their claim is by showing the other side of the argument. The author includes this information to strengthen her claim and show readers that they can defend their argument from others.
The data presented in this table supports the conclusion of Purdy et al. (2005) that the inclusion of cholesterol to the CHO cell membranes will result in significant changes to the membrane, confirming the established function of cholesterol as a regulator of membrane fluidity.
In contrast with the “good fat”, there is also a negative, which is the “bad fat”. Saturated fat, which is considered the “bad fat”, has been linked to high cholesterol and heart disease. It is mostly found in milk and other milk products. Therefore, the low fat diet encourages its participants to reduce saturated fat for it is the main cause of high cholesterol level. On the other hand, even though low carbohydrate diets do not state that carbohydrates are bad; they do state that it causes weight gain; this idea gives most Americans that it is bad because it causes a person to gain weight.
The population in the United States as of 2009 was 307,006,550 the younger population is projected to slightly increase and eventually plateau though the older population has been steadily increasing and projected to continue on an upward trend (Vincent & Velkoff, 2010). The lack of a healthier diet is something that has been highlighted in the media for the past decade and more often than not we are seeing the effects of overindulging and the consumption of highl...
plants and adorable little animals, have you ever wondered what makes all living things? Lipids are
Moll, J. (2008, October 06). Can The Mediterranean Diet Lower Cholesterol. Retrieved December 1, 2013, from About: http://cholesterol.about.com/od/cholesteroldiets/a/mediterranean.htm
Among diabetic patients a high prevalence of coronary heart disease is observed at a relatively young age. Thus, risk factors for atherosclerosis must be defined and avoided in patients with diabetes mellitus. Abnormality of lipids such as high triglyceride levels and low HDL cholesterol levels emerged as residual cardiovascular risks for diabetic patients (Ehara et al., 2012).
My DRI of cholesterol was maxed at 300mg and my intake was 267mg. Still relatively high so could start consuming Oatmeal for breakfast in which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol. Also, I...
High cholesterol is the best known of all the many threats to a healthy heart. When excess amounts fatty like plaque substance build up along the walls of the arteries, you face a significantly higher risk of a complete blockage, leading to a heart attack or stroke. At normal levels, cholesterol is not a bad thing. On the other hand, its an essential material used by the body to make cell walls and produce hormones, such as testosterone and estrogen. The body produces its own supply of cholesterol in the liver, it’s also found in various animal products such as meats, eggs, and, milk. Cholesterol only becomes a threat when the body can’t use or get rid of excessive amounts of it.
A low fat heart healthy diet is my idea of the best nutritional diet, especially since heart disease is the number one killer among people in the United States. Cardiovascular disease is very prevalent in my family. I lost both, paternal and maternal grandparents to heart disease. My father has severe heart disease, and my mother and brother are both hypertensive and require medication; therefore, I know I’m especially vulnerable to this disease.
Ashley’s Hayes’s thesis states artificial fats in foods are not recognized as safe, and a growing worldwide trend support her statement. Eliminating trans fats has become a hot topic in the United States, and around the world. Numerous government around the world, and their constituents are demanding higher nutritional standards along with safer foods. The movement to produce more holistically sound foods is a growing trend around the world. The exaggerated use of these fats have led to higher risks of coronary heart disease, and obesity.