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.
Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S., a board-certified nutritionist with a master's degree in psychology, is a nationally known expert on nutrition, weight loss, and health. He is the author of several best-selling titles, including The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, The Most Effective Ways to Live Longer, and The 150 Most Effective Ways to Boost Your Energy. He is the nutrition editor for Pilates Style, a contributing editor for Clean Eating, and a columnist for Better Nutrition. His work has been featured in dozens of national publications (print and online) including The New York Times, Forbes, Time, Oxygen, Marie Claire, Diabetes Focus, US Weekly, Cosmopolitan, Family Circle, Self, Fitness, Allure, Essence, Men's Health, Weight Watchers, Prevention, Woman's World, Fitness, Natural Health, and Shape. He lives in Woodland Hills, CA. Visit www.jonnybowden.com.
Stephen Sinatra, M.D., is a board-certified cardiologist, educator, and author who created the Manchester, CT-based Heart MD Institute (www.heartmdinstitute.com) as an educational platform focused on prevention and proactive lifestyle changes to live a healthier life. He is the author of Reverse Heart Disease Now, The Sinatra Solution, Lower Your Blood Pressure in Eight Weeks, and Heart Sense for Women. He has also contributed to several prestigious peer-reviewed medical journals, including the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Heart Disease, CT Medicine, and the Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation.
