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« on: May 22, 2014, 07:59:49 AM »
I frankly am not sure what to make of this except that I am thinking of going out and buying a plate of (without the bread) corn beef, roast beef, and pastrami, and yes tongue!
In general I suggest to patients just to keep the calories down as much as possible. Diets, low fat, low carb, low this low that. Just low calories with some obvious healthy foods with fiber and nutrients like fruits and vegetables.
I included some of the comments posted in response to the article.
******Heart Association’s Junk Science Diet
By Barbara H. Roberts, MD 4 hours ago The Daily Beast
Heart Association’s Junk Science Diet
The dogma that saturated fat causes heart disease is crumbling.
A recent Cambridge University analysis of 76 studies involving more than 650,000 people concluded, “The current evidence does not clearly support guidelines that [recommend]… low consumption of total saturated fats.”
Yet the American Heart Association (AHA), in its most recent dietary guidelines, held fast to the idea that we must all eat low fat diets for optimal heart health. It’s a stance that—at the very best—is controversial, and at worst is dead wrong. As a practicing cardiologist for more than three decades, I agree with the latter—it’s dead wrong.
Why does the AHA cling to recommendations that fly in the face of scientific evidence?
What I discovered was both eye opening and disturbing. The AHA not only ignored all the other risk factors for heart disease, but it appointed someone with ties to Big Food and bizarre scientific beliefs to lead the guideline-writing panel—just the type of thing that undermines the public’s confidence in the medical community.
The AHA guidelines warrant that saturated fat make up no more than 5 to 6 percent of daily calories for adults because this will lower “bad” (LDL) cholesterol. And, for those people who need blood pressure control, the guidelines also suggest lowering sodium (salt) intake to no more than a teaspoon (2,300 mg) daily.
Despite many other known risk factors for heart disease, salt and fat were, astonishingly, the only two considered by the AHA panel writing the guidelines. There are many other recognized risk factors the AHA ignored, including blood sugar level, low “good” (HDL) cholesterol, insulin levels, and body weight—all of these are influenced by diet.
In fact, most people who have heart attacks don’t have elevations in bad cholesterol. They are much more likely to have metabolic syndrome—a condition that puts you at high risk for diabetes and heart disease. Metabolic syndrome is defined when you have three of the following: high triglycerides (blood fats), high blood sugar, high blood pressure, low “good” cholesterol (HDL-C), and a large abdomen measurement (abdominal obesity).
Interestingly enough, blood triglycerides do not go up with eating fat—they go up if you eat a diet high in processed grains, starches, and sugar. Unfortunately for the proponents of high carbohydrate diets, high blood triglycerides are a major risk factor for heart disease. In addition, low fat/high carb diets lower protective “good” cholesterol and raise insulin. These diets are implicated in the development of diabetes, which is a potent risk factor for developing heart disease.
The writers of the 2013 statin guidelines based their recommendations on studies that looked at the reduction in the risk of events like heart attacks in people treated with statins, compared to people on placebo. The AHA dietary guidelines do not cite any diet studies that looked at whether following a specific diet lowered the risk of developing cardiac events—yet they are giving dietary advice. Why?
There might be two plausible reasons. One is the AHA’s moneymaking “Heart Check Program.” The second is the conflict of interest (and curious beliefs) of Robert Eckel—the co-chair of the panel that wrote the guidelines.
The AHA introduced the Heart Check Program in 1995 and it has been quite the moneymaker, as the AHA sells the Heart Check stamp-of-approval to food manufacturers. Food companies shell out between $1,000 and $7,500 to be certified by the Heart Check Program—and then there are yearly renewal fees. The program currently endorses 889 foods as “heart-healthy.”
And the Heart Check Program is not the only way the AHA benefits from Big Food companies. In their annual report for 2012-2013, the AHA lists among its lifetime donors of $1 million or more Conagra, Quaker Oats, and Campbell Soups, among others.
Forty-five percent of these “heart healthy” foods—over 400 of them—are meat; 92 are processed meats—which have been shown to have either neutral or negative effects on heart health.
Even more problematic are the foods containing added sugar. The AHA recommends that women consume less than 6 teaspoons (100 calories) of sugar a day and less than 9 teaspoons (150 calories) for men. Yet there are items that get the nod of approval from the Heart Check program despite being near or at the sugar limit, like Bruce’s Yams Candied Sweet Potatoes and Healthy Choice Salisbury Steak. Indeed, until 2010, the Heart Check imprimatur was stamped on a drink called Chocolate Moose Attack, which contained more sugar per ounce than regular Pepsi.
And until this year, Heart Check approved many foods with trans-fats, which raise bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol, among other deleterious effects on health, like increasing inflammation and the laying down of calcium in arteries.
Like the dietary guidelines, the AHA Heart Check Program appears to address only the effect of foods on cholesterol level and blood pressure. Meanwhile, since the 1970s, our yearly sugar consumption has skyrocketed along with the incidence of diabetes and obesity.
This brings us to Dr. Robert H. Eckel, the co-chair of the Working Group. He is a consultant for Foodminds, which specializes “in food, beverage, nutrition, health and wellness.” Foodminds works with more than 30 leading food, beverage, and nutrition to offer a “one stop shop of…consulting…to guide food and beverage companies in navigating the complexities around the upcoming FDA Nutrition Facts label overhaul.” In other words, Foodminds is a lobbying firm for “Big Food.”
And then there is this:
Dr. Eckel describes himself as “a scientist and professing six-day creationist and a member of the technical advisory board of the Institute for Creation Research…” Many scientists are religious. This is not to question Dr. Eckel’s religious beliefs, but to question his ability to think scientifically. He believes there is scientific proof that the world was created in six days and that evolution does not exist. This should at least raise eyebrows when the co-chair of an influential panel charged with giving scientifically sound dietary advice has a financial conflict of interest and proselytizes for beliefs that are anti-scientific.
Practice guidelines affect both public policy and medical practice. We should expect professional medical organizations —like the American Heart Association—to examine all the evidence relating to diet and heart disease risk.
The American people should be able to trust that only impartial scientists write guidelines. We should be confident that those experts are not working to advance corporate interests and that they do not espouse beliefs that are well outside the scientific mainstream. An avowed creationist who consults for a food lobby hardly seems an appropriate choice to fulfill these criteria.
READ MORE The Truth About Salt
For the last several decades, the AHA has promoted a low fat high carbohydrate diet as a cornerstone of heart health. It has taken a very public position that saturated fats are a major driver of heart disease risk and the mounting tide of evidence that this is dead wrong must put them it in a very uncomfortable position. And yet a fundamental requirement of science—as opposed to propaganda—is that when evidence that contradicts a hypothesis is replicated over and over again, that hypothesis must be abandoned.
The idea that eating high amounts of saturated fat causes hardening of the arteries—the so-called “diet-heart hypothesis”— deserves to be jettisoned along with other discredited belief systems. Creationism comes to mind. Will the AHA step up to the plate?
The American Heart Association had not returned an inquiry for comment at the time of publishing.
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10 Comments .
Ernesto 1 hour ago
two years ago, I realized that the AHA did NOT need my donation. It seemed to me that most of their donations may come from the food and pharmaceutical industry so, they really don't need either my participation on the heart day walk. Their statistics show that during the past 30 years their guidelines and recommendations are linked to a double fold increase of heart disease in the U.S. And the sad part is that doctors, specifically cardiologists, and health insurances either promote or follow these inept guidelines. Recently, I almost purchase a food brand deli turkey which it showed a heart check on the label. I decided to read the ingredients to find out that the processed meat contained too much sodium and phosphates. Both ingredients are bad for the heart. AFP RELAXNEWS Wednesday, May 7, 2014, 10:39 AM
Phosphates, which are also found in Parmesan, colas and baking soda, may stimulate the production of the hormone FGF23, which puts a strain on the heart and can lead to high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, researchers said.....
Definitely, the AHA doesn't need my two cents... I don't need their two cents either.
oh well 55 minutes ago
Dr. is correct as she is wrong in her approach. Levels of cholesterol and other lipids are a result for most people higher than normal weight values and excessive intake of fats and sugars. High blood pressures can be influenced by amount of salt intake, however salt in itself is not the only culprit: kidney disease, stress and release of catecholamines contribute to arterial injury as does smoking: the latter being a virtual do not enter area for heart
patients and their families. Exercise to help control weight, increase HDL and help in lowering levels of glucose and stress hormones all contribute to a healthier person who feels better and sees the world in a better light which influences attitude and heart health and brain health as well..
In essence balance is a key for most people but be careful of those heavy meals and overdoing it whether at the gym or the table.....
Have a nice day.
Sandra 2 hours ago
I did a research paper for school a couple of years ago that validates what this article is saying about saturated fats. Not sure why the author finds it necessary to back up her view by bringing Dr. Eckel's belief in creationism as some kind of evidence to back up the idea? There is enough material available on diet and heart disease to prove the point. I don't believe in the 6 day creationism story either, but don't see how it can discount someone as a scientist.
MrHersch11 49 minutes ago
I was rolling right along, agreeing with each of Dr Roberts' points, and then she throws in the creationism thing. That's a whole separate issue, and her use of that issue tends to make you forget all the valid points she made throughout the rest of the article. She'd have been better off making her points about AHA and diet, and then shutting up.
Sam 51 minutes ago
Being stupid is relevant.
Seldom Wrong 20 minutes ago
Sugar and grain based foods do far more damage than meat and dairy. After 60 years of pushing an unhealthy diet, the American Heart Association has succeeded in making us all fat and sick. When are they going to own up to their guilt and change their recommendations? If they keep pushing the same lies, they don't deserve anyone's support.
Candy 1 hour ago
So is this article attacking the diet that the AHA backs up or is it attacking creationism and Dr. Eckel?
Lothar F 39 minutes ago
The AHA, and the AMA as well, have sold us, the public, down the river to big business interests. People need to use common sense and stick to a traditional diet that does not contain any processed or refined foods.
Sam 44 minutes ago
How does a nutball end up in any scientific position?
My clinic recommends one third fat for most diets.
JohnW 1 hour ago
I'm so glad this is finally coming out. Dr. Atkins said this for years. People's health would greatly benefit it they would cut out the cookies and pop.
Lynne 2 hours ago
If true, this is all fairly damning. Shame on the AHA for allowing it.