HEART HEALTH: Eating Fats Can Save Your Heart!

July 25, 2008 · 118 views · Filed Under Food & Health

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There is a great deal of confusion in many people’s minds (including doctors) about how to best maintain heart health and avoid coronary heart disease (CHD).Â

The majority of physicians, as well as the lay public have been misled to think that the intake of saturated fat is the main factor for heart disease. It is not! Most do not realize that what is far more important than how much fat is consumed is the type of fats we consume. There are some types of fat that are generally not good for us (saturated animal fats from meats and lard) and others which are downright detrimental to our health (’hydrogenated’ trans fats). Other fats, like those from nuts, olives and fatty fish are actually very beneficial for our hearts, brains and joints.

A New England Journal of Medicine study summarized this mistaken assumption: “Total fat intake was not significantly related to the risk of coronary disease.”

What should we eat if the total amount of fat is not the main problem?

The same study said: “Replacing saturated and trans fats with un-hydrogenated mono-unsaturated and poly-unsaturated fats [like virgin olive oil and fish oils] is more effective in preventing coronary heart disease…than reducing overall fat intake.”

If the culprit is not saturated fats, what then is?

The issue about fats and heart health is one of type of fat and ratios. We should avoid omega 6 fats, found in vegetable oils and grain-fed meats (opt for ‘grass-fed’ or ‘free-range’ meats) and stay away from hydrogenated oils (’trans fats’) entirely. These trans fats have a longer ’shelf-life’ but they’re highly ‘atherogenic’ (plaque producing) and can easily reduce blood vessel function by a third, greatly increasing heart disease risk. Trans fats account for a dangerous 4-7% of fat intake in Americans, since they’re hidden in fast food, deep-fried foods, salad dressings and commercial baked goods (cookies, cakes and crackers). Read labels. Avoid them at all costs!

What is needed is to increase our ratio of ‘good fats’ to ‘bad fats’. Omega-3 fats (like EPA, DHA and ALA) are crucial to good health, but too much of our diet is made up of omega-6 fats. Ideally, we should consume a ratio of 2:1 of omega-6s to omega-3s. Most Americans eat a ratio of 20:1 to 50:1 of omega 6 to omega 3 fats, which leads to inflammatory diseases, brain disorders and cardiovascular problems (read: arthritis, dementia and heart attacks).

Increasing EPA and DHA from fish oil supplements and eating more fish (like salmon) can improve memory, reduce depression, lessen the chance of Alzheimer’s disease and keep our arteries clear of heart-stopping plaques. Studies showing the protective effect of EPA reveal that both angina (’chest pain’) and coronary events were significantly reduced in subjects taking EPA.

Articles in the Lancet medical journal reveal that supplements of Omega-3 fats clearly decrease overall risk of death by 20% and lower the risk of cardiovascular death by 30% — far more than any drug.

Supplementing our diets with good omega-3 fats like ALA, EPA and DHA can benefit every aspect of our well-being, beyond just improving our heart health.

Dr. Christopher Lyden contributes articles on heart health for Feelgoodforlife.com. More information on heart health and other topics can be found at http://www.feelgoodforlife.com.

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