Positive review of my books in Caduceus magazine by Dr Rajendra Sharma

My books "Cholesterol And Saturated Fat Prevent Heart Disease" and "Low Cholesterol Leads To An Early Death" have received positive reviews in issue 80 (page 11) of Caduceus magazine by Dr Rajendra Sharma.

Review of my book "Cholesterol and Saturated Fat Prevent Heart Disease" by Ilona from the "Big Fat Blog"

Here's a review of my book Cholesterol and Saturated Fat Prevent Heart Disease by Ilona from the "Big Fat Blog".

The article can be accessed at: http://ilonadesign.blogspot.com.es/2012/11/cholesterol-and-saturated-fat-prevent.html

Ilona's article

Cholesterol and Saturated Fat Prevent Heart Disease - David Evans

 

 

 

 

 

David Evans compiled a great reference book - Cholesterol and Saturated Fat Prevent Heart Disease -about the relationship of Saturated fat in the diet and heart disease, showing that there is no correlation between these two elements. The book contains 101 scientific papers (with the name of the authors and the year it has been published) showing that:

• There is no correlation between high cholesterol levels and heart disease.
• Cholesterol and saturated fat actually lower the risk of heart disease.
• High carbohydrate diets are associated with an increased risk of heart disease.
• Diets high in polyunsaturated fats (vegetable oils) are associated with increased chronic diseases rates.

You can find more studies and information on David Evans blog: Healthy Diet and Science (there's even a page with recipes).

I am very happy that there are more and more people who dare to speak out against "medically and politically correct wisdom" and question the validity of the current "healthy diet" hypothesis. For example this article by Dr. Dwight Lundell, Heart Surgeon.

I am also very happy that the science of nutrition functions less and less like a religion (based on beliefs), but is based more and more on actual science, were hypotheses and theories are questioned, and from associations, correlations are drawn. Science should not be based on suppositions and opinion. Observations have to be thoroughly tested.

"Forming hypotheses is one of the most precious faculties of the human mind and is necessary for the development of science. Sometimes, however, hypotheses grow like weeds and lead to confusion instead of clarification. Then one has to clear the field, so that the operational concepts can grow and function. Concepts should relate as directly as possible to observation and measurements, and be distorted as little as possible by explanatory elements."
- Max Kleiber, The Fire of Life (1961)

Review of my book "Cholesterol and Saturated Fat Prevent Heart Disease" by Wendy Schwartz

Here's a review of my book Cholesterol and Saturated Fat Prevent Heart Disease by Wendy Schwartz.

The article can be accessed at: http://gopaleo.com/blog/2012/11/16/3-reasons-why-saturated-fats-are-not-bad-and-the-earth-is-no.html

Wendy's article

3 Reasons Why Saturated Fats Are Not Bad and The Earth is Not Flat

If I tried to tell you today that the earth is flat you would laugh at me because you know that we have sent men into space and the earth’s shape has been photographed.  It is most definitely round - near as I can tell. Despite this, the theory/myth that the earth is flat was commonly held for centuries. It sure looks flat when you look out at the horizon.

So it is with fat. The notion that saturated fats and cholesterol are bad for you has pervaded modern thinking despite clear-cut information to the contrary. It seems logical that fat would clog arteries and make you fat, doesn't it? I can understand how this rumor got started, but what is the truth? 

In his well-researched book, Cholesterol and Saturated Fat Prevent Heart Disease, David Evans, a researcher who also blogs at Healthy Diets and Science provides evidence from 101 scientific papers representing a huge body of research indicating that in fact, far from causing heart disease in humans, eating a diet rich in saturated fats may actually prevent heart disease.  You heard me right. 

It turns out that there is a strong likelihood that animal fats may actually be good for you. Having spent the past month eating more animal fat than I have in my life, I would tend to agree, based on my health improvements. I just feel better.  My blood sugar is consistently within the normal range now and my weight is down by a few pounds.  In addition, my appetite is more well-controlled and I am sleeping better. 

While some studies cited in Evans’ book are epidemiological in nature, meaning that they look at trends across population groups rather than double-blind scientific experiments, there is plenty of data that points to a reduction in heart disease risk as intake of healthy animal fats goes up.

Here are just a few studies cited that stand out to me:

A 6-year study of nearly 22,000 men who were initially free of heart disease, but were smokers between the ages of 50-69, (a high risk group) was conducted by researchers in Finland. Those who consumed the highest level of saturated fats had a 27% decrease in coronary death and a 13% decrease in coronary events when compared with the group that ate the least amount of saturated fats and the highest amount of man-made polyunsaturates (margarines and oils).¹ 

A study of healthy young men (only 10 participants), but well-controlled, measured post-meal blood triglycerides as a risk factor.  The research showed that butter, which is higher in saturated fats, induced the lowest rise in post-meal triglycerides when compared with olive oil or sunflower oil.²A large epidemiological study of 1 million men in different parts of India revealed that those in regions where fat consumption (mainly animal fats) was 19 times higher, had a decreased incidence of heart disease - 7% less.³ 

While dietary studies are notoriously challenging, there have been many studies linking increases in carbohydrate consumption and insulin levels to heart disease. Conversely, studies of those with high fat consumption have only yielded rises in HDL (the good cholesterol).  The bottom line is, there is no proof that saturated fats lead to heart disease and there is some evidence that the higher the diet is in fat, the more heart disease rates decline.

In David Evans’ book, he highlights the study that fostered the myth of the lipid hypothesis which was conducted by Ancel Keys (also known as the Seven Countries Study) and provides evidence that points out it could have just as easily proven that saturated fats provide protection against heart disease. 

The seven countries Keys based his research on were the ones that provided data that conveniently fit with his hypothesis.  Had Keys selected seven other countries out of the 20+ countries he initially surveyed, he could have drawn the complete opposite conclusion. Also, the seven countries study had very few scientific controls in place and the methodology for collecting information was not stringent enough to qualify for sound scientific research today.  (More to come about this topic in my new eBook,  Go Paleo! A Shopping Survival Guide.)

David Evans’ book is filled with additional tidbits of research that, when taken together, paint a clear picture that shows animal fats and other saturated fats are not the culprit in heart disease after all. He is not alone in this belief and it would be great if research could be done with Paleo / Primal eaters in the future. Saturated fats from grass fed and pasture raised animals have quite a different fatty acid profile.

Footnotes and additional related reading

1. 1997 Journal of Epidemiology 145(10):876-887
2. 2002 Journal of Nutrition Dec: 132 (12) : 3642-9
3. 1967 British Heart Journal 29, 895 

http://gopaleo.com/blog/2012/1/8/5-ways-to-add-coconut-oil-to-your-paleo-plan.html
http://gopaleo.com/blog/2012/4/9/going-paleo-leads-to-better-bloodwork.html
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About the Author: Wendy J. Schwartz is a graduate of New York University and holds a BS and an MS Degree in Food and Nutrition. During her early career, she worked at both Mt. Sinai Hospital and Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Wendy is currently a member of the Nutritional Therapy Association. She is the author of the upcomingPaleo Shopping Survival Guide and is currently creating a large, free online US resource for Paleo consumers. Her blog, Go Paleo!, can be visited at http://www.gopaleo.com.

Amazon Review of my book "Cholesterol and Saturated Fat Prevent Heart Disease - Evidence from 101 Scientific Papers"

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to understand, packed full of amazing information!, November 3, 2012

By 

Lisa Nicole Lawrence "Lisa Lawrence" (Antigonish, nova scotia Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Cholesterol and Saturated Fat Prevent Heart Disease - Evidence from 101 Scientific Papers (Paperback)

When I first saw this book I assumed I would not be able to understand "scientific papers" as I have no scientific knowledge (aside from gr. 12 biology, 25 yrs ago), but the studies were explained so well and strung together so well, they were easy and enjoyable to read.

I was blown away by the evidence contrary to the typical eat-low-fat-for-your-heart medical advice, I especially enjoyed Chapter 5, "Comments by Eminent Professors and Doctors" (leading experts on the subject of cardiovascular disease), the glossary, and Appendix 3 which provided quick summaries of one or two lines of each of the studies.

After my father who was slender and had low cholesterol, died of a heart attack, my vegetarian/whole foods mom got a brain aneurysm and my young, fit husband developed a heart condition, I began a research quest and started to question all I knew for certain about diet and health. This led to my adoption of a low carbohydrate, real food lifestyle which has greatly improved my health. Reading this book provided me with the evidence behind my intuitive and physical experience of ridding myself of the fear of eating natural fat. I will be passing it out to each of my friends who asks me why I am not afraid of clogging my arteries. It was reassuring and it is a great accessible resource. (I will be buying a few more copies to give to my doctors as well).

Lisa

Amazon review accessed here http://www.amazon.com/Cholesterol-Saturated-Prevent-Disease-ebook/product-reviews/B008O53WDK/ref=cm_cr_pr_hist_5?ie=UTF8&filterBy=addFiveStar&showViewpoints=0