The available information about the interrelation between heart disease, cholesterol, Omega-3 fatty acids, saturated fats, and high blood sugar is confusing, to say the least. It is at least as confusing to medical practitioners as it is to laymen, because of the onslaught of vast amounts of information (some of it not very good) that physicians are regularly bombarded with. Every doctor is constantly being given information from pharmaceutical companies, their alma maters, and medical agencies, and a significant proportion of this information is contradictory. In addition, doctors are constantly under the threat of malpractice lawsuits. Some of these lawsuits are frivolous and vicious, some of them are simply patients desperate to find financial resources to correct their medical conditions, because medical expenses are so high that not infrequently a lawsuit is the only way to obtain the means for pursuing treatment. Not all doctors are quacks, and not all doctors are brilliant, and obviously a large number of doctors are just tired and jaded, and not as altruistic as we would want them to be. Let's face it: we all suck, and doctors are no exception. We have to be grateful that the health services in this country are not in worse shape than they are, given the conditions under which they operate.
Just recently, one Dr. Dwight Lundell, a former surgeon, was quoted as saying essentially the following:
(1) It isn't cholesterol that causes heart failure.
(2) Heart failure is caused by inflammation in the blood vessels.
(3) Inflammation is caused (among other things) by excessive amounts of processed foods, e.g. refined sugars such as corn syrup, lots of sugar generally, and Omega-6 fatty acids, such as found in Soybean oil. (Omega-3 fatty acids are the good ones.)
This information, we find, was announced by Dr. Lundell as far back as 2007, though the information has begun recirculating once again this year.
On further examination, a sort of medical quack-hunting vigilante called Dr. Stephen Barrett has looked into Dwight Lundell's story, and has turned up that he has been in financial trouble with the IRS and has been on the brink of bankruptcy, and has lost his license to practice medicine in 2008 (though he has been practicing since about 1970). He was also sued by at least two patients for incompetent post operative care.
Despite the hostility of Stephen Barrett, I find Lundell's analysis of the situation persuasive. People are always looking for a silver bullet to remove the threat of heart disease once and for all. Constantly consuming large quantities of polyunsaturated oils (Canola oil, for instance) is not the answer. Lundell might be bad at managing his finances, and careless in his management of surgical patients (after-operation care is important, and intelligence on the part of the caregivers, the patient, and the patient's family is all needed for a good outcome), but he seems to be on the mark as far as his advice is concerned.
It is unfortunate that everyone wants the cure-all to solve all their problems. To be healthy, you need to do a number of things. I know what is needed, even if I don't do it myself! Here is some obvious advice. Bear in mind that (paraphrasing the immortal words of Robert Young) I'm not a doctor, though I play one on the Internet!
A. Don't use poly-unsaturated oils exclusively. Small quantities of Olive oil is good for most purposes; if you're stir-frying, Coconut oil is good. Do your own reading; if you learn that this advice is not the best for you, act accordingly
B. Don't consume too much fat. A couple of slices of bacon once a week is probably fine, even if you're a seven-foot lumberjack. Look up the ideal body weight for your height, and stay within a dozen pounds of that.
C. Don't eat too much sugar. The more you eat, the more you should exercise. Don't eat too much of anything. Don't eat too much white bread. Don't encourage kids to eat sugar and white bread, because they will crave it when they're older.
There is general belief that a healthy self-image is more important than a healthy weight. This is nonsense; both are important. This trend of making the messenger feel guilty for delivering an unpleasant message is the creation of some idiot, and if I get my hands on him or her I will not be responsible for what I'll do. Of course an overweight child is not entirely to blame for his or her condition: it is the family that must take the responsibility. Occasionally it is some genetic or thyroid condition that is to blame. But often thyroid conditions, I'm reading, are triggered by psychological factors. I don't know how to deal with people who are eager to have their families classified as dysfunctional.
D. Do eat unprocessed, or natural foods, which have a certain amount of fiber, such as oats, salads, green vegetables, whole wheat bread.
E. Eat locally-grown produce. I have started buying locally-grown lettuce, and it is awesome. We also live in an area that has more than its fair share of Pennsylvania Dutch. Now, PaDutch are not the healthiest people in the world; they do tend to eat a richer diet than will work for most of us. But there's no faulting their produce.
F. Choose your meat carefully, if possible. Cold cuts in the summer months are difficult to avoid, but a healthy mix of meats is better than eating only chicken, or only turkey, or only beef. Smoked meats should be eaten sparingly, i.e. once a week at most, and in small amounts, like a slice or two of bacon or ham. It appears that eggs are not bad for us, if we stay under an egg a day.
G. Do exercise in moderation. Do not put too much stress on your feet and your knees. If you're past the age of 50, consider wearing knee braces when you walk or row, or whatever. This is to stave off problems later on. Take your advice from your doctor; I don't want to contradict the doctor if he insists that knee braces are unnecessary. (Check around, to see whether his other patients have bad knees.) Avoid running, unless you run on padded surfaces, or run carefully on grass. Do not run on asphalt or concrete. Even if you don't exercise every day, try every other day. Failing that, at least once a week. Failing that, every other week. Walk to church, if going to church is one of your vices. Take a backpack, and put your jacket in it for the return walk, if you don't want to perspire in it.
H. Prepare your own food. Eating out should be an occasional thing. Teach your kids to cook, starting early. Kids of eleven and older can learn to fix simple food, and can certainly help with more complex food preparation. Don't be intimidated by their reports of what their friends do or don't do. Just because junior's buddies can't even slice bread for themselves doesn't mean junior should be just as inept. Don't take klutziness as an excuse. Klutzes are learned, not born.
Finally, be objective when judging how competent your family physician is. Find a good one. Keep an ear out for who your friends think is a good doctor, and switch when the opportunity arises. Be a full participant in your health; learn the facts about any condition you have, and be a full partner when you or someone in your family falls ill. This is good general advice, just as you must be a full participant in your child's education. I'm not suggesting that you debate things with your child's teacher; I simply want to encourage you to take an interest in the material, help with preparation, give positive feedback, and be sensible about criticism. Don't outsource important things like health and education, as if you're handing it over to H & R Block. Even your taxes, for that matter, deserve your full participation.
I'm sorry to come across as being preachy. It is important to be unambiguous about certain things which people like to misunderstand in the direction of taking it as an endorsement of bad habits. "See, Barbara, it says here that it is okay to be overweight!" No; I only said that 5% overweight is the most that you should allow yourself. Don't misunderstand this sort of advice.
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