Diet and Cholesterol

 

Toward the end of World War I, a handful of European doctors noticed a decline in coronary heart disease. The same thing happened following World War II. Doctors speculated that this happy phenomenon was related to the relatively small amounts of meat and other fatty foods in spare wartime diets.

Today, researchers using high-tech equipment are coming up with some pretty reliable evidence that people who lower their blood-cholesterol levels with diet or drugs can stop heart disease in its tracks. For a small fraction of especially fortunate people, this kind of intervention even reverses the damage done, and permits partially blocked arteries to return towards normal. The proof comes by way of contrast angiography, a method akin to x-ray that allows us to view the coronary arteries. So far, the regression of coronary atherosclerosis has been documented in some 100 patients, and the disease has been stopped in many, many more.

How do I reduce my cholesterol?

The simplest and safest way to reduce blood cholesterol is via your diet. You will want to reduce not only the amount of cholesterol you take in, but also the amount of saturated fats. Beyond this, researchers find that a relatively high percentage of polyunsaturated fats in the diet help keep blood cholesterol low. An ideal diet would consist mainly of cereals, legumes, fruits and vegetables, rich in fiber. Meat may best be used as a condiment; say, in a tomato sauce over pasta. If you must have cheese, look for low-fat varieties; save regular cheese, meat, chocolate, candy and coconut for special occasions.

If diet doesn't do it, your doctor may want to prescribe a medication to lower your blood cholesterol level. Though many of these are extremely efficient, their mild side-effects--constipation, heartburn, nausea, belching, bloating--will probably reinforce your resolve to stick to your diet! In addition, these drugs can be expensive and we don't know the effects of their prolonged use.

To be fair, it must be said that some large studies have failed to show that diet reduces the incidence of coronary heart disease. But you will be pleased to know that researchers nonetheless estimate that for every 1% you reduce your blood cholesterol, you will reduce your risk of heart attack by 2%.