Less Heart Disease Despite More Diabetes; The Role of Diet

The diverging trends in heart disease and diabetes represent a public health paradox of immense importance. Obesity and type 2 diabetes are well-known risk factors for coronary heart disease. However, whereas the prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes is increasing, the death rate from coronary heart disease is declining. This interesting paradox was recently addressed in two … Read more

Which Is Most Atherogenic, High-Fat Cheese, High-Fat Meat or Carbs?

Atherosclerosis is the most common underlying cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD. It is caused by a complex interplay between lipoproteins, white blood cells, the immune system and the normal elements of the arterial wall. Atherosclerosis can affect all arteries in the body but seems to have a strong affinity for the coronary arteries. The resulting … Read more

Diet and Heart Health – The Dawn of a New Era

The 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans are due to be published later this year. The Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) released February 23 this year suggested that we may see important changes of direction in certain areas. Since the publication of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines important scientific data has emerged … Read more

Does Sugar Cause Heart Disease?

Growing up and living with the diet-heart hypothesis through my professional career has been a remarkable experience. I was lucky. My mentors were great. I went to all the big cardiology conferences. I read the best books and I learned from the great masters. Early on, I was taught the fairly well established relationship between blood cholesterol and coronary heart disease. … Read more