Fit to Print Volume 24 Issue 4 December 2015 | Page 10
E AT S M A R T !
By Rachel Ezelius, RD
Are You Inflamed?
Not If You’re Eating Smart. Here’s How...
D
id you know according to the
Center for Disease Control
(CDC) more than two-thirds of
US adults are considered overweight
and more than one-third are
considered obese? With this grim fact,
it isn't surprising that 1.5 million
Americans suffer from heart attacks
or strokes each year. High cholesterol
is often blamed. Presently, 71 million
US adults have high cholesterol, but
only 1 out of 3 have it under control.
Statin drugs are the most popular
course of treatment for reducing the
risk of heart attacks and strokes. 25%
of Americans older than 45 years old
are taking a statin drug. However,
this medication is not without side
effects. The FDA has issued a new
labeling guideline for statin drugs
warning users that the medications
can cause memory loss, elevated
blood sugar, a higher risk of
developing type-2 diabetes, muscle
damage, and liver disease.
Is lowering your cholesterol level with
statin drugs the most important
course of action? Is having high
cholesterol the only or best predictor
of getting heart disease? Newer
cholesterol research points to
inflammation as the main culprit of
heart attacks and strokes. The British
Medical Journal hypothesized that the
oxidation (breakdown) of LDL
cholesterol is the prime risk factor for
heart disease and that antioxidants
10
and saturated fats are both
protective against LDL oxidation.
The presence of LDL, the so-called
"bad" cholesterol is actually vital to
life. According to the 2015 Dietary
Guidelines, cholesterol in our diets
(like the egg, butter, steak, shrimp)
is no longer listed as a "nutrient of
concern." But rather the more
inflammation one has, the more
plaque, as a defense mechanism, is
produced which then settles on the
artery walls. Inflammation can be
caused by countless reasons, such
as environmental toxins, gluten or
other food intolerances, leaky gut,
lipid oxidation, infections, stress,
insulin resistances, poor sleep, poor
diet, etc. Addressing the underlying
factors of inflammation, therefore,
The FDA has issued a
warning for statin drugs
that the medications
can cause memory loss,
elevated blood sugar,
a higher risk of type-2
diabetes, muscle damage,
and liver disease.
activity should be performed in
episodes of at least 10 minutes,
preferably spread throughout the
week according to the U.S.
Department of Health and Human
Services. Second, look for any reasons
inflammation may occur and correct
it. Inflammation could be caused by
external factors, but also from the
foods we eat. Some possible food
sources include sensitivities to gluten,
dairy, or artificial sweeteners, trans
fats, high fructose corn syrup, or just
eating too much of low-fat, simple
sugar carbohydrates can cause a rise
in inflammation. Eat healthy foods!
Foods like fruits, vegetables, whole
grains, lean proteins and healthy fats
are easily forgotten. Eating a diet
higher in fiber also has been
associated with a decreased risk of
cardiovascular disease, and assists in
feeling fuller, reduces bad
cholesterol, and aids in blood sugar
control. Examples of foods high in
fiber include oats, beans, peas,
barley, fruits, and vegetables. Eating
healthy omega-3 fatty acids reduces
inflammation, lowers bad cholesterol,
helps improve the body's abilit H