“DON’T you eat fish?” So asked a friend who had read my column about “going semi-vegetarian” to fight a heart disease known as “left ventricular dysfunction.” I had written a column about eating more vegetables, less meat.
“I eat fish,” I replied. “I should have said so in that column. Unlike pork and beef, fish has no bad cholesterol that could clog the arteries and trigger stroke or heart attack.”
Studies in the 1970s showed that Greenland Eskimos had a lower rate of heart disease than did other individuals living in Greenland at the same time. Analysis of dietary differences between the groups showed that the Eskimos ate less saturated fat and more omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, whale and seal meat.
Research since that time has supported the heart-healthy benefits of eating fish, or any other good sources of omega-3 fatty acids like flaxseed, walnuts, canola oil and soybean oil, which are noted for lowering blood cholesterol, and reducing blood pressure. In people who have already had heart attacks, fish oil — or omega-3 fatty acids — significantly reduces the risk of sudden death.
Knowing that no less than the acknowledged Greek father of medicine, Hippocrates (460-337 BC), had taught, “Let your food be your medicine,” my sister Susie, a physician, recommended that I eat at least two weekly servings of fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, preferably mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon.
I used to ignore oatmeal until my x-ray showed “atherosclerosis of the aorta.” Which meant that fatty plaque had partially blocked the flow of blood in the major artery emanating from my heart. Since then, oatmeal has become my favorite breakfast stuff, along with fresh fruits. Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which reduces low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad” cholesterol. Soluble fiber, which is also found in such foods as kidney beans, mongo sprouts, apples, pears and prunes, appears to reduce the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines. Gel-like soluble fiber binds bile (which contains cholesterol) and dietary cholesterol) so that the body excretes it.
On the Internet I learned that five to 10 grams of soluble fiber a day decreases LDL cholesterol by about 5 percent. Eating 1.5 cups of cooked oatmeal provides 4.5 grams of fiber.
All nuts are high in calories and should be eaten a handful at a time. Eating too much of them can cause weight gain, and being overweight places us at higher risk of heart disease.
Also of paramount nutritional value are foods fortified with plant sterols — substances found in plants that help block the absorption of cholesterol.
Juices fortified with plant sterols can help reduce LDL cholesterol by more than 10 percent. The amount of daily plant sterols needed for results is at least 2 grams — which equals about two 8-ounce servings of plant sterol-fortified orange juice a day. Plant sterols in fortified foods don’t appear to affect levels of triglycerides or of “good” high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Nor do they interfere with the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins — vitamins A, D, E and K. Therefore, foods fortified with plant sterols are essential for people who actually have high levels of LDL cholesterol.
Long thought to have cholesterol-lowering effects, soy protein actually has very little impact on reducing cholesterol levels. However, it does contain vitamins and minerals and is a good source of fiber. It’s also a healthy low-fat alternative source of protein.
To summarize, first step for a heart-healthy diet is to reduce your intake of bad fats. The second is to eat a combination of these cholesterol-lowering foods. (hvego31@gmail.com/PN)
