Your trusted guide to the low carb lifestyle
You may be asking yourself why a low-carber such as myself is reviewing an obvious vegetarian-biased movie. The answer – because I was asked to, and I was curious. It’s true, I love my bacon. But I’m always interested in what others have to share in regards to health and diet. I was sure I could learn something from this film.
It was not until the mid 20th century that Americans started to fear saturated fat and cholesterol. This fat and cholesterol phobia has contributed to a national obesity rate of 35% where one third of all deaths are blamed on heart disease. Caitlin Weeks examines the 10 Reasons You Need Cholesterol.
I got basic blood work done recently, and in the interests of full disclosure I felt I ought to share the results with you. I am 53 years old, and have been eating a low carbohydrate diet for 17 years, or 32% of my life.
In short, this study suggests that perhaps in the context of a high carbohydrate diet, increasing saturated fat intake may raise total cholesterol, but does not tell us if that rise is comprised largely of LDL or HDL. It demonstrates no increase in atherosclerosis as a result. It doesn’t tell us anything about the effects of a low carbohydrate diet, because there’s no mention of anyone in the study actually eating a low carbohydrate diet. And because it is an observational study, it proves nothing. Nothing at all.
Ten years. It’s been ten crazy, fantastic, sometimes frustrating years that I’ve tried to live the low-carb lifestyle. What is has not been, is perfect. Or rather, I haven’t been perfect, and I’m okay with that.
Right now, half of you are saying, “Well, of course, duh.” My guess is you know the rest of what I’m going to say, so you could go look at LOLCats instead. (Oh, hai!) The rest of you are saying “Ancel Keys? Who the heck is Ancel Keys?” You’re the ones who need to read on, because Ancel Keys has profoundly influenced your life, and the lives of everyone you love – or hate, or are indifferent to – and not for the better. Ancel Keys was the teller of one of the most damaging lies in the history of human kind. Ancel Keys is the man who convinced the world that saturated fat is dangerous.
For years, some doctors have dismissed the Atkins diet, but the high fat, low carb diet might finally be getting its due.
As we have seen in a previous article, fats and oils are members of a category of substances known as lipids. Other lipids include the compounds known as waxes, phospholipids, and steroids. Last time, we spoke about waxes, and in this article, we’ll discuss the other important lipids. Additionally, I’ll have some more things to say about cholesterol, since cholesterol is one of these other lipids.
The last time, we talked about the functions of fats in the body, and why it is necessary that dietary fat be included in our meals. Today we’ll be looking at how dietary fats enter the body; in other words, how dietary fat is digested.
The incidence of heart disease has not declined, despite a decrease in fat intake. The most recent studies indicate that total dietary fat has no relation to heart disease risk, that monounsaturated fats (like olive oil) actually lower risk of cardiovascular disease, and that man-made trans-fatty acids (the type of fats in margarine) are the fats that are unhealthful.
