Balance of good fats & bad fats can aid in good cardiac health
Scientists from University of Cambridge examined the diets of 2,500 people aged 40 - 79. Results indicating that to remove all fat from your diet may not be the safest approach to could cardiac care post heart disease.
They found those who ate foods rich in omega 6 – a fatty acid present in vegetable oils, nuts and seeds – significantly reduced their risk of heart problems.
But those who had simply cut their intake of unhealthy saturated fat did not reduce their risk to the same extent.
The researchers suggest the ‘balance of fats’ in our diets could be the key to preventing coronary heart disease, which is the UK’s biggest killer.
The Many Vital Roles of Cholesterol and the Myths & Truths
- Cholesterol is produced by almost every cell in the body.
- Cholesterol in cell membranes makes cells waterproof so there can be a different chemistry on the inside and the outside of the cell.
- Cholesterol is nature’s repair substance, used to repair wounds, including tears and irritations in the arteries. Many important hormones are made of cholesterol, including hormones that regulate mineral metabolism and blood sugar, hormones that help us deal with stress, and all the sex hormones, such as testosterone, oestrogen and progesterone.
- Cholesterol is vital to brain function
- Cholesterol is vital to the function of the brain and nervous system.
- Cholesterol protects us against depression; it plays a role in the utilization of serotonin, the body’s “feel-good” chemical.
- The bile salts, needed for the digestion of fats, are made from cholesterol. Cholesterol is the precursor of vitamin D, which is formed by the action of ultra-violet (UV-B) light on cholesterol in the skin.
- Cholesterol is a powerful antioxidant that protects us against free radicals and therefore against cancer. Cholesterol, especially LDL-cholesterol (the so-called bad cholesterol), helps fight infection.
