Please Pass the Cholesterol

“This year more than 920,000 Americans will have a heart attack; nearly half of them will occur without prior symptoms or warning signs.”
—The Heart Foundation

And what is the cause of these heart attacks? Most Americans are convinced it’s all cholesterol’s fault. But I found out why that’s a dangerous myth after reading the updated version of Cholesterol: Facts and Fantasies by Judith DeCava.

This book is an essential read for someone like me who knows nothing about cholesterol except the misconception that there are “good” and “bad” types. I now know that even this basic nugget of information is way too simplistic. Physiological processes are much more complex. In other words, don’t mess with Mother Nature. It’s the standard American diet of adulterated, processed foods that’s killing us, not cholesterol.

I also learned about the chronological missteps of flawed studies that have been used to characterize cholesterol as the sole cause of coronary heart disease. In addition, DeCava outlines the real causes of coronary heart disease and gives the reader several lists of whole foods for a healthy heart. Love those lists that I can easily refer to.

In a world where the real truth about real food is hard to find, this handy little book is a quick, content-rich read about an important topic in nutrition. Because of authors like DeCava who have the facts on their side, more and more of us are questioning the “truths” we’ve heard about nutrition. I feel so empowered now that I know the real truth about cholesterol.

Photo from iStock/BrianAJackson

Samantha Prust

Samantha Prust is a freelance writer, editor, and owner of Your Editor On Call in Fort Collins, Colorado. She can be contacted at YourEditorOnCall@gmail.com.