July is Eye Injury Safety Month and Fireworks Safety Month. So have a Happy and above all a safe 4th of July!

Also July is UV Safety Month so check out the article below from the Enviromental Working Group about which sunscreens are the safest for you and your family.

 What's the Biggest Cause of Heart Attacks?

Q&A with Dr. Ed Bauman 

Question:

We've heard some people say that chicken has as much cholesterol as red meat. Is this true?

 Dr. Bauman:

The cholesterol level of a 3 oz. USDA grade sirloin steak is estimated to be approximately 75 milligrams or the same as that of a roast chicken breast sans skin. That said, it's impossible to calculate the differing amounts of cholesterol in a pastured cow or a free range chicken versus their conventionally raised counter parts. However, if the concern here has to do with elevated cholesterol levels and heart attack risk, it should be noted that this association is losing credibility. A 2009 national study conducted by UCLA found that nearly 75% of patients hospitalized for a heart attack had cholesterol levels that would indicate they were not at high risk for a cardiovascular event, based on current national cholesterol guidelines.

 Question:

What about saturated fat? Does chicken have more fat than beef also?

 Dr. Bauman:

There are too many comparisons to make a single generalization. I don't trust much of the information that is put out by the industries, who feed facts to the USDA. Cuts of poultry and beef will vary by as much as 50% of the levels of both cholesterol and saturated fats. Eating clean, as close to wild beef, poultry or seafood is preferred over its commercial counterparts.

 Question:

Are you saying that if one wants to add a bit of animal protein to the diet, that beef is actually a healthier choice than chicken?

Dr. Bauman:

No, I am not saying beef is a better choice or value nutritionally than chicken--or for that matter the reverse. Both beef and poultry are nutrient dense and provide a wide array of proteins, usable fats, vitamins and minerals. The ecological cost of beef is higher due to the greater amount of land, water cows ingest, and the waste they produce. Beans are far more sustainable and affordable.

Question:

Is eating animal products the single most important factor in raising blood cholesterol levels?

Dr. Bauman:

No, eating animal products or saturated fat, per se, may not be as primary a factor in raising blood cholesterol levels as we have been led to believe. It's been known for decades that when the diet is devoid of cholesterol-containing foods (animal products), the liver produces adequate supplies, synthesizing it from proteins, carbohydrates or fats. It's time we turn our attention toward the more significant risk factors for cardiovascular disease: chronic stress, inflammation, free radical damage and the syndromes of insulin resistance, including metabolic syndrome and Type 2 diabetes. This position is held by Stephen Sinatra, M.D. and James C. Roberts, M.D., leading cardiologists and authors of the book, Reverse Heart Disease NOW 

 These are conditions of poor blood sugar regulation that arise from over-consumption of refined carbohydrates and heavily processed foods, and under-consumption of foods that contain the countless phyto and micro-nutrients our bodies require to maintain metabolic health and protect our arteries from oxidation. Cholesterol levels are not the cause, but rather the effect of unresolved inflammation and insulin resistance.

Question:

How much of the current cholesterol problem is due to stress and/or a sedentary lifestyle?

Dr. Bauman:

Good quality, unprocessed high-cholesterol, high saturated fat foods don't cause the problems we're seeing today. High heat, and microwave cooking damage fats and alters food cholesterol to our detriment. When someone eats lunch meat they are getting a substantial array of harmful chemicals, pesticides, food additives and coloring that contribute to a liver and immune system up-regulation which is aggravating and inflammatory. Stress, especially fear, trauma and chronic emotional angst is a major contributing factor to heart disease. It will lead to elevated LDL cholesterol, insulin resistance and the kind of free radical reactions and inflammation that damages our arteries, all of which precede cardiovascular disease. Chronic anger, depression and lack of a supportive social network have all been shown to contribute to heart disease. Sedentary lifestyles, which contribute to obesity, insulin resistance, and the build-up of stress certainly also contribute. Exercise (light to moderate physical activity, such as walking, for 30 minutes a day) can reduce risk of heart attack and lower blood pressure and cholesterol. More intense cardiovascular training increases insulin sensitivity and improves blood sugar balance.

Question:

It sounds like you're saying that the big issue of heart attack risk and elevated cholesterol levels in Americans today is more related to lifestyle choices--too much stress/overwork, lack of exercise, eating overly processed foods (leading to chronic inflammation)--than it is to eating too much red meat. This makes sense because we've often wondered why a hundred years ago everyone ate real butter, cream, eggs, and bacon, and yet didn't suffer as many heart attacks.

Dr. Bauman:

That's correct. Our forefathers and mothers were far more physically active and there were far fewer chemical pollutants then as compared to now. Chemical toxins (also known as xenobiotics) saturate in the fats of animals, so the bacon and eggs of yesteryear were far cleaner than the same foods today.

Cardiovascular disease is a function of damage to the arteries, veins and heart muscle. Neither saturated fat, nor cholesterol alone, cause that. Rather, a lack of healing nutrients and poor circulation, combined with chronic stress, irritation, inflammation, and aging are the primary risk factors. When a person goes on a plant based diet, it is not the absence of eating meat that is therapeutic, but the greater intake of cooling, healing, protective plants that repairs damaged tissues, and thus reducing the need of the liver to make as much cholesterol.

Ed Bauman, PhD is the Founder and Director of Bauman College, with campuses in Penngrove, Berkeley, Santa Cruz and Boulder, CO. After 30 years of in-depth study of worldwide health and nutrition systems, Dr. Bauman created the Eating for Health nutrition system, which is the foundation of the Bauman College of Nutrition and Natural Chef Training Programs. Dr. Bauman is a ground-breaking leader in the field of whole foods nutrition, holistic health, and community health promotion. He also facilitates the bi-annual Bauman College Vitality Rejuvenation Retreats. Learn more at www.baumancollege.org.