Bless Your Heart

Send us Fan MailHeart disease and stroke are killing too many people today and yet, despite the focus on the problem, the numbers increase every day.Myth 1: Cholesterol is your heart’s main enemy.Many feel they are doing okay because they are on blood pressure medicine and are taking statins. These medicines do nothing to address the root cause of the problem and come with their own set of side-effects.Cholesterol lab values are an inaccurate indicator of heart health.Cholesterol is needed in your entire body’s metabolism - the nervous system needs cholesterol to transmit the messages accurately and without distortion Statins have serious side-effects that can go misdiagnosed for years - pain and neuropathy along with brain-neurodegeneration. The Great Cholesterol Myth presents more details on this subject:Cholesterol is a fairly insignificant player in heart disease.High cholesterol is a lousy predictor of heart attacks. Half the people admitted to hospitals with heart disease have normal cholesterol, and plenty of people with elevated cholesterol have perfectly healthy hearts.There is no data showing statins have any impact on longevity.Statin drugs have significant side effects, including loss of memory and libido, muscle pain and fatigue, and approximately 65 percent of doctors don't report those side effects, according to a 2007 study.It is a myth that the higher your cholesterol, the shorter your lifespan. FACT: In the Framingham Study, the people who actually lived the longest had the highest cholesterol.Myth #2: Avoid all saturated fats.Four decades ago there was a major adjustment of what would be considered healthy eating habits where saturated fats were declared the enemy to your heart. In reality, saturated fat is mostly neutral and may even have some health benefits. A recent peer-reviewed study has shown no association between saturated fat and heart disease.‘The mantra that saturated fat must be removed to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease has dominated dietary advice and guidelines for almost four decades. Yet scientific evidence shows that this advice has, paradoxically, increased our cardiovascular risks….’Aseem Malhotra - Cardiologist - Croydon University Hospital The actual culprit of many chronic diseases is eating processed carbohydrates and sugar. The additives 2. Carbohydrates/Sugar, Not Fat, is the Root of Heart DiseaseIn order to be healthy and avoid chronic disease, you should stay away from sugars, including fructose, as well as grains and processed foods. Eat a diet rich in organic vegetables, high quality protein, and ample amounts of healthful fats.Myth #3: Exercise intensely so you can eat what you want to eat and be healthy.High to extreme amount of exercise can damage your body and ability to recover.Moderate exercise is so much better for you. Eat a balanced diet and eliminate the junk food. Increase the healthy fats. Eat tons of green leafy vegetables. These foods will leave you completely satisfied so you are not craving the foods that harm your heart.Action Steps to Bless Your Heart:1)Focus on good nutrition with lots of vegetables2)Eat as many healthy fats as you can consume3)Focus on High Intensity Interval Training rather than extreme measuresFor more information from Dr. Rodney and Karen check out their Instagram and Facebook feeds.Website