We’ve been fighting the wrong enemy.
In the war against America’s biggest killer, heart disease, doctors told us for decades that we needed to cut saturated fat.
This, it turns out, is nonsense spawned by bad science.
One of the worst offenders is the 1969 Los Angeles VA Study.[i]
It looked at 850 elderly veterans who were divided into two groups.… Read More
For decades, mainstream doctors warned us to stay away from fatty dairy products. Butter, whole milk, and cheese would clog our arteries, they said.
So those of us worried about heart disease opted for skim milk, if we drank milk at all. And we chose other low-fat dairy products whenever possible.
In recent years, researchers have started to question this conventional “wisdom.”… Read More
For years, doctors recommended that seniors take a baby aspirin every day to prevent heart disease. The advice seemed to make sense because aspirin is a blood thinner.
Doctors and patients figured it could stop the blood clots that lead to heart attacks and strokes.
The only problem is that there were no large, well-designed studies that showed this to be true.… Read More
You suddenly feel pain in your chest. Could it be a heart attack?
You have no idea.
You have other symptoms, too. Do they mean you’re having a heart attack?
You don’t have a clue.
You don’t want to call 911 if it’s something minor, like heartburn.
So, in terrible pain, you get on the internet and Google your symptoms.
Your life hangs in the balance.… Read More
We all know the foods and drinks that are supposed to be good for heart health.
They include olive oil, red wine, leafy green vegetables, fatty fish, dark chocolate, garlic, and nuts.
A recent study adds another one that might surprise you: chili peppers.
Researchers from Italy’s Mediterranean Neurological Institute tracked the health and eating habits of 22,811 people for eight years.… Read More
American doctors have long advised people at risk for a heart attack to take a daily low-dose aspirin.
The idea is that aspirin makes the blood thinner. This prevents clotting, which in turn prevents a heart attack or stroke.
But major new research reveals that daily aspirin hurts more than helps many of the people who take it.[i]
The study was published in the journal JAMA Neurology.… Read More