Jonny Bowden

I liked the title of this book, and I am always on the lookout for healthy, good-tasting food. Restaurants have flavorful dishes; but a lot of it is buried in sauces and fatty ingredients, so I choose carefully. I was pleased to know that a lot of the food I keep at home is on this list. At any given time, my refrigerator is filled with fruits and vegetables; some cheeses, and nitrate-free meats. I am very careful about what I eat.

But this book added so much more to what I already knew. show more Being a person who really doesn't like avocado (sorry, I just don't), unless it is in guacamole (I don't know why about that, either); I was looking for alternatives to healthy fats and this book provided that as well.

In the end, this has more than enough information on food that you should be able to decide what you want and keep a full refrigerator and pantry without giving up flavor. Recommended. show less

Yes, thank you. This book helped me make sense of the many, seemingly contradictory follow-up comments I received from my doctor and lab results about watching my cholesterol. My health wasn't poor in the least, and I didn't know what to make of a few of the cholesterol indicators being too "high" whatever that meant. The Great Cholesterol Myth was an education and it helped me sort out not just what the numbers mean but it was also a short history of why this subject is fraught with show more conflicting information. I recommend this book to anyone who eats and ages—which is, well, everybody—because there's almost no escaping having to deal with the effects of eating processed food at some point.

The quick summary is that for far too long, due to a mix of bad PR, misinformation and misunderstanding, cholesterol took the blame for the rise in heart disease while countless studies for the past half century have demonstrably shown the real culprit to be inflammation which is caused by processed foods (bad carbs) and sugar.

When I'm asked about the specifics of the diet I put together as a result of reading this book along with many others, I say it's a mash-up of Atkins, Paleo and the Mediterranean diets. The trick for me was to find something that was backed by research, yielded measurable results for me in particular, and, most importantly, is one I could live with for the long term. I read food labels far more than I used to. I feel comfortable skipping 80% of the store while out grocery shopping. But I also allow cheat days, though I don't think of them as such. As long as those days are the exception and not the rule, then the benefits are sustained. show less

"High cholesterol and saturated fat are the major causes of heart disease." That statement has been a medical article of faith for many years. According to the authors of this book, it is also very wrong.

There are several different types of "good" and "bad" cholesterol (some "good" cholesterol is bad for the body, and some "bad" cholesterol is good for the body), so a single number for good and bad cholesterol each is rather worthless. People with really low cholesterol numbers can easily show more get heart disease, and those with really high cholesterol numbers can live their entire lives without one bit of heart disease. Why do some native cultures, who practically live on saturated fat, have little or no heart disease?

The real cause of heart disease is chronic inflammation, which comes from damage caused by free radicals (the book explains everything). Sugar is much more harmful to your heart than fat. It contributes to inflammation in the walls of your arteries. It increases the amount of insulin in your blood, which increases cholesterol and raises your blood pressure. It also raises your level of triglycerides, which is a much better indicator of heart disease than cholesterol.

What is the problem with statin drugs, the usual treatment for heart disease? Their benefits have been extremely exaggerated. The brain depends on cholesterol to function normally. A common (but under-reported) side effect of statin drugs is sexual dysfunction. Most doctors dismiss complaints of side effects from statin drugs, and don't report them to the FDA. The only people who should take statin drugs are middle-age men with documented coronary artery disease.

The book mentions tests that are much better indicators than cholesterol of heart problems. Ask your doctor to order them. Get rid of sugar, soda, processed carbohydrates and trans fats from your diet. Eat more vegetables, berries, nuts, beans and dark chocolate. If you can add only one supplement to your diet, make it Coenzyme Q10.

This book easily reaches the level of Must read, especially for anyone on a statin drug. It is an eye-opener that will give the reader plenty to discuss with their doctor at their next appointment. show less

I can understand the types of fat recommended, and cutting out sugar, but I find it difficult to agree with the grain-free recommendations, and then all of the nutritional supplements they recommend - one would be taking a huge number of pills. It is amazing to consider that a person can't get proper nutrients from food. It also doesn't sit well that one of the authors sells supplements. I can understand our food is not what it used to be, but come on - we HAVE to take pills? Not on board...