Hi and welcome back
to "Wonderfully Made"
00:00:35.86\00:00:38.14
My name is Sheryl McWilliams,
00:00:38.17\00:00:39.88
and I'd like to introduce
you to our guest today...
00:00:39.91\00:00:42.00
Dr. Timothy Howell, who is from
00:00:42.03\00:00:44.14
Parkview
Adventist Medical Center
00:00:44.17\00:00:46.19
Welcome Dr. Howell...
00:00:46.22\00:00:47.29
Thank you Sheryl...
it's a delight to be with you
00:00:47.32\00:00:49.90
and we have a wonderful
topic to talk about today.
00:00:49.93\00:00:53.59
Yes, we do... "atherosclerosis"
00:00:53.62\00:00:56.04
I can barely say it, and I'm
not quite sure what it means.
00:00:56.07\00:00:59.12
Athero is an interesting
word... it means "gruel-like"
00:00:59.13\00:01:07.04
...sort of like sticky oatmeal
00:01:07.07\00:01:10.26
and sclerosis means "hardening"
00:01:10.29\00:01:13.73
Atherosclerosis is a process
that takes place in our arteries
00:01:13.74\00:01:19.63
where we get gruel like plaques,
or buildup, not of oatmeal
00:01:19.66\00:01:25.37
but of fat and cholesterol...
lining the blood vessel
00:01:25.40\00:01:30.24
and gradually closing it off
00:01:30.27\00:01:32.80
And with it, associated
hardening of the arteries.
00:01:32.83\00:01:36.98
It's the problem that
leads to heart attacks, strokes,
00:01:37.01\00:01:42.91
and problems with our
blood vessels in our legs,
00:01:42.94\00:01:46.52
peripheral vascular disease...
00:01:46.55\00:01:49.05
It all comes back
to "athero-sclerosis"
00:01:49.08\00:01:53.98
Interesting, and how does this
occur... What makes it happen?
00:01:54.01\00:01:59.11
Well, good
question... How does it happen?
00:01:59.14\00:02:03.25
When does it happen?
00:02:03.28\00:02:05.21
Does it start just before
you have the heart attack,
00:02:05.24\00:02:08.40
or does it start
many years before?
00:02:08.43\00:02:11.56
They've done studies
to find that in fact,
00:02:11.59\00:02:15.19
atherosclerosis in
Americans starts quite young.
00:02:15.22\00:02:22.01
Those fatty deposits on
the lining of our arteries
00:02:22.04\00:02:26.20
start when we're
still in our teens or 20s...
00:02:26.23\00:02:30.74
Gradually over time they
build up, narrowing the artery,
00:02:30.77\00:02:37.90
or decreasing the blood
flow and decreasing our ability
00:02:37.93\00:02:41.73
to perform useful
labor, and to get around.
00:02:41.76\00:02:44.99
When it happens
up here in our neck,
00:02:45.02\00:02:46.92
it decreases blood
flow to the brain and leads
00:02:46.95\00:02:50.02
to strokes ultimately.
00:02:50.05\00:02:53.15
So it's like a
heart attack in your head.
00:02:53.18\00:02:55.07
A heart attack in your
head... A brain attack!
00:02:55.10\00:02:56.88
That would be good if you
had your heart in your head,
00:02:56.91\00:02:59.58
it would be a brain attack.
00:02:59.59\00:03:01.20
But all of that is
from atherosclerosis.
00:03:01.23\00:03:05.04
Okay, so there's a buildup...
00:03:05.05\00:03:07.85
there's a
hardening inside this vessel.
00:03:07.88\00:03:10.52
What is it that's
actually causing that hardening?
00:03:10.55\00:03:13.22
Well, we need to step back
a little bit, and look at the
00:03:13.25\00:03:17.15
process... what is
really happening in the lining
00:03:17.18\00:03:21.30
of the blood vessel.
00:03:21.31\00:03:23.78
First of all, we
need to look at fats.
00:03:23.81\00:03:26.99
Not all fats are the same.
00:03:27.02\00:03:29.36
There's good fats,
and there's bad fats.
00:03:29.39\00:03:32.27
The fats that are particularly
bad, that start the process
00:03:32.30\00:03:36.97
of atherosclerosis
are oxidized fats.
00:03:37.00\00:03:41.48
Those are ones that
give off free radicals.
00:03:41.51\00:03:46.16
Now free radical
doesn't refer to something on a
00:03:46.19\00:03:50.76
college campus in the 60s.
00:03:50.79\00:03:53.59
It's something that happens
in our bodies all the time.
00:03:53.62\00:03:57.93
We have to understand a little
bit about oxidation as well...
00:03:57.96\00:04:01.62
because that's what
generates free radicals.
00:04:01.65\00:04:05.51
Oxidation is the process
of adding oxygen to something.
00:04:05.54\00:04:10.95
It can be adding oxygen
to metal-that's called "rust"
00:04:10.98\00:04:15.46
Or, it can be the
process of burning...
00:04:15.49\00:04:19.01
like if you come over to
my house, and I live in Maine,
00:04:19.04\00:04:23.30
and so this time of
the year it's quite cool,
00:04:23.33\00:04:25.69
and I heat with wood, I
will have to oxidize that wood
00:04:25.72\00:04:30.16
to generate heat to warm up
the house... that's oxidation
00:04:30.19\00:04:35.05
Our bodies oxidize our
food, that's how we run,
00:04:35.08\00:04:38.99
that's how we move... it's
through the process of oxidation
00:04:39.00\00:04:42.99
Oxidation isn't bad
for us, it's good for us.
00:04:43.02\00:04:46.68
But let's look at
oxidation for a moment.
00:04:46.71\00:04:49.79
Let's say you come and
you visit me in my home
00:04:49.80\00:04:52.55
and I haven't been
there for a few days,
00:04:52.58\00:04:54.89
and it's a little
bit cool in the house.
00:04:54.92\00:04:56.54
And I say to you,
don't worry, don't worry...
00:04:56.57\00:04:59.44
I will have this place
warm in just a few minutes.
00:04:59.45\00:05:02.55
So I go out on my front porch,
00:05:02.58\00:05:04.24
and I get a bundle of paper,
and a few sticks of kindling
00:05:04.27\00:05:09.12
and out there on
the porch, I light it up
00:05:09.15\00:05:11.65
and I bring it in the house,
00:05:11.68\00:05:14.13
and I'm carrying
it toward my stove...
00:05:14.16\00:05:16.71
And I stick it in the
stove, and then I go out
00:05:16.74\00:05:19.41
on the front porch,
and I get some wood,
00:05:19.44\00:05:21.42
and I light it up, and I
carry it through my house
00:05:21.45\00:05:24.25
across the carpets,
and through the house
00:05:24.28\00:05:26.58
and around, and
into the stove it goes.
00:05:26.61\00:05:28.37
What would you think?
00:05:28.40\00:05:29.48
I'd think you were
crazy! Yeah, that's right!
00:05:29.51\00:05:33.00
And you know, it wouldn't
be good for my house either...
00:05:33.01\00:05:36.00
I'd get sparks
on my nice carpet.
00:05:36.03\00:05:37.89
I'd smoke up the ceilings.
00:05:37.92\00:05:39.46
I'd have all sorts of problems.
00:05:39.49\00:05:41.87
That's because of oxidation.
00:05:41.90\00:05:45.11
Oxidation is good...
if it occurs in the stove,
00:05:45.14\00:05:49.60
and is controlled.
00:05:49.63\00:05:51.03
The same is true in our bodies.
00:05:51.06\00:05:52.98
We want to oxidize
things in their proper place.
00:05:53.01\00:05:57.57
We want to oxidize them
NOT BEFORE them come in,
00:05:57.60\00:06:00.76
but AFTER they're in.
00:06:00.79\00:06:02.55
Now, if you think
about the foods we eat,
00:06:02.58\00:06:05.64
there are 3 basic categories.
00:06:05.67\00:06:07.96
There is sugar, and there's
fat, and there's protein.
00:06:07.99\00:06:14.17
Which would be the
easiest to oxidize?
00:06:14.20\00:06:17.50
If you were
going to make a candle,
00:06:17.53\00:06:19.39
or a lamp, what would you use?
00:06:19.42\00:06:21.87
Would you use
sugar to make a lamp?
00:06:21.90\00:06:24.72
Probably not...
00:06:24.75\00:06:26.04
How about protein?
00:06:26.07\00:06:27.11
We could take
pure protein gelatin...
00:06:27.14\00:06:29.37
Would you make a
lamp out of that?
00:06:29.40\00:06:31.33
Probably not. No, you wouldn't
make a lamp out of that...
00:06:31.36\00:06:33.64
But could you
out of oil, or fat?
00:06:33.67\00:06:37.00
Absolutely! Why is that?
00:06:37.03\00:06:38.96
That's because fat
oxidizes the most easily.
00:06:38.99\00:06:43.64
But fat ALSO causes
the most problems...
00:06:43.67\00:06:49.29
just like in my house if
I'm bringing things across
00:06:49.32\00:06:53.92
through the living room
oxidizing before I put them in
00:06:53.95\00:06:57.63
the stove... so in my body, if
I eat things that are oxidized
00:06:57.66\00:07:02.99
before they get down
to where they need to be
00:07:03.02\00:07:05.92
down into the cell
and be oxidized down
00:07:05.95\00:07:08.85
in the mitochondria, I'm
going to create problems.
00:07:08.88\00:07:12.73
I'll have sparks everywhere,
and I'll be putting holes
00:07:12.76\00:07:15.91
in things... like
in the blood vessels.
00:07:15.94\00:07:19.04
So, our body is prepared...
just like if you came over
00:07:19.05\00:07:24.36
to visit me and you knew I
was going to do that every time,
00:07:24.39\00:07:27.34
you'd bring your
fire extinguisher with you
00:07:27.37\00:07:30.02
and you'd follow me around,
and you'd spray out the sparks.
00:07:30.05\00:07:33.16
Our body has that too.
00:07:33.19\00:07:35.05
They're called "antioxidants"
00:07:35.08\00:07:38.29
That's what they are,
and they follow around
00:07:38.32\00:07:41.23
and they try to prevent those
sparks from damaging things.
00:07:41.26\00:07:46.46
Well in the blood
vessels, there is a cell
00:07:46.49\00:07:50.95
underneath the
lining of the blood vessel,
00:07:50.98\00:07:53.90
looking for oxidized fat.
00:07:53.91\00:07:58.06
And that cell's
name is "macrophage"
00:07:58.09\00:08:01.87
Now a macrophage is a
type of a white blood cell
00:08:01.90\00:08:04.87
and this blood cell works
in a very interesting way...
00:08:04.90\00:08:10.34
it sits right underneath
the lining, and it watches
00:08:10.37\00:08:14.07
if you will, and if it
sees a particle of oxidized fat
00:08:14.10\00:08:19.50
coming along, it squeezes
up through the lining of
00:08:19.53\00:08:25.13
the blood vessel, and it
engulfs that fatty particle
00:08:25.16\00:08:29.82
that's oxidized, and pulls
it down inside, and if you will,
00:08:29.85\00:08:34.13
EATS it
00:08:34.16\00:08:35.37
Now the ones that do this
the most are LDL particles.
00:08:35.38\00:08:39.89
Now, you've heard
of LDL probably...
00:08:39.92\00:08:42.98
LDL is a lipo-protein.
00:08:43.01\00:08:46.62
Lipoprotein means
lipid AND protein.
00:08:46.65\00:08:51.99
And the lipid part is
cholesterol and other fats.
00:08:52.02\00:08:55.67
The protein is
the carrier molecule,
00:08:55.70\00:08:58.39
and LDL is like a
truck, if you will...
00:08:58.42\00:09:01.97
and it carries fat from
the liver and cholesterol
00:09:02.00\00:09:07.38
out to the cells.
00:09:07.41\00:09:09.20
And it needs to do
that, it's not a bad thing.
00:09:09.23\00:09:11.75
We all need LDL.
00:09:11.78\00:09:13.45
But if we have ingested oxidized
fat, or if the fat has become
00:09:13.48\00:09:19.52
oxidized in way, the
macrophage sees it as a threat,
00:09:19.55\00:09:24.61
and goes up and engulfs it,
and pulls it down... That's fine
00:09:24.64\00:09:28.50
What does
macrophage mean, by the way?
00:09:28.53\00:09:30.95
Macro - big Phage - means to eat
00:09:30.98\00:09:35.42
So this is the Big Eater.
00:09:35.45\00:09:37.48
And he can eat a
lot of those particles.
00:09:37.49\00:09:40.57
But, you know, if he
eats too many of them,
00:09:40.58\00:09:44.04
he starts to
swell, and get quite fat.
00:09:44.07\00:09:47.73
And then he needs more
room and he starts pushing up
00:09:47.76\00:09:51.17
into the inside
of the blood vessel.
00:09:51.18\00:09:56.74
And the body says, "Oh
no, we got problems here"
00:09:56.77\00:09:59.74
"We got a macrophage that isn't
staying down where he needs to.
00:09:59.77\00:10:03.70
and then you start
narrowing the artery... Trouble!
00:10:03.73\00:10:07.76
And then, you break it, and
it's like a cholesterol boil
00:10:07.79\00:10:12.18
just bubbling up and
boiling into the blood vessel.
00:10:12.21\00:10:16.29
And THAT is atherosclerosis.
00:10:16.32\00:10:19.21
It starts with fats
that are oxidized...
00:10:19.24\00:10:23.44
You eat too many oxidized fats,
00:10:23.47\00:10:26.44
or fats that
oxidize in the process
00:10:26.47\00:10:29.65
The macrophage gets a
hold of them, eats them,
00:10:29.68\00:10:33.93
but there are too
many and he swells,
00:10:33.96\00:10:35.80
and he bursts
into the blood vessel
00:10:35.83\00:10:37.73
and THEN you've
got atherosclerosis.
00:10:37.76\00:10:40.26
And the body sometimes thinks...
00:10:40.27\00:10:42.80
"Oh no, we're having
a broken blood vessel"
00:10:42.83\00:10:45.49
because it breaks
through that lining...
00:10:45.52\00:10:47.51
and when it does, then
you clot it off and that's
00:10:47.54\00:10:50.33
a heart attack or a stroke.
00:10:50.36\00:10:52.24
...All from an overfed
macrophage under the lining.
00:10:52.27\00:10:57.82
Of course the
question has to come up...
00:10:57.85\00:11:00.81
"What can I do to
prevent this from happening,
00:11:00.84\00:11:04.72
because THAT is
so VERY important"
00:11:04.73\00:11:09.30
And I would say, "If we
could do that, we would reduce
00:11:09.33\00:11:14.15
the RISK of heart
disease and stroke tremendously"
00:11:14.18\00:11:17.29
...and it is doable.
00:11:17.32\00:11:19.44
We know from studies
that lowering our cholesterol
00:11:19.47\00:11:22.40
will do this, because if
you lower your cholesterol,
00:11:22.43\00:11:25.81
you LOWER the amount of LDL,
00:11:25.84\00:11:28.82
and particularly if you
lower the intake of oxidized
00:11:28.85\00:11:34.74
cholesterol and fat.
00:11:34.77\00:11:36.77
Well, how do
you oxidize the fat?
00:11:36.80\00:11:38.79
You oxidize fat by
heating it to high temperature
00:11:38.82\00:11:42.63
OR letting it go rancid.
00:11:42.66\00:11:45.36
So that then
affects... I'm from the south,
00:11:45.39\00:11:48.74
we either boil it to
death, or we fry it to death...
00:11:48.77\00:11:51.64
So I assume then, by heating
the oil in the frying process
00:11:51.67\00:11:55.21
I'm then oxidizing
the fat that I'm eating?
00:11:55.24\00:11:58.92
That's exactly right!
00:11:58.93\00:12:00.12
If you're going to use
oil, or fat of any kind,
00:12:00.15\00:12:03.54
in your cooking, make sure
you use it at a low temperature.
00:12:03.57\00:12:07.92
You're better off
to bake, than to fry.
00:12:07.93\00:12:10.51
Whatever you do, if
you're going to fix the food,
00:12:10.54\00:12:15.35
don't burn it...
that's particularly bad.
00:12:15.38\00:12:20.08
Those charbroiled
steaks and things,
00:12:20.11\00:12:25.32
now those are the ones
that REALLY cause problems
00:12:25.35\00:12:28.92
with cholesterol boils...
00:12:28.95\00:12:31.35
because you have a fat that's
oxidized coming right on down
00:12:31.38\00:12:35.88
and the
macrophage sees it, comes up,
00:12:35.91\00:12:37.95
eats it, pulls it
down but he has too many
00:12:37.98\00:12:41.67
and then you get
that cholesterol boil,
00:12:41.70\00:12:43.74
and that BREAKING into the
blood vessel, that FILLING up
00:12:43.77\00:12:47.66
all from overfed macrophages.
00:12:47.67\00:12:50.95
So oxidation is GOOD when
it occurs in the right place.
00:12:50.98\00:12:55.93
And the right place is in
the mitochondria of my cell,
00:12:55.96\00:12:59.09
not outside of it. That's right
00:12:59.12\00:13:01.14
So I need to be careful about
the kinds of fat that I'm eating
00:13:01.17\00:13:04.57
and making sure that
they're not oxidized.
00:13:04.60\00:13:07.38
That's right, you need to
make sure, even with good fats,
00:13:07.41\00:13:10.50
like fats from nuts, or seeds,
00:13:10.53\00:13:12.96
you want to make sure
that those aren't rancid
00:13:12.99\00:13:15.26
because if they're
rancid, they're oxidized,
00:13:15.29\00:13:17.95
and if they're oxidized,
it's not as good for you.
00:13:17.98\00:13:21.13
You also want to make sure
that you eat fats that don't
00:13:21.16\00:13:24.27
raise your cholesterol.
00:13:24.30\00:13:26.29
And for a long
time, you've heard about
00:13:26.30\00:13:28.69
"don't eat animal fats"
00:13:28.72\00:13:30.86
...saturated fats I
call them 4-legged fats,
00:13:30.89\00:13:34.31
you know, they come
from those 4-legged animals.
00:13:34.34\00:13:36.60
That's very important
because it pushes cholesterol up
00:13:36.63\00:13:39.58
Cholesterol can
oxidize easily, and if it does,
00:13:39.59\00:13:42.37
we've started
that whole process.
00:13:42.40\00:13:44.65
But it's even more
important to avoid...
00:13:44.68\00:13:47.43
hydrogenated vegetable fats!
00:13:47.46\00:13:51.18
This is a topic that's
becoming more and more prominent
00:13:51.21\00:13:54.35
in our society now.
00:13:54.38\00:13:55.84
I understand the manufacturers
have recently, just this year,
00:13:55.87\00:13:59.21
been required to
list it on their labels,
00:13:59.24\00:14:02.05
and the concept of hydrogenated
fat, it seems to be everywhere.
00:14:02.06\00:14:06.11
Every bottle and
package, or bag that I pick up
00:14:06.14\00:14:09.51
I'm careful to read for it,
and I'm finding it in places
00:14:09.54\00:14:13.24
that I wouldn't
expect to find it.
00:14:13.27\00:14:16.11
Yeah, hydrogenated
fats are VERY interesting.
00:14:16.12\00:14:19.66
The industry
hydrogenates the fat because
00:14:19.69\00:14:23.42
a hydrogenated fat is
more stable, and less subject
00:14:23.45\00:14:27.73
to oxidation.
00:14:27.76\00:14:28.90
So, you'd say, "Oh, it's better"
00:14:28.93\00:14:30.72
No, because a hydrogenated
fat actually pushes your
00:14:30.75\00:14:35.75
cholesterol, that
your own body makes, up.
00:14:35.78\00:14:38.88
So you eat that
hydrogenated fat,
00:14:38.91\00:14:41.47
and your
cholesterol level goes up.
00:14:41.50\00:14:44.61
You don't want that
because that too... can oxidize
00:14:44.64\00:14:47.56
and there we are, back
to the cholesterol boil.
00:14:47.59\00:14:50.29
So if you're going
to have vegetable fats,
00:14:50.32\00:14:53.19
make sure they're not
hydrogenated into a trans fat.
00:14:53.22\00:14:57.99
And you'll see on
many packages today...
00:14:58.02\00:15:00.35
it will say... "NO trans fats"
00:15:00.38\00:15:03.00
But you have to be
careful with that... because
00:15:03.03\00:15:05.95
you can say... No trans fat IF
there's less than 1 gram/serving
00:15:05.98\00:15:12.47
But if there's only 0.99 grams/
serving, I can just shrink
00:15:12.48\00:15:18.19
my serving size down,
and so it's less than 1 gram,
00:15:18.22\00:15:22.22
and I can say, "No trans fats"
00:15:22.25\00:15:24.56
The best thing is to
avoid ALL hydrogenated fats
00:15:24.59\00:15:28.15
but particularly
the trans fats...
00:15:28.18\00:15:30.53
And that's where vegetarians
get into trouble with this
00:15:30.54\00:15:33.32
atherosclerosis...
00:15:33.33\00:15:34.64
They say, "Well I'm a vegetarian
I don't eat any beef. "
00:15:34.67\00:15:37.91
"I don't eat any pork"
00:15:37.94\00:15:39.17
"I don't have the
4-legged fats, so I'm fine"
00:15:39.20\00:15:42.50
Wait a minute... how
about hydrogenated fats?
00:15:42.54\00:15:45.84
READ the labels...
it's very, very important,
00:15:45.87\00:15:49.15
because they too can
cause problems with that
00:15:49.18\00:15:52.91
cholesterol boil, and
the start of atherosclerosis.
00:15:52.94\00:15:57.48
So, hydrogenated fat
causes my own liver to produce
00:15:57.51\00:16:01.89
more cholesterol
than it normally would?
00:16:01.92\00:16:04.16
That's correct... not only
hydrogenated, but saturated,
00:16:04.17\00:16:07.59
and really,
that's the same thing.
00:16:07.62\00:16:09.56
If I hydrogenate a
fat, I SATURATE the fat.
00:16:09.59\00:16:14.53
It's adding hydrogen to the fat.
00:16:14.56\00:16:16.77
And industry does this
to make the fat more stable
00:16:16.80\00:16:20.31
and to make it RESIST oxidation.
00:16:20.32\00:16:23.00
And that's good, but
then the problem is...
00:16:23.01\00:16:25.65
hydrogenated fats, or saturated
fats - same thing, trigger
00:16:25.68\00:16:30.51
the body to make
more cholesterol.
00:16:30.54\00:16:33.57
So our cholesterol
goes up, and that too can
00:16:33.60\00:16:36.46
cause a problem as we know
with this cholesterol boil.
00:16:36.49\00:16:40.33
...This fatty boil just
underneath the blood vessel
00:16:40.36\00:16:43.66
that can PUSH UP and
cause that sudden heart attack
00:16:43.69\00:16:47.15
or that sudden stroke that
gives us so many problems today.
00:16:47.18\00:16:51.40
So cholesterol
only comes from animals,
00:16:51.41\00:16:54.50
and animal
products, we are animals;
00:16:54.53\00:16:56.60
therefore, we
produce cholesterol.
00:16:56.63\00:16:59.52
That's right! We do
produce cholesterol...
00:16:59.55\00:17:02.05
And cholesterol isn't bad.
00:17:02.08\00:17:03.37
Cholesterol is VERY
important in our bodies.
00:17:03.40\00:17:06.59
It is the basic building
block for all our hormones.
00:17:06.62\00:17:11.21
We NEED
cholesterol to make hormones.
00:17:11.24\00:17:13.79
I don't know about
you, but I don't want to
00:17:13.82\00:17:15.47
do without my hormones!
00:17:15.50\00:17:17.25
We need them for life.
00:17:17.28\00:17:19.12
And, it is also a building
block for all of our cell walls.
00:17:19.15\00:17:23.82
We need cholesterol, but
we need it in the right place,
00:17:23.85\00:17:27.06
in the right
amount at the right time,
00:17:27.09\00:17:29.03
and CERTAINLY not oxidized.
00:17:29.06\00:17:31.50
Because it's that
oxidized cholesterol
00:17:31.53\00:17:33.88
that causes the problem.
00:17:33.91\00:17:36.65
So, we've talked
about cholesterol,
00:17:36.68\00:17:39.40
and we've talked
about cholesterol boils...
00:17:39.43\00:17:41.73
Let's say I've
got atherosclerosis,
00:17:41.76\00:17:44.35
how do I get rid
of it? What do I do?
00:17:44.38\00:17:46.79
Well, we've talked about eating
fats, but there are other things
00:17:46.82\00:17:50.95
that push the cholesterol up.
00:17:50.98\00:17:53.29
First of all,
let's look at fats...
00:17:53.32\00:17:55.63
#1... Avoid
hydrogenated or SATURATED fats.
00:17:55.66\00:18:02.72
Those are the vegetables
oils that are hydrogenated.
00:18:02.75\00:18:05.89
Avoid the trans fats
particularly because they
00:18:05.90\00:18:08.96
push up the
cholesterol the most.
00:18:08.97\00:18:11.21
Secondly, avoid 4-legged fats.
00:18:11.24\00:18:14.52
Four-legged fats are those fats
that come from 4-legged animals
00:18:14.53\00:18:19.27
And those are more saturated.
00:18:19.30\00:18:21.00
Now you understand
this, because land animals
00:18:21.03\00:18:24.32
of course, if their
fat wasn't saturated,
00:18:24.35\00:18:26.73
they would have real problems.
00:18:26.76\00:18:29.01
Saturated fat is a
SOLID at room temperature.
00:18:29.02\00:18:33.12
The vegetable oils
are unsaturated naturally.
00:18:33.15\00:18:37.89
Can you imagine, Sheryl,
if your fat was unsaturated?
00:18:37.92\00:18:41.20
Why you'd look like an onion!
00:18:41.23\00:18:43.84
You know, all that fat that
gives you the rounded cheeks,
00:18:43.87\00:18:47.02
and what not, would be
down around your ankles,
00:18:47.05\00:18:49.68
and it would just be
kind of wagging in a bag
00:18:49.71\00:18:51.81
Now I'm glad for
saturated fat in humans.
00:18:51.84\00:18:55.14
I'm glad for saturated
fat in the cows and the pigs
00:18:55.17\00:18:58.35
That's not a problem... it gives
them the shape, we like that!
00:18:58.38\00:19:01.34
BUT, when we eat
it, we've got problems,
00:19:01.37\00:19:05.34
because it pushes
our cholesterol up.
00:19:05.37\00:19:07.23
You want to stay AWAY
from the saturated fat.
00:19:07.26\00:19:10.34
So that's IMPORTANT,
to stay away from it,
00:19:10.37\00:19:12.68
and the
hydrogenated from vegetable oil.
00:19:12.71\00:19:15.98
Stay away from 4-legged fats.
00:19:15.99\00:19:18.02
You also want to
reduce your cholesterol INTAKE
00:19:18.05\00:19:21.02
and that's found in chickens,
and turkeys, and fish...
00:19:21.05\00:19:25.35
there is cholesterol in those.
00:19:25.36\00:19:26.58
In fact, there is
MORE cholesterol in
00:19:26.61\00:19:29.58
white breast meat
chicken, than there is in beef.
00:19:29.61\00:19:32.85
...75 mg versus 72-73,
not much of a difference
00:19:32.88\00:19:37.96
In chicken, the fat is a
little better, and that's good
00:19:37.99\00:19:41.51
BUT, we've got a problem
because the cholesterol is up.
00:19:41.54\00:19:44.97
So, you can't be
like one of my patients...
00:19:45.00\00:19:47.26
I told him what to do
to lower his cholesterol,
00:19:47.27\00:19:49.63
and he went home and he
ate his diet, he came back...
00:19:49.66\00:19:53.42
and his cholesterol
was higher than ever.
00:19:53.45\00:19:55.22
He said, "Doc, I don't
understand it, I been eating
00:19:55.25\00:19:57.25
chicken 3 times a day,
and my cholesterol is high. "
00:19:57.28\00:19:59.82
Of course it's going to
be higher, because there's
00:19:59.85\00:20:01.52
cholesterol in it.
00:20:01.55\00:20:03.13
The other thing that's very
important to keep in mind is
00:20:03.16\00:20:06.72
NOT only will FAT
push your cholesterol up,
00:20:06.75\00:20:09.58
but so will SUGAR!
00:20:09.61\00:20:13.00
SUGAR will push
your cholesterol up,
00:20:13.03\00:20:14.90
and here's how it does it...
00:20:14.93\00:20:16.21
If you have a lot of
sugar, you need a lot of insulin
00:20:16.24\00:20:20.46
because insulin moves
sugar out of the bloodstream
00:20:20.49\00:20:23.54
into the cell...
and when it moves it in,
00:20:23.57\00:20:26.80
that's good, but if
you eat enough sugar,
00:20:26.83\00:20:29.63
you need more insulin,
and insulin signals the body
00:20:29.66\00:20:33.86
..."Hey, we've got
plenty of energy here,
00:20:33.89\00:20:36.31
we're going to do some building"
00:20:36.34\00:20:38.29
It's a growth hormone.
00:20:38.32\00:20:40.25
And what's the basic
building block of cell walls?
00:20:40.28\00:20:43.21
Cholesterol.
00:20:43.24\00:20:44.59
So if you have a
high insulin level,
00:20:44.62\00:20:47.11
you're going to have to
have a high cholesterol level
00:20:47.14\00:20:49.82
and, indeed, that happens.
00:20:49.85\00:20:51.74
So sugar... refined sugar
getting your blood sugar up
00:20:51.77\00:20:55.86
and consequently
your insulin level up,
00:20:55.89\00:20:58.34
pushes your cholesterol up.
00:20:58.37\00:20:59.80
Saturated fat pushes it up.
00:20:59.83\00:21:02.70
AND so does
protein... certain kinds.
00:21:02.73\00:21:09.46
Casein from cow's milk will
push your cholesterol right up.
00:21:09.49\00:21:14.25
It will do a very good job of it
00:21:14.26\00:21:17.02
Soy protein will push it down.
00:21:17.03\00:21:20.44
Animal proteins tend
to raise your cholesterol.
00:21:20.47\00:21:25.26
Plant proteins tend
to DROP your cholesterol.
00:21:25.29\00:21:28.97
So, you know, what I'm
doing is, I'm pushing you toward
00:21:29.00\00:21:32.19
a vegetarian diet...
You're stepping on my toes!
00:21:32.22\00:21:34.84
I know it, and I'm pushing
you right toward a vegan diet
00:21:34.87\00:21:38.35
AVOIDING the milk, and
the meat, and the eggs,
00:21:38.36\00:21:43.75
and the cheese,
and the chicken... WHY?
00:21:43.78\00:21:47.02
To LOWER your
risk of heart disease.
00:21:47.05\00:21:49.94
Now, some people say to
me, "I don't want to do that"
00:21:49.97\00:21:52.21
"I just want to take a pill"
00:21:52.24\00:21:54.07
I had a patient that did that.
00:21:54.10\00:21:55.65
He came into me... He said,
"Look, just give me a pill"
00:21:55.68\00:21:58.08
So I gave him 1
pill for his cholesterol.
00:21:58.09\00:22:00.05
His cholesterol
was still over 250.
00:22:00.08\00:22:02.61
I gave him 2, I gave him 3...
00:22:02.64\00:22:04.30
I had him on 4
medicines for his cholesterol.
00:22:04.33\00:22:06.90
His cholesterol was still 245.
00:22:06.93\00:22:09.94
I said, "Listen, just do
diet for 2 weeks... that's all"
00:22:09.95\00:22:13.59
"Just 2 weeks"
"Stay on your medicine,
00:22:13.62\00:22:15.47
but for 2 weeks, I
want you to go on MY DIET"
00:22:15.48\00:22:18.87
He said to me, "What's that,
bushes, berries and twigs?"
00:22:18.90\00:22:22.50
I said, "Well, it's not
QUITE that, but you know... "
00:22:22.53\00:22:25.38
So, we put him on a vegan
diet for 2 weeks, and in 2 weeks
00:22:25.41\00:22:28.92
his cholesterol
dropped from 245 down to 127.
00:22:28.95\00:22:37.40
In 2 weeks! On a
good diet, plus medicine.
00:22:37.43\00:22:41.72
Now, he could have gotten
by with much LESS medicine
00:22:41.75\00:22:45.92
if he had been on a good diet.
00:22:45.95\00:22:48.58
See, a pill
won't fix everything.
00:22:48.61\00:22:50.73
We, some of us, because
of genetics need medication
00:22:50.76\00:22:54.66
but it is a
very, very low amount.
00:22:54.69\00:22:57.46
There are some
genetic problems, maybe 2-3%
00:22:57.49\00:23:00.57
But most of us will do
fine with a very good diet.
00:23:00.60\00:23:04.87
This has been shown by
multiple researchers...
00:23:04.90\00:23:07.50
Dr. Esselstyn at the
Cleveland Clinic showed this.
00:23:07.53\00:23:12.02
He took a group of patients
that ALL had heart disease.
00:23:12.03\00:23:16.41
He was a heart surgeon...
still is a heart surgeon
00:23:16.44\00:23:18.87
and he had done
many, many surgeries
00:23:18.90\00:23:24.61
But he said, "I'm going
to see what I can do with
00:23:24.64\00:23:26.46
diet and a little of
medicine... just a little"
00:23:26.49\00:23:29.00
Everyone of the patients
that followed his program
00:23:29.03\00:23:32.78
their heart disease went away!
00:23:32.81\00:23:35.45
There were NO more
cardiac incidents...
00:23:35.48\00:23:38.72
No heart attacks, no
angina, NOTHING in those that
00:23:38.75\00:23:41.79
followed a VERY
careful vegan diet,
00:23:41.82\00:23:44.32
and SOMETIMES
medicine, though not all.
00:23:44.35\00:23:47.12
Heart disease is
reversible with careful diet.
00:23:47.13\00:23:51.80
Complete reversible...
that's the atherosclerosis part,
00:23:51.83\00:23:55.58
the cholesterol
boil is reversible.
00:23:55.61\00:23:58.78
Well, when you think
about the cost of healthcare,
00:23:58.81\00:24:01.42
at least in the United
States, and in many nations
00:24:01.45\00:24:04.57
around the world, the concept
that cardiovascular disease,
00:24:04.60\00:24:08.17
or atherosclerosis
could possibly be reversible
00:24:08.20\00:24:12.21
...that could have
HUGE monetary impacts!
00:24:12.24\00:24:15.22
It CERTAINLY could.
00:24:15.25\00:24:16.89
The amount of money
spend in this country on
00:24:16.92\00:24:20.40
heart disease is
absolutely staggering.
00:24:20.43\00:24:23.44
And to understand
that this IS reversible
00:24:23.47\00:24:26.86
with careful diet,
and in a few people
00:24:26.89\00:24:29.69
cholesterol-lowering medicine...
00:24:29.72\00:24:32.32
But even if you have to
take that, it's best to keep the
00:24:32.33\00:24:36.79
amount very, VERY low. WHY?
00:24:36.82\00:24:39.44
Every medicine I
know of has side effects.
00:24:39.47\00:24:43.94
Every single one!
00:24:43.97\00:24:45.65
You can't take it without risk.
00:24:45.68\00:24:48.01
It's far better to eat a
good diet... so much better
00:24:48.04\00:24:53.32
Because they're very low risk.
00:24:53.35\00:24:55.77
I don't know many risk
at all to eating a carrot,
00:24:55.80\00:24:58.89
unless you don't chew it
thoroughly... you might choke.
00:24:58.92\00:25:01.79
But, it would save money...
00:25:01.82\00:25:04.30
We can't afford NOT to do it.
00:25:04.33\00:25:06.31
It's so very, very important.
00:25:06.34\00:25:09.30
The whole concept of
being able to REVERSE disease
00:25:09.33\00:25:13.50
and the savings in health,
the savings in healthcare
00:25:13.53\00:25:16.90
and healthcare dollars...
that's pretty powerful
00:25:16.93\00:25:19.71
information!
00:25:19.74\00:25:20.80
That does, however, require
that we change our behavior.
00:25:20.83\00:25:24.43
That we change the
way we live our life.
00:25:24.46\00:25:26.67
And that's a bit uncomfortable.
00:25:26.70\00:25:28.15
I've grown very accustomed to
living a fairly fast-paced life
00:25:28.18\00:25:32.84
and a fairly
fast-paced lifestyle.
00:25:32.87\00:25:35.03
That, in and of itself,
has changed my eating habits
00:25:35.06\00:25:39.99
so what I hear you saying is
I need to pay closer attention
00:25:40.02\00:25:44.61
to what I'm doing and
how I'm living my life.
00:25:44.64\00:25:46.91
The only fast thing that
you want to do is exercise.
00:25:46.94\00:25:49.99
You know stress itself
will raise your cholesterol.
00:25:50.02\00:25:53.84
No question about that.
00:25:53.87\00:25:55.21
And, it will raise
your risk for heart disease.
00:25:55.24\00:25:57.38
It's important to be careful
that you don't live too fast.
00:25:57.41\00:26:02.08
Cholesterol is
important to control.
00:26:02.11\00:26:06.11
HDL cholesterol,
that's the good cholesterol.
00:26:06.14\00:26:09.10
It's important to push that
one up... How do you do that?
00:26:09.13\00:26:12.62
Eat good fats... nuts,
olives, avocado... ALL of those
00:26:12.65\00:26:17.16
will lower your risk for
heart disease by RAISING the HDL
00:26:17.19\00:26:21.66
HDL is that protein
that goes out in your body
00:26:21.69\00:26:23.91
and collects the bad cholesterol
and takes it back to the liver
00:26:23.92\00:26:27.37
for reprocessing.
00:26:27.40\00:26:28.98
Exercise will increase that and
those good fats will increase it
00:26:28.99\00:26:32.99
It's important to
find that balance.
00:26:33.02\00:26:35.58
But whatever we do, we
MUST remember that STRESSORS
00:26:35.61\00:26:40.18
can overcome all of this.
00:26:40.21\00:26:43.39
You know if you
have a broken heart,
00:26:43.42\00:26:45.26
there's only one person
that can heal your heart,
00:26:45.29\00:26:47.96
and that's Jesus.
00:26:47.99\00:26:49.96
Going to Him and asking
Him to help change your life
00:26:49.99\00:26:56.01
and your diet...
00:26:56.04\00:26:57.77
You know,
changing your diet is hard,
00:26:57.80\00:26:59.84
but Jesus will give
you the strength to do it.
00:26:59.87\00:27:02.45
He will... He's promised!
00:27:02.48\00:27:05.76
He can make a difference.
00:27:05.79\00:27:07.28
There's no question about it.
00:27:07.29\00:27:09.73
Only ONE will
give you a new heart.
00:27:09.76\00:27:12.63
And he's promised to
give us new hearts, hasn't He?
00:27:12.66\00:27:15.47
Yes He has.
00:27:15.50\00:27:17.57
So, atherosclerosis... by
paying attention to what we eat,
00:27:17.60\00:27:22.17
by getting some
physical activity,
00:27:22.20\00:27:24.12
by paying attention to
the amount of stress that
00:27:24.15\00:27:26.48
we have in our life,
we can decrease our risk.
00:27:26.51\00:27:29.28
But the most
important thing that we can do
00:27:29.31\00:27:31.37
in ALL of our health
is to rely upon Christ
00:27:31.40\00:27:33.97
and our Creator to help us
achieve long-lasting health
00:27:34.00\00:27:38.61
and wellness.
00:27:38.64\00:27:39.97
Jesus is the only One who's
promised to give us a new heart
00:27:39.98\00:27:44.19
A heart transplant, and He does
such a wonderful job of it...
00:27:44.22\00:27:48.49
Diet is important,
exercise is important...
00:27:48.52\00:27:52.27
They're all natural methods,
00:27:52.30\00:27:54.34
but the best of
all is to turn to Him.
00:27:54.37\00:27:57.36
He alone can
give you a new Heart.
00:27:57.39\00:28:02.40
Thank you for joining us
today on "Wonderfully Made"
00:28:02.43\00:28:05.10
and thank you, Dr. Howell,
for sharing your wisdom with us.
00:28:05.13\00:28:07.13