Six Years Ago Today: What is the cause of Heart Disease?

By Jim Rix

[Originally published on November 20, 2012.]

First let’s be clear on just what “Heart Disease” is, because some people confuse it with its consequences (heart attack, stroke, etc.) and/or its risk factors (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc.).
    Heart Disease (aka hardening of the arteries, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease) is the buildup of fatty cholesterol substances known as plaques on the walls of the arteries. As these plaques grow larger, they constrict the flow of blood through the arteries causing, for example, high blood pressure. High blood pressure is not only a risk factor but is also a minor consequence of Heart Disease. I say minor because no one ever dies of high blood pressure in itself. Stress-induced high blood pressure, for example, is of no consequence if arteries are clean. It’s when arteries are clogged with cholesterol plaques that high blood pressure can cause these plaques to rupture and block the flow of blood that causes heart attacks and strokes, which all too often lead to death. Heart Disease is the number one killer, accounting for nearly 30% of all deaths.
    To reiterate, Heart Disease is the buildup of fatty cholesterol plaques on the walls of the arteries – nothing more, nothing less.
    It’s important to point out that many people have Heart Disease to some extent but will never suffer a heart attack or stroke. That’s where risk factors come into play. High cholesterol is recognized as the single best predictor of the risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke. For example, a cholesterol level of 210 is the average for people living in industrialized countries; this level predicts a 50% chance of premature death from strokes or heart attacks due to Heart Disease. A rise in cholesterol level from 200 to 260 increases the risk of death by 500%. People with levels below 180 during their lifetime rarely have heart disease; and finally, no one has ever died of heart disease whose cholesterol level was kept below 150.

So let’s focus on cholesterol to discover the cause of Heart Disease and ask the logical question: “What is the source of the cholesterol that clogs the arteries?”
    In nature, cholesterol is manufactured in the cells of all animals with the liver responsible for about a quarter of cholesterol production. Cholesterol is an essential structural component of cell membranes and is required for proper membrane permeability and fluidity. So all animals, including humans, produce enough cholesterol to keep healthy. In humans this is indicated by a cholesterol level below 150. So what causes the cholesterol level to rise above 150? Does the liver, say, in some unfortunate people run amuck and uncontrollably produce excessive amounts of cholesterol, which eventually clogs their arteries? Well, there is no evidence for this. Has anyone ever heard a doctor tell him or her, “Your liver is producing more cholesterol than your body can handle thus causing your Heart Disease”? Never!
    So, if the Heart Disease-causing extra cholesterol does not come from inside the body, it must come from outside the body. And since, in nature, cholesterol is only produced in and only resides in the cells of animals, it stands to reason that the source of excess cholesterol must come from the animal foods we humans consume: the meat of animals (the muscles of beef, pork, lamb, chicken, fish, etc.); the milk of mammals (milk is the only beverage that contains cholesterol) and its products (yogurt, cheese, etc.); and eggs. Furthermore, it’s important to note that no plant food contains cholesterol.
    Therefore, I contend that the ultimate cause of Heart Disease is the ingestion of animal products.

Simply put: If you don’t put extra cholesterol into your body, it is impossible to build up cholesterol on the walls of your arteries.
    Perhaps you’re thinking, “This makes sense, but it can’t be – my doctor says little if anything about it!” So let me pose a hypothetical, especially for those who doubt my conclusion: “Suppose I’m right – that eating animal products is the cause of Heart Disease – why might it be that most doctors don’t specifically say so?”

Final note: Don’t let my dietribe spoil your Thanksgiving. Humans can tolerate quite well small amounts of animal foods and/or occasional feasting. It’s the day-in, day-out bombardment of animal-based meals (bacon and eggs for breakfast, tuna/cold cut sandwiches and cheese burgers for lunch, steaks/roasts/fish/chicken for dinner, and ice cream/cake for dessert) that, over time, clogs up your arteries.

Save feasts for festive occasions
and
Have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Copyright © 2012, 2018 by Jim Rix