Consumption of red meat has a direct link to increased risk
of heart attack, according to a new study.However, in this study, the culprit is not saturated fat, but the
carnitine that is abundant in red meat.The bacteria in the human digestive tract converts carnitine into a
little known substance called TMAO, which may be the culprit associated with
heart disease and heart attacks.After
the liver produces the TMAO, it is released into the blood stream.Increased TMAO in the blood stream is a
proven predictor of heart attack risk. TMAO allows cholesterol to penetrate artery
walls as well as prevents the elimination of excess cholesterol.
This particular study was led by Stanley Hazen of the
Cleveland Clinic, and published in Nature magazine.
Compared to people who eat meat daily, vegetarians can
look forward to a longer and healthier life.In fact, vegetarians
live about 7 years longer, and and those on a strict vegan diet with no animal products live about 15
years longer than meat eaters according to a study
from Loma Linda University.
Red and processed meat intakes are associated with an increase in risk
of cancer mortality, cardiovascular disease mortality, and an overall increase
in total mortality in both men and women, according to a study published in the
Archives of Internal Medicine.
Important factors that are linked to a longer life
expectancy are elimination of “bad” fats and the inclusion of a multitude of antioxidants
to the diet. Vegetarians also tend to have lower BMI values (body mass index) which
add years to life expectancy. It is
important to note that a healthy vegetarian diet would include more than 60%
whole fruits and vegetables.
The leading cause of premature death
in the U.S. is heart disease. This is associated with the consumption of animal
fats, particularly from red meat. In reality, heart disease would be more aptly
named “artery” disease, because it is the buildup of plaque in the arteries
that ultimately leads to the demise of the heart. This is a condition that can
actually be reversed or cured with adherence to a strict vegan diet. (Read more
on the link between animal fat and heart disease.)
Another leading cause of premature
death is cancer of all types, to include prostate cancer, colon cancer, breast
cancer, pancreatic cancer, and blood cancers. Numerous clinical studies have
shown that vegetarians are far less likely to develop cancer of any type, but
especially the types mentioned above. You
can find more info on the cancer-diet connection here.
Finally, obesity has become an
epidemic and contributes substantially to a shortened lifespan. A healthy diet that
consists mostly of vegetables and fruits will fill you up with substantially fewer
calories than a diet high in animal fats and protein. Fewer calories translate
to less or no weight gain and longer life expectancy. The connection between meat consumption and obesity has been highlighted in numerous studies.
Can heart disease be cured by a vegetarian diet? Bill Clinton decided to switch to a vegan diet in order to stay healthy and to reverse his heart disease and he has gone public with his lifestyle choice in an effort to alert the public to the fact that heart
attacks are completely preventable through a plant-based diet. There is
substantial evidence to indicate that heart disease is not a fate of bad genes
or age, but is largely the result of unhealthy food choices. In particular, a sustained consumption of
animal protein over many years is probably the main culprit that triggers
plaque in the arteries, the precursor to heart attacks and strokes. Even thin, active people who do not smoke are
not immune from heart disease if they include animal protein in their diets.
It is a
common misconception that one’s blood cholesterol numbers are predictive of
future heart problems. In reality, that
number is useless because that number does not tell you whether cholesterol is
building up in the form of plaque on the arteries. Much more important is the
amount and type of LDL, a component of cholesterol, that is circulating through
the blood. Large particles of LDL are
not particularly dangerous; however, small particles of LDL can catch and build
up on the lining of the arteries, and eventually occlude the blood flow to the
heart. Result: heart attack.
Diets high
in animal fat, such as red meat, eggs and dairy are known to increase the ratio
of the bad cholesterol (LDL) to good cholesterol (HDL). Switching to a plant-based diet, such as the
Ornish diet, has proven to actually reverse plaque build-up. This is a feat that statin drugs have never
been proven to accomplish.
According to
the American Heart Association, in the US alone, over 50 billion dollars a year
are spent on heart bypass procedures annually, and a heart attack occurs ever
30 seconds. All this in spite of the fact that heart disease is completely preventable
through a plant-based diet.
