February is Heart Health Month

WholeFoods Magazine – One significant and ongoing shift is the attitude toward cholesterol. The Scientific Report of the 2015 U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee states, “Cholesterol is not a nutrient for concern of over-consumption,” given that “evidence shows no appreciable relationship between dietary cholesterol and serum cholesterol” (1).

That is not to say that cholesterol should be completely ruled out, it just means the focus has changed, adjusting accordingly to give greater urgency to other factors. As the focus has shifted away from cholesterol, greater emphasis has been placed on inflammation as a risk factor of cardiovascular disease.

Recommendation guidelines began shifting in 2013, with the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guideline recommending that physicians rule out numerous other risk factors before placing a patient on cholesterol medications such as statins.

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References:

1. B.E. Millen et al. “Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee: Advisory Report to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Agriculture.” January 28, 2015.