I love the LC plan I am on PP. But, I have a question I need someone to help put into perspective for me.

I understand that LCing helps to lower the blood pressure and many...many other things. But my question is this, what about artery blocking? If I stick to good fats and try and stay "low fat" will this not be an issue? I would just like to hear some imput on this. Thanks!!

Jenny I suggest you read the Eades books (if you haven't already) as they cover your concerns very well.

The simple answer is that fats don't block arteries for no reason - in other words there has to be something wrong with the artery itself before perfectly healthy fats (or anything else) will 'block' them. This problem is likely to be an inflammation or damage to the artery wall which causes the wall to become 'sticky' which will then lead to a blockage. If you want a rather unsavory analogy think of a sewer pipe! - if the walls of the pipe are smooth and undamaged, there are no tree roots getting through the joins ... then whatever goes into the pipe ... comes out the other end!

So what you want to be doing is eating a diet which prevents this inflammation from occuring - and a low carb diet (especially PP) which pays attention to the healthiest types of fat (saturated, monounsaturated and minimal amounts of omega 6 polyunsaturated - balanced with omega 3s) and avoids unhealthy fats (trans fats, oxidised/hydrogenated/rancid fats - and excess omega 6) is a giant step along the way to achieving this outcome - as is lowering or eliminating high carb food sources which also cause inflammation.

HTH

Cheers,


Malcolm

PS There is no reason to "stay low fat" as long as the fats you do consume are healthy, and the Eades do not suggest that you do.

Malcolm's right. It's not the fat you eat that causes problems...as long as they're natural and fresh.

LC, in my opinion, works best with unlimited amounts of fat. Good fat. Natural and fresh. Not artificial, not processed, not changed by man. Saturated fats are more stable and less likely to turn rancid.

Thanks much. I just picked up the PPFL book at the library yesterday. I am going to read it. I started to read the PP book, but someone said there was the PPFL book out there, and thought that would be better to read. I thank you for your answers!!

Jenny, be sure to read BOTH books, and I recommend you read them in the order they were written (PP first, followed by PPLP). The second builds on the first. The second one clears up certain things, but muddies other things, at least in my opinion.

You can never have too much knowlege!

Read Anthony Colpo's article available on his website. There is no correlation between dietary fat and arterial blockage. Plaques form as a response to damage to the endothelial tissue. One of the sources of such damage can be oxidized particles of the smaller denser particles of LDL associated with high triglycerides. However, there is no correlation between overall LDL levels and oxidized LDL.

Plaques are composed of various substances. For what it's worth, the lipid component of arterial plaque is primarily made up of polyunsatruated fats, the ones nutritionists tell us to eat more of! What's most important for controlling arterial blockage is triglyceride levels, inflammation markers, and anti-oxidant status. Eating low fat has roughly the same effect on arterial blockage as standing on your head and spitting wooden nickels.

Protein Power shares some information about glucagon. This hormone is the "yang" of insulin's "yin". Glucagon, a hormone, is activated only when insulin stabilizes. Like insulin, glucagon is manufactured in the pancreas. While insulin takes care of glucose, glucagon takes care of fats. It enhances lipolysis and it tells the liver to slow the production of cholesterol, it conditions the veins and arteries by softening the smooth muscles around them. It also "cleanses" fats from veins and arteries. Therefore blood pressure improves, cholesterol improves and triglycerides improve. So by controlling insulin, you are also controlling your fats and cholesterol. Low carbing is definitely the way to control insulin without meds, therefore lcing helps to control blood lipids as well. Low fat foods, such as skim milk, tend to have higher concentrations of carbohydrates. I have concludes from PP's info that seeking out low fat foods can backfire in the quest of eating a healthier diet.

Thanks for all the information. It has been more than helpful!!