Source [[Book Notes - The great cholesterol myth]] #Cholesterol [[202202022057 Food influence hormones in body, that affect body]] - Right around this time, Dr. Barry Sears—the MIT-trained biochemist and creator of the Zone diet—came to give a workshop at Equinox. It was there, thirty years ago, that I first learned this critical lesson: _Food has a hormonal effect._ - When it comes to gaining and losing weight, it’s hormones—even more than calories—that control the show. And hormones are controlled by food. For example: Carbs in general stimulate hormones that _promote_ weight gain; fat does not. Ergo, up the fat in the diet a bit and reduce the carbs a bit. It’s a way better approach to hormone management. [[202202022058 Patients on medication may have lower cholesterol but actually have more plaque growth?]] - "Vytorin saw their cholesterol levels plummet, they actually had _more_ plaque growth than the people taking the standard cholesterol drug. The patients on Vytorin had almost twice as great an increase in the thickness of their arterial walls, a result you definitely don’t want to see if you’re trying to prevent heart disease. So their cholesterol was wonderfully lowered and their risk for heart disease went up" [[202202022059 Five factors reduce risk of heart attack]] - Don't Smoking - Drink Alcohol in Moderation - Engage in moderate-to-vigorous exercise for at least half an hour a day on average. - Maintain a healthy weight (BMI under 25). - Eat a wholesome, low-glycemic (low-sugar) diet with plenty of omega-3 fats and fiber. ==(? Isn't cholesterol related to weight gain?)==