HEART DISEASE BEGINS IN CHILDHOOD???

December 20, 2001

Everyone needs to understand the risks involved in eating without awareness

of the long-term consequences. This should be taught to all in grade-school

at the latest!

Shirley

******

If you believe heart disease does not begin developing until middle age,

you're not alone. This misperception is widespread.

A new national survey, conducted by Opinion Research Corporation, reveals

that most Americans (78%) are not aware that the signs of heart disease

actually begin developing during childhood.

The fact is that overweight and sedentary children, especially those who

are junk food junkies with diets high in saturated fat, are well on their

way to becoming adults with significant risk for heart

disease. This potential epidemic led heart-health professionals to hold a

special session on kids and heart disease risk during the 2001 American

Heart Association's (AHA) annual Scientific Sessions in

Anaheim, California.

Clinical research has now confirmed that elevated cholesterol levels in

children are directly associated with the development of atherosclerosis

(arterial plaque build-up) starting at a young age.

Studies continue to confirm that diet does matter, even in children, when

it comes to heart health.

The most recent study on the subject, published in the Journal of the

American Medical Association (JAMA) and conducted by Dr. Margo Denke,

professor of medicine and nutrition researcher at the University of Texas

Southwestern Medical Center, confirmed that simple dietary substitutions

make a difference in lowering cholesterol levels, not only in adults but

also in children. This groundbreaking research

revealed that the entire family can benefit from a heart-healthy diet, as

cholesterol levels were dramatically lowered in adults and children when

they switched from butter (saturated fat diet) to margarine (unsaturated

fat diet)[?]. After just six weeks, cholesterol levels were lowered by 10%

in both adults and children on the margarine diet.

Dr. Denke, a member of the National Cholesterol Education Program's (NCEP)

expert panel on the treatment of high cholesterol, noted that the dietary

habits parents teach to their children are important.

" Our study confirms the recommendations of both the American Heart

Association and the National Cholesterol Education Program - that choosing

margarine over butter makes a difference. If you consume a low saturated

fat diet, you're going to get lower blood cholesterol levels and a lower

risk for heart disease, " said Denke. " What children eat today makes a

difference tomorrow - not just fifty years

later. Simple heart-healthy changes in eating habits that are introduced

early are more likely to be maintained for life. "

The Opinion Research survey also found that there are several things

parents say they could be doing more of to help their children, and their

entire family, eat a more heart-healthy diet. Most mentioned were: *

Controlling portion sizes (46%); * Increasing the amounts of fruits and

vegetables consumed (77%); * Limiting the amount of fast food consumed

(76%); * Using more margarine and low-fat dairy products (53%); and *

Preparing foods with less salt (57%).

The survey also found that three-fourths (76%) of parents say they have

never had their oldest child's cholesterol levels checked. To make matters

worse, nearly half (46%) of parents admit that their child either is a junk

food junkie or eats healthfully only part of the time.

This past spring, the NCEP issued updated guidelines for the detection,

evaluation, and treatment of high blood cholesterol in adults, which

included this recommendation: " Everyone older than age two should care

about cholesterol to reduce the risk of developing heart disease as an

adult. Children as well as adults can improve the health of their hearts by

following a low-saturated-fat and low-cholesterol diet, avoiding obesity,

and being physically active. "

The American Heart Association Internet site - www.americanheart.org -

offers tips for making simple dietary changes to make the entire family's

diet more heart-healthy. For more nformation about Denke's

research, visit www.margarine.org.

I am 68 and have cardiovascular disease. I take 300 mg. of CoQ-10 and four

of the Pauling formula tablets daily. I have done so for five

months. When I began I had a 70% occlusion of my carotid arteries. A

recent scan showed a 20% improvement on the left side, although the right

side remained unchanged. My cardiologist was astonished, for such stenosis

(blockage) rarely improves. I mentioned the nutrients. Not surprisingly,

he just scoffed.

I buy sixty-60 mg CoQ-10 veg-caps for under $15.00 and pay under $10.00 for

the Pauling formula (90 caplets). If you know of a better price, please

let me know.

If you haven't read the clinical evidence on CoQ-10, see:

<http://cat007.com/coq10.htm>http://cat007.com/coq10.htm

The Pauling research is at:

<http://cat007.com/pauling.htm>http://cat007.com/pauling.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

December 20, 2001

" drjoncat (by way of The Havens ) " wrote:

> The Pauling research is at:

>

> <http://cat007.com/pauling.htm>http://cat007.com/pauling.htm

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wow, what incredible research both Pauling and the author of this web page have

done!!

When I was in grade school I saw a show in which Linus Pauling was given a

cardboard box with a wooden toy enclosed inside. He was not told anything

about the toy other than to try to figure out what shape it was without opening

the box. So he shook the box and talked out loud, describing his thought

processes as he tried to figure out what shape the toy was, and wouldn't you

know, he was right! (I think it was something like an octagonal wooden toy -

fairly unusual)

Mindy, easy to entertain and impress

December 20, 2001