High Cholesterol Now a Poor Indicator of Heart Disease? Here's What You Can Do

Focus on lowering your stress and sugar instead

Though heart disease is the number one killer across the United States, one doctor says high cholesterol being named its greatest risk factor is all a myth. In fact, Dr. Jonny Bowden, author of "The Great Cholesterol Myth" calls cholesterol a "minor player" and says it's not a "good predictor" of heart disease. Instead, inflammation, oxidative damage, stress and sugar in the diet greatly contribute to cardiovascular problems. Bowden also says statins as a medication are often over-prescribed and show no benefit. He suggests the best way to combat high cholesterol is to eat plenty of whole foods – full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, like blueberries, kale, onions, peppers and wild salmon loaded with omega-3s. Also, “lower the stress, lower the toxins in your life, including toxic relationships and eat less sugar, because the problem isn’t with fat – it’s with sugar in the diet.” (Fox News)

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