HERE in the UK, about four million men and 3.6 million women suffer from heart and circulatory disease.

The British Heart Foundation estimates that about half the population will develop this disease in their lifetime. The disease is responsible for 160,000 deaths every year, with over one quarter of them in people under the age of 75 years. Apart from the possibility of an early death, those afflicted may experience several years of serious disability.

The reality is that this is a chronic condition, which is responsible for much greater ill-health and premature deaths than anything caused by Covid!

There is enormous confusion about the causes and the various approaches that can be used to prevent and treat the disease.

The good news is that a book just published provides us with a reliable guide through the maze of nonsense and misinformation that is so widespread. It is written by a GP, Dr Malcolm Kendrick. Born in Scotland, he has a practice in Cheshire. Since he was a student, he has been grappling with the various aspects of heart disease and his book entitled The Clot Thickens: The enduring mystery of heart disease is a revelation. In my opinion it is streets ahead of anything else that is available.

Although there is some detailed technical information, most of it is easily understandable. Perhaps the most controversial issue addressed in the book is about cholesterol. Most of us have been brain-washed into believing that if our cholesterol is high, then we have increased risk of dying from heart disease. Hence, it follows that we should taking measures to lower it. There is only one way to find out if this is true. Organise a group of volunteers who agree to have their blood cholesterol levels measured and then see what happens when they finally pass away. This is precisely what has been done by a research team in Norway.

For men the lowest all-cause mortality (ACM) was in those with cholesterol levels of 4/5. There is a slight rise above 6.2 but the greatest risk was for those with levels below 4. For women, the picture is rather different. Although, the highest ACM is with those who have low cholesterol levels, the risk continues to fall as the level increases. In other words, the higher the cholesterol the better!

However, the reality is that the differences are relatively small and mean a variation in life expectancy of a few months. It is immediately obvious that your cholesterol levels are no big deal. Hence, there is no reason to be concerned about it and take steps to alter it.

In practical terms, these studies undermine any justification for restricting the consumption of saturated fat, which has been drummed into us for the past 40 years. It also means that taking statins to lower cholesterol cannot be substantiated. On the other hand, there are some specific strategies that can be adopted, which are likely to improve your chances of avoiding a heart attack.

The most important recommendation by Dr Kendrick is to spend time out of doors. If this is combined with activities such as walking or gardening, it will reduce the risks of developing heart disease and cancers, as well as being hugely beneficial for those suffering from depression.

Exposure to sunshine will increase the synthesis of Vitamin D, which will help to avoid a deficiency that is linked to many aspects of ill-health. The sunshine also alleviates conditions such as raised blood pressure and Type 2 Diabetes.

To sum up, Dr Kendrick tells us that: “It may be possible to increase your life span by up to 10 years, simply by going outside, getting into the sun, and sunbathing. Simple, free, and enjoyable”…”Possibly the most contentious thing in this book, but it also happens to be true.”

By contrast, if you take statins, you will have pick up a prescription every month, have regular blood test to check your cholesterol and suffer the adverse side effects. All this to gain an extra month of life!

The other key factor, which is a primary cause of heart disease, and many others including Type 2 Diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer’s Disease is excessive production of insulin. This can be countered by restricting the intake of sugar and carbohydrates, which finish up as glucose in blood. The higher the blood glucose the greater the amount of insulin required. Unfortunately, the official advice is to “base your meals on carbohydrates”, which, of course, boosts insulin production.

Once you’re convinced that there is absolutely no need to restrict the intake of saturated fat, it is not difficult to devise meals that that are low in sugar and carbohydrates but contain plenty of meat and high fat dairy products. This is the key to solving the insulin problem.

In this article, I have only been able to scratch the surface. For anyone interested, buying this book could be one of the best investments you ever make.

l Verner Wheelock runs Low Carb Skipton which meets every month to share information on these topics.

Visit www.lowcarbskipton.com/

The Clot Thickens: The enduring mystery of heart disease” by Dr Malcolm Kendrick is published by Columbus Publishing Ltd.