What Risk Factors Contribute to Heart Disease? (Hint: Not Saturated Fat and Cholesterol)

Consuming sugar, carbohydrates, and ultra processed foods such as seed oils leads to inflammation in the arteries. Insulin resistance and high insulin levels drives the growth of atherosclerosis.

Insulin facilitates every single step along the inflammatory pathway that marks the progression of [heart] disease, including initiation, inflammation, foam cell (fat-laden cell) formation, fibrous plaque formation, and advanced lesions. Moreover, fibrous plaque contains insulin receptors, and insulin stimulates the growth of plaque, which accelerates the atherosclerosis and substantially raises the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Diabetes Code by Dr. Jason Fung, p. 134

The most accurate way to talk about heart disease is in terms of risk factors instead of direct causes.

Evidence is mounting to show that some of the old risk factors were inaccurate.

Previous risk factors were thought to be:

• High saturated fat intake

• High cholesterol (LDL)

• High red meat consumption

Risk factors based on newer research:

• High insulin levels

• High blood sugar levels (HbA1C, or average 3-month glucose levels)

• High levels of chronic inflammation (C-reactive protein is one common marker)

• High consumption of sugar and ultra-processed food

Risk factors both paradigms agree on:

• Family history

• Smoking

• Stress

• High waist-to-height ratio

• High blood pressure

In this post, The Skinny on Saturated Fat, I explain how the last 70 years, saturated fat was falsely blamed. And in this post, Statins: Detrimental to Health? You decide, I discuss evidence that cholesterol is healthy. So if it’s not either of those, what is science saying now?