American Heart (Less) Association – Big Ties to Big Pharma

The American Heart Association stated that Coconut Oil isn’t healthy and never has been, which came from the lead author of the report, Frank Sacks. As reported by USAToday’s article, “Coconut oil isn't healthy. It's never been healthy.”

“The Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease advisory reviewed existing data on saturated fat, showing coconut oil increased LDL ("bad") cholesterol in seven out of seven controlled trials. Researchers didn't see a difference between coconut oil and other oils high in saturated fat, like butter, beef fat and palm oil. In fact, 82% of the fat in coconut oil is saturated, according to the data — far beyond butter (63%), beef fat (50%) and pork lard (39%).

"Because coconut oil increases LDL cholesterol, a cause of CVD [cardiovascular disease], and has no known offsetting favorable effects, we advise against the use of coconut oil," the American Heart Association said in the Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease advisory.”

I can say without a doubt that this is pure nonsense. AHA has ties to the pharmaceutical industry. Here are two different reports from two different sources regarding the American Heart Association and its ties to Big Pharma.

“The report titled Is The American Heart Association For Sale, singles out contributions in the 2013-14 fiscal year including Covidien ($1,150,000), Daiichi Sankyo ($1,527,500), and Pfizer ($3,280,875) to the AHA as well as payments from life science companies to various individuals on the organization’s board and research committee,” as reported by Pharmaexec.com.

“The American Heart Association (AHA) is a nonprofit organization with a mission to “build healthier lives free of cardiovascular disease and stroke.” Yet in its 2011-2012 financial statement, the AHA noted $521 million in donations from non-government and non-membership sources and many well-known large drug companies, including those who make and market statins, contribute amounts in the $1 million range,” and

"The AHA also rakes in millions from food companies which are also million dollar donors and which pay from $5,490 to $7,500 per product to gain the “heart-check mark” imprimatur from the AHA, renewable, at a price, every year. The foods so anointed have to be low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol yet Boar’s Head All Natural Ham somehow made the cut as did Boar’s Head EverRoast Oven Roasted Chicken Breast . Such processed, high-sodium meats raise blood pressure, the risk of cardiovascular disease and the risk of diabetes as reported by Barbara Roberts, M.D. and Martha Rosenberg from their article on the Huffington Post, “The American Heart Association — Protecting Industry Not Patients”

I decided to take a look at the most recent Fiscal year for the American Heart Association.
Fiscal Year 2015-2016 - American Heart Association
Support from Pharmaceutical Companies and Device Manufacturers

WHAT DO DOCTORS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT CHOLESTEROL AND COCONUT OIL

Dr. William Davis, just recently wrote an article on wheatbellyblog.com about the American Heart Association's most recent comments. He says that one member on AHH's panel has deep and substantial ties to Big Pharma and that they are just rehashing old arguments. One of his main points:

"Given the lack of real evidence that reducing saturated or total fat reduces cardiovascular risk, the panel then resorts to the weakest source of data of all: observational epidemiological studies, the sorts of studies that rely largely on questionnaires on what participants ate, a study design that is widely accepted to almost never establish cause-effect relationships, only potential associations or hypotheses." - Dr. Davis

Dr. Mark Hyman

Coconut Oil is a medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil. There are many health benefits from consuming coconut oil, some of which are:

1. Reduce body fat
2. Help balance hormones
3. Control appetite
4. Lowering insulin levels
5. Strengthen immune system
6. tons more...

"Countries with the highest intakes of coconut oil have the lowest rates of heart disease."

"One study among lean, heart disease- and stroke-free Pacific Islanders who consumed up to 63 percent of their calories from coconut fat found total cholesterol rose but so did their “good” HDL."

Dr. Stephen Sinatra

Dr. Stephen Sinatra and some of his comments regarding his book, The Great Cholesterol Myth:

Dr. Malcolm Kendrick

"Far from being harmful, cholesterol is essential for life. It is so vital that all cells, apart from neurones, can manufacture cholesterol, and one of the key functions of the liver is to synthesise it,’ says Dr Malcolm Kendrick, author of The Great Cholesterol Con. Two key things have been established this year: first, eating foods that contain cholesterol is not dangerous and doesn’t raise your blood cholesterol."

Dr. Malcolm Kendrick is a co-author of a new study involving nearly 70,000 people, in which the discovered that there was no link between “bad” cholesterol and the premature deaths of over 60-year-olds from cardiovascular disease.

“What we found in our detailed systematic review was that older people with high LDL (low-density lipoprotein) levels, the so-called “bad” cholesterol, lived longer and had less heart disease.”

Man with HIV

"In a July 1997 newsletter entitled "Keep Hope Alive" an interview with Chris Dafoe was recorded. Chris Dafoe of Cloverdale, IN who, based on his lab numbers, thought the end was near in September, 1996. His HIV viral load was over 600,000, CD4 count was 10 and CD8 at 300. He prepaid his funeral and decided to take his last vacation in the jungles of South America with an Indian tribe in the Republic of Surinam. Around October 14, 1996, he began eating daily a dish of cooked coconut which was prepared by the local Indians. By Dec. 27th, 1996, a mere 2 and 1/2 months later, his viral load was at non-detectable levels and he had gained 32 lbs and was feeling great. He had some other people he knew with HIV try using coconuts in their diet, and they experienced the same results. The entire interview is recorded here.". -- earth clinic

If true, which I do believe it is, what kind of loss would Big Pharma have it everyone with HIV/AIDS decided not to take pharmaceutical drugs for their HIV/AIDS, but just natural unrefined pure virgin coconut oil? Massive!

Here is one book that I recommend:

Sources:

American Heart Association: Let’s create dietary policy based on the flimsiest of science
http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2017/06/american-heart-association-saturated-fat/

High cholesterol 'does not cause heart disease' new research finds, so treating with statins a 'waste of time'
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2016/06/12/high-cholesterol-does-not-cause-heart-disease-new-research-finds/

The American Heart Association — Protecting Industry Not Patients
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/martha-rosenberg/health-news_b_4398304.html

Pharma Ties to AHA Questioned
http://www.pharmexec.com/pharma-ties-aha-questioned

Coconut oil isn't healthy. It's never been healthy.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/06/16/coconut-oil-isnt-healthy-its-never-been-healthy/402719001/

The Great Cholesterol Con
https://drmalcolmkendrick.org/books-by-dr-malcolm-kendrick/the-great-cholesterol-con/

HEALTH: Cholesterol: The big fat lie, plus how to prevent heart disease
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-3151962/HEALTH-Cholesterol-big-fat-lie-plus-prevent-heart-disease.html

The Great Cholesterol Myth
https://www.drsinatra.com/the-great-cholesterol-myth

Is Coconut Oil Bad for Your Cholesterol? By Dr. Mark Hyman
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/is-coconut-oil-bad-for-yo_b_9701764.html

https://www.earthclinic.com/virus/coconut-oil.html

Selected top AIDS drugs worldwide based on revenue from 2014 to 2016 (in million U.S. dollars)
https://www.statista.com/statistics/273434/revenue-of-the-worlds-most-important-aids-drugs/