Physiology Of Fat. Part 3
A great proportion of these fats in the blood is combined with proteins, called
lipoproteins, which also have been the subject of research by many investigators.
Scientists have only recently discovered by new tools of investigation that in these
lipoproteins two separate portions can be measured: the alpha and the beta lipoproteins.
The first have been shown to be protective against the development of atherosclerosis.
They are found predominating in infants, children, and young women who have no evidence
of atherosclerosis. On the other hand, the beta-lipoproteins have been found universally
in excessive amounts in most cases of active atherosclerosis and so are called
atherosclerosis producers or "ather-ogenic." The protective alpha-lipoproteins are
spoken of as "anti-atherogenic." The problem of preventing atherosclerosis and its
human ravages is the search for ways of increasing the protective alpha-lipoproteins.
Chapter 5 discusses lecithin and other nutritional supplements and shows how to use these
protective substances against the development of atherosclerosis. One of the greatest
factors influential in the current epidemic of heart attacks has unquestionably been the
startling increase in fat intake. In the United States alone, the fat content of our diet
has just about doubled in recent times. Where fat formerly constituted some 15 to 20 per
cent of our meals 50 years ago, it now has jumped to 30 and 40 per cent or more.
Fat may be your "poison". Many individuals have now developed an intolerance to
fat. Some of my patients can't seem to handle any fat at all. As an example, one plump
40-year old mother of three develops severe gas and bloating after eggs or any other
fatty food. Mrs. R. is often embarrassed to dine out for fear of overflowing right out of
her girdle if friends supply her with a fatty food at their homes. At other times she has
been embarrassed by solicitious friends who have delightedly congratulated her upon her
"unexpected" and "surprise" pregnancy after eating some fat food! Other patients of
mine develop actual attacks of gallstone colic following a meal containing fat. Some 20
years ago, I studied the causes and effects of gallstones in humans by passing rubber
tubes through the mouth and down into the digestive tract and then draining off the bile
or gall manufactured by the liver and stored in the gall bladder. At that time I examined
and found the cholesterol and fat content of the bile abnormally high in most patients who
suffered from gallstones, liver, and gall bladder diseases. A fat-free diet was able to
eventually reduce and restore the bile to its normal cholesterol and fat content, not to
mention the well established fact that most patients felt vastly improved and often free
of pain or distress. Of especial interest to me is the case of a 46-year old automobile
dealer, Mr. C, who used to have disabling and terrifying attacks of pain over his heart.
(We call such pain angina pectoris.) The pains began only after he had eaten breakfast
and was preparing to leave for his business. His breakfast was a hearty one. It consisted
of bacon and two scrambled eggs, fruit juice, some delicious coffee cake with two pats of
butter, plus two cups of coffee containing generous portions of cream. He was a husky,
strapping ex-athlete and burned up a great deal of energy in business activities.
When Mr. C. changed his breakfast habits and ate a good breakfast on the low-fat diet (as
explained and described in later chapters) his anginal pain stopped as if by magic.
Clearly he was one of the many individuals whose circulation could not tolerate fats.
This was again just recently shown in most convincing and dramatic ways by Doctors Peter
Kuo and H. Joyner of the University of Pennsylvania Hospital and Medical School. These
investigators studied the effects of fat meals in a series of heart cases and others
afflicted with atherosclerosis over a several year period. One group of their patients
suffered severe heart attacks every time a fat meal was administered to them. Studies of
the heart and the blood were made during actual heart attacks by Electrocardiographs and
other scientific instruments. It was found that when the blood stream contained its peak
load of fat content, the heart attacks were most severe and threatened the very life of
the patients. Such striking studies and findings were also the experience of other
research physicians.
How much fat are you stowing away? Look at the following sample daily menus for fat
content that the average American consumes, as taken from the front page of the New York
World Telegram.
| Breakfast: | Fat
Content | Calories | | One-half grapefruit | |
70 | | Two eggs | 12 grams | 50 |
| Two slices of bread | | 130 | | Two pats of butter
| 12 grams | 120 | One cup of coffee with 1/2
tablespoonful of
cream and two teaspoons sugar
| 3 grams |
100 |
| Lunch: |
Fat Content | Calories | | Boiled ham, 2 slices | 20
grams | 200 | | Two slices of bread | | 130 |
| Two pats of butter | 12 grams | 120 |
| Lettuce and tomato | | 30 | | Mayonnaise, 2
teaspoonsful | 6 grams | 60 | | Cup of coffee with cream
and sugar | 3 grams | 100 | | Danish bun, prune filled
| 8 grams | 150 |
| Dinner: | Fat Content | Calories | | Melon
slice | | 20 | | Steak or beef with gravy, 4 ounces |
40 grams | 500 | | Potato and peas, or salad | |
100 | | Two pats of butter (or oil dressings) | 12 grams |
120 | | Cup of coffee with cream and sugar | 3 grams |
100 | | Ice cream | 12 grams | 250 |
| Cherry pie | 12 grams | 350 |
| Total fat for the day | 155 grams |
| Total cholesterol | 800 milligrams. | | Total calories for the
day | 2800 | | Total calories in fat | 1400 |
How much fat can you really live with? In contrast, compare the
sample menu used on the low-fat diet:
| Meal Plan |
Sample Menu | Fat Content | Calories |
| Breakfast: | | | | | Fruit juice |
Orange Juice | | 80 | | Cereal | Shredded
wheat | | 100 | | Skimmed milk | Skimmed milk |
| 65 | | Bread | Whole wheat toast | |
65 | | Coffee, tea, Postum | | | - |
| Sugar | | | 15 |
| Meal Plan | Sample Menu |
Fat Content | Calories | | Noon Meal: | | |
| | Soup | Skimmed milk pea soup | | 50 |
| Meat or cheese | Cold roast lamb | 10 grams |
300 | | Vegetables | String beans | | 50 |
| Salad | Sliced tomato | | 20 |
| Fruit or dessert | Canned pineapple | | 100 |
| Bread | Whole wheat bread | | 65 | | Milk |
Skimmed milk | | 65 |
| Meal Plan | Sample Menu | Fat Content |
Calories | | Evening Meal: | | | |
| Fruit Cocktail | Grapefruit cocktail | | 50 |
| Meat and Potato | Lean meats + Baked potato | 10 grams |
250+100 | | Vegetables | Banana squash + Asparagus |
| 25+20 | | Salad and dressing | Fresh pear salad +
Boiled dressing | 0+5 grams | 25+50 | | Dessert |
Lemon ice | | 200 | | Bread | Whole wheat
bread | | 65 | | Milk | Skimmed milk | |
65 |
| Total fat for the day | 25 grams |
| Total cholesterol | 75 milligrams. | | Total calories for the
day | 1800 | | Total calories in fat | 225 |
|