RED MEAT, SALT, EGGS, AND OTHER GOODNESS

Destroying the dogma from the clueless age of Big Pharma

Written by Joachim Bartoll, November 2014 – previously published for online publication
Re-published in Classic Muscle Newsletter, January 2016 (issue #16)

When I got into nutrition in the mid- and late 80’s, the low-fat craze had just begun and it skyrocketed during the 90’s. Fat intake should be kept low, preferable around 10 % of total calories or even less. Cholesterol was evil and saturated fats were to blame for just about anything. Eggs and red meat got a lot of negative press (to the extent that people even today are still afraid of egg yolks). Later on, salt (sodium) got a bad rap for increasing blood pressure and causing hypertension. The really scary part? Most of this dogma is still prevalent today – and most doctors still believe in it!

If a middle-aged guy goes to the doctor because of early signs of heart/cardiovascular disease, the doctor will 9 out of 10 times put him on dangerous and totally useless statin drugs. Then he’ll give the poor guy instructions to eat less fat and more fiber (as in oats, bread, etc.), eliminate eggs and to cut back on salt and caffeine.

That was what the medical community believed in the 90’s after being flooded with biased and fake nutritional research and propaganda from food companies (especially the grain industry) and from Big Pharma who wanted to push their new money makers in cholesterol-lowering statins. And yes, it is still being practiced today – more than ever before.

Sadly, these recommendations will accomplish nothing. In many cases new problems will arise from these nonsensical nutritional instructions and from taking unnecessary and dangerous drugs. A win-win situation for Big Pharma, who’s business depends on keeping people sick and helpless.

The reason this guy is at risk of cardiovascular disease and a possible heart attack has nothing to do with cholesterol, salt, and saturated fats. He has developed heart disease because he’s been eating what society brainwashed him to eat. A lot of grains, bread, sugar, fast food, trans fats and other highly processed stuff. Cardiovascular disease is caused by inflammation, and what causes inflammation? It’s a healing response from the damage done by carbohydrates, fiber, trans-fats, vegetable/seed oils, and defense chemicals and anti-nutrients (from plant foods!)

Sure. Consuming less salt will lower your blood pressure – at least temporarily, but why is it elevated to begin with? Yep, avoiding caffeine will keep your heart rate down, but why does it get high in the first place? And yeah, taking a statin drug will lower your total cholesterol, but why is it elevated? And more importantly, are these recommendations really addressing the underlying causes of the problems?

Thanks to new and more independent research we now know that cholesterol levels are a horrible predictor of heart disease, and lowering your cholesterol can put you at a higher risk of other diseases (especially those of the brain), and ruining your testosterone production – kicking life quality and your energy levels out of the window.

New research has proven that increased levels of cholesterol is simply our body’s way of trying to heal something. All our cells are mainly made out of cholesterol and in order to heal and lower inflammation, our body need cholesterol. So, if someone has high levels of cholesterol, that is simply a sign that something is wrong and that the body is trying to heal it! Taking cholesterol-lowering statins at this point is the absolute worst thing you can do. You’re hindering the healing process! Instead, you need to figure out what is wrong and why your body is producing extra cholesterol in an attempt to heal itself.

And in 99 % of the time, the reason is a poor diet with too much carbohydrates and too much oxalates – a damaging antinutrient found in most grains, nuts, seeds, leafy vegetables and fruits – that binds to calcium and causes calcification and kidney stones.

And as mentioned earlier, saturated fats and cholesterol are needed for the production of testosterone. Red meat and eggs are ideal in the evening as testosterone production peaks during the early morning – so eat your egg yolks in the evening to make sure that your body has the building blocks (cholesterol) available.

And what about salt? Well, according to recent studies, only 10 % of hypertension (abnormally high blood pressure) is due to extreme consumption of salt, and in these cases it’s usually due to sodium chloride (table salt). The main reasons for high blood pressure are stress, obesity (diet rich in highly processed foods), alcohol, tobacco, and physical inactivity.

Sodium is actually extremely important for cell health, for optimum energy storage, athletic performance, recuperation, and your hydration levels (electrolyte metabolism). Estimating your sodium need is relatively easy. The rule of thumb is two grams of sodium for each liter of water replacement. 150-pound athletes (both male and female) who train at high intensity levels should drink at least two or three liters of water per day (with corresponding electrolytes, such as sodium). 200-pound athletes should be drinking a minimum of three to four liters, and athletes over 225 pounds should drink a minimum of four to six liters.

Keep in mind that table salt is sodium chloride (NaCl; about 40% sodium, and 60% chloride). The chloride can cause problems for some people’s metabolisms, and of course sodium (all kinds of salts) ends up taking the blame. Avoid the issue and use sea salt instead.

Since salt is so important for anyone who is physically active, one of the simplest changes with the greatest overall effect one can do is to start your day with a ¼ to ½ teaspoon of sea salt, and preferable some potassium. I see more and more performance coaches recommending this to their elite athletes.

Please note: water retention from an increase in salt/sodium is temporary, and will dissipate as long as sodium and water intake remain high. You will then notice the appearance of a leaner, harder physique, and more pumped and full muscles in the gym.

And yes, the fastest way to reverse most modern health problems is to lose body fat and get lean. And the best way to eliminate them forever is to eat healthy, natural and nutritious foods mainly from the animal kingdom and incorporating several days of fasting every year.