When “Healthy” Foods Aren’t So Healthy
We try to eat healthy foods as a way to minimize various health issues. Some foods that we like, however, may not be so good for us, especially if we have signs pointing towards a predisposition to a certain condition. Such may be the case if you’re already at an increased risk for a stroke or heart attack due to other lifestyle factors.
How Choline Interacts with the Body
It appears that a common nutrient found in animal products such as eggs and meats may interact with bacteria in your gut to make the blood more prone to clotting. This is due to production of a compound called TMAO (trimethylamine N-oxide), which is a byproduct of the bacteria when they digest the nutrient choline.
Choline is a structural component of certain fats and has many uses in our body, including helping with liver function, energy metabolism, and brain and nerve function.
Why This Matters for At-Risk Individuals
People with a good level of health may not have to worry so much about these levels when their blood is of normal consistency. But if there are high levels of sugar, triglycerides or cholesterol already floating around in the blood, it may be dangerous to have a greater chance of platelets clotting and causing blockages.
Focus on Keeping It Clean!
The research findings that were published online in Circulation looked at a small group of subjects who were given choline supplements in the dose of 450 milligrams, roughly the amount you’d get in 2-3 egg yolks. After 1 month at this level, the participant’s TMAO levels increased ten-fold on average, and their platelets showed increased clotting activity as a result.
56% of the subjects were meat-eaters and 44% were vegan/vegetarian, all healthy adults.
What This Means for Your Diet
What this should serve as is possibly a warning to those who are high risk for cardiovascular disease, especially since other studies have linked elevated blood TMAO levels to greater risk of cardiovascular incidents.
Dietary modifications may mean less animal-based proteins from beef, chicken and eggs, and more from fish or plant sources. It doesn’t mean you have to go vegetarian, but if you’re in the high-risk category, you need to pay attention to your choline intake and possibly incorporate more vegetarian meals.
Medications vs. Real Health
If you’re diabetic or on blood pressure or cholesterol-lowering medications, you’ve already got your warning sign. Medications aren’t going to make you healthier; they’re just going to keep you from getting worse.
What you need to do is learn how to eat a healthy diet that will naturally lower your blood sugar and cholesterol and keep your blood pressure normal. We see it happening every week. That is how you build true health! And if your levels stay normal, you’ve given yourself the opportunity to possibly get off some of those drugs.
Take the Next Step
At The Institute for Functional Health, we help patients uncover root causes and build personalized nutrition and lifestyle plans that improve cardiovascular health without relying on quick fixes.
