How much oil/fat limit in diet to stop clogging of arteries

[nspower]

After ischemic MI in 2007 and stented LAD I was advised to restrict my oil consumption to 15 g per day. It was difficult maintaining such low quantity of fat but my family supported and I could manage it for one year. However, in later period it increased to about 20 g per day. I take statin and other heart medications. I do not take meat but occassionally take chicken and fish, once in a week. I have undergone neuclear stress test for last three yesrs consequitively and no additional ischemia was reported. Because of me reducing the fat intake my family also ends up reducing their fat intake, as most of the food is cooked for all members.

I was wondering whether most of us on this forum, who suffer from blocked arteries, restrict fat intake to such low level?

In last 6-8 months I had to do lot of travelling and I found it difficult to maintain my fat intake to 15-20 g per day. I am feeling guilty that I may end up clogging my atreries further.  

[jrbon]

I forgot, the bad news, even if you lower your cholesterol levels, there is less risk but no guarantee that you will not get more clogged arteries.

Jesus.

[jrbon]

I do not understand the logic of limiting oil .. unless that you take no healthy oils (like palm oil).

I take quite a good amount of Virgin Olive oil every day. My LDL levels are well below 80 thanks to statins.

Now if your whole family follows an strict no fat diet, I advice you to measure the cholesterol and vit. D levels of the members of your family. The body needs cholesterol and if you do not supply it, your liver will produce it ... after 3 years of a no cholesterol diet my wife got an increase in cholesterol and need to correct it with statins.

Also if you take no fat, you are not supplying Vit. D (which goes in the fat).

By the way, what I have restricted is the cholesterol and saturated and trans fats. This includes thinks like brains, octopus and egg yolk.

Jesus

[ed34]

This could perhaps be explained by an overactive Liver. For example, hypercholesterolemia. I have familial hypercholesterolemia and it takes 40mg of Lipitor to reduce my LDL to the national average. On top of this I have to take Ezetimibe which inhibits fat absorption through the gut (10mg). My cholesterol is now in the targets recommended for CAD patients.

[nspower]

ed34, thanks for the insight.

I take very less quantity of unsaturated fat (oils) and I do not take animal fat or trans fats. I also take statins. My cholesterol levels should be very very low..

But the fact is I just manage to maintain my cholesterol levels within the limits.  

How this can be explained? Am I missing something?

[ed34]

I'm not certain who told you to restrict your daily intake of oil to 15g? but it does seem a little absurd. Oils are unsaturated fats and the fats you should be reducing are saturated, and of course, avoiding trans fats at all costs. It is also worth considering that we all absorb fats at different rates and only around 15-20% of fats we eat ends up in our blood, the rest is recycled or made by the Liver. I had very high cholesterol, due to familial hypercholesterolemia, and living on just salad for weeks did nothing for the levels. Statins have worked wonders in bringing the levels down but I also take Ezetimibe which slows absorption of fats through the gut lining. Now I can basically eat what I want and my cholesterol levels are always within the range required.
Cholesterol in the blood is not the cause of disease, it's like a side effect from the initial problem. Latest research has discovered that fractures appear in the artery lining, from high blood pressure or stress related problems (or maybe genetic) and the immune system signals LDL cholesterol into the area for the monocytes to convert into macrophages. HDL is supposed to remove the fats after but for some reason the outer layer of the macrophages are damaged and don't signal this process. This is believed at present to be caused by free radical damage. The macrophages die, leaving lots of pure fat inside the artery wall which is the start of atherosclerosis (coronary artery disease). This has been shown to be the case with studies in mice and it appears that no matter how much fat you eat or have in your blood, the same process will occur. The best solution is to try and keep your arteries from forming the fractures in the first place by avoiding stressful situations, keeping blood pressure normal and of course statins have an anti-inflammatory property.