Plant sterols might be an additional risk factor for coronary heart disease

This study was published in Metabolism 2002 Dec;51(12):1519-21

Study title and authors:
Serum plant sterols as a potential risk factor for coronary heart disease.

Sudhop T, Gottwald BM, von Bergmann K.
Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12489060

The lead author of the study, Dr Thomas Sudhop, notes that in patients with the inherited disease of phytosterolemia, elevated concentrations of plant sterols (eg, campesterol and sitosterol) (think Benecol and Flora proactive) have been implicated as a risk factor for premature atherosclerosis.

This study examined the role of plant sterols in patients (with plant sterol levels in the normal range) admitted for elective artery coronary bypass graft surgery. The study included 53 patients of which 26 reported a family history in their first-degree relatives for coronary heart disease.

The study found:
(a) Patients with a positive family history for coronary heart disease had a significant 31% higher plasma levels of campesterol compared to patients without a family history of coronary heart disease.
(b) Patients with a positive family history for coronary heart disease had a significant 29% higher plasma levels of sitosterol compared to patients without a family history of coronary heart disease.
(c) Patients with a positive family history for coronary heart disease had a significantly higher ratios of sitosterol to cholesterol and campesterol to cholesterol compared to patients without a family history of coronary heart disease.

Dr Sudhop concluded: "These findings support the hypothesis that plant sterols might be an additional risk factor for coronary heart disease".

Food Reward Friday

This week's "lucky" winner... bacon fried Oreos!!

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Statin users of ten years have a 30% increased risk of colorectal cancer

This study was published in Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety 2008 Sep;17(9):869-76

Study title and authors:
Chronic statin therapy and the risk of colorectal cancer.

Yang YX, Hennessy S, Propert K, Hwang WT, Sarkar M, Lewis JD.
Division of Gastroenterology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6021, USA. yangy@mail.med.upenn.edu

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18412290

The study sought to clarify the association between long-term statin therapy and the risk of colorectal cancer. This study was conducted among patients aged 50 years or more and with five or more years of colorectal cancer-free initial follow-up. The study included 4,432 colorectal cancer patients and 44,292 control subjects.

The study found:
(a) Those who had been taking statins for five or more years had a 10% increased risk of colorectal cancer compared to non-users of statins.
(b) Those who had been taking statins for ten years had a 30% increased risk of colorectal cancer compared to non-users of statins.

Check out Healthy World Cafe's menu for April

What's more enticing than the first harvests of spring? At Healthy World Cafe, we'd say not much. We've worked with several local farms and farmers to develop a taste of the changing seasons in York County.

Our menus will rotate every 4 to 6 weeks, so hurry in and check it out!

$5.50

-- Banh-Mi Hummus Plate or Focaccia Sandwich (Tender Greens Hummus, Seasonal Pickles, Sriracha Aioli)
-- Asparagus and Spring Vegetable Strata
-- Dal with Brown Rice, Sauteed Greens, Curried Pickled Vegetables and Yogurt
-- Chicken Salad Plate or Focaccia Sandwich (Greens, HWC Signature Chicken Salad)

$3.50
-- Spring Harvest Lemon Chicken Soup
-- Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Curry Soup
-- Roasted Radish Salad on greens with a Sweet Vinaigrette
-- Citrus Lentil and Chickpea Salad with Feta and Wheatberries

EXTRAS
-- Dried Fruit and Oatmeal Cookie, $1
-- Seasonal Vegetable Pickles, $1

Water and iced tea are free with your purchase, and all our menu items are sourced from our farmer friends in south-central Pennsylvania and made from scratch.

Lunch will be served 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Take-out orders are available during lunch hours by phone only; please call 717-814-8204.

Review: Communal atmosphere, 'scrumptious' food at Healthy World Cafe

Since our community sneak peek April 3 and our grand opening April 6, we have been inundated with kind words from diners, volunteers, members of the media and our community at large.

Thank you!

If you're curious about what you can expect from a visit to the cafe, check out this beautifully written review from The York Dispatch: Communal atmosphere, 'scrumptious' food at Healthy World Cafe.

You can also preview some of the other recent coverage below.

FlipSidePA.com

-- Healthy World Cafe features local food, art and entertainment

-- Photo gallery from First Friday

FOX43

-- Healthy World Cafe in York allows customers to work in exchange for their meal

From Randy Pflaum

-- Healthy World Cafe: A community cafe in York

The York Dispatch

-- Healthy World Cafe reopens in downtown York City

-- Photos from the cafe's grand opening

ABC27

-- Pay-how-you-can cafe to open in York

Sitosterol, a constituent of Benecol and Flora proactive, is associated with an increased occurrence of major coronary events

This study was published in Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases 2006 Jan;16(1):13-21

Study title and authors:
Plasma sitosterol elevations are associated with an increased incidence of coronary events in men: results of a nested case-control analysis of the Prospective Cardiovascular Münster (PROCAM) study.

Assmann G, Cullen P, Erbey J, Ramey DR, Kannenberg F, Schulte H.
Leibniz-Institut für Arterioskleroseforschung an der Universität Münster, Domagkstrasse 3, 48149 Münster, Germany. assmann@uni-muenster.de

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16399487

Phytosterols such as sitosterol are inserted in high quantities (at 841 times than the average vegetable) in plant sterol based margarines such as Benecol and Flora proactive.

This study was conducted to evaluate if sitosterol levels seen in the general population are associated with the occurrence of coronary events. The ten year study included 159 men who suffered a heart attack or sudden coronary death (major coronary event), who were compared with 318 control subjects.

The study found:
(a) Men with the highest sitosterol levels had a 1.8-fold increase in the risk of a major coronary event compared to men with lower levels.
(b) Among men with a high risk of a major coronary event, high sitosterol concentrations were associated with an additional 3-fold increase in the incidence of coronary events.
(c) Men with a high sitosterol/cholesterol ratio had a 3-fold increase in the incidence of coronary events.

Assmann concluded: "Elevations in sitosterol concentrations and the sitosterol/cholesterol ratio appear to be associated with an increased occurrence of major coronary events in men at high global risk of coronary heart disease".

My Buddy and Me

Warning -- Satire -- April Fools Post

I have a sheepish confession to make: until recently, I had a tapeworm, and that's why I'm lean.

In 2006, I took a trip to Mexico with a few friends.  We often traveled through rural areas, and of course sampled the local cuisine wherever we went.  In many parts of Mexico, pork is an important food.  Some of it may have been a bit undercooked.

At the time, my interest in food and health was growing, and I was making many changes to my diet.  I was glad to see the chubbiness around my neck and waist begin to disappear.  The diet was working!  Or so I thought...

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