Comments on: “No Benefit Seen in Sharp Limits on Salt in Diet”

By: david7134

david7134 — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:21:13 +0000

The reason for moving the goal post is that those with a high cholesterol constitute only a minority of people who ultimately have a myocardial infarction. So the people that believe that cholesterol has some relevance began moving the target numbers lower until almost all people with that level of cholesterol had myocardial infarcts. That would seem reasonable except that by achieving these levels, there is zero effect on the incidence of disease.

I promise that if a young lawyer got on this situation and the drug companies that are promoting cholesterol lowering medications, he could make a ton of money.

By: rxc

rxc — Fri, 17 May 2013 06:33:57 +0000

Moving the goalposts is a common progressive trick. The Enviros use it with a vengence. They get air quality standards set that are then accomplished and they use some bogus “analysis” to show that x-thousand “vulnerable peope with asthma” (like me) have died under the old standard. So, the standard has to be changed, and suddenly the air in many areas goes from “good” to “bad”. It keeps them funded and employed. If I believed their “analyses” I probably died a dozen times in the past 20 years.

By: Melvin H.

Melvin H. — Thu, 16 May 2013 22:34:20 +0000

That should be greater than or equal to 7.0 and 5.8, respectively.

By: Melvin H.

Melvin H. — Thu, 16 May 2013 22:33:14 +0000

The AMA, AHA, and the dietary associations have not done a lot to help in keeping “healthy” when they keep moving the goalposts on what is healthy and what isn’t . . . it’s more like you’re Charlie Brown and they’re Lucy, and their goals are the football Lucy is holding.

Just as an example: My last hemoglobin A1C test (the one where you get pricked on your finger in your doctor’s office) was the same as all of the rest, save one, over the last several years at 6.0 (=7.0 is diabetic). When I looked at my test results . . . yep, it changed; now IIRC it is =5.8. How are you supposed to try to maintain health when “healthy/normal” changes every few months??

By: david7134

david7134 — Thu, 16 May 2013 21:25:00 +0000

Wait till you see what happens with the low cholesterol diet data and the lack of effect of statins in the treatment of coronary artery disease, plus the under-reported serious side effects of cholesterol lowering drugs. It has been said that a class action suit will be filed against the American Heart Association for its posturing on diet and cholesterol advice, for any lawyers out there, it will be a slam dunk.

One of the biggest frauds fostered on the American people has been the concept of the effect of diet on their health. There is no effect from significant diet restrictions, except calories, and that is individual and not massive mandates from the government. Cholesterol concerns will go the way of leeches and blood letting, just consider that 50 years have been wasted in promoting dietary effects as cause for disease when the real reasons have not been investigated.

By: MattS

MattS — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:51:58 +0000

Don,

“It has been said for years, a low sodium diet only lowers blood pressure in people who already have hypertension. ”

This is not completely true. There is a small percentage of the population that is salt sensitive. These people tend to retain water, generally increasing fluid pressures in the body.

For those with high blood pressure who are not salt sensitive a low salt diet is unlikely to have any effect.

Basically, if your blood pressure medication includes a diuretic, you might want to limit salt in-take.

By: No Name Guy

No Name Guy — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:16:15 +0000

This is no surprise. Junkscience covered this YEARS ago and pointed out the facts that John B and Don highlight.

DEM and rxc get it…..

At least a crook robs you and then flees. The power mad nanny is never done with you.

By: John Burgess

John Burgess — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:45:17 +0000

@Don: It’s not even that. It’s only those people who have a particular genetic susceptibility to have sodium increase blood pressure that have the problem. That group is considerably smaller than those affected by salt bans or restrictions.

See: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20886000

By: wfjag

wfjag — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:22:35 +0000

Where’s the link to the story as reported by Bloomberg News?

Oh, . . . wait, . . . Never mind.

By: Don

Don — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:32:24 +0000

It has been said for years, a low sodium diet only lowers blood pressure in people who already have hypertension.

High sodium diet doesn’t cause hypertension.