The 'fat nocebo' effect: More harm done to heart health worrying about fat and cholesterol

June 15, 6:08 PMLow-Carb Lifestyle ExaminerJimmy Moore

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Is shock therapy needed to remove fat indoctrination?

Lost in the ongoing debate over what constitutes a “healthy” diet is the power that the mind has over the body. Most people are completely unaware that their negative thinking towards things like cholesterol and saturated fat, for example, is precisely what is leading to a self-fulfilling prophecy that ends in an unexpected heart attack, cardiovascular disease diagnosis, or even sudden inexplicable death. Ironically, all of those health calamities have absolutely nothing at all to do with any of those things we think are the culprit. That famous quote from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt is absolutely right: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

In Episode 72 of “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube”, Christine and I talk about a phenomenon that I recently read about called the “nocebo effect” (translated from Latin as “I will harm”). Most of us are familiar with the “placebo effect” where a drug provides a beneficial health effect simply because the person expects it to. The converse of that is the nocebo effect where a negative reaction happens as a result of something simply because a person expects it to. In the case of consuming saturated fat and cholesterol, which has been hammered into our heads for decades as being “harmful” to your health, this has never been more true for a large segment of the population.

What if all those stern warnings we’ve heard from the so-called “experts” against consuming saturated fat and cholesterol over the years have actually perpetuated the problem and made it even worse than it would have otherwise been? Could it really be the STRESS brought on by all the constant worrying people have about what saturated fat and cholesterol might be doing to their health that is actually the culprit in the heart health problems people are experiencing today? Is this “fat nocebo” the secret underlying issue driving cardiovascular disease as one of the top reasons for preventable deaths in the world today?

Watch this video and YOU decide if this is just mind games or not:

I invited the author (Dr. Marshall Deutsch) of this column about his “fat nocebo” hypothesis to come on my podcast show to discuss it even further and we had a delightful conversation a couple of weeks ago. I’ll be sharing that interview in September 2009 because Dr. Deutsch brings up an intriguing concept that deserves an even closer look regardless of what you believe regarding healthy nutrition. Could all those low-fatties out there who are so scared to death of what saturated fat and cholesterol might do to their bodies be putting themselves at risk for heart disease simply by their hysteria over it? Now wouldn’t that be quite the paradox, hmmmmm?

If you liked watching today’s video, then you might want to check out all of our previous YouTube videos as well. Christine and I work hard to make these videos entertaining, educational, and as fun as they can possibly be. We appreciate everyone whosubscribes to our video series and we’re deeply honored to add brand new viewers to the show each and every day. E-mail us anytime about our videos atlivinlowcarbman@charter.net.

Be sure to check back the rest of this week for more of our “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube” video blitz! Rock the night away, baby!