But I love meat!!!

it doesn't matter what studies show, what does common sense tell you? Do you think the very first humans had a diet like ours?

:huh:

The "very first humans" (not what they're technically called, but lets just go with that) hadn't even discovered fire yet... We've evolved just a teensy bit since then, inside and out.

They probably had a delicious steak tartare.

I've not touched meat or fish since 1990....it's not done me any harm I don't do dairy either :drinker:
Good luck with whatever you do!

it doesn't matter what studies show, what does common sense tell you? Do you think the very first humans had a diet like ours?

Do you really think all they ate was veggies?

We've evolved quite a lot since the "very first humans."

To the OP:

In the process of trying to lower my cholesterol, I basically gave up red meats. I ate a lot of chicken, fish, turkey, veggies, and lots of fiber, and also watched my saturated fats for about 6 months. I lowered my cholesterol considerably but there was a downside. In the process i turned up anemic or iron deficient. My Doctor recommended an iron supplement to combat the anemia. A dietician friend also recommended a B-12 supplement. Giving up a grilled chicken breast seems extreme but your Doctor may have a reason.

I'm sorry to hear about your health problems. My dad's family has heart issues (his father had a heart attack at 50) and hereditary high cholesterol. My dad doesn't eat eggs, red meat... But he does eat chicken and turkey in moderation.

Hereditary heart / cholesterol problems are scary

They are scary...but they are not caused by eating red meat or eggs.

I started all of this diet and fitness stuff about 18 months ago with highly elevated LDL cholesterol levels, low HDL levels, off the chart triglycerides, and borderline diabetic blood sugar levels. Even though much of this is hereditary...my dad had type II diabetes, stage III kidney failure, and heart disease and recently passed away at the ripe old age of 61...I've been able to completely reverse it all through diet and exercise...and I eat all of the animals (and fish), eggs every day, tons of vegetables and fruit and whole grains and legumes.

Any recent study is going to show that there's really no direct correlation to eating meat and high cholesterol levels and the idea that dietary cholesterol causes high blood serum levels was debunked years ago. These health issues are a culmination of hereditary factors along with overall diet and fitness (or lack thereof), not really one specific thing like red meat.

I'd get a second opinion.

THIS. Your cardiologist, and most doctors and nutritionists, are wrong. Meat and saturated fat do NOT harm health (ideally free ranged) and quite the opposite actually. Humans have been eating animals for a long, long time (including fat and organs) but not so much loads of sugar and heavily processed "food". Using logic: heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and many other illnesses are relatively new to humans, or at least far more common since processed foods started to dominate our diet but animals have been consumed since the beginning of human existence.

I would think that Lean meat would be a great choice. I am lucky that my husband is a hunter. I get Venison & wild birds all the time- the original organic meats.
I'm not a cardiologist ( or any other kind of Dr.) so I don't know why she said that. I would think animals raised w/o hormones & junk in humane circumstances would be good for you. There is more & more of that available all the time.
On the other hand pink slime & abused animals is not good. I live in the country. the farmers around here have their cattle grazing in open fields. They look pretty happy...except for the ending of their lives I think they are living a good life. I've seen the chickens roaming around too in some places.
I love seafood, but the ocean is getting pretty scary. Mercury, radiation, oil.... I still eat it but I'm careful how much.

I'm sorry to hear about your health problems. My dad's family has heart issues (his father had a heart attack at 50) and hereditary high cholesterol. My dad doesn't eat eggs, red meat... But he does eat chicken and turkey in moderation.

Hereditary heart / cholesterol problems are scary

They are scary...but they are not caused by eating red meat or eggs.

I started all of this diet and fitness stuff about 18 months ago with highly elevated LDL cholesterol levels, low HDL levels, off the chart triglycerides, and borderline diabetic blood sugar levels. Even though much of this is hereditary...my dad had type II diabetes, stage III kidney failure, and heart disease and recently passed away at the ripe old age of 61...I've been able to completely reverse it all through diet and exercise...and I eat all of the animals (and fish), eggs every day, tons of vegetables and fruit and whole grains and legumes.

Any recent study is going to show that there's really no direct correlation to eating meat and high cholesterol levels and the idea that dietary cholesterol causes high blood serum levels was debunked years ago. These health issues are a culmination of hereditary factors along with overall diet and fitness (or lack thereof), not really one specific thing like red meat.

I agree with Wolfman. the whole intake has to be considered. My Dad was diabetic too. died at 58. He smoked too. that just aggravated everything. he was a slender Man. Not over weight at all. Became diabetic in his 20's. Possibly caused by a virus that affected his Pancreas.
You need veggies, fruit & protein. preferably fresh prepared by yourself. You can get protein from beans, nuts, seeds eggs etc. But I also think meats are good if they are raised humanely w/o hormones & junk feeds. I'm lucky to have a hunter in the family. the original organic meats.

Your cravings for meat can likely be met by our friends fat and salt.

Fat and sodium ... so, basically, the stuff that's already IN meat?

Cravings for meat can be met by...eating meat...cause complete proteins and all.

We eat grass fed beef, pork and chicken we raise ourselves, and other things. Your cardiologist and I would part ways. *HUGS*

Yes I would definitely ask why grass fed (without "grain finishing") and hunted meats were off the table. They are much leaner meats.