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Orthodox Christianity lowers your cholesterol

Following the fasting regimes laid down by the Greek Orthodox Church could reduce your chances of suffering from heart disease. So says a recent article in BMC Public Health. A group of researchers from the University of Crete found that Greek Orthodox Christians who avoided specified foods three times a year had lower levels of cholesterol and lower levels of the cholesterol-binding proteins called low density lipoproteins (LDL), in their blood after ‘fasting’, compared with other Christians who did not follow the fasting regimes. The levels of other cholesterol-binding proteins called high-density lipoproteins (HDL) did not change.

Researcher studies newly discovered 'good' cholesterol gene

Researchers have found that a recently discovered gene regulates HDL (high density lipoproteins) cholesterol, also known as “good” cholesterol. The study, published in the February issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, could lead to new therapies for heart disease, said lead author Thomas Quertermous, MD. “This is a significant and unexpected finding, and the gene is going to be a real target for the prevention and treatment of heart disease,” said Quertermous, the William G. Irwin Professor and chief of cardiovascular medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. “This type of thing doesn’t happen every day.”