Letters

• Coconut oil clogs your arteries ... maybe

Dear Ms Thompson,

By way of introduction, I am a layman who studies and writes about nutritional controversies. I have a Google Alert for saturated fats, so was notified when your 'Coconut oil clogs your arteries ... maybe' article got published.

You noted that the US Food and Drug Administration website lists "coconut and its products such as coconut oil among those to be avoided or, at least, used cautiously, because of its saturated fat content". Actually, the scientists who originally proposed a link between saturated fat intake and clogged arteries never had any solid evidence to support their hypothesis (1). Sadly, the saturated fat hypothesis kept researchers distracted for decades. Meanwhile, public health has deteriorated because of the effects of excessive omega-6 industrial seed oils intake (2).

Having studied the saturated fat controversy for more than three decades, I believe that saturated fats are benign over a wide range of intakes when consumed in the context of adequate supportive nutrition (3). Thankfully, recent research indicates that dairy fats, at least, do not seem to produce an artery-clogging effect (http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-05/bu-dcd051811.php). In addition, there appears to be some muscle-building benefit associated with higher LDL cholesterol levels. (http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-05/tau-cn050511.php) Then there's this excellent article by a writer who still believes LDL cholesterol is a problem:

Part 1: What is saturated fat: http://www.saywhydoi.com/saturated-fats-what-is-saturated-fat/.

Part 2: Benefits of saturated fat: http://www.saywhydoi.com/saturated-fats-benefits-of-saturated-fats/

Part 3: Why are saturated fats considered bad for you? http://www.saywhydoi.com/saturated-fats-why-saturated-fats-are-bad/

Part 4: Conclusion http://www.saywhydoi.com/conclusion-on-saturated-fats-is-saturated-fat-b...

Hope you find this information helpful.

Regards,

David Brown

Kalispell, MT 59901

Nutrition Education Project

References

1. http://www.sciscoop.com/controversial-saturated-fat.html

2. http://www.psychologyto day.com/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201103/your-brain-omega-3

3. http://nutritionscienceanalyst.blogspot.com/2008/02/nutrition-against-di...

• Why so long to fill a prescription?

Dear Dr McDaniel,

In your article 'Why so long to fill a prescription', you noted that one of the reasons was 'the unseen customers'. As you explained, these customers are privileged to have their prescription(s) faxed to the pharmacy so they are first in line and the customer(s) standing in front of you at the pharmacy has no privilege.

I sincerely hope that you will never again express this in the manner you did on May 26. I think 'unseen customers' or not, each pharmacist is able to assess the situation at hand and should make a judgement on the number of customers waiting, the time they have been waiting, and how complex the prescription(s) are for the 'seen customers'.

There is also the issue of communication. Most pharmacists do not speak to the 'seen customers' since they have nothing else better to do than to wait. What is wrong in letting the customer know how long or how short the wait will be so that they can make a decision? I find that the same thing happens in doctors' offices. When did communication die?

Send questions and comments to our health specialists at Your Health, c/o The Gleaner, 7 North Street, Kingston; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com. Unless otherwise indicated, letters and the specialists' responses are usually published.