Have you ever heard that a person's ethnicity may play a role in their level of bad cholesterol?  It's an accepted conclusion that specific diets that are prevalent to different populations around the globe play a role in the development of good and bad cholesterol levels. Now consider that this fact can even be traced to different regions of the same country.

Case in point: Mexico

According to the department of Endocrinology at the National Institute of Cardiology in Mexico, there are distinct differences in (LDL) or the level of bad cholesterol that can be traced to different populations based on geography. Upon a closer look, the population and its propensity toward elevated levels of (LDL) can be directly correlated to diet. Mexico like other countries with large populations tends to have separate and distinct cultures in different parts of the country with different cultural traditions and dietary tastes.

The Role of Fish in their diet

In tracing lower levels of bad cholesterol in the different geographical regions of Mexico, one characteristic of those cited with lower levels of bad cholesterol was the consumption of sea food with high concentrations of Omega 3 fish oil. Cabo San Lucas was identified as one of these geographical areas where the consumption of fresh fish in many dishes was linked to lower levels of bad cholesterol in the population. Other factors cited were that fact that southern parts of Mexico while consuming more sea food also consumed black beans verses the refried beans that are more common in cooking in the northern part of Mexico.

Statin Drugs not widely used

In Mexico, it is not common to see doctors widely prescribing statin drugs to lower bad cholesterol as opposed to North America. The reasons range from the fact that there has until recently been no strong emphasis put on lowering bad cholesterol in the population to the economic realities of the economy. With the increase of coronary heart diastase in the last three decades the government is attempting to make the population more aware of consuming a healthy diet and fighting high levels of LDL. Lowering cholesterol naturally with the emphasis on balancing a diet with more omega 3 and chicken along with more consumption of fresh vegetables has taken on a new importance.

The take away

Geographic considerations as well as cultural dietary tastes play a greater roll in any population attempting to lower cholesterol naturally. In the case of Mexico, western and southern Mexico with its higher consumption of black beans, corn tortillas, chicken and large quantities of fish with Omega 3 have demonstrated a clear influence on the population and its ability to lower cholesterol naturally. No doubt as more emphasis is placed on the importance of less consumption of refried beans cooked in lard along with more consumption of more chicken and fish products high in Omega 3 the incidence of coronary heart disease will hopefully begin to abate as people adapt to dietary habits that lend themselves to lowering cholesterol naturally.