American Heart Association - I'm NOT wearing red today!

I know I'm sticking my neck out here, BUT... Instead of wearing red today, I'd like to take this opportunity to officially express my disappointment with the American Heart Association. It is my belief they have misinformed the public and:

1. have directly contributed to Heart Disease becoming the number one killer of women in America!

and

2. have directly contributed to the obesity epidemic in America!

How many people do you know who say, "This doesn't have fat or cholesterol in it so it must be okay to eat"? EVERYONE I know says it! Where did that information come from? I think a lot of brainwashing has been going on and I believe people have paid too much attention to the misinformation given by the American Heart Association.

For example:

Check out GROCERY SHOPPING on the American Heart Association's website. Some of the information is good, like the VEGETABLES AND FRUITS section. It's the rest that concerns me. There is much advice to buy things that are not whole, such as breads that contain whole grain. Even if a bread "contains whole grain", it usually contains white flour and is still not a whole grain! Why aren't they promoting eating whole grains rather than eating things that are made from whole grains. They also promote the use of "fat-free and low-fat". These products, especially the fat-free, usually contain a worse replacement for the removed fat. They almost always contain high-fructose corn syrup, which is VERY unhealthy. Under their "OILS, DRESSINGS & SHORTENINGS section, they've listed lots of choices for oils, but not olive oil! I'm especially concerned that they encourage the use of margarine, which we know is not a whole food, it is a "plasticized" food. This summer, just for kicks, I'm going to put a tub of margarine outside and see if any bugs or animals will eat it.

Founded in 1924, the American Heart Association has had their chance to help America. I realize 86 years ago, things were different and the medical information we have today was not available then BUT even in the past five years, a lot of information has become available. How about just in the last year? The American Heart Association should have been looking at this new information and changing what they are telling people. I shudder to think of the amount of money that has been donated to this association, to only see heart disease rise in the US!