It turns out that eating foods that are high in cholesterol doesn't necessarily translate to high cholesterol levels. For example, eating eggs turns out to be a very high-quality source of protein that is relatively inexpensive and widely available and doesn't affect cholesterol levels. (Yes, we were wrong about that. I think there was even a Simpsons episode on that...) What's probably more the issue is the use of trans fats in mass-produced foods that increases risk of heart attacks and strokes. So yes; it turns out eating butter instead of margarine is not only better tasting it's also healthier. Just bear in mind that the reason Paula Dean is diabetic is not because she cooks with butter, it's because she cooks with a lot of butter which is a lot of calories.
The announcement by the World Health Organization last week that processed meats (smoked, pickled, salted or otherwise preserved in ways that were used before refrigeration) can cause colon cancer, and that red meats may also do so has been known for about 40 years. If you want to stop eating them in favor of fish and chicken, or want to eat a completely vegan diet that's fine. If you want to simply eat less red meat and more whole grains, fruits and vegetables that's also fine. Like eating eggs, or butter the amount is key. It doesn't have to be all or nothing; balance is the important part; just like the rest of life : ).
As an addendum for hunters: venison, elk and boar are red meats. However, by comparison to beef and pork they are much leaner and lower in carbs, and thus are generally healthier. (Native Americans didn't get diabetes until after they were forced onto reservations.) Do remember that "mad cow disease" or Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy has been found in elk. Stay away from the brain and spinal cord, or better yet have your elk professionally butchered.
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