I have high Cholesterol. When I follow a very strict vegan diet with seafood exceptions, I can get my numbers into the mid-200’s. My HDL numbers (good) drive my numbers up and I do not have a family history of heart disease. I wanted to know if the food I was eating would make a difference in those numbers AND I started researching:
Cholesterol and statins
My research comes from the top research medical institutions and hospitals (Mayo and Cleveland clinic etc.) also from articles in the GRAIN BRAIN by David Perlmutter, MD. Dr. Tom O’Bryan and Mark Hyman, MD… “the breakthrough depression solution”, Psychology Today, The Journal of Psychiatric Research and many others. I took this research very seriously because, quite frankly, my life and quality of life depended on it.
The protocol today and for the last 40 plus years is: If your Cholesterol number is over 200, your GP puts you on a statin for the rest of your life. (Or at the very least recommends the statin) What does a statin do? It breaks down the plaque or reduces plaque in your arteries. What if I don’t have plaque build up? Then you are taking a drug you don’t need. Is there a test that can check for plaque? YES!!! A CT cardiac scan and Carotid artery Duplex Bi-lateral ultra sound.
Here are a few examples of RESEARCH FACTS:
- “People who had the highest cholesterol levels scored higher on cognitive tests than those with lower levels. There s a protective factor when it comes to cholesterol and the brain. We now have scientific evidence that when cholesterol levels are low, the brain simply doesn’t work as well.”
- “The diet heart hypothesis that suggests that a high intake of fat or cholesterol causes heart disease has been repeatedly shown to be Wrong, and yet, for complicated reasons of pride, profit and prejudice, the hypothesis continues to be exploited by scientists, fund-raising enterprise, food companies, and even governmental agencies. The public is being deceived by the greatest health scam of the century.”
- “Mortality from cancer and infection was significantly lower among participants in the highest total cholesterol category. High cholesterol can actually help extend longevity”
- “There was a 48% increased risk of diabetes among women taking statin medications. (Side note: Type 2 diabetes is a powerful risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.) There is a relationship between statin drugs and cognitive decline or cognitive dysfunction.”
- “Depression runs much higher in people who have low cholesterol and people who start taking cholesterol-lowering medication can become much more depressed.”
What drives Cholesterol numbers?
Diabetes
Smoking
Age
High blood pressure
Diet
Obesity
Sleep apnea
Inactivity
Family history
Saturated fat
Stress
Auto immune diseases
Red meat
Eggs
Dairy
You can see that many of the factors are in your court to help with those numbers. Bottom line… DO NOT jump on a statin without some research of your own. They have some pretty horrible side effects that need to be considered.
I am on the band-wagon for personal knowledge of what medications I have to take or are there options besides medications? I know GP’s are over-whelmed with restriction to time taken with each patient and lack of hours in a day to keep up on all research so just maybe we need to take on a little more responsibility for our BEST HEALTH and at least know the “WHY” and make informed decisions and ask our Dr’s about concerns or other alternatives. Speak up!!!