On another thread you mentioned the problems with statins and the depletion of CoQ10. Thanks for bringing this issue up. You are right about the dangers of getting cholesterol too low. Actually, for many years cholesterol levels between 200 and 240 were considered normal. It wasn't until recently that government advisory boards which were heavily populated with "advisors" linked to the pharmaceutical companies begin to lower the threshhold at which folks should start taking their dangerous, money-making drugs. Now it seems that doctors will recommend statins for just about anyone with levels over 200.
This is criminal because the research does not justify it. What the research shows is that for the elderly in particular, longevity increases as cholesterol levels rise. It must be remembered that cholesterol is the body's healing substance. One interesting study showed that elderly women with readings of about 272 lived the longest. As levels decreased, so did the risk of dying.
Statins may slightly reduce the risk of heart disease, not by lowering cholesterol, but likely and largely by acting as an anti-inflammatory. But the side-effects must by taken into account. When talking about the side-effects of statins one scientist has commented that one such side-effect is death.
Here is the study. In brackets I added the standard U.S. equivalent to the European way of calculating cholesterol levels:
Cholesterol as risk factor for mortality in elderly women.
Forette B, Tortrat D, Wolmark Y.
Lancet. 1989 Apr 22;1(8643):868-70
Centre Claude Bernard de Gerontologie, Hopital Sainte Perine, Paris, France.
92 women aged 60 years and over (mean 82.2, SD 8.6) living in a nursing home and free from overt cancer were followed-up for 5 years. 53 died during this period; necropsy revealed cancer in only 1 patient. Serum total cholesterol at entry ranged from 4.0 to 8.8 mmol/l (mean 6.3, SD 1.1). Cox's proportional hazards analysis showed a J-shaped relation between serum cholesterol and mortality. Mortality was lowest at serum cholesterol 7.0 mmol/l [272], 5.2 times higher than the minimum at serum cholesterol 4.0 mmol/l [156] , and only 1.8 times higher when cholesterol concentration was 8.8 mmol/l [344]. This relation held true irrespective of age, even when blood pressure, body weight, history of myocardial infarction, creatinine clearance, and plasma proteins were taken into account. The relation between low cholesterol values and increased mortality was independent of the incidence of cancer.
I'm very glad to see this topic! I still struggle with anger over the criminality of this issue, but I'm getting chilled out and will be adding my voice to those of us debunking the myths about cholesterol.
I still need to read this book, "The Cholesterol Myths" but here is a snippet from a review:
"Ravnskov, a medical doctor with a PhD in chemistry, has had over 40 papers and letters published in peer-reviewed journals criticizing what Dr. George Mann, formerly of Vanderbuilt University, once called "the greatest scam in the history of medicine," namely the Lipid Hypothesis—the belief that dietary saturated fats and cholesterol clog arteries and cause atherosclerosis and heart disease.
Equipped with a razor-sharp mind and an impressive command of the literature, Ravnskov methodically slaughters the most famous sacred cow of modern medicine and the most profitable cash cow for assorted pharmaceutical companies. Sparing no one, Ravnskov again and again presents the tenets of the Lipid Hypothesis and the studies which supposedly prove them, and shows how the studies are flawed or based on manipulated statistics that actually prove nothing."
have heard some interesting info about how cinnamon can help cardiovascular health, and lower cholesterol. I think that there is some good info on natural products that can really help.
I just wonder if any of you have read about the liver flush. I read that if our liver is choked full of stones then sicknesses and other diseases will ultimately emerge. I did a few times but the epsom salt is really difficult to drink. I still saw stomes though not very satisfactory. A lot of my friends have done it with amazing, shocking and unbelievable results. It's a very simple program that you may consider trying. It's an alternative therapy and has nothing to do with drugs. Check it out at http://curezone.com/cleanse/liver/huldas_recipe.asp
I just wonder if any of you have read about the liver flush. I read that if our liver is choked full of stones then sicknesses and other diseases will ultimately emerge. I did a few times but the epsom salt is really difficult to drink. I still saw stomes though not very satisfactory. A lot of my friends have done it with amazing, shocking and unbelievable results. It's a very simple program that you may consider trying. It's an alternative therapy and has nothing to do with drugs. Check it out at http://curezone.com/cleanse/liver/huldas_recipe.asp
I did a gallbladder/liver cleanse one time, a couple of years ago. It involved Extra Virgin Olive Oil, fresh grapefruit juice and epsom salts. I counted approximately 150 small "stones", but I wonder if it wasn't the EVOO mixed with everything else and forming them. Didn't feel any spectacular effects, and just remember it as being a bit of a hassle.
__________________ "We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." ~Immanual Kant~
I agree it's quite a hassle to do the liver flush. To get about 150 stones to me is a good result. My friend's dad had an inflammed gall bladder & had to be operated. But he was so frightened of the operation he escaped fromt the hospital. He heard of the liver flush and did it immediately. He passed out half a bottle of stones. If he put all the stones together, it would be the size of a golf ball. Amazingly all his symptoms went off and he didn't go through the operation. He did every 2 weeks after that until there were no more stones. I really admire his tenacity to do it.
I just had my 6 month exhaustive health check up about a week ago. Got the usual 15 minute in-depth examination by the doctor and then the resident vampire drew a couple vials of blood and gave me a urine bottle to fill. The following day the head nurse calls with the results of all the tests, everything is normal, except your cholesterol is 220. I told her yeah your right I am going to have work on that to getting it higher.
There was this pause of disbelieve and then “oh I see you have refused the cholesterol medicine before”.
Oh as a side note this brief little excursion into the wonderful world of modern medicine cost Medicare $1467.
Congratulations on coming through alive!!!! Oh, and that used to be a "normal" cholesterol figure, it keeps getting lowered... I wonder why?? <snort!>
I kid you not, I had a cardiologist tell me that I should shoot for a cholesterol figure of 75... I asked him how many patients of his actually did that and he said, "Oh LOTS of them!" I smiled and left.
It can be a freakin' nightmare - I've certainly been there... I think I totally lucked out when I went on Medicare and found an awesome doctor (an O.D, Osteopathic Doctor which is M.D. training plus additional training). There must be other sane doctors that take insurance!
cholesterol levels
Oh, and that used to be a "normal" cholesterol figure, it keeps getting lowered... I wonder why?? <snort!>
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