There are so many people that, however hard they try to lower their cholesterol with diet, fail. Then there are people who can eat a lot of fat and have cholesterol within "normal" levels. Does this not show that, genetically, we are all different and so is our cholesterol. Mayby some need more cholesterol than others? Most middle aged women in Scandinavia has a cholesterol of 250. Are they all sick? Then there is an area in Italy where they have genetically low cholesterol. Are they sick too? Nobody knows the whole story, but for me personally, it does not make sense that we should be aming at the same numbers, which are getting lower the whole time.I also think that that it is very irresponsible for doctors to insist that unless we are under 200 we must take statins. After all they are very powerful drugs and can have terrible side effects for some people.

chj...I have tried statins as well as my husband, and although he tolerated them for almost 7 years, side effects were there, we just never associated them with the statins. After I was put on them and became sick within 4 months, I researched them thru this site and learned ALOT! We both tried a few different ones, and I especially just couldn't handle them, and also couldn't handle Welchol, Zetia and some other thing I can't remember the name of off hand, but it didn't agree with me, so I said ENOUGH!!

WE both have not been on anything since 2000, and although our numbers are up and down, we have told our drs. we will not try them again. Naturally we have gotten some nasty comments from a few drs., but his cardio dr. told us, if they mess up the QUALITY of your life, they are not worth taking.

Your remark about all of us not being the same, is the exact arguement we try to present. Just because some folks have low numbers, doesn't mean I have to, as maybe my body needs higher cholesterol. I have known people with heart problems with great numbers, so I am skeptical whether all this high numbers stuff is really the culprit. Oh well, guess time will tell.

Best wishes for a great day.....:wave:

it does not make sense that we should be aming at the same numbers

CHJ,
That's why there are three distinctly different goal levels depending on the degree of risk we face:

1. no risk factors
2. several risk factors,
3. Heart Disease.

Thus we are NOT aiming for the same numbers when follow the guidlines.

Lenin hello. The trouble is that some doctors seem to be hellbent in prescribing statins if your numbers are not below 200 although there are no other risk factors. When should you start prescribing statins or recommend reducing ,or increasing cholesterol as the case may be, to someone when there is no other risk factors? Is there an unbiased upper and lower level? I don´t think there is a clear cut answer to that and we all get lumped together regardless of genetics etc.:confused:

Doctors who prescribe statins FIRST without trying diet and exercise changes (and I would add other natural choices) first are not following recommended guidelines.

Read the American Heart Association guidelines. They are based on the National Cholesterol Education group work (may not have that title exactly right but when you find it, their info is also readily available. It very clearly states that unless there are risk factors, statins are NOT the first treatment of choice.

There are so many people that, however hard they try to lower their cholesterol with diet, fail. Then there are people who can eat a lot of fat and have cholesterol within "normal" levels. Does this not show that, genetically, we are all different and so is our cholesterol.

Good point. I ate like a fool for many years, even after I was diagnosed with heart failure. I continued to drink beer and eat chicken wings and french fries dipped in cheddar cheese, and loads of potato chips, ice cream and delicious phily cheese steak subs and bacon, egg and cheese subs! Hmmmmm!? I am making myself hungry.

I never gained any weight, no matter how much fat and colories that I consumed. I could always out-eat almost everyone else. My cholesterol was over 200 and my tryglicerides were through the roof, but, even considering the heart failure, I continued to enjoy eating what I wanted, and drinking my beer.

But then................ my symptoms suddenly got much worse. I had problems breathing, after consuming a relatively small amount of calories. I had to sleep sitting up. I was getting much weaker and much more fatigued. My heart rhythm was totally out of control and my legs were swelling up. It was like running into a wall. Very little warning of impending, increasing health problems, and whatever warnings there were, I did not interpret the warnings correctly.

Since then, I've been on a low calorie, frequent feeding, small meal diet. Without taking any statins, at all, my cholesterol and trygliceride numbers are GREAT! My symptoms have improved dramatically. My health is much better. But, I still have to limit my calories, or my symptoms get much worse.

If I could go back twenty years, and change my diet, guess what I would do? NOTHING! I would still eat and drink and party and have fun. I don't like having these health problems now, but what the hell. If my health permitted, which it won't, I would go out and get a pitcher of beer, chicken wings and french fries dipped in hot cheese sauce. Sadly, I can't do it anymore. :(

Ohh beerzoids, you are making me hungry, just as well I have had my supper, a real bean feast, kidney beans with tuna sprinkled with onions and garlic with a light coating of fresh virgin olive oil, topped with finely shredded red and green peppers, washed down with two glasses of the finest of wine from Ribera del Duero. YUM! Menues apart, you say your cholesterol was over 200 but not by how much. Can you remember? My point really is that we are all so different genetically so all this guidelines that are published, many of which greatly contradict each other,does not make a lot of sense to me. Also much research is backed by the drug industry who obviously want our numbers to be as low as possibly so it is very difficult to believe any of them. I just hope that one day it will all become clearer for the benefit of everybodys health and that we don´t continue to be a world full of patients. There are too many lies and vested interest in the health industry.

There are so many people that, however hard they try to lower their cholesterol with diet, fail. Then there are people who can eat a lot of fat and have cholesterol within "normal" levels. Does this not show that, genetically, we are all different and so is our cholesterol. Mayby some need more cholesterol than others? Most middle aged women in Scandinavia has a cholesterol of 250. Are they all sick? Then there is an area in Italy where they have genetically low cholesterol. Are they sick too? Nobody knows the whole story, but for me personally, it does not make sense that we should be aming at the same numbers, which are getting lower the whole time.I also think that that it is very irresponsible for doctors to insist that unless we are under 200 we must take statins. After all they are very powerful drugs and can have terrible side effects for some people.

Chj, I am like a lot of other people that say something else is going on, today I talked to a lady whose husband in his forty's had a heart attack and he had the perfect cholesterol 178 Hdl in the 50's and LDl barely over 100 and still he had blocked arteries. What was sad was when his wife questioned why the doctor was putting him on Lipitor he screamed at her "do you want to kill your husband" She told me many members of the family have had terrible side effects from Lipitor, one even had fluid on the brain as a result, another fell down along the road because his legs gave out from Lipitor but still the doctor insisted. She said the doctors get a kick back of $4.00 a pill if they can get you started on the pills.:eek:

Are you serious that they get 4.00 a pill for prescribing them? Holy moly, now that is unbelieveable. My husband had fine cholesterol numbers when his arteries were cleaned as well. Thank God he didn't have a heart attack.

I noticed when we would go to the track near our house to walk, he could only get around once, which is a 1/4 mile, then he would go off to the side and cough his brains out. I knew he had a drs. visit coming up soon, so I went, told the dr. about it, which didn't sit well with hubby, as he would have said nothing. Dr. sent him to a cardio man, and within a week after a stress and image test, was in the hospital getting cleaned out, as he had 93-96% blockage on left side. Dr. told me if I didn't open my mouth, he would have had a heart attack within 6 months. Hmmm, guess my "big mouth" paid off...;)

Chj, I am like a lot of other people that say something else is going on, today I talked to a lady whose husband in his forty's had a heart attack and he had the perfect cholesterol 178 Hdl in the 50's and LDl barely over 100 and still he had blocked arteries. What was sad was when his wife questioned why the doctor was putting him on Lipitor he screamed at her "do you want to kill your husband" She told me many members of the family have had terrible side effects from Lipitor, one even had fluid on the brain as a result, another fell down along the road because his legs gave out from Lipitor but still the doctor insisted. She said the doctors get a kick back of $4.00 a pill if they can get you started on the pills.:eek:

THat is so sad they want to put her husband on Lipitor.. When will these doctors get a clue..its NOT the cholesterol. Obviously her husband has another problem. I would make sure they check his thyroid.. He MUST have the free T3 checked. low metabolism can cause CAD as well as can low magnesium. I would do my research on lipitor after a heart attack. PubMed has some articles, that are highly against it. Doctors don't get cash back..that is illegal. HOWEVER, they do get points, which can be traded for trips, golf clubs, etc.... kind of like frequent flyer (or in this case supplier) points...

A well known Doctor who sends me weekly health emails has said Cholesterol 300 and below is fine. Most important is Homocysteine which is completely ignorned by Doctors. I remember when the number was 238 (many years ago) and it was lowered to 200 at the recommendation of Drug Companies with the full approval of Doctors and for obvious reasons. We all now have it fixed in our heads that we're in danger unless it's below 200. 60% of all heart attacks are those with normal levels. I'm at 202 and was told by the Doctor it's too high - Nonsense. What's too high is my Homocysteine which is 12. It should be below 8 according to many articles I've read. The blood testing centers say below 15 which is much too high. I'm taking a Homocysteine Formula to reduce the 12 to below 8. When my Cholesterol was 252 a Doctor suggested drugs and I refused. I would refuse even today if it was 252 instead of 202.

well known Doctor who sends me weekly health emails has said Cholesterol 300 and below is fine
What is his name?
Most "well known doctors" don't send out weekly e-mails...they are too busy working in "well known hospitals."


60% of all heart attacks are those with normal levels.
Please define this "normal level" that provides the 60% cutoff for heart attacks? Where did you read this?

Ohh beerzoids, you are making me hungry, just as well I have had my supper, a real bean feast, kidney beans with tuna sprinkled with onions and garlic with a light coating of fresh virgin olive oil, topped with finely shredded red and green peppers, washed down with two glasses of the finest of wine from Ribera del Duero. YUM!

Hey! Fight fair! :mad:

What was the YUM for, the food or the wine? :D

I've been trying to phase out salad dressing. I have three salads per day. For my main course I usually have about 1/2 cup of 100% whole wheat pasta and chili, or 1/2 cup of pasta and swedish meat sauce. I banged my head against the wall trying to come up with a salad dressing that was healthy and low in food allergens and calories. I finally came up with the idea of heating up the chili and pasta, and then, instead of eating it separately, mixing it in with the salad. It was delicious and solved my problem. No more salad dressings! :blob_fire

Menues apart, you say your cholesterol was over 200 but not by how much. Can you remember?

My cholesterol averaged around 300 for many years. My triglycerides ran around 300, and up to 700+. It was my high level of triglycerides that helped me determine that the nasty increases in my health problems were due to Insulin Resistance.

My point really is that we are all so different genetically so all this guidelines that are published, many of which greatly contradict each other,does not make a lot of sense to me.

Then throw the guidelines out the window, but eat quality, low calorie food, preferrably in smaller portions. You are what you eat?! :confused:

Also much research is backed by the drug industry who obviously want our numbers to be as low as possibly so it is very difficult to believe any of them. I just hope that one day it will all become clearer for the benefit of everybodys health and that we don´t continue to be a world full of patients. There are too many lies and vested interest in the health industry.

I don't trust a lot of the newer meds coming out of the Pharmaceutical industry. I don't trust them to really, truly know how to strengthen our bones, or reduce our blood chemicals, through altering the way our livers function. But, at the same time, some of the discoveries by the Pharmaceutical industry, over the past 20 years, and recently, have been truly miraculous. So..... I guess we have to take the good with the bad.

If we don't want to take pills for high cholesterol and high triglycerides, then we need to diet and exercise more.

Well, the YUM was for both,really truly. If we are what we eat, I probably would turn into a bean! Why try to get rid of salad dressing. Make a really good and healthy dressing from extra virgin oil mixed with a bit of balsamic vinegar, put in some crushed garlic and a few sprigs of basil and you will be in heaven! Oh and don´t forget the wine:) I know that the pharmaceutical industry has come out with wonderful drugs, but the way that cholesterol is marketed toegether with scaremongering is to me unexcusable and very dangerous. We are all put in the same boat, regardless of age, gender,race, nationality etc. Get the numbers down to 200 or you will be in danger of heart desease. Not all doctors go along with that, thank goodness, but takes into account other risk factors.For my genetic make up it might be normal to have a cholesterol of 300 and for someone else, this might be not so good.We need to look at the whole picture of each individual rather that make us in to a big blob.

Why try to get rid of salad dressing.

Gots to keep calories under a certain level or my blood pressure goes up, along with increased heart rhythm problems and breathing difficulties. So...... it's a game of trade-offs. What can I do without, and what do I refuse to do without. I can cut about 300 calories by doing away with the salad dressing, and then gain back about 50 calories by including a little fried soy with snacks. If I cut back a little on the 100% whole wheat pasta, perhaps I can increase my daily apple allotment.

Make a really good and healthy dressing from extra virgin oil mixed with a bit of balsamic vinegar, put in some crushed garlic and a few sprigs of basil and you will be in heaven!

I'll get the ingredients and give it a try. Thanks! :)

Oh and don´t forget the wine:)

I can't drink any more. I'm hoping that, after I re-arrange my meds, I will be able to snort a glass of wine, or two, once again.

I know that the pharmaceutical industry has come out with wonderful drugs, but the way that cholesterol is marketed toegether with scaremongering is to me unexcusable and very dangerous. We are all put in the same boat, regardless of age, gender,race, nationality etc. Get the numbers down to 200 or you will be in danger of heart desease. Not all doctors go along with that, thank goodness, but takes into account other risk factors.For my genetic make up it might be normal to have a cholesterol of 300 and for someone else, this might be not so good.We need to look at the whole picture of each individual rather that make us in to a big blob.

I think that our medical system has deteriorated so badly, that it is generally unsafe. I've had doctors prescribe medicine to me that would dangerously interact with my other meds, or that would be insufficient, or that would cause more harm than good. They don't analyze any of their patients. It's like fast food, but it's fast patients. They look at your numbers, but they don't look at you. They write multiple prescriptions without any regard to your own individual health problems, or health history. And...... most of them really don't understand the medications that they prescribe. I have serious heart disease. If I hadn't been so pro-active in my care, I would be dead or worse right now.

To keep it short...... I basically agree with you. Have a nice night! :wave:

I have tried a lot of really dreary low-cal salad dressings over the years and I'm old enough to remeber some mixtures of glycerine and vinegar that were VERY low cal but truly inedible by any standards.

I finally found one that is pretty decent:
KRAFT FREE Zesty Italian Fat Free Dressing.
It clocks in at 15 calories per ounce, of which 8 are from sugar.
It gets its "body" primarily from xanthan gum...a friendly fiber thickener...I use xanthan and guar in many recipes.

Perfect salad dressing for low-cal fans.