Here's question I can't seem to find the answer to- must I continue to eat like a monk if I am taking Zocor? I was feeling pretty sorry for myself at a BBQ this weekend as I sat there with my grilled skinless chicken as everyone else munched on cheeseburgers. Of course I do understand that Zocor will do ZILCH in helping me watch my weight... just wondered if I need to be as diligent with my food choices. Thanks for your help!

Zocor is a statin that will inhibit the liver from producing cholesterol which lowers your numbers. There's not much proof it will do anything else, and 1/2 the folks having heart attacks have normal cholesterol levels.

Don't feel guilty over 'cheat days'. Heart patients and lots of 'strict' bodybuilders do this too. Take one day or meal per week and have those foods you normally wouldn't.

In my opinion, I would continue to eat natural, unprocessed foods the rest of the week. There are too many protective compounds in veggies, fruits, good fats, etc. to list here.

I think also it depends on your condition. When I took Zocor, I had to watch what I ate because I have genetically high cholesterol, diet changes it very little.

When I was on Zocor, it only dropped below 200 when I started eating properly (I ate raw foods but you could eat more like the above description).

Most people on these statins who have dietary high cholesterol usually don't need to be a slave to what they eat, but a minute number of folks who don't have as much control, like making lifestyle changes, do.

Do you know your levels now?

You threw away the best part of the chicken! Chicken skin is a monounsaturated fat, just like olive oil, a good fat. Your body produces cholesterol to rebuild and repair cell membranes. Usually said to be damaged by excessive insulin, trans fatty acids and toxins. So, when it produces high levels of cholesterol your body is telling your liver(has nothing to do with the dietary cholesterol)your cells need to be repaired. The statins treat a symtom of high cholesterol but don't address why your body is producing so much. In the great majority of cases it has to do with diet unless you have genetically high cholersterol but this is an extremely rare condition and the numbers are usually out of sight. So is a statin really helping you by preventing your bodies repair and build system to slow down, I don't think so. And, to be blunt, the statins actually poison the liver so it can't produce cholesterol, so how long do you want to kill your liver? There is a ton of info on the web to learn about how you body metabolizes protein, carbohydrates and fats. I did all the research, I eat a low carbohydrate diet, eliminated trans fats, lost a little weight(I really didn't need to but it was nice) and lowered my high numbers(from 368 TC and 225 Trigs) and improved all my ratios to under low risk. Now my HDL=73 and Trigs=69. There is great success with a low carb approach, but then again some people think a powerful pill will cure them. It really is a personal lifestyle choice.

The contention about the great majority of cases of high cholesterol being dietary is not entirely correct.It depends on your frame of reference.As an example,the people who have had a heart attack usually have a rise in cholesterol levels no matter what they do in their diet.When I had mine,my previous TC was always in the 170-180 range.After.while in the hospital and later my TC rose to 230 with a vegetarian diet.That has been the general consensus from my groups.

50% of people that have heart attacks have either normal or low cholesterol. So total cholesterol as a whole number is not really a risk factor in itself. Total/HDL, LDL/HDL and Trig numbers have shown in recent studies to be much more important as risk factors. Vegan diets can be high in carbs which increase TC and Trigs, low in saturated fats so they can lower HDL. It all depends on what you eat in addition to you veggies. If you go to some of the low carb forums you will find nothing but good testimonials, for a very few it may not work, but the greater majority find success. Changed my way of eating.

50% of people that have heart attacks have either normal or low cholesterol. So total cholesterol as a whole number is not really a risk factor in itself. Total/HDL, LDL/HDL and Trig numbers have shown in recent studies to be much more important as risk factors. Vegan diets can be high in carbs which increase TC and Trigs, low in saturated fats so they can lower HDL. It all depends on what you eat in addition to you veggies. If you go to some of the low carb forums you will find nothing but good testimonials, for a very few it may not work, but the greater majority find success. Changed my way of eating.

When I said vegetarian,I meant it was ALL vegetables.No carbs,no sugar,no fruit that was high in sugar content.The misnomer here is the word "majority".In your low carb forum that is applicable where it works for them and they are talking about it.So the majority of those people it works for and that is great.Just as what I have been telling you from people who have had heart attacks it does not work for the majority of those people.in fact it coincides with what you stated previously,that your research shows that the body produces cholesterol to repair damaged cells.Guess what.A heart attack damages heart muscle.It also takes a long time to have the heart repair the damage.So,diet alone does not usually work in those cases.