unbiased information

[chj]

Hello- Three years ago I went to have my cholesterol checked, as one is supposed to do these days hmm. My doctor then told me that my cholesterol was sky high ( just over 300 ) and if I did not start taking statins it would just be a matter of time before I had a heart attack! He got me on to Zocor 20mg and the first night I woke up and felt I could hardly move and of course thought that this is it the onset of my heart attack.After that I got so worried and started to have horrible panic attacks that went on for about two years, together with feeling really rotten and stiff in the muscles. After reading a lot about statins and cholesterol, I have decide to stop taking them and I must say I feel like a new person. My question really is, who has come to the conclusion that everybody should have a cholesterol of 200. Everybody is different so I think that is quite bizzarre. It seems to me that the powerful drug companies are putting the fear of god in us all and lowering the numbers all the time to get more people on to statins. The food industry with all their margarines and yoghurts that we now have to consume to stay healthy and avoid heart attacks. Why make perfectly health people into patients? Speaking for myself I eat healthily not over weight don´t smoke have normal blood pressure. Is there anyone that could provide us with the true facts about cholesterol? Some reports tells us that having high cholesterol is not all that bad and that people with it lives longer, on the other hand others says the complete opposite. Reports and research that is not funded by drugs companies or vested interests would be fantastic. Any ideas?

[NHone]

You will find that margarine is one of the worst things that we could ever put in our body.

[Mark1e]

Originally Posted by chj

.... It seems to me that the powerful drug companies are putting the fear of god in us all and lowering the numbers all the time to get more people on to statins. The food industry with all their margarines and yoghurts that we now have to consume to stay healthy and avoid heart attacks. Why make perfectly health people into patients? ....

You hit the nail on the head there. Contrary to popular belief, medicine is not a science. It is a business. And it is controlled by the pharmaceutical companies, with the help of the food industry. I am continually amazed at how easily doctors who have actually graduated from university are taken in by information that doesn't stand up to even cursory scrutiny.

For alternative insights into the cholesterol issue, google [removed]. People like Mary Enig, Uffe Ravnskov and Malcolm Kendrick provide good non-commercially motivated information on the subject.

Cheers,

Mark

[Lenin]

Originally Posted by chj

Hello- Three years ago I went to have my cholesterol checked, as one is supposed to do these days hmm. My doctor then told me that my cholesterol was sky high ( just over 300 ) and if I did not start taking statins it would just be a matter of time before I had a heart attack!

Some reports tells us that having high cholesterol is not all that bad and that people with it lives longer, on the other hand others says the complete opposite.

Though you may have trouble taking statins, it is not logical to assume that thus you do not need them. They are a drug class that WORK well but not everybody can take them and it;s a shame that you cannot.
But the proper response to such a conundrum is NOT to assume there is no problem...that's called DENIAL.
A cholesterol over 300 IS a killer...there are no responsible studies that contradict that, no matter WHO pays for them.

When your doctor told you that you needed a statin he was not lying to you.

Your only choice is to look to harsh dietary control to get more reasonable blood-fat levels. The extreme is a lower calorie, low sugar, vegetarian diet, perhaps even vegan, that almost always will get results...but at a superhuman effort.

There are some no-trans fat margerines that are canola based that are actually beneficial to the heart...the secret is to find a soft margerine without hydrogenated oils. Smart Beat is my favorite (and only 20 cal/Tbsp.), but Smart Balance Light is a reasonable alternative although 3 times the calories. Yoghurt is a good food but don't look for heart benefits.

What you CANNOT do is say:
"I cannot take statins therefore my wretched cholesterol level isn't dangerous." THAT approach is a killer.

[chj]

Hello Lenin, Thanks for your response. I am not saying that high cholesterol is not dangerous. What I dearly would like to find out what the truth is. Cholesterol numbers seem to go down more and more. It is now 200 or under, when is it going to be 180 or under. Who sets these numbers and what evidence have they got. Everybody is different, so I can´t understand that we all should have the same numbers. How can you be so sure that cholesterol of 300 is a killer? Is it something that you have read or are you a scientist or a doctor who is a specialist in this field and independant from any drug companies fundings? I am just trying to find answers so that I can stop worrying. Taking drugs that interferes with your liver and muscles is not very pleasant and therefore I would like to find some kind of solution. If you can point me in the right direction, I would be very grateful.