Health Alert 303
"Dr. Sears, my last doctor put me on a drug to lower my bad cholesterol. Now I’m aching all the time. I’m constantly tired. I feel like I’m 90 years old. Can I stop taking this drug?”
If you’re a regular reader, you know about my research into this issue. Yet, I still get this question a lot. It’s partly because statin drugs are the most prescribed drugs in history. And, it’s partly because they eventually make so many people feel old and tired. I seem to be one of the few saying you don’t need them to maintain heart health.
Take a few minutes and read today’s Health Alert. It will convince you that LDL cholesterol should be the least of your worries. You’ll also get some easy-to-follow tips for really keeping a strong and healthy heart.
The big drug makers love to run slick TV ads trying to convince you that lowering your LDL will protect you from heart disease. If you rely on drug companies for information on heart disease, that’s what their studies conclude. Why are they so interested in low LDL? That’s what statin drugs do best – lower your LDL. Doctor’s often further misinterpret the science and lead patients to believe that they have to lower their cholesterols with drugs or die of heart disease.
For reliable data, the Framingham Heart Study is your best source. This on-going fifty-seven-year-old study has no connection to any drug company. Over the years, this landmark study found that 75% of all heart attack victims had "normal" cholesterol profiles.(1) This alone is strong evidence that your cholesterol level is not a major determinant and should not be your number one concern. But there’s more…
It also clearly shows that LDL is meaningless if your good HDL cholesterol is high. Even if your total cholesterol is over three hundred, an HDL above eighty-five will protect you from heart attacks, strokes and heart disease.(2)
Not exactly what the makers of Lipitor want you to know.
A simple blood test will tell you what your HDL levels are. If your HDL is below thirty-five, giving it a boost is important.
Here are the three most reliable ways:
- PACE® Yourself – Forget about low level aerobics. In fact, jogging for hours only lowers HDL. Yet short burst of training at an anaerobic level will boost HDL like nothing else can.
A famous Harvard study found the more energy a person exerted during exercise, the lower their risk of heart disease.(3) The PACE®program is the most effective, practical way to safely increase your capacity. Gradually progress to short bursts of intense activity. This will bulletproof your heart and make you feel vital, youthful and energetic.
Enter "PACE" into our search engine at the top of the home page. You’ll get lots of free details of the program.
- Cod Liver Oil – This ole-time nutritional supplement is still a great defense against heart disease. In my practice, I find that it increases your level of omega-3 fatty acids, raises HDL, lowers blood pressure and lowers triglycerides. Even the typically anti-nutrient American Heart Association now supports the use of fish oil.
- Garlic – This common herb is ideal for heart protection. It’s a powerful antioxidant and prevents the bad cholesterol from sticking to your arteries. Dr. Siegel study in Germany recently found that garlic prevented the build up of plaque on arteries by as much as forty percent.(4)
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
(1) Castelli WP. Cholesterol and lipids in the risk of coronary artery disease – the Framingham Heart Study. Canadian Journal of Cardiology. 1998 July; 4 Suppl A:5A-10A.
(2) Castiglioni A and Neuman WR. "HDL Cholesterol: What Is Its True Clinical Significance?" Emergency Medicine, January 2003:pp 30-42.
(3) Lee I, et al. Relative intensity of physical activity and risk of coronary heart disease. Circulation. 2003 Mar 4;107(8):1110-6.
(4) Siegel G et al. Reduction of Arteriosclerotic Nanoplaque Formation by Garlic Extract. 6th Annual Conference on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology. American Heart Association Annual Conference. Washington, D.C., Apr 29, 2005.