Health Alert 265
Dear Subscriber:
Have you heard about the new cholesterol study? It says a combination of three drugs can raise your HDL levels. It sounds impressive. But there are a few things you need to know. Today, I’ll explain how to achieve the same results without the risk – or the expense – of taking drugs.
The Annals of Internal Medicine performed the new cholesterol study. The results suggest that a combination of Gemfibrozil, niacin and cholestyramine may boost HDL cholesterol.
Total cholesterol levels are not great indicators of heart attacks. Total cholesterol isn’t nearly as important as the ratio of HDL, (good cholesterol) to LDL, (bad cholesterol). HDL levels trump other concerns for avoiding heart disease.1
There are several problems with this new study, however.
The first is duration. The study ran for only 30 months. That’s not enough time to get a good handle on long-term effects. It takes up to seven years to see all the side effects and interactions of a new drug.
The second problem is quantity. Only 143 people participated in the study. That number doesn’t begin to reflect what could happen when millions start taking it.
The third problem: You simply don’t need drugs to raise your HDL levels. You can get good, or better results with natural HDL boosters.
Exercise is the best way to balance your cholesterol levels. The largest independent heart study confirms this.2 Doing short bursts of exercise daily helps you lower LDL cholesterol, increase testosterone and raise HDL cholesterol. The PACETM program outlined in my book, The Doctor’s Heart Cure, is a simple and easy way to do this.
In July of 2003, the American Medical Association published a study from the University of Toronto. It shows that a healthy diet is as effective as drugs in controlling cholesterol, (both good and bad).3
A heart-healthy diet is important. This means eating whole, unrefined foods and avoiding refined carbohydrates. Good choices include grass-fed red meat, eggs, fruits, vegetables that grow above ground, and all nuts except peanuts.4
Eating meat will not boost your cholesterol levels. One recent study proved that eating lean meat helps reduce LDL and raise HDL levels. It didn’t matter what kind of meat.
The Journal of Nutrition published a study showing that high-protein diets boost antioxidant levels. Low-protein diets increase the oxidative effects of free radicals.
If you want to increase your HDL without drugs, adopt these habits:
- Exercise 20 minutes every other day.
- Eliminate trans fats from your diet. Cut out breaded/fried foods like French fries and deli chicken, commercially baked crackers and cookies and anything with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated soybean oil.
- Increase your omega-3 fatty acids with fish oils, avocados, nuts, olives and eggs.
- Supplement with CoQ10 and garlic.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears MD
Sources:
1 Gordon, et. al. High-density lipoprotein as a protective factor against coronary heart disease. The Framingham Study Am J Med 1997 May; 62(5); 707-714
2 The Framingham Heart Study
3 Effects of a Dietary Portfolio of Cholesterol-Lowering Foods vs. Lovastatin on Serum Lipids and C-Reactive Protein, Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 290, July 23, 2003 www.jama.com
4 Sears, A. Dr.; The Doctor’s Heart Cure, Dragon Door Publications: Minnesota, 2004