[-jimi-]

This is a long read, but quite interesting. It is written for men but maybe worth reading.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35058896...what-you-think

[Travelinglady]

Thanks for sharing this article, Jimrat. I am currently trying to lose weight. I conclude from the article that that and exercise are good for everybody, although, as typical, the research was only done on men. I definitely agree that more research is needed--and I think that people have been unnecessarily scared about cholesterol levels and their need to take statins if the total level is above a certain level, a number which has been lowered over the years!

[elliemay]

Originally Posted by PAYNE1

I have been having a battle with high cholesterol for a number of years. I was on statin drugs, but I have had nerve problems, muscle weakness, pain, and tiredness due to other diagnoses, and I don't want meds that can possibly increase these symptoms. Plus I've read that statin drugs don't necessarily actually decrease heart attacks, etc., since high cholesterol is only one potential cause of them. And they can actually weaken the heart muscle! So, I went off of them and have been taking fish oil. However, when I went to the doc recently for yearly testing, my overall cholesterol level was over 300.

I am going to keep taking fish oil. I am adding red yeast rice to my diet as of tonight, too. (I tried it once before and just stopped it for worry of its possible side effects.) Of all things, I just read that the U.S. has banned red yeast rice that contains much of the ingredient that actually helps with cholesterol, though. (Big Pharma at work?!) Two pharmacists told me it wouldn't have as strong side effects as statins, however.

I know I need to lose at least 30 pounds and exercise more, too.

How do you folks with this problem treat it? I really still don't want to take Statin drugs. Help and thanks!

Well, if you add red yeast rice to your diet, you are adding statins - they are the active ingredient in the red yeast rice.

The pharmacists that advised you were rather off base. At least with a pill you know, more or less, the dose you are taking. I would proceed with caution there....

[waynec]

Originally Posted by elliemay

Well, if you add red yeast rice to your diet, you are adding statins - they are the active ingredient in the red yeast rice.

The pharmacists that advised you were rather off base. At least with a pill you know, more or less, the dose you are taking. I would proceed with caution there....

i cant do prescription statins. my lipotologist has me on niacin and red rice yeast. i also dropped 21 pounds in the past year and upped my exercise. now at 183 (cholesterol) and all the other numbers are great. i watch what i eat but not fanatically. i like to cook and am good sowe dont go out much either.

[Travelinglady]

Yes, I read a good while back that the active ingredient in red yeast rice is what they use in statin drugs. So, I stopped that, too.

Now, as I mentioned, the FDA has made it illegal to sell the old Red Yeast Rice in this country (U.S.A.), and the kind now sold has very little of the active ingredient!

[lizardlady]

Payne, I just remembered something my pdoc told me. Research shows that fish oil from freshwater fish helps more than other fishoil. He said most freshwater fish oil is from salmon.

[lizardlady]

Originally Posted by jimrat

It's not really the cholesterol that is bad. It is triggered to heal damaged parts caused by inflammation. To target the body's attempt to heal is probably not a good idea, although in some cases it is good, because sometimes the body "overdoes" it and that causes problems.

If you have a lot of inflammation it might be because you have a bad omega 3 to 6 ratio. We are TERRIBLE in the Western world for overdoing omega 6 which causes.. you guessed it.. inflammation. Also I wish I could find the info on the bad and good LDL. It was very interesting.

Statins come with risks.. if I had high LDL I'm not sure I would gamble an asymptomatic life just to treat numbers, for the risks statins bring.

It's interesting that cholestrol acts to releive inflammation. I wonder if there is a link between inflammation problems and high cholestrol. Maybe the high cholesterol is the body's reaction to the inflammation? I'm going to poke around and see if I can find anything linking them.....

[-jimi-]

I'm sure part of it is inflammation.

For some freaky reason both my LDL and HDL are really low. But then again my body is in a constant state of inflammation.. maybe it ran out of repair material what do I know..LOL.