ohiorider

Seems to be a lot of chatter here and elsewhere on the web and just out there in the big world from many of the medical "experts" (and oh yeah, the BIG drug manufacturers as well!) about how BAD cholesterol is for us! Now before you go getting your spandex in a bunch and causing yourself some discomfort, do as I have done in the recent months and become a "sceptic" and play "devils advocate" and read up on some of the plethora of information that's out there on the other side of the issue. I'm still learning so I do not claim to be an "expert" but much of what I have read makes a whole lot of sense.

The Benefits of High Cholesterol
https://www.westonaprice.org/moderndi...s_cholest.html

Another good site:
https://www.westonaprice.org/moderndiseases/index.html

JavaMan

I have been reading about it as well. The scientific literature seems to indicate that high cholesterol is an indicator for mortality from atherosclerosis in young males. However, in older people, high cholesterol IS NOT an indicator for mortality! In fact, older adults with high cholesterol seem to live longer than adults with lower cholesterol. And no one is sure exactly what starts the process of plaque build-up. Yet everyone has jumped on the bandwagon that says high is bad.

It's wonderful to have such access to information as we do through the web today.

stapfam

You do live longer once you have had a recon done on the pipes going to the heart. Ask any bypass patient how their angiogram looked with the heart struggling to force blood through blocked artreries.

At the age of 52, never bothering about diet or smoking or any of my general health- one severe angina attack that crippled me for 3 months, then 5 months getting over the operation, and I now have to take drugs to stop the internal arteries of the heart blocking any further.

I now believe in a low cholesterol diet because I have to, but the bypass improved my cycling capabilities almost overnight, without me realising I had a problem in the first place

John E

Your body makes more cholesterol than you ingest. A high-fiber diet can help tremendously by preventing absorption or reabsorption of cholesterol in the intestines. Lecithin, either from food or supplements, helps, as well.

FarHorizon

All I know is when I started cycling regularly, my cholesterol dropped by a hundred points. This happened with no change in diet or other habits. If cycling = good, then I must conclude that cholesterol = bad.

steveknight

it also makes more if you don't eat natural foods with cholesterol. there are a lot of myths out there about it.

John E

What is a "natural food with cholesterol" -- shellfish, raw meat, non-homogenized milk, etc.?

Vegetarians tend to have low serum cholesterol levels, yet they eat "natural foods WITHOUT cholesterol," which of course comes exclusively from animal sources.

steveknight

butter coconut oil and palm oils. I knwo there are more but thats whats in my head this morning.
of course Vegetarians tend to because they don't pack in the junk food everyone else does yet.

Garfield Cat

I started with Lipitor and still use it daily. But now I also take in flaxseed and garlic pills. The flaxseed is from a North Dakota farm and is certified organic. I use my coffee bean grinder and grind the flaxseed into powder. I take two heaping teaspoons and dump it in the blender with two oranges and a banana with ice cubes. The garlic pills are the non odor type. It has been close to a month now and I will go for my bloodwork to see what happens. I feel better with this new regimen.

shokhead

I ride 100 miles aweek. Dont smoke. 6'@190lbs. I watch what i eat because of Kidney stones at 18 and i'm 52. 8 years ago when i had another kidney stone and they checked my blood. Cholesterol. 380 just like my parents. Some meds at 40mg. 310. Doubled it. 259. Started doing fishoil. 237. Thats the best we could get it down. Went on Lipitor. 159 There's bad and good.

glassman

I have been wondering if cycling helped lower cholesterol, thanks for the info.

Roody

Those links are pretty questionable articles, written by a loose cannon who claims to be a scientist. What is the "Weston A. Price Foundation?" Why is it work more reliable than all the universities and medical associations? Who is "Uffe Ravnskov?" Is he that much smarter than all the other scientists? Why was his work not scrutinized by other scientists and then published in reputable medical journals? Why do organizations like the American Heart Association, who also review the relevant literature, come to different conclusions? Do you really believe that all the physicians and scientists are involved in a conspiracy to kill millions of people so that drug companies can make more money? Come on now....

At least this article did have one humorous quote: "Old people with low cholesterol died twice as often as old people with a high cholesterol." I thought all old people died only once! I guess it might be preferable to die twice rather than only once.

Of course when you find nonsensical statements like this in an article, you knowfor sure that it was carelessly written, and edited by clowns!