As a grandfather with 3 grandchildren, and another one on the way, I need to keep up my stamina in order to enjoy the benefits of spending quality time with my family. I am also an avid golfer and I have a part time job that also keeps me active. I was noticing my lifestyle going downhill as my years on statin drugs began to take it's toll. I really took a hard look at myself the day I heard my grandaughter, Kaitlyn, tell her grandmother that I was a "lazy pappy." It wasn't my fault, it was the effects of the statins and I knew it. The problem was, what could I do about it? I needed to make some drastic changes. The first thing was to get off the statin drugs altogether. As mentioned previously, I started to exercise regularly and watch my diet carefully. I began asking people about different vitamins and supplements. I started to read up on cholesterol lowering supplements on the internet. I figured I'd do a bit of experimenting on myself, hell, what did I have to lose? Niacin was ruled out since it didn't help lower my cholesterol after 6 months. I began taking three Omega 3 fish oil caps per day(300 mg. each). I space them out, usually one at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Fish oil contains both DHA and EPA. Evidence from several studies has suggested that amounts of DHA and EPA in the form of fish oil supplements lowers triglycerides, slows the buildup of atherosclerotic plaques (hardening of the arteries), lowers blood pressure slightly, as well as reduces the risk of death, heart attack, dangerous abnormal heart rhythms, and strokes in people with known heart diseases.
The next thing I did was to start taking CoQ-10. I take a 120 mg. capsule daily. Statin drugs, or HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, are a class of drugs used to lower cholesterol. Statins work by inhibiting the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, the enzyme that determines the rate of cholesterol formation. Some research suggests that statin drugs may interfere with the body's production of CoQ10, a substance produced naturally in the body and found in every cell. CoQ10 has a key roll in the mitochondria, the part of a cell that produces energy. Statins have been found to decrease CoQ10 production as a side effect of their action. A Columbia University study in New York found that 30 days of statin therapy (80 mg/day), decreased CoQ10 levels by half. Some researchers suggest that this side effect may counteract any benefits of taking statins. For example, in an article published in the journal "Biofactors", cardiologist and researcher Dr. Peter Langsjoen says, "The depletion of the essential nutrient CoQ10 by the increasingly popular cholesterol lowering drugs, HMG CoA reductase inhibitors (statins), has grown from a level of concern to one of alarm."
My breakfast habits changed. I began eating a mixture of ground flaxseed, raw oatmeal (not the instant type), along with wheat germ and sunflower seeds. I would mix them together in a large ziplock bag. I would eat approximately 1 cup of this along with a cup of yogurt. I usually eat the flavored types. Flaxseed is rich in alpha-linolenic acid, an essential fatty acid that appears to be beneficial for protecting against heart disease. Several studies indicated that flaxseed can lower cholesterol and may also have a protective effect against angina (chest pain) and high blood pressure. If you don't care to eat the raw oatmeal mixture you may prefer to take flaxseed oil capsules as a friend of mine does.
The next thing I started taking was Red Yeast Rice. I take only one 600 mg. capsule in the morning. The recommended dosage is 4 a day but because RYR is a naturally occurring statin, I'm scared to take more. Red Yeast Rice is rice that has been fermented by the red yeast, Monascus purpureus. It has been used by the Chinese for many centuries as a food preservative, spice, and an ingredient in rice wine. RYR has been used in China for over 1,000 years for medicinal purposes. RYR was described in an ancient Chinese list of drugs as useful in improving blood circulation and for alleviating indigestion and diarrhea. Small scale studies using pharmaceutical-grade RYR have continued todemonstrate efficacy and safety. However, in the United States it is no longer legal to sell supplements of RYR that contain more than trace amounts of cholesterol lowering substances. The reason is that statin drugs are associated with muscle and kidney injury when used alone or combined with other medications. Also, the FDA considers the products containing RYR with high levels of cholesterol lowering substances to be new, unapproved drugs for which marketing violates the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
These are some of the steps I have taken over the last couple of years and it is helping me keep my cholesterol levels at bay. My cholesterol range is between 200 - 230 and I am happy with that. Cholesterol is in our bodies for a reason and I don't for one minute believe the hype about getting it lower than 200. My belief is that it is just a ploy by the major pharmaceutical companies to push their statin drugs. Take it for what it's worth, I have shared my recipe with you for keeping my cholesterol on a manageable level. I am not a doctor and I would advise anyone out there thinking about doing what I have done, to consider checking with their doctor first, since our bodies are all different and they react differently to certain substances.
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