FOODS THAT LOWER CHOLESTEROL

Can Cholesterol drugs lower your sex drive?

"I have taken statins to lower my cholesterol. Decreased libido was one of the many side effects I experienced. As things happen gradually, I hadn't fully taken note of how my normal nighttime erections had virtually ceased.

I figured my lack of sexual interest was due to getting older. My wife felt I wasn't as interested in her anymore.

During the first week after I stopped the statin, I had a sexual awakening like I was a teenager again. I didn't realise how far I had deteriorated until my libido came roaring back!"

Statins like Lipitor and Lovastatin do contribute to sexual difficulties, and research confirms it. An article in "Drug Safety" July 1, 2009, concludes:

" Despite some methodological limitations, the present study suggests that statins may induce or worsen ED in accordance with other data."

Drug Safety: Statins and Erectile dysfunction...

People's Pharmacy: Do Cholesterol drugs sap sex drive?

This comes as no surprise as most hormones have a high cholesterol component, so drugs reducing cholesterol are likely to interfere with normal hormone production. It remains unexplained but this probably is also the underlying cause of a higher rate of violent death in persons taking statins, than those using natural methods to lower their cholesterol.

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CHOLESTEROL - a personal journey of discovery

FOODS THAT LOWER CHOLESTEROL

• Give up your love of animal fat, OR
• Accept that foods that lower cholesterol are a non-option.

Taking statins may be the third option for you, but I refuse to start down that road. My sexuality, and a host of other factors are too important to me...

And so began my personal search for a healthy blood cholesterol profile, without denying my love of food. And without swallowing pills to lower cholesterol.

For me it's not been difficult. I continue to pig out on butter and mutton (in the Netherlands, personally I don't like the beef and pork - as someone South African born, I've been spoilt rotten there) and rich Dutch cheeses. But I've added foods that lower cholesterol to our mutton stew, so that I can continue to indulge myself! And my cholesterol is "dangerously low"! I'm joking of course, but it's well within normal limits. 164 mg/dL (4.2 mmol/L). Anything below 200 is good.

BERNIE'S SEVEN CHOLESTEROL PRIORITIES

FOODS THAT LOWER CHOLESTEROL

APPLE DIET

FOODS THAT LOWER CHOLESTEROL

It's no old wives' tale that an apple-a-day-keeps-the-doctor-away. Research confirms that eating 2-3 apples per day (including the apple skins) reduces the toxic LDL in the blood by 10%. To some extent this is probably true of all fruit. EAT MORE FRUIT. APPLE DIET ...



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FATTY FISH

FOODS THAT LOWER CHOLESTEROL

There is now overwhelming evidence that the omega-3 oils in fatty fish have a healthy effect on your LDL cholesterol (Low density), that which has a dangerous effect on blood vessels, whilst not lowering the healthy friendly High density HDLs.

Mackerel, salmon, herring... even mussels, extremely high in antioxidants that prevent cancer, which get some bad press have less than half the cholesterol of red meat that's been trimmed of all fat. We recommend recipes for mussels highly, but do use only fresh mussels... RECIPES FOR MUSSELS ...

WAYS TO COOK SALMON ...

MACKEREL RECIPES ...




"Nature is relentless and unchangeable, and it is indifferent as to whether its hidden reasons and actions are understandable to man or not."

Galileo (16th century)




What does the research have to say?

Ann Intern Med (August 3, 2010).

Researchers divided 307 seriously obese people with an average BMI of 36 into two groups who followed two quite different diets:

1. Low-fat diet
2. Low-carb diet

Both groups lost a similar amount of weight: 18kg over two years. But... in every other respect the low-carb group did better: lower blood pressure, lower LDL cholesterol, lower triglycerides levels, and most important a raised beneficial cholesterol, HDL, astonishingly 23% better.





EGGPLANT RECIPES

FOODS THAT LOWER CHOLESTEROL

Formerly, the consequences of raised cholesterol were not understood but now the hidden benefits and actions of many foods are well understood, and behoves us to take note... or else, nature is unforgiving.

The eggplant / aubergine / brinjal fruit has dramatic cholesterol-lowering properties. Researchers in Brazil are trying to develop an extract to make into a drug, but isn't it more sensible to indulge in delicious eggplant recipes ...? EGGPLANT RECIPES ...

More aubergine recipes ...

BABA GHANOUSH ... my favourite eggplant recipe, made in ten minutes.




CHOLESTEROL AND ALCOHOL

FOODS THAT LOWER CHOLESTEROL

The good news is that a glass of red wine a day reduces blood cholesterol. However, if you're a non-drinker, I wouldn't start with red wine. There are dangers associated with alcohol, just as there are with cholesterol. CHOLESTEROL ALCOHOL ...



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STATINS in High Risk prevention

BACKGROUND: Statins have been shown to reduce the risk of all-cause mortality among individuals with clinical history of coronary heart disease.

However, it remains uncertain whether statins have similar mortality benefit in a high-risk primary prevention setting. Our objective was to reliably determine if statin therapy reduces all-cause mortality among intermediate to high-risk individuals without a history of Cardio Vascular Disease.

DATA SOURCES: Trials were identified through computerized literature searches of MEDLINE and Cochrane databases (January 1970-May 2009) using terms related to statins, clinical trials, and cardiovascular end points and through bibliographies of retrieved studies. Data were available on 65 229 participants followed for approximately 244 000 person-years, during which 2793 deaths occurred.

The use of statins in this high-risk primary prevention setting was not associated with a statistically significant reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality.

CONCLUSION:

This literature-based meta-analysis did not find evidence for the benefit of statin therapy on all-cause mortality in a high-risk primary prevention set-up. (ie in persons without a prior history of cardiovascular disease).



Archives of Internal Medicine, September 2010.





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EXERCISE AND CHOLESTEROL

And cholesterol is of course also reduced by exercise. Considering walking benefits is surely a better option than risking Erectile Dysfunction. Walking has 10 000 benefits, but which of us thought it would save men from the most awful of afflictions, loss of libido. A bicycle, the swimming pool... choose something. It'll help your back too, reduced the chance of osteoporosis, less depression... incredible benefits of exercise. EXERCISE AND CHOLESTEROL ...

WALKING BENEFITS ...



OATS every day!

Oats is listed high up there amongst those foods proven to lower cholesterol. If you love butter like I do, then you really have no option. Oats, I have it every day, like my back exercises, I NEVER miss. Just a cheap muesli will do. One without sugar.




HUMMUS

Hummus is relatively high in healthy fat because of the olive oil and sesame paste but, because of its high soluble fibre and sterols content, it's listed up there with the other super foods that lower cholesterol. No need to worry about the calories in hummus, and if you do, then make it yourself, and use less olive oil. It only takes 4 minutes to make... of course, preparing the garbanzo beans (chickpeas) takes a little longer!

The garbanzo bean is the most popular legume in the whole world. It's no coincidence, and we too should be eating them regularly. They are a dirt cheap form of protein. CALORIES IN HUMMUS ...

FATS

But get most of your fat from:

• Fatty fish like salmon and mackerel.
• Two fruits: the olive and the avocado.
• Nuts, and especially the Walnut.
• Crushed linseed.

These are the foods that are high in Mono Unsaturated Fatty Acids and Omega-3. These are the fats that will save your life.

HIGH CHOLESTEROL?

FOODS THAT LOWER CHOLESTEROL

EVERY week in your shopping basket...

HELENS 15 EURO SALAD ... it saved my life of misery. Constipation.

That, or pills, or a high risk of a stroke or heart attack. Take your pick. I find these foods delic, and we eat them EVERY WEEK. And hence, despite my adduction to butter and fatty meat, my total cholesterol is a paltry 164. Yours could be too without pills.

What are normal cholesterol blood levels?

As a rule of thumb, your total cholesterol should be lower than 200 (5.1). But if you are a smoker, and don't exercise, have a family history of heart disease, have high blood pressure... then perhaps 170 should be the goal.

Your LDL cholesterol should be below 100 (2.6).

Your HDL cholesterol (the protective one) should be above 50 (1.3).

You triglycerides (from sugar and alcohol) should be less than 150 (1.7)

Why is HDL the good cholesterol?

A high HDL cholesterol level (above 50 (1.3)) is strongly associated with lower heart disease and atherosclerosis. Eat more walnuts, fish, exercise more, and yes you've heard it again and again, don't smoke. It will kill you, you know, about 10 years on average before your time. Just after you retire...

What is the total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio?

So 200/50 = 4. Anything BELOW 4 is good. Keep the 200 down, and the 50 up. Then you'll have a good total cholesterol / HDL ratio.

Lies, damn lies and Statins

Whether or not their recommendations had merit...

Conflict of interest

Worse, they did not disclose their financial involvement with the drug companies. Something stank in the State of Denmark... and many people are still taking statins unnecessarily.

Think rather of a change of lifestyle... increasing the fish in your diet, eating more salad and fruit, changing to olive oil... none of these are painful. Start taking a walk. An apple a day, still good advice. The apple diet is so simple, munch one on the way to work.

Or risk, losing your libido and increasing the risk of erectile dysfunction ... at least that the Bernard Preston opinion.

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