My first cholesterol fright happened on Veteran’s day last year – mid-November. The numbers were frightening, and I’m sure anyone who gets this bloody news at their doctor’s office has experienced the same overwhelming sense of doom that I did that day. It made me run to the pharmacy and buy Lipitor.
The reason for this post is simple: to share with the people reading it that I did not take the Lipitor, or any other statin drug, or any drug at all, and, three months later, here I am, still typing. And that’s not all. I did a blood test last Tuesday, and got the results today. My gains – or should I say losses – are modest. Very modest. But I have managed to slightly lower the numbers with simple stuff . The hardest was quitting cigarettes – which I love. The change in my diet was simple and easy to do. Oats for breakfast make it very easy to watch what you eat the rest for the day – they sit hugely in your belly for hours without budging. I ate a lot of leaves and fishes. And sprinkled a bit of ground up flax seed on anything I ate, when I remembered. I went for walks – and not religiously. I started out religious, but then eased off on myself. I walked ‘most’ days – which was about four days each week, and between 3 and 5 miles each time. I drank a glass of wine occasionally. I took Benecol – a vile caramel sweetie that doesn’t kill your liver, but prevents absorption of cholesterol. I took Guggul. But again, not religiously. About three – four times a week.
What I’m saying is, it didn’t take drastic life change, or enormous discipline or constant vigilance. Just an awareness of what I was putting in my mouth, and how often I was just sitting on my ass.
And I may be capable of typing a coherent post today precisely because I didn’t buy the fear mongering from that pharma-pimp of a doctor – I could have lost my memory along with my cholesterol, on a statin drug! No, this has not been proven – but the very idea is terrifying! No?
| NOVEMBER 2009 (then) | FEBRUARY 2010 (now) | |
| Total Cholesterol | 232 (high as shit) | 210 (high but not as shit) |
| Triglycerides | 81 (pretty good anyway) | 81 (still pretty good) |
| LDL (bad chol.) | 170 (damn that’s high) | 151 (hmm… seems a bit high) |
| HDL (good chol.) | 42 (poor) | 43 (still poor, but not as poor as 42) |
And that’s my story – I hope it helps people to consider not taking statins. My next drug story may be about anti-depressants… (I’m no doctor, just a high school dropout!)
Tags: Cholesterol, guggul, HDL, LDL, Lipitor, quit smoking, salmon, statins, walking
really really really glad to hear this.
for those of us who don’t know what guggul is, it’s a plant extract that’s been used in Ayurvedic medicines for centuries.
Guggul is a bit suspect for cholesterol lowering. nobody’s really sure whether it works or not. I’m going to stop it for the next three months and see if that makes any difference on my next test. There’s something called Red rice yeast – but it’s not easily available… weight loss is still the best way to lower cholesterol, and you have the bonus of looking good naked… so I’ll just aim to get into on those size 6 jeans by March end.
Interestingly, guggul came out of arcane ayurveda into easy availability thanks to primarily one gent, Dr. Nityanand, who was Director of the Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow. He is my father’s younger brother, and so Ashish’s grand uncle.
Oh I knew that – I think when I started taking it about five years ago I was told the story – how wonderful, no? I have met him. I personally feel it did work for me with my cholesterol… nice to know you’re reading my stuff!
marvellous. Must try and do the same. have given up sugar must eat oats.
Hi Umi nice to read your blog again. Now I am becoming fan of yours. Anyways you have done a great job by telling your story. But I feel Guggul and oats have little to do with lowering bad cholestrol or incresing good one. I think whole credit of your progress goes to walking a lot daily, doing more physical activities & not smoking much. If you do that much you will be surely in size 6 jeans by march end. Bye
Prashant, thanks for your encouragement – This is why I write! (Maybe you should read my book too – and let me know what you think of it…) Did you have a cholesterol problem yourself?
Yeah I read your books too (including POL) & you really deserve to be encouraged. Its always nice to read your literature or blogs. Keep it up. Anyways I never had cholesterol problem. May be because I am aware of this devil very well.
I am reading POL & Let you know my true reaction & comment about it very soon. Let you know my instant reaction “Its AMAZING”. I hope may we have pleasure to read Marathi literature from you as well.
Prashant, unfortunately, my Marathi is barely good enough for daily conversation – and I have been in the US for ten years, with a husband and children who don’t speak any! I have read all my mother’s books, but I really don’t think I can write in Marathi… I am sorry that I can’t, actually. It is a loss for me.
Coalesce, or all is bad.
Hey, you wrote “leaves and fishes.” What am I supposed to do, triglyceride as hard as I can and bite my lipitor? (ldl)
joe: SLAP.
that is all.
maybe we should exchange …. medical reports of LIPID Tests?
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
You give me your Cholesterol, I’ll give you some Triglycerates?
If that would help you, sure!
Umi that is way too high! I am glad though that you did nor start taking statins because they ruin the liver — I did not know about the memory loss because well I for got what I was going to say.