I have read a lot recently on lowering cholesterol and its importance. I have also seen that ministers in the UK seem to be considering giving everone over a certain age a statin daily. OK you might think, but then statins are not necessarily the totally good guy that they may appear to be. As a diabetic I have been given statins to reduce my cholesterol and of course have regular blood tests to check how things are going. One thing that has become apparant is that my triglicerides are not where they should be and also of slight concern is that my liver function is VERY slightly deteriorating. This lead me to do some research, and it appears that statins may be the culprit. I have decided that I will try and reverse the liver deterioration and improve the triglicerides naturally.


Research indicates that the First way how to lower cholesterol naturally is through Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) - exercise and food. However depending on your circumstances Lifestyle changes are sometimes difficult to make.
Exercise and Lose Weight. Everyone knows by now that the keys to good cardiovascular health are exercise and maintaining your ideal weight. Just a few minutes per day should increase your level of high-density lipoproteins (HDL or "good" cholesterol). Just 10 minutes of exercise first thing in the morning can increase your metabolic rate for the rest of the day. Consumption of water so that you are fully hydrated can increase your metabolic rate 24 hours per day. However I have chronic pain and am relatively sedentary and I cannot really change that part of my lifestyle.
Watch your diet and food.
Fitting in the recommended 5 servings of fruits and vegetables (2 of one group and 3 of the other) helps take the place of some of the more processed snacks. Fruits and vegetables are mostly fat free. Maintain a diet that is made of 2/3 of vegetables and fruits and 1/3 of other foods, but I already do that and so I cannot really improve the food side of my diet either..
Latest research suggest that cholesterol lowering foods such as avocados, almonds, olive oil, soy beans, garlic, shiitake mushrooms, chili peppers, oat bran, beans (kidney, pintos, black, navy, etc.), onions, fatty fish, and flax seed play a crucial role in lowering LDL and sometimes raising HDL levels. They are all in my diet (except chili - yeuk!)
Stop Smoking - did that in 1993.
Ok, so I need a second way to lower cholestrerol

Nutritional Supplements.
There are clinically proven supplements on how to lower cholesterol naturally by 10 to 20 percent; there is solid proof and science backing up the claims on how to lower cholesterol naturally through supplements.

Policosanol.Policosanol has been subject to numerous clinical trials, which have reportedly proven its effectiveness on how to lower cholesterol naturally.
Policosanol works by helping the liver control its production and breakdown of cholesterol. Clinical studies show that policosanol is as effective as prescription drugs on how to loweri cholesterol naturally, without side effects.
For example, in a study of 53 diabetic patients, policosanol lowered total cholesterol by 14.2 percent, LDL (bad) cholesterol 20.4 percent and even raised the levels of HDL (good) cholesterol by 7.5 percent. SO I have ordered some policosanol.
Gugulipid or guggul-lipid.
Guggulipid is an ancient herb from India. Over recent years many clinical trials have proven its efficacy on how to lower cholesterol naturally and also it is one of the few substances that can effectively lower triglycerides.
In fact, these trials have shown this herb to be more effective in lowering cholesterol than the modern statin drugs, but with no side effects. Statin drugs do not lower triglycerides as I have found out from personal experience. SO I have ordered some gugulipids.
Fish Oil Supplements.
A lot has been written about the cholesterol lowering effects of omega 3 fatty acids and fish oil. However, is it really true that they lower cholesterol!? I found out that fish oil supplements do not prevent heart disease and lower cholesterol. Just eat fish twice a week is the better option. Click Here for more. So, no fish oil supplements for me.

Garlic Cholesterol.
In a large study of 220 patients, the garlic group took 800 milligrams of a powdered garlic for four months. This group experienced a 12 percent drop in cholesterol and a 17 percent drop in triglycerides. The placebo group had little change. So I shall add more garlic to my diet.
Flax Seed and Cholesterol.
Flaxseed is a whole grain that can be found in health food stores and some supermarkets.
In one study by Bahram Arjmandi, Ph.D., of Oklahoma State University, supplements of ground flax seed were given to 38 women with extremely high cholesterol levels were given bread and muffins containing 38 g of either sunflower or flaxseed four times daily.
After six weeks, flaxseed result on how to lower cholesterol naturally was: total cholesterol was reduced by 6.9 percent and LDL (bad) cholesterol by 14.7 percent.
Red Yeast Rice.
Red yeast rice has profound effects to lower cholesterol naturally.
A double-blind, placebo-controlled study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. It demonstrates that "red yeast rice significantly reduces total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and total triacylglycerol concentrations compared with placebo and provides a new, novel, food-based approach to lowering cholesterol in the general population." SO Red yeast rice for me also.


We shall have to see what the effects are, I expect that my mid year blood tests will show improved triglicerides, lower bad cholesterol and hopefully less liver deterioration. Time will tell. If there is no improvement then I shall simply stop the supplements. If there is a dramatic improvement I may stop the statins for six months and then see the state of my cholesterol.

So. Statins. The wonder drug that magically lowers cholesterol. And because I am diabetic and had a highish cholesterol reading I have been put on statins (simvastatin 40mg). I was on ezitimbe and 80mg of simvastatin, but my diabetic nurse took the ezitimbe off me at my six monthly review in July due to the apparent side effects, and my GP recently reduced my statins to 40Mg. 1 month later and I had a new starvation blood test to check my cholesterol. Total value is 3.7. Whoo who you might saw, but the truth is a little different, the truth is in the values underlying that total value.

The fasting blood cholesterol tests return a number of values measured in millimoles per litre of blood, or mmol/l for short. Cholesterol levels for the average person in the UK are relatively high. The average total cholesterol for men is about 5.5 mmol/l. For women it is about 5.6 mmol/l. The recommended target value is below 5.
These numbers are levels of:

1. Total cholesterol (the amount of bad LDL cholesterol plus the good HDL cholesterol circulating in your blood) (ideally <5.0)
2. LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol that clogs up blood vessels) (ideally <2.6)
3. HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol that picks up any extra cholesterol in your blood vessels) (ideally >1)
4. Triglycerides (bad lipids) (ideally <2.3)
5. Total cholesterol to HDL ratio (the proportion of your total cholesterol that is good HDL cholesterol). (ideally <6)

So the big question is what do these things actually mean? What does LDL mean?

The first thing to say is that cholesterol in itself is actually essential to healthy living, it is the type that is important. LDL means low density lipoprotein and HDL is unsurprisingly high density lipoprotein. LDL is bad because it acts just like the plaque that builds up on your teeth, in that it builds up inside your arteries. In that arteries are actually tubes (or pipes), and build up is bad, it eventually leads to a potential blockage. This is why LDL is bad for you.

HDL, however, is called “good” cholesterol because it clears excess cholesterol from the arteries. As mentioned HDL cholesterol results should be higher than 1.0mmol/L. A HDL level of 1.5mmol/L or more is considered a negative risk factor, i.e. high HDL levels are so good that they can counteract the negative effects of another risk factor such as excess weight.

Triglycerides are another fatty substance in your blood. and elevated triglyceride levels lead to increased risk of heart attack. Triglyceride levels increase rapidly after you eat, then decrease slowly as your body processes fats from your food, which is why people are asked to fast for at least eight hours before testing their triglyceride. Fasting triglyceride levels lower than, or equal to, 2.3mmol/L are considered normal.

Okay, so now we know a bit more about Cholesterol and what is good and what is bad. We know that high levels of LDL increase the risk of Cardio Vascular and Coronary Heart events. So that is why the government is considering prescribing statins to everyone, or at least making them 'freely' available, and that is why, as a diabetic (diabetes increases your risk of CV and CH problems dramatically),my GP prescribed me statins.

Statins are prescription medicines that interfere with the livers metabolic process and result in lower cholesterol production. This leads to a noticeable drop in harmful LDL levels. But you will them become reliant on drugs for relatively little benefit and, most importantly, your HDL production, (remember, the good stuff) will be affected and lowered also.

SO perhaps statins are not a wonder drug after all, my figures revealed that although my overall figure was a healthy 3.7 (well below the ideal 5), my triglycerides were at 2.5 (above the recommended 2.3) and my HDL at 0.9 is below the recommended 1.0. Conversely the LDL was very good at 1.7. The message is that my cholesterol figures were OK.

Well, not to me they aren't. I want a low LDL but a higher HLD and also lower triglyderides. What can be done? The alternative to statins to lower high cholesterol may be with simple lifestyle changes including changing diet, managing weight and increasing exercise.

Diet

Healthy eating can reduce cholesterol. Your diet should be low in saturated fats in particular, and low in fat overall. Biscuits, cakes, pastries, red meat, hard cheese, butter and foods containing coconut or palm oil all tend to be high in saturated fats, so cut down on these foods.

Large amounts of cholesterol are found in a few foods, including eggs, offal such as liver and kidneys, and prawns. However, if you're already eating a balanced diet, you don't need to cut down on these foods unless your GP or dietitian have advised you to.

It's also important to eat plenty of fibre, especially soluble fibre, which is thought to lower cholesterol. It's found in fruits and vegetables, beans and oats. Aim to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day.

There is some evidence that foods containing substances called plant sterols or plant stanols, such as the brands Benecol or Flora pro.activ, in combination with a low fat diet and physical activity, can help to lower cholesterol

Aim to get your BMI down below 25. There is a BMI calculator HERE.

DO some exercise. A brisk 30 minute walk each day is the minimum target.

Me? I am going to see my GP and see if I can't frop the statins altogether and get my risk factor low and my HDL's Higher.

You might want to also read the following:

1. Triglycerides and the heart. British Heart Foundation.www.bhf.org.uk
2. Heart disease. Food Standards Agencywww.eatwell.gov.ukaccessed
3. Cholesterol. British Heart Foundation Health Statistics.www.heartstats.org
4. Cholesterol and chronic kidney disease. National Kidney Foundation.www.kidney.org
   Law, M.
5. Plant sterol and stanol margarines and health. British Medical Journal 2000: 861-864

I know I haven't blogged for a while, but I have been preoccupied with job hunting, and also building a leanto on the back of the garage, (about which more later).


It seems that GP care varies greatly according to a report in the gradian. 1 in 4 diabetics aren't given the meds that they need? Well I bet that more than 1 in 4 diabetics don't understand their condition, don't bother researching it, and don't bother following medical advice. No, I don't have any actual stats to back that up, my stement is prely anecdotal. When I tell people that I am diabetic, they nearly always know someone else that is diabetic and that has 'problems'. A bit of digging by me and most times you can see that their diabetic friend isn't eating in a diabetic friendly way. It is so easy, just eat a normal '5 a day' healthy diet cutting out most fats and salt. There is no special diabetic diet, my diet is the same one YOU should be eating to be healthy and prolong your life. I have the VERY occasional MacD etc, but I am lucky, I am a NID (non insulin dependant), and so regulating my blood glucose is a bit easier for me, but by far and away most diabetics are NIDs, so it is easier for them too. Someone close was diagnised recently as 'possibly diabetic' and sent for tests. Their reaction? Binging on cream cakes just in case diabetes was later confirmed. O. M. G !! They won't help themselves, so why should Doctors help 'normal sane' people that won't help them selves?

Because they should, that's why, because we trust them to, and because we expect them to. They dispense drugs, sorry medicines, that we can't buy over the counter, and generally should check that there are no compatibility issues. But every packet of drugs that you get on prescription comes with an information sheet that almost no one seems to read. It tells you about the drug, what side effects it has been known to show in some patients and what to avoid. If you read it, you can you know, it is allowed, and then go on the internet (which is in most homes in the UK and is free at every library so EVERYONE has access to it), and search (google) about your condition and your drugs, you can be informed and can know more, and if you have side effects or questions, you can go back to your GP. But people don't.


Just googling diabetes will tell you that, especially if you are diabetic, that aspirin and statins are almost quintessentialy essential for a diabetics and probably most other people too. You had to have been staying with the Clangers on the Moon not to know, it's been in the news for weeks. Okay so you have to get statins from your GP, (try asking, if for some odd reason they haven't been prescribed to you as a diabetic), but aspirin? You can get it so cheaply at supermarkets these days. People who will spend pounds on vitamin tablets they don't need won't spend pence on aspirin that they do! It's crazy.


And how do I know it's all human nature and how even though I do the right thing about diabetes, that is not the only issue? Because I am human. Whilst working on building the lean to in the rain (yes, exactly!) I slipped fell off the scaffold, not far, only about 6 foot, and landed on my back and left arm. Nothing seems to be broken, but I stunned myself and couldn't breathe or move for a short while (that was scary, I thought I had broken my back for a while).
What normal sane man works on a scaffold in the rain?
Me, that's who, but at least my diabetes is under control, and it's probably my own stupidity that'll kill me, not diabetes, and certainly not my GP not giving me the right tablets, because he s doing his job and he is giving me all the right tablets. Good Man!