New York Times

  March 17, 2014, 5:00 pm   

Study Questions Fat and Heart Disease Link

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/03/17/study-questions-fat-and-heart-disease-link/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

sgreen....I'm also concerned about recurrence and heart disease. After taking Tamoxifen for two years, I switched to an AI but was extremely concerned how the AI would affect my metabolism.  As it was explained to me, the Tamoxifen might have artificially lowered the cholesterol number while the AI might artificially raise it.  I haven't researched that idea, but it does seem to make some sense.  Likewise, the idea that weight might fuel estrogen positive breast cancers is a great idea, ......on paper.  However, I look at my morbidly obese sister, who btw takes a statin, and wonder why skinny minny I am the one who got the breast cancer....

That's why I think chasing down cholesterol numbers is silly. Eat a "healthy" diet and exercise because you enjoy exercising and forget about those cholesterol numbers.  One more thing, have you researched cholesterol numbers and elderly nursing home patients?  I think as we age, we need as much cholesterol as possible circulating in our brains.  Eighty nine year old mom has high cholesterol numbers and is as sharp as a tack when she's NOT taking a statin.  When she takes it, after a few weeks she gets brain fog!  Have you read any evidence of giving a statin to an 89 year old woman?  I haven't!  

So, as far as I'm concerned, playing around with cholesterol numbers is a mixed bag.  Doesn't matter to me much how one goes about lowering it.  I just think we all need to look past cholesterol numbers when trying to maintain good health.  So many sisters were healthy before their cancers and still got cancer.  Coming up with a way to TRULY fight a recurrence or heart disease is still decades away, IMHO.

Makes me want to go have a Big Mac and fries! I think obsession about anything is bad. I think it's balance, genetics, and luck.  And, as has been said, everyone's own personal situation is different. For instance, my sister has already had several 'minor' heart attacks, high blood pressure, and 300 plus cholesterol readings, and I agree with her doctors that she really does need to be on a statin. Me, hovering around 200 with none of those other issues definitely does not (IMO).

That's what my niece does. She brought some very untastey things along with her at Christmas.....bluck!

I'm sure much of it is tasty, but she brought a huge container of I can't remember what kind of meat it was supposed to be, ground up in with a vegetable paste.....so it was a mushy ball of ickiness. She doesn't do any dairy either, and that really concerns me (she would never drink milk as a little girl either, I would bribe her with chocolate milk and ice cream when she visited, just to try to get some calcium into her system).

Tell me about the cheesecake muffins, now THOSE sound more up my alley!

Goodness, that sounds heavenly, zogo! 

I had an SE to a statin drug.  My dr. has had me on Zetia and I haven't had SE.  It doesn't work probably as well as statin drugs.  Some of the natural supplements I use are:  Omega 3 (fish oil); refrigerated flax seed oil: niacin B3 (no flush); beta sitosterol; gugulipid, oat bran fiber, and odor-controlled garlic.  I've also use policosanol.  The idea is to raise your good cholesterol.

Regarding Zetia, when the American Cardiology Association released their controversial new guidelines earlier this year, they mentioned using Zetia with skepticism.  While it lowered LDLs, it did not reduce cardiovascular disease or death.

I hate saying this too...but the new guidelines questioned the use of niacin too....

The problem I have with some of these meds and supplements is that there are few studies confirming the endpoints, which themselves are controversial.  The argument about endpoints is the most serious problem with all of these studies.  To me, the most important endpoint should be death.  But that takes too long to study.  Next important endpoint is cardiovascular event, heart attack.  Then there is the endpoint of cholesterol numbers which is the easiest endpoint to measure.  However, if you weren't at high risk of dying from heart disease or cancer, does lowering your cholesterol numbers"prove" anything other than lowering your cholesterol numbers?

http://www.cardiosource.org/News-Media/Media-Center/News-Releases/2013/03/HPS2-THRIVE.aspx

zogo..carotid artery....yes...that would be interesting...and n of 1......yes!  Now you're talking' 😉

yes, Heidi, it was an ultrasound. I guess I can get it every 3 years and would be able to see a difference if there is one, good or bad.

Best of luck to you in this battle. ((hugs))

Fallleaves, voraciousreader and zogo:  I have had persistant high cholesterol for 6 years. I had an adverse reaction to Simvastatin. To appease me Dr. put me on Zetia, but I haven't had the best overall results. That's when I added the supplements I mentioned in my last post.  Guggel has a long history in India. It is said to lower LDL cholesterol AND TRIGLYCERIDES! while raising good HDL cholesterol.  Another post stated that bioperine helps assimilate Guggel.  I've been taking Guggel off and on for two years, but I don't think I've been taking enough.  The book, The Herbal Drugstore. suggests 25 mg. 3X a day with meals. This dosage is probably dependent on one's weight. 

ZOGO: I appreciate your comments on niacin.  There is a niacin bound to inositol that they use in Europe, supposedly easier on the liver than the quick release. Has anyone heard of that?  I am new to niacin.  After the breast surgery, I looked for and found a Vitamin E without soy, being my oncol. told me to avoid soy.  My new vitamin E has sunflower seed instead of soy. (Some places say sunflower seed is counterindicated for breast cancer...)  Chromium is supposed to be good as is psyllium.  I did not know LDL cholesterol is a concern for breast cancer.

ZOGO: Same book, suggested combining garlic with fish oil.  Supposely increases the effectiveness of both products. 

HDL, the "good" cholesterol, can be bad for your heart, Cleveland Clinic research shows:

http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2014/01/good_cholesterol_can_be_bad_fo.html

Niacin...adverse side effects:

http://www.ox.ac.uk/media/news_stories/2013/130310.html

However...http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/271406.php

Side note about Zetia...When the DH recently switched cardiologists for the first time in 20 years, and suggested using Zetia,  knowing all of the controversy surrounding the medication, I looked at him and said, "Zetia?  You're joking.  Aren't you?"  And I said this to him AFTER the new controversial guidelines were introduced!  I've been following the drug for many years and, NOT THAT I OFTEN AGREE WITH DR NISSEN, but I wholeheartedly agree with Dr. Nissen when HE QUESTIONS the benefit of the drug!

The DH has an appointment today with the cardiologist....I can hardly wait to hear what he has to say!  Since leaving the hospital,  and manipulating several supplements and medications, the only brilliant thing that he's had to say is, "Be patient."  Ha!

Zogo....The interesting thing about the Niacin article is that the drug manufacturers are trying to design duel meds....and thus far, it isn't working.

Furthermore, the idea that manipulating nutrients via tablets is concerning to me.  It seems to me that the nutrients we get when ingesting foods is NOT the same as ingesting the nutrient via tablet.

And, with respect to advocating for the DH....he seems to be his own EXCELLENT advocate...when he's feeling well.  He documents EVERYTHING...every damn medication that he's taken, the dosage and the side effect.  His labs....they're on a spreadsheet!  He is one INSANE person when it comes to his health.

All I do is push the medical research under his nose!  We have a running joke.  So he'll say, "According to THIS study...blah, blah, blah..." And my reply is, "It's just ONE study."  He'll also ask, "So this is a trial? Or is it meta-analysis?"  Then, my face starts to glow.....because then I know we're on to a hot topic.  I love looking at and talking about meta- analysis!