My Life Without Satins

[sayeye]

My Life Without Statins
I'm telling my story because I think many people believe that statins are the only solution for high cholesterol or other markers for cardiovascular disease that are out-of range. It's amazing how many individuals immediately accept the prescription that their doctor offers, and are not aware of the many natural alternative therapies for preventing & reversing cardiovascular disease.
34 years ago, I had a heart attack & by-pass surgery.
This was a wake up call & I began to study about natural ways to prevent & reverse heart disease. I was convinced that it was necessary to discover the causes & not just rely on treating the symptoms. My research included diet, nutrition, exercise, stress management, & environmental modification. My first experience in this endeavor was a consultation with Wilfrid Shute, M.D., a pioneer with the use of Vitamin E for heart disease. This was a jump-start for me after
I learned how important Vitamin E is for combating cardiovascular disease. and it is at the top of the list of my regimen.

I'm now 77, retired optometrist, & spend even more time researching alternative medical therapies. I teach several classes each week about, "Take Charge of Your Health."
I don't take any drugs, but I do take many vitamins & supplements in addition to my daily routines. I certainly have no need for statins.
I feel great, have boundless energy, & go dancing every night with my wife, married 54 years.
Dr. Graveline's books & website are a great way to get people to, "Take Charge of Your Health."
If you would like more specific information about my program,, let me know. I would be happy to explain what has worked well for me.

[billcat]

Hello sayeye, Thanks very much for sharing this info. I am very interested in what has worked for you these many years.

I am 62, in excellent health (except for hiatal hernia and GERD that I take Prilosec for --would like to d/c it but the heartburn is so severe, I haven't found a way)

I would like to live for at least another 25-30 years or more, and remain in the excellent health I now have.!

I take many supplements currently and just got off Zocor after 8 years on it, and as a result feel 15 years younger (no exaggeration).

I'll be interested in any of your supplement intake or other regimens. Thanks.

[sayeye]

Dear Billcat:
In regards to your hiatal hernia & GERD, I suggest:
frequent small meals, & probably your diet is too
acidic. For example, most vegetables are alkaline & meats are acid forming. I recommend the following books on this subject:
Alkalize or Die by Theodore A Baroody
Acid & Alkaline by Herman Aihara

Arm & Hammer baking soda is a cheap good remedy for
"heartburn."

A basic vitamin & supplement program, I believe, is:
a good multi-vitamin & mineral formula-( a 3 a day is better than a one a day)

extra vitamin C(ester- C or ascorbate which is kinder to your digestive system) 500mg 2-3 times day

extra vitamin E ( mixed tocopherols & tocotrienols-
d-alpha(natural) not dl-alpha(synthetic)
800-1200IU, my favorite is Carlson's E-Gems Elite

Fish Oil-Omega-3, DHA & EPA 2 tsp day

Magnesium Glycinate 400 mg day
my favorite is KAL "400" , one during day & one at bedtime

To reduce cholesterol, reduce LDL, reduce triglycerides,
& increase HDL (all good things) take NO FLUSH
NIACIN(it must say NO FLUSH or inositol hexanicotinate,
2-3 a day or more if blood lipids are way out of balance.

To reduce cholesterol by diet too(the above will not be
totally successful unless you)
get off sugar & get off COW's MILK products which includes: ice cream, milk-all kinds, cheese, cottage cheese, (Feta cheese from GOATS & Manchego cheese from SHEEP are OK)
etc. Pharmaceutical Co's need to test their statin drugs
on rats & other lab animals, but the animals don't have high cholesterol, so what do you think they feed them to raise their cholesterol, not eggs & butter, that doesn't work, they get sugar & CASEIN ( a protein from COW's
milk !! This research is well documented.

I could go on & on with many more supplements.
A few criteria on what to take & how much to take are:
How healthy do you want to be? (REALLY!)
How sick are you?
What are your symptoms?
What are the results of your blood tests? For example,
how's your liver enzymes(ALT & AST) if high, your liver is not healthy, maybe a supplement herb Silymarin (or milk thistle) would be a good idea to take as a remedy.
Also, many important blood tests are not routinely done.
But yet, if high, could put you at a higher risk for a heart attack or stroke. Knowing the results of the following blood tests may indicate more supplements and/or higher amounts to be taken:

Homocysteine, fibrinogen, C-Reactive Protein,
Lipoprotein(a), insulin, PLAC Test, etc.

There are many natural supplements out there,
not drugs, & without side effects.

I would be happy to discuss this futher.

Sayeye

[sos_group_owner]

Hi Sayeye,

Excellent advice... just two comments re: Niacin and Ester-C...

Use caution with niacin... theraputic doses of niacin can cause elevated
homocysteine. Elevated homocysteine causes inflammation and is far
worse than elevated total cholesterol (which is not really the problem
in the first place).

Please read Dr Graveline's article about "Homocysteine and Heart Disease":
http://www.spacedoc.net/homocysteine_heart_disease.htm

This article from LEF discusses niacin and homocysteine:
ww.lef.org/protocols/prtcl-015b.shtml
Page down to "Niacin".

Eddie Vos (THINCS) explains Ester-C's marketing ploy
in his 31 Tips and Comments on Health & Heart Disease:
ww.health-heart.org/comments.htm
Page down to number 6.
Read all 31 tips when you get a chance.

Fran

[sayeye]

Hi Fran:
Thanks for your reply & discussion about niacin & homocysteine.
Yes, there are studies about niacin increasing homocysteine. I searched & can't find any reference to NO FLUSH NIacin (inositol hexanicotinate). Maybe, it too, increases homocysteine ???, but from my personal experience & talking to others (professionals included), it doesn't seem to be a problem.
A quick review of Niacin(vitamin B3) includes:
regular niacin- which in larger amounts
can cause flushing, liver problems, etc.(but it does do
good things in the body like lowering lipids, lowering lipoprotein(a), etc

niacinamide-has been used in osteoarthritis
& other issues, but not usually for vascular
problems.

Niaspan( or other time release niacin-studies
show that this form is the most harmful to
the liver, in spite of the fact that it is
PRESCRIBED by doctors. I guess they haven't done
their homework.

No Flush Niacin- no flush, lowers cholesterol,
lowers LDL, Raises HDL, lowers triglycerides, etc.
From the research studies I've seen, it's the least
harmful to the liver, compared to the other forms.

I take no flush, but do take a good amount of vitamin B6, vitaminB 12, & folic acid too. My homocysteine is 7 which is at the low end of the range which puts me in the low risk category.

My liver enzymes are low indicating that my liver is OK.

Sooo, the bottom line is, if you want to take advantage of the good things that niacin does:

Take NO FLUSH niacin
Take B vitamins
Take Homocysteine blood test
Take ALT & AST liver enzyme blood tests
Review all of the above every 3-6 months

Take Silymarin if liver enzymes climb
Take more vitamin B12 & folic acid if Homocysteine climbs (but not too much vitamin B 6)

You can be quite agressive with amounts of B12 & folic acid without side effects.
I take about 2400 mcg folic acid &
about 10,000 mcg B12((it's a big molecule & hard to absorb)
take them together between meals, swallow folic acid first, then put B12 under tongue for better absorption.
There are many other benefits from mega doses of B12 & folic acid......increase red blood cells & hemoglobin,
more energy, & for women with cervical dysplasia,
10-15 mg(10,000-15,000mcg) of folic acid can reverse
this in a few months.

sayeye

[billcat]

Thanks for the tips sayeye. I take almost all these supplements at the current time, plus coq10, dhea, maca, alpha lipoic acid, and some others. I guess that's why I have such good health.

But the main thing is that I d/c'ed Zocor, which made me feel 75 when I'm only 62.