Diet comparable to statin drugs in lowering LDL cholesterol

Statins are a class of drugs commonly prescribed to treat elevated cholesterol levels, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. A new study published in the Feb 2005 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has found that the regular intake of certain foods may lower cholesterol as effectively as statin drugs. The participants, who each had elevated cholesterol levels, underwent three separate one-month dietary treatments assigned randomly: a very-low saturated fat diet (control diet), the control diet plus 20 mg lovastatin (statin diet), and a diet high in vegetables, soy protein foods, almonds, high- fiber foods (oats, barley, psyllium, okra and eggplant), and fats derived from plant sterols and stanols (portfolio diet). The Portfolio diet and statin diet had similar results. The portfolio diet reduced LDL cholesterol by 30%, the statin diet by 33%, and the control diet by 9%. Twenty-six percent achieved their lowest LDL cholesterol levels on the portfolio diet. Dietary combinations of cholesterol lowering foods may have an effect similar to statin drugs in reducing mild-to-moderate LDL cholesterol levels and achieving goals for primary prevention of heart disease.
Physicians have for the most part been very discouraged with the results of First-Step Therapy and have a tendency to simply write a prescription without offering their patients an opportunity to improve their clinical situation with healthy lifestyle changes. This is happening because physicians believe that their patients will simply not be able to make these lifestyle changes or even if they do, they will not be that effective. This attitude along with the tremendous amount of marketing by the pharmaceutical industry directly to the patient has led individuals to believe that their best option is to just begin taking medication. However, it is becoming more evident each and every day that there is also an inherit risk with taking any medication. In fact, adverse drug reactions to properly prescribed and properly administered medication are the FOURTH leading cause of death in this country.

Talk to your physician about the side effects of statin drugs which might include:

Inability to concentrate
Depression
Confusion
Impotence
Amnesia
Lowered sex drive
Disorientation
Weakened immune system
Shortness of breath
Liver damage
Fatigue
Kidney failure
Nerve pain
Death
Muscle weakness
Rhabdomyolysis (painful bursting of muscle cells)

Explain your concern about these kinds of side effects and educate yourself about the Cholesterol Myth. Click on (and read) my post on the Cholesterol Conspiracy to learn why statin drugs are not the best answer for dealing with heart disease.
Cholesterol MythCholesterol Conspiracy

The Healthy for Life Program is an effective, internet based lifestyle program that has been shown in clinical trials to significantly lower your cholesterol, lower your blood pressure, prevent diabetes, reverse pre-clinical diabetes, and decrease your risk of heart disease. What is even more exciting is the fact that there was also a significant weight loss in those participants that needed to lose weight. That's right. These are healthy lifestyles that simply have a side effect of permanent weight loss. Participants from all over the country are joining the Healthy for Life Program as a way to protect their health or even regain their health as they decrease their dependence on medication and begin releasing fat. I encourage you to take a closer look at this exciting new program by clicking on to the link below:

Healthy For Life Program

In a 12 week clinical study, people on the Healthy For Life program significantly lowered their cholesterol. Total cholesterol dropped from an average of 206 mg/dL (Baseline) to 176 mg/dL (Final). Most of this decline resulted from a drop in LDL cholesterol from an average of 134 mg/dL (Baseline) to 111 mg/dL (Final).

 Pass this by your doctor as an alternative to cholesterol lowering drugs and have him monitor the results. I'm sure you will both be pleased with the outcome.

P.S. No nasty side effects