Julia Kim, 64, an IT specialist in Boston, started taking statins more than 30 years ago because of a family history of high cholesterol.
But six months ago, fed up with the side effects and having to take the drug, she stopped taking it, and within three days, her decades-long chronic back pain was gone. An avid runner, she was thrilled to be pain-free but had no idea how to control her cholesterol.
"I feel better than I have in 30 years, but my cholesterol levels are going up," Kim says. "I don't want to control my cholesterol with medication. Every medication has side effects. I need to find a natural way to deal with it."
Kim is not alone. Many people do not want to take cholesterol-lowering medications, and some people cannot afford them. Statins are effective and considered safe for most people, but they increase the risk of side effects, such as muscle aches, liver problems, mental confusion and the potential for developing diabetes.
“Nobody wants to start taking medications,” said Donald Hensrud, MD, professor of nutrition and preventive medicine at the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine. “We all get older, and things generally go up with age: cholesterol, weight, blood pressure. At some point, people are faced with that.”
Diet and healthy habits
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in the blood, made by the liver and from the food we eat. There are two types: low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, which is the “bad” cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, which is the “good” kind. (Think of the letters “L” for deadly and “H” for healthy.) Triglycerides — another type of fat — also contribute to cholesterol buildup. Cholesterol is measured in milligrams per deciliter of blood, or mg/dl. Ideally, LDL should be 100 mg/dl or lower in healthy people, and HDL should be above 60.
Cholesterol isn't inherently bad; the body uses it to make cells, vitamins, and some hormones; but too much LDL can build up in the arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. High HDL levels, on the other hand, help protect the heart by taking some of the LDL out of the arteries and back to the liver, where it can be broken down and eliminated.
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Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com