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Health May 2015

Eat Right Now

The Statin Experiment

By Wendell Fowler

In fall 2014, my writing research took me to this statistic: only 20% of all heart attacks are caused by high cholesterol. What? Wait a minute. Then why are statin drugs handed out like crack on a street corner?

We're all going to die. Although, as life's shadows grow long, I've chosen to tap the power everyone possesses to be the sole architect of my health destiny. Most folks fear death, squandering life's value, needlessly fearing its inevitable arrival, rather than living in the moment – savoring every day, the joy and bliss of whole health that creates the highest high, releasing your highest, aging mental, spiritual and physical brilliance. The future will take care of itself if you steward your sacred temple – yes, now.

Feeling good now is important to me. With that being said, I'd always considered my heart numbers satisfactory but I couldn't raise my good HDL and my triglycerides were a tad high. In fall 2014, my writing research took me to this statistic: only 20% of all heart attacks are caused by high cholesterol. What? Wait a minute. Then why are statin drugs handed out like crack on a street corner?

The $100 billion statin industry cartel is under attack, as thousands of Americans are filing lawsuits against statins. Research continues to confirm just how dangerous these drugs are. The American Diabetes Association recently linked increased statin drug use to type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s. According to Dr. Amy Egan, the FDA's deputy director of safety in the division of metabolism drug products, "The new warnings, particularly the one for memory loss, came as the result of anecdotal reports compiled over the past year. In short, with well over 30 million Americans taking statin drugs, we're witnessing a massive ongoing ‘live’ experiment, and many are putting their health on the line for drugs that offer little in the way of heart protection. In fact, they may actually worsen heart health." Patients with high cardiovascular risk show statin-induced ED is common. Statins can also cause serious muscle problems especial in folks with low levels of vitamin D.

The Experiment: A resolve to get off statins. (In no way am I suggesting anyone stop taking statins. This is my personal journey). 

My wife Sandi and I stopped eating “processed” sugar in any form. Instead, we ate raisins, dates, stevia, applied raw honey or maple syrup to tea and granola /oatmeal, cut out all dairy, wheat and coffee creamers, and drastically backed off on all oils, including olive. I realized I was excessively pouring it onto everything because it's an antioxidant. Fat is fat is fat and less is more. Today I only use moderate portions of coconut oil, EVOO, grass-fed cow butter, fish and flax oils. We're not bears preparing for hibernation.

We committed to NOT bring temptation home. We're human. We switched to coconut milk coffee creamer, sweet leaf stevia and the occasional micro-portion of my one indulgence: 1 tablespoon Meijer's brand organic peanut butter with 1 tablespoon of Enjoy Life brand, semi-sweet chocolate chips.  (Dairy, nut, soy free with evaporated cane juice.)

After four months, I'd lost 15 pounds. After a serum cholesterol panel, my triglycerides and bad cholesterol levels tumbled while good cholesterol levels were above average. Hitting the gym 5 days a week helped too.

Don’t be like a lot of folks: "Well darn, as long as I'm on statins, I can cheat and eat anything." We all know this is lame. Drink deeply from the straightforward motivation of not looking at the inside of your temple’s eyelids for eternity, at least for a while longer.

 

Chef Wendell hosts Eat Right Now on WISH TV 8 CBS Indianapolis. He can be reached at 317-372-2592 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Visit his website at Chefwendell.com.

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