Article Source: msnbc.com
from:msnbc.comPill-free diet swaps to lower your cholesterol
Seeded on Sun Nov 27, 2011 12:43 PM EST (msnbc.com)
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Ozarker -- Great post and I got a big kick out of the link. I really dislike plain soy milk, but love plain Greek yogurt so that will have to do. As far as your other suggestions are concerned, not sure where to get "pasture-raised animal protein" here in So. California suburbia; otherwise your diet looks very healthy and your recipes are definitely tempting.
Big news! Eat healthy food and you won't need pills....who knew? D'oh!
I would like to use food to bring down my cholesterol and weight but most of these articles food examples are beyond what I want to eat.
Debbie,
You're kidding, right? You want results, but not willing to put the time, effort, dedication, change, etc. into the process. Hhhmmmm, I see.
robert...I think Debbie means things like completely sacrificing meat for tofu and only having soy juice (It's a juice. Not a milk. No animal involved here people).
Why do people think they need to COMPLETELY not eat or not drink something? Why not take a look at how much of a certain thing you are eating/drinking and then adjust it. Moderation!
Debbie, there are a number of good vegan books and websites (try AllRecipes and search for vegan) available with hundreds of recipes. I agree that if I was new to the idea, seeing recipes made with tofu wouldn't exactly make me too excited. But one never has to eat tofu, as there are many other ways to go vegan without doing so. If you're serious about lowering your cholesterol, it isn't too hard to do. The hardest step is the first one; making the change and getting some recipes together that you like. After that you may wonder how you ever ate the way you did before. (I used to eat the typical meat-filled, processed-food "American diet" when I was younger, but now I find it difficult to even consider doing so... and I don't miss it at all.)
@mjbbg572
Moderation is good if you can honestly do it. But I don't think I'm alone when saying that if I have something like a cookie or an ice cream bar once in awhile, that "once in a while" may become more and more frequent as I learn to crave it more and more. So it's better for me not to eat those things at all, and if I want something sweet, go for something like fruit instead. Anyway, this is just my own personal experience, your mileage may vary...
Debbie...you would be surprised at how much variety and good vegan food there is...I posted my cholesterol results after only 9 weeks of a vegan diet, so the health benefits are certainly a good reason to try. There are more and more people in the US who are vegan, so there are more options...if I could tell you just 1 cookbook to buy that would change your mind, it would be 1000 vegan recipes. My 10 & 11 year olds ask me to make a granola bar recipe from it weekly that they eat as a snack or breakfast ALL the time...they love them (and my son is a PICKY eater)...it's on page 8 of the cookbook!
Debbie, the trick is to discover the healthy foods you like and start by eating more of them with one meal per day totally vegan.
I love veggies, but with the exception of apples, can barely tolerate fruit. I've learned a few vegan recipes but many of them are more complicated than I want to deal with. Consequently, I've veganized some of my favorite foods.
For example, vegetable soup doesn't need beef in it to be good. Just make the base with an organic beef-flavored broth, add lots of mushrooms, and a splash of red wine. You really won't miss the beef if the stock is rich.
Spaghetti sauce, same thing. Learn how to make it from scratch with chopped onions, peppers, and mushrooms or start with a good organic sauce (Amy's is best but more expensive) and add the veggies, and here's the secret: add a can of pizza sauce and a bay leaf. People will rave over it and never miss the meatballs.
Marinate a portobello mushroom cap for 20 minutes and slide it under the broiler until it's dark brown. Slice it and get ready for something confirmed meat-eaters beg for. It's even better on the BBQ grill. Serve with sliced tomatoes sprinkled with Chicago Steak Seasoning, (get it at a spice store, it's worth searching for), roasted potatoes, and corn on the cob for a delicious, simple vegan meal.
Although I actually like baked tofu done right, I don't eat processed foods made from soy, and I don't often have time or patience to do tofu right. Most of my meals are the same foods I've always eaten -- I just leave out the meat, often replacing it with mushrooms.
Learning about mushrooms is fun, they can be prepared a lot of different ways, and some have medicinal properties.
Ozarker et all: Despite eating healthy, keeping physically active and relatively slender, I have always had high cholesterol. I do have hypothyroidism and take medication, but none of the doctors I've seen have been able to pinpoint what exactly should be done to help me lower my cholesterol.
I have tried all sorts of diets and natural alternatives, only to get minimal results. The only time I was able to significantly lower my cholesterol was when I began increasing my thyroid prescription on my own, but then my physician became worried that I had gone beyond the "established normal levels of T-4" and asked me to return to the prescribed dosage.
Do any of you have suggestions (besides the already tried vegetarian, low-fat, etc.) that night help otherwise healthy people like myself? All the doctors I've seen seem to know relatively little regarding the high cholesterol - low thyroid correlation. Thanks.
EMN-
You may have a genetic issue, like me. I'm almost vegan, yet still have high cholesterol. I've done a lot of research and tried various products. Red yeast helps some, but there's no point in choosing it over a statin, since it too is processed by the liver and poses the same threat of liver damage. Since statins, unlike red yeast, offer precision, I stayed with the statin.
You may have the same problem. Do you have parents or siblings with high cholesterol?
Maybe some people use genetics as an excuse, but familial hypercholesterolemia can't be controlled by lifestyle choices. There is a problem in the DNA that causes the liver to produce too much cholesterol, regardless of what you eat or how much you exercise.
Don't avoid medication for familial hypercholesterolemia because someone tells you that you can control it with lifestyle choices, because it will kill you.
Probably no one hates pharmaceuticals more than I, but I take the statins because there is no better choice I'm aware of, and I've done my research.
Newsvine isn't the best place to get information about pathophysiology or medical advice. Do your own research and see a professional health care practitioner. Heart disease is nothing to screw around with.
seriouslynow,
best post of the thread. Well said
The answer is soybeans? Soy milk,Tofu- organic Tofu.
This is a real change...this is Vegan. No meat, no fish...just bran and soy. I am not sure I could do this. Soy 4 time a day- breakfast, snack, lunch, and dinner.
No chicken, fish, steak...no burgers. This is why people opt for pills. Soy blobs, soy milk...hardly appetizing. I am sure I would lose a lot of weight on this, who would look forward to eating this. Couple of bites...and I'd be done. Emaciated in no time at all.
I eat none of this stuff, eat much better, mostly organic, smartly, mindfully, meat, some dairy, mostly vegies, in moderation, and have normalized BP and lipids and feel awesome. Took time, patience and pratice. Try it.
T-REX, the article is rather limited in showing what to eat. There are lots of alternatives besides just bran and soy. Not many people would want to go vegan if that's all one could choose from. I have a spaghetti sauce recipe I put together that is hard to tell from a sauce with meat in it... and yet it has no meat, saturated fat, or cholesterol. So it's not so hard to eat very well without meat, once one learns how.
Following my previous post on all diets that I tried to lower my cholesterol, I'd like to warn people who wish to become vegetarian, that Soy products and many vegetables LOWER thyroid function, and many neo vegetarians may become hypothyroid.
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=47
This might work for many people but no matter what I do my cholesterol is higher than it should be. My weight is good, I haven't had meat since 1984, watch fats, exercise, tried red wine but that only got me drunk...I do all the right things but only meds help.
For people like me there is Lipitor :)
Exactly...also, people who have had heart disease already ABSOLUTELY have to be on a statin...non-negotiable
wrong.
you are wrong my friend.
But if you want to challenge me, at least come up with some kind of evidence to support your opinion
Otherwise its worthless
People who have genetic high cholesterol can't control it with diet. If you eat less cholesterol, the liver just makes more.
I wish I had a specific reference, but it seems to me that I read an article a few months back warning about a diet heavy in soy-based products...
I remember reading a few things about that too, there have been claims that compounds in soy mimic the effects of too much estrogen or something of that sort. I am not sure of the specifics either. But then again, too much of anything can't be good for you. It would take quite an effort but you can even over do it on plain old water.
Something to do with increasing the risk of breast cancer if I remember correctly.
This is ignoring the health risks of too much soy in the diet, is it not?
My friends father suffered a severe heart attack a number of years ago. It really shook him up. Prior to this he was a mild body builder, so he ate a lot of meat, especially red meat. Any body builder will tell you to eat lean, clean meats, but he just loved his steak. Anyway, after the heart attack the doctor prescribed a cocktail of medication for him for the rest of his life. I should note my friends father has always been a hard headed man, and when he decides to do something he just does it. He asked the doc about changing his diet and how that would effect his blood work, including cholesterol. The doctor agreed that it would make a difference but he said he does not recommend it because it's such a drastic life style change, most people are unable to do it. Completely changing your diet, and sticking to it, after a life time of poor eating is not easy.
Well, he told the doc to keep his meds and he made the necessary dietary changes. Again, my friends father is notoriously stubborn, so he made the most extreme change and chose to become a vegan. Lo and behold too this day his blood work is absolutely fine. It's been a number of years since his heart attack and he has not had any trouble since. He goes in for his check ups and the docs say he doesn't need any meds. It's a hard thing to do and takes tremendous discipline but he did it and is living better for it. One of the down sides, in my opinion, is that he lost at least 50 pounds of muscle. He was always a larger muscular man so seeing him with a leaner look is strange, but hey, more power to him, he'll live that much longer.
The part that touched me though was his wife also decided to chang her diet in order to help him better cope with his new life style change. She didn't want to be eating steaks in front of him while he ate his salad. I mean talk about commitment to your spouse! I was blown away when I learned that.
Anyway I apologize for the lengthy post but if you change your diet you can have a real lasting effect on your health. It doesn't have to be as extreme as my friends father, but having the discipline to tell your body no to some unhealthy foods will have a lasting impact on your health. Thank you for allowing me to share my thoughts and personal experience. I hope it helps someone.
That's a great story. There's a book called "The Engine 2 Diet" about a group of firefighters who basically did the same thing after finding some of their cholesterol levels were pretty high. After changing how they ate, their levels dropped dramatically. I've found my experience to be the same. Who really wants to be on a bunch of pills (all with their own negative side effects) for the rest of their life, anyway? Sometimes you have to take your health into your own hands.
"Let food be thy medicine." -Hippocrates
I would rather live a short happy life, than be miserable for a longer time following this recommendation.
Both of my parents, in their 60's, were diagnosed with high cholesterol. Both chose to change their diets - no red meat, no fried foods, no baked goods, no dairy, no processed foods at all. Both started walking - a lot. As in, 5-10 miles a DAY. Every day, rain or shine. Oh, and neither were heavy to begin with, nor were they particularly sedentary. Both lost about 15 lbs, gained muscle, and are healthy and med free to this day. My dad is 87, and my mom is 82. Both are still walking long distances, both have kept to their "diet" for close to 20 years now.
Fiber.
Controlling your cholesterol does NOT guarantee you won't have a deadly heart attack. Taking cholesterol -lowering drugs does guarantee you will have an avalanche of new symptoms, which can include fatal heart disease.
Statin drugs work by poisoning a liver enzyme that makes cholesterol and prescribing physicians forgot their physiology and biochemistry, because we need cholesterol to keep the brain from aging. Also, turning off cholesterol production fuels the Viagra epidemic, because you need cholesterol to make your sex hormones. Further we need cholesterol in the cell membranes so that they can properly release cytokines, like tumor necrosis factor. Then by poisoning the body's production of CoQ10, statin drugs actually create a life threatening coenzyme Q10 deficiency. Plus, statins decrease the ability of insulin to metabolize sugars. Finally, cholesterol drugs can cause miserable people because it can damage the brain receptors. Final note, medical colleagues totally denied that Lipitor cold cause amnesia. Lets face it, we are in a sea of dangerous minds that have had cholesterol stolen from their brains.
t
Please no one listen to the above post. Its nonsense
Of course a pill can't guarantee you won't have a heart attack; nothing in life is certain. But this pills have been proven to lower you risk of heart disease
I'd like to see proof of statins causing fatal heart disease. Either its made up, or so rare its a non-issue
You act as if statins shut of ALL cholesterol synthesis--thats not true. Also, the average american gets enough cholesterol in his diet to build eight brains and create enough sex hormones for 10 teenage boys. Statins do nothing to affect dietary cholesterol
There is good evidence that statins actually REDUCE dementia--ill post it if you respond
Life threatening q10 deficiency? Lipitor is the most widely prescribed drug ON EARTH. Where are all your q10 victims? huh?
statins do inhibit insulin function somewhat, that is true. But the benefit outweighs that by a mile
the last part of the post is so ridiculous I'll just hope no one takes it seriously
not true.
Your website does not link to the study, only an anti-statin propaganda web page.
Recent studies have CONCLUSIVELY proven statin benefit. I can name you three off the top of my head
Courage
jupitor
Ascot
that's evidence. Gaia.com is not. That's opinion
Eric, you must be a doctor. Statins are worthless, except as a revenue-generating product.
youre right on the first count but absolutely wrong on the second
There's boatloads of evidence that conclusively prove statin's benefit
If you want to stick your head in the sand and ignore it, that's at your risk
No one says its a pill or diet, you can do both if needed and possible
Those 16 years of studies you' re relying on as your proof were bought and paid for by the pharmaceutical companies that sell the drugs. These studies are rigged to produce the results the drug company wants to see. They don't tell you about all the studies that don't agree with their story. Those don't get published, so it appears as if science leaves no doubt. Ancel Keys' high-fat theory of heart disease was discredited many decades ago, yet persistent industry lies keep it in place. If you tell a lie often enough, people begin to believe it.
Eric, if you followed the Gaia link, you would have seen that it linked to an article from the Journal of the American Medical Association. JAMA is, the last I heard, the best medical journal in the US. The research published in JAMA called into question the efficacy of using statins to prevent heart attacks. They do lower cholesterol, but they have not reduced the incident of heart attack significantly.
ozark,
the link has been taken down. I did see that it provided a citation, but no direct article. AT any rate, if you look at the above studies I have quoted you will see a marked reduction in the incidence of MI with statins. That's why the AMA recommends it, and every cardiologist recommends it, and the WHO recommends it, and the european cardiology society, etc, etc
here's a critique of the article on gaia
In summarizing the Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial (ASCOT) study,2 the authors calculated a risk ratio of 0.98, while the original publication reported a risk ratio of 0.87. This change alone may have biased against finding a statistically significant benefit for statin use.
Moreover, their meta-analysis included 3 studies with major limitations: a significant decrement in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels over the study period in the placebo arm (Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial [ALLHAT]),3 old age at therapy initiation (Pravastatin in Elderly Individuals at Risk of Vascular Disease [PROSPER] Study),4 and incomplete information on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels over the
The bottom line is while each study may vary in the results, you need to look at the aggregate data, not a single study or even a single meta analysis. And the weight of the data is certainly behind statins, irrespective of what one single study shows
also, you read the data wrong. Flat wrong
The study did not demonstrate a reduction in MORTALITY
It DID demonstrate a reduction in the rate of heart attack
You really need to read more closely next time
Anything I chase down with a glass of soy 'milk' will be chased right back up a few seconds later.
Eggs - including the yolk - have been shown to generally have a negligible effect on cholesterol. I have 2 eggs -sometimes 3- more mornings than not and my cholesterol has been between 127-157 since I began every-three-month blood tests in 2003 for type-II diabetes, with good HDL, LDL, and ratios. Of course, genetics does have some effect and my father also had good cholesterol tests despite a so-so diet, but even the Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating, pp. 63-64 says, "In many ways, the dangers of eggs aren't all they're cracked up to be. Controlled feeding studies have shown that adding an extra 200 mg per day of cholesterol to the diet increases cholesterol levels only slightly...[Eggs] contain many other nutrients that are good for you...No research has ever shown that people who eat more eggs have more heart attacks than people who eat few eggs. And recent research suggests you needn't feel so guilty about eating them."
Totally misguided... high blood cholesterol is not a disease and is not what causes problems. They don't tell you that people with low blood cholesterol also get heart disease. It's the OXIDATION of your cholesterol that causes atherosclerosis. Why don't they publicize this? Because they've only got drugs that lower cholesterol; they don't really prevent heart disease.
Love that both diets tried were based on the false idea that saturated fat leads to heart disease. Dietary cholesterol has negligible effects on totals.
I agree with stanmrak, and I can't wait until our newest findings can finally break through all the lies and bad research over the years. Statins won't do a damn thing if all you've got is dense LDL that oxidizes anyway and I can bet most people following the governments dietary guidelines or eating all the junk processed food we have, do.
All of these studies are BS. Most Americans DO NOT KNOW HOW TO EAT. Most eat processed and fast food regularly. They supersize every meal. Drinks tons of soda and so called juice that contain nothing but sugar. Many do not even walk up two flights of stairs on any given day. How in hell can any of these people be healthy in any way?
How about slowly reducing your meal portion size? How about selectively removing processed and fast food from your diet? Try shopping at an Asian supermarket where you can get fresh live fish and fresher veggies and fruits. Get off your fat ass and start walking, does not matter where you walk, on the street, on the thread mill, up and down stairs. Whatever. Just WALK 45 minutes to an hour a day. And remember to drink lots of water. Its not hard, just do some of these things on a regular basis and you WILL see results and sure to feel a lot better. Mind you, I did not say anything about completely NOT eating something or drinking something but in moderation. If you are going to have steak 3-4 times week what do you think will happen? If you drink 2-3 cans of soda a day, what do you think will happen? How about eating out at fast food restaurants 4-5 meals a week? What do you think will happen? If you sit on your butt 15 hours a day, what do you think will happen? Just use common sense people......
It sure can't hurt to try it. I can attest to the side affects of the statin drugs.
This article should never have been published and I am surprised MSNBC would associate itself with such nonsense.
Since when is it ethical to promote something medical, based on a single, small, study with no repetition, no long term follow-up, anonymous researchers at an anonymous organization, and not a single look back at the impact on cardiac health after 10+ years. Thalidomide had more research done than this and look what a horrific mess it created.
Now it is reasonable that oat bran and soy milk are not going to created genetic damage and deformed infants so no such hyperbole is intended. But it is equally true that the healthiest people on this planet live in Japan, Finland, and a few other countries not one of which is known for its consumption of anything named in this article.
You lost me with the soy milk that stuff is horrible for you.
If you believe that, then why not try rice or almond milk? Or just drink water. In any event, cow's milk is in no way a better, more "natural" substitution. It's just a better marketed one.
I switched to a vegan diet 9 weeks ago (after watching "Forks Over Knives") and have been working to lower my cholesterol AND risk of heart disease due to a family history. I just had my cholesterol tested again...the proof is in the "pudding" people: Total Cholesterol dropped from 220 to 165, Triglycerides dropped from 159 to 110, LDL dropped from 138 to 100, and HDL (unfortunately) dropped from 50 to 43. My last cholesterol test was 6 months ago and the only change, again, was that I switched from an omnivorous diet including all food sources to a vegan diet...no animal products. I must say I was skeptical that I would be able to maintain the diet, as I was worried about variety, but it has NOT been difficult and there are so many choices and good food...having an open mind most certainly helps. Also, the naysayers on soy milk, have you tried it lately??? and if so, have you tried almond milk or rice milk? My 11 year old does not care for soy milk on his cereal, but he really likes almond milk...and he is probably the pickiest eater I know at this point. The problem in this country is convenience and lack of knowledge...it is far too easy to just go to a fast food restaurant instead of cooking at home...and many don't take the time to learn for themselves; instead, they rely on what they hear/read and take it at face value. Do a little investigation...the information is readily available and so easy to access.
If you're not doing so already, you might try adding some exercise to your day and omega 3s (as in 2 tablespoons of ground Flaxseed added to a bowl of oatmeal) to raise your HDLs.
Mabriani ... if the proof is in the pudding then I'd suggest based what what you just reported you find another solution as a drop in HDL as large as you have reported is not something most cardiologists would stand up and salute. An HDL of 40 is considered high risk and a ratio lower than 3.5:1 is likely as bad for you in one direction as the old values were in the other.
While this is great advice for many, there are some of us that cannot tolerate soy protein. My daughter went on a vegetarian diet for over a year, and was complaining of bloating and discomfort. I also had the same problem when I ate soy protein (but not all - just the processed meals). I seemed tolerant of edamame. My daughter also seemed intolerant (not allergic) of peanuts and peanut butter. After she left her vegetarian diet, her stomach problems went away. I had the same experience. I now use whey protein (unflavored bulk whey protein from Sprouts), and have had positive results. I use it in milkshakes for my morning breakfast mixed with bulk fiber (psyllium). We largely avoid red meat, and stay with chicken, turkey, pork, and fish. Cholesterol has been in the safe zone. My triglycerides have been high, but this is due to eating too much processed carbohydrates. I was able to bring this down by staying away from processed foods. I bake our own bread which is high in whole wheat and also include bulk fiber. I also take two fish oil capsules a day. I was told by my doctor to increase it to 4 if my cholesterol goes too high. I found that increasing the dosage worked.
yuck
Is this news or an advertisement? Rodale Inc. is a publisher of health and fitness magazines, etc. While there is data on the rare cases of statins causing muscle problems I have read nothing about them compromising sex drive. Where is the data to support that claim? Of course eating a more healthy diet with less red meat and so forth is advisable but this article is way over the top with promises. I have CAD, with statins my cholesterol has been lowered to 120 from about 260....I have had no side effects, sex drive is fine....I appreciate the reference to the Journal article and will read it but the rest of this looks like advertising to me.
Rodale as been around a very long time (founded 1930). Perhaps it is time to do a study on their subscribers and see if any of them are healthier than people eating burgers and fries.
That the study has not been done gives a reasonably good indication that they know the study would expose them to ridicule.
J.I. Rodale, the magazine's founder died at age 72, his wife at 81, both at or slightly earlier than the average life expectancy of their time. Japan has the longest life expectancy in the world and a cohort of 127 million people. Looks like sushi has a far better chance of supporting health than does oat bran.