Image by Nina Garman from Pixabay
Hello folks,
Both of these recommendations came into our world yesterday, yes these are real life Nampa people, two of your friends, who keep getting dubious medical advice. I can’t believe it. Medication is the answer, no matter the question!
Read on:
“Your cholesterol is also elevated. High cholesterol can increase your risk of cardiovascular events like heart attack and stroke. Your current risk of having a cardiovascular event over the next 10 years is about 11%. We typically recommend starting a cholesterol-lowering medication like a statin if your risk is over 7.5%. I do recommend starting a medication like low-does atorvastatin. If you are open to taking this please let me know so I can send the prescription.”
“Please call the patient and let her know that I have reviewed her labs. Her LDL “bad” cholesterol has increased from 100 all the way up to 164. Based on this number, her risk of having a stroke or a heart attack in the next 10 years is 9%. As we discussed in the clinic, statin medications can be helpful for reducing cardiovascular risk. Cardiologists would recommend that she start a low intensity statin. However, I understand that she is reluctant. An Alternative approach would be to do 30-60 minutes of cardiovascular exercise 5 days/week and to avoid all processed foods, saturated fats and trans saturated fats.”
The part I want to focus on is the recommendation to begin taking statins. The stated risk is 9-11% over the next 10 years. That doesn’t sound like much of a risk. I don’t know this for sure but you probably have at least that high of a risk of having a crash on I-84. Is this really the standard of care? Don’t stand for it. Ask your provider why anyone with that low of a risk for a health problem would take a medication without first doing some lifestyle changes and some easy to implement dietary changes! Go ahead ask them! Why is the “alternative” approach the second option?
This stuff makes my blood boil!
Life is inherently risky, weigh it out. Is the benefit worth the risk? You decide. Here is just a sampling of the list of side effects for statins:
-Muscle Pain/Damage
-Liver Damage
-Increased Blood Sugar/Type 2 Diabetes
-Neurological Effects
We can do better. If you would like me to help you with this stuff, call and let’s chat. Standard Process has natural, whole food products that can help bring you back into balance. And if you missed the write up on the gallbladder, here it is… Gallbladder Blog with the addition below.
Cholesterol gets broken down in the liver and shipped out through the bile route into the gallbladder. If the gallbladder is sluggish or stones form, then cholesterol backs up in your system. Does it make more sense to take a medication or clean up your lifestyle?
We are here to help.
Cheers,
ks