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Parents Are Responsible for Child’s Weight

By On · Add Comment · In American Academy of Pediatrics, cardiovascular health, childhood obesity, children, cholesterol, HDL, LDL, lifestyle changes, parents, side effects, statins, weight loss

This post is about weight loss.  It’s about basic physiology, and personal responsibility (ooh, dirty words).  I recently tweeted a bunch on a subject I wrote about three years ago.  The number of responses I received was incredible.  The subject was on giving the cholesterol lowering medication, statins, to children.  In 2008, the American Academy of Pediatrics, recommended screening children as young as two-years-old for high cholesterol.  If a child is found to have high cholesterol, the Academy recommended putting him or her on statins to prevent future cardiovascular disease.  My response today is the same as it was three years ago–it’s a freakin’ crime!

I know too much about physiology and human health to accept this as a treatment option for children, let alone the first line of defense.  Statins have side-effects, and they are also based on a faulty premise–that low density lipoproteins (LDLs) are the most important factors in cardiovascular health.  While definite contributors, LDLs are simply not as important as high density lipoproteins (HDLs) when it comes to cardiovascular risk.  To consider giving drugs that most people take for a lifetime to children as a preventative is purely irresponsible.

But, really, the criticisms I encountered weren’t about points I made on statin use in children.  They were mostly directed at a particular line, an idea,

“Childhood obesity? Excuse my language, but…that’s effin’ child neglect and abuse by lazy, undisciplined, ignorant parents.”

Now many people said, “Bravo! Thank you for telling it like it is.”  Many others, however, felt it was callous, off-base and out-of-sync with the real causes of obesity.  Some tweeters informed me that my understanding of basic physiology was prehistoric, and that my solution to the obesity problem (I didn’t know I had actually given one) was short-sighted and erroneous.  So in the next few posts I will attempt to clarify my thoughts on weight loss/weight gain, the obesity epidemic and parental responsibility as it relates to the weight–and health–of a child.

I am actually going to start with my thoughts on parental responsibility.  I contend that if you as a parent are not responsible for your child and his or her health, then who is?  This question is only obvious to those parents who share this philosophy, and won’t be to those believing (either consciously or subconsciously) that health is the responsibility, and byproduct, of something outside themselves.

Every parent will say that they take full responsibility for their child, but far too many act otherwise.  What you do your children will do, period.  They eat what you eat, they think like you think, and they care for themselves in the same way you care for yourself.  How is your child’s weight, then, independent of you?  Oh, you didn’t shove the cookies down his or her throat…but did you buy them?  Maybe you thought it was harmless to feed your child cookies as a baby…I hope you know better now (Plenty of tweeter critics claimed to not feed their children junk food…listen, your obese child is eating junk food–WAKE UP!)

Parents of heavy children have lots of support for their innocence.  The concept that “your illness is not your fault” is preached by many doctors, psychologists, talk show hosts, media celebrities and support groups; and while it’s true that illness is not a fault, it certainly isn’t true that we have no hand in how our health plays out.  More importantly, though, everyone has the potential to achieve and maintain great health, no matter what the current circumstances.

When health issues arise, the most important thing to do is determine where changes need to be made.  Whether talking about major lifestyle modifications–like quitting smoking, or changing food habits, or exercising–or simply getting checked by a professional, change is an absolute necessity in correcting any health problem.  How soon you make that decision can mean the difference between life and death.  Symptoms are your body’s way of telling you something needs attention.  Ignoring them is the worst possible approach you can take toward your health.

Obesity, as a morphological symptom, is a major change–and it just doesn’t happen overnight.  Once parents see it unfolding, they have a responsibility to act (neither children nor teens can make this decision on their own) and create change.  For parents of chubby or obese children, this also means how you decide to change.  A child isn’t going to change independently from his or her parents.  Are you going to change your diet to a more healthful one?  Are you going to eat less, and decrease your intake of junk foods, fast foods and sodas?  Are you going to work out, play sports with your kids or take fitness classes together?  Your child isn’t going to change without you–you’ve got to change as well.  And simply dishing them off to Little League will not do either, as building their confidence before they compete in groups will be paramount to their psychological health and well-being.  The bottom line is that parents must get actively involved in the obese child’s life, if they are to stand a chance of losing weight.

For new parents, it simply begins with creating good habits from the very start–the foods you expose your children to, the activities you share, how much television you watch, and so on.  You control the environment, and your choices contribute to your children’s bodies, and their health.

Obesity is reversible, that’s a fact.  How you see things, and how you approach the world determines your chances of overcoming (or your child overcoming) obesity.  Too many people lose weight for it to simply be a ‘hopeless situation’.  Blaming obesity on genetics, hormones, depression, lack of health insurance or anything else will not change the fact that everybody is capable of being either obese or anorexic, as well as everything else in-between; it just comes down to one’s habits in determining where one will weigh-in on the scale.  You have the power to change anything with regard to your health, or that of your child’s.  Understanding this, and fully embracing it, is the only way to create lasting changes.  Denying it will only get you the same, which is definitely your prerogative, but don’t act as if you have no hand in the matter.

I Have High Cholesterol

By On · Add Comment · In blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, health care crisis, LDL, medical paradigm, statins

I want to share with you a personal story about my health, which I think will be a great illustration of the conundrum facing the modern medical paradigm.

I just got my annual physical results from my doctor. He told me that my numbers all came back perfect. All except one: You have high cholesterol. Yawn. OK, how high. 270. This is high despite your HDL being pretty high also. And your LDLs, which are your bad cholesterol are 181. In the absence of other factors–like you are not 40 lbs overweight, and your blood pressure is good, and you don’t smoke–it probably won’t go down with diet and exercise alone, so…you’ll probably want to get that treated.

And my HDLs are at what number? 89.

And my total/HDL ratio? Oh…hmmm….well, that’s actually pretty good. It’s 3.1.

For those who don’t know, HDLs are “good” cholesterol; they remove the so-called “bad” cholesterol (don’t know how a substance produced by the body, and needed to break down and digest fats can be considered bad, but, whatever). HDLs in the 40 range are considered “normal”. 89, might I say, is outstanding…thank you very much.

The total cholesterol to HDL ratio is a good determinant of the risk for cardiovascular disease. Just for a little perspective, 5.0 is “average” risk. Anything under 3.4 is “very low” risk. I’m 3.1.

Here’s the problem: My caring doctor–bless his heart–knows damn well that I’m at a low risk for cardiovascular disease. I’m 41-years-old and in the best shape of my life. I’m 155 lbs, have stellar blood pressure (120/70), don’t smoke, don’t drink, don’t do drugs; I’m on no medications; I do not partake in risky behavior. Why the bleep is he recommending treatment* (which is prophylactic statin medication, if you didn’t know)?

I’ll tell you why–for liabilities sake. He knows that if he doesn’t tell me that I have high cholesterol, and he doesn’t recommend “treatment” (frickin’ treatment, lol), and I drop dead of a heart attack, even if it’s because I snort a gram and a half of cocaine! he’s liable. That’s right–tort litigation! Just ask Billy Mays’ doctor. Coroners found cocaine in his system; but nooo, his family insists it was high blood pressure that killed him. Not saying that they are seeking damages; but it’s the potential I’m talking about. Every doctor is afraid of being sued. Medical malpractice insurance is one of the highest costs facing doctors today. So what do they do to keep their premiums down? Order every frickin’ test humanly possible. Cha-ching.

And they “treat” 41-year-old males in great health with statins, otherwise known as, “the best selling drugs of all time.“

It’s not doctor greed, I tell you–it’s attorney greed. And public ignorance. There I’ve said it. Nobody is talking about that part of the health care crisis.

*Just so you know: I’m not taking them.

Fish Oil Found Heart Smart

By On · Add Comment · In cholesterol, chronic heart failure, fish oil, HDL, LDL, omega-3 fatty acids, statins
I love it when medical science finally catches up to the rest of the world regarding health practices. The medical community is finally starting to realize the mega-importance of supplementing with fish oil…well, sort of. Check out the latest study published in the medical journal, The Lancet. It showed that when it comes to fighting chronic heart failure, fish oil supplements may work slightly better than a popular cholesterol-reducing drug.

The Italian study looked at 7,000 heart failure patients, half taking a daily omega-3 fatty acid supplement, and the other taking a placebo. The patients were followed for four years. They did the same study with the popular statin, Crestor. As it turns out, less people died in the omega-3 group than in the statin group. Although the difference between the two was small, the benefits of supplementing with fish oil is obvious–it’s natural and it has few, if any, side effects. The same cannot be said for statins.

Statins work by lowering “bad cholesterol” or LDLs, while omega-3 fatty acids work by increasing “good cholesterol” or HDLs. As I’ve pointed out in earlier posts, when it comes to heart health, good cholesterol reigns supreme. Furthermore, omega-3s are much cheaper than “the best selling drugs of all time” that are the statins, so supplementing with them makes good financial sense too.

So there you have it: Fish oil supplements are better for your heart than stains. According to Dr. Douglas Weaver, president of the American College of Cardiology, “This study changes the certainty of the evidence we have about fish oils.” Thank you doctor. Glad you’ve finally come around. Now let’s see how it affects statin sales. Anybody want to guess?

Now This is Getting Sick!

By On · Add Comment · In child abuse, childhood obesity, children, cholesterol, diets, magic bullet, obese, parenting, pediatric, statins
Okay, now I’ve heard it ALL! Check this out: the American Academy of Pediatrics has issued guidelines stating that children as young as two should be screened for high cholesterol. And even better, get this: they are recommending that children as young as eight should be started on statins. Whoa, ho, ho…hold on, Nellie…isn’t that the sickest thing you’ve ever heard? Our nation’s pediatric association–the professionals taking care of our children–is recommending statins, cholesterol lowering drugs, for our youngsters? I don’t know about you, but I’ve effin’ heard it all now.

Let me get this straight: the American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending that American children should be screened for high cholesterol and given statins to combat any risk of future heart disease, instead of getting their asses up and moving and exercising like normal kids? Holy crapoly!

Now to be fair, I understand where this idiocy stems from; I mean, let’s face it, Americans are blowing up to gargantuan proportions. Recent reports disclose that the number of obese Americans has grown significantly, yet again, over the last two years, making the current numbers 25% of the general population. I spend a great deal of ink on this tragic situation in my book, The Six Keys to Optimal Health, and, yes, it’s a many-faceted problem for the obese adult.

But childhood obesity? Excuse my language, but…that’s effin’ child neglect and abuse by lazy, undisciplined, ignorant parents. There, I’ve said it, and you all know it’s true. Letting your kid drink more than one Coke a week is child abuse. Feeding your kid Frosted Flakes is asinine and inexcusably ignorant or neglectful, or both. Letting your kid sit his or her fat ass in front of the T.V. for hours watching the Kardashians’ fat asses is equally ignorant and neglectful, and is also child abuse. According to a recent Canadian study on childhood obesity, kids who watch television while eating lunch take in 228 more calories than those who ate without the television on. Duh! Wake the eff up, parents! Sitting on your ass all day watching the boob tube and stuffing your face makes you fat. It does the same to your kids who–guess what?–learn from you! Duh!

And another study points out that parenting styles are what have the greatest effect on children’s eating habits. Duh! We need a study to know that? Wake the eff up, parents! Being too permissive in what you let your children eat will eventually lead to obesity. Yes, Junior wants PopTarts. Too bad…you’re getting an apple…now put down that WiiFii and go out and play.

And being too strict isn’t any good, either. You know exactly who I’m talking about, Food Nazis. Let the kid have an ice cream every now and again. Being authoritarian when it comes to food practices can also lead to obesity…the closet kind. I don’t know why Junior is blowing up, he only gets radishes at home. Duh!

According to nutritional experts conducting the study, the best thing parents can do to influence healthy eating habits in their children is to “set a good example with their own diets.” Duh! Both strict and permissive parents typically fail to serve as good dietary role models for their children, according to the researchers.

But here is my biggest beef: What the hell is wrong with the parent who sees their kid blowing up and doesn’t make him run his fat ass around the block every damn day till he gets back in kid shape? But he doesn’t want to…Yeah, no kidding. Get up and run, Engelberg! You mean, you’d rather give your kid statins than make him exercise or send him to military school? WTF?!?! And the American American Academy of Pediatrics recommends this???

According to one idiot doctor: “If we are more aggressive about this in childhood, I think we can have an impact on what happens later in life…and avoid some of these heart attacks and strokes in adulthood, says Dr. Stephen Daniels, of the academy’s nutrition committee. You know, this is what’s so pathetic about our current health system and it’s downright brain-dead paradigm: drugs like statins have been developed for lazy, undisciplined individuals who know better but just can’t get themselves to do what’s right because they have zero willpower. Doctors know this, and many will rightly say, “Patients don’t comply.” Yeah, that’s why they recommend statins and other meds, because they know the average lazy American (or busy, or challenged, or depressed, or underprivileged, or whatever convenient BS excuse is needed to not work hard) won’t do what it takes, so give ’em the ol’ magic bullet. Kids, however, are under the guidance, and yes, control of their parents. In no way should non-compliance be allowed–not by doctors, not by P.E. teachers, not by parents, nobody. Period!

So now you know how I feel. If you want to eat whatever you want to, at whichever quantity you want, if you don’t want to exercise, if you would rather be obese than do the work to bring it down, I’ll be the first to say, “That’s your choice, killer…do as you please.” But when it comes to your kids, if you are not teaching them the right dietary habits, if you are not acting as proper role models for their health and future well being, if you are not insisting that they go outdoors and play and exercise like normal kids should be doing, and you are thinking about giving them statins, then you are a child abuser plain and simple. Don’t do that to your kid. Shape up!

“Good” Cholesterol Retains Memory

By On · Add Comment · In aerobic, Alzheimer's, cholesterol, dementia, exercise, fatty acids, high density lipoprotein (HDL), omega 3, weight

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times: Your high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels are the cholesterol readings that matter the most. If you remember my earlier posts, and my podcast on statins (Episode 7), you’ll recall that HDLs, or “good” cholesterol, are more important than low density lipoproteins (LDL) and total cholesterol when it comes to predicting whether you’ll develop heart disease. If you don’t, then maybe your HDL levels need a little boost.

According to British researchers, middled-aged people with low levels of HDLs had greater memory decline and were at greater risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. The study looked at 3,700 British men and women, and found that falling levels of HDL cholesterol were linked to declining memory by age 60. The subjects were given a memory test, whereby they had twenty words read to them and then were instructed to write down in two minutes as many of the words they could remember. At age 55, those with low HDL cholesterol had a 27% higher risk of memory loss than those with high HDLs. At age 60, those with low HDLs had a 53% higher risk of memory loss compared to those with high HDLs.

I’m trying to tell you how important keeping your HDL levels up is. Here are the ways to increase HDL levels:

  • Regular aerobic exercise–walking, jogging, hiking, treadmill, stair climber–anything that makes you sweat for 20-30 minutes uninterrupted
  • Supplementing with omega 3 fatty acids–take these every day. I carry the best in my office
  • Losing weight–the two previous activities will help in this regard as will portion control (and by cutting sodas, and by going on the wagon)
  • Kicking the smoking habit

Pick up these habits, one at a time if you need to, and watch your HDL levels climb. You’ll not only benefit by reducing your chances of having a heart attack and retaining your sharp mental wit, but you’ll also feel better. And look better, too. Can I motivate you any more than that?

We Need MORE Statins!

By On · Add Comment · In cholesterol, nutrition, statins
More, more, more. We need more statins. What’s the delay: MORE STATINS! Is anybody listening?

Somebody must be, because statin use jumped 156% from 2000 to 2005. Woowee! Anybody, get the implications of this? Let me explain it this way. Either Americans are ignoring conventional wisdom and wolfing down cholesterol causing fatty foods like there’s no tomorrow–foods that we all know we should be avoiding (Don’t our doctors, and television commercials, and magazine articles, and New York City government, and Hollywood movies, and our neighbors, and the newspapers and radio stations all tell us endlessly that we should avoid fatty foods and trans fats and all the other cholesterol increasing substances, I mean, don’t we all know that?), yet cholesterol levels are spiraling out of control, and millions of us are on the verge of a heart attack or worse! right now–orrrr,  we are being duped like never before? Hmmm, let me think about this.

In 2000 15.9 million people were taking statins; in 2005, 29.7 million. That’s 10% of the entire population. Ten percent of the entire country has dangerously high cholesterol levels and needs to be on statins? Yeah. B.S.

OK, OK, let’s look at it this way instead: In 2000 Americans spent about $484 a year on statins for a total cost of $7.7 billion. In 2005, we spent $661 per year for a total of $19.7 billion.

So, let’s see, what makes more sense to you? Are the numbers of statin prescriptions going up because we are all so pathetically ignorant and weak-willed that we just can’t possibly stop our indulgences, despite pervasive dietary and nutritional information being pumped at us from all directions OR is somebody making a shipload of money from this crock of cow dung?

You decide.

Statins–Miracle or Myth

By On · Add Comment · In cholesterol, drugs, heart attacks, Lipitor, NNT, pharmaceutical industry, statins, The Six Keys to Optimal Health
Seems like everybody today is on statins–13 million Americans to be exact. And only 12 million more worldwide. Hey, how can more Americans be on a drug than the rest of the world combined? Seems fishy doesn’t it? Does to me, except for one fact: America is prime and ripe for marketing manipulation; and no drug has been more hyped than the statins. Can you say best selling drug of all time?

We look at the very interesting mathematics behind the marketing of statins on the latest episode of the Dr. Nick Show (Episode 7). In it we discuss NNT, the number needed to treat for one person to benefit from a drug. Lipitor, the most popular statin (see the commercial here), accounting for approximately $14 billion in sales annually, has an NNT of 100 in its clinical trials. That is, it takes 100 people taking the drug for one to benefit. In other words, 99 out of every hundred (99%) people taking Lipitor get no benefit from the drug. What? That’s right, NO BENEFIT!

So what gives? I mean these drugs have been touted as simply miraculous. They are the answer to high cholesterol, that supposed villain responsible for many heart attacks (listen, I debunk this myth in my new book, The Six Keys To Optimal Health; please pick up a copy). Well, these latest findings sure put a dagger into that nonsense. And am I the only one frightened by the notion that “statins should be added to the water supply“, as some researchers have suggested? Hell no.

If I’ve said it once I’ve said it a million times, nobody is going to care as much about your health as you do. Not your doctor, not the government, and not the pharmaceutical industry. Drug manufacturers will always try to portray their product in the best light. And doctors simply don’t have time to scrutinize every drug that comes out, so they rely on drug reps to give them the skinny on the latest drugs. When drug reps tell doctors that their statins reduce heart attacks by 36%, doctors believe these numbers. Add to that a certain dogma that has its way of infecting all large institutions and well…I guess it takes the public to be on its own toes.

So there you have the truth. Listen to the latest episode of the Dr. Nick Show for more information on the fallacy of statin drug efficacy. And keep tuning into this blog for the latest in health news and information. I promise, you won’t get this information from your medical doctor. No time. Sorry.

Drug Dealing is Lucrative Business

By On · Add Comment · In Carrie Smith Cox, cholesterol, cholesterol lowering drug, endogenous, Enhance, exogenous, ezetimibe, Merck and Co Inc, patent, pharmaceutical, Schering-Plough Corp, simvastatin, Vytorin, Zetia, Zocor
Everyone knows that there are big bucks to be made in the pusher game. From slinging crack to Prozac, profits proliferate when the product promises a miracle cure, or a great way to get high. The risks in the game are a’plenty, but when laws can be loopholed, then all kinds of funny stuff can happen. Take, for instance, the latest in the cholesterol lowering drug racket. Recent reports show that pharmaceutical giants Merck & Co Inc and Schering-Plough Corp may have been up to some funny business regarding published results of their combined drug Vytorin, as well as their marketing and advertising practices. Hold onto your hats because this one’s a doozy.
According to reports, U.S. regulators are contemplating action against Merck and Schering-Plough, the makers of Vytorin, for not releasing the results of a two year study titled Enhance, which sought to study the effectiveness of Vytorin versus the cholesterol lowering drug simvastatin. Let me explain: Vytorin is a combination of the statin drug simvastatin and a drug that blocks cholesterol from entering through the gut called ezetimibe. The idea is that the statin blocks the production of cholesterol from the liver, what we call endogenous cholesterol, while the cholesterol blocker prevents the uptake of cholesterol found in food, or exogenous cholesterol.

You know–you’ve seen the commercials: “A series of split-screen images of a person and a food item to make the point that cholesterol comes from two sources and can be absorbed from food or manufactured by the body, and that heredity plays a role in the latter. This point is a departure from the commonly held belief that high cholesterol only comes from the food that you eat. In each commercial, the person is dressed, and the food plated, to emphasize the resemblance between the person and the food.” (from Wikipedia)

Here’s the problem: the results of the Enhance test showed that Vytorin, the combo drug, worked no better than simvastatin (brand name Zocor) alone. Get it? The exogenous cholesterol blocker didn’t do squat.

So what! What’s the big deal?

The big deal is that the pharmaceutical companies neglected to publish the results–for 18 months! Whoa. Now why would they do that? Well, let’s see. Uh…big ducketts? Wait, it gets better: Schering-Plough president, Carrie Smith Cox, it turns out, dumps 900,000 shares of company stock, worth $28 million, seven months before the results are published! Woohoo! Even better is that as of two weeks ago, the stocks started sinking like a led zeppelin. You see, once the news got out that Vytorin is no better than generic simvastatin, a much cheaper drug, doctors will stop prescribing it. They haven’t yet, as one report has prescriptions up at 800,000; but I assure you, now that the results are public, prescriptions will have to drop, because everybody knows now, right? You sure do.

How and why does something like this happen? First, you have to understand the pharmaceutical patent game. To get a patent on a drug, a company much go through rigorous testing that can take up to twelve years. Once the government approves the drug, the company gets the patent for twenty years. That means, only they can manufacture and sell that drug during the life of the patent, which means lots of money. Once the patent expires, any drug company can make a copycat drug–same ingredients, same dose–and sell it as a generic brand. That drives prices way down.

In this case, the patent on Zocor–remember the brand name of the statin simvastatin–ran out in 2006. That was Merck’s baby. Schering-Plough had the drug ezetimbe–brand name Zetia–the one that supposedly blocked incoming cholesterol; clearly, it doesn’t do much. Perhaps, somebody upstairs at the two companies knew this, as they decided to combine the Zetia with Zocor to make Vytorin. Great, now they can get a new patent. At least they know the Zocor works. Hopefully, the results of the Enhance test will look good, and then it’s money in the bank.

But it didn’t look good. Bummer. So they started messing with how they would present the results. Cooking books. Then they couldn’t get it to look quite right, so they delayed publication. Buy some time, buy some time. Finally, shares got dumped, and the house of cards crumbled. Now the House of Representatives’ Committee on Energy and Commerce is investigating. Interestingly, the Committee “actually began investigating Vytorin in December 2007, after the drug makers’ announced a second ENHANCE delay and tried to change the study’s endpoint.”

So there you have it. That’s how business is done in the world of pharmaceuticals. I can’t say I’m all that appalled–c’mon, all kinds of crazy stuff happens in business. But what gets me is the corruption within the scientific community. Isn’t science supposed to be the last corruptible institution. Oy vey; Galileo must be spinning in his grave.

One Fish Oil Capsule a Day

By On · Add Comment · In cholesterol, essential fatty acids, exercise, heart attack, omega 3s, triglyceride

Have I told you how stellar my blood panel was? Not to brag, but…

I did have exceptional cholesterol and triglyceride levels–you know, the stuff that’s supposed to predict the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. But how can that be? I salt everything; I eat red meat three time a week. Shouldn’t I be the MI poster-boy?

Not necessarily. I exercise regularly and take lots of essential fatty acids (EFAs). EFAs are essential nutrients–that is, they are not produced in the body–so they must be obtained in the diet, or through a supplement. There are two classes of EFAs–omega 3s and omega 6s. We get plenty of omega 6 fatty acids in the typical Western diet. It’s the omega 3 variety that most of us are lacking. You’ll find omega 3 fatty acids, naturally, in fish; but you can also get them from a good EFA supplement (ask me, I carry the best).

Without going into the long list of benefits (you can catch them, here, in the following article), EFAs are important for cells, blood vessels, the brain, the skin, and many, many other tissues, organs, and processes. I’ve been pushing these babies for years. And I’ll keep pushing them here: If you aren’t taking omega 3 fatty acids regularly, what the heck are you waiting for?

Listen to this: According to this recent study, fish oil capsules do an equally good job of enriching the blood and other body tissues with healthy omega 3 fatty acids as fresh fish does. Wow! Get it? You can do just as well with fish oil capsules as you can with gulping down the fishy stuff. Not a big deal for sushi lovers; but for someone like me, who can’t stomach the taste of fish…well, it’s nothing short of extraordinary.

Let me reiterate. You’ve gotta get proper amounts of omega three fatty acids in your body. By doing so, you will do wonders in reducing your risk of heart disease. Trust me, it’ll show in your chem panel over time. However, exercise plays a big part, too; so you’d better get the fever for it, real soon. Omega three fatty acids plus exercise equals good heart health–enough to give you bragging rights.

Final Fitness Update…Ever

By On · Add Comment · In blood test, body fat, bodywork, chiropractic, cholesterol, energy, exercise, fitness, handstands, HDL, LDL, optimal health, posture, shoulders, sleep, stretching, triglycerides, weight loss, yoga
OK, this is it; my final fitness update. It couldn’t come at a more opportune time as I have just turned 40 today. Woohoo! As my brother told me, I have officially entered an age where each year will seem to pass in six month increments. Woosh…

I made my proclamation to become Fit in 90 Days on September 5th, so officially, my run should have ended December 5th. I was vacationing in Palm Beach at that time, so I actually needed another 14 days; which is probably the amount of time throughout the whole endeavor that I did nothing. No worries, 90 days, 100 days, it’s all the same.

As I’ve been reporting, I tried to exercise (gym) three times a week. I did several private yoga sessions with an instructor, and fined tuned my practice, which I carried out faithfully every day (OK, nearly every day). That was huge. I resolved some fairly irritating muscular imbalances that were causing low back discomfort, and I also did quite a bit of work on my shoulders. My new yoga routine improved my posture. I feel the difference.

I kept a regular chiropractic regimen–very important with all the moving and stretching and lifting and hiking. A combination of yoga and chiropractic is powerful, indeed.

I followed a pretty solid nutritional program–ate more fresh fruits and vegetables, drank lots of water, and took my daily vitamins. As usual, I was diligent about taking my essential fatty acids and alpha lipoic acid, the powerful anti-oxidant.

I think the most profound health habit I adopted through all of this, though, was seriously minimizing my consumption of refined sugar (started November 8th). As I described in an earlier post, I had a brief roller coaster ride with regard to my energy levels, but that evened out. Once I got over that withdrawal stage, my energy skyrocketed. And I lost weight as a result. Before “no sugar,” I lost four pounds (to 163 lbs.); afterward, eight pounds (to 155 lbs.). Nice. So in total, I’ve lost twelve pounds. Twelve pounds in twelve weeks. Very healthy.

Let’s review my goals: I wanted to lower my weight by seven pounds–I beat that. I wanted to lower my body fat. Oops, forgot to check it for this update. Sorry. I wanted to do unassisted handstands–didn’t do it (remember what the Yogi said?) Wanted to run Runyon Canyon. Nope, didn’t do that either.

So, you might wonder, what did I accomplish then? In my mind, I just made my routine a regular habit; I really am happy with that. It’s not a cop out. What I want from a health regimen is improved or maintained health. What I really want is optimal health. Without a doubt, I’ve accomplished that. I know with complete certainty that by putting this kind of consistent and careful attention into my body, there is no other possible outcome to be had. But as serendipity has it, I happened to take a blood test as a part of a life insurance policy I was pursuing, and they were kind enough to send me the results. I normally don’t put too much stock into these tests, because, as I’ve said, I know that if I do the right things, I’ll have a good functioning and healthy body. But hey, I was happy to check it out; I mean, it is my physiology. Here are the results:

  • Cholesterol–217 mg/dl. Between 200-239 is considered borderline high.
  • Triglycerides–58 mg/dl. Anything under 150 is normal. Hmmm.
  • HDLs–68 mg/dl. Anything above 40 is desirable, above 60, very good.
  • LDLs–137 mg/dl. Should be under 160 if have only zero or one risk factors.
  • Chol/HDL ratio–3.20. A desirable ratio is under 5; optimum under 3.5. Booyah.

Remember, the amount of cholesterol is not nearly as important as the amount of HDLs in your blood, and even less important than the cholesterol/HDL ratio (read the post, here). So, as to not bore you, all the other test were good to optimal too. Yes, I love tests, especially when they work in my favor.

So what did I accomplish? I motivated myself to exercise, eat well, get regular bodywork, sleep, and focus on my health in a proactive manner. I feel better, have more energy, feel more rested, look better, and have less physical discomfort all around. And, hopefully, I’ve shown you that with a little planning, and a large commitment, you can create a better place for yourself physically. You can achieve optimal health if you want it.

OTC Statins?

By On · Add Comment · In anti-oxidant, atherosclerosis, cholesterol, essential fatty acids, free radicals, LDL, lipoproteins, Merck, over-the-counter medications, rhabdomyolysis, statins

In an unusual display of rationality, the FDA rejected drug maker Merck and Co.’s bid to make it’s cholesterol lowering statin, Mevacor, available as an over-the-counter medication. Hallelujah! I almost can’t believe it.

Statins lower blood levels of LDL cholesterol (the bad stuff) by blocking a key enzyme necessary for the production of these lipoproteins. LDLs, or low density lipoproteins, are known to be precursors of atherosclerotic plaques, which harden the arteries and can lead to such cardiovascular diseases as heart attack and stroke, our leading killers in this country. As a result of this number one killer distinction, modern medical science has championed statin drugs as the savior of American heart health.

But wait, statins are drugs, and all drugs have physiological side effects, some of which can themselves cause illness and disease. To paraphrase 16th century alchemist and physician Paracelsus, “Poison is in everything, and no thing is without poison. The dosage makes it either a poison or a remedy.” Ah, so very true. Should we, therefore, really make what’s currently only obtainable by prescription available to the masses at the local drug store?

Well according to some brilliant and sound-minded physicians (and one altruistic pharmaceutical company), the answer is yes. Proponents believe that everyone, not just people with high levels of LDL cholesterol should be on statins. Statins are today’s aspirin, you know, the drug one celebrity doctor claims we should name a town after. Ha, ha, ha. Oh, the folly of it all.

According to one brilliant mind, the sharp intellect known as Dr. David Nash of Philadelphia’s Thomas Jefferson Medical College, “You should put this drug in the drinking water.” Whoa! Do you all feel as safe as I do? That’s awesome. I’m so happy to see that some of our nation’s most highly esteemed physicians think that mass medication is the answer to our health woes. Even better that they hold so much influence over public health policy. Effin’ right aye!

But, thankfully, wiser heads have prevailed…for now. In a 10-2 vote, an FDA panel rejected Merck’s bid. The panel felt that “too many of the wrong people would use the drug if it no longer required a prescription.” Uh, yeah. They based their conclusions on a study of nearly 1,500 people, where many wanted to buy the drug although they were poor candidates. I guess the drug companies want to maximize profits by pushing out the middle men–namely, doctors! Call me crazy, but I still think the physician is the best person to evaluate a person’s need for a potent drug–yes, even more than television commercials. I know, I’m so yesterday.

Here are some of the risks associated with statin drugs: permanent liver damage, rhabdomyolysis (read about this man’s experience here), nervous system damage, neuropathy, kidney damage, erectile dysfunction, temperature regulation problems, and amnesia (careful, you’ll forget to take your statins). For a more comprehensive list of dangerous side effects linked to statins look here.

Why rely on statins when blood cholesterol can be lowered most effectively through sensible diet (read my book, read my book), exercise, and supplementing with essential fatty acids. Furthermore, we know that LDLs alone are not “bad”. Only when they are oxidized (mostly by free radicals) do they become sticky, leading to plaque formation on the arteries. So by taking a good antioxidant (read my book, read my book), you can seriously lower your risk of developing atherosclerosis.

Unfortunately wellness isn’t as hip as mass medication is in the current health (?) paradigm. Summing up this idea is yet another proponent of mass statin consumption, New York‘s Mount Sinai Medical School physician and Merck consultant, Dr. Valentine Burroughs, “We’re still failing to prevent this epidemic (heart disease). It’s time to take bolder action, to try new approaches.”

Yeah, like spiking our drinking water. Sign me up, man.

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