How important are these really, if you are following a low carb diet?

One reason my doctor keeps trying to put me on a statin, is my dad. He also tries to put my mom on them.

My dad does have heart disease and kidney problems now. But, there is a lot of difference between us. He's smoked and drank for as long as I can remember. I don't smoke, though I drink wine when we eat out. I don't really think my risk is the same as his. I feel his risk/results are largely self inflicted. His mother lived to be 93. His dad died when I was little of emphysema.

My mom's mom is still alive (85). My mom smokes and she has smoked pretty much all my life anyway. (46). So, again, since I don't. I feel that changes my risks a lot. My grandmother doesn't smoke, but she does drink.

Is that the feeling most of you have?

Thanks,

Teresa, I think that heredity is one of the weaker risks for heart disease. The lifestyle that one follows can make a hugh difference in how the genetic factors come into play.

Lowering your insulin level by low carbing and exercising can significantly reduce the odds of susceptible genes coming into play.

The more that I learn about statins, the less I like them. I'm convinced that fish oil, vitamin D and, for some people, aspirin are all much more effective medicines for promoting long life.

I just read an article that familial hypercholesterol doesn't actually raise your risk for a heart attack. Hmmmmm... where'd I see that?

Oh wait, I know! It was one of Kendrick's videos.

Dodger:
Oh, I have NO intention of taking statins. I have told the doctor to his face I'm not taking them. Recent research on my part even came up with my LDL of 150 isn't a "malignant" level as he made it out to be. Also when I tried to bring up my ratios, which are excellent. He's standing there telling me they're not. Can a doctor really be that far off? We've known and gone to him for years, and he really seems to be a caring person.

I do have hypertension, but even with that, the calculator (see my journal, I posted the result in there) said I have a 4% chance of developing heart disease in the next 10 years. And I put in a higher bp than what I have.

Nancy LC:
Does he have any articles on that? I have read some of his. Mostly that cholesterol isn't evil, it's actually beneficial. I'll check my link to his site, maybe he has more stuff up.

Thanks.

Hi,

My doc wants me to go on tablets for high blood pressure and high cholesterol, I know she only has my health at heart but I will not take them!
I have got a bad family history though, dad died when he had his second heart attack at 86, one brother has had 3 strokes, the last one a month ago and all three of my brothers have high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
I really have got to get a grip on my weight as I am damm sure the 60lbs extra that I am carrying is causing the problem, I carry all my weight on my belly and that is apparently a major cause of "inflamation".
Does anybody have any links to sites where I can gain a better understanding of this phenomenen?

I think 'inherited risk factors' means that the differences between us in the effect of really bad lifestyle choices can be partly explained by genetics. In other words I don't think genetics is very important. Diet, exercise, sleep, sunshine, clean air and love are far more important.

Here's a search of Dr. Al Sears site. He discusses seveal nutritional things, which I'm adding. Some I was already doing.
http://www.alsearsmd.com/content/in...=120&no_cache=1

He did have a couple of things I hadn't seen before.
1) Being out of shape can cause hypertension. I knew that exercise helped hypertension, but I didn't realize that being out of shape could bring it on.

2) homocystein. I've heard of this being associated with heart attacks, but he also links it with hypertension. (B vitamins, 6 and Folic Acid)

If the search link isn't working by the time you get to it. (I just checked it, it doesn't show you results) so-> Just put hypertension in the "enter topic of interest" box , and change the heading search below it to page content search.

Hope this helps. (Both of us!! )

PCOS can cause hypertension too, btw.

Lowering your blood pressure is far more important than your cholesterol, imo. Damaged my heart because I didn't get that.

Losing weight will do it quite effectively.

Someone posted the videos on this message forum somewhere... we need to track them down. Was just a week or so ago.

Here's a list of his video's on youtube, probably in one of these!

http://www.youtube.com/results?sear...k&search=Search

I finally found it. Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Xrr...feature=related