Thanks but I’ll go with what the current medical views are

Are you aware that there is more than one medical view? Not all medical people agree – this is the issue.

Previously I have managed to reduce my cholesterol level due to radical change in diet and a lot of exercise

Yeah, theres only so much your liver can try to compensate for. After that, the cholesterol levels will fall, hence why statins can bring about a reduction in serum cholesterol. But this stil doesn’t tell us why we are being advised to lower cholesterol. And that is the real issue. A small group of physician, in the US, during the 40s and 50s concluded, both correctly and incorrectly, that high cholesterol causes CHD. Back then the equipment required to catagorize cholesterol into its constituent lipoprotiens was rarely available so many didn’t bother. They just labelled all cholesterol as bad. research in the 80s proved this wasn’t the case, but this information was drowned out, the research swept under the carpet, by the wider medical community who had all been educated in the paradigm that all cholesterol is bad. And this is where we are today, although, recently, a new generation of physicians are starting to question the dogma and speak out. And not at some potentially significant risk to their careers.

Can people please stop peddling this conspiracy theory guff about statins. It’s bad for my blood pressure.

Statins saved my life and continue to do so… side effects are negligible in low dose. I’m on a very high dose and have built up tolerances to them, the only one I notice is fatiguing occasionally which I cure by EXERCISE which without the statins I would be unable to do.

back on track

PeriPeri coated Grilled Chicken breast served on a bed of cous cous with peppers, tomatoes etc.

Or Jamacian Jerk Grilled Chicken served on a bed of rice & peas

+1 for porridge as a go get em fuel for the day

Jock.

Don’t you have hypercholesterolemia ? If so, then I can see why you need statins, but you suffer a specific condition, unlike most of the members here. Thing is, we all need cholesterol and the right type, so low cholesterol diets aren’t required by everyone, or even most of us.

So, does anyone have any suggestions on tasty food as a bring to work lunch, preferably something healthier than crisps and chocolate biscuits?

Ingredients:
1 pack flavoured couscous
1 tin chickpeas
1 tin salmon

Method:
Pour contents of flavoured couscous packet into 2 tupperwares. Boil some water and pour over couscous to cover, plus a bit. Go away and do something else for a while. Come back, fluff up couscous, divide tin of chickpeas between each couscous pot. Fork salmon over each pot. Stick in fridge.

Added bonus – makes you trump.

My ‘standard’ lunch is now:

1/2 a tin chickpeas
inch or two of chorizo, chopped into chunks
half a red pepper, chopped
3 or 4 baby sweetcorn, chopped
a handful of mange tout or sugar snap peas, chopped
splash of olive oil
splash of balsamic
black pepper
sprinkle of dried herbs
salad leaves on top until the box is full

That gets you your 5-a-day veg, lots of fibre, (s)low carbs, protein, flavour. Easily varied by replacing chickpeas with other beans or tuna, some dried chilli flakes, different dressings.

1 pack flavoured couscous

I’d use plain couscous and add my own flavourings.

some tasty suggestions, keep ’em coming 🙂 Thanks

fad diet gravy train

I’ve got a gravy boat, if that’s any use?

😀

Are you aware that there is more than one medical view? Not all medical people agree – this is the issue.

Agreed. Unfortunately doctors disagree about everything (e.g. HIV/AIDS deniers, cancer deniers, anyone who reads “What Doctors Don’t Tell You”). How do you suggest we choose? I’ll go with what the majority of cardiovascular experts suggest. I have no other way of deciding unless I spend the next twenty years of my life researching to the level required. During which time I may have a heart attack! 😀

Are there any numbers (%age) for how many experts are for/against statin usage for those in a susceptible group?

Cholesterol intake in food has little, if any, effect on total body cholesterol content or concentrations of cholesterol in the blood.
Your body produces about 80% of your cholesterol, mostly in the liver.

It’s up to you whether you focus on the foods that contain cholesterol or the foods that trigger production.

like the sound of that lunch above, btw. nom

I’d use plain couscous and add my own flavourings.

Good call. I am, however, culinarily-challenged and very lazy in the kitchen 😀

I am, however, culinarily-challenged and very lazy in the kitchen

Aha ! I knew it ! Is it because you’re the man on the telle ?

Fascinated by this. I am currently agonising about statins – have been told by two separate doctors in the last couple of years to get onto them sharpish, given where my (bad) chloresterol is. But I believe that statins are linked to depression, which is something I also fear, it is a horrible condition.

Jock (or any other statin takers), can I ask if you’ve had problems with depression since starting the statins? Personal question I know but I am really in a dilemma over statins.

Jock (or any other statin takers), can I ask if you’ve had problems with depression since starting the statins? Personal question I know but I am really in a dilemma over statins.

Tricky one that… yes I have suffered from two bouts of depression since starting on statins BUT

the First bout was after my this is apparently fairly common due to the “oh gawd I nearly died” syndrome and the psychological impact of having had a heart attack. For this I ended up in therapy and on anti-depressants.

The second bout gradually crept up on me after I had my second stent inserted 10 months ago (the stent not the depression) and I was persuaded to start back on BetaBlockers and ACE Inhibitors. Around early November I noticed I was struggling with motivation, feeling down, listless, struggling to ride any distance, getting really cold, etc. Due to a cockup with prescriptions I went without meds for 10 days mid december-ish and noticed I was feeling far better motivation wise (you can see this in my strava activity) and not suffering from feeling the cold in my feet when out. Back on full meds and the symptoms came back again fairly rapidly. The circulation issues pointed the finger (for me anyway) at the drugs that affect circulation i.e. the ace inhibitor and the betablocker so I knocked them on the head and the issues went away.

I’m on a very high dose of statin and I have NO ill effects bar the occasional fatigued feeling which as I’ve said is readily cured by going for a ride.

From my own experience and other anecdotal evidence I am firmly convinced that a lot of the reported side effects of statins is probably due to the fact that they are commonly prescribed alongside medication that has similar side effects or magnifies the side effects of the statin.

I suspect that if you are healthy (yeah I know), active and well motivated then I suspect that starting statins should have little or no effect on your physical or mental well being.

Jock – thank so much. So good to get a real world view (apologies for the delayed response, I had a massive spinning effort yesterday and was just ready for my bed by 8pm!). The depression thing really has really bothered me, esepcially as I suspect that can really “creep up” as well. I tried raising it with the GP but all I got was a grilling why I was worried about so dropped that line of questioning.

Currently on a detox diet as a last ditch attempt to drop the things naturally. Going without coffee has been the hardest thing!

Cheers and good luck.