READER’S DIGEST DISCOURAGES [...]]]> It’s hard to believe the first quarter of 2009 is already coming to an end, but that doesn’t mean the low-carb news and health headlines are slowing down one iota. Here are some tasty and filling stories about livin’ la vida low-carb for you to munch on as April “springs” upon us:

READER’S DIGEST DISCOURAGES LOW-CARB LIVING

People write to me all the time sharing anti-low-carb drivel like this Reader’s Digest column berating and disparaging our beloved dietary choice. I’ve never understood why something that is described as a “fad” diet that is hated so much that nobody could possibly even think about doing it gets so much ink and attention paid to it by those who oppose it. But, maybe, just maybe, deep down inside they know it isn’t what they say that it is and they realize it threatens everything they’ve ever believed to be true about health. So when you read something as ridiculous as this, keep that in mind and realize they probably already know what you and I have seen for ourselves in our own lives–livin’ la vida low-carb is a delicious, nutritious, and healthy way to lose weight and ward off the preventable diseases most people suffer from today. And they just can’t handle facing the truth!

MOM SAYS STRICT VEGAN MADE HER KIDS GET SICK

With all the anti-meat, low-fat propaganda that’s floating around out there from groups like PETA who hide behind the mirage that they care about animals while secretly killing 95% of adoptable pets in their care last year, it’s refreshing to see a story like this one from The Daily Mail about a mom who placed her two little baby girls on a vegan diet since it has been so heavily promoted as “healthy” and “superior” to all other diets. Feeding them just raw vegetables, nuts, grains, soy, and seeds along with no meat, fish, dairy, or anything with much fat or protein in it, health issues started coming up: unexpected cavities, stunted growth, weak muscles, malnutrition, vitamin D deficiency, and rickets, just to name a few. This was a telling quote from the story: “When we went to the supermarket, Lizzie would grab a pack of butter and start gnawing on it. I couldn’t understand why this well-fed child was behaving like this. I was so brainwashed that the fact our bodies were craving dairy products had passed me by.” She added dairy and higher fat back into their diet and they almost immediately showed improvement. This is yet another lesson in why it is important for people to know the truth about what a healthy diet is and not just rely on the government or even their doctor to share advice that is necessarily accurate. Do your own research and then take appropriate action.

SOUTH BEACH DIET AUTHOR SHARES CANDIDLY ABOUT LOW-CARB

Although the first sentence in the original of his bestselling line of South Beach Diet books states “this is not a low-carb diet,” Dr. Arthur Agatston realizes the importance of carbohydrate-restriction to improving weight and health. In this interview with the Winnipeg Free Press, he talks about the detrimental role “processed carbs” play in your diet, what he eats on his own diet, his response to Dr. Atkins and his diet, the importance of omega-3 supplementation, and the #1 thing you can do to improve your heart health. I’ve been working for a couple of years to have Dr. Agatston on my show and I’m not gonna give up trying. He has a lot to offer those who are seeking to eat healthier than the Standard American Diet (SAD) and many of my readers have or are currently on South Beach themselves. It’s a little too high in carbs and low in fat for me, but certainly a better option than SAD!

ARE CARBS GOOD OR BAD MISSES THE POINT OF LOW-CARB LIVING

Misinformation about the role of macronutrients is everywhere these days and one of my fellow writers at Examiner.com wrote this column recently attempting to defend carbs as part of a healthy diet. What’s funny is she uses some rather old, tired arguments to make her point–namely that the body “needs” carbs to function, have energy, stay hydrated, prevent hypoglycemia, ward off nausea, exercise muscles, and prevent future health problems. Funny thing, though…I haven’t had any problems with these things since I started livin’ la vida low-carb over five years ago. So, I’m not sure what you’re talking about Asako Lahoe. Your recommendation that I eat upwards of 400g carbs as an “optimal” level in my diet would quite literally kill me–and most anyone who would eat that way for their weight and health. NO THANKS!

WORKING 3RD SHIFT MESSES WITH METABOLISM, STUDY SHOWS

Although most of the population is employed during the daylight hours in a typical 9-5 type of job, a good many Americans work late into the night and overnight as part of their job. Now there is new research published this month in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that shows this kind of job can be harmful to insulin, cortisol, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels, among other health markers that were tested. Interestingly, the story focuses on the job these workers were engaged in working late at night without regard to their lifestyle. So, whether they are overweight or skinny, these harmful changes in their insulin and cortisol levels show a connection between these hormones and health. Just another notch in the belt of what we’ve been promoting for a long time.

HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL STUDENTS EXPOSE PROF’S DRUG BIAS

Oh, you gotta love this! These first-year medical school students must not have gotten the memo that they aren’t supposed to question the authority of their all-knowing professors when it comes to the promotion and use of prescription medications. But that’s exactly what a group of Harvard Medical School students did when they outed their professor by identifying him as a paid consultant to 10 different pharmaceutical companies, including most of the so-called “cholesterol lowering” medications. This obvious bias that comes from a teacher who is educating the future medical professionals of tomorrow is quite disturbing to say the least and has certain legal and ethical ramifications that Harvard or any other medical school doesn’t want hanging over it. If you’re teaching students about medicine, then I don’t think you should be allowed to consult a drug company. You’ll have a vested interest in teaching about the benefits of that prescription while purposely downplaying any potential side effects from the drugs. This is outrageous and I applaud those brave students for standing up for what is right.

T.J. FREEMAN: I’M NOT ON A DIET, STOP ASKING!

Although there are a lot of voices of dissent about low-carb living on Examiner.com, there are quite a few that join me in spreading the good news about livin’ la vida low-carb on there (click here to check out my Low-Carb Lifestyle Examiner page for a list of my fellow Low-Carb Examiners). One of the newest ones is T.J. Freeman from Atlanta who wrote this fabulous column on describing his way of eating as a “diet” versus “lifestyle change” that you’ve heard me harp on from day one here at my blog. He says it can be somewhat overwhelming for people unaccustomed to eating a healthier diet like low-carb to know what to do and that it’s good just to listen to your body and adjust your plan for YOU. And that’s something that has worked for T.J. to get him where he is today. Check it out!

HONEST QUESTIONS FINALLY BEING ASKED ABOUT THE FDA

This column by the Associated Press asks something a lot of us in the diet and health industry have been wondering about for years: “Is the FDA a broken agency?” With all the various health outbreaks and scandals over the past few years, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration is under serious pressure to get its act together. Unfortunately, this government agency has meddled where it doesn’t belong and turned a blind eye where it does for so long that it doesn’t know up from down anymore. President Obama vows to change this negative perception of the FDA that has been growing for a very long time. How has this corruption at the FDA manifested itself into the lives of everyday Americans? Prescription drugs being approved before all the side effects have been examined, tainted food products like salmonella poisoning in peanuts and tomatoes, and more. Hopefully some of that “change” we heard about so much during the 2008 election will make its way to the FDA.

IS A CSPI REP ABOUT TO HEAD A USDA FOOD POST?

For those of you who have watched Tom Naughton’s FAT HEAD documentary, then you already know about the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). “The guy from CSPI” Michael Jacobson has been popping up from the shadows every few years warning of the dangers of this, that, and everything in between. What would happen if one of these people from CSPI were to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) division? Well, that’s apparently about to happen if Caroline Smith DeWaal is named over Barbara Masters and it will directly impact the foods that you and your family can purchase to eat if the “food police” deem it as too “unhealthy” for you. Get ready for such labels to be slapped on low-carb staples like meat, eggs, and cheese if DeWaal is given this lofty position in the Obama administration. Scary stuff!

BIZARRE NEW STUDY ON EXERCISE FOR WEIGHT LOSS

People came out the woodwork to chide Gary Taubes a couple of years ago when he dared put forth the notion that exercise is futile for people seeking weight loss because it only makes you more hungry in his groundbreaking book Good Calories, Bad Calories. Now there is compelling published research out of the University of Illinois in the February 2009 issue of the scientific journal Obesity that says something pretty amazing about the psychology of weight loss. The researchers showed demonstrably that those who read posters that state they should join a gym or walk around the block actually ate more food than those who saw posters encouraging them to join a group or make friends. INCREDIBLE! These subliminal messages about activity actually ENCOURAGED people to go out and eat. Could this be an unconscious reflex inside our brains anticipating exercise that causes our stomachs to growl for food? So the next time you see a television commercial pushing a gym membership or fitness machine, turn the channel quickly so you don’t go running for the fridge!

LOW-CARB DIET BECOMING KNOWN AS ACNE CURE

Last Friday, I had the privilege of interviewing one of the giants in the world of diet and health–Dr. Loren Cordain of The Paleo Diet fame. I’ll be sharing that podcast with you on April 23, 2009, but he has written quite extensively about the connection of low-carb eating and acne. Now there is research backing up the claim that blemishes and outbreaks among low-carb dieters are significantly reduced. The story notes that dermatologists are skeptical of any connection between diet and acne, but it’s difficult to ignore. Obviously, cutting the carbs controls hormones like insulin, which Dr. Cordain believes is one of the driving forces behind the production of pimples and breakouts. With 87 percent of the study participants reporting massive improvements in their skin within three months of starting a low-carb program, it’s compelling evidence for virtually anyone dealing with this sensitive issue, teenagers included.

COLUMNIST GEORGE WILL SAYS AMERICANS HAVE AN “EATING DISORDER”

Conservative columnist George Will doesn’t usually veer too far from the political side of things, but this column is must-reading for people devoted to health. It includes some discussion of government and history, but points the finger of blame on our nation’s declining health on the diet we are feeding ourselves. Relying heavily on the influence of Michael Pollan (The Omnivore’s Dilemma and In Defense of Food), this Will column looks at how corn has taken over our entire food supply and implores newly-appointed Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to do something about it. He’ll have a strong lobby and contingent of food companies to stand up against if he does! It would be a great site to see.

WASHINGTON POST WANTS YOUR DIET SUCCESS STORY

I love it when a major newspaper like The Washington Post asks people to share their thoughts about a particular way of eating that worked for them. This story outlines a frustrated author who says most bariatric surgery patients go on at least 24 diets before going under the knife. And all of those attempts apparently fail to work to provide the heralded weight loss they’ve been looking for. So, she asks for testimonies “from readers who have succeeded in losing weight and keeping it off” for good. Share your story of losing the low-carb way!

IS THE HYSTERIA OVER VITAMIN D UNWARRANTED?

I recently wrote a blog post about Vitamin D sharing about my wife Christine’s paltry level of 9 that could be the reason behind a lot of her chronic pain and fatigue issues. Well, this Bacteriality post provides 14 reasons why there may be some misunderstanding about “low” Vitamin D levels. I don’t know if I necessarily buy all of these, but they were worth passing along to you for informational purposes.

ANOTHER EXAMINER COLUMNIST WARNS AGAINST HIGH-PROTEIN, LOW-CARB

The Denver Dining Examiner Stan Dyer adds his voice of criticism to those who are opposed to “high-protein, low-carb diets.” Well, guess what, Stan? So am I! Down with those dastardly people who try to make my healthy high-FAT, low-carb diet one that is high in protein. How dare they! Seriously, this guy is so full of cliche in his criticism of livin’ la vida low-carb that you can see right through everything he says: low-carb or high-protein is unhealthy for everyone, may produce long-term health consequences, leads to kidney stones, kidney failure and heart disease, leeches calcium, cancer, and even death! Sheez, who wants to go on a diet like this, eh? I can’t wait to publish my new book because I answer all of these idiotic claims by showing the science that proves them all wrong. It’s coming soon and will be a real eyeopener for people like Stan.

STUDY: EATING LOW-GI MAKES YOU FEEL FULLER

New research out of King’s College London found that people who eat foods with a lower glycemic index (aka low-carb) makeup increase their production of a gut hormone tied to appetite suppression that makes them feel full. The hunger-controlling effects of the hormone GLP-1 is stimulated when a low-GI meal is consumed. Of course, you can’t underestimate the impact of the protein on satiety as well as dietary fat on the feeling of fullness, too. Fascinating research!

SHARE ABOUT YOUR DIET & HEALTH IN THIS SURVEY

Our friends at Cake-And-Biscuit-Diet.com (don’t let the name of the site fool you, they’re pro-low-carb), are doing this survey of diets to see what works and what doesn’t to help improve people’s weight and health. They want to see how a particular diet has impacted your weight, cholesterol, adherence to a plan, fat loss, hunger, energy, concentration, memory, cravings, and a whole host of other quality of life issues. This is one survey EVERYBODY reading this needs to take!

THE VERY BEST WAY FOR YOU TO LOWER YOUR TRIGLYCERIDES

I always enjoy reading new columns from registered nurse and low-carb friend Jacqueline Eberstein. She worked with the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins for three decades and is the world’s foremost expert on the Atkins Nutritional Approach today. Her latest column deals with the little-talked-about aspect of lipid health known as triglycerides. If you ask the average person what LDL and even HDL cholesterol is, they will give you some kind of answer. But when you mention triglycerides, you get a blank stare. Jackie demystifies this important health risk factor by providing statistics and information about it and why traditional methods for lowering triglycerides (i.e. cut the fat, eat less calories, eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, take statin drugs) just plain don’t work. What DOES work is a low-carb diet and exercise program. Well duh!

RECESSION-PROOF DIET AND HEALTH TIPS

My blogging friend Doug from the “Health Habits” blog recently solicited my input about how to live a healthy lifestyle in the midst of a recession. With more and more people becoming conscious of their spending during these uncertain economic times, he wanted to share with his readers some tips on being frugal while remaining committed to their fitness goals. This post features a broad spectrum of advice from all kinds of people in the world of blogging and I was privileged to be a part of it, too. ENJOY!

ARE ORGANIC FOODS ENDANGERED BECAUSE OF H.R. 875

Legislation on Capital Hill can have a direct impact on your life a lot more than you realize. While much of what happens in Washington, DC by our elected officials isn’t felt by most of us until we get our federal income tax bill, this H.R. 875 (link opens PDF file of the entire proposed law) seems to be a little more intrusive on those of us with a preference for organic foods. I’ll leave it up to you to determine whether you believe the bill will help or harm your food choices, but it’s information worth looking into and contacting your Congressman about if you have any questions or concerns.

TRIATHLON EXAMINER SAYS “DON’T BE A CARBOPHOBE”

We’ve got yet another Examiner blasting away at low-carb diets–this time it’s the Boise Triathlon Examiner Andrew Beck. His angle is on how the “low-carb fad” is not appropriate for “serious athletes” since the health claims made about it “aren’t based on scientific fact.” Well, Andrew, you’re dead wrong about that and I encourage you to look up the fantastic research conducted by Dr. Stephen Phinney and Dr. Jeff Volek on low-carb diets and exercise. Also, I’ll be interviewing a world-class athlete from Sweden named Jonas Colting for my podcast soon to talk about how he trains using a low-carb diet fitness program that will blow your mind. Much of what Andrew writes about in his column is based on the same old conventional talk of a very high-carb (60-70 percent of total calories), low-fat diet. I’m glad that works for you Andrew, but it’s not a universal truth.

A ONE-A-DAY MIRACLE MEGA-HEART HEALTH PILL?

Finally, I about fell out of my chair today when I read this Associated Press news story on a new “combo pill” for heart health that includes three blood pressure medications, the generic version of the cholesterol-lowering drug Zocor, and a 100mg baby aspirin. This “polypill” is supposed to be the new wonder drug for heart disease everyone has been looking for. But it’s missing one critical element–it won’t be effective without a strategic change in diet by those who are taking it. The trials show LDL falls 23 percent and triglycerides by 10 percent, but HDL remains constant. Eating a high-fat, low-carb diet will DRAMATICALLY drop triglycerides by over half in just a matter of weeks and HDL will go WAY UP in very short order. Why do we get so excited about a pill that brings about modest results at best while all but ignoring the DRAMATIC changes that occur when people start livin’ la vida low-carb? Oh yeah, that’s right! There’s no money in that!

Seen a news story about low-carb diets or health that you think I need to know about? Send me the link or information via e-mail to livinlowcarbman@charter.net. THANKS!

I recently blogged about a new study that confirms sugar leads to chemical changes in the brain in similar ways that cocaine and heroin addicts experience. This deep-rooted addiction is undeniable as so many of you can personally attest in your own life. [...]]]>
Dr. Scott Olson argues that sugar equally as addictive as cigarettes

I recently blogged about a new study that confirms sugar leads to chemical changes in the brain in similar ways that cocaine and heroin addicts experience. This deep-rooted addiction is undeniable as so many of you can personally attest in your own life. While the so-called health “experts” want to ignore this negative aspect of sugar consumption, the fact of the matter is sugar is as addictive or worse than cigarettes. And that’s the basis of a brand new book by my podcast interview guest today.

In Episode 218 of “The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore,” we hear from Dr. Scott Olson who wrote a compelling new book called Sugarettes: Sugar Addiction and Your Health that makes the claim sugar is as addictive as cigarettes–thus the name Sugarettes. He explains during the interview such topics as the taste of “sweet,” the addictive nature of sugar, how and why insulin works the way it does in the body, and the reasons why some government health bodies and old-school physicians still don’t recognize that addictive property of sugar despite clear evidence that it exists. We also talk about Dr. Olson’s path to finding naturopathy and why he feels it is the wave of the future in modern medical practice. After listening, you’ll become convinced of this concept that sugar is arguably the most addictive substance on the planet!

There are FOUR ways you can listen to Episode 218:

1. Listen and comment about the show at iTunes:

2. Listen and comment about the show at the official web site:

3. Download the MP3 file of Episode 218 [35:47m]:

4. Calling (818) 688-2763 to listen via Podlinez

Subscribe to the RSS feed or you can click on the “Subscribe” button at iTunes. If you are having trouble, then watch this video tutorial from my producer Kevin Kennedy-Spaien.

Are you a fan of my podcast and feel compelled to help spread the word to more people who need to hear it? If so, go to the iTunes page for “The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore” and leave your own comment about the podcast. How has it impacted your life? Have you learned anything from what you have heard on the show? SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK! This is the very best way to give access to the show to those who have never heard of it before. THANKS for sharing with others about my podcast and keeping low-carb on the forefront of the diet and health conversation.

What you think about this idea of comparing sugar addiction to cigarette addiction? Is it appropriate for Dr. Scott Olson to do this or is it mere hyperbole to attract attention? Tell us what you think in the show notes section of Episode 218. Get your copy of Dr. Olson’s incredible new book Sugarettes: Sugar Addiction and Your Health and visit his official web site at OlsonND.com to learn more about the great work he is doing to promote healthy sugar-free living! Check out his Facebook “30 Sugar-Free Days Challenge” and YouTube video channel as well for more information on Dr. Olson’s message. You can hear more from Dr. Olson during The First Annual Great Worldwide Sugar-Out Challenge coming January 16, 2009.

Coming on Thursday, I’ll have an Aussie sugar opponent named David Gillespie who is the author of another book warning of the dangers of sugar entitled Sweet Poison: Why Sugar is Making Us Fat. Although the book is not yet available in the United States, he hopes to have American distribution later in 2009. But you’ll get to hear all about first on “The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore.” THANKS so much for listening!

Whenever you read a study that calls for an increase in the use of a prescription drug for an even larger group of people, look out. You can almost bet the funding for such a study comes from the pharmaceutical company that stands to profit the [...]]]>
Popular statin Crestor now recommended for low cholesterol…HUH?

Whenever you read a study that calls for an increase in the use of a prescription drug for an even larger group of people, look out. You can almost bet the funding for such a study comes from the pharmaceutical company that stands to profit the most from such a proclamation (I’ve previously blogged about this happening in the artificial sweetener industry). And that is precisely what happened on Monday when drug manufacturer AstraZeneca released the results of a study about their cash cow pill for high-cholesterol called Crestor at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions in New Orleans, Louisiana, according to this Associated Press story about it.

Dr. Paul Ridker from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA

Lead researcher Dr. Paul Ridker, Director of the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at the Boston, MA-based Brigham and Women’s Hospital, looked at data from 17,802 patients participating in the JUPITER trial with high C-reactive protein, aka CRP (a measure of inflammation), as well as low LDL cholesterol (defined as below 130) from all around the world. Twenty-five percent of the study participants were African-American or Hispanic and 40 percent were women. The men were required to be at least 50 and the women in the study needed to be 60 or older. None of the participants showed any signs of heart problems or diabetes prior to the study.

The study split the participants into two groups:

GROUP 1–Took 20 mg of the statin drug Crestor daily
GROUP 2–Took a “dummy” placebo pill daily

What was supposed to be a 5-year study was shortened to nearly two years when the results of GROUP 1 were far superior to the ones being seen in GROUP 2. According to the study, the Crestor group reduced the risk of heart attacks, strokes, heart-related deaths or hospitalizations and even open heart surgeries by 44 percent. Heart attack risk dropped 54 percent, stroke risk by 48 percent, and heart bypass surgery risk by 46 percent, Dr. Ridker noted.

Dr. Ridker was absolutely giddy as he shared the alleged benefits received by those who took Crestor.

“If you’re skinny it worked, if you’re heavy it worked. If you lived here or there, if you smoked, it worked,” he remarked.

It should come as no surprise to anyone that the company the makes Crestor–AstraZeneca–funded the study and members of Dr. Ridker’s research team have financial ties to the statin drug market. Although I don’t think that necessarily dismisses the results of the findings in the study, it certainly should make you skeptical enough to dig deeper into the details of what this study was really all about. Read the study for yourself in the November 20, 2008 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

We’ve been bombarded for many years by statin drug company ads featuring Crestor, Lipitor (with artificial heart inventor Dr. Robert Jarvik obnoxiously pushing it), Zetia (with that obnoxious, nasally-voiced overweight female television cook), and more being such a necessary part of our defense against heart disease, but take a look at what this new “study” is suggesting. Now, even people with “low cholesterol and no big risk for heart disease” can supposedly benefit from taking their own daily dose of Crestor, too. HUH?!

The media and members of the American Heart Association conference where this research was presented heralded this as a dramatic moment in the history of heart health management, but I gotta ask the obvious question here–WHY? Why are even MORE of these dangerous statin drugs with unknown long-term side effects being promoted to people who have no reason to be taking them in the first place when they have not been shown to produce any significantly lower incidence of heart disease than those who do not take them? And yet now they want to put another 7 million perfectly healthy people on a statin? Did I just enter The Twilight Zone or what (feels that way sometimes!)?

I took both Crestor and Lipitor prior to my low-carb lifestyle because I too got sucked into thinking I HAD to in order to prevent a heart attack. And I paid for it with EXCRUCIATING muscle and joint pain (I was not the only one having this happen) that I thought I was destined to live with for the rest of my life. We all know somebody who is on one of these statin drugs and it’s sickening how prevalent and normal they have become in our daily lives. Before I educated myself fully on what lipid readings are all about, I too thought about going on a statin even after my 180-pound weight loss on low-carb. I am appreciative of many of my early, experienced low-carb blog readers for explaining why taking a statin would be folly.

The cardiologists are hailing this as a brave new discovery that will help them in their treatment of heart disease because they will be even MORE aggressive in offering statins as a means for treating heart disease (we’ve seen this before with extremely high doses of 40mg of Crestor pushed on patients in studies just to see what would happen). Do you mean they’ll be hawking Crestor and Lipitor even greater than they already do? I’ve heard many of my readers tell me that their doctor wants them on a statin drug even with LDL cholesterol levels as low as 100. RIDICULOUS!!! Don’t they realize low cholesterol levels can lead to depression, suicide, and death? And haven’t they seen the research showing the elderly benefit from having HIGH LDL cholesterol? Apparently not.

The worst part about the ramifications of this study is that they are probably going to use this to justify changing the current guidelines for cholesterol. In other words, maybe that coveted 200 level for the total cholesterol will be reduced down to 180, 170, or even 160. It is incredibly ignorant for them to even look at the total cholesterol because it is an irrelevant number without the proper context. By that, I am referring to the particle size of the LDL and the many subfractions (upwards of eight or more) that exist.

Quick lipid lesson: All LDL cholesterol is not created equal. A specialized test conducted by Liposcience will show you exactly how many LDL particles are present in your body and categorize them according to the size. The large, fluffy subfraction are the most protective and the small, dense subfraction are the most dangerous. As you can see in the above diagram, the endothelial gap is where LDL can slip in and get trapped inside the arterial wall. The only way LDL can fit through those holes is if it is small enough to squeeze through. Conversely, when the LDL is larger, it cannot fit through the openings and instead moves along through the blood (high LDL cholesterol is good for you…it’s low HDL cholesterol that is bad news for your heart).

As I’ve stated many times before, the best way to increase the size of your LDL particle size is to consume a high-fat, low-carb diet. This will raise your HDL “good” cholesterol to a healthy level above 50 to help manage any LDL that might have slipped through. Incidentally, your triglycerides will also significantly reduce down to below 100 when you live a low-carb lifestyle further improving your odds in the fight against heart disease. Studies have shown that HDL and triglycerides are MUCH better indicators of heart health than LDL and total cholesterol which have been the nearly exclusive focus of physicians ever since statins hit the scene.

One obstacle in the way of this all-Crestor-all-the-time scenario is money. The cost of putting so many more Americans on statins is stratospheric–$9 BILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY! Yeah, I’ll just write a check for that one. HA! With an uneasy economy, I don’t know how many people have the discretionary cash to shell out another chunk of cash on something that is highly suspect at doing any good for you anyway. But you can’t underestimate how influential and convincing that bombardment of all those television ads for statins have been in brainwashing people into thinking they NEED Crestor, Lipitor, Zetia, Zocor or any of the many other “heart-healthy” prescription drugs (it happens all the time in marketing from companies like McDonald’s, politics and elections, and the like).

Dr. Mark Hlatky gives grim reality of the Crestor therapy

Thankfully, Stanford University cardiologist Dr. Mark Hlatky added a stark sense of reality into this Crestor-pushing nonsense by writing in an editorial appearing concurrently with this study in the New England Journal of Medicine that nearly 120 people would need to be on Crestor for a period of two years to prevent a single heart attack, stroke or death.

“Everybody likes the idea of prevention. We need to slow down and ask how many people are we going to be treating with drugs for the rest of their lives to prevent heart disease, versus a lot of other things we’re not doing” Hlatky wrote.

Amen brother! How many of these people blindly go on Crestor or some other statin drug to lower their “high cholesterol” without even asking the question whether that is necessary or not. When we put our health solely in the hands of doctors and other medical professionals without doing our own fact-checking and research behind what they are recommending, then we have abdicated our responsibility to be in control of the direction of our own lives by simply allowing someone else to do it. That to me is inexplicable! Take control of your own health and realize doctors work for YOU.

Hundreds of billions of dollars have been made selling statins making them the #1 most prescribed and biggest pharmaceutical moneymakers in the world. Despite the fact that so many people are taking these cholesterol-lowering wonder drugs, many people are still having heart attacks despite their “normal” cholesterol readings (remember the lesson we learned from Tim Russert?). So now doctors are scrambling trying to figure out another way to test heart health risks and the best they can come up with is prescribing even higher numbers of statins? Does that make any logical sense at all to anyone?

I was happy to see this AP story mention C-reactive protein (CRP) as a better way to measure heart disease risk factors than total and LDL cholesterol since it is a measure of inflammation in the arteries where the damage is being done. Like I stated earlier, the best way to reduce build-up in the arterial wall is to start livin’ la vida low-carb to insure your LDL cholesterol particle size is the large, fluffy kind that will protect you. Eating high-carb crap will shrink your LDL to the artery-clogging small, dense version that is the REAL culprit in heart attacks that you never hear most medical professionals talk about.

Interestingly, something rather peculiar happened to the GROUP 1 study participants who took Crestor that wasn’t so good–their blood sugar levels soared and many of them developed Type 2 diabetes. Hmmm, I wonder what it was about this drug that made THAT happen? And let’s not forget the side effects which have been well-documented regarding muscle and joint pain and even vivid, scary nightmares! There’s one thing you can take to the bank about statin drugs that is the cold, hard truth: they are all about making tons of money and most certainly NOT about improving health. PERIOD! Sure, the cholesterol numbers drop, but at what cost?

The last time I checked earlier this year my total cholesterol was 326 and I DON’T need a statin drug to artificially lower it! One of the dirty little secrets you NEVER hear talked about with statin drugs–it depletes the body of the important CoQ10 it needs for a variety of functions. With gobs of class action lawsuits being filed against Lipitor and undoubtedly against Crestor and the other statin drug companies soon, now is NOT the time to be encouraging people to take this risky drug. Instead, we should be telling people to start livin’ la vida low-carb and reap the benefits of a heart-healthy diet free from the use of prescription drugs! Now THAT is a plan of action destined for success.

11-11-08 UPDATE: As if this study wasn’t enough reason for a massive influx of new statin drug users, don’t be surprised when they start seriously peddling Crestor and Lipitor to obese kids because their arteries are “old” in a vascular sense. Plaque build-up in an obese child makes them as bad as a 45-year old? I’m telling you, they’re REALLY reaching here.

11-18-08 UPDATE: Noted Atkins low-carb diet expert Jackie Eberstein weighed in with her comments about the Jupiter/Crestor study. Here’s just a little of what she wrote:

“Many people don’t know, including many health care practitioners, how results in a study can be reported to make the benefits appear more impressive than they actually are.

What is missing from our national dialogue about healthcare and its increasing costs overburdening our already sick economy is personal responsibility. Each of us needs to be responsible for the only body we will ever have.”

11-18-08 UPDATE: And now here’s Dr. Jonny Bowden’s always interesting take on it:

“For years I’ve also been saying that any benefit that might be had by taking statin drugs has nothing to do with lowering cholesterol. But statin drugs have an interesting little “side effect”: they happen to lower inflammation.

Oh no. What you’ll probably see is a movement to lower the “normal” cholesterol levels even further down so that even more people can be put on these drugs.”