According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control), the number 1 cause of death in the United States is heart disease.
With a health crisis like this on the loose, the finger must be pointed somewhere and it has been incorrectly pointed at eating fat. We have all heard from our Medical Doctors, TV, magazine and all the best hospitals and health “experts” that high cholesterol is the cause of heart attacks and strokes. We have become convinced we should avoid eating any saturated fats, butter, and eggs. With all these messages warning us of the ever-present dangers of high cholesterol and the risk of death from heart disease so high, people get understandably anxious about their cholesterol levels.
The standard medical route addresses high cholesterol by prescribing a class of drugs called Statins.
Originally, these drugs were only given to people who had already experienced a stroke or heart attack to prevent a second occurrence. Currently, the trend has changed and statins are being prescribed freely to both people with only slightly elevated cholesterol levels and people who are perfectly healthy in hopes of preventing stroke and heart attack.
This is not only completely unwarranted but dangerous and health damaging. Although generally promoted as safe, statin drugs have very dangerous and potentially fatal side effects. The true range and significance of the side effects were not expressed in clinical trials because many of these studies excluded people who could not tolerate the drug from their final results. So, as with all too many drug studies they are skewed in favor of potential profits instead scientifically proven life-saving or health improving properties.
The most common adverse effect of statin therapy is unexplained muscle weakness and pain.
This side effect is highly significant because it can indicate that muscle tissue is being destroyed and can lead to shutting down the kidneys and ultimately death.
Although these drugs are supposed to protect the heart, they may destroy its tissue because the heart itself is a muscle. If muscle pain is severe, patients are often fortunate enough to link it to the drug and stop their therapy. The problem is many people have low-grade muscle pain and weakness they attribute to other conditions or aging so they continue with the statin drugs and never discover the actual cause…which, of course, is the drugs themselves. In fact, there are other dangers of statin drugs.
Other common side effects are headache, stomach pain and nausea. These drugs often do damage to the liver and kidneys.
The longer statins have been around and the more this list grows longer the longer these drugs are on the market. Statin dangers include problems such as hormonal imbalances, joint pain, memory loss, as well as “psychiatric” conditions such as depression, sleep disorders and nightmares.
The truth of the matter is high cholesterol is not the cause of heart attack and stroke, but a symptom of other underlying problems.
Believe it or not, the real culprit is not fat or “statin deficiency”! High cholesterol is caused by a diet high in sugar and carbohydrates. The good news is you can fix it safely, effectively, and without harmful drugs! This can be achieved by a good diet (yes…you can eat eggs and butter!), exercise and whole foods supplements such as Cyruta.
Dr. Amanda,
Wholistic PharmD
