About 40 percent of patients who receive a prescription for one of the cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins take them for less than one year. The possible reasons: cost, side effects, and a poor understanding of the benefits of the drugs.
So in the July, 2008, issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, a group of researchers from Pennsylvania examined whether an alternative approach to addressing high cholesterol may provide an effective treatment option for patients who are unable or unwilling to take statins. They followed 74 patients with high blood cholesterol who met standard criteria for using statin therapy, and randomly assigned them to either the alternative treatment group or the statin group.
The alternative treatment group participants received daily fish oil and red yeast rice supplements. They were also enrolled in a 12-week multidisciplinary lifestyle program. The statin group participants received 40 mg of a statin drug daily, as well as printed materials about diet and exercise recommendations.
At the end of the three-month period, both groups reduced their LDL cholesterol levels: the alternative treatment group by 42.4 percent; the statin group by 39.6 percent. Members of the alternative therapy group also had a substantial reduction in triglycerides, another form of fat found in the blood, and had lost more weight.
More research is needed, but I find this result very encouraging. I have long advocated the use of red rice yeast and fish oil for cholesterol-lowering and overall cardiovascular health. The aim of this research group was to find a regime that would lead to better compliance, but it may well turn out that - even ignoring compliance concerns - the combination of red rice yeast and fish oil is simply a better therapeutic option than statins for maintaining or improving heart health.
Is Cholesterol Concerning You?
Dr. Weil’s Cholesterol Support Formula, available through Dr. Weil’s Vitamin Advisor, has evidence-based ingredients to help keep cholesterol levels where they should be. Make your first purchase in August and save 20%!
Vitamin D Protects Against Hip Fracture
If you’re a postmenopausal woman, the lower your blood levels of vitamin D, the greater your chance of breaking a hip. A study from the University of Pittsburgh found that women with the lowest levels of “D” were 71 percent more likely to break a hip than those with the highest levels. For this study, the researchers selected 400 women who had had hip fractures and were participating in the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study, a large national study of women ages 50 to 79. They compared this group to 400 women from 40 clinical centers around the United States. All of the women were postmenopausal, but none of the second group had ever broken a hip. Their mean age was 71; 95 percent were white and none were on hormone replacement therapy or took osteoporosis drugs. The researchers checked all the women’s vitamin D levels when they enrolled in the study. After that, the women completed questionnaires annually for about seven years. At the outset, vitamin D levels were lower in women who had had hip fractures than in the controls. For every 25 nanomoles per liter drop in vitamin D levels, the risk of hip fracture increased by 33 percent. The study was published in the August 19, 2008 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging has articles, tips, videos and recipes that can help protect your body against bone loss. Start your free trial today and save $10 - use promo code ha10off.
Try the Alexander Technique for Back Pain
A new British study has confirmed that the Alexander technique, a type of body work that focuses on improving posture, in combination with a brisk 30-minute walk five times a week offers long-term relief for chronic back pain. The latest findings come from researchers at the University of Southampton and the University of Bristol who compared the effectiveness of different therapies in more than 500 patients. After a year of treatment, patients who received 24 lessons in the Alexander technique and completed the 30-minute walks reported just three days of back pain, compared to 21 days for those who underwent normal medical care. Earlier research had shown that a combination of the Alexander technique and massage can help relieve back pain in the short-term, but little was known about long-term outcomes. The new study was published in the August 19, 2008 online edition of the British Medical Journal. It also found that patients who learned the Alexander technique reported improved quality of life, and that six one-to-one lessons followed by exercise had nearly as much benefit (72%) as 24 lessons in the Alexander technique alone. Shakespearean actor Frederick Alexander developed the postural training technique at the end of the 19th century.
A Healthy Body
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Hawaiian Sticky Tofu
This one is sure to please even finicky eaters, especially when served with steamed rice. A real kid-pleaser, too. Serve this with steamed brown basmati rice and raw vegetables for a kid-pleasing meal. Leftovers are delicious cold!
View Recipe
Healthy Aging Tip
Courtesy of Dr.Weil on Healthy Aging
Seasonal Food - Eggplant. Part of the nightshade family of vegetables, eggplant (called aubergine in France, which may be why we use that term to indicate a deep purple color) is a low-calorie source of nutrients: it provides fiber, potassium, manganese and vitamins B1, B6 and folate. It’s also a good source of phytonutrients and flavonoids, which have antioxidant properties and help neutralize free radicals, which in turn lessens oxidative damage to cell membranes.
Feature Discussion:
“What could cause onion odor?” asks graftme.
My neighbor says that her teenage daughter has body odor that smells like onions. (Does anyone have) any ideas as to why? She says that (her daughter) does not even eat onions!
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Healthy Aging Workshop with Andrew Weil, M.D.
October 26 - 29, 2008, Tucson, Ariz.
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