According to current conventional medical wisdom normal total blood cholesterol level should be 200 mg/dl. (milligrams of cholesterol per deciliter). This means everybody who measures a higher number carries the risk of heart disease, a stroke or arteriosclerosis – unless a person takes one of the life saving cholesterol inhibitors, called “statins“.

You may have heard these statements many times. Maybe you have some doubt about taking these drugs, but on the other hand you don’t want to put yourself at risk. For a number of years I have been observing the discussions about the role of cholesterol and the need to take statins.

I believe all people have to be evaluated individually, especially in terms of all their risk factors. Cholesterol up to 300 might be okay, if the person is active, has his stress level under control, does sport or exercise, is not obese and has a healthy diet.

But this number might be absolutely too much for another person, who has several risk factors. But then, factors in lifestyle and diet are always critical – the cholesterol is just one of these factors.

Until about 25 years ago, the normal cholesterol number was around 230 – 240mg/dl. Then it was reduced to 220 mg/dl and now it has been lowered to 200mg/dl. This has caused the allopathic medical profession to prescribe to a large part of the “western” population these statins.

And I could see the worries and fear in some of my patients when their cholesterol was “out of range” (but what was considered normal a few years before). No question, that according to traditional medicine, taking statins seemed to be the only answer to avoid a heart attack or one of these other maladies.

It came almost like a relief to me when I recently heart about Dr. Dwight Lundell, heart surgeon and past Chief of Banner Heart Hospital Mesa, AZ talking about “the real cause of heart diseases”. He states that it is a huge mistake by the mainstream medicine system and absolutely wrong to think that the cause of heart disease is high cholesterol and as a consequence, the only accepted therapy is prescribing medications to lower cholesterol and a diet that severely restricted fat intake.

He says, “These recommendations are no longer scientifically or morally defensible. Despite the fact, that 25 % of the USA population takes expensive statin medications and despite the fact, we have reduced the fat content of our diets, more Americans will die this year of heart disease than ever before”.

Dr. Lundell states that the real cause is inflammation of the arteries and is caused by an unhealthy diet: refined carbohydrates (sugar, flour and products made from them), excess consumption of processed foods (using unhealthy oils) and in contrary to that the common fat free diet.

He says you must Bring your cholesterol level down with natural food, fruits and vegetable and protein from animals or fish.

I encourage you to go to Dr. Lundell’s website for more details http://www.dwightlundell In my opinion, Dr.Lundell is right and his statement agrees with the Natural Medicine approach.

Fortunately more and more physicians and scientists are beginning to question the rigid reduction of cholesterol with statins and the “fight” about the “truth” becomes more heated.

Those defending the use of statins etc. say “we have dozens of double blind randomized studies to prove, that statin medications are reducing heart diseases and strokes”.

Others say that it is just another pharmaceutical lie to make more money. People become more and more confused and don’t know what to believe or who to believe? And what is really true about the consequences and impact on their own health?

One of my major criticisms of conventional medicine is the huge lack of common sense and logical reasoning.

We all know how powerful and convincing the pharmaceutical industry works to sell their products. Cholesterol and lipid inhibitor medication is a wonderful example. Just by convincing medical doctors that the normal range of cholesterol has to be 200 mg/dl or below they are able to sell billions more of the drugs.

A huge fact is that statins have untold side effects: Unspecific symptoms, “just not feeling well”, muscles pains, neuropathy are just a few examples. Statins can also be associated with negative cognitive side effects such as forgetfulness, confusion and disorientation (because of reduction in the bio-availability of cholesterol in the brain).

Many times I have seen how people’s general health improved after eliminating the statins.

In addition to a change in eating and improving habits that have been contributing to illnesses, there are a number of herbs and various supplements to help in the reduction of cholesterol if that is really necessary.

Basically I want to encourage you to have a critical look at your individual situation. Is it really necessary to take a statin drug?

Use your common sense, let go of fear and unhealthy parts of your belief systems and just remember: The right diet and stress reduction is the best medicine for heart and blood vessels as it is for all other aspects of your health.

Barbara Rotthaler, German licensed Holistic Practitioner and Naturopath can be reached at 01 376 766 1987, by email: barbararotthaler@gmail.com or visit http://www. ChapalaHealth.com