Want to lower your bad cholesterol and raise your good cholesterol without drugs? Do the following:
1) Eat about an ounce of almonds every day.
2) Have high dose Niacin (either buffered to avoid the flushing effect and/or with a large meal) - about 500-800 mg.
3) Have a glass of dry (or at worst, semi-sweet) RED wine a day.
4) Exercise for about 20-30 minutes, 5 times a week.
That is all you need. Pay no attention to Big Pharma and Big Medicine - they WANT you hooked on constant tests, constant doctors visits and a daily drug habit. My grandfather was a medical doctor for about 54 years, and his advice for staying healthy and living a long life was to “stay away from doctors and stay away from hospitals.” Obviously, he said, if your bone is sticking out of your arm or legs, or any similar actual emergency, then go to the hospital ASAP. Otherwise, depend on the body that G-d gave us all; with modern sanitation and looking both ways when you cross the street, most of us should live to between 80 and 90.
Statins screw me up. My doctor has me on 2000mg niacin and 2400mg red rice yeast. I also drink red wine, exercise, and keep stress down.