One of the websites I checked out specifically said that high LDL is a sign of not enough exercise. I couldn’t tell you which one it is though.
Yes.
Just to be clear I mistyped - I meant to type that exercises hould raise your good (HDL) and lower the bad (LDL). sEvery study seems to indicate that. My bad LDL level is low now probably thanks to the statins — but I do have a good diet too. Exercise should help raise my good cholesterol.
FYI I have started taking regularly, in addition to the statins, Norwegian fish oil pure omega-3 (Not omega 6 or 9!), garlic supplements, no-flush niacin supplement, phytosterol and Policosanol, psyllium seed husk, and some capsules of ground up green veggies among one or two others which I can’t recall at the moment. My last blood test I had not been taking those very regularly so I hope this next test will show some improvement...
I am also interested in exploring Vitamin D. I have read mixed things. Some people swear that Vitamin D3 is an analogue to the statins. I have been taking D3 maybe 2-3 times a week because again I don’t want to cause my liver too much more stress mixing it with the statin. I always get the liver test ordered and compare it to previous results.
Oh - my doctor prescribed me a niacin tablet called NIASPAN. I don’t take it because of the flush. I had been taking the over-the-counter no-flush niacin but now I read it may possibly be problematic when mixed with statins, AND that it may have no effect at all. So I may have to man up and just take the flush effect of the NIASPAN or take the straight Niacin.
You might ask your doctor about NIASPAN as an intermediate step before taking statins.
I have a friend who swears he just takes over-the-counter niacin. He is always flush red though. But he built-up to taking a lot of it every day (I think he said he takes 2000 mg a day). He takes a baby aspirin about 30-40 minutes before the Niacin (my doctor told me to take a whole aspirin 30-40 mins before taking NIASPAN, and I’m supposed to take Aspirin everyday as part of my heart therapy anyway) and that aspirin is supposed to help alleviate the flush. They say the flush stops after a week or two of regular therapy.
I resisted the statins for years. My doctor begged me to take them and literally said “you’re gonna have a heart attack” if I didn’t change my ways. He was right. Though maybe he cursed me, I have since fired him and gone to a better doctor but I do take his advice - rarely do I eat steaks, occasionally chicken, mostly fish. I quit smoking. I take statins. All that is left is exercise.
Sorry for rambling: in short the statins, the supplements, the NIASPAN, and aspirin, and plavix, and beta blockers... All to keep my heart healthy. I may have to bid on a Chinese liver later in life if I need to :-)