On Life – or, rather, On Cholesterol

/ MR

I’m immortal, surely ! – I must be.

It isn’t possible that I’m going to kark at any stage: I’m ME, alive, breathing, thinking, eating, writing, crocheting, loving my little mog and a small, select group of humans and [deep breath] planning to move again. (Shut up. More later.)

But.

Friday I saw my GP, who explained to me a report from another doctor who wrote it after seeing what is known as a ‘calcium score’ CT scan. Cecile – my GP, in whom I have a great deal of trust, but it is not unlimited – had about a year ago found signs of atrial fibrillation and sent me to a cardiologist. He could not find any more signs, and in fact none have since been found .. except that the calcium score the other day has – as some kind of next step up, presumably – this time found atherosclerosis. O joy ! – disease that killed my father at 64.   😦

So, having become a dedicated fan of Malcolm Kendrick’s since my younger sister introduced me to his book “The Great Cholesterol Con”, which I followed with his “The Clot Thickens”, I’m suddenly actually involved in it all !

What do I mean by “it” ? – I refer to the facts that prove beyond any doubt to me – as well as to Paula, and now (deo gratias !) to many doctors around the world – that cholesterol, far from being bad, is both good and vitally necessary. And that statins are very likely to be the worst con perpetrated on humans by other humans, ever ! (For which you must blame Big Pharma, who are making billions of bucks out of them.)

I must go visit the cardiologist again, as soon as I can get an appointment. It will be interesting. Cecile simply wrote in her referral to him that “she is not on statins” and has handed me on to him with a big sigh of relief. I suggested as she was typing that she should say “and if you can get her onto them you’ll be succeeding where I have failed absolutely !”, but she demurred .. [grin]

I think my major interest now is in ascertaining what he has in mind. An angiogram ? And if it does indeed prove that artery/arteries is/are atherosclerotic, what then ? Because au fond, as the French say succinctly, any treatment by statins he has in mind is never going to be undertaken by me. Not ever. So is there actually any point in an angiogram ?

The cardio is not going to be tickled pink with me. What can I say in my own defence ? Well, there have been many times when the entire medical fraternity has been proven wrong about something, and the cholesterol “diet/heart hypothesis” is IT, currently. I have read Malcolm Kendrick – sorry, I have listened to two of his books, and I agree with everything he writes: the logic is irrefutable. Imnsho it is not possible to take in what he says and not believe it. And below is the kind of simplified garbage that you find on Google – or presumably any search engine – if you go searching on “cholesterol”:

It’s utter bullshit. There ain’t no sech thing. Eat as much fat, of all kinds (not counting trans fats !) as you like/want.

Read Malcolm Kendrick and become another believer !

 

24 thoughts on “On Life – or, rather, On Cholesterol”

  1. Well, WTF. That’s not what any of us want to hear. I quickly looked up atherosclerosis but don’t quiz me on it. That doesn’t sound good, but I leave it to my doctors to tell me what’s what. I’m a doctor’s kid; I trust my doctors. We’re both immortal until the moment we aren’t.

    Now, about that moving thing …

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  2. Oh no, good luck with it all. I’m not on statins but am waiting to be told to go on them. I will think about that when the time comes but you know I am not a scientist so while I know science has often been proven wrong I also know that even more times it has saved us. Passionate anti-purveyors worry me as much as the passionate pros. Life just ain’t that simple. There is no one size fits all.

    Do keep us informed … as I know you will! We care.

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    • Ah, Sue – Malcolm calls “medical scientists” an oxymoron. 😀
      I am his devotee because he uses science to disprove the stupidity being bruited abroad. But chacune son goût, seriously.

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      • Yes but other scientists use science to prove the value of these medications. I do think we are all able to find the scientist (or historian or whatever the issue is) to support our own point of view. So, I still don’t think it’s that simple BUT that said I’m doing my darnedest to keep off the pharmaceutical treadmill. And I respect your decision!!

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  3. Thanks for this great post, Margie. Obviously it had me searching Google immediately for “trans fats” – which led me to discover that practically all my favourite desserts are full of them.

    So tell me if I’m wrong: “Anything made with butter is bad for me.”

    (If that’s true, I’m done for. For one thing, every single French patisserie item uses butter as its base ingredient.)

    I’m doomed. Doomed.

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    • T’es fou !! Butter will do you no harm, nor will any other fat. Trans fats are the ones that are manufactured – like vegetable oil.
      Read the books, read the books ..

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  5. Dear, Dear M-R,

    I am reasonably confident that a disturbing number of people eternally domiciled in post code 6010 in Karrakatta would have liked to have been aware of the presence of calcium deposits in their coronary arteries. Some of them are people known to me who left this mortal coil before their due time.

    Belief systems are of course individual and that is a good thing.

    On this occasion however we find ourselves on opposite sides of the discussion.

    If you decide to take the appointment with the Cardio person an angiogram may well be the recommendation.

    Medical science has in recent times developed a less invasive scan process that gives the experts a clear indication of the presence, if any, of crap in the plumbing.

    Once you are satisfied that you have fully informed yourself of the situation whatever you do about it is entirely your business.

    Please take good care M-R. friendships approaching half a century are hard to find.

    Love,

    RB

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    • Yeah, my cousin Terry (who now has a pacemaker) was telling me that his first angiogram was via the thigh but the second via the wrist and much less invasive (so to speak). But Rog my lamb, it can only say- depending on severity, of course – that yes, I have atherosclerosis and I must therefore have a pacemaker and be put on statins. There is nothing in this world that will make me agree to go onto statins. The entire cholesterol shit that’s gone down since Ansell Keys was offended by a British cardiologist in a forum and determined to prove himself right and thus put in place THE GREAT CHOLESTEROL CON – about which more and more doctors are becoming aware, viz. not only Malcolm Kendrick but an Aussie called Anthony Colpo who have both written books with that same title !
      It’s fucking BULLSHIT, Rog – bullshit made and spread abroad by big pharma. I’m surprised that you, being a sceptic on so many things, are unprepared to see things along those lines. Just look up Kendrick online, my dear friend: you may be surprised.
      I do love you, you’re so unpredictably unpredictable !! XXXOXOX

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  6. Eggs, nuts and extra virgin olive oil, M-R! And some moderate exercise.

    I have a GP who also frets about my cholesterol – I just try to stay away from sugary carbs like biscuits! Plus I keep the salt down. ‘It does pay to at least be a bit sensible – at this age I figure I’ve had a reasonable innings – but I would like to remain mobile & well as long as possible but avoid heroics!

    My father died of a sudden heart attack at home long long ago, at a good age – he never knew what hit him – got up from the dining table and hit the floor. That is the kind of way I would like to go out – no lingering in a dementia ward!

    Look forward to hearing about the move!

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  7. This isn’t good, MR but I am inclined to think that cholesterol isn’t that bad for us. Think of the oldies that ate bread and dripping.
    I have heard of friend going on tablets and a diet for cholesterol – and the treatment made her cholesterol levels high.

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    • I hope you’ll read around this thread, Amanda, to see just how passionately I agree. If you’re looking for a person who is utterly dismissive of the whole cholesterol myth, I am she.

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Go on - you can say it. :)