[.ca] Cholesterol Myths (ISBN 0967089719)

End of the Myths...:
Wow! If you an even remotely open mind reading this book, you can't help but saying "Wow!" by the end of this book (actually started saying this early in this book). Very early in this book, the author brings up an important concept. And if there is a significant flaw in this book, it is that the author never really brought that concept up again in book. That concept is the scientific method. Remember that you were taught the scientific method when you were younger. Simply stated it is: 1. Question - What is happening? 2. Hypothesis - I think this is what is happening. 3. Prediction - I predict x will happen when y happens. 4. Testing - Test to see that x happens when y happens. With this mind, the author doesn't have to be right about everything he lists in this book. Not even 10% of it has to be right. Only a few things have to be right, and, if so, you HAVE to throw out the concept that saturate fat and cholesterol cause heart disease. But it hasn't been thrown out like it should, so Dr. Ravnskov wrote this book so that you and I would know the truth. Dr. Ravnskov does an excellent job of breaking down this issue into 9 myths (high-fat foods cause heart disease, high cholesterol causes heart disease, high-fat foods raise blood cholesterol, cholesterol blocks arteries, animal studies prove the diet-heart idea, lowering your cholesterol will lengthen your life, polyunsaturated oils are good for you, the cholesterol campaign is based on good science, and all scientists support the diet-heart idea). For each of these myths, he walks through what has been stated and introduces the reader to what the relevant studies are, what they mean, flaws with a number of those studies, and a number of studies that do not support the myth (go back to the scientific method...if even one is true, you HAVE to throw out the theory). He also takes the time to walk the reader through the meaning of the statistics in case you aren't familar with correlation coefficients, relative risks, base rates, etc. Even better for those of you still having doubts, Dr. Ravnskov has referenced everything he talks about so you can examine the actual studies and papers yourself (28 pages worth of references). This is the ammunition if you need to duke it out with your doctor...and a great defense for those relatives who think you are killing yourself and keep commenting on your diet. I have read a number of books on various diets, so I was familiar with a number of the arguments. For example, many others have brought up the ridiculous relative risk that you see so often in reports where they don't really have any evidence. However, I did find a number of surprising pieces of information: - The Masai tribe (only eats blood, meat, and milk) have among the lowest levels of serum cholesterol ever recorded. - Polyunsaturated fats (which are constantly pushed in the media as being good for you) are free radicals and, if they don't cause cancer, certainly seem to be a factor in causing cancer - Statins do help with heart disease (lowering cholesterol is just a side effect), but also have been shown to increase cancer (not sure which I'd prefer) - Most studies done by the diet-heart proponents have included people with a genetic defect called hyper cholesterolemia, so even if those studies did find something (which they really didn't), they don't apply to 99% or more of us. Remember, it doesn't matter who is right; it matters what is right. This is a great book to help you down the path of finding out what is right.

Dr. Ravnskov is a Kidney specialist, They are very sharp.:
Dr. Ravnskov is a renal (kidney)specialist, they are sharp as tacks, I know, I go to a kidney specialist. As a Ph.D. in Chemistry, Dr. Ravnskov is trained in very high level mathematics and hard science, unlike many physicians. I know about Chemistry people, because my dad is a chemist, and my brother taught Physics at Northwestern in Chicago. To be honest, this has confirmed what I have thought for a long, long time. Kidney specialists treat diabetics, all of the time. My primary care physician said to be a kidney specialist is very, very difficult. When I go to my kidney specialist for a blood test review, there is nowhere to hide. Dr. Ravnskov says that the body is NOT made to take all of that refined sugar! We have heard the preachings of the medical establishment, low fat, low fat, eat carbs!!! Now, many people are very overweight, and who did they get this information from? The vast majority of the medical profession! As my kidney specialist told me, "Most people do not realize how exceedingly difficult it is to lose weight." Yes, going to the physician is very, very stressful! My kidney physician knows this, and has me take my blood pressure in a different setting. The last time, I was at his office, it was 200/100. However, taken by an RN friend, it was 127/74, yesterday. Blood pressure must be controlled, otherwise, it will destroy your kidneys. To be brutally honest, Dr. Stephens saved my life, can you put a price on that? Having been in a graduate psychology program and a county officer for 4 years, it is stress that makes your blood pressure crazy. I know of so many overweight people with normal blood pressure and cholestrol, what does that prove? You need to take this book to your physicians and have them read it! Mark

A must-read!:
The Dr. makes a great analysis of the lipid hypothesis, breaking down the "evidence" from the studies upon which it is based so you can judge for yourself. You will be shocked and shake your head in disbelief and then nodding with understanding. Good fats and cholesterol have been "framed" for too long and people are beginning to understand ill-effects of refined carbs and bad fats (processed vegetable oil and trans fats). This is a highly recommended book.

The Cholesterol Myths:
I have read about this book "The Cholesterol Myths" on the Internet, and was VERY impressed of what I read, and am ordering it as soon as I'm finish typing my comment . Also, what most doctors and Cardiologists do not want to admit is that stress for example can raise your Cholesterol temporarely. Twenty yrs ago I read in a Medical Research book that they tested Law Students and Medical Students who BTW all had normal or low cholesterol levels, and right before their big final exams some of their total cholesterol shut over 300, a few days to about a week after their final exams their cholesterol went back to normal. I've a phobia and high anxiety when going to doctors and hospitals, and therefore my BP shoots sky high temporarely, and my cholesterol shoots up if it is taken the same day I have a doctor's appointment. If I go in just for the lab/lipid profile cholesterol test, my cholesterol is about 40 points lower. Yet when I mention the above to the doctors they brush it off with "you must be eating the wrong food (which I do very little ever once in a while) and you need to go on cholesterol lowering drugs". Let me tell you this: I used to work in a large hospital, and I know all about the kick backs the hospitals and doctors get from the drug companies. Lots of drugs are prescribed unecessary to patients. I know doctors get mad, and don't want to hear that, but how many try other methods first? One elevated cholesterol reading, and they are quick to prescribe cholesterol lowering drugs.

Are you worried by high cholesterol?:
Then read this book! It answers a lot of questions -- Exactly what is high cholesterol? Science doesn't know. -- Since the body manufactures cholesterol, what is the purpose of cholesterol? Science doesn't know. -- What happens to the body if cholesterol is lowered? Science doesn't know. Dr. Ravnskov quotes many sources and has done his research well in his attempt to point out that medical science doesn't know all the doctors think they know on the subject. Read this book then question your doctor -- I intend to....