Breaking Up with Statins: How to Embrace Healthy Cholesterol and Thrive
Nina Scheets
Sep 22, 2024
7 min read
Part 2
With every problem, I offer a solution!
Let’s dive into how people can safely get off statins, appreciate the benefits of higher cholesterol, and shift toward a healthier way of eating.
Step 1: Getting Off Statins—The Smart Way
First, it’s important to never stop statins cold turkey without talking to a doctor. Statins have been altering your body’s natural cholesterol regulation, and stopping them abruptly could cause a sudden spike in cholesterol levels. A better approach is to work with a healthcare professional who’s open to discussing alternatives. The goal is to gradually reduce statin use while making lifestyle changes that support heart health.
Here’s how to approach it:
- Consult Your Doctor: Explain why you want to stop statins. Not all doctors are on board with this, so finding a practitioner who understands the risks of statins and the benefits of healthy cholesterol is key.
- Wean Off Gradually: Most doctors will recommend a tapering schedule, so your body has time to adjust. This helps prevent any sudden changes in cholesterol or other health markers.
- Track Your Progress: Regular blood work is crucial. As you reduce statin use, keep an eye on your cholesterol levels, specifically your HDL, LDL, and triglycerides, and focus on improving inflammatory markers like CRP (C-reactive protein), which indicate inflammation.
This is a test you’ll have to ask for specifically. More on this later.
Step 2: Appreciate High Cholesterol
Now, let’s flip the script on cholesterol and start appreciating its benefits. As we’ve discussed before, cholesterol isn’t something to fear—it’s a critical part of your body’s function. Higher cholesterol levels, especially LDL in older adults, can offer protective benefits, such as fighting off infections and providing antioxidants that combat oxidative stress.
Here’s why you should start embracing higher cholesterol:
- Longevity: Studies, like the Honolulu Heart Study, show that higher cholesterol is linked to longer life, especially in older adults. Your body needs cholesterol for building cell membranes, producing hormones, and fighting disease.
- Hormone Production: Cholesterol is the building block for sex hormones like estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone. Low cholesterol levels can disrupt hormone balance, leading to issues like fatigue, mood swings, and even fertility problems.
- Brain Health: Your brain is about 60% fat, and cholesterol is critical for cognitive function. Low cholesterol is linked to memory loss, depression, and an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
- Heart Protection: LDL cholesterol can actually help protect against infections and oxidative damage, especially as you age. Plus, without enough cholesterol, your body can’t make bile salts, which are needed to digest fats and absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K).
Step 3: Eating Healthy for Cholesterol and Overall Wellness
If you're going to come off statins and let your cholesterol do its job, you need to back it up with a nutrient-dense diet that supports overall health. Here’s how to do it right:
Focus on Whole, Unprocessed Foods
Ditch the processed foods that cause inflammation and disrupt your body’s natural systems. Instead, focus on:
- Healthy Fats: Incorporate traditional animal fats like butter, ghee, lard, and tallow. These fats are rich in saturated fats and cholesterol that support heart health, hormone production, and brain function.
- Coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil are also great sources of healthy fats.
- Omega-3s: Include fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines to balance out the omega-6s from plant-based oils. Omega-3s are anti-inflammatory and protect the heart.
- Eggs, Especially the Yolks: Eggs are packed with cholesterol and fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin K2, which helps direct calcium to your bones and teeth, not your arteries.
- Grass-Fed Meats: Red meats like beef and lamb are excellent sources of saturated fat and cholesterol, which your body needs for proper cell function and hormone production.
Limit Inflammatory Foods
Inflammation, not cholesterol, is the true cause of heart disease. To keep inflammation down, avoid:
- Vegetable Oils: These oils, like canola, soybean, and corn oil, are high in omega-6s and cause inflammation. Stick to natural fats like butter, ghee, and olive oil.
- Processed Carbs and Sugars: Refined carbs like white bread, pastries, and sugary snacks spike insulin and contribute to inflammation. Focus on complex carbs like sweet potatoes, quinoa, and vegetables.
- Artificial Trans Fats: Found in processed foods, these fats raise inflammatory markers and contribute to heart disease. Check labels for “partially hydrogenated oils” and avoid them at all costs.
Load Up on Nutrient-Dense Foods
To naturally support heart health and reduce inflammation, add:
- Leafy Greens: Kale, spinach, and arugula are rich in magnesium and potassium, which support heart function and help balance blood pressure.
- Fermented Foods: Incorporate sauerkraut, kimchi, and yogurt to improve gut health. A healthy gut reduces systemic inflammation, which helps your arteries stay clear.
- Berries: Rich in antioxidants, berries like blueberries and strawberries fight oxidative stress and lower inflammation.
- Nuts and Seeds: Foods like walnuts, chia seeds, and flaxseeds provide healthy fats and fiber that promote heart health.
Step 4: Lifestyle Adjustments to Support Cholesterol
Beyond diet, there are several lifestyle changes that can help you manage your cholesterol levels naturally:
- Exercise Regularly: Focus on a mix of cardio and strength training to improve heart function, increase HDL, and reduce inflammation.
- Manage Stress: Chronic stress raises inflammatory markers and negatively impacts heart health. Practice meditation, deep breathing, or yoga to keep stress in check.
- Get Enough Sleep: Poor sleep is linked to higher inflammation and disrupted cholesterol levels. Aim for at least 7-8 hours of good quality sleep each night.
Getting off statins and appreciating cholesterol’s role in your health is about more than just numbers on a blood test. It’s about recognizing that cholesterol is essential, and when paired with a nutrient-rich diet and healthy lifestyle, your body can thrive without the need for cholesterol-lowering drugs. Focus on whole, natural foods, reduce inflammation, and let your body’s natural processes do their work.
Alright, I know your brain might be feeling a bit overloaded right now, and I’m about to throw a little math at you... but stick with me! This is just a bit more crucial info to help you help yourself!
Let’s Talk About CRP Levels
CRP (C-reactive protein) is a marker in your blood that indicates inflammation in your body. Whether it’s due to an injury, infection, or a chronic condition, when your body experiences inflammation, your liver produces more CRP, and those levels rise. Doctors check CRP levels to understand how much inflammation is present.
How CRP Works
Think of CRP as a smoke detector for inflammation. It doesn’t tell you what’s causing the inflammation, but it signals that something is happening in your body. This makes CRP levels a useful tool for tracking conditions related to inflammation, like heart disease, autoimmune disorders, or infections.
Monitoring CRP to Track Inflammation
CRP levels are helpful for monitoring progress. If you’re working to reduce inflammation through treatment or diet, lowering CRP levels means you’re on the right track. Doctors often recheck CRP levels to:
- See how well your treatment is working.
- Track ongoing inflammation, especially if you have a chronic condition.
Ideal CRP Levels
CRP levels can change based on what’s happening in your body:
- Low CRP (under 1 mg/L) means little to no inflammation—ideal.
- Moderate CRP (1-3 mg/L) may indicate mild inflammation.
- High CRP (over 3 mg/L) could suggest significant inflammation due to infection, injury, or a chronic condition.
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Understanding Cholesterol
If you want to dive deeper into cholesterol, The Cholesterol Myths by Dr. Uffe Ravnskov is a great place to start. He breaks down studies that show there’s no solid link between cholesterol, fat intake, and heart disease. Even many doctors now agree that cholesterol numbers alone don’t predict heart disease risk. In fact, people with both high and low cholesterol can have heart attacks.
How to Read Cholesterol Numbers
Here’s a basic breakdown:
- Total Cholesterol:
- No risk: under 150
- Low risk: 150-200
- Medium risk: 200-250
- High risk: over 250
Doctors might say total cholesterol over 250 is “high risk,” but having cholesterol under 150 can actually increase your risk for cancer and early death. Many people with total cholesterol over 250 live long, healthy lives, so these numbers alone don’t tell the full story.
LDL
- No risk: under 100
- Low risk: 100-130
- Medium risk: 130-160
- High risk: over 160
If your LDL is 200, you might be labeled “high risk,” but that doesn’t always mean heart disease. It could be your liver making more LDL due to oxidative stress or liver imbalance.
HDL
- No risk: over 75
- Low risk: 60-75
- Medium risk: 40-60
- High risk: under 40
Higher HDL levels are better because they help protect your heart by removing excess cholesterol.
Triglycerides and Why They Matter
High triglycerides can mean you’re consuming too many carbs, which usually lowers HDL and increases your heart disease risk. Reducing carbs (even healthy ones like grains and fruit) and increasing exercise can help lower triglycerides.
Cholesterol-to-HDL Ratio
This ratio is one of the most important numbers to look at:
- No risk: under 3.5
- Low risk: 3.5-4.5
- Medium risk: 4.5-5.5
- High risk: over 5.5
This ratio is more reliable than total cholesterol because it shows how well HDL is balancing your cholesterol levels.
How Doctors Calculate Total Cholesterol
Total cholesterol is made up of three components:
1. LDL: The “bad” cholesterol that can cause plaque buildup.
2. HDL: The “good” cholesterol that helps remove excess cholesterol.
3. VLDL: Carries triglycerides, usually estimated based on your triglyceride levels.
The basic formula:
Total Cholesterol = LDL + HDL + (Triglycerides ÷ 5)
But total cholesterol doesn’t give the whole picture. It’s more important to look at the cholesterol ratios and the individual levels of LDL, HDL, and triglycerides to truly understand your heart health.
By knowing how to interpret these numbers, you can have better conversations with your doctor and focus on what really matters for your long-term health.
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