The Dangers of Cholesterol Medication

CBSnews.com

When Jim Matthews needed to slash his cholesterol and heart attack risk, he joined the millions taking the world's top-selling drug, Lipitor. After five weeks, he was struck by cognitive chaos and confusion. All of a sudden, he found himself asking: "Did I go get the mail or did I just think I was going to go get the mail? Did I give my dog her thyroid pill, or did I just think I gave the dog the thyroid pill?"

He couldn't function for hours.

Everywhere you turn Cholesterol is talked about as a major cause of heart disease, but is it really? What does cholesterol do in our bodies?

An article posted on Dr. Mercola's website, Cholesterol is NOT the Cause of Heart Disease, gives a great description of some of the functions that cholesterol plays in our physiology.

Here's a few paragraphs from the article:

"Think of what happens if you were to cut your hand. Within a fraction of a second, chemicals are released by the damaged tissue to initiate the process known as inflammation. Inflammation will allow that little cut to heal, and indeed to keep you from dying. The cut blood vessels constrict to keep you from bleeding too much. Blood becomes "thicker" so that it can clot. Cells and chemicals from the immune system are alerted to come to the area to keep intruders such as viruses and bacteria from invading the cut. Other cells are told to multiply to repair the damage so that you can heal. When the repair is completed, you have lived to be careless another day, though you may have a small scar to show for your troubles. "

"We now know that similar events take place within the lining of our arteries. When damage occurs to the lining of our arteries (or even elsewhere) chemicals are released to initiate the process of inflammation. Arteries constrict, blood becomes more prone to clot, white blood cells are called to the area to gobble up damaged debris, and cells adjacent to those damaged are told to multiply. Ultimately, scars form, however inside our arteries we call it plaque. And the constriction of our arteries and the "thickening" of our blood further predisposes us to high blood pressure and heart attacks."

If you would like to read more about the cholesterol debacle visit this page on Dr. Mercola's Web site. It contains more than 30 articles about cholesterol and the usage of medications.

There is also conclusive evidence that proper levels of exercise and nutrition have a much higher success rate of reduce cholesterol levels and preventing heart disease. But if you are interested in adding a specific component to your diet, I would suggest reading the article about Red Yeast Rice on NaturalNews.com

High cholesterol is not a result of bad genes, bad germs or bad luck. Our genes require certain nutrients in the right amount to function normally. Those nutrients are diet, exercise, and mental health. Our genes, and therefore our bodies, adapt to the environment they are placed in.

If you choose not to eat properly and value taste more than nutrition, or value relaxation more than keeping fit, then you have decided the environment to place your body into. Your physiology has to adapt, and that adaptation leads to disease, every time. To get my point a little better watch this video... it's a must see!!