by Anura Guruge
on September 23, 2022
First & foremost I don’t take this too seriously. I know that I am going to die. That, of course, is a given. I can still die from a heart disease. I don’t take any of these numbers too seriously. Plus, if heart disease doesn’t kill something else will. Given my lifestyle I will most likely die as a result of an accident or by being SHOT. (Brown lives do not matter etc.) So, let’s not get too excited about this. I am NOT.
But, I would like to SHARE some facts with YOU because so many folks have the WRONG NOTIONS about lowering/controlling cholesterol. So, let me, please, tell you how & why I got here. I will probably dispel most things you previously believed when it came to lowering cholestrol.
I lucked out. In 1997 I ran into a young, Indian (Tamil) cardiologist who had just moved to Central New Hampshire. He was THRILLED to come across another brownie. We hit it off instantly & became social friends. I was 44 at the time. I was not as healthy then as I am now. I led an incredibly hectic life, travelling (by plane) 3 to 4 days a week — working 14 – 16 hour days. He was ‘worried’ about me. He said I am going to put you on a heart disease PREVENTIVE regime. He went onto add: ‘you will THANK ME when you turn 60‘. I was 44 then. I am 69 now. There is a list of 4 doctors I thank in my mind each day (in gratitude): this cardiologist, my cataract doctor, my knee doctor & an early urologist.
In 1997 he put me on 10mg of Lipitor & three (3) low-dose blood pressure medications. Around the same time, this young ex-Air Force urologist put me on ‘Cardura‘ (a miracle drug that slow down (but does not prevent) prostate enlargement). [Cardura also reduces your blood pressure!] I have been taking those 5 pills, daily, at the same dosage, for 25 years! My current doctor says I can come off them, BUT we both agree that it would be a shame to disrupt what has been a WINNING formula.
I tell anyone who will listen that they should take Lipitor, whether they need it right now or not, as a preventative — as I did. Really no side-effects to talk off. Win-Win.
OK, so I do take Lipitor — & have done for 25-years. That sure helps. It would be stupid to argue otherwise.
My eating habits.
1/ I am NOT a vegetarian. Far from it. I eat a LOT of meat, near daily — sometimes having meat for breakfast, lunch & dinner. Yes, I tend to eat ‘lean’ meat: pork, chicken, steak, turkey & ground beef & occasionally lamb, bison, venison & duck. I stay away from bacon. I used to eat ham, sausages & hot dogs more or less everyday but cut back drastically over the last 12-months to reduce the amount of processed food intake.
I eat up to a dozen eggs a week & a TON of CHEESE. I love cheese. I can live on cheese. I eat a lot, BUT AGAIN over the last 12-months I have made a conscious & conscientious effort to cut back on the amount of cheese I eat. I no longer, ALAS, eat cheese everyday. Not even every other day. Yes, I make sacrifices like that.
2/ I have really cut back on carbs over the last 3 years. And I mean REALLY. No bread, no rice, no lentils, no pasta, no chocolates, no cake, no pizza, no pies, no potatoes … Yes, the list goes on. But, I do CHEAT by consuming LARGE QUANTITES of RED WINE on a daily basis. Red wine is what keeps me going. I do not function without red wine. I am told red wine is medicinal & helps with cholesterol etc. Doesn’t really matter. I can’t live without red wine.
So, I eat a lot of meat, eggs, cheese but very little in terms of carbs bar red wine.
But, my doctor FINALLY worked out how & why my HDL is HIGH.
To quote him (from last year):
“That is what happens when you walk 8-miles everyday”.
Boom, boom.
Now YOU know. Hope this helps.
