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Amen! I really wonder if my mother's Altzheimer's would have been lessened if she hadn't been on so many meds. When I was on statins, I started feeling like I was starting dementia. I went off of them, and my mind has completely returned.
I think we do have to consider diet and reasonable exercise - even just walking 20 minutes most days, etc. But, if you're eating a low-fat, whole grain, mostly plant-based diet (if you just can't stop eating some meat), you should be fine. Especially if you have no heart disease.
The cholesterol studies that I've found seem to suggest that there isn't any conclusive evidence that high cholesterol causes heart attacks. In fact, it seems that most people who have heart attacks actually have low cholesterol.
And, our brains need cholesterol to work properly.
So, I really question whether or not measuring cholesterol has anything really to do with any risk of death. And in fact, perhaps lowering it with drugs may have a detrimental effect.
For instance, in my case, taking statins made me feel like I was losing my memory. I stopped taking them and that problem went away.
So, do we even really need to lower our cholesterol? Especially if all of our numbers are normal like blood pressure, etc.?
I am doing something similar and have been off statins for about 6 months. My blood pressure has never been a problem and I really don't want to go back on statins due to side effects. I have my yearly physical in January and I am sure my numbers will be high and doctor will want want o get me back on cholesterol meds.
I have always wondered if many people end up on walkers and canes because they use up their bodies in their youth, chasing their athletic dreams- or if it is become they didn't use them at all?
I'd say it's the latter. I've known too many people who just sit for the vast majority of their time and lose so much function. It's like they say - use it or lose it. I know even more athletes who have had multiple surgeries or joint replacements (me included). We just find a different sport to do. We don't just sit.
When I was a social worker, I saw too many situations of over medication. Some clients were taking 20 meds, Half of which were needed to counter side effects of the other 10. I do need a blood pressure med. when my doc suggested a statin for cholesterol, I said no thanks due to side effects. My doc said he understood. I would rather die 10 years sooner with a clear mind than to live the next 20 in a fog of medication.
May I ask what type of blood pressure mediation you take? My husband is on a statin.
I am age 71 and have 2 knee replacements. My knees wore out from 40 years of heavy work. I have no problems with the replacements - I am thankful that the technology existed to replace my old knees! They were replaced 8 weeks apart, when I was 65. I have zero mobility issues, and very little pain. Truly a miracle if you ask me.
I have always been very active, and even now I prefer to be outdoors most of the time. I take no meds, and my doc knows better than to try to get me on them. Since I retired, I have raised nearly all of our food, including livestock for eggs, dairy, and meat. Grocery store food now tastes like cardboard to me. Most people today don't know what fresh, natural food tastes like!
Because many of my family members had type 2 diabetes (I do not), I am acutely aware of the sugar that is so prevalent in American food. I avoid sugar as much as possible. It is linked to heart disease, stroke, Alzheimers, arthritis, liver disease, and circulatory problems, as well as diabetes and obesity. Doctors don't tell patients about this; perhaps they don't know.
If you are over age 60, limiting your sugar intake may just be the single best thing you can do to improve your health. Poor health is not natural, at any age.
I am age 71 and have 2 knee replacements. My knees wore out from 40 years of heavy work. I have no problems with the replacements - I am thankful that the technology existed to replace my old knees! They were replaced 8 weeks apart, when I was 65. I have zero mobility issues, and very little pain. Truly a miracle if you ask me.
I have always been very active, and even now I prefer to be outdoors most of the time. I take no meds, and my doc knows better than to try to get me on them. Since I retired, I have raised nearly all of our food, including livestock for eggs, dairy, and meat. Grocery store food now tastes like cardboard to me. Most people today don't know what fresh, natural food tastes like!
Because many of my family members had type 2 diabetes (I do not), I am acutely aware of the sugar that is so prevalent in American food. I avoid sugar as much as possible. It is linked to heart disease, stroke, Alzheimers, arthritis, liver disease, and circulatory problems, as well as diabetes and obesity. Doctors don't tell patients about this; perhaps they don't know.
If you are over age 60, limiting your sugar intake may just be the single best thing you can do to improve your health. Poor health is not natural, at any age.
Limiting your sugar intake at any age is a good idea. Look at the obesity in America. Lots of sugar loaded soft drinks and junk food are the culprits along with sedentary lifestyles.
I am currently 61 and despite being a 15 year cancer survivor and having a diagnosis of hypertension which has been controlled by a mild diuretic considered myself very healthy, worked full time, and led a very active life. This past June I encountered a bump in the road when I woke up one morning with some loss of vision in my left eye and thought I had a detached retina. It was not a detached retina, and after an extensive exam at Mass Eye & Ear in Boston I was diagnosed with a condition called NAION aka non arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy. Apparently this is a rather rare condition, happens to about 3 people in every 100,000, has no known exact cause, and unfortunately really no treatment other than high dose steroids at symptom onset but this is a controversial treatment because of the side effects and very few people have achieved significant vision restoration from it. Since I have worn glasses for many years for both distance and reading, my corrected vision pre NAION was 20/20 and now post NAION my left eye is 20/500 and my right was not impacted and remains 20/20. Since this being a neurological condition my brain has adapted pretty well with regards to acuity, but since my left pupil does not respond as it previously did to light, even with tinted glasses I am pretty impaired in bright lights as well as in the dark. So it is not uncommon to see me with sunglasses on in stores such as Walmart with it's bright lighting which helps me adapt some, and I have had to pretty much give up driving in the dark for the same reason. Fortunately work has allowed me reasonable accommodation so I can leave for and return from work when it is still light out.
This certainly has not been easy for me to become visually impaired to this extent which happened pretty much over night, but I have accepted it, and found a support group on Facebook with others with the same condition which has been most helpful for me. In a few hours I will be heading back to Mass Eye & Ear for a follow up with the neuro-opth doctor I see there, and also have an appointment with a low vision optometrist to see if there are any adaptive devices that will be helpful for me in addition to getting a new eyeglass prescription that will work better for me.
It is what it is, and I choose to make the best of each day despite my vision impairment, and tomorrow being Thanksgiving I will celebrate this holiday with much thanks because I still have more in my life to be thankful for than not.
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