Toward optimal health

This next week I plan to do a liver flush and cleansing diet. I'll also be adjusting the type and dosage of the nutritional supplements I take. I've been exercising almost every day for a year or more - doing a few miles on the treadmill usually. And I've cut out eating cheese, quit eating red meat about 30 years ago, in general just eating birds/fish, veggies, fruit, and whole grain. With the diet and exercise, I'd figured that cholesterol numbers would be pretty good. Well, a month or so ago I had a check-up, and total cholesterol was in the upper 200's, HDL was just under 50. The doc I've been seeing wanted to 'treat' this by putting me on a statin drug. I think he was wanting to do 40mg a day of Zocor.

BUT ...I've had stress tests (treadmill test) with echo cardiogram with a cardiologist and that shows the heart to be in VERY good condition. Blood pressure is 108 over 73. Pulse is 63. So aside from this magic number (the total cholesterol), I seem to be in good shape.

So rather than start buying and taking a brand name drug, I have decided to 'flush' the liver to help it deal with the cholesterol. About 10 years ago I followed this liver flush and diet. I dropped the excess 10-20 pounds I'd been carrying, felt great, kept the weight off for years (it is back with me now :), and I also noticed that total cholesterol dropped to 160.

While on vacation this week, I read this book (pictured above) which includes references to many, many peer-reviewed studies published in JAMA, Lancet, etc. The gist of the book is that our bodies have the ability to heal and to stay healthy ...but we often may need to supplement our diet to give the body what it needs to do its job. Even when eating whole foods, those foods are often grown in a manner that limits their nutritional content.

The other thing I've done is to start working with a doc at Wellness Works to see what I can do to help my body achieve optimal health. There are certainly times when prescription drugs are necessary, but I do think that many physicians unfortunately fall into the habit of a rushed 15 minute appointment - determine the main 'complaint' and prescribe something to address the primary symptom. I would much rather take ownership of my health. So the revised plan now includes continuing with the cardio workouts, and I'm revising my supplements, doing the liver flush (this is my idea, not the doc at Wellness Works), adding a few weight-lifting workouts each week, reducing the amount of water I drink (suggested by the doc, after reviewing the rather massive quantity I've been consuming), and possibly other modifications after I do my next consultation with the doc at the end of the month (to review results of hair and blood analysis). This will be interesting!

Comments

[Pat Little]

I do DO know that you can solve the cholesterol problem by cutting out ALL animal products. But I feel too weak if I don't eat some animal protein. I also read recently that studies show that drinking pomegranite juice helps to open up arteries.(Arteries only 10% open, became 30% open after one year.) Also Vitamin k-2 draws calcium deposits out of arteries and deposits them into the bone. These are two things I'm adding to my regimen.

[Kevin]

Liver flush hun? Maybe I'll give that a shot. I've been doing the pomergranite juice... and was recommended to take niacin. The flushing and itching side effect was a HUGE pain... and I've switched to the non-flushing kind.