Just Ask Terry

Terry is happy to provide his opinion on diet and nutrition, supplements and lifestyle choices. This information is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace the advice of your physician and is not to be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Should you have any concerns please contact your physician directly.

Q. “I have been taking Lipitor (10mg) and Lisinopril (20mg) for slightly elevated levels of blood pressure and cholesterol. Both values have been good since this “therapy” – but my joints have begun to hurt and crack like never before. My doc says it is air (?) and comes with age. I have begun to exercise again regularly, drinking 2×2 ounces of Mandura daily and I am eating healthier. Can you recommend natural products that could replace the traditional medications recommended by my doctor?” Sebastian H., Naples, FL A. Dear Sebastian, Oh boy! Your joints, which have begun to hurt and crack like never before, may well be side effects of the drugs you’re taking. You can read the drug facts leaflet that details the side effects of cholesterol lowering drugs, which can include loss of memory, vague aches and pains, joint pain, neuritis, neuralgia and neuropathy. Personally, I really hate the drugs that lower cholesterol since they are destroying a natural enzyme system that is necessary for healthy body function. Our cholesterol is used to manufacture most of our hormones. It provides a covering and insulation to our nervous system and is converted into one of the most critical vitamins, vitamin D. Our liver produces 95 to 100% of our cholesterol so it seems to me that there is a very important role for cholesterol in our health. We cannot live without it, yet many believe we should lower the cholesterol to an abnormally low level which then can cause depression, suicidal tendencies and a 1200% increase in breast cancer in women. Did you know that 63% of all heart attack victims have normal cholesterol by today’s standards? It has been proven that lowering cholesterol can shorten our lifespan and people with high cholesterol often live longer. Pure cholesterol is not the culprit nor does it cause the damage, but oxidized cholesterol, caused by a different set of circumstances, causes inflammation in the arteries. I know you are interested in improving your health. Before you combine any dietary supplement with your prescription drugs, talk with your licensed healthcare practitioner. Have an open discussion about your concerns and questions about continuing to take the medications you describe. If your choice is to remain on a statin drug, my only suggestion is that you add heart healthy CoQ10 in the non-oxidized ubiquinol form, 100 to 200 mg daily. Statin drugs block the production of cholesterol as well as CoQ10. Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet with good oils from fish and olives. Since the vast majority of cholesterol is actually made by our bodies, avoiding certain foods with cholesterol to improve our heart health is like spitting in the ocean to raise its level.