Is Cholesterol Another Medical Boondoggle?

Great piece at Lew Rockwell's site by Karen DeCoster, who challenges the conventional wisdom on cholesterol and the $8 Billion reasons why Pfizer is pushing Lipitor so hard. Money Quote:

Dr. Paul J. Rosch, MD, President of The American Institute of Stress and Clinical Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry at New York Medical College (referenced in "Who’s Who in the World), has researched the effects of high stress on heart disease, and is one of the heroic doctors who is brave enough to go against the grain regarding the cholesterol hoax. He has often made the point that approximately half of all heart attacks occur in people with normal cholesterol levels

This guy Rosch sounds like a courageous fellow. I am now retiring to eat several cheeseburgers, and, NO, I won't be getting my cholesterol levels checked any time soon.

Comments

[LS]

Oh Oh. You're sounding a little reductionist, my friend.

Sure, those who finger cholesterol are perhaps misunderstanding complex biological/stress/energetic processes of the body (or are attributing complexity to a single, relatively quantifiable ester).

In sum, cholesterol for heart disease may be as valid as TCell measurements for AIDS (you know the song), but that doesn't mean that just because TCell measurements should not be used to enforce the scarlett letter "Aids", that you should go on a poppers binge -

Likewise, I'd offer that diet is fundemental to creating self and health (I'd say of primary importance, along with attitude, belief system, and psycho-social support).

So, cheeseburger at your pain or pleasure, but all of this brings to mind two of my favorite books:

Energetics of Food - Steve Gangne - it may be difficult to get now, but it's a lot of fun, and very instructive in illuminating dynamic principles of food and energy in a good, highly enjoyable presentation.
http://www.redwingbooks.com/products/books/EneFooGag.cfm

And

Healing with Whole Foods - Paul Pitchford. Very much available - online and in bookstores. The wonderfulest book on the subject of food, it's properties, and dynamics within and in formation of our bodies, with material for both the Western and Eastern mind.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1556432208?v=glance

Hasta luego!

[George]

Hank,

LS makes a lot of sense.

Contrary to one possible interpretation of the old saying: "Everything is *not* Everything".

[George]

One more "leetle" thing:

If 50% of heart attacks occur in people with high cholesterol that makes it an extremely significant risk factor, imho.

[HankBarnes]

Boy, I wuz kidding about the cheeseburgers.

If one is going to challenge the conventional medical model, one must compensate by taking charge of one's own health -- which means no smoking, no cheeseburgers, not too much alcohol, yes salads, yes greens, yes healthy food.

So, LS is right about food stuff.

Whady'all think of Lipitor, though?

Hank

[Johnny B.]

Whady'all think of Lipitor, though?

This is the key to Hank's tongue in cheek remarks about the cheeseburgers. I think we can agree that high colesterol is not a good thing. OTOH, most things that are not in moderation are bad for us but this could be a case of a drug company jumping on and trying to make money instead of telling the truth - moderate your diet!