"Life is not a race but an experience; it is not an exercise but an adventure."
Thanks Karen.
I wish I had read this quote years ago. I felt while in college that I was in a race. I was a horse with blinders. I studied, read, studied, and read. It was an experience, but a grueling one. In residency, we didn't have laws we have today. As young physicians after medical school we were expected to sometimes work 48 hours straight without sleep. There were even 72 hr shifts. Not today. As I get odler I trying to balance. I want to balance my life. I need equal time for taking care of myself. I was once told by a famous actress, "GOD gave you two hands--one to help your patients and the other to help yourself." Today I try to help myself at every opportunity. The 12 promises of a 12 step program have come true. Beyond my wildest dreams, but equally these promises have slipped away, and they return if I work at it. Life is not an exercise, it is an adventure and each of must ride the roller coaster of life. No one said it would be easy.
Do you enjoy your life? If the answer is not a solid yes--then try to change.
There is much talk about red yeast rice in lowering cholesterol. Let's clean up the story a bit. There are many statin type drugs on the market today such as Mevacor, Lipitor, Crestor and Zocor. These reduce two risk factors for cardiovascular disease: inflammation and high cholesterol levels. Statins lower cholesterol levels by inhibiting an enzyme called HMG-CoA reductase, which is needed to produce cholesterol in the liver.
It’s less clear how statins reduce inflammation, but research suggests that this once-overlooked property may be as much or more responsible for these drugs’ apparent – if oversold – cardiovascular benefits. Inflammation is the key more than just lowering the number. It is not about a number. It is about particle size of both the LDL (bad) and the HDL (good) choelsterol.
You must realize that statins are simply synthetic, patentable versions of the active compounds in red yeast rice … a traditional Chinese remedy that dates back to the Tang Dynasty, circa 800 A.D. Red yeast rice is not to be confused with yeast. Red yeast rice is a plant. If you are following a yeast-free diet you can take red yeast rice to lower your cholesterol. I have used red yeast rice for years in my practice. I find it very effective with fewer side effects than statins. Remember some of the major statin side effect are increased liver enzymes on a blood test, muscle aches, cramps, fatigue, insomnia and decreased sex drive.
Red yeast rice (RYR) contains several compounds collectively known as monacolins, known to reduce cholesterol synthesis in the liver by inhibiting the same enzyme (HMG-CoA reductase) that statins interfere with. When Japanese scientists discovered that red yeast rice lowers cholesterol very effectively, western drug companies rushed to patent synthetic versions of its monacolins, which became known as “statins”. So again, pharmaceutical companies jumped on the band wagon of natural plant therapies.
Red yeast rice extract has been sold as a natural cholesterol-lowering agent in over the counter supplements, such as Cholestin™. Originally the pharmaceuitcl company that made Mevacor had a legal suit against the red yeast rice companies. Red yeast rice was not sold for some years, but now it is available again. Conventional doctors sometimes recommend it to patients who can't tolerate statin drugs, and some people see red yeast rice extract as a safer natural alternative to statins. Has your doctor recommemded red yeast rice? There has been a battle with the FDA over the legal status of red yeast rice (drug or dietary supplement?), and the producers of pharmaceutical statins have sued to halt sales of red yeast rice supplements.
The researchers began their report by affirming that red yeast rice can be an effective alternative to statin drugs, in terms of lowering blood levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol: “Several studies have shown that specific formulations of red yeast rice reduce LDL cholesterol significantly compared with placebo. This is likely related to the effects of monacolin K and the 13 other monacolins in the supplement, which … lower the production of cholesterol in the liver.” (Gordon RY et al. 2010) So why not try red yeast rice (Monecus purpurus)?
As always, which is the best red yeast rice product? Are there difference in vitamins bought at GNC, WallMart or CVS? Yes there is! Tests showed very wide variations in the levels of monacolins found in various red yeast rice supplements.
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and www.ConsumerLab.com measured monacolin levels in 12 commercial red yeast rice supplements. The checked for the presence of citrinin, a fungal toxin that can harm the kidneys.
Across the 12 products, levels of total monacolins ranged from 0.31mg to 11.15mg per capsule … a 36-fold difference. So you see there is a difference. I do prefer quality vitamin companies. For this reason I have combined red yeast rice with guggulipids and plant sterols in my own formula. I call this Cardio L Forte. I highly recommend this web site www.longevitynutritionals.com.
The levels of monacolin K varied – the most potent monacolin, which is patented and sold by prescription as lovastatin (Mevacor) – ranged from 0.10 milligrams to 10.09 milligrams per capsule … a 100-fold variance. There was also variable amounts of citrinin in the formulations. Four of the formulations had “elevated” levels of citrinin, though probably not high enough to pose an actual health threat.
These variations in the quality have led to a bad conclusion. “Although RYR may have potential as an alternative lipid-lowering agent, our findings suggest the need for improved standardization of RYR products and product labeling.”
As they said, “Until this occurs, physicians should be cautious in recommending RYR to their patients for the treatment of hyperlipidemia and primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease.” (Gordon RY et al. 2010)
Until tomorrow...
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