Pasha, quadruple bypass surgery is not for wusses (i.e. a weakling; wimp).
I had a dear friend who had triple bypass surgery. We lost her two years later to her type 1 diabetes. We believe she had a hypo and lost consciousness. She lived alone. Her husband died four years earlier from glioblastoma brain tumor - (survival rate for which is an average of 14 months). I've since learned that there are service dogs trained to recognize dropping blood glucose. She loved dogs. Wish we had known this then. Perhaps she'd be alive today. We miss her.
Two things:
1) My understanding is that anyone on a statin should be taking CoQ10. Dr. Sinatra, and "integrative cardiologist" here in the US has a lot of recommendations on how to maintain heart health including eating a low carb diet, supplementing with Omega-3 oil, CoQ10, and other supplements. I'm still exploring this website. This article in particular overviews his strategy for himself and his patients...
http://www.drsinatra.com/how-to-test-and-treat-plaque-buildup-in-arteries
He also has videos, articles, and blog posts in which he discusses statin medication.
2) Another lesser known nutrient is Vitamin K2. I haven't read Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox: How a Little Known Vitamin Could Save Your Life (2013) by Kate Rhéaume-Bleue, B.Sc., N.D., but I ordered it last night after an acquaintance who read it recommended it to me.
Here's an overview of the book...
"The secret to avoiding calcium-related osteoporosis and atherosclerosis
While millions of people take calcium and Vitamin D supplements thinking they're helping their bones, the truth is, without the addition of Vitamin K2, such a health regimen could prove dangerous. Without Vitamin K2, the body cannot direct calcium to the bones where it's needed; instead, the calcium resides in soft tissue (like the arteries)—leading to a combination of osteoporosis and atherosclerosis, or the dreaded "calcium paradox." This is the first book to reveal how universal a Vitamin K2 deficiency is, and the risk (in the form of cancer and diabetes, among other ailments) the absence of Vitamin K2 poses.
Written by Dr. Kate Rheaume-Bleue, a popular health expert on Canadian television and radio, Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox sounds a warning about the popularity of the calcium and Vitamin D craze, while illustrating the enormous health benefits of Vitamin K2 in making the body less susceptible to dental cavities, heart disease, prostate cancer, liver cancer, diabetes, wrinkles, obesity, varicose veins, and other ailments.
- The book demystifies this obscure supernutrient—a fat soluble vitamin that humans once thrived on, ignored by scientists for almost seventy years
- Details how the consumption of grass-fed animals led to adequate Vitamin K2 intake—while grain-based animal feed helped eradicate Vitamin K2 from our diets
- Describes how doctors are raising recommended doses of calcium and Vitamin D—without prescribing Vitamin K2
- Details more damning facts about transfats—and how the creation of a synthetic Vitamin K interfered with the body's Vitamin K metabolism
An essential book for anyone interested in bone health, or maintaining their overall health, Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox is the guide to taking the right combination of supplements—and adding Vitamin K2 to a daily regimen."
I feel like I'm at a Y in the road. I have so many important decisions to make...
What diet do I eat? What supplements do I take? When will I be healthy enough to increase my exercise regimen? What medications, if any, do I take? How do I manage their side effects?
For those who have multiple health issues, all of the above can be both helpful and problematic. At times, the choices feel overwhelming. Though as I continue to read, I believe diet is the foundation to good health.
