Is it as bad as they all say?  Cyndi starts the discussion on cholesterol and how it has been given a bad rap, she goes into how the rate of people with high cholesterol and taking statin medications has risen from 4.5% of  over the age of 45 taking cholesterol lowering medications in 1995 to, in 2010, 30% of the same age group are now taking these medications.  Cholesterol lowering medications are worth $80 billion per annum to the drug industry.  Cyndi brings up some interesting new research and Kim and Carren are stunned that the wool has been pulled over the public’s eye.  Their outrage is palpable, and yours will be too.  Cyndi has offered a list of questions to ask your doctor when he suggests you go on cholesterol lowering medication as well as references for further reading.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor if Your Blood Test is High For Cholesterol?

Is high cholesterol proven to be a bad indicator of total health?
Do our cholesterol levels change from day to day week to week? And if so would I be out of the ‘danger zone” if you took a reading in a week.
Is there really such a thing as good and bad cholesterol, or is it a homeostatic mechanism in the body?
Do you live longer using statin drugs or does it just lower your cholesterol?
Is cholesterol really an indicator of cardio-vascular disease? What percentage of people with heart disease have low cholesterol?
Does the body need high cholesterol levels in times of stress?
Does the cholesterol we eat make any difference to blood cholesterol?
How much cholesterol will the body make if I eat no cholesterol?
Is there another reason why cholesterol might be high?
Is the body really that black and white – high cholesterol – heart disease, low cholesterol – no heart disease?
If my brain largely cholesterol then why is cholesterol bad?
If I take statin drugs will I have a Vitamin D deficiency – after all we need cholesterol to make Vitamin D
Are there side effects to Statin Drugs – if so what is the complete list?
Can you guarantee that if I don’t take the medications that I will die tomorrow of a heart attack or are you just scaring me?
Ask your doctor whether they would take the medications?
Would diet help?
Would a traditional hunter gatherer diet make a significant difference?
Would taking wheat out of the diet as well as sugar cause a reduction in triglyceride and cholesterol readings?
Do I need my thyroid tested, could that have something to do with why my cholesterol is high?
Could it be a iron and copper deficiency that is causing my cholesterol to be high?
Perhaps it is the lack of antioxidants in my diet that may be causing my LDL to oxidise, therefore staying in my blood longer?
What is the particle size of my LDL’s and have you tested for the many different LDL’s in my blood stream or just calculated LDL results from HDL and cholesterol count?
Should I try a diet high in antioxidants and real foods before I use the medication?