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Janet Starr Hull PhD, CN

Alternative Health and Holistic Nutrition

Alternatives To Cancer-Causing Statin Drugs

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a pile of pills in all colorsYou should be deeply concerned about impurities in medications approved by the FDA.

Because of these potential cancer-causing impurities, four recalls for blood pressure medications/statin drugs just occurred this past week.

Cancer-Causing Statins

Statins are among the most prescribed medications worldwide.  Statins were introduced in the late 1980s and early 1990s as a novel group of cholesterol-lowering drugs.

Research today is determining that the values for high cholesterol are not always accurate, and they can be different for each individual.

Statin groups can have differences in their structure, and this in turn governs their water solubility and influences their absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion.

Here is a list of brands and generic names of statins available In the US:
Three skulls of Judgement Day
Many statin drugs have been proven to be harmful to your health.
  • atorvastatin (Lipitor®)
  • fluvastatin (Lescol®)
  • lovastatin (Mevacor®, Altocor®)
  • pravastatin (Pravachol®)
  • pitavastatin (Livalo®)
  • simvastatin (Zocor®)
  • rosuvastatin (Crestor®)

Statin Side Effects

The most common statin side effects include:

  • Headache;
  • Difficulty sleeping;
  • Flushing of the skin;
  • Muscle aches, tenderness, or weakness (fibromyalgia);
  •  Drowsiness;
  • Dizziness;
  • Nausea or vomiting;
  • Abdominal cramping or pain.

Typically, docs will prescribe more medications to address these side effects.

Statin Alternative Drugs

There are some non-statin medications, and these work by sticking to cholesterol-rich bile acids in your intestines, which can lower your LDL levels.

Here is a list of brands and generic names of non-statins:

  • cholestyramine (Locholest®, Prevalite®, Questran®)
  • colesevelam (WelChol®)
  • colestipol (Colestid®)
Calcium supplement pills piled on metal spoon closeup
There are many alternatives to statin drugs.

Natural Alternatives

If you are worried about high cholesterol or rising blood pressure, before you start a lifestyle of taking statin drugs try these natural alternatives to cholesterol- lowering statins:

  1. Eat heart-healthy foods;
  2. Reduce your saturated fats found primarily in red meat and fatty dairy products;
  3. Raise your total cholesterol to a matched ratio – LDL alongside HDL;
  4. Eliminate trans fats;
  5. Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids;
  6. Increase soluble fiber;
  7. Add whey protein;
  8. Monitor processed grains and gluten (oats and barley are the best);
  9. Cut back on your sugar consumption;
  10. Get daily exercise, such as walking, swimming, or cycling.

Cholesterol-Lowering Foods to Add to Your Diet:

Fresh and raw apricot seeds.
Add cholesterol-lowering foods to your diet, such as almonds.
  • Fruits and berries;
  • Dark chocolate and cocoa;
  • Garlic;
  • Soy Foods (properly fermented soy);
  • Vegetables (mostly steamed or raw);
  • Tea (green, white, and black);
  • Dark leafy greens;
  • Natural cold-pressed oils, such as Virgin Olive Oil;
  • Legumes (beans, peas, lentils)
  • Avocados;
  • Nuts (especially almonds and walnuts);
  • Fatty fish (cold water fish, such as cod, have less mercury and other toxins).

As more of these statin drugs become more harmful to your health in the long-run, try alternatives before you have a need for medications.

Try to avoid them if you can. Stay healthy.

 

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only, and is educational in nature. The FDA may not have evaluated some of the statements.  This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please discuss with your own, qualified health care provider before adding supplements or making any changes to your dietary program.

Before taking vitamins, consult your doctor; pre-existing medical conditions or medications you are taking can affect how your body responds to multivitamins.