Comments on: Updated: Return To Reason, New Year Resolutions, Etc.

By: The CronoLink

The CronoLink — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 04:13:13 +0000

Since I found your site not long ago, it's been a resolution to keep up with it, as well as reading and comprehending as much as I can (I hate losing track of a website I like). I've learned a lot, good and heart-wrenching surprises, like that Lincoln stuff (I'm still a bit disappointed, but guess I was bound to find about it sooner or later). One other solid resolution would be starting a blog and exercise more. Muay Thai, baby!! [Looking forward to your comments on the blog.--IM]

By: Pam Maltzman

Pam Maltzman — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 23:55:26 +0000

Yup, I am trying to diet… low-carbing. Eating mostly meats and veggies, along with soup. Trying not to fall off the wagon too far, seeing which things do and don’t spike the blood sugar! My significant other, however, seems to be bringing more carbs home now that I’m trying to avoid them.

By: EN

EN — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 21:53:00 +0000

“Just kidding; I’m not one for biological reductionism. For whatever the reason, the husband is being very supportive. Come midnight, and he’s ready with my brandy.”

It’s possible that his reasons are purely selfless… What a good man you have.

By: Dan Maguire

Dan Maguire — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 13:05:03 +0000

I am tempted to make a corny joke regarding memory loss, but will make a new resolution not to partake in such cheesiness. Alas, in my case, diet and exercise did not work. I’ll take my chances with the statin, but am glad to learn of the niacinamide.

By: Tom Kratman

Tom Kratman — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 12:35:24 +0000

Cholesterol is odd. In 1987 or so, my battalion commander, a health nut, had all the officers tested for cholesterol. Two of us, myself and another captain named Ridilla were frequently lambasted by the BC for our rotten eating habits (we lived off of junk food and coffee). When the results came back the lowest was me, 87, nicely balanced, followed by Ridilla, and the highest was the BC.

Ten years later mine was 239 and now I’ve a 100% blockage in my right coronary artery. And if anything my eating habits, once I had to eat at home rather than the mess hall, had improved.

Go figure.

[What is your good cholesterol?–IM]

By: Tom Kratman

Tom Kratman — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 12:29:53 +0000

Alex, in a somewhat similar vein, I used to amuse myself with the anti-land mine fanatics by posing the question: “When are you people going to stop dilly-dallying and put an end to the manufacture and stockpiling of explosives, detonators, containers – to include soda cans and small jewelry boxes, and – last but not least – hand grenades and thin metal wire or stout string? Don’t you realize that the Ottawa treaty does nothing about those and they can all be used in lieu of or to make anti-personnel mines? It’s for the children!”

Swizzle sticks didn’t know enough about war to actually study or think about the object of their ire.

By: Pam Maltzman

Pam Maltzman — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 09:15:01 +0000

I love barley in soup, but right now I’ve been avoiding all grains (low-carbing it as much as I can). I buy almost all my chickens and turkeys whole and on sale, then cut them up myself. I sometimes do buy chicken feet for soup, but if I save up the backs, tails, necks, and wings from three or four cut-up chickens, there’s my bones for soup stock! I read “Nourishing Traditions” and used those directions; it calls for boiling the bones along with some vegetables. If I use chicken feet, I have to strain the stuff because of all the little bones. If I use other chicken parts or turkey parts, those bones are big enough to lift out with just the spoons. I also have to watch which veggies I put in the soup… tomatoes spike my blood sugar. Cut down on onions and carrots, use celery. Mushrooms, squash, broccoli, and cabbage are okay, though. Heh!! This is making me hungry!

[Ditto; but i see you do follow some diet. Just teasing.–IM]

By: noobama

noobama — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 07:34:00 +0000

I had great success following a diet with Omega-3 supplements, less carbs, more fish like salmon and unsaturated fats. My cholesterol and triglycerides fell into the normal range within 30 days and the doctor didn’t believe me when I told him I was not on any cholesterol drugs.

By: Pam Maltzman

Pam Maltzman — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 01:18:29 +0000

Another side effect of statin drugs that the doctors won’t tell you about is memory loss (there’s actually a book out there called “Lipitor: Thief of Memory”). I won’t let any doctor give me any kind of an anti-cholesterol drug, thank you very much. Just say no to statins. [My mother did exactly that. She eats moderately, exercises, and is a beautiful (blond and blue-eyed, go figure) seventy.–IM]

By: Dan Maguire

Dan Maguire — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 20:06:52 +0000

Ilana:

I am not familiar with the practice of taking vitamin B to reduce cholesterol. However, before starting on the statin, my doctor had me try niacin. Terrible stuff. I took a 50mg tablet and was overcome with a prickly, flushed sensation that was unbearable, and is apparently fairly common. Incredibly, the stuff comes in 500mg tablets as well. I think I’d rather just let my arteries harden than endure that feeling. I have had no adverse side effects from the cholesterol drug I’ve since been on, though I understand it causes muscle cramps and fatigue in some people. Good luck to you.

[Niacin, I believe, is a synthetic form of B; the natural equivalent is Niacinamide; it’s the no-flush version of Niacin, and it’s much safer in high doses. If i tried anything, it would be Niacinamide.–IM]