So, you popped your cholesterol meds then tucked into a juicy steak. The pill can handle a little cholesterol surge, right? “At times, patients don’t think they need to follow a healthy diet since their medications have already lowered their blood pressure and cholesterol—and that is wrong,” says Mahshid Dehghan, Ph.D., study author and nutritionist at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Eating well offers benefits beyond standard drug therapy.

In fact, researchers found patients taking drugs to prevent recurrent heart attacks and strokes who also ate a heart-healthy diet reduced their risk of cardiovascular death (by 35 percent), congestive heart failure (28 percent), stroke (19 percent), and new heart attacks (14 percent) compared to those with less healthy eating habits.

No License to Binge The Saturday Evening Post

Your cholesterol is creeping up and it’s just a matter of time before the doc prescribes statin therapy. Can foods fortified with plant sterols help?

The short answer is yes. Plant sterols—which are found naturally in vegetables, fruits, and seeds, and which are being added to a growing number of foods—lower cholesterol by keeping it in the digestive tract and out of the bloodstream.

“Research is pretty clear: Adding two grams of plant sterols to your daily diet can reduce LDL cholesterol by 8 to 15 percent. Importantly, you get quick results (within two weeks) and without compromising the taste or texture of your favorite foods,” says holistic pharmacist and author Sherry Torkos, who practices in the Buffalo area of New York.

Happily, it’s easy to find sterol-fortified foods in regular grocery stores. Look for Cargill’s CoroWise logo on labels of pasta, margarine, orange juice, granola bars, chips, and oatmeal squares. One serving of these foods typically provides 0.5 grams of plant sterols, or ¼ the FDA-recommended amount for cholesterol lowering.

“To get your 2 grams of sterols, take your pick of Minute Maid HeartWise orange juice or Smart Balance milk. Then have a serving of Corazonas torilla chips or my mother’s favorite: oatmeal squares topped with dark chocolate,” suggests Torkos.

Future research will focus on the role of sterols in preventing heart attacks and strokes. “Long-term data aren’t yet available to confirm these foods promote heart health. Nevertheless, I encourage my patients to consume them as part of a healthy diet,” says leading cardiologist and Post contributor Douglas Zipes.

Photo credit Cargill.

Eat for Health The Saturday Evening Post

Most study participants used extra-virgin olive oil, which accounts for 98 percent of the olive oil available in France.

The versatile product also appears to protect against cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity.

Want to add olive oil to your diet? Go for it! But remember that even healthier fats like olive oil are high in calories, so use it in moderation; choose olive oil instead of butter and stick margarine—not in addition to them.

Here are 3 tips for buying, storing, and enjoying olive oil:

1. If you can, smell (and taste) before you buy. Olive oils encompass a wide range of flavor from fruity to peppery, mild to intensely strong. Don’t buy one you don’t like!
2. Good extra-virgin olive oil lasts about a year when stored out of the light and away from heat.
3. Virgin and extra-virgin oils are best used uncooked or cooked at low to medium temperatures. Try them in marinades, drizzle them over vegetables or bread, and add them at end of cook time for a burst of flavor.

Is Olive Oil Good For You? The Saturday Evening Post

Results from PSA screening for prostate cancer or cholesterol tests can take one week or less.

“But Pap smears for cervical cancer must be specially prepared before slides can be reviewed by medical lab professionals,” said David Glenn, chair of the ASCP communications committee.  “Most people don’t realize that an average Pap slide contains tens of thousands of cells, and the lab specialist is required to look at every cell. That takes time.”

Glenn advises patients to ask their doctors the following questions about their laboratory tests:

• What tests are you ordering?
• What will they tell you about my health?
• When will I know the results?
• Should I call you for the results, or will you call me?

“If it’s been a week, and you were told you would have results by then, call the doctor’s office,” he said.

Why the Wait?

Accuracy. To help safeguard against inaccuracies, federal legislation known as the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) sets standards for laboratories to assure the testing is being performed accurately.  CLIA limits the number of Pap slides that can be read in one day by a cytotechnologist (a specially trained lab professional who examines cells for early signs of cancer and other diseases). A pathologist (a medical doctor with an advanced specialty in laboratory medicine) must review Pap slides that show abnormal or suspicious cells.  In addition to reviewing these tests, a pathologist also must review a percentage of normal Pap tests to ensure continual accuracy, according to CLIA regulations.

Complexity. Some tests require multiple and time-consuming steps. For example, a mole sample must be fixed in preservative, embedded in wax, cut into extremely thin slices, placed on slides, stained, and examined under a microscope by a pathologist. Special stains or further studies may be needed to make the diagnosis, and complete the report. Tests for strep throat or a urinary tract infection involve placing a specimen in a substance that allows bacteria or other microorganisms to grow to a level that can be seen, separating the organisms, and testing them to see if they are causing disease and what medications will be effective.

Priority Testing. Tests that may have an immediate impact on the patient’s care are ordered by the physician as a priority and processed first in the laboratory.  For example, an emergency room patient who appears to be in a diabetic coma will have a glucose test ordered immediately and results will be available within a few minutes so the appropriate treatment can be given as soon as possible.  Routine, non-urgent tests are processed by lab professionals as part of their normal workload.

Another factor that may add to lab wait times is the anticipated shortage of lab professionals.

“The aging of the population has led to a growing number of lab tests and ASCP is concerned that the current shortage of lab professionals may make it difficult to meet the public’s demand for prompt results,” said John E. Tomaszewski, MD, FASCP, president of ASCP and professor and interim chair of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Lab tests are involved in more than 70 percent of medical decisions.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 138,000 new laboratory professionals will be needed by 2012, but fewer than 50,000 will be trained.

More Survey Findings
The ASCP survey, conducted in part to recognize National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week (April 24-30, 2011), also reports that 74 percent of adults in the U.S. believe that at least 50 percent of doctors’ decisions are based on lab tests; 84 percent recognize that lab tests are conducted by laboratory professionals; 57 percent expect to get routine test results within a week or more and 41 percent expect them in a day or less, and 63 percent expect the results of biopsies that test for serious disease should be received within a day or less and 37 percent expect to wait a week or more.

[The ASCP consumer survey was conducted March 10-13, 2011, by Opinion Research Corp., Princeton, N.J.  More than 1,000 male and female adults over the age of 18 were randomly selected to participate in a telephone survey that focused on knowledge of the medical laboratory profession and lab results.]

Waiting for Lab Test Results? The Saturday Evening Post

1. Get a Pedometer

You’d be amazed to see how many extra steps you can take in one day — grab a pedometer and watch the numbers roll as you make simple changes for your health and take the stairs, walk to work, or stroll around the neighborhood to increase your physical activity for better heart health. Tracking your progress throughout the day can be great inspiration to keep going, and walking is a simple and easy type of exercise to help lower cholesterol.

2. Find an Exercise Buddy

A healthy lifestyle requires motivation, encouragement, and a friend to lean on. Grab an exercise buddy and support each other in the challenge to lower your cholesterol. Take long walks together and encourage each other to try new types of physical activity to get the heart pumping and to keep cholesterol levels down. Enjoy each other’s company and laugh — reduced levels of stress will help your heart, too.

3. Steer Clear of Hidden Fats and Sugars

Be an informed eater. Get to know your ingredients and read the nutrition labels thoroughly. Hidden sugars and unhealthy ingredients can increase your weight, which can lead to high cholesterol. Stay away from foods that contain high levels of saturated fat, cholesterol, and hidden sources of sugar such as high fructose corn syrup, some dextrins, or evaporated cane juice.

4. Say Psyllium, Please

One of the simplest tips is to get more fiber in your diet. Viscous soluble fiber like psyllium fiber, the natural dietary fiber found in Metamucil, is proven to help lower total and “lousy” LDL cholesterol because it forms a thick gel that traps and helps remove some cholesterol, bile acids, and waste in the gut. Most Americans only get 10 to 15 grams of fiber per day through their normal diet, versus the recommended 20 to 35 grams. This is why I recommend my patients supplement low fat, low cholesterol diets with 7 grams of soluble fiber from psyllium daily, as in Metamucil.

5. Add Healthy Fat, Too

DHA is short for docosahexaenoic acid, a polyunsaturated fatty acid. Regular intake of DHA can aid in proper heart function, help lower LDL, and raise HDL, or the “healthy” cholesterol. Popular sources of DHA are salmon, sardines, tuna — but if you aren’t a seafood fan, try fish oil supplements. Don’t like fishy taste? Get the healthy fat from vegetarian supplements made with algal DHA.

Heart Healthy Living The Saturday Evening Post

Joy Bauer, nutrition and diet expert for the TODAY show on NBC, says the food industry is “really starting to feel the pressure to make changes.” In Bauer’s opinion, the biggest menu myth is that it’s impossible to make healthy choices when eating out. “It’s not where you eat, it’s what you eat,” says the nutritionist. The challenge is overcoming the temptation to order high-fat fare. And expanded menu options are there to help, with color-coded dietary selections or a key bank of symbols used to indicate if an item is gluten-free (GF), vegetarian, heart-healthy, low-fat, or low-carb. Many even include a specific section for special diets, such as the Applebee’s “under 550 calories” choices, or Bob Evans’ “Fit from the Farm” menus. Don’t be shy when it comes to customizing your order in the name of health, either. Restaurants such as Cracker Barrel, for example, offer a “Tasty Alternatives” menu, including Egg Beaters, turkey sausage, sugar-free syrup, Promise Spread, and low-sugar fruit spread.

Seniors can also take advantage of the expanded menus at most casual dining restaurants. Denny’s, for instance, has a special 55-plus menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner—offering modified portions and special discounts. These conveniences are especially important for diners who may eat out once or twice daily.

While most nutrition experts agree the best way to control your diet is to prepare your own meals, it’s not always a practical option, especially as the summer travel season approaches. If you find yourself feeding your family via drive-thru, take note of Bauer’s healthier suggestions on the menu boards this year:

“Taco Bell started heavily marketing its Fresco line, which features lower-calorie, lower-fat options. Burger King revamped their children’s menu, and KFC launched its grilled chicken line,” says Bauer. But beware: Many chain restaurants still compete for the biggest, most over-the-top burger, warns Bauer. “They’re part of the problem, but by offering healthy, convenient meal options, they can be part of the solution.”

• Order a salad with grilled chicken and low-fat dressing or a basic grilled chicken sandwich (hold the mayo; add mustard, salsa, ketchup, or BBQ sauce instead) with a fruit cup or low-fat yogurt.

• Stick with calorie-free drinks such as water, diet soda, or unsweetened ice tea.

• If you’re bent on ordering a burger or fries, order the smallest size available. (A plain hamburger at Burger King has a modest 260 calories—compared to a BK Steakhouse XT burger, which averages 1,000 calories and more than 60 grams of fat.)

• For pizza, opt for thin crust; veggie toppings are a bonus. (One slice of a large cheese pan-crust pizza from Pizza Hut contains 360 calories; the same slice on thin crust, 260 calories.)

• For subs, order a small turkey sandwich piled high with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, hot peppers, and pickles. (Skipping the cheese at Subway can save 60 calories; hold the mayo to save 110 calories; or choose light mayo, which has 50 calories per tablespoon.)

• And don’t fall for the better “value” items—you may get more food for the money, but you pay the price with your waistline and health.
More healthy selections from some of your favorite restaurants can be found at healthydiningfinder.com.

Joy Bauer is author of the No. 1 New York Times bestseller Joy Bauer’s Food Cures (2007) and
 Slim & Scrumptious, released in April 2010. 
For recipes from her new book, visit 
saturdayeveningpost.com/joybauer.

May I Take Your Order? The Saturday Evening Post

Drug Options to Keep Cholesterol in Check The Saturday Evening Post

Barb
North Carolina

Omega-3 Tackles Her Triglycerides The Saturday Evening Post

In your November/December 2008 issue I happened to read that leg and hand spasms could be caused by the cholesterol medicines. I had been having such severe pains that I would have to pull over in traffic because I was afraid to drive with them. I tried eating bananas and all the other things people said would help to no avail.

I showed the article to my doctor who took me off of the cholesterol meds. In the next two weeks, I had the beginnings of spasms, but they never got full-fledged. I am now free of the spasms and am greatly appreciative of that paragraph in From the Pharmacy. A heartfelt thank you!

Johanna

You’re welcome! Thanks for writing. It’s important to keep cholesterol in check so please consider discussing your lipid levels and necessary therapy options with your doctor.

A Heartfelt Thank You The Saturday Evening Post

It is important to keep your cholesterol under control. There are drugs other than Lipitor (atorvastatin) that could be tried if your lipids are elevated. The presence of PAD is easily evaluated with a noninvasive Doppler flow probe placed over the artery. Check with your cardiologist if you are concerned. Usually, patients are symptomatic before we intervene with stents or surgery depending on the particular problem. Elevated lipids contribute to the development of PAD, so be sure to keep your cholesterol low.

Peripheral Artery Disease The Saturday Evening Post

Lipitor and Lescol work in nearly the same way to help decrease cholesterol levels in the body. Taking two medicines with similar mechanisms of action increases the risk of side effects. It is unlikely, however, that the combination caused the health conditions you mentioned. Other cholesterol-lowering drugs work in different ways and are sometimes combined with statin therapy to achieve optimal results. Keep an accurate list of all your prescription and over-the-counter medicines. When a new drug is prescribed, your doctor and pharmacist can review the list to avoid duplicate or possibly harmful therapies.

Keep a List The Saturday Evening Post

On the contrary, statins are routinely taken by people with heart problems to lower elevated lipids. The statin should not affect your pacemaker at all. Simvastatin (Zocor) can be substituted for Lipitor (atorvastatin) as long as you check your lipids to be sure the new drug effectively reduces your cholesterol.

Statins and Heart Health The Saturday Evening Post

Helping Hearts

Given that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the country for both men and women, it’s no surprise that researchers are always looking for better procedures and devices to assist people with heart trouble. From the University of Michigan comes the recently approved HeartMate II, a device that’s implanted in the chest to help a failing heart pump blood and keep patients alive until they can receive a transplanted heart. The new device is smaller—about the size of a D-cell battery —than earlier versions of heart-assisting implants, making it more suitable for people with smaller bodies, like women and adolescents. According to research published in The New England Journal of Medicine, the HeartMate II helped 75 percent of 133 patients stay alive —and improved heart function and quality of life—for at least six months or until a donor heart became available. One patient even recovered to the point where a transplant was no longer needed.

Cool It

Folks in cardiac arrest need to be cooled down —and quickly—to improve their chance of recovery and to avoid brain damage. But how? Methods such as packing unconscious patients in ice can take hours, which makes survival dicey. Now, emergency medical personnel have the Thermosuit, a plastic suit filled with cold water that reduces body temperature in approximately 30 minutes. Survival rates have improved in the hospitals where the Thermosuit is in use; a National Institutes of Health-sponsored trial will soon be underway to test the device further.

Get Your Own Cells

The heart muscle tends to become weaker after a heart attack because it doesn’t regenerate itself well. One day, heart patients may be able to use their own skin cells to repair their hearts, using a new type of stem cells called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS). Like embryonic stem cells, iPS cells have the potential to develop into any type of cell in the body. A team of scientists at University of California, Los Angeles has grown functioning cardiac cells in the lab using cells from mouse skin reprogrammed with iPS cells. Scientists hope that this will lead to heart patients using their own skin cells to create iPS lines that will repair and regenerate.

Suit Smarts

Fabrics are a basic human need. And now, “smart textiles” do more than the ancient functions of protecting us from the environment and making us look good. They can sense certain stimuli and adapt or respond accordingly, explains Tushar K. Ghosh, Ph.D., a textiles professor at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. Among the many purposes are: protective gear for firefighters; garments that monitor patients’ vital signs like blood pressure and temperature; the delivery of drugs; and to serve as antibacterial or artificial skin for people with severe burns. In the works are fibers that mimic human muscle fibers, which hold promise for prosthetics and robotics. Ghosh and his team are researching a “heatingcooling garment, with fibers that get smaller or larger,” he says. “The idea is to create a piece of clothing that can let the wind come through or tune it closed if it gets too windy or cold.”

“No-Stick” Bandages

In the same vein, an electrical engineering researcher at Mississippi State University has developed a “smart” adhesive bandage that can check cholesterol, insulin, and blood chemistry without needles—a boon to people with diabetes who are used to sticking themselves many times per day. The bandage reads people’s biochemistry right through their skin. The inventor, Ray Winton, expects the bandage to be commercially available in one or two years.

Mag-netting Cancer Cells

Magnets: not just for science fair projects anymore! Scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology have found a way to use magnets to catch cancer cells in the bodies of mice with ovarian cancer. They hope that this will be useful in diagnosing or slowing the spread of this deadly cancer in women. The way it may work: A peptide (a protein-like molecule) designed to attach to ovarian cancer cells is fastened to very tiny magnetic particles and injected into the abdomen. The peptides latch on to the cancer cells, and a magnetic filtering device outside the body pulls them out. Other researchers have developed magnetic nanoparticles that show promise for spotting and getting rid of harmful.

Crafty Solutions

Gas prices of late have convinced just about everyone that we need better ways to get around. For Leik Myrabo, Ph.D., an engineer-ing physics professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, one answer is the Lightcraft. “The Light-craft will move goods and people around the planet in more environmentally friendly ways, using power from renewable energy sources, such as the sun or wind,” he explains. The Lightcraft doesn’t carry its own energy or fuel, instead moving by energy beamed to it from remote laser or microwave power plants, either on Earth or in space (hence the name Lightcraft, a hyperenergetic craft flying on a powerful beam of light). That means it can weigh significantly less than conventional vehicles, such as jet planes and rockets with their massive fuel loads. Myrabo has been working on the concept for more than 30 years, but only in the last few years have power-beaming sources become cheap enough to make the Lightcraft feasible. He estimates that in three to five years, his company, Lightcraft Technologies, Inc., will be able to launch something to the edge of space; moving people will follow within a few more years. “This is species-changing technology,” he says, “sustainable global mobility that will enable you to go anywhere on the planet in 45 minutes or to the moon in a few hours.”

The Future of Medicine is Now The Saturday Evening Post

VLDL (very low density lipoprotein) is a type of lipid protein in the blood that contains the highest amount of triglycerides. LDL, or low density lipoprotein, contains the highest amount of cholesterol. VLDL is considered one of the “bad” cholesterols but is difficult to measure, and not done so routinely. Reducing the amount of triglycerides in the blood will reduce the VLDL. Lp(a) is another blood lipoprotein that contains an apo(a) component and, when the concentration is very high, has been associated with an increased incidence of stroke and heart disease.

The Women’s Health Study recently showed that hormone use reduced the concentration of Lp(a). Currently, there are no guidelines recommending intervention based on high Lp(a) levels despite findings from some studies suggesting that lowering Lp(a) might be beneficial. But I don’t think doctors are blasé about it. They simply use other values such as LDL, HDL, and total cholesterol. I also don’t think physicians fuss about small deviations in LDL or sodium levels. I rarely measure LDL more than once a year in a patient unless I have changed their statin dose or drug, and rarely measure sodium unless the patient has renal disease, blood pressure problems, or an endocrine abnormality.

Managing Blood Lipid Levels The Saturday Evening Post

Statin Safety The Saturday Evening Post