The number of people taking statin medications has soared by 50% in just the last 15 years. Today, nearly a third of Americans over 40 are taking one or more of these cholesterol-lowering drugs.1
What effect has that had on reducing cardiovascular disease in America?
Absolutely none, according to new research.
A recent UCLA study finds that over the last 25 years, despite Americans loading up on statins, the nation’s heart health has gone from bad…to worse.2
Researchers tracked the cardiovascular health of more than 41,000 American adults for 25 years. The data was drawn from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys conducted between 1988 and 2014.
Participants had no history of heart disease at the beginning of the study.
The study broke down heart health by ethnicity and age… And at first glance, the researchers believed that their data offered some good news. A long-standing gap in heart health between white and black Americans had narrowed.
But when they looked closer, they discovered it wasn’t because black Americans had improved. It was because white Americans had gotten worse.
The numbers were particularly bad among young people between 25 and 44. A growing number of young Americans were getting heart disease and having heart attacks.
How Bad Is America’s Heart Health Decline?
The study found that during the 25-year study:3
- The number of white Americans with good heart health fell by 15.3% among those 25 to 44. For seniors, 4.6% fewer had good heart health.
- African Americans also did worse. About 3% fewer had good heart health among those 25 to 44. Among black seniors, 0.3% fewer had good heart health.
- Mexican Americans with good heart health fell by 8.6% among those 25-44. Among Mexican American seniors, 2.6% fewer had good heart health.
The study showed that the overall percentage of Americans with poor heart health is at all-time highs among a wide range of ethnic groups…
About 60% of whites, 85% of blacks, and 75% of Mexican Americans over 25 have subpar heart health.
The study recently was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.4
Statins Don’t Work—and Can Hasten Your Death
Big Pharma relentlessly pushes statins on the American public. They spend $5 billion a year on advertising, $3.5 billion on payments to doctors, and $350 million lobbying politicians.5
The most common statin drugs are Lipitor, Crestor, Zocor, Lescol, Mevacor, Altoprev, Pravachol, and Livalo. They are supposed to help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.
But a study last year showed that the drugs can lead to premature death…from heart disease.
Researchers from the New York University School of Medicine found that seniors with high blood pressure who were taking statins had up to a 30% greater chance of dying from a heart attack than those not taking statins.6
Researchers from the University of Queensland in Australia found that women face a 33% higher chance of developing Type 2 diabetes after age 75 if they had been prescribed statins for five or more years.7
And if they were on a high dose of the drugs, the risk rose to more than 50%.
Statins also are linked to memory loss and Alzheimer’s.
Heart Health…Without Dangerous Statins
There are safe, natural drug-free alternatives to improve your cardiovascular health:8
- Dump simple carbs and grains. They raise blood sugar, which releases insulin into your system. This leads to inflammation and heart disease. Stay away from sugar, bread, and pasta.
- Avoid these oils. Corn…canola…vegetable…soybean. They all contain large amounts of omega-6 fatty acids that wreak havoc on the coronary system. Replace these with heart-healthy alternatives like organic extra virgin olive and coconut oil.
- Add antioxidants. Dark chocolate and red wine are loaded with them. Some of the best antioxidant sources include tart organic berries and leafy green vegetables. Tomatoes are great for cardiovascular health, too.
What’s the best exercise for your heart?
For years, we’ve been recommending high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Study after study has shown that it can reverse poor cardiovascular health. HIIT improves heart function, increases elasticity of the arteries and heart, and boosts cardiovascular oxygen intake.
The basic formula for HIIT is simple. Warm up for three to five minutes…then go hard for the next minute, longer if you can. Then slow to catch your breath for the next minute or two. Repeat this process five to seven times. Cool down for at least two minutes.
You can apply the HIIT principal to just about any type of cardio exercise. A treadmill, bike, elliptical machine, stair climber, rowing machine, and swimming all work well.
Editor’s Note: Some brave doctors are finally telling the truth about what really causes—and treats—heart disease. Like the natural supplement a Mayo Clinic professor prescribes to all his heart patients…and the nutrient from fruit that has been shown to lower cholesterol safer than a well-known prescription drug.
Discover all the details HERE.
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References:
1 htttps://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db177.pdf
2 https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-03-majority-adults-poor-heart-health.html
3 http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/cardiovascular-health-disparities-between-whites-and-minorities-narrow-study-shows
4 http://annals.org/aim/article-abstract/2675356/trends-racial-ethnic-nativity-disparities-cardiovascular-health-among-adults-without
5 https://www.michaelwest.com.au/big-pharma-give-us-data-well-give-unvarnished-truth/
6 https://www.institutefornaturalhealing.com/2017/06/seniors-without-heart-disease-shouldnt-take-statins-study-finds/
7 https://www.institutefornaturalhealing.com/2017/04/new-statin-danger-revealed/
8 https://www.institutefornaturalhealing.com/2017/06/seniors-without-heart-disease-shouldnt-take-statins-study-finds/