These statin drugs are a huge problem for so many people. There's a lot that can be done though, using other methods. Have you done any reason on food science or the natural soy peptide that has had so many clinical trials for cholesterol reduction (as well as other health benefits)? There is a supplement that has been reducing cholesterol for years, but research has helped to identify that key ingredient, which is a soy peptide. This peptide is usually removed and actually discarded during the processing of standard soy products, so like most processed foods, the benefits are removed before the food hits the store shelves. But in non-GMO soy, the peptide can be concentrated and taken by itself if it's mechanically extracted from the soybean (vs. chemically removed, as in most food processing). The most recent trials have shown that a combination of the original supplement that contains this peptide as one ingredient (taken instead of standard vitamins or multi-vitamins or mineral supplements) and with additional peptide added, can reduce cholesterol at astounding rates. Because it's metabolized as food, the body can take as much of it as the person wants - there's no overdosing possible. One of my many colleagues was very healthy his whole life, is a sports professional, exercises regularly, etc. He brought his cholesterol down over 100 points with the supplement before the peptide was isolated. By adding additional peptide (in a vegetable-based capsule), he brought it down another 50 or 60 points. And that was without making any changes in his diet or exercise regimen. I've been to conferences and seminars and have met a number of people who have had similar or even greater reductions.
We've seen cholesterol reductions of hundreds of points in a few months, with no side effects. If you want some links on this, I can suggest some websites and give you more info. There is also some new information from heart surgeons about how the low-fat, "low cholesterol" diets have done little but produce another generation of heavier, sicker people with more heart disease. So it's not clear that we've done ourselves any favors - there have been articles published, and Dr. Oz had a segment just within the last few months in which he said that he, as a heart surgeon, may have been telling patients the wrong things all along.
The paleo diet has come under criticism because it's really not based on what our prehistoric ancestors ate - yes, it's heavy on meats and vegetables and fruits, but those items (particularly the meats) are not the same as what they were tens of thousands of years ago. Our meat is not free-range, it's largely from corn-fed animals, for example. Even the free range animals are exposed to things the ancient animals were not. The main advantage to free range eating seems to be that the person avoids processed foods. It's not an easy diet to stay with, and even so, I'm not sure he's going to get a 200 point reduction.
