Cholesterol, Alcohol, Heart and Brain

I NEITHER ENDORSE NOR OBJECT TO THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS BLOG. THEY ARE SIMPLY COLLECTED AT ONE PLACE

Disclaimer : All the postings of mine in this Blog are only my  collection. MY ALL EFFORT IS COPY PASTE ONLY. Most of them are received in my email inbox, Some are downloaded from internet posted by some one else. I am just saving some time of readers to get them readily available. So none of these are my own creation. I believe I am not violating any copy rights law or taking any illegal action am not supposed to do.If anything is  objectionable, please notify so that they can be removed.
---------------------
This is 100th post on this blog and it is on Cholesterol again.
A lot has been already written about cholesterol on earlier posts. A recent report supposed to be from Harward Medical School and another from a newspaper is given below. Some comments on this subject are also given below.

These pieces of info on cholesterol should be taken with due attention given to the commercial interest whch these info promote.  You may know that all cholesterol reducing drugs are highly priced.  The Western medical science is still silent on their side effects as they are drugs for long term use as per the profession.

 Compared to other races,Indian race has genetic disadvantage with regard to high cholesterol as well as developing CHD as arteries are relatively narrower. Accordingly Indians have to be more careful.
Doctors in India prescribe statins to bring down cholesterol levels when measures like diet control, exercise, reduction in stress and no-smoking fail.
Like any other allopathic medicine(antibiotics, painkillers, even multivitamins etc.),statins have side effects but one has to consider cost benefit.
---------------------------------------

Focus on Cholesterol ....

 (Stated to be from Harward Medical School)

Could heart-healthy HDL cholesterol also be good for the brain?

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is the "good" cholesterol particle. Under the right conditions, HDL scoops up cholesterol from the bloodstream and brings it to the liver, where it gets broken down. That's why having high levels of HDL cholesterol is a good thing.
But wait, there's more! Studies suggest that HDL may stop inflammation, prevent blood clots from forming, and prevent other heart-harmful events in the body.
And there is now evidence that HDL might be good for the brain, too. A small but growing number of studies suggest that high levels of HDL might decrease the risks for stroke and dementia. For example, a re-analysis of data from the Vitamin Intervention for Stroke Prevention study showed that people with high HDL levels were more likely to fully recover from a mild or moderate stroke. Other studies have found that high HDL lowers people's chances of having certain kinds of strokes. And there's some interest in experimenting with HDL levels to treat strokes.

HDL and dementia

Studies have identified an association between low HDL levels and dementia. Of course, that does not mean that low HDL levels cause dementia. Still, there is some evidence that HDL may hinder the development of beta-amyloid plaques. These plaques, many experts believe, are a primary cause of Alzheimer's disease.
How to raise HDL levels
Here are a few ways to increase your HDL levels. First we'll talk about lifestyle choices, then medications.
Five lifestyle choices that boost HDL

    Exercising

    Drinking moderate amounts of alcohol. That means one drink a day if you're a woman, and one to two if you're a man. And only drink alcohol if you can do so safely and responsibly.
    Losing weight, if you're overweight.
    Avoiding trans fats. If you see "partially hydrogenated oil" on a food's ingredient list, then it has some level of trans fats. Processed foods and fried foods from restaurants tend to be the biggest sources of trans fats.
    Eating a diet high in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products can increase HDL levels. Mediterranean-style diets (large amounts of olive oil, whole grains, fruit, and vegetables) are also HDL boosters.

Four medications that can boost HDL

    Niacin. In large doses (1 to 2 grams per day), niacin can increase HDL by 20% to 30%. One problem with niacin is that it can cause flushing, a sudden reddening of the skin that can be very uncomfortable. Taking aspirin 30 minutes or so before niacin can prevent flushing.
    Fibrates (clofibrate, fenofibrate, gemfibrozil). These medications lower triglycerides and raise HDL, making them a good choice if you have high triglycerides (200 to 499 mg/dL) as well as low HDL (40 mg/dL or lower). Side effects are a worry: taking both a fibrate and a statin increases the risk of muscle weakness. Fenofibrate (Antara, Tricor, other brands) is the best fibrate to take with a statin.
    Statins. These drugs are most often prescribed to lower "bad" LDL cholesterol, but they also increase HDL. However, the effect on HDL varies with the statin and is most pronounced at high doses. Rosuvastatin (Crestor) seems to be more effective at boosting HDL than simvastatin (Zocor), and simvastatin may be more effective than atorvastatin (Lipitor).
    Statin-niacin combinations. These have been shown to increase HDL by 18% to 21%. Muscle weakness can be a problem with statins, but adding niacin to a statin doesn't seem to increase this risk. One combination pill, Advicor (niacin and lovastatin), is already on the market.