Eyeing H1N1 advice

The Most Sensible Advice About H1N1!

How to prevent H1N1 – An eMail forward is reproduced below:


Friends,

Thanks to media hype about H1N1, several people who trust me have either approached or called me to advice. The hype in media about the utility of face masks and N95 respirators as a tool for general protection against H1N1 can't be deplored enough.

Yesterday, a friend who listened wanted me to write down briefly what I advised so that he could tell others in similar words. Hence this short email to friends whom I have advised recently (and others whom I haven't yet).

Please realize that this is not an official advice, especially the one about face masks or N95. Most N95 respirators are designed to filter 95% particulates of 0.3µ, while the size of H1N1 virus is SMALLER- about 0.1µ. Hence, dependence on N95 to protect against H1N1 is like protecting against rain with an umbrella made of mosquito net.


Tamiflu does not kill but prevents H1N1 from further proliferation till the virus limits itself in about 1-2 weeks (its natural cycle). H1N1, like other Influenza A viruses, only infects the upper respiratory tract and proliferates (only) there. The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/ throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible not coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions.

Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.


While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps - not fully highlighted in most official communications - can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):


1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications) .


2. "Hands-off-the- face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat or bathe).


3. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.


4. Similar to 3 above, clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.


5. Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Orange and other citrus fruits). If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.


6. Drink as much of warm liquids as you can. Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

7. All these are simple ways to prevent, within means of most households, and certainly much less painful than to wait in long queues outside public hospitals.

Happy breathing!

Best regards,
Dr.Ashutosh Mundkur

Eyeing the One Malaysia F1 venture

F1 team investment: Publicity benefits outweigh cost by '100 times'

2009/09/17

PUTRAJAYA: The value of advertisement benefits derived from the country's F1 team is 100 times more than the cost of investment for the team, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.

He said it was not a waste of money to invest in the country's F1 team as the advantages, including tourism and technological advancement, always outweighed the disadvantages.

Even when the country was experiencing economic recession and negative growth, Tun Dr Mahathir said, there were industries that could flourish such as tourism.

"We viewed Formula One as an important instrument to promote Malaysia to the world," he said in an interview with Bernama.

He said Malaysia would have to pay US$1 million just for a three-minute advertisement in Japan.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced that the 1Malaysia F1 team would participate in the Formula One race starting next year.

Najib had said that the project was a joint government and private sector initiative with the government investment through Proton, the national car manufacturer.

According to news reports, it is estimated that at least RM1 billion a year is needed to keep the FI team.

"With the F1 race, Malaysia is shown to the world for hours. We don't have to pay a single sen. If we were to calculate the advertisement in Japan alone, it may run into US$100 million or US$200 million.

"So imagine... more than 300 television stations telecast the F1 race. People will know more about Malaysia if we have our own F1 team," Tun Dr Mahathir said.

He said investing in an F1 team was not merely about motor racing as technology developed for the motor racing engine could be applied for the country's automotive industry.

Najib had stated that the 1Malaysia F1 Team car would be designed and made by Malaysians in Malaysia.

Tun Dr Mahathir said that owning a team would also encourage the country to produce its own drivers to take part in the world-class race.

Malaysia has been involved in Formula One since 1999 through the Sepang circuit which has been on the race calendar since then.

Petronas, the national oil and gas giant, has made further advancements in this arena via its sponsorship of the BMW Sauber team for the last four years.

Tun Dr Mahathir, who is also the Petronas advisor, said it was cheaper for Malaysia to set up its own team than taking over the Sauber team after BMW withdrew from sponsoring the team.

"If we (Malaysia) can invest billions of ringgit for corridors which we can't see, why can't we invest for our own F1 team?" he said.

The national F1 team will integrate a Malaysian technical and pit crew totaling some 200 people.

Six local and international drivers have been shortlisted for evaluation and the team will announce its two drivers by the end of next month. - BERNAMA

Eyeing the DAP cafe shop

Rocket United Cafe located at SS2/63. It’s Malaysia 1st Political Cafe by DAP.

Rocket United Restaurant
5-10% of their earnings will go to DAP ??????

Huge Jom Ubah wallpaper
& somehow the “J” reminds me of the Nike, just do it tick.

Also, there’s DAP related books and souvenir for sale.

the menu.

there’s 10 different type of coffee in the menu list.
overall, is just coffee

last page of the menu.

mushroom soup with toast..

brother’s seafood tomyam rice.

a rm3.90 melacca hot coffee

sago with melacca sugar.

Eyeing womens' eyes

"When I made the woman she had to be special.

I made her shoulders strong enough to carry the weight of the world, yet gentle enough to give comfort.

I gave her an inner strength to endure childbirth and the rejection that many times comes from her children.

I gave her a hardness that allows her to keep going when everyone else gives up , and take care of her family through sickness and fatigue without complaining.

I gave her the sensitivity to love her children under any and all circumstances , even when her child has hurt her very badly.

I gave her strength to carry her husband through his faults and fashioned her from his rib to protect his heart.

I gave her wisdom to know that a good husband never hurts his wife , but sometimes tests her strengths and her resolve to stand beside him unfalteringly.

And finally , I gave her a tear to shed. This is hers exclusively to use whenever it is needed."

"You see my son , " said God , "the beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears , the figure that she carries , or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen in her eyes , because that is the doorway to her heart - the place where love resides."

Eyeing the caring BAKTI

Bakti sets aside RM360,000 for disabled

2009/09/15

SUBANG JAYA: The Welfare Association of Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers (Bakti) has allocated RM360,000 to help the disabled this year, Bakti president Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, who is the wife of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, said yesterday.

She also said the association had provided RM10,000 to state welfare bodies for distribution to disabled children in the various states.

"We can all also donate our services to the disabled in terms of manpower, skills, time and ideas instead of cash," she said after presenting Aidilfitri goodies in the annual "Semai Bakti" programme at the Mydin Hypermarket here.

Rosmah said she appreciated the efforts of Mydin Hypermarket and its managing director Datuk Ameer Ali Mydin, for having pooled resources with Bakti in distributing Aidilfitri goodies on four occasions.

Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor helping 6-year-old Muhd Haziq Irfan put on his new baju Melayu after presenting Aidilfitri goodies to the disabled at the Mydin Hypermarket in Subang Jaya. With her are Puan Sri Norainee Abdul Rahman (second from left) and Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali (right). — NST picture by Effendy Rashid.

She said she hoped more corporate organisations as well as young people with high academic qualifications would pool resources with Bakti to help the needy.

"I am grateful that the people have begun to realise the importance of helping the disabled during festive periods by provided aid in various forms, such as money, rice, festival clothing and hosting breaking of fast functions."

Puan Sri Norainee Abdul Rahman, wife of Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, and Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, wife of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, were also present at the function. -- Bernama

Eyeing the PM's Open House on First Day Raya

All Malaysians welcome to PM’s house PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has invited Malaysians from all walks of life to his open house on the first day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, expected to be on Aug 20.

This will be the first time Najib is hosting an open house as prime minister after taking office on April 3 and the event will be held in the Prime Minister’s official residence, Seri Perdana in Precinct 10 here.

A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said Cabinet ministers are also expected to attend the open house, to be held from 11am till 3pm.

To avoid traffic congestion, a feeder bus service will be provided from Putrajaya Sentral and the Putra Mosque square, and buggies are available for the handicapped and senior citizens.

Eyeing some useful signs

By Melanie Haiken, Caring.com Senior Editor

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --
Annual checkups and tests such as colonoscopies and PSA assays are important, but it’s not a good idea to rely on tests alone to protect you from cancer.
It’s just as important to listen to your body and notice anything that’s different, odd, or unexplainable.

(You should also listen to those close to you, such as a wife or partner, because others sometimes notice things we’re unaware of–or don’t want to admit.)
You don’t want to join the ranks of cancer patients who realize too late that symptoms they’d noticed for a long time could have sounded the alarm earlier, when cancer was easier to cure.

1. Upset stomach or stomachache
One of the first signs colon cancer patients remember experiencing when they look back is unexplained stomach aches.
Those with pancreatic cancer describe a dull ache that feels like it’s pressing inward.
Many liver cancer patients say they went in complaining of stomach cramps and upset stomachs so frequently that their doctors thought they had ulcers. Liver cancer patients and those with leukemia can experience abdominal pain resulting from an enlarged spleen, which may feel like an ache on the lower left side...
If you have a stomachache that you can’t attribute to a digestive problem or that doesn’t go away, ask your doctor to order an ultrasound.
Finding a liver or pancreatic tumor early can make all the difference in treatment.

2. Chronic “acid stomach” or feeling full after a small meal

The most common early sign of stomach cancer is pain in the upper or middle abdomen that feels like gas or heartburn. It may be aggravated by eating, so that you feel full when you haven’t actually eaten much. What’s particularly confusing is that the pain can be relieved by antacids, confirming your conclusion that it was caused by acid in the stomach, when it’s more than that.
An unexplained pain or ache in lower right side can be the first sign of liver cancer, known as one of the “silent killers.”
Feeling full after a small meal is a common sign of liver cancer as well.
If you have frequent bouts of acid stomach, an unexplained abdominal ache, or a full feeling after meals even when you’re eating less than normal, call your doctor.

3. Unexplained weight loss
If you notice the pounds coming off and you haven’t made changes to your diet or exercise regime, it’s important to find out why. Unexplained weight loss can be an early sign of colon and other digestive cancers; it can also be a sign of cancer that’s spread to the liver, affecting your appetite and the ability of your body to rid itself of waste.

4. Jaundice
Pancreatic cancer, another one of the “silent killers,” is often discovered when someone notices jaundice and asks the doctor to do a battery of tests. Jaundice is most commonly thought of as a yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, but darker-than- normal urine that’s not the result of dehydration is also a sign. Clay-colored stools are another little-known sign of jaundice. Oddly, jaundice can also cause itching, because the bile salts in the bloodstream cause the skin to itch.
Some people with pancreatic cancer say they noticed the itching before they noticed the jaundice itself.

5. Wheezing or shortness of breath
One of the first signs lung cancer patients remember noticing when they look back is the inability to catch their breath. “ I couldn’t even walk to my car without wheezing; I thought I had asthma, but how come I didn’t have it before ? ”, is how one man described it. Shortness of breath, chest pain, or spitting blood are also signs of testicular cancer that’s spread to the lungs.

6. Chronic cough or chest pain
Several types of cancer, including leukemia and lung tumors, can cause symptoms that mimic a bad cough or bronchitis.
One way to tell the difference: The problems persist, or go away and come back again in a repeating cycle. Some lung cancer patients report chest pain that extends up into the shoulder or down the arm.

7.. Frequent fevers or infections
These can be signs of leukemia, a cancer of the blood cells that starts in the bone marrow. Leukemia causes the marrow to produce abnormal white blood cells, which crowd out healthy white cells, sapping the body’s infection-fighting capabilities. Doctors sometimes catch leukemia in older adults only after the patient has been in a number of times complaining of fever, aches, and flu-like symptoms over an extended period of time.

8. Difficulty swallowing
Most commonly associated with esophageal or throat cancer, having trouble swallowing is sometimes one of the first signs of lung cancer, too. Men diagnosed with esophageal cancer look back and remember a feeling of pressure and soreness when swallowing that didn’t go away the way a cold or flu would have. Consult your doctor also if you have a frequent feeling of needing to clear your throat or that food is stuck in your chest; either of these can signal a narrowing of the esophagus that could mean the presence of a tumor.

9. Chronic heartburn
If you just ate half a pizza, heartburn is expected. But if you have frequent episodes of heartburn or a constant low-level feeling of pain in the chest after eating, call your doctor and ask to be screened for esophageal cancer.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) — a condition in which stomach acid rises into the esophagus, causing heartburn and an acidic taste in the throat — can trigger a condition called Barrett’s esophagus, which can be a precursor of esophageal cancer...

10. Swelling of facial features
Some patients with lung cancer report that they noticed puffiness, swelling, or redness in the face. The explanation for this is that small cell lung tumors commonly block blood vessels in the chest, preventing blood from flowing freely from the head and face.

11. Swollen lymph nodes or lumps on the neck, underarm, or groin
Enlarged lymph nodes indicate changes in the lymphatic system, which can be a sign of cancer. For example, a lump or an enlarged lymph in the neck or underarm is sometimes a sign of thyroid, head, or throat cancer.
A painless lump on the neck, underarm, or groin can be an early sign of leukemia.

12. Excessive bruising or bleeding that doesn’t stop
This symptom usually suggests something abnormal happening with the platelets and red blood cells, which can be a sign of leukemia. One man with leukemia noticed that his gums bled when he brushed his teeth; another described bruising in strange places, such as on his fingers and hands.
The explanation : Over time, leukemia cells crowd out red blood cells and platelets, impairing the blood’s ability to carry oxygen and clot.

13. Weakness and fatigue
“I had to stop halfway across the yard and sit down when I was mowing the lawn,” said one man when describing the fatigue that led to his discovery of pancreatic cancer. Generalized fatigue and weakness is a symptom of so many different kinds of cancer (and other ills) that you’ll need to look at it in combination with other symptoms.
But any time, you feel exhausted without explanation and it doesn’t respond to getting more sleep, talk to your doctor.

14. Rectal bleeding or blood in stool
“I thought it was hemorrhoids” is one of the most common statements doctors hear when diagnosing colorectal cancer.
Blood in the toilet alone is reason to call your doctor and schedule a colonoscopy.
Another sign of blood in the stool many people miss is stools that are darker in color.

15. Bowel problems
Constipation, diarrhea, and changes in stools can all be signs of cancer.
As with many other cancer symptoms, the way to tell if this is cause for concern is if it goes on for more than a few days without a clear cause, such as flu or food poisoning.
People diagnosed with colon cancer say they noticed more frequent stools, as well as a feeling that their bowels were not emptied completely.
One of the early signs of pancreatic cancer is fatty stools, which can be recognized as frequent, large stools that are paler than normal and smelly. This is a sign that your body’s not absorbing your food normally, and it should be brought to your doctor’s attention.

16. Difficulty urinating or changes in flow
Hands-down, the most common early sign of prostate cancer is a feeling of not being able to start peeing once you’re set to go. Many men also report having a hard time stopping the flow of urine, a flow that starts and stops, or a stream that’s weaker than normal. Any of these symptoms is reason to call your doctor for an exam and a screening test for prostate-specific antigen.

17. Pain or burning during urination
This symptom can also indicate a urinary tract infection or sexually transmitted disease, of course, but in any case it warrants an immediate trip to the doctor. This symptom is often combined with the feeling that you need to go more often, particularly at night. These same symptoms can also indicate inflammation or infection in the prostate or benign prostatic hyperplasia, the name for what happens when the prostate grows bigger and blocks the flow of urine. However, you need to get checked out to tell the difference.

18. Blood in urine or semen

Men are often warned about blood in the urine, but they may not realize that blood in semen is also a danger sign for prostate cancer. Blood in the urine or semen isn’t always visible as blood; urine may just be a pink, dark red, or smoky brown color, while blood in the semen may just look like a pinkish streak.

19. Erection problems
As prostate cancer progresses, another very common sign is difficulty getting or sustaining an erection. This can be a difficult subject to talk about, but it’s important to bring it to your doctor’s attention. It could be a sign of sexual dysfunction with another cause, of course, but it’s a reason to have an exam and a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test.

20. Pain, aching, or heaviness in the groin, hips, thighs, or abdomen
One sign of prostate cancer is frequent pain in the hips, upper thighs, or the lowest part of the back. Men with testicular cancer report noticing a heavy, aching feeling low in the belly or abdomen, or in the scrotum or testicles themselves. They sometimes describe it as a feeling of downward pulling or as a generalized ache throughout the groin area.
Prostate cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes often makes itself known as discomfort in the pelvis or swelling in the legs.

21. Testicular swelling or lump
The lumps that indicate testicular cancer are nearly always painless.
It’s also common for a testicle to be enlarged or swollen, but lacking any specific lump that you can see or feel.
Some men report feeling discomfort from the enlargement, but not an outright pain.

22. Unexplained back pain
Back pain can mean all sorts of things, of course — most often pulled muscles or disc problems. But unexplained, persistent back pain can be an early sign of cancer as well, so get it checked out.
Pain in the lower back and hips can be a sign of prostate cancer, while pain in the upper back can signal lung cancer.
A pain in the upper abdomen and back is one of the few early signs of pancreatic cancer.

23. Scaly or painful nipple or chest, nipple discharge
Men do get breast cancer; they also get a condition called gynecomastia, which is a benign lump in the breast area. Breast cancer is usually detected as a lump, but if it’s spreading inward it can also cause chest pain.
Other signs of breast cancer include patches of red, scaly, or dimpled skin or changes to the nipple such as turning inward or leaking fluid.
Bring any lump, swelling, or skin or nipple problem, or any chest pain, to your doctor's attention.

24. A sore or skin lump that doesn’t heal, becomes crusty, or bleeds easily
Most of us know how to watch moles for changes that might indicate skin cancer.
But other signs, such as small waxy lumps or dry scaly patches, are easier to miss.
Familiarize yourself with the different types of skin cancer — melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma — and be vigilant about checking skin all over the body for odd-looking growths or spots.

25. Changes in nails
Unexplained changes to the fingernails can be a sign of several types of cancer.
A brown or black streak or dot under the nail can indicate skin cancer .
A newly discovered “clubbing,” which means enlargement of the ends of the fingers, with nails that curve down over the tips, can be a sign of lung cancer.
Pale or white nails can be an indication that your liver is not functioning properly, sometimes a sign of liver cancer.

Eyeing Cholesterol levels

Dr. Malcolm Kendrick M.D. looks at Cholesterol

by Dr. Malcom Kendrick M.D.

As a Scotsman of a certain age, I have always found heart disease fascinating. This is possibly because of the fact that, in my youth, Scotland had the highest rate of death from heart disease (by which I mean coronary artery disease/ atherosclerosis) in the world.

When I went to medical school I was told that the very high rate of heart disease in Scotland was caused by a diet containing far too much saturated fat. This raised our Scottish cholesterol levels. The excess cholesterol was, in turn, deposited in the artery walls, thus narrowing them to the point where they blocked up - causing angina, heart attacks and death.

The answer, therefore, to preventing heart disease was to eat less saturated fat, thus lowering cholesterol levels. Or, if you couldn't get people to eat less fat, then simply lower cholesterol level with drugs. It all seemed very simple and exceedingly straightfoward. Why look anywhere else, when the answer was clear.

For years I did not question this orthodoxy. Then, one day, I was on holiday in France. Whilst chewing on a fatty steak, dripping in butter, it suddenly struck me that the French ate rather a lot of saturated fat. As I peered through the smoke filled restaurant I also recognised that they smoked quite a bit too. However, their rate of heart disease was one tenth that of Scotland (age and sex-matched)

I then looked at the other classic ‘risk factors' for heart disease in France e.g. blood pressure, HDL ‘good cholesterol' levels, body mass index (BMI), amount of exercise taken. I found that, in comparison to the Scots, the French ate significantly more saturated fat, had the same cholesterol levels, the same blood pressure and the same HDL ‘good cholesterol' levels. They also had the same average BMI and took slightly less exercise (on average). They smoked considerably more. In short, much worse classical ‘risk factors,' one tenth the rate of heart disease.

I was not the only person to notice this. Another Scots doctor, Hugh Tunstall-Pedoe also noted that - according to their risk factors - the French ought to have significantly more heart disease than the Scots. Rather than the actual figure of ten times less. He termed this anomaly the ‘French paradox', and set out to explain it. Or, to be more accurate, he set out to explain it away. It is clear that he had no interest, whatsoever, in attacking the status quo. The world famous ‘experts' all knew what caused heart disease, and he wasn't going to rock the boat. No way. Professorships are not handed out to mavericks.

So, the soon to be Professor, Hugh Tunstall-Pedoe looked at the French, and their diet, and came to the conclusion that the French were protected against heart disease by their high consumption of garlic, red-wine and lightly cooked vegetables (full of anti-oxidants, don't you know). Very soon after this, it became a ‘fact' that these three factors were protective against heart disease.

One slight problem is that there never was, and still is not, the slightest evidence that any of these three factors provides any protection. I write this in the certain knowledge that many of you are absolutely convinced that garlic, red-wine and anti-oxidants truly are protective, and that many studies have proved it. To which I would say..... ‘show me the studies'. [Do not rely on such statements as ‘it is widely accepted that.' These statements mean nothing].

In fact, I have since discovered that the entire field of heart disease research is packed full of facts that do not (when you start looking properly) exist. Female sex hormones protect against heart disease. For many years this 'fact' was just known to be true. One slight problem. There never was any evidence to support it. Unlike most ‘facts' in heart disease, it was spectacularly disproved.

To give another example of facts that aren't true. Namely, that saturated fat intake raises cholesterol levels. The Framingham study, the longest lasting, most respected study into the causes of heart disease (started in 1948) reported that ‘In Framingham, Massachusetts, the more saturated fat one ate, the more cholesterol one ate, the more calories one ate, the lower people's serum cholesterol.' Dr William Castelli - director of the Framingham study at the time - 1992.

What was the effect of such a startling finding. Absolutely nothing at all. Complete silence. To quote Winston Churchill: 'Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened.' How true.

More recently, a major eight year long interventional study on fifty thousand women (the Woman's Health Intervention) found that a 25% reduction in saturated fat intake had no effect on LDL ‘bad cholesterol' levels, or heart disease rates. [One of many studies that have shown the same thing].

Commenting on this study, the director of the National Heart Lung and blood Institute stated that: ‘The results of this study do not change established recommendations. Women should work with their doctors to reduce their risks for heart disease including following a diet low in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol.' Never let the facts get in the way of a good recommendation, I say.

The cholesterol hypothesis is, perhaps, the greatest ever example of a medical hypothesis that has become too powerful to die. Too many vested interests are intertwined with it. World famous experts would look incredibly stupid if the hypothesis were to be accepted to be wrong. An entire industry of cholesterol lowering would fall apart. Hundreds of billions of dollars of statin sales are at stake. Worse, much worse, the medical profession would end up with a few million eggs on its face. Perish the thought. Much better that millions die, surely.

In fact, I have come to realize that there is, literally, no evidence that can dent the cholesterol hypothesis. Believe me, I have had a good go. For example, here is another quote from the Framingham study on the impact of cholesterol levels themselves. There is a direct association between falling cholesterol levels over the first 14 years of the study and mortality over the following 18 years. 11% overall and 14% CVD death rate increase per 1mg/dl per year drop in cholesterol levels

In short, once your cholesterol level starts to fall, you are much more likely to die from heart disease. A 150% increase in relative risk for every 10 % fall, approximately. Add this to another very big study of the elderly, published in the Lancet: Our data accord with previous findings of increased mortality in elderly people with low serum cholesterol levels, and show that long term persistence of low cholesterol concentration actually increases the risk of death. Thus, the earlier that patients start to have lower cholesterol concentrations the greater the risk of death.

The effect of this study on the cardiovascular research community was.....as you would expect...nothing at all. A deafening silence. Cholesterol continues to be demonised as the terror, killer substance. Statins are pushed more and more widely to lower cholesterol levels even further. When I tell people that the higher their cholesterol level they longer they will live, they look at me in a way that suggests they believe that my medication is clearly not working.

Now that I know that cholesterol has nothing to do with heart disease, and that lowering it with statins is a complete waste of time, I find myself in the position of the little boy who points out that the Emperor has no Clothes. With one rather important difference.

Even though the ‘experts' have been made aware of it many times, they care not that this particular emperor has no clothes. Or, to be more accurate, they cannot and will not allow themselves to accept that it might be true. For to accept this would be far too humiliating for the great and the good. Which, I suppose, is why people become so enraged when anyone dares to point out the truth.

It is a slight comfort to know that in fifty years (hopefully many fewer than this), people will look back at cholesterol lowering and say ‘You did WHAT?' Were you MAD? Don't you know that cholesterol is absolutely vital for human health? Didn't you realise that blocking cholesterol synthesis would directly lead to nerve cell damage, muscle destruction, liver obliteration and cancer?

‘My God, you presided over the greatest iatrogenic medical disaster ever.' I, of course, will probably be dead by then. But at least I will not have poisoned my metabolism with statins.

Dr. Malcolm Kendrick (MbChB MRCGP) M.D.
Dr. Kendrick has worked in family practice for almost twenty years.
He has specialized in heart disease and set up the on-line educational website for the European Society of Cardiology.
He is a peer-reviewer for the British Medical Journal. He is a member of the International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics (THINCS) as he does not believe that a high cholesterol level causes heart disease.