Atherosclerosis
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Everything you need to know about the current cholesterol guidelines
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL CHOLESTEROL EDUCATION MONTH Several years ago, we all awoke to a sea-change in the way mainstream medicine approaches the prescribing of cholesterol drugs. It caught many of the “worried well” by surprise. Even most doctors were blind-sided….read more
Categories: Atherosclerosis
Ask Leyla: What does my elevated LDL say about my heart risk?
By Leyla Muedin MS, RD, CDN
Q: I am a 71-year young man in excellent condition. At my last physical, my HDL was 63, triglycerides 55, and LDL is 173. I’ve been told this is on the high side for LDL. How do I reduce my…read more
Categories: Atherosclerosis
Does this statin make me look fat?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
It’s been conclusively demonstrated that people who take cholesterol-lowering statin drugs—especially women—are more prone to Type 2 diabetes, the kind associated with being overweight. So much so that the FDA issued a black box warning saying that statin drugs could…read more
Categories: Atherosclerosis
Help! Should I be concerned about my high HDL level?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Q: In a recent segment, you discussed the possibility of HDL being too high, and the “high” figure you mentioned was anything over 60-80. My last blood work showed an HDL level of 133, and a total cholesterol figure of…read more
Categories: Atherosclerosis
Is your Coumadin killing you? (The remarkable potential of vitamin K to stop arterial calcification)
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
I recently had the pleasure of attending a phenomenal lecture at the Integrative Healthcare Symposium (IHS) co-presented by Drs. Jeffrey Bland and Leon Schurgers. Dr. Bland is widely acknowledged as the “Godfather of Functional Medicine”; Dr. Schurgers is a Dutch…read more
Categories: Atherosclerosis
American Heart Association doubles down on outmoded saturated fat recommendations
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Are you suffering from health news whiplash? It seems lately that all the news has been about the how saturated fats have been exonerated—studies show that meat and high fat dairy contribute negligibly or not at all to the risk…read more
Categories: Atherosclerosis
Bergamot: A promising new cardio-protective nutraceutical
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Bergamot is a relative newcomer to the supplement industry. I’ve heard of its heart benefits, and I’ve been evaluating it for a couple of years. I’m an early adopter, but I perform my due diligence before jumping on board with…read more
Categories: Atherosclerosis
Paint-by-numbers medicine (part one)
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Remember when we were kids and they had those “paint-by-numbers” kits for sale at the Five & Dime store? OK, perhaps that dates me! The pitch was “You, too, can be a Great Master! Just follow the easy color-coded directions.”…read more
Categories: Atherosclerosis
13 tests your doctor is not likely to offer, but you should ask for anyway
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
The routine physical, an annual ritual, has recently come under fire—deservedly so. The screening chest X-ray, except in smokers or those with respiratory complaints—useless. The ECG—mostly a waste of time, unless there are specific heart-related complaints. Standard blood tests like…read more
Categories: Atherosclerosis
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Though we think of declining estrogen as the hallmark of menopause, it's actually common for…
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Up to 12 percent of Americans have ulcers at some point in life. Peptic ulcers…
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Gallbladder disease is a modern illness. An estimated 20 million Americans have gallbladder disease. The…
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Q: My mother is otherwise healthy, takes no medications and walks daily for exercise, but she…
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More mask misdirection (and some possible clarity): I’m finally getting a handle on this mask…
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We are living in unprecedented and unpredictable times. It seems every day brings new recommendations…