Rating: 
Summary: Well explained strategy and direction.
Review: After a family member received a bad diagnosis from his doctor we were in the uneviable position of getting his blood pressure and cholesterol down....and fast. We sifted through dozens of books at the library and found this one. It clearly and concisely explains what has to be done (and not done) to reduce cholesterol and get a healthly heart. And it works.
Rating:
Summary: Get it, read it, do it... it works!
Review: After a routine physical, my doctor reported that my triglycerides were at 508 and total cholesterol was at 220. I was given 2 months to get the numbers down or go on prescription medication.This was the first book my wife checked out at the local library. I read it and followed the guidelines on "eating habit modification" (I don't like the word "diet"). I cut out all deep-fried foods, started walking with hand weights at least 3 times a week and started taking 500mg of Niacin daily. After 8 weeks my lipid profile reflected the results: total cholesterol went to 151 from 220; triglycerides went to 146 from 508. My doctor set the target triglyceride target at 150 to stay off medication. The other "side" benefit was that I was able to shelve my Ranitidine prescription (heartburn medicine) which I took daily... sometimes twice daily. Hence, my recommendation to get it, read it and DO IT!
Rating:
Summary: Get it, read it, do it... it works!
Review: After a routine physical, my doctor reported that my triglycerides were at 508 and total cholesterol was at 220. I was given 2 months to get the numbers down or go on prescription medication. This was the first book my wife checked out at the local library. I read it and followed the guidelines on "eating habit modification" (I don't like the word "diet"). I cut out all deep-fried foods, started walking with hand weights at least 3 times a week and started taking 500mg of Niacin daily. After 8 weeks my lipid profile reflected the results: total cholesterol went to 151 from 220; triglycerides went to 146 from 508. My doctor set the target triglyceride target at 150 to stay off medication. The other "side" benefit was that I was able to shelve my Ranitidine prescription (heartburn medicine) which I took daily... sometimes twice daily. Hence, my recommendation to get it, read it and DO IT!
Rating:
Summary: Thanks Kowalski. I am getting an education.
Review: Been telling everyone about the book.
Lots of information and easy to understand.
Never thought a cholesterol book would be
an enjoyable read. He even makes you want to
get healthy despite the sacrifices.
Rating:
Summary: Invaluable, essential and fun to read
Review: Being the same age as the author when he had his first heart attack provided true motivation to follow his advice after getting my test results. After having prescribed Lipitor, my doctor was amazed to learn that I had successfully improved my profiles by 30% and lost 25lbs - by diet alone (without the need for the drugs)! I continue my efforts to add a regular excercise regimen to my program, but even changing my eating habits according to his recommendations has made quite an impact.
Rating:
Summary: Lost 25 lbs and improved lipid profile by 30%
Review: Being the same age as the author when he had his first heart attack provided true motivation to follow his advice after getting my test results. After having prescribed Lipitor, my doctor was amazed to learn that I had successfully improved my profiles by 30% and lost 25lbs - by diet alone (without the need for the drugs)! I continue my efforts to add a regular excercise regimen to my program, but even changing my eating habits according to his recommendations has made quite an impact.
Rating:
Summary: The New 8-Week Cholesterol Cure
Review: For me, this book was a great read. It is full of important info...most of all...useable info. I want to control my cholesterol. I also would like to get off the prescribed medication and control things more naturally. The recomendations for supplements and diet are supported by research. I will consult my doctor and use as appropriate for my situation. The receipes are good and simple. This is a great starting point for me. The book is well written and worth a look.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Results as promised
Review: I lowered my cholesteral 38 points with this book! It's full of good information (and the miracle muffins are yummy). It's more of an adjustment to the way you eat than a "diet" book so don't be intimidated. You can even enjoy holiday meals with some minor tweaking. A great gift for anyone you know who's struggling with this problem.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Results as promised
Review: I lowered my cholesteral 38 points with this book! It's full of good information (and the miracle muffins are yummy). It's more of an adjustment to the way you eat than a "diet" book so don't be intimidated. You can even enjoy holiday meals with some minor tweaking. A great gift for anyone you know who's struggling with this problem.
Rating: 
Summary: Friendly, practical advice
Review: I've been reading a lot lately about heart disease, and "The New 8-Week Cholesterol Cure" gives a complete run down of how to care for your heart (against cholesterol) and tells you why you're doing it. It also tells you what not to do, either because it's bad for you or because some other advice you may have received is a wive's tale. In plain, friendly language, Kowalski tells us what causes problems with the heart and how to find out if you're in trouble by asking for certain tests. He explains what these tests mean and what is considered normal/risky/dangerous. And, of course, he tells us what to do. There is much more to it than eating low fat, Kowalski explains. He tells you what fats you should be eating and what fats not to. He gives other very specific recommendations on what to eat, supplements, and exercise. All of these recommendations are backed up with medical research studies or explanations of why it works. Kowalski gives encouraging statistics and benchmarks on how much people in the past have improved by following certain recommendations. In my recent flurry of reading up on heart disease, much of what Kowalski has to say is in line with the latest research. There are even a few tips that I hadn't read about before, like a cholesterol-blocking plant sterol and, for those who want beef, special breeds of cattle that produce very low fat beef that is still tender. Kowalski even makes short recommendations on mental factors that can be heart harmful. The one pitfall in this book (and the reason why I didn't give it five stars) is the diet recommendations for weight loss. In a rare departure from the rest of the book, I don't think Kowalski supports this chapter is very well by citing medical research or scientific fact. Kowalski recommends a low-carb diet (40 grams or less) and very low calories (850). Forty grams of carbs is about 1-1/2 pieces of bread, and most nutritionists say that eating under 1,200 calories a day puts your body in starvation mode, in which your body slows down metabolism because it thinks you got stranded in the middle of the desert. Carbs are necessary to give energy to your brain. Putting your body in starvation mode means that the body will try and get energy from your muscles, meaning that if you gain weight later you'll have a larger proportion of fat to muscle. While I don't think all low-carb diets are dangerous (carbs, in my opinion, do need to be judiciously controlled), 40 grams a day and 850 calories is a bit extreme. I wouldn't follow the recommendations in this chapter. However, I wouldn't let this prevent you from buying the book. The rest of "The New 8-Week Cholesterol Cure" is full of wonderful advice to keep the cholesterol monster away.
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