Statin the unobvious

Scientific understanding of diet and cholesterol effects continues to change (“How low should we go?”, February 9). Thus we have many authorities claiming that cholesterol levels influence mortality rates, whereas the rest say “we’re not sure”.

The more the experts attempt to explore the causes of death, the more complicated it gets. Research shows that most of us are going to die from a heart attack, stroke or cancer. But having family who lived to a ripe old age is a significant contributing factor, and being Italian or Japanese helps as well.

The best medicine for living to a ripe old age is genetics and lifestyle. James Reardon (Waiuku) Recommendations such as increased screening for cholesterol and lower thresholds for the prescription of a lifetime of medication exude the chemical stench of Big Pharma. Imagine if they could get governments to screen everyone for everything from birth … the untapped potential of this market.

I cannot help but see a dark connection starting with growing food with the help of pesticides, herbicides and growth enhancers, then adding emulsifiers, preservatives, artificial flavours, minerals and vitamins to nutritionally poor processed foods. A lifetime of eating such foods leads to illness, and calls for treatment with yet another group of chemicals called medicines. Isabel Pasch (Auckland)