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Health & Fitness

Leaving Lipitor – Can Dietary Changes Lower Cholesterol?

Learn how 68 year old Yates Dowell changed his lifestyle to successfully lower his cholesterol, and discover steps YOU can take, without medication!

, part 2 of 2

Meet Yates Dowell. At 68 years young, he enjoys a regular workout regimen at the Mount Vernon Athletic Club, sails competitively, rakes his leaves and completes other household chores with the mindset of someone 40 years his junior. But, Yates is genetically disposed to high cholesterol, his father and more recently his brother suffering from heart attacks. His doctor prescribed Lipitor due to his family history and his high reading of 257 just two years ago. Presently, his cholesterol is 162, with his LDL at 97, and he is no longer taking medication. Yates healed himself through a radical change in diet.

A lawyer by trade, Yates’s inquisitive mind led him on a journey to find out more about his condition and the drug he was taking. He began to educate himself, discovering that the side effects of Lipitor can hurt the liver and damage the muscles, among other risks. He began looking for alternative ways to combat this problem and found that lifestyles changes, such as the ones suggested by Dr. Ornish’s Spectrum or by Dr. Arnot’s diet plan of several small meals a day, intrigued him. However, the method that made the biggest impact on his life was developed by Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr. and reported in his book, “Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease." Following this diet plan, Yates eliminated all animal products, oils, nuts, seeds, and refined foods. This way of eating takes a great deal of commitment and dedication. Yates eats at least four meals per day, plus many snacks.  He keeps his calorie intake up by eating large helpings at each meal, very often three times the average size.  When I asked Yates what he orders when he goes out to eat, he replied, “a baked potato and steamed broccoli.”

The motivation for Yates is in the results. Off Lipitor and cholesterol levels significantly lower, he will continue to eat this way as he feels great, and his energy level has remained the same. He advises, “If you want to move into a diet that will lower your blood cholesterol, consult with your doctor. Next, make some dietary changes by eating foods with less fats/oils and cholesterol content (animal products like red meats contain cholesterol) and after following this diet without any lapses for a month or more, get a follow-up blood test to determine changes in your cholesterol levels. If your levels are still high, you may need to continue to reduce fats/oils, and consider the rigorous heart healthy diet I uncovered, used successfully by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr.”

In addition to watching his food intake, Yates leads a very active life. He loves how yoga affects his body, achieving greater flexibility as he ages, and says the practice is a “cerebral stretching experience”. He explains, “…in a complex pose like triangle, the mind can be thinking about all the different nuances happening in the body, such as reaching down to the earth, up to the sky, or opening the heart. One can withdraw from the world into oneself, helping with relief from stress.” Yates loves the classroom setting, the interaction with other students, and to be guided by an instructor.

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“I can let go of the thinking part,” he states.

He sees how his work on the mat transfers into his daily life, keeping him strong and resilient, and doing the things he loves. 

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I have so much admiration for Yates Dowell. He has taken charge of his health with a firm commitment to his lifestyle. He understands that what we put into our bodies is what we become. His smiling face is in my yoga class every Wednesday evening, and incredibly, he stays after to shape and tone up in Body Pump!


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