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[Kingofturtles]

"He had a plaque build up and had a heart attack. So now he's on lipidor to lower his cholesterol. Drs around the world for millions years have agreed that high cholesterol causes heart attacks. I mean. These people go to school and get taught by professors. They probably know a bit about this stuff."

How do u handle that? I started to go into cholesterol being present but inflammation was the cause from sugar ect... Then on about doctors not knowing anything and believing what teachers say without question and the government doesn't do proper studies ect... But I got tired of making myself sound like some old crazy conspiracy theory guy.

[JoanieL]

One on one with your ducks in a row. Quietly lay out the facts as you've researched them. If it's someone you love, end with something like, "I love you, so I wanted you to know this. I won't be offended if you take your doctor's advice over mine, but please be aware that doctors are oriented to fix symptoms, not cure causes." Or something like that. No matter what the person chooses, you'll know you've done your best.

[otzi]

I generally just let that stuff go. It's the accepted wisdom. The same guy taking Lipitor to reduce his plaque build-up probably also still eats McDonald's twice a week, 2 sodas a day, and fried everything. It makes me ill that people can't see it's what they are stuffing in their pie-hole that's making them sick.

My in-laws are in their 70's. I set them up with a meals-on-wheels plan that delivers hot, wholesome meals to their door. I found out yesterday they stopped it some time ago because the lady used too much tomato sauce. They have been eating at Taco Bell everyday for dinner and snacking on Little Debbie's and Ho-Ho's for breakfast and lunch. You should see their kitchen counter--completely covered in pill bottles. It's the American Way!

[Damiana]

Science and what is believed to be right changes all the time as new research is made and new knowledge gained. Don't be preachy but remind whoever it is that just a few hundred years ago doctors in medical school believed in bleeding and body humors and that women were hysterical.

[primalrob]

i like to point out that doctors went to school...but most don't continue to stay as current as they should. two hundred years ago, someone was posting the same question on an internet forum regarding blood letting. science evolves, and it's pretty difficult for the whole medical field to keep up.

[sbhikes]

How Statins Really Work Explains Why They Don't Really Work.

[BrodieMN]

When people claim that doctors know everything I bring up the ulcer. For years, we all (doctors included) believed an ulcer was caused by stress and too much acid. Tums and Rolaids were prescribed.

I remember the story, I think, from 60 min where some guy theorized that it ulcers was caused by bacteria. The medical community basically called the guy a quack. He gave himself an ulcer by drinking some bacteria and then "cured" himself with antibiotics. I wonder if there are any doctors that still think an ulcer is related to acid?

Conventional wisdom is group think and very hard to change.

[ajb0203]

Tangential to the original question, but this book could be of interest to anyone thinking about why what we absolutely knew decades ago is no longer true.

Introducing "The Half-Life of Facts" | Wired Science | Wired.com

I just ordered it a couple days ago, although I've been following the author's work for a while.

[PHaselow]

When George McGovern died, someone posted this:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/forum/thread68279.html

The thread is from 10-21-12. It shows The McGovern report and a video called Big Fat Lies (posted by Moochy in case you need to locate it if the link doesn't work). Interesting insight into why the 'fat is bad' movement is what it is and what people thought about it at the time it began.

[PHaselow]

How Statins Really Work Explains Why They Don't Really Work.

Nov/Dec 2011 issue of Well Being Journal has a good article: Cholesterol: the Essential Molecule (and the adverse effects and overuse of statins)