The 8-Week Cholesterol Cure: How to Lower Your Blood Cholesterol by Up to 40 Percent Without Drugs or Deprivation

by Robert E. Kowalski

Book Overview

This national bestseller contains 40 percent new material, including exercises and expanded information.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060161833
• ISBN13: 9780060161835
• Release Date: January 1989
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Length: 362 Pages
• Weight: 1.58 lbs.
• Age Range: 15 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 10 and higher

Customer Reviews

It works

A dozen years or so ago, my cholesterol was skyrocketing, well above an already too-high typical level for me. I read this book, followed it with care except that I took (with doctor's ok) only 500 mg. of niacin daily, NOT the much larger and much riskier doses advocated by Kowalski. In less than two months my total cholesterol dropped by 112 points, to the edge of the normal range, and it kept on dropping after that, even after I relaxed my very strict eating habits. Triglycerides also dropped sharply. But I was doing EVERYTHING right -- strict adherence to low-fat (*VERY* low saturated fat), cholesterol-free eating habits, high in fiber, including oat bran, plus significant daily exercise (escalated to 90 minutes a day on stair-climber/rower -- which is a LOT of aerobic exercise, and way more than I have the patience for now). All of it. When I slacked off the regimen some time later, the cholesterol did rise, but not as high as formerly. Kowalski is very big on oat bran, and that turns out to be the easy part because it is a pleasant hot cereal. A half cup of oat bran, some raisins or chopped dates, one cup of water, stir, heat in microwave oven on high (use a large enough bowl to avoid boiling over) for 2 minutes and 45 seconds. Stir, add some skim milk if you like. Very tasty. At worst it is a nice hot breakfast, and at best may actually contribute significantly to lower cholesterol. (You can also bake oat bran into muffins. A bit dry, but not bad. Kowalski offers a recipe.) You can search the Web for my little paper on "Fitness in One Lesson," which comments further on helpful ideas in this vein. In any event, my doctor at that time told me that "there is no such thing as an eight week cholesterol cure" when I told him I was reading and following the book. After I had dropped my cholesterol level by more than a third in 7 weeks, I found a new doctor. (There were other issues with him anyway.) But his point really was valid: this is not a one-time fix. You have to make permanent improvements in eating and exercise habits. That is why "diets" are a bad idea. Like vacations, "diets" are temporary. Proper eating and exercise should be forever. Kowalski provides a clearly written, inspirational, informative guide to valuable steps to take. Discuss it with your doctor.

I got my results yesterday and it works!!

I saw all these reviews back in November as I desperately looked for some help to lower my cholesterol through diet...and took a chance on this book and it works. I started in mid November and had my cholesterol checked again at the beginning of March and it dropped from 267 to 204! I certainly followed the book, and made a batch of oatbran muffins each week...but also cooked from standard low cholesterol cook books, and had 1 day a week where I could treat myself to my favorite things that weren't part of the diet. I never tried the pills he mentioned...I don't like to take pills. I certainly recommend this book to anyone trying to lower their cholesterol!!!

My cholesterol went from 270 to 228!

This book is fantastic. The author's research is extremely well done, complete with citations of the sources of all his medical information as well as a complete bibliography in the back. I am a "suspicious reader," but this book won my confidence.The basic idea is that you consume a serving of oat bran every day and take niacin tablets. I chose not to take niacin tablets, but I did follow the oat-bran plan. I just got my new cholesterol screening results, and my total cholesterol has gone from 270 to 228. All the individual readings (HDL, etc.) improved significantly.I am one of those people who could not seem to get results from exercise, and my doctor wanted me to go on medication. I could not stomach taking a pill for cholesterol every day for the next fifty years! This book has provided me with a natural, safe, easy alternative.As a bonus, the daily oat bran has helped me feel full and has helped me lose over 20 pounds (maybe that helped lower the cholesterol, but either way, woo-hoo!!).Thank you, Robert Kowalski!

It's real thing!

It's real thing. I read it immediately after I knew my blood cholesterol was at 274. Only 2 months , it is now at 202. The physician didn't believe the outstanding reduced figure. The book not only teach us how to set a dish , but more importantly how to set your mind to act as vital part to help your body fight against the temptation of your prefered dangerous type of food. And it teachs us that reducing cholesterol is not a kind of punishment but it's a easy kind of achievement that everyone of us will be proud of and want to let everyone in the world to know that you can do it , just like I do now. Trachoo Kanchanasatitya Thailand

Kowalski is not kidding.

I had no desire to take pharmaceuticals to lower my cholesterol, since they seem tailored to "stabilize the plaque" which has already deposited-out in the arteries of people with high cholesterol, as well as to lower the levels of cholesterol. My desire was to lower the levels, yes, but also to dissolve-away the deposits, if any, and not to put a hard coating on them. The Niacin and Oat Bran regimen that Kowalsky writes about is good to find out about because it can have these effects that I desired. I started with a Total cholesterol level of 288, and in 120 days it measured 161 at the same lab. This is a diminution of 44%! And the ratio went from 50% over "dangerous" to 50% over "protective." Triglycerides went from 209 down to 97. I am pleased as punch. This treatment is so simple and so inexpensive that one wishes to evangelize for it. I believe this book could save many lives; I would like to give it as a little gift to friends who have elevated levels, and whom I would like to keep as friends for many more decades. Best wishes to all readers! Try it, with your doctor's consultation: you may like it!