"Without an adequate diet, medicine is useless; with an adequate diet, medicine is not necessary" - Ancient Ayurvedic Proverb. I've always thought that to be true whilst being forced to resort to what the drug companies churn out. My own health is systematically undermined by medicines I have to take to keep breathing - something an adequate diet doesn't seem to be able to help me with. What the NHS failed to explain to me was that asthma-alieviating drugs deplete my body of Co-Enzyme Q10 which is vital heart nutrient that naturally prevents heart attacks and strokes. It also stops cholesterol from blocking arteries, helps lower blood pressure and rejuvenates heart cells.. If I had been told this years ago the chances are I wouldn't be having problems with high BP. To add insult to injury they try to insist I take statins which ALSO deplete Co-Enzyme Q10, among their other adverse side effects. I only tumbled to the COQ10 in November but the moment I started taking it I felt better. My energy levels have increased, my mind is a lot sharper and I am more cheerful. As I'm a hard-nosed cynic about all things medicinal this isn't a placebo effect. I'm not normally a conspiracy theorist but when my ex, who has no cholesterol problem whatsoever, was told he should be on a statin - well, you can't help wondering who is scratching whose back. PS to chillside: oat bran is more effective at lowering cholesterol than oat meal and you only need eat 60gms a day