When the "system" becomes an adversary in one's fight for health, as a result of cost, restricted access to doctors and their time, and when an ocean of credibl

When the "system" becomes an adversary in one's fight for health, as a result of cost, restricted access to doctors and their time, and when an ocean of credible (and non-credible) information is available relating the mechanistically uncertain world of medication, it is not surprising to see many people feel as if they have looked behind the curtain in a wizard of Oz sense and begin reaching for alternatives. Statins are probably among God's greatest gifts to most people with high LDL as clinical trials show, but many in the HN community might be willing and able to make drastic lifestyle changes that other individuals are incapable of. Many entrepreneurial and data-driven types have the thick headedness to be that 1% of patients for whom lifestyle changes work, or at least we like to think so. In any case, starting a statin (in the case below) and then proving to oneself that one is supreme commander of diet and metabolism may be the optimal route. The issue lies in which pathway to choose for our attempt at supreme commandership--ketogenic, paleo, low trans fat, etc. Once again, the results are unclear in some trials and the mechanisms are as elusive as ever, which is why we reflexively search for explanations in the fey realms of inflammation, microbiome, epigenetics, and so forth. Addendum: Most clinical trials are aimed at helping the general population with a specific condition; it would be interesting to try clinical trials of diets in only highly educated and fairly affluent people who know python (usually not part of the subgroup analysis).