Are Statins Going Mainstream?
By John Bull
Regular Immortalist readers may remember references made by Doug Skrecky to the advantages of adding statins to ones life extension regimen. At that time few people had heard of statins and the principle aim was to reduce cholesterol levels and coronary heart disease..
Statins have come a long way since then… Newsweek’s July 14 issue carried an 8 page spread extolling the virtues of statins. The latest research shows that statins not only reduce cholesterol, and coronary heart disease, but may limit the progression of Multiple Sclerosis, and studies with rodents show that statins increase bone formation. If this research is validated, statins may prove a novel way to treat osteoporosis—one that actually builds bone, rather than just preventing its loss. Statins could reduce amyloid plaques in the brain, since cholesterol drives the production of amyloid. Plaques are a hallmark of Alzheimers Disease. Another study showed that statins slowed the progression of aortic valve disease by 50%.
It’s estimated that 12 to 15 million American adults take statins. And according to federal health recommendations, 21 million more should be taking statins to ward off cardiovascular disease. According to Dr. Rory Collins, of Oxford University, "statins are the new aspirin."
Should You Be Taking Statins?
Diet and exercise can reduce cholesterol, but your doctor may determine that you need drugs too. Here’s some guidelines.
Ted Williams Controversy Lingers
By John Bull
It’s been over a year now since Ted Williams died and was suspended by Alcor. His death touched off a firestorm of controversy between his children, John Henry Williams, who arranged William’s suspension and his sister Claudia, on one side, and their stepsister Bobby Jo Williams Ferrel, who contends her father never wanted to be frozen. Since December of last year, when Bobby Jo received $211,000 from their father’s trust, things have quieted down…somewhat.
According to reports in FLORIDA TODAY and The St Petersburg Times, one of the conditions of the payout was that Bobby Jo not comment to the press, or object to the court about the disposition of her father’s remains.
But Bobby Jo’s husband, Mark Ferrell can and is commenting. "They were stupid enough to leave me out of the settlement," he said, referring to John Henry, Claudia, Eric Abel, their attorney and the estate executor, Al Cassidy. "So I can keep fighting this, and I will."
And a few people are starting to come forward to confirm Bobby Jo’s story. Recently, on HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, Buzz Hamon, one of Williams’s longtime friends, said John Henry gradually shut his father off from his friends and the outside world. Hamon went on to say he spoke with Williams by phone, a month before he died. He said "I need a lawyer…. I’ve made a mistake" then there was some noise, and the phone went dead.
HBO also interviewed Ted William’s caretakers, Frank Brothers and George Carter. Brothers father was Williams longtime fishing buddy, and the younger Brothers knew the baseball great since he was a child. They all contend that it was never William’s desire to be suspended.
They further contend that the oil stained document containing Williams’s cryonic wish that John Henry produced a month after his father’s death was a forgery. The date on the document is November 2, 2000. They said they were with Williams day and night, each one spending 12 hours with their friend, while he awaited surgery for a pacemaker, and he never signed any piece of paper.
Frank Brothers said, "There’s no way that was done in that hospital room that day."
So Mark Ferrell continues the battle his wife was forced to give up, that is to have Ted Williams cremated and his ashes spread in the Florida Keys. "I am going to keep fighting this, I won’t quit, I promise."