Mediterranean diet 'as effective as statins' in reducing heart attack risk

[Yo_Mama]

46. Yes, that's a vivid demonstration of reality.

Because doctors usually recommend lifestyle modification in the first place, and then start statins if lifestyle modification doesn't do it, or screen patients for early statins based on intensive testing suggested by familial history, if you find a group of patients that do well on lifestyle modification only, it is a group that has been sorted for lower genetic risks.

Thus the authors may be making a claim that is factually true, but they are also making a nonsensical therapeutic claim.

In my family, both paternal and maternal sides, all males will have heart attacks in their 50s without statins. It's purely genetic. It is so genetic in my family that lifestyle modification actually makes their lipids go UP, not down.

Then there are those unfortunates who have genes that create blockages from plant sterols (fats). Those people can be vegans and will still develop diabetes/cardiovascular disease in their 40s, and it doesn't matter how much they exercise or how little they eat.
http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/sitosterolemia

Most people with that disorder have to avoid plant fats and substitute animal fats, plus severely limit legume/nut intake, plus take ezetimibe:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezetimibe