CHEATING CHOLESTEROL
One of the main causes implicated in heart disease is damage caused by high cholesterol. Over 1,000,000 Americans have heart attacks each year, and 500,000 Americans die from heart attacks each year.
What Is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a waxy substance that occurs naturally in all parts of the body. Produced in the body by the liver, it is carried through the body to the cells and takes what it needs. The excess cholesterol is then transported back to the liver. If this excess isn’t picked up quickly, it can stick to artery walls and lead to cardiovascular disease. The body uses cholesterol to produce hormones, vitamin D and bile acids that help digest fat. Only a small amount of cholesterol is needed to meet these needs. Excess cholesterol in the bloodstream can be harmful.
Low density lipoprotein (LDL) is called the “bad” cholesterol. LDL carries most of the cholesterol in the blood. The cholesterol from LDLs is the main source of damaging accumulation and blockage in the arteries. High density lipoprotein (HDL) is the “good” form of cholesterol. HDL picks up and transports cholesterol in the blood back to the liver, which leads to its elimination from the body. HDL can help keep LDL cholesterol from building up in the walls of the arteries. It is a good idea to get a cholesterol reading to see what your ratio of LDL (bad cholesterol) is to your HDL (good cholesterol).
Can’t I Just Take Prescription Drugs?
Many cholesterol drugs are harmful. One of them, Baycol, has been taken off the market for causing fatal muscle breakdown and spasms. Many doctors are now aware of the increased cancer risk and problems with liver health from long-term use of these same cholesterol medications. There is a need for a safe and effective natural way to health that does not have the same toxicity problems as medical drugs.
From [askpatient.com:] Just a few of the comments from people who have or are taking the prescription drug Lipitor:
“I noticed that when I went on Lipitor, I became depressed with intermittent muscle pain. When I stopped the medication, I felt much better right away.”
“I thought I was having a heart attack. Went to the emergency room with sharp pains in the chest and hot flashes. Had a feeling of impending doom.”
“I hurt everywhere. I felt like I had been run over by a truck. I was weak at all times. I couldn’t walk across the room. Really, I thought I was going to die.”
Baycol is linked to 39 deaths in this country and more around the world. Bayer AG withdrew it from the market after concerns about the lethal side effects related to the breakdown of muscle cells. The main ingredient of Baycol and most cholesterol-lowering medications is statins, which have been linked to a life-threatening disease in which muscle cells are destroyed and released into the blood stream.
Natural Help To Maintain A Healthy Cholesterol Level
Policosanol: Policosanol is made from the waxes of plants such as yams and sugar cane, as well as beeswax. Policosanol has been used by millions of people to normalize cholesterol levels as well or better than cholesterol-lowering drugs – without side effects.
Based on current research, policosanol may be one of the most effective nutrients in lowering dangerous cholesterol levels. Policosanol can help lower cholesterol in both men and women and in all age groups. Over a dozen double-blind clinical trials have been published documenting policosanol’s safety, effectiveness and tolerability.
A double-blind study of twenty-two patients with high levels of cholesterol were given policosanol. After eight weeks, the patients who had been given policosanol had a sharp reduction in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. In another double-blind study, a larger group of 437 patients received either policosanol or a placebo once a day for twelve weeks. The patients who had been given policosanol showed a 25% reduction in LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, a 17% reduction in total cholesterol and a 28% increase in HDL (“good”) cholesterol. The patients who took the placebo showed no reduction in total cholesterol.
Guggulipid: Guggulipid is made from the resin of a tree of North-Central India. In a study published in 1989 by the Journal of Associated Physicians, India, 125 patients receiving guggulipid showed an 11% decrease in total serum cholesterol, a drop of 16.8% in triglycerides and a 60% increase in HDL cholesterol within a few weeks. Patients with elevated cholesterol levels showed a much greater improvement than normal patients. In another study published, 205 patients receiving guggulipid showed a 70 to 80% reduction of serum cholesterol. There was no response found in the group that took a placebo.
Garlic: Taking garlic supplements can be very beneficial to fighting bad cholesterol. Garlic supplements help protect the lining of the arteries against oxidation. Garlic also prevents the formation of arterial blood clots, a primary cause of both heart attacks and strokes. Dozens of major studies show this to be true. A study published in the Journal Nutrition Research in 1987, showed that taking a garlic supplement reduced cholesterol levels in the majority of test subjects by as much as 31%. In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 1996, patients who took a garlic supplement showed a reduction in total cholesterol compared with those who took a placebo.
Another study published in Atherosclerosis in 1999, showed that there can be a large reduction of fatty plaque in the arteries of garlic supplement users. One of the substances that makes up fatty plaque is cholesterol. In a study of 280 adults, German researchers found that patients who took garlic daily had up to 18% less plaque in their arteries than those who took a placebo.
Soy: The FDA has approved soy as a method of lowering cholesterol levels. One published report in the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine in 1998 stated, “Soy has been a staple part of the Southeastern diet for nearly 5,000 years and is associated with a reduction in the rates of cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer. The research is now showing that phytochemicals in soy are the mechanism of action responsible.” The active compounds in soy responsible for these benefits are the isoflavones genistein, daidzein and glycine.
In a study to determine whether soy isoflavones would protect against atherosclerosis in mice, it was reported that mice that were fed a soy diet averaged 30% lower cholesterol. Adding to the evidence that soy is beneficial, the Journal of Nutrition in a September 1998 study reported that “the efficacy of the American Hospital Association Step 1 cholesterol-lowering diet can be improved with the addition of soy protein.”
Niacin: This B vitamin can dramatically help lower LDL cholesterol. Many studies, including one reported in the November 1998 edition of American Journal of Cardiology, have reported that niacin has been shown to increase HDL cholesterol, decrease triglycerides and lower LDL cholesterol.
For an excellent way to maintain a healthy cholesterol level within the normal range, try Cholesterol Support, which contains all of the above nutrients in the proper combination for most effectiveness. Please visit ultrahealthnutritionals.com ultrahealthnutritionals.com
Cheating Death health guide: by Todd Pliss (2006)
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