Charles Harmon asked:


One of the reasons natural alternatives are not considered for serious health conditions is because there is a general belief in the medical community that serious health conditions require intense treatment, something that natural alternatives lack. In some respects this is true. However, the level of intensity of prescribed medication is the main reason they typically produce unpleasant side effects. The body has to adjust to the sudden extreme modification of its chemical construction. In some cases the side effects are temporary; just long enough for the body to adjust. In other cases, the symptoms are ongoing and disrupt the performance of normal daily activities. The former is the reality of Statin drugs, the current king of cholesterol-lowering drugs.

The popularity of Statin drugs (Lipitor, Crestor, Zocor, Pravachol, Lescol, and Mevacor) is associated with the significant cholesterol-lowering effect. The low-density lipids (LDL) decrease and the high-density lipids (HDL) increase. These drugs have shown to lower cholesterol by as much as 50% in some people. Statin drugs have also showed some benefit in individuals with high blood pressure. Oftentimes persons with heart disease will be prescribed a Statin drug to help prevent clogging of the arteries.

There are basically two negative aspects of taking Statin drugs: ongoing side effects and cost. With most medications there are side effects. In addition to headaches, nausea, dizziness, and sleep disturbances, taking Statin drugs has also been associated with a depletion of the heart health cell component coenzyme Q10 and memory loss. If you are placed on Statin drugs, your doctor will monitor your liver to ensure that it is functioning properly. Muscle weakness, depression, and heart failure are also a concern for individuals taking Statin drugs. The economics of taking Statin drugs is another issue that causes concern for the 30 million individuals who are prescribed the medication. If an individual is prescribed a Statin drug they can expect to pay at least $100 a month. If you are fortunate enough to have health insurance it can still cost from $2 to upward of $30 or more a month.

In the ongoing pursuit of an alternative to Statin drugs, a natural alternative, Policosanol, has emerged and shown significant potential in contending with, if not surpassing, the effectiveness of stain drugs. Policosanol is a sugar extract that has the same cholesterol-lowering benefits of Statin drugs. Although Policosanol is derived from sugar, it will not cause a rise in blood sugar level. The good news about taking Policosanol to lower cholesterol is that there are virtually no side effects and it is inexpensive. In the various trials of Policosanol and popular Statin drugs, as little as 10 milligrams has been found to lower cholesterol as much as these drugs. It must be noted, however, that most, if not all trials to date, have been conducted in Cuba. That has caused doubts over the effectiveness of this substance. Controlled clinical trials in this country, if possible, will go a long way to validate the effects of Policosanol.

Hawthorn is another supplement that is valuable for individuals with high cholesterol. The keys to the success of hawthorn are flavonoids and the oligomeric procyanidins (OPCs). The two components work together to lower cholesterol. Flavonoids are antioxidants that improve blood flow to the heart. OPCs excrete a form of nitric oxide that prevents platelets from being “sticky” and lowers blood pressure. The trials using hawthorn have shown no serious side effects. However, some people may experience nausea, headache, and palpitations. Hawthorn may interact negatively with medications that are prescribed for heart conditions. Hawthorn is available in liquid and capsule form. The recommended dosage for heart health is 80 milligrams in the capsule form and one teaspoon three times each day in liquid form. It can take as many as six weeks for hawthorn to reduce cholesterol.

Since herbs are not considered drugs, they are not tested and approved by the Food and Drug Administration. It is imperative that a doctor is consulted before beginning any treatment with herbs. This is especially true if the individual is taking medications. Also realize it could be an uphill battle to get your doctor to give you approval for any supplement treatment as doctors are not normally trained in non-medical treatments.

Copyright© 2006 Charles L. Harmon

David Cowley asked:


Today’s incidents of many different types of heart disease are much higher than in the past, partly due to increased awareness and better testing techniques in diagnosing heart problems. However, today’s lifestyle also plays a key role in the higher number of the signs of heart disease with a lack of proper diet, little or no exercise and smoking. Persons who are at risk of developing heart related diseases can make changes to help prevent it from becoming worse.

Of the many types of heart disease a heart attack will affect approximately one out of every 36 people, or about 7.5 million people in the United States alone. That is roughly 2.75 percent of the population that will suffer a heart attack each year. While many will survive, thanks to rapid response and modern medicine, knowing the risks and making changes to reduce those risks can save many lives.

High blood pressure is often considered one of the types of heart disease, but it may actually be the leading cause of many problems with the heart. High blood pressure causes the heart to have to work harder and it puts a strain on every part of the heart muscle. Its cause however, may not be directly related to the heart and kidney problems and other internal ailments may cause the blood pressure to increase above a normal level.

Heart Damage Due To Lack Of Blood.

The heart relies on a consistent flow of oxygenated blood and smokers often cannot deliver the oxygen to the blood. Blood picks up oxygen in the lungs and if they are filled with smoke and toxins, the blood delivered to the heart may be oxygen deficient, causing one of the types of heart disease, called ischemic heart disease. This occurs when not enough blood and oxygen reaches the heart, causing parts of it to slowly die.

One of the most common types of heart problems is rhythm disorders, affecting about one of every 18 people in the United States. This is diagnosed when a person’s heart does not beat on a regular basis. While many people live with this type of heart problem with few complications, it will need to be monitored by the doctor for any changes. Heart murmurs are another of types of heart diseases that produce sounds in the heart that are not considered normal. There can be a variety of causes, including trouble with the heart valves, but many are not fatal.

Common Vitamins and over the counter products can help with diseases of the heart such as Eico-Sapentaenoic Acid, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Policosanol.

Studies of the Greenland Eskimos lack of heart attacks have show that Eico-Sapentaenoic Acid (EPA) lowers blood cholesterol considerably, even more than polyunsaturated fat does. It also triggers a major drop in triglycerides. Salmon Oil is one of the best known sources of natural EPA.

Vitamin C has been shown to combat the development of cholesterol deposits in the arteries. Within a few hours after receiving vitamin C patients showed a sharp decline in the cholesterol levels of the blood.

Vitamin E supplies Oxygen to the heart and the other muscles in the body. Accelerates wound healing and aids in the functioning of the immune system.

Policosanol is a natural supplement derived from sugar cane. Policosanol promotes healthy platelet function and helps to maintain normal cholesterol levels in the human body.

David Cowley asked:


Diuretics are sometimes called water pills and have been used by people for years as a way to quickly lose weight for an upcoming event, after the birth of a child, or whenever someone is unnaturally retaining water and fluid. There are dangers to using diuretics haphazardly and over a long period of time, and some who have been found to be abusing them have needed to be hospitalized while they recovered from such abuse.

However, diuretics are sometimes prescribed by doctors to treat certain conditions, including high blood pressure. How do they work, and what should someone using them keep in mind for the long term?

Dangers of Diuretics

The real dangers of diuretics is that they force the kidneys to dump water and fluid unnaturally from its system, and whenever any part of the body is forced to function unnaturally, it can actually “unlearn” it’s own function. Those who have been abusing these types of medicines over a long period of time have needed to let their kidneys heal and actually be retrained as they’ve been slowly weaned off of them.

Also, using diuretics as a form of weight loss for any length of time can mean that the body is losing moisture and fluid that it needs. This can starve the heart and brain and cause heart failure, kidney failure, coma, and even death. Even without experiencing these terrible circumstances, a lack of needed moisture can mean very dry skin, being more prone to rashes and skin irritants, a lack of concentration and problem solving skills, and extreme fatigue.

No one should use diuretics for any length of time unless they have been prescribed by a doctor, and even then, be sure that you are following his or her recommendations very carefully.

For High Blood Pressure

Sometimes diuretics are prescribed for those who have high blood pressure, as these medications thin the blood and therefore cause it to be able to move through the system much easier. Usually they are prescribed in conjunction with another high blood pressure medication rather than simply being used on their own.

Using Diuretics Safely

Always be sure to keep your medications away from children, and do not share them with anyone. Some who feel that diuretics can work as a weight loss drug may want to use yours; do not allow this under any circumstances. Be sure that you are following your doctor’s advice to the letter. Immediately talk to your doctor if you experience nausea, dizziness, confusion, drowsiness (in extreme degrees) or weakness, as these can be signs of dehydration.

Stay out of the sun, as these medications make you more prone to rashes and sunburns. If you have any questions about the use of these medications or are concerned about any side effects, talk to your doctor immediately. Be sure that you absolutely understand all your instructions before you begin taking these pills.

Common Vitamins and over the counter products can help with Heart Disease such as Sytrinol, Policosanol, Potassium, Pectin, and Niacin.

Sytrinol are known to be useful in helping maintain a healthy cholesterol level in the body by reducing triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels.

Policosanol is a natural supplement derived from sugar cane. Policosanol promotes healthy platelet function and helps to maintain normal cholesterol levels in the human body.

Potassium may help prevent high blood pressure and protect against artherosclerosis and reduce the risk of stroke.

Pectin limits the amount of cholesterol the body can absorb. High pectin count in apples may be why “One a day keeps the doctor away”.

If you are at risk from Heart Disease then find a good health care professional prior to starting any type of home treatment.

Niacin is the closest thing available to a perfect treatment that corrects most causes of coronary heart disease. Niacin blocks the release of fatty acids from fat cells. Niacin plays a critical role in energy production, gene expression, and hormone synthesis. You cannot live without it. Niacin also tends to shift LDL particle distribution to larger particle size and improve HDL functioning. The intake of 3 grams Niacin for as little as two weeks can reduce serum cholesterol by 26 percent.

Always consult your doctor before using this information.

This Article is nutritional in nature and is not to be construed as medical advice.

Gloria Gangi asked:


Getting a check up by your local family doctor may be the only way you can determine if you have high cholesterol. Cholesterol is a condition which you should be worried about. The risks associated with high levels of cholesterol can lead to heart attacks, stokes and high blood pressure which are a result of block arteries. But high cholesterol is a thing that can be avoided with proper care.

Crucial For Your Health

Maintaining normal levels of cholesterol is a critical component of enjoying a sound health life style. If your levels have gone higher than normal then you may also want to consider the use of natural remedies for lowering cholesterol. With the danger of cholesterol building up in your arteries and blocking your blood flow you would want to try and prevent this in every possible way.

The first place to start would be to consult your doctor. They could suggest taking natural remedies for lowering cholesterol. The natural remedies would consist of taking minerals, vitamins or even herbs that can help bring down the cholesterol levels to manageable levels. There have been research studies in natural remedies for lowering cholesterol, which have indicated that taking vitamin B3 can help. Niacin, sometimes called vitamin B3, is the more common name for nicotinic acid. It is an antioxidant nutrient that helps the body inhibit the formation of damaging free radicals; it lowers blood levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides and at the same time help increases the good cholesterol HDL and so you would have a win-win situation

Eating natural foods such as unprocessed oats, rye fiber, barley, peas and beans are great for you in regards to reducing cholesterol. You can also incorporate artichoke leaf extract in your natural remedies for lowering cholesterol since it is a good way of reducing cholesterol in the body.

Also don’t forget the exercise it will help to work with the natural remedies to reduce cholesterol. However, in certain cases, doctors may even prescribe certain medications to lower high cholesterol condition though this is a more time consuming effort as compared to taking natural remedies for lowering cholesterol.

At the end of the day natural remedies and exercising should be your first consideration when trying to lower your cholesterol. If they do not work then you should consider other options. The use of natural foods and supplements is surely a more safe method in lowering cholesterol and it is also cost beneficial as well. Be sure to obtain your doctors advice first. They will recommend the most effective treatment for you and your particular case.