Posts tagged: Niacin

Alternative Medicine for Bad Cholesterol

What exactly is this “Bad Cholesterol”?
Cholesterol is categorized under “Lipids” or “Fats”. They form part of the cell membranes and are very important in cellular functions. In the blood the fats are attached to proteins and they form groups of substances called lipoproteins.
*Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL)
*Very Low Density Lipoproteins (VLDL)
*High Density Lipoproteins (HDL)
Chylomicrons
Of these Low Density Lipoproteins are called ” Bad Cholesterol”. If the blood level of this bad cholesterol increases, it gets deposited along the walls of the blood vessels blocking the flow of blood. If the blood flow to heart is blocked it causes angina and myocardial infarction. If the blood flow to the brain is blocked it results in stroke.
On the contrary, High Density Lipoprotein is called ” Good Cholesterol” and it has protective function.The Alternative Medicine
Though statins rule the roost when it comes to bring down and controlling the blood levels of bad cholesterol, the option of using alternative medicine is always there for its effectiveness, lesser cost and minimal side effects.
Before contemplating alternative medical treatment for decreasing cholesterol, one should know the optimum levels and high-risk levels of cholesterol.Total cholesterol:
*
240mg/dL is high risk level
LDL Cholesterol:
*
160 is high risk level
The goal in people with higher risk factors for heart disease is less than 130 mg/dL. In patients who already have heart disease, the goal is under 100 mg/dL, according to FDA guidelines. And also one should increase the HDL levels or the good cholestrol. So now if you want to avoid statins and take only alterative medicine, then you have to follow two steps.1. Avoid foods rich in fats2.Take natural supplementsFatty foods to be avoided:
The highest cholesterol content is found in meat, poultry, shellfish, and dairy products. As far as possible these food items should be avoided.Natural supplements to bring down cholesterol levels:
There are numerous natural supplements, which are found, be effective in bringing down the cholesterol levels and it has been proved by many studies. Some of them are
*Beta Sitosterol: It is a plant sterol which reduce cholesterol levels
*Niacin: It is Vitamin B3 which lowers LDL cholesterol by 20%
*Fish oils
*Green Tea
*Psyllium and Flax seeds: These contain fibers which reduce the cholesterol levels
*Mangosteen and sytrinol: These are fruit extracts which reduce cholesterol levels
*Policosanol: it is derived from sugar cane and it reduces LDL cholesterol by nearly 25%
*Cholestin: It is a processed form of red yeast fermented with rice. Cholestin lowers LDL cholesterol by 20-30%. It also raises HDL.
*Soy protein: The isoflavones in it brings down LDL cholesterol by 10%
* Garlic: It reduces LDL cholesterol by 12%
*Aphanizomenon flosaquae (AFA): It is blue green algae, which reduces LDL cholesterol by 20%.
*Gugulipid an extract of Commiphora mukul, the gum resin of the mukul myrrh tree and Aspalathus linearis (Rooibos), a medicinal herb of South Africa are also effective
In addition to these supplements, the other treatment options available are diet regimens including Vegetarian diet, Asian diet, and Low Glycemic diet. A regular exercise will add to the beneficial outcome.

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categories Policosanol | policosanol | datetime December 15, 2009 11:57 pm | comments Comments (0)

Lower Your Risk Of Heart Disease Without Drugs

Today, I am going to tell you how to lower your heart disease risk using a comprehensive dietary and lifestyle approach.
==> Dietary Recommendations
The first step in preventing heart disease is to eat a healthy diet. First, eat more whole foods rich in phytonutrients, plant molecules that give your body the nutrients it needs.
Here are some tips:
1. To avoid blood sugar imbalances that increase heart-disease risk, eat protein with every meal, even at breakfast.
2. Use lean animal protein like fish, turkey, chicken, lamb, and vegetable protein like nuts, beans, and tofu.
3. Combine protein, fat, and carbohydrates in every meal.
4. Avoid white flour and sugar.
5. Eat at least 50 grams of fiber daily. Beans, whole grains, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fruit all contain fiber.
6. Avoid processed junk food, including soda and juice.
7. Increase omega-3 fatty acids by eating wild salmon, sardines, herring, flaxseeds, and seaweed.
8. Reduce saturated fat and use more grass-fed or organic animal products, which contain less saturated fat.
9. Eliminate hydrogenated fat, found in margarine, shortening, processed oils, baked goods, and processed foods.
10. Use healthy oils, like olive, cold pressed sesame, and other nut oils.
11. Avoid alcohol, which increases triglycerides and fat in the liver and creates blood sugar imbalances.
12. Eat every three to four hours to keep your insulin and blood sugar normal.
13. Don’t eat three hours before bed.
14. Have a protein breakfast every day.
15. Eat two to four tablespoons of ground flaxseeds every day in salads or whole grain cereal. This can lower cholesterol by 18 percent.
16. Drink green tea.
17. Use soy foods, which can help lower cholesterol by 10 percent.
18. Eat at least eight to ten servings of colorful fruits and vegetables a day.
==> Supplements
Along with a healthy diet and exercise program, supplements can dramatically affect your risk of cardiovascular disease:
1. Take a good multivitamin/mineral, plus a purified fish oil supplement containing 1,000 to 2,000 grams a day of EPA/DHA.
2. Try policosanol (10 mg to 20 mg twice a day).
3. Red rice yeast (two 600-mg capsules twice a day).
4. Plant sterols (2 grams a day).
5. Soy protein isolate shakes.
6. Fiber supplements such as PGX (Konjac fiber) — 4 before each meal with a glass of water.
==> Lifestyle and Exercise
Get 30 to 45 minutes of cardiovascular exercise at least six times a week.
You may try interval training (described in “UltraMetabolism”) if you are feeling stronger. I also encourage strength training to build muscle and reduce body fat composition.
==> Stress Reduction
Stress alone can cause a heart attack. It also contributes to heart disease by creating inflammation, raising your cholesterol and blood sugar, causing high blood pressure and increasing blood clotting. Reduce stress by doing regular relaxation exercises.
==> Medications
Many of my patients can lower their cholesterol over 100 points by following the comprehensive program I outline above. Occasionally I recommend medications if I feel that my patient is swimming upstream genetically, or if there is significant heart disease present already.
When I do need to use medications, here are the ones I have to choose from:
==> Statins
These block the production of cholesterol in the liver, lower inflammation, and may even reverse plaque in the arteries.
Statins deplete the body’s stores of the vital component Coenzyme Q10. If you’re on statins, take at least 100 mg of CoQ10 a day.
Statins can also cause muscle pain and aching and require regular liver function tests.
==> Niacin
Very high doses (1000 to 3000 mg a day) of niacin can raise good cholesterol (HDL) and lower high triglycerides.
The major side effect is flushing, which you can prevent by taking a baby aspirin (81 mg) half an hour before your take the niacin.
I usually recommend long-acting Niaspan and build up slowly over the course of 2 to 6 weeks to the desired dose of 1,500 to 2,000 mg daily.
==> Ezetimbe (Zetia)
Zetia prevents absorption of cholesterol from the intestine. It can interact with statins to increase the risk of liver toxicity.
==> Fibrates
These medications include fenofibrate (Tricor) and gemfibrozil (Lopid), which help to lower triglycerides and raise HDL.
The verdict is still out on their effectiveness and safety. I prefer to use niacin, which achieves the same results, at lower cost with less risk.
==> Bile Acid Binding Agents
Drugs like Questran and WellChol bind up bile in the gut and promote the elimination of cholesterol from the body. Bile is comprised of cholesterol among other things, and getting rid of bile helps lower your cholesterol.
==> Summary
Remember, cholesterol is only one of many factors that lead to cardiovascular disease.
Diet, supplements, exercise, and other lifestyle approaches can have dramatic effects on cholesterol, lowering it by 100 points or more within a few months of comprehensive therapy.
Medications are a last resort. I never start them without trying an integrated approach to cholesterol management.
If you are willing to make the changes in diet and lifestyle and take a few supplements, your numbers will change dramatically — and so will your life.

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categories Policosanol | policosanol | datetime December 11, 2009 3:19 am | comments Comments (0)

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