It's Enough to Get Your Blood Up!


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		It's Enough to Get Your Blood Up! by Phillip Day There is no 'cure for cholesterol' if the treatment fails to deal with the reasons the condition arose in the first place. LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol is naturally produced by the body in reaction to the weakening of the collagen structures of arteries and other soft tissue. As some remember from their history lessons, scurvy is the collapse of collagen when chronic vitamin C (and E) deficiency sets in. It took four centuries, but our medical antecedents have finally concluded it's the food, stupid, which brought in both dietary cholesterol to mash up our arteries while simultaneously denying our bodies the vitamins that replenished the collagen. Since then, the smart money has been investigating which diet and lifestyle conditions might cause blood Vit C levels to crash in the first place, bringing on the body's production of LDL to glue us up. Their conclusions are hardly news. Bad diet and dietary fats Coffee Stress Smoking Lack of exercise Today, millions pop statins and treat the symptoms without correcting why those symptoms occurred in the first place. Their lifestyles are doing them in but it's considered unPC to tell anyone to GET A LIFE. The mortgage awaits. Polly needs some gym shoes. 'I'm sixty-four, so what's the point?' A pill's the easy way out. It's not like you have to do anything more… is it? To be polite, statins have proved a pyrrhic blessing. Touted as the miracle cure to dropping dead by the coffee stand at Waitrose, reports of enzyme crashing, aching muscles and other worrisome side-effects soon began tarnishing the shiny picture painted of statins (see www.mercola.com, search under statins). I'm often asked about natural alternatives, 'and yes, I am exercising, Phillip, and down to a pack a day.' Nature fields a veritable arsenal, among the most effective of which are, er, exercise, de-stressing, Vit C complex, the plant sterols and our old friend garlic (allicin). You'll have to decide about a lifetime of medication but what loss pitching in with some sensible lifestyle changes? And take the mountain bike out of the wash-house while you're about it! Walking is not exercise so far as cardio's concerned. 40 mins a day and get the heart rate up (consult doctor if worried, though what good that'll do, we haven't the foggiest). Stair climbing, hill climbing, biking, rowing, invading foreign countries. It's all good for you. The best natural statins are food factors. A daily routine of sensible supplements - minerals, antioxidants, Vit C and essential fats - can be augmented by the latest in antioxidant and natural sterol technology. For antioxidants, I like the Neways product, Revenol, packed with curcuminoids. I also take Lesterol, the blending of two of Nature's most awesome agents, which has just come onto the market. The biochemist who researched Lesterol fills us in on how Nature prefers to do things naturally…. Cholesterol by Peter Josling Medical definition A fat-like material present in the blood and in most tissues. Cholesterol is an important constituent of cell membranes and the precursor to many steroid hormones and bile salts. Western dietary intake of cholesterol is approximately 500-1000mg per day. Cholesterol is synthesised in the body from acetate, mainly in the liver and blood concentration should be between 100-300mg/dL. Elevated levels of cholesterol are associated with atheroma and need to be controlled. Treatment regimen Take 2-4 capsules (look out for an excellent combination of allicin powder and beta sitosterol) per day. Review your progress after 10-12 weeks and if necessary adjust the dose. Why beta-sitosterol and stabilised allicin? Beta-sitosterol is one of hundreds of plant-derived 'sterol' compounds (including sterols and sterolins) that have structural similarity to the cholesterol made in our bodies. The most prevalent phytosterols in the diet are beta-sitosterol, compesterol and stigmasterol. Plant oils contain the highest concentration of phytosterols - so nuts and seeds contain fairly high levels and all fruits and vegetables generally contain some amount of phytosterols. Perhaps the best way to obtain beta-sitosterol is to eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds (which obviously brings numerous other benefits as well) or to take a daily dose of this unique combination of allicin powder and beta-sitosterol: · Immune system support (especially during stress) · Relieves allergies · Reduces cancer risk (prostate, breast, colon) · Anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving activity · Relieves symptoms of enlarge prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia, BPH) · Helps to maintain normal cholesterol levels Stabilised allicin is a unique extract from fresh garlic and has a number of exciting properties. Only recently, decades after allicin was first identified in the laboratory, has it been possible to produce a stabilised form on a commercial scale. A team of chemists and chemical-process engineers have pioneered and patented the unique process of water-based extraction and freeze drying that made this possible. This milestone achievement has finally made it possible for researchers to explore allicin's potential more fully to confirm the most incredible spectrum of activity not only against a host of common ailments, including maintaining a healthy cholesterol level, but also against today's most pressing problems - resistant bacteria, virus and fungal infections. Stabilised allicin has also been proven to have a great deal of synergy with other natural extracts leading to increased efficacy. Beta-sitosterol and stabilised allicin also appear to modulate immune function, inflammation and pain levels through their effects on controlling the production of inflammatory cytokines. This modulation of cytokine production and activity may help control allergies and reduce prostate enlargement. In terms of immune function, both stabilised allicin and beta-sitosterol have been shown (in humans) to normalize the function of T-helper lymphocytes and natural killer cells following stressful events (such as marathon-running or infection) which normally suppress immune function. In addition to alleviating much of the post-exercise immune suppression that occurs following endurance competitions, beta-sitosterol has also been shown to normalize the ratio of catabolic stress hormones (cortisol) to anabolic (rebuilding) hormones such as DHEA. In terms of cholesterol control, several human studies have shown that products containing a mixture of phytosterols including beta-sitosterol, compesterol and stigmasterol, consumed for 3-4 weeks, can reduce total and LDL cholesterol concentrations by about 20%. Doses used vary but the general acceptance is that approximately 300mg of sterol complex have been associated with a reduction in total and LDL cholesterol levels of about 5-15% in subjects with elevated cholesterol levels. Long-term safety studies have not been performed on beta-sitosterol as a dietary supplement - but the compound is so widespread in the diet that it is generally regarded as safe. No significant side-effects or drug interactions have been reported in any of the studies investigating beta-sitosterol or stabilised allicin. Pharmacological testing of stabilised allicin indicates that at least 1000 capsules could be consumed all in one go and would still show no detrimental effects. Beta-sitosterol has good evidence of effectiveness in treating BPH and as a cholesterol-lowering supplement, again, the evidence for beta-sitosterol is very good. (Becker M, et al J Pediatrics, 1993). As an immune-enhancer, allicin has much more evidence of effectiveness, but beta-sitosterol appears to be quite beneficial in maintaining immune function during periods of heightened stress (such as exercise recovery). As a cancer-preventive agent, the animal and test-tube data for beta-sitosterol and stabilised allicin is certainly tantalizing but preliminary, and needs further substantiation in humans. Why is my cholesterol level important? Although there have been controversial discussions concerning the significance of high cholesterol levels alone for the incidence of arteriosclerosis (hardening of your coronary arteries), several recent studies clearly show that a correlation exists between the concentration of blood lipids and the narrowing of coronary vessels. Some studies, including the large Framingham study, have revealed a significant correlation between serum cholesterol and the risk for heart disease in both men and women (Castelli, 1988). Furthermore, a major 25-year follow-up study in the United States, Europe and Japan has recently shown that increased serum total cholesterol levels are directly associated with increased coronary heart disease in all cultures (Verschuren et al., 1995). Cholesterol is a waxy, fatty substance that is present in blood. Cholesterol is necessary for life. It aids in digestion and acts as a precursor for Vitamin D and certain hormones. It is needed in minute amounts. The body manufactures all of the cholesterol it requires. Excess cholesterol is absorbed into the arterial walls, in the heart and elsewhere in the body causing the build up of layers of plaque that can ultimately lead to blockages. Heart attacks, strokes, and other serious problems often result. Not all cholesterol is the same. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL-cholesterol) is considered "bad" since it causes plaque to build up in the arteries. High-density lipoprotein (HDL-cholesterol) is referred to as "good" cholesterol since it does the opposite, carrying plaque away from the arterial wall to the liver and out of the body. This means that epidemiological investigations (population surveys) and clinical studies have established that an elevated serum LDL-cholesterol is a major contributing factor of coronary heart disease. Furthermore, individuals who have very high total cholesterol levels are generally twice as likely to experience a heart attack or a stroke than individuals with a moderate cholesterol level (American Heart Association, 2003). Diet and lifestyle are the first things that can be changed to help maintain a healthy cholesterol level. · Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables · Reduce saturated fat consumption · Increase exercise levels · Stop smoking · Moderate your alcohol consumption · Reduce stress levels Both the plant sterol and stabilised allicin are thought to block the absorption of dietary and biliary cholesterol during the normal digestive process in the small intestine. Allicin is also capable of preventing the deposit of bad cholesterol (LDL) into your main arteries by preventing oxidation of naturally produced cholesterol. Treatment regimen Entirely natural extracts like allicin can take a little longer to work than pharmaceutical drugs because they offer a cascade of benefits to the whole body. So it is important to persevere with a natural extract for at least 3 months before you assess its effectiveness. Many other benefits to your immune, digestive and cardiovascular systems are possible as well as helping to maintain a healthy cholesterol level. Because naturally derived agents provide a convenient, lactose- and fat-free way to supplement a healthy diet at any mealtime with the amounts of beta-sitosterol and stabilised allicin research indicates could be helpful, these are suitable for everyone including vegetarians, people with diabetes, those following a lactose-free or gluten-free diet, and women who are pregnant. Take 1 to 4 capsules of allicin plus beta-sitosterol every day. RESOURCES Lesterol (allicin and beta-sitosterol) Extract from Allicin, the Heart of Garlic by Peter Josling Allicin capsules Allicin spray Allicin cream