Alternative — Page 29

Alternative Medicine for Bad Cholesterol

February 27, 2010 by admin

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:

*

< 200mg/dL is the safe and desired level

*201-239mg/dL is borderline high risk

*

> 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 fats
2.Take natural supplements

Fatty 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.

Markus writes and publishes articles about alternative treatments for cholesterol, and other unbiased health related topics on Independent-views.com.

The Choices For Alternative Medicine For Candida

February 27, 2010 by admin

We are in an age when people want to take more responsibility for their health. As a result an increasing number of people are turning to alternative medicine for candida symptom relief.

The number of people diagnosed with candida is on the rise. It has been suggested that most people, at some point in their life, will suffer from a yeast infection.

But, that does not seem to alarm many people, especially when it is often quoted that most of the population in the USA and Europe have candia albicans yeast in their gastrointestinal (GI) tract all their life from childhood.

Practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine often question this statistic. They are less sure this is the case and suggest the occurrences of candida overgrowth they see are more to do with the “Western” lifestyle and diet than a normal state of affairs.

It is impossible to know who is right, but it is clear from the information gathered that our diets and other environmental factors do have a large impact of the risk of developing candidiasis (candida albicans overgrowth)

Candida Albicans is a form of yeast, which resides in the digestive system, the vagina or the oral passages, and is usually kept at bay by our immune system and the good bacteria (probiotics) that live within our GI tract.

Unfortunately there may be times when either our immune system becomes repressed or the volume of good bacteria in our body drops and we no longer have the means to suppress candida and stop it multiplying.

Sometimes in the very act of trying to improve our health we can bring on a candida infection. Antibiotics can actually exacerbate the problem rather than cure it as the antibiotics kill both the good bacteria and the bad bacteria in the GI tract, leaving it defenseless against a yeast infection.

If you were to visit your doctor for candida treatment they would prescribe an anti-fungal. However, candida is becoming more and more resistant to these medical treatments, with many people reporting a return of symptoms once the course of treatment has been completed.

This is one of the reasons more and more people who suffer from Candida are turning to alternative ways to treat the problem.

One of the most effective alternative treatments to be used for treating Candida today is the humble garlic bulb.

It has strong natural anti-fungal properties and can be easily incorporated in the diet.

It is better consumed raw, but if you cannot stomach that then there are many supplements available from all good health stores that can be taken. However, avoid the odorless variety of the supplement, as these can often have little or none of the active ingredient Allicin.

Cayenne pepper can also be added to the diet along with garlic. This can be sprinkled on to your meals each day and is probably a simple and easy way to speed up the healing process of the body.

Other natural anti fungal and options include:

That Horopito Aniseed which comes from a plant native to New Zealand, which studies show, has anti-fungal properties.

The Pau D’Arco tree, which comes from the South American rain forests, contains anti-fungal properties, and can be taken as a tea, or a vaginal douche once cooled.

Continue reading to find out how to sign up for our free newsletter and discover natural ways of treating candida.

As well as herbal preparations and supplements, making changes lifestyle and dietary changes can have a long lasting effect on reducing candida. By changing your diet you create an environment in the body that is healthy for the good bacteria to thrive, and is hostile to the candida.

Seek the help of a nutritionist or expert to identify the alternative medicine for candida that is best for you.

Grab your free copy of Jane Symms’ brand new Candida & Yeast Infection Newsletter – Overflowing with easy to implement methods to help you discover more about alternative medicine for candida.