Category Archives: Articles

6 Natural Ways To Reduce Cholesterol

Elevated cholesterol increases the risk of death due to cardiovascular disease. It’s currently recommended that total blood cholesterol (your “bad” cholesterol, LDL, plus your “good” cholesterol, HDL) be less than 200 mg/dl. In addition, your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol should be less than 130 mg/dl and your high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol should be greater than 40 mg/dl in men and 50 mg/dl in women.

Lowering Cholesterol Naturally

Lowering total cholesterol, as well as LDL, is associated with reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. In high-risk patients, statins are usually prescribed and can produce decreases in total mortality, cardiovascular events and hospitalizations. However, the debate remains whether statin therapy represents the optimal treatment approach to primary prevention of coronary artery disease in patients whose only risk factor is elevated LDL.

There are several natural approaches that have been found to be highly effective for reducing cholesterol. Let’s look at six of them.

1. Low-cholesterol diet

While the liver is the major source of blood cholesterol, dietary cholesterol can be an important contributor. The best way to reduce cholesterol in your diet is to minimize saturated fat — no more than 10-15 grams per day. Saturated fat is found primarily in animal products, like meat and dairy products. Restrict dietary cholesterol to 300 mg per day. Familiarize yourself with foods that add cholesterol and unhealthy fat to your diet, and find healthier substitutes for these foods.

2. Soluble fiber

Soluble fiber found in legumes, fruit and vegetables is effective in lowering cholesterol levels. To help lower cholesterol, try to eat 35 grams of fiber per day from fiber-rich foods, which, again, you should familiarize yourself with so you’ll get used to buying high-fiber foods. Oat bran and oatmeal are especially good sources of high-value soluble fiber. Natural fiber supplements can also help to boost soluble fiber in your system, if you just aren’t getting enough roughage in your diet.

3. Niacin

Also known as B3, niacin has been long known to be effective in lowering blood cholesterol levels. In the 1970s, the famous Coronary Drug Project demonstrated that niacin was the only cholesterol-lowering agent to actually reduce overall mortality. Niacin typically lowers LDL cholesterol by 16-23% while raising HDL cholesterol by 20-33%.

The problem with niacin is that it produces skin flushing that typically occurs 20-30 minutes after the niacin is taken. To counteract this, manufactures produced timed-release niacin to reduce flushing, but these formulations have shown to be toxic to the liver. For best results, use intermediate time-release niacin (don’t take any other form of timed-release niacin) should be taken at night, as most cholesterol synthesis occurs during sleep. Start with a dose of 500 mg and increase to 1,500 after two weeks. If after one month of therapy the dosage of 1,500 mg fails to effectively lower LDL cholesterol, increase the dosage to 2,000 mg/day, and then to 3,000 mg a month later if that fails, before discontinuing owing to lack of efficacy.

4. Plant sterols and stanols

Phytosterols and phytostanols are structurally similar to cholesterol and can act in the intestine to lower cholesterol absorption by displacing cholesterol. Because phytosterols and phytostanols are poorly absorbed, blood cholesterol levels will drop as cholesterol is excreted. These compounds are being added to so-called functional foods (e.g., margarine and other spreads, orange juice, granola bars) and are also available as dietary supplements. Phytosterols and phytostanols are effective in lowering LDL in some people. A meta-analysis of 41 trials showed that an intake of 2 grams of stanols or sterols per day reduced LDL by 10%. The best and safest ways to get these nutrients, though, is by eating foods that are high in stanols and sterols: grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and seeds.

5. Pantethine

Pantethine is the stable form of pantetheine, the active form of vitamin B5, or pantothenic acid. Pantothenic acid is the most important component of coenzyme A, which is involved in the transport of fats to and from cells as well as to the energy-producing compartments within the cell. Pantethine has significant lipid-lowering activity, while pantothenic acid has little, if any, effect on lowering cholesterol. Pantethine at 900 mg per day has been shown to significantly reduce levels of total cholesterol (19%), and LDL cholesterol (21%) while increasing HDL cholesterol (23%). The lipid-lowering effects of pantethine are especially impressive because it has virtually no toxicity compared with conventional lipid-lowering prescription drugs.

6. Garlic

Garlic appears to be an important protective factor against heart disease and stroke for many reasons. Garlic has been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels even in apparently healthy individuals. In numerous double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of patients with initial cholesterol levels greater than 200 mg/dl, daily supplementation with commercial preparations providing at least 10 mg alliin can lower total serum cholesterol by about 10-12 %.

A Secret for Younger-Looking Skin

young-skin During red carpet season, we ogle celebrities at the award ceremonies, examining their skin and hair, along with “who they’re wearing.”

It’s hard not to notice women who have clear, radiant, vibrant-looking skin, which is a sign of good health. While celebrities spend a lot of time improving the appearance of their skin from the outside, the real key to young-looking skin is proper nutrition and healthy habits.

In addition to eating healthfully and exercising, there’s a little-discussed supplement that can help prevent the wrinkling and dryness that contribute to old-looking skin. It’s called hyaluronic acid (HA). HA is a glycosaminoglycan that acts as the intracellular cement or glue of connective tissue. Connective tissue, as the term suggests, serves the function of supporting and binding other tissues. The loose connective tissue holds the skin and internal organs in place, while the fibrous connective tissue includes tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. In essence, hyaluronic acid not only helps to provide the structural framework of connective tissue, it is the actual “glue” that holds our body together.

Maintaining HA in body tissues is an important anti-aging strategy. One of the reasons our skin develops lines and wrinkles is due to the loss of HA. By the time most people reach the age of 70, the HA content in their body has dropped by 80% from when they were 40. After the age of 45 or so, HA levels in the skin begin to plummet.

There is a great deal of evidence that applying HA topically helps prevent wrinkles. But now researchers have discovered that taking hyaluronic acid orally is also beneficial for restoring moisture and youthful suppleness to the skin. Recent clinical studies using oral HA in patients with dry and rough skin have shown that patients given a supplement consisting of purified, bioavailable hyaluronic acid had a significant increase (46%) over baseline values in the moisture content of their skin.

Hyaluronic acid is a substance found in our bodies that’s essential for health, but now we know it’s also a key to beautiful-looking skin.

4 Natural Ways to Reduce Blood Pressure

BeetJuice660 Do you want to lower your blood pressure without the harmful side effects of pharmaceuticals? The good news is that there are a number of safe, effective, and natural foods and nutrients that will help you do it.

Over 60 million Americans have high blood pressure, including more than half (54%) of all Americans age 65 to 74 years old and nearly three quarters (72%) of all American blacks in the same age group.

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for a heart attack or stroke. In fact, it is generally regarded as the most significant risk factor for a stroke.

Here are four ways to lower your blood pressure without medication:

1. Drink beet juice.

Several recent studies have shown that drinking fresh beet juice can lead to clinically meaningful reductions in blood pressure. For example, a study at the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne, Australia, found that drinking just 16 ounces of fresh beet juice a day significantly reduced blood pressure in healthy subjects. Beet juice lowered blood pressure within just an hour with a peak drop occurring 3 to 4 hours after ingestion.

Why it works: The decrease in blood pressure is due to the chemical formation of nitrite from the dietary nitrates in the juice. Once in the general circulation, nitrite can be converted to nitric oxide (NO) by the cells that line blood vessels. NO is a powerful dilator of blood vessels, resulting in lower blood pressure.

2. Eat fresh, raw garlic.

Garlic has a wide range of well-documented effects, including helping to lower blood pressure. Studies showing a positive effect of garlic and garlic preparations are those that deliver a sufficient dosage of allicin. In double-blind studies with garlic preparations providing a daily dose of at least 10 mg allicin, blood pressure readings dropped with typical reductions of 11 mm Hg for the systolic and 5.0 in the diastolic within a 1 to 3-month period. To get enough allicin, eat 1 to 4 cloves of fresh garlic a day. If you want to avoid garlic breath in public, add minced fresh garlic to your salad dressing in the evening at dinner.

Why it works: All of the beneficial effects of garlic are attributed to its sulfur-containing compounds: allicin, diallyl disulfide, diallyl trisulfide, and others. Allicin is mainly responsible for the pungent odor of garlic. It is formed by the action of the enzyme alliinase on the compound alliin. The enzyme is activated by heat, oxygen, or water. This accounts for the fact that cooked garlic, odorless supplements, “aged garlic preparations,” and garlic oil products produce neither as strong an odor as raw garlic nor nearly as powerful medicinal effects as raw fresh garlic.

3. Drink black tea.

An Australian study published in January 2012 in the Archives of Internal Medicine analyzed the effect of black tea on 95 men and women with normal to high-normal blood pressure levels. Half of the participants drank 3 cups of black tea daily for 6 months, and the other half drank a placebo drink with a similar flavor and caffeine content.

At the end of the study, the black tea–drinking group had an average reduction of 2 to 3 points in their systolic (the top number in a blood pressure reading) level, and about two points in their diastolic (the bottom number) level. Although this doesn’t sound like much, the researchers said it’s enough to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke by 7 to 10%.

Why it works: It’s believed that black tea’s hypertension benefits may be due to the fact that the beverage improves the function of the endothelial cells that line the interior of blood vessels and affect blood pressure. Other research suggests that flavonoids in black tea can improve the tone of blood vessels, helping them channel blood more efficiently.

4. Get more magnesium.

A British analysis of 22 studies, published in February 2012 in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that taking at least 370 mg of magnesium per day reduced systolic blood pressure by 3-4 points and diastolic pressure by 2-3 points in 1,173 study subjects.

This is key, because research shows many adults don’t get the recommended dietary allowance of at least 320 mg of magnesium for women and 420 mg for men, and that for every 100 mg increase in magnesium intake, the risk of stroke is reduced by about 9 percent.

Why it works: Magnesium helps dilate blood vessels and prevents spasm in your heart muscle and blood vessel walls. It also dissolves blood clots. All of these aid optimal heart and blood vessel function and can help to lower blood pressure.

Peaches –Healing Facts

Did you know, that a nectarine is considered a smooth skinned peach? Native to China, peaches peaches702 and nectarines were spread to the Middle East and Europe by the Roman Empire. Today, the largest peach producing countries include Japan, Australia, and South America.

Nutritional Highlights:
    ·     Both peaches and nectarines have high levels of potassium, carotenes, flavonoids, and natural sugars.
    ·     One medium sized peach, about 3½ ounces, contains 49 calories.
Health Benefits:
    ·     Peaches and nectarines are good sources of carotenes, and the flavonoids lycopene and lutein.
    ·     The carotenes and flavonoids found in peaches and nectarines are effective at preventing macular degeneration, heart disease and cancer.
Both peaches and nectarines are best June through August. If a peach is ripe, you should be able gently apply pressure to the skin, creating a small indent. Wonderful on their own, or added as topping to a salad, peaches and nectarines are a bright and healthy addition to your summer menu. Try grilling your peaches outside on the barbecue and topping them with honey for a great warm weather dessert! For more Healing Facts, check both the Doctor Murray and Good Cacao (facebook.com/goodcacao) page for weekly installments!

Peppers Protect Against Parkinson’s Disease

Introduction:
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a movement disorder that is the result of damage to the nerves in the area of the brain that is responsible for controlling muscle tension and movement. The damaged cells are the ones needed to produce the neurotransmitter called dopamine. Main symptoms can include shaking or tremor at rest, slow movement, stiffness or rigidity of limbs and problems with balance.

The first biochemical abnormality in PD is a decrease in the level of glutathione (GSH), the brain cell’s primary antioxidant. The low GSH makes the cells more susceptible to oxidative damages—such as induced by environmental toxins—thus setting the stage for the destruction of the brain cell. There are a number of dietary and environmental factors that are thought to be responsible for the initial decrease in GSH. Likewise there are a number of dietary and lifestyle factors that offer protection. A new study highlights the benefits of members of the nightshade (Solanacea) family of vegetables that includes tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant.

Background Data:
Population based studies show that people who smoke cigarettes are 60 percent less likely to get PD than those who have never smoked. Studies in animals and cell cultures indicate that nicotine is able to slow the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells and in some models actually rescue the brain cells back to health.

If you’re a smoker, don’t get too excited. Though nicotine may offer some protection against PD it greatly increases the risk for major killers like heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Though clinical studies are underway looking at nicotine patches to delay the progression of PD, dietary sources of nicotine may prove to be the best approach.

New Data:
Researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle decided to test whether risk of Parkinson disease (PD) is associated with consumption of nicotine-containing edibles from the same botanical family as tobacco, Solanaceae, including peppers, tomatoes, and potatoes.

The researchers evaluated 490 patients who were diagnosed with PD and compared them to 644 with no neurological disorders who served as a control group. All were asked about their lifetime diets and tobacco use. Tobacco use was defined as ever smoking more than 100 cigarettes or regularly using cigars, pipes or smokeless tobacco.

Eating more vegetables in general did not lower Parkinson’s risk, but eating vegetables in the Solanaceae family did. People who ate these types of vegetables lowered their risk 19 percent on average, compared with those who did not eat these vegetables. People who ate the most peppers, about two to four peppers weekly, had the strongest risk-lowering association. They lowered the risk of PD by 30 percent.

Reference:
Nielsen SS, Franklin GM, Longstreth WT, Swanson PD, Checkoway H. Nicotine from edible Solanaceae and risk of Parkinson disease. Ann Neurol. 2013 May 9. doi: 10.1002/ana.23884. [Epub ahead of print]

Ginger -Healing Facts

ginger-690 Did you know that ginger is considered an erect perennial herb? Native to Asia, India, and China, ginger has been popular in these regions for thousands of years, where it was valued for its aromatic, culinary, and medicinal properties. Ginger grew in popularity in Renaissance Europe, where it was thought to prevent the plague, and was present at every table setting as salt and pepper is today.

Health Benefits:

Historically, ginger has been very effective at alleviating symptoms of gastrointestinal distress.
Ginger contains a compound called gingerols, which acts as an anti-inflammatory, and has been shown to effectively treat osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Scientific studies have shown ginger to possess therapeutic properties including carminative and intestinal spasmolytic effects, antioxidant effects, and the ability to inhibits the formation of inflammatory compounds.
Currently, studies are being conducted that show ginger’s ability to prevent motion sickness.
Ginger has been shown to be an effective treatment for nausea and vomiting associated with pregnancy.

For centuries, ginger has been regarded as an essential ingredient in many Eastern cuisines. As it gained popularity in other parts of the world, ginger’s flavor has leant itself to many American favorites such as ginger ale and gingerbread. Consider making a ginger tea by boiling ginger in hot water, and adding orange or lemon to taste. Adding ginger to fresh fruits can be a great way to incorporate it into your daily menu. One of my favorite ways to consume ginger is in Good Cacao’s Lemon Ginger Immunity Superfood Chocolate bar! Find out more about it here: https://www.facebook.com/goodcacao?ref=tn_tnmn