GHS Natural Health Blog

Why is it so common to have elevated cholesterol these days?

 Even though many cases may be due to an inherited tendency to produce excess amounts, elevated cholesterol is often caused by an unhealthy diet and lack of exercise. Stress also plays a big role, as prolonged stress elevates a hormone called cortisol which leads to an increase in cholesterol levels. One in two Australian adults over 25 are living with high cholesterol, greatly increasing their risk of heart disease. In 2008 the National Cholesterol Test surveyed more than 500 Australians about their knowledge of cholesterol and its health implications. Over 50 per cent incorrectly believed that the majority of cholesterol comes solely from food when, in fact, the body makes most of the cholesterol it needs. Nearly half of those surveyed try and manage their cholesterol through lifestyle changes, such as diet, exercise and weight loss, but this may not always be enough to lower cholesterol to an acceptable level.

What does cholesterol do in the body?

Some cholesterol is actually required for a number of functions, including insulating nerve fibres, ensuring nerve signals travel properly and making the hormones that carry chemical signals around the body. Moderate cholesterol is associated with higher levels of serotonin, the body’s natural ‘feel-good’ chemical. There are two types of cholesterol: HDL (the ‘good’ cholesterol) collects fats that have deposited in your arteries and delivers them back to

the liver so they can be made into bile to help digest your next fatty meal. The ‘bad’ cholesterol, LDL, delivers cholesterol to places in the body where it’s needed but if there is too much of it, deposits it in unwanted places, such as the arteries.

How do I know if my cholesterol is high?

The short answer is you don’t, not without a blood test. Even slim people who consume plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables can have elevated cholesterol, particularly since the cholesterol obtained from food only accounts for about 25 per cent of your total levels. Having high cholesterol doesn’t usually produce obvious symptoms, except the noccasional fatty deposit called xanthomas that generally appear as yellow patches around the eyes. Left untreated, a build up of cholesterol on the artery walls can lead to atherosclerosis, angina or even a stroke

What about medications to lower cholesterol?

The class of medication most commonly used to lower cholesterol are the statins, which work by blocking the enzyme your body uses to make cholesterol. Although effective, they are not without side effects. A recent New Zealand study found that statins were reportedly involved in depression, memory loss, confusion and aggressive reactions. This could be because serotonin, the ‘feel-good’ neurotransmitter needed to be happy, is associated with cholesterol. If your cholesterol levels are too low, your serotonin levels can also be too low, leading to low mood. If you are prescribed statins, I recommend you also take a coenzyme Q10 supplement, as evidence shows that taking statins depletes the body’s supply of coenzyme Q10.

Are there natural alternatives to statins?

Yes, several supplements have been shown to be effective in lowering elevated LDL, and I would consider Globe Artichoke to be one of the most helpful cholesterol-lowering herbs. In one double-blind study, a dose of 1800 mg Artichoke leaf extract was administered daily for six weeks. At the end of the trial the active group had a decrease in total serum cholesterol of 18.5 per cent compared to the placebo group’s 8.6 per cent. Not only is Globe Artichoke effective at lowering cholesterol levels in combination with a low fat diet, it also assists with symptoms

of indigestion and dyspepsia. Globe Artichoke acts on the bile duct, allowing a regular release of bile to help digest dietary fats. Cynarin, the active component in Globe Artichoke, also exerts a protective function on liver cells, protecting them against alcohol, prescription medicine and even viruses.

What sort of reduction in my total cholesterol level can I expect by taking Globe Artichoke?

A typical example is Debbie, one of my patients whose total cholesterol reading was 6.1 before she started taking a Globe Artichoke supplement. Debbie took one 6 g capsule daily, followed a low-fat diet and walked regularly. After 12 weeks her total cholesterol reading was 4.1.

Are there any additional measures I should take?

If you make healthy eating choices and stay aware of the different kinds of fats in foods, then you’re well on the way to controlling your cholesterol levels. You should also make a commitment to exercise regularly. One recent review evaluated 25 different studies on exercise and cholesterol and found that, for exercise to have an effect on HDL cholesterol, participants needed to exercise for about two hours a week consistently – the longer the exercise session the greater the HDL boost. Aerobic exercise, such as walking or cycling, was found to be the most effective.

Can anyone take Globe Artichoke?

Most people can, except those with an allergy to plants in the daisy family. I recommend anyone with an existing liver or gall bladder condition to consult with their healthcare professional to determine the suitability of Globe Artichoke. Also, it is important to check in with your healthcare practitioner to monitor your cholesterol levels to ensure that your changes to diet, supplements and lifestyle have the desired results.

One of the greatest abilities of the Liver is that it can regenerate itself. This should provide a great deal of hope for anyone suffering from liver disease. There are a few things that you need to do in order to turn your scarred liver into a brand new healthy liver. Follow the steps below:

Start consuming Dandelion (that plant that probably grows all around your home). The leaves of the Dandelion plant can be picked, washed, and mixed in with your salads. But you can also find Dandelion tinctures or other forms of Dandelion extracts at your local health food store. Dandelion is extremely useful for the health of the liver and related organs and glands. (Note that a poorly functioning liver will only bring DOWN the function of other organs and glands). It has been used to successfully treat liver disease, such as hepatitis and liver insufficiency.

If you only had one choice for picking a natural cure for liver disease it should be Milk Thistle Seed Extract (…fortunately you have more than one choice, so why not use all of them, it will only speed up your healing). There are a few reasons why Milk Thistle Seed Extract (also referred to as “Mte”) is beneficial to the liver and liver regeneration. Firstly, it protects the liver from toxins. Toxins, like Alcohol (the number one cause of Cirrhosis), compete against Mte for space on the cell membrane of the liver…except they always lose against the much stronger Mte. If your liver has Mte (milk thistle seed extract) all around itself, therefore preventing harmful toxins from destroying the liver, then the liver actually has time to regenerate. Also, Mte increase protein synthesis, which means that it speeds up the regeneration of destroyed liver tissue.

Another huge benefit of Milk Thistle Seed Extract is its interference with the enterohepatic circulation. Now, you might be wondering what the enterohepatic circulation is? Toxins are constantly being cycled back in forth between the gastrointestinal tract and the liver. Each time the toxins pass by the liver, the liver gets damaged. However, Mte interrupts the first absorption of toxins and then it helps prevent the re-absorption when the toxins are recycled. Cells that are not yet poisoned are therefore protected and become sites for new liver cell growth. In time a full restoration of the liver can be achieved.

I don’t want to sound repetitive so all I’m going to say about Artichoke is that it has the same healing properties as Milk Thistle. That being said I would use both Milk Thistle Seed Extract and Artichoke extract to heal my liver (along with a regular consumption of Dandelion extract). The human liver will regenerate itself, by using the above mentioned natural healers we can restore our livers faster. Don’t give in to taking pharmaceutical drugs they cause way too much damage to the liver, even if they are meant to heal your liver. Use natural cures and you will heal your liver faster, safer, and cheaper.

There are many other ways to speed up the recovery of your liver. Things like Acupuncture, Acupressure, Reflexology, Magnet Therapy, Essential Oils, Homeopathic Medicine, Home Remedies, Healing Crystals, and other Healing Herbs can all be used simultaneously to increase the restoration of the liver.

If you haven’t tried Aromatherapy massage, you have to read this article to get informed what you miss. An aromatherapy massage can be great way to relax and to relieve tired, sore muscles and a stressed out mind.

The practice of aromatherapy involves using essential oils from plants to heal the body, decrease pain and help keep one’s moods in check. It can help in decreasing depression, increase focus and provides a “pick me up.” Essential oils come from roots, flowers and plant extracts. Aromatherapy massage utilizes these essential oils for all of these benefits. They can also be used for other spa-like treatments, for example facials and hydrotherapy baths.

To prepare essential oils for a aromatherapy massage, they should be combined with a carrier oil such as grapeseed or sweet almond oil. The oils that you use will depend on how you are feeling, what you are looking to accomplish or what ailment that you are trying to treat. If you are feeling sad, or stressed, lavender oil is a good essential oil to use. If you need to treat tired and sore muscles, then you may opt for peppermint oil.

A massage therapist can mix up to five essential oils to create your massage oil. You want to make sure that you work with an aromatherapist who is qualified and that knows how to properly mix and use the massage oils so that you don’t suffer any skin irritations or other negative reactions.

Many store brought products claim to use aromatherapy. However, it most cases, these include little more then perfumes and fragrances. These do not quality as aromatherapy. Real aromatherapy involves the use of essential oils, which most of these products do not contain. Instead, most of these use chemicals and not essential oils. So don’t be fooled. You won’t get the same benefits that essential oils provide.

If you are interested in creating your own aromatherapy massage blend, you may want to try the following recipe.

8-10 drops of your favorite essential oil blend, or single essential oil

1 ounce of carrier oil

You will need to mix the oils. The mixture should be stored in a cobalt glass or amber bottle or container. You can use this blend whenever you get your next massage.

An aromatherapy massage can be great way to relax and to relieve tired, sore muscles and a stressed out mind. If you plan on creating your own massage oil, be sure to mix your essential oil blend with a carrier oil so that you do not irritate the skin. You should not place essential oils directly into the skin without a carrier oil. Also, be sure to only use safe oils that will not negatively react to the skin. This may require that you do a little research to determine which essential oils are not safe for human use. Also never use essential oils on babies or young children.

Prickly heat (Miliaria Rubra) appears when the sweat-gland ducts become obstructed and often occurs in a tropical or subtropical hot, humid wet environment.

Triggers can include over activity during hot weather, wearing polyester or lycra while exercising in warm weather, poor hygiene and/or obesity. This condition can also be genetically inherited, but may also be caused by allergies to deodorants or antiperspirants, using soap too often and overproduction of sebum.
Specific supplements include zinc, beta-carotene, vitamin B-complex (especially calcium pantothenate) and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), and vitamins C and E.
Vitamin C has a natural antihistamine effect and will help prevent, or minimise inflammation and itching. B vitamins and vitamin E will also help to prevent or reduce inflammation.
Dietary Considerations

Wholefoods for general and skin health, rich in all the antioxidants, especially the fruit and vegetables rich in vitamin A (beta-carotene), and in cis-linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid, is recommended. Drink plenty of cool fluids and herbal teas, such as green tea. A freshly squeezed juice combination to help restore lost fluids and salts consists of equal volumes of apple and carrot, with a little cucumber.

Avoid hot drinks and spicy food. Try cutting out dairy and wheat products, peanuts, coffee, eggs, citrus fruits, chocolate and shellfish, and then reintroducing one of these every three or four days to see if there’s a reaction.
Other Natural Treatment

BiCarbonate Soda Make a compress by dipping a washcloth in a mixture of one teaspoon of baking soda per cup of cool water. Apply to the rash for five to ten minutes. Do this four or five times a day. This is one of the useful home remedies for prickly heat treatment. You can also dust the affected area with cornstarch.

Aloe Vera lotions will stop excessive itching. The juice, or gel, from this tropical plant is renowned for its soothing and healing properties. It relieves inflammation and the accompanying burning and itching. Also a wonderful skin softener and moisturiser, it encourages the retention of water in the skin, and has an antibiotic action that helps prevent or clear up any infection that might occur if you scratch the spots.

Natures Sunshine Pau d’Arco Lotion

Natures Sunshine has developed Pau D’arco, a soothing, easy to apply topical lotion combining Pau D’arco Extract(Tabebuia heptaphylla) bark, Aloe Vera Gel, Grape Seed Oil and Rose Hip Oil. The Incas and native tribes of South America traditionally used Pau D’arco inner bark externally as a poultice or decoction for treating skin conditions

Bathe the affected area with cold chamomile and/or tea tree infusions. For a quick, relief-bringing compress, wring out a flannel that has been soaked in basin of ice-cold water containing 4tsp (20ml) distilled witch hazel, and apply directly to the prickly heat rash. Apply on affected areas after returning from outdoor activities.
Aromatherapy

Add 2-3 drops of chamomile or calendula essence to 8 fl oz (200ml) cold water and spray the rash liberally.Mix 3-4 drops of myrrh or lavender with 2 tsp (10ml)soya oil and spread on gently to relieve the inflammation.

Lavender essential oil (similarly soothing and healing, with antibiotic properties) Add five or six drops of lavender oil into a tepid bath and immerse yourself for ten minutes; spray the affected parts of the body with an atomiser containing cold water and a few drops of lavender oil; or make up a compress by soaking a piece of cotton in cold water to which is added a few drops of lavender oil, wring out and apply to the affected area
Homeopathy

Apis 30c This homeopathic remedy will help reduce the inflammation, burning and itching. Take one tablet every two hours for up to ten doses as soon as the prickling sensation starts. If necessary, repeat this dose daily, but not more frequently.

Further considerations:

Watch the sunscreen, suncreams and sun tan oils you use. Use sun tan creams and sunscreens that do not have mineral oil in them. Soltan, Nivea, Pureiton and Piz Buin alllergy sun creams seem to work.

To discourage further perspiration, air needs to flow freely over the skin’s surface-wear cool, loose, cotton clothing. Use fans, drink plenty of water, go swimming and bathe affected areas.

Keep as cool as possible. Wear loose, cotton garments. Cool showers or baths will help to keep itching under control and cleanse the skin. Only use soap once a day, ideally in the evening, followed by a shower in plain water in the morning. Bathing in oatmeal mixes or with oatmeal soaps will stop itching and speed healing.
Avoid:

• hot baths and showers
• exposure to heavy sunlight
• scratching which can introduce germs into the deeper layers of the skin

sweating by staying in a cool environment