The Complete Herbal Guide: A Natural Approach to Healing the Body - Heal Your Body Naturally and Maintain Optimal Health Using Alternative Medicine, Herbals, Vitamins, Fruits and Vegetables (12 page)

Serving Sizes


        
1/2 cup cooked rice or pasta

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1-slice bread

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1-cup raw vegetables or fruit

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1/2 cup cooked vegetables or fruit

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8 oz. of milk

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1-teaspoon olive oil

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3 ounces cooked meat

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3 ounces tofu

A related diet called the DASH-Sodium reduces sodium to 1,500 mg a day, which is approximately equal to 2/3 teaspoon from all sources (processed and canned foods contain hidden salt).

Patients following the DASH-Sodium diet had a significant reduction in high blood pressure.

Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium

Calcium

Calcium supplementation appears to have a modest but statistically significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (mean difference of 2.5 mm Hg), however better quality studies are needed.

Potassium

A meta-analysis of five trials indicated that potassium supplementation compared to a control resulted in a large but statistically non-significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (mean difference 11.2 mm Hg) and diastolic blood pressure (5.0 mm hg).

Magnesium

In 12 randomized controlled trials, participants receiving magnesium supplements did not have a significantly reduction in systolic blood pressure, but they did have a statistically signicantly reduction in diastolic blood pressure (mean difference 2.2 mm Hg).

Mind-Body Interventions

Mind-body interventions, particularly autogenic training, biofeedback, and yoga, have been found to modestly reduce high blood pressure compared with placebo.

Autogenic Training

Autogenic training is a technique used for stress reduction and relaxation. It involves a series of sessions in which people learn how to control breathing, blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature.

People learn six exercises that each involves a certain posture (e.g. reclining in a chair), concentration without a goal, imagination, and verbal cues. Each exercise is learned by watching a teacher demonstrate it or by reading a description. It requires regular practice.

Biofeedback
Biofeedback is a technique in which people learn how to gain control over internal body processes that normally occur involuntarily, such as blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and skin temperature.

Biofeedback is primarily used for high blood pressure, migraine, tension headache, chronic pain, and urinary incontinence.

Of the different types of biofeedback, thermal feedback (which measures skin temperature) and electrodermal activity feedback (which uses a probe that responds to sweat) may be more effective than direct blood pressure feedback or electromyography (EMG), which measures muscle tension.

Yoga
Preliminary studies have found that yoga may lower blood pressure.

Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic exercise is an important part of the natural approach to lower high blood pressure. A meta-analysis of 105 trials involving 6805 participants found that aerobic exercise was associated with a mean reduction in systolic blood pressure of 4.6 mm Hg, with corresponding reductions in diastolic blood pressure.

People with high blood pressure should speak with their doctor first before embarking on a new exercise program.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

In traditional Chinese medicine, high blood pressure is often attributed to a problem with the circulation of vital energy (qi) in the body. Chinese medicine practitioners believe that depression, anger, obesity, and high intake of fatty foods are some of the causative factors.

A combination of acupuncture and herbs is often recommended. Foods thought to have medicinal properties that may help high blood pressure include water chestnut, turnip, honey, Chinese celery, hawthorn berries, and mung beans.

Herbs and Supplements to Avoid

Herbs that have been found or suspected to cause high blood pressure are the following:

• Licorice
  
• Ephedra
  
• Asian Ginseng
  
• Rosemary essential oil
  

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What is High Cholesterol?

In some people, cholesterol levels in blood become too high. This is called high cholesterol or hyperlipidemia.

High levels of
LDL cholesterol
(so-called "bad" cholesterol) are considered a major risk factor for
heart disease and stroke
.

LDL cholesterol is thought to irritate the lining of blood vessels, stimulating arteriosclerosis, commonly known as hardening of the arteries.

Although lowering LDL cholesterol and raising levels of HDL cholesterol ("good" cholesterol) has traditionally been the focus, factors related to free radical damage are drawing increased attention:

• Lipoprotein A is a relative of LDL cholesterol.
  
• It has thought to be formed when there is free radical damage. Lipoprotein A may adhere to damaged blood vessels, eventually forming atherosclerotic plaques.
  
• Oxidized cholesterol is found in large amounts in fried and processed foods. Studies have found that oxidized cholesterol may increase the amount of atherosclerotic deposits on blood vessel walls.
  

Who Needs to Lower Cholesterol?

High cholesterol is usually treated based on total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol levels, plus the presence of additional risk factors for heart disease:

• Previous heart attack
  
• Diabetes
  
• Smoking
  
• High blood pressure
  
• Low HDL cholesterol
  
• Family history of early heart disease
  
• Age over 45 in men and greater than 55 in women
  
• 10 year risk of heart attack greater than 20%
  

Herbs and Supplements for High Cholesterol

Precautions:

A few tips on using natural products to lower cholesterol:

Talk with your doctor before starting any natural method to lower cholesterol. 

Make your doctor knows what supplements you are taking. Fill out the supplement diary to bring to your next appointment.

Do not discontinue any medication to lower cholesterol. Speak with your doctor if you have questions about your medication.

Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

Vitamin B3, also called niacin, is used to lower cholesterol. Specifically it appears to lower LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol.

Well-designed studies have found that niacin lowers LDL cholesterol by 10% to 20%, lowers triglycerides by 20% to 50%, and raises "good" HDL cholesterol by 15% to 35%. Niacin also appears to significantly lower levels for another risk factor for arteriosclerosis, lipoprotein A.

Niacin is available in prescription form and as a dietary supplement. The American Heart Association cautions patients to only use the prescription form of niacin.

Because of side effects, niacin should not be used to lower cholesterol unless under the supervision of a qualified health practitioner.

Niacin can increase the effect of high blood pressure medication or cause nausea, indigestion, gas, diarrhea, gout, and worsen peptic ulcers, or trigger gout, liver inflammation, and high blood sugar.

Side effect of high-dose niacin:

Skin flushing or hot a flash, which is caused by widening of blood vessels. Most people only notice this when they initially start taking niacin. The flushing may be lessened by taking niacin with meals.

Although high doses of niacin showed promise in combination with common drugs to lower cholesterol (called "
statins
"), there are concerns that combining the two could result in a serious condition called rhabdomyolysis. They should not be combined unless under the close supervision of a physician.

Artichoke Leaf

There is some research suggesting that artichoke leaf extract (Cynara scolymnus) may help to lower cholesterol.

Artichoke leaf extract may work by limiting the synthesis of cholesterol in the body.
Artichokes also contain a compound called cynarin, believed to increase bile production in the liver and speed the flow of bile from the gallbladder, both of which may increase cholesterol excretion.

Research:
A double-blind, placebo-controlled German study found that 1,800 mg of artichoke extract per day for six weeks significantly lowered total cholesterol by 18.5% compared to 8.6% in the placebo group and lowered LDL cholesterol by 22.9% compared with 6% in the placebo group. The ratio of LDL to HDL decreased by 20% in the artichoke group compared with 7% in the placebo group. There were no adverse effects associated with artichoke use.

A meta-analysis looked at randomized controlled trials for artichoke extract for high cholesterol. Two trials involving 167 people met the quality criteria. One trial found artichoke significantly reduced total cholesterol after 42 days of treatment. The other study found artichoke significantly reduced total cholesterol in a subgroup of patients with total cholesterol levels of more than 230 mg/dl.

Adverse events were mild, transient and infrequent. Larger clinical trials over longer periods are needed.

Soluble Fiber

Soluble fiber appears to reduce LDL cholesterol by reducing cholesterol absorption in the intestines. Soluble fiber binds with cholesterol so that it is excreted.

Soluble fiber can be found as a dietary supplement, such as psyllium powder, or in foods such as:

• Oats, barley, rye
  
• Legumes (peas, beans)
  
• Some fruits such as apples, prunes, and berries
  
• Some vegetables, such as carrots, brussel sprouts, broccoli, yams
  

Dosages:

Five to 10 grams a day of soluble fiber has been found to decrease LDL cholesterol by approximately 5%.

The FDA allows soluble fiber products to indicate on the label that they are "heart-healthy".

Plant Sterols and Stanols

Plant stanols and sterols (such as beta-sitosterol and sitostanol) are naturally-occuring substances found in certain plants. Stanols are also found as dietary supplements or are added to margarine, orange juice, and dressings.

Research:

Research suggests that plant stanols and sterols may help to lower cholesterol. They are similar in structure to cholesterol and may help block the absorption of cholesterol absorption from the intestines.

Studies have found that stanols significantly reduced total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, but had no significant effect on HDL cholesterol or triglycerides.
Stanols and sterols appear to enhance the effects of other methods to lower cholesterol. In studies, people taking the statin drugs to lower cholesterol had an additional improvement in their cholesterol levels with stanols/sterols.

Other Supplements

• Policosanol
  
• Red Yeast Rice
  
• Coenzyme Q10
  
• Garlic
  
• Pantothine
  

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What is Heartburn?

When we eat, food normally enters the stomach. A band of muscle at the end of the esophagus, called the lower esophageal spincter, then closes off the esophagus.
Heartburn can occur when the sphincter does not properly close. The acidic content of the stomach backs up into the esophagus causing irritation and pain.

Digestive Enzymes

A full stomach can put extra pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter and increase the chances that food will reflux and cause heartburn.

Digestive enzyme supplements contain enzymes that help break down food and aid digestion. Digestive enzyme supplements are usually a combination of enzymes that break down protein (protease), break down carbohydrates (amylase), and break down fats (lipase).

Here are some suggestions on what to look for in an enzyme supplement:

• Ratios of the different enzymes vary. For holiday heartburn, a supplement with the highest ratio of lipase might be most effective.
  
• Avoid supplements that only contain proteases. Too much protease can break down lipase, impairing fat digestion.
  
• Avoid formulas that contain hydrochloric acid, betaine hydrochloride, or ox bile. The extra acidity can worsen symptoms.
  
• The enzyme bromelain is derived from pineapple and the enzyme papain is derived from papaya. People with allergies to these substances should check the label carefully and avoid products containing them.
  
• Look for capsule form.
  
• Digestive enzymes must be taken approximately 15 minutes before meals with a glass of water.