Plant sterols and stanols lower LDL cholesterol naturally.
Did you know that about 80 million Americans today are diagnosed with high cholesterol? Of these, 25 million have been prescribed cholesterol lowering drugs, but many choose not to take the medication because of the side effects of liver damage, harm to their muscles, headaches, and nausea.
I, for one, am for natural approaches if they are proven effective. And natural plant sterols and stanols appear to fit the bill.
I was thrilled to hear recently that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends plant sterols and stanols as a natural approach to lower LDL cholesterol. Great news for you or your loved ones who are struggling with elevated LDL and the risk of clogged arteries and heart disease.
Stanols and sterols are natural substances found in plants that have a molecular structure very much like that of cholesterol. Their similar structure makes these plant-derived molecules an effective competitor with cholesterol for absorption sites in the intestines, effectively lowering the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream. So where does that bad cholesterol go when it can’t get into your bloodstream? Into the toilet bowl where it belongs.
With over 80 clinical studies proving the effectiveness of plant sterols and stanols, the NIH recommends that 2 grams of plant stanols and sterols be consumed daily for people with elevated cholesterol. This is what is required to lower LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) by up to 13%. And many additional clinical studies have shown that lowering LDL cholesterol by that much will lower your risk of a heart attack by 18-26%.
Okay. So how much fruits and veggies do one have to eat to get these 2 grams daily? Here are some examples scenarios: 6.7 cups of soy beans; 60 oranges; or 47.5 cucumbers. Hmmm…
It is pretty obvious you would need a good natural supplement of these vital phytonutrients. And taking more than 2 grams daily will not lower your LDL cholesterol any more than the 2 grams will. That’s just what they found in the studies.
And the fantastic part of all this is clinical studies have shown that plant sterols and stanols do not produce any side effects. They are natural and we consume them daily from foods like oils, nuts, fruits, and grains. It also does not matter what combination of stanol/sterol you take or whether or not they are in ester form, like some manufacturers want you to believe.
Now there are companies offering foods fortified with stanols and/or sterols. They key is how much calories, saturated fat and trans fat you would need to consume to get the 2 grams. Watch out for this. Also, does the fortified food have artificial ingredients? Better to go with the all natural way so your body has less detoxifying to do and can put that saved energy to healing, repairing, and building healthy cells.
I just returned from a health and wellness global conference and learned that consuming a sterol/stanol natural supplement up to 30 minutes before a meal or with your meal is best. And these plant sterols and stanols bring your body benefits for several hours, so the time you take it is not that critical. The use of this type of supplement, along with good fiber, is a powerful combination for lowering LDL cholesterol. And waiting 60 to 90 days of using one natural plant stanol/sterol supplement in particular before taking a blood test and seeing results was recommended.
One question I was asked by a loved one is if the plant stanols and sterols would interfere with statin drugs. I’m happy to report that the NIH recommends that people on statin drugs follow a diet called the Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes diet, and that includes 2 grams of plant sterols and stanols daily. And being on this diet may result in the lowering of your statin drug dose, which can lower your cost and risk of side effects.
Of course, you will want to work with your doctor in determining the best dosage of statins. And because the NIH recommends plant sterols and stanols for people with elevated cholesterol, your doctor will probably be a willing partner.
Protect your immune system and it will protect you. Your immune system is constantly being bombarded by the many free radicals and toxins produced by synthetic chemicals in everyday products. We experienced the horrible effects of toxic chemicals in our home when our 12-year old daughter’s immune system began to attack her kidneys (a detoxifying organ). Tests showed she had toxic levels of several environmental pollutants in her body. We later learned the Environmental Protection Agency says the home is up to 5X more polluted than outdoor air. And this pollution can affect people in different ways.
We found out that today’s products, like the flame retardant in your couch, mattress and sleepwear, additives in food (over 3,000), lotions, shampoos, etc… had in them chemicals that have not been tested for toxicity. Over 83,000 synthetic chemicals have been introduced into our daily environment since the end of WWII, and less than 20% have been tested for toxicity. Even “organic” baby products have been found to have formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane (even sounds scary) in them, and this is being applied to a baby’s skin, where it is absorbed into the body. You’ll have to google those words to get the full impact of their damaging effects on health.
So what can you do? YOU HAVE CONTROL OVER WHAT GOES IN YOUR HOME, where you spend most of your time. Get better health by cleaning up the air and surfaces of your home from synthetic chemicals. It’s easy, simple, brings wellness, and SAVES YOU MONEY. Get more info HERE.
For example, compare $23.96/gallon for store-bought all-purpose green cleaner to 22 cents/gallon of this wonderful green all-purpose cleaner that is 99.95% natural. (Did you know that to have the words “natural” on a product, labelling laws only require 15% natural ingredients — and dirt qualifies as “natural?”)
The products in the sidelines in the video are used by the Ocean Alliance and Whale Conservation Institute because it is so biodegradable. FEEL the difference in your home! Not only has our daughter been helped by these products, but so has the rest of the family’s allergies. And the amazing thing is, they work. I was skeptical. But when I tried them, I couldn’t stop telling others about them. And it’s being used — for two administrations now — for the White House and the U.S. Naval Observatory where the U.S. Vice President lives.
Click HERE to start making a difference in your family’s bodies, your home and your planet today.
In March of 2006 our family was caught by surprise when our 12 year old daughter was diagnosed with a kidney disease, “a bad pathology of unknown cause and unknown cure.”
It was a scary and traumatic time, as the illness stole our daughter’s beauty, self-confidence, and strength. While my husband and I tried to find a natural doctor to help her, we didn’t find one we felt we could trust. Everyone seemed to be guessing. My daughter’s condition was serious, as she leaked blood and protein into her urine and her body began to swell. We followed the medical doctors’ prescription drug recommendations, but they have scary side effects and were not “kicking in” as hoped. Meanwhile, blood test results worsened over time. We felt hopeless.
We have always used natural supplements from health food stores and natural doctors. But with this condition, the answers I was getting from the natural doctors and health food store clerks were inadequate. I wanted to know why they recommended such and such supplement, and the answers lacked the proof and solid science I sought. It felt like we were playing a marketing guessing game, relying on claims that came from anywhere. I did not want to do that with my daughter who needed real help quickly.
We searched state- and nation-wide for a natural doctor whom we could trust. Many phone calls and visits and four months later we found, through a friend of a friend, a biochemist and clinical nutritionist in Oregon. He performed several tests and found evidence in our daughter’s body of high levels of organophosphate pesticides and environmental pollutants, including xylene, benzene, phthalates, styrene, etc. I was in shock as it was explained to me that many of these chemicals are in the products in your home and in your everyday environment.
He put our daughter on a therapeutic program using a specific system of safe natural cleansing and nutritional supplements. The goal was to use pure and powerful nutritional supplements to detoxify our daughter and make her so strong and healthy she would no longer need the drugs. Our daughter was little and hated taking the supplements. She had difficulty swallowing the pills, but we battled it out, explained, taught, and persevered.
Our biochemist doctor also encouraged to use safe but effective plant-based cleaning products from the same company to lower the chemical burden in our home, as well as implement other lifestyle and dietary changes. I immediately thought I would have a dirty home, as the “green” cleaning products I had used in the past just did not work. Luckily, I was pleasantly surprised. In fact, for two administrations now these same cleaning products are being used in the White House and the U.S. Naval Observatory, where our U.S. Vice President lives! How’s that for passing muster?!
Our clinical nutritionist predicted, after gradually getting our daughter on an immune system supplement, that her urine would look more normal in one to two weeks. I was told that this total immune booster was formulated by the scientist who co-discovered interferon, which is now used to help AIDS and cancer patients boost their immune systems. This scientist saw the side effects and wanted a botanical supplement that would help a body make its own interferon. After 40 years of research, he found a botanical formulation that works. I was doubtful, but after twelve days we happened to have our routine monthly medical lab tests, and a few days later received a call from our medical doctors with the good news of “Your daughter is getting better!” This was the first time in five months that we had received any good news! In the meantime, we saw in our daughter’s face and body an amazing reduction of swelling from the steroids she was on, and her color returned. None of the drug doses were different. We were overwhelmed, encouraged, and grateful! Our friends and family saw her transformation and were amazed!
After a four-month period, when our daughter became more stable and stronger, I embarked on a crusade to tell others about the need to protect themselves and their families. I wanted to warn them about today’s chemical world, and what they could do in their own homes to keep their families healthy.
Today, our daughter’s nephrologists (kidney specialist) continues to lower and eliminate prescription medications. We are down from five drugs to two, and our goal is to reach zero. The doctor tells us she feels she has played a very small role in our daughter’s improvement, and that what we are doing at home, although she does not understand it, is truly helping.
Recent tests done by our biochemist show our daughteris out of the toxic levels in environmental pollutants. Her beauty has been restored and her strength increasing — even though her body is doing double-duty with puberty and fighting disease at the same time. Our biochemist told us that if she had been diagnosed before puberty, her body could focus more on healing rather than building a woman’s body and would heal more quickly. We understand, and patiently and hopefully wait for her body to take its course.
It has been hard work and a long, sometimes “inconvenient” road, but we learned about and embrace the natural approach to health through good choices, adequate rest, proper exercise, fresh and healthful meals, and using only safe, pure and scientifically sound natural cleaning and nutritional supplements –it is so worthwhile! This mother and daughter have moved from fear and helplessness to empowerment through knowledge. And I would like to pass on the information we continue to learn to anyone looking for natural solutions for wellness. There is hope, and there is a better future for you.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PRODUCTS THAT HAVE BROUGHT HEALTH TO OUR FAMILY, CLICK HERE.
Did you know that when you stand on a city corner and a bus drives by, that moment exposes you to more free radicals than someone would have been exposed to in their entire lifetime 100 years ago? Our world today is very different from that of our grandparents. Let me know what you think about the article below… Monica
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Do you know someone who thinks they get everything they need from their food?
Dr. Jeffrey Blumberg, Associate Director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Research Center on Aging and Chief of the Antioxidant Research Laboratory at Tuffs University, published and article in May, 1994, that gives the amount of food one would need to consume every day to meet the minimum daily allowances for the antioxidants beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium. These numbers should convince even the most stubborn individual to supplement their diet!
To get the minimum daily allowance for beta carotene, choose one of these every day:
1 gallon of carrot juice
26 cups cooked carrots
56 cups raw carrots
35 cantaloupes
187 cups spinach
94 cups dried apricots
To get the minimum daily allowance for Vitamin C, choose one of these:
3 cantaloupes
12 cups strawberries
15 oranges
1 gallon orange juice
63 gallons apple juice
14 cup cups cauliflower
To get the minimum daily allowance for Vitamin E, choose on of these:
67 cups Total cereal
2 Gallons corn oil
1 gallon mayonnaise
111 cups Brazil nuts
4 gallons creamy peanut butter
Selenium is an essential mineral that strengthens cell walls & helps prevent cell damage, one of the main causes of aging and cancer initiation. It has been depleted from the soil by industrial farming and is almost non-existent in our food. To get the minimum daily allowance, one would need to eat 1.5 pounds of halibut daily.
As one can readily observe, supplementation makes sense!
BUT…not all supplements are the same. In fact, some can hurt you. Our family uses only the Shaklee brand of natural supplements because they are tested for over 350 contaminants.
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