(NaturalNews) NaturalNews has covered how eating pistachios lowers the risk of lung cancer (http://www.naturalnews.com/027732_p...) and how a diet rich in nuts may help prevent age-related blindness (http://www.naturalnews.com/026369_r...). Walnuts appear to have breast cancer-fighting properties, too (http://www.naturalnews.com/026115_w...). And now there's even more reason to be nuts about nuts -- scientists have found new evidence that nuts are heart healthy because they dramatically improve blood cholesterol levels, without drugs.
"Dietary interventions to lower blood cholesterol concentrations and to modify blood lipoprotein levels are the cornerstone of prevention and treatment plans for coronary heart disease," Joan Sabate, M.D., of Loma Linda University and colleagues stated in their report, which was just published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. "Recently, consumption of nuts has been the focus of intense research because of their potential to reduce coronary heart disease risk and to lower blood lipid (fat and cholesterol) levels based on their unique nutritional attributes."
The Loma Linda University researchers investigated data from 25 international nut consumption trials involving 583 women and men with high cholesterol or normal cholesterol levels. Each study compared a control group of research subjects to a group assigned to specifically eat nuts regularly. None of the study participants took cholesterol lowering drugs such as Big Pharma's widely prescribed statins.
On average, the people in the trials who ate about 67 grams (approximately 2.4 ounces) of nuts each day had an overall reduction in total cholesterol levels of 5.1 percent. Even more important, there was a 7.4 percent drop in low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which is known as the "bad" cholesterol, and a significant 8.3 percent change in the ratio of LDL cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the "good" cholesterol that protects from heart disease.
The news got even better when the scientists looked at the effect of nut consumption on high levels of triglycerides in the bloodstream. These blood fats, when excessive, are known to contribute to the development of heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease; triglycerides may play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes, too. The Archives of Internal Medicine report showed that eating nuts didn't change healthy levels of triglycerides in the body. However, in people with high levels, a diet rich in nuts caused triglyceride levels to take a 10.2 percent nosedive.
Bottom line: the researchers concluded the results of their study support the inclusion of nuts as a natural dietary therapy aimed at improving blood cholesterol levels. "Nuts are a whole food that have been consumed by humans throughout history. Increasing the consumption of nuts as part of an otherwise prudent diet can be expected to favorably affect blood lipid levels (at least in the short term) and have the potential to lower coronary heart disease risk," the researchers stated.
For more information:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/...
http://www.naturalnews.com/nuts.html
Showing posts with label cholesterol. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cholesterol. Show all posts
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Friday, January 8, 2010
Do Statin Drugs Cause Vitamin D Deficiency?
(NaturalNews) Many in the medical profession are beginning to recognize that people who take cholesterol-lowering statin drugs are becoming vitamin D-deficient. Cholesterol is required by the body to synthesize vitamin D and statin drugs are are responsible for eliminating it, leading many to speculate that statin drug users do not have enough cholesterol to process vitamin D.
Contrary to popular belief, cholesterol actually plays an important role in maintaining health. It regulates proper hormonal levels and is the precursor substance for the production of vitamin D. Cholesterol also works to digest and absorb fats, nutrients, and vitamins.
When converting sunlight into vitamin D, cholesterol in the skin acts as the catalyst for this important process. Vitamin D is crucial for mineral metabolization and is said to target over 2000 human genes. Deficiency is linked to over 17 varieties of cancer as well as heart disease, autoimmune diseases, muscle and bone problems, and other serious diseases.
In the study, researchers found a clear connection between vitamin D deficiency and muscle pain. Over 64 percent of patients with muscle pain who were taking statin drugs were also deficient in vitamin D. Those with muscle pain in general were found to be deficient in vitamin D.
When study participants who reported muscle pain were given 50,000 IU of vitamin D a week for 12 weeks, more than 92 percent of them were completely relieved of all muscle pain. The prescribed supplementation also raised blood levels of vitamin D to normal levels.
It is also known that statin drugs are responsible for depleting CoQ10 levels, a vital substance that metabolizes energy in the body. Both CoQ10 and vitamin D supplementation are recommended for anyone who takes statin drugs. A minimum of 2,000 IU of vitamin D and between 100 and 200 mg of CoQ10 daily are appropriate doses.
Studies have shown that taking CoQ10 by itself helps to maintain proper cholesterol levels without the need for statin drugs. While keeping bad cholesterol (LDL) levels low is beneficial, it is important to keep good cholesterol (HDL) levels high. CoQ10 works well at maintaining healthy levels of both.
Some other alternatives to keeping cholesterol levels in check include supplementation with niacin and policosanol. In conjunction with a healthy diet low in refined sugars and bad fats, these natural alternatives are both safe and effective. Exercise and a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids are also good suggestions.
Sources for this story include: http://www.stopagingnow.com/news/ne... http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/
Contrary to popular belief, cholesterol actually plays an important role in maintaining health. It regulates proper hormonal levels and is the precursor substance for the production of vitamin D. Cholesterol also works to digest and absorb fats, nutrients, and vitamins.
When converting sunlight into vitamin D, cholesterol in the skin acts as the catalyst for this important process. Vitamin D is crucial for mineral metabolization and is said to target over 2000 human genes. Deficiency is linked to over 17 varieties of cancer as well as heart disease, autoimmune diseases, muscle and bone problems, and other serious diseases.
In the study, researchers found a clear connection between vitamin D deficiency and muscle pain. Over 64 percent of patients with muscle pain who were taking statin drugs were also deficient in vitamin D. Those with muscle pain in general were found to be deficient in vitamin D.
When study participants who reported muscle pain were given 50,000 IU of vitamin D a week for 12 weeks, more than 92 percent of them were completely relieved of all muscle pain. The prescribed supplementation also raised blood levels of vitamin D to normal levels.
It is also known that statin drugs are responsible for depleting CoQ10 levels, a vital substance that metabolizes energy in the body. Both CoQ10 and vitamin D supplementation are recommended for anyone who takes statin drugs. A minimum of 2,000 IU of vitamin D and between 100 and 200 mg of CoQ10 daily are appropriate doses.
Studies have shown that taking CoQ10 by itself helps to maintain proper cholesterol levels without the need for statin drugs. While keeping bad cholesterol (LDL) levels low is beneficial, it is important to keep good cholesterol (HDL) levels high. CoQ10 works well at maintaining healthy levels of both.
Some other alternatives to keeping cholesterol levels in check include supplementation with niacin and policosanol. In conjunction with a healthy diet low in refined sugars and bad fats, these natural alternatives are both safe and effective. Exercise and a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids are also good suggestions.
Sources for this story include: http://www.stopagingnow.com/news/ne... http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/
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