15 Januari 2009

vitamin B and Acne

Vitamin B And Acne by Brad Thomas

More often than not you are bombarded with aisles and shelves of generic external acne treatments ranging from face wash, toners and creams. Most contain the active ingredient benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid.
Rarely do you see any internal acne treatments (except through prescription drugs and antibiotics) or any other natural acne alternatives for external use. But it turns out that natural ingredients works just as well (if not better) than these synthetic chemicals from a test tube.
A 1995 study made by the State University of New York created a head by head comparison of topical B vitamin nicotinamide versus the prescription antibiotic clindaymycin. Results from this study shows that they had "comparable efficacy" on getting rid of acne with numbers slightly better for the B vitamin!
Too bad topical antibiotics are recommended by dermatologists while B vitamin nicotinamide is almost never mentioned to you. It is a pity considering that this natural acne alternative is probably better for your skin with no side effects.
But what about taking Vitamin B internally? In a 1975 study by the Archives of Dermatology found that by adding Vitamin B nicotinamide added to standard acne treatment produce solid clear skin results.
Another study done by the University of Pittsburgh found that 88 percent of acne patients in the two month study rated their overall improvement as either moderate or much better after taking a nutritional combination containing B vitamin nicotinamide. The benefits were especially dramatic for getting rid of inflammatory acne lesions.
Although three studies have found Vitamin B effective for fighting acne, nobody knows for sure why B vitamins works so well but a large open study (from The Nicomide Improvement in Clinical Outcomes Study reported in the 2006 journal Cutis) found that nicotinamide has powerful anti-inflammatory properties and works from the inside out. In your diet, you can find nicotinamide in high protein foods. This includes meats, fish, brewer's yeast, milk, eggs, legumes, potatoes and peanuts. As an added benefit besides clear skin nicotinamide may help lower cholesterol levels, stabilize your blood sugar, support genetic processes in your cells and help your body process fats. But to receive more consistent results you should take a supplement that contains more of this incredible anti acne nutrient.
Everybody is different so the clear skin results may vary from one person to the next. But don't expect to take one Vitamin B supplement and expect your acne will suddenly disappear. Instead take a more holistic approach by keeping your diet clean and healthy, control your stress levels, and give yourself extra protection by taking a vitamin supplement with more anti-acne nutrients in them. This by itself will almost always control acne.

12 Januari 2009

Lowering Cholesterol Tips

Lowering Cholesterol Tips by Green Herbal


Lowering cholesterol is important for everyone, including younger, middle-aged, and older adults, and people with or without heart disease and/or stroke. Lowering cholesterol is extremely important key to reducing the risk of heart disease. High levels of LDL are associated with an increased risk of heart disease.

Here are some ways how to reduce cholesterol - tips to lower cholesterol:

1. Natural Treatment to reduce blood cholesterol.

Cholesterol produces by the liver also found in certain foods. That means we can control what we eat. Natural treatment to lower cholesterol is one of the important key to make you success to lower your cholesterol. Lower cholesterol natural way such as healthy eating -low fat food- low cholesterol diet, healthy lifestyle and, exercise regularly.

2. Herbs to reduce blood cholesterol.

Herbs to reduce blood cholesterol are new options to dealing with higher levels of cholesterol. It is especially good for people do not respond well to pharmaceutical cholesterol-lowering medications. Always consult to you doctor before use some of herbs to reduce blood cholesterol.

Policosanol is a component which all cholesterol lowering vitamins should include and it should be extracted from sugar cane wax. You need superior cholesterol lowering vitamins to lower your cholesterol when it comes to your heart's health and longevity.

Diet isn't always effective in lowering your cholesterol, for the simple reason that 90% of it is made by your body. So your cholesterol level has little to do with precisely what you're eating. Diet and drugs are the main instruments available to normalize lipid levels. The choice of drug to combine with diet must be based on its specific effects on lipid metabolism, side effects, and how well it does in reducing cholesterol levels.

Cardiovascular diseases is rank as America's number one killer, claiming the lives of over 36 percent of the more than 2.4 million people who die each year in the United States. Cancer kills nearly 23 percent. All other causes of death account for about 41 percent.

Foods that lower cholesterol

In order to keep a healthy cholesterol lowering diet, you must avoid foods such as fatty meats (beef), organ meats such as kidney, heart and liver, and processed foods. On the other hand, things like sardines, tuna, salmon, seafood etc are highly recommended to be included in your diet. In order to remove the cholesterol from your body, it is recommended that you consume lots of fish since it contains omega-3-fatty acids. Rather than having the fat-rich milk, you can consider switching over to skimmed milk. To have a cholesterol lowering diet, you should also reduce the quantity of other dairy products like cheese and butter.

Reducing Lp(a) cholesterol levels

When it comes to lowering Lp(a) cholesterol levels, most lipid lowering medications such as statins (Lopid and cholestyamine) have a very limited impact on it. In women with elevated Lp(a) cholesterol, estrogen has been shown to lower Lp(a) cholesterol levels by about 20 percent. When given to postmenopausal women, estrogen can also increase HDL cholesterol levels.

In addition, some experts recommend diets that are extremely low in fat for people with severe heart disease or for those who haven't responded well to other types of cholesterol lowering diets. Of course, a key factor for everyone with elevated cholesterol levels is to make sure that you go to your doctor regularly, so that together you can keep a watchful eye on your progress.

DIET CHOLESTEROL

Diet to Lower Cholesterol, Foods to avoid in High Cholesterol by Peter Hutch


Cholesterol is an important substance we all need for our body to function properly. But in this case to much of something is not a good thing and high levels of cholesterol can be dangerous to your long term health. If you have high cholesterol it is a good idea to lower it to more normal levels and the best way to do this is through diet.

The cholesterol in blood comes from two main sources: the foods we eat and what we manufacture. Cholesterol levels that are too high or too low in the blood can be a very dangerous factor, often leading to a heart attack or a stroke. There are many people who take statin drugs to reduce their cholesterol. However, there are many natural foods that you can eat to help lower cholesterol safely and naturally without the use of dangerous statin drugs.

Cholesterol is an important substance that the body uses to create and maintain cell wall membranes and manufacture many of the hormones we need to keep the body functioning. But high levels of cholesterol in the blood stream can lead to atherosclerosis which is a narrowing and hardening of the arteries. This in turn can lead to high blood pressure, clogged arteries, and blood clots.

Reducing saturated fat and cholesterol in the diet is the foundation of the TLC diet. The strongest nutritional influence on serum LDL cholesterol levels is saturated fats. There is also a dose response relationship between saturated fats and LDL cholesterol levels. For every 1% increase in calories from saturated fats as a percent of total energy, serum LDL cholesterol increases roughly 2%.

One of the reasons your body produces Cholesterol is a self preservation tactic. Your arteries develop cracks and stress factures as a natural occurrence. Your body must patch these cracks and factures or you will bleed to death. The substance of choice for your body to use is Collagen. However, if the raw ingredients needed aren't present in sufficient quantities to produce this miraculous elixir, cholesterol can also be used instead.

Foods to avoid include fried, battered, crumbed, fatty takeaways, fast foods, sausages, luncheon and processed meats, pastries, pies etc. Others are cream, cakes, biscuits, puddings, ice cream, chocolates, hot chips.

There must always be a balance including fresh vegetables and/or salad whenever you decide to have meat or fish. Chicken is not good for you, if it is fried and if it is to be consumed it is important to remove the skin.

A good breakfast for your sample diet to lower cholesterol should include oatmeal or oat bran and fruits. You can alternate it with cereal and low-fat milk or whole grain products, such as wheat bread. If you use butter or margarine, you may want to replace it with sterol-fortified margarine, instead. For the drinks, you can take sterol-fortified juices, skim milk or water. Vitamin supplement may also be taken in the morning.

cholesterol

Cholesterol- How to lower high cholesterol levels by Sandra Mungure


Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, or "bad" cholesterol, has serious health risks. Professionals in the health and nutrition field advise people with high cholesterol not to just lower your LDL cholesterol but also boost your high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level in order to keep the level balanced. This will avoid the buildup of plaque in the arteries Which contributes to serious health condition like heart attack.

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a type of fat (lipid) substance that ismade by most cells of the body Cholesterol is essential for the production of certain hormones and vitamin D in the body. The body tends to produce the amount of cholesterol it requires. However, we tend to stuff it with extra cholesterol via eating foods high in saturated fats including eggs, meat, high fat dairy and meat. Some people also have the tendency known as a genetic disposition to high cholesterol. This means that food is really not an issue here.

high cholesterol contributes to the formation of a hard substance called plaque in the arteries that can actually block the flow of blood. Blood flow through veins is disturbed by build up of plaque. This makes the heart work harder thereby increasing the risk of stroke and heart diseases.

Here are some effective tips on minimizing cholesterol levels in your body:

a) Stop smoking: This is very important because smoking tends to reduce HDL levels in your blood. HDL or high density level cholesterol is good cholesterol and ensures healthy arteries. The lower the HDL, greater the risk of heart diseases. Smoking tends to increase blood clots in your body. Hence, if you smoke, quit immediately. b) Stay physically active: lack of physical activity is a major risk factor for many diseases and sickness. The American Heart Association supports 30 minutes of physical activities. You may also focus on smaller sessions. Regular exercise will increase HDL and also keep a check on your weight and blood pressure. c) Medication: Medication is always possible. You need to visit a health care practitioner in order to lower your cholesterol. Your doctor may advice some medications and some lifestyle and diet changes.

Dietary tips to lower your cholesterol:

a) Plan a menu: Its is important to plan your meals for week that way you are guaranteed to achieve your goal of not eating high cholesterol foods. You need to focus on supplementing it with fruits and vegetables full of fibers. It is recommended to eat organic foods because they are made without conventional pesticides and artificial fertilizers which means they more healthier than non-organic foods. You also need to use complex carbohydrates of premium standards. b) No egg yolks: If you have higher cholesterol in your body, its wise to avoid egg yolks and focus more on eating egg whites. c) Use whole wheat: Use of whole wheat to prepare food and cereals. These are very effective in reducing levels of cholesterol. d) Refined sugar: Avoid refined sugar as this contains a good amount of chemicals for processing it. Unrefined sugar does not harm your health a lot. e) Water: You need to drink a lot of water. It also helps with digestion and maintain balance levels of cholesterol. f) Stay away from soft drinks: Remember that all soft drinks made commercially contain good amounts of additives, sugar and artificial colors. These can result in higher cholesterol.


Follow the above mentioned tips and you will easily be able to bring your cholesterol level to balance.