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When doctors warn about high cholesterol, it’s not the cholesterol you eat they are worried about. Rather, it’s how much cholesterol is circulating in your blood. But, would you be surprised to learn that cholesterol is a vital substance your body needs?

Your body uses cholesterol to:
- produce hormones, such as-Testosterone and Estrogen, which produce the physical characteristics of adult men and women;
-Cortisol, which is involved in regulating blood-sugar levels and defending against infection; and
-Aldosterone, which helps retain salt and water in the body;
help repair and create cells;
make vitamin D, which is responsible for strong bones and teeth; and 
make bile, which is used to digest fatty foods and to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins.

Digesting fats, synthesizing hormones, building and repairing cell walls and other important functions are possible only with the help of cholesterol.

Cholesterol Circulation
The liver manufactures and reuses cholesterol. Because cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that does not readily mix with our watery blood, the liver sends out cholesterol through the blood stream as various kinds of lipoproteins. The blood carries cholesterol particles, as low-density lipoproteins (LDL), to the various body tissues for use. After serving its purposes in the body, cells excrete cholesterol back into the blood stream as high-density lipoproteins (HDL) to carry cholesterol particles back to the liver. Your body loses some cholesterol each day via elimination through bile, so the liver is constantly making new cholesterol to replace what is used up or lost.

Problems arise when you produce or ingest too much cholesterol. If all of it cannot be used, it can be deposited anywhere in the blood vessels where it can oxidize and form plaque. Correspondingly, if HDL levels are low, excess cholesterol particles excreted into the blood stream are not transported back to the liver, and again, oxidize to form plaque. This is why HDL is ‘good’, because it carries cholesterol back to the liver, keeping it from being oxidized. LDL is ‘bad’, because if not used, its cholesterol easily oxidizes in the blood vessels.

High levels of cholesterol are a risk factor for coronary heart disease, the nation’s number one killer. According to the American Heart Association, over 100 million Americans have cholesterol levels that exceed the recommended total and 20 percent of Americans have elevated levels.

Dietary Cholesterol
If your body makes all the cholesterol necessary for its functions, where does excess cholesterol come from? From animal products in your diet. To balance these two sources of cholesterol, your body attempts to adjust the amount it produces each day.

For example, if you eat animal products, your body gets more cholesterol from your diet, so your body slows down its production of cholesterol. On the other hand, when most of the foods you eat come from plant sources, your body maintains its cholesterol needs.However, problems occur when this process is unbalanced by a regular diet containing high levels of animal products.

The average level of LDL cholesterol for American adults age 20 and older is 115.0 mg/dL or under; for HDL cholesterol it is 60 mg/dL or higher. Plaque formed by cholesterol is a major contributor to heart disease and stroke. However, other risk factors, such as inherited conditions, exercise and lifestyle, help your doctor determine what your LDL and HDL levels should be. Healthy cholesterol levels vary between individuals, and should be discussed with your health care provider.

Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is the process of fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste products, calcium and fibrin building up in the inner lining of any artery creating plaque, which blocks blood flow through
the artery. Where plaque occurs, there may be bleeding into the plaque or the formation of a blood clot on the plaque’s surface. If one of these blocks the entire artery, it results either in a heart attack or stroke.

Depending on which blood vessels are blocked, imbalanced cholesterol levels increase the risk of other conditions, such as coronary heart disease and peripheral vascular disease, and have been linked to diabetes and high blood pressure.

Controlling Cholesterol
Remember, in most cases, your body will regulate its own cholesterol levels. It’s just when you overwhelm it with dietary cholesterol that your cholesterol levels may become imbalanced, although genetics and other factors may play a role.

So, what should you do to control your cholesterol levels? It is worth noting that cholesterol-lowering drugs are not the best answer to high cholesterol! Making better choices in the food you eat and the life you lead can help you lower your cholesterol naturally.

1. Limit daily consumption of animal products.
Beef, poultry, shellfish, eggs, pork, cheese, milk and butter, and foods made with a high concentration of these, may be supplying your body with too much cholesterol. In addition, deep-fried foods can contribute to dietary cholesterol.

2.Exercise moderately and regularly.
Exercise stimulates enzymes that help move cholesterol from the blood to the liver. So, the more you exercise, the more cholesterol your liver recirculates or eliminates. Try to get a minimum of 30 minutes per day of walking, jogging, biking or similar exercise.

3. Eat more fiber.
Fruits, vegetables and whole grains contain cholesterol-lowering dietary fiber. Soluble fiber, in particular, acts like a sponge to absorb and eliminate cholesterol.

4. Eat more antioxidants.
Free radicals oxidize cholesterol. Antioxidants eliminate free radicals. Therefore, the more antioxidants in your body, the fewer free radicals to oxidize cholesterol.



It’s good to know that you don’t have to live with a cholesterol imbalance. Bring your cholesterol back into balance naturally through the right food and lifestyle choices!


References
Chen, Dr. Jau-Fei. Nutritional Immunology. Pp 66-67. Bright Ideas Press, Provo, UT, 2000.

Cholesterol. American Heart Association. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/
Cholesterol/CholestrolATH_UCM_001089_SubHomePage.jsp.
Retrieved 10/8/2010. Retrieved 10/6/2010.

Cholesterol. Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholesterol.
Retrieved 10/7/2010.

Cholesterol Levels: What numbers should you aim for? Mayo Clinic. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cholesterol-levels/CL00001. Retrieved 10/8/2010.









 



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We like to think of Nutritional Immunology as a new science—and as a rigorous, scientific study, it is relatively new. However,people have observed the relationship between nutrition and immunity for centuries. Hippocrates (ca. 460 BC – ca. 370 BC), the Greek physician known as the father of medicine, once said, “If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health.” Through history, there are some significant dates for the science that we now call Nutritional Immunology.

1747
James Lind of the British Royal Navy studied limes for the prevention of scurvy. Lind was not the first to suggest that citrus fruit was a cure for scurvy, but he was the first to study their effect by a systematic experiment.It ranks as one of the first clinical experiments in the history of medicine. There after citrus juice was dispensed by the ship’s surgeonas a cure for seamen who had scurvy. Only after 1800 was it regularly issued to prevent scurvy, and British sailors became knownas ‘limeys.’

1810
The first modern link between nutrition and immunity was made byJ. F. Menkel. Menkel described the atrophy of the thymus in malnourished patients. By linking malnutrition and thymic atrophy Menkel provided the scientific birth of Nutritional Immunology. The thymus is of particular importance to the immune system because it produces hormones that stimulate the production of infection-fighting cells,and because of its importance in the maturation of T cells. In fact, theT in T cells stands for thymus.


1845
J. Simon called the thymus “a barometer of malnutrition, and a very sensitive one.” The anatomical link between nutrition and immunology was recognized long before the immunological importance of the thymus was discovered.

 
1882
Takaki Kanehiro, a Japanese naval physician, observed that Japanese naval officers, who ate a varied diet, did not get beriberi, while common seamen who lived primarily on white rice did. He conducted an experiment that convinced the Imperial Japanese Navy that poor diet was the prime factor in beriberi, and the disease was soon eliminated from the fleet. Ten years later, Christiaan Eijkman, in Batavia, advanced the theory that beriberi was caused by a nutritional deficiency, and later identified thiamine (vitamin B1) as the culprit, earning him the1929 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

1906 
Wilcock and Hopkins showed that the amino acid tryptophan was necessary for the survival of mice. Gowland Hopkins recognized“accessory food factors” other than calories, protein and minerals,as organic materials essential to health but which the body cannot synthesize.

 
1911
Isolation of thiamine by Casimir Funk led him to form theconcept of a vitamine (i.e., vital amine) but the final e was later discarded when it was discovered that other vital compounds were not amines. Amines are organic compounds that contain nitrogen as the key atom. It was recognized quite early thatboth vitamin A and vitamin C had unique anti-infective properties,but their link to immunological mechanisms remained unknown until decades later.


1930
William Cumming Rose identified essential amino acids, which are those necessary protein components the body cannotsynthesize itself.

1941
The first Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) were established by the United States National Research Council.

1950 
The discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming in 1929 and gramicidin by Rene Dubos in 1939, ushered in “the antibioticera,” which was in full swing during the 1950s. The efficacy of antibiotics and other breakthroughs in medical sciences took center stage during this time. In contrast, interest in the supportive and nutritional aspects of medical care reached a lowpoint in the late 1940s and 1950s.

 

1987
Dr. Jau-Fei Chen founds E. Excel International based on the principles of Nutritional Immunology.

1991
A new publication, The Journal of Nutritional Immunology,makes its debut with Julian E. Spallholz as editor-in-chief.
 

2001
US patent issued to Dr. Jau-Fei Chen and E. Excel International for the use of ginseng berry and cactus fruit as ingredients in nutritional products and for freeze-dried ginseng berry tea.

2002
A research team from the University of Chicago’s Tang Centerfor Herbal Medicine Research reported in the June issue of the journal Diabetes, that an extract of ginseng berries completely normalized blood glucose levels, improved sensitivity to insulin, lowered cholesterol levels and decreased weight by reducing appetite and increasing activity levels in mice bred to develop diabetes. Dr. Chun-Su Yuan, director of the study said,“We were stunned by how different the berry is from the rootand by how effective it is in correcting the multiple metabolic abnormalities associated with diabetes.”

 
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It’s a very simple equation:

[less calories] + [more exercise] = weight loss. But many people lead busy, hectic lives and find it difficult to manage their
calorie intake and get adequate exercise. There are, however, other ways—some good, some not good. But, you don’t want
to lose your health along with the additional pounds!

Diet Drugs

Many diet drugs suppress appetite, but they only offer temporary solutions. They don’t change behavior, which is essential to keep the pounds off. Plus, drugs only work when taken and may have undetermined side effects. Once you
stop taking them, the weight can come right back.

Diet drugs come in two categories. The first category causes the body to feel stressed or nervous. Consequently, you must watch out for high blood pressure. Sibutramine and phentermine belong in this category. They work by reducing
appetite and creating a feeling of fullness. Common side effects include dry mouth, headache, constipation and insomnia.

Sibutramine may also cause an increase in blood pressure in some individuals. Patients on sibutramine should monitor
their blood pressure regularly. Sibutramine should not be used for those with uncontrolled high blood pressure, history of stroke, coronary artery disease or congestive heart failure.

The popular diet drug Fen-phen was a combination of two drugs: fenfluramine, which decreases appetite, and
phentermine, a stimulant that increases metabolism. Both were individually used as diet drugs and were combined in 1992 to create a more powerful substance. In July 1997,researchers made a startling discovery: Fen-phen caused heart valve damage in 30% of patients evaluated. On September 15, 1997, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered
manufacturers to withdraw this drug from the market.

Phentermine alone is still available for short-term treatment of obesity. Common side effects include headache, insomnia,
irritability and nervousness.

The second drug category changes the metabolism of fat. Orlistat is the only drug of this category that is approved
by the FDA. It prevents intestinal absorption of fat by 30%, through inhibiting the action of lipase enzymes in the intestines.

Common and embarrassing side effects include oily spotting on underwear, flatulence, inability to control stool, urgent bowel movements, fatty or oily stools, abdominal pain or discomfort, and increased bowel movements. Women may
also notice menstrual irregularities while taking orlistat. A long-term decrease in fat absorption can also cause deficiency
of fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, E and K.

Stimulants

Caffeine and ma huang (ephedra) were common stimulants in many weight-loss products. However, caffeine is addictive
and causes withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches. Ma huang is a natural substance that can be unhealthy, bringing
serious side effects, including heart attack, seizures and death, with long term use.

Many over-the-counter (OTC) slimming teas also contain laxatives and diuretics that cause diarrhea and water loss.

These may lead to dehydration and depletion of sodium and potassium. Although weight may decrease, the loss is fluid and temporary. Moreover, low sodium and potassium levels may cause abnormal heart rhythms and can even lead to death.

But that is not all, aristocholic acid, which is found in many slimming teas, has been linked to cancer and kidney failure.It can scar and damage kidneys permanently.

Weight-loss products may also contain ingredients that interact with drugs and may create dangerous situations for
people with certain medical conditions. If you are unsure of a product’s claims or the safety of any weight-loss product,
check with your doctor before using it.

High-protein Diets

Atkins, Zone, Protein Power, Sugar Busters and Stillman diets, the so-called high-protein diets, remain popular.
However, the American Heart Association does not recommend them for weight loss.

First, some high-protein diets de-emphasize highcarbohydrate,
high-fiber plant foods. These foods help
lower cholesterol in a nutritionally balanced diet. Reducing consumption of these plant foods usually means eating other higher-fat, often saturated fat, foods such as animal products.
Eating large amounts of high-fat foods for a prolonged period raises the risk of many types of chronic diseases.

Second, high-protein diets do not provide some essential vitamins, minerals, fibers and other nutritional elements.

Studies show that a high-carbohydrate diet that includes fruits,vegetables and whole grains reduces blood pressure. Limiting these foods may actually raise blood pressure by reducing the intake of calcium, potassium and magnesium while
simultaneously increasing sodium intake.

Finally, eating too much protein can increase health risks. High-protein diets force the kidneys to eliminate waste products of protein and fat, called ketones, causing ketosis.

Ketosis can be especially risky for diabetics because it can speed the progression of diabetic renal disease. It can also cause the body to produce high levels of uric acid, a risk factor for gout and kidney stones.

No scientific evidence supports the claim that high-protein diets enable people to maintain their initial weight loss. For
most people, quick weight-loss diets do not work long term.

Shed Pounds Safely

Diet drugs, fad diets, crash diets—they come and go, but in the long run, they just don’t work, and can result in serious
health problems. Whether you want to lose 5 pounds or 50, see it as a long-term goal. Those pounds didn’t arrive overnight, so don’t expect them to leave overnight either! Instead, think of weight loss in terms of permanently changing your eating habits and increasing your activity levels; tried and true methods that work for everyone. In the long run, the best way to lose weight, and keep it off, is to eat healthy, highlynutritious,
low-calorie foods, be active excercise regularly,get enough rest and maintain a positive outlook on life.

Don’t lose your health over those additional pounds--just lose the pounds!
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The science of Nutritional Immunology studies the effects of proper nutrition on the human immune system, an amazingly complex network of cells, tissues and organs that work together to defend our body from bacteria, fungi, parasites,
viruses and any other foreign matter that may try to harm us. It remembers literally millions of different enemies!And when it recognizes one of those enemies, it produces counter measures that destroy it. When the immune system misfires, however, it can cause as many problems as it solves,including allergies, arthritis, type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases. And, if the immune system is hampered,other kinds of opportunistic diseases can result. Therefore,our job is to make sure our immune system is balanced with proper nutrition. A strong and balanced immune system can protect and defend us without turning its destructive powers inward on the body it is designed to support.

The Key is Balance!

The body is a perfectly balanced biochemical factory and nutrients are the fuel that keeps that factory running. Different parts of the body require different kinds of nutrients to perform their jobs. If one process breaks down because of lack of fuel, the entire body is affected because the balance is thrown off. The problem is, our body is incredibly complex and many processes are still unknown or misunderstood. Looking at just one aspect of the immune system’s many functions, inflammation, we can clearly see the need for balance.

 
Inflammation Pros and Cons

Everyone experiences some form of inflammation—from a scratch to a bruise, from allergy to infection, from injury to disease. Inflammation may be so minor that you are unaware of it, such as a paper cut, or it may be as crippling as
arthritis—but we need inflammation!

The immune system goes into gear when it detects an injury or foreign bodies. The inflammatory cascade begins when chemical signals call for white blood cells to come and clearout infection and damaged tissue. Equally powerful and
closely related, anti-inflammatory compounds are signaled to move in and begin the healing process once the threat is neutralized. This combination of destruction and restorationsignifies a well-balanced immune system.

However, an imbalanced immune system can perpetuate an inflammatory state. With no signal to stop, constant inflammation produces a host of problems, such as arthritis,asthma, lupus and other autoimmune disorders. To control the inflammation process, it is crucial for the immune systemto be in proper balance, meaning that those biochemical signals that tell the immune system to stop destroying and start rebuilding are as robust as those that signal the need to attack.

Our bodies need the inflammatory process to hit infections,parasites, bacteria and other foreign matter—and hit them hard before they can gain a foothold. Therefore, drugs that indiscriminately shut down the inflammatory process leave
our bodies open for infections and diseases to establish themselves. Remember, we usually don’t know we have a problem until it is out of control, but a healthy immune system is often able to shut down the problem before we even consciously know it’s there!

For those people with an imbalanced immune system, a vicious cycle may develop. Their immune system is activated by something—even something as insignificant as a sliver.The inflammatory process attacks the problem and clears it out. But because of an imbalance, the immune system never receives the signal to stop the inflammatory process, and inflammation begins attacking healthy tissues and destroying them. Anti-inflammatory drugs may be prescribed, which shut down inflammation—completely—leaving the body vulnerable to more infections. Then, when the prescription expires, inflammation sets in again to fight the opportunistic infections, with no way of shutting down except with more drugs.

Nourish Your Immune System!

However, when the body is adequately nourished, specifically at the cellular level where the biochemical signals are produced,the immune system has the capacity for phenomenal success. Nutritional Immunology emphasizes the body’s ability to healitself by strengthening the immune system from within. In addition to vitamins and minerals, the body needs antioxidants, polysaccharides and phytochemicals to perform optimally. All of these nutrients are available in herbs and plant foods. For example, recent studies show how various plants impact the immune system.

• Extracts of lemon and quince are capable of modulating the Th1-Th2 balance. Researchers expect these extracts to have immunotherapeutic affects against allergic rhinitis.Th cells are T helper cells that coordinate immune responses by communicating with other cells. Some stimulate B cellsto produce antibodies; others call in phagocytes or activateother T cells.

• Recent pharmacological studies have shown that Cordycepssinensis  possesses a wide spectrum of biological activities including antioxidation, immunopotentiation, antitumorigenesis,and anti-inflammation.

• A study in Evidence-based Complimentary and Alternative Medicine in 2004 analyzed Natural Killer (NK) cell activity after participants ingested extracts of the mushrooms Agaricus blazei and Lentinus edodes. Intake of these extracts was found to augment NK cell activity.

• Panax ginseng appears to both stimulate and suppress immune activities, indicating that it is an adaptogenic herb. Immune system stimulating activities have been attributed to polysaccharides acting on both macrophages and B
lymphocytes. Ginsenosides suppress immune activity by inhibiting cytokine release in macrophages. 

Cytokines are signaling molecules used extensively in cellular communication,
particularly as immunomodulating signals.It’s a Balancing Act! 

Your immune system is a very complex balancing act that depends on clear signals to communicate and coordinate all its far-flunga ctivities throughout the body. In order to maintain a healthy balance between turning destructive processes and restorative processes on and off, it needs specific compounds from a wide variety of plants and herbs.

When it can’t get what it needs, complex signals falter and may not reach their intended targets, resulting in an imbalanced immune system that cannot effectively fend off infections,viruses, bacteria and other problems.

Keep your immune system in balance with a healthy diet consisting primarily of a rich variety of fruits, vegetables,grains and herbs that supply the nutrition your body needs.
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