Monday, March 11, 2013

Article from RMBarry about controlling cholesterol


Our body needs cholesterol in order to make vitamin D, hormones, and cell membranes. Unlike other nutrients that must be consumed, most of the cholesterol in our body is made by our body, with only 25% of the cholesterol circulating in our blood made from the foods we eat. The Kids Health Organization explains the role and risk factors of cholesterol.

When we have a blood cholesterol test, our health care provider pays special attention to, not only the total cholesterol number, but also to the amount of high density lipoprotein (HDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL). HDL, the good cholesterol, travels through the many miles of blood vessels in our body mopping up the "bad" low density lipoprotein (LDL). Saturated fat found in animal products such as egg yolks, full fat dairy, and butter contribute to elevated LDL. If cholesterol levels get too high, good HDL cholesterol is unable to remove the excess cholesterol. LDL cholesterol oxidizes, or turns rancid, and is deposited on artery walls forming a hard substance called plaque. Plaque makes arteries narrower and stiffer, reducing blood flow and causing blockage. "Hardening of the arteries" is a good description of the process.

Science Daily covers very recent research which argues that it is not the eating of cholesterol foods that cause cardiovascular damage, but damage comes from eating cholesterol foods that are oxidized, or made rancid by frying in reused oils or eating lots of polyunsaturated fats or transfats. Heart damage is made worse by smoking.

Helpful Supplements

The Melaleuca Wellness Guide tells us that plant sterols have a similar chemical structure to cholesterol. Plant sterols can actually block the absorption of cholesterol and help eliminated it naturally through the body, thereby reducing the amount of cholesterol circulating in the bloodstream. Plant sterols need to be absorbed along with fat to be effective. They are naturally found in seeds and nuts. Research confirms that supplementing with at least 1,500 mg of plant sterols daily can result in a 10% to 15% reduction in LDL levels.

Phytomega contains the research-recommended two grams of plant sterols along with heart healthy omega-3, CoQ10, and ALA. Omega-3 fatty acids were found to reduce the occurrence of non-fatal coronary events, including heart attack in patients with high cholesterol, by 19%.

We have frequently noted that omega-3 fatty acids are essential to our health. Yet our body can only get omega-3 fatty acids through food or supplements. The University of Maryland reports that omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and may help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. They note that omega-3 fatty acids may also be useful for twenty other conditions. Phytomega and Vitality Coldwater Omega-3 contain omega-3 essential fatty acids.

Another important cholesterol fighter is fiber. Soluble fiber, found in oats, psyllium seeds, beans, and many fruits, dissolves in water becoming gel-like. As a gel it traps and eliminates excess fats, cholesterol, and sugars. FiberWise contains seven natural fibers, 80% soluble and 20% insoluble, plus soothing herbs, antioxidants, and probiotics. FiberWise not only helps maintain regularity but also helps lower cholesterol, helps keep blood sugar levels balanced, and enhances general health.

Another natural ingredient that helps raise good HDL cholesterol is the cranberry. Two tasty chewable CranBarrier tablets contain 1,000 mg of cranberry extract which is the amount found in ten ounces of pure undiluted cranberry juice.

ProvexCV is a superstar in the fight against heart disease. It reduces LDL oxidation, thus reducing inflammation. A PubMed abstract highlights the multiple heart protecting properties of grape extracts along with its ability to reduce LDL cholesterol oxidation.

For more detailed information on the wonders of grape seed extract please read our Research Report.

New research is showing that probiotics in the digestive tract also regulate cholesterol metabolism. The Melaleuca Wellness Guide tells us that "friendly bacteria" helps us digest food, regulate hormones, produce vitamins, and enhance vitamin and mineral absorption. Now research is showing that probiotics in the digestive tract also regulate cholesterol metabolism.

Florify contains a blend of five billion colony units of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis. Lactobacillus is the prevalent good bacteria in the small intestine and Bifidobacterium is the most dominant good bacteria in the large intestine.

In review: Along with your Vitality supplements, make sure you are including Coldwater Omega-3, FiberWise, Phytomega, and ProvexCV. For added protection add CranBarrier and Florify.

 

Health Watch Re Johnson & Johnson Products




August 15, 2012

Johnson & Johnson to Remove Formaldehyde From Products




Johnson & Johnson, which makes a range of personal care products like baby shampoo, acne cream and antiwrinkle lotion, announced plans Wednesday to remove a host of potentially harmful chemicals, like formaldehyde, from its line of consumer products by the end of 2015, becoming the first major consumer products company to make such a widespread commitment.
The company had already pledged to remove certain chemicals from its baby products by 2013, but the latest announcement extended the program to its adult products, including well-known drugstore brands like Neutrogena, Aveeno and Clean & Clear.
“There’s a very lively public discussion going on about the safety of ingredients in personal care products,” said Susan Nettesheim, vice president for product stewardship and toxicology for the company’s consumer health brands. “It was really important that we had a voice in that.”
Environmental and consumer groups have for years pressured Johnson & Johnson and its competitors to remove questionable ingredients from their products.
“We’ve never really seen a major personal care product company take the kind of move that they’re taking with this,” said Kenneth A. Cook, president of the Environmental Working Group, one of the organizations that has been negotiating with company officials to change their practices. “Not really even anything in the ballpark.”
In 2009, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a coalition that includes the Environmental Working Group, analyzed the contents of dozens of products for children and found that many items contained two substances of particular concern: formaldehyde and 1,4 dioxane. Consumers won’t find either listed on the back of their shampoos or lotions because neither is technically an ingredient.
Formaldehyde, which last year was identified by government scientists as a carcinogen, is released over time by common preservatives like quaternium-15 and DMDM hydantoin, which do appear on labels. And 1,4 dioxane, which has been linked to cancer in animal studies, is created during a process commonly used to make other ingredients gentler on the skin.
The company also plans to phase out other ingredients that have been linked to health problems, including phthalates, which have a variety of uses, like lessening the stiffening effects of hair spray; several fragrance ingredients; and triclosan, an antibacterial substance used in soaps. Johnson & Johnson will remove all parabens, a type of preservative, from baby products and some other parabens from its adult products.
Ms. Nettesheim said the project was a major undertaking and would require extensive spending on research and development to find suitable alternatives to the ingredients, most of which are common in the industry. She said new suppliers needed to be located and vetted, and testing was needed to ensure the replacements were also safe. The company declined to say how much the project would cost.
Then there’s the delicate task of tinkering with products that have been popular for generations. The company’s baby shampoo, for example, has been marketed for more than 50 years.
“Consumer acceptance is really important,” Ms. Nettesheim said. “It really doesn’t help you if you reformulate products and people don’t like it.”
Lisa Archer, director of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, said her group would continue to press other cosmetics and consumer-goods companies to follow Johnson & Johnson, including the Estée Lauder Companies, Procter & Gamble, Avon and L’Oreal.
In 2010, Procter & Gamble reformulated its Herbal Essences shampoos to limit the amount of 1,4 dioxane to only trace amounts, and its Tide laundry detergent came under scrutiny from some of the same groups because it contains small amounts of the chemical.
Tim Long, a senior science fellow at P.& G., said the company communicates openly with consumers about the ingredients it uses. All of its products meet regulatory requirements, he said.
In a statement, Estée Lauder said it adheres to stringent safety standards for all of its products and complies with regulations in every country in which its products are sold.
Johnson & Johnson’s decision requires the company to navigate a public relations tightrope, by portraying itself as willing to make extensive changes while simultaneously reassuring consumers that its existing products are safe. The endeavor’s success is even more critical because the company has experienced serious recalls and quality lapses in recent years. On a new Web site that explains the changes to consumers, the company calls it “moving beyond safety.”
“Even though as a scientist I will sit here and tell you these things are perfectly safe,” consumers are worried about reports that call her conclusions into question, Ms. Nettesheim said. “I understand that and we can’t ignore that.”
Mr. Cook, of the Environmental Working Group, disagrees about the safety of the chemicals. But he agreed that there is avid interest in the ingredients on a shampoo bottle, noting that his group maintains a product safety database that has received hundreds of millions of page views. “This is them placing a bet that if they get out in front of this consumer interest, they’re going to win the marketplace,” he said.