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HERBS AND SUPPLEMENTS

More and more of us are living longer helped by the ingestion of drugs for our blood pressure, high cholesterol and blood sugar, blood clot prevention, various heart pathologies, hormone deficiencies, infections, tumors, etc, etc, etc. We are fortunate to have these medications but they do cause unintended consequences the effects of which should be addressed if we want to avoid other problems. Below are some of the supplements that will help our bodies to accomodate many of these chemicals that keep us going.

There are a few supplements that almost all physicians and nutritionists recommend. One of the most important of these are the Omega 3 fatty acids specifically DHA and EPA. These are primarily found in fatty fish and shellfish. One helping of salmon, fresh tuna or mackeral a week is sufficient. Unfortunately, most of us do not include much fish in our diets and, as a result, we become deficient in the Omega 3 fatty acids. (You can also get these in flaxseed, green leafy vegetables and nuts but some people lack the enzyme that converts that particular fatty acid to the DHA and EPA). Take the supplements!
The etiology of many diseases is inflammation and the Omega 3's inhibit inflammation. Taking just one gram of the Omega 3 fatty acids a day reduces the risk of coronary death by 36% and total mortality by 17%. Taking 2-4 grams a day reduces triglycerides. There is evidence that suggests that the Omega 3's along with vitamin B12 are efficacious in treating bipolar disease and other major depressive disorders. They are crucial for optimal neurological development in the fetus of pregnant women. In the January 2003 edition of Pediatrics Journal, a study showed that children who have an adequate supply of DHA in the womb and after birth have higher I.Q. scores. Vegetarian females expecially need to take this supplement if pregnant as they do not eat fish. And, in fact, many women have quit eating fish due to the contamination by mercury and PCP's. (To download a billfold-ready chart of fish that are safe, go online to www.oceansalive..org.) There is a notion that the Omega 3's can lead to a decrease in the ability of the blood to clot but that does not happen unless the dosage is above 4-6 grams per day.

If you are taking any of the statins for lowering cholesteral or if you are taking antihypertensive drugs especially a beta blocker or if you take an oral diabetic med, you will have a deficiency of Coenzyme Q10. This is the only lipid soluble antioxidant that is synthesized in our bodies and the American College of Cardiology has recommended taking 200 milligrams of CoQ10 a day for those taking statins and who develop muscular pain from these drugs. We make less and less CoQ10 as we age. CoQ10 is a powerful antioxident present in all tissues. Some of Its current uses are to slow the progression of breast cancer by enhancing the immune response, to improve tissue health in gingivitis, prevention of gastric ulcers, to decrease blood pressure, to improve survival rate after a heart attack and to slow chronic diseases such as Parkinson's (900 mg/day). The recommended dosage for most of us is 50 to 100 milligrams a day. Use a softgel and take with food. If you take statins take this supplement!

A study of 3000 patients in Michigan seeking advice on osteoporosis (average age 68) found that 72% were deficient in Vitamin D. The Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that all women should be screened for Vitamin D deficiency. This requires a simple blood test and the amount in the blood should be at least 35 nanograms per milliliter of blood (50 ngm max). A vitamin D deficiency leads to seconday hyperparathyroidism (the patathyroid gland regulates calcium metabolism) which sucks the calcium out of the bones leading to bone pain, muscular weakness and loss of balance. There are some that think that Vitamin D inhibits certain kinds of cancer and I know an oral pathologist that swears it keeps fever blisters from forming on the lips (herpes 1 virus). Sure you can get vitamin D from some foods and, of course, the sun, but that just isn't enough for most people especially those living in northern climates and especially in the winter months. Proper levels of Vitamin D can reduce the incidence of hip fracture by 50% in post menopausal women. The Canadian Cancer Society recommends taking 1000 milligrams a day; up to 2000 mgm is safe. Get Vitamin D supplements as Vitamin D3 which is cholacalciferol; D2 is cocalceferol and is only one third as active. Get the softgel.

Turmeric is a member of the ginger family and cultivated widely throughout Asia, India and China. Curry is a spice used on various dishes in India and around the world and is an extract found in turmuric (which, by the way, is from the curcuma longa plant. This is sort of a miracle herb as it acts as an anti-inflammatory and antiarthritic. It is a dual inhibitor of arachidonic acid metabolism which is the main pain initiator in the body; Celebrex and Vioxx also act to inhibit arachidonic acid metabolism. Tumeric has been shown to inhibit cancer at initiation, promotion and progression especially colon cancers and is used to treat ulcerative colitis in Crohn's Disease. Turmeric is a liver protectant and interferes with the replication of viruses; it also increases immune function. The dosage is 1.5 to 4 grams a day and is more readily absorbed from the gut if taken with black pepper extract (piperine).

Another interesting herb is Valerian root. It seems to improve sleep quality with no daytime sedation effects. It is also used for menstrual cramps, eases restless leg syndrome and has a general calming effect. I have used this intermittently and it seems to reduce night awakenings (which have become routine with my fifteen year old kitty who meows constantly throughout the night). When we were in Florida, it was advertised as a pill that also had melatonin and tryptophan which makes a lot of sense. Melatonin can help with jet lag and for those who can't fall to sleep immediately. Tryptophan is an amino acid that supposedly has a calming effect. The one really big drawback of Valerian capsules - when you open the bottle it smells like the worst pair of dirty socks that ever existed. But, it rinses right off your fingers. 300-400 mgm one hour before sleep.

Some of the other herbs that have proven to be effective are:
ginger-a good anti-emetic and also inhibits the rhinovirus
cinammon-helps to stablize blood sugar in diabetics or pre-diabetics
peppermint oil-helps irritable bowel syndrome 0.2 milliliters three times a day
garlic-good for the bowel; kills Heliobacter pylori which is the cause of ulcers
milk thistle-very good in protecting liver from toxins; one capsule per day






posted by Steve at 2:43 PM