Eight Steps You Can Take to Lower Your Cholesterol Naturally

Cholesterol emboli (Photo credit: Boonyarit Cheunsuchon)

You have seen it on T.V. You read about it in news journals, and magazines, and your doctor may have even talked to you about it. Cholesterol. If you suffer from high cholesterol, you may have been prescribed medication that will lower your cholesterol, but may also have some serious side effects, as most of our medicine does. I have composed a list that will help you lower your cholesterol by taking a natural approach.
1. Eat more fiber. Studies show that fiber has a direct and dramatic cholesterol-lowering effect. You can get plenty of fiber by eating fresh, whole, unprocessed foods and a plant-based diet. Pectin, a soluble form of fiber found in apples, blueberries, and grapefruit, particularly helps reduce cholesterol. If you want to add more fiber, take 1 teaspoon a day of psyllium with 8 ounces if water or juice. Psyllium is the active ingredient in Metamucil, but the latter also has sugar, preservatives, and food colorings. Stick to the plain psyllium found in your health food store- it’s cheaper, too.

2. Make olive oil and fish oil your predominant dietary fats. They both can actually lower LDL cholesterol. However, don’t entirely neglect the other fats: Keep your nutrition in balance.

3. Add garlic to your diet, Garlic is a powerful cholesterol-lowering substance and lowers blood pressure too. Add it liberally to your diet and take it in capsules.

4. Have a glass of red wine with dinner or a cup of green tea, or take a bioflavonoid supplement such as grapeseed extract and/or green tea daily. Both are known to have a cholesterol-lowering effect. However, too much alcohol (more than two drinks per day) will raise cholesterol levels.

5. Take niacin.

6. Take your cholesterol-busting supplements.

7. Eat your cholesterol-busting foods.

8.Exercise, which will directly raise HDL cholesterol. It’s a must for healthy arteries.

Related articles

• Lowering LDL Cholesterol Naturally (answers.com)
• Foods To Raise HDL Cholesterol (answers.com)
• How To Raise HDL Cholesterol (answers.com)
• Eight Healthiest Vegan Foods. ~ Anastasia Halldin (elephantjournal.com)
• Basics Of A Low Cholesterol Diet (answers.com)

BEE REMEDIES

Bee with pollen on flower (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I recently wrote a little article regarding allergies and allergy season. I accommodated that blog entry with a tool that helps you find an over-the-counter medicine that can help with your allergy symptom. I normally stay away from synthetic medicine as I believe we are a natural being and need natural remedies to help our bodies fight off the conditions that are troubling us. I also believe that some times, we need natural medicine in conjunction with Western Medicine. I feel that allergies during the spring time are so unbearable that we want and deserve a quick result. Please, if you need to use the over-the-counter antihistamines, please do so at a moderate amount, and do not stay on it more than needed to. I know many people who stock up on these medicines just in case they need it, but really it all depends on your lifestyle and choices that you make when it comes to your health and the things you put into your body.

With that being said, if you maintain a healthy lifestyle, your body will respond better to the natural remedies that I present to you than if your body is accustomed to the synthetic medicine that majority of us grew up with.

The true treatment to any medical condition is preventative care. So start today to prevent yourself from being overcome by any medical condition, big or small.

Now as far as allergies go, I find that Bee Pollen may give some people relief, but try just a little bit first in case you are one of the those who are allergic to it. If you can buy fresh local honey at a Farmer’s Market or health food store, you can try that instead. The local pollens in the honey can desensitize your hay fever reactions.

Carry allergy-fighting supplements with you so that as soon as you feel an allergic reaction coming on you can nip it in the bud. You can travel with the packets of Energen-C, which contains 1,000 to 2,000 mg of vitamin C and smaller amounts of a handful of other immune-supportive vitamins. The bioflavonoids found in grapeseed extract (proanthocyanidins) and green tea are especially powerful and effective for treating allergies.

I hope this helps. We all want to enjoy Spring. It is much better to enjoy this season without worrying about your eyes, ears, throat, and nose. Always consult a physician before taking any medications, natural or not.

Until next time, enjoy yourself, your family and each other!

Related articles

• The Buzz About Honey (toxicfoodie.org)
• Bee Pollen (flower Pollen) (earthelixir.ca)
• Can Local Honey Help My Allergies? (webmd.com)
• Itching for Natural Allergy Remedies? (tinaspharm.wordpress.com)

What to Do in Case of a Snakebite

Image via Wikipedia

As summer keeps moving on, many of us will take to the forests and the woods to enjoy some of the natures best camping facilities. Camping is a very fun and leisurely activity and a great way to spend quality time with family and friends. However, there are some dangers that we need to be aware of as well, such as snakes. What would you so if you were bitten by a snake? Would you suck the venom out? Would you run to the park ranger? Would you sit there like many of us crying and screaming not knowing what to do? Well hopefully this article will help you make the right decision if you encountered this situation.

If you or someone with you is bitten by a snake, it is vital to seek appropriate medical treatment. It is equally vital to avoid making inappropriate attempts at treatment; such mistakes can cause more problems that they solve. What to do in any particular case depends on the circumstances surrounding the bite.

What to DO

While not all snake bites are life-threatening, it is important to follow these simple step:

• Remain calm (or, if the victim is someone other than yourself calm her/her down)
• If possible, call for emergency assistance.
• Gentle was the area with soap and water.
• Apply a cold, wet cloth over the bite.

Get yourself or the victim to the nearest hospital emergency room for further treatment

What NOT to Do

The list of measures that should be avoided in response to snakebite include:

• Do Not  apply a tourniquet. This has been the cause of numerous amputations. It is possible that the application of a tourniquet is more dangerous that the snakebite itself.
• DO NOT pack the entire bitten area in ice. This can block circulation and cause injury to tissue, or even gangrene. An ice pack or some cubes wrapped in cloth, applied periodically to the skin, is the maximum you want to use.
• DO NOT cut the wound with a knife or a razor. Older first-aid kits contain cutters, but excessive bleeding can cause more damage. If you happen to cut an artery, the victim can bleed to death. Unless you happen to be a vascular surgeon, leave the razor blades in your pack.
• DO NOT use your mouth to “suck out” the venom. The average human mouth has so many bacteria in it that infection of the would almost be certain, complicating treatment in the long run.
• DO NOT drink alcohol (or give it to the victim)
• DO NOT use an electric shock, Taser, stun gun, cattle prod, or any such device applied to the snakebite. All you will do is make the victim more miserable, and the venom will not be broken down by the electricity.

OTHER MEASURES

IF you can safely kill the snake, do so and decapitate it. Bury the head and bring the body with you to the emergency room for identification. The correct antivenin can then be selected at the hospital. DO NOT BRING THE HEAD!!!  A decapitated snake head can bite up to an hour after its death!

There is one type of snakebite kit that is worthwhile. It is called Sawyer Extractor, and is available from Sawyer Products. It contains a syringe-like device that does work to suck out venom without requiring you to open up the fang wounds with a tool. This prevents excessive bleeding and contamination of the wound. This kit will probably out about half the venom if it is used quickly (within five minutes of the bite is recommended). These are available from many sporting goods stores and on the Internet for less than twenty dollars. If you are going to be someplace in snake country that is really far from civilization, having one of these kits in your backpack is a necessity. After you use it, transport to the nearest hospital is still required so that proper care can be administered!

Bottom line is, like everything we do, we need to be careful. We need to make sure that all precautions are taken and that we are prepared for any type of emergency. Before you leave on your camping trip, sit and think what could go wrong and plan accordingly. It is better to be over-prepaired than under. Make sure you call Goings Natural Health and Bodywork Center when you get back. We will make sure your to get your body back to its normal state with our body treatments or halth consultations.

www.goingsnatural.wordpress.com

916-877-HEAL (4325)

Related articles

• Snakebite treatment buys time (sciencenews.org)
• Adrenaline given before snakebite anti-venom treatment reduces allergic reactions (medicalxpress.com)
• The Reptile Rescue Squad (thebutterflydiaries.wordpress.com)
• When the Snake Bites … Try Ointment (news.sciencemag.org)

Vitamin C a Fat Burner?

Image via Wikipedia

Vitamin C helps you burn more fat when you exercise! In a recent study people who took 500 mg of Vitamin C daily burned 39% more fat while excercising than people who took less. Since it is difficult to get enough Vitamin C just from fruits and vegetables, take a Vitamin C supplement to be sure you get at least 500 mg per day!

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