Statin-Induced Diabetes: A Hidden Epidemic?

Statins (eg Atorvastatin, Simvastatin, Lovastatin) are popular drugs to treat high cholesterol.Statins are HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, that is, they act by blocking the enzyme in your liver that is responsible for making cholesterol (HMG-CoA reductase).

Intake of statins can induce diabetes?

Earlier this year, I published an article by Suzy Cohen, R.Ph., (widely recognized as "America's most trusted pharmacist") in which she discussed the hidden link between statins and diabetes.

A pattern has appeared where many who start taking a statin drug end up being diagnosed with diabetes several months later. Cohen's research into this hidden connection prompted her to write a book on the subject called "Diabetes Without Drugs." However, this diagnosis is incorrect. What many of these patients have is actually hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), caused by the medication. In essence, it is not genuine diabetes, and can be reversed simply by discontinuing the drug.

A recent meta-analysis confirmed that statin drugs are indeed associated with increased risk of developing diabetes.

The researchers evaluated five different clinical trials that together examined more than 32,000 people. They found that the higher the dosage of statin drugs being taken, the greater the diabetes risk. The "number needed to harm" for intensive-dose statin therapy was 498 for new-onset diabetes - that's the number of people who need to take the drug in order for one person to develop diabetes.

In even simpler terms, one out of every 498 people who are on a high-dose statin regimen will develop diabetes. (The lower the "number needed to harm," the greater the risk factor is.)

(As a side note, the "number needed to treat" per year for intensive-dose statins was 155 for cardiovascular events. This means that 155 people have to take the drug in order to prevent one person from having a cardiovascular event.) The following scientific reviews also reached the conclusion that statin use is associated with increased incidence of new-onset diabetes:

• A 2010 meta-analysis of 13 statin trials, consisting of 91,140 participants, found that statin therapy was associated with a 9 percent increased risk for incident diabetes. Here, the number needed to harm was 255 over four years, meaning for every 255 people on the drug, one developed diabetes as a result of the drug in that period of time.
• In this 2009 study, statin use was associated with a rise of fasting plasma glucose in patients with and without diabetes, independently of other factors such as age, and use of aspirin, β-blockers, or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. The study included data from more than 345,400 patients over a period of two years.
  
  On average, statins increased fasting plasma glucose in non-diabetic statin users by 7 mg/dL, and in diabetics, statins increased glucose levels by 39 mg/dL.

How Do Statins Cause Diabetes?

Statins appear to provoke diabetes through a few different mechanisms. The primary mechanism is by increasing your insulin levels, which can be extremely harmful to your health. Chronically elevated insulin levels cause inflammation in your body, which is the hallmark of most chronic disease. In fact, elevated insulin levels lead to heart disease, which, ironically, is the primary reason for taking a statin drug in the first place!

It can also promote belly fat, high blood pressure, heart attacks, chronic fatigue, thyroid disruption, and diseases like Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and cancer.

Secondly, statins increase your diabetes risk by raising your blood sugar. When you eat a meal that contains starches and sugar, some of the excess sugar goes to your liver, which then stores it away as cholesterol and triglycerides. Statins work by preventing your liver from making cholesterol. As a result, your liver returns the sugar to your bloodstream, which raises your blood sugar levels.

These drugs also rob your body of certain valuable nutrients, which can also impact your blood sugar levels. Two nutrients in particular, vitamin D and CoQ10, are both needed to maintain ideal blood glucose levels.

If You Take Statins, You MUST Take CoQ10

It's extremely important to understand that taking a statin drug without also taking CoQ10 puts your health in serious jeopardy. Unfortunately, this describes the majority of people who take them in the United States.

CoQ10 is a cofactor (co-enzyme) that is essential for the creation of ATP molecules, primarily in your mitochondria, which you need for cellular energy production. Organs such as your heart have higher energy requirements, and therefore require more CoQ10 to function properly. Statins deplete your body of CoQ10, which can have devastating results.

As your body gets more and more depleted of CoQ10, you may suffer from fatigue, muscle weakness and soreness, and eventually heart failure. Interestingly, heart failure, not heart attacks, are now the leading cause of death due to cardiovascular diseases. Coenzyme Q10 is also very important in the process of neutralizing free radicals. So when your CoQ10 is depleted, you enter a vicious cycle of increased free radicals, loss of cellular energy, and damaged mitochondrial DNA.

How to Optimize Your Cholesterol Levels, Naturally

There's no doubt that statin drugs can wreak havoc with your health, and there's compelling evidence that most people who currently take them simply do not need them. The fact is that 75 percent of your cholesterol is produced by your liver, which is influenced by your insulin levels. Therefore, if you optimize your insulin level, you will automatically optimize your cholesterol!

By modifying your diet and lifestyle in the following ways, you can safely modify your cholesterol:

• Reduce, with the plan of eliminating, grains and sugars in your diet, replacing them with mostly whole, fresh vegetable carbs. Also try to consume a good portion of your food raw.
• Make sure you are getting enough high quality, animal-based omega 3 fats, such as krill oil.
• Other heart-healthy foods include olive oil, coconut and coconut oil, organic raw dairy products and eggs, avocados, raw nuts and seeds, and organic grass-fed meats as appropriate for your nutritional type.
• Exercise daily.
• Avoid smoking or drinking alcohol excessively.
• Be sure to get plenty of good, restorative sleep.

Unlike statin drugs, which lower your cholesterol at the expense of your health, these lifestyle strategies represent a holistic approach that will benefit your overall health - which includes a healthy cardiovascular system.

Excerpted from:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/11/28/are-statin-drugs-harmful-to-health.aspx?e_cid=20111128_DNL_art_1

Stroke:An Overview

This posting is dedicated to patients/relatives who intend to know something about stroke and how to live with it. The article was excerpted from National Stroke Association of Malaysia (NSAM) webssite.http://www.nasam.org/english/prevention-what_is_a_stroke.php~Dr. H

Stroke in Malaysia

Stroke is the third largest cause of death in Malaysia. Only heart diseases and cancer kill more. It is considered to be the single most common cause of severe disability, and every year, an estimated 40,000 people in Malaysia suffer from stroke. Anyone can have a stroke, including children, but the vast majority of the cases affect adults.

A stroke is a brain attack and occurs when the blood supply to the brain is disrupted. The brain is the nerve center of the body, controlling every thing we do or think, as well as controlling automatic functions like breathing. In order to work, the brain needs a constant blood supply which carries vital oxygen and nutrients. When a blood vessel in your brain bursts or gets clogged, the blood supply stops and the brain cells are deprived of oxygen and nutrients. That part of the brain starts to die. You have a stroke. Very quickly. Very silently. Brain damage affects your senses, your speech and understanding of language. One side of your body may be paralyzed, your behavior, thought and memory patterns are altered.

What causes a stroke?

There are two main types of stroke, and each has different causes. The first type, an ischaemic stroke, occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery serving the brain, disrupting blood supply. Very often an ischaemic stroke is the end result of a build up of cholesterol and other debris in the arteries (atherosclerosis) over many years.

The second main type of stroke is a haemorrhagic stroke, when a blood vessel in or around the brain bursts, causing a bleed or hemorrhage. Long-standing, untreated high blood pressure places a strain on the artery walls, increasing their risk of bursting and bleeding.

What are the symptoms?

~Sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body. Signs of this may be a drooping face, a dribbling mouth, weakness in the arm or leg.

~Sudden blurred vision of one eye or both eyes.

~Difficulty in speaking or understanding speech, or slurred speech.

~Dizziness, loss of balance, confusion

~Sudden severe headache

~Nausea or vomiting

What are the effects of stroke?

The effects of a stroke vary from person to person, depending on which part of the brain is damaged and the extent of that damage. For some, the effects are relatively minor and short-lived; others are left with more severe, long term disabilities. Common problems include:


What you can do to reduce the risk of stroke?



Become more physically active. Exercising helps to lower blood pressure (high blood pressure is the single biggest risk factor for stroke), controls weight, helps create a healthy balance of blood fats and improves your body's ability to handle insulin. Aim to do some kind of moderate physical activity for 30 minutes for at least five days of the week.

Eat a healthy diet. Fresh fruit and vegetables are rich sources of antioxidant vitamins and minerals, which research has found, reduces the risk of stroke. A high consumption of salt has been linked to high blood pressure, while too much saturated fat can lead to atherosclerosis (furring of the arteries).

Stay a healthy weight. Being overweight is a risk of a stroke.

Don't smoke. Smoking increases your risk of stroke because it causes atherosclerosis (furring of the arteries) and makes the blood more likely to clot.

It is important to follow your doctor's advice regarding the medication that you should take. High blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol level should be treated optimally with medications. Usually Aspirin or other 'blood-thinning' agent is given to prevent further recurrence of stroke.


Just remember, stroke is 'BRAIN ATTACK'- so seek treatment early!

For full article, visit:-

http://www.nasam.org/english/prevention-what_is_a_stroke.php

RESET-Program Pelangsingan Badan Terbaik

RESET merupakan satu Program Pelangsingan Badan dari USANA HEALTH SCIENCE.
http://products.usana.com/en/products/us/macros/reset/

Yang unik tentang RESET ialah anda tidak perlu berlapar dan bersenam dengan melampau.

Paling PENTING ialah anda memilih makanan yang betul dan mengambil supplement seperti yang dicadangkan oleh Pakar kami.

Anda TIDAK perlu mengira/mengetahui kalori makanan tetapi anda perlu mengetahui serba sedikit tentang Glycaemic Index iaitu istilah yang kian popular digunakan oleh saintis di seluruh dunia.

Apakah Glycaemic Index (GI)?

GI adalah indeks yang menunjukkan berapa cepatnya glukosa (gula) diserap ke dalam darah, selepas kita makan makanan berkarbohidrat. Makanan ber'G.I' tinggi membebaskan glukosa dengan sangat cepat, manakala makanan G.I rendah membebaskan glukosa dengan perlahan dan seragam. Karbohidrat dibahagikan kepada 3 kategori:-

1. G.I tinggi (70 ke atas)-cth: nasi, roti putih, corn flakes, kentang


2. G.I sederhana (50-70)-cth: nasi (beras basmathi), roti 'whole grained', keledek, gula makan


3. G.I rendah (50 ke bawah)-cth: kebanyakan sayuran dan buahan.
   

Untuk list glycaemic index, rujuk http://www.glycemicindex.com/

Dengan memakan makanan GI tinggi akan menyebabkan pembebasan hormon Insulin dari pankreas dengan cepat dan banyak.Insulin adalah hormon yang akan menukarkan karbohidrat kepada lemak.Disamping itu, Insulin meningkatkan risiko penyakit darah tinggi, jantung, kolesterol dan kanser (http://www.mercola.com/)

Perhatikan, punca kepada banyak penyakit sebenarnya adalah Insulin dan kunci untuk pengurangan berat badan adalah mengurangkan rembesan Insulin pada setiap kali makan (dengan mengambil makanan GI rendah)

Bagaimana Cara Yang Betul?

Sebelum itu anda kena tahu BMI (body mass index) anda.

BMI = Berat (dlm kg)/Tinggi (kuasa 2) (dlm meter)

Cth:-

Berat anda 80 kg.Tinggi 1.6 meter.

BMI= 80/(1.6x1.6) = 31.25

BMI yang normal ialah dalam range 18-23.

Untuk mendapat berat yang ideal, darabkan BMI 23 dengan tinggi kuasa 2 anda.

Dalam contoh di atas, berat ideal yang sepatutnya dicapai oleh anda ialah 23 x 2.56 = 58.8 kg.

Inilah berat yang sepatutnya dicapai oleh anda. Oleh itu anda perlu turunkan berat sebanyak 80-58.8= 21 kg.

Program RESET USANA.

-Supplemen yang diperlukan: Essentials (AO Pro+Chelated Mineral) dan Nutrimeal

Fasa 1 (RESET)

-Berlangsung selama 5 hari sahaja

-Mengambil Essentials 1 tablet 3x sehari dan Nutrimeal 2-3 scoops 3x sehari

-'Snacking' dengan buah-buahan dan sayur-sayuran antara waktu makan.

-Secara purata anda boleh turun berat sehingga 5 kg selepas 5 hari ini.

Fasa 2 (TRANSFORM)

-Berjalan sehingga anda mencapai berat badan yang diingini

-Mengambil Essentials 1 tablet 3x sehari dan Nutrimeal 2-3 scoops 2x sehari

-'Snacking' dengan buah-buahan dan sayur-sayuran antara waktu makan

-Mengambil makanan rendah GI

Fasa 3 (MANTAIN)

-Berat badan anda akan kekal dan tidak akan 'rebound'

-Mengambil Essentials 1 tablet 3x sehari dan Nutrimeal 2-3 scoops sekali sehari

Kes Terbaru:

Miss X ) (H/P 0139701872) (identiti dirahsiakan di atas sebab privacy).

-Berusia 37 tahun dan berkerjaya. Berat badan 115 kg dan mempunyai diabetis, darah tinggi dan kolesterol. Kadar gula dalam darah sebelum rawatan: 27 mmol/L.Tekanan darah 210/110

-Beliau mendaftar dalam program RESET dan mengambil Essentials dan Nutrimeal.

-Selepas 2 bulan, berat terbaru adalah 104 kg.Kadar gula: 10.4 mmol/L. Tekanan darah 140/90.

Untuk lebih info:-

http://products.usana.com/en/products/us/macros/reset/

http://products.usana.com/en/products/us/macros/reset/

Boleh call sms:-

-Dr Hapizi (0179351516)

-Wan (0179221625)

-Hariri (0199061992)

Myth Busted: Eating Eggs Has Virtually No Effect on Cholesterol Levels

~(NaturalNews)

Eating eggs does not significantly raise the body's cholesterol levels, according to a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Surrey and published in the Nutrition Bulletin of the British Heart Foundation.

The researchers reviewed the results of several different studies on eggs and nutrition, concluding that eggs did not contribute significantly to the body's cholesterol levels. Although eggs are in fact a high-cholesterol food, the researchers note that only one-third of the body's cholesterol comes from dietary sources; the rest is produced by the body from saturated fats. As a consequence, saturated fat intake plays a far more significant role.

"The ingrained misconception linking egg consumption to high blood cholesterol and heart disease must be corrected," researcher Bruce Griffin said.

"The amount of saturated fat in our diet exerts an effect on blood cholesterol that is several times greater than the relatively small amounts of dietary cholesterol."The researchers note that other factors, such as obesity, a sedentary lifestyle or smoking also have greater effects on cholesterol levels or the risk of cardiovascular disease than egg consumption does.

"The UK public does not need to be limiting the number of eggs they eat," Griffin said.

"Indeed, they can be encouraged to include them in a healthy diet, as they are one of nature's most nutritionally dense foods."

Up until 2007, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) recommended that people limit their intake of eggs to three per week, as a way of reducing the risk of heart disease. That advice is now considered outdated, however.

"We recommend that eggs can be eaten as part of a balanced diet," said Victoria Taylor of the BHF.

"There is cholesterol present in eggs, but this does not usually make a great contribution to your level of blood cholesterol. If you need to reduce your cholesterol level, it is more important that you cut down on the amount of saturated fat in your diet from foods like fatty meat, full fat dairy products, and cakes, biscuits and pastries."

Papaya is the Health Fruit of Angels

Papaya is called fruit of the angels by Conquistadors because of its heavenly taste. In its prime, it is a cerise-orange colored, unbelievably juicy fruit with an aroma to match its heavenly taste. Not only is papaya beautiful, fragrant and luscious, it is amazingly healthful!

How fortunate that this glorious fruit is available year-round. Although a native of the tropics, papaya trees produce fruit all year long and are now produced in Hawaii and Puerto Rico. A ripe papaya can be as long as twenty inches, but most commercially grown fruits are pear-shaped, about seven inches in length and about a pound in weight.

It is high in bromelain, which makes it beneficial in ways similar to pineapple. Since it loses nutrient strength as it ripens, papaya is best if purchased mostly ripe and eaten by the next day. Purchase fruit that is orangey-red in color and just a little soft to touch. Fruits that have yellow patches are less ripe and will take a few days at home to become their best. The seeds of a papaya are small, round and black in color. Although they are edible, they have a bitter, peppery flavor that few people seem to find enjoyable.

Papaya can be eaten for its digestive and heart health properties. Externally, it is used in anti-aging products and both the skin and pulp are valuable as healing agents. After a course of antibiotic therapy, papaya juice will rapidly return the intestinal bacteria count to normal. It is especially rich in Vitamin C and carotene.

More unusual, but very valuable is its high arginine, papain and carpain contents. Arginine is known to be good for male fertility, while papain is a proteolytic enzyme. This means papain can break down protein, making it valuable as a meat tenderizer. Carpain is an enzyme considered to be good for the heart.

Papaya also contains fibrin, a rarity in the plant world. In humans, fibrin is an essential part of the blood clotting process.Although further study needs to be done, early findings lead to the belief that papaya may prevent diabetic heart disease. It is high in fiber, which helps to lower cholesterol.

A very special ability of the fiber contained in papaya is that it can bind cancer causing toxins to it, preventing them from binding to cells in the colon. For individuals with a family history of colon cancer, papaya may be an important dietary addition.Another promising finding is that men who ate lycopene-rich foods are less likely to develop prostate cancer. Papaya is one of the high lycopene fruits, easy to eat and easy to obtain in today's markets.Papaya is a great addition to any meal or snack. Chunks of fresh papaya are terrific in cereal or in smoothies.

Sources:

Jian L, Lee AH, Binns CW. Tea and lycopene protect against prostate cancer. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2007;16 Suppl 1:453-7. 2007. PMID:17392149.

Fortin, Francois, Editorial Director. The Visual Foods Encyclopedia. Macmillan, New York 1996.Ensminger AH, Esminger M. K. J. e. al. Food for Health: A Nutrition Encyclopedia. Clovis, California: Pegus Press; 1986 1986. PMID:15210.

About the author

Sheryl is a kinesiologist, nutritionist and holistic practitioner. Her website http://www.younglivingguide.com/ provides the latest research on preventing disease, looking naturally gorgeous, and feeling emotionally and physically fabulous. And her latest website http://www.raiselibido.com/ offers a vast quantity of information on how to increase sex drive and enjoy a vibrant sex life.

link: http://www.naturalnews.com/025846.html

Terapi Ozone

Terapi ozone merupakan satu terapi perubatan yang amat selamat dan berkesan tanpa sebarang kesan sampingan. Selain diguna untuk tujuan pengubatan, terapi ini amat berguna untuk tujuan pengubatan pelbagai jenis penyakit.

Ozone ditemui oleh Christopher Frieddrich Schonbein pada tahun 1840 dan semasa perang dunia pertama, Albert Wolf menggunakannya untuk tujuan pengubatan pada luka yang dijangkiti kuman.

Sejak itu, terapi ozone untuk tujuan pengubatan berkembang pesat dan pelbagai penyelidikan dilakukan untuk mengkaji keberkesanan ozone.

Ozone untuk tujuan perubatan ini dinamakan medical ozone iaitu campuran 0.05-5% ozone dan 99.95-99.5% oksigen yang dihasilkan dalam bentuk gas, dan dilarutkan dalam darah.

(Ozone dalam bentuk gas pada atmosfera adalah toksik kepada manusia)

Cara ozone bertindak

Ozone berupaya menghapuskan pelbagai virus, bakteria, fungus dan lain-lain mikroorganisma disamping sel-sel kanser di dalam darah.ianya juga meningkatkan sistem pertahanan badan, membersihkan darah dan sistem limfatik, menormalkan proses penghasilan hormon dan enzim dan mengurangkan proses keradangan (inflammation).

Dalam bahasa yang lebih mudah, ianya adalah proses detoksifikasi dan oksigenasi darah yang berkesan.

Manfaat ozone

Melalui mekanisma tindakan diatas, terapi ozone boleh diguna sebagai sebahagian kaedah rawatan holistik untuk merawat:-

• Kanser-terutama kanser darah seperti leukaemia dan lymphoma


• Hypercholesterolaemia (kolesterol berlebihan dalam darah)


• Allergy dan eczema


• Diabetes


• Darah tinggi


• Penyakit jantung koronari


• Penyakit autoimmune seperti SLE


• Kegagalan hati dan buah pinggang, terutama peringkat awal


• Jangkitan virus seperti Hepatitis B,C dan HIV
  
• Asthma
• erectile dysfunction
• obesity

EBOO

Ada pelbagai cara bagaimana ozone boleh dimasukkan ke dalam badan/darah, tetapi kaedah EBOO (Extracorporeal Blood Oxygenation dan Ozonation) adalah biasa digunakan di negara kita dan di pusat rawatan kami.

Melalui kaedah EBOO, darah akan dialir keluar ke satu penapis (dialyser) dimana kuman, sel-sel kanser,kolesterol, toksin dan sebagainya akan ditapis dan darah akan dioksigenasi dan diozonasi. Darah ini akan dialir semula ke dalam badan pesakit. (lihat foto)

Setiap sesi mengambil masa kira-kira 45 min - 1 jam

Untuk kesan yang optimum, disarankan menjalani sekurang-kurangnya 3 sesi terapi ozone, setiap 1-2 minggu antara sesi

Kos Rawatan*

Untuk satu sesi: RM 500
Pakej untuk tiga sesi: RM 1350
*Kos adalah termasuk rundingcara dengan Pakar-Pakar kami.

Untuk appointment/penerangan lanjut:

-Dr. Hapizi: 0179351516

-En Rashid: 0199886264

-Cik Mimi: 0139680456

Cholesterol Reduction

Here's a fact for you to consider! A person with a total serum cholesterol number of 260 mg/dL (6.6 mmol/L) increases his or her chance of a heart attack by 500% (Annals of Internal Medicine (United States), 1979)

Elevated cholesterol is associated with a greater-than-normal risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. While antioxidants can inhibit cholesterol from oxidizing onto the linings of the arteries, knowing and controlling your cholesterol levels is still an important step in preventing cardiovascular disease

Types of Cholesterol, and the Impact on Your Health

Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL)

Low density lipoprotein (LDL) is called the "bad" form of cholesterol. LDL carries most of the cholesterol in the blood, and the cholesterol from LDLs is the main source of damaging accumulation and blockage in the arteries. Thus, the more LDLcholesterol you have in your blood, the greater your risk of disease. If you have coronary heart disease (CHD) and your LDL is higher than 100 mg/dL (2.5 mmol/L), your cholesterol may well be too high for you

High Density Lipoprotein (HDL)

High density lipoprotein (HDL) is called the "good" form of cholesterol. HDL picks up and transports cholesterol in the blood back to the liver, which leads to its elimination from the body. HDL can help keep LDL cholesterol from building up in the walls of the arteries. If your level of HDL cholesterol is below 35 mg/dL (0.9 mmol/L), you are at substantially higher risk for CHD. The higher your HDL cholesterol level, the better. The average HDL-cholesterol for men is about 45 mg/dL (1.1 mmol/L), and for women it is about 55 mg/dL (1.4 mmol/L)

Triglycerides (TG)

Triglycerides are a form of fat carried through the bloodstream. Most of your body's fat is in the form of triglycerides stored in fat tissue. Only a small portion of your triglycerides are found in the bloodstream. High blood triglyceride levels alone do not cause atherosclerosis. But lipoproteins that are rich in triglycerides also contain cholesterol, which causes atherosclerosis in many people with high triglycerides. So high triglycerides may be a sign of a lipoprotein problem that contributes to CHD.

Here are the 1999 dietary recommendations from the American Heart Association:

____________________________________________________________

"Cholesterol is found in meat, poultry, seafood and dairy products. Foods from plants-such as fruits, vegetables, vegetable oils, grains, cereals, nuts, and seeds-don't contain cholesterol. Egg yolks and organ meats are high in cholesterol. Shrimp and crayfish are somewhat high in cholesterol. Chicken, turkey, and fish contain about the same amount of cholesterol as do lean beef, lamb and pork."

___________________________________________________________

The following nutritional supplements offer synergistic benefits to assist dietary modification to reduce total serum cholesterol and elevate HDL cholesterol:

• Policosanol, take one tablet twice per day with meals: one in the afternoon and one in the evening. Or Sytrinol, one capsule twice daily. Note:Do not take if it causes your cholesterol to drop below 180 mg/dL


• Fiber, 4 to 6 grams before any high-fat meal.


• Chitosan, three to six 500-mg chitosan capsules and one 1000 mg ascorbic acid capsule right before a high-fat meal.


• Niacin, 1500 to 3000 mg a day (if tolerable).


• Artichoke extract, 300 mg, 3 times a day.


• Garlic, 600 to 4800 mg a day.


• Curcumin, 900 to 1800 mg a day.


• Gugulipid, 140 mg 1 to 2 times a day.


• Green tea, 750 mg a day of green tea, 93% polyphenol extract.


• Perilla oil, 6000 mg a day. We suggest taking six 1000-mg gel caps daily. If triglycerides are high, consider taking 4-8 softgels of fish oil (EPA/DHA).


• Vitamin E, 400 to 800 IU daily


• Soy protein extract, 2 heaping teaspoons (5 to 6 grams) of soy powder daily.


• Selenium, 200 to 600 mcg daily.


• Herbal Cardiovascular Formula, two-six capsules daily with food in divided doses.

-From Life Extension articles.

-For full article, click http://www.lef.org/protocols/prtcl-032.shtml

Sufi Meditation

Meditation in Islam is famous among the Sufis.

Here are some of the benefits of meditation, taken from Naqshbandi Muhibbeen website.

http://nurmuhammad.com/Meditation/Mainmeditationmuraqabah.htm

Physical Benefits

• Deep rest-as measured by decreased metabolic rate, lower heart rate, and reduced work load of the heart.


• Lowered levels of cortisol and lactate-two chemicals associated with stress.


• Reduction of free radicals- unstable oxygen molecules that can cause tissue damage. They are now thought to be a major factor in aging and in many diseases.


• Decreased high blood pressure.


• Higher skin resistance. Low skin resistance is correlated with higher stress and anxiety levels.


• Drop in cholesterol levels. High cholesterol is associated with cardiovascular disease.


• Improved flow of air to the lungs resulting in easier breathing. This has been very helpful to asthma patients.


• Younger biological age. On standard measures of aging, long-term Meditation practitioners (more than five years) measured 12 years younger than their chronological age.


• Higher levels of DHEAS in the elderly. An additional sign of youthfulness through Meditation lower levels of DHEAS are associated with aging.

Psychological Benefits

• Increased brain wave coherence. Harmony of brain wave activity in different parts of the brain is associated with greater creativity, improved moral reasoning, and higher IQ.


• Decreased anxiety.


• Decreased depression.


• Decreased irritability and moodiness.


• Improved learning ability and memory.


• Increased self-actualization.


• Increased feelings of vitality and rejuvenation.


• Increased happiness.


• Increased emotional stability.

Rawatan Herba untuk Diabetis

Hasil dari kajian saintifik menunjukkan banyak herba mempunyai kebolehan untuk merawat diabetis.Yang lebih menarik, herba-herba ini boleh didapati dengan senang di negara kita! Jadi why not kita gunakannya untuk membantu rawatan penyakit seperti diabetis yang saban tahun terus meningkat?..

Cuma yang penting herba-herba ini perlu dikaji secara klinikal dengan lebih mendalam dan seterusnya dikomersialkan

Oleh kerana masalah obesiti (kegemukan) berkait rapat dengan diabetis, herba-herba ini dipercayai boleh membantu sesiapa yang mempunyai masalah obesiti

Jom kita tengok satu persatu..




1-Bitter Melon (peria) (Momordica charantia)

-Telah digunakan turun- temurun dalam perubatan Melayu dan Ayurveda India untuk merawat diabetis.
-Kajian saintifik menunjukkan ia mengandungi sekurang-kurangnya 4 bahan fitokimia untuk menurunkan paras gula iaitu saponins, charantin, peptides dan alkaloids
-Kajian oleh Prof Pushpa Khanna dari India mengasingkan Polypetide K dari biji peria yang mempunyai tindakan seakan-akan insulin (insulin mimics).Bagaimanapun oleh kerana ianya adalah jujukan protein yang akan dimusnahkan oleh asid di dalam usus, ia mestilah diambil secara sublingual (meletakkan di bawah lidah).produk ini dipasarkan di negara kita melalui jenama Diabegard
-Pakar-pakar herba menyarankan jika anda boleh tahan dengan rasanya yang pahit itu, anda boleh memakan peria mentah (sebagai ulam) atau dengan minum jus peria yang dikisar (50 ml sekali sehari)






2-Cinnamon (kulit kayu manis)

-Bahan aktif di dalam cinnamon termasuk cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl acetate, dan cinnamyl alcohol.
-kesan pengambilan cinnamon bukan sahaja meningkatkan kepekaan terhadap insulin, malah merencat enzim yang menyahaktifkan insulin. ia juga berupaya memperlahan pengosongan makanan dari perut (gastric emptying) dan ini memperlahankan kesan kenaikan glukosa selepas makan
-Bahan cinnaldehyde dalam cinnamon juga didapati membantu mencairkan darah (prevent platelet clumping)





3-Bawang merah dan bawang putih (onion and garlic) (Allium cepa and Allium sativum)

-Bahan aktif dipercayai allyl propyl disulphide (APDS) and diallyl disulphide oxide (allicin), dan bahan lain seperti flavonoids)

-APDS didapati berupaya menurunkan paras glukosa dengan bersaing dgn insulin untuk memenuhi reseptor pada sel-sel hati untuk menyahkatifkan insulin. oleh itu semakin kurang insulin akan dinyahaktifkan menyebabkan tindakannya lebih tinggi pada sel-sel seperti otot
-bawang merah dan bawang putih sebenarnya lebih dikenali secara tradisional untuk merawat penyakit jantung, menurunkan kolesterol, mencegah 'platelet clumping' dan menurunkan kolesterol.
-oleh kerana diabetis seringkali berhubung-kait dengan penyakit-penyakit diatas, adalah disarankan supaya pesakit2 diabetis melebihkan pengambilan 'onion and garlic' dalam menu seharian.




4-Fenugreek (halba) (Trigonella foenum-graecum)

-Satu lagi herba yang digunakan secara tradisional dalam perubatan Ayurveda dan China
-Fenugreek juga didapati ada kesan menurunkan triglycerides (lemak)

Itu adalah herba-herba yang boleh didapati dengan senang di Malaysia. Antara yang lain didapati berkesan adalah seperti:-

5-Pterocarpus marsupium (Indian Kino, Malabar Kino, Pitasara, Venga)

6-Gymnema Sylvestre (Gurmar, Meshasringi, Cherukurinja)

7-Blueberry leaves (Vaccinium myrtillus)

8-Asian Ginseng

9-Bilberry

10-Stevia

11-Ginkgo Biloba

12-Barberry

Kesimpulannya untuk pesakit-pesakit diabetis atau penghidap masalah obesiti, tambahkan rempah ratus dan ulam-ulamandalam amalan pemakanan anda seharian. anda juga boleh mengambil suplemen-suplemen tertentu yang mempunyai salah satu atau kombinasi herba-herba yang disebutkan.

Insulin Resistance and Pre-diabetes

Watch out!Before you get full blown diabetes, there is a 'transition phase', what we call as insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome.The good news is you can actually reverse or slowing this phase-to avoid being labelled as a diabetic!

Only that you have to have a strong desire, believe and expectation (mind!), together with simple dietary and exercise regime

Insulin resistance is a silent condition that increases the chances of developing diabetes and heart disease. Learning about insulin resistance is the first step you can take toward making lifestyle changes that will help you prevent diabetes and other health problems.

What does insulin do?

After you eat, the food is broken down into glucose, the simple sugar that is the main source of energy for the body's cells. But your cells cannot use glucose without insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas. Insulin helps the cells take in glucose and convert it to energy. When the pancreas does not make enough insulin or the body is unable to use the insulin that is present, the cells cannot use glucose. Excess glucose builds up in the bloodstream, setting the stage for diabetes.

Being obese or overweight affects the way insulin works in your body. Extra fat tissue can make your body resistant to the action of insulin, but exercise helps insulin work well.

How are insulin resistance, pre-diabetes, and type 2 diabetes linked?

If you have insulin resistance, your muscle, fat, and liver cells do not use insulin properly. The pancreas tries to keep up with the demand for insulin by producing more. Eventually, the pancreas cannot keep up with the body's need for insulin, and excess glucose builds up in the bloodstream. Many people with insulin resistance have high levels of blood glucose and high levels of insulin circulating in their blood at the same time.

People with blood glucose levels that are higher than normal but not yet in the diabetic range have “pre-diabetes.” Doctors sometimes call this condition impaired fasting glucose (IFG) or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), depending on the test used to diagnose it

If you have pre-diabetes, you have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, formerly called adult-onset diabetes or noninsulin-dependent diabetes. Studies have shown that most people with pre-diabetes go on to develop type 2 diabetes within 10 years, unless they lose 5 to 7 percent of their body weight—which is about 5-15 kg for someone who weighs 100 kg—by making modest changes in their diet and level of physical activity. People with pre-diabetes also have a higher risk of heart disease.

Type 2 diabetes is sometimes defined as the form of diabetes that develops when the body does not respond properly to insulin, as opposed to type 1 diabetes, in which the pancreas makes no insulin at all. At first, the pancreas keeps up with the added demand by producing more insulin. In time, however, it loses the ability to secrete enough insulin in response to meals.
Insulin resistance can also occur in people who have type 1 diabetes, especially if they are overweight.

What causes insulin resistance?

Because insulin resistance tends to run in families, we know that genes are partly responsible. Excess weight also contributes to insulin resistance because too much fat interferes with muscles' ability to use insulin. Lack of exercise further reduces muscles' ability to use insulin.
Many people with insulin resistance and high blood glucose have excess weight around the waist, high LDL (bad) blood cholesterol levels, low HDL (good) cholesterol levels, high levels of triglycerides (another fat in the blood), and high blood pressure, all conditions that also put the heart at risk. This combination of problems is referred to as the metabolic syndrome, or the insulin resistance syndrome (formerly called Syndrome X).

Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program as the presence of any three of the following conditions:

1-excess weight around the waist (waist measurement of more than 40 inches for men and more than 35 inches for women)

2-high levels of triglycerides (1.6 mmol/l or higher)

3-low levels of HDL, or "good," cholesterol (below 1.0 mmol/l for men and below 1.28 mmol/l for women)

4-high blood pressure (130/85 mm Hg or higher)

5-high fasting blood glucose levels (6.0 mmol/l or higher)

What are the symptoms of insulin resistance and pre-diabetes?

Insulin resistance and pre-diabetes usually have no symptoms. You may have one or both conditions for several years without noticing anything. If you have a severe form of insulin resistance, you may get dark patches of skin, usually on the back of your neck. Sometimes people get a dark ring around their neck. Other possible sites for these dark patches include elbows, knees, knuckles, and armpits. This condition is called acanthosis nigricans.
If you have a mild or moderate form of insulin resistance, blood tests may show normal or high blood glucose and high levels of insulin at the same time.

Do you have insulin resistance or pre-diabetes?

Anyone 45 years or older should consider getting tested for diabetes. If you are overweight and aged 45 or older, it is strongly recommended that you get tested. You should consider getting tested if you are younger than 45, overweight, and have one or more of the following risk factors:
-family history of diabetes
-low HDL cholesterol and high triglycerides
-high blood pressure
-history of gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) or gave birth to a baby weighing more than 4 kg
-minority group background (African American, American Indian, Hispanic American/Latino, or Asian American/Pacific Islander)

Can you reverse insulin resistance?

Yes. Physical activity and weight loss make the body respond better to insulin. By losing weight and being more physically active, you may avoid developing type 2 diabetes

The main goal in treating insulin resistance and pre-diabetes is to help your body relearn to use insulin normally. You can do several things to help reach this goal.

Be Active and Eat Well

Physical activity helps your muscle cells use blood glucose because they need it for energy. Exercise makes those cells more sensitive to insulin.

Stop Smoking

In addition to increasing your risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease, smoking contributes to insulin resistance. Quitting smoking is not easy, but it could be the single smartest thing you can do to improve your health. You will reduce your risk for respiratory problems, lung cancer, and diabetes.

Can medicines/supplements help?

Yes and they will be discussed in next issue

Natural therapies compare with statin in cholesterol study

The July, 2008 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings published the results of a trial which found that a combination of red yeast rice, fish oil and therapeutic lifestyle changes improved low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in a manner comparable to the standard treatment of a statin drug combined with diet and lifestyle recommendations.

David J. Becker, MD, of Chestnut Hill Hospital, along with his associates at the University of Pennsylvania randomized 74 men and women to receive 40 milligrams simvastatin per day accompanied by printed materials containing standard diet and exercise recommendations, or an alternative regimen consisting of a daily dose of red yeast rice, six capsules of fish oil per day, and a lifestyle program featuring weekly educational meetings led by a cardiologist, exercise physiologist, dietitian, and alternative practitioners. The alternative treatment group was encouraged to follow a reduced fat, Mediterranean style diet, and to restrict sugar and simple carbohydrates.

Blood samples were tested before and after the three month treatment period for lipids, liver function, and creatine kinase levels (which, when elevated, can indicate muscle toxicity).

Participants who received simvastatin experienced a 39.6 percent reduction in LDL cholesterol levels, and those that received the alternative therapies experienced a 42.4 percent decrease. Body weight and triglycerides were reduced to a greater extent by the end of the study in the alternative therapies group compared with those who received simvastatin.

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"Our study was designed to test a comprehensive and holistic approach to lipid lowering," the authors write.

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"These results are intriguing and show a potential benefit of an alternative, or naturopathic, approach to a common medical condition."

"Pending confirmation in larger trials, this multifactorial, alternative approach to lipid lowering has promise for a subset of patients unwilling or unable to take statins," they conclude.

Dr H's comments:

If you have safe and efficacious alternative medicine such as red yeast rice and fish oil to reduce your cholesterol level, why depend on expensive and dangerous drugs such as 'statins'?

think wisely---go natural!

The above-cited study is another example of how holistic approach of treatment will give much more desirable effect

'let food be your medicine and medicine be your food'-Hippocrates

Did Statin Drugs Cause Senator Ted Kennedy's Brain Tumour?

His stories appear almost everyday in Yahoo News. Initially I also wonder who's this man who receives very wide media coverage..until I found out this article in Natural News (http://www.naturalnews.com/023289.html)

Who is Senator Ted Kennedy?

Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy (born February 22, 1932) is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. In office since November 1962, Kennedy is the second most senior member of the Senate.The most prominent living member of the Kennedy family, he is the youngest brother of the late President John F. Kennedy.

On May 20, 2008, it was announced that Kennedy has a malignant brain tumour, diagnosed after he experienced a seizure

Ted Kennedy, among others, suffering from chronic hypertension and high cholesterol. He's taking a 'statin' drug to lower the cholesterol.

Unfortunately, it was thought that-'statin'-among the drugs he has so adamantly promoted was the culprit---leading to his brain tumour

Statins and Cancer

Statins interfere with normal immune function in multiple ways. They are so effective at suppressing your immune system that they have been researched as immune-suppressing options for organ transplant patients. That is not good news for anyone having to fight the flu or combat cancer

Statins interfere with core survival systems that are "branches" in the normal production of LDL cholesterol. Such interference in health is a major side effect of statins – and widely ignored by prescribing physicians. For example, selenium-containing genes are reduced/blocked by statins, including the production of cellular glutathione – your cell's most important antioxidant that protects against cell mutations that can lead to cancer

Important anti-cancer nutrients such as vitamin D and coenzyme Q10 are also reduced by statins. And a primary anti-cancer cell-modulating substance known as isoprenoids are reduced by statins. Isoprenoids in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are the reason eating these foods is associated with less cancer. Blocking your body's natural production of them with statin drugs is not a good idea.

Brain cells are weakened by statins, as every brain cell has a naturally higher level of cholesterol in its cell membrane so it can live longer (brain cells do not split and divide like other cells).

Thus, super high levels of statins are immune toxic, cripple your body's natural cancer defense system, and weaken nerves. The longer a person stays on these high doses the worse the problems become – as damage is cumulative and insidiously progressive over time. When combined with blood pressure medication this creates an environment within the nervous system ripe for cancer growth, a fact that simply cannot be denied based on the timing of Kennedy's problems.