I THINK everyone in Africa knows about the famous ‘Big 5’ in our wildlife. In our bodies, we have a deadly ‘Big 3’ as well.
These are the deadly illnesses of heart disease, diabetes and cancer. These diseases are generally caused by our diet and lifestyle today.
Because these diseases are mostly diet related, it means that we play a major role in actively assisting in preventing them from happening in our own life.
Diet obviously plays a major role in preventing these diseases. The more overweight you are, the greater your chance of developing one or more of these killer diseases.
Heart disease is known as a silent killer. This is due to a build up of cholesterol in the arteries which in turn leads to a heart attack or stroke.
I have heard of two comparatively young, fit men who suddenly dropped dead from heart attacks.
I think everyone has heard of cholesterol. A lot of people are scared about this little word, thinking, mistakenly, that having cholesterol is a death sentence. This is wrong!
Cholesterol is found in every cell in our body and has important natural functions.
Our body produces cholesterol but also ingests it from our food. Cholesterol is oil based and so does not mix with blood which is mostly water.
It consists of two main types, namely low-density (LDL) which is bad, and high-density (HDL) which is good.
Interestingly, we need cholesterol to survive. Because nature works most effectively in balance, it is therefore important to keep the correct balance of LDL and HDL.
Cholesterol has four main functions:
* It contributes to the cell wall structure
* It makes up digestive bile acids in the intestine
* It allows the body to produce vitamin D
* It enables the body to make certain hormones
A medical diagnosis of high cholesterol therefore means that you have more LDL than HDL.
The LDL then builds up in the artery walls thus restricting blood flow to crucial areas of the body like the heart and brain.
Some simple ways to assist in keeping your cholesterol levels in balance, include eating a balanced, healthy diet that is low in bad fats, but high in fibre and good fats.
Exercise regularly (a simple walk around the block is a good start), avoid smoking, maintain a healthy weight and, if you have a family history of elevated cholesterol, have regular blood tests to check your LDL, HDL and homocysteine levels.
Apart from a healthy, balanced diet that includes whole-grains, fresh fruits and vegetables and fish, I would suggest some specific supplements as well.
The supplements that I recommend and that have shown good results through scientific research include:
* Salmon oil – cold pressed from the flesh of oily fish such as salmon and that has been tested for as many known contaminants as possible (a good brand should be able to prove and guarantee this) and ideally include the complete chain of all 8 omega 3. salmon oil has been shown to have excellent anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation in the arteries is what causes cholesterol to build up.
* Vitamin E – should be from a whole-food source and include the complete complex of all 8 E vitamins. Synthetic vitamin E (dl-Alpha Tocopherol) is usually derived from crude oil.
* Vitamin B complex – in conjunction with certain flavonoids and hesperiden has been shown to have good results in lowering ? cholesterol levels as well.
While this is just a very brief outline, it should at least help as a guide. I am a registered distributor for a well-known, whole-food nutritional range. I would be more than happy to discuss your individual needs with you, but you can also chat to your GP or a nutritionist.
As always, my aim with these articles is to simply educate you on a way to improve your health naturally. I will not make any medical claims and I will try my best to remain neutral as far as specific branded products are concerned.
When in doubt, it is always advisable to discuss any health related problems with your registered doctor.
Psalm 41:3 The LORD will help them when they are sick and will restore them to health.
Be blessed.
Sean.
