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November 9, 2004 |
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In This Issue...
FLIP-FLOPPING FDA First it was on the market, then it was off the market, now it's back on the market. In recent years, the cholesterol-lowering natural supplement red yeast rice has sparked many battles among the pharmaceutical companies, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and supplement manufacturers. But in the face of the on-going controversy regarding statin drugs and how low cholesterol should be, it is good to know about all cholesterol-lowering options. Red yeast rice is one worth considering. ABOUT THE CONTROVERSY In 1998, the FDA yanked red yeast rice (Monascus purpureus) from supplement shelves because it contains a natural form of lovastatin, the same active ingredient in the patented drug Mevacor. The issue was supposedly one of safety, with prescription statin manufacturers claiming that red yeast rice was an unapproved drug rather than a dietary supplement. The truth, according to Jay S. Cohen, MD, associate professor (voluntary) of family and preventive medicine at University of California in San Diego and author of Over Dose: The Case Against the Drug Companies, is that red yeast rice naturally lowers cholesterol levels in the body with fewer side effects and at a considerably lower cost than prescription statins. However, the FDA didn't see it that way and got onboard with the drug companies. Was red yeast rice taken off the market because of health risk or because of pharmaceutical company pressures? Or both? Only the FDA knows for sure. Although the FDA removed it from the market ostensibly to protect the public, critics charge that it really was the pharmaceutical industry that was being protected from competition from a safer and less-expensive product. In 1999, a federal judge lifted the ban on red yeast rice products, and today they are available at quality health-food stores. ASIA'S NATURAL CHOLESTEROL BUSTER Red yeast rice is made simply by fermenting red yeast on rice. It is commonly consumed as part of the traditional cuisine in China and other Asian countries, where people have long believed that it strengthens the heart and circulatory system. Used as a natural food flavoring and coloring agent, it is the ingredient that gives Peking duck its deep red color. A study at UCLA School of Medicine confirmed red yeast rice's natural cholesterol-busting abilities. In a rigorous double-blind, randomized trial, this supplement significantly reduced total cholesterol compared with a placebo. Among 83 people who took red yeast rice for 12 weeks, total cholesterol dropped by an average of 16% (from approximately 250 to 210)... cholesterol remained at about 250 in the 41 people who were given a placebo. There also was a positive impact on LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. These results were published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 1999. A SAFER ALTERNATIVE... Red yeast rice is a good alternative for people who need mild to moderate cholesterol control but don't want to take statin drugs, says Dr. Cohen. It contains a wide array of cholesterol-lowering compounds, including lovastatin, but all in tiny amounts. This makes it safer than statin drugs and their array of potentially serious side effects, such as liver problems, muscle damage, joint pain, abdominal discomfort and cognitive or memory problems. According to Dr. Cohen, these effects generally are underestimated and downplayed by pharmaceutical companies. EXERCISE CAUTION Although the amount of lovastatin in red yeast rice is small, it still requires monitoring. Don't take red yeast rice without telling your doctor, and while you are taking it, get checked regularly for liver or muscle problems. Red yeast rice is available in different dosages. The usual recommendation is 1,200 mg daily, divided into two doses. Do not exceed 2,400 mg daily. To reduce the risk for digestive disturbance, take with food. Physician's Desk Reference (www.pdrhealth.com) recommends...
The bottom line? Statins have powerful side effects. Red yeast rice may be a safer alternative for people with mild to moderately high cholesterol. Should you want to try it, it is best to do it under the watchful eye of a physician trained in herbal remedies. FLEXANOL IS CHANGING LIVES! Help your body build new cartilage -- promote joint flexibility and mobility... WITH NO SIDE EFFECTS! This all-natural breakthrough leaves old standbys in the dust. Find out how you too can relieve and support your...
Click here: http://www.agora-inc.com/reports/650SV05/W650EB00 THE COLORS OF THE RAINBOW In yesterday's issue (Daily Health News/November 8, 2004), I explained the Eastern concept of chakras, seven energy centers in the body that align from the pelvic floor to the top of the head. The chakras are associated with specific areas of physical well-being, human maturation and emotionality. According to energy healers, chakra therapy Raven Keyes, certified Reiki master, hypnotherapist and meditation teacher, told me about an easy meditation that connects the chakras and brings them into balance with one another. She explains that the chakras are closely related. Making something happen in one chakra requires the "participation" of multiple chakras. You may have a desire that is associated with the throat chakra, for instance, but to make it happen, the desire must move to your heart chakra to empower it with love, to the power chakra to gain force, and finally, to the root chakra where it will manifest in your life. The meditations are based on each chakra's color and an associated sound that helps to balance the chakra. A meditation takes only about five minutes, and you can do it in bed each morning or evening or seated, at home or in the office. I realize that some of you may think this is a little "nutty." However, these beliefs and practices have been in existence for centuries. Although they aren't hi-tech, and you will need to make some funny sounds -- they seems to be worth a try. The worst thing that can happen is that they won't work. The best thing that can happen is that they will help you feel better and perhaps even reduce or avoid the need for medication. Here's what to do...
Did you notice? By completing the meditation you brought the colors of the rainbow to your chakra system. You also can do what Keyes calls "spot-check meditations." If you are experiencing an upsetting feeling, target the associated chakra as described in the previous article and send its color to the area along with the chant as described above. There are dozens of other types of treatments that focus on chakras, but this is one that is easy and fun. These balancing meditations are small acts you can do that will help you strengthen and take care of your self, says Keyes. That, she adds, is key because having the self in order is what leads to all other good things. Be well,
HAZARDOUS VITAMINS AND DOSAGES THAT CAN DAMAGE YOUR HEALTH Vitamins can do a lot of good. But, like with everything, taken improperly they can cause harm. Taken in the wrong quantities, certain common vitamins often can do far more harm than good. They can leave you with a chronic health condition... or even contribute to deadly disease. That's why the latest edition of the two-million copy best-seller THE BIG BLACK BOOK is going public with these "dirty little vitamin secrets" the manufacturers don't want you to know. We even have included a complete list of the hazardous vitamins and dosages that can damage your health. Read on... Sources... Flip-Flopping FDA
The Colors of the Rainbow
Correction: In the October 21, 2004, issue in "Good for Your Body, Good for Your Brain," we incorrectly stated that hydrochlorothiazide was a potassium-sparing diuretic. It is actually a potassium-losing diuretic. Required Disclaimer: The information provided herein should not be construed as a health-care diagnosis, treatment regimen or any other prescribed health-care advice or instruction. The information is provided with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in the practice of medicine or any other health-care profession and does not enter into a health-care practitioner/patient relationship with its readers. The publisher does not advise or recommend to its readers treatment or action with regard to matters relating to their health or well-being other than to suggest that readers consult appropriate health-care professionals in such matters. No action should be taken based solely on the content of this publication. The information and opinions provided herein are believed to be accurate and sound at the time of publication, based on the best judgment available to the authors. However, readers who rely on information in this publication to replace the advice of health-care professionals, or who fail to consult with health-care professionals, assume all risks of such conduct. The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions. |
