Pharmacentre Limited > Blog > 2016 > February
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Natural Cholesterol Balance

One of the best ways to take care of your heart and cardiovascular system is by maintaining normal cholesterol levels. Healthy eating habits and exercise are important lifestyle factors that will keep your cholesterol count within the safe range.

Why should we maintain healthy cholesterol balance?

Cholesterol is a fatty substance known as a lipid and it is vital for the normal functioning of the body. Its roles include providing cell structure, insulating nerve fibres, making hormones and aiding in digestion and absorption of fats. 80% of the cholesterol in the body gets produced from within, mostly by the liver. From there it is carried in the bloodstream to other tissues. We also get cholesterol from foods, especially those high in fat. Having an excessively high level of lipids in your blood (hyperlipidemia) can have a serious effect on your health as it increases your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. We need to ensure our cholesterol levels stay within a normal, healthy range.

There are two key forms of cholesterol

Cholesterol cannot travel around the body on its own because it does not dissolve in water. Instead, it is carried in your blood by molecules called lipoproteins, the two key forms of which are:

HDL – also known as “good cholesterol” – gathers excess cholesterol in the bloodstream and brings it back to the liver where it is re-processed. Raised HDL levels are associated with cardiovascular protection.

LDL – or “bad cholesterol” – conveys cholesterol from the liver and deposits in different places, including the lining of the arteries. This causes the formation of cholesterol plaque and, over time, thickening of the artery walls and narrowing of the arteries (this process is called atherosclerosis).

The right balance

What is important is the ratio – or balance – between HDL and LDL. The more LDL and the less HDL you have, the worse off you are. On the other hand, relatively high HDL and low LDL is considered healthy. Factors that contribute to healthy HDL levels include exercise, a modest alcohol intake, and certain foods such as fish (because of their omega-3 content).

Healthy and Cholesterol clogged Artery
Illustration: A healthy artery is wide open because there is no arterial plaque that clogs it up. When blood fats like cholesterol and triglycerides get oxidised, they turn into sticky plaque that narrows the passage through the artery.
Natural statins

Statins are synthetically manufactured drugs used to lower cholesterol, and they are currently prescribed to a staggering 8 million people in the UK. There are also natural statins. For instance, lovastatin is also found naturally in red yeast rice. Randomised clinical trials have found natural statins to be effective, and they have become an increasingly popular choice amongst health-conscious consumers.

What is Red Yeast Rice?

Red yeast rice, a dietary staple in some Asian countries, is yeast cultivated on rice. The product contains 14 active compounds called monacolins, which have been shown to inhibit the synthesis of cholesterol. Monacolin K effectively blocks HMG-CoA reductase, which aids cholesterol synthesis in the liver. Monacolin K is also referred to as “mevinolin” or “lovastatin”.

In China the use of red yeast rice is documented as far back as the Tang Dynasty in 800 A.D . It has been used as a food colouring for centuries in many Asian countries – think Peking duck. Red-yeast-rice extract is therefore considered safe and well tolerated.

Red yeast rice can act as a ‘natural statin’ in extract form and it should be noted that red yeast supplements are different from red yeast rice sold in grocery stores.

Together with red yeast rice, ALA can also be used like a ‘natural statin’. Both are very gentle on the body. Finally Coenzyme Q10 is a vitamin-like compound which practically all cells in the human body depend on in order to produce energy. Coenzyme Q10 is an important antioxidant and protects cell membranes from the damaging effects of free radicals.

You can now further support healthy cholesterol levels with regular use of StatiQinon® by Pharma Nord.
What is StatiQinon®?
♥ StatiQinon® is nature’s own cholesterol stabiliser.
♥ StatiQinon® contains Red Yeast Rice, coenzyme Q10 and ALA (alpha-linolenic acid).
♥ StatiQinon®’s special preparation effectively helps you maintain a healthy cholesterol balance.
♥ StatiQinon® is made to pharmaceutical standards and is blister-packed for protection.

Visit your nearest Panacea store to find out more about StatiQinon and other cholesterol balance tips

This weeks blog was written by Pharma Nord UK. Pharma Nord is one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of dietary supplements and preventative nutrition. The company develops, manufactures, and markets dietary supplements and natural medicines with emphasis on bioavailability, safety and documentation.

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Solgar Cardio Health Essentials

Our Product of the week is Solgar MultiPlus with Cardio Health Essentials.

It is the next generation in a wholefood base for overall cardiovascular health. With a broad spectrum of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and energy-rich wholefood concentrates, you can get the benefits for heart, vascular and whole body health in one convenient complex.

Heart health is easy to take for granted especially as heart disease shows few symptoms before it is too late. Even with a balanced diet and moderate exercise, we have emotional and physical stress, pollution and contaminants in the air as well as in our body. Life causes oxidative stress on our body which ultimately affects our heart . Solgar MultiPlus with Cardio Health Essentials is designed to help combat these daily problems by including many of the high-performing, protective nutrients you need:

COQ-10 and Niacin (Vitamin B3): These are both found in healthy muscle structure. COQ-10 is a critical nutrient required by the cells in the body to produce the energy we need to keep our heart strong, as well as being an antioxidant which helps protect us from oxidative stress.

Copper, Manganese and Vitamins C and E: Antioxidants help fight free radicals and support cell repair for a health heart and circulatory system.

Circulatory Herbal Complex: Ginkgo Biloba, Hawthorne Berry, Motherwort,  Pomegranate,  Amla and Cayenne Powder – a mixture of traditional herbs used to strengthen the heart and improve circulation.

Solgar MultiPlus with Cardio Health Essentials also contains a full spectrum of essential vitamins and minerals for general health and wellbeing. They have been added to a wholefood base for improved absorption by the body.

February is our Heart Health month. Visit one of our stores to chat to a member of staff to find out more about what you can do to help improve your cardiovascular health.

 

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Viridian Black Seed Oil

Muhi, from our Putney store, says: “I love Viridian Black Seed Oil. All my family use this product. This is a traditional herb that has been used for thousands of years by people living in Middle East and most part of Asia and Africa to promote health and fight disease. Tutankamun is even believed to have had a bottle of black seed oil in his tomb. This oil commonly has been used for treatment related to respiratory health, stomach and intestinal complains, kidney and liver functions, circulatory and immune system support. It is also known as Blessed Seed, Black Cumin or Nigella seed.

Organic Black Seed Oil from Viridian Nutrition is of the highest quality, made exclusively from organic Egyptian black cumin seed that is cold-pressed. It has a pleasant aroma and taste, it can be taken internally off the spoon, used as part of a salad dressing or used as a head or chest rub.

Viridian’s Organic Black Seed oil is vegan, organic and certified Kosher.

 

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What’s your number?

Blood Pressure
What is it?

When your heart beats, it pumps blood around your body to give it energy and oxygen. As the blood moves, it pushes against the sides of the blood vessels. The strength of this pushing is your blood pressure. If the pressure is too high, it puts extra strain on your arteries (and your heart) and this may lead to heart attacks and strokes.

Blood pressure readings have two numbers, for example 140 over 90. The top number is the systolic pressure– this is the highest pressure when your heart contracts and pushes blood around your body. The bottom number is the diastolic pressure – this is the lowest pressure when your heart relaxes in between beats.

What’s Normal?

Ideally, we should all have a blood pressure below 120/80. This is the ideal level for good health and lower risk of heart disease or stroke.

What’s too high? (Hypertenstion)
  • if your top number is 140 or more – then you may have hypertension, regardless of your bottom number.
  • if your bottom number is 90 or more – then you may have hypertension, regardless your top number.
What’s too low? (Hypotension)
  • if your top number is 90 or less – then you may have hypotension, regardless of your bottom number.
  • if your bottom number is 60 or less – then you may have hypotension, regardless of your top number.
  • Hypotension is uncommon and usually harmless
Hypertension Symptoms

High blood pressure usually has no obvious symptoms and many people have it without knowing.

The only way to know is to have your blood pressure measured. It is estimated that more than 5 million people don’t know they have high blood pressure in the UK- that’s why it’s called the silent killer.

In some rare cases, where a person has very high blood pressure, they can experience symptoms, including:

• a persistent headache
• blurred or double vision
• nosebleeds
• shortness of breath

Hypertension Health Risks

High blood pressure puts extra strain on your heart and blood vessels. This can cause them to become weaker or damaged.

The higher your blood pressure, the higher your risk of serious health problems in the future, including:

Damage to your heart – it can cause you to have a heart attack and heart failure.

Damage to your brain – it can cause strokes. It has also been closely linked to some forms of dementia.

Damage to your kidneys

Damage to your limbs – it can cause peripheral arterial disease, which can affect your legs.

If you have other health conditions, such as diabetes or high cholesterol, this increases your risk of health problems even more. It is then even more important to lower your high blood pressure.

High risk groups include the over 55s, people of African Caribbean descent, and people of South Asian origin who are more prone to other vascular conditions.

How to get high blood pressure under control:

Firstly – know your numbers! As symptoms are rare, you won’t know if your blood pressure is high unless you check!

  • Eat less salt – use salt substitues such as herbamare
  • More fruit and veg which contain essential minerals such as potassium and magnesium which help control blood pressure. Coconut water is also a great source of potassium.
  • Maintain a healthy weight
  • Drink Less alcohol
  • Keep active
  • Reduce stimulants caffeine tea and coffee
  • Garlic supplements
  • Omega-3 rich fish oil supplements
  • Hawthorne extract supplements
  • Antioxidants supplements, including Resveratrol, Co-Enzyme Q10
  • Beetroot juice
  • Pomegranate juice

 

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Aloe Dent Toothpaste

We love the Aloe Dent toothpaste range from Optima.

Containing natural ingredients to clean and protect your teeth and gums, these Aloe based, minty, flouride free toothpastes come in 3 different varieties:

Whitening Toothpaste

Aloe Vera and Silica helps maintain naturally white teeth, so you can be sure you are getting all the benefits of a flouride free toothpaste with natural ingredients, such as antiseptic Tea Tree Oil and Xylitol, every time you brush.

Sensitive Toothpaste

Soothing Aloe Vera and Echinacea are key to the special sensitive formulation. This toothpaste also contains natural ingredients such as Escin (from Horse Chestnut) & antiseptic Tea Tree Oil

Triple Action Toothpaste

The all round Aloe Vera alongside Co-Q10, which helps to maintain healthy gums, with natural ingredients such as Chitosan (from shell fish) and Tea Tree Oil.

The Sensitive, Whitening and Children’ s are suitable for use by both vegetarians and vegans. However, the Triple Action toothpaste contains Chitosan which plays a role in neutralizing pH/acid in the mouth. Chitosan is derived from crustaceans and this therefore not suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

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Nature’s Plus Rhodiola

Dipti in our Muswell Hill store likes to recommend Nature’s Plus Rhodiola.

Studies show that Rhodiola can help your body cope with stress better and increase energy levels. The restorative, energizing properties have been well known in Europe and Asia for centuries. An all-natural botanical supplement that has concentrated extract in a whole food base, making it more readily used by the body. You also benefit from a time release tablet allowing you to feel it working over a longer period of time.

Rhodiola is thought to fight depression, improve immunity, elevate the capacity for exercise, imporve memory, aid weight reduction, increase sexual function and improve energy levels and has therefore been used as an alternative for St. Johns Wort especially if on medication.

 

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Optima Pomegranate Juice

It’s heart health month and our product of the week is Optima Pomegranate Juice.

It is double strength and unfiltered, one of nature’s most powerful antioxidants, Optima’s pomegranate Juice is made from pure, unfiltered juice.

Small studies seem to suggest that drinking pomegranate juice might lower cholesterol. It’s also thought that pomegranate juice may block or slow the build up of cholesterol in the arteries of people who are at higher risk of heart disease. A study from 2004 on patients with carotid artery stenosis (narrowed arteries) found that a daily 50ml glass of pomegranate juice over three years reduced the damage caused by cholesterol in the artery by almost half, and also cut cholesterol build-up.

Another trial from 2005 on 45 patients with coronary heart disease demonstrated that 238ml of pomegranate juice daily over three months resulted in improved blood flow to the heart and a lower risk of heart attack.

Research also shows that pomegranate juice contains free radical scavenging antioxidants which help the body’s natural defence system fight oxidative damage. Reducing oxidative stress and inflammatory damage in blood vessels is a well-documented way to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Looks like plenty of reason to love the pomegranate.

Further reading: 7 Proven benefits of Pomegranates

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Higher Nature Saltpipe

Karishma in Edgware and Oana, our Watford Manager both recommend the Higher Nature salt pipe.

There is a growing number of people suffering from breathing difficulties due to air pollution levels rising. Hay fever, asthma and other respiratory disorders are on the increase. The ancient Greeks used many health therapies and one of them was salt’s positive effect on the airways. Later in the mid 1800’s,a Polish doctor documented how salt mine workers didn’t seem to suffer from the same respiratory problems as the general population and from there Salt Therapy has grown, to the extent that you can sit in a modern day salt therapy room that recreates the salt mine environment.

The Higher Nature Saltpipe, is a handy inhaler that brings the benefits of salt mine therapy to your home. The active ingredients are salt crystals from the Transylvanian Praid Salt Mine. The Praid salt hill is a geological curiosity with approximately 3 billion tons of salt which has been mined since 2nd century AD. The salt’s curative properties are well known and used in therapeutic treatment facilities located in the disused parts of the mine. The Higher Nature’s Saltpipe’s salty micro climate calms the cells of the respiratory system and induces their natural self-cleansing mechanism. It has been known to help everything from asthma and hay fever to chronic snoring ,it can also help if you suffer from coughs and colds. When you first use The Saltpipe you may experience some coughing or sneezing as your respiratory system clears. For best results use The Saltpipe regularly. Recommended usage: 15-25 minutes every day. Suitable for adults and children from 5 years.

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Love your heart

 

Heart Disease is one of the most common causes of premature death, yet diet-related and preventable.

Advice to eat vegetable oils and margarines rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids instead of butter and limit other animal fats rich in saturated fats such as meat and dairy products has been the cornerstone of global dietary guidelines for decades. These recommendations were made to reduce the risk of heart disease, yet fifty years later, updated research shows no evidence of cardiovascular benefits.

Subsequent studies since the 1970s have reported that polyunsaturates from marine oils, namely omega-3s, are very heart protective. At the time of the original work, the difference between these omega3 polyunsaturates and the vegetable oil omega-6s was not well understood. Indeed, it was generally perceived that all fats were harmful, giving rise to the popularity of low-fat diets. The consequences of propagating this belief are currently rife, as diet-related diseases reach epidemic levels.

Recent media interest has put the spotlight on the fat controversy, changing  public perception that not all fats are bad, and whilst some are harmful, there are indeed some very beneficial fats. Scientific consensus that omega3 fish-oils promote wellbeing, particularly for cardiovascular and brain health, as well as to combat inflammatory disorders, has driven the popularity of sales of fish-oil supplements.

Whilst the clear benefits of increasing intakes of omega-3 fish-oils are gaining understanding, the balance or ratio in the diet between omega-6s to omega-3s, still lurks within the research domain.

The bottom line is that the misplaced confidence in vegetable oils has resulted in too much omega-6 and not enough omega-3 in the diet.

Increasing polyunsaturated fats from vegetable oils in order to reduce risk of heart disease has driven omega-6 levels fifteen to twenty-five times higher than omega-3 levels, where our ancestors had an approximate equal balance. Eating too little omega-3 and to much omega-6 has had very harmful consequences to health, because the two groups fats are metabolically and functionally distinct, and often have opposing biological effects.

Omega-6 and omega-3 are the parent compounds for the production of eicosanoids, a vast group of biological compounds which act as hormone-like messengers that mediate a cascade of extensive biochemical and physiological reactions including inflammation, blood clotting, pain, immune functions, blood pressure and regular heart beat.

Omega-3 fats(EPA and DHA) from fish or fish oil are heart friendly because they

  • decrease production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) metabolites where the drugs aspirin and ibuprofen work to keep pain, inflammation and blood clotting at bay
  • decrease platelet aggregation which causes blood to become sticky and clump, thus reduce tendency of clot formation and obstructions in blood supply which increase risk of strokes, embolisms and infarction
  • decrease production of leukotrienes which promote inflammation and white blood cells to trigger plaque formation
  • promote vasodilation that keeps blood vessels open and lowers blood pressure
  • safeguard against cardiac arrhythmia.

The metabolic children of omega-6s promote heart disease and are harmful to overall health and wellbeing. Omega-6s produce thromboxanes which promote blood clotting, platelet stickiness and vasoconstriction which narrows blood vessels and increases blood pressure. Other eicosanoids from omega-6 including interleukins stimulate the inflammatory response and promote white cells to form free radicals which cause oxidation of blood fats and damage leading to the formation of atheroma, thrombus, blocked and narrowed arteries. New research has found that when omega 6s are high in arterial plaques, the plaques are more likely to burst. Oxidised or ‘rusted’ vegetable oil particles found in LDL are very harmful, and a valid mechanism may be that these damaged omega-6s create very potent bioactive compounds that stimulate inflammation without having to go through the eicosanoid pathway.  In simple terms, the excess vegetable oils in the lipoproteins are themselves causing the inflammation that triggers damage which initiates the formation of plaques.  Smoking and drinking also creates a lot of free radicals that rust up these blood fats.

A diet rich in omega-6 fats shifts the physiological state to one that is proinflammatory and prothrombotic. No wonder populations rely on anti-inflammatory and blood thinning drugs like ibuprofen and aspirin.

Because of the increased amount of omega-6s in the Western diet, larger quantities of metabolic products from omega-6 are produced than those formed from omega-3s.   Since both families of fats share the same biochemical pathway, they share the conversion enzymes and if you use the analogy of omega-6 and omega-3s as opposing football teams, the omega-6 players outnumber the omega-3 players and omega-6 hogs the ball and scores all the unhealthy goals.

The simple answer lies in correcting the imbalance, by increasing the intake of omega-3, especially the fish-oils EPA and DHA, whilst simultaneously decreasing the intake of commercial vegetable oils and margarines and all the processed and packaged foods containing them.

However, vegetarians and vegans take note that the excess intake of omega-6 compared to deficiency in omega-3 can inadvertently occur, even in natural wholesome diets, as most nut and seed oils are relatively rich in omega-6, with only few oils rich in omega-3 such as flax oil, or to a lesser extent hemp, rapeseed, chia, pumpkin or walnut oils. Notably, vegetable omega3 sources do not provide a direct source of the more heart-friendly omega-3 EPA and DHA which are only obtained by eating oils of marine origin. Conversion of simple vegetable source omega-3 to longer chain and greater degree of unsaturation is considered poor.

Olive oil is a good choice as it predominantly contains omega-9, which does not interfere with the balance by avoiding excessive omega-6 intake.

The current bottom line is that omega-3 fish oils have reached superstar status as scientific understanding has undisputedly deciphered the biochemical pathways and physiological mechanisms by which omega-3 DHA and EPA bestow their gifts of optimising cardiovascular health.

The theory that eating fish may safeguard and prevent against cardiovascular disease can safely be put into practice. Be sure to up your intakes of EPA and DHA.

References:
BMJ 2013 Feb 4;346:e8707 Use of dietary linoleic acid for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease and death: evaluation of recovered data from the Sydney Diet Heart Study and updated meta-analysis.

Written by: Babi Chana BSc (HONS) BSc Nut.Med BANT. CHNC – Nutritionist for Wiley’s Finest Wild Alaskan Fish Oil.

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Pharma Nord Ubiquinol

Santha in our Kingston store loves Pharma Nord Ubiquinol.

Co Q10 is a substance similar to a vitamin and found in every cell of the body. Your body needs it for energy cell growth and maintenance and it also functions as an anti-oxidant. Co Q10 is seen to help prevent heart disease, cancer, muscular dystrophy and periodontal disease as well as being an essential nutrient for cholesterol metabolism.

Ubiquinol is a reduced form of Co Q10; it carries electrons which can be donated to other molecules, meaning it is ready to work in the body and it is a more effective and active anti-oxidant form of Co Q10. Pharma Nord BioActive Q10 is a product containing coenzyme Q10 in the reduced form, ubiquinol. CoQ10 occurs within the body in two closely related forms, oxidised (ubiquinone) and reduced (ubiquinol). Most people are able to absorb coenzyme Q10 as ubiquinone. However, if you’re getting a little bit older, have been suffering from an illness, or have digestive issues, then coenzyme Q10 is more easily absorbed in the reduced ubiquinol form of BioActive Q10.

BioActive Q10 has all the health benefits of the original Q10, such as maintaining a healthy heart and immune system, and contains ubiquinol in a stabilised form, using specially developed lightproof and air-proof packaging to prevent oxidation via a unique patented process. Pharma Nord is therefore able to guarantee the stability of this product during the whole of the product shelf life.

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