One of the most prominent health problems in the United States today is high cholesterol. High cholesterol and high triglycerides are understood by much of the public to be a cardiovascular disorder or a health problem due to heart and blood vessel disorders. In fact, this is actually a disorder of the body’s ability to properly break down and digest or metabolize lipoproteins (chains of fat and protein molecules).
These lipoproteins in the form of cholesterol and/or triglycerides accumulate in the blood and this considerably increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Western medicine focuses on treating the symptoms of high cholesterol to prevent cardiovascular disorders from occurring, but rarely focuses on the root causes that allow cholesterol to build up in the first place: weak metabolic functioning of the body, poor diet, and the unhealthy lifestyle of the patient. Rather it relies on statin drugs that have a very high propensity for serious side effects, whereas acupuncture and Chinese medicine offer the same benefit without the influence of statin drugs and therefore without the potent side effects. .
Lifestyle and nutritional/dietary changes can greatly lower cholesterol, as they can increase the way the body breaks down cholesterol and limit your intake of cholesterol-inducing foods.
If one suffers from high cholesterol or high triglycerides, one can: Increase consumption of low cholesterol foods such as fresh cold water fish, apples, bananas, carrots, garlic (this one is great to increase because it is very beneficial for this purpose), olive oil, grapefruit (do not take if you are taking statin drugs), and oatmeal and bran. Also, increasing your intake of niacin alone can lower cholesterol levels (consult your supplement professional before starting this), Co-Q10, quality EPA-DHA omega 3 fish oils, vitamins B5, C, E , along with chromium picolinate and lecithin are excellent additions to the diet.
Harmful cholesterol, which influences foods such as tobacco products, sugar, fatty/fried foods, wine, beer, cheese, and red meat, should also be lowered. Along with these suggestions, the National Institutes of Health recommends taking 2 grams of plant sterols (phytosterols) daily to combat cholesterol. Plant sterols help the body to reabsorb cholesterol in the large intestine to remove it from the body.
As far as lifestyle advice is concerned, one should exercise regularly to lower cholesterol in the blood vessels. Instead of having a drink that is high in sugar, like a soda; drink oolong, black, or green tea instead, as they help the body metabolize consumed fats. This is especially effective when drinking the tea after a meal.
Also, acupuncture and Chinese herbal formulations are used in the treatment of high cholesterol and high triglycerides because these medicines target the underlying weaknesses of the patient along with the symptom of high cholesterol and its influences of high blood pressure etc. Acupuncture targets the underlying weakness in particular, while Chinese herbal formulations have been shown to be effective in combating high cholesterol levels. Within 2-3 months of treatment with acupuncture and Chinese herbal formulations, patients should begin to see their cholesterol levels drop.
With a change in diet and lifestyle, along with the proper application of acupuncture and Chinese herbal formulations, one will have at their disposal the beneficial health tools to lower cholesterol and triglycerides and avoid the cardiovascular complications that result of such conditions.
Author:
Dr. Jon Hagenburg, D.A.
Rhode Island Center for Acupuncture and Complementary Health.com