[MNM03]

Mom has diabetes and is really unsure about Lipator she has heard alot of bad about it. She asked me if I knew of any natural cholesteral lowers' that would help. I didnt so we went to GNC and found two one called Red Yeast Rice (or something close) and Heart Advance. The man says they are the same as lipator but without something, sythentics? I think. Anyway before she buys it we wanna know, are they really that good or are they worthless? do they make you sicker? I also saw a B-12 supplement which I heard veggies need and soemthing for mirgraines/anxiety. I would love to take something natural if it helps. I am so leary on perscripstion meds. Please help!

Thanks

 

[Mish]

I think yes to natural remedies. However, you never know - just as with chemical medicines, whether you will get side effects or it will just be plain useless.

The products you just mentioned sound as if they would be useful taken every day, as they probably contain soluble fibres which lower LDL cholesterol (bad) and raise HDL cholesterol (good). Ain't nothing to it but to do it, I suppose. Let us know how you get on, I am interested to find out... Good luck!

 

[Lothar M Kirsch]

Statins (like atorvastatin - Lipitor) have some good effects on cholesterol and on blood vessels in general, but they also come along with lots of possible side effects. The drug Lipobay had to be taken off the market because of a set of deaths!

Red Rice Yeast: There has been a study on this Chinese supplement - American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 69, No. 2, 231-236, February 1999. There has been a warning that it might contain possibly harmful impurities / additives.

Heart advance: contains ingredients that are abundant in fruit, veggies, whole grain products.

So it comes back to healthy diet!

 

[cftwo]

My mom is on one of the cholesterol lowering drugs (Lipitor, I think). There is the problem that they haven't done long-term studies on them, and when you're on these drugs, you basically plan on taking them for the rest of your life. She's also really into herbs and alternative healing, and even with that, she hasn't mentioned anything "natural" which she's taking to help lower her cholesterol. She has found that watching what she eats (more in terms of how much sugar/carbs she has than in watching fats) helps her cholesterol. But even when she was JUST watching her diet, her cholesterol was around 250. If your mom has concerns about Lipitor, she should probably talk to her doctor. Eating well and exercising can help bring down cholesterol levels, but depending on how much cholesterol her body is producing naturally, it may be the case that the drugs are best.

 

[DLS]

Natural remedies are great. But you must remember, it usually takes a long time to develope a medical condition, you cannot cure it overnight. Always consult with your doctor first if you want to try a non-prescription alternative. That said here are a few things to check out and maybe try:

Beanpod tea, made up of kidney, white, navy, lima and northern beans, detoxifies the pancreas.

Bitter melon{Momordica charantia}, gudmar {Gymnema sylvestre}, and gulvel {Tinospora cordifo} are herbal remedies used in Ayurvedic medicine to regulate blood sugar levels.

Dandelion root protects the liver, which converts nutrients into glucose.

Fenugreek seeds have been shown to reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Ginseng tea is believed to lower the blood sugar level

Huckleberry helps to promote insulin production

Juniper berries have been found to lower blood glucose levels.

Spirulina helps to stabalize blood sugar levels

Stevia is thought to have a regulating effect on blood sugar levels too.

And yes, eat well, play hard and get plenty of fresh air too. And remember to check with your Doc first, Diabetes is a serious life threatening condition for sure, my Mom is a type 2 Diabetic.

 

[Lothar M Kirsch]

DLS: very interesting information. But the problem is, that't very complicated. MNM03's Mom might like to have something that works effectively like a drug but which isn't a drug. I'm not so sure if such a thing exists.

 

[Bonoluvr]

i agree a healthy diet is key, the problem is your mom is diabetic which is a risk factor for heart disease and ups the importance of bringing her cholesterol down. Lipitor if taken properly and monitored by the doctor has been safe, yes some have experienced side effects , but for the majority of people taking it , it has been a lifesaver.

Lipitor is also one of the "older" statin drugs as compared wth some of the newer ones like crestor, people have been using lipitor much much longer,

I would advise your mom to take the Lipitor, BUT to also make the drastic healthy changes in her diet that she most likely needs to bring the cholesterol down naturally.

she may be on the lipitor indefinitely she may not, depends on her and how she mangages diet.

she can bring down LDL by cutting out saturated fats, and lowering fat altogether she can UP her HDL ( good chol) by using flax oil, fish oil, and EXERCISE ( the best way to up it)........she can lower triglycerides by cutting out sugar, white bread and white flours, basically bad carbs, and also alcohol.

 

[GhostUser]

A tsp on cinnamon a day is a cure to diabetes.

 

[GhostUser]

There was a study back in March that was publsihed. It stated that with 500 volunteers who had diabetes went on a vegan diet and significantly reduce their sugar level to a minimum or cured it.

As soon as I find the link, i'll post it.

 

[Bonoluvr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProudVegan

There was a study back in March that was publsihed. It stated that with 500 volunteers who had diabetes went on a vegan diet and significantly reduce their sugar level to a minimum or cured it.

As soon as I find the link, i'll post it.

I havent seen this study, but there is no cure for insulin dependent diabetes.(type1) People with type 1 diabetes have damage to the insulin producing cells in their pancreas, they dont produce the proper amount of insulin, therefore they have the high blood sugar unless they take insulin. If they dont take insulin to control the sugar levels they go on to have systemic organ damage. there have been studies showing its an autoimmune response in the body that damages the pancreas in the first place.

type 2 adult onset diabetes can be controlled with diet exercise supplements,

some people dont or cant control it adequately and end up on oral medications or even insulin. but type 2 is the only one that can potentially be reversed by diet exercise supplements etc.

 

[Bonoluvr]

I should also add that diet exercise etc is also important in the treatment of type 1, but it cant be controlled with that alone.

 

[sunshinegal]

I would really advise your mom to try to walk daily and lift light weights a few times a week and eat lots of fruits and veggies for a start. I had a friend at work that went on Lipitor and after a month of use, she stared losing muscle control and still suffers from muscle problems after stopping Lipitor. She stopped taking it, but would just fall at random times or even out of her chair. It is really sad that a drug to help her did this, but you have to remember that the medical field gets paid to dispense drugs and the side effects are nasty. I would rather try natural any day and I do follow natural for my IBS. My doc wanted to put my on some medicine I would have to take for the rest of my life and I refused. Not when I can be better eating healthy and watching my stress levels.

I hope that this helps.

 

[Lothar M Kirsch]

My guess is MNM03's Mom is type 2 diabetes and ProudVegan's information on cinnamon might help, but I wouldn't rely on cinnamon exclusively. That's a decision between MNM03's Mom and her doctor. Excercising is also good advice, it will reduce blood pressure, weight, and cholesterol as well as triglycerides. But still she will most probably have to take drugs before the rest can work.

 

[kpickell]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProudVegan

A tsp on cinnamon a day is a cure to diabetes.

Somehow I found it extremely hard to believe that everyone with diabetes could be cured just like that by taking a teaspoon of cinnamon. That, or this is the world's most highly guarded secret miracle cure ever.

 

[zoebird]

i recommend going to a naturopathic doctor, a traditional chinese medicine doctor, an ayurvedic doctor or an herbalist before doing these things on your own.

 

[Lothar M Kirsch]

One word of caution about cinnamon. Some cinnamon contains coumarins and might be dangerous to the liver. There have been reports in Germany as some Christmas cookies are loaded with cinnamon.

Now, the active part of cinnamon is a coumarol (di-hydroxy-cinnamon-acid) and others are useful medications.

 

[Thalia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoebird

i recommend going to a naturopathic doctor, a traditional chinese medicine doctor, an ayurvedic doctor or an herbalist before doing these things on your own.

What is required for a person to be able to legally call themselves naturopath, or herbalist for example? Do you know of any states with requirements? I know there are some for things like chiropracty and homeopathy in some states. I guess what I'm asking is how does a person judge one of these people? I'm sure there are lots of people who are trying to cash in on the new age holistic health thing. Or who think they are doing a good thing, but really aren't as knowledgeable or have little medical knowledge.

 

[Jessica Alana]

It bothers me that my mom takes Lipitor instead of changing her diet & adding exercise.

I try not to preach because I know it's her choice, but it totally bugs me. Her doctor is the chief of staff at a local hospital, and is also her brother-in-law, so what he says is gospel. *sigh*