Acne and Pimples

ACNE AND PIMPLES

Acne manifests itself as annoying spots, sometimes only a few blackheads, but often skin patches covered with whiteheads, red papules and pustules. All these manifestations arise from blockage or inflammation of hair follicles. Irrespective of its severity, acne chews on one’s self-confidence. In fact, its psychological impact may be so significant that it may affect one’s quality of life and even one’s employment opportunities.

What causes acne? Acne is caused by hormonal stimulation of the oil glands, thickening of the skin and accumulation of dead cells inside the hair follicle. The excess oil and dead cells become nutrients for normal skin bacteria, raising their numbers abnormally high. These excess bacteria release enzymes that cause inflammation and puss. The latter become nutrients for other (normal) skin bacteria, also raising their numbers to unhealthy levels.

The vicious cycle has begun: more oil and dead cells, more enzymes, more puss, more bacteria… and the problem gets worse fast. Although acne is caused by hormonal imbalances, there are a number of external triggers that may lead to acne.

Types of acne Blackheads and whiteheads are non-inflamed acne, called comedones. Papules are red bumps, whereas pustules are small tender cysts. Papules and pustules are inflamed acne.

A blackhead or a whitehead is a plug of oil and sloughed-off cells inside the hair follicle. With whiteheads, the plug is covered with skin and it has a whitish color. With blackheads, the plug is not covered by skin and as a result of its contact with the air it oxidizes and hence becomes black. Inflammation and swelling associated with papules and pustules indicate the presence of bacterial infection(s).

How many people suffer from acne? The prevalence of acne under teenagers varies between 87% and 94%. A small number of people retain this undesirable problem after puberty and a few have it before puberty! Being such a common problem, it is surprising that there are still some myths about acne.


THE MOST COMMON MYTHS ABOUT ACNE

Myth: Acne is caused by environmental factors, dietary intake or personal hygiene.

Truth: Acne is caused by a genetic predisposition. If a poor exercise programme or facial routine and junk food were causes of acne, many grownups would suffer from severe acne after each winter. However, one cannot simply let go of all that self-discipline because if hormones are not in good balance, poor habits may exacerbate the acne problem!

Myth: The perfect facial cleanser will clear acne. Truth: Because poor personal care is
not the cause of acne, improved personal care is not the solution either. In fact,
excessive cleansing and scrubbing can compromise the skin's protective barrier.
Irritated skin is more prone to allergic reactions than healthy skin and some allergic reactions
cause papules. Very dry skin is easily sensitized by chemicals and environmental
factors. It is therefore important NOT to strip the skin from all its natural moisture.

EXTERNAL TRIGGERS OF ACNE
The most common external triggers include re-contamination, self-induced irritation, drugs and topical products.
Because acne often includes a bacterial infection, opportunities for re-contamination have to be minimized.
Therefore: wear a clean shirt daily, change pillow cases regularly and touch the skin only with clean hands.
Compulsive scratching or harsh treatment of the skin may also increase the severity of acne. Drugs and topical products can cause eruption of acne.
Common drugs include steroids and high doses of vitamin B. It is important to carefully read the insert for potential dermatitis side effects when using any medication. Some of the most common ingredients in cosmetic products that may cause acne eruption are natural oils such as olive oil and sweet almond oil. Take note that these are not problematic drugs or ingredients, but only for individuals affected by acne.

WRONG USAGE OF ANTI-ACNE PRODUCTS
Bodily processes take time. A fractured bone takes approximately 45 days to heal… see?... it takes time. Some are slightly faster and some are slow:

Try and go to the restroom directly after 3 cups of coffee (before church)…
nothing! Only after the body has followed its own pace, it will let you know
its time - usually half-way through the sermon!

Food tends to be slow - one excessive meal will luckily not fatten you up overnight, but consistent overeating will most definitely do that. Just try it for a month and see… The same is true for acne. With proper treatment, an acne-skin can become beautiful – in about 6 weeks.

It will not happen overnight irrespective of how much one squishes, scrubs, paid for the products or how much product one applies. The life-time of a single pimple is a few days. With proper care one can reduce the severity and possibly also the duration of the pimple. Both over-usage and under-usage of anti-acne products increase the problem.

Common mistakes when treating acne + pimples:
• Excessive cleansing and scrubbing.
• Squishing and popping pimples: increase the risk of re-contamination and scarring.
• Over-usage of anti-acne products: leads to increased sensitivity and dryness of the skin.
• Under-usage of anti-acne products causes individuals to move from one product to the next without much success.
• Impatience with treatment: causing individuals interchange between products or stop the treatment altogether.
Using too many different products creates side-effects that interfere with the products’ normal functioning.
• Stopping the use of anti-acne products once the skin seems clear. Don’t! Treatment should continue for several months to completely clear up underlying bacterial infection and probably until hormones have completely stabilized (18+ years).


TREATMENT OF ACNE
Products that promote proper shedding of the epidermis and reduce the excess oil are most beneficial to treating
blackheads and whiteheads. Inflamed acne is always an indication of bacterial infection and needs to be treated with
anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial products. See the relevant text boxes below for treatment. If acne becomes
worse, it is likely due to uncontrolled bacterial infection under the upper layers of the skin. In this case, it may be
necessary to use oral antibiotics or even stronger dermatological medicine. Avoid permanent psychological scarring
by seeing a doctor/dermatologist.
Important treatments that contribute to a beautiful skin -
• Drink plenty of water – flushing the system eliminates toxins that may worsen the problem.
• Steam regularly – this is a cheap and very effective way to control acne breakouts.
• Avoid dry and sensitive skin by using a moisturiser that does not promote acne.

Caring for blackheads and whiteheads:
• Cleanse dirt and reduce excess oil. (Foaming Cleanser of/or Facial Wash Regular / 2x daily)
• Steam twice a week after cleansing. Purify the pores. (Facial Mask /1x weekly)
• Remove dead cells. (Refining Scrub /1x weekly)
• Restore moisture balance. (Vanishing Cream of/or Whole-leaf Gel /after cleansing)
• Promote hormonal balance. (Radical Image /2x daily)

Caring for infected acne:
• Cleanse dirt and reduce excess oil and bacteria. (Facial Wash Bitter /2x daily)
• Steam every second day after cleansing.

• Purify the pores. (Facial Mask /1x weekly)
• Remove dead cells./ (Refining Scrub /1x every 10-14 days but not on irritated skin.
• Reduce bacterial infestation, inflammation and swelling. (Super Aloe Gel and/en Bitter Aloe Gel).
• Restore moisture balance. (Vanishing Cream or/of Whole-leaf Gel /after cleansing.)
• Promote hormonal balance and reduce infection.
(Radical Image /2x daily Val-u-Life /1x daily, Fabulous Fibre Bitter /½-1x daily)

Article from Aloe Ferox Newsletter 4/2012

Aloe Ferox Bitter Crystals and their uses

Aloe Ferox Bitter Crystals and their Beneficial effects

 Why Should you consider using Aloe Ferox Bitter Crystals or Aloe Ferox Fabulous Fibre Bitters?

In order to ensure detoxification it is essential to prevent constipation and assist the liver to
prevent the accumulation of toxins in the body that can result in diseases.

The Aloe Ferox bitter as detoxifier is effective to:
• prevent constipation
• assist the liver to eliminate toxins

Additionally bitter is:

• potent antibacterial and antiviral agent effective for:
• peptic ulcers,
• urinary infection and gastroenteritis,
• herpes and influenza virus
• liver protective and is used prevent cancers.

HOW DOES THE BODY ELIMINATE TOXINS?

Our bodies are continuously exposed to toxins. They are in food, water and the environment
and gets absorbed into the blood stream. These toxins are removed from the blood stream
by the liver and are eliminated via the gastro-intestinal tract.

Since the liver dumps wastes into the intestines it is essential to prevent constipation.

Keeping the bowels clean and moving is a major step in regaining our health since the
bowels are crucial in the elimination of toxins. When the bowels slow down, toxins are NOT
eliminated and are reabsorbed and carried back to the liver for recycling and elimination
thus toxin levels increase.

If these toxins persist in the liver and gastrointestinal tract they can cause irritation and
inflammation making you more susceptible to disease and infection. Common toxicity
symptoms are fatigue, headache, elevated cholesterol, lower back pains, allergies and
indigestion.

Detoxification will restore proper functioning of the organs, cell membrane integrity and
control inflammatory responses. Effective for autoimmune and skin diseases and help
resolve mental disorders and depression.

THE ALOE BITTER DETOX:

Aloe ferox is well known for its medicinal properties. The bitter leaf juice is best known for
its use as a laxative.

Digestive system;

The active constituent in the bitter is the anthrones. They are degraded in the colon by
bacteria to aloe-emodin, which function as a stimulant laxative (Blumenthal 1998). The
cathartic and laxative effect of aloe bitter is caused by its influence on the motility of the
colon.

Resulting in:
• accelerated intestinal passage of feaces and toxins
• increased water content in the faeces making the stool softer.
In addition to its purgative effect the bitter substance the scientific literature documents
various medical applications.
Anti-microbial

The aloe-emodin in bitter has been shown to inhibit the growth of Helicobacter pylori, which is responsible for peptic ulcers (Wang 1998). Similarly, the bitter is antibacterial thus preventing gastroenteritis and urinary tract infection (Reynolds 1999).

Aloe bitter was also found to be virucidal by disrupting the coating of the herpes and influenza virus (Sydiskis 1991).

Liver
The benefit of aloe-emodin on the liver has also been documented. In diabetics the liver
detoxification function is impaired resulting in liver damage. Can (2004) showed that the
bitter had a protective effect on liver injury preventing tissue damage. Additionally, it
lowered blood sugar levels by 34%, which is beneficial for insulin control.
Chung (1996) demonstrated the liver protection effect of aloe-emodin by increasing the
alcohol elimination and the disappearance of alcohol from the body by 45% and 50%,
respectively.

Anti-cancer activity
Kuo (2002) has demonstrated that aloe-emodin induced cancer cell disintegration and acted
as an effective anticancer effect in human liver cancer. Similarly, Pecere (2000) found that
aloe-emodin did not inhibit fibroblast proliferation while selectively inhibiting human
neuroectodermal tumour cells. Aloe-emodin has also been shown to inhibit leukemia by
inducing cell disintegration (Chen 2004).
It is clinically proven that the use of anthranoid laxatives, even in the long term, does not
cause cancer (Nusko 2000).

TOXICITY AND CONTRAINDICATIONS:
In large dosages the aloe bitters can cause severe diarrhea and intestinal cramping.
Chronic use can lead to potassium loss, may reduce absorption of drugs due to decreased
bowel transit time and may cause intestinal dependence on laxatives.
Aloe bitters is not recommended for people with intestinal obstruction, intestinal
inflammation, appendicitis and abdominal pain of unknown origin.



REFERENCES:
BLUMENTHAL, M., BUSSE, W.R., GOLDBERG, A., HALL, T. et al. 1998. German Commission
E Monographs. Austin:American Botanical Council and Integrative Medicine Communications.
CAN, A., AKEV, N., OZSOV, N., BOLKENT, S., ARDA, B.P., et al. 2004. Effect of Aloe vera leaf
gel and pulp extract on the liver in type II diabetic rat models. Biol. Pharm. Bull. vol.27. no.5. p
694-698.
CHUNG, J-H, CHEONG, J-C, LEE, J-Y, ROH, H-K & CHA, Y-N. 1996. Acceleration of the
alcohol oxidation with aloin, a quinine derivative of aloe. Biochemical Pharmacology. vol.52. p
1461-1468.
KUO, P-L, LIN, T-C. & LIN, C-C. 2002. The antiproliferative activity of aloe-emodin is through
p53-dependent and p21-dependent apoptotic pathways in human hepatome cell lines. Life
Sciences. vol.71. p 1879-1892.
NUSKO, G., SCHNEIDER, B., SCHNEIDER, I., WITTEKIND, C. & HAHN, E.G. 2000. Anthranoid
laxative use is not a risk factor for colorectal neoplasia: results of a prospective case control
study. Gut. vol.46. no.5. p 651-655.
PECERE, T., GAZZALO, V., MUCIGNAT, C., PAROLIN, C., et al. 2000. Aloe-emodin is a type of
anticancer agent with selective activity against neuroectodermal tumors. Cancer Research.
vol.60. p 2800-2804.
REYNOLDS, T. & DWECK, A.C. 1999. Aloe vera leaf gel: a review update. J. of
Ethnopharmacology. vol.68. p 3-37.
SYDISKIS, R.J., OWEN, D.G., LOHR, J.L., ROSLER, K-H. A. & BLOMSTER, R.N. 1991.
Inactivation of enveloped viruses by anthraquinones extracted from plants. Antimicrobial
Agents and Chemotherapy. vol.35. no.12. p 2463-2466.
WANG, H., CHUNG, J., HO, C., WU, L. & CHANG, S. 1998. Aloe-emodin effects arylamin Nacetyltransferase
activity in the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. Planta Medica

How Much Aloe is there in Aloe Ferox Skin Care products?

How much aloe is there in the Aloe Ferox skin care products?

Sometimes one sees a skin product that claims to “contain 80% aloe”. It surely sounds
amazing, don’t you think? But is it possible? Advertisements that make these kinds of
assertions are phrased in such a manner to allow for different interpretations, hoping
that the prospective buyer will make the “best” assumption from the clever words.

Take note of the different meanings of the phrase “contains 80% aloe”:

1. 80% of the total composition of the particular skin product consists of raw aloe
while other ingredients accumulate to only 20% of the total composition (this is usually what the advertisement would want one to believe).

But it may also mean:

2. The skin product contains some aloe extracts, and the composition of the extract is 80% raw aloe and 20% other ingredients like solvents (this is usually the correct interpretation!).

Two technical problems exist for topical application of skin products containing plant materials, namely
(1) by their very nature, plant materials degrade (rot) to reunite with their natural environment;

(2) plant materials are ordinarily not skin-friendly – their natural moisture is either sticky, oily, has a strong fragrance, makes the skin itch, or simply irritates the skin. Using a high concentration of these materials in a cosmetic product requires strong preservation to preclude rotting.

Furthermore, skin unsuitability/incompatibility of the final product is commonly directly related to the concentration (%) of plant materials in the product.

However, the phrase “contains 80% aloe” creates the impression that a product of which the final composition contains 80% plant material is more effective than a product of which the final concentration contains 10% aloe. 

This is pure nonsense and preys on the ignorance of consumers.

Scientists working on bio-active materials always specify TWO limits for effectiveness. The first is the lowest concentration required to impart skin benefits. In some cases, this lowest concentration is as low as 0.1%. The upper limit indicates the maximum concentration of the material that will have maximum benefits. Beyond this maximum, there is no additional skin improvement irrespective of the excess. In fact, above the upper limit, the plant may potentially become a skin irritant or be toxic.

Aloe Ferox has done many tests to estimate the maximum aloe concentration in a skin product. The minimum beneficial concentration is approximately 1.5% for water-soluble and 0.5% for oil-soluble aloe extracts. Above 10% water-soluble aloe extract, the final product becomes sticky and will probably create a coating on the skin that looks like dandruff as it peels off during the day. Above 2% oil-based aloe extracts, the final product becomes very oily. The aloe concentrations of Aloe Ferox cosmetic creams, as well as the concentration of Super Aloe Gel are within the limits discussed above. Whole-leaf Gel contains 10-20% aloe extracts, which is still perfectly safe, but which explains why the product is stickier than the other products. The aloe extracts used at Aloe Ferox contain 95 - 100%
aloe.

What does it mean if a product is pH balanced?

The pH of a substance is a scale to measure the acidity or alkalinity of the substance. The scale is like
a short ruler. It has only 14 units with 7 being the middle, hence being neutral. Below pH 7, a
substance is considered acidic and above 7, a substance is considered alkaline (soapy). The farther
the measurement from 7, the stronger the acidity or alkalinity. The pH value of human skin is
between 4.5 and 6.5. All manufacturers of personal care products should measure the pH of the final
product and adjust (balance) the pH if it falls outside skin pH levels, otherwise the product is likely to irritate the skin.

Usually, the pH of a product falls very slightly for some time after it has been manufactured. Therefore, a pH balanced cream is one where the pH has been adjusted to 5.5 - 6.5 during manufacturing to allow for a slight decline and also to prevent the product from irritating the skin.

All Aloe Ferox creams are designed, manufactured and tested to fall within these guidelines. All Aloe Ferox products are pH balanced.

Arthritis and You

The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis, which is mainly the

degeneration of the cartilage in the joints. It can also involve the lining

of the joint (synovial lining) and the underlying bone.

The body is in a constant process of building new cartilage as it is wearing

down, which is primarily made up of collagen fibres, glycoproteins and proteoglycans.

As the joint begins to wear down, it causes increased stress to the bone. In response the
bone actually becomes denser (spurs forming around the joint).

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system attacks
itself. This causes inflammation of a joint's connective tissues, such as the synovial
membranes, which leads to the destruction of the cartilage.

CAUSES:


1. Osteoarthritis: is a degenerative joint disease most often the result of aging. It can
also develop because of injury such as bones broken, intense physical activity as in
athletics or a defect in the protein comprising the cartilage.

2. Rheumatoid arthritis: is an autoimmune disorder.
a. It may be caused by a viral infection that sets off the immune response in
which the synovial membrane falls under attack.
b. Stress suppresses the immune system increasing pro-inflammatory
cytokines, which create inflammation.
c. Poor nutrition may also contribute to the onset of rheumatoid arthritis.

SYMPTOMS:


• Early morning stiffness reduced ability to move joint.
• Mildly swollen joints.
• Joint pain.
• Redness of skin and warmth around joint.
• Fever and weakness.

LIFESTYLE:

Avoid, Strictly Limit, and/or Minimize:

Most common food culprits to eliminate:
* alcohol, caffeine and sugar
* citrus, salt
* red meat, dairy products high in saturated fats

The most commonly observed vitamin and mineral deficiencies in people with RA are:
* folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin E, folic acid,
* additives, soft drinks
* flour, potatoes
* eggplants, red peppers, tomatoes

Food allergies and abnormal bowel function (i.e. leaky gut) may combine and
result in toxins and undigested proteins to enter the blood stream. The body
produces antibodies to battle these gut derived foreign antigens creating an
inflammatory reaction when the specific food is digested.

These antibodies formed to attack the (leaky gut) toxins also cross-react and
attack joint collagen. calcium, magnesium, zinc and selenium.

Use Freely, Emphasize, Maximize

 Consume a diet that focuses on whole unprocessed foods.
* Whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. (high in antioxidants)
* Eat lots of fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines, etc.)

Exercise:
* reduces joint pain and stiffness, builds strong muscle around the joints, and increases flexibility and endurance.

SUPPLEMENTS


Aloe Ferox:

Fabulous Fibre Bitter: contains aloin, emodin, anthraquinones, saponins, zinc,
selenium and mannose that help to alleviate the symptoms of arthritis.

Whole leaf Aloe Juice:
* Improves immune function.
* Stimulates fibroblasts for the growth and repair of synovial membrane.

Omega 3 (3 – 6 capsules per day): improves immune system.
* Helps fight inflammation by producing prostaglandins that down regulates
inflammation.

Joint Support (3 per day):
*Glucosamine Sulfate: is an amino sugar that is the primary building block of
proteoglycans (give cartilage its elasticity). It is selectively incorporated into
joints and improves joint lubrication, protects joints from further damage,
reduces pain and inflammation. It also promotes the incorporation of
sulphur into cartilage.
o Devil’s Claw: improves mobility and physical functioning of joints, reduces
pain and inflammation.

Muscle Gel/Winter Eeze: helps to sooth aching joints and muscles.

Other:
• Vitamin C (500 to 1000 mg 3 times per day): its primary function is the
manufacture of collagen that holds our bodies together (connective tissues,
cartilage, tendons, etc.).
*Vital for wound repair, healthy gums, prevents easy bruising.
* Essential for immune system functioning.
* Important antioxidant.

REFERENCES:

MURRAY, M.T. 1996. Encyclopedia of Nutritional Supplements. Three Rivers Press:New York.
p. 409-412.
STRAND, R.D. 2002. What your Doctor doesn’t know about Nutritional Medicine may be Killing
you. Thomas Nelson:Nashville.

IBS- Irritable Bowel Syndrome

I have yet again discovered that most chronic diseases have a strong link with emotional distress – and IBS is no exception.

Life is filled with all kinds of stresses and laughter is an excellent way to de-stress.

I hope these make you smile:

• Smile, it's the second best thing you can do with your lips.
• Always remember you're unique... Just like everyone else.
• Hard work has a future payoff. Laziness pays off now.
• Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change.
• I'm going to graduate on time, no matter how long it takes.
• The trouble with the gene pool is that there's no lifeguard.
• I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) must not be confused with Inflammatory Bowel Disorder (IBD) like ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, which is characterized by ulcers and inflammation in the intestinal lining.

With IBS, however, the symptoms of abdominal pain, cramping and alternating constipation or diarrhoea can’t be explained because there isn’t any visible inflammation or damage to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract as in IBD.

Normally, food moves through the digestive system due to a constant rhythmic contraction and relaxation of the muscles in the walls of the GI tract (peristalsis), which is controlled by the nervous system. However, when these peristaltic contractions slow down or speed up it causes constipation or diarrhea. Abnormal contractions can also occur that cause the GI wall to go into spasm, which can be extremely painful.





Subsequently, IBS can be classified as:

• IBS-C: constipation is predominant when nerves signal the GI tract to have less frequent contractions.
• IBS-D: diarrhoea is predominant when nerves signal the GI tract to have more frequent contractions.
• IBS-A: alternating stool pattern is caused when nerve signals are sporadic causing both diarrhoea and constipation.

Therefore IBS is described as a hyperactive or hypersensitive digestive system (spastic colon) due to lack of, or excess stimulation by the nervous system.

Unfortunately, medically there is no cure for IBS, however, you can do a lot to alleviate the symptoms.



In order to control IBS it is essential to isolate the foods that cause the most grief and find a suitable substitute. It is also important to keep in mind that since IBS is mainly triggered by stress, food that normally doesn’t pose a problem may become a trigger food during a stressful day.

1. EAT natural foods like vegetables and fruit rich in soluble fiber and its associated nutrients. DRINK plenty of water.

2. AVOID the following:

• Artificial sweeteners may cause severe cramping and trigger diarrhea.
• Sugar contributes to bloating due to bacterial fermentation.
• Preservatives in food can trigger IBS.
• Carbonated drinks may push gas bubbles into the intestine and contain lots of sugar.
• Coffee is a laxative and can give you abdominal cramps.
• Alcohol irritates the gut lining and upsets digestion.
• Fatty and fried foods as well as cow’s milk can be hard to digest.

3. SUPPLEMENT your diet:

• Whole-leaf Aloe Juice provides soluble fibre that doesn’t irritate the gut lining.
• Fabulous Fibre Bitter assists in alleviating constipation.
• Omega 3, which is called nature’s Prozac, alleviates depression and other mental problems.
• Body Basics provides the necessary minerals and vitamins that are depleted during chronic stress.
• Calci-Boost provides both calcium and magnesium that have been shown to calm an overactive nervous system.
• Vitamin C helps the adrenal glands to produce cortisol to allow normal metabolic functioning of the body.

Replacing the culprits with healthy food choices will not only solve your health problems but also save you a lot of discomfort and pain.

(Marsden, K. 2003. Good Gut Healing. Piatkus:London)

How to Reduce Stress and have a Healthy Colon:

IBS is primarily caused by stress and is typically associated with other stress-related disorders such as anxiety and depression as well as PMS, Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS).

All these disorders point to past traumatic events or abuse and ongoing psychological stress.
What these disorders have in common is a lack of the “happy” hormone SEROTONIN and a fatigued adrenal gland, which cause a deficiency in the stress hormone cortisol. It may sound like a good thing, but you can’t function properly with a shortage of cortisol.

In order to cope with the stresses of life it is helpful to use
• Get-a-Grip, which is a mild herbal anti-depressant that helps the GI tract to function properly.
• Slim & Trim, which contains a herb that boosts serotonin to normal levels and alleviates the symptoms of these disorders


This article was originally published in the Aloe Ferox Africa Newsletter, by Ronnie Ambachtsheer (BSc Clinical Nutrition)

Please visit our website at www.aloeferox.us to find a distributor
Look for us on Facebook and Linkedin.

Sources:

(Gershon, M.D. 1999. The Second Brain. Harper:New York
Marsden, K. 2003. Good Gut Healing. Piatkus:London)

Cholestrol and Heart Disease

It is true, increased blood pressure and high cholesterol have been linked to heart disease. Fortunately, both of these problems respond very well to changes in our eating habits and supplementing with nutrients.

Cholesterol is NOT the main culprit. However, our lifestyle (diet) is definitely a cause for concern.

It is possible to lower cholesterol levels naturally (HINT: you don’t need any medication).

Since stress aggravates ALL health problems, these bumper stickers will hopefully lower your blood pressure and cholesterol:

· I drive way too fast to worry about cholesterol.

· I keep trying to lose weight, but it keeps finding me.

· I failed my urine test.

· I took an IQ test and the results were negative.

· I used to have an open mind, but my brains kept falling out.

· I don’t suffer from stress. I am a carrier.

“Brain cells create ideas. Stress kills brain cells. Stress is not a good idea.”

- Frederick Saunder

With all the bad publicity that cholesterol is getting, most people avoid cholesterol like the plague, trying to eat less cholesterol by avoiding meat and eating low-fat food.

Unfortunately, what most people don’t realise, is that our liver produces 70% of our body’s cholesterol requirements. As soon as you consume less cholesterol the liver compensates for the deficiency – and with very good reason.

Cholesterol serves many important functions in the body including the manufacture of all our hormones and uses cholesterol to manufacture vitamin D. It is also essential to waterproof cell membranes. If the cell wall contains too much poly-unsaturated fat the membrane is too fluid and the body inserts cholesterol into the membrane to stiffen it.

Cholesterol is transported through our bodies by lipoproteins. The most prominent is the low-density lipoprotein (LDL, the “bad” cholesterol), which carries cholesterol and fats (triglycerides – TG) from our food and liver to our cells. The high-density lipoprotein (HDL, the “good” cholesterol), on the other hand, carries cholesterol back from our cells to the liver where it is Version:1.0 StartHTML:0000000190 EndHTML:0000008424 StartFragment:0000003517 EndFragment:0000008388 SourceURL:file://localhost/Users/gene/Desktop/07-1%20Newsletter%20(Cholesterol).doc

changed to bile and excreted into the digestive tract and eventually discarded with our stool.

Therefore, the LDL to HDL ratio is very important since it determines if cholesterol is being deposited in our cells or transported to the liver to be broken down and excreted.

The following are the recommended levels of blood cholesterol and triglycerides:

· Total cholesterol – less than 5.2 mmol/L

· LDL cholesterol – less than 3.4 mmol/L

· HDL cholesterol – higher than 1 mmol/L

· Triglycerides – less than 1.3 mmol/L

· LDL:HDL ratio – less than 4.5

· TG:HDL ratio – less than 3.5

The AIM is to lower the LDL cholesterol while simultaneously increasing the HDL cholesterol, which is easier than you think!!! Version:1.0 StartHTML:0000000190 EndHTML:0000008293 StartFragment:0000004108 EndFragment:0000008257 SourceURL:file://localhost/Users/gene/Desktop/07-1%20Newsletter%20(Cholesterol).doc

Conventional wisdom says that cholesterol is the sole reason for heart disease. The shocking reality is that only 50% of people with high cholesterol die of a heart attack. The reason: cholesterol is NOT the only guilty party.

The STEPS to heart disease are as follows:

1. Injury/damage to inner lining of artery causing the artery to LEAK.

2. Cholesterol subsequently penetrates into the damaged artery causing it to stiffen thus preventing further damage to the artery.

3. Free radicals oxidise the cholesterol, which activates the immune system.

4. Immune cells (macrophages) invade the area to digest the oxidised cholesterol becoming “foam cells” causing chronic inflammation.

5. Repair: the body utilises blood clotting mechanisms to prevent any excessive blood loss and collagen to create a hardened plaque build-up, which stiffens the artery.

Research has found that cholesterol doesn’t cause heart disease, but OXIDISED cholesterol does.

What oxidises cholesterol? Free radicals!!!

FREE RADICALS like homocysteine, hydrogenated vegetable oils, radiation and cigarette smoke are “toxic compounds” that cause damage to the inner lining of our arteries and oxidise cholesterol.

When we are deficient in anti-oxidants we are prone to develop heart disease. ANTI-OXIDANTS are the only compounds that can neutralise the damaging effects of free radicals.

The most important anti-oxidants are the following:

A. Vitamin E

· is fat-soluble and is thus incorporated into cholesterol to protect it from free radical oxidation.

B. Vitamin C

· is water-soluble and helps to regenerate oxidised vitamin E thus boosting its
anti-oxidant effect.

· prevents the damage to the inner lining of the arteries and is an important component in the manufacture of collagen, a constituent
in our arteries.

C. Beta-carotene

· is very effective in neutralising free radicals.

These will effectively prevent the oxidation of cholesterol and damage to the arteries. However, in order to facilitate the removal of the free radical HOMOCYSTEINE we need the following nutrients:

D. Folic acid, vitamin B2, B6, B12, zinc, magnesium and choline

· These nutrients work in combination to help the body rid itself of homocysteine.

· Fortunately, Body Basics contains all the essential nutrients to help your body remove HOMOCYSTEINE.

We need to change our eating habits to ensure that we get sufficient anti-oxidants. Vitamin E, C and beta-carotene as well as all the other homocysteine neutralising nutrients are found in abundance in a natural diet, rich in wholegrain, vegetables and fruit.

Similarly, a diet with lots of whole, natural food also contains a lot of fibre. The fibre is essential since the cholesterol binds to it and is excreted with the stool, preventing it from being reabsorbed by the body.

This is the problem with our modern lifestyle. Most people eat a refined diet stripped of its healing and protective nutrients and therefore suffer the preventable consequences.

Although heart disease is the biggest killer it also responds very quickly to improvements in nutrition and changes in lifestyle.

We have been brainwashed into believing that FAT is the main culprit that causes cholesterol problems. Subsequently, people eat lots of low-fat food that is supposed to solve our cholesterol and heart disease problems.

If that were true, why are more people sick and dying from heart disease than ever before? Why do the Eskimos, whose diet is mainly meat, fat and cholesterol, have little heart disease?

Simple: dietary fat isn’t the problem, but SUGAR and refined foods are the cause of the heart disease epidemic.

When we eat low-fat foods, the fat is usually replaced with lots of sugar. Since these sugars contain more calories than we require for energy, the remainder is converted into cholesterol and especially FAT (triglycerides).

It just happens to be that triglyceride (FAT) levels are just as good a predictor of heart disease as cholesterol levels. In other words, throw out the refined/processed food and sweets.

So, how do you LOWER your cholesterol naturally?

1. Whole-leaf Aloe Juice is an excellent source of

· fibre that helps to excrete the cholesterol through the stool

· vital nutrients such as magnesium.

2. Body Basics contains

· magnesium that is essential for the correct functioning of the enzyme that regulates cholesterol production in the liver. Any deficiency will result in the liver’s inability to switch off cholesterol production.

· choline, which lowers cholesterol levels by increasing its solubility thus improving its removal from the body.

2. Omega 3 is vital since it helps to

· lower LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels

· raise the HDL (good) cholesterol level

· prevent blood clotting

· reduce inflammation.

In conjunction it would be advisable to consider the following:

Vitamin B3 and B5 play an important role in the metabolism of cholesterol and fat.

· They effectively lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and accelerate the breakdown of triglycerides (FAT) while simultaneously increasing
HDL (good) cholesterol level.

· They improve the HDL:LDL ratio.

I have used these supplements with great success. No need for all those toxic cholesterol medication with its nasty side effects.

Control your ANGER! and control your blood pressure and cholestrol.

It is fascinating to know how much impact our emotions have on our bodies. New research has demonstrated that high levels of anger as well as frustration and irritability are better predictors of heart disease risk than high cholesterol, smoking or excess weight.

These emotions activate our fight-flight (STRESS) response, which causes our bodies to produce more cholesterol since it is the building block of the stress hormone cortisol.

Add this to the rise in blood pressure and you significantly increase your RISK for a heart attack.

This article was originally published in the Aloe Ferox Newsletter by Ronnie Ambachtsheer( BSc) and published here with his permission.

(Erasmus, U. 1993. Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill. Alive Books:Burnaby

Murray, M.T. 1996. Encyclopedia of Nutritional Supplements. Three River Press:New York)