May 12, 2008
Have you seen the latest drug commercial? You know, the one where the guy is walking down a spiral stair case with numbers printed on each step gradually going lower. He’s talking about how your doctors have told you that now you need to get your cholesterol even lower than you did before. It’s a myth; and a dangerous one at that.
Let’s start with just a bit of very basic biology.
What is cholesterol? Cholesterol is part of a group of compounds called sterols. Cholesterol is primarily produced by the liver, however, every cell in the human body is also capable of making cholesterol.
What is the role of cholesterol? Cholesterol is used by the body to form cholic acid which is then used to make bile salts. Bile salts are necessary to digest fat. In addition, cholesterol is necessary for the production of adrenal and reproductive hormones such as DHEA, pregnenolone, progesterone, testosterone, estrogen, aldosterone and cortisol. Cholesterol is also used to make the skin impervious to water and other substances that may be harmful to the body as well as to bind with toxins in the blood which will then reduce inflammation protecting the nerves, brain tissue and heart.
Biology lesson over. We can now understand why cholesterol is important. So why has it been give such a bad rap?
The myth started when scientists determined that there was a correlation between cholesterol in the blood and heart disease. If you had the wonderful opportunity to take any sort of research classes in school, you might remember that a correlation doesn’t mean anything. It simply means two things are present at the same time. This is like circumstantial evidence, just because someone is found holding the gun, doesn’t mean they pulled the trigger.
Working to lower cholesterol as a way to treat heart disease is kind of like getting a bunion removed because you have a headache.
It’s important to note that cholesterol levels that are too high should be addressed. But what is too high? It used to be that what were considered normal were readings between 0 and 200. Anything above 200 was said to indicate heart disease. This was recently lowered to 0 to 169. But why was it lowered? Statistics show that heart disease rates are not improving. Despite statin drugs that are designed to lower cholesterol, people are still dying of heart attacks and more and more individuals are being diagnosed with some form of heart disease. The drug manufacturers certainly don’t want to admit that their drugs aren’t working as intended (even though they are somewhat successful at lowering cholesterol), so they decide that it’s because the cholesterol levels are not low enough. If they drop the normal ranges, then they can sell more drugs and pass the buck for the continuing trend of heart disease.
The natural health experts are still out but there seems to be an unwritten agreement that levels between 175 and 230 are ideal. Levels below 150 or above 250 may indicate the need for more attention but do not necessarily indicate heart disease. There are better methods for determining the risk of heart disease; the ratio between LDL and HDL for example. Better yet is a test gaining popularity and much media attention for something called C-reactive Protein. While it isn’t healthy to have extremely high cholesterol, it also isn’t healthy to have very low cholesterol.
A short word about statin drugs
Despite no scientific evidence showing that statin drugs reduce the risk of heart disease and despite evidence that they are not as successful in the real world for treating cholesterol as they had shown to be in the studies, statin drugs are one of the most commonly over-prescribed drugs in the US. Statins have many side effects, including increasing the risk for heart disease. Statins deplete CoQ10, an important co-enzyme for cardiac health. In addition they lower antioxidant levels, cause headaches, fatigue, memory loss, difficulty sleeping, and, of course, liver damage.
It’s important to be proactive with your health. Don’t let your doctors be the complete authority just as you wouldn’t trust the salesman to give you all the details when making a large purchase. Do your own homework.
About the Author
Nicole Bandes is a Certified Herb Specialist that has been helping others to regain their health and vitality since 1999. Nicole’s weekly blog is a “Dear Abbey” style blog that allows her to share her knowledge to simple questions regarding the use of natural supplements and keep her readers educated on the latest news regarding natural supplements.
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It is hard to believe that a billion-dollar juggernaut like Google did not exist 10 short years ago. In fact many other online giants like Yahoo! And Ebay, to name just two others, are hardly into their teens.
So what is so special about these organizations? What has caused this new breed of corporate giants to leave older and wiser corporate entities groping in the dust as they relentlessly march forward? What is the real secret of success behind these titans?
On careful and close examination, there can only one answer, their real power is in their people. Right from their founders working their way out of obscurity (why is it always in some garage somewhere?) to the first dedicated team of staffers who join in the vision and right up to the much larger team that drives forward the juggernaut of today, the attitude is the same. Dedication, long hours and highly motivated people who are determined to make their contribution to changing the world forever.
That is what has driven these modern online giants that are the envy of everybody. That is the real secret behind their phenomenal success stories.
These fairy tales actually tell us a lot. They remind us that even in this modern hi-tech information age we live in, people are still more important than the wonderful machines that we have built. But even more importantly, it shows everybody what can be achieved when the people in an organization are inspired enough to constantly generate ideas for improvement. It clearly illustrates the possibilities when the people in an organization care enough about what they do to be just a little creative.
It proves yet again that there is really no limit to what can be achieved by an organization that is run by motivated people who are excited about what they are doing.
This, more than any sales pitch, should inspire corporate leaders everywhere to make every effort and to do everything in their power to tap into this amazingly powerful resource that is at their disposal. And, simply, all you gotta do is ask!
Copyright © 2005 Chuck Yorke - All Rights Reserved
Chuck Yorke is an organizational development and performance improvement specialist, trainer, consultant and speaker. His specialty is helping companies improve by tapping into the creative ideas of their workers. He is also co-author, along with Norman Bodek, of All You Gotta Do Is Ask, a book that explains how to promote large numbers of ideas from employees. Chuck may be reached at chuck@peoplekaizen.com
http://www.peoplekaizen.com/
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Beautiful skin care starts with what people notice first. Eyes are what others notice immediately; so start your skin care program eye-to-eye!
Here are four major skin care issues related to eye care, work them successfully and look 20 years younger.
Dark Circles
Check the color of your circles. If they’re blue or gray, allergies or pooling blood may be to blame. Receive the firming, moisturizing, and corrective benefits (including the reduction in appearance of dark circles) of just released DNA Repair Creme, found at www.ihdistribution.com.
Undereye Puffiness
To beat those bags, diagnose the cause: If you’re puffy only upon awakening, fluid retention is the likely cause; sleeping on two pillows can prevent liquids from pooling. Been using a new face cream or rubbing your eyes? These can cause swelling. A gel that contains a blood-vessel constrictor, like witch hazel, and an anti-inflammatory, like chamomile extract, can temporarily reduce irritation. Or make a home remedy: Mix one drop each of witch hazel, brewed chamomile tea, and over-the-counter cortisone lotion. If you’ve got time, lay a cucumber slice on top to help the paste penetrate better. If puff is always present, try IH Distribution’s DNA Repair Creme to reduce puffiness and repair the delicate tissue around the eye.
Crow’s Feet
When you smile, your eyes pay a price when the muscles around them contract, and a little elasticity is lost. Combine that with sun exposure and, in about 30 years, you’ve got crow’s feet. DNA Repair Cry me, found at www.ihdistribution.com, is effective to repair fine lines and wrinkles around the eye. The products are natural and botanical-based.
Drooping
Most firming creams have little, if any, effect on sagginess so this is a job for cosmetics, strategically applied to define and visually “lift” the eyes. First choose a shadow palette:
-Apply the midtone from lashline to crease. This adds soft shading to your lids.
-To draw attention to the highest part of your arch, dust the light, shimmery color along browbone, starting from middle of brow and blending outward.
-Sweep the darkest color over your crease, blending into the midtone, then toward the inner corner of your brow. (This softens the harshness of using the dark tone alone.)
-Line your upper lashes with the darkest shade, intensifying the color and slightly flaring it up at the outer edge. Finish off with a curling mascara to open up your eyes.
-You can find a vast assortment of eye shadow colors produced from cucumber and aloe extracts that are designed to soothe and moisturize lids.
Eye Color Hints = Big Impact!
-Enhance your eye hue with a single contrasting shadow shade. For blue or icy green eyes, choose a warm, yellow-based hue; for brown or olive-y eyes, opt for a cool, red-based shadow.
-Perk up dull eyes. Irises lose pigment as you age, but brightening your hair helps compensate, says Boston colorist Michael Perry. To achieve, use a shine-enhancing shampoo (try IH Distribution’s Self-Adjusting Shampoo & Conditioner).
-Neutralize blue or gray circles with a yellow-based concealer. Cover-ups with a drier consistency often have more pigment.
-Offset bloodshot eyes. Blue liner works, but it can look unnatural. Better: Glide a neutral eyeliner (brown or black) along upper lashlines, then apply a blue liner on top; blend.
Groom ragged brows: They can accentuate droop. For quick cleanup, use a colored brow wand to thicken and add arch.
Control Tips
How you live affects your eyes. So to keep yours looking good, consider changing some daily habits.
-Perfume. If your eyes are sensitive, fragrance can make them red. To diminish this effect without giving up scent, avoid classic spots - like behind your ears that are too close to your eyes.
-Diet. On a low carb. plan? It’s dehydrating (to metabolize the extra protein, your body uses more water) and your eyes may show it. Compensate by drinking ten glasses of water each day, two more than what’s usually recommended.
-Prescriptions. High blood pressure medicines and antihistamines for allergies can dry your eyes. Rehydrate with drops sans preservatives (they can be irritating) and, if you wear contacts, a moisturizing cleaning solution.
-Exercise. When sweat drips into your eyes, so do dirt and oils and rubbing your eyes with your fingers can start an infection. Instead dab sweat with a towel and try to wear a sweatband.
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