Natural Health » Cholesterol

“Smarter” Grapes: America’s Best Kept Health Secret

Jennifer — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 22:54:34 +0000

It’s amazing: With all the advances of modern medicine, doctors and nutritionists still find that natural remedies may be the best way to help fight and even prevent disease.

The muscadine grape, for example, is causing a buzz among people seeking natural ways to look and feel healthy. Scientists have found muscadine grapes are loaded with more healthy compounds than other much-touted foods such as blueberries, goji berries, green tea, red wine and dark chocolate. Muscadine grapes and their seeds are one of nature’s best sources of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.

Called “America’s First Grape,” muscadine grapes thrive in hot climates of the southeastern United States where regular grapes cannot. This environment makes them unique in their ability to heal themselves from disease, bacteria and fungi. These protective qualities benefit all who consume muscadine grapes and especially the seeds, where phenolic compounds are highly concentrated.

The muscadine story begins more than 400 years ago, when Native Americans taught North Carolina’s earliest settlers about their medicinal benefits. Now, scientists have proven them right. For instance, compared to other grapes, muscadine grapes have 40 times more resveratrol — the polyphenol, found in red wine that is proven to benefit cardiovascular health, blood sugar levels and the aging process, among other health issues.

“Muscadine grapes are no secret to many southerners who remember picking the sweet, juicy fruit growing along the wood lines or eating their grandmother’s muscadine pie,” says Rick Tomkinson, food scientist for North Carolina-based Nature’s Pearl Corporation (www.naturespearlproducts.com). Nature’s Pearl is cultivating the most potent muscadine grapes and making them available for the masses year-round in all-natural capsules.

“But, even those who have eaten muscadine grapes their whole lives probably didn’t realize they were helping their bodies to fight what ails them,” he says. “And, they most likely didn’t eat the seeds, which offer the greatest health benefits.”

Nature’s Pearl has trademarked their product “The Smarter Grape” because Muscadine grapes have two more chromosomes than regular bunch grapes, which mean more functional genes and greater health benefits. Muscadine grapes not only have 10 times the antioxidants of blueberries and cranberries, they also contain unique combinations of other phenolic compounds, remarkable anti-inflammatory properties and combinations of over 100 nutraceuticals simply not found anywhere else, including Resveratrol, Ellagic acid, Quercetin and OPCs (oligmeric proanthocyanidins).

People around the country are now taking muscadine grape seeds to lower cholesterol, control blood sugar, alleviate arthritis, help erectile dysfunction, control migraines and even look and feel younger. Muscadine seeds also have been found to have an effect on PSA levels (or prostate specific antigens, an indicator of prostate cancer) and menopause, too.

As human clinical trials and more laboratory studies are under way, science is proving what our country’s first inhabitants knew all along: Muscadine grape seeds are one of nature’s most powerful and healthy foods.

To learn more about the history and health benefits of muscadine grapes and seeds, or where to buy Nature’s Pearl Premium Muscadine Grape Seed Supplement, go to www.naturespearlproducts.com, or call (877) 998-2386.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

SIDEBAR:Muscadine grape seeds support:

* Heart health
* Blood sugar
* Menopause
* Brain health
* Bone and joint health
* Circulation
* Anti-aging
* Sexual health
* Prostate health
* Immunity
* Longevity
* Headaches
* Fatigue

10 natural ways to lower cholesterol

Jennifer — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 13:08:43 +0000

(NC)-The nutritionists at www.wnpharmaceuticals.com offer these “top ten” ways to improve cholesterol with dietary and lifestyle factors:

1. Eat less meat and more fish

2. Increase dietary fibre

3. Avoid refined sugar and processed foods

4. Use olive oil and flaxseed oil

5. Snack on small amounts of nuts

6. Maintain a healthy weight

7. Don’t smoke

8. Supplement with CoQ10, Omega-3-6-9 and Niacin

9. Eat oatmeal and oat bran

10. Exercise daily.

Credit: www.newscanada.com

Experts Recommend Natural Ways to Lower Cholesterol

Jennifer — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 20:55:11 +0000

(ARA) – Heart disease continues to top the charts as Americaâ€™s greatest health threat, and unhealthy cholesterol levels are a major risk factor. The good news is there are natural and well-studied options that can help get people on track before prescription therapies become the only resort to reduce cholesterol. In fact, many health care professionals are urging people to make simple lifestyle changes first.Â

The Exercise Factor

â€œGet moving,â€ says Los Angeles-based registered dietitian Sandra Marin. According to the Presidentâ€™s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, only about one-third of adults get the minimum amount of recommended exercise per week. â€œIt is crucial to create an exercise routine â€“ 30 to 60 minutes, three to five times per week is generally recommended. For beginners, get your doctorâ€™s approval before starting a new exercise regimen and start slow with 20 minute sessions, gradually working up to the recommended amount,â€ Marin states. â€œMost importantly, stick to a plan that fits into your lifestyle.â€

Diet Dos

In addition to physical fitness, studies increasingly show that diet is at the heart of the matter when it comes to cholesterol. Dietary practices shown to help reduce cholesterol include choosing fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and low-fat dairy products. Avoid foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol such as full-fat dairy products, red meats, tropical oils and fried foods. â€œEating a variety of healthy foods and avoiding excessive calorie intake is essential to maintaining healthy cholesterol levels,â€ Marin says.

Natural Cholesterol Busters

If exercise and diet still arenâ€™t enough, consider adding some natural cholesterol reducers such as foods high in viscous soluble fiber and plant sterols and stanols. â€œThese are both well-studied in their ability to reduce total cholesterol and are recommended by U.S. government guidelines,â€ states Chicago-based researcher Dr. Kevin Maki, PhD, who specializes in cholesterol management.

Viscous soluble fiber is found in foods such as oat bran and barley. Consuming 10 to 25 grams of soluble fiber a day, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, can help reduce LDL â€œbadâ€ cholesterol.

Plant sterol and stanol products have been studied for more than 50 years and have been consistently found to be effective for lowering LDL cholesterol. The U.S. governmentâ€™s National Cholesterol Education Program recommends 2 grams per day. Although trace amounts of plant sterols and stanols are naturally found in foods like almonds, apples, tomatoes and olive oil, these amounts are not enough to significantly lower cholesterol. Fortunately, specialty products with added sterols and stanols are available, ranging from orange juice to cheese to dietary supplements.

Atlanta-based registered dietitian, Rachel Agnew, advises consumers to look closely at labels. â€œMany of these products can contain unwanted fat, calories and cholesterol that can add up. I recommend taking a plant sterol and stanol dietary supplement to avoid these traps.â€ Agnew likes Nature Made CholestOff because it can help reduce LDL cholesterol by up to 24 percent when taken with a healthy diet. In six studies on these ingredients, LDL cholesterol reductions ranged from 4 to 24 percent.

The Bottom Line

Studies have shown that a heart health plan consisting of a healthy diet and exercise can decrease LDL cholesterol by about 5 to 10 percent. If thatâ€™s not enough, consider adding natural cholesterol busters like viscous soluble fiber and plant sterols and stanols.

All experts agree that it is best to work with a health care professional to develop an individualized treatment program, but a healthy lifestyle is the foundation for cholesterol health.

For more information on natural cholesterol reduction, visit www.naturemade.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content