Alban Acupuncture & Chinese Herbs Clinic, New York City
Archive for October, 2009
How I used Chinese Medicine to Lower My Cholesterol, Naturally
Oct 15, 2009
A couple years ago on during my routine check up I had a bit of a surprise. A physical exam, look to the side and cough, no problems. It was when I got my blood tests back.
I was stunned. I had 290 total cholesterol with about 230 of that being bad cholesterol. Normal should be below about 200 total and bad cholesterol should be about 150.
I began to worry. I didn’t want to take cholesterol medication, I’m young. So now what?
How I lowered my cholesterol
To cut to the chase, I successfully lower my total cholesterol from 290 to 209. And all of that came off of my LDL’s, the bad cholesterol, which went down from 233 to 139. My HDL’s, the good cholesterol, actually went up from 62, which was already good, to an amazing 70.
I did this without medication. I modified some of my lifestyle choices including diet, exercise, Chinese herbs, and the inclusion of qi gong meditation.
If you are interested in lowering your cholesterol naturally, you must take it seriously. Lowering cholesterol naturally takes dedication and effort.
In this post I will discuss what cholesterol is in Chinese medicine and in the next, I will tell you how I lowered my cholesterol. Cholesterol it is not to be taken lightly, high cholesterol can account for severe diseases like coronary heart disease and stroke. So if you are working with it naturally, you must be diligent!
What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a naturally occurring fat in the body which plays many roles. For example it is involved in making cell membranes, helps develop the nervous system, and also helps to make some hormones.
There are two types of cholesterol which are tested, HDL, the good cholesterol, and LDL, the bad cholesterol. HDL, called high density lipoproteins, actually protects you from a heart attack and stroke. High LDL is associated with higher risk of heart attach and stoke.
You can read more about how cholesterol causes disease here, at the National Cholesterol Education Program.
What is Cholesterol in Chinese medicine?
Chinese medicine believes that imbalances in the body can cause diseases. For cholesterol, imbalance in the body lead to build up of toxins called dampness and damp heat.
The two ways to address cholesterol is by correcting the underlying imbalance that lead to the toxic build up, as well as remove the damp heat toxin from the body. Once you are at a healthy level, you need to prevent the toxins form building up again through diet and exercise.
In the following post, I will discuss my lifestyle modification to help lower my cholesterol.
To read more on research into lifestyle changes and disease prevention.
Natural Cold Remedies
Oct 2, 2009
Cold season seems to be coming in early this year. People are already coming into my office with the sniffles, sneezes, and headaches.
Try these quick natural remedies to prevent a cold.
1. Vinegar- Viruses do not like acidic environments. Vinegar is somewhat acidic, so eating foods with vinegar can help prevent the flu. Another low pH food is wine.
2. Garlic- Eating garlic, especially raw, has a lot of antimicrobial effects on the body. A clove a day keeps the doctor away!
3. Vegetable soup- Soup is a great and delicious way to eat a lot of vegetables and get a lot of nutrients. Using aromatic vegetables, like onions, garlic, scallions, are very helpful to prevent the common cold.
4. Seasonal vegetables from the farmer’s market- It is remarkable how seasonal foods give us the right nutrients at the right time of year. At the moment, squash and potatoes are coming into season. In Chinese medicine, we say that these are warming foods, which help to boost our energy as the weather becomes colder. Buying local food is fresher and helps to retain the nutrients.
Read more about Chinese medicine and colds
