Managing Your Cholesterol with Phytosterols Do you have hypercholesterolemia?

Hypercholesterolemia is a medical term for increased blood cholesterol levels. Nowadays, increased blood cholesterol levels are being treated by medical doctors who prescribe anti-hyperlipidemic drugs such as statins. The makers of these drugs have very good marketing strategies that they earn billions of dollars each year. These drug manufacturers convince everyone that elevated cholesterol levels can only be treated with anti-hyperlipidemic drugs and that there is no other way. However, recent discoveries in the field of medicine show that not all people with elevated cholesterol levels need prescription drugs. A high cholesterol level is a result of many factors. Anti-hyperlipidemic drugs such as statins can only benefit those with an inherited medical condition known as familial hypercholesterolemia. This medical condition leads to persistently elevated blood cholesterol levels despite nutritional intervention and exercise. The problem comes when these anti-hyperlipidemic drugs cause a variety of side effects such as diffuse muscle pain, weakness, upset stomach, gas, constipation, abdominal pain, nerve damage, anemia, acidosis, sexual dysfunction, immune depression, pancreas or liver dysfunction and cataracts. The list goes on, as recent research has uncovered about 900 studies reporting side effects with anti-hyperlipidemic drugs. What many people do not know is that we do not need to turn to prescription medicines for healing. True healing comes from the body itself. The body is built to resist diseases and eliminate waste products and toxins from our organs. What we only need to do is to build immune resistance and help the body get rid of human waste and toxins efficiently. We can accomplish this using natural means, such as nutrition and exercise. With regards to nutrition, it has recently come to the attention of many doctors and scientists that certain naturally-occurring foods can lower elevated blood cholesterol effectively on their own. These naturally-occurring substances which are present in plant foods are known as phytosterols. Phytosterols are substances derived from plants which have the same structure as that of cholesterol. It is said that phytosterols could effectively lower blood cholesterol by inhibiting cholesterol absorption in our intestines. Recent research has shown that at least 0.8 grams of plant sterols or stanols could lower bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol). The reduction of bad cholesterol can dramatically lower the risk for heart disease. Although it has been said that almost all plants contain phytosterols, the average amount of phytosterols in each plant has not really been established until now. There are about 40 types of plant sterols discovered as of present; however the most abundant forms are beta-sitosterol, sigmasterol and campesterol.

So, how are phytosterols different from animal-derived cholesterol even though they have similar structures? It is said that only animal-derived cholesterol can induce the buildup of fat in the blood vessels of the heart and other parts of the body, a condition known as atherosclerosis. Many people lose their lives due to atherosclerosis each year, due to the fact that atherosclerosis leads to deadly illnesses such as heart disease and stroke. In contrast to the effect of animal-derived cholesterol, phytosterols are absorbed by the intestines in minimal amounts. As a result, they do not enter the bloodstream. Phytosterols can also slow down or stop the absorption of cholesterol being produced by the liver or taken in by the body. Phytosterols also have anti-cancer activities. It is said that a type of phytosterol called sitosterol could kill human prostate, breast and colon cancer cells. Phytosterols can also stimulate immune system cells to fight against disease. Given these effects, it is of no wonder that our ancestors were healthier than most of us today. It is said that the diets of our ancestors contained as much as 1000 milligrams of phytosterols daily. At present, our daily diet contains only 150 to 450 milligrams per day, which may even vary according to populations. For example, vegetarians often have a higher phytosterol intake as compared to typical people. So, where can we find plant sterols? Phytosterols are often found in unrefined plant oils such as vegetable, olive and nut oils. Phytosterols can also be found in whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. It is said that the highest amounts of phytosterols can be found in nuts, whole grain products, fruits and vegetables. Nuts typically contain about 95 to 280 milligrams per 100 grams serving. Phytosterol-rich nuts include almonds, pistachios, macadamias, pecans and walnuts. Phytosterol-rich whole grains include wheat germ, flaxseed and rye bread. Phytosterol-rich fruits and vegetables include broccoli, spinach, carrot, potato, brussels sprouts, blueberry, raspberry, strawberry and lingonberry. However, no matter how hard we try, we hardly have time everyday to gather these types of foods and eat them. Now, thanks to modern technology, the goodness of phytosterols is readily available to you as bottled supplements. There are no studies which have actually compared the effect of phytosterol supplements versus that of phytosterols derived from food. However, foods are better than pure phytosterol supplements because foods contain other healthy nutrients such as minerals, vitamins and fiber. Thus an ideal phytosterol supplement must incorporate vitamins, minerals and fiber along with plant sterols. Another ideal phytosterol supplement should be able to provide biologically-active plant sterols that could effectively lower blood cholesterol levels. This has something to do with the manufacturing process of the phytosterol supplement.

One such ideal phytosterol supplement is Lifelixer. Lifelixer contains betasitosterol along with other important nutrients. The formulation of Lifelixer is similar to that of fresh fruits and vegetables to bring about maximum health effects in you. The unique Lifelixer formulation is the result of over a decade of research and development and is a hyper concentrated, patented nutrient blend, especially designed to provide a plethora of macro and micronutrients in a convenient supplement form. Considering all these facts, wouldnt you be glad that Lifelixer is around to guide you throughout life? References: 1. Choudhary SP, Tran LS. Phytosterols: perspectives in human nutrition and clinical therapy. Curr Med Chem. 2011 Oct 1;18(29):4557-67. 2. Gupta AK, Savopoulos CG, Ahuja J, Hatzitolios AI. Role of phytosterols in lipidlowering: current perspectives. QJM. 2011 Apr; 104(4):301-8. 3. Kris-Etherton PM, Hecker KD, Bonanome A, Coval SM, Binkoski AE, Hilpert KF, Griel AE, Etherton TD. Bioactive compounds in foods: their role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Am J Med. 2002 Dec 30; 113 Suppl 9B:71S-88S. 4. Malinowski JM, Gehret MM. Phytosterols for dyslipidemia. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2010 Jul 15;67(14):1165-73. 5. Nilsson S, Mlstad S, Karlberg C, Karlsson JE, Persson LG. No connection between the level of exposition to statins in the population and the incidence/mortality of acute myocardial infarction: an ecological study based on Sweden's municipalities. J Negat Results Biomed. 2011 May 24;10:6. 6. Williams B, Brown D. Direct to consumer Internet advertising of statins: an assessment of safety. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2012 Feb 2. 7. Woyengo TA, Ramprasath VR, Jones PJ. Anticancer effects of phytosterols. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2009 Jul;63(7):813-20.