Just Ask Terry

Terry is happy to provide his opinion on diet and nutrition, supplements and lifestyle choices. This information is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace the advice of your physician and is not to be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Should you have any concerns please contact your physician directly.

Q. Dear Terry, “I am at my wits end and frustrated with trying to balance my cholesterol levels. I was wondering if you have anything that can help.”— Casey P., Evansville, IN.

A. Dear Casey, I recommend Indian Gooseberry (also called Amla) to help attain healthy cholesterol levels. Indian Gooseberry, a fresh fruit from India, has been an important part of Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years. However, it was modern research that unlocked the secrets to its success in treating heart disease. Indian Gooseberry has antioxidant properties, which allow it to stop the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, the first step in heart disease. It is also able to increase levels of HDL – the good, protective form of cholesterol. I recommend taking 1,000 mg of this blend daily.

In addition to the Indian Gooseberry, I would also recommend adding plant sterols (also called ‘phytosterols’). Plant sterols work on a very simple principal. They take over the sites in the intestines, where cholesterol would be either absorbed or reabsorbed. Plant sterols are shaped so much like cholesterol that they fit perfectly into spots – the “parking places”, or perhaps “driveways” through which cholesterol would normally absorb. Plant sterols also help prevent the re-absorption of old, used-up cholesterol that our body is trying to excrete. Once our liver dumps this waste cholesterol into our intestines, it really needs to latch onto a fiber source to carry it out of the body. If you’re not getting a lot of fiber in your diet that day, it gets reabsorbed, which can be an unhealthy circumstance. I especially like a product that provides at least 800 mg of plant sterol daily. Look for a formula that combines plant sterols with alpha linolenic acid (ALA) from flax seed for additional cardiovascular benefits.

As with any change, please keep in mind that it may take you up to three months to see a difference.

Healthy Regards!

Terry . . . Naturally