As promised in the post Drumming Proven to Help the Immune System and Reduce Stress, I shall focus a post about my annual physical. Yes, I do make it a point to at least annually, lately it has been twice a year though, to check in with my primary care physician. The story started about 2 years ago, after reading a Men’s Health article about annual check ups and what tests should be done in correspondence to your age, your risk category such as smoking, family history of certain diseases and illnesses, etc. I chose a participating physician (health insurance) out of the preferred provider booklet my insurance company prints annually. It turned out to be a mistake.
To make a long story short, I ended up at this physician’s office for my health check up. He ordered some blood work, checked my blood pressure and after 4 minutes of interaction I was on my way. Two weeks later I went back to discuss the results of my blood test. Everything was normal, except my cholesterol levels. The recommended cholesterol level is <200 mg/dl. Mine was 105 mg/dl. My curiosity set in, since I knew a cholesterol level this low was a good thing. The ratio of HDL (high density or good) to LDL (low density, or bad) cholesterol was still desirable too. My physician was concerned because my HDL was at 27 mg/dl. Well below of what it should have been, which is >35 mg/dl. He mentioned that low HDL is a risk factor in its own right for cardiovascular disease. According to my research, there was some truth to that, but what is equally important is the ratio of HDL to LDL cholesterol, which should be <4.4. My LDL cholesterol was 75 mg/dl. I was happy, my friend the doctor, was not.
I inquired about what I could do to rectify the situation diet wise. My doctor looked at me somewhat perplexed and explained that it was going to be really hard to change this with dieting alone. He recommended Tricor. I was suspicious to say the least. After all, I was already enrolled in the alternative medicine program and had taken several phytotherapy classes. I knew about the positive study outcomes of garlic and green tea pertaining to cholesterol. Anyway, we decided to give diet a chance for six months and if nothing changed, he would write a prescription for Tricor. Side effects of Tricor could include serious liver damage, gall stones etc. For the gamut of side things click Tricor. Needless to say, I was less then enthused.
For my next visit I showed up with scientific research on garlic and green tea at hand, and I was ready to seriously hammer out a treatment plan WITH MY physician. I showed him all the good stuff and told him that instead of Tricor, I would like to try green tea and garlic supplements instead. He looked at me and said two things which sent me out the door. The first thing: “This is voodoo medicine and he does not believe in that stuff.” The second more disturbing: “If I started to take these supplements he could not be responsible for my health.” Huh. He was willing to take a risk with Tricor by destroying my liver, but he would not tolerate my trying to resolve this issue with herbals instead. I knew it was time to find a different physician.
This time I asked around, friends, family, health-food-store staff, pharmacists etc., and after a while, one name started to come up over and over. I started taking the “voodoo medicine” and made an appointment at a physician’s office, who ironically not only was also in my preferred provider network, but also came highly recommended by a lot of people. I knew this time I was a step closer in finding someone true to his title, doctor. The word “doctor” has its roots in Latin, stemming from docere or teach. I wanted a true teacher, well versed in Western medicine but also somebody I could trust to take me seriously with my alternative approach. I found him. A licensed MD who was sick and tired of the medical system and started to educate himself about Ayurvedic medicine. I have been his patient for about two years now and here are the test results of the “voodoo medicine” I took in order to address my cholesterol “problem”. After the latest test results I will give away my regimen and the research I based my decision to go the alternate route.
Cholesterol Test 1
12/30/2004
105 mg/dl, TC
77 mg/dl, LDL
23mg/dl, HDL
Cholesterol Test 2:
07/06/2005
105 mg/dl, TC
46 mg/dl, LDL
51 mg/dl, HDL
Cholesterol Test 3:
05/30/06
115 mg/dl, TC
66 mg/dl, LDL
34 mg/dl, HDL
Desired Range:
<200 mg/dl TC
<100 mg/dl LDL
>35 Mg/dl HDL
Besides starting to take the following supplements and totally quitting carbonated drinks, I did not change anything in my diet or exercise regimen. My diet was on the healthier side already. Balance and moderation is the key. Except chocolate. My vice is chocolate. But dark chocolate is rather healthy for you anyway. (I have some scientific research to back this up in later posts).
My supplements garlic (2x daily) yielding 6000 mcg of Allicin the active plant constituent which is thought to lower cholesterol, and green tea, (3x daily) which contains volatile oils, vitamins, minerals, and caffeine , but the primary constituents of interest are the polyphenols, particularly the catechin called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). The polyphenols are believed to be responsible for most of green tea’s roles in promoting good health.
The Research:
Garlic (Herbalgram.org) has been shown to have some effects on cholesterol levels, mainly by lowering LDL cholesterol.
Green Tea (Healthnotes) has been shown to control cholesterol by lowering LDL and increasing HDL cholesterol, hence increasing the effects by altering total cholesterol ration positively.
This article provides only a glimpse of the possibilities with phytotherapy, a willing physician, doctor of naturopathy (N.D.), or other qualified healthcare provider, and a proactive patient. Again, it is important to note, that I did not go out there and self medicated, I sought out the advice of a professional I could trust with my healthcare concerns and who understood that I wanted to be an active participant in matters of my own health. I encourage you, dear reader, to do the same. First off, being proactive in maintaining good health is top priority. Prevention is the key here. And then, if possible, finding an ally who is willing to listen to you and make recommendations based on your healthcare preferences. You need somebody who is willing to give you the whole picture, from both sides, Western medicine and Complementary Medicine, thus enabling you to make a true informed decision pertaining to your healthcare.
I am sure glad that I found my teacher.
Beste Gesundheit,
Werner