Heart health is a big topic of concern these days and continues to be our theme for the month of February. The rate at which people are being prescribed Statin medications is unbelievable. Unfortunately, in the world of musculoskeletal health we’re seeing the detrimental effects statin drugs can have on our patients. Increased pain and decreased muscle function is a simple way to describe a major side effect! Luckily, we have created a great combination of products that can help lower cholesterol levels, blood sugar levels, and triglycerides when combined with a healthy diet and exercise. Please note we do not and cannot tell our patients to stop taking their statin medications. HOWEVER, it’s important to know that there are other options out there! If you are on a statin drug, always talk to your prescribing physician before making any decisions regarding dosage.
First, fiber has an impressive impact on our cholesterol regulation. Fiber helps to reduce cholesterol levels by binding to lipoproteins (the circulating form of cholesterol in the body) and removing them through stool elimination. The best dietary fiber comes from hearty resources like beans, legumes, peas, and other vegetables. You often see fruit and other whole grains, like oatmeal and Cheerios, listed as good sources as well. We recommend, however, that the focus remain on the lower sugar sources like vegetables for the health of your arteries. More often, it is not cholesterol that is the cause for the artery wall damage, but excessive sugar and triglyceride levels that damage the artery walls to allow for cholesterol, or plaque, build up to occur. Choosing a high fiber, low sugar food is the way to go! How many times do you add fennel, fenugreek, and 
psyllium husk to your grocery cart?? Standard Process has a way to make it easier for you to get the most effective fiber into your diet with a great product appropriately named Gastrofiber. An additional benefit of fiber, hunger seems to stay away a little longer thanks to the fenugreek in Gastrofiber, as it takes longer for the body to digest.
Second, the liver is a major player when it comes to cholesterol regulation. In fact, the liver produces cholesterol! It also plays an essential role in the removal process from the body. When a physician tells you that you’re genetically predisposed to high cholesterol levels, he or she may be right. HOWEVER, stopping cholesterol production is not necessarily the best route. Instead of attacking the 
production of cholesterol and suffering the negative side effects, improving the removal and detoxification process is a safer and more effective way to maintain healthy cholesterol levels. The liver is bombarded with toxins and “junk” that needs to be processed every day. Livaplex, another Standard Process product, helps promote a healthy liver by supporting the body’s normal toxin-elimination function as well as encouraging the healthy digestion of fats.
Third, increasing your intake of Omega-3 fatty acids is another positive way to address cholesterol levels. The high-density lipoprotein (HDL cholesterol) is the “good” form. For many reasons, we actually want our HDL levels to be high. The ratio between the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad” cholesterol level and the HDL level is even more important than the total cholesterol. Omega-3 fatty acids are the only nutrient source shown
to elevate HDL levels. Yet, another healthy way to improve cholesterol levels without blocking the production. “Fish Oil” is the common form used to supplement Omega-3’s into the diet. Eating healthy, wild-caught fish and walnuts are great options. And, our third product in the heart health recommendations, Tuna Omega-3 Oil, is one of the best sources of fish oil on the market.
Some of our patients have already seen the positive results from using our Standard Process products… check out their stories here! We’d love to help you too!!