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Revolutionary Preventive Medicine
Phytosterols:
Welcome to the age of preventitive medicine. Since time
immemorial we have known of the monumental role that
plants play in protecting us against the ravages of
the enviroment. We have found that plants have the capacity
to prevent and treat all sorts of diseases.
What we haven't always
understood is the way in which these wonders of nature
weave their magic. As we hurtle into the 21st century
with all its endless possibilities we are finally beginning
to comprehend in a scientific fashion exactly what it
is that makes plants so essential to our wellbeing.
Phytonutrients
are those plant chemicals that have the ability to enhance
the natural processes of the body.
If
we harness these potent substances we will have at our
disposal the means for preventing such diseases as cancer
and heart disease which have proven to be the scourges
of the past century.
We will also be able
to win the war against viruses and bacteria without
resorting to the potentially harmful effects of antibiotics.
Up to now we really
haven't found an effective means of dealing with viruses
at all. We simply have to witness the destructive effects
of the HIV virus to realise that medical science has
for the most part been powerless to withstand the onslaught
of this relentless aggressor.
All of this is about
to change.
The phytonutrients
known as phytosterols are about to revolutionise the
world of preventive medicine. Scientiflc research indicates
that these substances have unique immune-enhancing capabilities.
Never before have we
witnessed nutrients with such versatile properties which
will allow us to not only nullify the effects of viruses
and bacteria but also to have the potential to deal
with such autoimmune diseases as rheumatoid arthritis
and multiple sclerosis.
Current evidence indicates
that phytosterols may play a pivotal role in the prevention
and treatment of cancer.
Evidence is growing
that phytosterols can have a significant impact on such
diverse diseases as eczema, asthma, diabetes and chronic
fatigue syndrome.
Phytosterols also have
a preventive role as far as heart disease is concerned
as they reduce the levels of the dangerous cholesterol,
LDL, while preserving normal levels of the good cholesterol,
HDL.
Phytosterols are essentially
plant fats that include betasitosterol and its glucoside
beta-sitosterolin. These two plant fats were isolated
as long ago as 1922. Between 1966 and the present time
over 5,000 research papers have been published, all
demonstrating the positive benefits of betasitosterol
and beta-sitosterolin (sterols and sterolins).
Sterols and sterolins
are always found together in nature and together they
work synergistically to enhance and modulate the immune
system. All plants contain sterols and sterolins and
these include fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds.
Raw unprocessed nuts
and seeds and their oils contain the richest source
of sterols and sterolins. Unfortunately food processing
makes it virtually impossible to obtain sufficient quantities
of these plant fats in our regular diets.
For marketing purposes
sterols and sterolins are removed from oils to make
the finished product appear clearer and more palatable
to the consumer. Freezing results in destruction of
sterolins, while boiling vegetables causes plant fats
to be released into the cooking water which gets discarded.
Even if we were to
consume the plant sources of sterols and sterolins in
the fresh organic state we still only absorb round about
5 percent from food sources. This means that eating
good quality unprocessed plant foods will probably not
supply sufficient plant sterols to fortify our immune
systems and boost our body's natural processes.
Our body pools of sterols
and sterolins diminish rapidly and it would seem to
be prudent to take supplements of these nutrients in
order to achieve the desired benefits. In order to understand
how sterols and sterolins impact positively on the immune
system it is important to outline some of the key aspects
of the body's defence structure.
A normaly functioning
immune system relies on a healthy supply of B-cells
and T-cells.
The B-cells have a
relatively simple task:
they are responsible for producing antibodies which
destroy invading micro-organisms be they bacteria, viruses
or parasites. T-cells have a far more complex function
in controlling and regulating the immune response.
T-cells can be viewed
as the generals of the immune system whereas the B-cells
are merely the combat soldiers.
There are three main
types of T-cells:
* cytotoxic T-cells
* suppressor T-cells
* helper T-cells
T cells also secrete
cytokines which regulate the immune response. Examples
of cytokines include the different interleukins and
interferons as well as tumour necrosis factor. Shortly
we will discover how the balance of these cytokines
is critical to a healthy immune response.
Cytotoxic T-cells are
designed to deal with infected or cancer cells and they
also secrete interferons which prevent the replication
of viruses.
Suppressor T-cells
shut down the immune system once an infection has been
effectively neutralised. SuppressorT-cells tell the
immune system that it is time to take a breather and
if the levels of these cells are reduced B-cells will
continue to operate unabated which will lead to disastrous
consequences.
Helper T-cells assist
the cytotoxic T-cells and also instruct B-celis to commence
antibody production. Helper T-cells can further be divided
into TH 1 and TH 2 cells.
These cells produce
different types of cytokines and there needs to be a
balance between TH 1 and TH 2 cells if health is to
be sustained.
TH 1 cells secrete
cytokines which enhance the Phytosterols
@ 2000 Dr Michael Elstein
Bondi
Family Health Centre
Phone 02 9365 1333
Int: 612 9365 1333
260a Bondi Road
Bondi NSW 2066
AUSTRALIA
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