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Phytosterols
"Wonder nutrients" for the new millennium
New breakthroughs in
the prevention of Heart Disease, The treatment of Rheumatiod
arthritis, HIV and Hepatitas C infections, Chronic fatigue
syndrome and the latest Breast and Prostate cancer prevention.
Welcome to the age of preventive
medicine.
Since time immemorial we
have known of the monumental role that plants play in
protecting us against the ravages of the environment.
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 well-being.
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 haven't really
found an effective means of dealing with viruses at
all. We simply have to witness the devastatingly 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. This is all
about to change.
The phytonutrients known
as phytosterols are about to revolutionise the world
of preventive medicine.
Scientific 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. There is also growing evidence
that phytosterols can have a significant impact on such
diverse diseases as eczema, asthma, diabetes and chronic
fatigue syndrome.
Phytotosterols 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 beta-sitosterol 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 beta-sitosterol
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 the
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.
Phytosterols
| The
new immune system |
Boosting athletes immune systems
Overcoming
prostate enlargment |
Winning
the war against cancer
The
new hope for; | Reducing
the risk of heart disease
Solving
the dilemma of Auto immune disease
Summary
of main points | Bibliography
Dr Michael Elstein
Spa Chakra
The Wharf
Woolloomooloo
NSW 2011
AUSTRALIA
Phone 02 9368 0888
Int: 61 2 9368 0888
Fax: 61 2 9380 2950
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