subject: Maintaining Healthy Cholesterol Levels: Pharmaceuticals vs. Nutraceuticals [print this page] Maintaining Healthy Cholesterol Levels: Pharmaceuticals vs. Nutraceuticals
To maintain healthy cholesterol levels, you should consider whether Pharmaceuticals or Nutraceuticals are right for you. This is a subject you need to seriously evaluate for your daily regimen. Pharmaceuticals can treat, maintain, and control your cholesterol levels, but at what cost? And I'm not talking about monetary' costI'm talking about the burden that these medications place on your body both short term and long term. Nutraceuticals are proven to be viable alternatives in the treatment of high cholesterol but without taking a toll on your body. Let's examine each of these options to see what is best for you in controlling your cholesterol levelswhich is critical to your health.
The definition of pharmaceuticals varies, but the most common definition is this: pharmaceuticals are any chemical substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function. Another definition refers to pharmaceuticals as the development and manufacture of drugs; manufactured drugs are substances that are aimed to cure, prevent, or recognize diseases and relieve pains through their application in the organism. Now let's look at the word manufacture. The definition of manufacture is something made from raw materials by hand or by machinery or the act or process of producing something. This means that pharmaceuticals, being prescription medications, are man-made and that the "raw materials" these medications are made from are chemicals formulated to serve its desired function. Do also note that some of these chemicals are foreign to the human body which can have adverse effects. One last point is that like most man-made items, prescription medications are subject to recall as quite frequently reported by the news mediafor problematic manufacturing or detrimental side effectssome ultimately resulting in death.
Pharmaceuticals designed to manage your cholesterol levels absolutely come with inherent side effects. If you are currently taking these medications you know what I am referring to: headaches, diarrhea, profuse sweating (not normal), emotional yo-yoing, etc. which take their toll on daily living. Side effects are caused by the toxic reaction of your body to the chemical makeup of the medicine. You go to your doctor to treat your high cholesterol and you end up also going to monitor any side effects the prescribed medications have induced on or in your body. Filling your body with chemicals to treat your cholesterol simply proves to be toxic in the long run and can cause damage in other areas of your body; some of which there is no recovery from. Finally, these medications are usually in pill form and take increased time for your body to absorb. I know from personal experience the side effects and the constant monitoring and worrying that individuals endure. This led me to seek natural alternatives.
Nutraceuticals is coined from "nutrition" and "pharmaceutical". They are foods (or part of a food) that provide medical or health benefits, including the prevention and/or treatment of a disease. They are also referred to as antioxidants which have a myriad of health benefits. There are similarities in definition and differences between nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals. Similar in that nutraceuticals provide health benefits and are used for treatment of a disease or disorder; different in that the primary make-up of nutraceuticals is from a food sourcenot chemical. Nutraceuticals are derived from natural nutrients commonly found in foods we already consume. These nutrients include grape seed extracts, citrus extracts, bilberry extracts, and pine bark extracts just to name a few. The benefits of these nutrients include managing your cholesterol levels to an extent where you can reduce or even eliminate the need for prescription medications. Nutraceuticals combat free radicals. Free radicals are the common cause of most diseases and health disorders because they cause cellular decay within your body. The inclusion of nutraceuticals to your daily dietary and exercise regimen can help you maintain a healthy cholesterol level, maintain healthy blood vessels, and support cardiovascular health; all of which will decrease your risk of heart attack or stroke. Most importantly there are very little side effects associated with nutraceuticals. They are also simple to consume and most effective since they absorb faster into the body with minimal loss of their nutritional value.
This alternative may not be for you but if you are currently taking prescription medications and dealing with their side effects then you owe it yourself to seek out an alternative which can provide you with the good health and active lifestyle you deserve. Nutraceuticals are indeed proven to a viable and effective alternative to prescribed medicines. The use of nutraceuticals has been beneficial to me and thousands of other in resolving cholesterol issues. It can help you in restoring and maintaining healthy cholesterol levels.
