FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE
POSTS

Do you need to take a B vitamin?

Fifty-six patients with hypercholesterolemia were divided into two groups – half receiving 2000 IU/ day of vitamin D and half receiving a placebo for six months. In the supplemented group, triglycerides were decreased by 28 mg/dL more than in the placebo group. The result was even more dramatic in patients whose vitamin D levels were lower than 30ng/mL at baseline (commonly accepted as a deficient level). In these deficient patients, the difference in reduced triglycerides

Kimchi, a cabbage-based Korean staple, was recently hailed by Health magazine as one of the five healthiest foods in the world (along with yogurt, olive oil, soy and lentils). Cabbage contains a substance known as vitamin U, which has anti-ulcer properties. Cruciferous vegetables also contain compounds that increase glutathione production in the body. Simply put, glutathione is an antioxidant and is associated as an anti-aging nutrient. So, this is a GOOD THING :). As a note

Phytosterols (Plant sterols) can stop your body from absorbing cholesterol. Eating foods daily that have just under a gram of phytosterols can lower your LDL. Adding phytosterols to your diet in a supplement form might lower your beta-carotene level, so make sure you are also eating more fruits and vegetables in your diet. The primary mechanism  is that phytosterols compete with cholesterol for absorption in the gut . Plant sterols have a chemical structure almost identical