------GARLIC AGAIN & WELCOME BACK
 
 > I've been away for awhile as well.
 
 HC> Doing what exactly? if you dont mind my ask
 
 Holidays. Shopping. Preparing. Wrapping.
 Visiting. Relatives. Kiddies. Babysitting.
 Making Funny Faces. Toboganing. Shovelling Snow.
 Cooking. Helping Others Cook. Offering
 Unsolicited Cooking Advice Which Was Rejected.
 Eating Too Much. Drinking Too Much. Being
 Grouchy About It All. And More Of That Sort Of
 Holiday Thing.
 
 > Here are a couple of positive tidbits about garlic,
 > the first one interesting to anyone with heart problems:
 
 HC> Which includes me,.
 
 What type, may I ask?
 
 > --------------------QUOTING-1-----------------------
 > -----SUPPLEMENT SUBSTITUTES FOR STATINS
 GARLIC, OLIVE OIL, FISH OIL, BENECOL MARGARINE
 > From: "oldal4865" > sci.med.pharmacy
 Subject: Re: Niacin and blood pressure? Date:
 
 > >> How about garlic oil caps? Do they have a
 significant effect on
 
 > I attended a Diabetes Training course last
 night in which > cholesterol/heart attack issues
 > were raised.
 > The CDE quoted reputable medical sources which
 asserted that : a. Fish Oil > (minimum 2
 gram/day) b. Benecol (taken as the margerine, 3
 servings per > day) c. Policosanol (10 - 30
 mg/day) are partial replacements for the statins
 which some of us cannot take.
 
 > 1. Olive oil is a **given**.  > It is assumed
 that folks worried about this matter switch to
 olive oil as > their cooking oil immediately.
 
 HC> I know i do when i feel like a diet,.
 
 What types of diet have you tried?
 
 And did you succeed?
 
 Or do you simply wing it?
 
 > 2. Their remarks on Garlic as a supplement:
 "Shown to be effective in > reducing cholesterol,
 LDL, TG and increasing HDL.
 > Effects may take 4-6 weeks.
 > Adult daily dose 4-12 mg allicin or 3-10 grams
 fresh garlic or one 600-900 > mg tablet.
 > ===Caution: Heat and acid destroy active
 components so enteric-coated > products show
 better results"
 
 3. Benecol is a trade name for a patented
 > "plant sterol".
 > It is sold as the margerine (US $4 for 8 oz)
 
 HC> And here we double the price,.
 
 > 4. Policosanol is a wax obtained from sugar cane(?).
 > It is sold in pill form, US $0.22 for 10 mg.
 
 HC> And again here we would double the price,.
 
 Well, the Aussie buck is worth less than the US
 buck, as is the Canadian.
 
 > Sorry, no citations given.
 
 HC> Bummer,.
 
 I'm pretty sure fish oil and garlic are accepted
 as having more or less valid studies behind
 them. The probalem is usually compliance -- much
 easier and convenient to pop a pill -- which is
 why doctors dont much like this kind of self
 medication. Then there's the problem of the
 strength of the active component, which may vary
 widely with for instance different varieties of
 garlic. But I think it works on a long term basis
 if you seriously incorporate the substance into
 your regular diet. Blood tests and monitoring BP
 should show how well it's doing.
 
 

--- Maximus/2 3.01