What are the five most important things you can do to protect your health from a holistic point of view?  Dr Oz’s show recently covered some great basic advice from Dr Weil:

 1. Secret for Your Brain: Protect Its Memory Bank  The thought of losing one’s memory is frightening. Dr. Weil recommends Huperzine A, otherwise known as Chinese club moss, a natural remedy that may help keep memory sharp and ward off Alzheimer’s.He also recommends Phosphatidyl serine (PS), a naturally occurring lipid that’s considered a brain cell nutrient. It may have positive effects on memory and concentration to help slow age-related cognitive decline. In addition, PS may reduce stress by limiting cortisol spikes.

• Huperzine A – 300mcg daily
• Phosphatidyl serine – 200mg daily

Both of these natural remedies are available at health stores and pharmacies.  

2. Secret for Your Heart: Keep Arteries Healthy  To keep your arteries healthy, Dr. Weil recommends red yeast rice extract, a source of naturally occurring statins, the prescription drugs used to lower LDL levels and control cholesterol. Dr. Weil argues that red yeast rice extract delivers a mix of these statin-like compounds rather than a single type of molecule, so it’s less likely to cause side effects, such as liver dysfunction that can occur with pharmaceutical versions. However, not everyone in the medical community agrees with him on this. If you have blood sugar problems, this is not the right supplement for you.

Niacin (vitamin B3) is less controversial than red yeast rice extract and is shown to raise HDL, the “good” cholesterol.

(Related alternahealthgrrrl story: Natural Cholesterol Helpers)  Plus, it’s much cheaper than a prescription drug and has similar effects.

• Red Yeast Rice Extract - 600mg twice daily
• Niacin 500 mg Extended Release - Every night at bedtime

Be sure if you take either of these to do so under your doctor’s direction.

3. Secret for Your Digestive Tract: Keep It Clean  Fiber plays an important role in maintaining a healthy digestive tract. In fact, countries such as New Zealand that have a low-fiber diet have higher incidences of colon cancer. Dr. Weil recommends eating 40 grams of fiber each day, almost twice the normal recommended amount.  (More)