Throughout the fitness industry, people are busting a gut to sell you dubious pills and potions.
However there are naturally occurring, non controversial substances that cure or alleviate many dangerous medical conditions. I’ve discussed Chia seeds here, today its Psyllium.
Pysllium is magic.
Some fun Pysllium facts
- Psyllium is a soluble fiber derived from the seeds of Plantago ovata. Grown mainly in India
- Because of its great water solubility, psyllium can absorb water and become a thick, viscous compound that resists digestion in the small intestine.
Its resistance to digestion allows it to help regulate high cholesterol, triglycerides and blood sugar levels. For me, there are 2 notable areas where it helps
A) Blood sugar regulation
One study treated 56 diabetic men with 5.1 grams of psyllium twice per day for eight weeks. It reduced their daily blood sugar levels by 11% (see here for reference).
Other studies indicate the same , with a guess that 10gms a day is the magic figure
B) Cholesterol
A review of 21 studies reported that reductions in total and LDL cholesterol are dose dependent. This means greater results were observed with treatments of 20.4 grams of psyllium per day than 3 grams per day
Prescription
5 gms x 3 times a day with a glass of water, but increase water consumption in general. It is a bit difficult to get that much down!