Finding what you need Q: After a heart attack I was told to take aspirin daily to prevent blood clots. I read that red wine could do just as well as aspirin, so I switched to red wine. I was also put on Lipitor for my cholesterol. I tried to replace that with the herb Arjuna, but my cholesterol went back up. Now I'm back on Lipitor. I really want to use only natural remedies but I'm confused about which ones. Do you have any suggestions? Dr. Wright: One of the basic principles of natural medicine is that different remedies work for different people. But fortunately nature provides numerous options for most conditions. There are some additional natural solutions you may want to try -- working closely with a physician knowledgeable in natural medicine, of course. If your current doctor won't help you with the natural approach, contact the American College for Advancement in Medicine (800-532-3688, www.acam.org) to find a nutritionally oriented physician who will work with you. First there's cod liver oil (along with vitamin E). Also, you may want to think about trying policosanol for its anti-clotting and cholesterol lowering effects. In a comparative trial using healthy volunteers, 20 milligrams of policosanol daily was just as effective for preventing blood clots as 100 milligrams of aspirin. Policosanol offers these benefits without the corresponding risk to your gastrointestinal system that comes with daily aspirin use. For more information on policosanol, refer back to the January 2002 issue of Nutrition & Healing, which subscribers can download for free by visiting www.wrightnewsletter.com and logging on to the Archives with the username and password listed on page 8 of your most recent edition. Also, don't forget to look closely at your diet. Whether you are taking pharmaceutical medication or natural remedies, they must be supported by a smart diet that takes your particular health needs into account. | 
