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Here’s a test: define metabolism. Go ahead, what is it? If you said it’s how fast you burn calories, you’re partially right. Your metabolic rate does determine the number of calories your body burns. But your metabolism governs more than just your metabolic rate. It also keeps everything in balance – like your blood sugar, cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure. nutraOrigin, makers of high quality vitamins for women, shares the secrets of supporting a healthy metabolism.

When metabolism goes wrong

In ideal circumstances, your metabolism works like a well-oiled machine. You eat energy in the form of food. The body breaks the food down into sugar. The sugar is transported out of the blood and into the cells by the hormone insulin. Simple.

But most of us don’t lead ideal lives. We tend to eat diets high in simple carbohydrates (like bread, rice, and pastries), which cause a rapid spike in blood sugar levels. In response, the pancreas secretes loads of insulin. That’s okay occasionally, but when we consistently eat simple carbs, so much insulin is flooded into the system that we can eventually become resistant to it. In fact, one in five Americans suffers from insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes and metabolic syndrome – both of which increase your risk of heart attack and stroke. That’s why it’s important to learn how to lower blood sugar.

Balance your blood sugar

There are a number of things you can do to support normal blood sugar levels. Exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet top the list. But natural supplements, such as nutraOrigin’s Glycemic Balance, can also help. Glycemic Balance addresses all three critical aspects of blood sugar balance. First, it increases your body’s sensitivity to insulin, with chromium, cinnamon, and ECGC from green tea. Second, it imitates the effects of insulin with the mineral vanadium. And third, it ignites glucose metabolism, with a high-potency dose of biotin.

When you balance your blood sugar, you’re investing in your long-term health. But you also get short-term benefits, like higher energy levels and an easier time losing weight.

Love your heart

If you’re resistant to insulin, chances are it’s putting a strain on your heart. That’s why any program aimed at supporting optimal metabolism will also address cardiovascular health.

nutraOrigin’s CardioBalance supplement supports your metabolism in keeping your cholesterol levels healthy. It features policosanol, a 100% natural ingredient derived from sugar cane wax, which is backed by multiple scientific studies. Policosanol also protects your heart, veins and arteries, and supports a regular heart rhythm.

Give yourself a good foundation

Your body can survive even the most nutritionally deficient diet. But for your metabolism to really thrive, it needs a multitude of vitamins and minerals – in just the right quantities. Unfortunately, those are hard to get from diet alone. nutraOrigin developed Nutra Multi, a high-quality multivitamin and mineral, to cover your nutritional bases, keep your metabolism humming, and protect your heart with double-strength folic acid.

The experts at nutraOrigin recommend taking all three formulas together for maximum synergistic effect.

More women fear breast cancer than any other disease. Yet cardiovascular disease (CVD) claims over ten times as many women’s lives as breast cancer. In fact, CVD is the nation’s leading cause of death for both men and women. That’s the bad news. The good news is that CVD is almost entirely preventable. nutraOrigin, makers of high quality vitamins for women, shares the secrets of cardiovascular wellness.

What influences cardiovascular health?

One way to support cardiovascular health is to play by the numbers. All five of the following measurements tell you something about the state of your heart.

Cholesterol: excess cholesterol gets deposited in, and narrows, the artery walls
Triglycerides: elevated triglycerides are associated with a higher risk of coronary artery disease
Blood pressure: high blood pressure puts stress on the artery walls and increases the heart’s workload
Homocysteine: too much homocysteine degrades the structural integrity of the arteries
C-reactive protein: elevated C-reactive protein is associated with a higher risk for hypertension and CVD
Risk Factor Desirable Borderline Undesirable
Total cholesterol Below 200 200-239 240 and above
Triglycerides Below 150 150-199 Above 200
Blood pressure Below 120/80 120/80-140/90 Above 140/90
Homocysteine Below 10 mmol/L 10-18 mmol/L Above 18 mmol/L
c-reactive protein (CRP) Below 1.0 1.0-3.0 Above 3.0

Supplement secrets for heart health

Everyone knows that eating a healthy, whole foods diet and getting regular exercise are important for cardiovascular wellness. But did you know that select nutritional supplements can also make a big difference? Here are three to consider.

CardioBalance
Developed by nutraOrigin, Cardio Balance features 10 mg of high quality policosanol. Multiple studies indicate that natural policosanol provides a worry-free way to support healthy cholesterol levels. Cardio Balance features policosanol from sugar cane – not the rice or wheat used in lower-quality products – which is the only form of policosanol proven to deliver cholesterol benefits. This policosanol supplement is produced using a proprietary, all-natural extraction process that delivers the highest quality finished product.

Omega-3 Essentials
Chances are you’ve heard about Omega 3 fatty acids, because they’re good for so many things. At nutraOrigin, we believe supplementing with Omega 3 fish oil, or Omega 3 for short, is one of the best things you can do for your heart. Here are just some Omega 3 benefits:

• Helps maintain healthy levels of triglycerides and C-reactive protein
• Promotes a desirable blood pressure
• Supports a regular heart rhythm

You can buy these essential fats as liquid Omega 3 oil, but most people prefer the convenience of Omega 3 pills. Whichever Omega 3 supplement you choose, just keep in mind that quality differs tremendously among different brands. nutraOrigin’s Omega 3 pills are highly concentrated, purity-certified, readily absorbed, and stabilized with antioxidants.

Nutra Multi Iron-Free
Because so many vitamins and minerals are essential for heart health, taking a comprehensive multivitamin like nutraOrigin’s Nutra Multi Iron-Free is a great way to take care of your heart. This one multiple contains: 1. a plethora of antioxidants, which protect against free radical damage, 2. the trio of B vitamins known to support healthy homocysteine levels, and 3. magnesium, essential for the integrity of the heart muscle.

The experts at nutraOrigin recommend taking all three formulas together for maximum synergistic effect.

Vitamins and mineral supplements are a good way to supply your body with nutrients that you might not be getting from your diet. Go down any vitamin aisle in a drugstore, market, or health food store. The first thing you will see is all the ’natural‘ supplements and vitamin complex tablets that all claim to provide all kinds of benefits. There are supplements that claim to help you lose weight without exercise. Does it sound too good to be true? It is. You have to burn more calories than you consume and exercise will help you accomplish that but I digress. If you are considering adding supplements to your diet have a discussion with your doctor will help to determine whether or not adding supplements would be beneficial for you or not.

Are vitamins necessary for optimum health? Most people, if they eat a healthy diet, do not need them. Most vitamins are fine and are not harmful. If someone does not eat a healthy diet or because of illness has a limited diet a vitamin supplement could be very helpful. Fruits and vegetables have important vitamins in them and should not be eliminated from a diet unless a doctor orders it. In this case a supplement would almost be necessary. Your body needs vitamins to keep it functioning.

Most people think that vitamins are a source of energy that is not the case. Vitamins help regulate the body’s metabolism. Vitamins also help the food we eat to release its energy. It’s the food that when absorbed and broken down into the nutrients the body can use that provides our body with energy. The body more easily absorbs calcium if you are also taking Vitamin D. Most calcium supplements are already fortified with vitamin D. There are thirteen vitamins that are all important to achieve optimum health. Vitamins E & C contain antioxidants. Antioxidants help to release free radicals, which are high-energy particles. These high-energy particles damage healthy blood cells. Studies are now coming out that indicate that the consumption of vitamins and supplements may aid in fighting cancer and preventing other chronic diseases. The research is by no means conclusive in this regard. Studies continue to be conducted in an effort to provide us with the ultimate health.

There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. An excess amount of vitamins in your system could cause bleeding, negative interactions with some prescription medications.

Listed below are some vitamins and how overdoses can affect you.
Vitamin A – Too much vitamin A can cause neurological problems
Vitamin D – Too much vitamin D disrupts the balance of calcium in the body that can lead to calcium deposits in the soft tissues of the body.
Vitamin C – Too much vitamin C can lessen the effectiveness of other medications.
Vitamin E – Too much vitamin E can cause blood not to clot and can cause other bleeding issues.

Vitamins are just one tool among many that are available to us to help us get healthy and remain healthy. Vitamins alone will not do this. A healthy diet, exercise, and regular health checkups will do this.

No one knows better than I do how important it is to eat properly and take care of my body. Also, like many others I have a tendency to be drawn to the junk food much to my own detriment. You don’t have to be an Olympic athlete to get some exercise in. I also take vitamins and other supplements to help my body work better.

There are a variety of opinions about vitamins, supplements, and healthy eating. Vitamins are generally ok unless they are fortified with iron. The effectiveness of vitamins with iron is often hotly debated. Too much iron can cause iron overload and it doesn’t get ‚washed‘ out of the blood as efficiently if at all. There is a disease called Hemochromatosis, which is fatal, as it attacks liver function. It can be controlled and there must be liver function tests done among other things. The controversy continues to reign.

You have complete control in this area. Do your research; there are a great number of websites that provides information on supplements and how they work. You should sit down with your physician and discuss your options. S/he may suggest you meet with a nutrition specialist as well. Get smart and be healthy. A little knowledge is a very good thing and in the case of vitamins the more you know how they work and how they could be harmful, the safer and healthier you will be. Trust your instincts, know your body, and get help if you need it. Good eating, good exercise plenty of water and common sense will help you to meet your goal of good health.

Sexual stimulants claim to arouse or increase sexual desire, or libido. A broader definition includes products that improve sexual performance. Aphrodisiacs, named after Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of sexual love and beauty, the list of supposed sexual stimulants includes anchovies and adrenaline, licorice and lard, scallops and Spanish fly, and hundreds of other items. Here is a very partial list of some herbal ingredients commonly found in sexual enhancers/stimulants:

Avena Sative (Wild Oats)
Avena sativa, or oats, have long been used by breeders to help male animals „sow their oats“ or boost their fertility. Avena Sativa is one of the best remedies to feed the nervous system when under stress and strengthen it to handle the situation. It works to calm down performance anxiety.

Brazilian Catuba Bark
Brazil’s most famous and highly regarded libido booster. It is considered a central nervous system stimulant and used for sexual weakness and lowered libido in both men and women.

Horny Goat Weed (Epimedium)
This Chinese herb is also known as Goat Sex Herb. It has been used for centuries to help improve sexual functions. It has androgen-like effects. Androgens are involved in sexual desire in both men and women. Horny Goat Weed may help improve circulation and kidney function.

Longifolia Jack (Tongkat Ali)
A popular Malaysian tree, it is proper for it’s aphrodisiac properties for both men and women. The researched focus is towards improved desire and sexual initiation.

Maca
Grown high in the mountains of Peru, Maca root tends to significantly boost libido and sex drive in men and women by enhancing the endocrine function. The endocrine system includes all of the glands, and the hormones they secrete, that exist in the body and that control such conditions as fertility, sexual function, digestion, brain and nervous system physiology, and energy levels.

Mucana Pruriens Extract
A rare and powerful Ayurvedic herb that has unusally high levels of naturally occuring L-Dopa. L-Dopa is an amino acid that has been the subject of over 25 years of extensive scientific and medical research. It may help with improving sexual dysfunction, loss of libido, stimulating arousal, and increasing intensity and frequency of orgasms for both men and women.

Muira Puama
Found in the Amazon, this extraction is very potent and has an impressive research history of helping restore libido and has been used to help prevent erectile dysfunction.

Tribulus Terrestris
Also known as Puncture Vine and Gokshura, may help to increase seminal fluid, not by volume but sperm count, and at the same time may increase sexual desire, arousal and performance in men and women. Tribulus may help to increase the duration of erection and assist in acheiving orgasm in those previously unable.

Yohimbe
A tree that grows throughout the African nations of Cameroon, Gabon and Zaire. (A similar plant in South America is called Quebracho). The bark has been smoked as a hallucinogen and has been used in traditional medicine to treat angina and hypertension. The herb is a sensual stimulant for healthy men and women.

5 HTP, GABA and St. Johns Wort Mood Enhancers
What is 5 HTP Mood Enhancer? The Griffonia Extract is rich in 5-HydroxyTryptophan (5-HTP), which comes from an African vegetable, the Griffonia simplicifolia seed, and contains 30% 5–HTP. 5-HTP is an amino acid that is a direct precursor of serotonin, an important neurotransmitter having pain soothing and relaxing effects. 5-HTP is not present in significant amounts in a typical diet. The human body manufactures 5-HTP from L-tryptophan, a natural amino acid found in most dietary proteins. However, eating food that contains L-tryptophan does not significantly increase 5-HTP levels.

5-HTP mood enhancer is the precursor to serotonin. It improves mood, anxiety and is beneficial in weight loss. 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is an amino acid that is the intermediate step between tryptophan and the important brain chemical serotonin. There is a massive amount of evidence that suggests that low serotonin levels are a common consequence of modern living. The lifestyle and dietary practices of many people living in this stress-filled era results in lowered levels of serotonin within the brain. Read more about 5 HTP Mood Enhancer supplements, click here.
What is GABA? A non-essential amino acid found mainly in the human brain and eyes. It is considered an inhibitory neurotransmitter, which means it regulates brain and nerve cell activity by inhibiting the number of neurons firing in the brain. GABA is referred to as the „brain’s natural calming agent“. By inhibiting over-stimulation of the brain, GABA may help promote relaxation and ease nervous tension.

GABA or gamma-aminobutyric acid, discovered in 1950, is the most important and widespread inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. Excitation in the brain must be balanced with inhibition. Too much excitation can lead to restlessness, irritability, insomnia, and even seizures. GABA is able to induce relaxation, analgesia, and sleep. Barbiturates and benzodiazepines are known to stimulate GABA receptors, and hence induce relaxation. Several neurological disorders, such as epilepsy, sleep disorders, and Parkinson’s disease are affected by this neurotransmitter.
What is St Johns Wort Mood Enhancer? Extracts of Hypericum perforatum L. (St John’s wort) are now successfully competing for status as a standard antidepressant therapy. Because of this, great effort has been devoted to identifying the active antidepressant compounds in the extract. From a phytochemical point of view, St John’s wort is one of the best-investigated medicinal plants. Researchers in Europe have studied St John’s Wort for decades. They discovered a combination of elements in the plant, foremost of which is „hypericin“, react with specific chemicals in the brain to temper emotional discomfort, lift depression, and calm the nerves. Working very much like the common synthetic prescription antidepressants (maprotiline hydrochloride and imipramine), natural extracts from St. John’s Wort have shown to relax and soothe the psyche with minimal side effects.

No matter your physical condition or what stage of life you may be in, health supplements can go far to improve your overall well being. People use health supplements for one of three factors – they want to improve their mental, physical or social health.

The key to finding high quality health supplements is to search for ones which support your entire system. The “right” health supplements will be herbal/plant based. Supplements made from herbs/plants contain all of the life-affirming nutrients that the human body needs to fight disease and illness. They also work to bring greater vitality to your life because a healthy body improves self-esteem and happiness.

Proxacine is a good example of a health supplement that supports and improves mental, physical and social health. Proxacine works as 1) anti-agent 2) pain reducer 3) immune system booster 4) energy booster. Its combination of natural, powerful ingredients works to increase libido, improve memory and learning, maintain glutathione levels, detoxify the body, digest protein, and above all it work to bind positive and negative ions in the body. Proxacine is a powerful, natural anti-oxidant and is a great scavenger of free-radicals. It has a wide range of medicinal properties and it enhances mental well-being.

There are a wide variety of health supplements in the marketplace today. Some work to improve energy, while others work to boost the immune system, promote sexual health, and fight cancer and more. Many of today’s mysterious illness (such as chronic fatigue syndrome, leaky gut) are being treated with health supplements. Once the system is rebalanced through health supplements, energy improves and the immune system is boosted and capable of fighting off disease and other infirmities.

It is interesting to note that health supplements are not just for the ill. Health supplements can greatly benefit the healthy, too. When health supplements are incorporated into a healthy individual’s diet, they can go far to enhance energy, libido, self-esteem, as well as keeping any hereditary diseases dormant and inactive. Feeling that your sex drive or energy levels are waning? Start taking a natural health supplement and you will see an increase in your libido and energy – which will in turn improve your mental health and social life.

When searching for health supplements, look for those that are natural and made up of plants/herbs. Remember that natural health supplements work on the three components of health: mental, physical and social. These three areas are not independent of one another and are interrelated. Therefore, they should be treated as a whole.

These days, you can’t be too concerned about your health. With possible toxins and lower nutritional values found in the foods we eat and the things we drink, many people have taken to buying supplements to help aid their health. Here’s a list of natural health supplements that can lead you to a more sound and healthy way of life:

Saint John’s Wort: Used for over 2,000 years, this supplement is a simple plant that can greatly aid depression. One of the most widely used natural health supplements, in a double-blind clinical study, Saint John’s Wort was proven to be equally as effective as pharmaceutical antidepressants, while giving less side-effects then their drug company counterpart.

Bee pollen: People take bee pollen in supplement form to help increase energy and vitality. In addition to offering several required vitamins and minerals, bee pollen acts as an enhancer to the immune system, as well as being a useful tool in cleansing the body of harmful toxins.

Athletes have been known to take bee pollen regularly to help enhance their endurance, stamina, recovery time from exercise, and more. It may also prove to be helpful in alleviating the pesky symptoms of hay fever. With all these possible uses of bee pollen, it’s amazing to find out that it can also be used to aid in weight loss. A substance in the pollen known as lecithin helps to stimulate your metabolism and flush fat from your system. This is another one of the most widely used natural health supplements.

Fish Oil:
Harvested from the bodies of fish, fish oil is purified through a scientific process and turned into supplement form. Containing Omega-3 fatty acids, these natural health supplements can have numerous effects on your body for the better. For one, fish oil can aid in preventing the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. It has also been associated with better memory, clearer thinking, and health of the heart.

One of the best nutrients for brain health, this supplement’s effect on your body can be vast. Be sure to only purchase pharmaceutical grade fish oil, however, since this is the process which removes the heavy metals found in fish due to pollutants. If your fish oil is not pharmaceutical grade, you run the risk of consuming such dangerous materials as mercury.

Why not check out our nutrition guide at http://www.nutritional-supplement-guides.com/nut-ebook.html

This no nonsense book will tell you everything you need to know about nutrition.

Ans also, what supplement we personally use for our nutrition needs at http://www.nutritional-supplement-guides.com/what-we-use.html

Natural growth hormone supplements- help for the weary world

A hormone is a naturally occurring substance that is actually a chemical messenger for our body, helping it go about daily tasks everyday. A natural growth hormone is one that is responsible for the overall development and sustenance of normal body functioning for persons and while these natural growth hormones are comprised of amino acids that produced in the endocrine glands to stimulate certain activities, their job doesn’t end there. Let us learn more about these hard working natural growth hormones and the role they play in helping us about our daily needs.

Natural growth hormones facilitate optimum body performance and determine muscle, tissue and cell functioning

The endocrine gland produces the natural growth hormone and proceeds to send it all through the body through the blood stream so that it helps our body maintain optimum performance levels for various task like eating, walking, sleeping. One prime example of a natural growth hormone is Insulin, which helps the human body digest food while others decide on the limitations of factors such as scope of bodily growth, digestion, reproduction and sexual functions. Thus, we find that the natural growth hormones play an integral role in ensuring peak performance of a person, especially during adolescence when there is maximum production of HGH, the human growth hormone occurring naturally in the body. Beyond the age of 22, the is considerable decline in the production levels of the natural growth hormone with the pituitary gland, one of the endocrine glands, situated in the center of the brain, producing less of this highly complex hormone. What makes the HGH a natural growth hormone that is immensely complex is the number of amino acids it takes to function (all of 191 amino acids) – a rather large number for any protein produced by the pituitary.

Adolescence is the time when the body needs to grow and the secretion of natural growth hormones like HGH helps it to do so. However, beyond adulthood, falling HGH levels and the slackness of the natural growth hormone production ability of the pituitary gland makes for lesser hormones in our body, which has tremendous impact on our physical and mental abilities. This is the main reason why many people are keen to try out the numerous supplements and synthetic solutions as a replacement means for the lack of natural growth hormones, but such persons are best warned to first learn about the costs (not just financial but physiological as well) of ordering a substitute for this natural deficiency.

Benefits of safe and real HGH enhancers: natural growth hormone replacement and acceleration aids

The availability of real HGH and homeopathic HGH sprays, powders and pills is a welcome deal for those looking to boost natural growth hormone production without the negative side-effects and exorbitant costs of synthetic enhancers or injections. Real HGH supplements are a blend of all natural growth hormones and replicate the role naturally occurring HGH would have played in keeping metabolism and energy levels high; increasing the body’s ability to burn fat, hold on to lean muscle mass and not fat while combating wrinkles, greater libido and great looking hair and skin are other advantages of high natural growth hormones levels.

The body needs cholesterol for digesting dietary fats, making hormones, building cell walls, and other important processes. The bloodstream carries cholesterol in particles called lipoproteins that are like blood-borne cargo trucks delivering cholesterol to various body tissues to be used, stored or excreted. But too much of this circulating cholesterol can injure arteries, especially the coronary ones that supply the heart. This leads to accumulation of cholesterol-laden „plaque“ in vessel linings, a condition called atherosclerosis.

When blood flow to the heart is impeded, the heart muscle becomes starved for oxygen, causing chest pain (angina). If a blood clot completely obstructs a coronary artery affected by atherosclerosis, a heart attack (myocardial infarction) or death can occur.

Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the United States. More than 90 million American adults, or about 50 percent, have elevated blood cholesterol levels, one of the key risk factors for heart disease, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s National Cholesterol Education Program.

Cholesterol lowering supplements containing Policosanol or Red Yeast Rice are known to assist in lowering cholesterol levels.

Policosanol
Policosanol is a natural supplement derived from sugar cane. It is a mixture of eight higher primary aliphatic alcohols isolated and purified from sugar cane wax. One of the newest and more successful substances that benefits those suffering from high cholesterol is Policosanol, which is a safe and natural extract from sugar cane wax. It works by helping the liver control production and breakdown of cholesterol. Policosanol promotes healthy platelet function and helps to maintain cholesterol levels that are already within the normal range.

Red Yeast Rice
Red Yeast Rice is the product of yeast ( Monascus purpureus ) grown on rice, and is served as a dietary staple in some Asian countries. It contains several compounds collectively known as Monacolins, substances known to inhibit cholesterol synthesis. Red Yeast Rice is proposed to be a mild aid for gastric problems (indigestion, diarrhea), blood circulation and spleen and stomach health.

Arthritis, whether it is osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or gout, have the common symptoms of inflammation of one or more joints. This is accompanied by pain, swelling and sometimes joint deformity. Traditionally, with herbal medicine, anti-inflammatory herbs such as black cohosh, feverfew, yucca and wild yam were recommended. And a naturopath might prescribe vitamins like vitamin A, the B complex, vitamin C, and vitamin E. Plus a host of minerals like chelated zinc, chelated calcium and magnesium, copper salicylate, selenium and bromelain. And supplements like evening primrose and fish oils, glucosmaine, and superoxide dismutase, which is found in good quality dehydrated (but not juiced) green barley powder.

But scientists have found some very effective anti-inflammatory agents in our own kitchen. Some of them, like ginger, can be bought as a supplement. And due to ginger’s strong taste, this might be a preferable way of taking it to get the quantities you need for a significant anti-inflammatory effect. But others, like olive oil, can easily be integrated into the daily diet. Cinnamon is not commonly used as a supplement here, but in India it has a rich traditional use and may be available as part of an Ayurvedic supplement.

Ginger

One of the active constituents in ginger is a phenolic compound known as gingerols. These have been found to have a strong anti-inflammatory effect. In a study reported in the Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Journal, the participants who took the ginger compound had significantly less pain during movement than those who took the placebo. This study followed 29 people over 12 months, and also found that swelling in the knees was also reduced.
However, if you are taking blood thinning medication like warfarin, you may need to be careful about the amount of ginger you take, as ginger can thin the blood also. (Australian Healthy Food)

Cinnamon

This rather delicious spice has a number of health benefits. Specific to inflammation and arthritis, cinnamon can help inhibit the release of inflammatory fatty acids. (Australian Healthy Food)

Yellow and Orange Fruits and Vegetables

Some of the carotenoids in yellow and orange fruit and vegetables help reduce inflammation. Carotenoids are what gives these vegetables and fruit their color. (Australian Healthy Food)

Olive Oil

Extra virgin olive oil acts similar to the anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen, though it doesn’t have the immediate pain relieving effects that ibuprofen does. But a compund found in extra virgin olive oil, called oleocanthal has been found to inhibit the COX enzymes like ibuprofen, in what researchers describe as a ‚dose dependant‘ manner. This research was originally reported in the September, 2005 issue of Nature magazine by Paul Breslin and his associates from Monell Chemical Senses Center. He describes oleocanthal as a natural anti-inflammatory compound that is potentially as strong as ibuprofen. He suggests that taken over the long term, it will have the same potential benefits that long term use of ibuprofen does. Their results found that taking 50 grams of extra virgin olive oil is equal to approximately 10% of the dosage of ibuprofen recommended for pain relief for adults. Olive oil also has a host of other benefits, including a heart protective effect.

Interestingly, scientists have also found that a diet high in refined grains, sugary soft drinks, processed meat and even diet soft drinks can encourage both inflammation and type 2 diabetes.

Resources:
1. http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/news/ng.asp?id=62217
2. Australian Healthy Food Magazine, November 2005 Issue
3. Australian Healthy Food Magazine, January 2006 Issue
4, P Bedson, The Complete Family Guide To Natural Healing (Hinkler Books)

The belief of most parents is that children are eating a fairly healthy diet and if not they give up and throw their hand up in the air. Parents then provide multivitamins. Now that they come in gumballs, gummi candies, cute animals, and cartoon character shapes, children think they are candy and giving vitamins is not a bad thing.

If they are within a child’s reach it is a serious problem because they could be taking them without your knowledge. At any suspicion that your child has taken too many call Poison Control immediately and get them to an emergency facility. Your child could become seriously ill or die from an overdose of a multivitamin with iron in it.

It is vital to keep all manner of medication out of the reach of your children. For the most part children get their vitamins from their diet but if you think they need them generic multivitamins are fine. If your child’s special needs are an allergy to dairy products or that they won’t eat them, the calcium must come from other sources.

Consulting with your child’s pediatrician will benefit your child. Even though your child’s diet may not have been great this week all that is needed is one vitamin a day. If you get too much of one vitamin it could prevent others from being absorbed by the body.

If your child for example gets an excess of calcium it could prevent the absorption of iron and other vitamins. Children’s food choices are not always healthy so you can expect to be giving your child vitamins well into their teens. Before you consider buying vitamins know that opinions vary regarding vitamins with iron for children.

One premise is that, in fact, you be giving vitamins with iron. Vitamins with iron says another school of thought, under no circumstances should be given vitamins with iron. As an infant, it was my experience, that my child was iron deficient.

My child’s doctor put him on iron fortified vitamins and he’s now healthy but always check with your doctor on this. Hemochromatosis is a disease caused by too much iron in the blood. The body can no longer utilize the iron and it is not washed out of the body easily. It may cause very serious health issues and even death.

An important part of your child’s diet is calcium that helps to build strong bones and muscles. Calcium is a mineral. Eating ice cream, cheese, and yogurt as well as drinking milk will usually provide all the calcium your child needs from their diet. There are people who don’t like dairy products and some who are allergic to them.

Helping children get what they need is easy when you give them calcium fortified juices, cereals, and vitamins. Many children get sufficient fluoride from treated tap water and bottled war or using tooth paste. Do not administer fluoride supplements to your child without first checking with his doctor.

Too much fluoride might permanently stain your child’s teeth. This will defeat totally the purpose of treating water and using fluoridated toothpaste. An eyedropper is used to administer liquid infant multivitamins. These drops usually have vitamins A, C, and D as well as added iron in them.

They might contain other vitamins and minerals such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin B-12. Vitamins for children are available in chewable forms such as cartoon characters and animals. They now come in gummi candy and gumballs forms.

If your child gives you difficulty with taking his vitamins, try getting him the gumballs or the gummi candy vitamins. Never leave your child unsupervised when s/he is taking his vitamins. My own child is given his vitamins rather than allow him to take them on his own. He might take it or not or he could take way too many.

Although vitamins for children can be a good thing, too much of a good thing could be fatal. It is vital that they are kept out of the reach of children. Giving your child vitamins may offset some of the effects of not always eating right.

Your child’s diet should not be adjusted without discussing it with his pediatrician, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Vitamins with fun shapes are fine but because your child could think they are ‘candy’, they should be in a locked cabinet or kept well out of reach.

Seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) affects more than 25 million Americans each year and current studies indicate the problem of seasonal allergies is on the rise.

Numerous clinical observations and case studies have led researchers to propose that methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) may help to significantly reduce the symptoms of SAR.

In a study conducted in 2002, fifty people with chronic SAR, completed a study. They consumed 2600 mg of MSM per day. As part of the study, respiratory symptoms, energy levels and immune and inflammatory reactions were measured. All of the participants noted remarkable improvement and tests performed on the individuals in the study measured and confirmed that the use of the supplement MSM had made a physically distinctive rectification of SAR symptoms.

The results of the study suggest that MSM supplementation of 2600 mg per day for 30 days may help reduce the symptoms of SAR; additionally few side effects are associated with the use of MSM.
(information obtained for this article was found in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Feb.2003, Vol. 9, No. 1: 15-16)

A PERSONAL NOTE: I have used MSM as a supplement regimen for 10 years. I have been a chronic hay fever sufferer all of my life, and I discovered that using MSM stopped the runny itchy eyes and scratchy throat during the hay fever season. I still sneeze but the more irritating side effects of hay fever have been chiefly eliminated.

There is no doubt that the pure Moringa Tree leaf is the source of incredible health benefits. It’s the ultimate, natural, organic, energy and endurance health supplement. There are plenty of studies that describe these benefits and the pure, powdered, moringa leaf is the most potent part of the plant.

India’s ancient tradition of ayurveda medicine sites 300 diseases that are treated with the leaves of the Moringa tree. Gram for gram, Moringa leaves contain:

7 times the vitamin C in oranges

4 times the calcium in milk

4 times the vitamin A in carrots

2 times the protein in milk

3 times the potassium in bananas

Moringa Tree Leaf is organic and absolutely safe. There are no known side effects. It’s gentle enough to be given to babies in Africa to overcome malnourishment. It’s one of the most secret performance enhancing products taken by athletes today who ingest mega-doses that help them physically and mentally. It’s great for people of all ages, especially oldsters who are losing their alertness.

Although there have been references to the Moringa Tree that go back a couple thousand years, and the World Health Organization has been studying and using the plant for the last forty years as a low cost health enhancer in the poorest countries around the world, there is a reason why the moringa leaf is still relatively unknown.

The sale of all forms of vitamins, minerals, and health supplements is a big business. If you were a company selling hundreds of nutritional products, why would you sell one product that could potentially wipe out all your other products! This would be true for the pharmaceutical
industry as well. These industries, with huge marketing budgets, would rather the general public remains ignorant about the moringa leaf.

Soothing Moringa helps lower blood pressure and is a sleep aid. Its detoxifying effect may come from Moringa’s ability to purify water. Moringa acts as a coagulant attaching itself to harmful material and bacteria. It is believed that this process takes place in the body as well.

The result is long-lasting energy without hyperactivity, a nerve system at rest, a blood system not under pressure, and a gland and hormone system in balance. Here are some of the uses around the world for the fantastic Moringa Leaf:
Detoxification – Studies have shown Moringa’s ability to remove hazardous materials from water.

Antibiotic – Moringa is used as a topical treatment for minor infections. Its antibiotic property is identified as Pterygospermin, a bacterial and fungicidal compound. Studies have shown an agueous extract made from seeds was
equally effective against the skin infecting bacteria Staphylococcus aureus as the antibiotic Neomycin.

Skin Treatment – Moringa has great healing benefits for the skin, curing cuts, scrapes, sores, and rashes as well as cracking and other signs of aging.

Diabetes – An extract from the Moringa leaf has been shown to be effective in lowering blood sugar levels within 3 hours of ingestion, though less effectively than the standard hypoglycemic drug, glibenclamide. The effects increased with larger doses.

The most popular way of using Moringa is as a tea or a spice in cooking. But the most potent way to ingest it is through capsules that are readily available on the internet by searching under „Moringa Tree Leaf Capsules.“

Menopause (definition): The almost inevitable fretting by husbands whereby they first anticipate (sometimes is sheer terror), the looming specter of being „outside the affections of the marital bedroom“ looking in…

Let’s concede the obvious. Menopause affects sex…can affect marriage.
That concern is as old as civilization. Even Roman husbands dreaded the onset of this problem associated with menopause. What was it they said?

„Hic astabo tantisper cum hac forma et factis frustra?“
(Rough translation: „Am I to stand idle and unnoticed, so handsome and so heroic, all for nothing?“). Menopause does evoke theatrics in men at times.

Of course, menopause is really a condition which develops in women usually between the ages of 45- 50. Menopause occurs when an imbalance between estrogen and progesterone causes symptoms such as:

“ the uncomfortable hot flashes,
“ vaginal dryness,
“ osteoporosis (reduction in bone density),
“ loss of sex drive, and
“ Fibrocystic breasts.

There’s certainly much more to menopause than that of sexual relations between husband and wife. Incidentally, the loss of sex drive occurs in menopause when the hypothalamus (an endocrine gland) lessens sex drive due to reduction in the production of progesterone.

Menopause: normal or abnormal condition?

Progesterone deficiency simply doesn’t exist in many cultures around the world. As a result, menopause is practically unknown among such people. Why? The diets in those cultures are rich in certain nutrients found in fresh vegetables and legumes.

Those nutrients are called natural Phytosterols. Foods which are rich with such natural Phytosterols keep the body’s progesterone capacity at the necessary levels. Menopause doesn’t develop in these women. They show no symptoms of menopause. They do have strong sex drives, strong bones, no hot flashes…forcing the men to fret about other things besides menopause.

Progestins and Menopause

Of course, when we have a medical problem, it seems we immediately turn to some sort of drug to „fix it.“ Progestins are substances which are made to act like progesterone. So… voila! The problems of menopause are expected to disappear.

Anyone with a prescription of progestins to help them with the symptoms of menopause knows that „it just ain’t so.“ Progestins do not provide all of the same effects as progesterone and there is a substantial body of research concerned with their side effects. Yes, some relief from menopause may take place but the side effects can be considerable.

I know, I know. „Nulla tam bona est fortuna de qua nihil possis queri.“ („No luck is that good that you can’t find something to complain about.“).

Well, if you are looking for relief from menopause and tempted to take prescriptions, consider the side effects of progestins:

“ Acne
“ Weight fluctuations
“ Jaundice
“ Depression
“ Insomnia
“ Nausea
“ Breast tenderness
“ Fluid retention
“ Bleeding

Menopause and DHEA

Because the „mother hormone“ – DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) – is used by our bodies to produce as many as 50 other hormones, many use it to help regulate the estrogen – progesterone imbalance and to maintain good health.

Again, we have a problem like menopause, so we jump at the chance for a prescription. But, synthetic DHEA can result in liver damage. On the other hand, almost all of the degenerative diseases out there, are accompanied by low DHEA levels. Synthetic DHEA supplementation creates an imbalance with substances produced by our body, such as cortisol.

That imbalance creates further problems- such as low energy, Thyroid dysfunction, decreased immune function (see immune system at www.glycoshare.com), compromised sleeping habits, Muscular dysfunction and many other issues and complications.

Wouldn’t it be better to simply take foods -or natural supplements – which contain Phytosterols to deal with menopause? Menopause can be prevented or mitigated by the progesterone produced from natural Phytosterols. Why go to drugs for relief? DHEA can be regulated by the progesterone produced by Phytosterols. Why, I say, do we run for drugs as our only choice?

Incidentally, Phytosterols can aid in other conditions besides relief of menopause and its symptoms:

1. Fat loss (Are you beginning to understand why dieting often doesn’t work?)
2. Breast Cancer involves low levels of DHEA. Phytosterols help the body handle that issue and in turn, aids in combating breast cancer. In fact, one study showed that of 5,186 women who developed breast cancer, all of them – 100%! – had a dramatic fall in their DHEA levels up to 9 years earlier (R.D. Bulbrook, J.L. Hayward, C.C. Speir, „Relations Between Urinary Androgen and Corticoid Eccretion and Subsequent Breast Cancer.“ Lancet. 2:395-398.) 1971.
3. PMS along with menopause (See my article on PMS and Phytosterols).
4. Depression
5. Diabetes (for help with diabetes see my articles „Diabetes: The $132 Billion
Dollar Pandemic“ and „Diabetes: „So Far, So Good…“)
5. Stress
6. Prostate
7. Obesity
8. Arthritis
9. Many other diseases and conditions.

Phytosterols is a natural food substance which translates into hormonal action in the body. It is safe and it is almost a „menopause prevention program“ by itself…

Women need it for menopause. Persons using phytosterols don’t have to worry about side effects as they would with progestins and synthetic DHEA.

However, as with any treatment, you should consult a health care professional, if you have concerns.

Perhaps a new „definition“ for menopause can begin to emerge. Yes, let’s try that.

Menopause (New Definition): Menopause is no longer the disruption of the marital bedroom. Rather, it is replaced by the almost inevitable glee experienced by husbands whereby they (sometimes quite „boyishly“) anticipate the constancy of your doting attentiveness lavished upon them as they stand before you „idle and noticed, so handsome and so heroic. “

Are you thrilled girls?

Finis

(I’m done.)

Mangosteen has been a big word in the herbal supplement arena for quite some time the reason for this is the xanthone flavonoids and other compounds found in Mangosteen The xanthone flavonoids and other compounds in Mangosteen fruit are responsible for its high level of antioxidant activity. In vitro tests have been conducted on XanoMaxtm Mangosteen 10% extract to determine the level of free radical scavenging ability in both watery and fatty environments. A major test recognized as the industry standard for measuring antioxidant activity is known as the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) assay.

The ORAC test is an in vitro assay that works by measuring the amount of free radical damage done to a fluorescent probe (measured by a change in probe intensity). Antioxidants lessen the damage to the probe fluorescence, which indicates a reduction in free radical damage. This measure is used to quantify the antioxidant’s (or combination of antioxidants) capacity to quench free radicals. This quantification is known as the total ORAC value.

The total ORAC value provides a relative measure of total antioxidant strength of any substance, allowing for comparison of different mixtures. A high ORAC value corresponds to a high total in vitro antioxidant capacity.

The development of the ORAC test has led to a number of commonly eaten foods being assessed in terms of total ORAC scores per serving. Similarly, particular combinations of antioxidants, such as those in nutritional formulas, can also be assessed for their total ORAC scores. This has led to the ability to determine the potential usefulness of a particular supplement in increasing overall antioxidant capacity.

When XanoMaxtm Mangosteen 10% extract was tested for ORAC value, the resulting antioxidant potential was over 3,500 ORAC units per gram of extract. This result is extremely high. ORAC values of compounds vary with their nutrient concentration, moisture content and other factors. For comparison purposes, whole blueberries, considered to be a rich source of antioxidants, had an ORAC value of 61 units per gram, while pomegranate tested at 105 ORAC units per gram.1 XanoMaxtm Mangosteen extract scoring at 3,500 ORAC units is a potentially rich source of beneficial antioxidants to the body. Free radicals are produced every day in the human body and an over abundance of free radicals can damage cells. If enough cells get damaged one can get cancer, organ damage and pre mature aging. Some say that free radicals speed up the aging process and taking supplements that have a high ORAC can help slow down the aging process and help us look younger and live longer.

There are many vitamins and herbs on the market today that help fight free radical damage in the body, Mangosteen just happens to have one of the highest ORAC value for your, give it a try and see how you feel.

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

This year, an estimated 1.3 million cancer patients will undergo chemotherapy and more than two-thirds of these patients will develop anemia, a low red blood cell count. Anemia is one of the most common side effects of chemotherapy and can negatively affect patients and impact their daily activities.

„Chemotherapy attacks fast- growing cancer cells, but it can also kill normal cells like red blood cells that transport oxygen from the lungs to the body’s muscles,“ said Dr. Ralph Boccia, director of clinical research, Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Bethesda, Md. „As a result, the body’s tissues are starved of oxygen, making a patient feel short of breath, very weak, faint and tired.“

More than half of chemotherapy patients report that fatigue, a common symptom of anemia, affects their daily lives more than any other side effect, including nausea, pain and depression. Further, anemia is often undertreated, despite the availability of treatments for more than a decade.

Typically, anemia treatment takes more than two hours per visit. Now, there is a treatment option that provides added conve-nience from current weekly dosing. Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved every-three-week starting dosing of 500 mcg of Aranesp® (darbepoetin alfa) for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced anemia in patients with certain types of cancer. This allows physicians to synchronize anemia treatment with most chemotherapy schedules, increasing convenience for patients and caregivers by reducing the number of clinic visits and injections for anemia treatment.

„Receiving anemia treatment every three weeks on the same schedule as my chemotherapy was convenient for me and my family,“ said Danielle Mannix, who suffered from anemia. „We had fewer visits to the doctor for anemia treatments, which gave me more time for my regular daily activities.“

Aranesp is contraindicated in patients with uncontrolled hypertension. Erythropoietic therapies may increase the risk of thrombotic events and other serious events.

You may not know what malic acid is, which is okay because many people don’t exactly know what it is anyway. It is an organic acid that helps the process of deriving ATP. That is the energy currency that runs the body from food. Basically malic acid helps in the production of energy.

Malic acid can also be called fruit acid, because it is found in apples and other fruits. But Malic acid is also found in some plants and animals including humans. I won’t get into too many details as it can be confusing, but the acid is a chiral molecule. Some people also refer to malic acid as apple acid, hydroxybutanedioic acid and hydroxysuccinic acid.

The acid if absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. This is then transported to the liver. Again I won’t go into details as it is pretty complex. Malic acid is derived both from food sources and synthesized in the body through the citric acid cycle. As I have stated before, the importance of Malic acid is for the production of energy in the body, which is really all you need to know. Other benefits from the supplement are helping respiratory problems and chronic fatigue.

Many people in the medical industry think that Malic acid can have benefits when you use it in connection with fibromylagia. The only problem is that the results for the studies have been mixed. They will probably need more time to have 100% proof of the benefits connected to fibromylagia. But that doesn’t have to stop you from taking Malic acid supplements.

We already know that Malic acid is a good way to boost your energy. If you find you are always tiered try out Malic acid supplements and see if they will help you. They can give you the boost you need to get threw the day.

It’s no wonder we are pretty confused when shopping for vitamins. We’ve been told, for example, that a good vitamin supplement would boost our energy level. In fact, we’re told this constantly: in magazine arti- cles, television media, the plethora of vitamin- promoting infomercials, web sites, and pop-up ads on the Internet.

So when you arrive at the vitamin shop, you’re already at a complete loss (and may have forgotten altogether) why you’re even there, and end up like many of us, just not taking any vitamins at all because it’s all so…so…confusing!

Vitamin World, Vitamin Gallery, The Vitamin Patch, Vitamins for Vegeterians — the vast array of shops, whether online or in your neighborhood, all beckon, promising renewed everything. If you have any health problem or complaint known to man, you’ll find a good vitamin supplement (or 12 to 15 of them) to straight- en out your suffering right away.

The good thing about vitamins (just one of many) is that they’re really largely „natural,“ with very few containing harmful or otherwise irritating, toxic chemicals.

To put it plainly, vitamins are good for us because they are derived largely from natural plants and min- erals. That’s the basic fact. And the benfits are many; it’s difficult to take the „wrong“ vitamin, and it certainly can’t hurt you, so why not give it a swing? But remember: Take everything in moderation.

Beta-carotene, for example, is thought to protect against cancer and heart disease. It can dramatically boost the immune system and is a powerful antioxidant, which controls those „free radicals“ we’ve all heard about and prevents them from causing damage to cells that lead to premature disease and aging.

Biotin metabolizes protein, fats, and carbohydrates. It also helps in energy production, and there is some proof that it can help people with diabetes by keeping glucose levels reduced. Other benefits include healthy hair, skin and nails, and reducing fatigue, heartburn and some allergies.

Folic acid is famous among women who are trying to conceive and those already pregnant. Other benefits include keeping your heart strong, increasing energy and helping ward off Alzheimer’s disease.

Vitamins and minerals are now seroiusly recognized in playing a role in the health and vitality of every organ in the body, from skin and bones to the nervous and immune systems, right up to the brain. Vitamins can lower cholesterol levels, help wounds heal more, raise your sperm count and make you more resistant to colds and flu, asthma, cataracts, and even gum dis-ease.

Again, you really can’t go wrong with vitamins. Look beyond the fancy marketing and packaging. The key is to focus on your particular ailment and go straight to the natural remedy. Don’t let all the hype distract or confuse you; all you really need to do is keep it plain and simple.

For competitive body builders to build bigger muscles faster is a constant temptation but for the average non competitive body builder there is another natural option – natural body building. True it is a much slower process but the long term gains far outweigh the adverse affects that even legal steroids may have on your body over an extended period of time.

Steroids are usually used for a short duration of say 6-8 weeks with a substantial period of time elapsing before starting on the next course of steroids. It is not recommended that anyone take steroids on a continuous basis. This on and off program tends to produce short term spikes in muscle mass and muscle strength.

The advantage of natural body building is a slower but steadier increase in muscle mass rather than the peaks and lows of those on steroids. I am sure many of you have seen or heard of the affects on a body builder who stops using steroids – Rapid loss of muscle bulk and strength. The affects of steroids are fairly short lived and can result in some dramatic changes to both physique and health of a body builder.

Natural body building results in a steadier and more constant performance rather than the often times spectacular ups and downs of steroid induced muscle bulk and strength performance. When you achieve top results as a natural body builder you will be able to maintain your muscle bulk and strength for as long as you continue intense training without adverse affects on your general health.

You will not experience any dramatic muscle wasting that is many times seen in body builders when they stop using steroids. Loss of muscle bulk and strength are two of the most dreaded words for body builders. Natural body building will help most to avoid these pitfalls.

So why do people use steroids? Most of us are impatient creatures and want instant results so the steroid alternative is very attractive. Probably one of the most important factors that affect a person’s decision to use steroids or go the natural way is what is their reason for body building – is it just to look and feel better or are they in it for the competition.

So it is your call – you decide whether using legal steroids will benefit you and your objectives.

Or play it safe and go for the healthier, steadier natural body building program that will have longer term benefits for a healthier lifestyle – Its your choice.

Tribulus terrestris is a herb that comes from a plant found in Asia. It has been used in the past by many cultures for the treatment of liver, kidney and cardiovascular diseases. It has also been used as a diuretic and to treat infertility. In recent years strength athletes in eastern Europe are reputed to have used it to enhance performance.

It is believed to enhance testosterone levels by encouraging the production of lutenizing hormone. Studies have shown that when lutenizing hormone levels are increased, the natural production of testosterone also increases.

It is difficult to assess the validity of tribulus as a muscle growth enhancer because none of the studies carried out have appeared in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Its proponents do suggest that it can prove useful when stacked with 100 mg of DHEA and 100 mg of androstenedione but this takes us into the equally uncertain territory of prohormones which we have covered in a separate article.

If you do wish to experiment with tribulus you can take 750-1250 mg per day divided between meals. Some people experience stomach upsets but this can be minimized by taking it with food. There’s no guarantee that tribulus terrestris will help you grow bigger muscles but many users report a much improved sex drive!