Health and Nutritional Supplement

You may already have heard of resveratrol, the powerful antioxidant and anti-aging compound found in wine, fruits like pomegranate, some nuts and cocoa and how it promises remarkable health benefits.

Typically associated with grapes and red wine, some health experts believe resveratrol may be the solution to the puzzling ‘French Paradox’ - the observation that the French enjoy excellent heart health even though they eat rich, fattening food, smoke a lot and love to drink red wine.

Indeed, studies have shown that resveratrol protects the body from damaging molecules that trigger harmful inflammation.

Normally, inflammation is the body’s natural response to invading bacteria and viruses. However, an improper diet and environmental toxins can lead to a harmful condition known as chronic inflammation, which in turn leads to chronic diseases including heart disease.

Unlike most antioxidants, reservatrol can cross the blood-brain barrier to protect the brain and nervous system - helping the body fight off free radical damage, high BP, heart and blood vessel damage, Alzheimer’s disease onset and much more.

Interestingly, low doses of resveratrol were seen to mimic the effects of a restricted calorie diet (defined as 20-30 percent fewer calories than normal) in mice. Restricted calorie diets have previously been shown to increase longevity in laboratory conditions.

Red grapes produce resveratrol as a defense against fungi.  Grapes with extra thick skins and numerous seeds make the most, which is why red wine has a lot of resveratrol…and why enjoying a glass or two is actually good for your health. Just remember that red wine is only beneficial for your health when consumed in moderation.

If you’re not a big red wine drinker, resveratrol is also found in cocoa, dark chocolate, green teas and peanuts.

Resveratrol is also available in supplement form. However, it’s important to remember that not all nutritional supplements are created equally, so you need to be careful when choosing one.

Finally, taking supplements should never be a substitute for a healthy diet and lifestyle. But when it comes to protecting your health, resveratrol is clearly an important nutritional anti-aging asset you can’t afford to do without.

Sources:

A nutritional supplement that contains live bacteria - known as a probiotic - may help burn off some of that stubborn visceral belly fat, according to a new study published in the Journal of Functional Foods.

This study was funded by Micropharma, which makes probiotic supplements.

The results indicate that this probiotic could be an effective weight loss tool. Normally we digest most of the food and absorb most of the calories we consume. Because this probiotic supplement interfered with intestinal fat absorption, fewer calories become available to pack on the belly fat.

However, it’s worth noting that this study only looked at a small number of people who were only slightly overweight to begin with. The slimming effect was also modest.

In other words, people aren't going to be able to just eat probiotics to reduce weight and there’s no reason to believe that probiotics will eliminate the need to maintain proper lifestyle habits, such as a healthy diet and exercise.

The term probiotic means ‘for life’.

Probiotics are beneficial forms of gut bacteria - found mainly in cheese, yogurt, fermented and unfermented milks, and kefir - that form the basis for microbial populations in the small and large intestines of animals, including us humans, conferring health benefits. Other probiotic containing foods include juices, cereal, smoothies and nutrition bars.

According to health experts, probiotics help with proper digestion of micronutrients, vitamins and minerals, boost the immune system, relieve depression and even fight sinus infections.

Some evidence is emerging that probiotic bacteria may help burn fat and could play a role in the treatment and prevention of overweight and obesity.

In this study, 28 overweight volunteers were given a daily serving of yogurt. Half of them were given yogurt spiked with either the bacteria L. fermentum or L. amylovorus. After a month and a half, those who ate the L. fermentum probiotic supplements had lost 3 percent of their body fat, while those who ate L. amylovorus had lost 4 percent of their body fat relative to the study's start. Most of that loss was visceral belly fat.

Visceral belly fat - stored deep inside the body behind the abdominal muscles and surrounding the organs - is biologically active and releases hormones and chemicals called adipokines, which in turn cause more fat gain and muscle loss.

Men typically tend to have more visceral belly fat than women, placing them at a much higher risk for insulin resistance, type II diabetes and heart disease.

The liver secretes soapy chemicals called bile salts, which mix with fat in the intestines and help digest it. This particular probiotic supplement destroys bile salts, which is how it interferes with fat absorption - and unlike other weight-loss drugs that prevent intestinal fat absorption, they didn't cause unpleasant digestive side effects.

The researchers didn't follow the subjects for long, so we don’t know if they kept the pounds off.

Also, it’s worth remembering that not all probiotics burn fat. Each probiotic works in a different way, for totally different results. This particular probiotic supplement reduced belly fat, but other probiotics may do other things.

Sources:

Probiotic supplement prevents fat absorption.

America is one of the most overweight, yet undernourished countries in the world. We take in far too many calories, but not enough nutrients.

In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), less than one-third of Americans eat two or more fruits per day and a mere 27 percent eat vegetables three or more times a day. That is grossly insufficient to meet our vitamin and mineral needs.

Add into this equation that more and more research is showing that the USDA food pyramid and recommended daily allowances of various vitamins and minerals is woefully inadequate, and it’s no wonder we are getting sicker and fatter by the day.

Of course, many people don’t feel they need to take a multivitamin because they eat organically grown fruits and vegetables, watch sugar and salt intake, avoid trans-fats and hydrogenated oils, and choose free-range meats and poultry. And, in an ideal world, this type of diet would meet all of your nutritional needs.

Unfortunately, the harsh light of reality tells us that this is not so. Even whole foods, like fruits, vegetables, and grains, are often grown in nutrient-depleted soils, and don't have enough of the vitamins and minerals your body needs.

Given this, it is not only practical but critical that people use multivitamins to fill in the nutritional gaps left by a poor diet, high stress, malabsorption issues and other deficiency-related concerns.

In today’s day and age, a multivitamin is not merely a supplement…it’s a necessity. By choosing your multivitamin with care and aiming for optimal levels of key nutrients, you can begin to create a habit that will support you for the rest of your life!

It’s probably the most common question parents ask their doctors. How much milk should I give my children every day?

Professional recommendations regarding optimal milk intake can sometimes be confusing and vague - which is why parents should be glad that a team of pediatricians from St. Michael's Hospital and The Hospital for Sick Children asked themselves this question.

This team studied how cow's milk affected body stores of iron and vitamin D, two of the most important nutrients in milk, in more than 1,300 children aged two to five years. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to bone health issues, while iron deficiency has been linked to anemia and delays in cognitive development in children.

These children were participants in a unique program whose aim is to understand and prevent common nutritional problems during the early years of childhood, while also lessening their impact on health and disease later on in life.

Healthy children were recruited during regular doctor's visits. Their parents were asked to fill out an extensive questionnaire about their children's milk drinking habits and other factors that could affect iron and vitamin D stores. Finally, blood samples were taken to measure every participating child’s body stores of iron and vitamin D.

These researchers found that children who drank more cow's milk had higher vitamin D stores but lower iron stores than their peers. Two cups of cow's milk every day was enough to maintain healthy vitamin D levels and iron stores for most children. However, when they drank more cow's milk, their iron stores actually reduced, without giving them any greater benefit from vitamin D.

This study also showed that children with darker skin don’t have enough vitamin D stores in their bodies during winter months. Therefore, they might need wintertime vitamin D supplementation to increase their vitamin D stores while preserving iron stores.

If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to take better care of your children - why not start right away, with two daily cups of organic pasteurized cow’s milk? 

Sources:

Two cups of milk daily is ideal for children’s health.

  Here are seven things every man needs to know about prostate health:

1. According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the most common malignancy among American men and it is the second leading cause of deaths from cancer.  Recent ACS statistics estimate 192,280 cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed this year and 27,360 men will die from the disease. Most cancers are diagnosed in men over the age of 65 but it is becoming more common in men between the ages of 55 and 65.
2. Family history plays a role in prostate cancer. Men who have a father or brother with prostate cancer have a higher risk of developing the disease.
3. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate) is a condition that generally affects men between the ages of 40 and 60. Millions of men in this country suffer from this problem. Because an enlarged prostate affects the urethra and disrupts the flow of urine, men with this condition may experience symptoms such as an urgent need to urinate or they may have difficulty passing urine or experience pain when urinating.
4. A healthy diet can play a key role in the prevention and treatment of prostate problems. Because high dietary fat is directly associated with an increase of prostate cancer and benign prostate disease, proper nutrition is extremely important. The diet should include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables as well as whole grains. Oily fish such as salmon and mackerel contain essential fatty acids that enhance prostate health. Soy beans and legumes contain plant-based chemicals called phytoestrogens that are also beneficial.
5. Regular exercise is vital for prostate health (and overall good health). Studies have shown that men who participate in moderate exercise, such as walking, for 30 minutes a day have a 25 percent lower risk of developing benign prostate disease, prostate cancer and other prostate problems.
6. Nutritional supplements can help reduce your risk of developing prostate problems. ProstaEz, which is available through the Institute for Vibrant Living, contains potent natural ingredients such as saw palmetto and stinging nettle that can help reduce the size of the prostate and treat the symptoms of benign prostate disease.  
7. Knowledge is power. Although there are some risk factors such as age and family history that you cannot control, there are many lifestyle changes you can make to minimize your risk of developing prostate problems. A proper diet, nutritional supplements and regular exercise are powerful weapons in the fight against prostate cancer and benign prostate disease.     

Whether you call it lime, asparagus, Kelly, jade, forest, or emerald—green is green. And whether you talking about algae, spirulina, chlorella, or cilantro—green foods are a definite go!

Green foods are packed with so many nutrients, it’s no wonder they are called the super foods of the nutrition world. They are exceptionally rich sources of chlorophyll and vital minerals, and have been found to alleviate depression and fatigue, support your immune system, eliminate toxins, promote a healthy gut and bowel, inhibit Candida, aid in weight loss, and even banish bad breath.

But in this field of verdant health, two green foods stand out—spirulina and chlorella.

Spirulina is a true powerhouse. This algae is made up of 55–70 percent pure protein, 95 percent of which is digestible, making it ideal for people with gastrointestinal disorders. Spirulina is packed with more than 30 different vitamins and minerals and 18 amino acids, providing three times more vitamin E than raw wheat germ, 35 times more beta-carotene than carrots, and is higher in the rare essential fatty acid gamma linolenic acid (GLA) than evening primrose oil. 

Like spirulina, chlorella is a fresh-water algae, containing more chlorophyll than any known plant on the planet. It is also high in protein, low in fat and carbohydrates, and packed with vitamin, minerals, fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and amino acids, as well as the nucleic acids DNA and RNA.

Research shows that spirulina can help to boost your immune system and even ease allergic reactions, while chlorella provide gentle support constipation woes, as well as helping to promote natural detoxification.

The best and easiest way for you to reap all of the benefits is to make green foods a part of your morning routine. Simply add 1–2 tablespoons of a powdered green foods, containing both spirulina and chlorella, to 8 ounces of either juice or water every day.

Curcumin is the deliciously warm, earthy spice that gives Indian curry its distinct flavor. It is also the ingredient that gives curry and mustard their bright, yellow color. It also has incredible healing powers, according to one Dr. Chawnshang Chang, Ph.D., director of the George Whipple Laboratory for Cancer Research at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

Dr. Chang is one of many researchers around the world investigating the potential health benefits of compounds related to curcumin. Two dozen patents, dating, back to 2004, have been issued to the University for Chang’s work with these compounds. Patents related to curcumin have also been issued in China, Europe, New Zealand, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Australia, as well as the United States.

This latest patent focuses on the potential for curcumin compounds to fight prostate, bladder, liver and other forms of cancer related to male hormones, as well as other androgen-related conditions like acne, baldness, enlarged prostate, and excessive growth of body hair. Those conditions and others involve the androgen receptor, which is best known as the molecule through which the hormone testosterone acts in both men and women.

So how do curcumin compounds help these conditions? Chang recalls as a child growing up in China that ginger, a family of spices that includes curcumin was widely used as a folk remedy for male-pattern baldness. He later became an expert on the androgen receptor. Today he and other scientists have shown that compounds related to curcumin exert powerful healing effects through this receptor.

Chang is developing curcumin related-molecules known as “androgen receptor degradation enhancers” that would degrade the androgen receptor. He hopes to develop compounds that treat conditions like prostate cancer and acne more effectively, with fewer side effects, than current therapies.

DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands that acts a precursor to the hormones estradiol (a type of estrogen) and testosterone. It is also widely available as a nutritional supplement. While past research findings have suggested an association between increased DHEA levels and a reduction in heart disease, the majority of the studies involving DHEA have been small and/or inconclusive. However, Åsa Tivesten, MD, PhD of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden and colleagues set out to substantiate the results of these smaller, less robust studies, and the results were recently presented at The Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting held in Houston on June 23, 2012.

Dr. Tivesten and his colleagues analyzed data from 2,416 men between the ages of 69 and 81 years enrolled in the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Sweden study, which was designed to evaluate risk factors for several diseases. Blood samples obtained upon enrollment were analyzed for DHEA and DHEA sulfate (DHEA-S)--the sulfate ester of DHEA which is the form of the hormone that occurs predominantly in the blood.

The results were significant. The researchers found that having a higher serum DHEA was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular events, as was having a higher level of DHEA-S. Men whose DHEA-S was among the lowest one-fourth participants had a 25 percent higher risk of cardiac events compared to the rest of the subjects, and those whose levels of both DHEA and DHEA-S were among the lowest fourth had a 34 percent higher risk of any major cardiovascular event, and a 41 percent higher risk of a cerebrovascular event compared to the remainder of the group.

While these results are compelling, Dr. Tivesten cautions that this study only shows an association between reduced DHEA levels and increased risk of cardiac event, and that we cannot yet assume a cause-effect relationship. The results of this study might actually mean that DHEA is protective, but it could also mean that low DHEA levels are an indication of poor health. Dr. Tivesten believes that more research needs to be done to solidify the assertion that DHEA helps protect against cardiovascular events.

Red wine is a rich source of an antioxidant called resveratrol. Over the past decade, there has been a great deal of research into the benefits of this compound, and results have consistently suggested that resveratrol is beneficial against numerous degenerative conditions. Most recently, a genetics professor at Harvard Medical School, David Sinclair sought to better understand resveratrol’s therapeutic mechanism.

Over the past several years, Sinclair, along with his colleague Leonard Guarente at Massachusetts Institute of Technology have published numerous papers demonstrating how resveratrol improves energy production and overall health in cells by activating a class of genes called sirtuins that are essential to mitochondrial function. The cell’s power supplier, mitochondria are essential not just for longevity but for overall health.

In his most recent study*, which was recently published in the journal Cell Metabolism,  Sinclair sought to prove resveratrol’s action in a mouse model (mice are the most biologically similar to humans in the laboratory setting). In the past, he was able to demonstrate that in yeast, worms and flies, when the sirtuin gene is completely eliminated, cells do not respond to resveratrol. But mice, unfortunately, die at birth without sirtuin gene. To overcome this obstacle, Sinclair and his colleagues spent several years engineering mice who would survive without the sirtuin gene.

The results were quite clear! When mice were given low doses of resveratrol after the sirtuin gene (SIRT1) was disabled, the researchers found no discernible improvement in mitochondrial function. In contrast, the mice with normal SIRT1 function given resveratrol showed dramatic increases in energy.

While some scientists are skeptical about the resveratrol/sirtuin/mitochondria (and therefore health and longevity) connection, Sinclair believes that this study demonstrates the connection as clearly as is possible.

Resveratrol is abundant in red wine and in fruits such as grapes and açai. It is also available in health food stores as a nutritional supplement.

*http://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/abstract/S1550-4131(12)00143-X

Natural Vitamin Supplement Vitamin D has been in the news a lot over the past year. From supporting healthy blood sugar levels to keeping you healthy during cold and flu season, it seems to be at the top of the list of nutrients everyone should be maximizing in their diets and taking as a supplement.

Results of a recent study*, published on May 24, 2012 in the journal Stroke, indicate that NOT taking vitamin D might increase your chances of having a stroke. For the study, which took place over the course of 34 years, over 7000 Japanese-American men between the ages 45 to 68 years old were initially examined in the late 1960’s and followed for the subsequent 34 years.

Researchers calculated risk while adjusting for age, total calorie intake, body-mass index, hypertension, diabetes, cigarette smoking, physical activity, cholesterol levels and alcohol intake. Men who consumed the least dietary vitamin D had a 22 percent higher risk of stroke and a 27 percent increase risk of ischemic (blood-clot related) stroke compared to those consuming the highest levels of vitamin D. There was no difference for hemorrhagic stroke.

Gotaro Kojima, M.D., lead author of the study and geriatric medicine fellow at the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu is not certain whether these results would be the same with women or with different ethnicities.

This study is unique in that it focused on dietary intake rather than vitamin D content in the blood. Dr. Kojima believes this study affirms the idea that older people should try to get as much dietary vitamin D as possible. Food sources of vitamin D include fortified milk and breakfast cereals, egg yolks and fatty fish. However, the greatest natural source of vitamin D is sunlight. Vitamin D is also available as a nutritional supplement.

*http://stroke.ahajournals.org/content/early/2012/05/24/STROKEAHA.112.651752.abstract?sid=21a6b05e-2e2e-420c-aacc-b30850ad39c4

What is Wheatgrass?

Wheatgrass is a food grown from the seed leaves of the common wheat plant. It is a bright-green grass that can be grown indoors and harvested within 8-10 days of planting.

Wheatgrass comes in many forms. It can be found in most health food stores as a juice, concentrated juice powder or tablet. It is a common ingredient in many top-of-the-line nutritional drink powders and nutritional supplement pills. You can even grow your own easily and inexpensively.

Wheatgrass is one of the most nutritionally complete foods known to humanity. Its most amazing ingredient is probably chlorophyll. Chlorophyll, the plants green pigment that is often referred to as the "blood of plant," has been shown in studies* to have a cleansing, detoxifying and healing effect on the body.

What Does Wheatgrass do for Your Health?

The short answer? Too many things to list! But here are just a few of the reasons wheatgrass is called a “superfood”:

• It has an abundance of alkaline minerals, which are believed to help reduce over-acidity in the blood.
   
• For such a seemingly uncomplicated plant, it contains a superlative array of important minerals, including calcium, iron, sodium, potassium, magnesium and a variety of trace minerals such as selenium and zinc. Wheatgrass juice contains about half as much iron as spinach as much potassium as citrus fruits, and as much magnesium as broccoli.
•  
• While many sports drinks contain synthetic amino acids, these same amino acids occur in natural, bio-available form in wheatgrass. Wheatgrass naturally contains the essential (those that the body can only synthesize from food protein) amino acids lysine, leucine, tryptophane, phenylalanine, threonine, valine and isoleucine as well as some of the other amino acids arginine, glutamic acid, histidine, serine and tyrosine.
•  
• Research* has shown that the chlorophyll in wheatgrass provides some protection from carcinogens, particularly in the case of colon cancer. This protection is said to come from chlorophyll's ability to strengthen cells, detoxify the liver and bloodstream and chemically neutralize pollutants.

Source:
*http://jn.nutrition.org/content/135/8/1995.full

If you’re taking probiotics to improve your digestive health, current research suggests you’re not just helping your gut—you’re doing your entire body a favor! And if you’re not taking probiotics, you might want to consider starting. Read on to find out why!

What are probiotics?

Probiotics are live microorganisms such as bacteria or yeast in a person's digestive tract. These microorganisms are “friendly” (beneficial to the host). Among many benefits, they help degrade toxic and allergenic substances in the intestine and colon. Probiotics occur naturally in certain foods like yogurt and cottage cheese. They are also available as nutritional supplements which can be purchased in health food stores. 

How do probiotics help my whole body?

These tiny organisms can do some pretty amazing things! To name just a few:

They help you absorb nutrients. The friendly bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus helps with the absorption of the B vitamins and vitamin K, along with fatty acids and minerals such as calcium.

They improve immune function. Beneficial bacteria have a critical and powerful effect on your gut’s immune system and your systemic immune system. They also aid in the production of antibodies to pathogens.

A study* published in the journal Pediatrics in 2009 looked at the potential benefits of probiotics in children during cold and flu season. According to the authors, “Daily dietary probiotic supplementation for 6 months was a safe effective way to reduce fever, rhinorrhea, and cough incidence and duration and antibiotic prescription incidence, as well as the number of missed school days attributable to illness, for children 3 to 5 years of age.”

They have a systemic, anti-inflammatory effect. While mechanism behind this benefit is not fully understood, recent studies strongly suggest that the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus works against inflammation. One such study** looked at biological markers for inflammation in patients taking the probiotics and those take a placebo. The researchers concluded “…probiotic bacteria have strain-specific anti-inflammatory effects in healthy adults.”

Another study*** from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, looked at the effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus in infants with eczema, an inflammatory skin condition. The researchers concluded that infants receiving this probiotic had a significantly reduced risk of eczema symptoms.

Sources:

*http://www.umm.edu/pediatrics/residents/journal-club/probioticscolds.pdf

**http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?orig_db=PubMed&db=pubmed&cmd=Search&term=%22World%20journal%20of%20gastroenterology%20%3A%20WJG%22%5BJour%5D%20AND%202029%5Bpage%5D%20AND%202008%5Bpdat%5D

***http://www.umm.edu/pediatrics/residents/journal-club/Wickens%20Lactobacillus%20rhamnosus%20JACI%202008.pdf

Dealing with dental cavities is no fun. In addition to hours of time spent in the dental chair, treatment and filling of cavities can be costly, putting a huge dent in the family budget.

The Natural Society recommends these steps you can take that will go a long way toward preventing cavities. Of course, it goes without saying that a daily regimen of brushing and flossing is your first line of defense.

• Consume foods rich in alkaline. Alkaline is responsible for making the bones strong and healthy. Thus, alkalizing your body with foods can help prevent the formation of cavities. Foods that are rich in alkaline include fruits and vegetables. (a nutritional supplement containing Vitamin D and calcium can help support bone health, too.)
• Balance acidity levels. Being too acidic can result in an unbalanced pH level in the body, which will lead the body to lose calcium. Calcium is essential to helping keep the bones healthy. Avoid eating too much acidic or sugary foods, as they set the acidity of the body off-balance.
• Eat raw vegetables. Cooking vegetables makes them lose their cell-building nutrients, which will result in getting lower levels of essential nutrients. Eat your vegetables raw once in a while to maximize the nutrients you can receive.
• Use tea tree oil. Incorporating tea tree oil into the oral products you use on your teeth is very beneficial. Tea tree can actually protect the teeth from bacteria growth, so cavities would not build up.
• Drink more water. Water is needed to produce saliva. Saliva is very important because it protects oral health. It contains important mucus and enzymes which help cover the teeth. Without saliva, the body cannot easily break down the food, and also will not be able to help balance out the acidity levels of the mouth.
• Get a few minutes of sun exposure daily. The link between adequate Vitamin D levels and increased cavity prevention is long established, with documentation as far back as the Civil War demonstrating the positive effect of natural sunlight exposure on dental health. Another interesting fact is that Vitamin D also attacks oral bacteria, due to the production of a polypeptide known as cathelicidin, which is made in addition to vitamin D by your body in response to direct sunlight.

Have a dental health tip to share with us?

While heart disease remains at the top of the list of dangers associated with aging for women, scientists are slowly but consistently discovering new ways of preventing it.  A recent article published in the European Journal of Nutrition suggest that taurine, an amino acid found in relatively high amounts in meat, fish, eggs and other foods, may be protective against heart disease in women with elevated cholesterol levels. Taurine possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Although studies have uncovered a heart benefit for the amino acid in animals, this is the first study of taurine and coronary heart disease risk in humans.

For the study*, New York University School of Medicine associate professor of epidemiology Yu Chen, PhD, MPH and her colleagues analyzed data from subjects in the NYU Women's Health Study, which included over 14,000 women between the ages of 34 to 65 from 1985 to 1991. Dr. Chen's team calculated average taurine levels measured in two pre-diagnostic serum samples from 223 participants who developed coronary heart disease and 223 women who had no history of the disease over the study's twenty year follow up period.

Although no significant relationship between taurine and coronary heart disease was found for the entire study population, when women with high cholesterol (total cholesterol greater than 250 milligrams per deciliter) were analyzed, an interesting correlation came to light. Women with high cholesterol whose intake of taurine was among the top one-third of subjects had a 61 percent lower risk of heart disease compared to those in the lowest third. According to the authors, the data also suggest a protective effect for taurine against the risk of high blood pressure and diabetes.

"Our findings were very interesting," commented Dr Chen. "Taurine, at least in its natural form, does seem to have a significant protective effect in women with high cholesterol."

If you’re interested in getting more taurine in your diet, consult your health care professional about increasing your intake of healthy foods like fish and lean meats.

What supplements do you take to help keep your heart healthy?

*http://www.springerlink.com/content/211253v4q282jq00/

Do you have high blood pressure?

A healthy blood pressure reading is considered to be less than 120/80 systolic/diastolic. Readings of 120 to 139/80 to 89 is pre-hypertension. Stage 1 hypertension is defined as a blood pressure reading of 140 to 159/90 to 99. 160/100 or greater is Stage 2 hypertension and a reading of 180/110 or greater requires immediate medical intervention.

Supplements That Can Help

If you know you have hypertension or prehypertension, you’re probably anxious to learn what you can do help control your blood pressure naturally. You probably know about the roles diet and exercise play in reducing blood pressure, but here are some nutritional supplements that have been shown to work against hypertension:

Acetyl L-Carnitine. Acetyl L-Carnitine benefits your cardiovascular system several ways. First, it may clear fatty acids out of your blood. Second, it may help raise good HDL cholesterol and help keep your coronary arteries clear while it helps lower blood pressure. Third, it may help prevent heart disease by enhancing the overall health of the heart and by helping to avoid cardiac arrhythmias, the cause of one-third of all heart attack deaths.

Nattokinase. The properties of Natto (better known in its nutraceutical form as nattokinase) closely resemble plasmin which is your body's own blood-enhancing enzyme. Consequently, Natto helps decrease blood thickness, increase oxygen flow throughout the body, and attack excess fibrin, the protein that sticks to blood vessel walls and impedes blood flow. In one study, the use of Natto seems to have caused an 11% decrease in blood pressure after just two weeks.

Garlic. Whether you prefer it in a capsule or on a slice of bread with softened brie cheese, garlic is great for your heart. In a 2010 study*** conducted at The University of Adelaide, Australia, researchers found that aged garlic was as effective as first-line prescription drugs in lowering systolic blood pressure. The researchers concluded that “aged garlic extract is superior to placebo in lowering systolic blood pressure similarly to current first line medications in patients with treated but uncontrolled hypertension.”

Talk to your health care professional about these and other supplements that can help lower your blood pressure.

What supplements do you use to you mange your high blood pressure?

*http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17331318

**http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17287847

***http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20594781

Today’s hectic lifestyles leave little time for making healthy food choices and pollutants in the air and water are perpetually pouring toxins into the environment that have to be processed by our bodies. Years of poor nutrition and environmental toxicity eventually take a toll and we can easily wind up with a compromised immune system that zaps our energy and leaves us vulnerable to a host of serious health maladies. 

What many people don’t realize is that a proper PH balance in the body can restore youthful energy and boost our body’s ability to stay healthy and strong.  The correct PH balance is achieved when we have the proper ratio of alkaline and acidic foods in our diets.  Alkaline foods include asparagus, artichokes, lettuce, peas, spinach, green beans and broccoli. Acidic foods include meats, dairy products, white bread, white pasta, chocolate, coffee and carbonated drinks. Nutritional experts recommend that at least 75 percent of our diets should consist of alkaline foods. Unfortunately most of us are not getting enough alkaline foods in our diet to stay healthy and energized. 

In recent years, green superfoods have emerged as a viable way to keep our bodies in balance. Green superfoods are nutrient rich and are derived from green plants, algae and cereal grasses.  These foods are rich in chlorophyll and they feature potent concentrations of digestible vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids and other beneficial substances.

There are several green superfood supplements on the market that make it easy to get a daily dose of these life-boosting nutrients.  One of the best is “All Day Energy Greens”. This easy-to-use powdered supplement dissolves quickly and easily into your favorite beverage and one glass contains a whole day’s worth of the nutrients your body needs to stay alkalized and balanced.  This supplement costs just pennies a day and could literally save you thousands of dollars in the medical bills that mount up when diseases invade the body due to a weakened immune system. 

More than 100,000 people have used this remarkable supplement and those who share their experiences report increased energy levels, decreased joint and muscle pain, improved regularity, radiant skin, superior mental clarity and reductions in blood sugar and cholesterol levels. 

If you are one of the millions of people who are settling for a lackluster life caused by improper balance you should talk to your holistic health practitioner about adding “All Day Energy Greens” to your daily regimen. Join the thousands of people who have traded fatigue and illness for vim and vigor and feel the positive difference it makes in your life.

How do you increase your energy throughout the day?

Today’s hectic lifestyles leave little time for making healthy food choices and pollutants in the air and water are perpetually pouring toxins into the environment that have to be processed by our bodies. Years of poor nutrition and environmental toxicity eventually take a toll and we can easily wind up with a compromised immune system that zaps our energy and leaves us vulnerable to a host of serious health maladies. 

What many people don’t realize is that a proper PH balance in the body can restore youthful energy and boost our body’s ability to stay healthy and strong.  The correct PH balance is achieved when we have the proper ratio of alkaline and acidic foods in our diets.  Alkaline foods include asparagus, artichokes, lettuce, peas, spinach, green beans and broccoli. Acidic foods include meats, dairy products, white bread, white pasta, chocolate, coffee and carbonated drinks. Nutritional experts recommend that at least 75 percent of our diets should consist of alkaline foods. Unfortunately most of us are not getting enough alkaline foods in our diet to stay healthy and energized. 

In recent years, green superfoods have emerged as a viable way to keep our bodies in balance. Green superfoods are nutrient rich and are derived from green plants, algae and cereal grasses.  These foods are rich in chlorophyll and they feature potent concentrations of digestible vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids and other beneficial substances.

There are several green superfood supplements on the market that make it easy to get a daily dose of these life-boosting nutrients.  One of the best is “All Day Energy Greens”. This easy-to-use powdered supplement dissolves quickly and easily into your favorite beverage and one glass contains a whole day’s worth of the nutrients your body needs to stay alkalized and balanced.  This supplement costs just pennies a day and could literally save you thousands of dollars in the medical bills that mount up when diseases invade the body due to a weakened immune system. 

More than 100,000 people have used this remarkable supplement and those who share their experiences report increased energy levels, decreased joint and muscle pain, improved regularity, radiant skin, superior mental clarity and reductions in blood sugar and cholesterol levels. 

If you are one of the millions of people who are settling for a lackluster life caused by improper balance you should talk to your holistic health practitioner about adding “All Day Energy Greens” to your daily regimen. Join the thousands of people who have traded fatigue and illness for vim and vigor and feel the positive difference it makes in your life.

If you’ve ever enjoyed Thai or Indian food, you have (probably unknowingly) consumed one of the most powerful natural cancer-fighting substances known to science. This miracle ingredient? Turmeric.

Turmeric is a spice made from grinding the roots of the Curcuma longa plant which grows wild in the forests of South and Southeast Asia. It is one of the key ingredients for many Indian, Persian and Thai dishes. Ancient Indian medicine (Ayurveda) has long recommended its use in food for its medicinal value.

Commonly used as medicine in many Eastern countries, turmeric has been found to suppress cancer growth, reduce brain tumors, support overall immune system health, and even alleviate symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. While the benefits of turmeric are just coming to light within the Western mainstream and alternative media, it has been known for quite some time that this inexpensive spice holds powerful health benefits.

Curcumin (not to be confused with cumin, the dried seed of the herb Cuminum cyminum, a member of the parsley family) is a natural phenol and derivative of turmeric, and may be responsible for many of these effects -- particularly the anti-cancer benefits.

In the July edition of the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, scientists noted that curcumin dramatically decreased the size of brain tumors by 81 percent in 9 out of 11 studies without apparent side effects.

Additional studies have found that turmeric and curcumin inhibit the spread of cancer by actually blocking a key enzyme responsible for its growth. Given chewable curcumin supplements containing 1,000 milligrams of curcumin each, 21 study participants with head and neck cancer experienced a halt in cancer spread after intake. Conducted by the UCLA, the results were examined by an independent lab in Maryland which confirmed that curcumin supplements ultimately stopped the spread of malignant cancer cells.

Curcumin gives turmeric its unique yellow color, and each 100 grams of turmeric contains 3 to 5 grams of the compound. In medieval Europe, turmeric was known as Indian saffron, since it was widely used as an alternative to the far more expensive saffron spice.

Some culinary facts and tips about turmeric:

• It is one of the principle ingredients of curry powder.
• It can be used as a substitute for saffron.
• It is used to flavor and color butter, cheese, margarine, pickles, mustard, liquor, fruit drinks, cakes, table jellies, fruit dishes and other foodstuffs.
• Use it to add Eastern mystery to new favorites as well as in traditional curries, rice and chicken dishes, and condiments.
• It is a classic addition to chutneys, pickles, and relishes.
• Blend it with melted butter and drizzle it over cooked vegetables, pasta, or potatoes.
• It adds a warm, mild aroma and distinctive yellow colour to foods.

Some health experts believe that turmeric will soon reach the popularity level of vitamin D, which is only now becoming universally recognized for its wide-ranging health benefits.

Turmeric and curcumin are both extremely inexpensive methods of boosting health, and are readily available worldwide. They can be purchased in the form of spices or as health supplements.

Have you cooked with Turmeric? What is your favorite recipe that uses Turmeric?

There are not nearly as many liquid nutritional supplement products on the market as there are those in the pill form, but their popularity is growing. What are some of the reasons for this?

They’re easier for people to swallow. While liquid vitamins might not taste as good, they are easier to swallow than pills or chewables. In fact, young children are particularly vulnerable to choking on chewable vitamins.  Older adults and those who have certain disorders that effect swallowing are also vulnerable to choking. To achieve the best of both worlds, liquid vitamin drops can be mixed in with a favorite juice drink.

They’re more readily assimilated into the bloodstream . It can take hours for vitamin pills to get into your bloodstream, but liquid vitamins are delivered in a fraction of this time. Depending on whether you drop it under your tongue or mix it into juice, liquid vitamins can start entering your bloodstream the moment you put the first drop in your mouth. When it reaches your stomach, there’s nothing to break down like there is with pills and capsules.

They’re easy on your stomach. Because there’s nothing solid to break down, they’re much easier to digest than pill supplements.

They’re convenient. You don’t need liquid to swallow them. If you keep the bottle in your purse or backpack, you can just take it whenever you remember, wherever you are!

They allow for dosing flexibility. Your dosage needs can change based on your age and health status. You can easily take more or less of a liquid without having to switch brands or break pills.

Talk to your health care practitioner and find out if liquid supplements might be a better option for you!

What do you think liquid vitamin supplements or pill form? Which do you take more often?

Want to enjoy the benefits of wheat grass?  Wheat grass is a powerhouse source of enzymes, proteins, phytochemicals, chlorophyll, fatty acids, trace minerals, all rushing to revitalize you instantly. These food supplement vitamin is a  potent source of the most basic building blocks of your existence and may even help detoxify the body of heavy metals.

1. It is a rich source of chlorophyll, which has its own impressive list of health-promoting properties, including working as an internal deodorant and antiseptic, destroying odor-causing bacteria.

2. It is a natural digestive healer. In fact, it has shown promise as a therapeutic agent in people suffering from ulcerative colitis. A study* conducted at The Technion Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel concluded “Treatment with wheat grass juice was associated with significant reductions in the overall disease activity index… and in the severity of rectal bleeding.” The researchers also found that the wheat grass had no side effects.

Want to learn more about how to add this amazing nutritional supplment to your daily routine?

source:
 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11989836