October 2010 Natural Health Newsletter
e-Newsletter October 2010
In This Issue:
Flu protection - Naturally
Vitamin D to Protect Against Severe H1N1 Flu
Amino Acid Cocktail Could Extend Life
Airplane Air Similar to Office Air
Beat Breast Cancer with 2 Day Per Week Diet
Nutrition & Breast Cancer Research
Xylitol "Sugar" Eases Halloween Dental Worries
Safe Solutions for a Common Sleep-Destroying Disorder
Bust Hunger and Boost Your Mood
_____________________________________
Here are two natural remedies for protection from the flu, including H1N1.
- They can be taken together or separately.
- They may be taken along with the flu shots.
Influenzinum 9c Flu Shot Alternative For 2010/2011 Flu Season (6 Doses=6 Week Supply)
Influenzinum 9c is your best choice as a flu preventive. Influenzinum 9c is the only homeopathic flu product that is updated each year based on the flu strains predicted by the World Health Organization. Specially formulated to stimulate the body's own defense system to resist the onset of the season's flu strains. Shown year after year to be highly effective to prevent the flu. Safe and natural, this helps your immune system, not depress it as other methods to prevent the flu.
ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: Influenzinum in a 9 Ch dilution.
INDICATIONS: Traditionally used for preventing the flu and its related symptoms.
For extra protection combine Influenzinum with
Thymo Immune Booster
DIRECTIONS FOR USE:
Adults: Take the contents of one Influenzinum tube. Allow the contents of the tube to dissolve under the tongue, preferably away from meals. Take one tube per week for a period of six weeks. For optimum results use with Thymo.
Children: Take 1/2 the adult dose.
The cold season is upon us once more, and many of us are thinking about getting the Influenza vaccine to help avoid the unpleasant symptoms and sometimes dangerous consequences of this viral infection. For those who have opted for the flu vaccine, homeopathy can reinforce the vaccine's action, and for those who have decided not to get vaccinated, homeopathy offers a natural solution without side effects. Our immunoglobin-A protects and defends us from the various viruses and bacteria we encounter on a daily basis, be it by inhalation or by ingestion. At this early stage, a healthy person's immunoglobin-A will be able to fend off any offensive pathogens. However, a person whose immune system is deficient because of stress, fatigue, chronic illness, or bad eating habits, will have more trouble defending themselves against attacking viruses and bacteria. At this stage, the invading pathogen crosses over into the bloodstream and the immune system is called into action. It is at this point that we generally begin to experience the symptoms of the illness: fever, cough, congestion, aches and pains, shivers, etc
-Influenzinum is for preventing the flu and its related symptoms.
-Influenzinum is a natural homeopathic alternative to the flu vaccine.
-Influenzinum does not have any side effects and is safe for everyone.
-Influenzinum is homeopathically prepared with the current strain of the flu vaccine.
Purchase Influenzinum for $12.99: Influenzinum
Alternate link: http://www.feelgoodnatural.com/product.27.php?Code=DS9804
Read the reviews on Amazon.com
Back to top
------------------------------
Product #2:
Thymo Immune Booster (5+1doses)
Extra support for your Immune System. Increased protection from H1N1 Swine Flu. May be used along with Influenzinum
ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: Thymus in 8X, 30X and 100X dilution
INDICATIONS: Thymo helps for preventing infectious diseases (colds, flu, sinusitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, etc.);slow or difficult recuperation after an illness; allergies: food and others.
For extra protection from the flu add Influenzinum
DIRECTIONS FOR USE:
Adults: Take the contents of one Thymo tube. Allow the contents of the tube to dissolve under the tongue, preferably away from meals. Take one
tube per week for a period of six weeks.
Children: Take 1/2 the adult dose.
FORMAT: Box of 5 unit-dose tubes of 1 g + 1 unit-dose
tube FREE.
The cold season is upon us once more, and many of us are thinking about getting
the Influenza vaccine to help avoid the unpleasant symptoms and sometimes
dangerous consequences of this viral infection. For those who have opted for the flu vaccine, homeopathy can reinforce the vaccine's action, and
for those who have decided not to get vaccinated, homeopathy offers a natural
solution without side effects.
Our immunoglobin A protects and defends us from the various viruses and bacteria we encounter on a daily basis, be it by inhalation or by ingestion. At this early stage, a healthy person's immunoglobin A will be able to fend off any offensive pathogens. However, a person whose immune system is deficient
because of stress, fatigue, chronic illness, or bad eating habits, will have more trouble defending themselves against attacking viruses and bacteria. At this stage, the invading pathogen crosses over into the bloodstream and the immune system is called into action. It is at this point that we generally begin to experience the symptoms of the illness: fever, cough, congestion, aches and pains, shivers, etc.
Thymo in homeopathic dilutions regulates and harmonizes the functioning of
the thymus gland - a little known gland that plays an important role in supporting
immune system function. The thymus gland participates in the fight
against viral and bacterial infections, including general immune deficiencies.
-Thymo Protection helps stimulate NATURAL KILLER cell response.
-Thymo Protection helps prevent infectious diseases: cold, flu, sinusitis, bronchitis, etc.
-Thymo Protection helps accelerate difficult or slow healing.
-Thymo Protection helps relieve allergy symptoms.
-Thymo Protection helps support the immune system.
For extra protection from the flu add Influenzinum
Purchase Thymo Immune Booster for $13.49: Thymo
Alternate link: http://www.feelgoodnatural.com/product.27.php?Code=DS9802
Back to top
____________________________________________
Vitamin D to Protect Against Severe H1N1 Flu
The world's leading vitamin D experts say that raising your levels of "the sunshine vitamin" this winter might be the best way to help your body naturally raise its resistance to all forms of the flu virus - including the H1N1 swine flu virus.
That's the message vitamin D advocate Dr. William Grant wants you to take to the bank.
"I'm a little hesitant to say it will reduce your risk of being infected, but it certainly will reduce your risk of dying from the complications, such as pneumonia, if you are infected," says Grant, founder of the Sunlight, Nutrition and Health Research Center - a vitamin D research and advocacy group.
Grant is concerned that epidemic vitamin D deficiency in Canada -- 97 percent of Canadians are vitamin D deficient in the winter due to Canada's northerly latitudes and relatively weak sunlight 4-6 months of the year -- means that Canadians could be more susceptible to flu virus in the winter.
Grant points to research suggesting:
- Higher vitamin D levels assist the body's innate immune system. Some studies suggest taking 2,000 IU of vitamin D/day will decrease your risk of seasonal flu.
- The groups most affected by the H1N1 swine flu virus have been those most likely to be vitamin D deficient: pregnant women, obese people, those with Type II diabetes and children with neurological disorders.
- Many of the deaths associated with the H1N1 virus have been pneumonia related, which means anything that would assist your body's innate immune system would make you less likely to be affected.
The worldwide vitamin D research community now recommends getting your vitamin D levels checked with a calcidiol test and maintaining vitamin D levels of 40-60 ng/ml.
November is Vitamin D Awareness Month in Canada. For more information about the benefits of vitamin D visit:
vitaminDsociety.org GrassRootsHealth.org VitaminDcouncil.org
Back to top
__________________________________________
Amino Acid Cocktail Could Extend Life
A genuine "elixir of life" that can hold death at bay has been discovered by scientists.
The cocktail of Amino acids - building blocks of proteins - was found to increase the lifespan of mice by 12%.
It may also benefit humans, especially the elderly or sick, researchers believe.
In laboratory experiments, middle-aged male healthy mice were given drinking water laced with three specific Amino acids.
The animals lived significantly longer than other mice fed a normal diet. Their lifespan range had a midpoint of 869 days compared with 774 days for untreated mice, a difference of 12%.
Longer survival was accompanied by biological changes that boosted the energy supply to cells and reduced oxidative damage caused by destructive molecules called free radicals.
The treated mice had more stamina and improved Muscle co- ordination.
"This is the first demonstration that an Amino acid mixture can increase survival in mice," said study leader Dr Enzo Nisoli, from the University of Milan in Italy.
Last year scientists showed that the same amino acids - leucine, isoleucine and valine - could extend the lifespan of single-celled Yeast.
The new findings, reported in the journal Cell Metabolism, raise the possibility of amino acid supplements benefiting humans.
The scientists pointed out that the mice studied were aged but otherwise healthy. They believe that taking the amino acids might be especially helpful for the elderly or ill, particularly people with heart failure, chronic lung disease, or other conditions characterised by flagging energy levels.
Dr Nisoli said a large patient trial was needed to provide evidence convincing enough for doctors. Leucine, isoleucine and valine, known as branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), account for a fraction of the 20 amino acids from which proteins are made, but appear to have special anti-ageing properties.
Back to top
____________________________________________
Airplane Air Similar to Office Air
AN AIRCRAFT cabin is no more of a health threat to passengers than sitting in an office, according to a new report.
Travellers often complain about picking up colds and viruses from flights.
But medical experts in the U.s. attribute that achy sensation to the effects of lower oxygen and dry air inside a plane flying at 35,000ft.
According to a study by the National Research Council, an airplane is as likely to make you sick as any other enclosed environment, such as a cinema or an underground train.
'There is always an increased risk of infection whenever you enter a confined space, but an aircraft cabin is no worse an environment than the office you sit in every day,' said Dr Mark Gendreau, an aviation medicine expert.
He said cabin air was refreshed about 15 times an hour, compared with fewer than 12 times an hour in an office building. On most trans-Atlantic jets, the air is filtered through hospital-grade filters that are designed to remove 99.97 per cent of bacteria and the tiny particles that carry viruses.
Cabins are also separated into ventilation systems covering every seven rows or so to limit the spread of germs through the plane.
Aircraft manufacturers admit the arid air on planes - necessary to prevent the fuselage from corroding - can cause humidity levels to dip below 10 per cent and make travel uncomfortable. But the next generation of planes are being made from composite materials that can withstand more humidity.
Back to top
___________________________________________
Beat Breast Cancer with 2 Day Per Week Diet
STRICT diet for two days a week consisting solely of vegetables, fruit, milk and a mug of Bovril could prevent breast cancer, scientists say.
Women who cut back to just 650 calories a day, twice a week, had significantly lower levels of cancer-causing hormones in their blood, a study found.
The researchers said women at high risk of breast cancer could be put on similar diets for the rest of their lives to try to prevent tumours developing. The study examined 50 overweight women aged 30 to 45 who were deemed to have a high genetic risk of developing breast cancer, as either their mother or sister had suffered from the disease.
For two days each week they were limited to eating just a third of the recommended 2,000 calorie daily intake for women.
This had to include four portions of vegetables, one piece of fruit, two pints of semi-skimmed milk and either Green Tea, a diet soft drink or a salty beverage such as a cup of hot Bovril. For the remainder of the week they were allowed to eat as much as they wanted, as long as they stuck to healthy food that was relatively low in fat.
After six months scientists found that the women had far less leptin and insulin in their blood - hormones that can cause cancer. Leptin fell by an average of 40 per cent and insulin by an average of 25 per cent.
The women also lost an average of a stone in weight and recorded a 15 per cent drop in levels of the potentially harmful C reactor protein, which is also known to increase the risk of breast cancer, in their blood.
Another 50 women were put on a diet in which they were restricted to 1,500 calories every day and told to avoid sugary foods, fatty meat and excessive alcohol.
These women also had fewer cancer-causing hormones in their blood six months later, but insulin had fallen slightly less than in women on the two-day a week diet.
It has long been known that losing weight can help prevent breast cancer, and obesity is believed to be responsible for up to a third of all cases.
But the scientists behind this latest study believe that the two- day a week diet could be even more effective than general dieting.
They say that when the body is deprived of food the amount of Sugar reaching breast cells decreases, which may result in them dividing less frequently and turning cancerous. Dr Michelle Harvie, a dietician specialising in breast cancer, who led the study at the Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester, said: 'On the two-day diet you can restrict your calories far more than you would be able to if you were on a diet every single day.
'This affects all the cells in the body, particularly the ones in the breast, as it cuts off their food supply - and makes them more stable, and less likely to divide and form cancer.
'The body also has several anticancer mechanisms which effectively mop up damaged cells which are likely to be cancerous.
'We think that by restricting the body's food supply may increase these mechanisms.' The research was published in the International Journal of Obesity.
But Dr Julie Sharp, senior science information manager at Cancer Research UK, said: 'This study is not about breast cancer, it's a study showing how different diet patterns affect weight loss and it's misleading to draw any conclusions about breast cancer from this research.' And Stephen O'Rahilly, Professor of Clinical Biochemistry and Medicine Director, University of Cambridge Metabolic Research, said it was even questionable whether the diet would help women lose weight in the long-term.
'The major challenge is that people find it extremely difficult to keep weight off and one to two years later most people who have been on a diet have returned to their pre-diet weight,' he said. More than 46,000 women develop breast cancer each year, and the disease kills more than 12,000 annually.
Over the last 25 years the number of cases has soared by 50 per cent, with experts blaming rising levels of obesity.
Back to top
____________________________________________
Xylitol "Sugar" Eases Halloween Dental Worries
If your thoughts turn to your next dentist appointment as you watch your children tear into their Halloween candy, you'll be happy to know there is actually a type of Sugar that is good for dental health.
Xylitol is a Sugar alcohol which has a similar sweetness to sugar, but actually can help prevent dental cavities. Plaque-causing bacteria that normally thrive in the mouth cannot use xylitol as a source of nutrition. With continued use of xylitol the number of these "bad" bacteria actually decreases. Xylitol has also been found to help reduce the risk of ear infections in children. It is available in a variety of gums, candies, and granules. The only negative side effect may be some digestive distress if consumed in unusually high doses. The daily dose required to reduce the risk of tooth decay is 5 grams which can easily be met by chewing gum or eating mints after meals.
So let your children enjoy a few pieces of Halloween candy, just follow it up with some Xylitol Gum to keep the bad bacteria from getting a nice sugary meal.
Back to top
____________________________________________
Safe Solutions for a Common Sleep-Destroying Disorder
You're exhausted, groggy and barely able to function... no matter how many hours you manage to doze each night.
If this scenario sounds familiar, you might think it's time for a new mattress-but the real underlying problem could be much more sinister. Why? Because like millions of chronically tired Americans, your body may actually stop breathing while you sleep.1
Apnea-which literally means "without breath"-can arise in several different ways. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common, during which your upper airways become blocked, and your body's airflow is restricted. Central sleep apnea (CSA), on the other hand, takes place when your nervous system's respiratory drive temporarily shuts down-resulting in 10 seconds or more of breathlessness.
But whether it's OSA, CSA or a combination of both, the results are equally disruptive to both your sleep and your health.
While persistent fatigue, brain fog and snoring are some of the most common red flags, sleep apnea has been linked with a slew of serious health dangers that may not be so obvious. Elevated inflammatory markers such as C-Reactive Protein (CRP), increases in clotting mechanisms and cardiac arrhythmias-all pave the way to heart disease, the most deadly consequence of apnea.2-5 But other complications-such as abnormal blood sugar metabolism, gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) and a significant increase in mood disorders-are also strongly linked to nightly sleep apnea.6-9
So how can you stop apnea when you don't even know it's happening? The first step is to have your doctor test you for the condition. If the test indicates you have sleep apnea, respiratory devices and surgery are two ways to address this common nighttime disorder. But you'll be happy to hear that natural support may work as well.
The second step is to take a salivary hormone test (such as VRP's Comprehensive Hormone Panel) to assess your levels of cortisol. Research has found that sleep apnea patients have elevated levels of this stress hormone-and that cortisol imbalances can return to normal with supplementation and the restoration of healthy sleeping and breathing patterns.10-11
That's why anyone struggling with sleep apnea who tests positive for high cortisol levels can benefit from a combination of botanicals-including Magnolia bark (Phellodendron amurense) and Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)-designed to combat excess levels of this hormone.11-12 You'll find these stress-busting botanicals paired as the proprietary blends Relora and Sensoril in a single formula called Cortisol Control, available now from Vitamin Research Products.
In addition to these cortisol-balancing herbs, nutrients such as N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), melatonin, green tea extract and L-Tryptophan are all beneficial supplements to aid in achieving a good night's sleep and diminishing the life-energy draining effects of sleep apnea. Animal studies have shown that NAC can increase levels of the protective antioxidant glutathione, defending against the damaging effects of oxygen loss on both heart cells and impaired respiratory function.13-14 Melatonin delivers many of the same benefits, with research revealing that it widens the blood vessels of animals exposed to low oxygen conditions.15
Similarly, extracts of green tea have been shown to inhibit low oxygen-induced cognitive dysfunction-while clinical studies reveal that a nightly dose of L-Tryptophan can deliver significant improvements in non-REM sleep among patients struggling with obstructive sleep apnea.16-17 You can find all of these beneficial nutrients readily available as safe, natural supplements from Vitamin Research Products.
References:
1. National Institutes of Health website, www.nhlbi.nih.gov, accessed June 15, 2010.
2. Kokturk O, Ciftci TU, Mollarecep E, Ciftci B. Elevated C-reactive protein levels and increased cardiovascular risk in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Int Heart J 2005;46:801809.
3. Kasasbeh E, Chi DS, Krishnaswamy G. Inflammatory aspects of sleep apnea and their cardiovascular consequences. South Med J. 2006;99:58 67.
4. Guilleminault C, Connolly SJ, Winkle RA. Cardiac arrhythmia and conduction disturbances during sleep in 400 patients with sleep apnea syndrome. Am J Cardiol 1983;52:490494.
5. Harbison J, O'Reilly P, McNicholas WT. Cardiac rhythm disturbances in the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: Effects of nasal continuous positive airway pressure therapy. Chest 2000;118:591-595.
6. Punjabi NM, Polotsky VY. Disorders of glucose metabolism in sleep apnea. J Appl Physiol. 2005;99:1998-2007.
7. Harsch IA, Hahn EG, Konturek PC. Insulin resistance and other metabolic aspects of the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Med Sci Monitor. 2005;11:RA70-RA75.
8. Demeter P, Visy KV, Magyar P. Correlation between severity of endoscopic findings and apnea hypopnea index in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease and obstructive sleep apnea. World J Gastroenterol. 2005;11:839-841.
9. Sharafkhaneh A, Giray N, Richardson P, et al. Association of psychiatric disorders and sleep apnea in a large cohort. Sleep. 2005;28:1405-1411.
10. Henley DE, Russell GM, Douthwaite JA, Wood SA, Buchanan F, Gibson R, Woltersdorf WW, Catterall JR, Lightman SL. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activation in obstructive sleep apnea: the effect of continuous positive airway pressure therapy. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2009 Nov;94(11):4234-42.
11. LaValle, J. and Hawkins, E. Relora-The Natural Breakthrough to Losing Stress-Related Fat and Wrinkles. North Bergen, NJ: Basic Health Publications; 2003:16.
12. Bhattacharya, S. et al. "Anti-stress activity of sitoindosides VII and VIII, new acylsterylglucosides from Withania somnifera." Phytother Res 1987, 1:32-37.
13. Dunleavy M, Bradford A, O'Halloran KD. Oxidative stress impairs upper airway muscle endurance in an animal model of sleep-disordered breathing. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2008;605:458-62.
14. Liu JN, Zhang JX, Lu G, Qiu Y, Yang D, Yin GY, Zhang XL. The effect of oxidative stress in myocardial cell injury in mice exposed to chronic intermittent hypoxia. Chin Med J (Engl). 2010 Jan 5;123(1):74-8.
15. Bertuglia S, Reiter RJ. Melatonin reduces microvascular damage and insulin resistance in hamsters due to chronic intermittent hypoxia. J Pineal Res. 2009 Apr;46(3):307-13.
16. Burckhardt IC, Gozal D, Dayyat E, Cheng Y, Li RC, Goldbart AD, Row BW. Green tea catechin polyphenols attenuate behavioral and oxidative responses to intermittent hypoxia. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2008 May 15;177(10):1135-41.
17. Schmidt HS. L-tryptophan in the treatment of impaired respiration in sleep. Bull Eur Physiopathol Respir. 1983 Nov-Dec;19(6):625-9.
Back to top
____________________________________________
Bust Hunger and Boost Your Mood
We often don't consider the fact that our waistlines can affect our mood. Yet, obesity and depression often go hand in hand-and the emotional slump that occurs due to weight gain goes beyond that sad feeling you get when you see the numbers on the scale keep on rising. New research is showing that unbalanced levels of a lesser-known hormone may be part of the reason why your expanding waistline is leaving you blue.
Leptin-commonly called the "hunger hormone"-is an appetite-controlling molecule synthesized by your fat cells that tells your body when it's time to stop eating. But while you might think higher levels of leptin would be a good thing, the exact opposite is true. Chronically elevated leptin levels point to a problem with leptin resistance-a condition in which your body isn't responding to this hormone's commands the way that it should. As a result, your brain can't tell you when you're full... and your weight balloons because of it.
Recent studies show, however, that your weight isn't the only aspect of your health that suffers in response to unbalanced leptin levels. Your mood could be in for a nosedive, too.
One 2009 study indicated that women who suffer from depressive disorder show higher serum levels of leptin than their healthier female counterparts, along with lower levels of adiponectin-another protein hormone that acts along with leptin to keep you lean.1 Another study revealed the same pattern in women with chronic mild depression.2
Further research has confirmed this connection, with studies showing that leptin is significantly higher in depressed subjects, irrespective of body mass index (BMI) or reports of weight loss, indicating that leptin may be the culprit behind the depression rather than the weight itself. In fact, results show that leptin imbalances may correlate with elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol, as well.3 What's more, one study even found that individuals with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) also struggle with leptin sensitivity-a factor that could explain the depression, higher caloric intake, and increased carbohydrate cravings that affect this population in the wintertime.4
So what can you do if you suspect that your leptin and adiponectin levels might be out of kilter? A patented combination of acacia gum polysaccharides and esterified fatty acids is one natural and clinically researched way that you can use to help restore balanced levels of both of these critical fat-fighting hormones. A placebo-controlled, double-blind study has shown that this supplement can reduce both leptin and insulin levels significantly after just eight weeks, when it is taken in conjunction with an exercise and diet program-while increasing adiponectin and lowering both weight and body fat percentage.5
Luckily, this hunger-busting, leptin-balancing product is available now as a safe daily supplement. You can find both key ingredients in a formula called LeptinX, available now from Vitamin Research Products.
References:
1. Zeman M, Jirak R, Jachymova M, et al. Leptin, adiponectin, leptin to adiponectin ratio and insulin resistance in depressive women. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2009;30(3):387-95.
2. Pasco JA, Jacka FN, Williams LJ, et al. Leptin in depressed women: cross-sectional and longitudinal data from an epidemiologic study. J Affect Disord. 2008 Apr;107(1-3):221-5.
3. Antonijevic IA, Murck H, Frieboes RM, et al. Elevated nocturnal profiles of serum leptin in patients with depression. J Psychiatr Res. 1998 Nov-Dec;32(6):403-10.
4. Cizza G, Romagni P, Lotsikas A, et al. Plasma leptin in men and women with seasonal affective disorder and in healthy matched controls. Horm Metab Res. 2005 Jan;37(1):45-8.
5. Fragala MS, Kraemer WJ, Volek JS, et al. Influences of a dietary supplement in combination with an exercise and diet regimen on adipocytokines and adiposity in women who are overweight. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2009; 105:665-72.
Back to top
____________________________________________
