Is sleep your friend or your foe?

If it’s your friend, you sleep easily and well, and feel refreshed and rejuvenated after a good sleep. If it is your enemy you may have problems falling asleep, staying asleep, or you may not feel rested after an appropriate length of sleep. What can you do about it? Here are some easy things to try, including lifestyle adjustments, foods, and supplements.

1)    Have an unwind time before going to bed. Avoid bright lights shining in your face (overhead lights, computer screens, TV screens) for 2 hour before turning in for the night. This allows your natural melatonin production to begin ramping up. Melatonin is required for a healthy, sound sleep.

2)    Have a small protein snack at bed time. A small piece (2 –  4 oz) of chicken or turkey can be very helpful. Poultry contains the amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin, which is the relaxing neurotransmitter.

3)    Avoid caffeine, alcohol, stimulants late in the day. Caffeine and stimulants can make it hard for the body to slow down for the night. Alcohol, a nervous system depressant, forces the body to wind down too quickly which often means sleep cycles are disrupted and may become irregular with frequent evening alcohol consumption.

4)    Avoid strenuous exercise or activity late in the evening to prevent  revving the metabolism and interfering with melatonin production.

5)    Avoid heavy meals within 2 hours of going to bed. You may feel drowsy with a full stomach, but the resulting ‘pizza dreams’ often disrupt restful sleep.

6)    Make sure your bed is comfortable. Many a recurring backache and sore neck has been cured with a new, well-chosen mattress.
7)    Avoid drinking lots of fluids in the evening unless you want to be up for the toilet at least once during the night.
8)    Extra Vitamin B6, when taken with Stress Formula during the day, enhances serotonin production and may enhance sleep quality.
9)   CalMag Plus D taken in the evening on a relatively empty stomach can also enhance sleep. If the Calcium causes constipation, add extra Magnesium Complex. Magnesium is the relaxing mineral according to Dr. Bernard Jensen.
10) Herbal blends like HVP, STR-J, and STR-C can also enhance sleep. Try them one a time, throughout the day. They often help with preventing the build-up of stress throughout the day as well and promoting relaxation at night.

Beer is a Rich Source of the Dietary Mineral Silicon and May Help Prevent Osteoporosis

A new study suggests that beer is a significant source of dietary silicon, a key ingredient for increasing bone mineral density.

Researchers from the Department of Food Science & Technology at the University of California, Davis studied commercial beer production to determine the relationship between beer production methods and the resulting silicon content, concluding that beer is a rich source of dietary silicon.

Details of this study are available in the February issue of the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the Society of Chemical Industry.

The study examined a wide range of beer styles for their silicon content and have also studied the impact of raw materials and the brewing process on the quantities of silicon that enter wort and beer.

Silicon is present in beer in the soluble form of orthosilicic acid (OSA), which yields 50% bioavailability, making beer a major contributor to silicon intake in the Western diet. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), dietary silicon (Si), as soluble OSA, may be important for the growth and development of bone and connective tissue, and beer appears to be a major contributor to silicon intake. Based on these findings, some studies suggest moderate beer consumption may help fight osteoporosis, a disease of the skeletal system characterized by low bone mass
and deterioration of bone tissue.

The researchers examined a variety of raw material samples and found little change in the silicon content of barley during the malting process. The majority of the silicon in barley is in the husk, which is not affected greatly during malting. The malts with the higher silicon contents are pale colored which have less heat stress during the
malting process. The darker products, such as the chocolate, roasted barley and black malt, all have substantial roasting and much lower silicon contents than the other malts for reasons that are not yet known. The hop samples analyzed showed surprisingly high levels of silicon with as much as four times more silicon than is found in malt. However, hops are invariably used in a much smaller quantity than is grain. Highly hopped beers, however, would be
expected to contain higher silicon levels.

The study also tested 100 commercial beers for silicon content and categorized the data according to beer style and source. The average silicon content of the beers sampled was 6.4 to 56.5 mg per liter.

“Beers containing high levels of malted barley and hops are richest in silicon,” concludes the study. “Wheat contains less silicon than barley because it is the husk of the barley that is rich in this element. While most of the silicon remains in the husk during brewing, significant quantities of silicon nonetheless survives into the beer.”

I must confess that I feel frustrated by how germ phobic most people in our society are. Everywhere I turn people are concerned about killing poor defenseless microbes. They seek to sanitize this and sterilize that, all in the belief that the reason we get sick is because microbes invade our otherwise healthy bodies and make us sick.

Beyond basic sanitation (washing my hands and keeping my home clean) I NEVER worry about microbes because I know that the whole germ theory is seriously flawed. In fact, I believe that our obsession with killing microbes is doing more harm than good.

You see, there are two theories out there about germs and disease, not just one. The first theory says that says germs cause disease. This “germ theory” was advanced by Louis Pasteur, and it’s become so popular most people accept it as fact. The second theory says that germs attack weakened tissue and that if tissue is healthy there is no breeding ground for infection.

This theory was advanced by a contemporary of Pasteur named Antoine Beauchamp and is known as the biological terrain theory. And, it’s no secret that I’m a big proponent of biological terrain theory.

As an interesting side note, Pasteur didn’t discover “germs,” he plagurized the work of other researchers like Beauchamp. It is even reported that Pasteur admitted on his deathbed that Beauchamp was right. Another of Pasteur’s contemporaries, Rudolph Virchow, is reported to have said on his deathbed that if he were to live his life over again, he would devote it to proving that germs seek their natural habitat, diseased tissue, rather than being the cause of disease.

My thirty years of experience in natural healing makes me a firm proponent of the biological terrain theory. For example, I can remember many times when everyone in my family was sick and I nursed them back to health and never got sick myself. Another reason why I subscribe to this approach is because when I do get sick, I get well faster when I focus on remedies that detoxify my body rapidly. When I’ve tried just taking something that’s antimicrobial, I don’t recover as quickly.

Just think about it. If Pasteur was right, and germs alone cause disease, then why is it that a group of people can all be exposed to the same microbe and some will get sick and some won’t? We say it’s because some of the people are immune, but what that really means is that some people didn’t have an environment in their tissues that was favorable to serve as a host for the infection. In other words, their tissues were healthy!

So, you can only “catch” a cold when your system is weakened in a manner that makes you susceptible. In fact, I read an article many years ago that talked about clinics where they test products for colds. In these clinics they deliberately infect people by injecting cold viruses into their sinuses, and only about half the people who they do this to actually “catch” a cold. That’s really an eye-opener isn’t it?

Let me clue you in on another little secret. If we could kill all the bacteria, fungus and viruses in the world, we’d all be dead! Microbes actually play critical roles in helping plants grow, breaking down dead organic material, creating products we use everyday and even in keeping us healthy.

Furthermore, exposure to microbes actually helps our immune system learn how to deal with them. Children growing up in homes that are highly disinfected have greater risks for allergies and asthma because they may not develop a healthy gut microflora.

You see, part of what protects us from disease is a layer of friendly microbes that grow on the surface of our skin and on our mucus membranes. These microbes form a natural barrier that resists harmful infections. Kill off these microbes with disinfectants and we actually wind up losing part of our natural immune defense.

So, if you really want to stay healthy, start by taking Probiotics. Probiotics are friendly bacteria that colonize your digestive tract and protect you from infection. Probiotic Eleven is a great product to use. You can also eat yoghurt with live bacterial cultures daily (if you’re not allergic to dairy) or eat naturally fermented foods.

Stress weakens your immune system, because the stress hormones released by the adrenal glands dampen the immune response. That’s why you’re most likely to get sick when you’re feeling stressed. So, if you really want to stay healthy, learn to manage your stress.

One way to do this is to use adaptagens. Adaptagens modulate the output of stress hormones, which reduces stress and enhances immunity. Adaptamax is a great product here, because it not only contains adaptagens, it contains immune stimulants as well.

Immune stimulants put your immune system on “red alert” so that you’re better prepared to fight off any infection you may be exposed to. Two of my favorite immune stimulants are Ultimate Echinacea, which is great for kids, and Immune Stimulator, which is fantastic for adults. During cold and flu season you can take these products daily to keep your immune system going strong.

If you have weakness in the lungs and tend to get sick easily when it is cold, try Chinese Lung Support and Cordyceps. These products act as tonics to your immune system and can help you get through the winter without coming down with anything. Cordyceps is also an adaptagen, so it will help you cope with stress better.

Added By Dan DeReuter, D.C.: Another great way to build up your immune system is with regular chiropractic care!

The results of new research suggest that flaxseed oil has a beneficial effect on bone mineral density and reduces markers associated with osteoporosis. The researchers are indicating that this dietary supplement could be beneficial to women with diabetes or older women in reducing their risk of osteoporosis.

The findings were published in the International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health

Osteoporosis is characterised by low bone mass, which leads to an increase risk of fractures, especially the hips, spine and wrists. An estimated 75 million people suffer from this debilitating condition in Europe, the US and Japan.

Women are four times more likely to develop osteoporosis than men and the authors of this study explained that previous research indicates that diabetes decreases bone turnover that is associated with impaired osteoblastic maturation and function.

According to the International Osteoporosis Foundation, boosting bone density in high-risk and post-menopausal women could ease the burden of osteoporosis.

The researchers explained that they studied 70 female laboratory subjects of which 30 had their ovaries removed (ovx) to simulate the post-menopausal state whereby oestrogen is decreased and another group was rendered diabetic (Type 1) in order to determine the impact of diabetes on the development of osteoporosis.

“Bone status was tested through estimation of serum bone formation biomarkers IGF-1 and osteocalcin and bone resorption biomarker deoxypyridinoline,” explained the team.

The authors added that flaxseed oil (rich in omega-3 fatty acids) replaced corn oil (rich in omega-6 fatty acids) in the diet of some of the diabetic and the ovx-diabetic groups with the aim of testing for the impact of this oil on either delaying or preventing the development of osteopenia in ovx subjects.

They reported that, after two months, urine and blood samples were analysed and IGF-1 and the bone-creating protein osteocalcin were also measured.

Results

The researchers found that the serum concentrations of IGF-1 and osteocalcin were increased in the ovx and diabetic ovx groups but their lowest levels were detected in the diabetic group.

And the team said that bone mineral density and content in diabetic group were reduced and normalised after receiving flaxseed oil.

The researchers also found that the levels of deoxypyridinoline in the urine were raised in the diabetic group. Deoxypyridinoline is normally present in healthy bone and its presence in urine is a specific marker for bone resorption associated with osteoporosis.

Levels of this marker compound fell when the subjects were given flaxseed oil, continued the authors.

The team concluded that diabetes has a more pronounced effect on bone health than ovariectomy and they suggest that diabetes in post-menopausal women may also be a greater risk factor for osteoporosis than the decline in sex hormones associated with the menopause.

They said that the presence of healthy fatty acids in flaxseed oil may play a role in protecting the processes of matrix formation and bone mineralization, which apparently are compromised by diabetes and the menopause.

Source: International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health Published online

Funding for the study was provided by the National Cancer Institute
.
Flaxseed oil on Amazon.com

The most likely answer—the FDA is caving into pressure from artificial sweetener manufacturers who fear they will lose their empire in the wake of a new “natural” sweetener hitting the market. So instead of approving the Stevia plant for use as a natural sweetener the FDA decided to only approve one of Stevia’s active ingredients: rebaudoside.

Rebaudoside is the agent that provides most of the sweet taste found in Stevia. The problem is this: when used as a whole plant Stevia offers zero calorie sweetness with other health benefits. But by extracting just one element of the Stevia plant for use as a sweetener, this element loses its group synergy and will most likely perform differently when consumed. In a nutshell, the new Stevia based sweeteners now on grocery store shelves may not affect your body the same way as the Stevia plant—Stevia based sweeteners may deliver adverse health affects.

Here’s what we know for sure. The plant Stevia has been used as a natural sweetener for over 1,500 years. Besides being a zero calorie natural sweetener, studies have found many other health benefits associated with Stevia including a reduction in blood glucose, triglycerides and triiodothhyronine (Dec 2008 Journal of Animal Psychology and Animal Nutrition). Stevia is also a great source of antioxidants (Journal of agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2007).

All of this information paves a clear path of action for us as consumers: avoid artificial sweeteners at all costs including Stevia based sweeteners (the ones that use only Rebaudoside). Instead, opt for using natural, untampered with, regular old Stevia as your sweetener of choice.

Uncover the health hazards of using artificial sweeteners and refined sugar; order your copy of Dr. John Madeira’s book ‘Setting Things Straight’ available at www.SettingThingsStraight.com.

by Steven Horne, RH(AHG)

When we think of health, we usually don’t think of dirt. But dirt, or soil, is the primary factor in maintaining our nutritional health because all of our food comes from the earth. Since our bodies are literally composed of the “dust of the earth,” meaning minerals, healthy bodies are connected to healthy soil. If any element is missing from the soil, then it will be missing from the foods we eat and as a result, we will not be properly nourished.

Unfortunately, our commercial methods of agriculture are not only depleting the soil of precious trace minerals, they are also destroying the ability of plants to be able to utilize those elements. Hence, our food is nutritionally deficient right from the start. To make matters worse, our food gets refined and more of its nutritional content is removed in the process.

While there are still those diehards in the medical community who preach the old dogma that supplements aren’t necessary if you eat a “balanced diet,” it is nonetheless a fact that animal feeds ALL contain nutritional supplements. Agricultural experts recognize that farmers must supplement animal feeds. They know that the grain and other foodstuffs do not contain enough nutrients to maintain healthy livestock without adding supplements. If animals can’t stay healthy eating our modern crops, how can human beings?

Modern Chemical Farming

How did this happen? Here’s the scoop. Prior to the 1800s, farmers all over the world fertilized their crops with organic material. However, in the previous century, a well-meaning chemist burned plant material and analyzed the ashes, which remained. He discovered that the ashes were primarily composed of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and erroneously concluded that these were the minerals plants required to grow. Unfortunately, he lacked the equipment to detect the minute amounts of other minerals present in the plant ashes which are also needed for plant growth. Irregardless, the modern N, P, K fertilizers were born.

When farmers started applying these three elements to their soil, they did get bigger yields at first. However, with repeated use, problems began to arise. This was because the soil was gradually being depleted of its trace minerals.

As the soil became depleted the plants were not as healthy. Insect damage and disease increased. But instead of adding organic matter to the soil to correct the mineral imbalances, chemistry was there to “correct” these problems with herbicides, fungicides and pesticides. Unfortunately, these chemicals compound the problem.

When plants have the minerals they need, then they are able to produce chemicals such as volatile oils, saponins, tannins, etc. which protect them against insect damage and disease. These are also considered the “active components” of herbs. The fact that “medicinal” herbs contain higher percentages of these chemicals than ordinary foods suggests that these chemicals are essential to immune system function in human beings. The fact that they are produced as a part of the plant’s immune system gives credence to the idea that plants with strong immune systems provide the nutrition that people and animals need for strong immune systems.

Balance is the key to mineral utilization in the body. For example, an overabundance of calcium tends to depress the uptake of magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and zinc. Too much phosphorus or magnesium depressed calcium. So taking too much calcium (or any other mineral) can through your body out of balance. Hence, it is best not to take large amounts of single minerals. It’s better to use more balanced sources.

Mineral Supplements for Everyone

Nature’s Sunshine has some great mineral supplements. Mineral Chi Tonic, a blend of colloidal minerals with adaptagenic herbs has helped many people improve their overall health while reducing stress levels and increasing energy.

Nature’s Sunshine’s latest addition to their mineral line is Ionic Minerals with Acai. This blend contains about 70 trace minerals that are ionically charged for better absorption and utilization. This blend also contains the popular antioxidant Acai berry for reducing free radical damage in the body

One of my personal favorites for mineral supplementation is an herbal blend called HSN-W. The herbs in this formula supply easily utilized calcium, silica, manganese, potassium and other trace minerals for healthy hair, skin, nails, bones, joints, teeth and nerves. The herbs in this blend also help maintain cognitive function as you age, making it a great anti-aging supplement.

If you have problems with your hair, skin, nails, joints, muscles or connective tissues, you probably need minerals. Minerals are also necessary for enzyme systems in the liver to work correctly. They even help your body synthesize neurotransmitters and hormones. So, when looking for supplements to improve your health, don’t forget to mind your minerals.

I have been inundated with calls about the fear of flu; my feelings about flu are no different this year than any other! (For my views on flu vaccines see the Q&A section of my website). It’s true that this year the media has emphasized that several children have died, but we have not heard whether or not, as is probably the case, they were children who were already immune-compromised. It’s no accident that cold and flu season follow the holidays, when we all eat too much and too many of the wrong things, and get too little rest. Common sense guidelines in those areas and a few simple practices will prevent or minimize flu for the vast majority of people.

The first step to not overeating is to maintain as much of a meal routine as possible, which keeps you from eating so fast that you don’t even realize you’re full. Eating a balanced meal before parties helps prevent you from loading up on sugary and snacky foods as well. If you are eating foods you don’t normally consume, consider adding some Proactazyme Plus to support the increased digestive load. Increasing your protein and fiber intake when your sugar consumption goes up helps the body process sugars at a more stable rate; Sugar-Reg and PBS can help stabilize sugar levels if that alone is not sufficient.

I put the whole family on the Stress Packs when we’re in the midst of too much good cheer: Nutri-Calm is specific to the nervous system, while Suma is an adaptogen combination that helps the body cope physically with environmental stresses, and the Stress-J contains herbs that help support muscle relaxation. The combination is wonderful! The less stress your body experiences, the easier it is to resist viruses and other elements.

If I were to take only one supplement in hopes of prevention, it would probably be the Suma. Guardian oil is an additional tool to fighting invaders. The blend of pure essential oils has been documented in Europe for viral and bacterial reduction; I use it on the kids when they’re in crowds, on the cigarette lighter in my car, and mixed with Sunshine Concentrate Cleaner for my home.

I keep HCP-X on hand in case we feel the flu coming on, which I take generously in conjunction with a ginger bath. This is a traditional formula with herbs to support each organ generally impacted by classic influenza symptoms, including white pine bark for deep lung issues. The initials stand for “herbal composition powder-Christopher”. The latter is a reference to Dr. John Christopher, who is largely credited with the resurgence of herbal medicine in the twentieth century. “Herbal Composition Powder” was the name given to the combination by Dr. Samuel West in the 1800’s, when he used it for whooping cough and flu, both as an herbal tea and as a steam bath blend. When symptoms are gone, I usually take Fenugreek and Thyme for a few days in order to rebuild my system and avoid a recurrence.

It is vital to stay hydrated to prevent or to deal with the symptoms of the flu, since free urination and perspiration allow the body to eliminate toxic waste and regulate body temperature. In cold weather it’s easy to forget to drink water, though fluid needs remain constant. Diluted fruit juices help to keep vitamin levels high ( I discourage orange juice except for small amounts of fresh-squeezed, as it converts too rapidly to sugar. Eating a whole orange is ok since that provides bioflavanoids as well as fiber to even out the sugar distribution).

I was really impressed with Berry Healthy, a dried fruit and berry blend that mixes with water, when I “got” the flu last month. The berries add high antioxidant levels in addition to the vitamin C and others that mitigate symptoms.

Colloidal Minerals added to fruit juice or the Berry Healthy increases the electrolyte levels, which helps with fatigue and aches. Remember that caffeine and sugar both reduce resistance and increase stress, so substitute Herbal Beverage for your coffee and sparkling water for your soda.

Flu doesn’t have to last for weeks!!. We rarely have symptoms for more than a day or two. Influenza homeopathic is my ace in the hole in case that day is critical!

I have a few copies left of this book, which I mention in “Pioneer Medicine” (only in the audio version, I think…) and I find it an excellent reference. This is a reprint of a book published in 1844 about the Thompsonian (see the cover article reference about HCP-X) System of natural medicine.

Thompson promoted hydrotherapy, herbs, and mild foods and opposed the “traditional” medical practices such as bleeding, blistering, and the use of toxic substances like mercury and arsenic. Hmm, approaching disease by cutting, burning and poisoning…sounds like modern medicine to me!

Kim Wellborn is a Master Herbalist & Tools-for-Healing Instructor more info at http://kimwellborn.com

The supplements mentioned above can be found at http://mynsp.com/deep

I trust you’ll enjoy this article on “Do You Feel Irritable, Frustrated or Angry? You May Have Constricted Liver Chi”.

In traditional medicine, environmental influences were one of the many factors seen to influence our health and well-being. Many people are aware that depression is more common in winter, especially in December and January, but did you know that anger is more common in summer. It seems that when temperatures soar, so do tempers. More murders are committed in the hot summer months than any other time of the year.

Depression is often seen as a health problem, requiring treatment with drugs and/or counseling. Doesn’t it make sense that excessive anger is also a health problem?

Traditional medicine recognized this connection. Both Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and traditional Western medicine saw the liver and gallbladder as the seat of anger, a concept our language still acknowledges in the phrase “that galls me.”

While the concept that anger damages the liver and that liver problems make us irritable might be foreign to Western medical thinking, the idea that anger is bad for our health isn’t. It’s well established that excessively angry people are more prone to heart problems and the extremely large numbers of people who suffer from cardiovascular disease suggest that many of us have issues with anger.

So, as we enter the hottest time of the year, it might be wise to take a look at some natural ways to deal with excess anger. Let’s begin by exploring the concept of “constricted liver chi” from Chinese medicine. Our title asks if you have this problem and you may find after reading this article that you, or at least someone close to you, does.

To understand the liver chi (or energy), we first need to understand the Chinese wood element, because the liver and gallbladder are associated with the wood element in Chinese medicine. In TCM, wood is the energy that allows us to grow, expand and spread out. I like to think of it as the energy of life or the will to live. This idea is inherent in the very name of the organ, the liver (i.e., the live-er). This suggests that the drive to live or survive is found there.

In TCM, the liver is the harmonizing organ in the body. It helps all the other organs work together harmoniously. When this “wood” energy governing the liver is balanced, it also helps us work harmoniously with other people. It helps us flow through life.

So, what happens when this flow of liver (wood or life) energy inside us gets constricted? Well, to understand this, imagine you are driving down the freeway. You are a little behind schedule, but you know that you’ll reach your destination in time if you are able to just keep going at your current speed.

Now imagine that you suddenly run into a huge traffic jam that’s been caused by construction or a traffic accident. The traffic slows to a standstill and you suddenly find yourself creeping along in bumper to bumper traffic with no end in sight.

How do you feel? Well, you probably feel a bit upset, at least a little irritated, and maybe even downright angry and frustrated. That’s how we feel when the “flow” of life gets interrupted. Think of it as a “traffic jam” in our liver chi.

Life presents many traffic jams to us, because things seldom go exactly as we’d like. Our food is slow in coming at the restaurant and when it does the order is wrong. Our luggage is lost or delayed on our plane flight. People miss important appointments with us, or fail to do what they promised. In each case, the flow of our life is disrupted and we have to readjust and compensate for the obstacles that come in our path.

If you have a healthy body and balanced emotions, you’ll probably get over your initial sense of frustration about these “traffic jams” of life fairly rapidly. You’ll realize “stuff happens,” deal with it and move on.

For those with constricted liver chi, however, these minor “traffic jams” of life produce loss of temper and even fits of rage. They have a hard time readjusting their flow, so they try to “charge through” with the weight of their angry energy, like a bull charging the red cape.

Losing one’s temper rarely fixes the problem, because the situation triggering the anger and irritability is usually out of our control. (For example, getting angry and honking your horn at other drivers won’t make the traffic move faster.) In fact, loss of temper often triggers anger and resistance in others that makes them put up even more road blocks to our progress.

With our aggressive drive to “get ahead” and our impatience to “have it now,” it’s clear that America is a “wood-driven” culture. As such, a large percentage of us are easily irritated, frustrated and impatient. There are several health problems that this creates, all of which involve a constriction of “flow” in the body.

We’ve already mentioned the connection between anger and heart disease. Heart disease is a block in the flow of life. A heart attack is a block of blood flow to the heart and a stroke is a block in blood flow to the brain. Anger makes us more prone to both.

The blocking of flow in irritability is also found in the phrase, “p*ssed off.” This suggests that anger inhibits the flow of urine. It can also make us “tight ***ed,” suggesting constipation and bowel problems. Things that frustrate and irritate us give us headaches (which usually involve obstructions in the flow of blood to the head or a block in nerve supply).

Nature’s Sunshine offers an herbal formula that helps to correct constricted liver chi. It is sold under the trade name Liver Balance, but it’s Chinese name is Tiao He, which means “mediate harmony.” Liver Balance helps restore flow and balance to the wood energy or liver chi in the body. It can aid liver and digestive problems, while reducing feelings of anger and irritability.

Some of the indications you might need Liver Balance include: flushing of the face, a tendency to get headaches, difficulty relaxing at night, groggy feelings in the morning, and, of course, feeling easily angered, irritated or frustrated.

So, next time you’re feeling angry, frustrated and irritable, consider trying Liver Balance. You can also try it on family members and friends. You may be pleased to discover how it can mediate a little harmony in your life.

Author: Steven Horne, RH(AHG).

Human Salivary Amylase

Enzymes are some of the most remarkable organic compounds known to man. They initiate vital chemical reactions in the body. Each enzyme works like a key to unlock its unique body function. Together these many functions give us life. Digestive enzymes are especially important because they help break down food into components the body can use to get needed energy and structural building blocks (i.e. amino acids, essential fatty acids and glucose).

Unfortunately, enzymes are not hardy. The cooking process inactivates natural enzymes needed to fully digest food. Improper diet, stress and aging can also negatively affect our
enzyme levels. Inadequate enzyme levels and consequent lack of complete nutrient absorption by the body may influence immune function, energy, natural restorative powers, skin, joints and overall mood.

Enzymes:
• Aid in the breakdown of most types of food.
• Improve digestion.
• Activate needed vitamins that would otherwise be wasted.
• Liberate minerals your body needs.
• Support the immune system.
• Protect the joints.
• Reduce symptoms of occasional indigestion caused by
fermentation of undigested foods.

Enzymes for Vegetarians:

Proactazyme Plus is an unique enzyme supplement that helps your body digest all types of food. It contains plant-sourced enzymes, including amylase, glucoamylase, lipase, cellulase, hemicellulase,
invertase, malt diastase, alpha galactosidase, peptidase and protease. These enzymes are in a digestion-enhancing herbal base of caraway, dandelion, fennel, gentian and ginger. Proactazyme Plus is an excellent choice for vegetarians or those with a high-starch or -sugar diet.

Enzymes for High-Fat Diets:

Hi Lipase contains plant-sourced lipase for enhanced digestion of high-fat foods and supplements. Now with 120 LU, this exclusive formula also contains an herbal base of caraway seed, dandelion root, fennel seed, gentian root and ginger rhizome to soothe the stomach and stabilize enzymes.

Enzymes for Carnivores:

NSP Food Enzymes provides an excellent variety of those enzymes most commonly used to help digest the typical American diet. This blend of enzymes includes bromelain, lipase, amylase, pancreatin, papain and pepsin. A small amount of betaine hydrochloride and bile salt are included to assist protein and fat digestion respectively and make Food Enzymes especially beneficial for meat eaters. When taken between meals, Food Enzymes acts systemically to boost the body’s immune system.

PDA-Protein Digestive Aid-As the body ages, it produces less and less hydrochloric acid (HCl). HCl levels also drop when the dietary components needed to produce it are in short supply. Reduced levels of stomach acid may result in inefficient protein digestion. Inefficiently digested proteins may contribute to fatigue and may affect the immune system. Without sufficient protein derived from the diet, the body’s capacity to build muscle and other tissue efficiently also may be affected. Each capsule of PDA contains 325 mg betaine hydrochloride to supplement normal digestive secretions. In addition, it supplies 65 mg pepsin, a natural protein-digesting enzyme.

All of these supplements can be purchased at our online store, DeepDown Nutrition or at http://mynsp.com/deep

The body contains more calcium than it does any other mineral. Calcium is vital to the health and strength of bones, teeth and muscles. Calcium also plays an essential role in blood clotting, nerve conduction and many cellular functions.  Studies show that calcium supplementation can help protect your healthy bones.

Calcium Absorption
How much calcium you ingest is not as important as how much calcium you absorb. Calcium is notoriously difficult to absorb. That’s why it is important to know what things may affect the calcium you absorb and to choose a calcium supplement that optimizes absorption. Factors in calcium absorption:

• Age. Children absorb up to 60 percent of dietary calcium. By young adulthood, absorption rates drop to 20–40 percent. Adult absorption rates can be even lower.
• Calcium salts. Supplemental calcium comes in the form of calcium salts, such as calcium phosphate, calcium lactate, etc. Calcium salts have different absorption rates. For example, calcium lactate is about 32 percent absorbed while calcium citrate is approximately 30 percent absorbed. By combining a number of different calcium salts in a supplement, absorption can be optimized.
• Magnesium. Calcium depends on magnesium for proper assimilation in the body. The ideal ratio of magnesium to calcium is 1:2.  A 1:1 ratio may be helpful for those with special magnesium needs, such as mature women.
• Vitamin D. Vitamin D enhances calcium absorption.
• pH balance. Optimal pH balance increases calcium absorption.
• Pregnancy/Lactation. These periods of greater nutritional needs are also accompanied with significantly greater absorption of all nutrients.

Coral Calcium-Coral Calcium [Vital Nutrition] is designed especially for those who desire to keep their acidity levels within a normal range. Because coral calcium is naturally alkaline, it can be of great support to those who need to maintain normal-ranged pH levels. Plus, it provides essential calcium to help maintain bone integrity and health.

Each serving of Coral Calcium provides the body with 325 mg of readily available calcium, plus 163 mg of magnesium. We’ve also included montmorillonite clay, a full-spectrum trace mineral source that helps neutralize stomach acidity and absorb toxins from the digestive tract.
Many people—especially elderly men and women, middle-aged women, persons with a family history of osteoporosis and white and Asian women ages 11 to 35—can benefit from proper calcium intake. Scientific studies show that regular exercise and a healthy diet with adequate dietary minerals, such as those contained in Coral Calcium, can promote bone health. more..

Calcium-Magnesium, SynerPro
•Provides nutrients that support the structural system and aids in the maintenance of teeth, bones, tendons and skin.
•Supports the maintenance of a balanced pH.
•May offer benefits to the circulatory system.

Calcium–Magnesium, SynerPro®-combination recognizes that each of these minerals depends on the other for proper assimilation in the body. Calcium is essential to the health of bones, teeth and muscles, and it plays an essential role in blood clotting, nerve conduction and many cellular functions more

Liquid Calcium- An adequate supply of basic minerals like calcium and magnesium is so vital to the overall health of our society. Women are especially sensitive to the supply of minerals in their diets—often due to hormonal fluctuation and pregnancy—which may be a consistent reason why these minerals are so important among mature women.  More