February 5, 2012

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Product Review: Saw Palmetto Shrinks Prostate Tissue

February 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

An ancient herbal remedy for urinary problems, saw palmetto is now popular as a supplement for prostate health—and for good reason. Some studies have shown that shown that saw palmetto—extracted from the dark purple berries of the American saw palmetto plant—may help treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), the medical name for an enlarged prostate gland.

Prostate Support

Saw palmetto is often the first course of therapy in men with mild to moderate prostate enlargements symptoms. The standard dosage of saw palmetto supplement of an 85%-95% extract for BPH is 320 mg per day, usually taken as 160 mg twice per day. It has been believed that saw palmetto dietary supplements provide mild to moderate improvement in symptoms of prostate enlargement: urinary flow, increased frequency and urgency of urination, and a fullness of the bladder after urination.

Other claims have seen saw palmetto treat baldness, low libido, bladder disorders, prostatitis and migraines.

Among the main constituents of saw palmetto berry extract are fatty acids and sterols, whose oily compounds are thought to have various hormonal and anti-inflammatory effects.

Saw palmetto is believed to inhibit the actions of testosterone on the prostate that cause prostate enlargement and interference with urinary problem flow. It shrinks the inner epithelium of the prostate, but not the prostate’s overall size.

While saw palmetto shows great promise for enhancing prostate health, there appears to be significant inconsistencies with the formulas available. To determine whether supplements possess the amounts of the key plant compounds suggested by their labels, an independent lab company tested products for potential contamination with lead, and tablets and caplets were tested for their ability to properly break apart in the digestive system.

Not So Pure

Two saw palmetto supplements failed to list the part of the saw palmetto plant used to produce their extracts.  This information is a FDA labeling requirement. Those products that are unsafe for consumption are:...


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Filed Under: Product Review & Recommendation, Prostate Health, February 2012, Review Tagged With: , , , ,

Vitamin Supplements That Aid In Quitting Smoking

January 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The nutritional needs of smokers and non-smokers are different. People who smoke often have deficiencies in numerous nutrients including zinc, calcium, folate, vitamin C and vitamin E, beta-carotene, lycopene and essential fatty acids in the omega-3 and omega-6 families, depleting the body of essential vitamins and minerals, leaving smokers more vulnerable to disease.

There are many possible causes for this depletion, including free radicals – carcinogenic or cancer-causing agents – in cigarette smoke that destroy natural antioxidants. However, for some nutrients the most important single cause might be poor diet rather than smoking itself (smokers have, on average, a less well-balanced diet than non-smokers).

To quit smoking there is a high need for protective antioxidant vitamins to neutralize free radicals. The main antioxidant vitamins are...


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Filed Under: Product Review & Recommendation, Quit Smoking, January 2012, Review Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Product Review: DHEA for Adrenal Support

December 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

What is DHEA?

DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands. It’s a precursor to both testosterone and estrogen in the body, although it may play other physiological roles, as well. It is sometimes called the, “mother hormone” — the source that fuels the body’s metabolic pathway.

Beginning at about age 30, levels of DHEA in both men and women begin to decrease, and by age 80, it’s estimated that approximately 95% of the hormone has been lost.

Some believe that this decline is responsible for the adverse consequences of aging and tout DHEA supplements as a sort of “fountain of youth.” DHEA, however, is not a general anti-aging solution. The trends associated with DHEA supplementation include the following health benefits:...


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Filed Under: Adrenal Fatigue, December 2011, Product Review & Recommendation, Review Tagged With: , , , , ,

Turmeric: The Golden Goddess

November 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Could Indian Food Help Fight Pain?

Within the cornucopia of medicinal plants, few possess such a wide spectrum of qualities and medicinal uses as turmeric. It has been used to treat a myriad of disease and ailments around the world for countless centuries.  The active ingredient in turmeric, curcumin, is known for its powerful anti-inflammatory effectiveness, but is also praised as an alternative analgesic, antibacterial, antibacterial, antiseptic, anti-tumor, anti-allergic with many other healing qualities now being recognized and understood by modern science.

The fragrant, yummy dishes featuring turmeric has more going for it than just flavor. Curcumin gives turmeric its orange-yellow color and acts as an anti-inflammatory that involves blocking cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), the target of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Celebrex (celecoxib) and Motrin (ibuprofen). It has even been linked through research to help fight against cancer by neutralizing those substances and conditions which can cause cancer, helping a cell retain its integrity if threatened by a tumor, and if a tumor does grow the curcumins can often destroy it.

Turmeric has also been advocated for use in treating diabetes, as curcumin can increase insulin levels. As a powerful anti-inflammatory herb in supplement form, turmeric has been shown to be helpful in the treatment of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, injuries, trauma, and stiffness from both under activity and over activity. Whether suffering from an acute or chronic disease, aches and pains, bumps and bruises, or as preventative maintenance, turmeric can and should be utilized by everyone on a regular basis.

Through an independent testing lab, turmeric supplements were tested for quality, indicated label amounts and purity. One product tested lacked the expected amount of turmeric and is therefore unsafe for consumption:...


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Filed Under: Pain Management, November 2011, Product Review & Recommendation, Review Tagged With: , , ,

Greens and Whole Food Powder

October 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

When we are under stress, our bodies use up our nutrient stores faster, and therefore we may need even more than usual. An adequate supply of these important nutrients will allow you to endure stress more easily, increasing your resistance to mental and physical disease.

We all understand that one of the keys to sound nutrition is a highly varied diet. But during times of emergency and survival we will no doubt be restricted in the variety of foods that we have available to us. In fact, we might be eating a lot of the same foods over and over. These factors, along with the fact that our bodies need more vitamins and minerals when under stress, mean that it will be even more important to take supplements during times of emergency than during normal times. Receive the nutritional benefits of multiple servings of fruits and vegetables through greens and whole food powder supplementation.

For optimal health, keep a one-year supply of greens or whole food powder in your emergency food stash. It might even be a good idea to start to use the powder on a daily basis to obtain the USDA 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables.  You won’t have a problem keeping the stock fresh if you start now. Just remember that when you empty a bottle/container and purchase a new one that it has to go to the back of the shelf and every other bottle has to be moved forward. Take the product off the shelf and be careful to grab the oldest one, which will be the one in the front. That way all of green and whole food powders remain as fresh as possible.

Powders have a shelf-life of around 2-years.  After the recommended two-year shelf-life has been exceeded, the powder is still viable, but will have lost some of their potency. The older they are the more potency they will lose. You do not have to discard your powder after the expiration date and can continue consuming the greens and whole food powder. They may not be as potent as when you purchased them but they will be better than nothing, especially in time of emergency and survival!

Home Cures That Work has reviewed green and whole food powder products to be considered (safe or not safe) supplements essential to any emergency food stash.

Two products that were tested exceeded limits for lead and/or cadmium.  They are:...


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Filed Under: Product Review & Recommendation, Review, Survival, October 2011 Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

St. John’s Wort Product Review

August 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Description

St. John’s Wort is a plant with yellow flowers, leaves and stems whose medicinal uses were first recorded in ancient Greece. It has long been a happy alternative for those reluctant to pop pills for depression and has also been used for anxiety and sleep disorders.

St. John’s Wort does not cause euphoria and, like regular antidepressants, is unlikely to elevate mood in people who aren’t truly depressed.

The vast majority of double blind placebo-controlled studies have found that St. John’s Wort extracts are as effective as standard antidepressant drugs (including antidepressants in the SSRI (Prozac) family) as a treatment for mild to moderate cases of major depression. Not surprisingly, those taking the herb supplement also showed significantly fewer negative side effects compared to those taking the prescription drug.

Benefits

One study involving menopausal women with depression found that a combination of St. John’s Wort and black cohosh extracts improved both menopause symptoms and mood. St. John’s Wort is also sometimes tried for other conditions in which standard antidepressants might be recommended, such as anxiety, attention deficit disorder, PMS, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), chronic pain, insomnia, neuropathic pain, obsessive compulsive disorder, social phobia, and quitting smoking.

Using St. John’s Wort extract might be justified, but products on the market vary considerably.

Virtually all studies of St. John’s Wort have used extracts rather than whole herb and most St. John’s Wort products are standardized to their content of a substance called hypericin, Hypericin act on chemical messengers in the nervous system that regulate mood. While hypericin may not be the most important constituent, products with standardized hypericin content have proven to be effective in human studies.

Contents

Four St. John’s Wort supplements failed testing by an independent lab due to contamination with cadmium. The following products exceeded these limits of 0.1 mcg of cadmium:...


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Filed Under: Bipolar Disorder, August 2011, Product Review & Recommendation, Review Tagged With: , , , ,

Progesterone Cream Review

July 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Progesterone Cream Uses

Flickr by shawncampbell

Progesterone creams are used to supplement or replace naturally occurring progestin. Although the evidence is mixed, use of progesterone cream can help to minimize some of the symptoms associated with menopause:

  • Hot flashes
  • Cold chills
  • Insomnia
  • Night sweats
  • Fatigue
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Irritability

A deficiency of progestin causes a number of other symptoms, including:

  • Fatigue
  • Headaches
  • Muscle and joint pain
  • Back pain
  • Belly-centric weight gain
  • Mood swings
  • Low libido

Progesterone Cream Benefits

Progesterone can be absorbed to some extent through the skin, which is why it is sold as a cream. Using a progesterone cream in accordance with the product’s instructions or a practitioner’s directions provides many benefits. Within the first two to eight weeks of use, many women report improved sleep and reduced fatigue. This is because the cream corrects a deficiency that triggers insomnia and hinders the action of thyroid hormone, a key player in maintaining healthy energy levels.

Other benefits of restoring progesterone with the help of a cream include...


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Filed Under: Menopause, July 2011, Product Review & Recommendation, Review Tagged With: , , , , ,

Vitamin D: Effectiveness, Benefits and Safety

June 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a steroid vitamin, a group of fat-soluble prohormones, which encourages the absorption and metabolism of calcium and phosphorous. There are two major forms of vitamin D:  D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 (cholecalciferol).

People who are exposed to normal quantities of sunlight do not need vitamin D supplements because sunlight promotes sufficient vitamin D synthesis in the skin.

Vitamin D3 is produced naturally in human skin exposed to ultraviolet B light and occurs in some animal products, such as cod liver oil, and, in smaller amounts, in other fatty fish such as herrings, mackerel, sardines, and tuna. Vitamin D3 is the most common form used in dietary supplements and is the form generally used to fortify foods such as milk (which naturally contains a small amount of vitamin D3), orange juice, cereal and yogurt.

What do we need Vitamin D for?

  • Vitamin D regulates the amount of calcium and phosphorous in the body, partly by controlling their levels of absorption.
  • Vitamin D treats and prevents rickets in children and osteomalacia (bone softening) in adults.
  • Vitamin D is an immune system regulator.
  • Vitamin D may be an important way to arm the immune system against disorders like the common cold.
  • Vitamin D make have a key role in helping the brain to keep working well in later life.
  • Vitamin D is probably linked to maintaining a healthy body weight.
  • Vitamin D has been shown to reduce the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis in women.
  • A form of Vitamin D could be one of our body’s main protections against damage from low levels of radiation.
  • Various studies have shown that people with adequate levels of vitamin D have a significantly lower risk of developing cancer, compared to people with lower levels.
  • High vitamin D status provides protection against Parkinson’s disease.
  • Lower levels are also associated with a higher risk and severity of depression.
  • Higher serum vitamin D levels are associated with a reduced risk of allergy in children and adolescents
  • Taken with calcium, vitamin D can help decrease post-menopausal bone loss and prevent osteoporosis (loss of bone density), as well as improve tooth retention in the elderly.
  • In girls ages 9 to 13, regular supplementation with calcium and vitamin D has been shown to significantly increase bone density and bone strength (measured in arms and legs) compared to placebo.

Approved Vitamin D Product List

Independent lab tested 28 Vitamin D supplements, but only 20 products passed.  Eight (8) Vitamin D supplements were found UNSAFE for consumption, 5 of these due to incorrect labeled amounts of Vitamin D:...


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Filed Under: Osteoporosis, June 2011, Product Review & Recommendation, Review Tagged With: , , ,

Bed Bug Spray Review

May 1, 2011 By 2 Comments

A review of the best bed bug spray for exterminating and preventing bed bugs – used at home and by hotels, pest control companies and cleaning professionals.

Green Rest Easy Natural Bed Bug Spray

Cinnamon scented Green Rest Easy Natural Bed Bug Spray is pesticide free and kills & repels bed bugs naturally and a TRUE GREEN product, 100% based on all-natural, meeting all the requirements of the USDA for use around Organic Food processing. Spray directly on mattresses, pillows, bedding, luggage, carpets, chairs, walls, cracks, crevices, interior of night stands and dresser drawers. Green Rest East will help you avoid the bed bug infestation nightmare. Let us know if you used Green Rest Easy!

All Stop Dead Bed Bugs Spray

Here is a product that that is on the market called All Stop Dead Bed Bugs from Q Based Health care. If you want to add something to the tool kit this may be an option. All Stop Dead Bed Bugs Spray is eco-friendly and does not include harsh pesticides or carcinogens, such as permethrins and pyrethrins. The fresh Peppermint-scented spray combats all stages of the Bed Bug life cycle – from eggs to adults! The organic ingredients are so safe and effective that you can sleep on your bed the very same night you treat it!

EcoBugFree Spray

A EPA exempt spray that is claimed to work effectively on bed bugs. A K4 Product that comes with a money back guarantee. The active ingredients are as follow: Active Ingredients: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Sorbate. Other Ingredients Include: Water, Yeast, Acetic Acid. Should be used on areas where you sit a lot or lie down. Not on sheets or pillow cases though.

Bed Bug Luggage Spray

JT Eatons has done it again. They came out with a spray called Bed Bug Luggage Spray that basically acts as a measure to avoid bringing bed bugs home with you from a trip. If you are a business man or maybe vacation often, this product might be something to look into. Not too expensive for some piece of mind.  To use Bed Bug Control, lightly spray it on the outside of your luggage, especially along the zipper. Luggage often comes into close proximity with other luggage when on planes, buses, or cruise ships, which may be infested with bed bugs.

Sterifab Bed Bug Spray

Sterifab is a good contact killer for bed bugs as it has no residual and can be used for everything from dust mites to bed bugs. If you are not fond of spraying pesticides then I would suggest looking into Sterifab as an option. One customer writes, “Using this product is as simple as cleaning your bedroom-dust, take the pictures off the wall, strip the mattress, and spritz away! I haven’t had a bite in over three weeks and there is no residue or after-smell. Now I can just vacuum, dust a bit, and everything is clean and good to go! This is a great product and a fabulous website. Everyone loves a good buffet, but with Steri-Fab, you don’t have to be one, LOL. Thanks again!”

Eaton’s Bed Bug Killer Spray

So you are looking for a spray that can kill bed bugs? Eaton’s Bed Bug Killer is a quart sized ready to use spray used mostly as a follow up to a bed bug treatment to kill any re-emerging bed bugs. It is an oil based contact killer so there is no residual and because it is oil based you have to be careful where you spray it. It seems to be getting good review on the web. One of the few products out there specifically for the little buggers. Eaton Kills Bed Bugs product should be used carefully. Eaton’s Bed Bug Killer Spray is a popular “residual” killer in that it’s ability to kill lasts for up to 16 weeks. Working in Conjuction with JT Eatons Bed Bug Killer (red bottle) and JT Eatons Bed Bug Powder (green bottle), bed bugs can be safely and effectively wiped out with deadly precision (always review and follow the bottles label and directions).

Best Yet Bed Bug Control Spray

There is a product that is claiming some pretty amazing stuff. Best Yet Bed Bug Control from Cedar Cide Industries is claiming to be the best bed bug control product and the safest on the market. The website for the company is amazing and if all they are claiming is true, then this product could very well be a definite tool for the toolbox. Made entirely from natural products it is a multi-purpose treatment, killing a whole host of other insects including fleas, mosquitoes, and ticks. In fact, the makers say that it is so safe it can even be used as a head lice treatment on your own head. Best Yet Bed Bug Spray has food grade ingredients so it does not smell bad, feels better on the skin.

Filed Under: Bed Bugs, May 2011, Product Review & Recommendation, Review Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Glutamine: Brain Food For Autistic Children

April 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Antioxidants are known to help prevent diseases such as cancer and heart disease, but the presence of the antioxidant glutathione is gaining popularity in helping to fight autism.

Glutathione, a protein and natural antioxidant defense against free radicals, acts on toxins such as pesticides, lead, dry cleaning solvents and others to transform these toxins into something the body can excrete more easily.

Unfortunately, glutathione is not absorbed into the system when taken orally.  But by taking other supplements, such as Vitamin C or Glutamine, you can raise natural glutathione levels in the body.

Glutamine, in particular, does so many good things in the body that is being used to treat various conditions, such as preventing infections that often follow endurance exercise, reducing symptoms of overtraining syndrome, improving nutrition in critical illness, alleviating allergies, and treating digestive problems by fueling the cells of the intestines.

Particularly in autistic children, glutamine has had some success in improving health and language processing by acting as a “brain food.” Those with learning and developmental disabilities use this “smart drug” to help manage inflammation and readily cross the blood-brain barrier to stimulate alertness, improve intelligence, sooth erratic behavior, aid in memory recall and most importantly, helps with behavioral problems and autism in children.

To determine if glutamine will work for someone with autism, a 30-day trail period is recommended.

For young children, under the age of 9, try up to 1,000 mg.  Older children can take up to 1,500 mg.

Glutamine occurs naturally in high protein foods such as raw meat, fish beans and dairy products.  However, cooking destroys glutamine, so try these recommended Glutamine supplements in our Amazon Store.

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Autism, April 2011, Product Review & Recommendation, Review Tagged With: , , , ,
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