But the most compelling reason has to do with one special nutrient…

Unlike fish oil, krill oil also contains astaxanthin, a powerful antioxidant that’s many times more potent than vitamin C, beta-carotene and vitamin E.

Astaxanthin not only pumps up the omega-3 benefits of krill oil, it gives the body’s aging processes quite a challenge, in part because of its powerful impacts on the body’s most vital systems and organs.

So let’s dive into what this amazing antioxidant is, where it comes from and what the research says about it…

What exactly is astaxanthin?

Astaxanthin is a red-colored ketocarotenoid first identified and isolated in 1938 by scientist Richard Kuhn, who discovered it while studying lobsters to find out what gave them their color. Kuhn won the 1938 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on carotenoids and vitamins.

Astaxanthin is found mainly in the algae Haematococcus pluvialis and the yeast Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous, both of which produce it naturally. The algae are a food source for a number of sea creatures, and astaxanthin is what turns their shells and flesh pink.

Because krill feed almost exclusively on these algae, they contain higher amounts of astaxanthin than other marine animals like shrimp, salmon, trout and lobster.

How astaxanthin works in the body

As a carotenoid, astaxanthin is fat-soluble and has antioxidant properties that help protect your cells from free radicals and oxidative stress.

Astaxanthin acts by neutralizing reactive oxygen species (ROS) on the inner and outer layers of cell membranes. This keeps ROS from doing damage to the basic building blocks of the cell including DNA, protein and lipids.

Here are some specific ways astaxanthin supports your overall health….

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Astaxanthin and inflammation

Like many antioxidants, astaxanthin may help to reduce inflammation. But astaxanthin’s specific ability to neutralize ROS helps reduce proteins that can cause inflammatory diseases such as celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease and diabetes.

Not only does astaxanthin fight inflammation, it also assists our mitochondria, the energy powerhouses located in our cells. Having mitochondria functioning at their best gives our bodies optimal energy and helps it operate at peak performance.

By reducing inflammation, astaxanthin supports improved mitochondrial performance, as well as providing antioxidant support to ward off free radical damage.

Studies show astaxanthin’s anti-inflammatory capabilities can help with exercise recovery by protecting the body from overproduction of free radicals, inhibiting the production of excess lactic acid in the muscles, reducing fatigue and improving muscle strength.

Astaxanthin and immune system health

Along with fighting inflammation, astaxanthin can boost your immune system by helping to activate white blood cells known as T-cells as well as natural killer cells. T-cells attack malicious cells based on antigen markers, while natural killer cells work even faster to stop foreign invaders from harming your health.

But as important as it is for an immune system to be reactive — it’s just as important not to be overactive to avoid an autoimmune response. Astaxanthin’s anti-inflammatory properties help modulate a balanced immune response.

Astaxanthin and brain health

Carotenoids like astaxanthin help support good brain health by reducing the risks for neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and cognitive impairment.

But one advantage astaxanthin has is that its molecular structure is small enough to allow it to cross the blood-brain barrier. This gives it added ability to protect the brain and possibly even slow the onset rate of cognitive disorders.

Astaxanthin may also literally grow your brain. According to one study, astaxanthin can promote the growth of new brain cells in the hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for learning and memory. Researchers also found that those new cells had even greater learning and memory capacity.

Astaxanthin and heart health

Like omega-3s, astaxanthin has great benefits for your heart, including blood pressure. In one double-blind placebo-controlled study, postmenopausal women who took astaxanthin experienced a 7 percent reduction in systolic blood pressure (the top number) and a 4 percent reduction in diastolic pressure (the bottom number).

Astaxanthin can also help reduce LDL, the “bad” kind of cholesterol, and raise HDL, or “good” cholesterol. And since astaxanthin works in tandem with omega-3s in krill oil, you get a greater cholesterol-lowering benefit than with regular fish oil.

Results of one study showed patients who took 1 to 1.5 grams of krill oil a day showed a significantly higher decrease in bad cholesterol than patients who took three times that dose in fish oil.

Astaxanthin and blood sugar problems

Astaxanthin could be useful in preventing diabetic nephropathy, a disorder of the kidneys. According to one study in mice, the antioxidant activity of astaxanthin helped lower blood sugar, reduce stress on the kidneys and prevent renal cell damage.

Another study showed astaxanthin protected cells against the oxidative damage caused by high blood sugar levels. This damage can cause several complications in diabetics, including kidney disease, nerve damage (neuropathy) and vision problems (retinopathy).

Astaxanthin and eye health

While chemically astaxanthin shares some similarities with other carotenoids (like beta-carotene), it’s more closely related to oxygenated xanthophylls like lutein and zeaxanthin, both known for improving eye health. And like these two nutrients, astaxanthin can also help protect your vision.

But here astaxanthin has an extra edge, like it does in the brain…

Not only can the antioxidant cross the blood-brain barrier, but the same process holds for the retinal barrier.

In studies of patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), supplementing astaxanthin and other carotenoids were found to significantly improve retinal electrical outputs, which helps slow AMD damage.

Glaucoma involves an increase in the pressure of fluid inside the eyeball that causes oxidant damage and loss of blood flow and eventually results in retinal cell death. In eyes with experimentally induced glaucoma, astaxanthin restored these retinal parameters to normal.

Another study showed that astaxanthin supplementation resulted in a 46 percent reduction of eye strain caused by visual display terminals.

Astaxanthin and skin health

Astaxanthin appears to act as a sort of natural internal sunscreen by helping to protect your skin from damage by the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. The nutrient builds up in the top two layers of skin, helping to block UV penetration and reduce existing sun damage like wrinkles and lack of elasticity.

Astaxanthin and longevity

Researchers have found that astaxanthin can significantly increase the activation of the so-called “longevity gene” located in our heart tissue. In fact, animals in one study that were fed large amounts of astaxanthin had a 90 percent increase in the activation of this gene.

Healthy aging is a hot topic in discussions surrounding lifespan. This is the intersection referred to as healthspan. Numerous studies have shown that supplementing astaxanthin appears most beneficial for many of the aging processes and organs most challenged by aging including the brain, eyes and skin, not to mention energy levels.

To supplement or not to supplement

There’s no doubt that seafood is a rich source of astaxanthin — but it has to be the right kind. Wild salmon contains between 26 and 38 mg of astaxanthin per kilogram, while farmed salmon only contains 6 to 8 mg per kilogram.

Some experts recommend getting about 3.8 mg of astaxanthin a day, the amount found in roughly 5.8 ounces of salmon. However, others say a therapeutic dose of astaxanthin is anywhere from 4 to 12 milligrams a day, which makes it difficult to get through diet alone.

That’s why supplementing with astaxanthin-rich krill oil is a great alternative. Just remember, because it’s a fat-soluble carotenoid, take it after a meal for best absorption in the body.

Sources:

Health Benefits of Astaxanthin — Nourish by WebMD

Health effects of astaxanthin have been long studied — Natural Products Insider

Beneficial and Detrimental Effects of Reactive Oxygen Species on Lifespan: A Comprehensive Review of Comparative and Experimental Studies — Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology

Biological and neurological activities of astaxanthin (Review) — Molecular Medicine Report

Astaxanthin: Sources, Extraction, Stability, Biological Activities and Its Commercial Applications—A Review — Marine Drugs

Clinical Applications of Astaxanthin in the Treatment of Ocular Diseases: Emerging Insights — Marine Drugs

The Microalgae-Sourced  Carotenoid That Delivers Broad Spectrum Antiaging Benefits — Clinical Education

The post Astaxanthin: The antioxidant that challenges aging appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, think again.

Chances are that if you have heard of this supplement, it was in the context of high-performance athletes.

But it’s actually a vital nutrient for anyone who wants to support everyday wellness and healthy aging. Does that sound like you?

Then, read on for the skinny on creatine and why you need more of it.

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Creatine: What is it

Creatine is a nutrient, a compound to be exact, produced by three amino acids. Its function is to increase the amount of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in our cells — the body’s main source of energy.

Creatine can be found in seafood and red meat. It’s also available in flavored or unflavored powders, both in health stores and online.

In the gym, supplementing creatine translates to enhanced energy production, which means more energy to build muscle faster and to recover faster.

In general, ATP stores energy and delivers it to various parts of the body as it is needed to support everything from digestion to movement to thinking.

Once seen as a supplement for “gym rats” only, experts now say creatine plays a vital role in cellular energy, cognitive function, and healthy aging — and we should all take advantage of it.

What it does

If you’re dealing with physical fatigue that prevents you from staying active or finding that you’re just not as sharp as you once were, supplementing with creatine could help.

Dr. Richard Kreider, professor and director of the Exercise and Sport Nutrition Lab at Texas A&M University, has spent over 30 years investigating the effects of creatine.

He says, “When the body is stressed, like in exercise or under metabolic conditions like some diseases, creatine phosphate is needed to maintain energy in the cell, and therefore has a lot of protective and health benefits, in addition to the exercise performance effects that have been seen.”

But studies have found that most people aren’t getting enough. Women see a drop in their body’s creatine stores during hormonally driven periods such as menopause, menstruation or pregnancy.

And, as we age, we produce and store less. Production of ATP also slows down.

This slowing down of production has a particularly noticeable effect on muscle mass, strength and cognitive function.

In fact, just a couple of years ago, a critical analysis of nutritional supplements for healthy aging suggested four nutrients that could help prevent sarcopenia — the loss of muscle mass that occurs with age — and one of them was creatine.

Low dietary creatine intake is also associated with higher body fat. So why are we just hearing about its benefits outside of the gym?

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Unfounded concerns over safety and bloating

For years, there have been misgivings about its safety and the potential for uncomfortable bloating. But Dr. Kreider says a vast body of research shows it’s safe, effective and well-tolerated by most people.

When he and his colleagues analyzed 685 clinical trials on supplementing with creatine to assess its safety, their analysis revealed no significant differences in the rate of side effects between subjects taking creatine and those taking a placebo.

“There’s absolutely no data supporting any negative side effect anecdotally reported about creatine on the internet and in the media,” Dr. Kreider says. “Creatine is safe, and it’s important for everybody, not just bodybuilders and athletes.”

The problem is, most of us fall short in getting enough from our diets.

“You only get about a gram of creatine per pound of red meat or fish, like salmon, so it’s expensive and takes a lot of calories to get a gram,” Kreider said.

There’s no clearly defined Recommended Dietary Allowance for creatine, but the standard recommendation is 3 to 5 grams per day. Dr. Kreider suggests consuming 5 to 10 grams per day will maintain healthy stores and provide enough to support the brain.

When I try a new supplement, I usually start out with the lowest recommended amount and work my way up to see how well I tolerate it. I think that’s fair advice for just about anyone.

If you have kidney problems, it’s a good idea to discuss supplementing with your doctor first.

Sources:

This overlooked supplement could help you think sharper and age better — Science Daily

Safety of creatine supplementation: analysis of the prevalence of reported side effects in clinical trials and adverse event reports — Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition

Effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function of healthy individuals: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials — Experimental Gerontology

Creatine shows potential to boost cognition in Alzheimer’s patients — University of Kansas Medical Center

Creatine monohydrate pilot in Alzheimer’s: Feasibility, brain creatine, and cognition — Alzheimer’s Association

The post The ‘gym supplement’ for healthy aging and everyday wellness appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Such a fountain may exist only in legend. But science hasn’t stopped searching for ways to stop the clock…

They’ve zeroed in on a popular vitamin that’s demonstrating much promise in the real fight against aging.

Not only does it appear to slow biological aging, but it also reduces risk for diseases generally associated with the aging process…

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The nutrient that can help protect telomeres

Telomeres are repeating sequences of DNA at the ends of chromosomes that keep the chromosomes from deteriorating. They’re sort of like the plastic end caps that prevent the fibers that make up a rope or shoelace from unraveling.

As we grow older, these telomeres become shorter. And that exposes our chromosomes to degradation that increases risks for various age-related diseases.

So far, investigators have explored two nutrients for their potential in supporting telomere length: vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. But those studies have been short-term and small in scale, and results have been inconsistent.

This prompted researchers led by Mass General Brigham and the Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University to conduct a sub-study of the VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL) trial. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial tracked supplementation of these two nutrients in U.S. females aged 55 and older and males aged 50 and older for five years.

The VITAL Telomere sub-study included 1,054 of these participants, whose telomere length in white blood cells was assessed at the start of the study and again at years two and four. And when it came to telomer length, vitamin D3 took center stage…

Compared to those on a placebo, individuals taking 2,000 IU/day of vitamin D3 experienced significantly reduced telomere shortening over a four-year period.

In fact, this reduction prevented the equivalent of nearly three years of aging! The impact on age-related disease was also impactful. Daily, vitamin D3 supplementation:

• Reduced the incidence of advanced (metastatic or fatal) cancer by 17%.
• Reduced all incident autoimmune diseases by 22%.
• Decreased circulating high sensitivity-C-reactive protein (a chronic disease biomarker) concentrations by 19%.

“VITAL is the first large-scale and long-term randomized trial to show that vitamin D supplements protect telomeres and preserve telomere length,” says co-author Dr. JoAnn Manson, principal investigator of VITAL and chief of the Division of Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system.

“Our findings suggest that targeted vitamin D supplementation may be a promising strategy to counter a biological aging process, although further research is warranted,” says Dr. Haidong Zhu, first author of the report and a molecular geneticist at the Medical College of Georgia.

By contrast, daily supplementation with one gram of omega-3 fatty acids demonstrated no significant impact on telomere length throughout the follow-up.

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Don’t skimp on your vitamin D3

Unfortunately, the best source of vitamin D — sun exposure — is a double-edged sword, as it can cause skin cancer and visible aging of the skin. Wearing sunscreen to protect yourself from the sun’s ill effects also prevents the sun from triggering your body’s natural vitamin D production.

So, how about diet? There are only a few foods that contain vitamin D3 (the best form of vitamin D), including beef liver, egg yolks and cheese. And you would have to eat a ton of these foods to get the recommended daily amount of the nutrient.

That’s why supplementation is the best way to ensure you’re getting enough vitamin D3. Make sure you’re getting at least 2,000 IUs a day (the amount used in the VITAL study), but if you’re vitamin D-deficient, you’ll want to up that to a therapeutic dosage of 4,000 to 5,000 IUs daily, at least. The benefits are just too good to pass up…

Other health benefits associated with vitamin D include:

• A 20% reduction in the risk factors of heart disease
• Improved mood
• Increased insulin sensitivity
• Decreased formation of insoluble proteins such as beta amyloid

Sources:

Vitamin D supplements show signs of protection against biological aging — ScienceDaily

Vitamin D₃ and marine ω-3 fatty acids supplementation and leukocyte telomere length: 4-year findings from the VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL) randomized controlled trial — The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

The post Slow biological aging 3 years with a vitamin appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But the signs of mental exhaustion can be harder to recognize — even though they impact an awful lot of us.

Because of this, we don’t always know when to stop to try to recover. Instead, we often push past the point of no return, leading to burnout.

So how can you know that your brain is throwing up red flags, begging you to take a step back and get some much-needed time and outside support?

Here are the top 10 mental exhaustion warning signs you should heed…

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#1 – Anger or impatience

When your brain is drained, your mood can suffer. You might wonder why you feel so short-tempered. But mental exhaustion makes it harder to control your emotions.

So, if you snap at others because you’re easily irritated by small things that would usually not bother you, you could be well on the way to mental exhaustion.

#2 – Inability to get your work done

Mental exhaustion can make even small tasks feel insurmountable.

You may be unable to concentrate long enough to complete projects or get distracted. Or you could even lack the motivation to get things off the ground in the first place.

If that sounds familiar, check off this sign that you’re mentally overwhelmed.

#3 – Zoning out

Pushing the limits of mental fatigue can make your mind wander and even lead to drowsiness.

While this can cause problems at work and in your daily life at home, it can become dangerous when you need to pay attention and react quickly, such as when driving, operating machinery or caring for children.

Don’t ignore this mental exhaustion warning sign for your safety and that of others.

#4 – Lack of sleep

While it might seem like you would sleep better when your brain is overworked, it’s not so simple.

Research has shown that the reverse is true, with increased mental exhaustion leading to insomnia. Even worse, this can cause a negative feedback loop, with lack of sleep worsening mental exhaustion.

Don’t let this sign of mental exhaustion take over.

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#5 – Depression

You can feel numb or hopeless when you’ve pushed your brain past its limits. You might even feel like you’re moving in slow motion because you lack the energy to get through your daily tasks.

If any of these problems or low moods last for more than two weeks, it could be a signal that your depression is more serious and that it’s time to talk to your doctor.

#6 – Increased worrying

If you’ve been feeling increased levels of worry, it could be a sign you’re mentally exhausted.

That happens when your sympathetic nervous system, which kicks off your ‘fight or flight’ response, is triggered by mental exhaustion. Fight or flight is meant to be temporary.

But when cortisol, the stress hormone that kickstarts it, stays elevated, it suppresses serotonin (a key feel-good hormone). This imbalance creates a cycle of stress, worry and depression.

#7 – Difficulty exercising

Everything feels harder when your brain is at a breaking point, especially exercise. Many researchers believe this is because mental exhaustion decreases your tolerance for exercise.

This can make it feel like your regular exercise routine is more difficult than usual and requires more effort. That can cause you to give up on something actually good for relieving mental stress.

#8 – Changes in healthy habits

Mental fatigue can leave you grasping at straws to feel better. You could snack more often or choose unhealthy options like sugary, fatty or salty foods to “feel better.”

On the other hand, some people suffering from mental exhaustion may not have an appetite at all. Either of these changes could lead to corresponding changes on your bathroom scale.

Additionally, mental exhaustion can cause some people to turn to unhealthy habits like alcohol and drugs to manage their stress.

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#9 – Making mistakes

Because mental exhaustion can decrease focus and increase distraction, you can make more mistakes than usual. It also makes it much harder for you to catch and fix your mistakes.

#10 – Higher pain levels

Finally, one of the biggest flashing warning signs that you are mentally exhausted is experiencing pain more acutely.

This can include everything from headaches and fibromyalgia symptoms to back pain, sore muscles and even stomach and GI concerns. If your pain levels go up, your brain could be begging for a mental health break.

Turn mental exhaustion around

Taking a temporary break from stressors is a good step toward relief from mental exhaustion. But if you’ve dealt with these signs for a long time, you may have developed adrenal fatigue.

Years of constant excess cortisol production sets off an autoimmune inflammatory response in your entire body, affecting the adrenal-hypothalamus-pituitary feedback loop.

When I experienced mental exhaustion and adrenal fatigue in my early adulthood, I was led by an integrative doctor to adaptogenic herbs. As their name implies, they help our bodies adapt to changes, like those brought about by stress, worry and depression. I’ve found relief using a formulation that includes:

• Ashwagandha
• L-theanine
• Rhodiola
• Holy Basil
• Boswellia

Take mental exhaustion as seriously as you do physical exhaustion. The effects on your health and quality of life can be just as potent.

Sources:

Signs You’re Mentally Exhausted – WebMD

The post 10 warning signs you’re mentally exhausted appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

One claims that drinking cough syrup increases your fertility because it thins out the cervical mucus, making it easier for sperm to pass into the uterus. Another involves wearing rose quartz, a crystal thought to increase fertility and boost conception rates.

There is no evidence to support most of these claims. However, one recommendation that proved somewhat true in a study is eating a hearty breakfast.

A group of women who ate their largest meal at breakfast began to ovulate more regularly, improving their fertility. The theory is that the nutrients in the meal probably caused the effect. However, there was no breakdown of which nutrients might be responsible.

Now, a systematic review of two dozen studies has pinpointed one plant-based nutrient that could actually help aid female fertility…

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The fertility benefits of resveratrol

Resveratrol is a natural polyphenol compound found in many plants, most notably grape skins. It is known for its anti-inflammatory, antiaging and antioxidant properties. It has been shown to prevent the inflammation that can lead to heart disease and other chronic conditions.

An international team of researchers reviewed 24 in vitro and in vivo studies focused on resveratrol and female reproductive health. In doing so, they found evidence suggesting resveratrol may improve the quantity and quality of egg cells known as oocytes.

There are a couple of possible explanations for that benefit…

• One is resveratrol’s antioxidant activity, which reduces oxidative stress and helps protect mitochondrial DNA from damage.
• Another is that resveratrol also activates sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), a molecule typically reduced in aged oocytes, and this activity is thought to potentially slow cell aging and extend ovarian lifespan.

The review also revealed the potential use of resveratrol in the treatment of endometriosis-related infertility and obesity-related infertility. In addition to resveratrol’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits, it inhibited pathways involved in androgen production. Too much androgen can reduce fertility.

However, it is important to note the review found mixed results regarding miscarriage and pregnancy. Out of five studies reporting on pregnancy rates, two indicated an increase, two found no difference, and one reported a decrease among those taking resveratrol. The same study that found a decline in pregnancy rates also noted an increase in miscarriage rates, though a second study found no difference.

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“Our systematic review on resveratrol and female fertility is a comprehensive overview of all current research, and it highlights the compound’s potential to improve reproductive outcomes and possibly pave the way for new, less invasive treatments, using natural substances,” says Lee Smith, professor of public health at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in Cambridge, England and senior author of the paper.

“Therefore, there is a need for further clinical trials, involving human participants, in order to translate these promising results into practical recommendations for women looking to improve their fertility, including guidance on the safe and effective dosage of resveratrol.”

Great sources of resveratrol

Resveratrol can be found in higher amounts in specific foods, most of which might appear as part of a healthy diet. Those include:

• Grapes, especially black grapes.
• Red wine (in moderation)
• Peanuts
• Berries
• Peanuts
• Dark chocolate
• Cacao

Supplementing resveratrol is considered safe. But it’s always wise to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations when taking a supplement. At doses over 2.5 grams or more per day, side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and liver dysfunction have been reported. During pregnancy, it’s wise to consult with your doctor about any supplement.

Resveratrol is rapidly absorbed by the body. Unfortunately, the flip side is that the body quickly metabolizes resveratrol. So whatever your favorite source may be, consider spreading them out throughout your day.

Sources:

Study shows potential of resveratrol to aid fertility — EurekAlert!

Resveratrol and Female Fertility: A Systematic Review — International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Which fertility old wives’ tales are actually true? — The Fertility and Gynaecology Academy

11 Old Wives’ Tales About Trying to Conceive That We Should Banish for Good — Yahoo!Life

Showing all foods in which the polyphenol Resveratrol is found — Phenol-Explorer

The post Resveratrol: Longevity antioxidant to fertility booster appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

You see, for a couple of years, mom had suffered from recurrent UTIs.

As you probably know, UTIs are becoming increasingly difficult to treat. Especially since the bacterium that causes them, in most cases, is becoming resistant to antibiotic treatment.

And taking more potent and stronger antibiotics for each urinary tract infection had begun to take a toll on mom…

At one point, she was even hospitalized with a severe C. diff infection (resulting from antibiotic overuse). After that, we knew we had to do something differently to help her, so I began researching…

I devised a plan of action: Instead of fighting infection after infection, we’d help mom avoid them in the first place.

I gave her the three-part system I found to help finally clear those recurrent UTIs — the same one I will give you right now. Mom makes these three supplements part of her routine, and it seems to have done the trick…

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Step #1: D-Mannose

D-mannose is a type of sugar. It’s related to glucose. Now, it may sound strange that I would recommend sugar to get rid of a UTI since you’re usually told to avoid sugar, but stick with me.

The secret behind D-mannose is that it can prevent certain bacteria from sticking to the walls of the urinary tract. And it’s been shown to be more effective than antibiotics at getting rid of recurrent UTIs.

In fact, a 2014 study divided 308 women with a history of recurrent UTIs into three groups. One group took D-mannose powder in water for six months. The second group was given a daily antibiotic. The third group received no treatment at all.

By the end of the study, only 98 women still had a recurrent UTI: 15 in the D-mannose group, 21 in the antibiotic group and the rest had received no treatment. Not only did D-mannose beat the antibiotic, it did it without side effects, unlike the prescription drug.

Step #2: Cranberries (and vitamin C)

The next step is cranberries. Women have known these little berries had a powerful action against UTIs for decades. And research has slowly caught up…

In 2023, using data from a review of 50 studies with 8,857 participants, researchers analyzed results from trials where cranberry products were compared with placebos, with antibiotics or probiotics and with no treatment at all.

They found that consuming cranberry products (in juice, tablet or capsule form) was strongly associated with reduced risk of UTIs in women with recurrent infections.

Earlier research has shown that it could be the proanthocyanidins (a type of polyphenol) in cranberries that do the job by keeping E. coli (the bacteria behind most UTIs) from sticking to the urinary tract lining.

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But that’s not all. Cranberries are a good source of vitamin C.

This potential little vitamin does three things: It boosts your immune system, makes your urine more acidic and also helps stop the growth of E. coli).

In 2007, researchers found that a daily dose of just 100 milligrams of vitamin C for three months significantly reduced urinary tract infections.

Step #3: Probiotics

The final step in the three-part plan to get rid of recurrent UTIs is to take probiotics.

That’s because good flora, like what you get in probiotics, helps to prevent the bad bacteria from taking over your urinary tract.

A great way to get more probiotics in your system is to eat fermented foods. These include foods like sauerkraut, kombucha, kefir, yogurt and kimchi. But a high-quality probiotic pill is a super easy way.

The key strain here is Lactobacillus rhamnosus, which is often added to dairy products like yogurt, milk and cheeses to help them ripen.

And, there you have it… a three-part plan to kiss those constant UTIs goodbye for good. Start using the power of D-mannose, cranberries and probiotics today to get rid of the harmful bacteria, boost your immune system and restore your normal flora.

It’s important to remember that men can also suffer from UTIs, and the steps outlined here can be beneficial for them, too.

Sources:

Effectiveness of a Combination of Cranberries, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Vitamin C for the Management of Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections in Women: Results of a Pilot Study — European Urology

The post 3 steps to avoid recurrent urinary tract infections appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

If medication isn’t yet necessary, there are five natural supplements that can help promote normal blood pressure without concern for side effects.

Some conventional doctors are coming around to the idea of using these as your first choice to regain control of your blood pressure, along with lifestyle improvements that might include a healthier diet and regular exercise.

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What is normal blood pressure?

A normal blood pressure reading would be any blood pressure at or below 120/80 mm Hg and above 90/60 mm Hg.

When your systolic pressure is between 120 and 129 mm Hg or diastolic pressure is from 80–89 mm Hg, you could be considered to have prehypertension.

Although you aren’t classified as having high blood pressure yet, prehypertension can quickly turn into true high blood pressure.

Once your systolic blood pressure reaches between 130 and 139 mm Hg, or if your diastolic blood pressure reaches between 80 and 89 mm Hg you are diagnosed with stage one high blood pressure.

From there, the higher the numbers, the worse your condition is considered.

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Supplements that can help and how to take them

So, now that you know where your numbers put you on the blood pressure spectrum, what can you do?

The traditional advice of eating a healthy diet and getting the right amount of exercise still stands, but along with that, here are five supplements that have been shown to support blood pressure…

1. Omega-3s — Research has shown that increasing your omega-3s can decrease your blood pressure. So, add in a high-quality cold-water fish oil supplement like krill oil to get your blood pressure back into a healthy range. The Mayo Clinic recommends 6,000 mg per day (2,000 mg with each meal) for 6 months to prevent heart disease.
2. Vitamin D3 — People with low levels of vitamin D have a higher risk of high blood pressure. Taking a therapeutic dose of 5,000 IU per day of D3 can help you regain control of your blood pressure.
3. Calcium/Magnesium — Too little of either of these minerals is associated with high blood pressure. Women need 1,000-1,200 mg of calcium per day while men should get between 500-600 mg. You will need approximately 500 mg of magnesium to replace the amount you lose each day through your normal body processes.
4. Potassium — Potassium helps by balancing the salt level in your body. Adding a potassium supplement of 100 mg per day can help promote healthier blood pressure.
5. CoQ10 — 45- 60 mg of CoQ10 per day has been shown to lower blood pressure as much as 12 to 25 points. Just be sure to buy a soft gel as they are better absorbed.

If you’re on blood pressure medications don’t stop taking them. Talk to your doctor about the nutrients above and see if you can work together on a natural solution to maintaining healthy blood pressure.

Sources:

Nwankwo T, Yoon SS, Burt V, Gu Q. Hypertension among adults in the US: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011-2012. NCHS Data Brief, No. 133. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Dept of Health and Human Services; 2013.

Facts about hypertension — CDC

Fish oil — Mayo Clinic

New Guidelines for Potassium Replacement in Clinical Practice — Scribd

Coenzyme Q10 — University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC)

Coenzyme Q10 — Mayo Clinic

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But just like on the football field, you have your MVPs — and you have those players that, if they spent the entirety of the game on the sidelines, the season would go on.

Your appendix might be a bench sitter. Even your spleen and gallbladder could sit the game out. And it’s even possible to continue without a stomach, a kidney or a colon. It’s certainly not optimal by any means, but it’s possible.

Your liver, though, is no bench-sitter.

It’s responsible for performing hundreds of functions… from breaking down fat for energy and metabolizing nutrients and medications so your body can use them — to creating and regulating several hormones… as well as enzymes and proteins necessary for digestion and even blood clotting.

But your liver is also your body’s main detoxifying organ. To say the least, that’s a lot of pressure.

Under a constant assault by chemicals, toxins and a diet heavy in processed foods — a tired, overworked liver can struggle to do it all.  It will switch to “life support mode” and put housekeeping on the back burner.

The toxins and fat begin to build, and your liver is no longer playing like an MVP. The result? Up to 100 million Americans with undiagnosed non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, for starters.

Luckily, your liver has a teammate whose main goal is making sure it’s up to sacking those inescapable threats…

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Your liver’s best friend

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is derived from an amino acid in the body that is essential for producing antioxidants. Without NAC, you’d have difficulty refilling your stores of glutathione, the body’s master antioxidant.

NAC activates glutathione, which “primes” the function of T cells and natural killer cells, making them better able to deal with viruses and bacteria. A big deal, right? But that’s not all…

NAC is a powerful detoxifier. In fact, if you are ever rushed to the ER for an acetaminophen (Tylenol) overdose, doctors will immediately administer an I.V. dose of N-acetylcysteine.

Acute threats aside though, with NAC, your liver gains a powerful ally, capable of tackling multiple health threats, including those that come with age.

Previous research has shown that because NAC can help the body maintain adequate glutathione levels, it may help prevent the routine metabolic decline associated with aging.

According to the author of that study, “I’m optimistic there could be a role for this compound in preventing the increased toxicity we face with aging, as our abilities to deal with toxins decline. We might be able to improve the metabolic resilience that we’re naturally losing with age.”

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Getting NAC on your team

NAC is a free agent. In other words, providing your body with NAC is as simple as finding the right supplement.

That’s because NAC isn’t found in any food sources. However, eating high-protein foods provides your body with cysteine, which is a precursor to NAC.

For that reason, some health practitioners will tell you it’s not necessary to supplement NAC. However, the study I referenced above found that in mice experiencing toxic stress, the cells of older mice were depleted of glutathione, and they died twice as fast as younger mice.

NAC has also been around for a long time and has been used as a medication, so it’s considered quite safe. But always choose supplements from a reputable manufacturer and never take more than is recommended.

If you bleed easily, have cystinuria (a condition that causes kidney stones) or take nitroglycerine, don’t supplement NAC without talking to your doctor first.

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Vitamin K is generally associated with coagulation, but over the last decade or so key differences have been revealed about the roles the subtypes play in our health.

In fact, vitamin K is considered an emerging group of vitamins required for human health.

At least that’s the conclusion of one group of researchers who say these vitamins, one in particular, may be useful for several chronic conditions featuring a common denominator afflicting North America’s aging population.

Mainly, K1 is important for helping blood clot to prevent hemorrhaging — but K2 has been found to have very important roles in bone, vascular, joint and cognitive health.

If you aren’t already supplementing K2, as researchers suggest, especially for bone and heart health, let me share more on the importance of this valuable nutrient and how K2 can impact what scientists now say is a key contributor to aging…

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Healthier aging

Many experts believe calcification should be viewed as a contributor to the pathological aging process. That’s because calcification decreases the function of various tissues or organs, leading to the functional decline of organs, the systems affected and ultimately health in general.

For example…

• The pineal gland copiously secretes melatonin in childhood to direct our circadian rhythm. But it begins to decline in function during puberty, already due to significant calcification.

• Pineal calcification is seen in nearly all adults leading to reduced melatonin secretion which has also been suggested to be associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

• Arterial blood vessels are lifelong active tissues, and arterial calcification has been observed in conditions with high atherogenic levels, such as diabetes, oxidative stress, and chronic kidney disease (CKD). It’s commonly seen in the aging population, with 96 percent of observed aortic and coronary artery calcification seen in people over the age of 70.

Emerging evidence from animal and clinical studies has associated low K2 levels with calcification and an elevated risk of heart problems.

Bone health and calcium wrangling

Evidence supports K2 in the maintenance of bone health, including:

• increasing bone strength and density
• increasing bone mineral content
• inhibiting bone resorption
• decreasing fracture risk
• reducing urinary calcium loss
• lowering serum alkaline phosphatase levels

This would suggest that vitamin K2 reduces bone calcium mobilization (calcium loss from bones), increases bone calcium deposition, and strengthens bone construction.

At the same time, vitamin K2 limits the occurrence of calcification in other organs due to reduced bone calcium loss.

Per a review of vitamin K in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, the United States and Canada do not have recommendations for the use of vitamin K2 for osteoporosis. However, K2 is recommended as the standard of care in Japan where many studies on its effects on bone health as well as its efficiency in managing calcium in the body have taken place.

The Japanese diet is rich in the particularly powerful form of K2 known as MK-7, where it is found in fermented soy products and traditional dishes, like natto.

Vascular health

Ninety‐nine percent of bodily calcium is stored in bone, largely regulated by vitamin K2, with the remaining 1 percent circulating in the blood, muscle and other tissues.

But if vitamin K2 levels are low, it can disrupt the binding between calcium and osteocalcin (OC), a protein that helps with bone mineralization. This not only leads to the loss of calcium from bones, but it allows more rogue calcium to circulate to places where it can cause calcification.

Research has shown vitamin K2 can effectively stabilize mobile calcium, reduce artery calcium levels, inhibit calcium deposition in the blood vessel walls and more…

In a study of 4807 subjects free from myocardial infarction at baseline and followed for 7 years, those with the highest tertile intake of menaquinone (vitamin K2) compared to the lowest, resulted in a significant risk reduction in coronary heart disease.

Energy metabolism

Mitochondria are found in our cells and are considered mini power plants that regulate cellular energy metabolism. Vitamin K2 is an important player in the mitochondrial quality-control loop and repair of mitochondrial dysfunction.

Accumulating evidence suggests that vitamin K2 inhibits inflammatory responses and repairs mitochondrial damage induced by oxidative stress.

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Brain health

Because oxidative and neuroinflammatory mechanisms of cellular damage are associated with many neurological disorders, including neurodegenerative conditions, vitamin K2 can also afford some support here.

An increasing body of evidence suggests the possible role of K2 supplementation as a neuroprotective strategy in the maintenance of nerve integrity and normal brain function, including cognition.

It’s already well known in the scientific field that vitamin K2 is a necessary factor for the biosynthesis and metabolism of sphingolipids, an important class of lipids, which exist in high concentrations in brain cell membranes and function in brain cell events, including signaling between neurotransmitters.

Sources of vitamin K2

The vitamin K group has been associated with green leafy vegetables. But that’s where you will only find vitamin K1.

Vitamin K2 is found in butter, egg yolks, lard and animal products. The MK-7 subtype is found in fermented foods and some cheeses, like gouda and Jarlsberg. But any web search will reveal that natto is the highest source.

It’s important to know where to find it because current recommendations lump vitamin K into one group. Researchers, as recently as 2020, in the journal Nutrients, have called for a separate recommended daily intake for vitamin K2.

In their argument they state, “Almost 1000 years of northern Japanese cuisine has included ‘natto’, the world’s richest food source of VK2. A VK2-rich diet has existed for approximately 30 generations without any adverse side effects.”

But considering that the FDA tries to steer us towards pharmaceuticals and away from nutrition, it’s not all that surprising that they haven’t addressed that request.

Sources:

The biological responses of vitamin K2: A comprehensive review — Food Science & Nutrition

Vitamin K2 Modulates Mitochondrial Dysfunction Induced by 6-Hydroxydopamine in SH-SY5Y Cells via Mitochondrial Quality-Control Loop — Journal Nutrients

Vitamins K1 and K2: The Emerging Group of Vitamins Required for Human Health — Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism

Growing Evidence of a Proven Mechanism Shows Vitamin K2 Can Impact Health Conditions Beyond Bone and Cardiovascular — Integrative Medicine: A Clinician’s Journal

The post The vitamin that fights a common contributor of unhealthy aging appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Phosphatidylserine is essential for healthy nerve cell membranes and myelin, an insulating layer or sheath made up of protein and fatty substances that forms around nerves, including those in the brain.

The sheath allows for successful neurotransmissions — electrical impulses that transmit along the nerve cells. In the brain, this allows brain cells to communicate with one another, making it possible for you to concentrate, remember, learn, and manage emotions, as well for the brain to signal locomotor functions, like rapid reactions and reflexes.

Although the body manufactures some PS on its own, our primary sources of PS are dietary or supplemental. This is especially important to remember, as the body produces less of this important nutrient with age.

Let’s talk about the benefits of PS and how to keep them coming…

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The benefits of phosphatidylserine

Memory. Phosphatidylserine (PS for short) is best known as a nootropic, meaning simply that it supports brain function.

As the human brain ages, it experiences biochemical alterations and structural deterioration that impair transmission between nerve cells. In other words, the protective myelin sheath may break down and the electrical impulses involved in nerve communication don’t work as they should. This results commonly in memory and cognition problems that we’ve come to accept as a normal part of aging.

According to a review of 127 scientifically published papers on the nutrient, study authors concluded that 300 to 800 mg of PS is not only absorbed efficiently but also “crosses the blood-brain barrier and safely slows, halts or reverses the biochemical alterations and structural deterioration in nerve cells.”

The authors also stated that it “supports human cognitive functions, including the formation of short-term memory, the consolidation of long-term memory, the ability to create new memories, the ability to retrieve memories, the ability to learn and recall information, the ability to focus attention and concentrate, the ability to reason and solve problems, language skills, and the ability to communicate. It also supports locomotor functions, especially rapid reactions and reflexes.”

In another study, subjects’ increased memory scores were mostly attributed to an increase in delayed verbal recall, where a person must repeat a sequence of words an hour or more after hearing them.

This type of verbal recall is one of the first memory abilities to be lost in the early stages of cognitive decline.

Sleep. PS supplements are perhaps the safest sleep aid out there. They’re made from plant extracts and act naturally on the brain.

By resensitizing the hypothalamus and the hippocampus — the brain’s “shut-off valves” for cortisol — to your natural circadian rhythm, they help do away with the extreme fluctuations in cortisol that result from stress and can interfere with proper sleep.

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Depression and anxiety. Research has shown that depression can accelerate aging and conversely, aging can impact depression. In a study published in Mental Illness, researchers reported that PS and omega-3 fatty acids relieved depressive symptoms in elderly individuals suffering from late-life depression who had been previously unresponsive to antidepressant medications. Studies have also found PS brought an improvement in symptoms of Parkinson’s patients, including better mood control.

Stress. Clinical studies have found that taking supplemental PS reduces serum adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and cortisol levels, as well as salivary cortisol levels following mental stress. In other words, PS helps blunt the effects of stress by decreasing blood levels of the stress hormones ACTH, cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine.

How to increase phosphatidylserine

As we age, we naturally produce less and less PS. Fortunately, there are some good dietary sources of this nootropic. There are a few foods sources, including soy, white beans, egg yolks, chicken liver, and beef liver. Soy lecithin and sunflower lecithin are high sources usually included in supplements.

As the extensive study review that we mentioned above found, a dosage of between 300 and 800 milligrams daily is absorbed well by most people. A “therapeutic” dose is 100mg three times a day.

As always when starting a new supplement, it’s a good idea to consult with your doctor if you have any conditions that require certain medications.

Sources:

Phosphatidylserine and the human brain — The Journal Nutrition

The Health Benefits of Phosphatidylserine — verywellmind.com

Phosphatidylserine and the human brain — Science Direct

Soybean-Derived Phosphatidylserine Improves Memory Function of the Elderly Japanese Subjects with Memory Complaints — Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition

PHOSPHATIDYLSERINE — WebMD

What is Phosphatidylserine? — Wisepowder.com

Everything you need to know about tofu — Medical News Today

The post Phosphatidylserine: The natural way to a better brain and mood appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Thanks to its reputation as an all-natural oxygen and endurance enhancer, scientists from all areas of health started their own experiments with DMG to see if it could help their patients. Sure enough, data started coming out showing how it was giving relief to those with chronic joint pain, restoring concentration and focus, normalizing cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and so much more.

In only a matter of a few years, dimethylglycine went from being a celebrated endurance enhancer to the unsung hero of the nutrition world. And as you keep reading, you’ll see how this simple nutrient has the potential to help improve your own health, even if you’re not an athlete or athletic.

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Why DMG is the unsung hero of the nutrition world

DMG works behind the scenes as an intermediate metabolite in the one-carbon choline cycle with its primary function being to contribute methyl groups for methylation reactions and provide other essential building blocks. Its promise was first put to use as an addition to equine diets for racehorses before eventually being used to enhance athletic performance. Even though it has been used for decades, only recently has it reached public awareness.

While found in both plants and animals, our bodies — particularly our liver — can create it from glycine sources (we’ll touch on the best sources to get glycine shortly).

Even though it’s marketed to athletes, don’t let that fool you. The benefits of dimethylglycine are many and are enjoyed by everyone, regardless of age or activity level.

In fact, for some occupations that require that extra focus like truck drivers, overnight nurses, military personnel, and even students burning the midnight oil preparing for their next big exam, dimethylglycine can help restore your clarity and concentration when you need it most.

But first, let’s go over some specifics that make it so beneficial:

Dimethylglycine and athletic performance:

Its ultimate claim to fame, DMG has been shown to enhance overall performance and endurance. Studies show that athletes with high levels of DMG were able to perform longer without significant fatigue or muscle loss and were better able to utilize oxygen intake. It was also shown that after exercising, the athletes had less lactic acid buildup.

One study found that higher levels of DMG reduced the “hitting the wall” feeling marathon runners deal with after using up their stored calories in the liver. This helped to reduce their time while also helping them recover quicker.

Dimethylglycine and heart health:

Research from Clemson University showed that DMG supports the heart and blood vessels by slowing the rate of degeneration. Studies show this helps with oxygen function, helps normalize cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and moderates cardiovascular performance.

Much of DMG’s success with regard to heart health is its ability to deactivate the amino acid homocysteine. While necessary for human life, too much or too little can contribute to problems ranging from oxidative stress to DNA damage. By giving up one of its methyl groups to homocysteine, DMG helps prevent damage caused by having high levels of homocysteine while also reducing the toxic burden on the liver.

Dimethylglycine and immune health:

Research in the medical journal The Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine showed that DMG acted as an immune modulator, enhancing the immune system’s ability to respond to foreign invaders. Studies show that it boosts the production of T-cells, B-cells and macrophages so they can go to work against whatever is trying to cause infection.

In this same study, it was shown how DMG was able to boost antibody production by as much as 400 percent.

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Dimethylglycine and detoxification:

While there are multiple ways the body can remove toxins, the liver stands out as being the master detox organ. With the help of DMG, the liver can detox more efficiently and effectively. This helps to clear out toxins and studies show how methylation is essential to this process.  

It’s also been shown that DMG helps increase glutathione production, which is often thought of as the “master detoxifier” and free-radical fighter in the liver. Without glutathione, you become more susceptible to illness and can start losing the functionality of your movement, speech and mental processing. Overall, DMG helps to keep your detox system running smoothly and your liver strong.

Dimethylglycine and inflammation:

DMG supports a healthy inflammatory response and is a potent free-radical fighter, keeping damage to organs and cells at a bare minimum. Research in the medical journal BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies showed how scientists wanted to see if it would have any impact on rheumatoid arthritis based on its reputation as an inflammation tamer. In the conclusion of their report, they found that DMG created “significant reductions” in arthritis.

Thanks in part to its ability to increase circulation while also being an effective detoxifier, this allows DMG to stop inflammation in its tracks while supporting healthy and graceful aging.

Dimethylglycine and cognition:

Based on testimonies found in The Townsend Letter, alternative health practitioners from all over have been sharing results of how DMG has been helping with various parts of brain function including memory, cognition and focus.

This is because DMG crosses the blood-brain barrier, going directly to the brain so it can start getting to work quickly. It’s also been shown to produce the building blocks for neurotransmitters, improving the connection between the brain and body.

Surprisingly, some professionals have had luck using DMG on those showing symptoms of autism. Dr. Rimland of the Autism Research Society of San Diego, California has kept records of parents who have filled out various surveys and found that nearly 50 percent of people with autism symptoms have improved thanks to DMG.

Dimethylglycine and stress:

Because of its multiple benefits, it’s no wonder that DMG works similarly to popular adaptogens like holy basil or astragalus, both prized herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Like many other adaptogens, DMG helps to improve the areas of the body like immunity, and circulation, reducing inflammation and oxidation, and supporting the detoxing of toxins.

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Eating the right foods with DMG

There are two ways of getting DMG: through food and supplements.

These foods contain the highest amount of DMG:

• Beef liver
• Beans and Legumes
• Cereals and grains
• Pumpkin seeds
• Sunflower seeds
• Foods typically with high amounts of b-vitamins (that aren’t fortified)

Since glycine is also a precursor to DMG, eating foods high in glycine can help raise dimethylglycine levels.

Glycine sources include:

• Animal skins like pork skins (pork rinds), fish skin, chicken skin, etc.
• Dried egg whites
• Lean meats
• Bone broth
• Dairy

By incorporating these foods into part of your everyday diet, you’ll be able to slowly raise the DMG levels in your blood.

Keep in mind, most of these foods only contain small amounts of dimethylglycine and to meet the requirement of the amount used in studies, you’d have to eat all day long.

This isn’t to say you can’t get benefits from eating these foods, but supplementing is a safe option.

Getting the right amount of DMG

Supplementing with DMG will help you quickly and easily reach the desired levels used in the medical literature.

To help strengthen the effects of dimethylglycine, you can pair it with either a nitric oxide booster like l-arginine or l-citrulline or the hormone balancer Diindolylmethane or DIM for short.

L-arginine and l-citrulline have been shown to help release a special gas in your blood vessels called nitric oxide. Nitric oxide dilates your blood vessels which increases overall blood flow and delivery to every inch of your body. When paired with dimethylglycine, this improves its overall effect since it can reach everywhere from your head to your toes, at a much faster rate.

DIM on the other hand helps to balance out estrogen levels in the body. Estrogen levels have been on the rise in both men and women due to various changes occurring in both our environment and food supply. Fluoride in the water, preservatives in food, pesticides used on our crops, and a number of other factors have caused estrogen levels to skyrocket. Excess estrogen is associated with weight gain, depression, fatigue, decreased sex drive, and inflammation are just a few of the symptoms.

When paired together, DMG and DIM can help detox the body twice as quickly as usual. The glycine in DMG helps with the detoxification of excess estrogen by helping the liver more quickly and efficiently flush toxins. This reduces overall inflammation, allowing you to lose that excess weight, taking pressure off your joints, and giving you back a good night’s rest.

So whether you want to compete or just feel like you can, DMG can give you what you need to keep going, and then some, while promoting a healthy body.

Sources:

Recent Findings on N, N-Dimethylglycine (DMG): A Nutrient for the New Millennium — Vitriscience.com

Stimulation of the immune response by dimethylglycine, a nontoxic metabolite — The Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine

All about methylation and what you can do to keep yours healthy — Bioceuticals.com.au

Immunomodulation of murine collagen-induced arthritis by N, N-dimethylglycine and a preparation of Perna canaliculus — PubMed

Homocysteine: Friend or Foe? — PubMed

The effect of N, N-dimethylglycine on athletic performance at altitude in horses and mules — ResearchGate

The post Dimethylglycine: The key to stamina, performance and endurance appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But in their testing, something unexpected happened…

Men who took this drug experienced a big improvement — in their ability to get and maintain erections. Even more exciting was this happened within 30 to 60 minutes after use!

Knowing a marketable drug when they see dollar signs, Pfizer patented sildenafil in 1996. Just two short years later, the drug was approved by the FDA for treating erectile dysfunction and marketed to the world as Viagra.

What makes this story so important isn’t so much about what that “little blue pill” is famous for. As significant as that is, there’s a much bigger story to tell…

That’s because the mechanism behind Viagra just happens to be a key biological signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system so important, that its discovery earned a Nobel Prize…

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The magic behind how Nitric Oxide helps the body

The same year Viagra got the thumbs up from the FDA, three pharmacologists won the Nobel Prize for work that had started decades earlier.

Fred Murad, Robert Furchgott and Louis Ignarro all produced compelling scientific work that identified nitric oxide (NO), a gas the body produces that acts as a signaling molecule telling blood vessels to relax, expand and open wide for one very important purpose: healthy blood flow to every nook and cranny of the body.

NO was found in the endothelial cells that lined artery walls — where its chief function was as a powerful vasodilator. It was also found that NO was how nitroglycerin and many other vasodilating compounds worked.

But not only did this “gas” regulate important cellular functions, they speculated it also regulated some hormones.

Problems with erectile dysfunction are vascular and hormonal. And NO is needed to help the muscles in the penis to relax so chambers inside the penis can fill with blood — and, yes, stand tall.

Even though harnessing NO put an end to erectile dysfunction for many men — and made Viagra one of the top-selling drugs in the world — natural support for blood pressure, blood flow and blood vessels is where NO truly shines.

And you don’t have to take a drug to help your body produce the NO it needs. I’ll explain how, but first, let’s review what science shows NO can do…

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Nitric Oxide and Heart Health and Hypertension

The lining of your blood vessels performs important functions that affect your blood flow and blood pressure. But the lining of the arteries, known as the endothelium, loses much of its flexibility with age and in people with heart problems.

That loss of pliability can restrict the heart’s ability to supply adequate blood to your muscles, the heart and the brain. Plus, the resulting stiffness can lead to serious increases in blood pressure.

A study in the American Journal of Hypertension found that participants who struggled with hypertension experienced significant improvement after following a diet rich in the amino acid L-Arginine — a building block of NO. They also found that L-Arginine was responsible for a blood-pressure decrease, as well as a fall in fasting glucose, and the lowering of total cholesterol and triglycerides.

Nitric Oxide for Energy Levels and Blood Flow

In 2013, researchers at Kansas State University tested a beetroot-based drink for its NO-boosting abilities. They discovered the nitrates in beetroot juice concentrate increased blood flow to skeletal muscles by as much as 10 percent.

More importantly, according to the lead researcher, those who struggle with heart issues or who have suffered from heart failure in the past received the biggest benefit from this oxygen increase.

Nitric Oxide, Brain Health and Alzheimer’s

Researchers from Wake Forest University found combining beetroot juice and exercise improves brain connectivity, making it behave years younger — and it’s much more effective at boosting brain health than exercise alone.

All study participants took a 50-minute walk on a treadmill three times per week for six weeks. But half of the participants received a beetroot supplement drink, and the other half received a placebo. At the end of the six weeks, the participants who took the beetroot supplement had better brain connectivity than those who didn’t.

Nitric Oxide and Diabetes

Cardiometabolic syndrome encompasses the conditions of metabolic syndrome but also includes symptoms and conditions, like inflammation and prothrombotic factors (blood clots), that lead to cardiovascular disease-related outcomes.  

Researchers investigated a theory that providing a sustained supply of NO may be an efficient way of treating cardiometabolic syndrome. That’s because reduced NO absorption is a hallmark of the disorder.

And they were right. In experiments using mice, those that had their nitric oxide levels boosted had better glucose tolerance, lower fasting insulin and lower fasting leptin levels. And compared to a control group that was not supplemented with NO, the NO mice gained 17 percent less body weight.

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Nitric Oxide and Sexual Function

When the blood vessels in the penis can dilate sufficiently, it helps to maintain pressure in the corpus cavernosum (the penis’ sponge-like erectile tissue) and allows a man to sustain an erection.

Beets help the body produce NO, which has been shown to be vital to penile erectile function (remember Viagra?).

That’s because beets are naturally high in nitrates, which are converted to nitrites in your mouth when you eat them. The stomach converts the nitrates to NO, which dilates blood vessels and blood flow.

l-arginine and l-citrulline can help produce NO to aid sexual performance problems as well…

In one blind study, 24 men, averaging in their mid-50s received a placebo for one month followed by 1.5 grams of l-citrulline (a precursor to nitric oxide) each day for a month. During the placebo phase, only two of the 24 men reported an improvement in erection hardness score from 3 (mild erectile dysfunction) to 4 (normal erectile function). In contrast, half of the men reported similar improvement when taking citrulline, with no noted side effects.  

Women can also experience the sexual health benefits of NO and better blood flow, including an increase in sensitivity and satisfaction.

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Nitric oxide, altitude sickness and performance

You may have read that beetroot juice, which contains NO precursors, has become popular among athletes. That’s because people drinking beet juice require less oxygen to walk, run or exercise.

A study at Leeds Beckett University indicates that supplements from red beets can significantly improve athletic performance by allowing the body to perform well even in environments with thin air.

In fact, producing NO with the help of beets has also been shown to alleviate symptoms of altitude sickness. A study recently published in Nitric Oxide: Biology and Chemistry showed that consumption of organic nitrate-rich beet juice restored reduced blood vessel function at high altitudes.

How to naturally generate nitric oxide for your body

As we age, we tend to produce lower levels of NO. So, when NO production goes down, your chances of experiencing problems due to reduced blood flow go up.

But when it comes to helping your body produce NO, you have a couple of choices. Let’s start with the amino acids l-arginine and l-citrulline.

Research shows that when either is consumed, they are broken down in the body and used to produce NO.

Food sources high in L-arginine include:

• Lobster
• Crab   
• Turkey
• Game meats
• Chicken
• Goat
• Fish

L-citrulline, another nitric oxide building block, has been shown in some cases to provide more on-demand NO when compared to l-arginine.

Sources of l-citrulline include:

• Watermelon (The highest, more potent source)
• Bitter gourd
• Squash

• Nuts
• Chickpeas
• Pumpkin
• Cucumbers
• Gourds

As effective as l-arginine and l-citrulline are, they can’t compete with increasing nitric oxide levels via the nitrate–nitrite–nitric oxide pathway.

Research claims it’s the most bioavailable, sustainable and fastest route for raising NO levels. Here’s how it works…

When we eat foods containing dietary nitrate, like spinach or beets (don’t confuse this with sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate food preservatives used in lunch meats and hot dogs), a chemical reaction occurs with good bacteria or microflora on the tongue. The result is that the nitrates are converted to nitrites and then nitric oxide in the gut, bloodstream and various organs.

And the effect is almost immediate. It starts working much quicker since there isn’t a digestive process to slow things down.

Although a select list of vegetables contain inorganic nitrate, like lettuce, spinach and celery — beetroot is a jam-packed nitrate powerhouse, as the researchers at the University of Exeter found when it dropped study participants’ systolic blood pressure (the top number in your blood pressure reading) by an average of five points (mmHg).

Don’t cheat yourself of NO

One way to totally interfere with the nitrate–nitrite–nitric oxide pathway is by using mouthwash. As it kills bacteria that can cause tooth decay and bad breath, it also kills the beneficial bacteria that help convert dietary nitrates to NO.

It’s also a good idea to avoid much salt in your diet. In mice experiments, it was found that salt decreases nitric oxide production in the brain. Conversely, healthy levels of nitric oxide kept tau (the protein that collects on the brain and leads to Alzheimer’s) in check.

Sources:

FDA approves Viagra – History.com

A novel therapy ameliorates obesity and Type 2 diabetes in mice fed a high-fat diet – pubs.acs.org

Drink the Heart Health Super Juice – Easy Health Options

Microvascular oxygen pressures in muscles comprised of different fiber types: Impact of dietary nitrate supplementation – Pubmed.gov

Science looks to beetroot to fight the root of disease like Alzheimer’s and MS – Easy Health Options 

With beetroot juice before exercise, aging brains look ‘younger’: study – Medical Xpress

The pre-workout drink that beats brain aging – Easy Health Options

Blood pressure and metabolic changes during dietary L-arginine supplementation in humans – Pubmed.gov

The amino acid supplement that boosts your sex life – Easy Health Options

Oral L-citrulline supplementation improves erection hardness in men with mild erectile dysfunction – Pubmed.org

The post Nitric oxide: The pathway to better blood vessels, blood pressure and blood flow appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

As the amount of free radicals we’re exposed to goes up, so does our need for antioxidants to combat them. In a healthy body, free radicals are eliminated before they can cause major damage.

However, advancing age and exposure to environmental toxins, plus things we know (and don’t yet know) of in our diets cause inflammation, and can leave the body without enough ammunition — antioxidants — to destroy free radicals.

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From plant protection to people protection

Antioxidants work to protect plants from a host of diseases and problems, and when humans ingest the compounds in fruits, our bodies pull off a neat trick whereby those antioxidant plant nutrients confer that protection to us.

This makes fruit an excellent way to defend your body against the effects of aging and illness.

Here are a few little-known berries and how they can benefit you and give you a huge antioxidant boost:

Chokeberry – The Aronia berry, AKA the chokeberry — because it can make your mouth pucker — is not only brimming with vitamins and minerals like potassium, zinc, vitamin C and several of the B vitamins including folate, but they have the highest ORAC values recorded among berries. ORAC is the measure of the antioxidant strength of foods. One reason their ORAC value is sky-high is that they are a great source of chlorogenic acid (CGA), which supports bone health, reduces inflammation, is neuroprotective, lowers blood pressure and supports blood vessel function. CGA also has antidiabetic and antibacterial properties.

Thimbleberry – This Western/northwestern fruit looks a heck of a lot like a raspberry, but it’s not. They were once an important food of the native tribes of the region and can be grown in your garden for yourself, or as a food for foraging wildlife if that’s your preference. They’re a little bit tart, rich in provitamin A and vitamin C and have traces of potassium, calcium and iron. A tea made from leaves and roots can be a tonic to treat stomach ailments as well.

Dewberry – This southern/southeastern fruit looks a bit like its cousin the blackberry but is smaller, and sometimes considered a weed. Mistake! They are ripe in April and May and are a bit more tart than blackberries. Dewberries have zinc, vitamin C and also vitamin K1. They are quite fibrous and have very high amounts of antioxidants and potassium content (great to eat when hiking to avoid cramps!).

Barberry – These tart berries can be found all over the world and are quite high in vitamin C, a valuable antioxidant. Did you know that if humans were to make vitamin C like other animals can (but we do not), we would make somewhere between 3 grams and 10 grams a day? Yes, you need more vitamin C.

Marlberry – Not to be confused with the mulberry, the marlberry (or marbleberry) is an evergreen shrub or tree that occurs naturally throughout central and South Florida. The marlberry’s purple fruit (it has one large inedible seed in the middle) has been described as “from bad to almost good.” But others say it tastes similar to blackberries and makes great jam.

Lingonberry – These cranberry-looking and delicious red fruits are the primary dietary source of anthocyanins and other antioxidants for folks living in frozen Scandinavia (think Nordic diet). They are quite high in antioxidant compounds (more than a day’s worth of manganese in ¾ cup) and also a bit of natural fat.

Salmonberry – Like a raspberry blackberry with a tart almost strawberry taste, this little berry, when dried, has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. They contain the rare vitamin K (for heart and artery health), loads of minerals (calcium, potassium, and iron) and a not-insubstantial dose of vitamin C and provitamin A.

Bayberry – Chinese Bayberries (bilberries) look a lot like blueberries, are unusual for a fruit in that they have b-vitamins, but also provitamin A (like carotene), minerals, dietary fiber, and very high levels of vitamin C. They are also a good source of the same antioxidants that give red wine its health benefits.

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One to avoid: The snowberry – No, not “snozzberry,” the fictitious fruit from Willy Wonka. In olden times, one or two of these small, white snowberries that look like little white apples were eaten by the Stl’atl’imx (natives of British Columbia) to settle the stomach after too much fatty food. Why? Because they’re a little bitter, and high in saponins, which causes a mild toxicity to humans that makes one vomit. Quite a way to clear the stomach!

Now, you may have a hard time finding most of these berries at your local market. However, some may be purchased freeze-dried or as berry powders online. Some studies indicate whether freeze-dried or powdered — they still pack a powerful nutritional punch.

However, if you lean more towards popular berries that are easier to find, you certainly can get your fill of free radical-fighting antioxidants in acai berries, blueberries, cranberries and pomegranate (yes, those fleshy red jewels are considered berries!).

The post 8 little-known berries for fierce free radical protection appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

St. Augustine, Florida, is home to the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park. The city is said to be the 1513 landing spot of Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon on his quest to find the legendary Fountain.

But the reality is, there is no evidence to support the story — and all modern historians say it’s a myth…

I’ve spent a lot of time in St. Augustine, and this tale is likely not the only yarn that’s been spun in its pubs.

If you’re looking for a fun vacation, St. Augustine is a great choice.

If you’re looking for your own fountain of youth, there are certainly much better alternatives than the one Ponce purportedly sought…

In fact, there’s one, in particular, that’s backed by loads of evidence that modern scientists call fact…

CoQ10: The ‘fountain of youth nutrient’

Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10, is backed by thousands of major medical studies… yet it’s one of the most overlooked nutrients.

Without it, your cells can’t make energy and your heart and brain can’t function… your heart literally starves to death… yet there is no daily recommended intake for it!

Unfortunately, by the time you hit 60, 70 and 80 years old, you have less than 50 percent of the CoQ10 younger folks do.

And if you take cholesterol-lowering drugs such as Lipitor^®, Pravachol^®, Zocor^® or Crestor^®… or any other highly prescribed drugs like Metformin for blood sugar control… beta-blockers like Lopressor and Tenormin^®… or antidepressants like Lexapro^®, Zoloft^® and Paxil^®, they are depleting your body’s supply of CoQ10 even more.

In general, when your cells can’t make enough energy, you not only lose muscle strength and stamina… you can develop debilitating problems like fatigue, premature aging, joint stiffness, lightheadedness and even brain fog.

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Without enough CoQ10, you’re like a car with a dead battery

Depletion of Coenzyme Q10 is so dangerous because it’s critical in helping produce the metabolic energy known as ATP that your whole body runs on, and, without this energy, none of your cells can function correctly. That leaves you open to a whole host of problems. Yet with a good store of CoQ10 in your body, you can expect…

Heart health support — According to the Cleveland Heart Lab, not only could CoQ10 have “significant cardiovascular protective effects,” but supporting heart health may ward off heart disease down the road.

Relief from headaches — A 2004 study reported at the American Academy of Neurology’s annual meeting found migraine patients who took 100mg of CoQ10 three times a day had fewer attacks in three months than those who took a placebo.

Healthier skin — Applying CoQ10 directly to the skin can reduce the damage from internal and external agents by increasing energy production in the cells and promoting antioxidant protection. It was shown to reduce damage caused by UV rays and even decreased the depth of wrinkles.

More energy — Tons of research shows CoQ10 helps keep mitochondria (the cell’s power plant) functioning optimally… that’s because more than 90 percent of each cell’s energy production relies on an adequate supply of CoQ10.

Are you starting to see why CoQ10 is closer to a real-life “fountain of youth”?

The cellular energy you get from CoQ10 helps energize and repair every cell, muscle, tissue and organ in your entire body. When it’s present, your immune system works to its full capacity to help replace and repair damaged cells and to protect you from known pathogens, viruses and bacteria.

CoQ10 is present in small amounts in animal organs such as the heart, liver and kidneys, as well as beef, soy oil, sardines, mackerel and peanuts. Unfortunately, due to poor absorption, the necessary level of Coenzyme Q10 is nearly impossible to obtain from diet alone, especially if you’re on any of the medications I mentioned above.

That makes supplementing with Coenzyme Q10 a no-brainer!

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Tips on getting the most from CoQ10

Many conventional CoQ10 supplements are capsules with raw CoQ10 material containing dry powder crystals your body can’t absorb. Further crystallization also takes place due to temperature fluctuations during the production process making it even less bioavailable. That’s why it’s imperative you get a formula that is crystal-free.

The form it comes in is also important, and many formulas are made with ubiquinone — a substance that must be converted into ubiquinol in order to be used by your body. But it gets increasingly harder for your body to turn ubiquinone into ubiquinol as you age.

That makes 90 percent of the CoQ10 on the market today practically worthless… the body can’t convert or absorb the vast majority of them.

For this reason, when you set out to find your own fountain of youth, you need to choose one that’s 100% crystal-free ubiquinol.

Daily supplementation is important too. That’s because CoQ10 takes a few days to buildup in your system. When it does, you should notice a difference in your energy levels. But if you skip a day or two, you will notice that energy boost drop.

Sources:

Coenzyme Q₁₀ Supplementation in Aging and Disease — Frontiers.org

The post CoQ10: Your personal fountain of youth appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Made from fermented soybeans, Natto has been a staple of Japanese dining for over a thousand years. It’s sometimes referred to as “Japanese Cheese” because of its gooey texture, high calcium content, and how it easily mixes with other Japanese dishes. For those trying natto for the first time, you won’t forget its distinct smell and “unforgettable” taste.

Regardless, don’t let that discourage you from trying it. Not only is it chockful of beneficial nutrients like proteins, carbohydrates, fiber, calcium, iron, and vitamin K2, natto also has a unique protein-based enzyme not found in any other food…

A mighty benefit in a tiny package

The ancient samurai credited natto as one of the foods that gave them exceptional endurance and high energy levels. And just like it did for those warriors of the past, it is doing the same for those who eat natto today.

What is it that makes natto so special?

Dr. Hiroyuki Sumi discovered it when trying to find a way to naturally dissolve blood clots. Blood clots impact more than 600,000 Americans each year. On average, one person every minute is diagnosed with a blood clot and the American Journal of Preventative Medicine and other leading journals report that one person every six minutes will die from blood clots.

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Blood clots restrict blood flow to our organs and tissues, especially those that are the furthest from the heart like our hands and feet. Symptoms associated with blood clots include cold hands & feet, joint pain & swelling, cognition decline, digestive issues, and more.

Dr. Sumi eventually narrowed the possibilities down to 173 different substances. As you can imagine, his task was quite daunting.  

One day, by accident, Dr. Sumi dropped some natto in a Petri dish containing a blood clot. To his surprise, the blood clot slowly started dissolving. Compared to everything else he tested, nothing worked as fast and efficiently as natto. And within 18 hours, the blood clot dissolved without a trace. Upon further inspection, the Dr. Sumi identified a protein-based enzyme — which he named “Nattokinase” (Pronounced “Nat-toe-ken-ace”) — that easily dissolved fibrin, the mesh-like material your body uses to clot blood.  

Nattokinase: A Circulation Miracle

Our bodies produce fibrin to clot blood. Without it, we would bleed to death whenever we got a cut.  Once the bleeding stops, fibrin is no longer necessary and the body creates an enzyme called plasmin to break down the blood clot, dissolving it back into the blood stream.

Under normal, everyday circumstances, this is part of the normal process.

But as you get older — starting in your early 40s — your body doesn’t make plasmin like it used to. Eventually, blood clots may become a problem, slowing your blood’s natural circulation.  

Since its discovery, Nattokinase has had over 17 scientific studies — including human trials — and here’s what some of the research had to say:

• Miyazaki Medical College: “The results obtained suggest that [Nattokinase] represents a possible drug for use not only in the treatment of embolism but also in the prevention of the disease, since [Nattokinase] has a proven safety and can be mass produced.”

• University of Cincinnati: “…A single-dose of [Nattokinase] administration appears enhancing fibrinolysis and anti-coagulation via several different pathways simultaneously.”

• NIS Labs: “The data suggest that Nattokinase consumption in a North American population is associated with beneficial changes to [Blood Pressure] in a hypertensive population…”

And this is just the tip of the Nattokinase benefits iceberg. So, if you are struggling with…

• Blood clots
• Blood sugar imbalances
• Numbness and tingling
• Blood pressure concerns
• Cold hands and feet
• Varicose veins
• Bleeding gums
• Hemorrhoids

…Improving your body’s blood circulation can help.

Simple ways to get more Nattokinase in your diet

Eat Natto: Aside from eating natto straight from the container, the “Traditional Natto Japanese Breakfast” is one of the simplest dietary ways of increasing your Nattokinase intake.

Total prep time for this dish is under ten minutes, making it the perfect thing to eat when you’re in a rush, have a short break, or just feel hungry.

For this recipe, you’ll need:

• Half cup of cooked rice (Ideally a short-grain, white rice)
• 1 50-gram packet of natto
• 1 tsp. of soy sauce (tamari also can be substituted)

Here are the steps to make it:

1. Put the warm rice in a bowl.
2. In another bowl, mix the natto along with any seasonings or food you like. Popular seasonings include mayonnaise, kimchi, tuna, and spicy yellow mustard.
3. Pour the natto on top of the warm rice.
4. Add soy sauce/tamari to taste.
5. Enjoy!

Supplement Nattokinase: According to the University of Cincinnati, a single dose of Nattokinase at 100 mg was enough to show an enhancement in both thrombolysis while also assisting anti-coagulation profiles.

Some studies have recommended that in severe cases, taking 100 mg three times a day was helpful. Nattokinase has been shown to be safe even at doses as high as 1000 mg.

However, if you take medications check with your doctor to see if adding natto to your diet is right for you.

Sources:

Venous thromboembolism: a public health concern — American Journal of Preventative Medicine

Deep vein thrombosis: pathogenesis, diagnosis, and medical management  — Cardiovascular Diagnosis and Therapy

Enhancement of the fibrinolytic activity in plasma by oral administration of Nattokinase  — Acta Haematologica

Nattokinase: An Oral Antithrombotic Agent for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease — International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Consumption of Nattokinase is associated with reduced blood pressure and von Willebrand factor, a cardiovascular risk marker: results from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter North American clinical trial — Integrated Blood Pressure Control

A single-dose of oral Nattokinase potentiates thrombolysis and anti-coagulation profiles — Scientific Reports

The post Natto: The Japanese secret to healthy circulation appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

While some work, they often are not as workable or useful as we hope or are led to believe.

But Mother Nature sure does have a way with her “products.” One such tiny superfood is so amazing it’s worth celebrating… and taking every day.

Tiny Green Algae

Chlorella consists of tiny green algae that grow in the freshwater ponds and lakes of Japan, Southeast Asia and Australia and in other areas.

First discovered in 1890 by a Dutch microbiologist, this unicellular alga packs a powerful punch.

It’s so powerful that scientists tried to package it as a meal for post-World War II famines and NASA space missions.

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Tiny Organism, Huge Nutrition

While only 3 to 8 micrometers in diameter, chlorella is among the most nutritionally dense foods in existence.

It contains a relatively enormous amount of protein when compared with spinach (two times as much), soybeans (38 times as much) and rice (55 times as much).

Not to mention, it’s chock-full of essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals.

It is packed with magnesium, which the body needs for thousands of different functions.

It helps stimulate probiotic growth in the gut and also binds with toxins (including the pesticides and fungicides that linger on our foods) and heavy metals (from the mercury in silver fillings), moving them out of the body and keeping them from recirculating in the bloodstream.

Medical Miracle

Algae could be considered Mother Nature’s medical miracle. Not only does it naturally contain and support the most beneficial things humans need to thrive, but many of its natural components help reduce the negative effects of a modern lifestyle. That is, its nutrition helps protect against diseases like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, obesity and syndrome X (metabolic syndrome).

Our modern diet today is atrocious. Fast food, packaged and preserved food, genetically modified food, pesticides and depleted soil leaves the average person with health issues that are the direct result of a calorie-dense and nutritionally deficient diet. Even when we try to eat healthily, the food is often laced with herbicides and packaged with unhealthy ingredients.

By adding chlorella to your daily intake, you can help supercharge your health while reducing the effects of our poor modern diet and lifestyle. Here’s what Mother Nature’s little green product does:

• Helps reduce body fat, blood glucose and blood serum cholesterol levels.
• Helps counter type 2 diabetes, obesity and heart disease.
• Boosts the immune system.
• Improves irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), helps prevent constipation and aids digestion.
• Acts as a natural antidepressant and stress reducer.
• Helps with symptoms of fibromyalgia, ulcerative colitis and hypertension.
• Is the ultimate superfood for detoxing

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Chlorella’s Ingredients

Here are the reasons why chlorella is a superfood and Mother Nature’s best health product:

• Abundant in vitamins, including A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C and E.
• Packed with minerals, including magnesium, potassium, iron and calcium.
• Contains amino acids to help rebuild lean body tissue and replenish neurotransmitters.
• Rich in chlorophyll to improve immunity, promote alkalinity and reduce inflammation.
• Detoxifies; binds to toxins and heavy metals in the intestines and removes them from the body.
• Promotes healthy probiotics in the gut to diminish candida or yeast overgrowth and aid digestion.
• Contains powerful carotenoids to help boost immunity and fight cancer and heart disease.

How To Take Chlorella

The best way is to make sure it is an ingredient in a greens powder with additional green superfood powders. I enjoy it in with flax milk for a nutrient-dense, detoxifying and satisfying breakfast, but it mixes well with water, regular milk, oat or almond milk or even juice and is a must-have ingredient in any smoothie recipe.

If you purchase chlorella, make sure the label indicates it has broken cell walls, thus making it more bioavailable. You can also purchase it in capsules.

Whether you are seriously ill, suffering some of the modern-lifestyle diseases or an athlete looking to perform and feel better, chlorella is what you need. I take it daily (sometimes two to three times daily), and I feel marked improvement overall. Do yourself a favor and give it a try, too.

The post Chlorella: Mother Nature’s superfood miracle appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

It doesn’t take long before that shortlist gets longer and longer. It would be easy to get overwhelmed trying to rein them all in — unless you’re familiar with diindolylmethane (DIM, for short).

DIM is the answer if you’re looking to balance your hormones, beef up your immune system and reduce your risk against certain cancers. Tie all of these up with a bow, and many other issues fall into place.

Also known as di-indole-methane, DIM is a powerful phytonutrient that works as a natural hormone balancer and has been found to control inflammation, promote detoxification and combat cancer.

In the late 1970s, scientists first identified the presence of DIM in cruciferous vegetables like freeze-dried broccoli, as well as its potential to prevent breast cancer in animals.

Since then, investigators have broadened their DIM research to encompass estrogen metabolism, hormone balance, viral illnesses, inflammatory disorders and other cancers.

Thanks to what they’ve found, DIM may be the best-kept secret to living a fuller life.

How DIM works in the body

DIM is made in the body from a natural substance known as indole-3-carbinol (I3C) found in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. I3C is synthesized by chewing or chopping these vegetables, and once it enters the stomach it’s converted into DIM.

Here are some specific ways in which DIM helps support your overall health….

DIM and estrogen balance

The modern world has inundated us with xenoestrogens, industrial chemicals that act as endocrine disruptors because they mimic the hormone estrogen and disrupt the body’s hormonal balance. This often leads to cancer and other major health problems for both men and women.

In men, estrogen dominance can affect testosterone, stamina, muscle tone and body fat. It can also hurt prostate health, causing unwanted symptoms such as low libido and sluggishness.

Estrogen dominance in women can lead to unwanted facial hair, menopause symptoms and weight gain, including difficulty losing weight. It can also result in skin, bone, breast and thyroid problems.

These xenoestrogens are everywhere — in plastics and pesticides as well as our air and water. And that makes them difficult to avoid.

This is where DIM comes in.

DIM works against these “fake estrogens” by binding to the “bad” estrogen metabolites in your body and flushing them out. This helps protect men from the unpleasant symptoms resulting from loss of testosterone and helps maintain a healthy balance of estrogen in women.

DIM doesn’t block natural estrogen production. It simply makes xenoestrogens more soluble in the urine, allowing them to be easily eliminated by the body.

On the flip side, DIM can also greatly improve metabolism by stimulating production of “good” estrogen metabolites. Many of the benefits of estrogen, including protection of the heart and brain, are now known to come from these metabolites.

If you’re suffering from a thyroid condition like Hashimoto’s disease or hypothyroidism, estrogen dominance can aggravate your already uncomfortable symptoms. Taking DIM in addition to your thyroid medication can help relieve that discomfort by bringing your estrogen levels back into balance.

And you don’t need to worry — DIM won’t upset your estrogen levels if they’re already normal.

It may be DIM’s effect as a hormone balance that’s responsible for other reported benefits including promoting weight loss and good muscle development in men.

DIM and cancer

As mentioned earlier, researchers have been exploring DIM’s cancer-fighting potential for decades. DIM and its precursor I3C have shown the ability to protect DNA from damage, promote the death of unhealthy cells and prevent growth of cancer cells. DIM also has shown anti-inflammatory properties.

Studies suggest DIM may have a promising role as a chemo-protective supplement for breast cancer. One specific investigation is centered on using DIM as an add-on therapy to reduce patient resistance to the commonly used breast cancer drug Taxol. According to research, DIM appears to act synergistically with Taxol to promote cancer cell death.

DIM has been shown effective in inhibiting an enzyme involved in prostate cancer cell growth and in inducing cell suicide (apoptosis) while not impacting healthy cells.

In addition, DIM could help reverse abnormal cervical changes in cells and is being investigated for potential use in lung, colon, skin and cervical cancers. However, more research is needed to determine its safety and effectiveness in these uses.

DIM and immune system response

According to scientists at the University of California at Berkeley (UC Berkeley), DIM is a potent immune response system modulator, giving it global antiviral properties. As such, it’s under investigation in a variety of viral and bacterial infections, including the human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis, influenza and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In fact, DIM is currently being used to treat recurring respiratory papillomatosis caused by HPV.

DIM’s immune-enhancing properties are also being studied in immune deficiency conditions and dermatological issues such as acne caused by infections and in the aforementioned cancers.

DIM acts by stimulating interferon-gamma receptor transcription as well as the production of interferon-gamma, a cytokine associated with antitumor mechanisms. DIM has also been found to work with interferon-gamma in enhancing the MHC-I complex, a process that helps T cells recognize pathogens.

Getting enough DIM

You may think you’re getting plenty of DIM from eating a side of broccoli with dinner. Unfortunately, to obtain enough DIM to harness its health benefits, you would need to eat 500 grams of broccoli daily. That’s roughly 7 cups of broccoli every single day! Even broccoli lovers would have trouble consuming that much on a daily basis.

But that’s not the only reason supplementing may be better. A study found that DIM supplements are more effective than DIM from food sources. The minimum recommended daily dosage for DIM is 100 milligrams, though some experts recommend women get at least 200 milligrams and men at least 300 milligrams per day.

Sources:

Chemopreventive properties of 3,3′-diindolylmethane in breast cancer: evidence from experimental and human studies — Nutrition Reviews

Diindolylmethane (DIM) Information Resource Center — University of California at Berkeley

Diindolylmethane – Uses, Side Effects, and More — WebMD

Anti-Cancer and Other Biological Effects of a Dietary Compound 3,3ʹ-Diindolylmethane Supplementation: A Systematic Review of Human Clinical Trials — Nutrition and Dietary Supplements

3,3′-Diindolylmethane Modulates Estrogen Metabolism in Patients with Thyroid Proliferative Disease: A Pilot Study — Thyroid

Targeting the Microcirculation by Indole-3-carbinol and Its Main Derivate 3,3,’-diindolylmethane: Effects on Angiogenesis, Thrombosis and Inflammation — Mini Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry

Diindolylmethane: Purported Benefits, Side Effects & More — Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Chemopreventive properties of 3,3′-diindolylmethane in breast cancer: evidence from experimental and human studies — Nutrition Reviews

Interferon-Gamma at the Crossroads of Tumor Immune Surveillance or Evasion — Frontiers in Immunology

The major histocompatibility complex and its functions — Immunobiology: The Immune System in Health and Disease

The post DIM: The short answer to a long list of midlife ailments appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

We owe much of what we know about the eye health benefits of these two phytochemicals to American scientist George Wald.

In 1967, Wald shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology with two other scientists for his discoveries concerning the physiological and chemical visual processes in the eye, and in particular, the macula, a portion of the retina that’s crucial to our functional vision.

Because of George Wald’s work, we know that lutein and zeaxanthin are the only dietary carotenoids that accumulate in the retina of the eye, and particularly in the macula, at the back of the eye.

Why is the macula so important? It’s the part of the retina that gives us the sharp, fine-detailed vision we need to do things like read, drive, recognize faces and see the world in color.

Lutein and zeaxanthin protect the macula

This ‘dynamic duo’ works to protect your macula in a few ways.

Lutein and zeaxanthin work as important antioxidants that protect your eyes from harmful free radicals that can end up stealing your vision.

Free radicals are unstable molecules that are constantly forming in the body. They’re a natural byproduct of aging, but also come from exposure to things like pesticides, cigarette smoke, car exhaust and chemical food additives.

The macula is especially susceptible to free radical damage because it consumes high levels of oxygen, which lead to the production of high levels of free radicals.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are the “clean-up team” that neutralizes free radicals before they can harm the macula (and other parts of the body). They also act as a sort of “natural sunscreen” protecting the eyes from blue light and UV light that increase risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or a cataract.

But that’s not all…

in 1996, the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) was launched. It was hailed as an amazing success after finding that a formulation of nutrients including lutein and zeaxanthin, vitamins C and E, copper and zinc, had the power to significantly slow dry AMD progression from moderate to late disease if taken daily. The AREDs formulation is recommended by ophthalmologists for adults at high risk of AMD.

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Other ways lutein and zeaxanthin promote healthy eyes

The same antioxidant action that lets this pair of phytochemicals protect the macula from free radicals may also make it a preventive for other eye diseases, including:

• Cataracts. Research has shown that eating foods rich in lutein and zeaxanthin (more about those in a bit) could help slow the formation of cataracts, those cloudy patches in the front of the eye that become more common with age.
• Diabetic retinopathy. In animal studies, supplementing with lutein and zeaxanthin has been shown to reduce oxidative stress that damage the eyes when diabetes is present.
• Retinal detachment. Rats with retinal detachment who were given lutein injections had 54 percent less cell death than those injected with corn oil.
• Uveitis. Lutein and zeaxanthin may help reduce the inflammation of uveitis, an inflammatory condition in the middle layer of the eye.

Lutein and zeaxanthin’s benefits far beyond your eyes

Skin health. The antioxidant effects of lutein and zeaxanthin protect the skin against the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays. Animal studies show that these two antioxidants may protect skin cells from premature aging and tumors caused by ultraviolet rays.

Artery and heart health. Lutein is an important part of the reason that a diet rich in dark leafy green vegetables may slow or prevent heart problems that occur when arteries get stiff from buildup. In the Los Angeles Atherosclerosis Study, people with higher blood levels of lutein averaged only a 0.004 mm increase in artery thickness over 18 months. In those with the lowest levels of lutein, artery wall thickness increased an average of 0.021 mm. They also found lutein lowered the inflammatory effects of LDL “bad” cholesterol on artery walls.

Stress busters. In recent years, we’ve found out that lutein and zeaxanthin are also connected to your brain health and the production of the stress hormone, cortisol.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are powerful anti-inflammatory agents that can deposit themselves directly into neural tissues, as they do in the eyes. But more recent research shows that this happens in the brain as well.

And when this duo settles into your brain, they have a direct influence on cortisol levels. They reduce the stress hormone and keep your body’s nervous system running at a more moderate level, rather than at a high-stress level.

Heading off dementia. Lutein and zeaxanthin are two of three antioxidants that can support brain health and may stave off cognitive decline.

In a study published by the American Academy of Neurology, over 7000 people aged 45 and older at the beginning of the study were followed for sixteen years. Those with the highest amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin were less likely to develop dementia decades later than people with lower levels of the antioxidant duo.

Every increase of one standard deviation in lutein and zeaxanthin levels was matched by a seven percent decrease in dementia risk.

But not only do these two antioxidants help guard eye health and support cognitive function, but studies have also demonstrated that maintaining optimal levels of lutein in the brain keeps you cognitively young and decreases the risk for osteoporosis.

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Eating the right foods with lutein and zeaxanthin

The average American consumes, at most, 3mg of lutein and zeaxanthin per day. Twice that much, or 6mg per day, is related to controlling macular degeneration.

Moreover, when you consume very little of these antioxidants, your body puts them to work to reduce more urgent inflammatory and oxidative damage in the body, rather than sending them to the eyes to play a preventive role.

That’s why it’s so important to eat foods loaded with lutein and zeaxanthin.

Luckily, there are lots of those:

• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Kale
• Corn
• Egg yolks
• Turnip, collard, mustard and dandelion greens
• Avocados
• Mango
• Peas
• Pumpkin
• Brussels sprouts
• Honeydew
• Broccoli
• Asparagus
• Pistachios
• Carrots

One important note: lutein and zeaxanthin are degraded by heat. The higher the heat, the more nutrient content that’s lost.

Even pan-frying or stir-frying spinach or other greens for two minutes can deplete them of lutein and zeaxanthin.

So what’s the best way to consume these antioxidant-rich foods?

Consider adding them to a smoothie. But be sure to include a little fat to improve releasing the lutein, especially, from foods like spinach. A full-fat milk or coconut milk will release more lutein than plant-based milk or water.

And if you want to up your game, you can reach for supplements containing lutein and zeaxanthin. While there’s no upper limit set for these nutrients, the American Optometric Association says that 10mg per day of lutein and 2mg per day of zeaxanthin are about what you need to support your eye health.

Sources:

The Role of Free Radicals and Antioxidants in Macular Degeneration —Enhanced Vision

One more reason to eat lots of fruits and vegetables: Lutein — USC News

Dietary lutein/zeaxanthin partially reduces photoaging and photocarcinogenesis in chronically UVB-irradiated Skh-1 hairless mice — Skin Pharmacology and Physiology

Carotenoids: Everything You Need to Know  — Healthline

The post Lutein and zeaxanthin: Protection far beyond your eyes appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Because before penicillin, sunlight was a primary treatment for most ailments — especially for those of a bacterial nature.

And while sunlight as a health aid goes back to ancient Greece, it wasn’t until the late 1700s that a French doctor noticed his patient’s sores healed faster when exposed to sunlight.

A century later, those findings went largely unnoticed until a Danish doctor started noticing similar results.

Dr. Niels Finsen suffered from Niemann-Pick disease — a progressive thickening of the connective tissue of certain membranes in the liver, heart, and spleen. Eventually, he noticed that when he felt sluggish, time in the sun made him feel better.

This inspired his work on solar radiation, and its subsequent use as a treatment for smallpox, lupus, and tuberculosis. Later on, Dr. Finsen won the Nobel Prize in 1903.

Once word got out about the sun’s healing effects, heliotherapy — or sun therapy — exploded!

Championed by Swiss doctor Auguste Rollier, solaria — buildings designed to optimize exposure to the sun’s rays — were erected throughout Switzerland and eventually across Europe.

What made Heliotherapy effective?

It’s simple really. It comes down to one simple nutrient. An unassuming vitamin that, several years later, barely received credit for anything other than helping to strengthen bones.

Vitamin D — also known as the sunshine vitamin.

You already know that when sunlight hits the skin, a process begins that naturally produces vitamin D in your body. But what you may not know is that during this process, the sun’s U.V. rays also activate the gene expression of antimicrobial peptides known as cathelicidins.

These peptides are what give vitamin D3 its “germ-killing” properties. Studies show that cathelicidins stimulate the body’s immune cells and help it fight off infection.

Research published in 2020 recognizes that cathelicidins have direct antimicrobial activity against a broad spectrum of bacteria and viruses. These same peptides have even been shown to destroy tuberculosis.

So now when you look back on those turn of the century patients soaking up sun therapy — you know there really was some science behind the practice, even if they didn’t know exactly how it worked then!

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From sunshine to silent epidemic

Heliotherapy maintained its popularity for many decades, even playing an important role in the Spanish flu from 1917 to 1920. It was only after the discovery and mass-production of penicillin during World War 2 that interest faded.

But compared to sunlight, penicillin was fast! Instead of basking in the sun, people could swallow a pill and go on with their lives.

For doctors, scientists, and, eventually, pharmaceutical production, this was a new frontier.

Unfortunately, sunlight therapy and vitamin D took a backseat in both the public eye and public health because of the popularity of antibiotics.

Some scientists continued to research vitamin D, especially in regard to bone health, and found foods could be fortified with the vitamin — further curtailing any need for that sun to skin connection.

It wasn’t long before doctors started warning patients about the damage the sun could do to their skin, suggesting sunblock to avoid skin cancer.

But they didn’t know then they were also blocking out a valuable piece of the puzzle…

Only when the U.V. rays of the sun are involved in creating the form known as vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), does the gene expression take place that spurs those antimicrobial peptides into action. Vitamin D2, the form of the vitamin that was added to foods, was man-made and did not affect that gene expression.

This misunderstanding about the true form of vitamin D was only the first of many that have led to the silent epidemic we’re facing today…

The truth about vitamin D

In recent years, numerous studies have gone on to discover the head-to-toe benefits of vitamin D3 that go far beyond strong bones. But the disease connection to low levels of the vitamin is just the tip of the iceberg of what we’ve learned…

For starters, vitamin D3 provides five times the relative biological activity of D2. And now we know why…

A study published in the Frontiers of Immunology confirmed significant differences between the two types of vitamin D, with vitamin D2 having a questionable impact on human health. However, the study found that vitamin D3 could balance people’s immune systems and help strengthen defenses against viral infections.

Professor Susan Lanham-New, study co-author and Head of the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Surrey, explained their results show that vitamin D3 should be the favored form for fortified foods and supplements.

Only a handful of foods provide vitamin D3, including beef liver, egg yolks and cheese.

This means if you’re relying on fortified foods, not spending 15 to 20 minutes daily in the sunshine with 40 percent of your skin surface exposed, not eating 12 eggs a day or taking the right vitamin D3 supplement — you’re among the majority of Americans who are low in vitamin D or the 42 percent who are considered outright deficient.

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The science behind the benefits

So now that you know how it works, what benefits can you reap from improving your vitamin D3 levels?

Vitamin D and heart health:

Research in the journal Annals of the National Institute of Hygiene showed that getting the right amount of Vitamin D can reduce the risk factors of heart disease by 20 percent!

In that same study, those associated with vitamin D deficiency were more prone to high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol and peripheral blood vessel disease.

Another study found the vitamin could even help heal or prevent cardiovascular damage!

Vitamin D and cancer:

The VITAL study, a rigorous, placebo-controlled study that spanned more than five years, found that vitamin D helped lower the risk of cancer spreading throughout the body by a full 17 percent.

And for those with a normal body mass index, they found that vitamin D helped to prevent the development of advanced cancer by as much as 38 percent!

Even more impactful was another study that showed when vitamin D was paired with calcium, it reduced the risk of getting any cancer by over 75 percent!

On the other hand, vitamin D deficiency was rampant among those with cancer! Previous research shows deficiency rates to be as high as 72 percent in some cases.

Vitamin D and boosting mood:

When it comes to naturally boosting your mood, everyone knows a little sunlight goes a long way. Now, we have the research to prove it!

According to one study, vitamin D protected against serotonin and dopamine depletion in the brain. Since both are feel-good neurotransmitters, it makes sense that the lower either of these hormones gets, the lower your mood goes. In this same study, those who were vitamin D deficient were at a 14 percent higher risk of depression.

Vitamin D and diabetes:

A group of researchers writing in the European Journal of Endocrinology did a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial over 6-months studying the effects of vitamin D and insulin.

Those supplementing with vitamin D experienced beneficial effects on both their peripheral insulin sensitivity and disposition index.

The researchers concluded that vitamin D helped increase insulin sensitivity, allowing the body to utilize blood glucose and blood sugar more effectively.

Vitamin D and the brain:

The Buck Institute for Research on Aging has shown that vitamin D3 suppressed an important pathology of aging and prevented toxicity caused by human beta-amyloid — the brain-killing plaques that signal Alzheimer’s disease.

Research leader Karla Mark, PhD., had this to say, “Vitamin D3 reduced the age-dependent formation of insoluble proteins across a wide range of predicted functions and cellular compartments, supporting our hypothesis that decreasing protein insolubility can prolong lifespan.”

Vitamin D and inflammation:

Maybe one of the biggest benefits of vitamin D is how it clobbers inflammation!

A study from the University of London found that vitamin D deficiency was associated with increased inflammatory response in otherwise healthy people — and that supplementing with vitamin D dramatically reduced inflammation throughout the body.

Belgium researchers conducted a similar study and found that critically ill patients with extremely low blood levels of vitamin D, saw blood evidence of inflammation dropping by more than 25 percent after supplementing.

Inflammation is considered the main factor in the “unifying theory of disease” and that’s why we could quite literally go on and on with examples of conditions that getting sufficient vitamin D3 could put an end to.

Vitamin D and the rise in autoimmune disease

Research shows autoimmune conditions (AI), like rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis or Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, are 50 percent higher in older adults than they were 25 years ago.

This is not at all surprising when you realize two things:

1. Being deficient in vitamin D3 also means reduced expression of the antimicrobial peptides we talked about earlier — cathelicidins. And research has confirmed that reduced expression or total lack of the peptides has an impact on the development of autoimmune diseases.
2. Adults aged 55 and up are largely deficient in vitamin D.

Not only have they been scared away from the sun, but with age, it’s harder for the body to synthesize vitamin D3 naturally.

Not surprisingly, supplementing with vitamin D and omega-3s for five years reduced the occurrence of autoimmune disease in a study group of older adults up to 30 percent.

If you’re unsure about your D3 levels, your doctor can perform a blood test. But it is not necessary.

To raise and maintain adequate vitamin D3 levels, consider supplementing 4000 to 5000 IU daily. Check the label panel to be sure you’re getting D3 and not D2.

If you only take the daily recommended allowance, 600 to 800 IU, you might support your bones, but you’ll miss out on all the amazing benefits of this lost cure.

Sources:

The rise and fall of sunlight therapy – Los Angeles Times

History of the discovery of vitamin D and its active metabolites – Pubmed.gov

Is Vitamin D3 superior to D2? – Medscape

Niels Ryberg Finsen Biographical – Nobel Prize.org

Sunlight and the Protection Against Influenza – National Bureau of Economic Research

Health outcomes of vitamin D. Part II. Role in prevention of diseases – Pubmed.gov

Vitamin D supplements may reduce risk of developing advanced cancer – EurekAlert!

Effects of 6-month vitamin D supplementation on insulin sensitivity and secretion: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial – European Society of Endocrinology

Study questions the role of vitamin D2 in human health but its sibling, vitamin D3, could be important for fighting infections – Science Daily

Niemann-Pick — The Mayo Clinic

Vitamin D Promotes Protein Homeostasis and Longevity via the Stress Response Pathway Genes skn-1, ire-1, and xbp-1 — Cell Reports

Effect of vitamin D ₃ on the antimicrobial activity of human airway surface liquid: preliminary results of a randomised placebo-controlled double-blind trial — BMJ

Study shows vitamin D3 could help heal or prevent cardiovascular damage — MedicalXpress

Vitamin D and omega-3 supplements found to reduce autoimmune disease risk — MedicalNewsToday

Cathelicidins Modulate TLR-Activation and Inflammation — Frontiers of Immunology

The post Vitamin D: The secrets behind the lost cure appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

What they discovered was terrifying.

The baby chicks had severe blood-clotting issues. It got so bad that when the chicks would start bleeding, there would be no end in sight of when it would stop.

Later on, the researchers remarked that it turns out eating a restrictive diet like those chicks were was contributing to a deficiency in a compound the body needs for normal clotting.

After further research, the missing ingredient in their diet was what Dr. Dam called the “koagulation vitamin.” This life-saving discovery earned him and his fellow researchers the Nobel Prize in 1943.

Today, we know this vitamin as vitamin K.

Since its discovery, scientists have uncovered five different compounds that make up the vitamin K family. And one of the most compelling is vitamin K2.

While vitamin K is responsible for clotting blood and managing your calcium metabolism and heart health, vitamin K2’s function is to regulate calcium deposition. In other words, K2 helps make sure calcium gets deposited in the places in the body where it’s beneficial, instead of places where it can cause a tremendous amount of harm — like the arteries, kidneys, muscles, and more.

While this vitamin isn’t nearly as well known as its predecessor, Vitamin K2’s role is critical if you want to keep your heart — and overall health — at its best for years to come. And as you keep reading, you’ll find out other ways vitamin K2 keeps you healthy, along with a grocery list of foods this vitamin is found in.

Here are some of the ways vitamin K2 can help you live your best life…

Vitamin K2 and your arteries

Have you ever stopped to think about what plaque is? Most people answer with “cholesterol buildup in the arteries.”

But that’s only part of it. Plaque contains cholesterol, fatty substances, cellular waste products, fibrin (a clotting material found in the blood) and calcium.

It’s the calcium that signifies the difference between the potential risk of heart disease and having heart disease — and you may never know for sure unless you have a heart attack or stroke because a piece of it breaks off, or you have a coronary artery scan.

Throughout our lives, layers upon layers of plaque start building up in our arteries. But maybe the worst part is that it can start happening as early as your mid-twenties.

In research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the autopsies of military service members were collected over a ten-year period, 2001 to 2011. The autopsies revealed that nearly 75 percent of them had already started showing signs of heart disease. To make matters worse, the average age of each service member was only 26.

How could these young service members already be in the early stages of atherosclerosis?

Just like Weston Price believed, much of it had to do with our modern diet… But how much can be blamed on diet?

According to researchers from the Netherlands, quite a bit actually.

In what became known as the Rotterdam Study, researchers monitored the lives of almost eleven thousand male and female volunteers over a decade. To make the research as comprehensive as possible, they observed and recorded every volunteer’s medical history, health habits, risk factors and daily diet.  

Not surprised, all the participants were different in almost every way imaginable when it came to their medical history. But one thing the researchers found was that those with the highest vitamin K2 intake had low calcium in their aortas — the biggest blood vessels in the body.

How much lower? They found that higher vitamin K2 intake meant a 57 percent lower risk of dying from heart disease and a 52 percent lower risk of calcification of the arteries.

But that’s not all it was doing. The researchers also found that vitamin K2 raised good cholesterol, reduced overall total cholesterol, and enhanced overall arterial blood flow.

It also has a reputation for helping to maintain blood pressure levels within a normal range — which only makes sense.

Heart health benefits are just the beginning of how vitamin K2 can help you live a healthier life. But if you would like additional information on how important vitamin K2 is for the health of your arteries, heart and more, you can click here to download our free comprehensive report, The Vitamin K2 Miracle.

When your dietary levels of K2 are helping to direct calcium away from your arteries, there are other benefits. Let’s start with your bones…

Vitamin K2 and your bones

On average, more than 3 million Americans are diagnosed with osteoporosis a year.

As you can imagine, this diagnosis can have huge implications on quality of life.

If your bones are fragile you have to be conscious of everything from lifting grocery bags to taking a small stumble, to cutting back on certain activities, like exercise, out of concern for breaking or fracturing a bone — especially a hip. That’s because women between the ages of 65-69 who break a hip are five times more likely to die — within a year — than women of the same age who don’t break a hip, according to published research.

This is where the magic of vitamin K2 comes in as this study helps to illustrate…

Researchers writing in the scientific journal Osteoporosis International did a double-blind study on the long-term effects of vitamin K2 on post-menopausal women.

Women were separated into two groups: one group got a vitamin K2 dose while the other group got the placebo. Each year for three years, each group took their dose once a day while getting bone mineral density tests for their lumbar spine, total hip and femoral neck.

At the end of three years, the group who took vitamin K2 had decreased their age-related decline in their lumbar spine and their femoral neck. That same group also saw their bone strength improve while their spine height — along the mid-back region where the “hump” occurs — had decreased compared to the placebo group.

Now, most studies on bone health tend to focus on women because men do not undergo a period of rapid hormonal loss that accelerates their bone loss as women do. However, it only progresses more slowly in men. That means in men, it happens in older age, and because more men are living beyond the age of 70, osteoporosis in men is expected to become an important public health issue.

So, for both men and women, vitamin K could offer heart and bone protection. But still, that’s not all…

Vitamin K2 and your teeth

When it comes to maintaining your teeth, adding vitamin K2 could certainly help.

Because vitamin K2 moves calcium from the arteries into the bones, it shouldn’t be any surprise that it is able to direct calcium into the teeth.

When it comes to dental health, one of the main proteins involved, osteocalcin, is activated by vitamin K2.

Osteocalcin triggers a mechanism that stimulates the growth of new dentin — the calcified tissue underneath the enamel — helping to promote the long-term health of your teeth.

While there haven’t been any human studies on the effects of tooth health, based on observations done with animal studies, it’s reasonable to say vitamin K2 supports dental health.

The best foods and strategies for sufficient levels of K2

Vitamin K2 has many subtypes, but the most important ones we’re looking for are:

• Mk-4: Typically found in animal foods
• Mk-7: Found in certain fermented plant foods

Both subtypes provide vitamin K2 while also improving your variety of foods. Regardless of the subtype you choose, you’ll still get the benefits.

For best results, stick with organic and if it’s meat, make sure it’s coming from either grass-fed or pasture animals. The more vitamin K an animal eats — like a cow eating green grass roaming in a pasture compared to its corn-fed feedlot counterpart — the more vitamin K it can convert into vitamin K2. Otherwise, animals fed conventional or non-organic foods have much less, if any, vitamin K2.

These are the best foods sources of vitamin K2 Mk-4 sources:

• Beef
• Bison
• Goose
• Dairy including milk, butter, cheese, yogurt, sour cream, cream cheese, and heavy cream
• Organ meats like liver
• Pepperoni
• Salami
• Chicken

This next group of foods are typically found in an East Asian diet, so they can be found in an international or Asian grocery store. Here’s a shortlist of vitamin K2 Mk-7 sources:

• Natto (Japanese fermented soybeans)
• Black bean natto
• Doen-jang (Pronounced Do-in-jang) (Korean fermented soybean paste)
• Miso soup
• Sauerkraut

Another way of getting vitamin K2 is by getting more vitamin K. Just like how some animals can convert vitamin K into vitamin K2 from their diets, so can people. While the conversion rate is low, adding the other foods gives the benefit of getting additional nutrients.

Green plant foods are your best bet for getting more vitamin K into your diet. Here are a few examples of plant foods with high amounts of vitamin K:

• Kale
• Broccoli
• Spinach
• Collard greens
• Turnip greens

One of the downsides of trying to get to the vitamin K2 levels that scientists use in their studies is that you’d have to eat a lot. If you’re trying to lose weight or save money, it can be tricky.  

An easy way to get around this is to supplement with vitamin K2. The ideal dose to aim for is 350 mcg, which is the amount that researchers used when doing human clinical trials. Most doses are easily meet in one pill — two at the most — giving you the ideal daily amount.

Vitamin K2 really is a miracle worker when it comes to guarding your health and helping you make the most of calcium’s benefits while guarding you against its very real threats of heart disease and stroke. For more on the VitaminK2 Miracle, download your free report!

Sources:

Nutrition and Physical Degeneration: A Comparison of Primitive and Modern Diets and Their Effects — Weston A. Price, MS., D.D.S., F.A.G.D.

Osteocalcin: the vitamin K-dependent Ca2+-binding protein of bone matrix — PubMed

The role of vitamin K in soft-tissue calcification — PubMed

Autopsy-based study examines prevalence of atherosclerosis among U.S. service members — Science Daily

The Rotterdam Study: Objectives and Design Update — PubMed

Three-year low-dose menaquinone-7 supplementation helps decrease bone loss in healthy postmenopausal women — PubMed

Vitamin K2 enhances osteocalcin accumulation in the extracellular matrix of human osteoblasts in vitro — PubMed

Formation of odontoblast-like cells from cultured human dental pulp cells on dentin in vitro — PubMed

The Top 20 Foods High in Vitamin K2 (Menaquinone) — Nutrition Advice

What are the richest sources of vitamin K2? — Dr. Steven Lin the Functional Dentist

The post Vitamin K2: 3 reasons it helps you live your best life appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

While it’s widely used as a spice to flavor foods, like bread and pickles, the oil expressed from the seed, commonly called black see oil, has also been embraced for thousands of years for its curative properties.

In fact, black seed oil was the go-to remedy used by King Tut, Cleopatra and Hippocrates for an array of conditions, including malaise, weakness, coughing and skincare.

Now research can back up its benefits…

The main compound behind Nigella sattva’s health benefits is its active constituent, thymoquinone. Studies have shown this compound may benefit brain, liver and heart health, and support healthy blood sugar and blood pressure, just to name a few of its top benefits.

And the seeds also deliver healthy amino acids, significant levels of iron, copper, zinc, phosphorus and other vitamins and minerals, as well as beneficial sterols and fatty acids.

It’s important to note that black cumin seed is packed with phytosterols, which studies are increasingly showing have nutraceutical benefits that help to lower “bad cholesterol” or LDL” as well as total cholesterol numbers.

The many researched benefits of black seed oil

 #1 — Protection against free radicals

Research has shown that oxidative stress caused by free radicals is harmful to good health and cellular aging. Both in-vivo and in-vitro studies have demonstrated that Nigella Sativa delivers high levels of effective antioxidants to combat this oxidative stress, which could help you guard against destructive processes and the accelerated aging caused by those free radicals.

#2 — Potent blood sugar support

Remember how we said that the Egyptian Kings and Queens used Nigella Sativa as a remedy for “sweet urine”?

Well, they were on to something big.

Modern-day studies have shown that when it comes to promoting balanced blood sugar, Nigella Sativa may help:

• Significantly reduce fasting plasma glucose
• Stabilize serum glucose concentrations when combined with Cinnamomum cassia extract

#3 — Supports normal blood pressure

Black seed oil has even been found to offer support for healthy blood pressure.

In fact, a controlled trial of 57 patients who took two grams of Nigella Sativa daily found that it resulted in:

• Reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure
• Reduced mean arterial blood pressure
• Lower heart rate

#4 — Neuroprotective effects

The seeds are also noted for promoting a healthy mind and healthy mood.

Thymoquinone, that highly active molecule in black seed oil, has shown benefits for healthy cognition. And repeated administration of the oil in rats demonstrated improvement in both learning and recall status.

#5 — Anti-Inflammatory and analgesic power

Like free radicals, scientists now see inflammation as playing a key role in numerous conditions, from arthritis and asthma to allergies and chronic pain.

And black seed oil can offer support here as well…

Thymoquinone has been found to display anti-inflammatory properties comparable to that found in salicylic acid, the metabolite of aspirin. And studies have demonstrated that the oils from Nigella Sativa show pain-relieving effects comparable to Diclofenac sodium (a commonly prescribed pain medication).

#6 — Supports the immune system

Research has also shown that thymoquinone is a friend to the immune system. It’s considered an immune system modulator, may help balance the immune response, and has anti-fungal and anti-pathogenic properties.

In fact, black seed oil has been used to inhibit both gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial activity, suppress viral load, and increase the number and function of powerful immune cells known as T cells.

#7 — Helps with weight loss

A 2015 study published in Food and Function found that when obese women supplemented black seed oil, along with following a low-calorie diet, they experienced a significant decrease in their weight and waist circumference compared to women who received a placebo.

Black seed oil in your diet

Clearly, black seed oil offers powerful, research-backed benefits to help naturally promote overall wellness.

And there are a few ways you can use it.

First, it should be eaten raw, according to Cate Ritter, a certified functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner, as she says it shouldn’t be heated to preserve the nutrients.

That makes it a good choice as a salad dressing or added to smoothies and coffee as you might do with coconut oil or olive oil. However, if you’re like me, you may find the bitterness a little overpowering.

If that’s the case, you can supplement black cumin seed oil. Look for one that contains cold-pressed, hexane-free black seed oil from organic black Nigella Sativa seeds.

When something is carried down over the years as a “remedy” — especially as long as black cumin seed has — there’s got to be something to it. But when the research agrees, it’s even better. For me, it’s just one more natural way to help keep those modern-day ills at bay.

Sources:

Nigella sativa L. (Black Cumin): A Promising Natural Remedy for Wide Range of Illnesses — Hindawi

What is black seed oil? — cookinglight.com

The post Black cumin: 7 modern benefits of an ancient seed oil appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

And when you consider the old saying, “You are what you eat,” it’s easy to understand why.

After all, we’re now a nation that eats an ever-increasing amount of processed foods — foods that have none of the active enzymes needed to help with digestion that you would find in a raw food diet. And to top it off, even the fresh fruits and veggies we do consume are often grown in depleted soil, offering lower levels than they used to.

So, what can you do to support healthy digestion that doesn’t involve radically changing your diet and growing your own food?

The answer is to add those digestive enzymes back to your life!

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What are digestive enzymes, and why do you need them?

First, let me explain why you may want to consider options beyond the typical solutions to ease your digestive symptoms, such as heartburn or acid reflux…

They can actually make you feel worse and lead to health problems unrelated to why you took them in the first place!

Proton pump inhibitors have been linked to bone, lung and gut problems — not to mention vitamin B12 and magnesium deficiencies. Most recently, they were linked to increasing blood pressure in menopausal women!

In a world where digestive complaints are at epidemic levels, enzymes are a natural and healthy choice that works.

You see, enzymes are what your body uses to convert the food you eat into the chemical substances it needs to perform its everyday functions, like…

• Nourishing your body.
• Maintaining your immune system.
• Making it possible for your body to process nutrients and energy.
• Breaking down and carrying away toxic waste from the body.

This is why enzyme deficiency is known to lead to digestive problems such as:

• Constipation
• Gas
• Bloating
• Abdominal cramps
• Heartburn
• Diarrhea

And since your gut plays a role in your overall health, a lack of the proper enzymes to keep your digestion moving could even increase your risk of long-term issues.

The good news is that your body naturally produces these enzymes in your pancreas. Some of your body’s natural digestive enzymes include:

• Amylase – An enzyme that breaks down carbohydrates and starches
•  Protease – A protein-specific enzyme
•  Lipase – The enzyme that targets fats

The bad news is that your pancreas doesn’t always produce enough enzymes on its own to handle the food you eat.

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Maintaining your digestive health

That’s why adding digestive enzymes to your diet is crucial for supporting healthy digestion.

And two of the best enzymes to use for this purpose are bromelain and papain.

So, how can you get more of these in your daily diet?

Bromelain is found in its natural form in the stem, juice, and flesh of pineapples. This protein-digesting enzyme helps support digestive comfort after consuming common food irritants. And it’s even been shown to calm the fires of inflammation that can cause stomachache.

Papain, on the other hand, is found in papayas. Another protein-devouring enzyme, papain’s power comes from its ability to digest proteins and gluten peptides, helping to banish unwanted after-meal side effects such as cramping, constipation, diarrhea, bloating, and gas that result from eating wheat proteins.

Of course, if regular servings of pineapple and papaya fruit salad aren’t on your menu, you can do as I do and choose to take an easy-to-use supplement offering both bromelain and papain.

But in addition to soothing run-of-the-mill digestive issues, be sure gluten is not part of your digestive trouble. Try to avoid gluten-containing foods or use proteolytic enzyme-containing supplements that break down gluten, making it easier to digest.

Promoting healthy digestion doesn’t have to be worrisome, scary or complicated. Don’t you wish everything could be so easy?

Sources:

Gut reaction: A limited role for digestive enzyme supplements – Harvard Health Publishing

ENZYMES: A DEAD DIET’S NECESSARY COMPANION – ANN ARBOR HOLISTIC HEALTH

Benefits of Bromelain & Papain – SFGATE

Survey shows 74 percent of Americans living with GI discomfort – Fox News

What Are Digestive Enzymes? – WebMD

How concerning is the carcinogen in your heartburn medicine — Easy Health Options

The post Enzymes: The safer, healthier choice for digestive upset appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

In fact, PQQ may do more than improve the function of mitochondria — it may actually replenish mitochondria, which begin to dwindle in number as we age. That decline is believed to be connected with a number of diseases caused by aging.

We’ve written about the specific health benefits of PQQ in the past, such as its potential to protect against fatty liver disease and enhance cognitive function. Now, according to a study conducted in China, PQQ has shown another potential benefit — this time for the heart…

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PQQ may lower heart failure risk

Researchers found that PQQ reduced the risk of chronic heart failure (CHF) in rats, in part by preventing mitochondrial dysfunction. The leading cause of CHF is dysfunction of the heart mitochondria, which is caused by increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and disruption of mitochondrial creation and maintenance.

The Chinese study, conducted by a hospital affiliated with Nantong University, subjected 42 rats to transaortic constriction (TAC) and 20 to a sham surgery. After the procedures, 30 of those rats were selected at random to receive PQQ at low, medium or high daily doses for 12 weeks, while the rest received saline injections.

According to the results, TAC caused significant ventricle thickening and enlargement of the heart muscle in the rats, as well as increased heart and bodyweight ratios. When treated with PQQ, the rats experienced improved pressure overload-induced cardiac remodeling and cell enlargement, which prevented CHF occurrence. PQQ also prevented mitochondrial damage.

“The researchers at Nantong University were specifically looking for treatment options to target mitochondrial function in the heart and have now found conclusive evidence that PQQ’s ability to stimulate mitochondrial biogenesis can prevent cardiac damage and promote heart health,” says Thomas Schrier, vice president of sales at Nascent Health Sciences, the company that provided the PQQ for testing.

Finding PQQ in nature

Understanding how PQQ is made in nature can help clarify the molecular basis of its beneficial effects, as well as lead to other potential applications. PQQ is a quinone-class cofactor produced by bacteria for metabolizing alcohol and sugar to generate energy under certain circumstances. PQQ also helps bacteria produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), an organic compound crucial to their survival.

Plants and animals do not use PQQ in the same way as bacteria. However, PQQ can be found in plant and animal tissues, and research has shown the cofactor promotes plant growth and improves mitochondrial function and memory learning ability in animals. This is important because, as mentioned earlier, many diseases related to aging can be traced to mitochondrial dysfunction.

Since PQQ is important for mitochondrial function, it’s important for us to keep our PQQ levels up. You can do that by consuming fruits and vegetables containing PQQ, including kiwi, green peppers, parsley, papaya, spinach and celery. PQQ can also be found in tofu and in organ meats like kidney and liver. However, it’s difficult to get a sufficient amount of PQQ through diet alone, so supplements are a good alternative. Start with a daily dose of 5 mg to 20 mg.

Sources:

Pyrroloquinoline quinone can prevent chronic heart failure by regulating mitochondrial function — Cardiovascular Diagnosis & Therapy

New rat study highlights heart benefits of nutrient PQQ — NUTRAingredients-USA.com

A behind-the-scenes look at the longevity vitamin PQQ — Berkeley College of Chemistry

The Drive to Make Things Happen: Redox Reactions and Electrochemical Potential — University of Oxford

2 Steps to Start Lowering Your Alzheimer’s Risk Today — Easy Health Options

The post PQQ: The ‘longevity’ nutrient with big heart benefits appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Found in the skin of red grapes, resveratrol is a powerful, natural antioxidant that supports your heart, improves your skin and may help fight diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.

In regions of France where they drink a lot of red wine, heart disease seems to be less frequent, even with all the rich, fatty cheese in their diet.

Well, if you’re not a red wine fan, fear not. You can get even more of these health perks by grabbing a handful of blueberries.

That’s right… blueberries have their own super-antioxidant that leaves resveratrol in the dust.

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Pterostilbene: resveratrol’s powerful first cousin

In a clinical trial at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy, 80 people took either 100mg of pterostilbene,100mg of pterostilbene plus grape seed extract or a placebo.

After eight weeks, those who took 100 mg of pterostilbene, as well as those taking pterostilbene and grape seed extract, showed measurable improvements in blood pressure and circulation.

So, what exactly is pterostilbene (pronounced terro-still-bean)?

It’s an antioxidant produced by plants to protect themselves against viruses, bacteria and fungi. It’s found in abundance in blueberries.

What makes pterostilbene even more powerful than resveratrol is the makeup of its molecules.

The molecular structures of resveratrol and pterostilbene are, not surprisingly, very similar. They’re like first cousins.

But the pterostilbene molecule has two more connecting points. In practical terms, this means that it is more easily absorbed through the stomach lining and cell membranes, so it’s more bioavailable. And that means it’s more accessible to your body — and it stays in your system longer.

The chameleon of antioxidants

Conditions like high cholesterol involve some sort of change in the normal behavior of our metabolism.

Pterostilbene acts like a chameleon. What it does varies, depending on how our cells have deviated from their normal, healthy metabolic actions.

The metabolic regulation accomplished by pterostilbene has been compared to the effects of drugs like metformin and tamoxifen.

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Other benefits of pterostilbene

Pterostilbene’s health benefits are numerous and affect many systems in your body…

• It strengthens Natural Killer (NK) cells, the immune system’s “seek and destroy” cells that go after abnormal cells in the body.
• It helps control inflammation.
• It helps control the accumulation of fat in the liver.
• It causes apoptosis (cell death) in unwanted cells.
• It supports mitochondria, the tiny power plants inside every cell in the human body.

The action of pterostilbene also helps prevent Alzheimer’s disease. That’s because pterostilbene increases levels of Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) and dopamine in the brain. IGF-1 promotes the growth of blood vessels and neurons in the hippocampus, while dopamine is vital to learning and memory).

How to get more pterostilbene

Clearly, if you eat blueberries every day, you will be reaping all of the above benefits of pterostilbene.

But pterostilbene is also found in other healthy foods, including almonds and peanuts.

And, red wine drinkers are in luck, because those resveratrol-rich red grapes also have plenty of pterostilbene!

Pterostilbene is also available in supplement form. Be sure to follow manufacturer guidelines on dosing or talk to a healthcare practitioner if you have questions.

Pterostilbene doesn’t seem to have any negative side effects, other than upset stomach or headache if you happen to be allergic to it. An analysis of safety from a human clinical trial with pterostilbene found no adverse drug reactions, but if you’re on medications and want to be sure, your pharmacist may be able to answer any questions.

Sources:

Pterostilbene on Metabolic Parameters: A Randomized, Double-Blind, and Placebo-Controlled Trial — Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Pterostilbene in Combination With Mitochondrial Cofactors Improve Mitochondrial Function in Cellular Models of Mitochondrial Diseases — Frontiers in Pharmocology

What is Pterostilbene? — pterostilbene.com

10 Natural Pterostilbene Foods Sources — superfoodly.com

The post Pterostilbene: The other powerful antioxidant for better blood pressure appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

“Eat your vegetables!”

If you’ve been with us a while, you know we say it, too. Those leafy, green vegetables, in particular, are probably the best things you can include in your daily diet.

They provide fiber, iron, and a host of vitamins. They strengthen your bones, your brain, your heart and your immune system. They help prevent tumors, heart attacks, obesity and osteoporosis.

Just pick a green vegetable and get going, right?

Well, not exactly.

There are probably more green, leafy choices than you’re aware of, and each has its own merits as a healthy part of your diet, as well as its own distinctive flavor and texture.

Here’s a primer on the nutrient value, benefits, and pleasures of 6 of those leafy greens…

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The top 6 picks for great greens

Arugula. This fragile-looking green is more nutrient-dense than carrots, tomatoes, even sweet potatoes.

Although it may not appear so, arugula belongs to the family of cruciferous green vegetables that includes broccoli. A compound called sulforaphane in this group of veggies is known to stop tumor growth.

Arugula contains a substantial amount of lutein and zeaxanthin, the only members of the antioxidant family known as carotenoids that accumulate in the retina of the eye. These two carotenoids are known to protect against macular degeneration, an eye disease that causes more blindness than cataracts and glaucoma combined.

Arugula’s peppery flavor makes it a great addition to your green salads.

Chard. Frankly, this is one of the green vegetables I’ve largely ignored, but no longer. Actually called Swiss chard because of its country of origin, this green has leaves similar to spinach or kale, with long stems that cook kind of like asparagus would.

Chard stems can be red, green or yellow. At your grocer’s you may see a bundle of combined colors sold as “rainbow chard.”

Chard is in the same family as beets. It offers 636% of our daily requirement of Vitamin K. Most people don’t talk about this vitamin, but it is absolutely crucial. Not only does it aid in blood clotting, but it also saves you from heart disease by activating a protein that helps prevent calcium from depositing in your arteries.

Kale. This crunchy, curly-leafed green has become the darling of health gurus in recent years, and with good reason.

Kale is right up there with chard in the vitamin department. It offers 206% of the daily value (DV) of Vitamin A, 684% of Vitamin K, and 26% of manganese, another neglected mineral that, together with glucosamine, is a therapeutic agent for relieving the inflammation of osteoarthritis.

Mustard greens. Yes, these are actually the leaves of the mustard plant, and they have a sharp, spicy flavor. Crunchy and nutrient-dense like kale, they are very high in chlorophyll, that natural plant pigment that does so much more than make plants green.

Chlorophyll stimulates the production of enzymes that detoxify the liver. It is a natural wound healer as well. Since the 1940s, a medical form of chlorophyll has been used in ointments that treat skin ulcers and pressure sores.

Bok Choy. Also known as Chinese cabbage, bok choy is used in soups and stir fries. It has crunchy white stems and delicate green leaves. Bok choy is also a cruciferous vegetable and has many of the same benefits as broccoli and Brussels sprouts, including natural compounds that lower cancer risk.

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Spinach. No list of dark, leafy greens would be complete without spinach. You may think you know it well, but did you know, for example, that it can prevent blindness?

That’s right. Spinach is also rich in zeaxanthin and lutein, which support eye health and guard against macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss in people over 50.

Spinach is also one of the richest dietary sources of quercetin, the antioxidant that inhibits the production of inflammation-causing cytokine proteins. This green also helps your body produce nitric oxide, a natural artery health and circulation booster. It acts as a signaling molecule supporting blood pressure.

Greens can be enjoyed year-round: a salad of mixed green vegetables is great for warm weather months or added to a hearty soup when the months are colder. How ever you get them—just do it!

Sources:

1. 10 Evidence-Based Benefits of Manganese — Healthline
2. Spinach 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits — Healthline
3. All About Chard: Rainbow, Red and Swiss — The Spruce Eats

The post 6 great greens and what they do for your body appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

The thought of it reminds me of that story from China where doctors removed a man’s gut because he had 28 pounds worth of waste, jammed in his colon.

The patient was not only in severe pain, his bowels were so swollen he looked nine months pregnant!

The man suffered from Hirschsprung’s disease, which causes your intestines to swell because the nerves that are supposed to control your gut are missing.

And, while this is an extreme form of constipation, there are many other causes that put you at risk in your day-to-day life.

In fact, 63 million people in the U.S. suffer from chronic constipation, resulting in four million doctor visits, over one million hospitalizations and over five million prescriptions written each year.

If you live with constipation, you already know the pain, bloating and straining that result when you’re unable to have a bowel movement.

What you may not know is that, as with that patient from China, constipation is a real danger to your health.

Here’s why…

When fecal matter builds up, stretching your colon, you can end up with tears in the skin of your anus… tears that are prone to infection.

Even worse, when you can’t poop for long periods of time, the result can be fecal impaction — where a large, hard mass of stool gets stuck so badly in your colon or rectum that you can’t push it out.

This problem is so severe that it can cause grave illness or even death if it’s not treated.

Common causes of constipation

And, there are a whole host of problems that could be behind your chronic constipation.

These include:

1. Lack of physical activity – When you don’t move, neither does your poop.
2. Not drinking enough water – Without enough water in your colon, your poop becomes hard and extremely difficult to pass.
3. A low-fiber diet – Your body needs fiber to sweep the poop out of your colon.
4. Hormone problems – Diabetes, low thyroid and any other health problems that affect your hormones can leave you constipated and in pain.
5. Weak pelvic muscles – If your muscles are weak, you may not have the strength you need to push the poop from your colon.
6. Nerve problems – Neurological conditions like Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s, stroke and more can block the signals to the nerves in your colon, leaving you unable to poop.
7. Medications – The list of pain medicines that can cause constipation is as long as your arm and include painkillers, anti-depressants, prescriptions for high blood pressure, allergy medications, calcium supplements and many, many more.

And, these are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to things that can cause you to become constipated.

So, the question now is what can you do to poop again and finally feel better?

The dangers of laxatives

Many people who suffer from chronic constipation turn to laxatives for relief.

But, these can cause more harm than good.

In fact, laxative use can give you everything from stomach pain to severe dehydration, electrolyte and mineral imbalances, internal organ damage, and even an increased risk of colon cancer.

And, to top it off, they can actually cause chronic constipation themselves, the thing you’re using them to help.

That’s because when you rely on laxatives to help you poop, the muscles in your colon become weak and your body becomes dependent on them. Then your body can no longer poop without that assistance.

7 supplements that’ll help you poop again

The best way to overcome chronic constipation is to provide safe, natural colon support with ingredients that work with the body’s natural processes so dependency does not become a concern.

And, there are seven supplements proven to do just that…

1. Ancient aloe – This cactus-like plant helps to naturally stimulate the bowel and soften stool for easier elimination.
2. Inulin – This natural prebiotic found in chicory root helps support the natural production of beneficial bacteria in the colon by providing the intestinal fertilizer needed for healthy gut flora. Inulin is also a natural appetite suppressant that fights fat and diabetes.
3. Potassium – This critical mineral helps keep stool hydrated and moist promoting a healthy transit time from digestive tract to toilet.
4. Cascara sagrada – Used by Native Americans for centuries to help promote bowel contractions and the urge to “go” for normal healthy bowel movements.
5. Senna leaf – This natural colon-balancing herb helps promote normal bowel health and healthy stool consistency for regular, gentle bowel movements.
6. Slippery Elm – This herb is a natural anti-inflammatory that helps regulate anal tissue swelling.
7. Black Walnut hulls – This ancient remedy contains juglone, tannins and natural iodine – which work together to help eliminate harmful organisms from the digestive tract helping to support healthy digestion and regularity.

You can try these supplements individually or even better; look for a supplement that contains all seven to achieve regular relief.

Don’t let your chronic constipation cause you even one more minute of straining and suffering. Support your colon the natural way and get back on the pot again.

Sources:

1. Doctors remove 28 POUNDS of feces from man, 22, who was constipated since birth due to rare bowel condition — Daily Mail
2. Digestive Diseases Statistics for the United States — The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
3. Constipation: Symptoms and causes — Mayo Clinic

The post 7 natural helpers to help you ‘go’ appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

A healthy diet and ample exercise can fend these off, though our typical American lifestyle habits stand in the way.

The good news: Increasing your omega-3 fatty acids, in food and supplements, naturally reduces pain, inflammation, coronary heart disease risk and unhealthy cholesterol developments.

What Are Omega-3 Fatty Acids?

The omega-3s are a family of fatty acids that are polyunsaturated. They are “good for you” fats. Three such fats make up the omega-3s: ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). This trifecta of goodness is said to be “essential” to your health, with numerous studies showing its effectiveness in lowering triglyceride levels, improving cardiovascular health, reducing pain and inflammation and helping with stroke. After vetting such claims, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has awarded EPA and DHA “qualified health claims” status.

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Omega-3 fatty acids, found principally in fatty fish, fish oil and krill oil, have been shown to convey several core health benefits. This includes naturally reducing and preventing inflammation and pain, thrombosis (blood coagulation) and irregular heartbeats. It is believed that these benefits are the result of omega-3’s ability to balance the body’s production of prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are hormone-like substances produced naturally in your body that are thought to manage inflammation and pain.

Consider how each of the three essential fatty acids work.

The Essential 3: ALA, DHA, EPA

ALA is a short-chain fatty acid that does not convert well into useful substances in the body. However, it can be converted into other so-called long-chain fatty acids, like EPA and DHA — though only in low amounts of about 1 percent. Getting ALAs via food and supplements is necessary, but you really need to focus on your intake of EPA and DHA.

EPA is abundant in oily fish and some algae, like spirulina, and converts into prostaglandins. In addition to helping alleviate pain and inflammation, prostaglandins are also essential to cardiovascular health.

DHA is the main fatty acid that goes into brain cells and is essential to the proper functioning of the eyes and nervous system as well as the brain. Like EPA, DHA is also found in abundance in oily fish and some algae. Low levels of DHA have been associated with depression, chronic pain, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

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Omega-3 Sources

Taking an omega-3 supplement is a fast and easy way to ensure that you get enough of these essential fatty acids into your body on a daily basis. Additionally, there are quite a few food sources that contain them (fatty fish), and altering your diet is a great overall strategy to get these nutrients. Remember: Your body does not produce the omega-3s on its own and requires that you consume food or supplements to get them.

ALA is found in such food sources like dark-green leafy vegetables, flaxseed, linseeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, canola oil, walnuts (and walnut oil) and soybeans. Since ALA is not readily usable in the body, it is converted to EPA and DHA for use.

DHA is found in seafood, algae and coldwater fish such as salmon, sardines and albacore tuna.

EPA is found in oily fishes like salmon, sardines, cod liver, herring, mackerel and halibut.

To help Americans get enough omega-3s, many food suppliers now enrich their eggs. That is, they include algae and/or flaxseed in the diet of their hens to produce an egg that is rich in omega-3s. These omega-3-enriched eggs provide 20 percent of the recommended amounts of ALA and 25 percent of EPA and DHA.

How Much Is Safe To Take?

Many studies on omega-3 fatty acids demonstrate that 500mg of EPA and DHA daily are safe and effective dosages. ALA is generally taken at about 1.5g per day.

These numbers are good for prevention and reduction of symptoms that are associated with low omega-3 in the blood. Additionally, the American Heart Association suggests 1 gram per day of EPA and DHA. They also suggest that two to four grams of EPA+DHA per day can lower triglycerides 20 to 40 percent.

If you experience loose stools, reduce your daily consumption to the level where your stools are solid. And it is advised that before you have dental work or surgery, refrain from taking omega-3s a few days before because of their anti-blood-clotting action.

The post The essential omega-3 fatty acids appeared first on Easy Health Options®.