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The Cannabis Remedy: Simple Solution For Over 40 Million PeopleSuffering With Anxiety Darrell Miller 11/24/18
Prevent the number one cause of premature death by simply takingvitamin C Darrell Miller 11/16/18
Damiana: The Herb that Can Enhance Mood, Libido & More VitaNet, LLC Staff 8/13/18
CBD may help smokers quit cigarettes, finds new study Darrell Miller 6/20/18
What is cannabidiol, or CBD, and is it right for me? Darrell Miller 2/20/18
The future of cannabis in the workplace Darrell Miller 2/9/18
Can you get high off hemp? We'll help clear the fog about marijuana's 'kissing cousin' Darrell Miller 12/1/17
Hot peppers and weed work on the gut to tamp down inflammation Darrell Miller 5/11/17
Horrible Cramps? Marijuana Might Just Be the Answer Darrell Miller 3/16/17
Research Proving Cannabis Kills Cancer Cells Safely has been Suppressed Since 1974 Darrell Miller 3/15/17
8 foods ALL men should be eating and even steak's on the menu Darrell Miller 2/15/17
Huge 400 page scientific report concludes marijuana effectively treats chronic pain Darrell Miller 1/26/17
Secondhand smoke linked to higher risk of stroke Darrell Miller 11/3/16
Damiana Leaves Darrell Miller 5/22/08
Alpha Lipoic Acid is a Powerful Antioxidant Darrell Miller 2/15/08
Supplements for Sexual health! Darrell Miller 4/17/07
Benefits of Green Tea Darrell Miller 11/5/05
Defeat Depression Darrell Miller 6/13/05
Clean Living Darrell Miller 6/10/05



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The Cannabis Remedy: Simple Solution For Over 40 Million PeopleSuffering With Anxiety
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Date: November 24, 2018 11:13 AM
Author: Darrell Miller (support@vitanetonline.com)
Subject: The Cannabis Remedy: Simple Solution For Over 40 Million PeopleSuffering With Anxiety





Anxiety is a very prevalent condition, both in the U.S. and worldwide. In fact the National Institutes of Health concur that as much as 33% of the world's population has suffered, or well suffer from some type of anxiety. Besides mentally specific symptoms, such as worry, fretting, inability to focus, nervousness and fearfulness, the condition can create physical symptoms as well, such as clenching, sweating, dizziness, accelerated breathing, pulse and raised blood pressure. At it's worst, anxiety can induce a full-blown panic attack, depersonalization and even a certainty that one is dying. Obviously anxiety is a potentially critical condition, with the ability to disrupt life, even in small ways. As it worsens, anxiety can make it difficult to impossible for sufferers to work or socialize effectively. Though triggers vary, most people are visited by anxiety due to one of three big concerns, namely fears that center around finances, safety, or health. One poll conducted by the American Psychiatric Association concluded that keeping the family safe and bill-paying were huge anxiety triggers that resonated with more than 60% of respondents. The positive news is that many people can experience mitigation, if not complete surcease of these symptoms by using cannabis, which is expected to keep growing as an industry. THC which is the psychoactive component in cannabis, that which makes it illegal if it gets past .3%, is minimal to almost nil in hemp, which is related to, but not the same as marijuana. The THC amount will vary in cannabis products. There is hemp oil, hemp seed oil and CBD oil, which is made from the entire plant, flowers and all, so it may have a bit more THC. Oil products can be taken topically, or sublingually, even smoked. By acting on receptors in the central nervous symptom, the constituents of the oil act to mitigate the symptoms of anxiety. Even beyond pain relief these products have been shown to have efficacy for symptoms of epilepsy, pain and impaired cognition.

Key Takeaways:

  • The National Institute of Health estimates as much as a third of the world suffers from anxiety.
  • Anxiety has the ability to disrupt life, even making it impossible for people to function at work, home or in social capacities.
  • Although anxiety takes many forms, the big three trigger issues for most people revolve around, health, finances and safety.

"The good news is, there are ways to cope, even ways to alleviate anxiety and its symptoms using natural and drug-free solutions."

Read more: https://www.thealternativedaily.com/cannabis-remedy-solution-people-suffering-with-anxiety/

(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=5857)


Prevent the number one cause of premature death by simply takingvitamin C
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Date: November 16, 2018 09:51 AM
Author: Darrell Miller (support@vitanetonline.com)
Subject: Prevent the number one cause of premature death by simply takingvitamin C





According to the data, it's been estimated that as many as half of all premature deaths are preventable, moreover that poor nutritional intake is at the core of the problem. One such nutritional deficit that could lower the number of premature deaths is the deficit of vitamin C. Vitamin C is a well-known immune system booster. However, it also has an important role to fulfill when it comes to cardiovascular health. The journal of the American College of Nutrition recently attests to this fact. The journal reported findings that agreed that the use of vitamin C reduced the incidence of cardiac disease. The findings were based on a study of over 100 men, many of whom were smokers. Those given the highest dosage of vitamin C slashed their risk for cardiac complications by more than half. Danish research further augments this aspect of vitamin C. Data pools acquired from 100,000+ Danes showed high vitamin C concentrations among those who regularly consumed a large array of fruits and vegetables. This higher level was auspiciously linked with a lowered risk of cardiovascular disease and premature death.

Key Takeaways:

  • Long accumulated data strongly suggests that up to half of all early deaths are preventable.
  • Vitamin C has a profound effect on coronary heart disease, and it has protective ability even when the vitamin C user is a smoker.
  • One recent study which supports this contention used 108 different male subjects, many of whom smoked.

"The reality is that an inexpensive vitamin supplement could reduce the rate of coronary heart disease but mainstream medicine is so deeply entrenched in pharmaceutical dogma, the idea that nutrients can prevent disease is downright blasphemous."

Read more: https://www.naturalnews.com/2018-11-12-prevent-number-one-cause-of-premature-death-vitamin-c.html

(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=5836)


Damiana: The Herb that Can Enhance Mood, Libido & More
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Date: August 13, 2018 12:53 PM
Author: VitaNet, LLC Staff (support@vitanetonline.com)
Subject: Damiana: The Herb that Can Enhance Mood, Libido & More





Damiana: The Herb that Can Enhance Mood, Libido & More

The damiana herb, used historically throughout Central and South America, has proven health benefits -- ranging from reducing depression to aiding in digestion to raising libido. A member of the plant family Turneraceae, Damiana is a small plant with yellow blossoms. It can be smoked or used to make herbal teas, and has been compared to cannabis in its effects. While safe and beneficial in small amounts, Damiana should not be taken in high dosages, as it could result in dangerous changes in blood sugar levels.

Key Takeaways:

  • Damiana is a plant from Centeal and South America that can have a relaxing effect on the nervous and endocrine systems.
  • Damiana’s beneficial effects may include increased sexual performance, lower levels of anxiety and depression, and better digestive health.
  • Damiana, especially in concert with Yerba mate, may help people who are overweight by giving them more energy for physical activity and less anxiety.

"Some people compare damiana to cannabis due to its relaxing and simultaneously stimulating effects."

Read more: https://draxe.com/damiana/

(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=5706)


CBD may help smokers quit cigarettes, finds new study
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Date: June 20, 2018 04:44 PM
Author: Darrell Miller (support@vitanetonline.com)
Subject: CBD may help smokers quit cigarettes, finds new study





CBD may help smokers quit cigarettes, finds new study

Humans have what is called a electrochemical system that can be directly impacted by substances referred to as endocannabinoids. One of these is cannabidiol (CBD). CBD oil was given to 30 participants in a 2013 study, and it showed that it helped them successfully reduce the amount of cigarettes that they smoked by 40%. More studies have to be done to determine a direct correlation, but this is good news for those who are continuously struggling to find natural ways to quit.

Key Takeaways:

  • Cannabinoids in marijuana can trigger an electrochemical signaling system, the endocannabinoid system, in the body which can also be activated by natural cannabinoids.
  • Using 30 nicotine-dependent smokers, some given a placebo and others CBD, the researchers sought to find out if cannabidiol (CBD) influenced tobacco cravings or withdrawals.
  • The study showed great promise but more research needs to be done to fully explore cannabis effectiveness as an aid to helping smokers stop.

"In 2013, a study published in the journal Addictive Behaviors found that smokers who were given a CBD inhaler reduced their cigarette consumption by around 40% compared to those given a placebo."

Read more: https://www.healthnutnews.com/cbd-may-help-smokers-quit-cigarettes-finds-new-study/

(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=5634)


What is cannabidiol, or CBD, and is it right for me?
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Date: February 20, 2018 07:59 AM
Author: Darrell Miller (support@vitanetonline.com)
Subject: What is cannabidiol, or CBD, and is it right for me?





Cannabidiol, also known as CBD, is a chemical that is naturally produced in the brain but is also found in marijuana. CBD has become very popular these days as users have said that it has a calming effect and helps with battling anxiety. Another great thing about CBD is that it is not psychoactive which means that it will not get a person high. It can be taken in various ways such as orally and smoked. It is legal to buy and purchase in the United States which is another reason that it has become very popular.

Key Takeaways:

  • It is often seen as a wonderdrug to many diseases and problems
  • The properties of CBD include anti-inflammatory responses which have links to epilepsy and cancer
  • It is also not psychoactive, unlike the similar compound THC

"This non-addictive molecule offers patients many of cannabis’ medicinal benefits, without the negative side effects associated with psychoactive THC. Could CBD be right for you?"

Read more: http://www.greenstate.com/explained/cannabidiol-cbd-right/

(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=5535)


The future of cannabis in the workplace
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Date: February 09, 2018 03:59 PM
Author: Darrell Miller (support@vitanetonline.com)
Subject: The future of cannabis in the workplace





Cannabis, though being legalized in many locales, still isn't quite legalized to be imbibed or smoked in the workplace. Unlike other prescription drugs, like say pain killers or antibiotics, you are not free to use these in the same way at the workplace as you would at home. Due to their schedule 1 designation by the DEA, they are still illegal and a company can be held liable if found with amounts in their confines. This may be changing over time, but for the time being, do not expect relaxed regulation at work for your legally prescribed drugs.

Key Takeaways:

  • Once cannabis is legalized, it will be treated as alcohol is in the workplace.
  • There are typically two types of strains and effects cannabis, sativa and indica.
  • Urinalysis is the most common way to test whether someone is impaired with cannabis.

"Cannabis isn't a new substance, but now that it's allowed to be consumed, it's a different awareness."

Read more: http://www.bonnyvillenouvelle.ca/article/The-future-of-cannabis-in-the-workplace-20180206

(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=5524)


Can you get high off hemp? We'll help clear the fog about marijuana's 'kissing cousin'
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Date: December 01, 2017 03:59 PM
Author: Darrell Miller (support@vitanetonline.com)
Subject: Can you get high off hemp? We'll help clear the fog about marijuana's 'kissing cousin'





You can not get high of off hemp. Though many people are confused about the difference between hemp and marijuana in general. Hemp is actually really great as a super food. It has protein and Omega 3. It's great for the health of the body. And even though hemp is really healthy, its sister marijuana also has benefits. Even though scientists are just coming around to the medical benefits for people who smoked it illegally and thankfully legally today they have found that it helps with many ailments. Headache relief is one benefit.

Key Takeaways:

  • Hemp has been grown for centuries because of its utility in many ways. That makes it a popular plant to cultivate and event sell on the open market.
  • Hemp can be used to produce a cannabidiol oil as an extract. That may be known as CBD, now being discussed for recreational use.
  • That CBD is extracted from the flower of the hemp plant being grown. Debate is underway about whether CBD is equivalent to marijuana itself too.

"What hemp does offer is powerful cannabidiol oil, better known as CBD, extracted from the flower of the plant."

Read more: https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/2017/11/30/can-hemp-get-you-high-like-marijuana/804364001/

(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=5424)


Hot peppers and weed work on the gut to tamp down inflammation
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Date: May 11, 2017 08:44 AM
Author: Darrell Miller (support@vitanetonline.com)
Subject: Hot peppers and weed work on the gut to tamp down inflammation





Research has found that peppers can effect neurons in the gastrointestinal tract in a similar manner neurons are effected in the brain when marijuana is smoked. When hot chili peppers are consumed, a reaction happens creating the chemical anadamide. In essence this chemical is related to one found in canabis and regulates the immune system in the gut. This research concludes that connection between brain and gastrointestinal systems strong and that eating hot chili peppers and the use of marijuana could have positive effects on gastrointestinal disease.

Key Takeaways:

  • Hot peppers and weed have a variety of health benefits to the body.
  • If one eats peppers or consumes marijuana, it help those those who have diabetes.
  • The stomach, when in contact with hot peppers and weed, helps the gut immune system.

"This chemical works to regulate the gut immune system and bring it into balance, and is also related to the cannabinoids found in marijuana."

Read more: http://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/what-to-eat/hot-peppers-and-weed-work-gut-tamp-down-inflammation

(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=4587)


Horrible Cramps? Marijuana Might Just Be the Answer
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Date: March 16, 2017 06:44 PM
Author: Darrell Miller (support@vitanetonline.com)
Subject: Horrible Cramps? Marijuana Might Just Be the Answer





Marijuana may be better than any other pain remedy. It is safer than ibuprofen and more effective than a heating pad or chocolate. There has not been enough studies on it to confirm this, however it has been shown the for menstrual cramps, pot is better than anything else over the counter. The way the pot is taken makes no difference in the pain management. It can be smoked, rubbed on skin in an oil or eaten.

Read more: Horrible Cramps? Marijuana Might Just Be the Answer

(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=4181)


Research Proving Cannabis Kills Cancer Cells Safely has been Suppressed Since 1974
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Date: March 15, 2017 08:59 AM
Author: Darrell Miller (support@vitanetonline.com)
Subject: Research Proving Cannabis Kills Cancer Cells Safely has been Suppressed Since 1974





In 1974 the NIH working with the DEA sponsored research to prove that cannabis caused destruction of brain cells and suppresses the immune system. The research was cancelled and documents were destroyed when it was found it actually enhanced the immune system as well as destroyed cancer cells. Studies are now being sponsored overseas with promising results. Cannabis, when vapors instead of Smoked kills cancer cells and city's off blood supply to the cells. There us even a case if a baby cured if brain cancer without surgery or radiation. Standard oncology treatments kill healthy cells as well as cancer while cannabis kills only cancer cells. The research should be allowed in the US with federal funding.

Key Takeaways:

  • After several attempts to get cannabis oil allowed through the court system with many testimonials from those who had been helped, Rick realized this important harsh reality: The cancer industry does not want a cure for cancer.
  • The townspeople were cured of several disorders, including lung cancer. All of them had been failed by mainstream medicine.
  • In 1974, the NIH (National Institutes of Health) funded the Medical College of Virginia to prove that cannabis hampers the immune system and destroys brain cells.

"After several attempts to get cannabis oil allowed through the court system with many testimonials from those who had been helped, Rick realized this important harsh reality: The cancer industry does not want a cure for cancer."



Reference:

//www.healthnutnews.com/research-proving-cannabis-kills-cancer-cells-safely-suppressed-since-1974/

(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=4156)


8 foods ALL men should be eating and even steak's on the menu
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Date: February 15, 2017 02:59 PM
Author: Darrell Miller (support@vitanetonline.com)
Subject: 8 foods ALL men should be eating and even steak's on the menu





Men should eat more oily fish like fresh salmon, tuna and trout, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These fats cut the risk of heart disease. Red peppers are a great source of vitamin C, which men need if they are trying to have a baby. Red kidney beans, a rich source of fiber, should be on the diet, too. Fiber helps in digestion and cuts the risk of heart disease, diabetes and high cholesterol

Key Takeaways:

  • Try eating one or two servings of oily fish each week either as grilled fillets or even dips such as Smoked mackrel plate.
  • Some researchers suggest omega 3 and vitamin D may help relieve the symptoms of depression.
  • Try eating a rainbow of foods each day and including one serving of red coloured vegetables or fruits.

"Try eating one or two servings of oily fish each week either as grilled fillets or even dips such as Smoked mackerel pate."



Reference:

https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=//www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3957226/The-8-foods-men-eating-good-news-steak-s-menu.html&ct=ga&cd=CAIyGjVkYjY3ZDViNDdiNGM3ZTc6Y29tOmVuOlVT&usg=AFQjCNGp-CpVe76hbcv3VIUDvZmIVeWsuQ

(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=3949)


Huge 400 page scientific report concludes marijuana effectively treats chronic pain
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Date: January 26, 2017 10:59 AM
Author: Darrell Miller (support@vitanetonline.com)
Subject: Huge 400 page scientific report concludes marijuana effectively treats chronic pain





One of the most controversial topics in recent history is the question of whether or not marijuana can treat chronic pain. The question then arises whether or not the information contained in the report will actually benefit the pro-marijuana movement overall is an open question, since the findings are a mix of positive and negative regarding the use of marijuana and its impact on public health. This information may or may not play an important role.

Key Takeaways:

  • A new 400-page analysis of more than 10,000 marijuana studies concluded that marijuana is effective for treating chronic pain.
  • The positive findings include “conclusive or substantial” evidence that the above-mentioned therapeutic applications are effective.
  • The release of the study comes a time of flux and uncertainty regarding marijuana’s legal status.

"The researchers reported evidence associating marijuana to an increased risk of automobile accidents, lower birth weights for babies whose mothers Smoked cannabis during pregnancy, and a link between marijuana smoking and bronchial problems."



Reference:

//www.naturalnews.com/2017-01-18-huge-400-page-scientific-report-concludes-marijuana-effectively-treats-chronic-pain.html

(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=3830)


Secondhand smoke linked to higher risk of stroke
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Date: November 03, 2016 03:59 PM
Author: Darrell Miller (support@vitanetonline.com)
Subject: Secondhand smoke linked to higher risk of stroke



A new study from the John Hopkins School of Medicine has linked inhalation of secondhand smoke to an increase risk of stroke. The study concluded that people who had suffered a stroke but never Smoked cigarettes were almost 50% more likely to have been exposed to secondhand smoke at home. In America nearly 25% of nonsmokers are still exposed regularly to secondhand smoke.

Key Takeaways:

  • The increased risk of stroke that comes with smoking may extend to nonsmokers who live in the same household and breathe in secondhand smoke, a U.S. study suggests.
  • Researchers found that those who had a stroke were nearly 50 percent more likely to be exposed to secondhand smoke at home than people who had never had a stroke.
  • During the study, stroke survivors exposed to secondhand smoke were also more likely to die from any cause compared to those without secondhand smoke exposure.

"Researchers found that those who had a stroke were nearly 50 percent more likely to be exposed to secondhand smoke at home than people who had never had a stroke."



Reference:

//www.reuters.com/article/us-health-stroke-secondhand-smoke-idUSKCN12L27N?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FhealthNews+%28Reuters+Health+News%29


(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=3381)


Damiana Leaves
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Date: May 22, 2008 11:45 AM
Author: Darrell Miller (dm@vitanetonline.com)
Subject: Damiana Leaves

Damiana can be used by both men and women. It is known to have restorative effects on reproductive organs in both sexes.

Uses:

For men, Damiana is known to raise levels of testosterone. It is also helpful in treating premature ejaculation and impotence. For women, it helps to induce delayed menstrual periods and ease the symptoms of painful menstruation. It also treats the headaches women sometimes get due to menstruation.

This herb has been widely advertised and used in Mexico as an aphrodisiac. The ancient Mayans used it as a sexual stimulant and people in Central America still use it in this way today. This use is controversial due to lack of scientific evidence to support the claim.

One study found some of the plant's compounds to be similar to those found in progesterone. More than 150 herbs have been tested for their ability to bind with the progesterone and estrogen receptors found in breast cancer cells. Damiana was one of the highest progesterone-binding herbs tested.

The herbal properties of Damiana have a life enhancing and stimulating effect on the body and mind. The herb works well on nervous exhaustion and to restore the body after periods of high stress.

Other Uses:

Damiana's stimulating action is considered very valuable to people who suffer from mild depression. Herbalists will typically recommend remedies that contain this herb. Damiana is very strong and aromatic, and has a slightly bitter taste. It can be found in different forms such as capsule, liquid extract and tea. Its leaves are used as a substitute for tea leaves in some countries. In other countries, it is used as flavoring in a variety of liqueurs.

Damiana acts as an antiseptic and tonic for the body. It is also a restorative agent for nervous system functions. Damiana is used for other conditions as well, although no scientific proof of its effectiveness exists. These conditions include:

* Asthma * Anxiety * Depression * Headache * Menstrual disorders

Damiana has been known to cause mild indigestion for some users. It also contains a compound called arbutin, which, in the urinary tract, converts into the chemical hydroquinone. Larger amounts can cause serious side effects such as:

* Convulsions * Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) * Nausea * Vomiting * Possible collapse and death

A maximum safe dosage of Damiana has not yet been determined. Also, the safety of using this herb has not been established in children or pregnant and nursing women. People with liver or kidney disease should use extra caution because their ability to safely use this herb is unknown as well.

In people using higher doses of Damiana, it is believed that they experience a mild euphoric sensation. In some cases, consumption of Damiana leaves has been known to act as a mild laxative. The more leaves consumed, the more prominent the laxative effect.

Damiana is native to parts of southern California and the Gulf of Mexico. It can also be found growing wild in some areas of the northern Caribbean Islands and Namibia. It is widely cultivated in these areas. Its preferred habitat has a hot and humid climate. It flowers in the summer and this is when the leaves are harvested. The leaves of the Damiana plant are the only part used for cultivation.

The herb can be taken in the form of a tea. Some people even smoke it like tobacco. The herb will bring about a relaxed state of mind for the user. It is said to induce a subtle high if Smoked.

Damiana possesses many properties that are useful to both men and women. Research continues in an attempt to either prove or disprove claims of its benefits to humans.

--
Vitanet ®, LLC

(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=1796)


Alpha Lipoic Acid is a Powerful Antioxidant
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Date: February 15, 2008 02:55 PM
Author: Darrell Miller (dm@vitanetonline.com)
Subject: Alpha Lipoic Acid is a Powerful Antioxidant

The discovery of alpha lipoic acid at the University Of Texas Chemistry Department in 1951 was not heralded with trumpets of joy at the revelation of such a powerful antioxidant, but was instead largely ignored. This is largely due to the biochemistry involved not being fully understood at that time, but by the 1980s it was a commonly used supplement, recommended for several medical conditions.

Chemically, the substance is a 5-membered cyclic disulphide with a carboxylic acid grouping. Biochemically, it’s extremely powerful antioxidant properties are largely due to the fact that it one of those rare active molecules that are soluble in both water and fats, and in fact is the only such antioxidant currently know. One of the properties that this ability enables it to possess is to cross the blood-brain barrier, and apply antioxidant propertied to the brain.

Antioxidants are essential to human life in that they destroy free radicals. These are compounds with free unpaired electrons that destroy human body cells in their hunt for electrons to pair with. Electrons come in pairs in organic animal tissue, just as they do in organic compounds. However, under certain circumstances this pairing can become destroyed, leaving a molecule with one of its electrons without a partner.

The factors that lead to this situation are many and varied, and our own biochemistry can produce free radicals during the normal chemical processes of life. However, pollution can also lead to the oxidation processes that create free radicals, common such pollutants being cigarette smoke, vehicle exhaust fumes, pesticides and the like. Excessive exposure to the UV content of sunlight can also create free radicals as can eating barbecued and Smoked foods, and exposure to carbon monoxide and peroxides. Even the biochemical conversion of glucose to energy in our bodies creates free radicals.

These free radicals can destroy body cells, including DNA, and can create conditions such as premature aging due to destruction of skin cells, destruction of brain cells, strokes, cancers, diabetes, atherosclerosis due to oxidation of LDL cholesterol that deposits in the main arteries of the body, stiffening of the joints and many other undesirable conditions.

Free radicals are destroyed rapidly by antioxidants: the reaction is very rapid and most are destroyed immediately they are formed before they can do harm. Fortunately, if your diet is well maintained, the body possesses many antioxidants such as vitamins A, C and E, and other substances such as Coenzyme Q10, flavanoids, xanthenes, polyphenols and carotenoids. Many of these are found in highly colored foods, and if your food is brightly colored, it should contain a good supply of antioxidants.

However, the problem with all of these is that they are either fat and oil soluble or water soluble, which means that they can either be freely carried round the body by the blood or have to be emulsified by the bile and transported via the lymphatic system that places restrictions on their effectiveness in certain organs of the body. The fact that alpha lipoic acid is soluble in both water and fats enables it to be carried to all parts of the body and to every organ, and can cross water/fat barriers that other antioxidants cannot do.

It can therefore be carried via the blood to the brain and carry out an essential antioxidant function within our brains. It took a long time for this property of ALA to be recognized and its consequent health benefits understood. It is, in fact, the ideal antioxidant. The substance provides many known benefits to the body due to its antioxidant properties and also helps the body to generate the maximum possible amount of energy from the blood glucose and thus improve the energy balance of your body.

However, it is with its antioxidant properties that we are most concerned here. One of the benefits of these properties is its effect in holding back the visible effects of aging on your body. Because it is both water and fat soluble, alpha lipoic acid can help destroy free radicals in every part of your skin; the areas served by the blood and the fatty and oily secretions are protected simultaneously by the same strong antioxidant. The end result is a reduction in the destruction of the cells through the dermis and epidermis and a reduction in the degree of wrinkling with age.

Its antioxidant effect in the brain renders ALA in great demand for reducing cognitive impairment with age. In fact studies have indicated that alpha lipoic acid can improve memory and brain function in the aging and the elderly. This effect appears to be increased by the synergistic combination of alpha lipoic acid and acetyl-L-carnitine that work together to prevent cognitive decline in the brain through the effect of free radicals.

There is evidence that during a stroke, ALA works synergistically with vitamin E to reduce the effect of free radical damage on the vulnerable brain cells, and so reduce the longer term effects of the stroke. Together with ALC, it also reduces oxidative stress on the mitochondria of cells and in so doing helps once again to reduce the effects of aging, and maintain the body’s capacity to generate energy from blood glucose.

Cardiovascular disease is the main killer of the western world, largely due to our diets, and this is especially true of the USA. Although Americans appear unable to change their unhealthy diet, alpha lipoic acid and acetyl-L-carnitine can be used to offset much of the damage done. ALA reduces the development of atherosclerosis through its antioxidant properties and the reduction of the adhesion of monocytes to the artery walls.

LDL trapped in the wall of the artery can be oxidized and enable monocytes to also enter under the surface of the arterial wall, where it changes into macrophages and ingests the oxidised LDL, causing the plaque that forms atherosclerosis. As the plaque thickens, the artery becomes increasingly restricted until the blood flow is significantly reduced or even stopped, causing cardiac failure or a stroke.

Alpha lipoic acid can prevent this free radical oxidation from occurring by destroying them before they act on the low density lipoprotein (LDL). Acetyl-L-carnitine works with the ALA to achieve this, as does another substance known as carnosine. Between them, these three musketeers work to keep your arteries clear and your brain functioning as it should, though it is the ALA that is most powerful due to its oil and water solubility properties.

Although alpha lipoic acid is available as a supplement, either alone or in combination with acetyl-l-carnitine, it is also available from natural food sources. It is particularly rich in offal such as heart and kidney, and also in broccoli, spinach and brewer’s yeast. It is also available in beef, and it is here that burgers can perhaps repay some of the damage that it causes. However, it is not a recommended source since burgers still cause more damage to your health than any of their constituent nutrients can allay.

Like any other supplement, you should seek medical advice before taking any substance if you have a health condition. Nevertheless, the benefits of alpha lipoic acid are such that it is difficult to see it doing anything but good. However, please consult your physician if are taking other drugs.

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Supplements for Sexual health!
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Date: April 17, 2007 02:35 PM
Author: Darrell Miller (dm@vitanetonline.com)
Subject: Supplements for Sexual health!

Improving Sexual Performance Naturally

Sex. It’s everywhere. It’s on TV (a lot!). It’s in the books we read and the movies we watch. Even the radio seems a veritable hot bed of sex. (what would hard rock, soft jazz, or Motown classics be without songs about sex?) Magazines are full of sex and it’s not just the “naughty” ones with glossy centerfolds. From Sports Illustrated to Good Housekeeping, sex makes for titillating headlines and cover stories. In fact, 21st Century America seems to be awash in sex, except where it counts – in the bedrooms and love lives of married Americans.

No one really knows for sure how many of the 113 million married Americans are living as couples with DINS (dual income, no sex). Estimates range from 15 to 50 percent. Even couples who have sex fairly often feel like they’re not having enough sex or that it’s not as enjoyable as it was in the past, or both. And while women are stereotyped as the sex refusers and avoiders, surveys show that both women and men decline spousal advances fairly equally.

What’s really interesting about this lack of sexual activity in America, is that the very same thing is happening to husbands and wives residing in Paris and London, as well as Lisbon and Madrid. Research has shown that married couples who reside within Western civilized countries are much more likely to have unhappy sex lives than their counterparts living elsewhere in the world. That’s because the married couples residing in the rainforests of Brazil, the streets of Beijing, and the mountains of Tibet have access to powerful plant medicines that keep their sexual relationships healthy and happy. In fact, in China and India alone, over one billion men and women routinely incorporate plant medicines for healthy and satisfying sex.

As a medicine hunter, I have discovered effective plants and herbs al over the planet that really do improve orgasms in women and erections in men. Now it’s your turn. I’m going to teach you how to enhance your sexuality and introduce you to an entire arsenal of libido lifting plants to help make sex fun, vibrant, and satisfying for both you and your partner.

 

Q. These plants sound too good to be true. Do they really work?

A. Yes, they do. Part of their success is their ability to work with your body’s innate mechanisms for healthy sex. Good sex is much more than just stimulated body parts. But it’s a good place to start!

A man needs an erect penis that remains firm past foreplay and on into intercourse. He also needs to sustain that erection and experience forceful and pleasurable ejaculation when he and his partner are both ready for his orgasm. A woman needs to feel desire and feel desired for her nipples to be aroused, her clitoris stimulated, and her vagina lubricated – the basics leading to her orgasm.

Plants that enhance sex can help men and women obtain these bare necessities of sex. And unlike other supplements, you’ll know if the medicinal plant you’ve purchased is actually doing what it promised to do. You can’t really tell if the calcium supplement you take each day is making your bones stronger. But you will be able to tell pretty soon if Catuaba, for example, is increasing your sexual desire.

Q. Night after night, my husband falls asleep on the sofa. And the honest to goodness truth is that I’m too tired for sex, too. I love my husband and once upon a time I loved sex. But my job, the kids, those never-ending errands, and trying to keep up with the laundry are too exhausting. Is there a plant that can rev us up?

A. Many women are in the same sexless boat you’re sailing around in and they don’t like it any more than you do. In fact, women all over the world put their family’s needs before their own, leading to some very tired moms and wives.

Life’s demands can also impair sexual performance in men. Work stressors, family demands, and home maintenance result in fatigue and lack of energy. Men find that they have no energy left to devote to to sex at the end of the day.

But, over 80 percent of married couples in the world have at their disposal a health care system that integrates sex into their personal health and well being. For centuries, millennia actually, practitioners of traditional medicine have prescribed Maca and Rhodiola to reduce “sexual fatigue” in women and men who are just too tired to make love.

 

Sex Enhancing Plants for Men and Women

How They Work

Maca (Lepidum meyenii)

For the past several years in Peru, where the Maca plant grows, physicians have prescribed extracts from this plant to men with low libido and diminished erectile function, which excellent results. Recently researchers studying Maca have discovered two compounds they think are responsible for improved sexual stamina, namely the macamides and macaenes. It is these same compounds that help men and women obtain more frequent and more powerful orgasms.

Rhodiola Rosea

This hardy plant grows high in the mountains of Europe and Asia, enduring cold and snow and lack of sunlight for much of the year. Hoping to gain some of Rhodiola’s energy and stamina for themselves, early Siberians used extracts of the plants to boost strength and stamina. Not only did they have more energy, they discovered they had more sexual stamina, too.

 

Rhodiola is an adaptogen, a plant that helps us adapt to changes in life and the stresses of everyday life. When we’re stressed, our bodies shift into high gear causing a cascade of hormones to prevent and reduce harm. In cases of trauma (like car accident or surgery (or simply nature at work (such as childbirth), these hormones are necessary. However, when we experience stress that’s caused by work (your boss), or family (your teen-aged children), or personal struggles (your weight), this hormonal cascade can do more harm than good –causing fatigue, added weight gain, poor metabolism, and impaired sexual function.

 

Rhodiola helps make sure the hormonal cascade occurs when it’s needed, to protect our health, not harm it. The result is better energy, better vitality, and better sex!

 

Q. Since I had a baby four months ago, I have no desire for sex. This is making my husband pretty frustrated and me too, actually. I’d love to want sex again.

A. A married woman with a baby and a toddler or two can feel that her body isn’t really hers. So much for feeling sexy! While this fact can be a source of great pride and joy, it can also drain desire.

As women enter perimenopause – those years when they are still menstruating despite fluctuating estrogen levels – they often have no desire for sex. Since estrogen is the engine that drives women’s reproductive function, when it starts to go, sex goes too. Women who have reached menopause may find their minds wandering during sex. Pondering the car’s need for an oil change or if the milk in the refrigerator has reached its expiration date makes for pretty blah sex. It also makes it nearly impossible to achieve orgasm.

Once more, traditional medicine has some answers:

Sex Plants for Women

How They Work

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)

Just like Rhodiola, Ashwagandha is an adaptogen, possessing powerful sex-enhancing powers. And just like Rhodiola, Ashwagandha has been helping women boost their desire for sex. Long considered India’s most potent sex-enhancing plant, the country’s women have used Ashwagandha for years to rev up their sex drives.

Catuaba (Erythroxylum Catuaba)

Catuaba is a tree that grows in the dense, lush Brazilian Amazon, the largest tropical rainforest on Earth. For hundreds and hundreds of years, tribal peoples have used Catuaba bark to stimulate sexual desire. According to folk legend, the Tupi Indians discovered Catuaba bark’s sex-enhancing effects and passed the knowledge on to other rainforest tribes. Today, Catuaba is used worldwide by women desiring passionate sex.

Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus) extract

Sometimes called Siberian ginseng, Eleuthero is actually not a ginseng at all, only a distant cousin. This leafy shrub is native to Eastern Russia and the mountains of China and has been used by tribal peoples for over 2,000 years to eliminate sexual fatigue. Eleuthero is another adaptogen, invigorating sexual function and restoring balance to all body functions.

Q. My husband has a desire for sex, but sometimes it’s not enough. Even if we’re both in the mood, he can’t maintain his erection very long. It’s very frustrating for us both.

A. For men it’s often their equipment that lets them down. As men age, they find they can’t get an erection hard enough or keep an erection long enough to satisfy their partners and themselves.

While women can fake an orgasm if they’re tired, men have to perform every single time they have sex. Luckily, Mother Nature can help:

Sex Plants for Men

How They Work

Horny Goat Weed (Epimedium species)

This aptly named sex plant has been in use for over two thousand years, restoring sexual fire, treating impotence, and increasing production of semen. The green leaves of Horny Goat Weed are filled with numerous natural compounds, responsible for these sexual effects. Research shows that horny goat weed has activities very similar to the androgens, sex hormones that stimulate desire in men.

Yohimbe (Pausinystalia yohimbe)

Yohimbe is nature’s Viagra – it helps men attain firm erections. Not surprisingly, Yohimbe has been used for a long time as a fold medicine aphrodisiac. The bark contains Yohimbine, a compound known to stimulate engorged vessels within the penis and nerves of the lower spine. It’s no wonder Yohimbe has the well-deserved reputation as a superior sexual stimulant.

Panax ginseng

One of the most highly regarded plants in traditional Chinese medicine, Ginseng stimulates the central nervous system, invigorates the brain, increases resistance to stress and fatigue, and sharpens the mind. Ginseng is also used by millions of men to enhance libido and sexual vitality. In an erectile dysfunction study, men who took Ginseng had a 42% improvement in erectile function compared to placebo. Researchers theorize that ginseng increases nitric oxide in the penis, dilating the vessels of the corpus cavernosum - the very same mechanism that makes Viagra work.

Q. There are hundreds of supplements that claim to make men hard and women weak with desire. I’ve tried some of these, and they don’t do anything. When should I believe that the herbs and plan medicines you have discovered are nay better?

A. There are a lot of “snake oil” companies out there pitching products that promise to improve our sex lives but do absolutely nothing. One reason for this glut of useless supplements is simple demand. Men and women trying to make their sex lives better, are willing to give most products the benefit of the doubt and buy one or two. Sex sells – and even products that are purchased one time only will make big profits.

To get the most for your money, make sure the sexual supplement you are considering is from a well-respected manufacturer. Ask store staff, surf the Internet, and do some searching for the best nutraceutical companies. Make sure the herbs are standardized and that the extracts are concentrated fro optimal benefit.

Q. Are these sex-enhancing plants safe?

A. Despite years of use by practitioners of traditional medicine, significant adverse effects have not been reported for most sex-enhancing plants. However, men who have already been diagnosed with certain health conditions such as high blood pressure, thyroid disease, prostate problems, or other illnesses should use caution when selecting any health supplement. The same advice applies to women, especially women who are pregnant or nursing. And always remember to keep your doctor informed about the supplements you are using, especially if you are also taking prescription drugs. But the sex-enhancing plants have been traveling on planet Earth for a long, long time. And hopefully they’ll be here for lot longer, continuing to work effectively and go about their business of safely improving orgasms and erections and making sex great for men and women all over the world.

Q. OK, exactly how did early native healers figure out which plants improve sex? Was it just simple trial and error?

A. It does seem pretty remarkable that tribal peoples have discovered the right plants to treat diseases and improve health without modern day scientific advances.

From my many years as a “medicine hunter” in rainforests and grasslands and marshes and mountains, I’ve learned that healing plants exist for virtually every health need. It’s up to the medicine man or women to put the plant into practice. These healers have been able to do this successfully for thousands of people, by intensively studying and working with the plants. By putting themselves into the plant’s world, becoming part of the world around them, native healers have intuitively discovered which plant helps which disease. It wasn’t mere luck that brought all those plants and all those healers together. It was the natural and spiritual connection existing between the two.

Q. Are there other “natural” remedies we can use to improve our sex lives?

A. The easiest way to naturally enhance your sex life is to practice, practice, practice! Because if you don’t use it, you might lose it. Studies have shown that couples in the Amazon rainforest as well as couples in the concrete jungle of New York City have better sex lives if thy make sex a priority. All the sex-enhancing plants in the world are useless if the men and women taking them don’t put them to the test.

Men who smoke need to quit. Research has shown that cigarettes send men’s sex lives up in smoke. Men who smoke more than 20 cigarettes daily have a 60 percent higher risk of erectile dysfunction compared to men who never Smoked. That’s because smoking decreases blood flow making it difficult for men to obtain an erection.

And finally, since sex is a visual and tactile endeavor, there are quite natural and creative ways to give it a boost. Visually stimulating images can arouse even the tiredest of the tired. Premiere Magazine recently compiled a list of the most erotic movie sex scenes ever. You don’t have to feel embarrassed when renting these movies (as you might with pornography) at the video store and they are guaranteed to light up your life:

1.      Diane Lane and Oliver Martinez making love in UNFAITHFUL (2002)

2.      Hilary Swank pleasuring Chloe Sevigny in BOYS DON’T CRY (1999)

3.      Brad Pitt and Claire Forlani making love in MEET JOE BLACK (1998)

4.      Leonardo DiCaprio drawing Kate Winslet in the nude in TITANIC (1997)

5.      Sharon Stone uncrossing her legs while she is being interrogated in a room full of en in BASIC INSTINCT (1992)

6.      Patrick Swazye and Demi Moore in the pottery secene early on in GHOST (1990)

7.      Michael Douglas and Glenn Close having sex in an elevator in FATAL A TTRACTION (1987)

8.      Mickey Rourke caressing Kim Basinger’s body with an ice cube in 9 1.2 WEEKS (1986)

9.      William Hurt and Kathleen Turner having sex in BODY HET (1981)

10.  Julie Christine and Donald Sutherland making love in DON’T LOOK NOW (1973)

11.  Rita Hayworth flipping back her hair and singing “Put The Blame on Mame” in FILDA (1946)

One Important Last Point

Sex always has consequences. And improving your sex life does not eliminate the requirement to practice it responsibly. Sexually transmitted diseases, hepatitis, and HIV/AIDS must be prevented, pregnancy must be considered and consent between partners must exist.

Conclusion

Sexual activity keeps us connected – both tangibly and spiritually to our heart’s desire. It helps us feel secure and well loved and adds to our self esteem. In other words, good sex is important to good life.

But all of us need a little help now and then. Sex-enhancing plants that have been used for thousands of years by millions of people provide that help. You can have actual sexual healing with effective sexual supplements and maybe find out what you’ve been missing.

After all, 80 percent of the world’s married couples can’t be wrong!



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Benefits of Green Tea
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Date: November 05, 2005 03:30 PM
Author: Darrell Miller (dm@vitanetonline.com)
Subject: Benefits of Green Tea

1. Cancer Prevention: The majority of research to date on Green tea focuses on cancer prevention. Population studies in Asia have found lower rates of cancer among those who consume large amounts of Green tea. (10) a Study of Japanese men and women with a 13 year follow up revealed that increased consumption of Green tea was associated with a delay of diagnosis of cancer.(1) Mean age at cancer onset among men and women who consumed over 10 cups of Green tea a day was 7.6 years later than those consuming less than three cups. It was noted that the delay in cancer was only relevant to those below the age of 79. Animal, human and test tube studies have shown that Green tea may reduce the risk of prostate, breast, esophageal, lung, skin, pancreatic and bladder cancers.(2) Of the hundreds of studies done on Green tea, only about 10% have involved humans.(10) While the data is promising, it is still limited. The good news is that this data is providing insight and direction for further studies to be done on the chemopreventive effects of Green tea.

2. Protecting the heart: There is early evidence, though not conclusive, that regular intake of Green tea may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Several well designed studies have demonstrated significant risk reduction in people who drink Green tea regularly.

  • Coronary Heart Disease - A recent cohort study assessed the effects of Green tea on 8,522 Japanese men over a period of 12 years. The data showed that men who drank 10 cups of Green tea daily versus the men who consumed only three cups daily have a lower risk of death from coronary heart disease. (3)

  • Stroke - A cohort study of Japanese women demonstrated an inverse relationship between Green tea consumption and the incidence of stroke. The study followed 5,910 Japanese women who neither Smoked nor drank alcohol for four years. The incidence of stroke was significantly lower in women who consumed at least three to four cups of Green tea per day. (3)(11)

  • Hypertension - In a study published in the archives of Internal Medicine, researchers concluded that consumption of Green or oolong tea at 10 ml or more per day, for one year, significantly reduced the risk of developing hypertension.(8) Researchers also examined the impact of long term tea consumption on the risk of developing hypertension in 1,507 men and women. Those who consistently drank 120 ml or more of tea per day had a lower risk of developing hypertension.

3. Exercise Endurance: People have long used Green tea for energy. A new study might shed light on Green tea as a tool for endurance. Published by American Physiological Society, the study demonstrated that Green tea extract markedly improved endurance capacity in mice.(5) Swimming time to exhaustion was evaluated in mice fed Green tea extract. The mice that were fed Green tea extract had prolonged endurance capacity by 8-24% and the effect was accompanied by a stimulation of lipid metabolism. It is also noted that the effects were dose dependent. Although not yet confirmed in human studies, these results suggest Green tea might be a useful tool for athletes.

4. Weight Loss: The newest research on Green tea has been in the area of weight loss. Research suggests Green tea promotes weight loss by favorably affecting lipid metabolism in the blood, and through the stimulation of thermogenesis (Fat-Burning).(4)(12) Regarding Green tea and thermogenesis, a study examining the benefits of functional foods for weight control showed that Green tea increased energy expenditure over a 24-hour period. This is probably due to the combination of catechins and caffeine naturally occurring in Green tea.(4) Green tea extract looks to be a promising new tool for weight loss.

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Defeat Depression
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Date: June 13, 2005 01:18 PM
Author: Darrell Miller (dm@vitanetonline.com)
Subject: Defeat Depression

Defeat Depression

by Cal Orey Energy Times, August 2, 1999

Depression plagues the creative and the mundane. The disparate desperate driven to distress by depression include painters, poets, actors and musicians as well as truck drivers, clerks, electricians and physicists. The victim list encompasses Vincent van Gogh, Emily Dickinson, Audrey Hepburn, Virginia Woolf and Ludwig von Beethoven, as well as millions of other sharers of melancholy misery.

More than 17 million American men and women experience depression in one form or another every year, according to the National Mental Health Association (NMHA) in Alexandria, Virginia. This includes the deeply destructive major, or clinical, depression, the wide mood swings of bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness), and dysthymia, a milder, long-lasting form of emotional suffering.

Twice as Many Women In the depression scenario, women suffer twice as much: Two times as many women as men endure clinical depression, reports the NMHA. The mood-deteriorating effects of the hormonal disruptions women are heir to may be partly to blame.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), about one of 10 Americans wades through at least one depressive swamp sometime during his or her life.

The good news: Research shows that diet and lifestyle can lower your risk of depression.

Birth of the Blues

Nowadays, mounting evidence suggests that depression may result more from physiological factors than psychological woes.

Some of the hidden reasons why you may be depressed include: nutritional deficiencies, exacerbated by overdosing on too much caffeine, sugar, alcohol and high fat foods; allergies; anxiety and chronic stress; and a chemical imbalance in the brain's gray matter. According to the NMHA, people with depression often possess too little or too large a quantity of the neurotransmitters norepinephrine, serotonin and dopamine. Changes in levels of these brain chemicals may cause, or contribute to, clinical depression.

The NMHA also reports that an imbalance of melatonin, a chemical made by the body's pineal gland (located at the base of the brain), contributes to a form of wintertime depression called seasonal affective disorder (SAD). This hormone is made at increased levels in the dark. Therefore, the body may oversupply this hormone during winter's shortened daylight hours.

Plan B

Since the B vitamins are often involved in the production of energy, and a large component of depression may encompass the inability to get out of bed and deal with the world, experts believe that at least some of the signs of depression are linked to B deficiencies. For instance, studies cited in the Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine (Prima) by Michael Murray, ND and Joseph Pizzorno, ND, demonstrate that folate deficiency and lack of vitamin B12 can compromise mental health (Drugs 45, 1993: 623-36; Lancet 336, 1990: 392-5).

Inositol: This vitamin is also part of the B vitamin complex, and it, too, has shown its ability to lift spirits. Research work in Israel shows that daily inositol given to 28 depressed patients for four weeks produced an overall positive effect. (Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 7:2, May 1997: 147-55). Inositol is found in whole, unprocessed grains, citrus fruits (except lemons) and brewer's yeast.

NADH: Allan Magaziner, DO, in his book The Idiot's Complete Guide To Living Longer & Healthier (Alpha), reports that brain energizing NADH, a metabolite of vitamin B3, enhances the production of the key neurotransmitters dopamine, noradrenaline and serotonin. "In a recent clinical trial," he claims, "nearly all patients given NADH for depression reported improvement in their symptoms and the absence of side effects or adverse reactions."

Moody Spotlight

Another substance winning the spotlight for its effect on mood is SAM-e: S-adenosylmethionine. In New York on February 24, a symposium coordinated by the American Health Foundation met to hear researchers present information from studies of SAM-e's ability to possibly ease depression.

"SAM-e is a natural product. You and I have it but as people age it declines in production in the body. And that's why we believe supplementation in older people is a beneficial means of bringing that back up and helping people that have depression," said the lead symposium researcher, John H. Weisburger, PhD, MD, Director Emeritus, American Health Foundation in Valhalla, New York.

Another researcher, Teodoro Bottiglieri, PhD, Associate Professor of Biomedical Studies and Neurology, Director of Neuropharmacology at Baylor University reported: "SAM-e has been shown to enhance brain dopamine and serotonin neurotransmitter metabolism and receptor function. It may also aid in the repair of myelin that surrounds nerve cells. These mechanisms are likely to be responsible for the antidepressant effect of SAM-e."

(Bottiglieri is co-author with Richard Brown, MD, and Carol Colman of Stop Depression Now, a report on the powers of SAM-e just published by G.P. Putnam's Sons.)

SAM-e was first touted as an antidepressant in Italy in 1973. It's been reported that nearly 40 clinical trials demonstrate its beneficial effects as a natural antidepressant.

For instance, an analysis of more than 1000 people suffering depression showed that the effect of antidepressants in patients taking SAM-e was 17% to 38% better than dummy preparations. Conventional antidepressants show a 20% effectiveness rate (Bressa G. Acta Neurol Scand S154, 1994: 7-14).

5-HTP: Another popular supplement to boost mood and relieve depression is hydroxytryptophan. "This medication is actually a brain chemical that is metabolized from tryptophan into serotonin," says Magaziner. And since low serotonin levels have been linked with depression, and certain prescribed medications may up serotonin levels, 5-HTP is in demand.

"One of the more impressive studies supporting the efficacy of 5-HTP for depression evaluated 100 people who had previously found conventional antidepressant therapy to be inadequate. Forty-three of these folks reported a complete recovery, and eight showed significant improvement," reports Magaziner. Not only has 5-HTP been shown to work slightly better than drugs known as SSRIs (these include Prozac), he adds, it has fewer side effects than standard antidepressants, too. DHEA: Medical experts also believe that levels of the hormone DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) may influence mood. Ray Sahelian, MD, in his book All About DHEA (Avery) reports an interesting study conducted by Dr. Owen Wolkowitz of the Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco. A group of six depressed middle-aged and elderly individuals who took DHEA found that within a month they had better memory and mood. (Biological Psychiatry 41, 1997: 311-18.) "In addition," adds Sahelian, "other studies have also found that DHEA increases energy levels and a sense of well being." But follow package directions: Some people complain of greater irritability and overstimulation with DHEA, when they take large amounts.

Herbal Relief

St. John's wort: still the most touted natural therapy for defeating depression. In Europe, 23 clinical studies, reviewed in the August 3, 1996 British Medical Journal, found that this herb, also known as Hypericum perforatum, can be helpful in alleviating cases of mild to moderate depression. The work, which included 757 patients, has shown that hypericum produced fewer side effects than conventional anti-depressants.

Although experts have never satisfactorily explained exactly how St. John's wort benefits the brain, some theorize that it boosts serotonin levels. And it can help SAD sufferers.

"In a recent study of 20 people with SAD, four weeks' worth of St. John's wort significantly alleviated feelings of depression. Those people who added full-spectrum lights to the treatment program gained an even greater benefit," notes Dr. Magaziner.

Valerian: Anxiety and stress, which can cause depression and insomnia, may be helped by this herb, says the prolific Dr. Sahelian in his book Kava: The Miracle Antianxiety Herb (St. Martin's). In 101 Medicinal Herbs (Interweave), Steven Foster reports that "Ten controlled clinical studies have been published on valerian...one of which suggests that valerian should be used for two to four weeks before daily mood and sleep patterns improve."

Amino Acid Help

Amino acids, the building blocks of protein, may also help improve mood. (For more on protein, see page 65.) These chemicals are used by the body to construct neurotransmitters, brain chemicals that facilitate mental activity.

For instance, the amino acid L-tyrosine is necessary for the formation of transmitters adrenaline and dopamine. This substance, therefore, is given to alleviate depression and anxiety.

The substance L-dopa which is given to victims of Parkinson's disease is concocted from tyrosine. And several antidepressants alleviate bad moods by boosting the interaction of brain chemicals related to tyrosine.

In addition, since tyrosine is used to make adrenaline, this amino acid may be helpful for folks trying to cope with the mood problems related to stress.

Another amino acid that experts believe useful for better moods, L-methionine, is used by the body to make choline, a crucial substance for brain function. (Choline goes into the formation of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter.)

Methionine has been given to people suffering from schizophrenia and depression as well as to those with Parkinson's. Methionine plays a number of crucial roles in the brain and body since it helps form other vital proteins.

Depressive Smoking

For those concerned about preserving a positive mood, researchers are positive that smoking worsens depression. A study at the Department of Behavioral Services at the Henry Ford Health System in Michigan found that daily smokers run twice the risk for major depression compared to those who only Smoked occasionally.

Unfortunately, the investigators found that not only did smoking seem to lead to depression, depression, in turn, led to more smoking (Archives of General Psychiatry, 2/99).

"Smokers who have depression tend to see their smoking become a daily habit and it may be because they use nicotine to medicate their depressed mood," reported Naomi Breslau, PhD, who headed the research. Over a five year period, the researchers looked at about a thousand young people aged 21 to 30. They found that daily smokers generally start smoking in adolescence, and those who report early depression are three times as likely to eventually become daily smokers.

If you're feeling down, don't give up hope. Although depression can prove to be a depressingly complicated malady, daily, healthy habits can offset its effects. Getting consistent exercise, dousing your cigarettes and turning to herbal and nutritional help to treat mild depression may defeat those blues.



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Clean Living
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Date: June 10, 2005 04:14 PM
Author: Darrell Miller (dm@vitanetonline.com)
Subject: Clean Living

Clean Living by Phyllis D. Light, RH Energy Times, December 3, 2003

Just as you wouldn't clean a closet by merely closing the closet door, you can't clean your body by closing your eyes to the toxins that assault our bodies every day. The modern world is filled with natural and manmade chemicals that can accumulate within and cause long-term health problems. So, in between bouts of housecleaning, an internal cleansing can keep your bodily systems feeling as clean as your sparkling household.

While modern life would be impossible without the chemicals that go into the gadgets and machines on which society thrives, these materials have a dark side: Each day we are exposed to hundreds of substances that have infiltrated our food, water and air. They lurk in our cleaning products, fabrics, personal care products, automobiles and even the building materials in our homes and offices.

"While our [bodies have] systems of detoxification to deal with and eliminate chemicals to which we are exposed, the sheer volume of these chemicals can overwhelm these detoxification mechanisms, causing these non-lifegiving substances to stay in our bodies where they can damage our health," says Steven Horne, AHG, herbalist and natural health consultant in St. George, Utah.

Added to this chemical mix, indulgences in alcoholic drinks, cigarette smoke, caffeine and over-the-counter drugs can further challenge your body's cleansing systems.

Water, Water Everywhere and How Your Health Can Shrink

Substances in the beverages you consume every day may contribute to the collection of toxins in your body.

A growing water problem, for instance, flows from the medications excreted into sewer systems and groundwater.

These drugs have already affected the environment: Estrogen from contraceptives have contaminated lakes and rivers, and caused deformities in fish while impairing the fertility of water animals and the birds who feed upon them. A study released by scientists at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory found that the fertility rate of adult male fish exposed to synthetic estrogen from contraceptive pills dropped by 50% (Envir Tox & Chem 6/03). Scientists believe these defective animals are like the proverbial canaries in coal mines, reflecting health problems that may also be harming human health in ways we don't yet understand.

And clean machines can cause unclean bodies: When scientists from Queen's University (Drug Metab Dispos 2003; 31:306) examined the seminal fluid of infertile men, they found extra amounts of the chemical trichloroethylene (TCE), a degreasing agent used in the automotive and metal industries. TCE is also found in adhesives, lubricants, paints, varnishes, paint strippers, pesticides, spot removers and rug cleaning fluids, and it has entered the drinking water in many places.

Detox for Metabolic Balance

"Detoxification is the missing link in Western nutrition and an important but unexplored medical therapy," says Elson M. Haas, MD, author of The Detox Diet (Celestial Arts). Dr. Haas believes that when the body accumulates wastes that are not properly eliminated, disease often results: "The key to maintaining metabolic balance is to maximize nutrition and eliminate toxins." Dr. Haas has seen improvement in cholesterol levels, blood pressure readings and pain levels after his patients have detoxed.

When your body accumulates toxins, cells can stagnate and suffocate. To offset these problems, the body uses its built-in system of detoxification to remove toxins and cellular waste products.

In protecting itself against toxins, the body can quickly eliminate water-soluble compounds before they cause harm, excreting them in the stool, sweat and urine. Fat-soluble compounds, which make up most of the chemical toxins we are exposed to every day, are not so easily dealt with. The body uses enzymes in the intestines and liver to chemically break down these toxins and convert them into a form that can be pushed out of the body.

Your body inherits its ability to cope with toxins. But you can help the body in its detox tasks by providing nutrients that aid cleansing.

Colorful Eating Boosts Detox

Many experts believe that alkaline foods (fruits and vegetables) help the body detoxify, while meats and acidic processed foods slow the process.

"The right balance of acid and alkaline foods for each of us is, of course, the key," notes Dr. Haas. Animal products, sugar, white flour, and alcoholic beverages are thought to leave acid residues in the body.

"Brightly colored foods contain powerful antioxidants that help the liver with the detoxification process," says Brenda Watson, CT, in her book Renew Your Life (Renew Life Press). "...[raw] fruits and vegetables...contain enzymes... [that are] destroyed by cooking."

These enzymes can help the body detoxify and eliminate undesirable substances. However, Watson cautions, "If the digestive system is weak...too much raw food [can] cause upset, so raw foods should be added to the diet at a pace the body can tolerate. Taking digestive plant enzymes with meals can also aid digestion."

While those foods in a normal diet can help control toxins, if you have moved toward "toxic overload," or if you want to eliminate candida-a yeast that can cause health problems-Watson recommends a detox diet:

  • *Avoid sugar and artificial sweeteners.

  • *Eat fewer grains.

  • *Avoid fruits and fruit juices; Granny Smith apples are OK, as is lemon juice in herb tea.

  • *Drink fresh vegetable juice.

  • *Avoid yeasty foods such as bread, beer, wine, sauerkraut and commercial salad dressings (olive is oil is acceptable).

  • *No mushrooms or cheese.

  • *No peanuts or peanut butter.

  • *No dairy except a little butter and plain yogurt.

  • *No coffee, tea, pepper, spices or tobacco. (A little herb tea is OK.)

  • *No pickled, Smoked or dried meat, fish or poultry.

    Foods that are allowed include:

  • *Gluten-free bread

  • * Raw almond butter
  • *Eggs

  • *Vegetables low in starch

  • *Lentils

  • *Lean meats

  • *Pasta made from rice or quinoa

  • * Nuts and seeds that have been soaked overnight in distilled water

    When preparing dishes in this diet, use plenty of garlic and green foods. "Other anti-candida agents which may be used liberally include ginger, cinnamon, thyme and rosemary."

    According to Watson, following this diet is a first step toward detoxing. If you experience serious difficulties linked to environmental toxins, consult a health practitioner.

    In a world filled with chemicals whose effects are unknown, attention must be paid to the toxins around us. As our machines grow more complex and widespread, our health difficulties linked to these mechanisms may also grow.



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