Natural Mood Enhancer Supplements - 5 HTP, GABA and St. John’s Wort Mood Enhancers

What is 5 HTP Mood Enhancer?

 

The Griffonia Extract is rich in 5-HydroxyTryptophan (5-HTP), which comes from an African vegetable, the Griffonia simplicifolia seed, and contains 30% 5-HTP. 5-HTP is an amino acid that is a direct precursor of serotonin, an important neurotransmitter having pain soothing and relaxing effects. 5-HTP is not present in significant amounts in a typical diet. The human body manufactures 5-HTP from L-tryptophan, a natural amino acid found in most dietary proteins. However, eating food that contains L-tryptophan does not significantly increase 5-HTP levels.

 

5-HTP mood enhancer is the precursor to serotonin. It improves mood, anxiety and is beneficial in weight loss. 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is an amino acid that is the intermediate step between tryptophan and the important brain chemical serotonin. There is a massive amount of evidence that suggests that low serotonin levels are a common consequence of modern living. The lifestyle and dietary practices of many people living in this stress-filled era results in lowered levels of serotonin within the brain. Read more about 5 HTP Mood Enhancer supplements, click here.

 

What is GABA? A non-essential amino acid found mainly in the human brain and eyes. It is considered an inhibitory neurotransmitter, which means it regulates brain and nerve cell activity by inhibiting the number of neurons firing in the brain. GABA is referred to as the "brain's natural calming agent". By inhibiting over-stimulation of the brain, GABA may help promote relaxation and ease nervous tension.

 

GABA or gamma-aminobutyric acid, discovered in 1950, is the most important and widespread inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. Excitation in the brain must be balanced with inhibition. Too much excitation can lead to restlessness, irritability, insomnia, and even seizures. GABA is able to induce relaxation, analgesia, and sleep. Barbiturates and benzodiazepines are known to stimulate GABA receptors, and hence induce relaxation. Several neurological disorders, such as epilepsy, sleep disorders, and Parkinson’s disease are affected by this neurotransmitter.

 

What is St John’s Wort Mood Enhancer? Extracts of Hypericum perforatum L. (St John's wort) are now successfully competing for status as a standard antidepressant therapy. Because of this, great effort has been devoted to identifying the active antidepressant compounds in the extract. From a phytochemical point of view, St John's wort is one of the best-investigated medicinal plants. Researchers in Europe have studied St John's Wort for decades. They discovered a combination of elements in the plant, foremost of which is "hypericin", react with specific chemicals in the brain to temper emotional discomfort, lift depression, and calm the nerves. Working very much like the common synthetic prescription antidepressants (maprotiline hydrochloride and imipramine), natural extracts from St. John's Wort have shown to relax and soothe the psyche with minimal side effects.

Natural Health Supplements

These days, you can’t be too concerned about your health. With possible toxins and lower nutritional values found in the foods we eat and the things we drink, many people have taken to buying supplements to help aid their health. Here’s a list of natural health supplements that can lead you to a more sound and healthy way of life:

 

Saint John’s Wort: Used for over 2,000 years, this supplement is a simple plant that can greatly aid depression. One of the most widely used natural health supplements, in a double-blind clinical study, Saint John’s Wort was proven to be equally as effective as pharmaceutical antidepressants, while giving less side-effects then their drug company counterpart.

 

Bee Pollen

 

People take bee pollen in supplement form to help increase energy and vitality. In addition to offering several required vitamins and minerals, bee pollen acts as an enhancer to the immune system, as well as being a useful tool in cleansing the body of harmful toxins.

 

Athletes have been known to take bee pollen regularly to help enhance their endurance, stamina, recovery time from exercise, and more. It may also prove to be helpful in alleviating the pesky symptoms of hay fever. With all these possible uses of bee pollen, it’s amazing to find out that it can also be used to aid in weight loss. A substance in the pollen known as lecithin helps to stimulate your metabolism and flush fat from your system. This is another one of the most widely used natural health supplements.

 

Fish Oil

 

Harvested from the bodies of fish, fish oil is purified through a scientific process and turned into supplement form. Containing Omega-3 fatty acids, these natural health supplements can have numerous effects on your body for the better. For one, fish oil can aid in preventing the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. It has also been associated with better memory, clearer thinking, and health of the heart. 

 

One of the best nutrients for brain health, this supplement’s effect on your body can be vast. Be sure to only purchase pharmaceutical grade fish oil, however, since this is the process which removes the heavy metals found in fish due to pollutants. If your fish oil is not pharmaceutical grade, you run the risk of consuming such dangerous materials as mercury.

Natural Growth Hormone Supplements – Help For The Weary World

A natural growth hormone is one that is responsible for the overall development and sustenance of normal body functioning for persons and while these natural growth hormones are comprised of amino acids that produced in the endocrine glands to stimulate certain activities.

 

A hormone is a naturally occurring substance that is actually a chemical messenger for our body, helping it go about daily tasks every day. A natural growth hormone is one that is responsible for the overall development and sustenance of normal body functioning for persons and while these natural growth hormones are comprised of amino acids that produced in the endocrine glands to stimulate certain activities, their job doesn't end there. Let us learn more about these hard working natural growth hormones and the role they play in helping us about our daily needs.

 

Natural growth hormones facilitate optimum body performance and determine muscle, tissue and cell functioning

 

The endocrine gland produces the natural growth hormone and proceeds to send it all through the body through the blood stream so that it helps our body maintain optimum performance levels for various task like eating, walking, sleeping. One prime example of a natural growth hormone is Insulin, which helps the human body digest food while others decide on the limitations of factors such as scope of bodily growth, digestion, reproduction and sexual functions. Thus, we find that the natural growth hormones play an integral role in ensuring peak performance of a person, especially during adolescence when there is maximum production of HGH, the human growth hormone occurring naturally in the body. Beyond the age of 22, the is considerable decline in the production levels of the natural growth hormone with the pituitary gland, one of the endocrine glands, situated in the center of the brain, producing less of this highly complex hormone. What makes the HGH a natural growth hormone that is immensely complex is the number of amino acids it takes to function (all of 191 amino acids) - a rather large number for any protein produced by the pituitary.

 

Adolescence is the time when the body needs to grow and the secretion of natural growth hormones like HGH helps it to do so. However, beyond adulthood, falling HGH levels and the slackness of the natural growth hormone production ability of the pituitary gland makes for lesser hormones in our body, which has tremendous impact on our physical and mental abilities. This is the main reason why many people are keen to try out the numerous supplements and synthetic solutions as a replacement means for the lack of natural growth hormones, but such persons are best warned to first learn about the costs (not just financial but physiological as well) of ordering a substitute for this natural deficiency.

 

Benefits of safe and real HGH enhancers: natural growth hormone replacement and acceleration aids

 

The availability of real HGH and homeopathic HGH sprays, powders and pills is a welcome deal for those looking to boost natural growth hormone production without the negative side-effects and exorbitant costs of synthetic enhancers or injections. Real HGH supplements are a blend of all natural growth hormones and replicate the role naturally occurring HGH would have played in keeping metabolism and energy levels high; increasing the body's ability to burn fat, hold on to lean muscle mass and not fat while combating wrinkles, greater libido and great looking hair and skin are other advantages of high natural growth hormones levels.

Natural Cholesterol Control Supplements

The body needs cholesterol for digesting dietary fats, making hormones, building cell walls, and other important processes. The bloodstream carries cholesterol in particles called lipoproteins that are like blood-borne cargo trucks delivering cholesterol to various body tissues to be used, stored or excreted. But too much of this circulating cholesterol can injure arteries, especially the coronary ones that supply the heart. This leads to accumulation of cholesterol-laden "plaque" in vessel linings, a condition called atherosclerosis.

 

When blood flow to the heart is impeded, the heart muscle becomes starved for oxygen, causing chest pain (angina). If a blood clot completely obstructs a coronary artery affected by atherosclerosis, a heart attack (myocardial infarction) or death can occur.

 

Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the United States. More than 90 million American adults, or about 50 percent, have elevated blood cholesterol levels, one of the key risk factors for heart disease, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's National Cholesterol Education Program.

 

Cholesterol lowering supplements containing Policosanol or Red Yeast Rice are known to assist in lowering cholesterol levels.

 

Policosanol

 

Policosanol is a natural supplement derived from sugar cane. It is a mixture of eight higher primary aliphatic alcohols isolated and purified from sugar cane wax. One of the newest and more successful substances that benefits those suffering from high cholesterol is Policosanol, which is a safe and natural extract from sugar cane wax. It works by helping the liver control production and breakdown of cholesterol. Policosanol promotes healthy platelet function and helps to maintain cholesterol levels that are already within the normal range.

 

Red Yeast Rice

 

Red Yeast Rice is the product of yeast (Monascus purpureus) grown on rice, and is served as a dietary staple in some Asian countries. It contains several compounds collectively known as Monacolins, substances known to inhibit cholesterol synthesis. Red Yeast Rice is proposed to be a mild aid for gastric problems (indigestion, diarrhoea), blood circulation and spleen and stomach health.

Natural Arthritis Remedy To Reduce Inflammation

Discover ways to reduce inflammation associated with diseases like arthritis with simple foods found at the grocery store. Also, certain foods common in the diets of many people have been found to increase the likelihood of both inflammation and type 2 diabetes.

 

Arthritis, whether it is osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or gout, have the common symptoms of inflammation of one or more joints. This is accompanied by pain, swelling and sometimes joint deformity. Traditionally, with herbal medicine, anti-inflammatory herbs such as black cohosh, feverfew, yucca and wild yam were recommended. And a naturopath might prescribe vitamins like vitamin A, the B complex, vitamin C, and vitamin E. Plus a host of minerals like chelated zinc, chelated calcium and magnesium, copper salicylate, selenium and bromelain. And supplements like evening primrose and fish oils, glucosamine, and superoxide dismutase, which is found in good quality dehydrated (but not juiced) green barley powder.

 

But scientists have found some very effective anti-inflammatory agents in our own kitchen. Some of them, like ginger, can be bought as a supplement. And due to ginger's strong taste, this might be a preferable way of taking it to get the quantities you need for a significant anti-inflammatory effect. But others, like olive oil, can easily be integrated into the daily diet. Cinnamon is not commonly used as a supplement here, but in India it has a rich traditional use and may be available as part of an Ayurvedic supplement.

 

Ginger

 

One of the active constituents in ginger is a phenolic compound known as gingerols. These have been found to have a strong anti-inflammatory effect. In a study reported in the Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Journal, the participants who took the ginger compound had significantly less pain during movement than those who took the placebo. This study followed 29 people over 12 months, and also found that swelling in the knees was also reduced. 

However, if you are taking blood thinning medication like warfarin, you may need to be careful about the amount of ginger you take, as ginger can thin the blood also. (Australian Healthy Food)

 

Cinnamon

 

This rather delicious spice has a number of health benefits. Specific to inflammation and arthritis, cinnamon can help inhibit the release of inflammatory fatty acids (Australian Healthy Food).

 

Yellow and Orange Fruits and Vegetables

 

Some of the carotenoids in yellow and orange fruit and vegetables help reduce inflammation. Carotenoids are what gives these vegetables and fruit their colour (Australian Healthy Food).

 

Olive Oil

 

Extra virgin olive oil acts similar to the anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen, though it doesn't have the immediate pain relieving effects that ibuprofen does. But a compound found in extra virgin olive oil, called oleocanthal has been found to inhibit the COX enzymes like ibuprofen, in what researchers describe as a 'dose dependant' manner. This research was originally reported in the September, 2005 issue of Nature magazine by Paul Breslin and his associates from Monell Chemical Senses Center. He describes oleocanthal as a natural anti-inflammatory compound that is potentially as strong as ibuprofen. He suggests that taken over the long term, it will have the same potential benefits that long term use of ibuprofen does. Their results found that taking 50 grams of extra virgin olive oil is equal to approximately 10% of the dosage of ibuprofen recommended for pain relief for adults. Olive oil also has a host of other benefits, including a heart protective effect.

 

Interestingly, scientists have also found that a diet high in refined grains, sugary soft drinks, processed meat and even diet soft drinks can encourage both inflammation and type 2 diabetes.

 

Resources:

 

1. http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/news/ng.asp?id=62217

2. Australian Healthy Food Magazine, November 2005 Issue

3. Australian Healthy Food Magazine, January 2006 Issue

4. P Bedson, The Complete Family Guide To Natural Healing (Hinkler Books)

Managing Anaemia Associated With Chemotherapy Treatment

This year, an estimated 1.3 million cancer patients will undergo chemotherapy and more than two-thirds of these patients will develop anaemia, a low red blood cell count. Anaemia is one of the most common side effects of chemotherapy and can negatively affect patients and impact their daily activities. 

 

"Chemotherapy attacks fast-growing cancer cells, but it can also kill normal cells like red blood cells that transport oxygen from the lungs to the body's muscles," said Dr. Ralph Boccia, director of clinical research, Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Bethesda, Md. "As a result, the body's tissues are starved of oxygen, making a patient feel short of breath, very weak, faint and tired."

 

More than half of chemotherapy patients report that fatigue, a common symptom of anaemia, affects their daily lives more than any other side effect, including nausea, pain and depression. Further, anaemia is often undertreated, despite the availability of treatments for more than a decade. 

 

Typically, anaemia treatment takes more than two hours per visit. Now, there is a treatment option that provides added convenience from current weekly dosing. Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved every-three-week starting dosing of 500 mcg of Aranesp (darbepoetin alfa) for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced anaemia in patients with certain types of cancer. This allows physicians to synchronize anaemia treatment with most chemotherapy schedules, increasing convenience for patients and caregivers by reducing the number of clinic visits and injections for anaemia treatment. 

 

"Receiving anaemia treatment every three weeks on the same schedule as my chemotherapy was convenient for me and my family," said Danielle Mannix, who suffered from anaemia. "We had fewer visits to the doctor for anaemia treatments, which gave me more time for my regular daily activities."

 

Aranesp is contraindicated in patients with uncontrolled hypertension. Erythropoietic therapies may increase the risk of thrombotic events and other serious events.

Malic Acid A Good Supplement

You may not know what malic acid is, which is okay because many people don’t exactly know what it is anyway. It is an organic acid that helps the process of deriving ATP. That is the energy currency that runs the body from food. Basically malic acid helps in the production of energy.

 

Malic acid can also be called fruit acid, because it is found in apples and other fruits. But Malic acid is also found in some plants and animals including humans. I won’t get into too many details as it can be confusing, but the acid is a chiral molecule. Some people also refer to malic acid as apple acid, hydroxybutanedioic acid and hydroxysuccinic acid.

 

The acid if absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. This is then transported to the liver. Again I won’t go into details as it is pretty complex. Malic acid is derived both from food sources and synthesized in the body through the citric acid cycle. As I have stated before, the importance of Malic acid is for the production of energy in the body, which is really all you need to know. Other benefits from the supplement are helping respiratory problems and chronic fatigue. 

 

Many people in the medical industry think that Malic acid can have benefits when you use it in connection with fibromyalgia. The only problem is that the results for the studies have been mixed. They will probably need more time to have 100% proof of the benefits connected to fibromyalgia. But that doesn’t have to stop you from taking Malic acid supplements. 

 

We already know that Malic acid is a good way to boost your energy. If you find you are always tiered try out Malic acid supplements and see if they will help you. They can give you the boost you need to get through the day.

Making Vitamins Plain And Simple

It's no wonder we are pretty confused when shopping for vitamins. We've been told, for example, that a good vitamin supplement would boost our energy level. In fact, we're told this constantly: in magazine articles, television media, the plethora of vitamin- promoting infomercials, web sites, and pop-up ads on the Internet.

 

So when you arrive at the vitamin shop, you're already at a complete loss (and may have forgotten altogether) why you're even there, and end up like many of us, just not taking any vitamins at all because it's all so...so...confusing!

 

Vitamin World, Vitamin Gallery, The Vitamin Patch, Vitamins for Vegetarians -- the vast array of shops, whether online or in your neighbourhood, all beckon, promising renewed everything. If you have any health problem or complaint known to man, you'll find a good vitamin supplement (or 12 to 15 of them) to straighten out your suffering right away.

 

The good thing about vitamins (just one of many) is that they're really largely "natural," with very few containing harmful or otherwise irritating, toxic chemicals.

 

To put it plainly, vitamins are good for us because they are derived largely from natural plants and minerals. That's the basic fact. And the benefits are many; it's difficult to take the "wrong" vitamin, and it certainly can't hurt you, so why not give it a swing? But remember: Take everything in moderation.

 

Beta-carotene, for example, is thought to protect against cancer and heart disease. It can dramatically boost the immune system and is a powerful antioxidant, which controls those "free radicals" we've all heard about and prevents them from causing damage to cells that lead to premature disease and aging.

 

Biotin metabolizes protein, fats, and carbohydrates. It also helps in energy production, and there is some proof that it can help people with diabetes by keeping glucose levels reduced. Other benefits include healthy hair, skin and nails, and reducing fatigue, heartburn and some allergies.

 

Folic acid is famous among women who are trying to conceive and those already pregnant. Other benefits include keeping your heart strong, increasing energy and helping ward off Alzheimer’s disease.

 

Vitamins and minerals are now seriously recognized in playing a role in the health and vitality of every organ in the body, from skin and bones to the nervous and immune systems, right up to the brain. Vitamins can lower cholesterol levels, help wounds heal more, raise your sperm count and make you more resistant to colds and flu, asthma, cataracts, and even gum dis-ease.

 

Again, you really can't go wrong with vitamins. Look beyond the fancy marketing and packaging. The key is to focus on your particular ailment and go straight to the natural remedy. Don't let all the hype distract or confuse you; all you really need to do is keep it plain and simple.

Dangers of Using Laxatives For Weight Loss

One popular weight loss supplements available in the market today take the form of tea. Stores all over sell slimming tea, dieter's tea and others but all of them are actually the same. They may appear to be effective, but what is not seen may actually harm you.

 

One of the effects of drinking dieter's tea is frequent bowel movement. This gives people the feeling of body cleansing. These people may get toxins out of their body but it isn't exactly the only thing that slimming tea actually does to the body. Slimming tea contains herbs which are natural laxatives. These include aloe, senna, rhubarb root, cascara, buckthorn and castor oil. These are products which are derived from plants and are used since the ancient times because of their potency in treating constipation and to inducing bowel movement.

 

Cascara, castor oil and senna are substances which are recognized as laxatives available over the counter and are also regulated as drugs. Scientific studies show that diarrhoea induced by laxatives does not absorb significant amounts of calories taken in the body. 

 

The reason for this is that laxatives do not act on the small intestines where most of the calories are absorbed. Instead, they work on the large intestines. If taken in large amounts for prolonged periods, it can affect fat absorption of the body. This may lead to greasy diarrhoea and loss of weight. Abuse of laxatives is common practice among people who suffer from bulimia and anorexia nervosa. 

 

While weight loss can be guaranteed by overdosing on laxatives, it may also cause permanent damage to the gastrointestinal tract and the weakening and softening of the bones, a condition known as Osteomalacia. Drinkers of slimming teas may actually patronize the product because they are less expensive and taste better than other laxatives sold in the market. Other people, such as those with eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia nervosa drink dieter's tea because they work fast and produce watery stool and having loose consistency.

 

Women may even be more susceptible to the effects of slimming teas. Although they may are not known to interfere directly with the woman's menstrual cycle and fertility, they should watch out if drinking them causes them to rapidly shed off weight. It is also not safe for pregnant women to be taking in laxatives of any kind. Wise and responsible herbalists also discourage the use of senna and other herbal products with laxative properties for pregnant women and women who are trying to conceive.  

 

One should be wary about these findings because the labelling of slimming teas in the market today can be absolutely misleading. For instance, they commonly refer to the laxative qualities as "natural bowel cleansing properties" and not specifically use the word "laxative”. Some even use the term "low-calorie" on their labelling. These products in fact, contain essentially no calories nor nutrients whatsoever; unless of course, if they are sweetened.

 

Adverse effects of misusing laxatives in the form of slimming tea generally occur when taken in more than or longer than recommended. These include nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhoea, fainting, rectal bleeding, electrolyte disorder and dehydration as well as injury and worse, death. It was also reported that excess use of stimulant laxatives cause severe constipation and pain for long periods (as much as for decades) due to the colon losing its function. It eventually led to surgery removing the colon altogether.