Natural Supplements for Women's Health: Cardiovascular Health

More women fear breast cancer than any other disease. Yet cardiovascular disease (CVD) claims over ten times as many women’s lives as breast cancer. In fact, CVD is the nation’s leading cause of death for both men and women. That’s the bad news. The good news is that CVD is almost entirely preventable. NutraOrigin, makers of high quality vitamins for women, shares the secrets of cardiovascular wellness.

 

What influences cardiovascular health?

 

One way to support cardiovascular health is to play by the numbers. All five of the following measurements tell you something about the state of your heart.

 

• Cholesterol: excess cholesterol gets deposited in, and narrows, the artery walls

• Triglycerides: elevated triglycerides are associated with a higher risk of coronary artery disease

• Blood pressure: high blood pressure puts stress on the artery walls and increases the heart’s workload

• Homocysteine: too much homocysteine degrades the structural integrity of the arteries

• C-reactive protein: elevated C-reactive protein is associated with a higher risk for hypertension and CVD

• Helps maintain healthy levels of triglycerides and C-reactive protein

• Promotes a desirable blood pressure

• Supports a regular heart rhythm

Risk Factor	Desirable	Borderline	Undesirable
Total Cholesterol	Below 200	200-239	240 and above
Triglycerides	Below 150	150-199	Above 200
Blood Pressure	Below 120/80	120/80-140/90	Above 140/90
Homocysteine	Below 10 mmol/L	10-18 mmol/L	Above 18 mmol/L
C-Reactive Protein (CRP)	Below 1.0	1.0-3.0	Above 3.0

Supplement secrets for heart health

 

Everyone knows that eating a healthy, whole foods diet and getting regular exercise are important for cardiovascular wellness. But did you know that select nutritional supplements can also make a big difference? Here are three to consider.

 

CardioBalance

 

Developed by NutraOrigin, Cardio Balance features 10 mg of high quality policosanol. Multiple studies indicate that natural policosanol provides a worry-free way to support healthy cholesterol levels. Cardio Balance features policosanol from sugar cane ñ not the rice or wheat used in lower-quality products ñ which is the only form of policosanol proven to deliver cholesterol benefits. This policosanol supplement is produced using a proprietary, all-natural extraction process that delivers the highest quality finished product.

 

Omega-3 Essentials

 

Chances are you’ve heard about Omega 3 fatty acids, because they’re good for so many things. At NutraOrigin, we believe supplementing with Omega 3 fish oil, or Omega 3 for short, is one of the best things you can do for your heart. Here are just some Omega 3 benefits:

 

You can buy these essential fats as liquid Omega 3 oil, but most people prefer the convenience of Omega 3 pills. Whichever Omega 3 supplement you choose, just keep in mind that quality differs tremendously among different brands. NutraOrigin’s Omega 3 pills are highly concentrated, purity-certified, readily absorbed, and stabilized with antioxidants.

 

Nutra Multi Iron-Free

 

Because so many vitamins and minerals are essential for heart health, taking a comprehensive multivitamin like NutraOrigin’s Nutra Multi Iron-Free is a great way to take care of your heart. This one multiple contains: 1. a plethora of antioxidants, which protect against free radical damage, 2. the trio of B vitamins known to support healthy homocysteine levels, and 3. magnesium, essential for the integrity of the heart muscle. 

 

The experts at NutraOrigin recommend taking all three formulas together for maximum synergistic effect.

Natural Supplements for Women’s Health from NutraOrigin: PMS

Once dismissed as something that was just in our heads, premenstrual syndrome is finally acknowledged as a real disorder. PMS affects women in different ways ñ making us edgy, emotional, crampy or bloated. Other symptoms include breast tenderness, headaches, backaches, impaired concentration and focus, and food cravings. Most women figure they just have to live with it. But the truth is that taking all-natural supplements can help you feel loads better. NutraOrigin, makers of high quality vitamins for women, shares the secrets of natural PMS relief. 

 

Who Gets PMS?

 

Up to 80 percent of women of childbearing age suffer from PMS. It usually strikes women in their mid-20s and tends to get worse as they get older, until they finally stop menstruating altogether. 

 

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder, also called premenstrual disorder, is a more severe form of PMS that affects 5 percent of women in their reproductive years. Women with PDD are so negatively impacted by mood changes such as anger and depression that they have difficulty functioning. 

 

PMS Prevention

 

The good news is that there are 100% natural products that help ease PMS symptoms. NutraOrigin, makers of high quality vitamins for women, developed a PMS remedy called PMS Balance, which combines both Western and Eastern approaches to treating the disorder. PMS Balance contains the following ingredients: 

 

Magnesium: It’s been documented that women with PMS are often deficient in this muscle-relaxing mineral, which could account for some of their symptoms. 

 

Vitamin B6: A large body of clinical research shows that vitamin B6 helps relieve premenstrual symptoms. In fact, a review trial found that B6 is twice as likely as placebo to provide PMS relief.

 

Vitamin C: If you experience heavy bleeding during your menstrual cycle, fragile blood vessels could be to blame. Vitamin C helps strengthen blood vessels, making them less likely to leak. 

 

Choline & Taurine: Both of these nutrients play an important role in the health of the nervous system, which can be negatively affected by PMS.

 

Rambling Powder: This traditional Chinese herbal formula, consisting of bupleurum root, peony root, dong quai root, and licorice root, has been used for nearly 1,000 years to ease premenstrual discomfort. Chinese herbalists believe it works by relieving ‘stagnant liver chi’, allowing life energy to flow and the spirit to ramble. 

 

Together, the ingredients in this PMS product provide PMS cramp relief, support a positive mood, and ease muscle tension, irritability, bloating and breast tenderness ñ without any harmful side effects. 

 

A Synergistic Approach

 

Any woman who suffers from PMS should also be sure to take a daily multivitamin, such as NutraOrigin’s Nutra Multi. Not only does Nutra Multi cover a woman’s vitamin needs, it also provides 500 mg of calcium ñ one of the best natural remedies for premenstrual distress. Another product to consider is NutraOrigin’s Omega-3 Essentials, which provides essential fatty acids the body needs but can’t manufacture. EFAs have been studied for their role in alleviating PMS symptoms. 

 

The experts at NutraOrigin recommend taking all three formulas together for maximum synergistic effect.

Natural Supplements for Women’s Health from NutraOrigin: Menopause

Menopause can go one of two ways. It can be a miserable experience characterized by aggravating menopause symptoms. Or, it can be a pain-free transition that’s barely noticeable. In fact, choosing the right menopause supplement can make all the difference. NutraOrigin, makers of high quality vitamins for women, shares the secrets of natural treatment for menopause. 

 

Menopause Symptoms: Common But Avoidable

 

Every woman experiences her own unique set of menopausal symptoms, which can include hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, heart palpitations, vaginal and urinary changes, and decreased memory and concentration. Most experts agree these symptoms are caused by low or fluctuating oestrogen levels, which throw everything off kilter. But that doesn’t mean a difficult menopause is unavoidable.

 

Between 75-85% of American women going through ‘the change of life’ report experiencing menopausal hot flashes. Yet only about 10% of Japanese women do. Why the discrepancy? It’s all in the diet. Japanese women eat several servings of soy a day, which naturally contain anti-hot-flash substances called isoflavones. American women don’t.  

 

Natural Hot Flash Remedies and Menopause Treatments from NutraOrigin 

 

MenoBalance Supplement

 

Isoflavones help you get control of hot flashes ñ but they also provide relief for a whole range of symptoms. How? These phyto-nutrients have the remarkable ability to imitate the biological activities of female hormones. That means that even if your own natural levels of oestrogen are plummeting, isoflavones can trick your body into thinking it has enough.  

 

Soy is well-known for its natural content of isoflavones, but most of the research studying isoflavones for menopause relief has been performed on red clover. NutraOrigin formulated MenoBalance with a high-potency blend of isoflavones from red clover and kudzu. The formula additionally protects cardiovascular health, with patented Actifolate folic acid and resveratrol; supports bone integrity, due to the synergistic activity of isoflavones and vitamin D; and provides protection to hormone-sensitive tissues, with rosemary and turmeric. 

 

Black Cohosh Essentials Supplement

 

Scientists have conducted numerous studies demonstrating the efficacy of black cohosh for relieving the discomforts of menopause, with minimal or no side effects. In fact, one double-blind, placebo-controlled trial found the herb was 47% more effective than conjugated oestrogen at beating menopause hot flashes! Cohosh has also been shown to help alleviate headaches, heart palpitations, and nervousness and irritability associated with menopause. The evidence is so strong that the German Commission E (similar to our FDA) has approved black cohosh as a treatment for menopause. 

 

NutraOrigin’s Black Cohosh Essentials features 80 mg of standardized black cohosh ñ four times the amount seen in weaker extracts ñ for maximum effect. It also includes lemon balm and motherwort, which help reduce stress and anxiety. 

 

Nutra Multi Iron-Free Multivitamin

 

Studies show older women are more likely to be deficient in key vitamins like B1, B2, B5, folic acid and D than younger women. That’s why a multivitamin like NutraOrigin’s Nutra Multi Iron-Free is so important. It delivers all the necessary vitamins and minerals needed to create a foundation of health ñ including 500 mg of calcium ñ but leaves out the iron, since too much can be harmful to menopausal women. 

 

The experts at NutraOrigin recommend taking all three formulas together for maximum synergistic effect.

Natural Supplements - Help Your Body

Vitamins and mineral supplements are a good way to supply your body with nutrients that you might not be getting from your diet. Go down any vitamin aisle in a drugstore, market, or health food store. The first thing you will see is all the 'natural' supplements and vitamin complex tablets that all claim to provide all kinds of benefits. There are supplements that claim to help you lose weight without exercise. Does it sound too good to be true? It is. You have to burn more calories than you consume and exercise will help you accomplish that but I digress. If you are considering adding supplements to your diet have a discussion with your doctor will help to determine whether or not adding supplements would be beneficial for you or not.

 

Are vitamins necessary for optimum health? Most people, if they eat a healthy diet, do not need them. Most vitamins are fine and are not harmful. If someone does not eat a healthy diet or because of illness has a limited diet a vitamin supplement could be very helpful. Fruits and vegetables have important vitamins in them and should not be eliminated from a diet unless a doctor orders it. In this case a supplement would almost be necessary. Your body needs vitamins to keep it functioning. 

 

Most people think that vitamins are a source of energy that is not the case. Vitamins help regulate the body's metabolism. Vitamins also help the food we eat to release its energy. It's the food that when absorbed and broken down into the nutrients the body can use that provides our body with energy. The body more easily absorbs calcium if you are also taking Vitamin D. Most calcium supplements are already fortified with vitamin D. There are thirteen vitamins that are all important to achieve optimum health. Vitamins E & C contain antioxidants. Antioxidants help to release free radicals, which are high-energy particles. These high-energy particles damage healthy blood cells. Studies are now coming out that indicate that the consumption of vitamins and supplements may aid in fighting cancer and preventing other chronic diseases. The research is by no means conclusive in this regard. Studies continue to be conducted in an effort to provide us with the ultimate health.

 

There is such a thing as too much of a good thing.  An excess amount of vitamins in your system could cause bleeding, negative interactions with some prescription medications. 

 

Listed below are some vitamins and how overdoses can affect you:

 

• Vitamin A - Too much vitamin A can cause neurological problems

• Vitamin D - Too much vitamin D disrupts the balance of calcium in the body that can lead to calcium deposits in the soft tissues of the body.

• Vitamin C - Too much vitamin C can lessen the effectiveness of other medications.

• Vitamin E - Too much vitamin E can cause blood not to clot and can cause other bleeding issues.

 

Vitamins are just one tool among many that are available to us to help us get healthy and remain healthy. Vitamins alone will not do this. A healthy diet, exercise, and regular health check-ups will do this.  

 

No one knows better than I do how important it is to eat properly and take care of my body. Also, like many others I have a tendency to be drawn to the junk food much to my own detriment. You don't have to be an Olympic athlete to get some exercise in. I also take vitamins and other supplements to help my body work better. 

 

There are a variety of opinions about vitamins, supplements, and healthy eating.  Vitamins are generally ok unless they are fortified with iron. The effectiveness of vitamins with iron is often hotly debated. Too much iron can cause iron overload and it doesn't get 'washed' out of the blood as efficiently if at all. There is a disease called Hemochromatosis, which is fatal, as it attacks liver function. It can be controlled and there must be liver function tests done among other things. The controversy continues to reign.  

 

You have complete control in this area. Do your research; there are a great number of websites that provides information on supplements and how they work. You should sit down with your physician and discuss your options. He/she may suggest you meet with a nutrition specialist as well. Get smart and be healthy. A little knowledge is a very good thing and in the case of vitamins the more you know how they work and how they could be harmful, the safer and healthier you will be. Trust your instincts, know your body, and get help if you need it. Good eating, good exercise plenty of water and common sense will help you to meet your goal of good health.

Natural Sexual Stimulant Ingredients

Sexual stimulants claim to arouse or increase sexual desire, or libido. A broader definition includes products that improve sexual performance. Aphrodisiacs, named after Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of sexual love and beauty, the list of supposed sexual stimulants includes anchovies and adrenaline, liquorice and lard, scallops and Spanish fly, and hundreds of other items. Here is a very partial list of some herbal ingredients commonly found in sexual enhancers/stimulants:

 

Avena Sative (Wild Oats)

 

Avena sativa, or oats, have long been used by breeders to help male animals "sow their oats" or boost their fertility. Avena Sativa is one of the best remedies to feed the nervous system when under stress and strengthen it to handle the situation. It works to calm down performance anxiety.

 

Brazilian Catuba Bark

 

Brazil's most famous and highly regarded libido booster. It is considered a central nervous system stimulant and used for sexual weakness and lowered libido in both men and women.

 

Horny Goat Weed (Epimedium)

 

This Chinese herb is also known as Goat Sex Herb. It has been used for centuries to help improve sexual functions. It has androgen-like effects. Androgens are involved in sexual desire in both men and women. Horny Goat Weed may help improve circulation and kidney function.

 

Longifolia Jack (Tongkat Ali)

 

A popular Malaysian tree, it is proper for its aphrodisiac properties for both men and women. The researched focus is towards improved desire and sexual initiation.

 

Maca

 

Grown high in the mountains of Peru, Maca root tends to significantly boost libido and sex drive in men and women by enhancing the endocrine function. The endocrine system includes all of the glands, and the hormones they secrete, that exist in the body and that control such conditions as fertility, sexual function, digestion, brain and nervous system physiology, and energy levels.

 

Mucana Pruriens Extract

 

A rare and powerful Ayurvedic herb that has unusually high levels of naturally occurring L-Dopa. L-Dopa is an amino acid that has been the subject of over 25 years of extensive scientific and medical research. It may help with improving sexual dysfunction, loss of libido, stimulating arousal, and increasing intensity and frequency of orgasms for both men and women.

 

Muira Puama

 

Found in the Amazon, this extraction is very potent and has an impressive research history of helping restore libido and has been used to help prevent erectile dysfunction.

 

Tribulus Terrestris

 

Also known as Puncture Vine and Gokshura, may help to increase seminal fluid, not by volume but sperm count, and at the same time may increase sexual desire, arousal and performance in men and women. Tribulus may help to increase the duration of erection and assist in achieving orgasm in those previously unable.

 

Yohimbe

 

A tree that grows throughout the African nations of Cameroon, Gabon and Zaire. (A similar plant in South America is called Quebracho). The bark has been smoked as a hallucinogen and has been used in traditional medicine to treat angina and hypertension. The herb is a sensual stimulant for healthy men and women.

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.