Saturday, January 7, 2017
Thursday, January 5, 2017
Optimum Nutrition Opti-Fit Lean Protein
While it may seem that Optimum has every category of protein supplements covered, they’ve surprised us yet again with the delivery of a brand new supplement known as Optimum Nutrition Opti-Fit Lean Protein; a designated meal replacement protein to be used throughout the day.
ON’s Opti-Fit Lean Protein is a fairly low calorie meal replacement at only 200 calories per 51g serve, but provides 25g of protein, 17g of carbs and 3g of fat. In terms of ingredients, here’s what you can expect:
- Protein Complex – Whey protein concentrate (WPC) and micellar casein
- Carb Blend – Chickpea powder, whole oat flour, chicory root fibre, oat fibre and flaxseed protein
- Comprehensive Vitamin & Mineral Blend
It’s an interesting supplement release from the veteran company, and they’ve decided to go with a bold, fluoro green design, a signal for perhaps a whole new “Fit” series of supplements.
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
Flu Shot Alternatives
You don’t need a flu shot to protect yourself this year. Use natural immune boosters to stay strong and healthy through the fall and winter.
Despite the fact that the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention advocates a seasonal flu shot for everyone, the reality is that not all people feel comfortable with this recommendation. I and many other health experts do not endorse widespread seasonal flu vaccines, including the H1N1 vaccine. Your immune system, when working properly, has a remarkable capacity to fight off the flu and colds. Even if an infection does gain a foothold, it’s usually just a matter of time before the immune system mounts an effective counterattack.
Recipe for a Strong Immune System
Whether you get a flu shot or not, it is important to bolster immunity during the fall and winter months. This increases your resistance to colds and flu, and protects you against cancer and other diseases. Try these steps to boost your immune system:
- A healthy lifestyle is essential for immunity. Be sure to eat a healthy diet, get exercise, avoid toxins, maintain your appropriate body weight, and get enough sleep.
- Stress lowers immunity. Practice relaxation techniques, such as breathing exercises, visualization, or meditation.
- Avoid refined sugars and saturated fats, but make sure you get plenty of quality protein and essential fatty acids.
- Take a high-quality vitamin and mineral supplement. Vitamins B complex, C and E, zinc, and selenium are especially important.
- Boost your vitamin D levels (see below).
- Take a clinically proven immune-enhancing product
HOT PRODUCT FOR FLU DEFENSE
Recent research on the proprietary ingredient Wellmune WGP (beta-glucan from baker’s yeast) has been shown in a double-blind study to prevent colds and flu. Subjects were treated with either 500 mg of Wellmune WGP or a placebo for 90 days. The Wellmune WGP group reported:
Wellmune WGP is available in certain foods, beverages, and supplements, including supplements from Alacer Corp. and Jarrow Formulas.
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Research shows that vitamin D targets more than 2,000 genes (about 10 percent of the human genome). It is now known that low levels of vitamin D are a major factor in the development of at least 17 varieties of cancer, as well as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, depression, and many more common health conditions. As it relates to flu prevention, here is what is known:
- Individuals who have vitamin D blood levels lower than 38 ng/ml had twice as many upper respiratory tract infections as those with higher levels.
- Children who took 1,200 IU of vitamin D daily reduced their risk of developing the flu by 58 percent.
- Women taking 2,000 IU of vitamin D (to protect bones) had an average of 30 percent fewer cold and flu episodes compared to women taking 200 IU of vitamin D.
Because it is estimated that one out of every two Americans is likely to have blood levels below 20 ng/ml, supplementing with vitamin D may prove to be more effective than getting a flu shot. For optimal vitamin D status, take 2,000—5,000 IU daily.
Thinking Echinacea?
While echinacea has been shown to exert significant effects on immune function in more than 300 clinical studies, not all of the research has been positive. Mixed results most likely stem from insufficient quantity of the herb’s active compounds. There is tremendous variation in these levels—even within the same product from batch to batch. Echinacea must be grown properly, harvested at the exact time, and extracted properly for maximal levels of all active compounds. Clinical studies with Echinamide (a patented echinacea product standardized for effective levels of key compounds) have proved useful in preventing, as well as shortening, the severity and duration of colds and flu.
How To Boost Energy Naturally
The “up” side of caffeine
Vibrant natural energy is truly a wonderful feeling that too few people experience on a consistent basis. The number of Americans suffering from fatigue is staggering. Fatigue is by far the most common medical complaint in medical practice, yet it remains one that is dealt with inadequately.
Fatigue can be caused by factors including depression, diabetes, poor sleep quality, hypothyroidism, and certain medications. Nutritional factors are important as well, including nutrient deficiencies and blood sugar instability or hypoglycemia. Simple iron deficiency (anemia) alone is a major cause of fatigue, particularly in women.
3 essential supplements
The best approach to boosting energy levels naturally is to address any underlying factors as effectively as possible. Beyond that, there are three supplements that are essential in any health promotion plan: a high-potency multiple vitamin and mineral, a high-quality “greens” drink, and a pharmaceutical-grade fish oil supplement. Once this strong nutritional foundation has been established, many people with low energy levels can benefit from dietary supplements containing caffeine-based natural energy formulas.
Is caffeine safe?
There is no question that caffeine is a stimulant that can increase physical and mental energy levels. Caffeinated beverages like green tea, yerba maté, guarana, cola nut, and cocoa are used by cultures around the world. In its natural form, the caffeine is provided along with plant compounds that tend to lessen some of caffeine’s negative effects, such as anxiety and nervousness. For example, in addition to caffeine, green tea contains L-theanine, a natural compound that counteracts some of the effects of caffeine on the brain that can lead to nervousness and interference with sleep.
The effects of a moderate dosage of caffeine (e.g., 10—125 mg) is influenced by consumption pattern; if you regularly ingest caffeine, you develop a tolerance to it. If you don’t, or are a “slow metabolizer” of caffeine, the effects are more pronounced.
Controlled studies of the effects of caffeine on performance have a long history, dating to the late nineteenth century. Early studies showed caffeine intake improved performance in many repetitive tasks. For example, in typists, caffeine consumption increased both speed and accuracy.
Caffeine has been shown to improve attention and reaction time. However, it does not appear to improve performance in complex mental processes.
Caffeine + GABA
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is one of the brain’s most important compounds. PharmaGABA is a special natural form of GABA that has yielded interesting results in clinical studies. In particular, PharmaGABA has shown impressive results in combating stress, including showing an ability to lower cortisol levels and other markers of acute stress during exposure to stressful situations.
When a caffeine source is combined with PharmaGABA, there is a synergistic effect in improving mental function. And as a benefit, the PharmaGABA reduces the stress-producing effects of caffeine.
In a study conducted at University of Shizuoka in Japan, PharmaGABA was shown to do just that, promoting feelings of calmness despite a boost in energy levels from caffeine. Subjects consumed either a cup of regular coffee or the same cup of coffee plus 28 mg of PharmaGABA. Stress markers were significantly lower in the group getting the PharmaGABA.
Is caffeine for everyone?
There are a few situations in which consuming any significant amount of caffeine (e.g., daily intakes in excess of 30—50 mg) is not suggested. This includes people very sensitive to caffeine or those with insomnia, depression, anxiety, chronic fatigue, fibrocystic breast disease, or high blood pressure. It is particularly important to avoid caffeine if you suffer from poor sleep quality. If you suffer from any of these conditions and want to boost your energy, try herbs that enhance energy levels by supporting adrenal function, such as ashwagandha (e.g., Sensoril), rhodiola, or Siberian ginseng. Often extracts of these plants are combined in “adrenal health” formulas.
This article was written by Dr. Michael Murray, one of the world’s leading authorities on natural medicine.
For the past thirty-five years, Dr. Murray has been compiling a massive database of original scientific studies from medical literature. He has personally collected over 65,000 articles from the scientific literature, which provide strong evidence on the effectiveness of diet, vitamins, minerals, herbs and other natural measures in the maintenance of health and the treatment of disease.
It is from this constantly expanding database that Dr. Murray provides the answers on health and healing on DoctorMurray.com. Visit his website here!
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