Free Radicals

Take free radical damage, for example. Free radical damage happens when the body’s cells lose electrons. Just as an old car eventually rusts out, a person’s body ages as it sustains free radical damage. Some people theorize that aging itself is a result of free radical damage, while others theorize that conditions associated with aging arise as a result of free radical damage and together contribute to the aging process.

Reversing the Effects

The question then becomes, how can we reverse the effects of free radicals? Chemically speaking, it’s a matter of ingesting what are called antioxidants. An antioxidant formula can stop free radicals in their tracks, both by preventing the loss of cells’ electrons and by adding or “donating” electrons back into cells. It’s like giving your car an undercoating to prevent rust.

Other Signs of Aging

But what about the other signs of aging? Well, some of them are visible – like the loss of elasticity in the skin, wrinkles, and graying hair – and some of them are invisible – like memory loss, vision deterioration, and hormone imbalances. The right combination of vitamins, enzymes, amino acids, herbs, and minerals can help counteract the aging process. Such anti-aging products not only can stop aging, but also can actually reverse the process.

Anti-Aging Supplement

Although there are a variety of types of antioxidants products in the marketplace, if you’re interested in reversing the aging process, you should consider an anti-aging natural supplement. As opposed to creams, supplements work from the inside out to repair cells and to regenerate healthy new cells. A good anti-aging formula will afford you with a variety of benefits, including improving sleep, increasing energy, initiating fatty acid metabolism, improving memory and mental alertness, increasing circulation, improving skin texture, boosting the immune system, promoting hormonal balance, supporting good vision, and improving joint health. Beyond that, it should facilitate the repair of RNA and DNA.

When shopping for supplements that have an antioxidant formula, you should be sure to select a company that stands behind their product with a money-back guarantee, that is in compliance with FDA regulations, and that doesn’t promise overnight results. After all, the aging process takes time, and so does the reversal process. Finally, make sure that you choose an all-natural anti-aging formula that includes antioxidants.

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By diabetes type 2, the cells in the body do not react properly by stimulation from insulin. Therefore they do not take in enough glucose from the blood to store it or to use it as energy source. This condition is called insulin resistance. The amount of glucose in the blood therefore rises. Also the insulin production can rise to regulate the glucose amount down, but this effort to reduce the blood glucose is not effective enough. If the disease persists for many years, the insulin production may tire out, so that the amount of secreted insulin decreases.

THE CAUSES AND MECHANISMS OF DIABETES TYPE 2

The exact mechanism that causes the disease is not known. There may be an autoimmune response to insulin or to the molecules on the cell surfaces that the insulin connects to. However, these lifestyle factors can cause the disease

-Too high consume of sugar and fat
-Over-weight
-Too less exercise over many years.

Therefore diabetes type 2 can be prevented by a right diet and with regular exercise.

When the glucose uptake into the body cells is reduced, but glucose instead accumulates in the blood, the following physiological effects occur

-The body cells do not get enough fuel for the work they shall do.
-The molecular thickness osmality of the blood increases. This causes water to be pulled out from the body tissues and into the blood. The tissues thus get dried out and the urine production increases.
-The tissues begin to break down protein and fat to get energy, causing weight loss and muscular reduction.

The symptoms of diabetes type 2 are a consequence of these mechanisms.

THE SYMPTOMS OF DIABETES TYPE 2

Diabetes type 2 is the most common kind of diabetes, actually 10 times more common than diabetes type 1, where the insulin production is reduced or stopped. The disease usually appears after the age of 50, but the high sugar and fat consume in western countries nowadays also causes young persons to acquire the disease. Symptoms of diabetes type 2 come gradually. The symptoms are.

-Increased urine production
-Dehydration, that is a lack of water in the body
-Abnormal high thirst
-Dry mouth
-Increased appetite
-Slow healing of physical injuries
-Itching in the skin
-Infections caused by yeasts
-Impaired vision

In the long turn, the disease can cause atherosclerosis with blood vessel narrowing, heart disease and stroke.

THE TREATMENT OF DIABETES TYPE 2

The treatment of diabetes type 2 is most often diet with a low sugar amount and weight reduction. These measures will lighten the burden upon the blood sugar control of the body so that it manages to normalize the blood sugar levels. If this does not work good enough, medicines to lower the blood sugar is used.

If the insulin production is reduced, insulin injections are also used.

There are also natural products in the market that can help to normalize the blood sugar level by diabetes type 2. Those products cannot heal the disease, but they can help the body to regulate the blood sugar. These products contain minerals that are working components of enzymes that stimulate the glucose metabolism in the body. They also contain herbs that have been used for a long time in traditional medicine to regulate the glucose level and have proven their effects in scientific studies.

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So whats the solution?

If youve read this far, you are probably convinced that supplementing your diet with vitamins is critically important. You probably already know how depleted our topsoil is. Chances are, youre also cognoscente of the highly processed state of the foodless foods we consume on a regular basis. Taber’s Medical Dictionary concludes that vitamins are indispensable for the maintenance of good health. Likewise, The Journal of American Medical Association concluded that everyone should take a multi-vitamin everyday.

So its not a question of whether or not we should take vitamins. Rather, the question we ought to be asking is, With so many brands of vitamins on the market, which one is the smartest choice?

Great question.

However, before we can even begin to answer that question, we have to answer a series of other sub-questions, such as

1. Are cheap, synthetic vitamins just as good as all-natural vitamins?

2. Which vitamins and minerals do my body need?

3. What dosage should I take?

Lets narrow the playing field by addressing those questions one at a time.

Are cheap, synthetic vitamins just as good as all-natural vitamins?

First, lets compare synthetic vitamins with all-natural vitamins. I just completed an article entitled Vitamin Wars Natural VS Synthetic. Putting everything into a nutshell, synthetic vitamins simply cannot measure up to natures finest. Over 3,800 different compounds have been identified in foods as having nutritional significance. However, in a laboratory, twenty nutrients are about all that modern science can reproduce and put into a vitamin product.

But even more of a concern than the ineffectiveness of these synthetic vitamins is the harm that they can cause. One of many examples is a recent study on Vitamin C as synthetic ascorbic acid. It was found to thicken the walls of the arteries.

On the other hand, all-natural vitamins made from whole-food sources have many positive benefits that synthetic vitamins just cant duplicate in a lab. Whole-food vitamins derive their nutrients directly from fruits and vegetables. Unlike synthetic vitamins, whole-food vitamins do not rob precious nutrients from the body. Rather, they supply the individual cells with the nutrients they need to flourish. For greatest gains in terms of health, take only whole food vitamins. When evaluating a vitamin supplement, simply read the label. Rather than multi-syllable, unpronounceable chemical names, you should find the names of foods listed as the vitamin sources. What a concept! This is your way of knowing that you are getting the best possible absorption and retention of your vitamins.

Which vitamins and minerals do my body need?

The short answer is, there are many benefits to all vitamins and minerals.

Vitamin A is important for our vision, while preventing cancer and promoting wellness of bones, eyes, hair, mucous linings, membranes, nails, skin and teeth.

Vitamin B2 promotes healthy skin, nails, and hair.

Vitamin C extends life by enabling protein cells to hold together.

And we havent even begun to scratch the surface.

Minerals are critical

Minerals are also critical to maintaining good health. Approximately 75 of the people living in the Western World are not ingesting the right amount of Magnesium, approximately 68 are not ingesting enough Calcium, approximately 58 are not ingesting enough Iron, and approximately 40 are not ingesting enough Zinc.

Make sure your minerals are chelated heres why

Most minerals found in synthetic supplements are cheap and not what we would recommend for the body. They are not chelated minerals and therefore it is extremely difficult for the body to absorb and utilize these minerals after ingesting them. Many times they cause problems with the digestive tract and other systems of the body.

What you might not know is that a chelated mineral acts differently within the body. A chelated mineral is a mineral that is bonded with amino acids or malates naturally found within the food in a stable form. Since 95 of amino acids are absorbed through the intestinal tract, it makes it very easy for high quality chelated minerals to be absorbed and utilized by the body.

Dont forget to take your Probiotics!

You may be asking, Probi what ics?

The term probiotics simply means pro life. Their role in maintaining good health is tremendous. In the scientific community, they are known as friendly bacteria. Probiotics aid the digestive system and strengthen the immune system. Bottom line, probiotics have such a wide range of positive roles that nearly everybody could improve their health by supplementing their diet with probiotics.

The importance of Enzymes

Like probiotics, enzymes also aid digestion. Proper digestion of food should be your bodys top priority. Why? Because all other bodily functions, including the immune system, energy production and even brain functions, are all put on pause until the body digests its food. When digestion is functioning properly, food is broken down and nutrients are made available by the body itself for repair, metabolism, and healing without undue stress. Many negative factors wreck havoc on our digestive systems the way our foods are grown and processed, toxins in the environment – even undue stress and anger. As a result, up to 70 million Americans experience a whole range of digestive disorders such as bloating, gas, and stomach cramps.

What dosage should I take?
Recommended Daily Allowance RDA

RDA’s are based on scientific research and are set at levels to provide for 98 of all healthy persons living in the US. There is a cushion built in so that if you get 67 of the RDA for a nutrient, you should be getting a minimum amount as an average person. Remember that the RDA’s are based on preventing deficiency symptoms specific to each vitamin and mineral. So when choosing a multi-vitamin, check to see if a daily serving contains 100 of the RDA, providing, of course, that a daily value has been established.

So in summary, there are five Steps to Choosing a Great Vitamin

1. Choose a multi-vitamin made from the highest grade of Whole-Food sources. Do NOT choose a multi-vitamin that contains a concoction of synthetic ingredients that you cant even pronounce.

2. Choose minerals that are chelated.

3. Choose a multi-vitamin containing Probiotics.

4. Choose a multi-vitamin containing Enzymes derived from vegetables.

5. Choose a multi-vitamin containing 100 of the Recommended Daily Allowances whenever established.

Keeping the above criteria in mind dramatically narrows the playing field.

Its also a good idea to select a product that gives you a money-back guarantee. Quality multi-vitamins are not as cheap as synthetics, but they are affordable.

I hope this information has educated you and will help you make smart choices. Remember – you only get one body in this life. Treat it well and stay healthy!

For additional information, visit

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When you use heat to cook your food grill, fry, bake, the heating process removes some of your food’s beneficial nutrients. In addition, if you are plagued with stress or you if you are taking medication there’s a chance that you are losing a significant amount of vitamins and minerals that you consume. Taking vitamins on a regular basis can increase your chances of getting all the nutrients your body needs.

The benefits of taking vitamins go beyond meeting the recommended dietary allowances. How healthy you are depends on more than just diet and the amount of exercise you obtain. There are other outside factors that can predispose you to develop certain health issues. For example, how much of a risk you have for developing cancer of heart disease is largely dependent upon whether or not others in your family developed these conditions. For some time it was believed that an individual had very little recourse in these situations. Studies conducted by Harvard University researchers revealed that taking a multivitamin every day can reduce an individual’s risk to develop these conditions.

To determine your specific needs, you should visit your doctor for a complete evaluation of your dietary needs. Your doctor will be able to recommend the type of vitamins that are best for you. It may very well be the case that a common multivitamin is all that you need. If this is the case, you can visit any nutrition center or grocery store and find aisles of multivitamins. While these preparations will contain the same basic set of vitamins, the amount of each will differ. You can determine which preparation is for you by considering which nutrients you lack. For example, if you’re not a fan of milk products, you may want to choose a multivitamin that contains more calcium.

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The question has been posed Why does Wobenzym work so effectively? The answer resides in the realization of the type of enzymes that Wobenzym is made from. The enzymes are called proteolytic enzymes; these are enzymes which cuts other proteins around it. When the body is in its normal physiological state, these proteolytic enzymes sustain homeostasis within the healthy body; in addition they break down abnormal proteins that can occur during a variety of diseases. Therefore, in fundamental research and numerous clinical trials that have been performed over the course of many years under the patronage of MUCOS Pharma, Wobenzym has been discovered to cause the degradation of detrimental and atypical immune complexes which can precipitate a range of autoimmune diseases. In addition, immune complexes can also clot the blood, which can possibly activate an assortment of diseases. These studies are a matter of public domain, and may be readily retrieved.

As researchers continue to gain knowledge of the correlation between enzymes and good health, larger numbers of physicians are recommending Wobenzym for a variety of ailments. It’s a straightforward piece of information that systemic enzymes are necessary to our health. Systemic enzymes are utterly indispensable in order to keep your body in good health and as an aide to an active lifestyle. Your body utilizes systemic enzymes to realign the inflammatory system reaction and modify repair processes to help your body to recuperate from injury and sickness. You are fortunate because you are able to restock your supply with the enzymes that occur naturally which are ingredients of Wobenzym.

The areas in which Wobenzym is recommended are for healthy joints, to improve mobility, to make circulation more robust, to increase the healthy aging process, utilized to normalize inflammation and to help with recuperation from sports injuries. Unlike other medicinal items that are available, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs which proffer rapid but momentary solutions, Wobenzym enables your body to restore itself to health. Of all the products that are currently available Wobenzym is the most meticulously researched systemic enzyme supplement in order to ensure the continuation of your good health.

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Finally, some of them will be totally unaware of this information and will be shocked when they read it. Basically, I fully expect this article to cause a sh storm that will reverberate throughout the supplement industry.

The only people who I know are going to be happy about this article is the consumer, but I am getting ahead of myself. As we all know, creatine is one of the best bodybuilding supplements ever discovered. It increases strength, lean body mass, and, to a lesser extent, endurance. If that were not enough, it’s relatively cheap to boot!

What more could we ask for from a supplement?

When creatine was first introduced it was sort of pricey, but no one really cared because it worked so well. As time went on and more companies began selling creatine, the inevitable price war began and prices came down.

At that point creatine was only being produced by a few companies, so creatine was basically creatine and the price was the only real consideration. As is typical of the market place, once creatine became big business, several new manufacturers popped up and it became no longer a price war as much as a quality war. The expression “creatine is creatine” no longer holds true. More on that shortly.

At this time there are probably four-five companies large enough to mass produce creatine for the sports nutrition market. These companies in turn sell their product in huge bulk amounts to various distributors around the world.

As far as the mass producers are concerned, there is a large German company, two companies out of China, and two in the United States. Though there are various other companies, for this article we will basically concern ourselves with these five major producers which probably comprise 80-90 of the creatine production market.

Why I had to write this article

The supplement industry in the United States is by and large a self-regulated industry. Unlike other countries, we the USA don’t have government constantly telling us what we can and cannot do with our supplements. Though they have been trying to discredit supplements for decades, the FDA and pharmaceutical medical industrial complex have largely failed to do so.

As a self-regulated industry, we must do just that. Let me state here and now, I am all for self-regulation and totally against government regulation when it comes to supplements. When we find gross problems, we have to expose them no matter what the cost. Any supplement that is found to be potentially dangerous, terribly misleading, or otherwise a total scam, must be exposed as such.

If we don’t do it, then we allow the “powers that be” who have an interest in discrediting the supplement industry to get one step closer to the Orwellian scenario of other countries. I thought long and hard as to whether or not I should write this article, but in the end, as a person of good conscience and ethics, I knew I had to.

In the end, it will cost the entire supplement industry far more than any one loss could ever cost a single company if problems with a certain product are not exposed.

As far as I am concerned, this is us airing out or own dirty inter-industry laundry and policing our own, instead of waiting for the “don’t confuse us with the facts” popular media or other groups to come after the supplement industry.

I know it must sound like I am almost apologizing for writing this article, and in a way I am. It could potentially cost certain people a great deal of money. On the other hand, it could also make some other person a great deal of money, depending on where they fall this will make more sense to the reader as you read along.

In the end, the truth can never been denied, it can only be delayed. With each day of delay, the cost to everyone goes up. Nuff said.

Are you getting more than you paid for?

Most of us are always happy when we get more than we paid for, but in some instances, it’s not such a good idea. If we are buying say vitamin C and the label says “500mg per capsule” and laboratory analysis reveals it contains 600mg, then that is a great thing.

However, if we test a product and not only does it contain what the label claims, but several other compounds we did not know were in there and had no place being in there, then that’s a completely different story.

For example, when the amino acid L-Tryptophan was taken off the market for the death of several people, it was not because of the L-Tryptophan itself, but because of a chemical contaminant found in a batch of the L-tryptophan that was not supposed to be there. This was a perfect example of getting more than you paid for in the worst possible scenario.

What I am going to write about in this article certainly is not as bad as the L-tryptophan fiasco, but it could be a potential health concern.

So after that long, cryptic, and bizarre introduction, what am I getting at? Recently, a company tested the five largest creatine manufacturers products and tested the products of various distributors from the USA, Germany, Great Britain, and other countries.

At this time, the company who did the testing wishes to remain anonymous, lest they be accused of throwing stones at the supplement industry. However, this is a very large and reputable company and they stand behind their test results.

Also, I know this company to be one of the worlds most reputable companies, so I had no problems with their testing results or methods. The test results came to me through the back door so to speak. So what was tested for and what did it reveal? The creatine products were tested for Dicyandiamide, Creatinine, Dihydrotriazine, and sodium content.

What did the tests reveal? It revealed that there is a wide range of differences between creatine products from different manufacturers. The purity level of all the creatine products were also tested and they generally fell between 88 and 92.

Now before you go off yelling “but my creatine says 99 pure creatine monohydrate on the bottle,” you have to remember there is a small amount of water in creatine monohydrate.

Before we bother with the results, we need to take a look at the chemicals that were tested for-and subsequently found- in these samples. What really bothered me was the fact that there is little safety research on some of these chemicals, most notably the dihydrotriazine.

I did Med-line searches, looked through various chemical data related books i.e. the Merck Index and other publications, made many phone calls to chemists, spent hours on the internet, and was amazed to find so little real safety data on some of these materials.

Considering the fact that some creatine products contain fairly high amounts of these chemicals, the lack of solid safety data did not make me feel very comfortable. The major point of this is really the amount of creatine ingested in relation to the amount of contaminant present. It’s not that a compound has a small amount of some contaminant per se, but the levels of the contaminant is found in relation to how much of the product is consumed is the real question.

In the December issue of Health and Nutrition Breakthroughs p12, 1997 Dr. Podell addressed the same concern regarding creatine as I have when he stated “…there is the potentially important issue of product purity. Given the high doses of creatine most people take, even a minute toxic impurity could have a dangerous effect. Unfortunately we cannot be sure of a manufacturers’ quality controls.”

As we all know, people don’t just take 500mg 12 a gram of creatine, they take 10,000mg 10g, 20,000mg 20g, or even 30,000mg 30g of creatine per day, so even a small amount of a contaminant such as the dihydrotriazine can add up quickly.

For example, one creatine product contained as much as 18,000 parts per million PPM of Dicyandiamide. If a person is taking in ten grams per day of creatine, that’s 180 mg of this chemical a day. If you are taking in 30g a day of creatine-as is often the case during the loading phase-you would be getting a whopping 540mg a day of dicyandiamide!

The Chemicals

Dicyandiamide DC

DC is actually a derivative of one of the starting chemicals cyanamide used in creatine production. DC is formed during the production of creatine products, and large amounts found in a product are considered the result of an incomplete or inefficient process. A quality creatine product will contain very small amounts, less than 20-50ppm. At this time, DC does not appear to be a particularly toxic chemical. Oral studies with animals rats and dogs lasting up to 90 days have not shown serious toxicity or carcinogenic effects, and acute poisoning also takes very high amounts.

DC appears to have many uses in the chemical industry. Some of the more interesting is the use of DC in the production of fertilizers, explosives, fire proofing compounds, cleaning compounds, soldering compounds, stabilizer in detergents, modifier for starch products, and a catalyst for epoxy resins.

At the concentrations found in some of the creatine products see below, it’s a good thing this stuff does not appear to be particularly toxic. However, as far as I am concerned, I don’t want to be eating the stuff. One interesting point as it relates to DC and toxicity is, if one looks at the safety sheet on the stuff it states that DC breaks down into hydrogen cyanide gas when exposed to a strong acid. Hydrogen cyanide gas is very toxic and has been used as a chemical warfare agent!

As Bruce Kneller points out see side bar, stomach acid, which has a PH of 2, is a very strong acid. Is even a tiny amount of hydrogen cyanide gas produced from the intake of large amounts of DC? The chemist I spoke to did not seem to think so and the safety data with animals would tend to support this, but who knows. Bruce might be overreacting a bit on this, but it’s better to lean on the cautious side with such things. Bottom line, it’s best not to be eating large amounts of DC in this writer’s opinion.

Dihydrotriazine DT

DT appears to be the real mystery chemical as far as potentially toxic contaminants found in some creatine products. One company had it listed as “…Dihydrotriazine is often found in various creatine products. This substance is a byproduct of non-optimized creatine productions and consequently widely spread over creatine products. Dihydrotriazine is a compound with unknown pharmaceutical and toxicological properties.” It was virtually impossible to find any useful safety data on this chemical.

However, DT is part of a large family of chemicals known as the “triazines.” It is an organic base with many derivatives. Some of these derivatives are toxic while others are known to be non-toxic, so it is very difficult to come to any real solid opinion regarding the potential toxicity of this chemical.

One chemist I spoke to from a major pharmaceutical supply company said to me on the phone “it’s safe to say that there will be major differences in toxicity between derivatives since ‘triazine’ simply means possessing three CN-H groups. Some derivatives are highly toxic.”

Bill Roberts, a medicinal Chemist and writer for Dan Duchaine’s Dirty Dieting news letter commented after I sent him over this information “There really is no way to say just how high a chronic intake of this chemical these chemicals is safe in humans from the information given. If the amounts were very small, say a few milligrams per week, it’s a reasonable guess that there would probably be no problem.

But if a creatine brand has say 1 of this impurity these impurities then people are going to be consuming thousands of milligrams of this compound these compounds over time. I think we have to be concerned about taking so much of something that really isn’t well studied in humans for safety. It would certainly be unwise to assume thattoxicity is not an issue.

If the consumer has a choice between a creatine brand that contains this impurity these impurities in significant amounts, and one that is more pure, I’d certainly recommend spending the extra money and obtaining the purer product.”

So as you can see, we are left with a major question mark regarding DT. For me, the less I know about a chemical the less of it I want to find in any product I am ingesting.

Though this chemical might turn out to be perfectly harmless, I think it should not be found in any amount and thus should be non-detectable n.d. in the ppm range until we know more about this chemical. As you can see from the tests, some companies have n.d. amounts while others have far more than that. I find this unacceptable, and so should you.

Creatinine

Creatinine is one of the easy compounds to discuss on this list. Creatinine is actually a natural byproduct of creatine metabolism in the human body and of creatine production. A small amount can be found in every creatine product. However, in some products large amounts can be found, as high as 7700 ppm in one case see chart. It is probably safe to say that the ingestion of creatinine is a safe endeavor.

There is some research that links the ingestion of creatinine from meats with increased colon cancer incidence, but in all honesty I would not put much stock in that or get all worked up about it. The point is, when I buy creatine I want to eat creatine, not creatinine.

Though a natural byproduct of creatine metabolism, it does not have any ergogenic effects and therefore I don’t want large amounts of it in my creatine, period. A high quality creatine product should contain less than 100ppm of creatinine in my opinion.

Sodium

Like the aforementioned creatinine, sodium is an easy one to talk about. Also, like creatinine, it is a generally safe thing to ingest at normal intakes. At the levels found in these creatine products, the amount of sodium added to the diet is very small and should pose no problems, even to the most sodium phobic person. However, like I said before, when I pay for creatine I want creatine, not sodium. The lowest sodium content was 20ppm and the highest was 500ppm. I leave it to the reader to decide what is a tolerable sodium content to them.

Conclusion

Believe it or not, the company who did the testing told me that although those were the main chemicals they tested for, some creatine products read like a who’s who of different chemical compounds, though they admitted that they are usually found in trace amounts. As for the consumer, if it were me, I would demand the HPLC test results from whom ever I was buying my creatine from regarding the chemicals listed in this article.

If you don’t care, that’s OK also. As for me, I will make sure my creatine comes only from companies and distributors who sell creatine made by the large German company, or other companies, who clearly have their collective act together when it comes to producing an ultra pure creatine product.

Bottom line?

The expression “creatine is creatine” no longer holds true. However, a high quality creatine product it still the best thing going in bodybuildingsports supplements.

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2. Creatine
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Infected food is the biggest culprit, with water coming in second. Ice cream, cocktails served in re-used coconut shells, raw seafood, ice, and food from street vendors are potential risks that can interrupt your adventure with less salacious memories to pass on to family and friends.

The nausea, stomach cramps and diarrhea from such acute infections usually sorts itself out after a few days unless of course you have contracted hepatitis A, or something like giardia. Certainly, if you are unlucky enough to be sick after a few days, you should see a doctor.

Fortunately, there are remedies you can take that will strengthen your immune and digestive system and hopefully give your body a better chance at dealing with its new environment. The herbs I describe below would make an excellent travelers mix. The best form to take them in would be as a tincture, which can be made up by going to a local herbal dispensary if you have one in your area, or alternatively, a local herbalist.

Astragalus Astragalus membranaceus

Astragalus is a good anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-microbial. The polysaccharides in it support the immune system. Astragalus increases the activity of phagocytes, natural killer cells, and the levels of antibodies in the blood.

Picrorrhiza Picrorrhiza kurroa

This is an Ayurvedic herb that is best given in low doses, as higher doses can cause diarrhea and flatulence in more sensitive people. Its a bitter herb, so it stimulates the digestive system. It is also anti-malarial, supports the immune system, and protects the liver. Picrorrhiza encourages all aspects of the immune system, such as B and T cell activity, and the activity of phagocytes. This herb is used in Ayurvedic medicine for liver related problems and immune problems.

Goldenseal Hydrastis Canadensis

Goldenseal is a gut antibiotic, which for example helps reduce adhesive e coli, and encourages some immune functions of the body. For example, berberine, which is one of its active constituents, has been shown to increase the activity of macrophages, which digest bacteria and viruses. Barberry also contains berberine, so more information on this very valuable constituent is below. Goldenseal, being a bitter herb, it is also good for the digestive system. If you are pregnant or suffer from hypertension, however, you should not take goldenseal.

Barberry Berberis Vulgaris

Berberine, one of the active constituents in this herb is an anti protozoic, which helps protect travelers against giardia, leishmania, and treponema pallidum. Other notable effects of berberine are its activity against giardia, dysentery, and candida, as well as the cholera vibrio. The active constituents berberine and palmatine are also anti-bacterial. And berbamine, which like berberine is an alkaloid, is a strong anti-bacterial which seems to work by increasing white blood cells and platelets. The constituent palamtine is a uterine stimulant, however, and as such pregnant women shouldn’t take this herb. Barberry is another gut antibiotic, but it is also anti-malarial though no self-respecting herbalist would recommend anything other than doctor’s treatment if you do contract malaria.

Echinacea Echinacea purpurea or augustifolia

Echinacea is an immune stimulant. Its main active constituents are the polysaccharides and the alkamides especially the isobutylamides, which are both immune stimulating, and the polyaceytlenes, which are antibacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal. Echinacea supports the activity of phagocytes, which are part of the immune system, and is also considered anti-viral and anti-microbial. One of the ways echinacea appears to work is by inhibiting the action of the enzyme hyaluronidase. This enzyme is used by micro-organisms to break down the connective tissue that prevents them from entering and spreading through the body. For these reasons, it is excellent as part of a travelers remedy mix.

These remedies are not designed as a prophylactic, like a vaccine. They work on the principle of giving your body an increased chance at staying healthy. But nothing replaces common sense. Wash your hands before eating. Don’t drink ice or from water bottles where the seal has been broken. Drink cocktails in glasses, not cute but probably old coconut shells. Don’t eat anything fresh that you can’t peel. Don’t eat ice cream or drink unpasteurized milk. Be wary of eating from street vendors. Some people do, and are fine. But they are a risk factor with gastrointestinal upsets. Its a good idea to pack some oral hydration salts as a precaution.

But above all, enjoy your holiday!

References C Fisher & G Painter, Materia Medica of Western Herbs for the Southern Hemisphere
Class notes from Ses Salmond, certified Natural Therapist and Herbal Medicine teacher

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Bodybuilding supplements consists of various substances including proteins and amino acids, metal replacement products, prohormones, testosterone boosters and are taken by boy builders and sports persons to help building muscle or supplement fat loss. These bodybuilding supplements are also suitable for improving sports performance.

Amino acids, Branched chain amino acids, glutamine and protein

Protein consumed by our body metabolizes into amino acids. The bodybuilders prefer most commonly three branched chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine. Muscles metabolize these branched chain amino acids. Additionally these branched chain amino acids are assumed to have resistance towards muscle breakdown.

Although soy protein, a naturally occurring complete protein may sometime exhibit estrogenic activity and is therefore avoided by many of the bodybuilders, however egg protein is preferred as it is also a complete protein. Casein, another richest protein source of amino acid glutamine is preferred as it contains casomorphine additionally, which releases amino acids at regular intervals.

Bodybuilders prefer to take protein just after exercise or as a replacement of meal. Protein powders are available in the market and right quantity of these at recommended helps in making muscles, as muscles are primarily made of protein and protein also helps us in repairing and growth of muscles.

Whenever you purchase a protein packet, you must look for total serving in the pocket and gram protein, gram carbs, gram sugar and gram fat per servings. If you are lactose intolerant, you should select a protein packet, which does not contain lactose. On the basis of all these information you must select the right product suitable for you.

Metal Replacement Products

The metal replacement products are either available in powder form or in bar form. Powder form can be mixed with water, milk or juice and can be taken thereafter, however bars can be consumed straight away.

These are made available for complete meal replacement and contains high amount of proteins, moderate amount of carbohydrates and also contains various vitamins and minerals.

Various manufacturers of metal replacement products claim to have added soy protein, egg albumin, whey protein or micellar casein as source of protein. For replacement of carbohydrates ingredients derived from oat fiber, wheat flour or maltodextrin have been added. Some may contain essential fatty acids substitute and other mineral substitutes. Some other products such as glutamine peptide and additional amino acids are also added by some of the manufacturers.

Creatine Monohydrate

Creatine monohydrate is one of the essential organic acids. It is one of the few products suitable for making healthy muscles. Creatine monohydrate is useful for sports persons engaged in weight lifting and short-range sprinters. Creatine monohydrate works in our body and plays a vital role in making and replenishing of ATP. It is also occurs naturally in beef, pork, and salmon.

If you are on creatine, you may notice a weight gain as creatine has a volumizing effect and draws water and various other nutrients to muscle cells.

Some of the common and minor side effects associated with intake of creatine include stomach upset and gastrointestinal distress. Although, some of the recent studies on creatine shows that it has a positive influence on our heart health and it lowers our lipid profile.

Prohormone Supplements

Prohormones are precursors to both male and female hormones. Body builders are only interested in the supplements capable to increase male hormone testosterone as at elevated level testosterone will lead to improved muscle growth. Studies carried out on various prohormone have not given the desired results. Some of the horhormone are not significant and effective and may have side effects.

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Some people even take multivitamins or other supplements as a way of replacing the need for a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables, or before engaging in damaging behavior such as binge drinking or recreational drug use.

Health experts are largely in disagreement on the subject of vitamin supplements, but on this area they agree a multivitamin does not obviate the human requirement for a healthy diet. In contrast, many health experts believe that a healthy diet renders vitamin supplements unnecessary, but none suggest that vitamins alone reduce the need for healthy eating.

Some individuals claim that a proper vitamin supplementation regimen can resolve problems ranging from digestive issues to irregular heartbeats, but there are still insufficient clinical studies to conclusively indicate whether a multivitamin is beneficial to most healthy adults.

Ironically, those who use multivitamins the most are generally healthier, more active, and more conscious about their diets than those who choose not to use vitamin supplementation at all. As such, those who would likely see the greatest benefit generally avoid using a vitamin supplement at all.

The major issue that most health professionals have with readily available mass produced multivitamin supplements is their one size fits all approach without individualized testing and custom design for a vitamin supplement program to suit the individual, even when taking a multivitamin there may be a serious surplus of one element despite a significant deficiency of another.

Since people of different age groups, body types, and activity levels all require different types of supplements, it is advisable to get full testing done in order to determine what vitamins really are necessary rather than simply purchasing an over the counter multivitamin tablet.

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GENERAL DIET ADVICES

A diet with the aim of preventing cancer is generally the same as a diet to prevent heart disease and other diseases. Here are the general diet advices

- Avoid or reduce the amount of food that are industrially processed, artificially made or heavily fried.

- Eat fish at least every second day. Also eat seafood and fouls.

- Do not eat very much red meat.

- Eat 5 fruits or vegetables each day. Each piece should be of the size of an apple or carrot. They should be raw or carefully boiled so that the nutrients are not washed out.

- Eat full corn bread, full corn cereals, peas, beans and potatoes.

- Eat just a moderate amount of fat.

. Ideally most fat you eat, should be of the type mono-unsaturated. You also need some poly-unsaturated fat of the types omega-3, and omega 6, but not too much of omega-6. The consumption of saturated fat should be moderate.

- In order to achieve right fat balance, much of the fat supply should come from a blending of sources like olive, olive oil, canola oil, nuts, nut oil, sunflower, sunflower oil, fish and fish oil.

- Use only a moderate amount of soy oil and corn oil in the diet. Only using such oil types will give you too muchmuch poly-unsaturated fat of the omega-6-type.

- Use just a very moderate amount of fat sources like butter, coconut oil and palm oil. A high consumption of these fat sources gives you too much saturated fat.

- Avoid altogether fat that has been chemically altered, giving so-called trans-fat. This type of fat is often found in margarine, cookies, snacks, fast food and other pre-made food.

- Consume just a very moderate amount of sugar, refined flour or refined cereals.

- Consume just a moderate consumption of tranquilizers and stimulants like alcohol and caffeine.

- Use just a moderate amount of salt in the food. However, in warm weather and by hard physical work, you will need more salt.

SPECIFIC FOODS AND DRINKS TO USE

Generally plants, fruits and spices with a strong colour or a strong taste have cancer preventing effects because of the contents of bioflavonoid and other anti-oxidants.

Broccoli, cabbage, mustard, kale, and cauliflower are vegetables with proven strong cancer preventing effects, probably due to the content of indole-3-carbinole.

Onion and garlic are also thought to help prevent cancer.

Whole grain and bread made of whole grain will help prevent colon cancer because of the fibre content and possibly also because of the vitamins and minerals contained.

Red peppers give a protecting effect against prostate cancer.

Eating fish, and especially fat fish, some times each week also have a protecting effect against prostate cancer.

Evidence points to the conclusion that green tea can help prevent cancer. However studies so far undertaken do not sort out all other variables that may give the same result.

Some studies have indicated that drinking coffee reduces the incidence of cancer, but others studies have thrown doubt upon these results.

SUPPLEMENTS OF VITAMINS AND OTHER SUBSTANCES

Her are listed the most important cancer preventing effects suggested by results from recent projects. However, research is going on, and these results are not yet complete or absolutely certain.

These substances give general cancer prevention effects Sulforaphanes found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables.

Colo-rectal cancer These substances help protect against colo-rectal cancer Vitamin B-6 pyridoxine, Folic acid folate in combination with other B-vitamins, Selenium, Indol-3-carbinol from cruciferous vegetables, Genistein from soy, and possibly also vitamin D. Alfa-tocoferol a kind of Vitamin E may help, but project results are not conclusive jet.

Gastric cancer Substances that may help prevent gastric cancer, and even help cure changes that can evolve into gastric cancer are Vitamin C, Beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A, Alfa-tocoferol a kind of Vitamin E, Indol-3-carbinol from cruciferous vegetables, Genistein from soy.

Breast Cancer The incidence of breast cancer can be lowered by Folic acid folate, Vitamin B-6 pyridoxine, Selenium, and possibly vitamin D.

Prostate Cancer These substances may help protect against Prostate cancer Selenium and Alfa-tocoferol a kind of Vitamin E. A long study is under way, but the results from the study are not conclusive yet.

Bladder cancer The chance of getting bladder cancer is possibly lowered by alfa-tocoferol a kind of Vitamin E.

Lung cancer Substances that gives protection against Lung Cancer are Isoflavones from soy. Indol-3-carbinol from broccoli and other crusiferous vegetables, Genistein from soy and possibly Vitamin D.

Results from research projects suggest that supplements added to the diet to prevent cancer should contain many working substances derived from natural sources, and that it is not wise to use heavy doses of just one substance.

NUTRIENTS THAT MAY HAVE THE OPPOSITE EFFECT

Beta-carotene and vitamin A supplements may increase the chance for heavy smokers of getting lung cancer and other cancers caused by smoking, according to results from epidemiologic studies.

However, these vitamins in the food doe not increase this risk. It is not clear what effect beta-carotene have on lung cancer in combination with other supplements or by non-smokers. The results from these studies are also controversial.

Vitamin E supplements seem to protect against Cancer, but heavy vitamin E amounts may in fact increase the chance of getting heart problems and stroke.

REFERENCES

You can read more about food supplements and cancer prevention at these sites

The Cancer Project

National Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

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