Acupuncture and More…

If you pay attention to the marketing trends, with out a doubt you have noticed that it is largely targeted to the baby boomers. A common denominator for the boomers is their unwillingness to age the way our grandparents did. In the mind of the boomer the 60’s are the new 40’s, and the stereotypical “senior citizen” does not exist any longer. The majority of the boomers expect to live longer, and look as young as they feel.

It is not surprise then, that a botanical (herbal remedy) that is supposed to increased sexual stamina and fight the ravages of aging would come to the forefront in the health and wellness industry.

Such is the case of Eurycoma Longifolia, also know by its more common names Tongkat Ali (Malaysia), Pasak bumi (Indonesia), Cay Ba Binh (tree that cures hundred of diseases), Malaysian ginseng, Longjack.

Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma Longifolia) it’s a herb that has been used in Traditional Medicine in South East Asia for centuries, and its well known for its aphrodisiac and testosterone producing properties.

Some traditional uses are:

• Aphrodisiac,
• Anti-pyretic (anti-fever)
• Mouth ulcers
• Intestinal worms.
• As a paste of the plant to relieve headache, stomachache, and many other general pains
• Dysentery
• A decoction of the Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma Longifolia) bark is drunk to relieve pain in the bones or applied for washing itches.
• Malaria

In-vitro studies have pointed to the positive effects of Tongkat Ali on the treatment of :

• Malaria
• Anxiety
• Hyperglycemic (high blood sugar)
• Ulcers
• Tumors
• Low Libido (aphrodisiac)

Wellness and anti-aging properties.

Many men and women with decreased sex drive or other sexual dysfunction issues seek help from their physician. One common treatment, to increase sexual stamina, is to use testosterone replacement therapy. This involves injecting testosterone into the body to replace that which the body no longer produces. The problem with this approach is that the body reads the new level of testosterone and no longer strives to make its own. This approach does not correct the underlying problem of reduced production. Herbal supplementation that supports the body’s own production of testosterone.

Stimulating the production of testosterone by the body’s endocrine system is one of the properties of Tongkat Ali. Besides testosterone being responsible for reproductive health, testosterone also plays a role in cardiovascular health, cognitive function, insulin sensitivity, maintaining lean body mass and bone density. It is not surprising that the onset of type 2 diabetes happens after age 30, around the same age that the production of SHGB (sex hormone binding globulin) increases and the testosterone levels decline.

Many men and women would benefit from supplementation with Tongkat Ali.

Visible benefits would be:

• Improved sexual function
• Decrease body fat percentages
• Improved muscle strength
• Lower blood glucose levels
• Improved memory
• Improved bone density

As you can see this botanical has many positive benefits for anyone seeking to improve their health, and slow the aging process. I have information from a good source that Tongkat Ali is one of the main ingredients of a new product is part of a new formula that is going to revolutionize the health and wellness industry.

Everyone has heard the expression, “You are what you eat.” This very simple saying means more and more each day as we gain a greater understanding about how foods affect us.

•    The food you put into your body has an effect on your physical appearance, energy levels, bodily processes and how well your brain functions.

Your brain is a system of chemical connections firing off at each other so fast that it’s almost impossible to fathom. Well, the food you eat affects the chemical make up of your brain, altering how it acts and works.

Feelings and emotions also affect your brain. Obviously feelings are born in the brain, and, depending on the emotion, they can alter the brain chemistry. For example, some people with mental health issues do not produce certain chemicals in their brain, which radically changes their behavior patterns.

There are things you can do to regulate this chemical reaction on a daily basis, and it’s simpler than you may think! Eating certain foods can specifically affect different functions of the body, the chemicals in your brain, and your emotions.

Here are some healthy foods you can eat to help optimize both your body and mind:

1.    Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Eating foods high in Omega-3s has a great deal of health benefits, including improving your brain’s development and functions. The Omega-3 fatty acid, DHA, is an important polyunsaturated fat found in the brain.

•    Fish is a great source of Omega-3 Fatty acids, including DHA.

2.    Choline. Choline is a chemical building block of every cell in your body. Choline has also been shown to help with retaining information in your memory. The more choline your lifetime diet includes, the less likely you’ll be to face extreme memory loss as you grow older.

•    Eggs yolks have a high concentration of choline in them.

3.    Antioxidants. We all recognize the health benefits of antioxidants in fighting diseases, but did you know a cup of hot cocoa has a higher concentration of antioxidants in it than either red wine or green tea? It’s true – as long as you use a dark chocolate.

•    Serve a cup of rich dark hot cocoa after dinner, and know you’re actually taking good care of your health!

4.    Green Tea. Have a glass of green tea every day to help keep the cognitive functions of your brain in tiptop shape. Studies have shown 70% of people who drank green tea showed an improvement in the functions of the brain.

5.    Cranberry Juice. This beverage is not only good for your body, specifically, kidney and urinary functions, but it can also help prevent a stroke. Cranberry juice has also been shown to help reduce brain cell damage after a stroke.

6.    Mangosteen Juice. This botanical was shown to reduce certain parameters of inflammation and to improve weight and body fat in an overweight population, this has positive implications in the future prevention of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Eating a well balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, protein, and some fat is the best way to nourish both the body and mind. Our bodies are highly complicated machines requiring many different things to function properly, and what we eat determines how it functions.

By taking simple steps to optimize your nutrition, you’ll also optimize your mind and body. Start making healthy, nutritious food choices today and enjoy looking, feeling, and thinking better.

Study Overview

A double-blind placebo-controlled human clinical to evaluate the ability of XanGo Juice to reduce inflammation levels in overweight persons with inflammation.

Researchers

Jay Udani, MD, CPI is the founder, CEO and Medical Director of Medicus Research. He is a board-certified Internist who served as Chief Resident at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center before completing two fellowships in Health-Services Research and Integrative Medicine at Cedars-Sinai/UCLA. He was one of the first physicians to become a Certified Principal Investigator (CPI) through the APPI/ACRP and as a Key Opinion Leader in the field of Integrative Medicine he has designed and performed over 60 clinical trials, and published over 40 articles and textbook chapters. He is the recipient of many prestigious awards including the 2008 Natural Products Association Clinician of the Year, the AMA National Achievement Award, the Harvard Medical School Pinkney Fellowship in Orthopaedic Research, and was voted Best Physician Specialist and Best Medical Speaker in Los Angeles by the Daily News.

Methods

The study was an 8-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study with a 2-week washout period for subjects who were currently taking anti-inflammatory or antioxidant products.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of multiple dosages of XanGo Juice compared with placebo in the improvement of inflammation and antioxidant levels in obese patients with a confirmed history of inflammation.

Results

XanGo Juice was shown to reduce certain parameters of inflammation and to improve weight and body fat in an overweight population. These results may have implications in the future prevention of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, but longer studies will be needed to explore the role of inflammation in the reduction of these diseases.

XanGo Juice demonstrated an ability to reduce inflammation (as measured by HS-CRP), at all 3 dosages while the placebo group actually experienced a small increase in the amount of inflammation. HS-CRP decreased in all 3 dosages vs. placebo over the 8 week study with the 9 oz. XanGo Juice group being statistically significant when compared to placebo.

The XanGo Juice product was shown to be safe at all dosages tested. There were no adverse events (clinical, laboratory, or vital sign) attributed to the product during the course of the study.

Charles (Bubba) Jakeman III talks about his experience with Mangosteen juice. He has lost 45 lbs. since march 25, 2008. His wife has been taken off of 3 out of 5 medications for her heart condition. Is mangosteen right for you? Read More about Mangosteen and its Benefits

Pycnogenol; you don’t have to be able to pronounce it to benefit from this powerful antioxidant. Pycnogenol has many actions in the body, but I am going to concentrate in only one in particular, in this article.

Pycongenol has been found to optimize the production of Nitric Oxide within the lining of your arteries.
And you may be asking yourself: So what?

The answer is: Nitric oxide plays a role in many biochemical functions. By increasing blood flow, it improves memory and attention; it improves the performance of the kidneys, lungs and liver; it aids with cardiovascular performance; and it is responsible for the male erection.

As far as heart disease, I am sure you are familiar with the nitroglycerine pills that heart disease patients carry with them at all times in case of an angina attack (chest pains). What these nitro pills do is release nitric oxide, which relaxes the coronary arteries and allows more blood to flow into the heart.

One important fact about Pycongenol is that, it is and optimizer of the production of nitric oxide. Too much nitric oxide can kill cells.

Pycongenol helps regulate the nitric oxide levels in the body. It helps the body produce adequate levels for necessary functions, and it reduces levels if they are too high and could do harm.

Another important function of the nitric oxide that is produce in the inner lining, or endothelium, of the arteries is that; it acts to increase the production of a chemical messenger called “cyclic- GMP” (guanosine monophosphate), which is needed to keep blood pellets slippery and not prone to clumping and aggregation. This last function is very important for people that suffer from heart disease and stroke.

Currently an American has a heart attack every 20 seconds. Most of these victims never had a clue until just seconds before they had their first heart attack. Of those having a heart attack for the first time 42% survive.

According to the statistics, if you make a list of the 10 people closes to you 6 of them are going to become victims of heart disease, and 2 of them are going to die the first time it happens to them.

If you are not taking steps to prevent heart disease you are playing Russian roulette with your life.

The incidence of overweight and diabetes, the two main contributors to hear disease) are at epidemic proportions in the United States, and you cannot afford to not to supplement you diet with an antioxidant like Pycongenol.

Interested on taking Pycongenol?

Pycnogenol is an antioxidant found on the bark of a French maritime pine tree. Unless you wanted to chew on the pine bark, you could only get your Pycongenol from manufacturers that extracted it and added it to dietary supplements in pill form.

I recommend that when ever possible you get your supplements from whole-foods, in my opinion this is your best option. One way of getting your Pycongenol is from a whole food is drink the juice of the mangosteen fruit that also contains the pericarp along with the pulp within the juice.

I have used this simple home remedy with great success for several of my patients that came to me with glaucoma.

I’d like you to remember that, I am not the first person that someone comes to after finding out that they have glaucoma, so when my patients come to me their disease is fairly advanced. Also I tell my patients that any remedy they try is in addition to the treatment that their doctor has prescribed for them.

For this remedy you need two ingredients:

1. Artificial tears or lubricant eye drops from the pharmacy.
2. Mangosteen juice.

You have to mix it at a ratio of 1mangosteen: 20 artificial tears

If you bought the 1oz bottle of artificial tears that is going to equal 29.5 milliliters.

Now I measured this myself, 1ml equals about 30 drops.
You take 30 times 29.5 and you get 885 drops in 1fl oz.

We can just apply the ratio now, you have 885 divided by 20 and you get 44 drops.

Now that you know that, just take the 1fl oz artificial tears and add 44 drops of mangosteen juice (make sure you strained juice, you don’t want any peel particles floating in the drops). Apply the drops two or three times per day, and that is it.

Make sure you keep the drops refrigerated the mangosteen can go bad if left out.

I’ve had three patients that their retinas were already separating and these drops reversed the damage. If you know anyone with glaucoma let them know about this.

I use my mangosteen juice, it is the only brand that I like, and I have used with my patients. I don’t have any experience with other brands, and I don’t know another brand would be as effective.

WARNING: This drops sting when you apply them to the eye, but the benefit outweighs the temporary discomfort.