Natural Health Ezine » Supplements

Symptoms Of Low Vitamin D Levels

Terrie — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:16:31 +0000

There are a massive amount of nutrients that people need in order to stay healthy. One of the more important vitamins that we need is vitamin D. Vitamin D is important for cell growth. Vitamin D helps to maintain the levels of calcium and phosphorus in the blood, and also helps with the body’s ability to absorb calcium. Adequate amounts of calcium is essential for strong and healthy bones, as well as protecting again osteoporosis, cancer, hypertension, and many autoimmune problems.

There are two forms of Vitamin D that are essential to people. Vitamin D2, otherwise known as ergocalciferol, and vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol. Vitamin D2 comes from plants whereas vitamin D3 comes from the human skin. The foods that you see in the grocery stores that say they are fortified with vitamin D are fortified with both types of the vitamin.

Symptoms Of Low Vitamin D Levels

There are many symptoms that can indicate low levels of vitamin D. These symptoms range from mild to severe.

Rickets
Osteomalacia
Brittle bones or loss of bone strength
Greater risk of developing cancers including lung, breast, colon, and ovarian cancer
A lower functioning immune system
Increased chance of getting asthma, colds, and the flu.
Certain types of depression (seasonal affective disorder)
Cavities and periodontal disease
Muscle fatigue
Body aches
Osteoporosis
High blood pressure
Cardiomyopathy
Heart failure
Multiple sclerosis

In early childhood, one of the first signs that a young person is not getting enough vitamin D is the development of a condition called rickets. Rickets causes the bones to get weaker and often causes the legs to give out under the pressure of the person’s weight. Rickets can cause a child’s legs to bow outward. Not only can rickets cause bowed legs, the condition can also have the same impact on the arms, causing them to bow at an odd angle.

A condition similar to rickets is osteomalacia. This deficiency disease affects older people, making their bones softer and more prone to breaks. The person’s overall skeletal structure weakens drastically.

Who Is At Risk For Low Vitamin D Levels?

As with any condition, certain people are more prone to have a vitamin D deficiency. These people include:

People who are obese
Elderly people
Infants who are exclusively breast fed
People who get a limited amount of sun exposure
People who live farther from the equator
Individuals with a dark complexion
People who have inflammatory bowel disease

How Do You Get The Right Amount Of Vitamin D?

It’s recommended that you get anywhere from 200 to 600 IU (international units) of vitamin D every day, depending on your age. Many Americans don’t get enough sunlight because of the potential threat of sun damage and skin cancer. The less sunlight we get, the lower our vitamin D levels get. Luckily there are solutions to get more vitamin D in our diets.

Sunlight: Vitamin D is sometimes known as the sunshine vitamin. There’s a chemical in the skin that turns into an active form of vitamin D when sunlight hits it. There are lots of opinions on how much sunlight is needed to get an adequate amount of vitamin D through sunlight. Typically, the amount ranges from 5 to 30 minutes, two to three times a week The best time for sun exposure is from 10 AM to 3 PM.

Foods: There are several foods you can add to your diet to boost your vitamin D levels. Fish such as salmon, mackerel, or tuna are good options. Fortified milk, eggs, and cod liver are other great addition to your diet.

Supplements: You can get vitamin D in supplemental form. This is probably the easiest way to boost the amount you get. In fact, if you were to get all of your vitamin D from drinking milk, you’d have to ultimately drink about one liter of milk per day. That’s a lot of milk. If you’re sensitive to sunlight, or you sunburn easily, you may not want to risk the amount of time in the sun it would take to get the recommended amount That’s why it’s important to get vitamin D from several other sources. Doctors suggest to get a supplement with both vitamin D and calcium, as the vitamin D helps the body to absorb the calcium easier.

Photo by bernat…

Oregano Oil Health Benefits

NHE — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 19:53:03 +0000

Oregano is a very popular spice that has been used for hundreds of years. This spice is mixed into a variety of foods to add a little extra flavor to a dish. Not only is this spice used in foods, but certain parts of the oregano plant can be made into an oil. The wild oregano plant species grows in mountain regions that are remote and have no pollution. The oil from the wild oregano plant is extracted from the leaves of the plant. The leaves of this plant have a high amount of oil, and once the oil is extracted, it’s developed into a product called oil of oregano. Oregano oil provides many different benefits to a person’s health. Oregano oil health benefits range from being able to help people suffering from digestive problems, to treating athlete’s foot.

Helps With Skin Infections

Oil of oregano works well on skin infections. Along with treating athlete’s foots, oil of oregano helps treat other internal and external fungal infections. It destroys every type of yeast and fungi, no matter where it’s located in or on the body. Oil of oregano also stops the growth of parasites and bacteria. It has been known to neutralize protozoans, worms, and amoebas. Skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema can be relieved by using oil of oregano. Other skin problems that this oil can help with include diaper rash, dandruff, venomous bites from bees and other insects, and other skin disorders. It is OK to use oregano oil directly on the skin, as long as it’s diluted with water. It can also be diluted with coconut oil or olive oil. The ratio is normally one drop of oregano oil to every teaspoon of coconut oil or olive oil.

Helps With Digestive Problems

Oregano oil has high concentrations of carvacrol and thymol. These two substances have been known to help with an upset stomach and help with digestion. Mild indigestion can be remedied by putting two or three drops of this oil into a glass of milk. Oregano oil is also helpful in reducing the risk of food poisoning. When combined with eggs, meat, salad, or milk, the oil can stop food poisoning microbes from growing. Other intestinal issues that oregano oil can help with include intestinal gas and diarrhea.

Helps With Colds, Sore Throats, And Sinus Congestion

Oregano oil health benefits also include helping to defend against the common cold and sore throats. If you feel like you’re getting a cold, or if your throat is a little scratchy, adding three drops of oil of oregano to a glass of orange juice, can have symptoms clearing up in no time. This mixture is also a good remedy for sinus congestion. It’s safe to drink the orange juice and oregano oil three to five times a day.

Oil of oregano is densely packed with minerals. The minerals in oregano oil include the following

Magnesium
Calcium
Iron
Zinc
Copper
Potassium
Boron
Manganese

There are also quite a few vitamins in oil of oregano including the following.

Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Niacin

Oregano oil health benefits are plentiful. This oil is a great addition to anyone’s diet, and it’s easy to incorporate. You can add the oregano oil to hot tea to make a nice soothing drink. There are a few words of caution, however. If you’re allergic to mint, basil, thyme, or sage, you might get an adverse reaction to this oil. If you use this oil on the skin and end up with a rash as a result, stop using it and consult your doctor. It also might reduce your body’s iron absorption ability, therefore pregnant women are urged not to use it regularly. Other than these issues, oregano oil can provide you with many health benefits.

What Is Juvenon? Does It Work?

Terrie — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 22:52:01 +0000

Whether you’re for or against taking supplements, sometimes they are necessary. If you track your food intake and track certain nutrients, you can figure out what you’re lacking. Not getting enough calcium? Take a calcium supplement. Not getting enough iron in your diet? There are iron supplements available to help with that. But what about energy supplements? Or supplements that can improve memory function and provide a more restful sleep? There is a supplement that can provide these benefits as well as other advantages. It’s called Juvenon. But does does Juvenon work?

What Is Juvenon?

Juvenon is a supplement pill that contains alpha lipoic acid (ALA) and acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC). These two nutrients have been proven to slow aging on a cellular level and also to boost levels of mitrochondria in the body. Higher levels of michochondria means cells in the body have more energy. In Juvenon, the ALC and ALA nutrients are specifically balanced to provide certain benefits.

What Does Juvenon Do?

According to the Juvenon website, it states that the supplement can boost your energy, improve your memory and concentration, and improve your skin tone. Juvenon also protects against harmful oxidants.

What Are The Benefits Of Juvenon?

Some of the benefits that this supplement can provide include the following:

An increase in energy
Improvement in memory
Sharper mind
More restful sleep
Improvements in blood pressure
Younger looking skin
Shinier hair

What Are the Juvenon Ingredients?

Each tablet contains the following ingredients:

*Biotin (100 micrograms) – Biotin is vitamin B7 and is found in the yolks of eggs.
*Calcium (77 milligrams)
*Acetyl-L-Carnitine (500 milligrams) – ALC is an anti-oxidant ingredient.
*Alpha Lipoic Acid (200 milligrams) – ALA is another anti ingredient.
*Dicalcium phosphate – A packaging agent.
*Microcrystalline cellulose – Another packaging agent.
*Stearic acid – Packaging agent made from saturated animal fat.
*Silicon dioxide – A mineral packaging agent.
*Magnesium stearate – What binds the pill together.
*Hypromellose – A thickening agent.
*Croscarmellose sodium – A pill additive.
*Polydexterose – An artificial sweetener.
*Titanium dioxide – A pill coloring agent.
*Maltodextrin – Another sweetener.
*Talc – A tablet processing lubricant.
*Medium chain triglycerides – Vegetable oils.
*Peppermint oil – A masking agent to make the pill taste better.

This long list of ingredients is mainly made up of filler ingredients, lubricants, and preservatives. However, the bottle claims that Juvenon does not contain any preservatives or artificial colors. On the positive side the pills do not contain common allergens, dairy, or soy. Note it says “common allergens”, so there may still be a possibility of an allergic reaction. It’s recommended that a user take two tablets each day.

What Are The Cons Of Juvenon?

According to Dr. Ray Saheilian, Juvenon may actually cause harmful side effects. He states, “I have not seen any human studies that taking Juvenon or high dosages of acetyl-L-carnitine or alpha lipoic acid prolongs lifespan.” He goes on to say, “In my experience, high dosages of alpha lipoic acid and acetyl-L-carnitine can disrupt sleep and ALA may even cause heart rhythm disturbances.” Dr. Saheilian also says that excessive amounts of ALC and ALA can cause insomnia and over-stimulation. Insomnia can result in the lack of deep sleep. A lack of deep sleep can actually speed up the aging process.

There are some other things to be aware of when it comes to Juvenon. There’s a warning label on the bottle in reference to sustaining energy level, promoting brain cell function, and supporting metabolic efficiency. The warning label states the following: “These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease”.

Does Juvenon Work?

Juvenon may work for a short time period. But, it may not be the best thing to use over an extended period. If you suffer from low energy or problems with sleep patterns, you may want to seek medical advice rather than taking Juvenon. However, Juvenon may be an option if you don’t normally have these issues and you just need a boost of energy for the day.

Based on what we uncovered in the ingredient list of Juvenon, it’s sort of hard to tell what to believe. It claims no artificial colors are added, yet it lists titanium dioxide which is a coloring agent. It also says it has no preservatives, yet we see packaging agents listed, such as silicon dioxide and dicalcium phosphate. We get conflicting statements, such as Juvenon providing a more restful sleep. According to Dr. Saheilian high levels of ALC and ALA can cause insomnia.

Ultimately, it’s up to the individual to decide whether to take a supplement or not. It holds true that what works for one person may not work for another. If an energy supplement such as Juvenon works for you, great! However, based on the conflicting information, it may make you want to think twice about taking it.

The Health Benefits of Nattokinase

NHE — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 15:07:02 +0000

Nattokinase is an enzyme derived from natto, a Japanese traditional food made from fermented soybeans. It is extracted, purified and then manufactured in either tablet or capsule form for convenience purposes and also to accommodate those people who are not fond of the slippery texture and pungent smell and taste of the natto.

Several articles and studies have discussed the health benefits of this enzyme on preventing diseases such as strokes, myocardial infarction, deep vein thrombosis, phlebitis, and pulmonary embolism. This enzyme is taken orally and is a cheaper but more potent alternative to Urokinase. It doesn’t have the side effects that anticoagulant medications have. It has also been proven to have a longer effect inside the body when compared to Urokinase, another enzyme with similar effects but is extracted from urine. The latter is more expensive, lasts only for a shorter duration and can only be administered intravenously when compared to nattokinase. Research has also shown that nattokinase has four times greater clot-dissolving properties than plasmin, a naturally occurring enzyme in the body.

When we have wounds or cuts our bodies produce proteins known as, fibrinogens, which act on the injured site to stop bleeding by forming mesh work of fibers to create blood clots. There are several proteins in our body that serve as fibrinogens but only one protein known as plasmin to counter its effects. Plasmin is a fibrinolytic enzyme that serves to dissolve blood clots and prevents thrombosis in the body. But as we age, our body gradually produces lesser amounts of this protein needed to break down clots or plaques that have formed within our blood vessels. In addition to that, the fibrinogen or blood clotting factors in our bodies increases as we age, while plasmin levels continue to decrease. This leads to an imbalance wherein there is more clot formation than clot dissolution leading to blockage of an artery or an organ that may eventually lead to diseases. Nattokinase can help improve this by directly acting on the blood in order to dissolve blood clots. It also enhances the body’s production of plasmin and thus, also acts as preventative agent to hinder blood clots formation in our arteries and organs.

Nattokinase side effects

There are no known or reported side effects, toxicity or allergic reactions when using Nattokinase. Although the effects of nattokinase in healthy people are still unknown, they are not advised to take them as health supplements for it may cause spontaneous bruising and bleeding. People with bleeding disorders and those on warfarin medication such as Coumadin or other anti-coagulant drugs should not take nattokinase. This enzyme can lower blood pressure and may interfere with the effectiveness of anticoagulants. It may also cause internal bleeding in some patients. Do not take nattokinase if you are taking Vitamin K or medications for your blood pressure, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Always consult your doctor before taking any health supplements to prevent any unwanted drug interactions.

The Health Benefits of Spirulina

NHE — Wed, 26 May 2010 11:47:51 +0000

The health benefits of what, you ask? I suppose it would be better for me to actually tell you what this is before going into the benefits that it provides.

What is Spirulina?

Spirulina is a fresh water or blue green alga; it grows in the waters of South America and Africa. This little bacterium that measures approximately .0196850394 inches in length packs a big punch for its little size. It beats out red meat and soy in protein content. Spirulina has 60 percent protein content, red meat has 27 percent protein content, and soy has a meager 34 percent protein content.

For those of you interested in word history, the name “spirulina” is derived from the Latin word for “helix” or “spiral” which denotes the physical configuration of the organism when it forms swirling strands.

Not only is this little powerhouse packed with protein, it is packed with minerals too including iron, calcium and magnesium. Top that with Vitamins A, B, C, D and E and you have a force to be reckoned with.

Some scientists even speculate that the “manna” that God provided for the Israelites, as referred to in the bible, may have been a form of dried, dormant Spirulina.

Want to bulk up, try this little guy, the Chinese actually utilize Spirulina to bulk up commercially produced poultry and livestock.

Spirulina can also be helpful for those affected by diabetes. Some researchers claim that Spirulina is useful in helping diabetics control their food cravings and helping to decrease their insulin intake, because of the high concentration of its nutrients.

Several studies have found that Spirulina may help with the following:

recovering mobility after a stroke
warding off the free radical damage related to diseases like Parkinson’s and Huntington’s Disease
the regression of oral cancer lesions caused by chewing tobacco
decreasing the side effects of arthritis including cartilage damage and inflammation
lowering cholesterol
reducing hypertension
preventing cancer
strengthening the liver’s defense against toxins
alleviating allergic reactions
preventing gastro enteric infection
reducing gastro enteric distress by promoting the growth of intestinal bacteria
strengthening immune responses
preliminary promise in fighting HIV

Now I am sure you are thinking this is great and all, but how exactly does one go about getting Spirulina?

Spirulina comes in the form of a supplement. Basically there are three types of this supplement: powder, pill or liquid extract. Each form of Spirulina is equally nutrient rich, so no form is better than the other; it just depends on what you prefer as far as convenience is concerned. If you do not mind taking several pills a day, then the pill is a good choice for you. If you are more of a smoothie person, then you may want to get the powder form to add to your daily smoothies.

Spirulina is recognized all over the world to be the most complete food source; no other food contains as many nutrients as Spirulina does. It is currently being developed as ‘the food of the future’.

Health Benefits Of Flaxseed Oil

NHE — Wed, 12 May 2010 12:58:34 +0000

Why take flaxseed oil?

No matter how healthy a person’s diet might be, there may still be a lack of certain nutrients. A good way to get these nutrients is to take a supplement. Flaxseed oil provides nutrients such as vitamin E and vitamin D, minerals that include iron, potassium, and calcium. It is also a great source of fiber. Flaxseed oil contains good fats like Omega three fatty acids, which are essential to the body. It is possible to get “good fat” from foods such as nuts or fish, however these foods are high in calories. It’s also inconvenient to cook fish every day, therefore its might be easier for people to take a flaxseed oil supplement. There are several wonderful health benefits of flaxseed oil.

What is flaxseed oil good for?

There has been research done that indicates people who get high amounts of lignan in their diet have a low incidence of colon cancer and breast cancer. Flaxseed oil contains a high amount of lignan, more than you would get in most whole grain products. It is said that lignans have the ability to stop the growth rate and spreading of tumor cells. Flaxseed oil may also help to prevent type two diabetes, again due to the lignans.

Studies have shown that healthy fats, like Omega 3 fatty acids, help to prevent clots in arteries, as well as lowering cholesterol and blood triglycerides. Getting a low amount of healthy fats may result in strokes, thrombosis, and heart attacks. Lignans found in flaxseed oil have been known to reduce atherosclerotic plaque buildup as much as 75%. Flaxseed oil can play a big role in regulating a natural heart rhythm, and can be used in treating an irregular heartbeat, as well as heart failure.

Among the many health benefits of flaxseed oil, is the fact it can help with the healing of bruises and sprains. It can also increase the body’s metabolism, making it easier to burn fat and to lose weight. Flaxseed oil helps with the absorption of calcium, and is great for strengthening toenails and fingernails. It can also be a treatment for dandruff, psoriasis, and eczema. There is a high content of phytochemicals in flaxseed oil which include several antioxidants. Therefore taking flaxseed oil can possibly help slow down the aging process, as well as make your skin look and feel younger.

Flaxseed oil has the potential to improve mental function in elderly people. It has been scientifically proven to help people who have depression. The behavior of schizophrenics has been proven to improve when taking flaxseed oil. Symptoms of premenstrual syndrome can be relieved by taking flaxseed oil. Women who are going through menopause can take flaxseed oil to help with the effects of hot flashes. There have been studies that show that the intensity of a hot flash was cut by 57% when flaxseed oil was taken regularly.

Other health benefits of flaxseed oil include helping with the treatment of multiple sclerosis, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes mellitus. Flaxseed oil has been known to improve the perception of colors and eyesight in general. It can relieve side effects from many forms of cancer, and even stop the development of this disease. Taking flaxseed oil can lower high blood pressure in people who suffer from hypertension.

There are many health benefits of flaxseed oil, and the results can be seen both on the inside and the outside of the body. Adding flaxseed oil to your diet will improve many aspects of your health.

Top 5 Benefits of Fish Oil

NHE — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 09:06:20 +0000

Fish oil is a dietary supplement derived from the fatty tissue of oily fish such as tuna, salmon, and mackerel. This oil has many benefits when it comes to your health. This oil contains DHA and EPA fatty acids, which play and extremely important role in proper brain function, a healthy nervous system, and good eyesight. When taking an extra supplement of fish oil, there are many different benefits you will notice.

Reduces Likelihood of Cancer

Studies have shown that ingesting fish oil can help reduce the chances of developing any type of cancer. The fatty acids in the fish oil help to stop the development of cancer in healthy cells, and also reduces death of healthy cells, while increasing the death of cancer cells.

Helps Depression

The use of fish oil has been linked to not only preventing, but helping to treat depression. (natural cures for depression) It has even proved helpful in fighting depression that was caused by another psychiatric illnesses such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and ADHD.

Eyesight

The omega-3 acids in fish oil can help improve eye function, and keep the eyes from becoming dry. If a fish oil supplement is taken for a long period of time, it can even reduce eye sight loss due to old age.

Pregnancy

Fish oil is good for both a pregnant woman, and her developing baby. It reduces incidence of postpartum depression, low birth weight, and premature delivery. Fish oil also helps the baby to develop healthy brain tissue, and helps reduce the chance of allergies for the newborn.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Arthritis is caused by inflammation in the joints. The omega-3 acids in fish oil are highly effective at combating this inflammation, and reducing the pain associated with arthritis. (Natural cures for arthritis)

Cardiovascular Problems

Fish oil helps to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system, and helps in treating those with cardiovascular disease. The Omega-3 acids help to regulate cholesterol in the body when taken regularly.

Neurodegenerative Diseases

Recent studies from Louisiana State University have shown that fish oil can help protect the brain from Alzheimer’s disease, and other cognitive problems. Fish oil helps to get rid of, and reduce formation of beta-amyloid plaque, which in a sense “clogs up” the brain in Alzheimer’s patients. Other diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, seems to also be helped and prevented by fish oil. Dr. Nicolas Bazan, Director of the Neuroscience Center of Excellence has released findings that fish oil helps by preventing a “misfolding” of a specific protein, which is caused by gene mutation in Huntington’s and Parkinson’s disease.

The best way to add fish oil to your diet is by adding more fish. The more oily fish you consume, the more omega-3 acids you have in your body. It is difficult to get the recommended amounts of fish oil buy eating habits alone, however, so many fish oil supplements have been made available in the form of pill or liquid drops.

Photo by hitthatswitch

Natural Ways To Improve Vision

NHE — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 09:17:07 +0000

Some lucky folks are born with perfect vision but for the others who are not there are ways to fix and improve the vision. For some people their vision is so blurry that getting a pair of glasses or contact lesnses is really the most effective way to improve their vision. One of the first steps to improving the vision is going for a visit with the eye doctor. The opthomologist can give you a good eye test to figure out what exactly is wrong with the eyes and the visual strength of each eye. One eye may be stronger than the other eye and in that case getting glasses with lenses that equal out the strength of the eyes can improve the vision.

Improve Your Vision Naturally

There are certain vitamins and minerals that are essential for the human body to function properly and without them the body will not function at it’s peak. There are certain vitamins that can be consumed specifically to improve the vision. Some of these vitamins are found in the foods you may already be eating. If you are not consuming enough of these essential vitamins the result may be weakened eyesight.

Some of the essential vitamins that can be consumed in foods or taken in vitamin supplements that can improve the vision are vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, Ginko Biloba, and Alpha-Lipoic Acid. Vitamin A is one of the most essential vitamins that contribute to good eye sight. If your vision seems weak it is probably a good idea to take a vitamin A supplement every day. Vitamins A, C, and E work the best when they are taken all together and they work better when taken with food. Vitamin A is more readily absorbed into the body when it is taken with fats so eating a breakfast that includes eggs, another good source of vitamin A, is a good way to take the supplement.

One vegetable that contains a large quantity of vitamin A is carrots. One way to naturally improve vision and especially night vision is to consume carrots regularly in the diet. Carrots contain a lot of carotene that can help you see better in the dark.

The eyes can be strengthened like any other muscle in the body by exercising them. In addition to getting the right amounts of the proper nutrients that can help to improve the eye sight there are also specific eye exercises that can be done to strengthen the muscles in the eyes. It is a good idea to do these exercises at least once a day if you work on a computer and spend a lot of time looking at a computer screen. Giving your eyes a break from staring at the computer will remove some of the strain. If your eyes to begin to feel strained while working at a computer or if you have been looking at something for too long splashing them with cool water will wake up and refresh the eyes.

Photo by kms !

The 4 Main Health Benefits of Liquid Chlorophyll

NHE — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 06:02:08 +0000

I can imagine you now, blinking at the title of this post. “Chlorophyll?” you ask yourself. “Isn’t that something that plants need? I think they told me about it in grade school.” You’re correct! Chlorophyll is often called the “blood” of plant life and is one of the leading components in photosynthesis. It’s what gives plants their distinctive green color. Of course you’re a flesh-and-blood human, not a plant, but ever since a couple of researchers from the University of Florida discovered how to properly preserve chlorophyll, we’ve been able to harness its properties to benefit humankind as well. Starting out mainly as food-coloring, chlorophyll in liquid form has since become a popular dietary supplement for some very good reasons.

1. It replenishes your bloodstream

You know about hemoglobin, right? No, he wasn’t the villain in the Spiderman comics. We’re talking about what Wikipedia describes as “the iron-containing oxygen-transport metalloprotein in the red blood cells of vertebrates.” Basically, it’s the substance in your blood that gets oxygen and iron to all the right places in your body, and in fact aside from water it’s the largest component within your blood.

Chlorophyll’s molecular structure is nearly exactly that of hemoglobin – the only difference is that instead of iron chlorophyll contains magnesium. The components of chlorophyll get redistributed in the body to replenish blood cells, and that means oxygen gets more quickly and evenly distributed in your body, which in turn means you’ll be feeling more alert, energized and focused.

2. It aids muscle building

We’re starting to see liquid chlorophyll appear more and more often in fitness and bodybuilding nutrition retailers, and that’s because its aforementioned blood replenishing abilities also mean that blood is going to be pumping much more into muscle tissue. We already told you liquid chlorophyll is made up of magnesium, but it also has iron, vitamin C and K, folic acid, and protein which are all vital ingredients in strengthening and maintaining healthy muscle tissue. It might not make you Arnold overnight, but chlorophyll can make your workouts more effective for sure.

3. It cleanses the body

I dislike the nebulous term “toxins” because of its use in any number of silly health products products (remember those detox foot pads?), but chlorophyll’s been found to accelerate the removal of waste in the body, and that’s always a good thing. It removes old material in the liver, eliminates bacteria in the colon, and eats up heavy metals that could potentially form kidney stones. You’ll be getting over sickness faster – not to mention you’re more likely to be regular!

4. It makes you smell better

Of all the health benefits of liquid chlorophyll, probably the most immediate and tangible is that it just makes you smell better. Seriously! Chlorophyll is a certified deodorizer mainly because of the cleansing aspects already explained above: having a clean digestive tract means there’s less nasty stuff in your body to stink up your breath, and the less waste in your body, the less likely your sweat will contain body odor. In fact, many liquid chlorophyll supplements advertise themselves primarily as an internal deodorant!

Liquid chlorophyll is widely available online and at nutritional stores for great prices: usually between $7 – 10. It’s easy to take advantage of liquid chlorophyll’s benefits. It won’t make you green, though, which I guess depending on your point of view could be a good or bad thing.

photo by wakalani

11 Health Benefits of Aloe Vera Juice

NHE — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 09:12:26 +0000

The aloe vera plant is amazing, having many healing properties to it. The leaves of the plant are where you will find the yellow-colored liquid that can work wonders. You may already know that aloe vera gel can be very beneficial to the skin, helping with sunburn, insect bites, rashes, cuts, and the like. The reason is because aloe vera is an anti-fungal as well as an anti-bacterial. It also helps with the regeneration of cells. So the application of aloe vera gel to the skin can greatly benefit common skin ailments and help in the healing process.

But maybe you didn’t know that aloe vera comes in other forms, which also have their own set of benefits. Let’s take aloe vera juice. Here is a short list of what this very healthy juice can do for you.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF ALOE VERA JUICE

Aids in the elimination of constipation.
Aids in digestion and helps with stomachaches and heartburn.
Helps to regulate blood sugars.
Detoxifies the body and colon.
Helps with weight loss by increasing metabolic rate to burn more calories.
Improves circulation.
Aids in healing damage to internal tissues.
Regulates blood pressure.
Strengthens immune system.
Retards the growth of cancerous tumors.
Helps to reduce inflammation.

Side Effects of Drinking Aloe Vera Juice

It is recommended that you drink no more than two to four ounces a day of aloe vera juice. That is the required amount for maintaining health and is all you need. If you take more, you can experience side effects, such as liver dysfunction, nausea and allergic reactions. But if you adhere to the recommended amount per day, you will see the wonderful benefits of this amazing plant.

Aloe vera is also available in supplements, such as tablets and capsules. This is a very quick and easy way to get the beneficial effects of aloe vera into your system. If you lead a busy lifestyle and do not have the time to drink aloe vera juice, taking the recommended dose in tablet or capsule form will probably work out very well for you. Your local health food store will most likely carry aloe vera in its different forms.

The health benefits of aloe vera are many, and this amazing plant can help you not just on the outside by aiding your skin, but on the inside as well. Be certain to keep some aloe vera gel always on hand for skin ailments, especially if you have children. And aloe vera juice or supplements are a great way to help your body internally. You may even want to do some research online or purchase a book or two about aloe vera to learn more about this miracle plant. The personnel at your local health food store probably also have a wealth of information on the aloe vera plant.

Aloe vera is truly amazing. Introduce the wonderful benefits of this plant into your life and you will see what it can do for you.

Photo by Powerhouse Museum