Going Beyond Muscle Building with Whey Protein

In addition to building muscle and boosting antioxidant levels in healthy people, whey protein might be the best supplement today for liver and immune health!

So Much More from Whey

When you get to the topic of whey protein, you receive much more than simply increased muscle mass—for those seeking immune or liver health support in particular, the whey protein story gets especially exciting.  

It’s well documented that whey supplementation and proper exercise helps the body to lose fat and retain or build lean muscle. The latest study was published in the August 4, 2009 online edition of Clinical Nutrition and looked at patients with recent hip fractures. It showed that whey increases insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) by nearly 30 percent in elderly hip fracture patients. IGF-I is necessary for stimulating muscle and bone growth and repair and is associated with human growth hormone levels.
 

Whey Bests Soy and Casein Proteins in Recent Study

So many new studies have come out in support of whey protein over other protein sources. One of the most exciting recent studies matched whey against casein and soy isolate, two other common sources of protein.  Whey left its competitors in the dust.

The September 2009 Journal of Applied Physiology compared whey with soy and casein and found it to be far superior for muscle synthesis.  The study took place at McMaster University and was designed to compare the acute response of mixed muscle protein synthesis (MPS) to rapidly absorbed protein powders both at rest and after exercise. Three groups of healthy young men performed leg resistance exercise followed by the consumption of a drink containing whey protein, casein or soy protein isolate.

The differences were enormous. Amazingly, the MPS after consumption of whey was approximately 93 percent greater than casein and approximately 18 percent greater than soy. “A similar result was observed after exercise (whey > soy > casein); MPS following whey consumption was approximately 122 percent greater than casein and 31 percent greater than soy. MPS was also greater with soy consumption at rest (64 percent) and following resistance exercise (69 percent) compared with casein.”

Strengthening Immune Health

Shoppers might not realize whey is rich in immunoglobulins, protein molecules called bioactive peptides, that play a role in your body’s immune defense. Whey has a fabulous ability to raise antioxidant activity throughout the body. This is important for all of us but especially for select population groups, as we will share in a moment.  

Glutathione (GSH), one of the body’s primary antioxidants, protects your liver and other organs; it also helps your white blood cells to proliferate and to do their job. A few select supplements have been shown to elevate glutathione levels. Whey, however, might be best of all, as reported in the February 2001 issue of the European Journal of Nutrition, “Supplementation with whey proteins persistently increased plasma glutathione levels in patients…” In September 2007, the International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition, reported that among 18 healthy men and 18 healthy women over a two-week period, “Whey protein supplementation of 45 g/day for 2 weeks can increase lymphocyte GSH by 24%.”

Attention, Liver Health Patients more Good Antioxidant News

The June 2009 issue of the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology reports that whey is critical for liver health patients. Many people have fatty inflammatory liver disease due to obesity, diabetes, environmental toxicity, alcohol abuse, or use of street and prescription drugs. They note glutathione depletion contributes to liver injury and development of steatohepatitis, otherwise known as inflammatory fatty liver.  
The following study evaluated the effect of oral supplementation with whey protein on patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
In an open-labeled clinical trial, 38 patients (18 male, 20 female) were given a daily dose of 20 grams whey protein isolate for 12 weeks.  Researchers found that overall liver health improved with a significant reduction in previously elevated levels of liver enzymes coming to the conclusion, “Plasma glutathione and total antioxidant capacity increased significantly at the end of study… The results indicate that oral supplementation of cysteine-rich whey protein isolate leads to improvements in liver biochemistries, increased plasma GSH, total antioxidant capacity and reduced hepatic macrovesicular steatosis in NASH patients.”

Very Good for Your Heart

The July 2009 issue of Nutrition Journal reports whey protein is also a source of bioactive peptides and helps improve the vascular endothelial response of healthy individuals by supporting nitric oxide production, which helps to relax blood vessels. This could help people to maintain healthy blood pressure. 

At the 11th International Congress on Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy (held in 2002 by the International Society of Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy, May 18-21 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada) researchers reported that whey supplements resulted in a significant reduction in blood pressure levels by the end of the first week of treatment. This effect was maintained throughout the study. Treatment significantly reduced acetycholinesterase (ACE) activity while ACE activity remained mostly unchanged by the control protein. “In our study, hydrolyzed whey proteins significantly reduce BP, likely by altering ACE activity and bradykinin levels,” concluded the team. A 5 mm Hg decrease in blood pressure has been equated with a 16 percent decrease in heart disease, the leading cause of death globally.

These great studies are just the beginning of the vast health benefits from whey. It truly is a super food.  So how do you get the best? 

How to Find a Quality Whey Supplement

Finding a quality whey supplement doesn’t have to be difficult. Metabolic Response Modifiers (MRM) has made it their mission to produce the highest quality supplements on earth.

First, let’s look at their standards. They combine ultra-filtered, low temperature processed whey protein concentrate with crossflow microfiltered whey protein isolate. These specialized processing systems provide a High Biological Value (HBV) whey supplement in the form of short and long chain peptides to increase protein retention. Their whey is remarkably high in branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), including leucine, the most necessary for maintaining metabolic rate (energy) especially during dieting or periods in between meals.  In addition, so many protein supplements either don’t taste very good or use artificial flavors or sweeteners among other additives. MRM’s products come by their great taste using quality all natural ingredients with no added sugar.  They offer pure whey in vanilla and chocolate; however, they continue to match their exceptionally high quality whey with other health promoting partners. You get to pick and choose which formulas serves your needs—and this is where their approach becomes so unique.
 

Here are their two latest: 

Fruit-N-Whey™ delivers over 3500 ORAC units per serving of natural potent antioxidants, plus BCAA-rich whey protein in a delicious mix great for the blender or shaker.

Most of us have an increasingly hectic lifestyle, which makes meeting nutritional needs more and more difficult. Getting the recommended daily amount of fruits is vital to providing your body with potent antioxidants to counteract free radicals and prevent the damage they inevitably produce. Equally important is maintaining proper protein intake throughout the day to maintain optimal metabolic function.

Everyday stress, environmental pollutants, natural metabolic processes and exercise generate different types of free radicals. MRM’s BeneFruit Blend combines the vitality of 10 fruits all known to be packed with an assortment of antioxidants to provide a broad spectrum of antioxidant protection. The Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) assay demonstrates the total antioxidant power of a sample, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommending a daily intake between 3,000 and 5,000 units. 

Flax-N-Whey™ should also be worked into the mix because it provides both whey and omega-3 fatty acids. The key ingredient Flax3™ contains a gently processed, solublized flax meal combined with an ultra-refined stabilized source of marine omega-3 fatty acids to deliver a robust matrix of 36 mg of EPA and DHA combined with 540 mg of ALA from flax per serving. Stability of these essential fats is maintained by an array of natural antioxidants found in flaxseed which act synergistically to protect these precious oils. Flax3™ contains large amounts of phytoestrogens, known as lignans, which provide tremendous estrogen balancing support. This is a great supplement since everyone should be obtaining omega-3s from both marine and terrestrial sources such as flax.

Making whey protein part of your diet is a great way to maintain your overall antioxidant levels and health while building lean muscle and maintaining good circulatory and heart function—all of this from a most amazing supplement.   

Resources

Whey Protein from MRM combines the nutrients and  phytonutrients detailed into a formula that represents value and quality.  All MRM formulas are available at health food stores, natural product supermarkets, and from natural pharmacies. To find a store near you or for more information, please call 
1-800-948-6296, or visit 
www.mrm-usa.com.

Uncomfortable stomach sensation just after eating—that is how many people describe their first sign of gluten intolerance—if they have ever heard of gluten intolerance at all!
Discoveries from nutritional science, research, and media attention have greatly increased public awareness of gluten intolerance and its symptoms, which include gas, bloating, muscle cramping, headaches, and fatigue. Health experts have linked gluten intolerance with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), celiac disease (CD), Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis, and other gut-wrenching disorders. But now thanks to extensive research, health experts say that these symptoms and others can be helped by gluten-free living.

What is Gluten?

Gluten is a protein substance that remains when starch is removed from cereal grains; it gives cohesiveness to dough. Gluten includes the proteins gliadin and glutenin, which are found in grains such as wheat, barley, and rye. Its proteins and proline-rich peptides are surrounded by enzyme-resistant carbohydrate-based molecules that defy digestion by the body’s supply of gluten-digesting enzymes. Once shepherded into the stomach, gluten’s peptides pass through the gastrointestinal membrane. They have been linked with unfavorable alterations in the immune cells such as leukocytes, leading to allergic, autoimmune and immune overreactions.

Difficult to Avoid

Yet, even the most dedicated shoppers find it nearly impossible to eliminate gluten from their diets. Although gluten is not found in oats, cross contamination of oats during post-harvest handling and production can lead to traces in finished oat products. Gluten is not listed on labels, but is found in many additives, thickeners and stabilizers such as malt vinegar, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, soy sauce, cereal products, modified starch, and vegetable gum. Also, dining out can present problems when it comes to avoiding gluten. This makes gluten-free living trying, at best.

Help is on the Way

Many of the world’s leading gluten experts and researchers are now finding that gluten-related health conditions, especially IBS and CD, respond favorably to digestive enzymes that work by assisting the body in breaking down difficult-to-digest peptides found in gluten. The body has a gluten-specific digestive enzyme known as dipeptidyl peptidase or DPP IV that, when supplied in supplement form, “plays a significant role in the hydrolysis of prolyl peptides and assimilation of proline-rich proteins,” say researchers reporting in the July 1993 issue of American Journal of Physiology. The use of DPP IV is further supported by research in the October 2002 issue of the American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology (283;4:G996-G1003). Researchers found that DPP IV was instrumental in the breakdown of gluten’s peptides. “These results suggest a possible enzyme therapy strategy for celiac disease, for which the only current therapeutic option is strict exclusion of gluten-containing food.” In the May 2007 issue of the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology, researchers noted that people with gluten intolerance have “deficient activity” of gluten-digesting enzymes.

MRM’s Gluten FREE™ to the Rescue

Gluten FREE™ from MRM provides a valuable proteolytic enzyme blend with DPP IV activity. But, what makes the Gluten FREE formula different than any other is that it also has a contingent of carbohydrate- and cellulose-digesting enzymes that breakdown the carbohydrate outer cover protecting the gluten peptide, allowing DPP IV to do its job

more efficiently. Plus, it also contains lactase, necessary for proper digestion of milk sugars, which can play a role in exacerbating gastrointestinal membrane permeability.

Going gluten-free is extremely difficult these days because of the widespread, undisclosed presence of gluten in prepared foods. But with the help of MRM’s Gluten FREE to digest the very peptides that are the cause of your discomfort, you can make a huge change in your life and truly eliminate gluten intolerance.

Oral Chelation Therapy and Heart Health

Oral chelation works to "cleanse" the blood of metallic pollutants in the bloodstream, thus preventing their concentration in the arteries. This alternative approach to heart and circulatory health includes ethylenediamine-tetra-acetic acid (EDTA)—a stabilizer used in the food industry for years to maintain food color and flavor—as a premiere oral chelation agent. It appears to be completely safe, nontoxic, and actually works, according to studies.

It was in the 1950s when doctors using EDTA chelation to treat patients with lead poisoning noticed the simultaneous disappearance of cardiovascular symptoms. Dr. Norman Clarke noted that after several chelation treatments, one patient experienced complete relief of angina pectoris pain. Between the years of 1956 and 1960, Dr. Clarke’s patients showed an impressive 87 percent improvement in symptoms of coronary artery disease following a series of chelation treatments.

How does chelation therapy work? A recent study indicated that EDTA treatment of lead poisoning reduced lead blood levels. It was later theorized that EDTA removes other unwanted toxic metals, such as calcium from arterial plaque. This might be so. But there is another explanation of how EDTA helps support heart and circulatory health. The very removal of lead and other heavy metals certainly aids blood flow and reduces blood pressure. It is important to realize that some essential nutrients necessary to heart health can be displaced or bodily absorption impaired by toxic metals. Chelation using EDTA has shown the unique ability to bind to many of the minerals involved in free radical pathology, and free radical pathology causes damage to the lining of the arteries. What we do know is that respected physicians throughout the United States use chelation therapy, both orally and intravenously, and enough patients love the results to make this a thriving area of complementary medicine.

In the early 1980s, 2,870 patients at the Clinica Tuffik Mattar in Sao Paulo, Brazil, were treated with EDTA chelation. The results were impressive, with 89 percent of all treated patients showing marked or good improvement in atherosclerosis symptoms. Also in the early 1980s, Dr. Richard Casdorph, then Chief of Medicine at Long Beach Community Hospital and assistant professor of medicine at University of California, Irvine, observed similar results in patients with arteriosclerotic heart disease and reduced cerebral blood flow. All of the patients in his studies showed significant clinical improvement as well as enhanced blood flow.

Advantages of Oral EDTA

Studies suggest oral EDTA is an effective chelator for removing toxic heavy metals and minerals from the body, and that it also works to promote heart and circulatory health. According to some doctors, the absorption and effectiveness of one month's consumption of an oral chelation product produces effects similar to one three-hour intravenous chelation session.

"Take a man who is 80. His aorta has 140 times more calcium than when he was a child of 10," says one medical expert. "This means that over time, his arteries are turning to stone. In fact, we could live to 120 years or our full life span if we could avoid such hardening of the arteries, the skin and other collagen-based tissues."

This further accumulation of calcium and other toxic metals in the arteries leading to their hardening is thought to be reversible with oral chelation. Many of the toxins drawn out by EDTA also stimulate excessive free radical damage to the body's tissues. (Free radicals are unstable molecules, missing an electron, that zip about the body’s tissues, seeking a matching electron. They end up damaging cell membranes and DNA. Because EDTA removes these free radical-causing toxins, your body’s arteries, cell membranes, DNA, enzyme systems, and cholesterol all benefit.)

"I, too, have seen and heard of dramatic clinical improvements in very debilitated patients who had used only oral chelation as a treatment," says longevity expert Ward Dean, M.D. "I doubt whether such reversals of what were considered irreversible conditions (atherosclerosis, dementia, diabetes, hypertension) would be due only to EDTA's anticoagulant effect. I believe oral EDTA also positively influences mineral metabolism (similar to the effect of intravenous chelation), and it may have other effects as well. I'm not sure whether we really know exactly what all of the mechanisms (and/or benefits for that matter) of EDTA chelation are."

But there are many more benefits to oral chelation, adds Robert J. Rowen, M.D., of Second Opinion newsletter. "There's scientific evidence that long-term exposure to low levels of lead may contribute to chronic renal disease, and that chelation therapy may slow or reverse the progression of kidney impairment," he says. "Of course, low-level lead is also associated with brain dysfunction, cancer development, dementia, bone marrow disease, organ dysfunction, and more. The bones are the greatest reservoir of lead in the body. You can be exposed to a very toxic load of lead today, easily measurable in the blood for just a few days. It then disappears from measurement, as it's taken up and stored in bone (actually the body's short-term means of reducing toxicity), only to be slowly released over the years, as the bones remodel or thin. (Hence, a static single blood or urine measurement is a very poor way to assess total body burden of lead). If you have osteoporosis, oral chelation is something you need to seriously consider. A 2002 article from Harvard researchers indicated osteoporosis patients are exposed to a significant release of the lead, which was released from their failing bones. I've observed significant improvement in the mental well-being of my chelation patients. A recent report in a psychiatric journal confirms improvement in a wide variety of such symptoms. Neurasthenic (mental) and nonspecific multi-organ symptoms improve significantly following oral EDTA chelation therapy, resulting in a marked improvement in the overall quality of life."

References
Uhl, H.S.M., et al. "Effect of ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid (EDT) on cholesterol metabolism in man. Preliminary report of effect of parenteral and oral administration of disodium and calcium salts." Am J Clin Pathol, 1953; 23:1226-1233.

Heart Health Complements

MRM, who has a reputation for quality and innovation and value, supplies two other healthy-heart supplements you might want to consider using along with Cardio-Chelate. ChoLESStat is an all-natural supplement that promotes normal, healthy cholesterol levels with no negative side effects by combining nutrients and phytochemicals.

"One of the most important aspects of products like ChoLESStat is the inclusion of nutraceutical science in supporting healthy levels of cholesterol," says Mark Olson, MRM president and chief executive officer. "We include ingredients like policosanol, which some doctors believe to represent a nutraceutical breakthrough in that it actually outperforms conventional drugs in a number of head-to-head clinical studies." Of course, these studies are all preliminary. But nutraceutical science is clearly detailing effective, safe approaches to support normal cholesterol.

Nutrients in this formula include policosanol, guggulipid, inositol hexaniacinate, beta-sitosterol and Flaphenol™ (an olive leaf/citrus flavonoid-rich extract). Flaphenol is a bio-enhanced mixture of highly absorbable flavonoids and polyphenols, enabling the body to synthesize cholesterol more effectively. Its materials include Spanish olea and other citrus plants to help support cardiovascular health.

Like policosanol, early but preliminary evidence suggests Flaphenol supports normal cholesterol levels as well as some medications—but without any side effects. Again, while the head-to-head contests require more detailed investigation, it is a supportive ingredient in its own right—and fits with the guidelines of natural health and cholesterol. Nutraceutical science is being moved ahead by companies throughout the world, especially in the area of healthy cholesterol.

ChoLESStat also includes beta-sitosterol, a component found in soybeans and rice that has the ability to decrease the absorption of cholesterol into the digestive system. Obtaining optimal amounts of beta-sitosterol through both foods and dietary supplements can help promote a healthy heart and blood circulation.

Vitamin E is a known promoter of health. This fat-soluble vitamin exists in eight different forms, four tocopherols and four tocotrienols, each metabolized into other important compounds. Each form has a specific measure of potency or functional use in the body, and all can be found in Complete E. This is arguably the best vitamin E product today.

Gamma-tocopherol, locked inside of Complete E, has strong anti-inflammatory properties and works to increase the superoxide dismutase, or SOD, a super antioxidant. Meanwhile, gamma-tocotrienol helps inhibit a liver enzyme involved in cholesterol production. These types of tocotrienol-rich supplements work to significantly reduce total cholesterol levels as well as low-density lipoproteins and even triglycerides. Some clinical studies have even shown that tocotrienols might help prevent and even to reverse narrowing of the arteries. Complete E is a full-spectrum vitamin E supplement that also includes the powerful potato-derived antioxidant alpha lipoic acid, and vitamin C. It functions like a super antioxidant, protecting cells from the potentially damaging free radicals (or metabolic byproducts), which can cause the type of cellular damage that contributes to cardiovascular disease and even cancer.

Recommended EDTA-based Formula
Editor's Note: Cardio-Chelate™ from Metabolic Response Modifiers (MRM) was created to meet the needs of those interested in the "alternative" approach to heart and circulatory health. Besides EDTA, the formula also supplies methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), N-acetyl-cysteine and vitamin C.

While EDTA stands alone in its ability to remove toxic metals and abnormally metabolized minerals from the body, its effects can be enhanced by including vitamin C, MSM and N-acetyl-cysteine. These nutrients are vital for supporting the liver during the detoxification process. MSM and NAC are precursors to glutathione, a powerful free radical scavenger involved in the liver’s detoxifying enzyme system. Vitamin C is a proven antioxidant and has been shown to prevent free radical damage to cells in the arteries.

It is important to note that EDTA is sold as a nutritional supplement. It is not a medical drug and it is not intended to cure disease. (It is a preventive in all ways that helps the body maintain healthy function.) Anybody using medical drugs or with any other condition should consult a qualified medical or health expert before undertaking any change in their health program.

Availability
Cardio-Chelate and other MRM products are available nationwide at health food stores and natural product supermarkets, and from health professionals. To find a natural health center in your community carrying them, contact MRM toll-free at (800) 948-6296 or visit their website at www.mrm-usa.com.

Healthy Cholesterol & Blood Sugar start in Your Liver

Your liver influences your levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, insulin sensitivity, detoxification, nutrient utilization, and many other key aspects of health. You just cannot be optimally healthy with your liver health on a downward spiral.

"More than one-third of all people that have heart attacks have total serum cholesterol levels below 200 milligrams per deciliter [mg/dL]," notes Brian Sanderoff, a natural pharmacist who also teaches herbalism and alternative medicine at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. "The truth is that…oxidation of the LDL [low-density lipoprotein or harmful] cholesterol in the body…starts the very complicated cascade of events that leads to the formation of plaques that eventually causes a clogged artery. Usually, the offending substances, the molecules that are oxidizing the LDL cholesterol, are heavy metal toxins that we pick up from our environment, from the food we eat, the water we drink and the air that we breathe." Sanderoff recommends both weight loss and natural agents for lowering cholesterol for reducing overall levels of circulating LDL cholesterol. But he adds: "You must understand, and I can’t stress this enough, an inflated cholesterol level is not about diet; it's about liver function. When the liver is not functioning properly or optimally, that is when the body has a tendency to show the symptom of high cholesterol."

About one-third of the U.S. population who suffer from type 2 diabetes mellitus have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which can lead to cirrhosis.

LiverX^TM from MRM (Metabolic Response Modifiers, a company known for value and quality in your local health food store) contains powerful yet completely safe liver support nutrients and botanicals recommended by experts.

N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) is an altered form of the amino acid cysteine, which is commonly found in food and synthesized by the body. In animals, the antioxidant activity of NAC protects the liver from the adverse effects of exposure to several toxic chemicals. NAC also protects the body from pain medication toxicity and is used in hospitals for patients with acetaminophen poisoning. It has also been shown to be effective at treating liver failure from causes other than acetaminophen poisoning (e.g., hepatitis, and other drug toxicity).

Alpha-lipoic acid (lipoic acid) is a universal antioxidant. It works in both fatty and watery regions of cells to quench free radicals. It also helps to recycle other antioxidants, including vitamins E and C, CoQ10, and glutathione, extending their metabolic life. According to one expert, "Alpha-lipoic acid has been used successfully for the maintenance of liver health and as a treatment for several toxin-related illnesses. Alpha-lipoic acid has been used extensively in Europe for years as a non-toxic nutrient to treat various chemical overdoses such as mushroom poisoning, radiation poisoning and alcoholic hepatitis. It has also been used to treat diabetic neuropathy and elevated liver enzymes. Elevated liver enzymes, which can indicate liver damage, can be a serious problem for people with life threatening diseases. For people who take prescription medications, these same drugs can cause increased liver enzymes. Alpha-lipoic acid may help protect the liver so that you can take certain drugs. Another benefit of alpha-lipoic acid may be its ability to elevate the levels of glutathione (GSH). Low levels of glutathione may cause oxidative stress, and cause inflammation and damage organs." Glutathione is the key antioxidant for maintaining liver health.

Another key liver-health supplement is silymarin. Unfortunately, the body's absorption of this active phytochemical of milk thistle is usually very poor. The type of milk thistle used in LiverX is combined with phosphatidylcholine and proven to be five times more absorbable than non-phytosome formulas. This is important for optimal results. Usual benefits include improvement in aminotransferases and liver function tests.

"Literally hundreds of research studies, mostly in Europe, have confirmed the remarkable ability of milk thistle to protect the liver against virtually all types of damage: from accidental exposure to chemical pollutants, toxic side effects of medications, liver diseases like hepatitis and even the self-inflicted damage from overindulgence of rich food and alcohol," says liver expert Ralph Napolitano.

Picrorhiza kurroa is a well-known herb in the Ayurvedic system of medicine and has traditionally been used to treat disorders of the liver and upper respiratory tract, reduce fevers, and to treat dyspepsia, chronic diarrhea, and scorpion sting.

The hepatoprotective action of Picrorhiza kurroa is not fully understood but may be attributed to its ability to inhibit the generation of oxygen anions and to scavenge free radicals. In rats infected with malaria, Picrorhiza kurroa restored depleted glutathione levels, thereby enhancing detoxification and antioxidation, and helping maintain a normal oxidation-reduction balance. Like milk thistle, Picrorhiza kurroa has been shown to stimulate liver regeneration in rats, possibly via stimulation of nucleic acid and protein synthesis. Although the mechanism is unclear, animal studies indicate the herb's constituents exhibit a strong anticholestatic activity against a variety of liver-toxic substances, appearing to be even more potent than silymarin. Picrorhiza also exhibits a dose-dependent choleretic activity, evidenced by an increase in bile salts and acids, and bile flow. Numerous animal studies, primarily in rats, have demonstrated that the active constituents of Picrorhiza kurroa are effective at preventing liver toxicity and the subsequent biochemical changes caused by numerous toxic agents.

Andrographis paniculata is a native shrub from the Indian subcontinent, where its common name is Kalmegh. In Ayurveda, andrographis is used primarily for sluggish liver and to protect the liver against toxins. Laboratory and clinical trials have demonstrated its effectiveness in cases of toxic liver damage, poor liver function and hepatitis. Traditionally the herb is also used for high blood pressure and modern research has also confirmed its gentle and safe hypotensive effects.

Although the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) recognized it as an essential nutrient only relatively recently, in 1998, choline is essential to liver function. Choline deficiency promotes lipid (fat) accumulation in the liver. Choline deficiency in humans can produce liver abnormalities in just a few weeks, and prolonged deficiency of choline can produce severe liver damage. Health experts believe many people’s diets currently may not deliver enough choline. Fortifying foods and supplements are therefore important.

By addressing your liver health, you are definitely addressing your overall health. If you are overweight or have other signs of NAFLD, consider the use of a quality liver support formula with each of these ingredients. People with high cholesterol and diabetes will especially benefit by supplementing with liver support antioxidants such as found in LiverX. Take care of your liver, so it can take care of you.

The diagnosis of NAFLD is usually suspected in individuals found with asymptomatic elevation of aminotransferases (liver enzymes), radiological findings of fatty liver or unexplained persistent changes in liver texture. Also, obesity, insulin resistance, elevated triglycerides and cholesterol are often signs of NAFLD-afflicted individuals.

Probiotics & Digestive Enzymes Team Up for Your Benefit

The importance of maintaining a healthy balance of intestinal flora is well documented. In fact along with digestive enzymes, probiotics are considered one of the primary supplements to soothe a disturbed gastrointestinal tract.

Both probiotics and digestive enzymes can save the gut from symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome, maldigestion, nutrient malabsorption, and help maintain cell health.

Probiotic supplementation supports healthy digestion and natural immune function by replacing vital intestinal tract organisms lost to antibiotic use, disease, poor diets, stress, viral or fungal infections, or various other digestive problems.

Especially these days, value and quality are both equally important. Unfortunately, finding a quality digestive enzyme and probiotic supplement has never been easy and usually requires a trip to your local health food store. Even there with so many good brands, it is difficult to find one that truly represents value and quality. Plus, to our knowledge, a quality probiotic-digestive enzyme blend combined into a complex, sophisticated formula with proven delivery and benefits has never before been available.

Where Did My Enzymes and Bacteria Go?

Most foods today are so heavily processed and cooked that few of their digestive enzymes or beneficial bacteria remain. Our food—unless we eat raw and organic—is basically sterile and rather than promoting it, it frequently robs the life from our bodies.

Also, when we go to the health food store, unfortunately there are obstacles to delivering active cultures from the shelf to the gut because probiotics have sensitivities to temperature, moisture, air, and pH.

The experts at Metabolic Response Modifiers (MRM) have addressed our concerns with Digest-All IC with patented BIO-tract® delivery technology and a patented LiveBac® tableting process that all work to ensure probiotic viability and benefit. Because of the company's commitment to quality and value throughout its line, we've reported on and recommended MRM's Digest-All formula in past articles in The Doctors' Prescription for Healthy Living. We observed the formula’s mastery of digestive enzymes—the fact that the blend digests all types of food in a necessarily wide pH range unlike other formulas that digest only limited families of nutrients such as fats, carbohydrates, or proteins.

Digest-All IC offers intensive care for your lower GI tract by improving the original formula with a patented delivery technology designed to create a protective barrier between the fragile probiotics and the harsh stomach environment. Once in the small intestines, the protective layer releases the digestive enzymes and live probiotics. Bypassing the harsh stomach environment is essential for the introduction of active cultures to the intestines and cannot be achieved by traditional capsules, powders, or even food.

Digest-All IC's probiotic protection starts long before it gets ingested. The patented LiveBac tableting process was designed to combat the negative effects of heat, air and moisture present during conventional tableting methods. The result is a product that overcomes these obstacles to provide high-viability probiotics with an increased shelf life, even without refrigeration.

Digest-All IC is the nutrition industry's next-generation digestive care complex. Designed to promote a healthy digestive system, its full-spectrum of digestive enzymes is perfectly complemented by the most reliable, shelf-stable bio-delivery system for probiotics available.

This comprehensive collection of enzymes supports optimal digestion, minimizes gas and bloating and maximizes the assimilation of nutrients. With added probiotics, you can also expect improved immune health. Finally, the formula’s unique proprietary blend of ginger, peppermint and triphala soothes, comforts and balances the digestive process. It truly is intensive care for your GI health—and we expect a lot more good things ahead for this formula’s success in helping health-conscious consumers live a truly healthy life with added value and quality.

According to the National Institutes of Health, the average American woman gets less than half her needed calcium from her daily diet. Additionally, people who drink a lot of caffeine, drink alcohol excessively or consume extremely high-protein diets are prone to reduced calcium levels because these are known to deplete the calcium in the body. The National Institutes of Health recommends daily health supplements with calcium for most adults.

Truth be told, everybody needs to supplement with calcium. Even teens. Especially teenaged girls—after all, the teen years are a key period for building a solid foundation of bone health.

But now that doctors around the world are recommending exercise, calcium supplements and vitamin D for bone health, many people buying supplements do so without knowing all of the facts or the science. Here’s one fact that might surprise you:

A type of calcium most women probably don’t even know about is receiving many good reviews in the medical press lately. It might even outperform typically available calcium.

Known as microcrystalline hydroxyapatite, this mineral-rich mixture might well outperform many of the most popular forms of calcium and actually help some of the commonly used prescription drugs for osteoporosis to do an even better job, according to the latest studies.

The November-December 2008 issue of Menopause (15;6:1132-8) featured an article by researchers from the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain, who wanted to compare the efficacy and safety of adding microcrystalline hydroxyapatite compound (MCHC) or calcium carbonate (CC) to raloxifene (RLX) therapy for controlling bone loss in postmenopausal women. (Raloxifene is an oral selective estrogen receptor modulator [SERM] that has estrogenic actions on bone and anti-estrogenic actions on the uterus and breast.) Ninety postmenopausal women were assigned to treatment with RLX plus MCHC or RLX plus CC for up to 3 years in an open-label, comparative study. Ultrasound measurement was used to evaluate mean changes in bone mineral density. The researchers concluded that the use of MCHC “appears to be more effective in controlling bone loss than RLX plus CC for the control of bone loss in postmenopausal women.”

The long-term benefits of hydroxyapatite compounds, used in Europe for osteoporosis prevention, had not been previously reported widely until another recent study from Clinical Drug Investigations was published in 2007 (27;4:227-32).

The aim of this study was to assess the long-term efficacy of MCHC in postmenopausal women with bone mineral density (BMD) in the osteopenia range. (Osteopenia is a pre-osteoporotic condition of rapid bone loss.) Some 112 postmenopausal women participated. Again, the researchers said that MCHC “could be an effective and safe agent for the prevention of bone loss in postmenopausal osteopenic women, with significant increases in BMD being observed in this group of patients.”

Even more convincing, we see the beneficial changes occurring within the body’s own bone remodeling processes. In the March 2004 issue of Climacteric (7;1:33-40) in an article titled “Comparison of the effects of two different types of calcium supplementation on markers of bone metabolism in a postmenopausal osteopenic population with low calcium intake: a double-blind placebo-controlled trial,” researchers from the Centre for Metabolic Bone Disease, University of Hull, Hull Infirmary, UK, compared the efficacy and tolerability of 500 mg/day of calcium in the form of MCHC versus 500 mg/day of tricalcium phosphate (TCP) and placebo in the prevention of postmenopausal bone loss. The researchers opined that while both MCHC and TCP “were well tolerated and significantly reduced bone turnover markers,” the effect of MCHC “seems slightly superior to that of tricalcium phosphate.”

“What we have found is that MCHC contains not yet well characterized proteins and peptide fragments that we believe are working with the bones’ osteoblasts stimulating reuptake of calcium into the bones,” says Mark Olson, CEO of Metabolic Response Modifiers (MRM).

If you’re going to try MCHC, one rule of thumb is to avoid MCHC from China, due to potential lack of quality control. Seek MCHC from Australia and New Zealand. This provides an extremely active peptide-rich source of bone-building nutrients.

Bone Maximizer™ III from MRM supplies not only 4,000 milligrams of peptide-rich MCHC from Australia and New Zealand in only three capsules, but also supplies the sunshine vitamin D, which is absolutely essential for calcium absorption and overall immune health; magnesium, boron and zinc, major and trace minerals critical to bone and collagen health; glucosamine sulfate and methylsulfonyl methane for maintaining healthy flexibility and cushioning; and vitamins C and K, for building the bone matrix. N

Resources

Bone Maximizer III is available at natural health retailers nationwide. To find a store near you or for more information, please call 1-800-948-6296 or visit www.mrm-usa.com.

The death rates for heart disease and stroke each dropped by about 30 percent between 1999 and 2006, allowing American Heart Association to reach its 2010 goal of a 25 percent reduction in deaths four years early.

While it’s wonderful news, there’s still much progress to be made in terms of fighting heart disease. “Although death rates are declining, several of the risk factors leading to heart disease are increasing,” says Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum of Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, an American Heart Association spokeswoman. “There is an increase in obesity, diabetes and physical inactivity, which all lead to heart disease and stroke.”

Prevention—The Best Approach

The best strategy remains prevention—and that means taking a holistic approach to your health that incorporates diet, lifestyle, exercise, stress reduction, and maintaining emotional and mental well-being.

Diet, in particular, plays a key factor in heart disease prevention. The foods you eat and your nutritional intake can go a long way in supporting heart health.

For example, garlic and wild salmon are two powerfully healthy foods for your heart and your blood circulation.

No question that bananas and orange juice, rich in potassium, deliver powerful heart health benefits. Pomegranate juice and green tea are also heart healthy beverages. Both of these powerful foods supply extra antioxidants to your body, and antioxidants are major long-term protectors of your heart and arteries.

However, although there are many foods that are part of a heart-healthy diet, you might not always eat them often enough to get optimal amounts of their nutrients.

Organ meats are rich in coenzyme Q10, but most people won’t eat organs. Similarly, sardines and salmon are rich in not only heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids but also acetyl-l-carnitine, which is critical to maintaining the health of your heart cells, but not enough of us consume enough seafood or other meats and dairy that also contain these nutrients. Ditto for another important heart-health antioxidant called alpha-lipoic acid. Good food sources of alpha-lipoic acid include spinach, broccoli, beef, yeast (particularly brewer’s yeast), and certain organ meats (such as the kidney and heart).

As for vitamin E, another important heart-health nutrient, you would have to consume a pound of butter daily to obtain enough!

Supplements for a Healthy Heart

Supplements are designed to keep you staying healthy and to avoid costly problems down the road. Their cost is insignificant when compared to their benefits in helping to prevent and delay the onset of challenging health conditions.

Metabolic Response Modifiers (MRM) offers three vital supplement formulas that, taken together, will provide your body with all of these heart-healthy nutrients.

ChoLESStat—MRM’s formula designed to support healthy cholesterol levels contains Flaphenol, a homogeneous extract derived from the Spanish olea and other citrus plants, that delivers the antioxidant and cholesterol health benefits of flavonoids and polyphenols. The plant matter is intricately mixed before extraction, then crystallized to enhance the water-soluble properties. This bio-enhancement makes the flavonoids and polyphenols highly absorbable, enabling the body to synthesize cholesterol more effectively. Preliminary evidence suggests Flaphenol supports normal cholesterol levels just as well as prescription medications but without drug-related side effects.

Policosanol, also part of ChoLESStat, is a mixture of fatty acids derived from sugar cane, rice bran, or the wax of honey bees. These fatty acids work to support healthy cholesterol by several mechanisms, including blocking the formation of cholesterol in the liver.

ChoLESStat’s guggulipid, a resinous herb from India, supports healthy cholesterol levels in the blood. In recent clinical trials, patients using guggulipid had an overall cholesterol decline in the range of 14 to 27 percent. Inositol hexanicotinate is a variety of niacin that does not cause skin flushing and risk of liver damage, like some other forms of niacin. It decreases free-fatty-acid mobilization and synthesis of very low-density lipoproteins in the liver; this results in a decrease in LDLs, total cholesterol and triglycerides. Finally, ChoLESStat contains betasitosterol, a component found in soybeans and rice, that has been shown to decrease the absorption of cholesterol into the digestive system.

Co-Q10 with L-Carnitine—MRM delivers one of the highest quality L-carnitine products you can find in liquid form for maximum absorption and combines it with coenzyme Q10 for maximum heart health support. Studies suggest that people who take L-carnitine supplements soon after suffering a heart attack may be less likely to suffer a subsequent heart attack, die of heart disease, experience chest pain and abnormal heart rhythms, or develop congestive heart failure (CHF). (CHF is a condition that leads to a backup of blood into the lungs and legs because the heart loses its ability to pump blood efficiently.)

In addition, people with coronary artery disease who use L-carnitine along with standard medications may be able to sustain physical activity for longer periods of time.

In addition to reducing one’s chances of developing heart failure after a heart attack, some studies suggest that L-carnitine may help treat CHF once it has set in. These studies have shown that L-carnitine may improve exercise capacity in people with CHF.

In several studies, people who took L-carnitine supplements had a significant lowering of their total cholesterol and triglycerides, and an increase in their HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels.

Decreased blood flow to the legs from atherosclerosis (plaque buildup) often causes an aching or cramping pain in the legs while walking or exercising difficult. This pain is called intermittent claudication and the diminished blood flow to the legs is called peripheral vascular disease (PVD). At least one well-designed study suggests that carnitine supplements may improve muscle function and exercise capacity in those with PVD. In other words, people with PVD may be able to walk farther and longer if they take carnitine.

Complete E—When someone mentions vitamin E, most of us never consider the fact that vitamin E is actually a family of related compounds and that many of these close cousins are also very powerful health promoters.

The vitamin E family consists of at least eight different compounds: four tocopherols and four tocotrienols (designated as alpha, beta, gamma, and delta). Each of these is metabolized in the body into other important healthful compounds. Tocotrienols are most abundant in cereal grains including barley, rice, rye, and wheat, and the fruit of palm.

Unfortunately, the common commercial sources of natural vitamin E (soy, corn, cottonseed, canola, and sunflower oil distillates) contain little or no tocotrienols. What’s more, synthetic vitamin E contains only alpha-tocopherol, and one of the other tocopherols and tocotrienols.

We now know that:

• Gamma-tocopherol has stronger anti-inflammatory properties than alpha-tocopherol and appears to be more potent than alpha-tocopherol in increasing activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), a major antioxidant enzyme, in plasma and arterial tissues.
• Gamma-tocotrienol inhibits a specific liver enzyme involved in cholesterol production, which results in less cholesterol being manufactured by liver cells.

MRM’s full-spectrum vitamin E supplement is one of the best available today and comes highly recommended by our health researchers. Not only is it rich in all of the known tocopherol isomers of vitamin E, it also supplies all of the known tocotrienols, along with vitamin C palmitate and a small amount of alpha-linolenic acid, which aids the body’s utilization and recycling of vitamin E.

Resources

To find the nutrients discussed in this article, look for ChoLESStat, Co-Q10 with L-Carnitine, and Complete E from Metabolic Response Modifiers (MRM). Known for delivering extremely high quality supplements, their products are available at health food stores and natural product supermarkets nationwide. To find a natural health center in your community carrying them, contact MRM toll-free at 800-948-6296 or visit their website atwww.mrm-usa.com.

Are you trying to lose weight or build more muscle—or do both?

Are you trying to help shift your body's fat-to-lean muscle ratio?

How about going through chemotherapy? Indeed, if you answered yes to any of these questions, you are definitely a candidate for a quality protein supplement.

it's true that as people age and sometimes even lose weight, their body composition shifts from muscle to fat—but it doesn't have to be this way. The right intake of quality protein can shift this balance back in favor of building muscle. In addition, research from the University of Illinois shows that a moderately high protein diet may be best for losing weight. One of the very best protein sources today is whey. In fact, the more we learn about this amazing protein source obtained from dairy, the more excited we have become over its prospects for maintaining healthy weight and musculature for everybody—from athletes to weekend warriors and even senior citizens.

A Whey of Life

Consider the following health headline from the March 2008 online issue of Nutrition & Metabolism: "A whey-protein supplement increases fat loss and spares lean muscle in obese subjects: a randomized human clinical study."

A whey fraction high in the essential amino acid leucine (which must be obtained from dietary sources), bioactive peptides and milk calcium was used as a dietary supplement to enhance weight loss. Subjects were put on a low-calorie diet and consumed the whey fraction or a placebo beverage 20 minutes before breakfast and 20 minutes before dinner. Both groups lost a significant amount of weight. But the whey fraction group "lost significantly more body fat and showed a greater preservation of lean muscle compared to subjects consuming the control beverage….The results have practical significance."

Indeed, these findings are confirmed by the clinical work of researcher Donald K. Layman, professor of nutrition in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign (and published in the February 2003 issue of the Journal of Nutrition). His team's findings suggest that eating more high-quality protein will increase the amount of leucine in the diet, helping a person maintain muscle mass and reduce body fat during weight loss. Maintaining muscle during weight loss efforts is essential because it helps the body burn more calories. Whey protein, by the way, contains more leucine than milk, egg, or soy protein.

In Layman's study, both diet groups lost a similar amount of weight, about 16 pounds, but the leucine-rich group lost more body fat and less muscle mass than the control group. Those who followed the high-protein diet lost two pounds more of body fat, yet maintained one pound more muscle mass than the control group.

The Whey to Lose Weight

Don't think just any protein source will do.

Whey might be even better than meat protein. A June 2004 study from the Journal of Nutrition showed that whey protein is more effective than red meat in reducing body weight gain and—for anybody with blood sugar imbalances—increasing insulin sensitivity. Researchers from Australia's University of Adelaide and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (also based in Adelaide) put obese rats on high-protein diets emphasizing either whey protein concentrate or red meat for six weeks. The high dietary protein from either diet in fact reduced energy intake and visceral, subcutaneous and carcass fat; however, increasing the dietary density of whey protein, but not of red meat, reduced body weight gain by 4 percent and plasma insulin concentration by 40 percent. The whey-based diet increased insulin sensitivity compared to meat protein.

Whey protein also contains two unique bioactive peptides that, in turn, stimulate release of two appetite-suppressing hormones: cholecystokinin (CCK) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). Studies support the notion that whey protein provides greater dietary satiety than casein, the other dairy protein. Anybody for a whey protein shake to quell midday munchies?

Studies show that achieving and maintaining a healthy weight can add years to your life and help prevent weight-related complications, including diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Diet plays a key role in any weight-management program, and adding a quality protein often helps make a positive difference.

Why are we talking about protein supplements? Well, once past age 35 to 40, the body has a tendency to replace muscle with fat. The right protein supplement can help improve lean muscle-to-fat ratio, and we've discovered some of the best, most natural and synthetic-free products today, thanks to Metabolic Response Modifiers (MRM).

All Natural Whey from MRM represents a whole new genre of protein that holds the very highest biological value, meaning it rates number one in digestion, absorption, utilization, and retention. All Natural Whey is also highly concentrated in essential amino acids, half of which are "branched chain" amino acids (BCAA). All Natural Whey can benefit those with a wide variety of health concerns ranging from the exceptionally healthy athlete, to those trying to maintain lean muscle mass. All Natural Whey is also fortified with L-glutamine, which has been shown clinically to naturally stimulate the release of growth hormones and act as a building block for one of the body's most important water-soluble antioxidants, glutathione. One reason MRM's All Natural Whey and Egg White Protein are the leading brands today in the country is that they are truly all natural and not filled with the additives, preservatives, artificial flavorings and sweeteners that you will find in some of the warehouse box stores and as sold by the mass market, inferior-quality discounters.

Resources

MRM's cutting-edge supplements are available nationwide at health food stores and natural product supermarkets. MRM is one of the top nutrition companies, recognized for combining value and quality. For more information or to find a store near you, call 800-948-6296, or visit at www.mrm-usa.com.

Three Essential Food Categories with Optimal Ingredients

Protein: MRM's unique protein complex provides all the essential amino acids to enhance lean muscle growth. Natural Protein Optimizer™ is a special combination of ultra-filtered, low-temperature-processed whey protein concentrate, calcium caseinate, and egg white protein concentrate. Natural Protein Optimizer provides optimal amounts of essential amino acids that growing muscles crave, especially BCAAs, glutamine and arginine. MRM emphasizes the amount of protein per serving since it is the most prominent macronutrient proven to increase lean muscle mass.

Carbs: All Natural Gainer contains a unique carbohydrate complex consisting of glucose polymers (95 percent sugar-free) and "low glycemic index" fructose. This preferable combination of carbohydrates provides calories that are less prone to increase "body fat" while offering a long-lasting source of energy. Additionally, MRM has added trehalose, an even slower-release energy substrate that renders little to no effect on insulin with maximum effect on energy and minimal fat storage.

Fats: Although fat is a highly concentrated source of energy (double that of protein and carbohydrates), MRM's Opti-Fat™ blend was precisely chosen for its ability to be metabolized quickly for energy while offering unique benefits to the heart and cell membrane. Opti-Fat is an all-natural fat complex that includes medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), sunflower oil and omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). MCTs are well known for their ability to be metabolized quickly into energy, sparing protein for building lean tissue. DHA and EPA are long-chain omega-3 fatty acids which are mostly deficient in the standard American diet. DHA, specifically, has been widely acclaimed for its structural benefits in brain development and cognition during adolescence and maintaining mental acuity in the elderly.

So if you need to add calories to your daily diet, be sure to use All Natural Gainer. It's free from artificial sweeteners, colors and additives, and has an extremely low-glycemic value for diabetics.

What About Incredible Egg Whites?

Many nutrition experts recommend that you change up your protein sources. In addition, some people must use non-dairy protein. In such cases, try egg white protein, especially the new superior-tasting and mixing MRM formula.

Egg white is among the most valuable protein sources because of its combination of essential amino acids and sulfur-containing proteins, all of which can be used by the body for natural, healthy muscle maintenance. In addition, egg whites are high in protein and contain no cholesterol, fats, or carbohydrates. Egg white protein is really quite amazing.

Egg is the largest biological cell known which originates from one cell division and is composed of various important chemical substances that form the basis of life. Eggs are an important source of nutrients, containing all of the proteins, lipids, vitamins, minerals and growth factors required by the developing embryo, as well as a number of defense factors to protect against bacterial and viral infection. Several biological activities have now been associated with egg components, including novel antimicrobial activities, anti-adhesive properties, immunomodulatory, anti-cancer, and anti-hypertensive activities, and antioxidant properties. According to the American Egg Board site, "Eggs provide the highest quality protein found in any food because they provide all of the essential amino acids our bodies need in a near-perfect pattern….The high-quality protein in eggs helps you to feel full longer and stay energized, which contributes to maintaining a healthy weight. In fact, research shows that eggs eaten at the start of the day can reduce daily calorie intake, prevent snacking between meals and keep you satisfied on those busy days when mealtime is delayed."

Research indicates that high-quality protein may help active adults build muscle strength and middle-aged and aging adults prevent muscle loss. Consuming eggs following exercise is a great way to get the most benefits from exercise by encouraging muscle tissue repair and growth.

MRM's All Natural Egg White Protein is very low in sodium, rich in potassium, and probably the best-tasting egg white protein source today.

An All-Natural Formula for Stress Relief

It's a typical morning. The alarm goes off, and you hit the ground running. Between packing lunches and gathering the odds and ends you need to take care of during the day (grocery list, bills to be mailed, driving directions for an afternoon appointment, along with a few overdue library books), your morning cup of coffee goes cold. By the time you get to work and settle into your desk, the office feels like a welcome retreat. But as you assess the ever-growing stack of papers and e-mails awaiting your attention, you suddenly feel like a deer caught in the headlights: extremely nervous, and unsure of where to run.

A recent survey from the American Psychological Association found that nearly one in three American adults feel extreme stress. Work and money were two of the main causes of stress, but other areas of stress include children, intimate relationships, and health problems facing loved ones. But in these busy times, even the smallest things, the things that you should be able to take in stride, can be the things you fixate on. Perhaps work is stressful, but you lay in bed worrying about whether or not the shirt you plan to wear to the big meeting tomorrow is still at the cleaners.

While occasional, well-directed stress can be healthy and productive, stress more often culminates in an inability to focus, anger, headaches, stomach upset, high blood pressure and more. The implications of stress go far beyond that unpleasant "stressed-out" feeling we've all experienced. It is estimated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that 75 percent of all illness is related to stress. This number is astounding, but when you consider high blood pressure, oxidative cell damage, lowered immunity, poor eating habits, smoking, alcohol consumption, and even accidents involving stressed-out, sleep-deprived people, it is a wonder that the number is not even higher.

A Plan for De-stress Success

Clearly, stress is not something to be taken lightly. So what can you do to de-stress your life? The American Psychological Association suggests that individuals start by trying to gain an understanding of the unique ways they experience stress. Begin by identifying your sources of stress, and learning your own stress signals (headache, inability to focus, muscle tension, irritability, etc.). Next identify how you deal with stress, and if you are making unhealthy choices because of stress.

Once you understand the root of the stress and the problematic behaviors that arise from it, you can better plan how to manage your stress in healthy ways. Start by considering how you can simplify your life. You'll also want to make some time to take better care of yourself; plan some healthy meals that you look forward to preparing; make time for a yoga class or an evening stroll in the neighborhood, or even just a hot cup of herbal tea before bed each night.

You might also get some help from a natural anti-stress supplement. One quality formula that offers a well-rounded and effective approach to stress is Relax-All™ from Metabolic Response Modifiers (MRM).

Natural Support for Stress

Relax-All utilizes a proprietary blend of herbs and amino acids called MyoCalm™. It is made up of five key ingredients that work synergistically to help you manage stress in a healthy way.

The first ingredient is wild jujube seed, which has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries. Recent research conducted at Johannes Gutenberg University in Germany shows very promising results for the therapeutic potential of jujube in cardiovascular disease.

The second ingredient is phenibut, also known as beta-phenyl-gamma-amino butyric acid. It is a derivative of the neurotransmitter gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) which is naturally produced in the brain and found in many foods at low levels. It has been clinically proven to be supportive for anti-anxiety, muscle relaxation and a mild feeling of tranquility. In a 2007 study, researchers found that phenibut has a positive influence on the behavior and respiration patterns of rabbits in emotionally stressful situations. Another recent study found that phenibut can enhance learning ability, along with the ability to focus and retain information. While many anti-stress "chill pills" are nothing more than glorified sedatives, phenibut promotes feelings of relaxation, while actually heightening brain function. And when you are calm and focused, you can accomplish so much more, helping to decrease stress arising from your workload.

The third ingredient is magnolia bark, which contains two important chemical components: honokiol and magnolol. Both components help to promote feelings of calmness, without a sedative effect, which is important for dealing with stress on a daily basis. Recent studies have also found that orally administered honokiol will combat the effects of oxidative stress in the brain, which is important for dealing with the long-term effects of stress.

The fourth ingredient is SunTheanine™, a patented form of the amino acid L-theanine. This powerful relaxant has been shown to help reduce both mental and physical stress. Additionally, a study published in 2003 showed that L-theanine can help with overall wellness by enhancing immune system response.

The fifth and final ingredient in the MyoCalm blend is valerian root, which has traditionally been used to relieve stress, anxiety and nervousness. A study conducted at the University of California, San Francisco, also found promising evidence that valerian root is safe and effective for inducing sleep and improving the quality of sleep, without risk of side effects.

While each ingredient in the formula offers its own unique stress-relieving properties, the sum of the MyoCalm blend is greater than the parts. For example, both L-theanine and valerian root have been shown to promote the production of GABA in the brain. GABA promotes production of dopamine and serotonin, two neurotransmitters that enhance relaxation, and will complement the effects of the phenibut in the formula.

In addition to the powerful MyoCalm blend, MRM has rounded out the Relax-All formula with calcium and magnesium. While these key minerals are best known for their role in building healthy bones, they also have calming properties and can also help to relax muscles and promote better sleep.

Magnesium is an important mineral for heart health, as it works to maintain the electrical impulses controlling the heart's rhythm. A 2000 study published in the journal Circulation found that patients given a magnesium supplement were able to maintain a more regular heartbeat during a stress test where they were asked to describe memories of frustrating events while interviewers asked them irritating questions.

Calcium is a key mineral in muscle function, and proper calcium intake can help deter muscle tightness that so often accompanies stress. Calcium also promotes restful sleep, which is why a warm glass of milk has been a favored bedtime ritual for so many years.

Are You Ready to Relax?

If you are ready to get a handle on the stress in your life, Relax-All is an excellent way to start your transition. While it is important to make some changes that address the root of your stress, Relax-All can help you to start feeling cool, calm and collected as you begin to make those changes. Relax-All can also help you remain balanced and well rested during those inevitable stress flare-ups, and it can help to protect your health against the effects of stress in the long run. The suggested dose is just one capsule, four times daily, for optimal results. Once you experience the results for yourself, this is one expertly crafted stress formula that you will always want to have on hand.

—Jodey Brown

Resources

MRM is one of the top nutrition companies today, recognized for combining value and quality.

Relax-All is available at health food stores and natural product supermarkets. For more information or to find a store near you, call MRM at 800-948-6296 or visit their website at www.mrm-usa.com.

Guys, you should know about each of these nutrients and herbs. They are making anti-aging, longevity and men's health headlines.

So, you're trying to figure out what should be in a comprehensive men's health and anti-aging, longevity supplement program—which herbs and nutrients a man requires as he enters the best years of his life after 35.

Virtually all men share several common health challenges. Prostate function is the most universal concern, with heart and circulatory health and memory and cognition also ranking high in men's health priorities. Cell health is critical, too. Fortunately, some of the more highly touted herbs and nutrients actually address a wide range of issues.

Prostate Health

Take epilobium, one of the newest emerging men's prostate health herbs. A member of the willow family, epilobium grows throughout Asia, Europe and North America.

Austrian herbalist Maria Treben pioneered use of epilobium for prostate conditions. Then, in 1991, an article in Plant Medicine reported that not only does this plant inhibit an enzyme that converts testosterone into toxic forms, it also appears to have powerful inflammatory health benefits. In the study, epilobium was shown to be more effective than indomethacin, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug that blocks production of inflammatory prostaglandins. By blocking the 5-alpha reductase enzyme, the body's production of toxic dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is reduced. DHT causes prostate cells to grow and causes benign prostate enlargement. It is also linked with baldness, and there are some experts who believe what's good for the prostate might also have a modest effect on hair growth.

The news for epilobium is even better. Its most active phytonutrients are two antioxidant polyphenols. Both oenothein A and oenothein B are thought to inhibit the enzyme responsible for converting healthy testosterone into DHT. Yet, they also probably play a role in beneficially supporting the body's inflammation response.

As if this were not enough, the herb has antimicrobial properties, so it probably will help support underlying healthy processes of men with prostatitis, too. Experiments show a cancer inhibition effect; thus, it may be useful in prevention.

If you're using saw palmetto, pygeum, nettle or any other popular prostate health herb and not obtaining adequate results, switch over to epilobium. Or if you are tired of the side effects and potential complications that go with taking a prescription medication such as finasteride (Flomax), consider this natural, safe herb as an alternative. Also, many herbalists recommend rotating supplements so that the body doesn't become tolerant of any one particular herb. MRM (also known as Metabolic Response Modifiers) makes the highest quality epilobium supplements. ProLobium is their premier epilobium product specifically designed to support optimal prostate health.

By the way, their quercetin formula was used with outstanding results in a study of prostatitis cases at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, in Torrance, California. Quercetin has an anti-inflammatory effect and also helps balance histamine production.

If you're experiencing a very difficult benign prostate condition, there may be some underlying prostatitis, which the MRM combination of epilobium and quercetin should definitely help.

Heart health

Heart and circulatory health rank very high as issues to address. Here you need to know about specific nutrients for targeting cholesterol. A combination of herbs and nutrients should work well.

Flaphenol CCP, a bio-enhanced mixture of highly absorbable flavonoids and polyphenols, is certainly one of the most exciting new phytonutrients for cholesterol health. An investigation looking at natural nutrients in comparison to cholesterol-lowering medications (like statins) indicated that the powerful nutrients in Flaphenol CCP achieved similar endpoints with regard to normal cholesterol levels as did the drug, but without any side effects in the liver. This exclusive ingredient is in the MRM formula, ChoLESStat™.

Beta-sitosterol is a component found in healthy plant oils, such as soybean and rice. It has shown the ability to decrease the absorption of cholesterol in the digestive system and decrease the amount of cholesterol produced by the liver. With this phytonutrient, we get terrific benefits for prostate health, as well. Beta-sitosterol is one of the key ingredients, for example, found in saw palmetto berry, a traditional men's remedy. We also believe that this phytonutrient helps the body to maintain healthy prostate cell DNA.

Policosanol is the subject of numerous clinical studies demonstrating that it is safe and effective in reducing low-density lipoproteins. Some doctors believe that policosanol represents a "breakthrough" in nutraceutical science because it actually outperformed conventional drugs in head-to-head trials. The studies indicate that only 10 to 20 milligrams (mg) will lower LDL cholesterol 17 to 24 percent, while increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDLs, the "good" cholesterol) by 7 to 20 percent. In addition to these dramatic results, there is evidence to suggest that policosanol increases endurance, reduces inflammation (which narrows the blood vessels), and inhibits abnormal platelet aggregation (which promotes arterial blood clotting.) Most importantly, the studies revealed no side effects, and it does not inhibit the HMG-CoA enzyme like the statin cholesterol-lowering drugs. (Policosanol has shown to be so effective that individuals who use it should have their cholesterol levels consistently monitored by a health care professional in order to avoid reducing cholesterol levels too far.)

Guggul is an herb that has been traditionally used in Ayurvedic Medicine, an Indian system of healing going back to ancient times. Various studies have confirmed the cholesterol-modulating effects of guggul. Doctors have known since the 1950s that niacin in large doses can remedy cholesterol abnormalities in the blood, while sharply raising levels of HDLs. Inositol hexanicotinate (IP-6) offers this high dose of niacin without the negative "flushing" experienced by some people.

Detoxification

Many men have special needs due to their occupations or where they live. Men who work with toxic substances or who live in industrialized polluted areas will want the support of oral detoxification designed to meet the needs of those suffering from exposure to toxic heavy metals. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), used as a stabilizer in the food industry, was approved by the government over 50 years ago for the treatment of lead, mercury, aluminum, chromium, or cadmium toxicity. This is due to its ability to bind to, or "normalize" the distribution of, metal elements within the body. EDTA, which is simply a nutrient, was used with great success as an oral chelation agent in the 1950s, but was eventually replaced with intravenous use of EDTA and other pharmaceutical chelators.

Today, MRM offers a superior quality EDTA in their product called Cardio-Chelate. The binding action of EDTA within the body warrants its use in helping the body maintain healthy blood flow and arterial linings, as well as promoting healthy cholesterol levels. In essence, it helps to detoxify the body of heavy metals and promote heart health at the same time.

Antioxidant Protection

We also recommend a complete vitamin E supplement. Most vitamin E supplements today provide only a small spectrum of the vitamin E family, and the body functions best when it gets them all. Complete E, also from MRM, is a full-spectrum vitamin E with tocopherols, tocotrienols, alpha-lipoic acid, and vitamin C. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that exists in eight different forms (including alpha, beta, delta, and gamma tocopherols and tocotrienols). Each form has its own biological activity—the measure of potency or functional use in the body. Alpha-tocopherol is the most abundant form of vitamin E in humans, and is a powerful antioxidant. But all of the tocopherols and tocotrienols together bring greater healthy benefits than vitamin E isolates.

Antioxidants such as vitamin E act to protect cells against the effects of free radicals, which are potentially damaging byproducts of the metabolism that characterizes life in all its forms. Free radicals can cause cell damage that may contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Vitamin E also protects cell membranes and other fat-soluble parts of the body from damage, including protection against oxidized LDL. (Only when LDL is damaged does cholesterol appear to lead to heart disease.) However, other recent double-blind trials have found either limited benefit, or no benefit at all from supplementation with the synthetic form of vitamin E, and that's why we recommend a "mixed tocopherol" rather than simply alpha tocopherol. Foods, wheat germ oil, nuts and seeds, whole grains, egg yolks, and leafy green vegetables contain vitamin E.

Tocotrienols are members of the vitamin E family as well and are potent antioxidants against lipid peroxidation (the damaging of fats by oxidation). Human studies indicate that, in addition to their antioxidant activity, tocotrie­nols have other important functions, especially in maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system. In a double-blind study in patients with severe blocked arteries—the main artery supplying blood to the head—tocotrienol administration reduced the level of lipid peroxides in the blood, leading to reductions in clogged arteries. Recent clinical investigations have reported that tocotrienols can reduce total cholesterol levels significantly.

Complete E, in addition to the power of vitamin E and tocotrienols, also contains alpha-lipoic acid and vitamin C to provide more complete antioxidant protection.

ALC's Time Has Come

Every man today ought to be supplementing with these nutrients as well: acetyl l-carnitine (ALC) and alpha-lipoic acid (ALA). These powerful nutritional molecules and phytochemicals are critical to maintaining healthy mitochondrial function, which is the basis for overall men's health. They're good for your heart, cell health and cognitive abilities, and appear to be useful in prevention of neurological conditions. We really do think these are important; their research background is highly pedigreed.

Recent studies on the effects of aging as well as cognitive dysfunction and degenerative diseases suggest the addition of ALC to daily diets can make a healthy difference. The time to begin taking ALC depends on multiple factors, including age and eating habits. In general, a good time to start is around age 40. Even with the best intentions, mitochondrial damage is an unavoidable aspect of aging.

In a study done at UC Berkeley's Lester Packer Laboratory, ALC reversed aging at the cellular level in biological studies conducted by the legendary Dr. Bruce Ames, a professor of molecular and cell biology. Ames refers to the problem as micronutrient malnutrition.

ALC is the acetyl ester of the amino acid L-carnitine, which transports fatty acids into the mitochondria, and it has a strong affinity for cellular energy factories, helping to keep them healthy. In the production of energy, free radicals are also produced. These cause heart disease, liver disease, some cancers, and degenerative diseases. For example, damaged nerve cells in the brain are believed to contribute to both Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. ALC helps to reduce this type of cellular decay. It isn't a drug and should not be used to cure or treat diseases. Yet, it's a strong candidate for more studies to consider whether it should be put into the nutrition regimens of people at risk for these conditions—and you're hearing this news first here. To further demonstrate the effects of ALC, the aged subjects in an experiment showed decreased spatial memory compared with young rats. However, with the addition of oral ALC, the aged had some of their spatial memory function restored. In addition, the study observed that with age, motivation and locomotor activities may decrease. Although these are not indicators of cognitive function, the improvement of motivation and locomotion can add to cognitive results. As a result of this study, it is suggested that reversing mitochondrial decay through the supplementation of ALC may reverse age-associated declines in nervous, cardiovascular, visual and auditory systems as well as improve motivation and physical strength. These are all positives that work toward keeping us healthy as we age. ALC is truly an anti-aging workhorse.

Liquid ALC Is a Breakthrough

MRM has created a liquid supplement of ALC just for the very reason that liquids are most easily absorbed by aging digestive tracts. They spent over two years in an effort to find the best liquid delivery system to provide enhanced absorption. MRM's liquid ALC, as recent research suggests, can help reverse oxidative mitochondrial decay, making it one of the most important anti-aging supplements today.

ALC & ALA Combo Effect

While it has been proven that ALC alone reverses mitochondrial damage due to aging, by combining ALC with alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), an antioxidant that is naturally found in the mitochondria, the result is even more significant. In fact, in three articles of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Dr. Ames and his colleagues reported that with the two supplements not only did the lab animals do better on the memory tests, they also exhibited pep. Ames stated, "With the two supplements, these old rats got up and did the Macarena." He went on to report that from the research team's observations, the old animals looked more like young ones—on a physiological level. While ALC reverses the damage to the mitochondria due to aging, the antioxidant ALA limits the damage by free radicals. The research teams concluded that by tuning up the mitochondria with both supplements, the onset of age-related problems can be delayed, and the combination can possibly reverse damage that has already occurred.

Resources

MRM's line of high-quality and "value-driven" nutritional supplements are available at natural health centers and from health professionals. Call toll-free 800-948-6296 or visit www.mrm-usa.com.