A study led by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) chemist Richard Anderson suggests that a water soluble extract of cinnamon, which contains antioxidative compounds, could help reduce risk factors associated with diabetes and heart disease.
The work is part of cooperative agreements between the Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center (BHNRC) operated by USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) at Beltsville, Md.; Integrity Nutraceuticals International of Spring Hill, Tenn., and the Joseph Fourier University in Grenoble, France. Anderson works in the Diet, Genomics and Immunology Laboratory of BHNRC. ARS is USDAs principal intramural scientific research agency.
For the study, conducted in Ohio, coauthor Tim N. Ziegenfuss, now with the Center for Applied Health Sciences based in Fairlawn, Ohio, enrolled volunteers and collected samples.
Twenty-two obese participants with impaired blood glucose values–a condition classified as “prediabetes”–volunteered for the 12-week experimental research study. Prediabetes occurs when cells are resistant to the higher-than-normal levels of insulin produced by the pancreas (in an attempt to help remove elevated glucose levels from blood).
The volunteers were divided randomly into two groups and given either a placebo or 250 milligrams (mgs) of a dried water-soluble cinnamon extract twice daily along with their usual diets. Blood was collected after an overnight fast at the beginning of the study, after six weeks, and after 12 weeks to measure the changes in blood glucose and antioxidants.
The study demonstrated that the water-soluble cinnamon extract improved a number of antioxidant variables by as much as 13 to 23 percent, and improvement in antioxidant status was correlated with decreases in fasting glucose, according to Anderson.
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Tags: Anti Aging, Antioxidant, Cinnamon, Wellness
Posted in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Syndrome, Supplements & Nutraceuticals
Noble Center now carries Image’s newest CPN Complete System Kit. The CPN Systems TM protocol incorporates cutting edge technology and science and utilizes the latest advancements in skincare ingredients. This system supports skin’s natural defense mechanisms, fights free radical damage from environmental exposure and compensates nutritional imbalance of cells.
In order to combat the signs of aging, a balanced, effective skincare regimen is essential. The CPN Systems™ protocol incorporates cutting edge technology and science and utilizes the latest advancements in skincare ingredients. Unlike other skincare programs, this regime can be used as a daily, ongoing skincare protocol! It supports skin’s natural defense mechanisms, fights free radical damage from environmental exposure and compensates nutritional imbalance of cells..
DIRECTIONS
3 MONTH PROGRAM
Morning
1. Cleanse Ageless Total Facial Cleanser
2. Prevent Vital C Hydrating Anti-Aging Serum
3. Nourish Sun Solar Defense Oil-Free SPF 30
Evening
1. Cleanse Ageless Total Facial Cleanser
2. Prevent Ageless The MAX
3. Nourish Vital C Hydrating Anti-Aging Serum
Evening 1-3x/Week – gradually increasing weekly dosage 1-2-3/x per week, month by month
1. Cleanse Ageless Total Facial Cleanser
2. Workout IMAGE MD Intense Retinol Serum Rx (2-4 drops)
3. Workout IMAGE MD Total Skin Lightening Crème Rx
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Wrinkles and droopy skin
New collagen production
Crows Feet
Improved texture
Pigmentation, sun damage, age spots
Reverses signs of cellular damage
Dryness
Dull, tired looking skin with rough complexion
PRODUCTS INCLUDED:
AGELESS Total Facial Cleanser AGELESS The MAX
VITAL C Hydrating Anti-Aging Serum IMAGE MD Lightening Crème Rx
IMAGE MD Intense Retinol Serum Rx SUN Solar Defense Oil Free SPF 30
Tags: Collagen, Image, Skin care
Posted in Aesthetic, Skin Care & Laser Treatments
“Vitamin D deficiency is the single most important dietary deficiency in the world today. It has already been linked to prostate cancer, colon cancer and breast cancer. After almost 35 years of increases in allergic and autoimmune disease, we are beginning to understand the causes of the epidemic”.
Harvard Medical School, Respiratory, Environmental and Genetic Epidemiology, Channing Laboratory, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
*Test subjects who had the lowest levels of blood serum vitamin D had significantly increased risk for developing Parkinson’s disease. Those that had high levels of the vitamin demonstrated protection against the disease.
*Children suffering from juvenile idiopathic arthritis have lower than normal overall bone mass and are prone to developing osteoporosis in early adulthood. It has now being advised that these children increase their supplemental intake of calcium and vitamin D to help protect them from the effects of this possible outcome.
* In a study performed on a strictly African American population, vitamin D levels were inversely associated with visceral adiposity while having a positive relationship with atherosclerotic plaques. In other words those test subjects with the highest serum levels of vitamin D demonstrated the lowest levels of visceral adiposity and atherosclerotic plaques
*A meta-analysis review recently found that those middle age to elderly patients with the highest levels of vitamin D experienced significantly lower levels of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and metabolic syndrome than those patients with the lowest levels of vitamin D. Also, in a separate study, vitamin D was shown to act directly on two genes that are linked to the gastrointestinal disease Crohn’s, demonstrating a possible link between vitamin D deficiency and the genetics of the disease.
Sources:
http://www.easy-immune-health.com/Vitamin-D-facts.html#ixzz0unV3pROK
http://archneur.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/67/7/808
http://jrheum.org/content/early/2010/05/27/jrheum.091241.abstract
http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/95/3/1076?form_372.replyids=1&form_363.replyids=1&form_346.userid=215&form_346.replyids=6099
http://www.jbc.org/content/285/4/2227.abstract?sid=d96b7001-283f-44e1-bba8-7c505a532331
Tags: juvenile idiopathic arthritis, Parkinson's Disease, vitamin d
Posted in Supplements & Nutraceuticals
Weight Gain-Weight gain is not only caused by having more calorie intake than calories burned. Weight gain can also be caused by health conditions like hypothyroidism, Cushing’s syndrome, organ disease, prescription drug use, anxiety, blood sugar imbalance, essential fatty acid deficiency, or food sensitivity.
It is important to remember that reactions to foods are not always instantaneous. They can occur many hours later. Reactions may include bloating and swelling in the hands, feet, ankles, abdomen, chin and around the eyes. Much of the weight gained is fluid retention caused by inflammation and the release of certain hormones. Additionally there is fermentation of foods in the intestines which can have an outcome of swollen distended belly and gas production. Food allergies and food sensitivities can cause weight gain. A person’s body perceives these food as a poison and limits digestion of nutrients, thus causing the body to store fat.
Symptoms of food sensitivity can include headache, indigestion or heartburn, fatigue, depression, joint pain or arthritis, canker sores, chronic respiratory symptoms such as wheezing, sinus congestion or bronchitis and chronic bowel problems such as diarrhea or constipation.
Migraines are painful, sometimes disabling headaches that are often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light, noise, and smell. These throbbing headaches usually occur on only one side of the head, although the pain can shift from one side of the head to the other, or can occur on both sides at the same time. Migraines involve changes in chemicals and blood vessels in the brain, which trigger pain signals leading to headache and other symptoms.
Migraine headaches tend to recur. A migraine headache typically lasts 4 to 24 hours but in some cases can last up to 3 days. Some people have symptoms, such as visual disturbances, that occur before a headache starts. These symptoms are called a migraine aura. Some people have several headaches per month; others have headaches much less often. In many people, migraines are triggered by certain foods or smells. Eliminating exposure to these triggers may stop the headaches
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)- is an intestinal disorder that causes abdominal pain or discomfort, cramping or bloating, and diarrhea or constipation. Irritable bowel syndrome is a long-term but manageable condition. IBS is one of the most common intestinal disorders. Most people’s symptoms are so mild that they never see a doctor for treatment. However, some people may have troublesome symptoms, especially abdominal cramps, bloating, and diarrhea. The cause of irritable bowel syndrome is not well understood. In IBS, the movement of the digestive tract is impaired, but doctors can find no change in physical structure, such as inflammation or tumors.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)- is an intestinal disorder that causes abdominal pain or discomfort, cramping or bloating, and diarrhea or constipation. Irritable bowel syndrome is a long-term but manageable condition. IBS is one of the most common intestinal disorders. Most people’s symptoms are so mild that they never see a doctor for treatment. However, some people may have troublesome symptoms, especially abdominal cramps, bloating, and diarrhea. The cause of irritable bowel syndrome is not well understood. In IBS, the movement of the digestive tract is impaired, but doctors can find no change in physical structure, such as inflammation or tumors.
Treatment will depend on the types of symptoms you have and their severity, as well as how they affect your daily life, and will likely involve changes to your lifestyle. Active involvement in treatment is important to managing it successfully. Treatment usually focuses on changes in diet and lifestyle, avoiding foods that trigger symptoms, and managing stress.
Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterized by inflammation and spasm of the airways. This causes breathing problems such as coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath. Asthma can be triggered by environmental factors, infections, allergies, exercise, temperature changes or other airway irritants. By properly managing asthma, however, such as avoiding being exposed to triggers, taking prescribed medications, looking for warning signs and knowing what to do during an asthma attack, an individual with asthma can have a healthy and active lifestyle.
Sulfites and sulfiting agents in foods (found in dried fruits, prepared potatoes, wine, bottled lemon or lime juice, and shrimp), and diagnosed food allergens (such as milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish, and shellfish) have been found to trigger asthma. Many food ingredients such as food dyes and colors, food preservatives like BHA and BHT, monosodium glutamate, aspartame, and nitrite, have not been conclusively linked to asthma.
The best way to avoid food-induced asthma is to eliminate or avoid the offending food or food ingredient from the diet or from the environment. Reading ingredient information on food labels and knowing where food triggers of asthma are found are the best defenses against a food-induced asthma attack.
Chronic fatigue syndrome causes such devastating tiredness or fatigue that you can’t perform all of the normal, daily activities you used to. There are other symptoms as well, but fatigue lasting 6 months or more is the main one. Some people battle CFS for years. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome affects almost 1,000,000 Americans a year. Researchers do not know what causes CFS, but they believe this illness involves interactions between a dysfunction of the immune system and trigger agents such as viruses. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome causes incapacitating fatigue, pain, neurological problems and a list of symptoms that can represent other disorders. Each person living with CFS has a unique assortment of symptoms which fits into a recognizable pattern.
Allergic reactions to food, food intolerance (hypersensitivity), refined food, junk foods, food additives, and chemical contaminants in food can alter our moods and lead directly or indirectly to a constant state of low energy. People with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome frequently have sensitivities to foods, chemicals and other inhalants. These may be classical allergies – which are IgE (Immunoglobulin Type E)-mediated sensitivities or food intolerance (which is not IgE-mediated, so allergy tests, such as skin prick tests, are negative) and chemical intolerance are especially common. Patients showing evidence of this often find that the management of these sensitivities can be an essential part of improvement or recovery from the illness….(www.alcat.com)
Tags: Food Sensitivities, IBS, Weight
Posted in Food Sensitivity, GI and Stomach Issues, Functional Medicine, Anti-Aging & Healthy Aging
The “HydraFacial” treatment is the newest advance in non-laser skin resurfacing. HydraFacial is the only hydradermabrasion procedure that combines cleansing, exfoliation, extraction, hydration and antioxidant protection simultaneously, resulting in clearer, more beautiful skin with no discomfort or downtime. The treatment is soothing, moisturizing, non-invasive and non-irritating. The HydraFacial treatment improves the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, congested and enlarged pores, oily or acne-prone skin, hyperpigmentation and brown spots.
The HydraFacial procedure is suitable for most skin types, including thin or aging skin, ethnic skin, and dry skin or oily skin. Start your skin maintenance program now with HydraFacial to slow down your skin’s aging process… (www.hydrafacial.com)
Tags: Anti Aging, Antioxidant, hydrafacial, Skin care
Posted in Aesthetic, Skin Care & Laser Treatments
Functional medicine practitioners promote wellness by focusing on the fundamental underlying factors that influence every patient’s experience of health and disease.
The Functional Medicine Approach to Assessment
The Institute for Functional Medicine teaches practitioners how to assess the patient’s fundamental clinical imbalances through careful history taking, physical examination, and laboratory testing. The functional medicine practitioner will consider multiple factors, including:
Environmental inputs – The air and water in your community, the particular diet you eat, the quality of the food available to you, your level of physical exercise, and toxic exposures or traumas you have experienced all affect your health. Lifestyle is a major factor; research estimates that 70–90% of chronic disease risk is attributable to lifestyle.
Mind-body elements – Psychological, spiritual, and social factors, including how you deal with stress, can have a profound influence on your health. Considering these areas helps the functional medicine practitioner see your health in the context of you as a whole person, not just your physical symptoms.
Genetic makeup – Although your individual genes may make you more susceptible to some diseases, your DNA is not an unchanging blueprint for your life. Emerging research shows that your genes may be influenced by everything in your environment, plus your experiences, attitudes, and beliefs. That means it is possible to change the way genes are activated and expressed.
- how your body rids itself of toxins
- regulation of hormones and neurotransmitters
- immune system function
- inflammatory responses
- digestion and absorption of nutrients
- musculoskeletal integrity
- psychological and spiritual equilibrium
- how you manage stress
- how much energy you have
Fundamental physiological processes – These are the body’s processes that keep you alive. Some occur at the cellular level and involve how cells function, repair, and maintain themselves. These processes are related to larger biological functions, such as:
All of these processes are influenced by environment and by genes, and when they are disturbed or imbalanced, they lead to symptoms, which can lead to disease if effective interventions are not applied.
A Comprehensive Approach to Treatment
Most imbalances in functionality can be addressed; some can be completely restored to optimum function, and others can be substantially improved. Prevention is paramount. Virtually every complex, chronic disease is preceded by long-term disturbances in functionality that can be identified and effectively managed. Changing how the systems function can have a major impact on the patient’s health. The functional medicine practitioner examines a wide array of available interventions and customizes a treatment plan including those with the most impact on underlying functionality.
Functional medicine expands the physician’s tool kit. Treatments may include combinations of drugs and/or botanical medicines, supplements, therapeutic diets, or detoxification programs. They may also include counseling on diet and nutrition, lifestyle, exercise, or stress-management techniques.
Click here to read more about functional medicine at IFM.
Tags: Functional Medicine, Anti-Aging & Healthy Aging, inflammation, Metabolic Medicine, toxins, Wellness
Posted in Functional Medicine, Anti-Aging & Healthy Aging
Beyond Estrogen and Progesterone: The Total Hormone Picture
The final step to total hormone restoration is to look at all the hormone levels. Because the steroid hormones are all related to one another, and because many convert into other hormones, it is very important to strive for balance.
DHEA is a natural steroidal hormone secreted by the adrenal gland, the gonads, and the brain (Williams et al 2001). Although women usually have less DHEA than men, both sexes lose DHEA at about the same rate, suggesting that its decline is age related (Khorram 1996; Wilder 1996). Peak levels are typically reached when women are in their 30s, after which they begin to lose approximately 2 percent per year. Decreased levels of DHEA are associated with cancer, diabetes, lupus, and psychiatric illness (Berkman et al 1993; Salek et al 2002). Low levels of DHEA are also associated with higher levels of insomnia, pain, and disability (Morrison et al 1998).
DHEA has been shown to improve mood, neurological functions, immune system functioning, energy, feelings of well-being, and to maintain muscle and bone mass (Kroboth et al 1999; Proctor et al 1998; Yen et al 1995). A study has demonstrated memory-enhancement effects by DHEA and pregnenolone (Rupprecht et al 1999). DHEA may also improve insulin sensitivity and lower triglyceride levels (Casson et al 1995).
Testosterone levels also gradually decrease with age (Schneider 2003). Loss of testosterone affects libido, bone and muscle mass, vasomotor symptoms, cardiovascular health, mood, and well-being (Burd et al 2001; Watt et al 2003). Testosterone therapy, combined with estrogen therapy, has been shown to improve quality of life, vigor and mood, ability to concentrate, bone mineralization, libido, and sexual satisfaction (Bachmann 1999; Braunstein 2002; Cameron et al 2004; Davis et al 2003; Sarrel 1999). This combination therapy also produces improvements with hot flashes, sleep disturbances, night sweats, and vaginal dryness. Because DHEA converts into testosterone, it may be possible to raise testosterone levels with DHEA supplements (Cameron et al 2004; Schneider 2003).
An observational study suggests that testosterone may protect against breast cancer (Slayden 1998). Studies also demonstrate that testosterone replacement alone may protect against breast cancer (Dimitrakakis et al 2003; Dimitrakakis et al 2004; Zhou et al 2000). In addition, testosterone is effective for the treatment of decreased libido (Davis 1999).
Pregnenolone levels also decline with age. As the primary steroid hormone in the cascade, pregnenolone is the first product of cholesterol. Like other hormones, there is a significant reduction occurring in women at about age 32 (Havlikova et al 2002). Reduced pregnenolone levels result in decreased amounts of all other hormones, and pregnenolone deficiencies have been associated with diminished brain function and dementia (Yao et al 2002; Maurice T et al 1999).
It is very important for women to check blood levels of hormones before beginning therapy, and again one and three months after initiating replacement therapy to ensure safe and adequate levels. If testosterone is still low after DHEA and pregnenolone therapy, talk to your physician about options. Always consult your physician before beginning HRT, especially if you are at high risk or have a family history of hormone-dependent cancer.
Read entire article at http://bit.ly/40wvJP
Tags: DHEA, Estrogen, Hormone, Pregnenolone, Progesterone, Testosterone
Posted in BHRT & Hormone Imbalance
