It is actually a member of the pepper family, grows as a bush in the South Pacific. Explorer Captain James Cook gave this plant the botanical name of “intoxicating pepper”. Kava has been used for over 3,000 years a sedative, muscle relaxant, diuretic, a pain reliever and as a remedy for nervousness and insomnia.

As Kava Kava is also a euphoric and a narcotic it has also been used among indigenous cultures in part of the South Pacific as a ritual stimulant to achieve altered states of consciousness. In Germany, Kava Kava is sold over the counterto reduce anxiety. Kava Kava has also gained popularity with the natives of Hawaii, Australia and New Guinea where it is used medicinally as well as recreationally.

Recent clinical studies show that this pepper is as effective as lorezapam and Valium for treating anxiety. It is also safer because it is not addictive. Whereas lorezapam and valium tend to cause drowsiness and mental impairment, kava kava has been shown to improve concentration, memory, and reaction time for people suffering from anxiety.Kava is a diuretic and an anti-inflammatory, thus is also useful for gout, rheumatism, bronchial congestion, cystitis and prostatis. It is also a mild aphrodisiac.

 

Alcohol interacts with Kava so you should avoid alcohol the same way you would when taking any kind of anti-anxiety medication or muscle relaxant.

Peace Be Still, Sam

The history of this leafless spiny succulent plant is unique. It grows naturally in the harsh conditions of the Kalahari Desert of Southern Africa where it has been used for centuries by the SAN indigenous peoples to suppress the appetite and sustain them during long period of migration during a famine. Warriors of the tribe also consume the plant to nourish them on long hunting trips that last for two weeks or more. In the eighties the plant was discovered by a UK company, Phytofarm who then sold the knowledge rights to the pharmaceutical drug giant Pfizer. Pfizer discovered that the active molecule known as P57 in hoodia gardonii could help suppress the appetite by up to 2000 calories a day.

The P57 molecule within Hoodia Gordonii is almost 10,000 times stronger than glucose and works by fooling the body into believing it is full when little or no food has actually been eaten. Unfortunately this discovery has led to a rape of the plant from its natural environment by weight loss manufacturers who have deprived the Kahlari tribes of the profits they should receive from their knowledge of this discovery.

Be careful when you buy Hoodia, especially on the Internet contains large amounts of caffeine and very small amounts of hoodia so that the initial rapid weight loss that most people see if from water loss, not burned fat.

 Peace Be Still, SAM

This important but crucial supplement also plays an important role in preventing breast cancer and prostrate cancer. It is one of those supplements that raises good estrogen and lowers “bad estrogen” Naturally it is found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli o r cauliflower. DIM protects the heart and brain with its antioxidant activity. This results in increased physical and cardiovascular fitness as well as improved memory, focus and clarity of thought.

DIM is highly recommended for women on HRT or at risk for breast cancer, as it will reduce the likelihood of getting breast cancer.

Peace Be Still, SAM

The human body cannot produce conjugated linoleic acid, but it can be obtained through foods such as whole milk, butter, beef, and lamb (the very products that are stricken from the grocery list when most people try to lose weight unless of course you are on the Atkins diet!)

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has an incredible number of benefits. It is a potent anti-oxidant, anti-carcinogen, and as well as a powerful immune system enhancer. lean muscle. It is a favorite fat burner supplement of bodybuilders everywhere as it is the supplement to take if you want to build a trimmer, stronger body. Takingconjugated linoleic acid is definitely an asset when it comes to optimizing the success of a weight loss or body building program.

In China, astragulus has long been used as a universal tonic for increasing energy levels (or in Feng Shui terms – your chi)in general. This life force is called chi Astragalus has also been effectively employed by the Chinese as a diuretic, a vasodilator and as a treatment for respiratory infections. Astragalus is of the most popular herbs used in the Orient; the Chinese name for astragalus is Huang Ch’i. It is a tonic that is said to be “warming” and especially tonifying for the lungs and spleen.

Scientists have isolated a number of active ingredients contained in astragalus, including bioflavanoids, choline, and a polysaccharide called astragalan B. Studies on animals have shown that astragalan B is effective at controlling bacterial infections, stimulating the immune system, and protecting the body against a number of toxins.

Astragalus seems to work on viruse destabilizing their defenses and allowing for the body’s immune system to attack the weakened invader. Astragalus also increases interferon production and may assists viral conditions such as hepatitis, Aids and Herpes. It is also of some benefit to the cardiovascular system and may help prevent the formation of spider veins and varicose veins.

If the bird flu really did come along, I think I would recommend this herb as a remedy. HOwever always check with your doctor first before taking anything…

Peace Be Still Sam

Although it is most widely known for its benefits for the heart, resveratrol also staves off dementia and age related depression. A recent study of 25,000 individuals in Denmark revealed that wine drinkers slash their overall risk of dying from any biological cause by forty.

The benefits of reservatrol were first discovered in the 1990s when it was noted that people in France could eat fatty cholesterol packed foods and still not suffer from heart attacks and strokes. This health contradiction came to be known as the French Paradox. The reason that French citizens could get away with eating so much fat is due to the copious amounts of red wine that they consume. One of the reasons is that the wine they drink contains resveratrol that helps strip plaque off artery walls

Resveratol aids the heart by stopping the hardening and thickening of the articles caused by free radical damage.The compound has also demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties and anti-aging properties that have now also made it a common component in formulas and creams that are marketed to enhance the beauty of skin. You can buy a powdered supplement made of red grapes called Rsveratol which is a potent source of this stuff.

Peace Be Still Sam

ToGlutathione is one of the body’s most important and powerful antioxidants. It helps to detoxify and eliminate those pesky xenobiotics that speed up the aging processes. Xenobiotics are synthetic chemicals and estrogens that are ingested through the skin, food, water and air. Glutathione is vital when it comes to helping your body degrade and eliminate these free radicals from your body.

It is well established that free radical damage is a culprit behind premature aging which is why this gultathione boosting supplement can become so important.If you live in a toxic environment than supplementation with n acetyl cysteine plays a protective role in combating future disease. It protects against a variety of toxic hazards such as cigarette smoke, auto exhaust, herbicides, and chronic over use of pain killers.

Peace Be Still, Sam

The medicinal properties of marine pine bar were first discovered in the 1500s by French explorer Jacque Cariter who found that drinking sap from the marine pine bark tee reduced his sailors scurvy (bleeding gums), joint pain, muscle aches.

Like red grapes, Pine bark is high in flavonoids, particularly in a flavonoid group known as proanthocyanidins, or more specifically, oligomeric proanthocyandins (OPCs). OPCs are one of the most desirable groups of plant pigments, as they are heavy duty free-radical scavengers. Free radicals grab electrons from our cells, destroying body components and, ultimately replicating and causing cellular damage and disease. Free-radical damage may be the initiating factor in many cancers and in heart disease.

Pine bark extract also has a beneficial effect on tiny blood vessels and improves circulation. It is also useful in the treatment of the prevention of varicose veins. Pregnant women or those with jobs who stand on their feet all day may benefit from pine bark supplementation.

Pine bark extract can also reduce capillary fragility, which shows up in people as little tiny red spider veins or broken blood vessels on the skin surface.

Taking 100 milligrams of this extract with water a day is recommended to prevent vision degeneration, circulation problems and gum disease.

 

Peace Be Still, Sam

 

This multitasking member of the ginger familycan halt the growth of free radicals amndprevent the replication of damaged cells after the body is subjected to disease, stress or traumas. If left unchecked these radicals cause a destructive chain reaction that can cause lowered immune function and chronic inflammatory disorders. This is why curcumin sometimes relieve some of the severity of rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disorders.

Curcumin may also prevent cancer by halting the growth of cancerous tumors.This is why people from Asian countries seem to suffer from less cancer in general, and especially bowel cancer.

Studies at UCLA also indicate that curcumin may also aid in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. In studies with mice it was found to eliminate the plaque in arteries that creates restricted blood flow to the brain.

Tumeric also boasts anti-viral properties. Recent studies have shown that turmeric can be effective in fighting a number of STDs including chlamydia and gonorrhea.

This is a non toxic herb so you can have as much as you want, although if you are taking it in straight powder form it is not recommended that you take more than 1,800 mg daily.

Peace Be Still, Sam

 

Aging humans have been found to have 57% less co q10 on average compared to that of young adults. The two organs that are most profoundly affected by a co Q10 deficiency are the heart and brain. This is why C0 Q10 one of the most important nutrients for people over 30 to take.

Peace Be Still, Sam