Are Herbal Supplements Beneficial?


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In the past few years, more and more people are turning to “organics” and “naturals” otherwise known as herbals. The rising popularity of herbal supplements has brought about a new health lifestyle in growing numbers.

But before you join the bandwagon, here are some things you need to know about herbal supplements. To begin with,. what is the difference between a drug and a dietary supplement?

According to the definition set forth by food and drug administrations in many countries, drugs are chemicals that can prevent, prolong the life, treat other effects of a health condition, improve the quality of life, and sometimes cure ailments and diseases.

Drugs such as these have approved therapeutic claims. For example, paracetamol is a drug given to bring down body temperature in fever, iron supplements are often given to treat mild cases of anemia, and ascorbic acid is used for the treatment of scurvy.

Herbal supplements are not classified as drugs, but are called dietary supplements. The main difference is that they do not have approved therapeutic claims unlike in the case of drugs. Moreover, dietary supplements could either contain vitamins, minerals, herbals, or amino acids, which are all aimed to add to or supplement the diet of an individual. They are not intended to be taken alone as a substitute for any food or medicine.


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Most of the manufactured medicines we now have available to us once came from animals and plants. Through the years, chemists have isolated the life-saving or life-curing components and separated them from the harmful ones.

This lead to the further drug research and drug development that lead to the production of a different variety of drugs for many ailments and conditions from synthetic sources. Yet we have semi-synthetic drugs, as well as drugs that more or less approximate more natural composition.

Since herbal supplements are made from a mixture of crude herbs reduced into powder or gel form, and packaged as tablets and capsules, there is the possibility that life-threatening or at least body chemistry-altering components are still present. This is somewhat the basis for the expression of concern from the medical community.

Is there a growing concern with the use of herbal supplements?

Yes. With the rising popularity of using and consuming anything herbal or organic is the proliferation of fake herbal supplements that threaten to endanger lives. If that’s the case, then why are herbal supplements given drug administration approvals? One way of ensuring the safety of the people is to have all candidate drugs, food, drinks, and dietary supplements registered with the proper authority.

Otherwise, they would pose more risk with these things being sold in the black market for a hefty sum. We could ensure the quality and safety of herbal supplements if they get proper classification with the food and drug administration.

By having somewhat of a clearing house for herbal supplements, people then would be able to file the proper complaints in the event a worsening of health condition if it is proven to be linked to the use of a particular herbal supplement.

Is using herbal supplements worth the risk?

Yes. Many who have used herbal supplements experienced an improvement in their health. You might ask whether this is due to the herbals themselves or due to a placebo effect, but as long as your condition did not worsen, then using them is worth the risk. But of course, certain things must be considered before taking those herbal supplements:

First of all, if you have any questions about taking an herbal supplement, it may be wise for you to clear your condition with your doctor. Ask your doctor if taking a particular herbal supplement is safe given your health condition.

If you are one with heart, liver, or kidney trouble or malfunction, you usually are not advised to take these, or at the minimum, you might take these herbals in minimum amounts. All substances pass through the liver and kidney to be processed and filtered respectively. This is a matter where contacting your doctor would be recommended before taking supplements.

As an example, Kava, which is used to relieve people from stress, and it has been pulled from the German, Singaporean, and Canadian markets because it contains substances that cause liver damage. Certain herbals such as Ephedra used for losing weight, contains chemicals with heart-inducing effects that have been known to increase heart rate, which in turn can exhaust the heart and cause heart attacks in several documented cases by the American Medical Association.

Follow the directions for use.

Never take more herbal supplements than what is directed by the doctor or as instructed on the bottle. Each individual reacts differently to the components of herbal supplements. While it is perfectly safe for one individual to take in a supplement of primrose oil capsules, might not be good for a person who may be allergic to it. It has no approved curative effect.

No matter how the product pamphlet or the label of the bottle sounds about how it has been found to be helpful in certain health conditions, do your homework and some research to get information from other sources before relying just on the labels of the products.

The quality of the product can vary quite a bit. I was in a health food store once shopping for a bottle of CoQ10. One of the employees walked up to me and asked if he could help in any way. I told him that it was confusing to see such a wide range of pricing for what appeared to be the same quantity of tablets or gels.

The employee told me that he was taking CoQ10 gels and was willing to pay a lot more for the most expensive brand because he felt that he was getting the quality along with the quantity. The same is to be said for “green” food. The pricing varies, but the quality is not the same either.

As always we encourage our viewers to consult with their physician or health practitioner when it comes to making changes in how you take care of your health. Our purpose is to inform you of our research for your considerations and with the hope that you take charge of your health by being better informed.

To Your Optimum Health,

Henry Hubby


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An Earthquake Health Warning

Over the past several years, I have given quite a few earthquake preparedness presentations because I am a safety director and am constantly being asked to speak about earthquakes.

One of my primary concerns based on my observations of people who live in earthquake country is that they seem indifferent toward preparing for a possible earthquake.

For those of us in Southern California, we have been told by most seismologists who give presentations in the area that we are well overdue for a major earthquake. According to them, it is highly likely that we will experience at least a 7.8 earthquake within the next 30 years. It could be tomorrow or it could be almost 30 years from now, but the point is that we are going to have one of the big ones in Southern California.

All of us who give earthquake presentations stress the importance of storing up drinking water. I am not talking about having two cases of water in your garage. No, I am talking about having multiple 55 gallon barrels of water in your backyard.

Whatever you store, you will need to be able to access it in the event of an earthquake and if you have it outside of your home, you are more likely to be able to get to it after the quake hits.

And we all need water to survive. With a 7.8 earthquake, water will not be delivered to anyone for maybe weeks because of the number of affected people and the fact that the roads will be hindering the delivery of truckloads of water to the millions who need it.

So don’t count on two cases of water lasting you very long because it wont. Even two 55 gallon barrels of water won’t last a family of six like mine for more than a week.

My point is that you should get at least four 55 gallon drums of water stored in your backyard. You have to have water, don’t expect your neighbor to have it. My biggest concern is that people will not have water to drink after a day or two and will not be able to get it delivered to their area for quite some time. Take heed and store up more water today. You will be glad you did.

To Your Safety,
Lee Gantz


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Water and the Earthquakes

In the past few years I have been involved in giving earthquake preparedness presentations in the southern California area. The time allowed for these presentations is usually around two hours minimum and often lasting up to three hours.

 My main concern in writing about this at this time is to plead with my readers who might be in earthquake country, such as Nevada and California, to be aware of the importance of having water on hand in the event of a major earthquake.

Just a few weeks ago while my neighbor and I were putting the finishing touches on our backyard earthquake shed to be filled with supplies, my wife suddenly shouted out from the back door, “EARTHQUAKE! EARTHQUAKE!”  And sure enough, my neighbor and I soon felt the ground moving beneath our feet. This movement continued for almost a minute and when we looked up the reading on the earthquake, it turned out to be a 4.5 for our area.

 An earthquake of that minimal magnitude is considered very low on the scales with little if no damage done after the shaking stops. However, in this case, we have noticed that there has been a daily occurence of 4.0 to 4.5 earthquakes every day in the area outside of Tijuana where the “Big One” is supposed to originate. The “Big One” being the 7.8 earthquake that will move up the San Andreas fault line through the San Bernandino area and will affect most of Southern California.

Now with regard to water, I am afraid that most people, and I do mean most people, will do nothing in the way of water storage to have water on hand after the possibility of a 7.8 earthquake. I don’t understand the reasoning behind not storing up water.  I have 8 people in my family and we have stored up 500 gallons plus and will add a few more 55 gallon drums of water to that number in the coming weeks.

My guess is that water will not be available through the faucets and the water system for maybe as long as 2 months after a 7.8 earthquake in this area. So how long can anyone last without water? My personal experience is that 55 gallons of water can be used up in a week with 8 people. But even if we are talking about only one couple, if they have not stored any water at all before an earthquake, how long can they remain healthy without water?

 There are of course many other supplies to consider having on hand in the event an earthquake strikes. Tents, blankets, food, stove and fuel, portapotties, matches, air mattresses, plates, utensils, first aid kit, flashlights (led), and led radios will all be extremely helpful to have on hand.

I will add to this post tomorrow as I have a burden to be more specific in my speaking about such an important matter.

Lee Gantz


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How to Zap Fatigue Within Seconds

By Matt Furey

It’s amazing but true. Most people get up tired and go to bed tired. Going to bed tired makes some sense – but waking up tired is inexcusable.

How can you be tired when you wake up? You haven’t done anything yet, right?

Okay, perhaps you didn’t get enough hours of sleep. Or perhaps you got enough hours, but it wasn’t restful sleep. Or maybe you’re under stress and that is affecting your energy level.

All of the above is understandable – yet, all can be overcome by taking six simple steps.

1. Instead of thinking “I’m tired” before loping off to bed at night, mentally program yourself for energy. How do you do this? Simply say, “I’m going to wake up totally energized tomorrow.”

2. When you wake up in the morning, immediately focus on the mental image of something you want to do, be, or accomplish.

3. As you focus on this mental picture, tell yourself, “I am going to do everything I set out to do today.” And when you say this to yourself, say it with ENTHUSIASM.

4. After doing that, sit up in bed, pull your feet close to your buttocks and begin to massage the kidney point at the bottom of each foot. Start with your left foot. Massage deeply at least 50 times. Then massage your right foot 50 times.

Doing this will cause your energy level to rise… and fast. Not only that, it is one of the cornerstones to raising your sexual energy to a peak. (This is covered in detail in my course on Chuang Shang de Gong Fu.)

5. When you’re finished massaging both feet, raise your energy further by doing some Hindu squats and Hindu push-ups, as well as some deep breathing (which I teach in Combat Conditioning). You could also try the Magnificent Seven, which attacks the waistline like no other program on the planet.

6. After doing your training, take a cool-to-cold shower. A hot shower is fine to finish up with… but start with the coldest water you can take. It will increase the vital energy in your body in an instant.

[Ed. Note: Fitness expert Matt Furey believes in strengthening everything on the inside as well as the outside - and what he has taught you today goes to the heart, soul, and kidneys of the matter in a way that you've probably never experienced before. These six steps will blow you away - and when you add Matt's Combat Conditioning into the mix... LOOK OUT. You'll become the master of your universe. Find out more here.]

This article appears courtesy of Early To Rise, a free newsletter dedicated to making money, improving health and secrets to success. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com.


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The Benefit of Drinking Water


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Just recently I watched a one hour video from a doctor.  Among the many points that he emphasized in his presentation was the importance of drinking glasses of water every day.

This past year another doctor had come out with his report saying that it is a myth that we need to drink 8 glasses of water a day and that he had not had a glass of water in over ten years.

Well, I would not take the second doctor’s advice. To me he is trying to draw attention to himself by making such a statement. The first doctor went on to say that if you like soda, look out!  And he advised any soda drinkers to stop drinking it, but that if you can’t let go of your desire for a soda, then do the next best thing.

Drink 20 (as in twenty) glasses of water for every soda that you consume in addition to the 7 or 8 glasses of water that you should consider drinking daily.

He went on to say that if you only drink one glass of water and then drink a soda during the day, then you need to drink at least 26 glasses of water to restore your body’s condition back to where it was before you drink the soda.

He took it a step further to say that if you don’t drink any water during the day and drink one soda, and then the next day you drink another soda but no water, now you need to drink 33 or more glasses of water to restore your body!

Of course no one can comfortably drink that many glasses of water in one day, so he was saying this as a way to emphasize the effect that soda has on a person’s body. This confirms what I have heard from others in recent years in the medical profession. We all need to watch what we consume, both in our eating and in our drinking habits.

In only 7 years our bodies can go through a dramatic change that is determined by what we have consumed in that time. This is primarily related to cell reproductions that go through a cycle that covers many years. So we are in essence what we eat.

It reminds me of a cartoon that I saw which showed a squirrel sitting on a psychiatrists couch and he was telling the psychiatrist, “I just found out that I am what I eat, and I must be nuts!” 

Well, drinking sodas and little or no water may not make us nuts, but it can sure hinder our good health.  I have a video that I took of a 12 year old student at a public school who did her science project on the quality of water.

In her study, she took ice samples from a fast food restaurant and water from a toilet in the same building.

To her surprise and that of the lab’s employee’s who did her lab work for her to verify it, the ice had more bacteria in it than the toilet water! The machines that hold the ice are not cleaned that often, so it accumulates bacteria and it is passed on in the ice cubes.

So as a result of that story, I never put ice cubes in my glass when I go out to eat! Beware…

Well, to sum it all up, be careful about what you drink. And be sure to drink at least 6 glasses of water a day if you are around a hundred pounds, and around 8 glasses a day if you are bigger than 150 pounds. These are some simple guidelines to help you through the day.

To Your Optimum Health,

Austin Hubby


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Get Sleep with Natural Aid

 Many find themselves unable to dive into a good night’s sleep for a variety of reasons. Some are uptight about financial concerns right now, others are kept awake thinking about certain relationships. Others just can’t seem to drift off into a good period of rest and don’t know why.

So what are some remedies for these various situations we all find ourselves in from time to time?

Melatonin is a popular remedy to help people fall asleep when the sleep/wake cycle has been disturbed, such as in shift workers or people who are with jet lag.

Melatonin is a hormone found naturally in the body. The pineal gland in the brain makes serotonin which is then converted into melatonin at night when exposure to light decreases.

Melatonin is typically taken about 30 minutes before the desired bedtime. Some experts caution that melatonin should not be used by people with depression, schizophrenia, autoimmune diseases, and other serious illness. Pregnant and nursing women should not use melatonin.

Other remedies include not eating sweets hours before going to bed. Also eliminating caffeine in the afternoon and evening hours has helped many to fall asleep easier.  Eating anything the last two hours before retiring has been found to be another reason some have trouble sleeping

The battle against insomnia may be won through natural ingredients for a long-term benefit according to some of the latest research. As always we encourage everyone to consult with their doctor or alternative medical advisor before making any changes in their health care.

To Your Optimum Health,

Austin Hubby


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4 Ways to Reduce Arthritis Pain

Recently I began having arthritic pain. Now I am not about to rush out and buy drugs like Celebrex or even supplements like glucosamine. Why not go the safe route, even what I would say is the inexpensive way to bring on what might happen to be a remedy.

Here are some suggestions for you to consider:

 1.  Increase Your Intake of C and D.

It is believed by some that Vitamin C slows down the loss of cartilage due to osteoarthritis. Also, if you have not been taking an adequate dosage of Vitamin D, you may be speeding up the progression of osteoarthritis.  Some who take daily normal dosages of Vitamin C and D have seen their arthritis pain drop almost in half.

2.  Eat Grapes.  Resveratrol is a natural compound found in grape skins.  It has the ability sometimes to suppress inflammation at the incident of pain or an injury.  Not only does white or red grapes contain resveratrol, but it has also been found in purple grape juice and wine.

3.  Use Willow Bark.

Willow bark is where aspirin comes from. Another herb called boswellia when taken with willow bark has been found to be effective in reducing inflammation and helping to maintain healthy joints.

4.  Drink Tea.

Green tea is found to be rich in polyphenols, which are compounds that suppress the expressin of a key gene involved in most arthritic inflammation. 

Well, these are just four ways to possibly help inexpensively to reduce the discomfort of arthritic pain. Of course, as always, I recommend that you consult with your health practitioner or doctor before making any changes in how you care for your health.

To Your Optimum Health,

Austin Hubby

 

 


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Are You Prepared for a Food Shortage?

Recently I read several articles talking about what one could do to be adequately prepared for a food shortage. Of course in America, we have not had the possibility of this kind of situation on our minds since the Great Depression.

So the question begs itself, is there any way that we could truly be facing a food shortage in our country? And how prepared would you be if you witnessed Americans emptying the grocery shelves in fear of a food shortage crisis once the fear of one began to be the main news story of the day?

My grandmother had the skills of one who could store fruits and jams in air-tight jars back in the 40s and 50s. My mother even did a little of it when I was growing up. But now we are far more sophisiticated with what we know about the proper way to can fruits, vegetables, and meat products.

Watch this short video and feel free to leave your comments after you have viewed it. We would love to get your opinion on this matter of a potential food shortage coming to this country.

Click on the link below to watch the video (allow ten seconds for the video to upload)…

Be prepared for the coming food shortage.


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Winter Ailments and Minor Fevers

                                    How Lemon Juice Helps Fevers

Influenza and other acute winter ailments are characterized by fever, which is primarily a constructive activity of the body to fight the invading germs.  However, fever has its price, and this can be partly paid by liberal use of Vitamin C.

Any increase of body temperature greatly increases the need for Vitamin C.  The greater the body heat production, the more Vitamin C is used.

Furthermore, Vitamin C tends to combine with, and so neutralize, toxins, especially those produced by bacterial activity.

This and other factors in fever call for a supply of Vitamin C up to 2 and 3 times the normal requirements.

Lemon juice, in the form of lemonade, as well as other fruit juices rich in Vitamin C are time-honored fever remedies.

Vitamin B1 Broths May Help in Fever

The profuse sweating in fever may tend to drain the tissues and blood of the water-soluble Vitamins B1 and C.  Fruit juices supply both water and Vitamin C, but certain broths help in another way.

Fever brings on an increased body metabolism, more rapid heart action, and greater cell activity.   Vitamin B1 tends to sustain the heart action in fever and increase the tolerance for additional body heat.

The use of broths made from Vitamin B1-rich foods, including the pot liquors rich in this factor, is particularly desirable in fever.

How Milk, Fruits and Vegetables May Help in Fever

Fever hastens the breakdown of body tissues and so increases the acid residue. Thus there is a greatly increased demand for alkaline reserves.

Unfortunately, the so-called light foods, so often stressed for fever patients, are apt to be the acid-forming ash foods to help neutralize the acid residues that are increased in fever. 

These foods are chiefly milk, fruits and vegetables.  Fever usually causes intense calorie consumption.  This is best compensated for by the use of as many alkaline foods as possible –cooked fruits and fruit juices, pureed vegetables, etc.

Milk and Eggs Are Needed

There may be a severe destruction of the proteins in body tissues in fever.  The protein foods chosen to nourish the fever patient should consist of those richest in the Class A (essential) proteins.  Milk, cottage cheese and eggs are particularly indicated, for they supply high grade proteins and additional protective vitamin factors.

Ease of digestibility should be the watchword in preparation of these foods.  Souffles, custards and lightly cooked egg dishes are preferred.

The glandular meats, especially liver, are also “must” requirements.  Prepare chopped beef steak patties, or meat loaves mixed with chopped kidney, heart or sweetbreads for those who dislike the glandular meats.  These are preferable to chicken, lamb and other muscle meats during mild fevers.

Salt in Fever

The excessive sweating which may accompany fever tends to drain the body and blood of salt (sodium chloride).  For this reason, broths, soups and appropriate dishes given to fever patients should be suitably seasoned  with salt.

To Your Optimum Health,

Austin Hubby


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A Cure for Cancer?

As a young boy growing up, I vividly remember my mom telling me about a doctor in Dallas who was curing people of cancer. He would treat his patients, but with one condition, and that was that they would not tell anyone what he had done.

Now before you get skeptical, let me share with you what I recently heard and then validated. While Ronald Reagan was president in 1985, he discovered that he had cancer. So did he rush to the AMA to get the best treatment? No, of course not. He knew the best treatment was not with anything that the AMA offered, the routines of chemo and radiation. Yuck!

I lost my younger brother a few years ago at the age of 52. He had lung cancer that spread to his liver. He worked at a hospital and chose to go the chemo and radiation route and unfortunately we lost him about three months later. He was not open to anyone’s opinion other than the resident cancer doctor’s treatment where he worked.

Back to President Reagan. He went to Germany to get a treatment that healed him. Farrah Fawcett also looked into German treatments. I don’t have all the facts to go into details about what her experience was, but she reportedly videotaped her entire battle with cancer in order to help others. Farrah was courageous enough to seek out some alternative cancer treatment rather than depend solely on the traditional route that has showed almost zero improvements in cancer patients struggles.

Well, that brings us to the latest and very inexpensive way to battle not only cancer but many other diseases. Lupus, bronchitus, gum disease, parasitic infections, Parkinson’s disease, lumphoma, aids, cirrhosis of the liver, sore throats, diabetes typeII, emphysema, and even such regular irritating sicknesses like the flu have all been subdued by this latest discovery. And the list above is just a few of the ones that have been defeated.

Actually, it has been used in other parts of the world for more than a century, but we have had it suppressed here in the U.S. for the obvious reasons, it is cheap to apply and it doesn’t require a doctor to get the treatment.

Now before I give you the access to the specifics of this treatment, I have to say as always, that you should contact your medical doctor or health practitioner if you are thinking about making a change in your health care.

I am not a medical doctor and am only steering you toward something that has cured many people of a multitude of diseases and the purpose of this treatment is to help your body to do it’s job of fighting off these vicious diseases that we all have heard something about or known someone who suffered from them.

So here is the next step for you if you are pursuing a very inexpensive but effective way to build up your immunity while subduing and defeating many of these diseases:

Click Here!

As always, to your optimum health,

Henry Hubby


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