Valley Naturals

Parkinson's, MS, Alzheimer’s Disease and the Vitamin D Link

When it comes to diseases that strike fear into modern man (and woman!), those big three names give us the shakes. Still not treatable -- nobody wants them. So if there are things we can do to prevent them...well, that should inspire us! Who would guess that vitamin D is a big player here? But it is. Dr. Oz weighs in with the following advice from the site.

"Dr Oz: Cod Liver Oil & Vitamin D
Dr Oz said that by eating healthy foods, you will almost never get enough Vitamin D. You want to have a vitamin D level that is 45 or above, but anything over 32 your body can tolerate. If your vitamin D level is beneath 32, then your body is suffering.

"Dr. Hyman said that if you are African American, you are at an even higher risk of being vitamin D Deficient because dark skin does not make as much vitamin D when it is exposed to the sun. Dr Oz said that if you draw a horizontal line from Atlanta to just North of Los Angeles, anyone who lives to the North of that line does not get enough vitamin D from the sun in winter months.

"Doctor Oz said that vitamin D also helps to prevent Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease and Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Dr Oz said that in medical school they were taught that people who live in colder areas are more likely to get MS, and perhaps this is because of their lower levels of vitamin D. Another shocking statistic is that 70% of people who are diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease also have low vitamin D levels. Dr Mark Hyman said that people with low levels of vitamin D have an increased risk of dementia and Parkinson’s, which are both related to inflammation. Plus, vitamin D is a great brain food and helps more nerves to grow. Dr Oz said that by taking 1 T. of cod liver oil, you can dramatically help your vitamin D levels. Doctor Oz loves the fish-flavored cod liver oil, but most people prefer the lemon-flavored cod liver oil, unless you are really a fan of fishy flavors!"

So, for your convenience, I've put together some of my favorite recommendations. Valley Vet carries cod liver oil and vitamin D as a stand alone supplement. I would recommend Nordic Naturals Cod Liver Oil or Garden of Life's Cod Liver Oil which is quality too, but at a more economical price. Both of these products are in the Lemon flavor. The labels do not say the amount of D they provide, so you may need even more supplementation.

It's always a good idea to ask your doctor to check your D levels to make sure you have a level of at least 45 like Dr. Oz recommends. Some people can't process their D well, and need to spend extra time in the sun and supplement much higher than the general population. Some people may need to also supplement with Super Daily D 3, along with the fish oil. It has 2000 I.U per drop. Many people need at least 5000 I.U. a day or more.

Finally, since inflammation is a factor in these type of diseases, I would recommend the product Curcumin as it is a powerful product that modulates the body's inflammation response. Our best to you! Ellen

The Better Co-Q10

What if there was a supplement that was so powerful it would regenerate the antioxidants already in your body and then go on to cellularly power your brain, kidneys and heart? There is a powerhouse like that. Ubiquinol does it all.

People need to supplement with Co-Q10 after age 40 as the body isn't able to produce enough to keep up with regular aging. For thirty years, the only Co-Q10 available was Ubiquinone, but now the second generation Co-Q10 is even better. Scientists at the largest world-wide manufacturing plant making Co-Q10, Kaneka Corporation, formulated a reduced form that is body ready and called it Ubiquinol. Many people prefer it because the body doesn't have to convert it and it clinically raises the Co-Q10 level much higher than the first generation ubiquinone.

Valley Naturals carries several second generation Co-Q10 products in the Kaneka QH form. Doctor's Best Ubiquinol is a 100 mg for 60 count. Source Naturals CoQH is also a 100 mg in a 60 count. Jarrow Formulas QH-absorb is an activated form and carries it in a 200 mg in 30 count with 4 mg of Vitamin E. Jarrow also has the Q-absorb in 100 mg with 120 softgels. This formula is the best-selling Co-Q10 product in dollar sales, according to the company.

Ubiquinol is also recommended for people on certain prescription drugs since it depletes their Co-Q10. It is recommended for those that are over 40 and want extra heart, immune and energy support. And of course, we can't forget that it's one of the THE anti-aging super stars, too. Find the right Ubiquinol for you, right here at Valley Naturals! Ellen

 

Magnesium - The Relaxation Mineral!

Refined foods, stress, and a lack of green veggies add up to a lot of people being deficient in a key mineral - magnesium. We may not even know we're low in it, but the feeling of being stressed and anxious may point to the problem.

If magnesium is low, our body cannot function optimally. In fact, according to Dr. Mark Hyman, "This critical mineral is actually responsible for over 300 enzyme reactions and is found in all of your tissues -- but mainly in your bones, muscles, and brain. You must have it for your cells to make energy, for many different chemical pumps to work, to stabilize membranes, and to help muscles relax. That is why the list of conditions that are found related to magnesium deficiency is so long. In fact, there are over 3,500 medical references on magnesium deficiency!" (Magnesium: The Most Powerful Relaxation Mineral Available, Dr. Mark Hyman,  Posted 1/15/10, Huffington Post.)

With magnesium affecting so many reactions in the body, is it any wonder why we can feel stressed when we are deficient in this essential mineral? To make sure people could absorb their needed magnesium, Dr. Peter Gillham of Natural Vitality, developed an ionic magnesium citrate powdered drink mix called Natural Calm that people are finding is meeting their magnesium needs in a big way. This is the only water soluble magnesium that has maximum absorption. It comes in flavored powders that easily mix in a glass of water and taste great. If you need more Calcium, Dr. Gillham has a balanced Magnesium Plus Calcium product in the same Natural Calm line that has D, Boron, and C to aid assimilation.

I use this product and love it. It has a refreshing taste and helps me stay hydrated while getting my minerals. And don’t forget the kids! Do you have a kid who could use a little natural calming? A lot of kids don’t eat right and, like us adults, are low on magnesium too. Oh, and it’s great for rebalancing minerals after exercise. My teen son liked to use it after a basketball game so he wouldn’t cramp up in the night after sweating out his minerals in a game. As a 2011 Best of Supplements Award Winner in the Better Nutrition competition, this is a great go-to product for stress or just keeping your magnesium (and calcium) levels where they should be. Ellen

 

Spring Cleanse Starts Here

Spring has sprung, and if you're like me, you're ready to have a fresh, clean body too!   The great, late Dr. Gerson said that disease comes from two factors:  deficiency and toxicity.  Many of us health-conscious people are careful about what we add to our body, but not as careful about what to take out!  Since we injest, breathe or absorb most toxins without even realizing it, we don't realize that our bodies need cleansing.  Scientists have counted up to three thousand toxins people are regularly exposed to on a daily basis!  Many health practitioners recommend regular cleansing of the different organs of the body to keep up with those daily toxins.  So when you are ready, so are we. No special shopping, no cooking, just follow directions, and let it do its magic!

Garden of Life's 7 Day Complete RAW Cleanse - This product uses a three part system.  Part 1 is Oral Health and Immune System Support; Step 2 is the Natural Detoxification of Organs and GI Tract; and Step 3 is the Toxin Capture and Removal of Toxins. This program uses Step 1 for the morning, Step 2 for noon and Step 3 for the evening for one week.  This advanced system doesn't require a whole month or even two weeks. Get a great spring clean in just a week's time!

CleanseSMART by Renew Life 30 day cleanse - Supports the 7 channels of the body's elimination system; the liver, lungs, lymphatic system, kidneys, skin, blood and bowel.  Take this advanced herbal cleanse in the morning and a separate protocol in the evening. Get a month of advanced spring cleansing over 30 days and keep it gentle and thorough!

Super Colon Cleanse De-Tox - This product uses high fiber Pyllium Husk Powder and herbs along with Acidophilus to cleanse the colon. Directions recommend 3-4 capsules 3 times a day.  Children may use half the adult dose. Contains Buck thorn and Senna. Adjust to the number of weeks you need to cleanse.  It contains a generous 240 caps.  Good health starts in a clean colon. Get your super spring clean and detox from Super Colon Cleanse! Ellen

Better than Antacids....Try Nature's Lining

Everyone's heard the little ditty, "Drop, drop, fizz, fizz, oh, what a relief it is!"  What we tend to forget after popping any antacid is that we are taking a drug.  Usually it is harmless if just taken occasionally, but when taken regularly, the ingredients may throw off the salts in your body.  Even worse, if a person has weak kidneys,  the chemicals can build up in the body, which can become problematic.

Dr. Hoffman says that antacids even "change the pH environment of the gut, potentially causing an imbalance of friendly flora and putting you at risk for infection by the unfriendly types. Some believe that antacids may even help set the stage for infection with Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium that causes ulcers." http://www.drhoffman.com/page.cfm/157

Of course, the worst thing about using antacids is that you are not solving the gastric issue you suffer from at the source.  It will be BAAAAAAAACK!  If you want to have lasting, long-term help, you will have to solve the problem at the source.  That is where LaneLab's Nature's Lining fits in.

Unlike most antacids which suppress gastric acid, this chewable tab actually strengthens the mucous lining that keeps your stomach acid from attacking the stomach wall.  With the lining strong, there are fewer gastric upsets and many find long-term help even after they stop taking the product.  So, if you are looking for something long-term and natural, try Nature's Lining.  Ellen

 

Curcumin Supersized

Curcumin is making a huge splash in the health news pond lately. And no wonder - there are over 5,000 published studies on this extract from tumeric. The reason it is so popular is because it modulates the underlying cause of most all disease - inflammation. Remarkably, the studies show that curcumin's anti-inflammatory properties are as potent or more potent than side-effect producing prescription drugs. Add the fact that it has a stable antioxidant value 152 times more than blueberries, you can start to see why curcumin is making some big waves and is on its way to being a star supplement.

One company that is leading the pack in supplying the most effective curcumin is made by Terry Naturally. Valley Naturals carries his product called Curamin, and it received the Best of Supplements Award from Better Nutrition in 2011. Dr. Terry Lemerond has taken the vast research on this herb and developed a product that is 10 times better absorbed than standard curcumin by using the BCM-95 method. He has determined the right amount of curcumin extract for optimum effect needed (500 mg pure curcuminoids), blended it will another great anti-inflammatory called boswellia, and added phenylalanine and nattokinase to reduce pain caused by inflammation.

Dr. Terry includes several articles about curcumin on his site, but states in a print article called, Curcumin: The All in One Solution, that "if you suffer from Alzheimer's disease, Arthritis, Asthma, Bronchitis, Cancer, Cirrhosis, Depression, Diabetes, Fatigue, Heart Disease, Irritable Bowel, Leukemia, Psoriasis, Wounds, or almost any other disease, curcumin is ‘the single most helpful natural ingredient you can take.’ "  That sounds pretty exciting to me! Ellen

 

Resveratrol - Great Grapes!

Most of us remember when the good news came out that wine has some amazing properties derived from the skin, seed and pulp of the grape.  The special compound, called Resveratrol, has been extensively studied since that discovery.

Dr. Oz  on the “Extreme Life Extension” episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show popularized it even further, saying,  “Resveratrol is the extract of red grape skin which in laboratory testing, has proven to increase life by up to 30 percent.”  He also explained the effect that Resveratrol has on weight loss.  The body can process calories 1/3 faster, so that the fat we have eaten doesn't get stored.  He says, “This leads to some serious weight loss even for those on a high fat diet.” http://www.drozshow.biz/dr-oz-discusses-health-benefits-of-resveratrol

Resveratrol is known for increasing longevity, reducing heart and age-related diseases, boosting immunity with its high antioxidant level, and improving energy and inflammation issues. Valley Naturals carries three Resveratrol products. Buried Treasure Resveratrol Complete has the highest amount of resveratrol we offer at 500 mg per two tablespoons. It has resveratrol from grapeseed extract, green tea and wonderful berries such as blueberry, elderberry, red raspberry, bilberry, and cranberry.

Source Natural's Resveratrol  from grapevine and other plants has a 40 mg and a 100 mg offering in tablet form, and Reserveage Resveratrol also combines organic grape and plant resveratrols in a 250 mg product in a 60 count vegicap.   

I am personally a fan of Resveratrol. When my husband had cancer that was so aggressive even chemo wouldn't work, this is one of the supplements his doctor had him on.  As my husband has been cancer free now for ten years, I feel this product was one of the reasons his body was able to combat the big C - and win. Ellen

 

Calcium - Just what the Doctor Ordered!

It's no secret. Studies show men and women will start to lose bone density from one-half to one percent each year after age thirty. For women, that doubles or even triples each year after the start of menopause for up to 15 years. If you're like me, you've heard the doctor say, "Take supplemental calcium."

The interesting thing about bone is that with the right minerals and co-vitamins, it can actually change and "remodel" to a stronger, better bone. Our whole skeleton is replaced every seven years with remodeled bone, so what we "feed" our bones is really important. The determining question is, "Will the next few years make my skeleton stronger, or weaker?" The determining answer is, "It depends on what type of calcium supplement you feed it."

Thankfully, there are some great supplements that have been proven to improve density because they are the right type of absorbable calcium. Valley Naturals carries several brands that fit this category. New Chapter's Bone Strength Take Care is labeled as the best-selling natural calcium. It's sourced from sea algae, not limestone. It is an easy-to-take "Slimline" tablet and has magnesium, D3 and K2 to help the calcium get to the right place in the bone. Likewise, Garden of Life's Vitamin Code AlgaeCal RAW is also algae-sourced and has 73 minerals and trace elements to help set the calcium.

One of the best studies for density (up to 8% over three years according to Fujita, et al, J Bone Miner. Metab, 1997, 15:223-226) goes to AdvaCAL Ultra 1000. It uses natural calcium hydroxide, calcium oxide, and a patented sea algae formulation. A person would take 3 small tabs 2x a day with this product. Similar products from Valley Naturals also use the Microcrystallline Hydroxyapatite Calcium (MCHA). Jarrow's Bone Up Complete Formula has K2, D3 and seven other cofactors. Living Calcium Advanced by Garden of Life also boasts the MCHA type of calcium, plus vital minerals, enzymes and co-factors as well.

Have you been encouraged to take extra calcium? Use your dollar on the calcium you know will get into your bones and do you the most good. Living algae calcium and MCHA are your best choices to improve your bone density long and short-term! Ellen

 

Kefir - Home-grown Probiotics

Want to get fresh probiotics nearly free? For people with digestive issues or Chron's disease, probiotics are a great survival tool. However, everyone can benefit from probiotics, as they boost the immune system by displacing the harmful bacteria with beneficial bacteria. The word probiotic is from the word pro, or for, and (anti) biotic. Probiotics are natural antibiotics. Unlike the strong antibiotic drugs given for a bacterial infection, they don't destroy the good bacteria along with the bad.

Kefir is a neat way to grow your own probiotics every day. It was discovered many years ago by herdsmen in the middle east desert that the milk in their leatherskin container would ferment in the warm weather as they rode during the day. If they took the fermented "grains" from the last batch of milk and added it to the next batch, it would ferment the next batch with probiotics as well.  This "living milk" could sour and be healthful.

You can still grow kefir at home today through special cultured milk "grains." Many companies will sell these grains to people through the mail, where you can "awaken" them to grow in your own milk. I have had the best results from a company called Kefirlady at www.kefirlady.com. She will send you grains for twenty dollars and then from there, all your homegrown probiotics are free. She sends detailed instructions, as well as cheese, bread, and other recipes for the kefir.

I make my kefir from goat's milk, but it can be made from any type of milk. The kefir grains replenish and grow every day so you never run out. In fact, you may need to share them or eat the extra grains so they don't need too much milk to make the right amount for your family.

Kefir milk can contain 15 or 16 strains of probiotic. It is an amazing product that is easy to add to your diet. It's a bit lighter in texture than buttermilk, and tangy tasting. I like mine sweet and sour, so I add honey or xylitol to mine as I whip it up into a smoothie with blueberries and other fruits for breakfast or a snack. Making your own kefir is a rewarding way to improve your digestive health for very little money or effort! Ellen

CellFood for Weight Loss

I'm a big believer in the Cellfood line. You can read my blog on "The Best Overall Product" on the Original Cellfood. For the company to make CellFood into a weight loss product as well, was a stroke of genius.

LuminaHealth.com describes their product like this:
"This new proprietary formula combines Cellfood with fat burners L-Carnitine and Garcinia Cambogia Plant Extract to promote healthful weight loss— even while you sleep!

Made from only the finest ingredients, this unique product works naturally and remarkably by assisting the body in:

• decreasing fat storage by inhibiting synthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol.
• increasing the body's metabolic action, transforming fatty acids into energy by accelerating the transport of these fatty acids into the cells' mitochondria.
• improving the cardiovascular system by maintaining healthy HDL cholesterol (protective cholesterol), LDL cholesterol (damaging cholesterol), and triglyceride levels, keeping arteries clear, normalizing blood pressure and improving the heart muscle. The heart gets two-thirds of its energy by burning fat, so Cellfood Natural Weight Loss Formula assists the body by feeding the cardiac engine and strengthening the heart muscle.

And Natural Weight Loss Formula:

• deeply detoxifies the body
• cleanses the liver and bowels
• reduces stress

Many of us here at Valley Naturals have tried CellFood Weight Loss and have been excited about our results.  As word got around the store, the stock ended up all gone - due to us VN employees buying it all out!  We've got it restocked now though, and there's enough for you to start out your New Year's weight loss as a success too! Ellen