Guaranteed to Raise Your Antioxidant Level

It is rare to find a company that has enough research behind their product that they can offer a money-back guarantee if it does not perform. Depending on the supplement you are taking, it's not always an easy task to discover if you're getting the full benefit from what you're taking.  With Vitamins like D, you can do a blood test, but when your goal is to raise your antioxidant levels, testing how well  you're doing can be costly.

What Depletes Antioxidants Stored in our Body?

Many things contribute to the depletion of antioxidants in our bodies...stress, smoking, lack of good digestion, too much exercise, infection, etc.

Vitamin C fights free radicals in body tissues and blood plasma, while vitamin E protects fat-rich molecules, such as LDL and HDL cholesterol, and fat cells from oxidation. This effort to protect the body results in the depletion of vitamin C and E in body stores.

Our bodies store antioxidants for use when we need them.  If we are not storing enough, we are less likely able to fight off inflammatory diseases like diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Eating a balanced diet with 5 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables every dayto obtain maximum levels of dietary antioxidants is recommended, but not always achievable.

To boost your vitamin E levels, include whole grains, nuts and seeds, egg yolks and vitamin E- fortified foods in your diet. Consult your doctor about vitamin supplementation.

Choosing an Antioxidant Supplement

Choosing an antioxidant supplement — You want to make sure the manufacturer uses pure ingredients from a trusted source, organic when possible, has both their own and third-party research behind the formulas, and is reputable.

There are a handful of companies that meet these criteria, but only one I know of that also offers a money back guarantee.

Lifepak Nano is a proprietary innovation in anti-aging protection with advanced bio-availability and maximum benefits. It is manufactured by NuSkin / Pharmanex, one of the leading anti-aging research companies.

Lifepak Nano is their star supplement, which exhibits rather exceptional results. If you are considering a comprehensive Vitamin/Mineral/Flavonoid supplement, consider this product.

• Specific purpose to guard against the ravages of aging each day of your lifespan*

• Superior bio-availability with CR-6 LipoNutrients™ enhances uptake from the gut into the bloodstream and body for maximum anti-aging benefits*

• Advanced anti-aging formula helps protect the body with key nutrients such as NanoCoQ10™ and nano carotenoids*

• Helps maintain normal inflammatory responses in the body*

• Feeds and helps protect the brain with DHA and EPA*

• Offers superior DNA protection against damaging free radical attacks by providing the body with important antioxidants and phytonutrients such as alpha-lipoic acid and catechins*

• Protects cell health with an antioxidant defense network*

• Helps protect cardiovascular health with a comprehensive blend of omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients

• Provides comprehensive bone nutrition support*

• Promotes healthy immune function*

• Supports normal blood sugar metabolism*

• Corrects nutritional deficiencies*

~ Be Well! ♥

Can Ancient Herbs Treat Cancer?

One of the more expensive supplements I have been advised to take is called BreastDefend from EcoNugenics. It costs about $89 for a 2 month supply.(Trust me that's inexpensive compared to other supplements I take!)

Many of the ingredients in BreastDefend stand on their own and have been highlighted under the Super Supplements heading when you go to Complimentary Therapies on my main page, with the exception of the Scutellaria barbata herb, which is not available to the public as a single supplement.

Formula:

"Using eight clinically tested compounds, this synergistic formula is scientifically proven to promote cellular health, promote healthy hormone modulation, and support healthy immune function.*

The proprietary blend contains the antioxidative flavanoid quercetin, turmeric rhizome extract (BCM-95®; 95% curcumin), Astragalus membranaceus root extract, Scutellaria barbata herb extract, and an advanced formulation of DIM (3,3'- diindolylmethane). DIM, an ingredient found in broccoli, has been researched for its ability to promote cellular health, and support healthy estrogen metabolism. The formula is completed by the addition of three powerful, botanically enhanced medicinal mushrooms for immune support.*"

The only ingredient in this formula that is not available to the general public is the Scutellaria barbata herb extract which is also known as Ban Zhi Lian.

The Chinese herb Ban Zhi Lian may not be in everyone's lexicon, but to the 80 women with stage IV metastatic breast cancer, who are participating in the second phase of the BZL101 clinical trials, it represents hope and life.

According to  TimeHealth:

For Bionovo, the drug discovery and development company in Emeryville, Calif., that's behind BZL101, there's hope. The trial is the first FDA-validated clinical study of a potential cancer drug derived from a Chinese medicinal herb, says Dr. Mary Tagliaferri, a co-founder of the company, former practicing acupuncturist and a breast-cancer survivor. "Sixty-two percent of chemotherapy drugs come from natural products, and plants have been the basis of almost every new class of medication," she says. "It makes sense that these plants can act as anticancer agents."

Cohen's early observations about Ban Zhi Lian may have started out as a hunch, but they may hold up. In 1996, Cohen and Tagliaferri, along with Dr. Debu Tripathy, then a breast cancer specialist at the University of California, San Francisco, co-founded the Complementary and Alternative Medicine program at the university's Carol Franc Buck Breast Care Center. Over the next several years, the trio amassed enough evidence about the herb's anticancer properties — in lab tests of animals and breast-cancer cells, BZL101 caused apoptosis or cell death, according to Tagliaferri — to get a green light from the FDA to begin clinical trials."

Read the full article here:

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1671684,00.html#ixzz1uDqfXPfV

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration

Things You Didn't Know about Melatonin, but Should!

I was surprised when 4 of the 5 nationally recognized CAM specialists I consulted with asked me to take high doses of Melatonin (15 - 18 mg) as part of my supplement regimen. You have to build the dose gradually, starting with 2 mg /night. I didn't have problems with sleep then, but was educated as to why this was an important addition for cancer prevention.  There is little reason not to add Melatonin to your diet.  It has been shown to be safe up to those levels.  The only caution is if you are also taking sedative medications like clonazepam (Klonopin), lorazepam (Ativan), phenobarbital (Donnatal), zolpidem (Ambien). For other mild drug interactions, click here.

What is Melatonin?

The hormone melatonin, is found in a great variety of organisms.  Melatonin is produced in humans by the pineal gland.  The plant derived form, phytomelatonin, is sold as a dietary supplement in the United States and is used by some CAM practitioners in the treatment of cancer patients.

Long known for its ability to regulate the body`s natural circadian rhythms, melatonin is rapidly emerging as a powerful agent in the fight against brain aging and neurologic deterioration. Melatonin effectively protects both lipids and proteins from free radical damage as it easily crosses the blood-brain barrier. The production of melatonin decreases with age and oxidation slowly diminishes the normal electrical communication patterns seen in a healthy brain.

The result of a study published in the Behavioral and Brain Functionsjournal found that patients suffering from neurologic disorders such as Parkinson`s and Alzheimer`s disease were deficient in circulating levels of melatonin.

sleep

What does it Do?

Circadian organization of the host-cancer balance is important to cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis, and treatment.

Both melatonin and chronotherapy have been studied for many years but, despite largely positive findings, have not been brought into mainstream cancer therapy.

All living organisms are organized in biological time, and melatonin, a hormone secreted mainly by the pineal gland, is an important part of this scheme. In the human light-dark cycle, melatonin peaks every 24 hours, between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m.

The light-dark cycle helps synchronize the activity of the central biological clock. It is also a new member of an expanding group of regulatory factors that control cell  proliferation and loss, and is the only known chronobiotic hormonal regulator of neoplastic cell growth (a cell that is part of tumor).

At physiological concentrations, melatonin suppresses cell growth and multiplication and inhibits cancer cell proliferation in vitro through specific cell-cycle effects. At pharmacological concentrations, melatonin suppresses cancer cell growth and multiplication.

Unique Property of this Antioxidant

The Blood-Brain Barrier is a mechanism that controls the passage of substances from the blood into the cerobrospinal fluid and thus into the brain and spinal cord. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) lets essential metabolites, such as oxygen and glucose, pass from the blood to the brain and central nervous system (CNS) but blocks most molecules that are more massive than about 500 daltons. This means that everything from hormones and neurotransmitters to viruses and bacteria are refused access to the brain by the BBB. It also means that many drugs, which would otherwise be capable of treating disorders of the CNS, are denied access to the very regions where they would be affective.

Key functions of the BBB are:

• Protecting the brain from "foreign substances" (such as viruses and bacteria) in the blood that could injure the brain

• Shielding the brain from hormones and neurotransmitters in the rest of the body

• Maintaining a constant environment (homeostasis) for the brain

Melatonin is anantioxidantthat can easily cross cell membranes and the blood–brain barrier.reference

Melatonin is a direct scavenger of OH, O2−, and NO.[5] Unlike other antioxidants, melatonin does not undergo redox cycling, the ability of a molecule to undergo reduction and oxidation repeatedly. Redox cycling may allow other antioxidants (such as vitamin C) to act as pro-oxidants, counterintuitively promoting free radical formation. Melatonin, on the other hand, once oxidized, cannot be reduced to its former state because it forms several stable end-products upon reacting with free radicals. Therefore, it has been referred to as a terminal (or suicidal) antioxidant.

Melatonin Shown to Lower Cancer Risk by 34%

Melatonin has been shown to be effective in the fight against many cancer lines including those affecting the liver, breast, prostate, lung and brain. Melatonin is a powerful and versatile antioxidant that is naturally secreted by the pineal gland at night during total darkness. The natural nutrient can scavenge the most dangerous free radicals that are known to result in genetic deletions that dramatically increase the risk of many cancers.

The result of a meta-analysis of ten studies released in the Journal of Pineal Research demonstrated that melatonin is able to lower the risk of many cancer lines by up to 34%. Researchers found that this protection resulted across all dosage ranges and there were no adverse effects reported. The lead author concluded, "The substantial reduction in risk of death, low adverse events reported and low costs related to this intervention suggest great potential for melatonin in treating cancer."

Read more 

here.

Research

Researchers at Harvard evaluated 147 people with invasive breast cancer and 291 without cancer as part of the Nurses Health Study. They took a morning urine sample and measured melatonin levels via a melatonin by-product called 6-sulphatoxymelatonin. The researchers found women with the highest melatonin had the lowest risk of cancer.

Spanish researchers evaluated melatonin supplements as a treatment for rats with advanced and untreated breast tumors. Melatonin given daily significantly increased survival in animals. The researchers concluded that the results strongly suggest that melatonin is beneficial during advanced breast cancer, because it increases survival time.

Additional Reading:

1. Mills E, Wu P, Seely D, Guyatt G. Melatonin in the treatment of cancer: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials and meta-analysis. J Pineal Res. 2005 Nov:39(4):360-6.

2. Saez MC, Barriga C, Garcia JJ, Rodriguez AB, Masot J, Duran E, Ortega E. Melatonin increases the survival time of animals with untreated mammary tumours: Neuroendocrine stabilization. Mol Cell Biochem. 2005:278(1-2):15-20.

3. Markesbery W: Oxidative stress hypothesis in Alzheimer's disease. Free Radic Biol Med 1997, 23:134-147. PubMed Abstract.

4. Reiter RJ: Oxidative damage in the central nervous system: protection by melatonin. Prog Neurobiol 1998, 56:359-384. PubMed Abstract

5. Poeggeler B, Saarela S, Reiter RJ, Tan DX, Chen LD, Manchester LC, Barlow-Walden LR (November 1994). "Melatonin--a highly potent endogenous radical scavenger and electron donor: new aspects of the oxidation chemistry of this indole accessed in vitro". Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci.738: 419–20. DOI:10.1111/j.1749-6632.1994.tb21831.x. PMID7832450.

The Antioxidant Capacity of Veggies, Fruits n' Spices

This table shows the anti-oxidant potency, ORAC (Oxygen radical absorbant-capacity) value of the listed foods.

An  intake of at least 8,500 ORAC is recommended, and yet most of us only get around 1,800 units per day.

>>  People with high oxidation levels (athletes, runners..) may need 10,000 units or more to maintain a healthy immune system.

Diet is the preferred way to increase your levels, as opposed to supplements, but most people don't seem able to fit 7 -8 servings of these fruits and vegetables a day.  That's why taking pharmaceutical-quality antioxidants is critical.  I can guide you in selecting trusted brands, and the top hitters.

Organic foods with deeper, darker colors have higher anti-oxidant levels.  Commercially raised, sprayed produce offers much less, and actually taxes your immune system.

The Antioxidant Capacity of Fruits and Vegetables

Blueberries	1 cup	3240
Cinnamon, ground	¼ tsp	2675
Pomegranate juice	5 ozs	2450
Pomegranate juice	5 ozs	2450
Blackberries	1 cup	2932
Strawberries	1 cup	2288
Figs	½ c.	2124
Oregano leaf, dried	¼ tsp.	2001
Prunes	4 pitted	1848
Pomegranate	½ pomegranate	1654
Turmeric	¼ tsp	1592
Raspberries	1 cup	1510
Brussels Sprouts	6	1236
Green Tea	1 teabag, steeped 5   mins	1200
Raisins	¼ cup	1019
Spinach, steamed	½ cup, cooked	1089
Kale	½ cup, cooked	1150
Oatbran	1/2 cup	992
Orange	1	982
Plum, dark purple	1	949
Cabbage, purple	½ cup	924
Cranberries	½ cup	831
Broccoli Florets	½ c. cooked	817
Parsley, dried	¼ tsp.	743
Beets	½ cup, cooked	715
Spinach, Raw	1 cup	678
Basil leaf, dried	¼ tsp	675
Cantaloupe	½ melon	670
Beans, baked	½ cup	640
Plum, red	1	626
Grapefruit, pink	½	580
Pepper, Red	1 med. Pepper	540
Watermelon	1/16th,   10” diameter	501
Kiwi	1	458
Cherries	10	455
Asparagus	8 spears	900
Beans, Kidney	½ cup, cooked	400
Eggplant, with skin	½ cup, cooked	386
Onion	½ cup chopped	360
Corn	½ cup cooked	330
Yam or sweet potato	½ cup cooked	301
Pumpkin	½ cup mashed	301
Apple	1 medium	300
Peas, frozen	½ c. cooked	291
Ginger, ground	¼ tsp.	288
Banana	1	252
Applesauce	½ cup	250
Mango	1/2 cup	246
Potatoes	½ cup cooked	244
Cauliflower	½ cup cooked	234
Tomato	1 medium	233
Zucchini	½ cup, cooked	230
Pear	1 medium	222
Leaf Lettuce	10 leaves	200
Tofu	½ cup	195
Squash, yellow	½ cup, cooked	183
Grapes, red	10	177
Apricots	3	175
Carrots, cooked	½ cup	160
Tomato sauce	¼ cup	149
Avocado, Florida	½	149
Peach	1 medium	137
Green beans	½ cup cooked	125
Melon, honeydew	1/10th	125
Lettuce, iceberg	5 large leaves	116
Carrots, raw	½ cup	115
Grapes, white	10	107
Cabbage, white	½ cup	105
Celery	½ cup, diced	60
Cucumber	½ cup, sliced	28

The Reasoning for Seasoning*!

Abstract: The activation of nuclear transcription factor κB has now been linked with a variety of inflammatory diseases, including cancer, atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, diabetes, allergy, asthma, arthritis, Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, osteoporosis, psoriasis, septic shock, and AIDS.

Extensive research in the last few years has shown that the pathway that activates this transcription factor can be interrupted by phytochemicals derived from spices such as turmeric (curcumin), red pepper, cloves , ginger, cumin, anise, and fennel, basil and rosemary, garlic, and pomegranate (ellagic acid).

herbs

For the first time, therefore, research provides “reasoning for seasoning.”*

Suppression of the Nuclear Factor-κB Activation Pathway by Spice-Derived Phytochemicals: BHARAT B. AGGARWAL*, SHISHIR SHISHODIA.

Article first published online: 12 JAN 2006 - DOI: 10.1196/annals.1329.054

And What About Copper?

I have to watch my intake of copper, and take 2 supplements to keep it in check. I have been advised to avoid Shellfish, Peanuts, Cashews and other copper-heavy foods. I don't use copper utensils for food.  I recently tossed out my water kettle because I realized it has a copper bottom! Every 3 -5 months I have a Ceruloplasmin blood test to check my copper level. Why? you may ask. Well, here are two sources with a little more information, and links to the full articles.

1. The Role of Copper in the Angiogenesis Process - from: cancerprotocol.com

Copper is believed to be the switch that turns on the angiogenesis process in tumor cells. It has been observed that abnormally high serum copper levels are found in patients with many types of progressive tumors.

According to the University of Michigan Oncology Journal, many studies have shown copper to be an obligatory co-factor in the process of angiogenesis. Growth factors in angiogenesis require binding to copper in order to function properly. As stated in Steven Brem's research at the Moffitt Cancer Center, linked below, "copper-binding molecules [ceruloplasmin, heparin, and tripeptide glycly-histadyl-lysine] are non-angiogenic when free of copper, but they become angiogenic when bound to copper."

On January 21, 2000, the University of Michigan reported that researchers had "successfully stopped the growth and spread of cancer by depriving the tumors of the copper supply they need to form new blood vessels." Dr. George Brewer used an inexpensive compound called tetrathiomolybdate (TM) to lower the serum copper levels in patients with cancer.

This study was done with a group of 18 patients in hospice with 11 different types of metastatic cancer. The goal of the study was to reduce ceruloplasmin to 20% of baseline for at least 90 days. The treatment achieved this goal in 6 patients, and 5 of those patients have seen no tumor growth or new tumors for more than 2 years. The other 12 patients could not achieve the target copper levels, suggesting that it can take more than a month to reduce copper levels to target, during which time the cancer may progress rapidly." -  Read full article here.

2. What is the evidence?  -  from : http://www.cancer.org

Copper is a trace mineral that is needed for many important body processes. Animal studies have shown that copper is useful in maintaining antioxidant defenses. Antioxidants block the actions of free radicals, which are activated oxygen molecules that can damage cells. While the role of copper in the cancer process is still unclear, copper complexes have been shown to have anti-cancer properties in laboratory studies.

Other laboratory and animal studies suggest that high copper levels may be linked to liver cancer and brain tumors. More recently, many studies have shown that patients' blood copper levels are higher in several types of cancer and other diseases. To add to the confusion, blood tests can show high copper levels even when there is little copper in the tissues. These high copper levels may be due to injury, disease, or inflammation. Because copper levels in the blood do not always reflect nutritional status, it's hard to design or find good studies of copper.

Copper is needed to form new blood vessels, and because cancer needs new blood vessels in order to grow, some researchers are lowering copper levels to see if it will help slow tumor growth. In effect the researchers are trying to use low copper levels to starve the tumor of nutrients by keeping it from building new blood vessels (anti-angiogenesis). One group of researchers looked at whether a copper-lowering drug, tetrathiomolybdate (or TM), could help patients with advanced kidney cancer. Some patients' cancer stopped growing during the 6-month treatment period. A few people had low white blood counts during treatment, requiring that treatment be stopped until they recovered. This was a small study, and further research is needed to find out whether copper can help more people with advanced cancer -  Read the full article here.

~ Be Well! ♥

Lower Blood Sugar with These Foods

Elevated blood sugar levels are associated with inflammation, tumor proliferation, decrease in immune function, and angiogenesis.

Angiogenesis plays a critical role in the growth and spread of cancer. A blood supply is necessary for tumors to grow beyond a few millimeters in size. Tumors can cause this blood supply to form by giving off chemical signals that stimulate angiogenesis.

Thankfully, there are many foods that help lower our blood sugar.  There are also tactics you can use to keep your blood sugar in check:

1. Avoid refined, low fiber carbs and sweets

2. Choose whole grain foods that offer more than 1-gram of fiber for every 10-grams of Carbs (the Good Carb Formula.)

3. Avoid eating carbs alone especially on an empty stomach! Add a protein or healthy fat to balance blood sugar (almond butter, coconut oil, sardines, light meat tuna, almond cream cheese,etc.)

Eat more of these. . .

• Apples, Red with Peel
• Apple cider vinegar
• Avocados
• Barley
• Black Beans
• Blueberries
• Chamomile tea
• Chard
• Cherries
• Cinnamon
• Flax-seed Meal
• Garlic
• Goji Berries
• Green tea
• Leeks
• Lemon
• Parsley
• Nuts
• Oat Bran
• Olive oil
• Onions

• Raspberries
• Seeds
• Sweet potato
• Yams

~ Cheers! ♥

Turmeric (Curcumin)

  Turmeric:  is a bright yellow spice that has an anti-inflammatory effect and demonstrates anticancer as well as antioxidant properties.

 Its primary active ingredient, curcumin, may be useful in the prevention and treatment of stomach, intestinal, colon, skin, and liver cancers. It has been found in studies, that curcumin blocks the growth of human tumors and prevents tumor angiogenesis which basically deprives the tumor of a nutrient source.

Turmeric may be quite useful in colon cancer because of its ability to reduce the levels of COX-2, the enzyme responsible for production of inflammatory molecules.

A teaspoon of turmeric added to soup, salad, or oatmeal is a quick and easy way to increase your curcumin intake. I will also post some dessert recipes (yes, ones that are in harmony with this diet) that use turmeric.

It should be noted that the body’s absorption of the curcumin increases by 2000% when you add black pepper!

The best Curcumin and the one used at M.D. Anderson is: Super Curcumin C-3 formula with bioperene.

On the Internet you can find 120 x 1,000 mg caplets sell for about $30.00, which is pro rated to 25¢ apiece. If you took six of these per day (3 doses of 2 caplets apiece) this would cost $1.50 per day.

~The new Mellow Yellow! ♥