Why Ginkgo Biloba Is The Best-Selling Booster For Brain Function

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The preparations of ginkgo biloba commonly sold as herbal supplements are derived from the leaves of the ginkgo trees, which are probably the longest living in the world Individual trees are believed to live for up to 1,000 years and are found most commonly in southern and eastern areas of the US, southern France, China, and Korea.

Traditional Chinese medicine has made use of the nuts of the ginkgo tree for around 5,000 years, but the use of the leaves is a relatively recent European development. Widespread recognition of the active properties of the plant have made ginkgo leaf extract products the best-selling of all herbal medicines and supplements in Europe, and also placed them in the ten most popular in the USA, where it’s classed as a dietary supplement. In fact it’s estimated that around 2 billion 120 mg doses of supplement have been sold in the last twenty years alone.

The principal active elements of ginkgo leaf extract are the flavonoids which, like those derived from other sources (green tea, for example) are a powerful anti-oxidant; and terpene lactones.

As an anti-oxidant, ginkgo biloba is particularly effective in neutralizing the most damaging superoxide free radicals and thereby helping to prevent the atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, which is a common precursor of serious cardiovascular disease. And most of the benefits of ginkgo stem in fact from its effect in improving the circulation of the blood - as numerous research studies have demonstrated.

Ginkgo enhanced circulation in the minute capillaries of the eye has been credited with protecting against age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts and diabetic retinopathy. Improved circulation in the ears may also protect against tinnitus and hearing loss.

Studies using supplementation at 240 mg also demonstrated improved exercise tolerance and reduced pain in those suffering from intermittent claudication, or peripheral vascular disease, –a painful and potentially dangerous problem with the circulation in the legs.

But as valuable as these effects undoubtedly are, it’s as a stimulant for the brain and a protector against the dreadful effects of Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of dementia that ginkgo biloba is best known. Although conventional medicine, as ever, retains its tendency towards caution when considering the possible effects of “alternative” remedies, it’s generally conceded that ginkgo biloba has significant therapeutic effects in the treatment of the early stages of Alzheimer’s. The benefits, in fact, are closely analogous to those of conventional drug therapies, and although not, of course, offering a cure, may significantly slow down the progress of this most devastating disease.

Research studies have also indicated clinically significant improvements in performance in standard tests of memory and learning when healthy adults were given supplements at the level of 180 mg of ginkgo biloba a day for a period of six weeks. Similar benefits, however, were not shown at lower levels of supplementation.

The common sense hypothesis is that ginkgo biloba improves the blood supply and circulation to the brain as it does to other parts of the body, which can only have a positive effect on the memory and other cognitive functions of the organ. Moreover, improved circulation along with ginkgo biloba’s anti-oxidant properties play a major role in protecting against the circulatory problems which can lead to stroke, still one of the major causes of premature death or incapacity in the Western world.

Although the 180 mg daily dose has been shown to be beneficial, some alternative medical practitioners recommend higher doses, even as high as 360 mg. The generally recommended composition of supplements, and that found in most commercial preparations, is in the proportions 24% ginkgo flavonoids and 6% terpenes.

Ginkgo biloba is recognized as a safe medication and very rarely produces any side effects in the otherwise healthy even in the high doses mentioned above. But it’s effect in improving the circulation by reducing the “stickiness” of the blood mean it is strongly contra-indicated prior to surgery and for those already taking blood thinning drugs such as warfarin.

In summary it may be said that conventional medicine recognizes ginkgo biloba as a potentially effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease and as an aid to good circulation with some positive effects in cases of cerebrovascular disease and peripheral vascular disease in the legs. Alternative practitioners insist that ginkgo biloba is also effective in improving memory, learning and general cognitive function in healthy adults, but orthodox medicine remains reluctant to endorse these claims.

PhotoCredit: http://www.dkimages.com

Author: Steve Smith is a freelance copywriter specialising in direct marketing and with a particular interest in health products. Find out more at http://www.sisyphuspublicationsonline.com/LiquidNutrition/GinkgoBiloba.htm

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How To Get Rid of Stretch Marks

If you have stretch marks, you are likely haunted by how they look. When you first got them they were light pink or purple lines along your skin, then the color faded and they changed to a different color of flesh, becoming classic stretch lines.

These marks are caused by the extensive stretching of skin. Those lines are actually small tears in the top 2 layers of the skin. It is the scars from that damage to the skin that you refer to as stretch marks. If you have stretch marks you likely already know the result; the discolorations are embarrassing, and are something that you would love to get rid of.

There are a number of items on the market that have been created to do just this job. For the most part they are oils or creams that need to be massaged into the affected areas and are supposed to help firm up the skin, make it suppler, and also diminish or get rid of the stretch marks altogether. The ingredients that do the trick are Vitamin E oil and cocoa butter. For the best results, use of these creams should begin as soon as you realize stretch marks are forming. The sooner you begin using them, the better the results.

There are also some prescription products that are known to help reduce the look of stretch marks. A commonly heard of item is Retin-A. This medicine can only be acquired with a doctor’s note, but for those who have relatively new stretch marks, this can be a great healer. It is known to remove the redness in those new scars and make the resulting lines much less pronounced. Unfortunately it can only be used on stretch marks that are less than a year old.

By far, the most successful stretch mark treatment is going for full out cosmetic laser security. While it is very costly, many people who have thousands of dollars at their disposal will use this method of stretch mark removal because of the success rate. Many of those who have taken this route to try and have their marks removed have done so because they have had the scars for a number of years, and no other methods worked. The way laser treatment works is to actually break down the tissue in the skin to change the appearance to be more like the surrounding skin. But it will not be perfect the first time. It could take a half dozen or more laser treatments to notice real results, and it will not work on all people.

The best solution to deal with stretch marks is not to get them in the first place. Since stretch marks are actual damage to the skin and it’s tissue, many times, they cannot be repaired. So, the better option is to stay healthy and keep close tabs on weight gain and muscle building. Also, make sure to keep up with a vitamin and mineral rich healthy diet, as well as drinking a lot of water.

Author: Dianne Keenan is writer, and a mother of four. Having gone through four pregnancies, she knows all about stretch marks. You can read more about her personal experience of getting rid of stretch marks at http://hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Get-Rid-Of-Stretch-Marks

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Acidity verses Alkalinity

While I originally started to avoid this subject like the plague, I felt the need to at a minimum address it because there are so many widely differing view points on what this actually means, what to do about it and how this really affects your overall health.

I was very happy to find that the Chief Science Officer at Univera LifeSciences, Steven Cherniske, had published a very informative article, “The Acid Alkaline Mystery Solved”, on this very subject. For any of you that have read any of Stephen Cherniske’s work, you will not be surprised to see that it comes complete with all the references that you could hope for and the straight hard facts on this very confusing subject. As a result of this finding I am not going to attempt to do the subject justice, by trying to recreate an article of equal caliber. Verses re-inventing the wheel I am going to simply hit some of the high points for those of you who would prefer the cliff notes version. For those that would like to read all of the details I will leave that to Stephen and his article, “The Acid Alkaline Mystery Solved”.

First of all what is an Acid or for that matter an Alkaline substance? These substances are measured on a pH scale with water being neutral at 7.0. With values less than 7.0 being acid and the lower the pH value the stronger the acid. As you may have guessed alkaline (or base) substances have a value greater than 7.0 up to a maximum of 14. By now you may be wondering where our bodies should fall on this scale. First of all when we speak of an acid/alkaline balance in the body we are talking about the pH balance of our blood and tissues that should remain in a fairly narrow range of about 7.4 – slightly alkaline.

The real heart of the matter here is the byproducts of the digestion of foods that we consume and absorb. The biggest contributors to the fact that ACIDOSIS is at an all time high are the facts that most Americans are consuming beef and/or poultry multiple times per day, Americans are now consuming more soft drinks than water, consumption of coffee (caffeinated & decaffeinated) and lastly the processing of many of our foods have removed all of the alkaline forming minerals. When thinking about the foods that we consume you can not take the natural state of a food as the prime indicator of how that food will interact with our bodies. As an example, most fruits when consumed will result in an alkaline ash residue once digested even though naturally they maybe very high in acid in their natural state, even oranges.

The primary acid forming foods in your diet contain the minerals, sulfur, phosphorus and iron. Typically you will find these minerals in proteins, such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, grains, most nuts and soft drinks (due to the high phosphate levels).The minerals potassium, calcium, magnesium and sodium form alkaline reactions in the body and are found primarily in fruits and vegetables, and so these foods are classified as alkaline forming foods. As many of you are aware the consumption of alkaline-forming vegetables and fruit is at an all-time low. This has resulted in an increase of acidosis which accelerates catabolic damage and impairs our bodies anabolic repair processes. One of the best examples is the fact that it has been known for a long time that diets high in protein greatly increase the risk of osteoporosis. While there are many theories on this subject it appears that the body is simply taking from one part of the body to help support other systems that have been depleted due to the body staying in such a high state of acidosis.

In an attempt to help us make this shift in our diet Univera LifeSciences has created MetaGreens™. MetaGreens™ is extraordinary mix of land and sea vegetables, all of which are rich in alkaline minerals. I take great comfort in knowing that these greens are pesticide-free, grown on high-nutrient soil that has never been chemically fertilized. Additionally, Univera LifeSciences takes great care to ensure that the vegetables are harvested at the peak of their nutrient value and then these ingredients are processed by low-temperature dehydration to retain all the raw food goodness and manufactured in small batches to maximize freshness.

While the words “stomach acid” have a negative connotations for many of you it is because you have been brain washed over the years by the non-stop advertisements about how excess stomach acid is causing all of your discomforts. While I would be able to spend days address this issue I will pass. For those of you that want to read a very well presented explanation of why our stomach acids are in fact a good thing please read Stephen Cherniske’s article. For myself I continue to rely on Univera LifeSciences Aloe Gold product to help keep my digestive track in order and functioning properly. For those of you that have not tried Aloe Gold take a moment to ask anyone that have used the product and I am very certain you will hear fantastic praises about how it has helped them with numerous digestive track disorders.

I hope that you have found this latest entry to be of interest and most of informative. While I have barely scratched the surface here I hope that I have helped to clear up some of the confusion associated with the Acid Alkaline debate. For those of you that are hungry for more on this I can not recommend highly enough that you read Stephen Cherniske’s article the Acid Alkaline Mystery Solved.

Reference:

1) AcidAlkalineMysterySolved - http://www.aginghealthier.com/pdfs/AcidAlkalineMysterySolved.pdf

2) Stephen Cherniske, M.S., The Metabolic Plan, The Random House Publishing Company, 2003, ISBN: 0-345-44102-8, http://www.themetabolicplan.com/

3) Natural Health School - http://www.naturalhealthschool.com/acid-alkaline.html

Author: Glenn Antoine has spent 25+ years researching and learning about nutrition, supplementation and physical fitness in an attempt to not only improve his quality of life, but the lives of all those that he comes in contact with. Please visit http://blog.aginghealthier.com for great information on the topics of Anti-aging, Wellness and physical fitness. Checkout http://www.aginghealthier.com for some of the best products available on the market.

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What Are The Effects Of Sleeping Pills On My Body?

You have spent countless nights tossing and turning in bed, trying to find a way to fall asleep. Then, we you do finally fall asleep hours later, the slightest noise or movement jars you awake once again. It is a frustrating scenario, and unfortunately, it plays over and over again each night without fail. You want to visit your doctor and find a remedy to this problem, but you are scared of what the effects of sleeping pills will be on your body.

You are no doubt scared because of the horrible stories publicized on the news of the side effects of sleeping pills on patients. Who hasn't heard of people sleep walking, driving, eating or even going to work while technically still sleeping? These scenarios are no doubt the worst nightmares of people and will keep them from seeking treatments that really can help the problems.


So, before visiting your doctor, it's wise to research what the effects of sleeping pills can be so you will be aware before the doctor prescribes something to you. Any sleeping pill that your doctor will prescribe is either a sedative or tranquilizer, meant to relax your body and muscles.

The effects of sleeping pills on your body are generally the same no matter what type of sleeping pill you take, because they all have similar actions. The effects of sleeping pills vary from person to person, but can range from mental to physical effects and can be mild or severe.

Examples of physical effects of sleeping pills are difficulty eating, nausea, upset stomach, dizziness, drowsiness or dry mouth. These usually occur because of the chemical reactions that take place in your body when on the medication. The medication is strong and can upset the sensitive lining of your stomach.

Examples of mental effects of sleeping pills are irritability, confusion, tremors, nervousness and hallucinations. Ironically, some types of sleeping pills can even make people have difficulty sleeping! The effects are different on each patient, all the more reason why to visit your doctor to find out what will work for you.

If you are pregnant, you will not be able to take sleeping pills because of the medicine's ability to cross over the placenta and to the baby.

If this scares you and you don't want to take sleeping pills because of the potential for side effects, visit with your doctor. He may be able to recommend other treatments to help cure your insomnia and get a good night's rest. These treatments can include hypnosis, lifestyle changes or changes to your diet and exercise regimen.

Do not spend another night tossing and turning until you see the morning sun. Research your options and then visit with you doctor to determine the best course of action for you. Working together, you will find the best treatment for your body. At the end of the day, you won't regret it. You will be sleeping instead!

Sponsored by: http://www.balootisme.com

Author: Rory Herts http://www.askthesleepexperts.com
Do you want to learn more about the effects of sleeping pills on your body? If so, you can find that information along with general information on ambient cr zolpidem and the latest research on ambient and sleep disorders at our web site! We are the Sleep Experts and want to help you get a better night's sleep. Stop by today!

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Aging Well With Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine

More attention is being spent in this country on the topic of aging than every before. As more and more Americans enter their fifth, sixth, and seventh decades, they are looking for ways to feel younger, look younger and age healthfully. Millions of dollars are spent annually on vitamins and food supplements, cosmetics and cosmetic procedures, exercise equipment and gadgets in an effort to ward off, and even deny, the “ravages” of old age.

In our culture, we tend to think of aging as a breakdown or a decline in health, almost as if our bodies are failing us. However, the Chinese have a different perspective. According to Chinese Theory, aging are not considered a breakdown, but rather a normal life transition. How you age and live in your later years depends on your lifestyle in the preceding years. There are many factors, some you can control and some you can’t, that affect how you will feel and look as you age.

To understand aging from the traditional Chinese framework, we need to understand the concept of Essence. Essence is one of the most important substances in the body, and is responsible for birth, growth, development, and maturation. It is also the foundation for all other substances in the body.

We inherit one kind of Essence at the moment of conception, called Congenital Essence. Congenital Essence is not only responsible for growth and maturation, but also genetic traits and constitution. As we age, Congenital Essence becomes depleted, and when this Essence is completely used up, according to Chinese theory, we die. While Congenital Essence cannot be replenished, it can be used judiciously through good lifestyle habits, and it can be augmented by another kind of essence, called Acquired Essence.

Acquired Essence is made up of nutrients from the food we eat, and can be built up by eating well. Good health, strength, and high levels of energy manifest an abundance of Acquired Essence. Any excess of Acquired Essence is stored in the Kidney, along with Congenital Essence.

Essence is stored in the Kidney, which in Chinese medicine is a system of functioning, not necessarily the kidney organ. The Kidney, according to the Chinese, is responsible for growth, maturation, sexuality and fertility. It also governs the bones and teeth, the brain, and is associated with the ear and hearing. Essence is strongly associated with the Kidney, and is often referred to as Kidney Essence.

The gradual depletion of Kidney Essence is the mechanism responsible for aging. It can be seen in weakening and brittle bones, loss of teeth, hearing loss, confusion, and memory problems—all manifestations associated with the Kidney. Weakness and lack of energy is also a common condition of depleted Kidney Essence, along with lumbar pain, as the Kidney is housed in the lower back.

Eat Well

So how, according to Chinese Medical theory, does one preserve Kidney Essence to age well? While there are many factors, good diet is the most obvious. Chinese dietary therapy is a whole discipline by itself, and many books have been written on the subject. One focus of Chinese dietary therapy is on eating and preparing foods in a way that they are easily digested. Foods that are difficult to digest use up energy, or Qi, and over a long period of time can deplete Essence. Some guidelines for eating well include:

-Avoid spicy or greasy foods.

-Avoid very cold foods, such as ice cream or iced drinks.

-Drink fluids that are room temperature or warmer.

-Lightly steam or stew vegetables and fruits, as raw foods can be difficult to digest.

-Avoid drinking too much alcohol.

-Talk to a practitioner of Chinese medicine about what foods are best suited to your specific condition or constitution.

Manage Your Stress and Moderation

Managing stress is another way to protect our health as we age. Unfortunately, many of us find stress an acceptable by-product of the busy, and often overwhelming lives we lead. Some of us don’t even realize that we are under incredible amounts of unrelenting stress because we are so busy trying to get everything done. In either case, stress exhausts us physically, disrupts relationships between organ systems, creating unhealthy imbalances, and depletes essence.

Equally exhausting to our internal organs, especially the Kidney and the Spleen, (which is responsible for digestion) is overwork. This means long hours spent working or studying without adequate rest. Damage due to overwork can also be caused by excessive exercise. Therefore, working in moderation and getting adequate rest is essential to preserving Essence.

Moderation is also key with regard to your sex life. Because the Kidney is responsible for reproduction, according to Chinese medicine, sexual practices can also affect Kidney Essence. Having too many children too close together, or having sex too frequently can deplete the Essence and cause premature aging.

Adhering to the principles of Chinese medicine, by incorporating proper diet, adequate rest and moderation in all things, can go a long way toward aging with energy, vitality and good health.

Author: Lynn Jaffee is a Licensed Acupuncturist practicing in St. Louis Park, MN. For more articles or information about acupuncture go to http://www.acupunctureinthepark.com

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Alternative Health Medicine Vs. Standard Medicine

Is there any way to accurately compare alternative health medicine to standard medicine? This is a question that many people have on their minds. After all, if you are sick you may want to look into both ways of doing things. The only problem with this is that you need to know the pros and cons of both alternative health medicine and standard medicine. Compiling this information on your own can be a difficult task to say the least.

There is one main reason that many people look into alternative health medicine. Do you know what it is? In most cases, the reason for this is that standard medicine is not working for them. If you find yourself in this position, alternative health medicine is something to look into. After all, if it is going to help you to get better does it really matter how it happens?

Most people who avoid alternative health medicine do so because they are afraid of what it is all about. Remember, alternative health medicine is not nearly as popular as more traditional methods. For this reason, you get a lot of people who stay away from alternative health medicine because they are simply afraid of what it will bring.

If you are interested in learning more about alternative health and standard medicine, you should look into the pros and cons of each one. You may even want to see doctors who practice both types of medicine. This will give you the best chance to determine the pros and cons of each type of medicine.

Overall, both alternative health medicine and standard medicine have a lot to offer. There is no way of saying for sure which one is better for you. Only you can determine if alternative health medicine is better for you, or vice versa.

Author: Laurie J. Raphael. Visit my Alternative Medicine website featuring Feng Shui life and Herbal Remedy Medicines, Chinese Herbal Medicine and much more: http://www.AlternativeMedicineBasics.com

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Handy First Aid Tips

When someone is injured or suddenly becomes ill, there is usually a critical period before you can get medical treatment and it is this period that is of the utmost importance to the victim. What you do, or what you don't do, in that interval can mean the difference between life and death. You owe it to yourself, your family and your neighbors to know and to understand procedures that you can apply quickly and intelligently in an emergency.

Every household should have some type of first aid kit, and if you do not already have one, assemble your supplies now. Tailor the contents to fit your family's particular needs. Don't add first aid supplies to the jumble of toothpaste and cosmetics in the medicine cabinet. Instead, assemble them in a suitable, labeled box (such as a fishing tackle box or small took chest with hinged cover), so that everything will be handy when needed. Label everything in the kit clearly, and indicate what it is used for. Be sure not to lock the box - otherwise you may be hunting for the key when that emergency occurs. Place the box on a shelf beyond the reach of small children, and check it periodically and always restock items as soon as they are used up.

Keep all medications, including non-prescription drugs such as aspirin, out of reach of children. When discarding drugs, be sure to dispose of them where they cannot be retrieved by children or pets. When an emergency occurs, make sure the injured victim's airway is not blocked by the tongue and that the mouth is free of any secretions and foreign objects. It is extremely important that the person is breathing freely. And if not, you need to administer artificial respiration promptly. See that the victim has a pulse and good blood circulation as you check for signs of bleeding. Act fast if the victim is bleeding severely or if he has swallowed poison or if his heart or breathing has stopped.

Remember every second counts.

Although most injured persons can be safely moved, it is vitally important not to move a person with serious neck or back injuries unless you have to save him from further danger. Keep the patient lying down and quiet. If he has vomited and there is no danger that his neck is broken, turn hin on his side to prevent choking and keep him warn by covering him with blankets or coats. Have someone call for medical assistance while you apply first aid. The person who summons help should explain the nature of the emergency and ask what should be done pending the arrival of the ambulance. Reassure the victim, and try to remain calm yourself. Your calmness can allay the feat and panic of the patient. Don't give fluids to an unconscious or semiconscious person; fluids may enter his windpipe and cause suffocation. Don't try to arouse an unconscious person by slapping or shaking. Look for an emergency medical identification card or an emblematic device that the victim may be wearing to alert you to any health problems, allergies or diseases that may require special care.

This article is provided by Carol Bond Health Foods. Carol Bond Health Foods has been serving natural health consumers for over 25 years. For the best vitamin supplements and health foods visit http://www.CarolBond.com

Howard and Carol Bond were in a Houston shopping mall in the year 1976. At a health food store, they were intrigued by the health-related possibilities of the vitamins and supplements on the shelves. Howard had achieved a substantial background in human anatomy, and Carol had studied the effectiveness of nutritional care. Based on conversations with the representative in the health food store, both Howard and Carol began a regimen. They quickly noticed an improvement in their vitality and vigor.

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