#SWEET TASTE, SWEET POISONING#

          SWEET TASTE, SWEET POISONING!!!

In early studies of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), it was shown to be most prevalent in countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States and those in northern Europe.
However, in more recent studies, Canada has suddenly shot to the top of the list as the country with the highest incidence.
In 1981, the incidence of IBD in Alberta, Canada was only 44 per 100,000; less than half that of Olmsted County in Minnesota.
By the year 2000, the incidence in Alberta had skyrocketed to 283 per 100,000; now 63 percent higher than that in Olmstead County in the US.
The question is, why?

Could Widespread Consumption of Splenda Explain Skyrocketing IBD Rates?

It's worth noting here that IBD is different from another condition that sounds very similar, namely irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an autoimmune disease that can have very serious consequences, while IBS is a functional bowel disorder.
Many IBD patients wind up having extensive sections of their colon removed to address the problem when conventional therapies fail and this can result in devastating and life-threatening complications.
A paper published in the Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology theorizes that the increase in this troublesome disease may be related to the impairment of digestive proteases, caused by the inhibition of gut bacteria by dietary chemicals, such as saccharin and sucralose.  Saccharin fails to provide an explanation for the rise of IBD, as Canada adopted stringent standards for the use of saccharin in 1977 -- but this is not the case for sucralose (Splenda).
According to the authors:

"If not saccharin, then what caused the remarkable increase of IBD in Canada? ... [S]ucralose may be the culprit ... In 1991, Canada was the first country to approve the use of sucralose, and it was allowed to be used as a tabletop sweetener in breakfast cereals, beverages, desserts, toppings, fillings, chewing gum, breath mints, fruit spreads, salad dressings, confectionary, bakery products, processed fruits and vegetables, alcoholic beverages, puddings and table syrups."

The theory that Splenda may be a culprit in the rise of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) appears to be a reasonable one, echoing the results from a 2008 study published in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, which discovered that Splenda:

• Increases the pH level in your intestines, and 
• Reduces the amount of good bacteria in your intestines by 50 percent!

In the featured paper, the author states that sucralose has a potent inhibitory effect on your gut bacteria and inactivates digestive protease. It also alters gut barrier function. All in all, this may help explain the pronounced increase in IBD in Canada since its introduction into the food supply.
Believe me, if you keep destroying up to half of your gut flora by regularly consuming Splenda, then poor health is virtually guaranteed! Making matters worse, most people are already deficient in healthy bacteria due to excessive consumption of highly processed foods, which is why a high quality probiotic supplement is a good idea for most people. If you add sucralose to an already unbalanced intestinal tract, health problems are very likely to ensue...

The Signs and Symptoms of Sucralose Toxicity

It's important to understand that despite its misleading slogan, Splenda (sucralose) is nothing like sugar. Rather it's a chlorinated artificial sweetener in line with aspartame and saccharin, and with detrimental health effects to match. In fact, while sucralose starts out as a sugar molecule, by the time the manufacturing process is completed, it more closely resembles DDT than sugar.
It could easily be likened to eating an insecticide...
Unfortunately, many fail to connect the dots between their symptoms and their use of Splenda, or other artificial sweeteners. 

Just as with aspartame, many Splenda users complain of general malaise or "feeling under the weather," along with a variety of neurological changes, such as foggy-headedness, lack of concentration, and "bad mood."
Commonly reported symptoms (usually experienced within 24 hours after consuming Splenda) include:

Eyes – bloodshot, itchy, swollen, or watery eyes and swelling of the eyelids	Joints – aches and pains	Nose – sneezing and runny or stuffy nose
Head – headaches, migraines, and swelling of the face, lips, throat, or tongue	Lungs – cough, tightness, shortness of breath, and wheezing	Skin – blistering, crusting, eruptions, hives, itchiness, redness, swelling, and oozing
Heart – fluttering or palpitations	Neurological – anxiety, depression, dizziness, and decreased ability to concentrate	Stomach – bloating, bloody diarrhea, diarrhea, gas, nausea, pain, and vomiting

If you experience any of these symptoms and have just consumed Splenda, or consume it on a regular basis,  carefully avoid any further exposure for a few days to a few weeks to see if the symptoms disappear. If they do, you may just have solved your own "health mystery." Likewise, if you have inflammatory bowel disease and consume any kind of Splenda product or other artificial sweetener, you'd be wise to avoid such items in order to improve your condition.
It's important to identify the culprit, as the long-term damage of Splenda consumption is largely unknown. Still, it would probably be a fair guess that long-term exposure is not going to be beneficial to your health—especially if you're having symptoms of toxicity! It's a sad reality that very few appropriate studies have been performed on Splenda. The vast majority of the studies that formed the basis for its approval in the US were done on animals, and they actually found plenty of problems even though they were ultimately dismissed, including:

• Brain lesions
• Decreased red blood cell count and anemia
• Enlarged and calcified kidneys
• Increased mortality
• Male infertility
• Spontaneous abortions in rabbits

Diet Soda May Also Raise Your Stroke Risk

Another recent study, featured by Dr. Sanjay Gupta, reported that diet soda consumption was linked to higher rates of strokes, heart attacks and other lethal vascular events. (The study did not specify any particular artificial sweetener involved, but diet sodas typically use either aspartame or sucralose, sometimes both, and both have similar health hazards.)
The researchers concluded that:

"This study suggests that diet soda is not an optimal substitute for sugar-sweetened beverages, and may be associated with a greater risk of stroke, myocardial infarction, or vascular death than regular soda."

While more research will likely be needed to confirm this potential link, there's plenty of evidence showing that artificial sweeteners such as sucralose and aspartame can be dangerous to your health.

Ready to Kick the Artificial Sweetener Habit?

If you're using an artificial sweetener, it's probably because you're trying to avoid the calories while still craving that sweet taste. Sweet cravings are very common, and quite understandable when you realize that sugar is as addictive as some hard-core street drugs. Unfortunately, switching to artificial sweeteners will neither reduce these cravings nor increase your satiety. On the contrary, you're likely making matters worse.
Your body tends to crave sugary foods when it's lacking proper fuel. Sugar is very quick fuel and can give your body a boost when it's running low. However, using artificial sweeteners will not trick your body into thinking it has had its fill; rather it wants more sweets because it didn't get the energy boost that normally goes along with the sweet taste. In fact, this is part of why artificial sweeteners are associated with increased weight gain rather than weight loss. You're simply confusing your body.
The most powerful solution to help curb your cravings is to eat a wholesome diet of real food, and by 'real food' I mean fresh, whole (preferably organic, as it's more nutrient-dense) foods that have been minimally processed, if at all. Once your body has the fuel it needs to keep going, it doesn't need to "remind" you, in the form of sugar cravings, that it needs an energy boost.

Guidelines for Addressing Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

Those with IBD need to strictly limit or eliminate their sugar consumption, switching to an artificial sweetener is an unwise move for all the reasons discussed above. While sugar will promote inflammation by increasing your insulin levels, artificial sweeteners will destroy your gut flora and further damage your intestines, and more...
The following strategies are also important if you're struggling with IBD:

• Take a high quality animal-based omega-3 fat supplement. If you're already taking a plant-based omega-3 such as flax, know that it will not work as your body needs the omega-3 fat DHA to have a serious impact on this disease, not the omega-3 ALA found in flax. (Get your DHA AT http://www.mygreenlady.com/store/dha-premier.html and your essential fatty acids at http://www.mygreenlady.com/store/efa-oil-blend-premier.html)
• Avoid all types of sugars, particularly fructose, as these will increase inflammation by increasing your insulin levels.
• Also avoid grains until your symptoms are under control. Many with inflammatory bowel disease have gluten sensitivities. Additionally, the grains tend to increase insulin levels, promoting inflammation.
• Optimize your vitamin D levels. Vitamin D appears to be nearly as effective as animal-based omega-3 fats. (get the best vitamin D3 at: http://www.mygreenlady.com/store/d3-serum.html)

• Get plenty of beneficial bacteria (probiotics) in your diet, as this will help to heal your intestinal tract. You can do this by regularly consuming traditionally fermented foods, or taking a high quality probiotic supplement (get the best probiotics at http://www.mygreenlady.com/store/probiotic-caps-premier-30.html )

Source: Dr. Mercola

TOXINS GET IN THROUGH OUR SKIN AND HAIR!!!!

Personal Care

Like the toxic tagalongs  in nutritional products, there are numerous toxic tagalongs in skin care products that need to be avoided to maximize health and wellness.

Great Skin Care without the Toxic Tagalongs

Most of the skin care products on the market contain toxic chemicals (even the so called natural ones). The Premier Line (www.mygreenlady.com) has an advanced charged herbal particle technology instead of the chemical add-ons. These highly charged herbal particles polarize your own skin cells to a much higher electron spin state. This means the uptake of nutrients into the cells is magnified 100 times greater than ordinary creams. What makes skin truly healthy and radiant is great nutrition.

1. Deeply cleans, tones and softens the skin
2. Incredibly better and safer than a facelift or chemical peel
3. Plump, tone, tighten skin and normalizes the pore size
4. Exceptionally effective for sun damaged skin & age spots
5. Stops oily, dry, blemished or loose skin
6. Ideal skin care to achieve the flawless appearance of actors, actresses and models
7. Absolutely NO techno-toxic chemicals.

Eight Chemicals in Skin & Hair Products that You Should NEVER Use!!!

1. 1. Propylene Glycol – This is a cheap petrochemical used as an emulsifying base in creams and lotions to make the skin look smooth, but ultimately it ages the skin faster. The Material Safety Data Sheet tells you to avoid skin contact with it because it is a skin irritant. It can denature the skin’s protein, leading to poor aging skin. It can be absorbed through your skin and potentially cause allergic reactions and liver and kidney damage.
2. 2. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) - This is a harsh, caustic detergent and is used because it is cheap and suds well. It is used as an engine degreaser and a garage floor cleaner but you’ll also find it in shampoo, soap, facial cleanser, etc. Research shows that SLS has a degenerative effect on the cell membranes and denatures protein such as in hair or skin. This can damage skin or hair, leading to aged skin and poor hair. SLS can corrode hair follicles and inhibit hair growth, continuing a hair loss pattern.

SLS has the potential to cause cataracts (through skin absorption, even without direct contact with the eyes. SLS can denature protein of the eyes and delay the healing time of the eyes. From skin contact, SLS can be absorbed into your circulation system and concentrate in your organs such as your heart, liver or brain. This is potentially dangerous since SLS is a mutagen. (In others words harmfully altering your genetics or DNA)

1. 3. Fragrance – When the word “fragrance” is listed on the label, it means a synthetic fragrance made in a test tube from any of over 200 chemicals. These “fragrance” chemicals, which bio-accumulate in your organs, can cause many symptoms, such as headaches, lung problems, skin irritations, dizziness, memory impairment , rash, hyper-pigmentation, vomiting, even potential brain damage and more. They are cheap, toxic imitations of real herbal scents.
2. 4. Mineral Oil – This cheap petroleum-based oil clogs the skin’s pores and enlarges them, leading to poor, saggy skin. It decreases the ability of the skin cells to exchange nutrients and waste products. Those allergic to petroleum products may develop skin irritations.
3. 5. Parabens (Propyl, Methyl, Butyl or Ethyl) – these cheap preservatives are used to inhibit microbial growth in skin care or hair care products even though they are known to be highly toxic. They have caused many allergic reactions and skin reactions.
4. 6. Imidazolidinyl and Diazolidinyl Urea – These are the most commonly used preservatives after the parabens. They are an established cause of contact dermatitis (American Academy of Dermatology) and release formaldehyde which is toxic and a known carcinogen.
5. 7. Synthetic Colors – Synthetic colors are used in skin and hair care products to make them colorful. Avoid them at all costs like a plague, along with hair dyes ( with the exception of some henna products) They can cause allergy, skin and nerve problems. Synthetic colors are labeled as DK&C or D&C followed by a number and color.
6. 8. Triethanolamine (TEA) is often used in the base of a product and to adjust the pH. TEA causes allergic reactions including eye problems, dryness of hair and skin, and can be toxic if absorbed into the body over time.

It needs to be considered whether just trying to obtain a radiant look or recover and/or maintain health, the wrong type of skin care products can undermine the whole process.




DO YOU WANT TO FEEL BETTER???

                                       ENZYMES

 

~ Enzymes: A Simple Way To Improve Your Health ~

Do you want to feel better?

Do you eat cooked or processed foods?

If the answer is yes, then you need enzymes to feel better and improve your health!

More than 90% of the food eaten by the average American is cooked or processed at temperatures greater than 118 F. The heat involved, whether it comes from micro waving, steaming, broiling, roasting, pasteurizing, sauteing, stir frying or any other source, destroys food enzymes. The result is incomplete digestion, less nutrition, greater stress on your digestive system, which can lead to more digestive problems.

Your digestive tract is not designed to handle
the modern American diet of cooked and processed food.

Nature intended it to take advantage of the enzymes present in all raw foods. Your body uses enzymes to digest food you eat. Two ways you get enzymes to perform this task are externally from the food you eat (food enzymes). To compensate for these lost food enzymes, your body must work harder and create more digestive enzymes to fully digest your food. If you've ever felt sleepy after a meal, it's because your body is working harder than it should to digest the food you've eaten.

Enzyme Supplements: a simple way to improve your health.

By taking an enzyme supplement with each meal or snack, you'll replace some of the enzymes lost when food is cooked or processed. You'll get more nutrition our of your food, allowing your digestive organs to spend less effort on digestion and more energy on keeping your body healthy. If you have problems with indigestion, gas, bloating, constipation or reflux, a digestive enzyme supplement can help your body bread down more thoroughly, fewer digestive complaints occur.

Your practitioner can recommend the right enzyme supplements to help with digestion and meet your specific health needs. 

By taking the proper blend of supplemental enzymes, you will:

• Increase the nutrients you absorb from your diet to improve overall nutrition
• Decrease or eliminate indigestion, gas, bloating and reflux
• Address the underlying cause of digestive complaints rather than temporarily masking the symptoms
• Enhance the body's digestive efficiency, reduce fatigue and increase your energy
• Leaving energy to focus on other functions, like strengthening the immune system and regenerating cells and tissues
• Ease stress on digestive organs, especially the pancreas, by reducing their workload
• Improve general health and quality of life

Enzymes at Work

Bananas arrive in the store green and ripen over time-this is an example of enzymes at work. Natural enzymes turn that bitter green banana into a sweet yellow banana and eventually a soft black banana. When you eat a banana, its enzymes will help digest the banana as it passes through your digestive tract. Every time the food enzymes you ingest break down food, your body has less work to do in the digestive process, unfortunately cooking and processing destroy these naturally occurring enzymes and force our bodies to take on the full burden of digestion.

Count Your Food Enzymes

• Broiled Steak...................ZERO ENZYMES
• Baked Potato...................ZERO ENZYMES
• Steamed Vegetables.......ZERO ENZYMES
• Raw Radish & Parsley.....just enough to digest the radish and parsley

WHAT IS AN ANTIOXIDANT?, WHAT IS A FREE RADICAL? FOODS RICH IN ANTIOXIDANTS!

WHAT IS AN ANTIOXIDANT? WHAT IS A FREE RADICAL? FOODS HIGHLY ANTIOXIDANT!!
 Protect the Integrity of your Cells, Let thy food be your medicine and antioxidants!

About antioxidants: Protect Yourself from Free Radical Damage! 

'

Anyone interested in natural foods these days has almost certainly run across the word "antioxidants". You have no doubt been hearing that antioxidants are good for you and that you should be getting lots of them, right? But what exactly are antioxidants and why are they good for us?

What are Antioxidants?

First let's look at the word. We've got "anti" and "oxi". So does that mean antioxidants are anti oxygen? Well, not quite. The important thing to know is the difference between oxygenation and oxidation. Oxygen is good and being oxygenated is very good. Every organ in our bodies needs oxygen. But oxidation refers to the breakdown of materials by aggressive little atoms and molecules. An iron bumper on a car breaking down and turning to rust is an example of oxidation. So when you think antioxidants, think anti-oxidation. Antioxidants are compounds that help us fight against damage from oxidation. Our bodies are constantly reacting with oxygen as we breathe and as our cells create energy. But this process along with poor quality foods and pollution can create an abundance of highly reactive molecules in our system called free radicals.

 

What are Free Radicals?

Free radicals are atoms or groups of atoms that are missing electrons. Free radicals bounce around looking to replace the missing electrons and cause our cells oxidative damage. They can damage proteins, cell membranes and even genes. Oxidative damage has been implicated in the cause of many diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's and is also said to accelerate the aging process. Poor quality foods and environmental pollutions have exposed us to more free radicals than ever before. This is where antioxidants come in handy. They are rich in electrons and neutralize free radicals, stopping their oxidative damage in its tracks.

Where can you get antioxidants?

Here comes the fun part. There is a wide variety of foods that are brimming with antioxidants, and they come in all different flavors, textures and colors. In fact you may notice that many antioxidant rich foods are very colorful. That is because in most cases, the color IS the antioxidant. For example the dark purple color of Maqui Berries comes from antioxidant compounds called phycocyanins. The bright orange of carrots and goji berries is from the antioxidant compound called beta-carotene. So whether you're a chocoholic, a berry lover, or a green food fan, you'll be able to find your favorite source of antioxidants.

The ORAC Scale

One of the ways antioxidant power can be measured is by the ORAC scale. ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity and it measures the power of a substance to neutralize free radicals. The higher the ORAC score, the more powerful the antioxidant power. Here are the ORAC scores of some of our favorite foods: Food                    ORAC Score Mango                   3 Raisins                   21 Goji                        133 Acai Powder           536 Maqui Powder        606 Cacao Powder       908 That's right. You read correctly. Cacao is the richest source of antioxidants of any food. Followed closely by Maqui berries. And you if you take a close look at the people who have traditionally consumed Cacao and Maqui berrries you will find renowned examples of health and longevity.

POWERFUL ANTIAGING, REVITALIZING AND REGENERATOR FOR YOUR BRAIN, MORE ENERGY FOR YOUR MUSCLES: CARNOSINE!

CARNOSINE

Carnosine is a dipeptide formed from two amino acids, beta-alanine and L-histidine, naturally found abundantly in nerve and muscle cells. Carnosine has been shown to rejuvenate cells, supply advanced brain cell and brain chemistry support and provide skin, nerve and muscle cell protection.

Carnosine is one of the best known glycation anti-aging fighters the body naturally produces, as it modulates protein formation of protein carbonyls, the prime maker of protein health. It is a powerful anti-oxidant, able to quench free radicals and prevent cross-linking of proteins. It inhibits damaged proteins from harming healthy proteins.

Supplementing carnosine may be an effective way to slow aging and prevent free radical damage. Add 1/4 teaspoon to a morning breakfast shake (or water or food) daily.

Beta-Alanine (Carnosine); lactic acid buffering agent.

Apparently supplementing beta-alanine is more effective at raising serum carnosine levels than supplementing l-carnosine itself. Carnosine is an effective acid buffering agent, and thus beta-alanine supplementation may prove to be an excellent way to stimulate new muscle fiber recruitment by allowing us to work through our normal lactic acid threshold. There is also word that because beta-alanine buffers lactic acid, combined with the fact that creatine is not effective in an acidic environment, supplementation may support optimal creatine effectiveness.

Functions

o   Carnosine is capable of both enhancing cell function and stopping cell damage from occurring (due to beta amyloid, which is found in the brains of those with Alzheimer's disease). It assists in the chelation of ionic metals and the elimination of toxins from inside of the body. It can boost the immune system. It also can help with the sense of smell.

Glycosylation

o   Carnosine is also capable of preventing glycosylation from happening. Glycosylation is a kind of enzymatic procedure that connects DNA molecules and proteins, due to sugar aldehydes encountering with the amino acids of the protein molecule. Preventing glycosylation is helpful for various medical conditions, including eye cataracts, kidney failure, certain skin conditions, diabetes and neuropathy.

Lactic Acid

o   Carnosine is also capable of obstructing the accumulation of excess lactic acid in the body. Lactic acid triggers muscle pain after sessions of intense exercise. If this nutritional supplement is taken both before and after rigorous exercise sessions, it is possible that carnosine could decrease (and sometimes even entirely eliminate) this pain.

Eye Drops

o   Carnosine is also used to help with senile cataracts. Senile cataracts occur in elderly individuals. They are the most common variety of cataracts, and generally happen with persons over 60 years old. They often cause complete vision loss. Carnosine eye drops work to both deconstruct and inhibit cross-linking of proteins.

Dosage

o   Individuals are generally advised to take between 100mg and 300mg of carnosine every day. No more than 600mg should be taken in one day. Taking more than the recommended dosage amount of this nutritional supplement could lead to the undesirable side effect of muscle twitching.

o   Overall Benefits:

o   * Maintain a balanced pH in muscle when exercise is intense.

o   * Potent Antioxidant

o   * Keeps muscular vitality by increasing strength

o   * Inhibits cell damage caused by alcohol

o   * Heavy Metal chelating agent, specially for copper and zinc

o   * Prevents carboxylation and glycosylation of cell proteins

o   * By preventing molecule modification, it maintains functionality under stress conditions

o   * Protects the proteasomes which take care of uneeded or damaged protein inside the cell

o   * Acts as a neurotransmitter

CARNOSINE can also be benefitial in:

·      Neurologic Degeneration such as Alzheimer, Parkinson, Epilepsy, Depression, Esquizofrenia, Dementia, Apoplexy attacks

·      Autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette’s Syndrome, Asperger Syndrome

·      Overall aging

·      Cataracts

·      Formation of glycosidic radicals (AGE’s)

·      Accumulation of damaged proteins

·      Muscular atrophy

·      Apoplexy

·      Cardiovascular diseases

·      Diabetes and its complications

CELL HEALTH AND A DIFFERENT SOURCE OF OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS!!

 

The Many Benefits of Omega 3s

In the last few years, omega 3 fatty acids have gotten a lot of press for their variety of amazing health benefits. Health advocates have long promoted fish (salmon, sardines and mackerel) or fish oil as a main source of omega 3 fatty acids. However, since many types of fish contain traces of pollution, such as mercury and PCBs, many are searching for plant-based sources of omega 3s.

Sacha inchi (also called the Inca Peanut) has been all over the news lately, and for good reason; it is a great source of omega 3s. Read on to find out more about why omega 3s are absolutely vital to your health and why sacha inchi you could become your favorite new source.

What Is SACHA INCHI (Inca Peanut?)

Sacha inchi (SAH-CHA-EEN-CHEE) is an Amazonian plant that bears a large, star shaped seed pod. This seed pod contains sacha inchi seeds which are also called Inca peanuts. These seeds are an excellent source of highly digestible protein and one of the highest natural sources of essential fatty acids (EFA's) found in nature. Sacha inchi has been used by Amazonian cultures for hundreds of years for its anti-aging and health-giving properties.

Benefits of Omega 3 Fatty Acids

1. Research shows that regular daily intake can help reduce the risk of heart disease and lower the levels of bad cholesterol
2. Aids diabetics in maintaining their blood sugar levels
3. Helps reduce cognitive deterioration in older adults
4. Adequate levels can help decrease hyperactivity in children
5. Consuming omega 3 during pregnancy and while breast-feeding is essential for a child's brain development
6. Strengthens and protects our nervous system
7. Can help improve joint health and muscle recovery

Benefit of Sacha Inchi

Our Sacha Inchi oil is an amazing source of the essential fatty acid omega 3, as well as omega 6 and 9. Cold-pressed Sacha Inchi Oil is made up of approximately 45% Omega 3's, 36% Omega 6's, and 9% Omega 9's. It also contains about 27% protein and is a rich in vitamin A, vitamin E and iodine. Also, recent research has shown that the high levels of vitamin A and calcium help support healthy eyes, skin, teeth and bones.

How to Choose the Right Source

Most Sacha Inchi products are roasted, which can damage its delicate oils and nutrients. Choose a Sacha Inchi Oil created using low-temperature, cold-press processes that keep nutrients intact. Find Sacha Inchi Oil that originates on a single plantation in the Junin region of Peru, on the Amazon jungle side of the Andes mountains. There, the Sachi Inchi is sustainably grown without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers in the soft, mineral rich soils.

Powerful Enzyme Prevents Heart Attack and Stroke: NATTOKINASE

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for men and women

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, each year about 700,000 people suffer a stroke, the leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States. The American Heart Association estimates that nearly every year, about 1 million Americans will suffer a heart attack.

About 700,000 of these will be first-time heart attack sufferers, while approximately 500,000 will be people who have previously had a heart attack. It all adds up to this: contrary to popular belief, heart attack and stroke account for more deaths than all cancers and injuries combined, and one out of every 2.4 deaths is attributable to cardiovascular disease. How is that possible in the richest, most highly educated country on earth?

Most of us all get too little exercise, accumulate too much stress, and eat a poor diet laden with saturated fat, refined sugar and too little fiber. Add to that list the habit of smoking and the answer is quite clear. (Although there is a considerably higher prevalence of cigarette smoking in Japan than in the U.S., mortality from CVD among men in Japan is still less than half of that in the U.S.3) And to make matters worse, a study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (3/6/2002) indicates that exposure to air pollution can cause some 10,000 fatal heart attacks a year in the U.S.!

Mainstream health care has banded together with the pharmaceutical industry to offer a temporary quick fix for the number one killer of our time. Statin drugs reduce cholesterol. Aspirin and warfarin thin the blood. Anti-hypertension medications reduce blood pressure. Bypass surgery, and angioplasty clear the arteries. Essentially, they all help prolong the life of a patient with cardiovascular disease (CVD). But none of these drugs or procedures is without risk or side effects. Well, we've got good news for you!

CVD risk can be greatly reduced by modifying lifestyle and adding nutritional supplements proven to support cardiovascular health. Most of us are aware that eating a lighter, more balanced diet, quitting tobacco and exercising regularly are enough to head off most cases of heart disease before they ever happen. Now there's something else you can do.

Nattokinase has been shown to support normal blood pressure, dissolve blood clots and prevent them from forming in the first place!

What Is Nattokinase?

How is it made?

Natto is produced by a fermentation process by adding the bacteria Bacillus subtilis to boiled soybeans. The resulting Nattokinase enzyme is produced when Bacillus subtilis acts on the soybeans. While other soy foods contain enzymes, it is only the natto preparation that contains the specific Nattokinase enzyme. How was Nattokinase discovered? Japanese researcher Dr. Hiroyuki Sumi had spent many years searching for a natural thrombolytic agent that could successfully dissolve blood clots associated with heart attacks and stroke. Finally in 1980, after testing more than 173 natural foods, Sumi found what he was looking for.

Natto, a traditional Japanese soy cheese, was dropped onto an artificial thrombus (fibrin) in a petri dish and allowed to stand at 37ºC (approximately body temperature). Over the next 18 hours, the thrombus around the natto completely dissolved! Sumi named the newly discovered enzyme Nattokinase, which means "enzyme in natto." Dr. Sumi remarked that Nattokinase showed "a potency matched by no other enzyme." 

Nattokinase:

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nattokinase (pronounced nat-oh-KY-nase) is an enzyme extracted and purified from a japanese food called natto. Nattō is a food made from fermented soybeans that has been eaten in Japan for many years. Nattō is produced by fermentation by adding the bacterium  Bacillun natto, a beneficial bacteria, to boiled soybeans. The resulting nattokinase enzyme is produced when the bacterium acts on the soybeans. While other soy foods contain enzymes, it is only the nattō preparation that contains the specific nattokinase enzyme.

Nattokinase is sometimes promoted in the alternative medicine  community as a clot-buster and blood thinner or as a substitute for daily aspirin therapy. However, this substitution is not recommended since there is no evidence that nattokinase is effective in preventing cardiovascular disease. Nattokinase may interact with aspirin to increase the risk of intracranial hemorrhage.

Nattokinase has been effectively marketed by Kenrico in a patented product that prevents cell damage or apoptosis. Sold under the trade name Lexirin, it is derived from fermented soybean to address gastrointenstinal disorders, dermatological conditions, and immunodeficiencies.

There is also evidence of nattokinase being effective in catabolism of toxic amyloid fibrils associated with Alzheimer's Disease.

Apoptosis  is the process of programmed cell death (PCD) that may occur in multicellular organisms. Biochemical events lead to characteristic cell changes (morphology) and death. These changes include blebbing, cell shrinkage, nuclear fragmentation,  chromatin condensation, and chromosomal DNA fragmentation. (See also Apoptosis DNA fragmentation.) Unlike necrosis, apoptosis produces cell fragments called apoptotic bodies that phagocytic cells are able to engulf and quickly remove before the contents of the cell can spill out onto surrounding cells and cause damage.

In contrast to necrosis, which is a form of traumatic cell death that results from acute cellular injury, apoptosis, in general, confers advantages during an organism's life cycle. For example, the differentiation of fingers and toes in a developing human embryo  occurs because cells between the fingers apoptose; the result is that the digits are separate. Between 50 and 70  billion  cells die each day due to apoptosis in the average human adult. For an average child between the ages of 8 and 14, approximately 20 billion to 30 billion cells die a day. 

Research in and around apoptosis has increased substantially since the early 1990s. In addition to its importance as a biological phenomenon, defective apoptotic processes have been implicated in an extensive variety of diseases. Excessive apoptosis causes atrophy, whereas an insufficient amount results in uncontrolled cell proliferation, such as cancer.

Source: Wikipedia