Nutritional Supplements

Prescription 2019: Optimized Curcumin Dosage

July 9, 2019 Written by JP
Longvida CurcuBrain

As a consumer, it’s not always clear how to best utilize a supplement for a specific objective. The challenges are many. For starters, you have to determine whether there’s reliable research available to guide you. If that exists, you’ll next need to determine whether the published evidence applies to your circumstance. Is it applicable to your age, gender, health-related status and weight? Then, there’s the question of determining the appropriate dosage. In many instances, even the manufacturers don’t know whether a higher or lower dose is more or less effective and safe than the doses used in the clinical studies. This leaves both the consumer and health care providers in a difficult spot that often requires educated guessing. However, in some instances there’s enough data in the scientific literature to provide a more accurate picture. 

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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Mental Health, Nutritional Supplements | 5 Comments & Updates

Prescription 2017: Ashwagandha

February 21, 2017 Written by JP

The union of science and traditional medicine is a tricky business. The scientific method of identifying and objectively testing elements in food, medicinal plants and the environment is relatively new to the human experience. In generations past, observation and trial-and-error sufficed, and it still does for some populations and the majority of animals. Experiences are handed down from elders to the young and from non-scholastic healers to their communities. In some cases, advocates choose one of these philosophies over the other. But, increasingly, a middle ground is something both camps acknowledge may be the best of both worlds.

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Posted in Diabetes, Diet and Weight Loss, Nutritional Supplements | 4 Comments & Updates

Prescription 2016: Supplement Planning for Success

December 17, 2016 Written by JP

Dietary supplements fall into a somewhat murky part of the current healthcare pond. They’re not really food, but they generally contain elements found in food. They’re not really medications, but they often have medicinal effects. Because nutritional supplements straddle the world between traditional and modern medicine, they are frequently not used in an optimal manner.

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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Nutrition, Nutritional Supplements | 4 Comments & Updates

Prescription 2016: Natural Thyroid Support

November 29, 2016 Written by JP

According the American Thyroid Association, over 20 million men, women and children have one form or another of thyroid disease. Over the course of the average lifetime, it is estimated that about 12% of the populace will fall into this category. Perhaps the most disconcerting part of this trend is that over 60% of those living with thyroid dysfunction are unaware of it. The consequences can be quite significant, putting unwitting individuals at greater risk for cardiovascular disease, depression, infertility, osteoporosis, pre-term pregnancies and beyond.

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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Nutrition, Nutritional Supplements | 9 Comments & Updates

Natural Products Expo West 2016 Part Three

April 18, 2016 Written by JP

One of the distinct pleasures of attending Natural Products Expo West is the opportunity to take part in some fascinating educational events. This year, three lectures in particular struck a cord with me. At the core of each presentation was a focus on specific supplements that have yet to break into the mainstream. However, based on the data that I’ve reviewed, this is likely to change in the near future.

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Posted in Bone and Joint Health, Memory, Nutritional Supplements | 4 Comments & Updates

Ornithine Days and Nights

March 27, 2016 Written by JP

In the most general sense, amino acids are building blocks or components of protein. Whenever you eat chicken, eggs, fish, nuts, seeds, steak, tofu, etc. you’re getting a large amount of a blend of essential amino acids. Without enough amino acids/protein, your body simply can’t function and repair itself as needed. Amino acids may also be used as supplements in individual or specific combinations. In this application, the amino acid(s) are usually taken in a purified form and apart from food in order to induce a therapeutic effect. A popular example is the use of L-arginine and/or L-citrulline to enhance blood flow via increased nitric oxide production – a vasodilator.

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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Mental Health, Nutritional Supplements | 3 Comments & Updates

Prescription 2016: Better Brain Function

February 8, 2016 Written by JP

One of the ironies of life is that we are often called on to perform at our very best during the busiest, most stressful times. This is understandable from a pragmatic, rational standpoint. Simply put, we do what’s required as best we can. But, that’s not to say that there aren’t tools available to help our brains adapt to such intense challenges.

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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Memory, Nutritional Supplements | 61 Comments & Updates

Prescription 2016: Natural Sore Throat Remedies

January 25, 2016 Written by JP

Pharyngitis is the technical name for a sore throat. In most cases viral infections, such as the common cold or influenza, are responsible for the characteristic inflammation and swelling in the back of the throat or pharynx. Thankfully, there are some evidence-based alternatives that address sore throat prevention, recovery time and symptom severity.

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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Food and Drink, Nutritional Supplements | 7 Comments & Updates

Prescription 2015: Healthy Anger Management

November 13, 2015 Written by JP

Strong emotions have an upside and a downside. Even love can be harmful if it’s directed in an inappropriate way. This truism is particularly apt in the case of anger. Under ideal circumstances, anger can be a tool that changes circumstances of all kinds. The ire of a populace can alter unjust laws and regulations. A fiery exchange between friends or a couple can spur important conversations that can positively alter relationships. But, too much anger or anger that is held on to for prolonged periods of time, can literally damage your health.

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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Mental Health, Nutritional Supplements | 11 Comments & Updates

Moringa Oleifera Research

November 3, 2015 Written by JP

One of the hottest new supplements in the natural health marketplace is Moringa oleifera. The leaves of this “miracle tree” are frequently described as an exotic “super food” because of their nutrient density and subtropical origin. So, on the one hand, you’ll often find organic, powdered forms of M. oleifera leaves in high-end health food stores. And, at the same time, a lesser processed version is sometimes used as an ingredient in the diets of poor communities where malnutrition is common.

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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Food and Drink, Nutritional Supplements | 6 Comments & Updates

Hemorrhagic Stroke Question

October 17, 2015 Written by JP

Recently, I was asked an intriguing question that regularly comes up in my line of work. A friend of the site wondered whether eating too many “super foods” or going overboard on supplements can increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke. There are two types of stroke: hemorrhagic and ischemic. According to the National Stroke Association, only about 15% of strokes are the hemorrhagic variety. This form of stroke involves bleeding in the brain caused by damaged or weakened arteries and blood vessels. Cerebral blood spills build up pressure in the cranium and subsequently damage the brain.

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Posted in Food and Drink, Heart Health, Nutritional Supplements | 9 Comments & Updates

Wayne Dyer’s Final Lesson

September 8, 2015 Written by JP

It’s time to come clean. I’ve been putting off writing this blog for several days. The research was ready. I had a mental outline of what I wanted to say. But, I was concerned that I wouldn’t do the topic justice. And, perhaps more importantly, composing this column will make real for me an event that I so wish never happened: the death of Dr. Wayne Dyer at the young age of age 75.

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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Heart Health, Nutritional Supplements | 16 Comments & Updates

Kudzu and Alcoholism

August 24, 2015 Written by JP

Alcohol abuse is a major health care and societal issue in the United States and around the world. Fortunately, there is greater awareness about alcoholism than ever before. And, consequently, there are now many treatment options available for those who are ready to seek help. But, even willing alcoholics sometimes find that conventional therapies aren’t sufficient to keep them “dry”. That’s where evidence-based, alternative and complementary options can make a big difference.

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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Mental Health, Nutritional Supplements | 5 Comments & Updates