Natu Health - Herbs, Natural Health and More

New Blog At Vegan Kingdom

2011-02-13T04:02:00.001-08:00

Hey everyone, we have a new blog on vegan diet, superfoods, alternative health and recipes at Vegan Kingdom

Hopefully you guys will enjoy it and i will be updating regularly:).

Milk Thistle Health Benefits

2010-11-13T07:52:00.000-08:00

Milk thistle is one of the most commonly known liver support herbs on the market, and for good reason too as its one of the best liver tonic herbs available. With no pharmaceutical drug equivalent it isn't hard to see why people are turning to herbs such as milk thistle to help protect there liver from the stresses of a modern lifestyle.

Milk thistles are thistles of the genus Silybum Adans which are flowering plants of the daisy family (Asteraceae). They are native to the Mediterranean regions of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.

Milk thistle has been used medicinally for thousands of years for a variety of ailments, particularly liver and gall bladder disorders. Studies show milk thistle can protect the liver from toxins, drugs and alcohol whilst it may help the liver repair itself by growing new cells. The active compound is thought to be a flavinoid called Silymarin which has antioxident and anti-inflammatory properties.

Milk Thistle Benefits

Research has shown that milk thistle protects the liver from damage created by toxic chemicals and pharmaceutical medications. Not only that but compounds contained in milk thistle have shown to repair liver cells which have been damaged by toxic substances, by stimulating protein synthesis and encouraging liver cell growth.
Milk thistle raises the glutathione levels in the body by more than 30%; this in turn means that the liver is more effective at cleansing the body and eliminating toxic substances. Glutathione also has many other functions to keep the body healthy.
Increases bile flow which is good for many conditions such as fat mal-absorption, psoriasis, preventing gallstones and other digestive disorders.
Milk thistle has bitter properties which when they come in contact with the back of the tongue, stimulate the bitter receptors which increase stomach acid, digestive enzymes, bile flow secretion, whilst flushing the liver. Which is why its best to use the seed powder rather than extract capsules/pills.
Good for adrenal gland disorders.
Reduces bad cholesterol levels.
Is thought to reduce the growth of certain cancer cells such as breast, cervical and prostate cancers.

Precautions

Milk thistle is generally considered a safe herb, with mild side effects such as upset stomach and slight laxative effects reported.

Milk thistle and most other herbs are not recommended for pregnant or nursing mothers.

If you wish to purchase organic milk thistle powder or other herbal powders please visit the links below -

Herbal Powders

Organic Milk Thistle Seed Powder 100g

Organic Milk Thistle Seed Powder 500g

Organic Milk Thistle Seed Powder 1kg

Natu Health Now On Facebook

2010-11-11T09:48:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone:).

Just a little reminder were now on facebook, so add us as a friend so we can get some competitions for free health prizes started, aswell as keeping up to date with the latest news from us. Click the facebook image below to go to our profile page or use this link here - Facebook Profile

Take Care
Chris

Bee Pollen Health Benefits

2010-11-09T10:01:00.000-08:00

Bee Pollen is one of the most nutritious and powerful superfoods available on the market. Bee pollen has all vitamins, minerals, amino acids, trace elements, and protein needed to sustain human life. The pollen contains more than 96 different nutrients.

Bee pollen contains an incredible array of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, co-enzymes, and hormones. It is especially rich in B vitamins and antioxidants, including lycopene, selenium, beta carotene, vitamin A, C, D, K and E, and several flavanoids. It is composed of 55% carbohydrates, 35% protein, 3% vitamins and minerals, 2% fatty acids, and 5% other substances.

Bee Pollen Benefits

Increases energy/stamina, due to the large content of B complex vitamins. Which is why its often used by athletes and sportsman.
Helps feed the adrenal glands to improve allergies, which is one of the best benefits of bee pollen.
Stimulates and increases immune function through its rich nutrient content.
Good digestive aid and increasing nutrient absorption.
Bee pollen is well known to improve sexual health and impotence.
Recent research has shown bee pollen is good for preventing prostate problems in men.
Pollen is a great anti-aging and longevity food due to its wide range of nutrients.
Good for those with adrenal fatigue due to the high content of vitamin B5 which is known as the anti-stress vitamin. Vitamin B5 is the second most needed nutrient by the adrenal glands.
Bee pollen is known to be good for weight loss and as an appetite suppressant. Helps to regulate metabolism.

Bee Pollen Side Effects

If you are allergic to bees or pollen its a good idea that you give bee pollen a miss, or if you do risk chancing it start very small dosing like i talk about below.

It should also be noted that severe allergic reactions such as anaphylactic shock is possible if you are already sensitive or allergic to bee products. If you notice any of the common allergic reactions such as wheezing, itchy throat, hives, dizziness or puffy face discontinue use immediately and seek emergency help.

Bee Pollen Dosage Guidelines

Its best to start with a few grains daily for the first week to minimize any reaction to the bee pollen, then if no reaction increase daily until you reach the required dosage of 1-2 teaspoons. Although there is no set dosage to using bee pollen some take much larger amounts daily.

If you wish to purchase bee pollen or other superfoods please visit our Amla Berry UK site from the links below -

Superfoods

Organic Bee Pollen 100g

Organic Bee Pollen 250g

Organic Bee Pollen 500g

Organic Bee Pollen 1kg

Adaptogenic Herbs Health Benefits

2010-11-09T04:44:00.000-08:00

Adaptogenic herbs have to be my favorite class of herbs and the ones ive had the most success with in my health journey.

The term adaptogen is used to refer to herbs which are thought to increase the bodies resistance to stress. Whether the stress is physical or emotional doesnt matter, adaptogenic herbs help to bring optimal homeostasis.

Adaptogenic herbs have many benefits such as balancing hormones, restoring proper adrenal gland and endorcrine function, stimulating the immune system, increasing the bodies resistance to stress, normalize and restore body functions, increase energy and stamina, improve mental function and normalize blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol levels.

One of the best benefits from adaptogenic herbs is for restoring proper endocrine health and the adrenal glands in particular. Many suffering from adrenal fatigue, chronic fatigue or stress-related disorders have found these herbs to be of great benefit at increasing energy/stamina and improving other symptoms related to dysfunction of the adrenal glands.

Here are some examples of the various different adaptogen herbs.

The Ginseng family are one of the most commonly known adaptogen herbs. We have siberian ginseng, korean ginseng, american ginseng and asian ginseng. There are other less common species of ginseng. Real ginseng is very expensive and hard to find minus the siberian ginseng species. Most of the ginseng products on the market are used from the scraps of the plant thus not as effective as the real herb.
Schizandra Berry
Ashwagandha also known as Indian Ginseng
Jiaogulan
Maca Root
Licorice Root
Rhodiola Rosea
Astragalus
Various medicinal mushrooms are considered adaptogenic such as reishi, cordyceps and chaga.

Each of these adaptogen herbs have many different health benefits, so many that it would take a book to list each of there unique health giving properties.

As always the best way to consume herbs is via the use of herbal powders, where the chemistry of the plant stays in its natural form unaltered. If you wish to purchase any of the adaptogenic herbs that we have listed above come visit our Amla Berry UK store at the link below.

Adaptogen Herbs

Brown Seaweed (Laminaria Japonica) Extract Health Benefits

2010-11-08T13:30:00.000-08:00

Brown Seaweed (Laminaria Japonica) Extract Powder in my opinion has to be one of the best products on the natural health market.

How i personally came across this brilliant seaweed extract is quite a sad story. For around 5-7 years i began to get more and more ill until the point where i was bed ridden for best part of the day. For years i went round in circles thinking the cause of my problems were candida overgrowth and/or intestinal parasites.

This led me on a journey of spending literally thousands of pounds on various supplements. I tried everything available anti-fungals, parasite cleanses, mega dosing high priced probiotics, colon cleanses you name it i had tried it. Eventually i began to come back round to the thought that heavy metal toxicity could be the root of my problems and that i was just treating the symptoms with the above products. I was a heavy smoker for years and at that point was still smoking infrequently to cope with the stress of being ill.

I began to research chelation therapy which is agents used to remove heavy metals from the body. EDTA was the main product being touted but it came with various side effects and other problems. So i began reading about seaweeds ability to chelate heavy metals and on my travels i found the brown seaweed extract.

Within weeks of ceasing smoking and using around a teaspoon of the brown seaweed extract daily i began to feel much better. My brain fog has lifted, panic attacks, anxiety and the trippy perception feeling that id suffered for years were beginning to lift. Id advise upping your water intake to keep the toxins flowing otherwise you may get a little die-off or in my case increased anxiety in the beginning. This product really was a life saver to my health, after all the money i had spent i wish i had came across it at the start of my health problems.

Two other good tools for chelating heavy metals is a superfood known as Chlorella which is good for removing heavy metals. Far infrared sauna is the other tool which is a great stress free way to get the benefits of detoxification, increasing circulation and much more.

Anyway enough of my story lets get on to the benefits of the Laminaria Japonica brown seaweed extract. Before i start the brown seaweed extract is also known as Modifilan, there is no difference between the two products, we chose to sell the powder as its more convient with dosing. Both are the same price and the same great quality.

Brown seaweed (Laminaria Japonica) contains the life essential properties of organic iodine, alginates, fucoidan and laminarin.

Brown Seaweed Extract Health Benefits

Alginate is a natural absorbent of radioactive elements, heavy metals and free radicals and toxins. It has the unique ability of binding heavy metals, radioactive elements and toxins to its own molecules. As the alginate cannot be broken down by the bile or saliva and cannot be absorbed by the body, it is secreted from the body together with the heavy metals or toxins.
Fucoidan causes certain types of rapidly growing cancer cells to self-destruct. Promoting apoptosis (self-destruction of cancer cells), Fucoidan helps to naturally eliminate harmful cells from organism. It is also a powerful anti-inflammatory.
Laminarin is a polysaccharide helpful in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. It exhibits 30% of the anticoagulant activity of heparin.
Possible benefits of brown seaweed extract powder are boosting the immune system, help protect against various cancers, decrease high blood sugar and high cholesterol levels, detoxify the body from heavy metals, radioactive elements, free radicals and toxins, improve gastrointestinal function, weight loss, replace iodine which is an essential nutrient

My raw vegan friend really rates the seaweed extract also. Iodine is a very hard mineral to obtain on a vegan or raw vegan diet unless you consume seaweeds regularly. My friend was having many symptoms associated with hypothyroidism and iodine deficiency such as enlarged goiter, cold all the time, her hair was thinning at an alarming rate, dry skin and much more. Withing weeks of supplementing with the powder many of her symptoms had gone. So if you are vegan or raw vegan its a good idea to either eat seaweeds on a regular basis or supplement with some type of seaweed product such as this.

To purchase the brown seaweed extract (Laminaria Japonica) powder, please visit our Amla Berry UK store from the links below.

Seaweed Health Products

Pure Brown Seaweed (Laminaria Japonica) Extract Powder - 50g

Pure Brown Seaweed (Laminaria Japonica) Extract Powder - 100g

Raw Chocolate Health Benefits

2010-11-08T04:20:00.001-08:00

Raw Chocolate is the latest superfood to come under the spotlight for its vast health benefits. When we think of chocolate we usually think of the overly processed milk chocolate bars such as mars bars, snickers and so on. Not a food we'd commonly associate with improving health anyway. But chocolate in its raw state is actually one of the healthiest foods you can consume and is fast living up to its name as one of the best superfoods available.

It is important to get the full benefits of dark chocolate that it must be in its raw state and from what most of the studies so far have suggested the cacao percentage must be at least 70% to get most of the health benefits associated with raw dark chocolate.

Raw Chocolate Benefits

Cacao is a very good source of the mineral Magnesium. Magnesium is one of the most important nutrients in heart function and has been shown to be needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body.
Raw chocolate is an outstanding source of antioxidants. Minus two spices cinnamon and cloves, raw chocolate was shown to have the highest ORAC(Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity) of any of the foods tested. Antioxidants contained in raw chocolate are beneficial to many areas of health such as lowering blood pressure, reducing cholesterol and in turn reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. The high concentration of antioxidants will also lower the risk of cancer.
Raw chocolate is also a good source of the mineral sulfur. Sulfur has many functions such as building strong hair and nails, is a good mineral for healthy skin, promoting detoxification of the liver and much more.
Cacao is a great brain and mood food due to many of the chemicals and compounds it contains naturally such as dopamine, tryptophan, anandamine, phenylethylamine(PEA) and MAO inhibitors.
Phenylethylamine(PEA) also known as the "love chemical" has many known functions such as helping increase mental focus/alertness and helps us feel connected to others. PEA is released in great amounts when we are in love.
Raw chocolate contains small amounts of anandamine which is an endogenous cannabinoid found naturally in the brain. Anandamine is also known as the "bliss chemical" as we produce it naturally when were feeling bliss. Two chemicals similar to anandamine in cacao, inhibit the metabolism of anandamine allowing it to stay available to the brain longer.

If you wish to purchase raw chocolate, our Amla Berry UK store has a good range to choose from. Most consider conscious chocolate to be one of the best if not the best raw chocolate company, they have a great variety of flavours to suit everyones taste.

We also have a great 70% raw chocolate bar from Vega called Macasure which is a raw chocolate bar containing 4000mg of maca extract(which helps balances hormones, is an adaptogenic herb to help increase the bodies resistance to stress.)

Here are the links to our raw chocolate products -

Conscious Chocolate Range

Macasure Chocolate 1 Bar

Macasure Chocolate Box Of 24 Bars

Vega Shake & Go Smoothies

2010-10-06T05:02:00.000-07:00

Amla Berry UK / Natu Health are proud to annouce that we now have the new Vega Shake & Go Smoothies instock.

Vega Shake & Go Smoothie is made exclusively from all natural plant-based whole foods. Alkaline-forming and easy to digest, it provides premium nutrition in a convenient, affordable, on-the-go format. Clean, green, and 65% raw organic, Shake & Go Smoothie contains no common allergens, including corn, dairy gluten, soy, wheat and yeast. And it has only 6 grams of sugar!

Each serving of Vega Shake & Go Smoothie includes:

* Two servings of veggies
* 2500 mg Omega-3-6-9
* 11 g complete protein
* Only 100 calories
* 1 billion probiotics cultures

Formulated by Brendan Brazier, vegan, professional Ironman triathlete and bestselling author on performance nutrition, Vega Shake & Go Smoothie offers plant-based super food goodness you expect from Vega. But unlike traditional smoothies, you only need water to shake and go. The four mouth-watering flavours of blended tropical fruits, chocolate, vanilla almond, and berries will make you forget how healthy it is. Or how easy it was to make.

Vega Shake & Go Smoothie is available in 300 gram pouches.

4 great flavours to choose from Bodacious Berry, Tropical Tango, Choc-a-Lot and Vanilla Almondilla.

To purchase these great wholefood nutrient rich smoothies check our website at Amla Berry UK or check the direct links below:).

Vega Shake & Go Smoothie - Bodacious Berry

Vega Shake & Go Smoothie - Choc-a-lot

Vega Shake & Go Smoothie - Tropical Tango

Vega Shake & Go Smoothie - Vanilla Almondilla

St. Johns Wort (Hypericum perforatum) - Natures Anti-Depressant

2010-10-05T10:07:00.000-07:00

St John's Wort also known as Hypericum perforatum, is a short plant with yellow flowers which has been used for centuries for its medicinal properties.

St Johns Wort is probably most known for its natural anti-depressant properties which have recieved alot of media attention. Studies have shown that St Johns Wort is effective for treating mild to moderate forms of depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and possibly sleep disorders.

But the benefits dont stop there with this versatile herb. St Johns Wort is also thought to be beneficial in treating hypothyroidism, premenstrual syndrome and other menopausal symptoms, nerve and joint pain, intestinal parasites and for its anti-viral properties. St johns wort can also be used topically in treating burns, bruises, insect bites and scabies.

You should not take st johns wort if you are taking prescription anti-depressant medication such as SSRI's (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) or any other type. As with all herbs its best to not consume when pregnant or breast-feeding. There are many other prescription medicines st johns wort shouldnt be mixed with so do a through search before taking any herb if your currently taking prescription medication.

If you wish to purchase St Johns Wort we suggest you go with the powder form as always with herbs. Powders are the best way to take herbs as there in the natural form unaltered as they should be in nature.

Amla Berry UK are the cheapest and highest quality retailers of St Johns Wort Powder and have different sizes to cater to everyones needs. Check the links below.

St Johns Wort Powder - 100g

St Johns Wort Powder - 250g

St Johns Wort Powder - 500g

St Johns Wort Powder - 1kg

Andrographis Paniculata - The King Of Bitters

2010-09-19T04:04:00.000-07:00

Andrographis paniculata is a herbaceous plant in the family Acanthaceae, native to India and Sri Lanka.

Andrographis also known as the "king of bitters" due to its extremely bitter taste is a very prized medicinal herb which has been used mainly in ayurvedic and traditional chinese medicine.

Andrographis was traditionally used to treat fevers, respiratory tract infections, to support cardiovascular health, gastrointestinal problems, liver health, immune system enhancement and cold/flu.

Research has shown that andrographis has immune boosting effects, anti-bacterial/viral properties, prevents blood clots, the bitter element helps cleanse the liver and keep digestion efficient and also has potent anti-inflammatory activity.

Benefits

* Anti-Inflammatory
Andrographis has been shown to contain numerous compounds which posess strong anti-inflammatory properties. Scientists believe it may be of benefit to sufferers of arthritis.

* Anti-Viral
The herb has demostrated anti-viral activity against HIV and AID's. Andrographis helps prevent the virus from infecting healthy cells and inhibiting it from spreading, other studies have shown it can still fight HIV in cells even after infected. Certain compounds within andrographis such as andrographolide have shown viricidal activity against herpes simplex 1 virus.

The herb also showed superior to placebo effects in alleviating and possibly preventing the upper respiratory tract infections. Used traditionally and most commonly known for its benefits against colds and flu.

* Cancer
Andrographis was found to stimulate the activity of certain cancer-fighting cells called cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Results showed that it was effective against stomach, skin, prostate and breast cancers. With its strong anti-viral properties and some cancers having viral origin this could be another reason why its effective.

* Cardiovascular Health
Research has found that certain ingredients in the plant namely andrographolide and didehydroandrographolide help prevent premature clotting of the blood by stopping platelets from sticking together.

* Liver/Gallbladder Health
Commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine in treating liver disorders, improving gallbladder function and increasing bile flow. Andrographis has also been found to be equally as effective as silymarin(milk thistles active compound) in protecting the liver. Beneficial in the treatment of hepatitis.

* Immune Support
Andrographis increases the amount of immune-protective chemicals such as interleukin-2 and gamma-interferon which help protect against infections and cancer.

If you wish to purchase Andrographis Paniculata powder our online store Amla Berry UK has the best quality, prices and a range of different sizes to fit your needs. Check the links below:

Andrographis Powder - 100g

Andrographis Powder - 500g

Andrographis Powder - 1kg

Amla Berry

2010-09-08T03:15:00.000-07:00

Amla also known as Indian Gooseberry(Phyllanthus emblica, syn. Emblica officinalis) or Amalaki is one of the staples in traditional indian medicine and for good reason also. Amalaki is considered one of the most potent and nourishing rejuvenative herbs in ayurvedic medicine.

Amla is known to be the richest natural source of vitamin C and is easily assimilated by body. This fruit is used as the main ingredient in the ayurvedic tonic Chyavanprash. It is also used along with several other herbs in other ayurvedic tonics such as triphala.

Traditionally amla berry has been used as a rejuvenative to promote longevity, purify the blood, enhance digestion, relieve constipation, reduce fever and cough, strengthen the heart, eyes and liver and stimulate hair growth.

Here are some of the benefits of amla:

Anti-oxident

Apart from its rich natural source of vitamin C, amla berry's anti-oxident properties are thought to also stem from its high density of tannins and other polyphenols. The fruit also contains flavonoids, kaempferol, ellagic acid and gallic acid. Amla also significantly raises intracellular levels of super oxide dismutase (SOD). SOD is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune stimulatory enzyme.

Anti-Microbial

In studies amla has demonstrated anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties.

Digestive Aid

Amla is thought to help increase the digestive process, enhance nutrient absorbtion, balance stomach acids and is a gentle laxative to help constipation.

Inflammation

Contains several compounds which attribute to amla's potent anti-inflammatory properties.

Liver Aid

Amla strengthens the liver, helping it eliminate toxins from the body more efficiently. Research has shown that Amalaki helps lower cholesterol.

Natural Vitamin-C Source

Rich natural vitamin C source which is 12 times as strong as unstable sythethic vitamin C, also has naturally occuring bioflavinoids which aid absorbtion. The rich tannin content also keeps the vitamin C content so stable. Amla plays a key part in Ayurvedic medicine.

Protein Metabolism

Amla is said to increase protein synthesis thus is useful in cases of hypoglycemia and has a anabolic effect on the body.

If you wish to purchase organic amla powder here is the best and cheapest UK source of Amla Powder.

Virgin Coconut Oil Benefits

2010-08-18T12:24:00.000-07:00

Virgin Coconut Oil is one of my favorite oils, so many great health benefits to this great tasting oil. So ive done a little entry on it for the blog:).

Overview

Coconut oil has been deemed the healthiest oil on earth and with good reason too, were going to take a look at the make-up of this tasty health promoting oil and some of the benefits assosiated with it.
This highly versatile oil has been used for thousands of years in tropical countries and has many uses, you can cook with it, use as a butter replacement, use it on your skin and hair and use interally for the many benefits listed below. With such an amazing soothing taste it is extremely easy to implement into your diet.

Controversy

Coconut oil was once mistakenly believed to be unhealthy and heart disease promoting due to its high saturated fat content, a campaign against coconut and palm oil resulted in less manufacturers using these health promoting oils and introducing oils high in trans-fats. It is now known that the saturated fat content in coconut oil is unique and different from most other fats/oils and possesses many health giving properties.
The studies were found to be using hydrogenated coconut oil rather than naturally occuring oil. All studies done on coconut oil have came to the conclusion that it is a very good oil at promoting health.

Composition Of Coconut Oil

Coconut oil contains approximately 92.1% saturated fatty acids, 6.2% monounsaturated fatty acids and 1.6% polyunsaturated fatty acids. Coconut oil is composed predominately of a special group of fat molecules known as medium chain fatty acids (MCFA). Medium-chain fatty acids (also referred to as medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) are thought to be metabolised very easily and rapidly without passing through the liver and provide a quick source of energy.
Lauric acid is a medium chain fatty acid which has been shown to account for near 50% of coconut oils saturated fat content. Apart from coconut oil, the only other abundant source of lauric acid is found in human breast milk. Lauric acid is converted into monolaurin in the human body, monolaurin has been shown in studies to have antiviral, antibacterial, and antiprotozoal properties amongst other health benefits.
Other fatty acids such as capyrlic acid and capric acid are assosiated with similar benefits to the above, capyrlic acid in particular has shown promise in treating candida overgrowth and is commonly sold in supplemental form.

Benefits Of Coconut Oil

Some of the reported and researched benefits from the use of coconut oil include improved digestion, weight loss and supports metabolic function, stress relief, increased immune functions, anti-microbial/bacterial/viral/fungal properties, reduces viral load in HIV patients, hair and skin care, anti-oxident, maintaining cholesterol levels and blood pressure, heart disease prevention and much more.
Most of coconut oils benefits have been attributed to the lauric acid, caprylic acid and capric acid content. Coconut oil has shown great results in killing several different types of candida in studies and sufferers of candida overgrowth are reporting great benefits from using this oil interally at therapeutic dosages of 2-4 tablespoons.

If you wish to purchase organic virgin coconut oil from our UK amla berry store here is the link - Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

Jiaogulan - Immortality Herb

2010-08-18T04:43:00.000-07:00

Jiaogulan is one of our favorite adaptogenic herbs so we thought we'd write a little article on the many health benefits of this brilliant herb.

Jiaogulan (Gynostemma pentaphyllum) is an herbaceous vine of the family Cucurbitaceae (cucumber or gourd family) indigenous to the southern reaches of China, southern Korea and Japan. Jiaogulan is sometimes called "Southern Ginseng", since it grows in south central China and because of its similarity to ginseng in chemical composition and adaptogenic function.

Also referred to as Xiancao which means "Immortality" Herb due to its many health promoting benefits.

Chemical Composition

In the late 1970s, Japanese scientists began discovering jiaogulan's therapeutic qualities. What they discovered was an herb very similar to the ever popular ginseng, yet in some ways superior. They found jiaogulan to function as both an adaptogenic herb and as an antioxidant herb, containing many health-giving saponins (chemical compounds having a soapy characteristic), as well as trace minerals, amino acids, proteins, and vitamins.

Jiaogulan contains 84 beneficial saponins(known also as gypenosides) which is three times more than ginseng. The structure of the gypenosides is very similar to the panaxosides (also known as ginsenosides) found in ginseng.

Jiaogulan Benefits

Jiaogulan also known as the herb of immortality is packed with health promoting benefits from its adaptogenic and antioxident properties to lowering cholesterol, boosting the immune system and much more.

* Adaptogenic

Jiaogulan has a biphasic effect on brain functions, energizing or calming the system depending upon need, as well as on the regulation of hormonal functions in both men and women. Adaptogens are non toxic herbs that are thought to increase the body's resistance to stress, trauma, anxiety and fatigue and have a normalizing effect on the body.

* Adrenal Fatigue

Jiaogulan is one of the best adaptogen herbs for helping support proper adrenal gland function. Jiaogulan can have a calming or stimulating action on the nervous system thus is good for those who suffer from anxiety. Often recommended for chronic fatigue syndrome.

* Antioxident

Antioxidents are one of the most important factors in preventing degenerative diseases such as cancer, heart disease, liver disease and so on. Jiaogulans saponins called gypenosides have in studies shown to have strong antioxident properties. Clinical studies have shown that Jiaogulan stimulates the body's natural production of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) by as much as 300%.

* Blood Pressure

Jiaogulan has been widely reported to be effective in maintaining healthy blood pressure levels. Although the exact mechanism is still being researched, studies have shown that jiaogulan improves the metabolism of the heart directly as well as enhances the release of nitric oxide in the body, which helps to relax the coronary blood vessels.

* Bronchitis

Jiaogulan has been traditionally used as a remedy for bronchitis. In one study, the effectiveness rate of using jiaogulan tea to treat chronic bronchitis was 93%..

* Cholesterol

Scientific studies have confirmed jiaogulan's ability to assist the regulation of serum cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL (bad cholesterol), and HDL (good cholesterol, which helps to metabolize cholesterol from the arteries).

* Digestion

Jiaogulan hels to improve and strengthen the digestion, it helps an underweight person by assisting the absorption of nutrients. This regulatory effect on bodily functions is the hallmark of an Adaptogen. Can be a good aid to a weight loss program.

* Immune System Support

Jiaogulan has also demonstrated an ability to support the immune system when under the siege of various destructive agents. Jiaogulan has also shown its effectiveness, in clinical research studies, as a potent immunomodulator. It increases the production of Lymphocytes, Phagocytes, and Serum IGG.

* Stroke And Heart Disease

Jiaogulan dramatically decreases the chances of a stroke by inhibiting blood platelets from "sticking together," which prevents a stroke-inducing blood clot from forming. This same action prevents artery clogging, reducing risk of a heart attack.

* Strength and Endurance

The results of human studies confirm that jiaogulan can enhance the contractility of the heart muscle and heart pumping function. Other studies have shown that the saponins in jiaogulan increase strength and endurance in the body. Considering these findings overall, jiaogulan becomes the perfect herb for anyone who wants to improve his competitive edge in any field of athletic performance.

If you wish to purchase organic jiaogulan tea foil packed for freshness then please visit our store at Amla Berry UK which has the best prices. Organic Jiaogulan Tea

Maca Root - Peruvian Powerhouse

2010-05-02T13:05:00.000-07:00

I thought id start this blog with a firm favorite amongst herbal fans and the raw community.

This great peruvian root is known as Maca or Lepidium meyenii. Maca is an herbaceous biennial plant or annual plant (some sources say a perennial plant) native to the high Andes of Bolivia and Peru.

Maca root is packed with nutrients and phyto-chemicals which along with its medicinal benefits is probably why its donned its status of "superfood". Maca root is rich in vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids, phytochemicals, alkaloids, sterols and much more.

Maca has a wide range of medicinal benefits, probably the most known to all is its ability to balance hormones and enhance libido. Maca root is classified as an adaptogen which means it helps increase the bodys resistance to stress, whether that stress is physical or mental it doesnt matter.

Much like other adaptogenic herbs maca root is great for restoring proper adrenal gland and endocrine function, whilst balancing the hormones. Such aids are imperitive to overcome adrenal fatigue/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Apart from its brilliant adaptogenic and hormone balancing benefits, maca also helps to increase energy and endurance, alleviate chronic fatigue, improve sexual function in men and woman, relieve depression, reduce anxiety and stress, beneficial to the circulatory system, speeds wound healing, alleviates anemnia, acts as an antioxident and helps to build muscle.

Our store Amla Berry UK run by the Natu Health Group are proud retailers of the freshest organic maca root powder available at brilliant prices. The store can be found from this link here - Organic Maca Root Powder