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Informative articles about skin care topics, issues and treatmentsArchive for Antioxidants
A bit about herbal supplements…
Copyright 2011. Laser Hair Removal Miami, LLC. All rights reserved.
Ever wonder what herbal supplments really are, and how, if at all, they can help you?
Herbal therapy is the use of individual herbs or combinations of herbs for therapeutic benefits. An herb is a plant or plant part (such as bark, roots, leaves, seeds, flowers, or fruit). It is estimated that approximately25,000 plant species are used medicinally throughout the world and approximately 30% of modern prescription drugs are derived from plants. Today, about 80% of the world’s population relies extensively on plant-derived remedies.
Some advantages of herbal supplements include:
- Fewer side effects than those of their prescription medicine counterparts
- Easy access to autonomy of one’s self-care
- Lower cost than those of their prescription medicine counterparts
With most advantages, some disadvantages follow as well. Some disadvantages of herbal supplements:
- Longer periods of wait, meaning the onset of whatever relief these supplements offer take longer, than what prescription medications take.
- Possible drug-herb interactions. (You should always seek the advice of a medical professional before taking any medications or supplements).
The practice of regulating herbal supplements varies world-wide. In France, for example, physicians give proper credentials to herbal supplements. In Germany, 70% of all general medical practitioners prescribe herbal remedies to their patients. The governments of Japan and China regularly support the use of herbal medicine.
In contrast, in the United States, herbs are considered dietary supplements as defined by the U.S. Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act of 1994. This law states that dietary supplements can be marketed without proven safety or efficacy and without consistent manufacturing practices. In 2004 the FDA announced major initiatives for further implement DSHEA. These initiatives include improving the evidentiary base the FDA uses to make safety and enforcement decisions abotu dietary indredients and dietary supplements. If your looking for a reliable, well-known herbal supplement company, we suggest Life Extension Foundation, to visit their site, please click HERE.
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Ginger Root: Will Help With Your Ailments
Copyright 2011. The content of this article is extrapulated from the March, 2011 Life Extension Magazine.
For many years, Laser Hair Removal Miami, LLC., and it’s sister company, Bay Harbour Med Spa, have searched out natural remedies for ailments. Ginger root has been long studied for its benefits for a wide range of health disorders. Ginger is actually a spice which contains potent antioxidants such as shogaols, zingerone, and gingerols. These compounds have been linked to providing relief for dozens of health related issues, including:
- Cough
- Bronchitis
- Upper respiratory tract infections
- Migraines
- Motion sickness
- Morning sickness
- Rheumatiod arthritis
- Post-surgical pain
- Flatulence
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhea
- Upset stomach
- Stomachache
- Colic
- And according to Life extension magazine, which is where this article is extrapulated from, even chemotherpay-induced nausea.
Ginger has long been used in Asia and Europe, but since its wide benefits have been studied, it is now domestically produced in states like Hawaii, Florida, and California.
Ginger and Motion Sickness:
Many drugs and over-the-counter meds are in the market to help with motion sickness. However, they also produce side effects like drowsiness and dry mouth. Ginger has been shown, in various studies, to provide significant relief to the above symptoms without these side effects. In placebo studies, ginger showed to measure much higher potential to be effective.
Ginger and Morning Sickness:
For thousands of years, ginger has been used as a home remedy. To put this folk-remedy to test, research was conducted. In a placebo-controlled trial, a group of pregnant women ingested 125 mg of ginger extract, four times a day for four days (Please refer to Life Extension for advice or more information on this). All the women were less than 20 weeks pregnant, and the women who ingested the ginger showed significant reduction in symptoms associated with morning sickness. In fact, one of our clients has recently attested to this to be true for her.
Ginger and Inflammation:
Gingerols, contained in ginger, are ultra-potent anti-inflammatory compounds. A recent study involving patients who tried conventional medicine, such as pain reducing medications, that all 100% of these patients, experienced significant reduction in muscular discomfort. Another compelling study, published in Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 29 patients with debilitating arthritis in the knee participated in a placebo-controleed, double-blind, crossover study. The study had each patient start with placebo or ginger, and then switch after 3 months, journaling their results. At the end fo the first half-year of the study, the patients who were taking ginger experienced significantly less pain than those on the placebo. Additionaly, the patients using ginger reported improvements on a standardized scale used to assess mobility.
A seperate study measuring the anti-inflammatory properties of red ginger in the Journal of Medicinal Food found positive results as well. In this study, Japanese researchers prepared a 40% ethanolic extract from dried red ginger and evaluated its anti-inflammatory activity. After confirming that antioxidant shogaols and gingersols supressed production of inflammatory mediators, the researchers discovered that red ginger extract has a potent suppressive effect on acute and chronic inflammation.
Bay Harbour Med Spa has long been an advocate for natural remdies and we often recommend Life Extension to our clients, for all of their vitamin and alternative medication needs. We do not get any kickbacks or compensation from Life Extension, but they really do, in our opinion, carry the best alternative products in the market.
We have also found, through personal experience, that inflammation produces anxiety issues. There is a wonderful free eBook (written by renowned psychotherapist, Roberta Shapiro) available to help people deal with anxiety issues, for a free copy, please click HERE.
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Antioxidants, anti-aging and skin care…….
Laser Hair Removal Miami: Phone: 305-864-3333.
Copyright 2010. Laser Hair Removal Miami. All rights reserved.
For years Bay Harbour Med Spa has actively tried to educate our clients about proper skin care and nutrition- these two elements combined help a person fight aging head on. So, let’s take a look at what antioxidants do, what they are and how they can help you live a healthier life…………………
What is an antioxidant?
Let’s break down the word, anti and oxidant- oxygen is essential to the human body, when the molecules within the cells encounter oxygen, a reaction occurs and a free radical is produced. This process is known as oxidation ( this process occurs from breathing and metabolism, known as endogenous factors); however, oxidation also occurs from exogenous factors ( occuring outside of the body), such as from excessive sun exposure, pollution and exposure to cigarette smoke. Another important factore in oxidation is the natural aging process.
What are free radicals?
Free radicals are unstable atoms or molecules characterized by at least one upaired electron. These free radicals cause damage to the cells of the body which can lead to disease, some examples- heart disease, parkinson’s disease and even cancer. Not to mention the leading cause of aging.
How do free radicals contribute to pre-mature aging?
In skin, free radicals lead to the breakdown of collagen and elastin, resulting in the development of fine lines and wrinkles.
What do antioxidants do?
Antioxidants neutrolize endogenous factors ( happening within the body) by providing electrons and free radicals, thereby disabling and preventing cell damage.
What type of antioxidants are used in Bay Harbour Med Spa’s face treatments?
Bay Harbour Med Spa proudly provides face treatments available to our Miami and Miami Beach clientele utilizing pure (organic) antioxidant derivatives such as Vitamin A, C and E as well as betacarotene extracts penetrated straight into the skin during our Ultrasonic Facials. More on these treatments can be found in our blog.
Antioxidants and the body………..are you ingesting enough?
It is estimated that only about 33% of the ault population is getting the recommended allowance of fruit and only about 27% is getting the recommended amount from vegetables. In order to determine whether or not we get enough antioxidants in our diet, the ORAC scale is used (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity)- according to this scale, the top five foods for antioxidant are:
- Ground cloves
- Sumac
- Ground cinnamon
- Sorghum
- Dried oregano
Additonal antioxidants one should incorporate into their daily diet are:
- Acai berry
- Pomegrante berry
- Goji berry
Additional information can be found at: http://oracvalues.com. You should always consult with a physician before taking any type of vitamins or changing your diet.
