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Ginger may reduce the pain associated with muscle injury after exercising. This could offer athletes a natural pain reliever.  Both raw and heat-treated ginger reduced pain associated with muscle injury by about 24%.

According to NutraIngredients:

“The rhizome of the ginger plant (Zingiber officinale) is a rich source of antioxidants, including gingerols, shogaols, zingerones and other ketone derivatives … ginger’s pain reducing effects are biologically plausible with both in vitro and in vivo animal studies showing an effect of gingerols, shogaols, and zingerones on inflammatory compounds.”

Ginger has a long history of medicinal use, primarily for soothing nausea and easing stomach upset and dizziness. But it’s also a natural immune system booster with anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties — as this latest study confirms — and has even been found to promote cardiovascular health.

Ginger as a Natural Pain Reliever

In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study, the participants were given either two grams of raw or heat-treated ginger supplements, or a placebo, for 11 consecutive days. They then performed a strenuous exercise with a heavy weight to induce “moderate muscle injury” to the arm. Pain- and inflammation levels were assessed prior to the exercise and for three days afterward.

While both types of ginger produced good results compared to the placebo, the raw ginger was slightly more effective, reducing exercise-induced pain by 25 percent within 24 hours. The heat-treated form reduced pain by 23 percent.

Part of the explanation for ginger’s pain relieving properties is its potent antioxidant content, which includes gingerols, shogaols and zingerones. It is believed that these compounds have particular anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties similar to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Co-author Patrick O’Connor is quoted as saying:

“The economic and personal costs of pain are extremely high. Muscle pain generally is one of the most common types of pain and eccentric exercise-induced muscle pain specifically is a common type of injury related to sports and/or recreation, like gardening.

Anything that can truly relieve this type of pain will be greatly welcomed by the many people who are experiencing it.”

Yes, knowing that there are far safer options out there that cost a fraction of conventional painkillers is indeed a very valuable piece of information.

I’ve written extensively about the health dangers of NSAIDs such as Vioxx, Celebrex, and even common over-the-counter painkillers. The short- and long-term side effects of these types of drugs can cause far more suffering than the pain you’re trying to get rid of.

Other Natural Pain Relievers

Aside from ginger, there are several other natural products and strategies that can offer pain relief, including:

Boswellia: Also known as boswellin or “Indian frankincense,” this herb contains specific active anti-inflammatory ingredients.

Krill oil: The omega-3 fats EPA and DHA found in krill oil have been found, by many animal and clinical studies, to have anti-inflammatory properties that reduce joint inflammation and promote joint lubrication.  (You can get a great Krill oil supplement HERE)

Bromelain: This enzyme, found in pineapples, is a natural anti-inflammatory. It can be taken in supplement form, but eating fresh pineapple may also be helpful.

Cetyl Myristoleate (CMO): This oil, found in fish and dairy butter, acts as a “joint lubricant” and an anti-inflammatory. I have also used this for myself to relieve ganglion cysts and a mild annoying carpal tunnel syndrome that pops up when I type too much on non-ergonomic keyboards. I used a topical preparation for this.

Evening Primrose, Black Currant and Borage Oils: These contain the essential fatty acid gamma linolenic acid (GLA), which is particularly useful for treating arthritic pain. I personally prefer the use of GLA supplements from evening primrose oil but borage oil contains a higher concentration of GLA, which means you need fewer capsules, and it tends to be less expensive.

Cayenne Cream: Also called capsaicin cream, this spice comes from dried hot peppers. It alleviates pain by depleting the body’s supply of substance P, a chemical component of nerve cells that transmits pain signals to your brain.

Another pain relieving strategy that includes neither drugs nor supplements or creams of any kind, is to use an energy tool such as the Meridian Tapping Technique/Emotional Freedom Technique (MTT/EFT).

Many types of pain, especially chronic pain, can be the result of a disruption in your body’s subtle energy system, caused by unresolved emotions or emotional trauma.

Granted, emotional trauma may have little to do with the pain you experience after straining your muscles from vigorous exercise. However, if you suffer from chronic or other hard-to-treat pains, MTT/EFT may be something you’ll want to look into as this simple do-it-yourself technique has been shown to provide effective pain relief about 80 percent of the time — on everything from headaches to cancer pain.

Ginger – The BEST Therapy for Nausea and Morning Sickness!

Getting back to ginger, one of the most common traditional uses of this medicinal tuber is for nausea, including the morning sickness experienced by about 80 percent of pregnant women.

Ginger has been proven to be more effective in reducing nausea and vomiting in pregnant women than a placebo, and it also works just as well as vitamin B6, which can also improve morning sickness symptoms in pregnant women.

I believe it’s one of the absolute best therapies for nausea of any kind, and can even work on motion sickness as well.

However, last year NutraIngredients reported that the Finnish food safety agency, Evira, “recommended warning labels for ginger supplements, after its Risk Assessment Unit highlighted dangers for consuming them for pregnant women.”

“The assessment found that ginger food supplements, teas and drinking powders should be limited in pregnant women because elements in ginger may be harmful to fetal development if consumed in great enough quantities.” [Emphasis mine]

The warning label issued in Finland was not necessarily due to scientific evidence of harm, but rather implemented as a precaution.

I’ve previously stated that ginger is safe for consumption during pregnancy, and I still believe it is safe in moderation.

It’s worth considering that whole ginger root contains a variety of synergistic compounds. This natural synergy typically ensures that one compound in the food doesn’t “overtake” the others to inflict harm. It is rare for any type of whole food to be dangerous enough to not eat during pregnancy.

That is typically only a concern that arises when you extract individual ingredients or compounds from a food or plant source, which is done in drug development, and to a more limited extent for certain supplements.

That said, whole ginger can be consumed in a variety of ways, including:

My favorite way of using it is to cut off about a teaspoon worth, dicing it very fine and swallowing it with water. This is far more potent, inexpensive and effective than any other way I know of.

Cooking with it: Ginger tastes great lightly sautéed with other vegetables, meat, sesame oil, and a pinch of natural, unprocessed salt.

As a tea: Simply put a couple of thin slices into hot water. A little bit of raw honey can sweeten the otherwise “hot and spicy” flavor of the tea.

I’ve previously also recommended ginger syrup, which you can easily make on your own or purchase in most health food stores. However, knowing what we now know about the massively negative health ramifications of fructose consumption, I’d recommend avoiding this alternative and just stick to eating or drinking the ginger without loading up on unnecessary sugar.

Using a ginger syrup, which consists of about twice the amount of sugar to ginger, doesn’t make much sense in terms of overall health – especially if you’re drinking it regularly.

Added Boon: Ginger May Also Help Prevent Heart Disease

In the past decade, researchers have also discovered that ginger may benefit your cardiovascular health, including:

• Preventing atherosclerosis
• Lowering cholesterol levels
• Preventing oxidation of low density lipoprotein (LDL)

One animal study found that mice who received 250 micrograms of ginger extract daily experienced:

• 44% reduction in aortic atherosclerotic lesion
• 27% reduction in triglycerides
• 29% reduction in cholesterol
• 53% reduction in VLDL cholesterol
• 33% reductions in LDL (bad) cholesterol
• Reduced LDL oxidation and aggregation

As you can see, there are plenty of reasons to make sure you’re eating (or drinking) fresh herbs and spices such as ginger on a regular basis.

Almost every day I get asked about Energy Drinks.

Which ones work?  Is there a healthy energy drink?

Up until now there really was not one I could recommend.  They are all full High Fructose Corn Syrup, high in caffeine,  and / or filled with artificial sweeteners.

In other words they are Unhealthy, and they suck!

Recently I actually found an energy drink that is not only healthy, tastes good, and has no crash – but it actually works Better the more you use it!  Most energy drinks stop working after a while, and you need to drink more and more to get the “energy” you are looking for.  Due to the unique ingredients in Monavie EMV, it actually Builds your energy levels over time!

Recharge your body and mind with a boost of sustained energy.

MonaVie E MV features a proprietary blend of antioxidant rich fruits, including the Brazilian super fruit acai berry, and natural sources of energy. Great tasting and lightly carbonated, this healthy formula increases performance, endurance, and concentration by kicking up your energy level and keeping it there–without the high sugar, stimulant subsequent crash. Finally, a healthy solution to your body’s everyday energy needs.

Key features:

• Healthy energy drink
• 80% fruit juice
• Delivers Palatinose for longer lasting and sustained energy
• Contains a superfruit blend–including Brazilian acai, acerola, camu camu and cupuacu
• All-natural sources of caffeine (guarana, yerba mate, and green tea extract) for increased alertness and focus
• Proprietary energy blend of botanicals including panax ginseng and maca
• Added B-Complex vitamins for energy metabolism
• Deliciously refreshing taste
• Lightly carbonated
• No preservatives
• No artificial flavors
• No artificial sweeteners
• No artificial colors
• 100% natural energy source

Nutritional Information per 8.4oz. can:

• Calories: 170
• Total Carbohydrates: 40g including Sugars (fruit): 22g and Palatinose: 15g 13% DV
• Vitamin C: 60 mg 100% DV
• Niacin: 40 mg 200% DV
• Vitamin B6: 4 mg 200% DV
• Vitamin B12: 12 mcg 200% DV
• Pantothenic Acid: 20 mg 200% DV

Proprietary Energy Blend 16,025 mg containing:

Palatinose, D-ribose, guarana seed extract, green tea leaf extract, cha de burge leaf extract, maca root extract, yerba mate leaf extract, panax ginseng root extract and l-tyrosine.

No jitters. No crash. Just pure natural energy. That’s the power behind MonaVie EMV. Free of synthetic stimulants, this advanced formula provids a healthy alternative to traditional energy drinks. The proprietary, 100 percent natural energy blend features revitalizing ingredients that provide a quick “pick me up” and longer lasting energy.

Unlike most energy drinks which are loaded with synthetic caffeine and high fructose corn syrup, MonaVie EMV is a natural, healthy, long lasting blend of antioxidant-rich super fruits and energizing botanicals. Great tasting and lightly carbonated, this healthy formula increases performance, endurance, and concentration by kicking up your energy level and keeping it there—without the high sugar, stimulant-subsequent crash.

EMV – A Superfruit Blend - Like the other MonaVie products you’ve learned about, MonaVie EMV is also fundamentally a superfruit blend. This blend includes açai, apple, acerola, camu camu, cupuaçu, pear, and white and purple grape. The amount of açai in EMV is comparable to the amount found in the MonaVie juices and gel products.

EMV Botanticals - In addition to the fruit juices, MonaVie EMV has been infused with powerful energy-enhancing botanicals: guarana, green tea, maca, yerba mate and ginseng.

Palatinose – The sweet taste, and most of the calories in Mona- Vie EMV, come from the fruit juices and Palatinose, which are healthier energy sources. Isomaltulose is the generic name for Palatinose, which is a carbohydrate found naturally in honey and sugar cane. Palatinose metabolizes more slowly when compared to table sugar, promoting a steady stream of energy over a longer period of time. Another benefit of Palatinose is that it doesn’t cause gastric discomfort, and it’s kinder to the teeth.

EMV Energizing Nutrients

D-Ribose – Along with healthy fruits and botanicals, specific energizing nutrients were added to EMV so you can stay up to speed in a fast paced world. Ribose is a unique carbohydrate that when combined with other components increases production and storage of cell energy.

L-Tyrosine - L-tyrosine, an amino acid, is a precursor to adrenaline naturally formed in the body. Because of its role in the body, tyrosine may be involved with helping the body cope with stressful situations.

Vitamin C - Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin needed by the body for hundreds of vital metabolic reactions. This need, along with its antioxidant properties, makes Vitamin C an important nutrient to consume daily to help maintain proper cell metabolism and tissue health.

B-Complex Vitamins - B-complex consists of essential vitamins important for many physiological functions, and functions such as the metabolism of carbohydrates and fat into energy. The B-complex vitamins included in MonaVie EMV are vitamins B3, B5, B6, and B12.

I love Mona-vie because it makes it Simple to get enough healthy fruits into our diets.

I recommend everyone getting off of those “artificial energy” drinks, and get plugged into Natures Healthy Energy Sources from Super Nutrition!

If you want to try this Healthy Energy Drink, please contact me!

We keep them in stock at our gym (because I drink them =)

Or if you would rather order it directly from Monavie you can do so right here: Monavie EMV

My partners over at Prograde Nutrition have done it again. I seriously CANNOT believe they are doing this but….well, they are.

This week to celebrate President’s Day you can save $15 off their amazing Prograde Protein. Yeah, crazy I know.

And if that wasn’t enough, their Director of R & D, Jayson Hunter, just whipped up this delicious and nutritious Protein based Peanut Butter Ice Cream recipe for you.

Now, I haven’t tried the recipe yet, but it looks outrageously good. And it looks super easy to make. I can’t wait to try it!

Ok, so all the details are on this page right here:

http://pps.getprograde.com/protein-recipe-1.html

Yes, both the $15 savings AND the delicious Protein Ice Cream recipe are right on the easy-to-click link above.

Yours in health,
David Hoffmaster

PS – I almost forgot, Jayson has even more recipes he is going to share with us this week, so stay tuned.

Bottom line: Many people just aren’t meeting the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of vitamins and minerals. And even people that eat plenty of fruits and veggies don’t either, thanks to current farming practices and mass food production.

And here’s a really interesting study from the Journal of the American Medical Association that states, “it appears prudent for all adults to take vitamin supplements.”

(Check out the study on their website here: http://tinyurl.com/jama-vitamins )

Additionally, a high-quality multi-vitamin supplement may help:

• To prevent diseases
• Get the RDA of vital nutrients
• Combat nutrient deficiencies in foods
• Promote consistent nutrient intake

Long story short: A great way to provide your body with the nutritional foundation you need each day is a Whole Foods based multi-vitamin. I’m a proud Prograde Nutrition partner and they have a terrific product called VGF 25+ that is made from 25 veggies, greens and fruits.

The best part is you can try Prograde’s VGF 25+ for FREE! (There’s just a small S & H charge)

Hope this info helps you out. I’ll be back with more quick tips to help you meet all your health and fitness goals.

Yours in health,

David Hoffmaster

PS – You can see all the natural ingredients they use to make VGF 25+ at http://pps.getprograde.com/vgf25-free-trial.html

IQ can definitely be affected by nutrition and supplements. That will shock a lot of people, but study after study has showed just this.  And it’s not suprising: the brain consumes about 40% of the body’s energy. It is metabolic workhouse and needs a constant and abundant supply of nutrients to work optimally.

1) Multivitamins. Vitamin supplements given to teens aged 13-16 raised non-verbal IQ scores by an average of 6 points.  However, it should be noted that several teens actually improved IQ by over 20 points indicating that nutritional deficiences may have been holding back mental performance. An additional part of the study of the same general age group again showed astonishing results: half of the students increased non-verbal IQ by an amazing 15 points! (here is a whole food multivitamin designed for kids)

2) B Vitamins and Vitamin C. One study showed a 25% improvement in scores in many categories of cognition and memory among those students with the highest levels of B vitamins and vitamin C as opposed to those with the lowest.

3) Choline. Choline has produced near miraculous results in animals studies. For example, pregnant rats receiving extra choline produced obviously superior offspring in terms of intelligence and memory.  The researchers wrote that “when rat pups received choline supplements (in utero or during the second week of life), their brain function changed, resulting in the lifelong memory enhancement.” Other studies have shown that choline supplementation forms extra dendrites, i.e nerve cell connections. The reason? Choline is a precursor for actylcholine, the memory-building neurotransmitter.

4) DHA. EPA and DHA are the two key omega-3 fatty acids in fish and fish oil, and DHA has now been shown in a study to increase the cognitive development of infants.

5) Exercise. Evidence mounts almost monthly that exercise increases IQ, intelligence, cognition, learning and so on. One recent monster study of 1,000,000 Swedish military males verified previous studies and showed that exercise increases brain power in many ways.

(note: excerpted from peaktestosterone.com)