It is a good, fun read with lots of interesting pictures to explain the benefits as well as the science behind this super-nutrient.

A short list of benefits discussed:

• Prevention of blood clots and high blood pressure that lead to heart attacks and stroke
• Reduced risk of sudden deaths from coronary heart disease
• Decreased blood triglycerides
• Improved glucose metabolism and diabetes prevention
• Reduction of PMS symptoms and other mood stabilizing effects
• Protection from bone loss
• Anti-inflammatory effects
• Anti-obesity effects
• And more…

Click Here to find out what your Doctor Never told you about fish oil.  Please enjoy this revealing report and send your friends here to get their own free copy.

I hope you have a Healthy Day!

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.

I know several local distributors, and I know it is a MLM company. This is neither good nor bad info.  I don’t have a problem with the supplement, but I would much rather know how much of the nutrients I need is actually IN the supplement.

If you want a “negative review” check out this link: http://www.mlmwatch.org/04C/NSA/juiceplus.html

This will give a very thorough debunking of their research. I am Not bashing the company, just providing the “other side view” to combat the hype in all advertising.

I think that organic / local real food is the way to go, but I also know that it is hard sometimes to get enough.

If you want a “superfoods” supplement, I would get something like Greens Plus. The plus side is you can get enough of the veggies to be useful.  The down side is that an effective dose is a bit pricey, but not much more than the much lower dose in the juice plus.

There are 2 other options (three if you count doing nothing =)

You can get a Synthetic multi-vitamin for anywhere from 8-15 $ a month, this is OK – just not optimal.  I am not sure my body needs More chemicals, but this choice May be better than not taking a multi-vitamin at all.

Or you can go with a Whole Foods multi-vitamin for anywhere from 25-45 $ per month (juice plus is low dose and at the high end of this – 40+ $ ish)

I actually provide a supplement company recommendation for my clients, as I think it is the best of both worlds.  You can get a Whole Foods Multi-vitamin for 30$ shipped to you monthly (included) that tells you exactly what and how much you are getting.

http://pps.getprograde.com/multi-vitamin-for-women.html

Yes, I get a small commission from this sale, but I would recommend it regardless.  It is Not an MLM, just word of mouth.

One other bit of info – a cheat sheet if you will. When you look at any multi, check the vitamin E. If it is d-alpha only, then I don’t fully trust the company to have done their research. There are I believe 8 different kinds of vitamin E, and taking just one in excess blocks the absorption of the others from your food. The Prograde has mixed Tocopherols, which means all of them.

A bit long winded, eh =)

I’ll bet you didn’t realize walking through your grocery store that these 4 items could send your metabolism soaring!

You could wait to read it, but your body will seriously thank your for it if you clicked over right now and devoured every word.

You can read this special grocery report right here

The last time you went to the supermarket you probably didn’t realize these 4 metabolism boosters even existed.

Well, you knew they existed, but you didn’t know they could send your metabolism soaring!

One of them people drink everyday.

One of them is really, really hot.

One you could put on toast – not that we recommend that.

The other, well, it’s becoming wildly popular.

You can read this special grocery report right here

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.

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

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)

Of course, there is more than one thing you should do to maintain and protect your health. But eating a diet rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids is certainly near the top, in terms of importance.

Omega-3 fatty acids are vital for your brain and your heart. They can boost your immunity. They can improve athletic performance. They can tame inflammation. They improve lung function. They can even help you lose weight.

In fact, there are more positive, peer-reviewed studies about the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids than any other food or nutrient. You would be hard pressed to find a single health condition that cannot be improved by optimal omega-3 levels in the body.

On the flipside, the risks of every degenerative disease increase when omega-3s are deficient in the diet. Unfortunately, our modern diet is chronically deficient in these healthy and essential fats.

In this issue, I will discuss a few of the many, many benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. I will also show you why fish oil (not flaxseed oil) is the best source of omega-3s… and why mercury pollution in not a concern in fish oil…

Want to Lose Fat? Take Your Fish Oil…

Contrary to the government’s faulty Food Pyramid, not all fats are created equal. Certainly, some fats will increase your risk of cancer and heart disease, and cause you to gain weight. But healthy fats can not only improve the health of your heart and protect against cancer, they can even help you lose weight.

Consider omega-3 fatty acids, for example. The Journal of Nutrition published a study where rats ate diets rich in DHA (an omega-3 fatty acid in fish oil). The researchers found that these rats experienced a significant decrease in body fat mass, compared to rats that did not receive the supplement.

Other studies have shown why this takes place. First of all, DHA prevents undifferentiated cells from becoming preadipocytes (the precursor to fat cells). It also inhibits the fat-storage capacity of adipocytes (the cells that store fat). So, not only does DHA decrease the total number of fat cells, it also diminishes the ability of existing fat cells to store more fat.

It is also important to note that when rats are fed corn oil (omega-6 fatty acids) they tend to accumulate fat. By the same token, if you eat a lot of processed food, fried foods and conventionally raised meats, you are probably consuming far too many omega-6 fats and too few omega-3s. If you are carrying too much fat, this could be one reason why.

Why Flaxseed Oil Is NOT the Best Source of Omega-3s

When it comes to omega-3 the question often arises, what is the best source?

As always, the optimal source for any nutrient is from food. The very best food sources of omega-3s are wild salmon and sardines. These fish have several times the amount in most other fish. And they have extremely low levels of pollutants, compared to other fish. Grass-fed beef, buffalo and wild game are also a good source of omega-3s.

But it also makes sense to supplement your diet. And in that case, you might have heard that flaxseed oil is the best source. This is not true.

Flaxseed oil does contain omega-3s. But the omega-3s found in plant-based sources are short chain fatty acids (ALA). The fatty acids your body needs most for cardiovascular, brain and skin health are long chain fatty acids (EPA and DHA).

Your body can convert ALA to EPA and DHA, but it is a very inefficient process. Many factors can impact the amount you convert. But most studies show that about 15% of the ALA you consume is converted to EPA. Then only 5% of that amount is converted to DHA.

In other words, to get the all-important DHA your body needs, you would have to consume a huge amount of flaxseed oil.

Or… you could take fish oil. Fish oil is made up almost entirely of usable EPA and DHA. If you want the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits of omega-3s, take fish oil, not flax oil.

Does Fish Oil Contain Dangerous Mercury?

As a proponent of fish oil supplements, I am often asked about safety. After all, if fish are contaminated with mercury, wouldn’t the oil of those fish also contain mercury?

First, I should point out that wild Alaskan salmon is one of the few fish that is predominantly free of mercury. It is farm-raised salmon which commonly contains mercury, PCBs and dioxins. Do not eat farm-raised salmon.

So what about fish oil?

Fish oils are produced by a process called “molecular distillation.” By its very nature this process removes most contaminants, including mercury. A few years ago, the nutritional supplement testing company, Consumer Labs, tested 41 leading brands of omega-3 fish oil. They found EVERY brand tested to be free of mercury.

However, a few brands were spoiled (fish oil is susceptible to oxidation). And one brand only had half of the claimed omega-3s. That’s why you should always stick to a reputable brand.

Fatty Fish Shown to Prevent Kidney Cancer

Scientists at Sweden’s famed Karolinska Institute have discovered that eating fatty fish just a few times per month can significantly reduce the risk of kidney cancer. In the late 1980s, these researchers carefully surveyed 90,000 Swedish women about their diet. Then they followed up with the women more than 10 years later to review their health status.

What they found is that the women who ate at least one portion of fatty fish per week reduced their risk of kidney cancer by 74 percent, compared to women who never ate fatty fish. That is a remarkable risk reduction. But here is the important part. The scientists found NO risk reduction from consuming lean, white-fleshed fish.

So, what’s the difference? According to an article by noted cancer researcher, Dr. Ralph Moss, “Oily fish contains up to 30 times more omega-3 fatty acids and three to five times more vitamin D than lean fish.” Laboratory studies have shown that these two nutrients are strongly protective against a variety of cancers (not to mention the cardiovascular benefits).

Take your fish oil…

I have only scratched the surface in regards to the benefits of omega-3s. But I hope I have helped to emphasize their importance.

Boost your consumption of these healthy and essential fats by consuming wild Alaskan salmon and sardines. If you eat beef, be sure that it is grass-fed.

How much omega-3 fish oil do I need to take?

To get the Maximum Health and Fat Loss benefits, 6 grams (6 capsules) per day, Unless you get a more concentrated product (like  the omega-3 krill oil found in efa icon)

Take your fish oil!

Fast food companies partner with Hollywood and have all sorts of action figures from popular movies at their restaurants.

And corporations do the same to sell all kinds of thing – including vitamins – for children.

Have you ever taken a good look at the labels of the leading brands of kid’s vitamins?

On there you’ll find:

• Aspartame, which is a VERY controversial artificial sweetener.
• DiCalcium Phosphate, which is used in the “feed” that poultry eats.
• Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, which NOBODY needs to be ingesting.
• And all sorts of artificial colors.

Does that look NUTRITIOUS to you???

Ok, I know what you’re thinking:

“Yeah, that’s great. But what other choice do I have? If it doesn’t TASTE good, my kid’s not going to take it.”

Well, I may just have the answer to your prayers. But your child’s taste buds are going to have to decide. As a proud Prograde Partner I’m THRILLED to let you know they have just released an all-natural children’s vitamin. And they’ve gone to great lengths to taste test it with kids.

But again, your child will have to decide if it tastes good or not. So that’s why you can try Prograde Essentials for Kids for FREE! (Yes, there is a small S & H fee)

Just go to the link right now and discover how Prograde Essentials for Kids delivers the nutrition your child needs and deserves.

Yours in Health,

David Hoffmaster

Yup, just 2.

Now, I don’t know where you stand on this, but overall, it really is a sad state of nutritional affairs.

But do not despair! It’s not that tough to get more fruits and veggies in each day.

Here are some super simple tips to get you started:

1) Buy ‘em pre-chopped

Look, I can be lazy, too There’s nothing wrong with not wanting to go through the hassle of having to chop up fruits and veggies. If you want to buy them pre-chopped go ahead. It’s much better for you than not eating them.

2) Carry ‘em with you

Load up a plastic baggie with your pre-chopped veggies and bring them to work. Seriously, see how easy this can be!

3) Add real fruit to your greek yogurt

Have some greek yogurt for breakfast and add some fresh blueberries, raspberries or blackberries. It’s that simple!

Bonus tip: 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 with this link. (There’s just a small S & H charge)

I hope you have an awesome weekend. Be sure to use these tips and let me know how they help you out. Or send me some of your own!