In the past decade or so, the Wolfberry has become one of the star children of the berry family. It is widely sought after for its well marketed health benefits, especially its anti-aging properties.  Although the name ‘Wolfberry’ may not ring any bells, you probably know the fruit by its commercial name: the Goji Berry.  

Origin

Before becoming popular in Europe and North America, the wolfberry saw traditional use in both East Asian cuisine and medicine.  It is a fruit native to southeastern Europe and Asia.  They are used to give soups flavor and are added to numerous meat and vegetable dishes.  As a medicine, it was commonly used to treat Yin deficiency in ancient China.  it was also used medicinally in Vietnam, Korea, and Japan.

Antioxidant

The goji berry, like other berries, is a rich source of antioxidants. Antioxidants are useful in lowering the risk for heart disease, as well as preventing many age related diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, atherosclerosis, and diabetes.  This is because they minimize damage from free radicals that injure cells and damage DNA.  

In one study of mice fed with high fat diets, Goji berry intake showed decreased levels of LDL, triglycerides, and total cholesterol.  

Goji berry also showed protective effects on the oxidative stress and DNA damages in diabetic rats.  

The Goji berry is also the richest source of carotenoids of all known foods or plants on the planet.  This includes beta carotene, which carrots are most commonly known for having.  Carotenoids give the berry its bright red pigment, act as an antioxidant, and are a source of Vitamin A.  

Vitamin A helps to boost immune function, protect vision, and prevent the risk for heart disease.  It has been shown to improve vision by enabling your eyes to better adjust to light changes and keeping your eyes moist.  Vitmain A also plays an essential role in the proper muscle growth in children and teens.  

CANCER PREVENTION

In vitro studies have shown that extracts of the goji fruit have been able to destroy cancer cells.  Other than the antioxidants found in the goji, the berry is a rich source of Germanium, which is known to have anti-cancer properties.  Organic Germanium interacts with the body by triggering the immune system to produce natural killer (NK) cells that act to fight cancer cells.  Germanium also creates an oxygen-rich condition in the body which cancer cells find hard to thrive in.

Yesterday (05/26/2011), a conference call was held between Dr. Burke and Dr. Qutab in which they discussed what they saw as the health benefits of the Kyani Triangle of Health.  They had a very interesting discussion, all of which you can find by dialing 712.432.8982, PIN 96582 and Recording File number: 052511.  A lot of what they said was a teaser for their talks they will hold at convention.  Here are some of the things they mentioned:

-Vitamin E tocotrienols protect from radiation: They talked about a new study that will be published about tocotrienols being able to combat free radical damage caused by radiation.  Dr. Qutab says this is great news, and we should also remember that the other products in the triangle of health also have antioxidant properties.  

-Kyani Sunrise is a whole food nutrient source.  Dr. Qutab said that the vitamins in Sunrise are superior in both quantity and quality than other multivitamins on the market.  Distributors should know that Kyani Sunrise is a very powerful antioxidant, which is important in preventing many free radical caused diseases. 

Dr. Qutab views the strength of the Kyani products as being disease preventative.  In a couple of decades, the major issue health care professionals and us as a society will be facing are age related diseases due to our ever growing aging population.  Brain related diseases (alzheimers, dimentia, memory issues, etc.) will especially be of concern.  We currently live in a 'sickness industry' with very powerful drug companies calling the shots.  With the Kyani Triangle of Health, Kyani Inc. is posed to be one of the leading 'sickness prevention' companies. 

Cardiovascular diseases are something else we should be actively concerned about.  Over 17 million people die from cardiovascular related problems.  About 1 million people in the United States die of cardiovascular diseases each year.  It is the leading cause of death in the US, edging out breast, prostate, and lung cancer.  Even countries such as Japan, which were protected from cardiovascular diseases in the past because of their diets are starting to see a rise in such diseases.  The growth and spread of fast food go hand in hand with the increase in heart related complications.

Both Dr. Qutab and Dr. Burke will be at the Kyani National Convention coming up in a couple of weeks.  If you're going to attend the convention, definitely take the time to go and visit their panel.  As always you can visit Dr. Qutab's site for more information about Nitric Oxide! 

Bee Pollen has been recognized by Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, as the secret to youth.  Even before it’s use in Greece, however, bee pollen saw recognition in both ancient Egypt as well as China.  Today natural health practitioners use bee pollen for everything from weight loss and sexual function to cancer prevention.  Since bee pollen cannot be accurately synthesized in the laboratory, it is considered to be one of the world’s most powerful natural super food.  

Nutrients

Bee pollen has often been considered to contain all the essential vitamins and nutrients our bodies need.  True or not, it is very highly concentrated in vitamins A,C,D, and E, as well as containing a significant amount of B-complex vitamins.  B vitamins are necessary for metabolism as well as immune and nervous system function.  This vitamin family is also well known for its energy and vitality boosting ability.  

Pollen also contains vitamins C and E, beta carotene, and flavonoids, which makes it a great antioxidant source.  

Weight Loss

One of the most prized benefits of taking bee pollen is the potential to lose weight.  Many attribute this to lecithin.  Lecithin is one of the main components of the cell membrane, with the role of controlling the flow of nutrients into and out of the cell.  It is commercially sold as the cornerstone to many weight loss supplements.  Lecithin is said to work as a fat emulsifier in the body.  This basically means that it helps the body to metabolize fat, say after a work out.  

Be aware that the scientific evidence behind lecithin’s weight loss mechanism is currently lacking.  Although there are many claims to lecithin, more research needs to be done to confirm such claims.

Phenylalanine, another amino acid in bee pollen, acts as an appetite suppressant, and may also help your body lose weight.  Phenylalanine works by stimulating the production of the hormone, cholecystokinin (CCK).  CCK is typically released as food enters the stomach, telling the body to to slow the digestion process, and signalling your brain that you are ‘full’.  

Allergies

Bee pollen may help with allergies caused from pollen.  This may seem counter intuitive, but the basic idea is by exposing your body to low levels of pollen you build up a tolerance to the point that your body stops responding to it with allergy symptoms.  

This treatment is knwon as Sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT).  It has been practiced for almost 100 years, with most of the treatment occurring in Europe.  Studies have been done showing the relative safety of this approach, and it has received the blessing from the World Health Organization in 1998 as an alternative to the injection route most commonly used in the United States.  

Like bee pollen’s role in weight loss, there aren’t very many specific studies on its use in allergy treatment.  Once again, more research needs to be undertaken in this specific area.

Cancer

In one study, mice with lung cancer treated with pollen extract survived twice as long as the untreated controls.  The pollen did not attack the tumor directly, but stimulated an immune response.  Bee pollen can also reverse the effects of prostatitis (prostate inflammation).

Antioxidants are molecules found in foods that can protect your body from the harmful effects of free radicals.  Free radicals are atoms or group of atoms with an odd number of electrons in its outer shell.  Since all molecules want to have a complete shell, free radicals are in an extremely unstable state.  In order to compensate for this, they can react with other molecules to steal one of their electrons, thus forming another free radical and causing a chain reaction.  The danger occurs when these free radicals react with cellular components such as DNA or the cell membrane.  This can cause oxidative stress in our bodies leading to compromised cellular health.  

Diseases linked to free radicals

• Aging
• Cancer
• Heart Disease
• Arthritis
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Cataracts

Cause of Free Radicals and Oxidative Stress

Free radicals are part of being alive.  They can be produced from normal, everyday activity, and for the most part they are not detrimental to normal health.  There are certain activities, however, that can increase the oxidative state in our body.  

1.  Exercise: Exercise and bodybuilding increase stress on the body and also increase oxygen uptake by the body.  If you exercise regularly, then you don’t have to worry too much about free radical generation.  Studies have shown that regular physical exercise enhances our bodies antioxidant defense system.  This is an amazing finding because it shows how our bodies adapt due to exercise.  

The same thing is not so for individuals who have an irregular exercise regiment.  For them, intense exercise may do more harm than good.  

2. Toxic Metals: When a free radical molecule hits a metal atom in your body, the chain reaction effect is multiplied several fold.  The toxicity of lead, pesticides, ionizing radiation, alcohol and cigarette smoke are also due to free radical generation.  In recent years the amount of toxicity our bodies have been exposed to has increased.  This partially explains the rising occurrence of disease as compared to decades ago.  

3.  Foods: Foods can be both a source of free radicals as well as antioxidants.  All foods create some degree of free radicals just from the normal digestion process.  Refined foods and cooked animal products (such as dairy and eggs) create large amounts of free radicals in the body while providing very few antioxidants.  Refined foods are any that have undergone nutritionally detrimental processing.  This includes hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils, heated oils, sugar, white flours, etc. Foods that are high in preservatives, food colorants, artificial sweetener, and other food additive are also bad for your health.  

Antioxidant Sources

Unprocessed fruits and vegetables are a great source of natural antioxidants.  Many contain vitamin C and E, as well as beta-carotene.  

Papayas, oranges, and carrots are the best known sources of beta-carotene.  

Brocooli and kale contain the antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin, which are recommended in preventing age related eye disease.  

Tomatoes contain lycopene, which is believed to reduce the risk of prostate cancer.  

Berries contain high amounts of anthocyanins, which are shown to have potential health effects against cancer, neurological diseases, inflammation, diabetes and bacterial infections.  

The best antioxidant diet will include a variety of antioxidants.  For your well being, you should not limit yourself to just one antioxidant food. 

In recent decades, the prevalence of diabetes has been steadily on the rise.  Statistically, there are 50% more people with the disease than 10 years ago, with 9/100 people over 20 with the disease.  Recent studies have shown that having omega-3 fatty acids as part of your diet can help you to manage diabetes.

There are two types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2.  Type 1 occurs from a lack of insulin (a hormone that controls blood sugar levels) in the body.  Type 2, the more common form of the disease, occurs due to insulin functioning improperly in the body, resulting in a rise in blood sugar levels.  
 
Type 2 diabetes is most likely to occur in people who are overweight or have a history of hypertension, elevated blood sugar levels, or in those that lead a sedentary lifestyle.  Signs of diabetes include frequent urination, frequent thirst, weight loss, neuropathy, and fatigue.  

If left uncontrolled, the disease can wreck its toll on the human body.  Diabetics are 6 times more likely to suffer a heart attack and 3 to 8 times more likely to die from heart disease than non-diabetics.  Most disease management focuses on managing glucose and insulin levels to prevent heart disease.  Although many drugs are available on the market to manage the disease, studies have shown that lifestyle changes are most effective.

Somethings you can do to help manage diabetes are:
1. Regular exercise.
2. Create a healthier diet.  
3. Quit smoking.
4. Consume alcohol only in moderation.

On the subject of diet, some of the healthiest foods you can consume are those with omega-3 fatty acids.  These fatty acids are abundant in fat-rich fish, especially salmon, trout, mackerel, and sardines.  Omega-3 reduces triglyceride levels, lowers blood pressure, and improves blood clotting.  

Traditionally, societies that ate food rich in omega-3 content had very little occurrence of diabetes.  The Alaskan and Greenland Inuit people as well as the Japanese are good examples of this.  Unfortunately, as cultures like these start adapting the Western diet, obesity and diabetes rise.  

Omega-3’s benefits can be seen most in those who are on weight loss diets.  These people show improved glucose and insulin metabolism.  They also showed greater blood pressure reduction than those who did not eat fish.  Omega 3 also helps manage diabetes by lowering inflammation, which has recently been recognized as a major culprit in the the onset of the disease. 

The nuclear crisis in Japan has caused a huge concern over the possibility of radiation poising.  Although no one should be more afraid than people of Japan, where the threat of radiation is real and present, many in the United States have rushed to their local pharmacies to obtain anti-radiation medication.

Days after Japan’s nuclear meltdown, supplies of potassium iodide (KI) in the US started to run very low.  Potassium iodide treats radioactive iodine by protecting the thyroid gland, which is the spot where the uptake of radiation is most likely to occur.  Potassium iodide is recommended by the FDA for iodine radiation exposure from nuclear reactors.  The use of KI does have its inherent risks and side effects, however.  People with thyroid disorders who take KI can experience a worsening of their thyroid illness.  Also, prolonged exposure or excess iodide can clog thyroid function.  Of course radiation exposure is much more dangerous than the side effects of taking KI, so the benefits definitely outweigh the risks.  

Although any spread of radiation outside of Japan will most likely not be that of any significant levels, some authorities have urged citizens to take the proper precautions.  Besides potassium iodide, research has shown that tocotrienols, a form of vitamin E also offers protection against radiation damage.  

If any damage is done to either our bone marrow or intestine, then radiation exposure can be fatal.  Radiation exposure can lead to DNA damage, especially our DNA that is responsible for producing red and white blood cells.  Any damage done to any of the stem cells (precursor cells) for these blood cells, can seriously hinder blood cell rejuvination.   

In an animal experiment, mice exposed to non-lethal amounts of whole body radiation were either put into a control group or fed gamma-tocotrienol.  The study showed that stem cell colonies were 80%-86% maintained in the tocotrienol treated mice, which they were as low as 30% in the control group.  An analysis of the bone marrow showed that tocotrienols maintained the integrity of bone marrow cells.  

Gamma-tocotrienols also protect the intestine organ system.  

The best source of natural tocotrienol comes from a plant called the annatto.  This plant contains the purest source of vitamin E tocotrienols.  The other sources of tocotrienols are palm oil and rice.  All though these sources are rich in antioxidants, they also have another form of vitmain E: tocopherols.  Vitamin E tocopherol interfere with the ability of tocotrienols, so finding a pure source of tocotrienols is important for maximum efficiency. 

Everyone is looking for a way to lose weight, and there a lot of different weight loss methods out there.  During the past 20 years, the United States has seen a dramatic increase in obesity.  Childhood obesity as well has nearly tripled since 1980, with about 17% of children in the United States with weight problems.  Being overweight is a huge problem in the United States, and being a diabetes precursor, maintaining a proper weight is very important.  

There are many resources available with weight loss and diet tips.  This article will describe some reasons why nitric oxide (NO) can help with weight loss.  

Nitric oxide is a signalling molecule that has many roles in the human body.  Its main role is to dilate the blood vessels to allow for smooth flow of blood.  This allows nutrients to quickly travel to cells all around the body.  

1.  Mitochondrial biogenesis

Mitochondria are sites in our cells that convert food and oxygen into energy.  Often times, the mitochondria is called the “cellular power house” since it produces almost all of the energy we use.  They are also responsible for controlling cellular metabolism and burning fat.  

Research has shown that nitric oxide stimulates the creation of new mitochondria (biogenesis).  NO also has the effect of making each individual mitochondrion larger, allowing them to burn even more fat.  

2.  Increase of Energy

Regular exercise is of course necessary for maintaining a healthy figure.  Exercise not only helps you to lose weight, but it often makes you feel better and gives you energy.  This is due to the generation of NO in your body.  Exercise actually increases your energy, which helps you to get more from your routine.  Unfortunately, the drain of our daily lives leave many feeling like they simply don’t have the energy to even get started.     

By ingesting substances high in nitrates and nitrites (such as noni) you can produce NO and thus feel more energetic.  NO does this by dilating the blood vessels so oxygen, glucose, and nutrients can more efficiently enter the cell.  The mitochondria then use these resources to provide the body with energy.  

There are currently many products on the market that are designed to increase NO production in the body.  The best source of natural NO production comes in the form of the noni plant.  Noni is full of nitrates and nitrates, which are natural precursors to NO.  These products will not only give you the energy you need to lose weight, but will also help you burn that fat!