Dehydroepiandrosterone

AP - Customers at big fast-food chains in New York City are finally facing ala dosages and reviews facts about their meal choices. And for some, the truth may be hard to swallow - like 1,130 calories for a Big Mac, medium fries and a medium soda.

Curcumin benefits

In a recent review article about the anti-inflammatory activity of curcumin, it was found that curcumin has been demonstrated to be safe in six human trials and has demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity. As a non-steroid al anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), curcumin offers excellent anti-inflammatory (including anti-arthritic) action with no known toxicity. This medical use has been studied in clinical trials, animal models, and laboratory studies.

Research has shown several mechanisms that could be the source of curcumin's anti-inflammatory activity. This makes sense, since natural products have historically played a significant role in human health including the treatment and prevention of inflammatory conditions. When we eat a varied diet, a certain amount of anti-inflammatory products are ingested which all react along different pathways. This allows the body to use the natural ingredients in a balanced manner against over response of inflammation.

Why anti-inflammatory products are important

Inflammation is a natural response of the body to damage. That damage may be a cut, a bruise, or a long term illness. There are a number of balanced chemical cycles and reactions which characterize the inflammation response in the body. Sometimes the balance is lost, and a state of chronic inflammation develops.

Rheumatoid arthritis, amyotropic lateral sclerosis, and diabetes, are examples of long term inflammation. There may even be a link between inflammation and such diseases as cancer and arteriosclerosis. Treating Alzheimer's Disease patients with NSAID's has been shown to improve their cognitive state.

One of the easiest uses of turmeric's anti-inflammatory properties is on skin problems. If you have a skin wound or ulcer, or a patch of psoriasis, simply apply a paste made of turmeric and water and put a Band-Aid on it overnight. Many times this simple treatment can clear up a simple skin lesion.

Curcumin as a leading NSAID

Many other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs cause alarming side effects such as stomach upset, heartburn, and nausea, increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, skin reactions, and serious stomach and intestinal bleeding. Aspirin is an exception to the heart attack and stroke risk, as it has been shown to lower those risks.

Curcumin has been shown to be highly tolerable and non-toxic in clinical trials and safety trials. Turmeric and its extracts have been used in folk remedies by many cultures for years, and there may be evidence that populations eating high levels of turmeric derive health benefits from their dietary intake.

Like some other phytonutrients, curcumin has a strong basis in scientific research for the claims being made about its anti-inflammatory effect. This bolsters ones confidence in using it as a relatively safe NSAID.

Source: J Altern Complement Med. 2003 Feb;9(1):161-8. Safety and anti-inflammatory activity of curcumin: a component of turmeric (Curcuma longa). Chainani-Wu N.

Source: http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2006/dna-damage.html , "DNA damage study probes inflammation, disease link".

Source: http://www.webmd.com/hw/health_guide_atoz/sid7998.asp, " Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID's)"

Samantha Rangen writes about home health issues. She has a BA in chemistry and has worked as a research technician for over 20 years in biochemistry, genetics, biochemistry, and cancer research.

Samantha markets discount home medical equipment, including barrier ointments at http://www.getinspec.com.

RTE.ie

Deal Seeks to Offer Drug for Malaria at Low Price New York Times - 4 hours ago By DONALD G. MCNEIL JR The Clinton Foundation announced Thursday that it had brokered an agreement among several drug makers that it hoped would ensure a steady supply buy bulk magnesium citrate a crucial malaria medicine at reasonable prices for the worlds poor. Bill Clinton Foundation Aims To Stabilize Malaria Drug Prices Wall Street Journal Foundation, Drug Makers Set Deal To Lower Price Of Anti-Malaria Drug AHN AFP - Wall Street Journal Blogs - NDTV.com all 228 news articles

Why Do We need Vitamins?

Everyone needs the opportunity to lead a healthy life. To have a balanced life we must have at least 45 minutes of brisk exercise daily, lots of fresh air and proper foods. In todays industrialised world of commerce it has become nearly impossible for the average person to get a proper balanced meal into their daily intake.

It means that with the long working hours, extra commuting and the family pressure of both parents in most cases preparing food is the last thing on their minds, especially a good healthy meal. A proper balanced healthy meal does not always mean hard work but it certainly requires a little planning.

So with this huge pressure on individuals it is easier to slip into a pattern that allows for fast foods, foods of convenience and restaurant foods to slip onto the table at meal times more often than not. Vitamins supplements are needed to replace what is missing in our daily intakes of foods at every meal.

It is certainly not a substitute for the fresh fruits and vegetable we need but rather a backup or insurance policy you take out for optimum health that you want the maximum nutrition intake in every meal in spite of the food industry slipping up. Multiminerals and antioxidants help to bridge this gap. You do not have to take huge amounts of vitamins as our bodies need very very small amounts to help the invisible miracles to take place in our cells that keep us alive healthy.

Natural vs Synthetic Vitamins!

There are alot of vitamins and minerals on the market today and the number is growing daily. Herbal supplements that are in their natural form may not necessarily be clean as they may have insect parts or faeces in them. It is important that you select your vitamin source not on the mere fact that its natural or herbal but the manufacturing process meets the high standard that you are looking for in a multivitamin formula. Synthetic vitamins are artificially made to copy what the body needs and depending upon the quality of ingredients used, may not be easily bioavailable and complete for absorption into our bodies at the cellular level.

It is extremely important that you pick a vitamin formulation that is complete, balanced, bioavailable, potent and safe for you. The "Comparative Guide To Nutritional Supplements" by Dr Lyle MacWilliam, Bsc, Msc, FP is a brilliant study done on the comparison of different brands. You may access this study from here. Do not fall for sales lines that a certain product is herbal and natural or its organic but rather look for the five points listed above in your supplement. Finding a supplement that is the best for your body is prudent today. Your health deserves the best so don't buy from the lowest bidder or the best talker but look for the independent research behind the product to safe guard your health.

What Vitamins Should I Take?

Lets look at our health as a house that needs a good foundation, solid walls and a roof to protect you for the years ahead. Your body is the same and needs the same degree of care and effort that you put into your home if it is to give you years of service without falling apart. Everyone of us should be on a good multivitamin and an antioxidant formulation. The vitamin-mineral formulation should help our bodies to rebuild old cells easily while the antioxidant component will help to fight free radical damage. Adults, teenagers and children need a different formulation during the course of their lives. Make sure you check the formulation incase there are toxic levels of certain ingredients present. If you have a high occurrence of that mineral in your body it could lead to problems. If you are taking medications you should always consult your doctor before hand to play it safe.

Trust Your Vitamins. Can You?

We are asked to trust the experts when we consult with them. The problem in most cases is that the expert follows the instructions of the manufacturer of the supplement and rarely looks to see if there is a better product on the market. This could be for a number of reasons, some of them being price, higher profit margin or control on the supply of the product to the patient. Check to see if the health care practitioner has a broad outlook to optimum health and is not biased or prejudiced towards alternative treatments in their outlook. A Holistic approach is important. You certainly can trust your vitamins if you have done your homework.

How Do You Buy Vitamins Online?

There are a number of vitamin companies that sell online today. Some of them will offer you big discounts if you register as a semi or regular user of their products. All you need to do is find a company that you feel safe with and provides after sales service. This will usually mean a distributor will assist you with purchasing the product best for your needs. A distributor acts as the middle man helping you get the product from the company. Quite often they will help you to buy online for the wholesale price. This could be a big saving in the long run and you will also get a personalised service . Not all websites offer this service.

Buy Vitamins Online - What You need to know?

The following check list is important if you want good customer service from any company online.

• Check to see if you can talk to the person whose website you will be buying from.

• Is there a phone number to call if need be?

• Can you reach them by email?

• Can they brief you more on what each product does and whats best for you?

• What is the refund policy of the company?

Best Rated Vitamins!

Some of the Best rated multivitamins on the market are not found on supermarket shelves or in the pharmacy but rather online. The top rated products in the "Comparative Guide To Nutritional Supplements" are Creating Wellness Alliance, Douglas Laboratory, True Star and Usana Health Sciences.

Claude Fullinfaw is a successful publisher of nutritional secrets at My Healthy Supplement.com where he provides more information on health and nurition for men, women and children and the benefits for health that you can research in your pyjamas on his website at My Healthy Supplement