Boffin Update: What Science is Doing With Maitake New Chapter Mushrooms

Japanese people have been widely studied in the past several decades, with their seeming natural resistance to many of the common diseases of the Western world. Diet has been found to be an enormous factor in this good health, and as such, scientists have been studying traditional Japanese foods to see how their active ingredients work in the body. Now whole food supplements are incorporating them, including New Chapter organic supplements like Maitake caps and Maitake extract. Today we are doing a scientific rundown of the findings of various studies about maitake mushrooms and their effect on health.

Sugar from Maitake studied for antitumor effects

The department of microbial chemistry at Kobe Pharmaceutical Univeristy found the a polysaccharide (sugar) from maitake mushrooms, also known by their botanical name of grifola frondosa, has antitumor properties. It does this by promoting expression of mRNA in the spleen, as well as enhancing the cytotoxic (cell death, usually cancer cells), of natural killer cells.

Maitake for gastric cancer

This study was done at Tottori University in Japan, in the Division of organ pathology. A water-soluble extract of maitake mushrooms was studied in vitro on four different cell lines of human gastric cancer. A particular type of gastric cancer cell, TMK-1 cells, showed 90% inhibition after treatment with a 10% solution of maitake extract for only 3 days. Of course, in vivo tests will be needed to discover whether this can be translated to use in the body.

Chromium enriched grifola frondosa could be useful for insulin-resistance

Insulin resistance is an important precursor to type II diabetes, one of the biggest killers in the west. Maitake extract, at least of a chromium enriched kind used in this Sichuan University study, could help lower insulin resistance. Mice that were fed the chromium enriched grifola frondosa (CEGF), showed significantly improved glucose disposal rates.

Maitake helps natural killer cells to kill

A study at Kobe Pharmaceutical University has found that maitake mushrooms have an enhancing effect on the action of NK cells, natural killer cells, which are an important component of a strong immune system. D-Fraction, which is a sugar extracted from maitake caps like in the New Chapter organic supplement, can also activate macrophages, dendritic cells and T-cells, as well as inhibiting the growth of tumor cells.

It seems that cancer and insulin resistance are two of the most important potential treatments incorporating maitake … watch this space!

Micronutrients and Whole Food Vitamins

Taking care of our bodies helps us to stay healthy as we age. We know that eating right and exercising can help our bodies to stay healthy. The only problem is, that many of us lead very busy lives and it is hard to get the proper nutrition that our bodies need on a daily basis. Face it; we have all had those days when the only thing we have time to eat is a burger from a fast food restaurant or a doughnut and some coffee at the office. Living on a diet made up of processed foods is not good for our bodies. This is where taking whole food supplements can help give our bodies the nutrition that they so desperately need to function properly.

Taking whole food vitamins can help keep our bodies healthy when we are not always able to eat right. Whole food supplements are made from whole foods not synthetics like many of the other multivitamins on the market. These supplements are made from whole foods that contain micronutrients. Micronutrients are found in fruits and vegetables. They work with the other vitamins that are contained within a whole food to give the body optimal benefits. These nutritional benefits are lost when taking an isolated vitamin alone.

There are also many options that companies are now offering their customers when choosing whole food vitamins. Some are 100% vegan and others are only made with only organic fruits and vegetables. Both still contain micronutrients and are a good choice. Vitamin Code is a great vegan multivitamin brand and Garden of Life supplements make wonderful organic whole food vitamins.

Isolated vitamins and other synthetic multivitamins can irritate the stomach when taken without food. A whole food multivitamin does not irritate the stomach and can be taken on an empty stomach. This is because the body processes the whole food supplements the same way it breaks down any other type of food that is digested. This can be beneficial for those that suffer from stomach or digestive tract problems.

By taking whole food supplements can help all of us get the micronutrients, vitamins and minerals that we need. With not all of us being able to eat healthy every day, taking organic whole food vitamins can help us get the nutrition that our bodies need. Taking good care of our selves will help many of us live a long and healthy life.

Making a Healthy Resolution

The first day of January is when many of us make our resolutions for the year. Unfortunately many of us make resolutions that are not realistic to stick to for a few months, let alone a whole year. This year, try to make a few small ones that will make a big difference in you over all health. One resolution that I have made was to start taking vitamins and supplements everyday in order to help my body get the vitamins and minerals that it needs to stay healthy.

I did a little research and consulted a nutritionist on what I need to be taking to help improve my over all health. With many of us having different health and nutritional needs, it was important to me to find the right supplements and brands that I should be taking. For me, takingorganic whole food supplements was the right choice. I found that this type of multivitamin would help my body to stay healthy. After all, many of us do not have enough time to exercise or eat right on a daily basis. By taking a product that was all natural also made me feel better about what I was putting in my body. The Garden of Life products were the perfect brand for my health and nutritional needs.

After deciding to start taking the Garden of Life supplements, I then decided that not only was taking vitamins for my body a great way to start improving my health, that I wanted to do something healthy for my skin. I found many great natural skin care products that would help my skin to become healthier too. By taking care of my inner body by taking vitamins, I should also be taking care of my outer appearance. TheMyChelle skin care products were just what I needed to take better care of my skin. This has made a big difference in how my skin reacts to all the environmental stresses that can make our skin look dull or dry.

Just by taking a few small steps can help one to stick to that resolution all year round. Not only will you be doing something healthy for your body everyday, you will start to feel better. By doing small things for my health has helped me to stay on track and not to break my resolutions this year.

Digestive Health Blunders - The Worst Foods for Your Gut

There is one thing all foods have in common … that is that they will all give you energy. This base definition of a food, unfortunately, doesn't allow for any additional indication of whether the food is good or bad for you! When we eat certain foods, we are aware of the risks to our heart, liver, pancreas, and even the circumference of our thighs. But we rarely think about what our foods could be doing to our humble digestive tract! Today we check out some of the worst foods for your gut health, which whole food supplements are called upon to cure.

1. Chicken nuggets
   Chicken nuggets are a staple for kids around the world … especially in restaurants, where they often won’t eat anything else! Yet they are incredibly hard on the gut. They contain huge amounts of fat -- the breadcrumb coating soaks up a large quantity of oil during cooking.
2. Spicy food
   Spicy food often has quite high levels of antioxidants and other nutrients that our bodies crave. Unfortunately, it can also irritate the lining of the digestive tract as well. A good general rule is to eat less spice if your stomach starts noticing it.
3. Chocolate
   It isn't only your waistline that suffers when you eat chocolate -- your stomach also expands from the inside! Chocolate causes your esophageal sphincter to relax, and stomach acid to make its way back up.
4. Raw onion
   It's delicious on sandwiches, but raw onion can also irritate the lining of your gut. Using whole food supplements and probiotics can help build up numbers of friendly bacteria in your gut and alleviate irritation, according to anecdotal evidence.
5. Ice cream
   Around 80 percent of the people in the world do not naturally produce the enyme lactase, to help them digest lactose, or sugar found in milk. This makes ice-cream, along with cow's milk on cereal, in coffee, in cheese, etc, quite an irritant to the digestive system.
6. Raw broccoli and cabbage
   Strong as they taste raw, some people like to eat them this way because they are supposed to have more antioxidants. The annoyance they are to your gut due to gas buildup can be avoided by just blanching them slightly.

Fucoxanthin and Dieting

The New Year's resolution to lose weight can sometimes by hard to stick to for the whole year. Many of us start off the first month with the ambition to lose weight and lead a healthier lifestyle. Most of us then lose momentum and give up because we are not hitting that weight goal at the end of the month. This does not have to happen; by taking advantage of many of the great natural weight management products on the market can help achieve those weight loss goals.

We all know that there are many basic steps that we can take in helping us win the battle of the bulge. The three most important rules to follow are eating healthier, exercising on a daily basis and taking a whole food multivitamin. Sometimes though, this is not enough to really help speed up our metabolism and we need some help, such as a weight management product.

One of the newest ingredients that is being added in many weight management products is called fucoxanthin. This is very different from many other stimulant-type metabolism enhancers that are found in many of the popular weight management products. Fucoxanthin has been clinically proven to be a non-stimulant thermogenic. Unlike caffeine, ephedrine or guarana, fucoxanthin can be taken without the worry of it raising the blood pressure drastically or speeding up heart rate. This is because it bypasses the nervous system and does not cause one to feel shaky or hyper like many of the other more common ingredients in weight loss products. The ingredient fucoxanthin also has antioxidant properties which help the body fight off toxins and free radicals in the body.

Weight management products that contain fucoxanthin help aid in reducing the amount of visceral fat. Visceral fat is the fat that covers organs in the abdominal cavity. This fat is commonly found around the liver. Excessive visceral fat is now becoming a major health risk because of the diet habits in the United States.

FucoThin is a weight management product made by Garden of Life that contains fucoxanthin. This product can help aid the body in reducing that amount of visceral fat in the body. Garden of Life products are all natural and only made from the highest quality of ingredients.

By taking better care of our bodies, we can win the battle of the bulge. Eating a healthy diet, exercise and taking whole food vitamins can help improve our health. Following these simple rules can help one to not break that resolution.

6 Most Effective Foods and Whole Food Supplements for Digestive Health

Our digestive system is perhaps one of the most undervalued in the entire body! We realize how important our circulatory system is, and we notice immediately if there is any disturbance in our nervous system. Even the endocrine system, despite having the least known name, gets more press than our poor old gut! However, the body is a unified symbiotic whole, and you can't ignore any system more than the others. Today we are looking at some great foods and whole food supplements for protecting your digestive health.

1. Soups and bone stocks
   Many people have absolutely no idea that one of the most detrimental changes in our diets comes simply from using artificial stocks, rather than animal bones, for our soups. The integrity of your digestive tract is built up with these anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory soups. You can make them with turkey, duck, chicken, beef or lamb bones.
2. Smooth Food 2 by New Chapter
   These vegan capsules encourages bowel cleansing, helps soften stool to increase ease of elimination, and also provides nutrients for proper digestive function.
3. Coconut oil
   Did you know that despite the fact that coconut oil is pure fat, its strong antimicrobial properties do wonders for your gut? They help relieve the symptoms of Crohn's disease and candida, and can also help combat viruses.
4. Omegazyme Ultra Ultimate Digestive Blend
   This Garden of Life product is formulated according to alternative medicine principles to help increase digestive tract health. It contains digestive enymes, cofactros for these enymes, as well as trace minerals.
5. Salmon
   Salmon is a natural source of omega-3 fatty acids, those wonderfulsubstances that seem to cure any manner of ailments. While this is available in supplement form, unfortunately you can’t use capsules to get all of your daily nutrient requirements … which is why we're recommending the real deal!
6. Primal Defense Ultra Capsules by Garden of Life
   These vegan capsules not only help maintain digestive health, but support the immune system and brain function also. This particular brand has been shown to dissolve more completely than other brands of whole food vitamins.

Sun Exposure During the Winter Months

Many of us now understand the importance of protecting our skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun. When someone mentions putting on sunscreen before they go outside, many of us associate this with the summer months. The truth is, we also need to take care of our skin during the winter months. With the growing concerns of skin cancers, many of us are now applying sunscreen even during the winter months when enjoying outdoor winter activities. This is very important since sunlight can reflect off of the snow, making it easier to get sunburned when skiing or sledding with kids.

Much of the aging that occurs is caused by exposure to sunlight. A great way to keep skin healthy is to apply sunscreen such as one of the great MyChelle products. Using a good sunscreen can help avoid those uncomfortable sunburns and reduce the signs of aging of the skin.

Not only applying sunscreen helps the skin during the winter months, but also keeping the skin hydrated helps. Many can achieve this by using natural skin care products such as a good quality lotion and applying it every day. Drinking plenty of water, eating right and taking whole food supplements can also help to keep the skin healthy and hydrated. After all, the skin is the largest organ on the body. It just makes sense to take care of it no matter what life has in store for us.

Taking natural organic whole food supplements not only nourish the body, they also help the immune system in fighting off those cold and flu bugs. By taking supplements and vitamins is another step for keeping skin healthy not only during the winter, but also all year long. Combining sunscreen, keeping the skin hydrated with lotion and drinking plenty of water will help avoid many of the skin conditions that can occur during those colder months. This can be dry itchy skin due to chapping or sunburn. That is why it is important to take care of the skin.

By taking basic care of our skin can help us to avoid many of the problems that can occur when exposed to sunlight during the winter months. Remember that hydration and sunscreen is key in helping our skin to remain healthy during all those fun winter activities.