'Miracle grass' encourages longevity while dispelling disease

 More potent than ginseng, jiaogulan is a powerful antidote to aging, cancer, cardiovascular disease, stress and fatigue. It even helps to maintain proper weight. Known as an immortality elixir, this herb has been used for centuries throughout Asia. Jiaogulan is a top notch tonic for modern life too -- a true herbal champion for healthy and dynamic living.

First recorded in the Materia Medica for the Salvation of Starvation during the Ming Dynasty in China, jiaogulan (Gynostemma pentaphyllum) was the go-to herb for a variety of ailments. Often referred to as 'miracle grass,' jiaogulan has a long history of use. Containing four times the amount of saponins compared to ginseng, jiaogulan is an extraordinary adaptogen. American scientists have found it to be one of the top 10 most effective anti-aging herbs in the world.

The secret to longevity and absence of disease

The Chinese mountainous region of Guizhou is famous for its sheer number of centenarians. After 10 years of research, scientists discovered a common link among these long-lived people: daily consumption of sweet tasting jiaogulan tea. The centenarians also had very low incidences of Alzheimer's, cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure. Researchers believe such disease-free longevity is due to the abundance of antioxidants and saponins found in the herb.

Jiaogulan is also recognized as a general health elixir that supports endurance and strength while alleviating fatigue. Furthermore, it has been used with great success in treating the common cold and other infectious diseases.

Formidable anti-cancer tonic

Jiaogulan works on several levels to prevent and heal cancer. As an exceptional source of antioxidants, jiaogulan scavenges free radicals within the body -- minimizing DNA mutations that lead to tumors. The saponins present in jiaogulan also limit the growth of cancer by reacting with the cholesterol rich membranes surrounding rogue cells. Jiaogulan increases white blood cell counts too. In a Chinese study, cancer patients who had suppressed white blood cell activity due to radiation therapy, were given either jiaogulan, an herbal blend or a generic health tonic. Those who took jiaogulan, more than doubled their white blood cell count in an average of five days with almost 94 percent effectiveness.

Incomparable adaptogen

Adaptogens by their very nature have no side effects and only restore balance where needed. Jiaogulan may be the most powerful adaptogen of all as it contains over 100 saponins. Keep in mind the important influence saponins have on health -- regulating cholesterol, reducing cancer risk while enhancing immunity.

Through its adaptogenic properties, jiaogulan supports equilibrium within the body. If an individual needs to shed extra pounds, jiaogulan can help. Interestingly, the reverse is also true. If someone is underweight, the herb will assist in correcting that imbalance as well. Additionally, jiaogulan will regulate cholesterol and blood pressure whether too high or low. The nervous system is similar -- if anxiety ridden, jiaogulan has a calming effect; if dullness is present, the herb is energizing.

It is important to note that jiaogulan grown in Southeast Asia is often contaminated with heavy metals. Always chose organic, sustainably grown varieties to avoid potential toxins.

For those seeking youthfulness, health and vibrancy, jiaogulan might just be the answer. As an unbeatable adaptogen and supreme source of antioxidants as well as saponins, jiaogulan is a tasty way to enjoy the sweet life.

Sources for this article include:

"Jiao Gu Lan (Gynostemma pentaphyllum): The Chinese Rasayan-Current Research Scenario" R.N. Mishra, Dharnidhar Joshi, International Journal of Research in Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences. Retrieved on October 8, 2012 from:http://www.ijrpbsonline.com/files/RV12.pdf

"Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief" David Winston and Steven Maimes, Inner Traditions * Bear & Company.

"Jiaogulan the Chinese Herb of Immortality" Danica Collins, Underground Health Reporter. Retrieved on October 8, 2012 from: http://undergroundhealthreporter.com

"Gynostemma" Herbs List, June 20, 2011. Retrieved on October 8, 2012 from: http://www.herbslist.net/gynostemma.html

"Jiaogulan" Immortalitea. Retrieved on October 8, 2012 from: http://www.jiaogulan.org/category/jiaogulan-research/page/2/

"Gynostemma tea boosts heart health" Celeste M. Smucker, MPH, PhD, Natural News, March 19, 2011. Retrieved on October 8, 2012 from: http://www.naturalnews.com/031749_gynostemma_longevity.html

"Saponins" Phytochemicals. Retrieved on October 8, 2012 from: http://www.phytochemicals.info/phytochemicals/saponins.php

http://www.naturalnews.com/037527_miracle_grass_longevity_anti-cancer.html

Dr. Gary Null PHD & Jeremy Stillman -- Does Heart Rate Affect Longevity?

          Having spent my entire adult career working with tens of thousands of individuals as a scientist, clinician, and therapist in anti-aging research, it has been my observation that the higher one’s resting heart rate, the more susceptible one is to heart disease and premature death. Considering that we have added nearly ten years to the average lifespan over the last forty years, what can we point to that accounts for this change? A look at the evidence shows that it is multifactorial. 

When I was growing up, my parents, aunts and uncles, all smoked two to three packs of cigarettes a day. They drank a lot of alcohol- not to get drunk but to socialize- and they had high concentrations of animal protein, saturated fats and refined carbohydrates. They rarely exercised and more often than not, they internalized their distress. This lifestyle was typical among that generation of Americans.

Today, the last two generations have caused a renaissance in health awareness. Thanks to them, we now know the importance consuming a healthy vegan diet high in raw foods and fresh juices, using supplements, and abstaining from alcohol and smoking. We are aware of how indispensible exercise and more and more people are reaping the benefits of de-stress practices such as yoga and meditation.  The combination of all these factors has produced a quantitative change our life expectancy.

As a competitive athlete, having won more than 500 races and competed in more than 600, I have interacted with hundreds of professional athletes. Most of the athletes I have come to know have heart rates between 50 and 65. Most non-athletes, but those who still have a proper diet, have resting pulses between 70 and 80.  Those who are overweight, obese, or have diabetes, tend to have pulses between 75 and 85 and often suffer from heart disease and other serious medical conditions that inevitably shorten the lifespan. It is my experience that once they begin to exercise and bring their pulse down by more than 10 points or into the 60 to 70 range, that it increases their lifespan by approximately ten years. I’ve counseled many individuals who were given a very problematic prognosis (i.e., a shortened lifespan). By following the therapies listed above, many of them were able to significantly lower their blood pressure and heart rate. These people went on to live many years longer than what would have been expected and most of them survive today.  These experiences helped me arrive at my hypothesis that the lower the heart rate, the healthier the heart, and the longer the lifespan. A review of the scientific research on this subject shows that this hypothesis is well-founded. 

Examining the Evidence

In studies on both humans and animals, a clear relationship exists between high resting heart rate and shorter lifespan. In 2010, cardiologist Dr. Eva Lonn of McMaster University presented the results of a study that examined this connection in over 30,000 patients over the course of 4 years to the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress. Speaking before her colleagues, Lonn stated that "the higher the heart rate, the higher the risk of death from cardiovascular and all causes, even after adjusting for all risk factors that could confound our results," [1] The study found that individuals with heart rates above 78 beats per minute were 77% more likely to die from heart disease, and 65% more likely to die from all causes, than their counterparts who had a resting heart rate of 58 or below.  

These findings are corroborated by numerous other studies that connect an above-average resting heart rate with a significantly increased risk of death, especially from cardiovascular illness.[2] [3][4][5][6][7]   A study of more than 129,000 women published in the British Medical Journal found that women who had a heart rate of more than 76 ran a significantly higher risk of cardiac arrest and heart disease than those women whose pulse rate was lower than 62.[8] A recent paper out of France noted that “an increase in heart rate by 10 beats per minute was associated with an increase in the risk of cardiac death by at least 20%.”[9]

The connection between heart rate and longevity goes well beyond deaths related to cardiovascular illness. Using data collected during the 25-year-long Paris Prospective Study, which surveyed over 5,000 men aged 42-53, researchers at University Paris Descartes determined “resting and exercise heart rate had consistent, graded and highly significant associations with subsequent cancer mortality in men.”[10] Compared to the men with a resting heart rate below 60 beats per minute, those individuals with a heart rate of more than 73 beats per minute were 2.4 times more likely to die from cancer. The results are consistent with previous analyses showing a direct relationship between heart rate with cancer mortality.[11] A study out of Italy known as the MATISS Project investigated the possible association of pulse rate and mortality among Italian middle-aged males. The authors concluded that heart rate was a reliable independent predictor of total mortality.[12]  

Not only does a higher heart rate predict a shorter lifespan, but a body of evidence indicates that carrying out heart rate lowering activities such as exercise and meditation may help boost longevity.[13] In a paper from 2003, researchers at the European Society of Cardiology proposed the following explanation of why resting heart rate may be related to lifespan:

In mammals, the calculated number of heart beats in a lifetime is remarkably constant, despite a 40-fold difference in life expectancy. According to this view, a reduction in heart rate would increase life expectancy also in humans. The heart produces and utilizes approximately 30 kg adenosine triphosphate each day, and slowing its rate by 10 beats/min would result in a saving of about 5 kg in a day. Considering that heart rate is a major determinant of oxygen consumption and metabolic demand, heart rate reduction would be expected to diminish cardiac workload. Clinical studies with beta-blockers have already shown a reduction in mortality and improvement in outcome as a result of reduction in heart rate.[14]

The authors go on to recommend research into therapies designed to lower heart rate and in turn, potentially increase lifespan.  This suggestion is supported by a 2008 report in the Harvard Heart Letter which concluded that engaging in activities aimed at reducing heart rate such as exercise and de-stressing techniques may extend longevity.[15]

---

[1] Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada (2010, October 26). High resting heart linked to shorter life expectancy in stable heart disease patients, study suggests. ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 4, 2012, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­/releases/2010/10/101026161239.htm

[2] J. Nauman, I. Janszky, L. J. Vatten, U. Wisloff. Temporal Changes in Resting Heart Rate and Deaths From Ischemic Heart Disease. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 2011; 306 (23): 2579 

[3] Zhang, G., and W. Zhang. "Heart Rate, Lifespan, and Mortality Risk." Ageing Research Rev P. M. Okin, S. E. Kjeldsen, S. Julius, D. A. Hille, B. Dahlof, J. M. Edelman, R. B. Devereux. All-cause and cardiovascular mortality in relation to changing heart rate during treatment of hypertensive patients with electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy.

[4] Palatini, Paolo. "Elevated Heart Rate: A “New” Cardiovascular Risk Factor?" Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases 52.1 (2009): 1-5. Pubmed.gov. Web. 5 Sept. 2012. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19615486>.

[5] Benetos, Athanase, Et Al. "Influence of Heart Rate on Mortality in a French Population."Hypertension 33 (1999): 44-52. Ahajournals.org. 1999. Web. 4 Sept. 2012. <http://hyper.ahajournals.org/content/33/1/44.short>.

[6] Ferrari, R. "Prognostic Benefits of Heart Rate Reduction in Cardiovascular Disease."European Heart Journal Supplements 5 (2003): G10-14. Print.

[7] European Heart Journal, 2010; DOI:iews 8.1 (2009): 52-60. Print.

[8] BMJ-British Medical Journal. "Resting Heart Rate Can Predict Heart Attacks In Women."ScienceDaily, 5 Feb. 2009. Web. 4 Sep. 2012.

[9] Perret-Guillaume, Christine, Laure Joly, and Athanase Benetos. "Heart Rate as a Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease." Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases 52.1 (2009): 6-10. Pubmed.gov. Web. 5 Sept. 2012. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19615487>.

[10] Jouven, Xavier, Sylvie Escolano, David Celermajer, Jean-Philippe Empana, Annie Bingham, Olivier Hermine, Michel Desnos, Marie-Cécile Perier, Eloi Marijon, and Pierre Ducimetière. "Heart Rate and Risk of Cancer Death in Healthy Men." Ed. Julian Little.PLoS ONE 6.8 (2011): E21310. Print.

[11] Persky, V, Et Al. "Heart Rate: A Risk Factor for Cancer?" American Journal of Epidemiology 114.4 (1981): 477-87. Pubmed.gov. Web. 4 Sept. 2012. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7304578>.

[12] Fulvia Seccareccia et al., “Heart Rate as a Predictor of Mortality: The MATISS Project,” Am J Public Health 91, no. 8 (August 1, 2001): 1258-1263.

[13] Hjalmarson A. Significance of reduction of heart rate in

cadiovascular disease. Clin Cardiol 1998;21:II3—7.

[14] Ferrari, R. "Prognostic Benefits of Heart Rate Reduction in Cardiovascular Disease."European Heart Journal Supplements 5 (2003): G10-14. Print.

[15] "Harvard Heart Letter." Harvard Reviews of Health News. Harvard University, Dec. 2008. Web. 04 Sept. 2012. <http://www.harvardhealthcontent.com/newsletters/HeartLetter.pg>.

Urgent! Help Us Stop a Disastrous Anti-supplement Amendment

Dear friend:

Senator Dick Durbin is once again attempting to get rid of your supplements, and it may happen today, unless you act NOW.

There is an FDA bill before the Senate that is relatively uncontroversial, but it’s considered a “must-pass” bill. Sen. Durbin is planning to offer a last-minute amendment to that bill, slipping it in under the radar and piggy-backing it on a bill that will go through without debate. This amendment will destroy DSHEA—the law that protects your supplements from unnecessary government intrusion and regulation.

The amendment says, among other things, that supplement companies must register their products with the FDAwithin 30 days, or they will be considered “misbranded” and companies will be subject to outrageous financial penalties, possibly even jail time. To avoid this, many companies will simply remove their supplements from the shelves until they are able to comply with the new requirement.

That’s right. Thirty days after this law goes into effect, many supplements will disappear.

There are several other dirty tricks this amendment will do. We need you to contact your senators IMMEDIATELY and tell them to vote NO on the Durbin dietary supplement amendment.

We can’t express how dangerous this amendment is, or how urgent it is that you take action NOW.

CLICK HERE TO TAKE ACTION!

The Alliance for Natural Health USA
6931 Arlington Road, Suite 304
Bethesda, MD 20814 
www.anh-usa.org

Growing Body Of Research Shows Massage Therapy Effective For Prevalent Health Conditions

A growing body of evidence shows massage therapy can be effective for a variety of prevalent health conditions, including the pain of osteoarthritis of the knee, inflammation after exercise, chronic low back pain and fibromyalgia. Massage is rapidly becoming recognized as an important part of health and wellness, and research compiled by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) indicates some of what takes place in the body during massage therapy.

The Pain of Osteoarthritis of the Knee

Research(1) supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine shows 60-minute sessions of Swedish massage once a week for those with osteoarthritis of the knee significantly reduced their pain. This study, which involved a total group of 125 subjects over an eight-week period, is the latest published research study indicating the benefits of massage therapy for those with osteoarthritis of the knee.

Inflammation After Exercise

Research(2) through the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and McMaster University in Hamilton, Ohio indicates massage therapy reduces inflammation of skeletal muscle acutely damaged through exercise. The study provides evidence for the benefits of massage therapy for those with musculoskeletal injuries and potentially for those with inflammatory disease. Specifically, evidence at the cellular level showed massage therapy may affect inflammation in a way similar to anti-inflammatory medications.

Read More:

http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=13413&Section=Aging

Richard Schiffman - Why Our Children Should Be Taught to Meditate in School

If you have brought up children, or taught them as I have, then there is something that you have doubtless said scores of times a day -- "Pay attention!" Yet this can be the hardest thing for a child to do. Their minds are like monkeys swinging quickly from one branch of thought or feeling to another. And cellphones, iPods and numberless other handheld "weapons of mass distraction" have made it that much harder for our children to focus.

This is a real problem in school, where achievement depends on one's ability to concentrate on the work. It is not just the presence of electronic devices in the classroom, something which naturally alarms a lot of teachers. More damaging are the habits which they inculcate in the young -- the surfing mentality which is always looking restlessly toward the next image, message or sensation.

Granted, this is nothing new. Before there were Blackberries and gaming devices, there were paper airplanes and spitballs. Kids have always found ways to distract themselves from the task at hand -- and adults, too. It is a challenge for all of us to keep our attention focused productively in the here and the now. But we all know from experience that our success and happiness depend on it. To learn something new, to accomplish anything worthwhile, to appreciate a work of art, to think deeply and creatively about a problem, we need to be able to focus and to keep our attention from straying.

Read More:

Richard Schiffmanhttp://www.opednews.com/articles/Why-Our-Children-Should-Be-by-Richard-Schiffman-120513-421.html

Sayer Ji - Sugarcane Extract Superior To Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs?

There is a little known natural extract of plant waxes known as policosanol, extractable from sugar cane, yams, and beeswax, which has been giving some of the more profitable drugs on the market a biomedical beating since it was first investigated in clinical trials by the Cubans in the 1990’s.

Not only has it been shown superior to aspirin for treating conditions linked with peripheral artery disease (intermittent claudication), but it has put the $29 billion dollar a year statin drug category to shame.  At $5 for a month supply, you can understand why you haven’t heard it advertised on television or promoted through a conventional physician’s increasingly drug dispensary-like office.  

And here is the kicker: while aspirin has been linked to 50 serious, if not life-threatening side effects,[i] and statin drugs to well over 300,[ii] policosanol was evaluated for safety in animal toxicity studies and was found to have no negative effects on carcinogenesis, reproduction, growth, and development at 1500 times normal human doses (on the basis of body weight).[iii] With such a low cost, and high margin of safety, it is unconscionable that more are not being made aware of it as an alternative to pharmaceuticals for lipid modulation.

Read More:

http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/sugarcane-extract-superior-cholesterol-lowering-drugs?utm_source=www.GreenMedInfo.com&utm_campaign=448a11468e-Greenmedinfo&utm_medium=email

Gary Null, PhD and Nancy Ashley, VMD, MS - DEADLY INJECTION: THE HIDDEN INGREDIENTS IN VACCINES

DEADLY INJECTION:  THE HIDDEN INGREDIENTS IN VACCINES

By Gary Null, PhD and Nancy Ashley, VMD, MS

For more than 100 years, Americans have lined up to take their vaccines.   We have never questioned the safety and efficacy of these vaccines, and why should we?  Vaccines are backed by the full faith and confidence of the entire scientific community, including the FDA, the CDC, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, and virtually all of the esteemed medical journals, including the British Medical Journal, the Lancet, and the Journal of the American Medical Association, have given their unconditional support to vaccines. Therefore, in fact, if any physician, scientist, journalist, or health activist ever challenges either the safety or efficacy of vaccines, they are immediately assaulted.  The normal arguments are:

1. There are dozens of gold standard studies proving beyond a shadow of a doubt the safety and efficacy of every vaccine and every combination of vaccines.
2. There is an independent group of scientists at the FDA and the CDC that examines the childhood vaccine schedule to make sure it is appropriate.
3. There is no scientific proof that vaccines are dangerous.
4. On rare occasions, when someone does have an adverse reaction, it in no way affects the safety and efficacy for anyone else.
5. Virtually all major scourges -- polio, smallpox, and measles -- were eliminated by our vaccine program.

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An Important Update on IV Vitamin C

After our Action Alert on the FDA’s move against intravenous vitamin C, a number of rumors have sprung up. Today we want to sort through the confusion. As we reported to you last week [1], the US Food and Drug Administration recently sent a warning letter [2] to McGuff Pharmaceuticals, ordering it to stop manufacturing and distributing intravenous vitamin C. The warning letter lists several issues, but the issue of concern falls under the subheading Unapproved New Drug and Misbranding Violations. The FDA letter tells the firm, “You manufacture and market unapproved new drugs in violation of sections 505(a) and 502(f)(1) [21 U.S.C. §§ 355(a) and 352(f)(1)] of the Act”—that is, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, or FD&C.

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Vitamin Supplements Reduce Deaths Caused by Measles and Diarrhea, Study Finds

Vitamin A supplements are still an effective way to reduce childhood death and disease. A new study by Cochrane researchers strongly endorses the continuation of vitamin A supplementation programs, which reduce the incidence of measles and diarrhea and ultimately save lives.

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