Does Chocolate Really Help Your Body Fight Wrinkles?

May 13th, 2009

Does Chocolate Really Help Your Body Fight Wrinkles?

Does Chocolate Really Help Your Body Fight Wrinkles?

In doing some internet surfing I came on a very interesting article from the examiner.com of Denver, CO

The article was entitled “Lose wrinkles with chocolate”

Interesting concept… but can it really be true?

Can you really have your cake… ummm I mean chocolate and eat it and get rid of wrinkles too!?

Well… let’s find out. Shall we?

The article states

“German researchers have found that chocolate helps your body produce healthier skin and fight off the effects of sun damage.”

This is the reason scientists believe it’s true

The article states

When you eat chocolate, your skin has better blood flow and the sun’s rays are not as destructive. The scientists explain that, ‘(Our) study demonstrates that the regular consumption of a beverage rich in flavanols (from chocolate) [sounds like Chocodant™to me] can confer substantial photoprotection as well as help maintain skin health by improving skin structure and function.”

Yes… But how does it work?

A study from Heinrich U, Neukam K, Tronnier H, Sies H, Stahl W. of Institut für Experimentelle Dermatologie, Universität Witten-Herdecke, Germany explains it.

The study was published in the Journal of Nutrition 2006 Jun;136(6):1565-9. and entitled

Long-Term Ingestion Of High Flavanol Cocoa Provides Photoprotection Against Uv-Induced Erythema And Improves Skin Condition In Women

The ingestion of high flavanol cocoa led to increases in blood flow of cutaneous and subcutaneous tissues, and to increases in skin density and skin hydration.

Here are the details…

Dietary antioxidants contribute to endogenous photoprotection and are important for the maintenance of skin health. In the present study, 2 groups of women consumed either a high flavanol (326 mg/d) or low flavanol (27 mg/d) cocoa powder dissolved in 100 mL water for 12 wk. Epicatechin (61 mg/d) and catechin (20 mg/d) were the major flavanol monomers in the high flavanol drink, whereas the low flavanol drink contained 6.6 mg epicatechin and 1.6 mg catechin as the daily dose.

Photoprotection and indicators of skin condition were assayed before and during the intervention.

Following exposure of selected skin areas to 1.25 x minimal erythemal dose (MED) of radiation from a solar simulator, UV-induced erythema was significantly decreased in the high flavanol group, by 15 and 25%, after 6 and 12 wk of treatment, respectively, whereas no change occurred in the low flavanol group.

The ingestion of high flavanol cocoa led to increases in blood flow of cutaneous and subcutaneous tissues, and to increases in skin density and skin hydration. Skin thickness was elevated from 1.11 +/- 0.11 mm at wk 0 to 1.24 +/- 0.13 mm at wk 12; transepidermal water loss was diminished from 8.7 +/- 3.7 to 6.3 +/- 2.2 g/(h x m2) within the same time frame. Neither of these variables was affected in the low flavanol cocoa group.

Evaluation of the skin surface showed a significant decrease of skin roughness and scaling in the high flavanol cocoa group compared with those at wk 12. Dietary flavanols from cocoa contribute to endogenous photoprotection, improve dermal blood circulation, and affect cosmetically relevant skin surface and hydration variables.

So… how ’bout them apples… uh I mean chocolate drink… Sounds good to me!

Another study done by the same people Neukam K, Stahl W, Tronnier H, Sies H, Heinrich U. of the Institut für Biochemie und Molekularbiologie I, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, P.O. Box 101007, 40001 Dusseldorf, Germany and published in the European Journal of Nutrition 2007 Feb;46(1):53-6. Epub 2006 Dec 11. entitles…

Consumption of flavanol-rich cocoa acutely increases microcirculation in human skin

BACKGROUND: Long term cocoa ingestion leads to an increased resistance against UV-induced erythema and a lowered transepidermal water loss.

AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the acute effects of a single dose of cocoa rich in flavanols on dermal microcirculation.

METHODS: In a crossover design study, 10 healthy women ingested a cocoa drink (100 ml) with high (329 mg) or low (27 mg) content of flavanols. The major flavanol monomer in both drinks was epicatechin, 61 mg in the high flavanol, and 6.6 mg in the low flavanol product per 100 ml. Dermal blood flow and oxygen saturation of hemoglobin were examined by laser Doppler flowmetry and spectroscopically at 1 mm skin depth at t = 0, 1, 2, 4, and 6 h. At the same time points, plasma levels of total epicatechin (free compound plus conjugates) were measured by means of HPLC.

RESULTS: Subsequent to the intake of high flavanol cocoa, dermal blood flow was significantly increased by 1.7-fold at t = 2 h and oxygen saturation was elevated 1.8-fold. No statistically significant changes were found upon intake of low flavanol cocoa. Maximum plasma levels of total epicatechin were observed 1 h after ingestion of the high flavanol cocoa drink, 11.6 +/- 7.4 nmol/l at baseline, and 62.9 +/- 35.8 nmol/l at 1 h. No change of total epicatechin was found in the low flavanol group.

CONCLUSION: Flavanol-rich cocoa consumption acutely increases dermal blood flow and oxygen saturation.

Can you say…

“Healthy Better Looking Skin”

And as you already know, nutritionists and other health experts recommend staying away from chocolate candy due to the high fat (cocoa butter is very high in fat and other fats are usually added as well) and highly sweetened (too much processed sugar, or those nasty “Frankenstein” laboratory produced artificial sweeteners can be downright harmful to you.

There is an answer of how to get chocolate high in flavanols, high in cacao, low in fat (0.55 grams per serving - naturally occuring), and low sugar… so low in fact there is ZERO measurable sugar…

And it tastes great!

So what is this miracle?

It’s called Chocodant™ and you can get yourself some by clicking on the link.

So in addition to our Pure Freshwater pearls ground into powder JAJA Pearl Powder™ you have a new weapon to improve your skin!

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Swine Flu Pandemic… Facts On How You Can Stay Safe

May 8th, 2009

There I was… the date was April 17, 2009… it was 9:03 AM.

I went to my favorite news site and Screaming 80 point size Blood Red Headlines…

First Human Case of Swine Flu Reported!

Then the news organizations started doing what they do best…

…creating a worldwide panic.

With Swine Flu making the headlines, and staying in the headlines it’s time to set fact from fiction and learn how to protect ourselves.

First a brief history of this outbreak…

According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control)

In March and early April 2009, Mexico experienced outbreaks of respiratory illness and increased reports of patients with influenza-like illness (ILI) in several areas of the country. On April 12, the General Directorate of Epidemiology (DGE) reported an outbreak of ILI in a small community in the state of Veracruz to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in accordance with International Health Regulations. On April 17, a case of atypical pneumonia in Oaxaca State prompted enhanced surveillance throughout Mexico. On April 23, several cases of severe respiratory illness laboratory confirmed as swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus (S-OIV) infection were communicated to the PAHO. Sequence analysis revealed that the patients were infected with the same S-OIV strain detected in two children residing in California.

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm58d0430a2.htm

From that point it spread to the USA, Europe, Canada Asia, South America, and all over the world.

The thing that is especially important and of concern about flu is it mutates… constantly. That is why there is no vaccine effective at this point for this version of Swine Flu.

Fortunately, while this current version is aggressive, it is not and I repeat not especially deadly.

The wise prognosticators are predicting this version of Swine Flu will spread rapidly for a few more weeks, and then go dormant until the fall. Their reasoning for this is supposedly the flu virus does not like the summer heat.

While this may make sense if you are specifically talking about North America and Europe, and Northern Asia… I have to ask… what about places like Australia, New Zealand and other areas way south of the equator who are on opposite seasons of the Northern Hemisphere?

Swine flu will be there… And it will start to mutate.

Then in the fall and winter of areas North of the equator it will return.

A recent article by press service AFP put it this way

“Even as the swine flu’s global progression slows, experts said on Tuesday the world must brace for a second wave of infection that, previous pandemics have shown, could be far more virulent. All three of the major flu pandemics of the 20th century — including the Spanish Flu of 1918, which left at least 40 million dead — started with a milder outbreaks in the northern hemisphere’s late spring, they point out. Pandemics typically begin with a ‘herald wave’ — heralding something else coming along,&Rdquo; said John Oxford, a top virologist at Saint Bartholomew’s and the Royal London Hospital. ‘It is disconcerting that in 1918 there was a summer outbreak that was fairly mild. It should have been a warning for the big wave, that came in the fall and winter,’”

In that release AFP also said

“What health experts fear most is that the virus will continue to mutate, mixing its genes with other flu viruses present in birds, pigs and humans.”

Now, watching the news on tv recently, I became aware that like any “crisis” or anything of concern you will find some slimy bottom feeding garbage people who do their best to exploit the panic of the masses by selling them crap.

Some have simply copied information from the CDC, and other government sources packaged it into a neat little report and are selling it for huge dollars as a Swine Flu Survival Guide or some other nonsense.

I also saw reports of some slime selling bogus medications. Unfortunately, there is no medicine… zero… zip… nada that has yet been proven to fight Swine Flu.

That means Save Your Money! Don’t buy that bogus garbage they are selling.

Take this test to see how much you know about protecting yourself from Swine Flu

Take out a piece of paper or open up a text window on your computer and mark your answers True or False

  1. I can get Swine Flu from eating Pork (True/False)

  2. There is only One swine flu virus (True/False)

  3. Aside from the Spanish Flu in 1918 there has never been another flu pandemic (True/False)

  4. 2009 is the first time Swine Flu has shown up in people. (True/False)

  5. I can take take drugs to immunize myself from swine flu. (True/False)

  6. If I get swine flu I will die. (True/False)

  7. If I touch someone who has swine flu I will automatically get it. (True/False)

  8. The symptoms of swine flu are the same as standard flu. (True/False)

  9. The Human flu and swine flu are the same flu. (True/False)

  10. There is nothing I can do to protect myself other than lock myself in my house and have no direct contact with any person. (True/False)

  11. Since vaccinations for diseases are based on the theory of injecting some of the virus (though it’s dead) into the human body, the body learns how to defend against the live virus. So I should go out now, find someone who has the swine flu and get myself infected on purpose so I will be protected later. (True/False)

  12. If I get Swine Flu what would I do?

So How Do You Think You Did?

Expert? Neophyte? Or Somewhere in-between?

Let’s find out…

You had the Questions… Well… We Got Yer Answers…

Question 1: I can get Swine Flu from eating Pork (True/False)

Answer: So far, this is a myth. As far as any evidence has shown… Swine influenza viruses are not transmitted by food…. any food… swine flu is not transmitted to humans through eating pork… That means… You can not get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. IF you follow the normal pork safe handling e.g. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160°F kills the swine flu virus as it does other bacteria and viruses.

Oh, and make sure you wash your hands with soap and warm water after handling raw pork. Do not rub your eyes, touch your mouth, or nose after handling raw pork until you have thoroughly washed your hands with soap and water.

So how did you do on that one?

Let’s move on to question #2

Question 2: There is only One swine flu virus (True/False)

Answer: According to information available…

Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza virus that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Swine flu viruses cause high levels of illness and low death rates in pigs. Swine influenza viruses may circulate among swine throughout the year, but most outbreaks occur during the late fall and winter months similar to outbreaks in humans. The classical swine flu virus (an influenza type A H1N1 virus) was first isolated from a pig in 1930.

Like all influenza viruses, swine flu viruses change constantly. Pigs can be infected by avian influenza and human influenza viruses as well as swine influenza viruses. When influenza viruses from different species infect pigs, the viruses can re-assort (i.e. swap genes) and new viruses that are a mix of swine, human and/or avian influenza viruses can emerge. Over the years, different variations of swine flu viruses have emerged. At this time, there are four main influenza type A virus subtypes that have been isolated in pigs: H1N1, H1N2, H3N2, and H3N1. However, most of the recently isolated influenza viruses from pigs have been H1N1 viruses.

Since swine flu viruses change constantly (as do normal human flu viruses), obviously there are more than one.

Question 3: Aside from the Spanish Flu in 1918 there has never been another flu pandemic (True/False)

Answer: 1889, 1918, 1957 and 1968 all saw flu pandemics. And from the National Institute of Health

Source: http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/Flu/Research/Pandemic/TimelineHumanPandemics.htm

1918 Pandemic

“Spanish flu” H1N1

The most devastating flu pandemic in recent history, killing more than 500,000 people in the United States, and 20 million to 50 million people worldwide.

1957-58 Pandemic

“Asian flu” H2N2

First identified in China, this virus caused roughly 70,000 deaths in the United States during the 1957-58 season. Because this strain has not circulated in humans since 1968, no one under 30 years old has immunity to this strain.

1968-69 Pandemic

“Hong Kong flu” H3N2

First detected in Hong Kong, this virus caused roughly 34,000 deaths in the United States during the 1968-69 season. H3N2 viruses still circulate today.

1976

Four soldiers in a US army base in New Jersey are infected with swine influenza, resulting in one death.

1977 Appearance of a new influenza strain in humans

“Russian flu” H1N1

Isolated in northern China, this virus was similar to the virus that spread before 1957. For this reason, individuals born before 1957 were generally protected; however children and young adults born after that year were not because they had no prior immunity.

1997 Appearance of a new influenza strain in humans

H5N1

The first time an influenza virus was found to be transmitted directly from birds to people, with infections linked to exposure to poultry markets. Eighteen people in Hong Kong were hospitalized, six of whom died.

1999 Appearance of a new influenza strain in humans

H9N2

Appeared for the first time in humans. It caused illness in two children in Hong Kong, with poultry being the probable source.

2002 Appearance of a new influenza strain in humans

H7N2

Evidence of infection is found in one person in Virginia following a poultry outbreak.

2003 Appearance of a new influenza strain in humans

H5N1

Caused two Hong Kong family members to be hospitalized after a visit to China, killing one of them, a 33-year-old man. (A third family member died while in China of an undiagnosed respiratory illness.)

H7N7

In the first reported cases of this strain in humans, 89 people in the Netherlands, most of whom were poultry workers, became ill with eye infections or flu-like symptoms. A veterinarian who visited one of the affected poultry farms died.

H7N2

Caused a person to be hospitalized in New York.

H9N2

Caused illness in one child in Hong Kong.

2004 Appearance of a new influenza strain in humans

H5N1

Caused illness in 47 people in Thailand and Vietnam, 34 of whom died. Researchers are especially concerned because this flu strain, which is quite deadly, is becoming endemic in Asia.

H7N3

Is reported for the first time in humans. The strain caused illness in two poultry workers in Canada.

H10N7

Is reported for the first time in humans. It caused illness in two infants in Egypt. One child’s father is a poultry merchant.

2005 H5N1

The first case of human infection with H5N1 arises in Cambodia in February. By May, WHO reports 4 Cambodian cases, all fatal. Indonesia reports its first case, which is fatal, in July. Over the next three months, 7 cases of laboratory-confirmed H5N1 infection in Indonesia, and 4 deaths, occur.

On December 30, WHO reports a cumulative total of 142 laboratory-confirmed cases of H5N1 infection worldwide, all in Asia, with 74 deaths. Asian countries in which human infection with H5N1 has been detected: Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia and China.

2006 H5N1

In early January, two human cases of H5N1 infection, both fatal, are reported in rural areas of Eastern Turkey, while cases in China continues to spread. As of January 25, China reports a total of 10 cases, with 7 deaths. On January 30, Iraq reports its first case of human H5N1 infection, which was fatal, to the WHO.

In March, the WHO confirmed seven cases of human H5N1 infection, and five deaths, in Azerbaijan. In April, WHO confirmed four cases of human H5N1 infection, and two fatalities, in Egypt.

In May, the WHO confirmed a case of human H5N1 infection in the African nation of Djibouti. This was the first confirmed case in sub-Saharan Africa. Throughout 2006, 115 human cases of H5N1 infection occur, with 79 deaths.

2007 H5N1

In early January, two human cases of H5N1 are confirmed in Indonesia. By the end of 2007, 88 confirmed cases occur in Indonesia, Cambodia, China, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan and Vietnam, with 59 deaths.

H7N7

In May, four cases of H7N7 avian influenza were confirmed in the United Kingdom among individuals exposed to infected poultry.

2008 H5N1

On May 28, Bangladesh reports its first case of human H5N1 infection to the WHO. By the end of the year, 40 cases are confirmed in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Egypt, Indonesia and Vietnam.

2009 H5N1

On January 7, Indonesia confirmed a new case of human infection with H5N1 influenza. Since that time, new cases have been identified in Egypt, China, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Appearance of a new influenza strain in humans

H1N1

In April, human infection with a new strain of H1N1 influenza is confirmed in Mexico. Within weeks, human infections spread to the United States and cases begin occurring in other regions around the world.

So as you can see there have been quite a few.

Question 4: 2009 is the first time Swine Flu has shown up in people. (True/False)

Answer: False Swine flu first appeared or was named as swine flu in 1930. Since that time pig farmers regularly catch swine flu.

Question 5: I can take take drugs to immunize myself from swine flu. (True/False)

Answer: False. At present there is no way to immunize yourself. Remember… Like all influenza viruses, swine flu viruses change constantly. And the current vaccines do not work on this strain of swine flu.

I know… you were wondering “So What Can I Do To Protect Myself?” Have no fear… we will show you some common sense things you can do that take a few seconds.

But let’s continue…

Question 6: If I get swine flu I will die. (True/False)

Answer: True… the way the question was asked. But if you drink a glass of water you will die.

The right way to ask the question is “If I get swine flu I will die from swine flu”

The answer is FALSE.

Getting swine flu does not mean you will die from swine flu. So if you do happen to catch swine flu, get plenty of rest, see your doctor, and drink lots of fluids. Do everyone a favor and wear a surgical mask… the disposable kind and throw them away when they are used. And do not go out into the public while you are fighting it off and for at least seven days after you have recovered because you will be infectious.

Question 7: If I touch someone who has swine flu I will automatically get it. (True/False)

Answer: No you will not automatically get it. And if you follow precautions posted by the CDC for people caring for people with swine flu you can give yourself more protection.

  1. Avoid being face-to-face with the sick person.

  2. When holding small children who are sick, place their chin on your shoulder so that they will not cough in your face.
  3. Clean your hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand rub after you touch the sick person or handle used tissues, or laundry.

  4. Caregivers might catch flu from the person they are caring for and then the caregiver might be able to spread the flu to others before the caregiver shows symptoms. Therefore, the caregiver should wear a mask when they leave their home to keep from spreading flu to others in case they are in the early stages of infection.

  5. Talk to your health care provider about taking antiviral medication to prevent the caregiver from getting the flu.

Especially numbers 2 and 3

Question 8: The symptoms of swine flu are the same as standard flu. (True/False)

Answer: True and there are some additional symptoms.

The symptoms of novel influenza A (H1N1) aka Swine Flu virus

in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu.

Swine influenza A virus infection (swine flu) can cause a wide range of symptoms, including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. People with swine flu also can have vomiting and diarrhea. Like seasonal flu, swine flu in humans can vary in severity from mild to severe. Severe disease with pneumonia, respiratory failure and even death is possible with swine flu infection. Certain groups might be more likely to develop a severe illness from swine flu infection, such as persons with chronic medical conditions. Sometimes bacterial infections may occur at the same time as or after infection with influenza viruses and lead to pneumonia’s, ear infections, or sinus infections.

Here is what the CDC has to say…

The novel influenza A (H1N1) virus that has infected humans in the United States and other countries, including Mexico, is a new H1N1 virus that has not previously been identified in North America or anywhere in the world.

Question 9: The Human flu and swine flu are the same flu. (True/False)

Answer: False. According to the CDC… Human and swine flu viruses are different. People who get vaccinated for human flu can still get sick from swine flu. Pigs that have been vaccinated for swine flu can still get sick from human flu.

Question 10: There is nothing I can do to protect myself other than lock myself in my house and have no direct contact with any person. (True/False)

What You Can Do to Stay Healthy

  • Protect Your passageways from getting infected.
  • Influenza (including swine flu) is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.

    The main way that influenza viruses are thought to spread is from person to person in respiratory droplets of coughs and sneezes. This can happen when droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person are propelled through the air and deposited on the mouth or nose of people nearby. Influenza viruses may also be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets on another person or an object and then touches their own mouth or nose (or someone else’s mouth or nose) before washing their hands.

Simple Everyday Actions You Can Do To Stay Healthy.

  • Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.

  • Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.

  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.

  • Stay home if you get sick. CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

  • Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.

  • Keep Yourself Informed. - Since this is rapidly evolving. More and new information is being discovered every day.

Take herbs and substances known to boost immune systems.

  • Flavonoids - you get in fresh fruits and vegetables

  • Colostrum

  • Andrographis (Kan Jang)

  • Astragalus

  • Beta glucan

  • Cat’’s Claw

  • Echinacea

  • Elderberry

  • Garlic

  • Goldenseal

  • Ginger

  • Olive leaf extract

  • Oregano

  • Sage

  • Siberian Ginseng

  • Vitamin C

  • Zinc mineral

  • Make sure to take probiotics specifically Acidophilus (necessary for your digestive system to function and also shown to improve your immune system. Note: be careful to make sure they are live and not heat treated. Heat kills Acidophilus bacteria.
  • Meditate using deep breathing exercises
  • De-stress your life.
  • Get plenty of sleep.
  • Eat healthy.

    • Question 11: Since vaccinations for diseases are based on the theory of injecting some of the virus (though it’s dead) into the human body, the body learns how to defend against the live virus. So I should go out now, find someone who has the swine flu and get myself infected on purpose so I will be protected later. (True/False)

    Answer: While this may sound logical… it’s not worth the risk.

    Here’s why…

    First, like all flu viruses, the swine flu virus is constantly mutating. So even though you may build up a protection to this variant, it may not be effective against the next one.

    Do you really want to lay sick in bed suffering needlessly for days when you don’t have to?

    Do you want to run the risk of pneumonia and perhaps harming your respiratory system for the rest of your life?

    I thought not.

    Question 12: If I get swine flu what should I do?

    Answer:

    Check with your health care provider…

    • About any special care they might need if they are pregnant or have a health condition such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma, or emphysema

    • Check with your health care provider about whether they should take antiviral medications
  • Stay home for 7 days after your symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer

  • Get plenty of rest

  • Drink clear fluids (such as water, broth, sports drinks, electrolyte beverages for infants) to keep from being dehydrated

  • Cover coughs and sneezes.

  • Clean hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub often and especially after using tissues and after coughing or sneezing into hands.

  • Avoid close contact with others – do not go to work or school while ill

  • Be watchful for emergency warning signs (see below) that might indicate you need to seek medical attention

    • Get medical care right away if you:

    • Have difficulty breathing or chest pain

    • Have purple or blue discoloration of the lips

    • Are vomiting and unable to keep liquids down

    • Have signs of dehydration such as dizziness when standing, absence of urination, or in infants, a lack of tears when they cry

    • Have seizures (for example, uncontrolled convulsions)

    • Are less responsive than normal or become confused

    Protecting the rest of your household:

    • Keep away from other people as much as possible

    • Remember to cover your coughs, and clean your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub often, especially after coughing and/or sneezing.

    • Have everyone in the household clean their hands often, using soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub frequently, including after every contact with the sick person or the person’s room or bathroom.

    • Use paper towels for drying hands after hand washing or dedicate cloth towels to each person in the household. Consider using different colored towels for each person.

    • Avoid visitors other than caregivers. A phone call is safer than a visit.

    • If possible, have only one adult in the home take care of the sick person.

    • Avoid having pregnant women care for the sick person. (Pregnant women are at increased risk of influenza-related complications and immunity can be suppressed during pregnancy).

    • All persons in the household should clean their hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub
    • Stay in a room separate from the common areas of the house. (For example, a spare bedroom with its own bathroom, if that’s possible.) Keep the sickroom door closed.

    • Unless necessary for medical care, persons with the flu should not leave the home when they have a fever or during the time that they are most likely to spread their infection to others (at the current time, CDC believes that this virus has the same properties in terms of spread as seasonal flu viruses. With seasonal flu, studies have shown that people may be contagious from one day before they develop symptoms to up to 7 days after they get sick. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods).

    • If persons with the flu need to leave the home (for example, for medical care), they should cover their nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing and wear a loose-fitting (surgical) mask if available.

    • Have the sick person wear a surgical mask if they need to be in a common area of the house near other persons.

    • If possible, sick persons should use a separate bathroom. This bathroom should be cleaned daily with household disinfectant

    • If possible, consideration should be given to maintaining good ventilation in shared household areas (e.g., keeping windows open in restrooms, kitchen, bathroom, etc.).

    Use these easy to do common sense things and you will protect yourself.

    There is no need for you to spend exorbitant amounts of money for a “Swine Flu Survival Guide” or some miracle cure, etc.

    Basically, keep yourself clean, your area clean, and protect your nasal, eyes, and mouth passageways from moisture droplets spewn about when someone sneezes or coughs. And wash your hands with soap and water a lot.

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    Can Chocolate Really Boost Your Brain Power and Help You Fight Off Fatigue

    April 10th, 2009

    With Two more Chocolate holidays almost on us (Easter, and Mothers Day) We saw a story that made us want to drink lot’s of Chocodant™

    The title of the news story as reported in the UK Daily Mail…

    How a cup of hot chocolate could boost brain power and stave off fatigue

    The story is at here in case you want to read it.

    The story was by a reporter named Fiona Macrae.

    She starts her article saying

    “It is supposed to be the perfect bedtime drink to send you off to sleep.

    But in fact, a cup of hot chocolate could be just the thing to peep you up, scientists say.”

    Here is why, as Fiona explains in her article..

    Research shows that flavanols — plant chemicals abundant in dark chocolate — stave off fatigue and boost mental sharpness.

    It is thought that they widen blood vessels, boosting blood flow to the brain.

    More blood flow to the brain, more oxygen, more oxygen, greater efficiency.

    Here is where it starts to get really interesting.

    Fiona said…

    Psychologists asked 30 people to carry out a battery of mental arithmetic tests before and after having a flavanol-rich chocolate drink or a dummy beverage.

    They found the sweet drink boosted performance on one of the tests, which involved repeatedly subtracting the number three from a start point of between 800 and 999.

    And It Keeps Getting Better

    Additionally it was reported to the the British Psychological Society’s annual conference that the flavanols also appeared to counteract the tiredness brought on by doing the intensive arithmetic.

    Wow!

    Just think. Actually drink a cup of Chocodant™ — dark chocolate, JAJA Stevioside, and the extra anti-oxidant punch of grape seed extract — and then think… you’ll do it better :)

    If you have children or you are a student, you may want to consider drinking a cup of Chocodant before taking a test. Could it boost your test scores and get you a higher grade?

    You’ll only know it if you try it.

    The study was carried out at the Brain, Performance and Nutrition Centre at Northumbria University.

    More is Not Necessarily Better

    Here’s why…

    You may think that really overloading on dark chocolate — not milk chocolate… but dark chocolate like Chocodant or dark chocolate candy — will really boost your brain power and eliminate fatigue.

    But apparently the researchers found that a 500mg (appx equal to five chocolate bars) dose of flavanols was more effective than a higher one.

    Eating 5 dark chocolate bars may get your saliva dripping, but remember, eating 5 chocolate bars you will also be eating lots of un-necessary fat and sugar. So you will get a huge sugar rush, and the inevitable crash. You will add lots of un-necessary fat, so you will end up looking like an overstuffed Easter bunny (sorry couldn’t resist).

    And remember, it was NOT the sugar in the chocolate. It was the FLAVANOLS. So since Chocodant (dark chocolate, JAJA Stevioside, extra anti-oxidant punch of grape seed extract) Chocodant does not have sugar or added fat… in fact each serving of Chocodant — Zero sugar and only 0.55 grams of fat… Chocodant much is better for you than a candy bar. Much less Five candy bars.

    And you can drink Chocodant hot or cold.

    The article also reported

    Co-researcher David Kennedy said: “The amounts we were giving them were more than you would get from eating small amounts in diet but there is quite a bit of evidence showing that general consumption over time is protective against neurodegenerative disease and decline in cognitive function.”

    So as you can imagine… Dark Chocolate appears to help the nervous system, and memory.

    The last five paragraphs are very interesting. They report about flavanols and a bit about dark chocolate.

    Other research has credited flavanols with cutting the inflammation linked to heart disease, and with reducing the odds of dangerous blood clots.

    They are also said to help keep diabetes and high blood pressure under control.

    One of the key attractions for many is that chocolate simply makes us feel good—stimulating the release of chemicals more normally associated with sex and exercise.

    Researchers have even gone as far as to claim that the smell of chocolate alone can protect against colds.

    But, sadly for chocolate lovers, the treat’s high fat and sugar content means dieticians recommend it is eaten as part of a balanced diet, rich in less appealing foods such a brown rice, pulses and fruit and vegetables.

    I would change the last paragraph of her article.

    But Happily for chocolate lovers, Chocodant has Zero sugar, and is low in fat at only 0.55 grams per serving.

    As they say here in the South…

    “Go and get you some!”

    You Can Just Click and Get it here Chocodant

    ###

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    Fighting Stress Part III

    April 3rd, 2009

    Fighting Stress Part III

    Continuing on from last time…

    And if you missed Part I, you can go here and read it now

    If you missed Part II, you can catch up by going here and read it now

    Some stress is good for us but what are symptoms of bad stress? What should we look out for as warning signs that we are reaching a dangerous point?

    The warning signs to watch for occur when the stress threshold has been reached. This happens when a persons abilities to cope with the pressures around them exceed their coping skills and negative symptoms set in

    Some symptoms your body and mind have had enough stress… (Provided to us by Stress Manager in the UK Michael O’Sullivan and presented to you in no particular order)

    • Comfort eating and obesity

    • Loss of appetite

    • Anorexia (treatment of which should be referred to a specialist)

    • Increase in alcohol dependence

    • Increase in nicotine dependence

    • Increase in caffeine consumption

    • First time substance abuse

    • Increase in substance abuse

    • Marked increase in irritability

    • Trouble making decisions

    • Outbursts of suppressed anger

    • Trouble concentrating

    • Short term memory problems

    • Loss of sense of humor (Keeping your humor is extremely important for your health and general well being… we will go into why later)

    • Inability to have fun

    • Paranoia

    • Feeling loss of control

    • Feeling unable to cope

    • Loss of focus (starting a new task before finishing another etc.)

    • Feel like crying

    • Feelings of isolation

    • Changes in eating patterns

    • Fear that something bad is about to happen contrary to evidence

    • Loss of interest in hobbies

    • Absenteeism

    • Feeling constantly tired and run down

    • Trouble sleeping

    • Decrease in sex drive

    • Impotence

    • Panic attack

    • Can’t stop thinking about problems

    • Focusing on the negative

    • Feeling pressured against evidence to the contrary

    • Being uncharacteristically rude or sarcastic

    • Overly sensitive to criticism

    • Physical symptoms

    • Muscle tension

    • Migraines

    • Headaches

    • Non-specific aches and pains

    • Old injuries playing up

    • Palpitations

    • Indigestion

    • Breathing problems when under pressure

    • Teeth grinding

    • Pallor (unusual or extreme paleness, as from fear, ill health, or death; wanness.)

    • Nausea

    • Heartburn

    • Loss or change of appetite

    • Diarrhea

    • Constipation

    • Flatulence

    • Stomach cramps

    • Tremors and shaking

    • Fainting or feeling faint

    • Nervous ticks and twitches

    • Foot tapping

    • Hand wringing

    • Nail biting

    • General nervousness

    • Insomnia and other sleep disorders

    • Muscle spasms and cramps

    • Neck pain

    • Back pain

    • Rheumatoid arthritis

    • Eczema, either onset or worsening of condition

    • Psoriasis, either onset or worsening of condition

    • Increased sweating

    • Cold fingers and toes

    • Menstrual irregularity

    • Weight loss

    • Worsening of asthma

    • Frequent colds and flu

    • Frequent low level infections

    • Itching

    • Hair suddenly falling out more than usual

    • Pulling out hair on your head

    • Pulling out eyebrow

    So you can see, your body will react and give you warning signs that it is being overcome with stress.

    Again, some major causes of stress are:

    1. Your interpretation of the situation. The situation is what it is. It’s neither good or bad. It’s meaning is what meaning you give to it.

    2. Being aware of and not having the ability to control a perceived threat.

    3. Feeling the situation is wildly out of your control.

    Let’s have a quick look at these three things, and what we can do, and how they may just be different from what is causing stress.

    Picture this…

    You are walking down a semi-deserted street at night… Suddenly you hear footsteps. The footsteps are coming from behind you.

    Your mind suddenly flashes with all sorts of horrible dangers.

    You think, “Maybe it’s a mugger.”

    OR, Maybe “I’m going to get robbed.”

    Or Worse

    Or maybe you have been watching too many Crime TV shows, CIS, etc. So you start to think you are going to get murdered.

    Why does your mind focus on these things rather than something else?

    Self preservation. Your body wants to be safe.

    It’s only natural. But the worry you get from hearing those footsteps in the night… That really bothers you.

    So you start walking faster, not knowing who or what it is behind you. As you walk faster, you hear the steps going faster too.

    You hear the steps catching up to you.

    Then you hear it…

    A voice in a rather loud tone. “Hey, you dropped your wallet and I’m trying to give it back to you.” You feel for your wallet and sure enough, it’s not there.

    So you turn around, and the monster of the dark unknown melts away into a friendly smile on a person who is handing you back your wallet, with the money still in it :) … ALL the money… credit cards too.

    Since you were not in control earlier, you jumped into high stress gear.

    Now, how could we have avoided the stress? Be prepared… make a plan and go through the scenario in our minds numerous times. That way we are in control of the situation.

    If we analyze the situation described above…

    First - we’re walking down a semi-deserted street at night. Why do it alone, if we are not prepared to react if something bad is about to happen?

    Being prepared, will help alleviate the potential stressful situation.

    Second - We start fantasizing about all the monsters coming out of the closet and from under the bed. Our mind starts to think of all the bad things that could happen and builds them up. Why? Because we are not in control of the situation. We do not know what the true situation is. We are simply interpreting the situation without really evaluating it and understanding the facts.

    It all turned out to be something good. Not bad. Our stress was caused for nothing.

    I’m going to ask you to join me for the rest of the month of April in doing something. Something to alleviate stress we all feel.

    Did you know that April in the USA has been designated as “National Humor Month?”

    So here is what I propose.

    And I’d really like you to join me in this…

    Every day, find something funny in a situation that would normally cause you anger, fear, stress, or sadness.

    Think about the humor in it, and have a good laugh.

    Gallows humor is fine too.

    “Hey! I wrote to the government and told them I’m underwater in my house and asked for a bail-out. You know what they sent me?… a bucket.”

    Leave Your Best Joke Below… We can ALL use the laugh!

    ###

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    Posted in Health, Stress | No Comments »

    Fighting Stress Part II

    March 6th, 2009

    Fighting Stress Part II

    Continuing on from last time…

    And if you missed Part I, you can go here and read it now

    Article Series

    What we are going to do is give you methods of dealing with stress and how to prevent it. This will be done in a series of emails and posts for your benefit.

    So What do You say we get started?

    Great!

    Anxiety… Stress…

    Lets look at some herbs and another thought frame for stress.

    Maybe you have felt the pull of anxiety. The fear of making a mistake — that — in your mind can never be rectified.

    Maybe it is a fear of the unknown.

    Maybe it is that people will laugh at you, or something worse.

    If you are or can really be in control of the situation, then take control.

    I would like to suggest this outlook for you:

    If you are or can really be in control of the situation, then take control.

    Because…

    Even if you do nothing you are still doing something. If you can change your outlook of the situation do it.

    Try to figure out why you are having the anxiety. Dissect it piece by piece. Examine why you feel that way.

    Remember, you are in control. If you start feeling overwhelmed ask yourself… Why? Then make sure you give yourself a true and real answer.

    When I feel nervous about something I like to ask myself what is the best that can happen and what is the worst that can happen. In most instances I will have found that in similar situations I have experienced the best scenario and the worst scenario. I’m still here so there is nothing to worry about.

    What’s the best and worst that can happen?

    When I feel nervous about something I like to ask myself what is the best that can happen and what is the worst that can happen. In most instances I will have found that in similar situations I have experienced the best scenario and the worst scenario. I’m still here so there is nothing to worry about.

    If you can not control the situation, prepare for the worst and prepare for the best. That will put you in a position to either minimize the negative impact or maximize the positive impact of the situation.

    Don’t get caught “Napping”.

    If you want to try something interesting… look at the following herbs:

    • Kava: one of the most researched herbs for anxiety and stress.

    • Valerian: folk remedies use it to relieve emotional stress, pain, and tight muscles (maybe it will help with tension headaches?).

    • California Poppy: is another one for relieving stress.

    • Hops: (yeah, let’s go have a beer!) Hops has been used in “Folk Medicine” to soothe nervous tension.

    • Passion Flower: is known for helping to ease anxiety and insomnia caused by worry. It has been used to fight muscle spasms, and can act as a gentle sedative and pain reliever.

    • Lemon Balm: is known to have properties that will gently sedate people, ease headaches, and more.

    • Lavender: is famous in aromatherapy for the relaxing properties of it’s fragrance. Try sleeping on a pillow scented with Lavender. Do not put pure oil directly on skin however.

    • Linden: is another herb that has a long history of being used as a mild sedative, pain reliever, etc.

    • Chamomile: is also used to calm nerves. It can help settle your stomach, but it is best It can help settle your stomach, but it is best not to use it in place of regular tea on a daily basis. Use it when you need it.

    • Reishi mushroom: seems to be (pardon the pun) popping up everywhere. It is good for a wide variety of ailments. In Asian culture it is used to calm the spirit.

    • Skull cap: can aid in sleep, calming anxiety, and more.

    • Catnip: is not just for cats. It can soothe the nervous system, ease tension, and make your cat feel giddy!

    • Oats: Yes eat your oatmeal. Oats can have a tonic affect on your nervous system, and help fight stress in addition to helping fight cholesterol.

    • Hawthorn: can help when the stress begins to tighten up in your chest.

    Now that we are done with those here is something else to consider…

    You can also simply meditate.

    Here’s a great way to take a mental vacation…

    Imagine the most relaxing place you can, and put yourself there in your mind.

    Make it feel real.

    Listen and hear the sounds as if you were really there.

    Smell the smells as if you were there.

    Try This…

    For example, sometimes I will imagine myself at the beach.

    After sitting for a few minutes with my eyes closed, I imagine the feeling of the sun on my back. I feel the gentle warmth of the sunsine slowly relaxing the back of my head, down to the back of my neck, down to my shoulders… it becomes almost impossible to have tension in that gentle warm sunshine.

    Then I hear the waves coming in to the shore. I hear them rolling in to shore and hitting the beach with a gentle whoosh.

    I hear the waves rolling back out.

    Then I hear seagulls laughing and calling each other.

    Just as if I was really sitting at the beach.

    I smell the smells of being at the beach.

    Then I hear the playful laughter of little children.

    I start to smell the smell of sun tan lotion, and the smell of fresh water at the beach.

    Again I feel the feeling of the sun on my back.

    I feel the gentle warmth of the sunsine slowly relaxing the back of my head,… down to the back of my neck,… down to my shoulders…

    Just reading the above, did you feel it?

    Did you feel like you were there?

    Did it help get your mind off whatever you were thinking before?

    Did it help you relax a bit?

    5, 10, or 15 minutes of putting yourself mentally in such a place will do wonders for your outlook…. and health.

    As the old commercial said “Try it… you’ll like it.”

    Let’s hear your ideas…

    Post them below.

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    Stress and Worry

    March 2nd, 2009

    This is not I repeat not a “feel good” piece. This was written because there seems to be so much stress and worry going on right now, we felt it our duty to give you some heartfelt advice. Real world stuff you can use starting today.

    Investments crashing. The economy tanking. It seems more violence being reported…

    The world is going to hell in a hand basket. Or so the media and certain politicians would have you believe.

    The press (tv, radio, newspapers, magazines), does not make money giving you good news. They make money giving you bad news.

    People are fascinated by bad news, because human nature is to live. And how do you live?

    Simple, you protect yourself against things that can harm you.

    How do you get people’s attention and sell more papers (meaning whatever big media is selling)?

    That’s right, make it appear as a threat.

    Sure there are thing going on. Things that can cause stress. But in reality, stress is all a mental manifestation. You create your own stress.

    Stress is caused by how you interpret the situation, and what you focus on…

    Stress is caused by how you interpret the situation, and what you focus on…

    Allow me to explain…

    A couple goes to a party. While at the party, the man sees a lot of people laughing and having a great time. When the woman comes in (being very perceptive) her attention is immediately drawn to a couple in a corner having an argument.

    Her curiosity gets the best of her, and all night long she focuses on that couple fighting. Even when she is talking with some people, her attention is riveted at the “train wreck” going on in the corner.

    On the ride home, the man says to the woman.

    “Well, I thought it was a great party.”

    The woman says:

    “How can you think it was a great party? Everyone was fighting, the atmosphere was very tense. No one was having a good time. Everyone was fighting.”

    So as you can see, each one interpreted the situation based on what they focused on.

    Watching Train Wrecks

    Watching the economy collapse and earlier watching the lead up to the past election, and further on I was watching a lot of news shows. I was in a stressful panic. Everyday, the politicians and commentators were behaving like little children bickering.

    Everyday, on all the news stations each side was doing it’s best with constant goading from the news anchors to spread the old F.U.D. and Panic. (F.U.D. is an acronym for Fear Uncertainty and Doubt).

    The news casters were practically orgasmic with delight at being able to slant the news, and report on the worst things possible.

    The news papers were full of this as well.

    It got to the point I could not take it anymore. So what I did was this…

    Turn off the TV. Or at least the news.

    Turn off any show that is:

    1. News (except to see the local weather or local entertainment)
    2. Any show that wants to send a political message (propaganda masquerading as entertainment)

    Lightening up the mental load.

    So let’s first work on lightening up the mental load.

    While this is easier said than done, here is a philosophy that works for me. And before you ask, yes, I do from time to time get stressed out. But not nearly as much.

    For our purposes, let’s define stress as Worry.

    Let’s get these truths:

    1. Worry (Stressful feeling) is mental
    2. Worry is emotional in nature
    3. Worry is caused by feeling the situation is out of your control

    When most people are feeling stressed (worried) they typically will start to “pig out” turning to food and the calming chemicals released by the brain to calm them down.

    They eat more empty “rewarding in taste” foods.

    More sugary substances, and foods sweetened with sweeteners that are not good for them (High Fructose Corn Syrup, Aspartame, Refined Sugar, Saccharine, and other artificial sweeteners).

    Let’s try this mental diet.

    1. For a week turn off TV news and any show that is trying to get across a political message (that would include the vast majority of situation comedies, shows that are “in” — if you take a break from them you will find they are mean spirited, not really funny, and basically trying to show how smart they are). I prefer old time movies, or current situation comedies like the Office (no political messages — unlike shows that try so hard to be “hip” like Saturday Night Live, David Letterman, 30 Rock, etc.)

    2. Start a hobby. Learning to play an instrument is good. Learning magic tricks is good.

    3. Pick up a book, open it and read it. A Biography perhaps? A classic? A modern adventure story. A mystery… something well written that will keep you engrossed. Again, avoid books with a pronounced political point of view.

    4. Look for and find the humor in everything. The times we are living in are insane. Up is down, down is up. Look for the things and places you can find humor.

    Here is an example from a headline today

    “‘Largest public protest of global warming’ ever in USA faces DC March snowstorm!”

    Part of the story…

    Dr. James Hansen (A NASA Scientist who has been accused of doctored temperature data on two occasions in 2001 and once in 2007 in attempts to show an impending climate catastrophe) is urging Americans to “take a stand on global warming” during the March 2 protest at the Capitol Power Plant in Southeast Washington, D.C.

    “We need to send a message to Congress and the president that we want them to take the actions that are needed to preserve climate for young people and future generations and all life on the planet,” says Hansen, who has likened coal-fired power plants to “factories of death” and claims he was muzzled by the Bush administration when he warned of drastic climate changes.”

    The weather headline of the day?

    From AP:

    Massive winter storm pounds Northeast

    Blizzard-like conditions cancel flights and contribute to four deaths on treacherous roads.

    Or this one:

    March comes in like a lion as strong storm pummels Northeast after roaring out of Southeast

    NEW YORK (AP) — A massive late winter snowstorm pummeled the Northeast on Monday, grounding hundreds of flights, causing spin-outs, delaying trains and buses and closing school for thousands of children from South Carolina to New Hampshire.

    On the day of the ‘Largest public protest of global warming’ ever in USA. Now regardless if you think man-made global warming is real, or it’s quack science… the headline, story and time of protest are really funny!

    Or this one

    Dish Network’s 4th-quarter profit rises, but misses forecast; loses over 100,000 subscribers

    Ben’s Note: They were trying to lose 200,000 subscribers :)

    See how easy it is.

    Here try this one

    ‘Host in chief’ Obama honors Stevie Wonder, entertains govs, woos lawmakers and serves cookies

    Come on… Think a bit and you can find the humor in it.

    Come on… I see you smiling. I see the corners of your mouth starting to curl up. Here it comes. I see it… that big smile.

    Feels good doesn’t it.

    Later this week, we are going to do a update an article on stress we published years ago. We are updating now, and will send it to you later this week.

    But do look for the humor in life and do turn off you tv set for one week.

    Try this experiment…

    1. Go one week with no TV news or politics.

    2. During that week, avoid newspapers, and news and political and economic magazines.

    3. Look for the humor in life

    At the end of the week, see how you feel. Less stress? Less worry? I think you will feel it.

    And if you have anything special you do to combat stress and worry in your life, please post it on the blog.

    Your comments about this article are also greatly appreciated. Please post them on the blog as well.

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    Posted in Attitude, Health | No Comments »

    Truvia™ V.S JAJA Stevioside™

    March 2nd, 2009

    Spotlight On: TruviaTM V.S JAJA SteviosideTM

    There really is no comparison…

    Here’s why…

    Truvia is allowed by the FDA to be labeled and sold as a food additive or a table top sweetener.

    JAJA Stevioside, is pure stevioside.

    Because JAJA Stevioside is pure stevioside it is labeled and sold as a dietary supplement, with no labeling as a sweetener. (All stevioside is subject to this).

    Truvia is Rebaudiana A extracted from stevioside (extract of the stevia rebaudiana leaf). Rebaudioside (Rebaudiana A) is one of the components that make stevioside sweet.

    JAJA Stevioside is pure stevioside

    Truvia is not pure product… It is a blend of Rebaudiana A, Erythritol (sugar alcohol appx 60& as sweet as sugar), Rebaudiana, and unspecified natural flavors.

    JAJA Stevioside is pure stevioside. As pure as it is when the extraction from the stevia leaf is finished.

    So with that understanding…

    Here is a really cool comparison by a staisfied JAJA Stevioside user.

    “I have been a long-term customer of Emperor’s Herbologist. I buy the 1/2 Kg bags of JAJA Stevioside. As you know, Truvia is now being heavily marketed in TV ads. I’ve just done a PRICE comparison between Truvia packets and Emperor’s Herbologist’s JAJA Stevioside. Currently, there are only 2 stores in Bellingham, WA that carry Truvia: Fred Meyer’s and Safeway. I called Fred Meyer’s to get their price on Truvia. 1 box of 40 packets = $3.99 regular price; $3.49 sale price.

    It might interest you to know my own cost comparison. I use 1/8 tsp. of JAJA Stevioside in one cup of coffee and drink 6 cups of coffee per day. 1/2 Kg of JAJA Stevioside = $90.20 (not including shipping) lasts me approximately 7 years. To me, 1 packet of Truvia 3.5 grams tastes about the same as 1/8 teaspoon of JAJA Stevioside. The equivalent of 1/2 Kg of JAJA Stevioside = 15,330 packets of Truvia. Using Fred Meyer’s current sale price of $3.49 per box of 40 packets, 1/2 Kg of JAJA Stevioside $90.20 would cost me $1,340.00 of Truvia. Therefore, I save $178 per year by buying JAJA Stevioside vs. Truvia!

    One very satisfied customer,

    Julie P.Blaine, WA

    I’m retired, a young 65-year-old, and grandma of 5 enjoying my “golden years.”

    I don’t get upset when asked my age. I’m proud of my gray hairs, the laugh wrinkles I’ve earned, and the few pearls of wisdom I’ve learned.

    What do you think?

    Pretty Cool… Huh?

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    Posted in Health, Product News, Spotlight On, Stevia, Supplements | No Comments »

    Sugar Addiction… Fact or Fiction?

    December 11th, 2008

    Sugar Addiction… Fact or Fiction?

    Thank you for joining us in our quest for Smarter ways to Live Healthy!

    We have seen studies showing Sugar Can Feed Cancer Cells and that is dangerous.

    Now about Sugar Addiction… Is it Real?

    Well… there was an article posted by Princeton University about a study Professor Bart Hoebel and his team in the Department of Psychology and the Princeton Neuroscience Institute have been conducting for the past two years.

    The article is here: If You Want To Read it But you don’t have to click because… for your viewing pleasure we posted crucial parts from the press/media release issued by Princeton University December 10, 2008 and information on Professor Bart Hoebel from his bio at Princeton University.

    So yes this is “Hot off the internet press&rdquo”!

    Sugar can be addictive, Princeton Scientist Says

    Posted December 10, 2008; 06:00 a.m. by Kitta MacPherson

    Animal studies show sugar dependence

    A Princeton University scientist will present new evidence today demonstrating that sugar can be an addictive substance, wielding its power over the brains of lab animals in a manner similar to many drugs of abuse.… [Italics mine]

    Professor Bart Hoebel and his team in the Department of Psychology and the Princeton Neuroscience Institute have been studying signs of sugar addiction in rats for years. Until now, the rats under study have met two of the three elements of addiction. They have demonstrated a behavioral pattern of increased intake and then showed signs of withdrawal. His current experiments captured craving and relapse to complete the picture.

    “If bingeing on sugar is really a form of addiction, there should be long-lasting effects in the brains of sugar addicts,” Hoebel said. “Craving and relapse are critical components of addiction, and we have been able to demonstrate these behaviors in sugar-bingeing rats in a number of ways.”

    STOP… Right Now!

    Don’t go any further… and consider what was just said.

    Professor Bart Hoebel’ experiments showed the three things necessary for ANY addiction…

    1. Demonstrated a behavioral pattern of increased intake.

    2. Then showed signs of withdrawal.

    3. Craving and relapse to complete the picture.

    There you have it. Addiction defined in it’s purest sense…

    Let’s go a bit deeper… this is from Bio

    Addiction Research. The Hoebel laboratory has discovered that drugs of abuse share a common withdrawal mechanism. In the nucleus accumbens, during withdrawal from nicotine, morphine, diazepam, alcohol and even sugar, acetylcholine levels are relatively high compared to dopamine. This is indicative of an aversive neurochemical state that the animals will work to avoid. Therefore it may be one cause of self-medication leading to drug relapse or breaking one’s diet.

    Sugar Addiction. Recent research is focused on the laboratory’s mounting evidence for sugar dependency. Rats that binge on sugar develop signs of addiction, such as bingeing, sensitization, withdrawal and craving-like behavior. The researchers conclude that mild addiction is natural in that very sweet foods can lead to dependency under some conditions. Sugar triggers the production of the opioids. Dopamine tends to initiate food seeking, while opioids can prolong the meal. “We think that is a key to the addiction process,” Hoebel says. “The brain is getting addicted to its own opioids as it would to morphine or heroin. Drugs give a bigger effect, but it is essentially the same process.”

    Summary. Drugs of abuse act on brain circuits for behavior reinforcement. Some of these circuits, such as dopamine and opioid pathways, are also used in food seeking and eating. Therefore, Professor Hoebel hypothesized that under certain conditions, such as repetitive, intermittent bingeing on very sweet food, feeding behavior might lead to a natural form of substance abuse. This animal model of food addiction may relate to binge eating disorder and bulimia in humans

    Please note I added the bolding for emphasis.

    Let’s continue… shall we?

    Hoebel has shown that rats eating large amounts of sugar when hungry, undergo neurochemical changes in the brain that appear to mimic those produced by substances of abuse, including cocaine, morphine and nicotine. Sugar induces behavioral changes, too.

    That is simply amazing. Now you have an understanding of what happens to you when you get that sugar craving on a regular basis. This is also why you may want to cut back on sugar. And Yes, we understand it is hard to do…

    Hoebel and his team also have found that a chemical known as dopamine is released in a region of the brain known as the nucleus accumbens when hungry rats drink a sugar solution. This chemical signal is thought to trigger motivation and, eventually with repetition, addiction.

    from MedicineNet.com Definition of Dopamine: An important neurotransmitter (messenger) in the brain.

    Now here is where it get’s Really Interesting

    Similar Brain Changes Are Seen in Brains of Rats On Cocaine, Heroin and Sugar

    Hoebel reported…

    Hungry rats that binge on sugar provoke a surge of dopamine in their brains. After a month, the structure of the brains of these rats adapts to increased dopamine levels, showing fewer of a certain type of dopamine receptor than they used to have and more opioid receptors. These dopamine and opioid systems are involved in motivation and reward, systems that control wanting and liking something. Similar changes also are seen in the brains of rats on cocaine and heroin.

    Scary Symptoms

    In experiments, the researchers have been able to induce signs of withdrawal in the lab animals by taking away their sugar supply. The rats’ brain levels of dopamine dropped and, as a result, they exhibited anxiety as a sign of withdrawal. The rats’ teeth chattered, and the creatures were unwilling to venture forth into the open arm of their maze, preferring to stay in a tunnel area. Normally rats like to explore their environment, but the rats in sugar withdrawal were too anxious to explore.

    Conclusion:

    It appears from these studies that Sugar IS Addictive.

    As a client once told us talking about her diabetic relative… &ldquo:Getting a diabetic off sugar, is like trying to get Dracula off Blood”. I think that goes for the rest of us as well.

    We know sugar is linked to all sorts of diseases and harmful medical conditions on the basis of studies.

    We know it is important to cut down on sugar.

    Now we also know sugar is hard to cut down on because it is addictive.

    If you are serious about wanting to cut down on sugar… there is a great way to do it.

    A perfectly safe substance that when used will cut down on your desire to use sugar.

    So what is this miraculous substance?

    The proven perfectly safe substance that when used will cut down on your desire to use sugar is JAJA Stevioside™ an All Natural fantastic dietary supplement you may want to consider as a way to cut down on your sugar intake.

    Click the link above to get started today.

    Seeking Out The Smarter Ways For You To Live Healthy!

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    Eating Healthy 11-19-08

    November 19th, 2008

    Eating Healthy

    Recently there have been several stories in the news regarding food… and what’s in it.

    For example… on November 13, 2008 there was an article entitled “GM Crops Affect Fertility in Mice”

    Here is the story…

    Genetically-modified maize can affect reproduction in mice, an Austrian study has found, although its authors have dismissed warnings by environmental groups that it could also harm humans.

    The long-term study, which was commissioned by the Austrian health ministry, found that female mice that had been given a diet consisting of 33 percent genetically-modified (GM) maize had fewer babies and fewer litters than those fed on non-GM food after a few generations.

    But the authors of the study were keen to point out that these were only initial findings and that further tests were needed to confirm the effect of GM foods on other animals and on humans.

    “This is an isolated case and the results cannot in any way be applied to humans,” the Austrian health and food safety agency AGES, which presented the study by Vienna’s University of Veterinary Medicine (VUW) Tuesday, said in a statement.

    “Confirmation of these preliminary results is urgently needed through further studies,” the study’s author, Juergen Zentek, added.

    Our Editorial comment…

    It is really interesting on how they — the authors of the study — pooh pooh the results. I’m positive that if their study showed absolutely no effect from GM maize on mice, they would have trumpeted a story “GM Foods Proven Safe”!

    When the Austrian health and food safety agency said “This is an isolated case and the results cannot in any way be applied to humans.” I think they were being a bit mis-leading.

    Studies are done on mice because their systems closely mirror that of humans. In fact the sole reason the FDA banned stevia and stevioside for a while, and still is not allowing them to be sold as sweeteners in the USA, is a single study that could never be replicated that happened to be done on mice… not humans.

    That single study is also the reason so many other official health authorities have refused to allow stevia and stevioside to be sold as sweeteners, regardless how many studies have come forward, and have successfully been replicated by other scientists proving stevia and stevioside are safe.

    Talk about wanting to have it both ways… or talking out of both sides of your mouth at the same time.

    The safest way to avoid GM foods

    The safest way to avoid GM foods, is to eat organic.

    “But Ben, organic costs so much.”

    It does if you don’t shop for it right. For example, if you go to one of the health food stores, or natural food stores, you will pay a huge premium.

    We found a secret to stretch our dollar and will share it with you because it might work for you too.

    See if there is a Super Target in your area. If there is, you can get organic meat, organic fruit, organic vegetables, wild caught fish. All for about the same price as a regular supermarket sells non organic for.

    We also have found more and more organic products in Costco stores.

    Both of these stores have frozen, as well as fresh organic food. So this is a nice way to get organic products, and save money, while improving and protecting your health.

    It’s worth it to have a look.

    If you find other places to get organic products at reasonable prices, please let us know so we can share them with everyone.

    What do you think?

    Post your comment below

    Frigid Weather Delight

    Here it is November 19. Usually the weather in Jacksonville Florida averages from 41 degrees low to 71 degrees high. Well It’s been really, really, really, cold.

    Last night it was down to 30 degrees. 11-degrees-below-the normal. And it’s supposed to go up to a balmy 54 degrees today.

    Now when temperatures get low like this, and we are shivering, and in need of some comfort, do you know what we do?

    I’ll bet you do… That’s right mix up a nice piping hot cup of Chocodant. The powdered Sugarfree hot chocolate supplement mix. Say “Ahhhhh” because it really hits the spot.

    75% Cacao. JAJA Stevioside™; Deep dark chocolate. Great to defrost one’s self in this weather.

    If you like dark chocolate, you’ll love Chocodant.

    Get yourself a bottle or two for the winter season at:
    http://emperorsherbologist.com/chocodant.php

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    Your Stevia Questions Answered

    October 23rd, 2008

    Your Stevia Questions Answered

    Questions and Concerns Put To Rest

    Dear Reader,

    Recently we received an email from a long time client of ours asking a couple of questions regarding stevia and stevioside safety.

    We believe these questions were caused due to an ever loudening amount of F.U.D. by certain companies who have a vested interest in aspartame, splenda, and other as we refer to them here “Frankenstein” sweeteners. Frankenstein because as with the Frankenstein monster, they were created in a laboratory, Frankenstein because the original intent was with good (providing consumers with a safe non carb, non caloric sugar alternative) and unfortunately… like the Frankenstein monster… are extremely destructive… and in some cases life threatening.

    Definition of F.U.D.

    Fear
    Uncertainty
    Doubt

    So here were the questions posed…

    1. I have read that it has most certainly been verified that in animals (I believe rats), stevia is showing to reduce the sexual reproduction quite considerably, and that caution has been advised for younger men using large amounts of stevia.

    2. While stevia and stevioside have indeed been used in Japan and other countries around the world as table-top sweeteners for a long time, it is arguable that they do not use as much on a daily basis as perhaps Western consumers would, for example in cooking, in tea that may be drunk four or five times a day, and sprinkled on breakfast etc, so you can imagine that across a day a Westerner may get through a fair amount of stevia. With a much larger consumption I am wondering what the safety or possible side effects may be.

    3. I have also read that they have indeed been able to cause cancerous indications within the laboratory using stevia, yet due to the lack of thorough tests have not been able to establish whether the body would indeed reproduce this environment when digested.

    So let’s take them one by one. Complete with scientific studies to back up what I am saying…

    Stevia and Stevioside Effect On Reproduction

    What do you say if, you and I start out our quest looking at a study published in 2006 in Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health. 2006;37 Suppl 3:203-5. entitled “Safety evaluation of aqueous extracts from Aegle marmelos and Stevia Rebaudiana on reproduction of female rats.”

    Seems like an appropriate study to look at.

    The study was conducted by Saenphet K, Aritajat S, Saenphet S, Manosroi J, Manosroi A. in the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand

    The stated purpose of the study was “to evaluate the safety of a Thai medicinal plant, Aegle marmelos, and a non-caloric sweetener, Stevia Rebaudiana, on the reproduction of female rats.”

    Here is what they did…

    Female rats were treated orally with aqueous extract of A. marmelos (6%) and Stevia Rebaudiana at various concentrations (0, 0.2, 1, or 10%) for 60 days (1 ml/day) before mating.

    The control rats received only distilled water.

    At the end of the treatment period, treated females were mated with untreated males and the effects on reproduction were examined at day 14 of pregnancy.

    Here It Get’s Really Interesting

    The Authors found… Well, here are their words as reported…

    “No notable abnormalities were observed in any of the pregnant rats.

    The number of corpus lutea, implanted and dead fetuses, as well as the sizes of the fetuses in the treated rats were not significantly different from those of the controls.”

    The authors found no differences in the pregnant rats consuming stevia than from the pregnant rats in the control group.

    Further…

    The size of the fetuses… AND the number of dead fetuses… Were — not — significantly — different from those of the controls

    The authors reached the obvious and in-escapable conclusion… quoted in their own words…

    “Based on these results, it may be concluded that aqueous extracts of A. marmelos and S. Rebaudiana at the concentrations used in this study do not alter the reproduction of female rats.”

    I’m not done yet… We’re just getting started.

    Let’s hop into our time machines and go back to 1991… shall we

    Published in: Hum Reprod. 1991 Jan;6(1):158-65.

    A study entitled “Effect of Stevioside on Growth and Reproduction.”

    Done by: Yodyingyuad V, Bunyawong S. of Chulalongkorn University Primate Research Centre, Faculty of Science, Bangkok, Thailand.

    In this study the effect on growth and reproduction in hamsters of stevioside, which is extracted from stevia leaves (Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni) and is currently used as a non-caloric sweetener, was investigated.

    Here’s What They Did…

    Four groups of 20 one-month-old hamsters (10 males and 10 females) were daily force-fed with stevioside (0.0, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.5 g/kg body wt/day, respectively).

    They Found…

    1. No abnormalities were found in growth and fertility in both sexes.

    2. All males mated females efficiently and successfully.

    3. Females showed normal 4-day oestrus cycles and became pregnant after mating.

    4. Each female was mated and allowed to bear three litters during the period of experiment. The duration of pregnancy, number of fetuses, as well as number of young delivered each time from females in the experimental groups were not significantly different from those in the control group.

    Further… the authors note

    “The young F1 and F2 hamsters continuously receiving stevioside via drinking water until one month old and daily force-fed afterwards at the same doses as their parents showed normal growth and fertility.

    Histological examinations of reproductive tissues from all three generations revealed no evidence of abnormality which could be linked to the effects of consuming stevioside.”

    Their inescapable conclusion?

    “We conclude that stevioside at a dose as high as 2.5 g/kg body wt/day affects neither growth nor reproduction in hamsters.”

    Stevia Shown to Reduce Sexual Reproduction?

    Hardly.

    Additionally, the amount of stevioside being consumed was the equivalent of (if we take JAJA Stevioside and calculate low 15 grams being equal to 10 lbs of sugar… it’s actually more than 10 lbs, but to make this simple we will use 10 lbs) each gram is equivalent to 0.67 lbs of sugar (15/10).

    So 2.5 * 0.67 = 1.675 lbs of sugar a day. Do you know anyone consuming that amount a day? Or according to the study 2.5 grams stevioside per Kg (1000 grams) 1 lb = 453 grams. 100 lbs = 45359.24grams (45.36 kg) So it would translate to 7.6 lbs of sugar a day for a 100 lb person.

    The average USA citizen consumes only about 20 teaspoons of sugar a day. According to Domino Sugar “1 cup = 16 Tablespoons” and “1 packet = 1 teaspoon”

    The hamsters were consuming Safely (2.5 grams per kg of body weight per day) So translating that to a human, it would be 113.4 grams of stevioside for a 100 lb person used safely.

    Bottom Line: As these studies show… stevia and stevioside do not have an effect on reproduction.

    Finally, let’s have a look at Teratogenicity — a million dollar word meaning “ability to cause birth defects”

    A Study from Japan published in Eisei Shikenjo Hokoku. 1995;(113):31-5.

    The study entitled “Teratogenicity study of stevioside in rats”

    In the study Teratogenicity of stevioside was examined in rats.

    Stevioside dissolved in distilled water was given to pregnant Wistar rats by gavage once a day from day 6 through 15 of pregnancy at doses of 0, 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg/day.

    The pregnant rats were sacrificed on day 20 of pregnancy and their fetuses were examined for malformation.

    Stevioside caused no increased incidences of fetal malformation, and no toxic signs in the pregnant rats and the fetuses.

    The authors conculded that…

    Stevioside has no teratogenicity in rats when given by gavage. The no observable adverse effect level was estimated to be over 1000 mg/kg/day for both pregnant rats and rat fetuses.

    Moving along…

    Let’s Move On To Cancer F.U.D.

    First let’s go back to Japan…

    It was the year 1997. Some were loudly proclaiming stevia and stevioside caused cancer. So scientists in Japan decided to answer the question. After all the Government of Japan had approved stevia and stevioside as table top sweeteners and proclaimed them as safe food additives and commercial sweeteners. So if there was the posibility stevia or stevioside could cause cancer, the scientists in Japan needed to know.

    So a study was undertaken.

    Assessment of the Carcinogenicity of Stevioside in F344 Rats.

    Was the study title. It was published in Food Chem Toxicol. 1997 Jun;35(6):597-603.

    The study was performed by: Toyoda K, Matsui H, Shoda T, Uneyama C, Takada K, Takahashi M. of the Division of Pathology, National Institute of Health Sciences, Tokyo, Japan.

    The carcinogenic potential of stevioside, a compound that is used as a sweetener for food and drink, was examined in F344 rats of both sexes.

    Stevioside was added to powdered diet at concentrations of 0 (control), 2.5 and 5%.

    The doses were selected on the basis of results from a 13-wk subchronic toxicity study and administered to groups of 50 male and 50 female rats ad lib. for 104 weeks. All surviving rats were killed at week 108.

    Body weight gains were slightly depressed in line with the dose of stevioside, in both sexes, and a significant decrease in the final survival rate was observed for the 5% treated males

    Histopathologically, however, there was no significantly altered development of neoplastic or non-neoplastic lesions attributable to the stevioside treatment in any organ or tissue, except for a decreased incidence of mammary adenomas (tumors) in females and a reduced severity of chronic nephropathy (an autoimmune disease that affects the kidneys in males and is caused by uncontrolled high blood sugar).

    As you can see… this showed the use of stevioside did not cause cancer. And the authors/researchers stated the following as their conclusion…

    “It is concluded that stevioside is not carcinogenic in F344 rats under the experimental conditions described.”

    We can move to China for the next study. It was done in 1992.

    It was published in Food Chem Toxicol. 1992 Nov;30(11):957-65.

    It was entitled Chronic oral toxicity and carcinogenicity study of stevioside in rats.

    It was done by: Xili L, Chengjiany B, Eryi X, Reiming S, Yuengming W, Haodong S, Zhiyian H. of Department of Public Health, Tianjin Medical College, People’s Republic of China.

    Groups of 45 male and 45 female inbred Wistar rats were given diets containing stevioside (85% pure) at 0, 0.2, 0.6 or 1.2% for 2 years.

    Please note the JAJA Stevioside™ is at a minimum 95.25% stevioside compound.

    After 6, 12 and 24 months, five rats from each group were killed for haematological and clinical biochemical tests.

    Growth, food utilization and consumption, general appearance and mortality were similar in treated and control groups.

    The mean lifespan of rats given stevioside was not significantly different from that of the controls.

    No treatment-related changes were observed in haematological, urinary or clinical biochemical values at any stage of the study.

    The incidence and severity of non-neoplastic and neoplastic changes were unrelated to the level of stevioside in the diet.

    The maximum no-observed-effect level of stevioside was 1.2%, and an acceptable daily intake of stevioside for humans of 7.938 mg/kg body weight/day is suggested.

    Now to help you with conversion: 100 pounds = 45.359237 kg. So according to the study recommendations a 100 lb person can safely ingest 793.8 milligram (0.7938 gram) of stevioside a day with no affect.

    Now let’s move on to overall safety of stevioside…

    Overall Stevioside Safety

    Let’s come to modern day. The year 2008…

    Food Chem Toxicol. 2008 Jul;46 Suppl 7:S83-91. Epub 2008 May 16.

    A critical review of the genetic toxicity of steviol and steviol glycosides.

    Written by: Brusick DJ. of Brusick Consultancy, 123 Moody Creek Road, Bumpass, VA 23024, United States

    ”Extracts of the leaves of the stevia plant (Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni) are used to sweeten food and beverages in South America, Japan and China. The components responsible for the sweet properties of the plant are glycosides of steviol, primary stevioside (ent-13-hydroxykaur-16-en-18-oic acid), which is 250-300 times sweeter than sucrose and rebaudiosides A and C.

    Stevioside and steviol have been subjected to extensive genetic testing.

    The majority of the findings show no evidence of genotoxic activity. Neither stevioside nor its aglycone steviol have been shown to react directly with DNA or demonstrate genotoxic damage in assays relevant to human risk.“

    This is the crucial statement so far…

    Neither stevioside nor its aglycone steviol have been shown to react directly with DNA or demonstrate genotoxic damage in assays relevant to human risk.

    This means… obviously… they are safe!

    But,… let’s continue

    “The mutagenic activity of steviol and some of its derivatives, exhibited in strain TM677, was not reproduced in the same bacteria having normal DNA repair processes.

    The single positive in vivo study measuring single-strand DNA breaks in Wistar rat tissues by stevioside, was not confirmed in experiments in mice and appears to be measuring processes other than direct DNA damage.

    Neither stevioside nor steviol-induced clastogenic effects at extremely high dose levels in vivo.

    Application of a Weight-of-Evidence approach to assess the genetic toxicology database concludes that these substances do not pose a risk of genetic damage following human consumption.”

    Another study published in Food Chem Toxicol. 2008 Jul;46 Suppl 7:S40-6. Epub 2008 May 16.

    Entitled: The hemodynamic effects of rebaudioside A in healthy adults with normal and low-normal blood pressure.

    Done by: Maki KC, Curry LL, Carakostas MC, Tarka SM, Reeves MS, Farmer MV, McKenney JM, Toth PD, Schwartz SL, Lubin BC, Dicklin MR, Boileau AC, Bisognano JD. of Provident Clinical Research, 1000 West 1st Street, Bloomington, IN, United States.

    Came to the following conclusion…

    “Consumption of as much as 1000mg/day of rebaudioside A produced no clinically important changes in blood pressure in healthy adults with normal and low-normal blood pressure.”

    Safe!… Safe!… Safe!… Stevia and Stevioside are Safe!

    And for the final study…

    Published in Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 2008 Jun;51(1):37-41. Epub 2008 Mar 5.

    Done by: Barriocanal LA, Palacios M, Benitez G, Benitez S, Jimenez JT, Jimenez N, Rojas V. of the Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology, 3rd Internal Medicine Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Clinical Hospital, National University Asunción, Mayor Bullo 315, Asuncion, Paraguay

    They state the background…

    “Steviol glycosides, isolated from the plant Stevia Rebaudiana (Bertoni) Bertoni, have been used as safe sweetening agents for more than 30 years. Beneficial effects of high doses of steviol glycosides on hyperglycemia and hypertension have been previously described when these abnormalities are present.”

    And now on to the study…

    “This study was designed to evaluate the effects of steviol glycosides on blood glucose and on blood pressure (BP) in 3 groups of individuals.

    This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, long-term study in three groups of patients:

    1. Group 1: subjects with Type 1 diabetes;

    2. Group 2: subjects with Type 2 diabetes;

    3. Group 3: subjects without diabetes and with normal/low-normal BP levels.

    The subjects in each group were randomly allocated to active treatment (the steviol glycoside stevioside: 250mg t.d.s.) or to placebo treatment and followed-up for 3 months.

    Post-treatment systolic BP, diastolic BP, glucose and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were not significantly different from baseline measurements, except for the placebo Type 1 diabetics group where a significant difference was observed for systolic BP and glucose.

    No side effects were observed in the two treatment groups.”

    Their conclusion…

    “This study shows that oral steviol glycosides, taken as sweetener are well tolerated and have no pharmacological effect.”

    Our Conclusion…

    Enjoy our pure JAJA Stevioside and our Honey Stevia Leaf™ tea and powder.. and as my grandmother used to say before she died “Use it in Good Health!”

    Thanks for reading!

    Remember to Live Healthy.

     

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