Give Your Shakes a Boost!

Sure, protein shakes are a great way to get extra protein in your diet, but if that’s all you use your protein shake for  - just protein - then you’re missing out.  (more…)

Vitamin E's benefits are a matter of balance, which most vitamin E supplements don't provide.

Vitamin E is a supplement category that really hasn’t caught up to the latest research, as we discussed in this blog post from January. As we explained then, vitamin E isn’t one compound but a family of eight compounds, 4 tocopherols and 4 tocopherols, each with specific and unique roles to play.  However, most vitamin E supplements only contain one form, alpha tocopherol.  The best vitamin E’s are those few that contain all eight compounds, but these remain a stubbornly small portion of the vitamin E supplement market. Customers and brands alike may not like the higher prices of full-spectrum vitamin E’s, but there’s growing evidence of their superiority. A soon-to-be published study highlights adds more evidence for a special, protective role of gamma and the other tocopherols, all of which are definitely lacking in most vitamin E supplements and multis. (more…)

Last December we published a post in response to the growing number of emails and calls we’ve had in regard to web and multilevel-marketed Acai supplements like Mona Vie. Now an leading consumer advocacy group has lent its voice to those calling for caution and a hefty dose of caveat emptor. (more…)

Time for a supplement regimen checkup.

As we said in Wednesday’s post, if you use supplements at all, you probably use more than one.  Your supplement regimen is the group of supplements you’re currently using.  And as important as nutrition and health are, your regimen really deserves to regarded as more than just a few bottles on a cabinet shelf.  Every regimen represents a substantial investment of money at the least and often a last-best attempt to get a particular health problem under control before resorting to drug or surgical options. So in the interest of getting the best results for your money, time and health, it’s good to periodically audit your supplement regimen, making sure you’re taking the right things, the right way, at the right time, and are able to do so on an ongoing basis. (more…)

Happy Pelican approves of this post.

Do you find it difficult to swallow multiple capsules or tablets? Is it becoming hard to manage your regimen and stay consistent? You’re not alone. As supplements become more popular (many would say they’re essential for optimal health) many users find that trying to adhere to even a modest 3 or 4 supplement regimen becomes a little tricky and hard to manage. That’s to say nothing of the more complex regimens that incorporate 8, 10 or more supplements.  Lots of people are sold on the idea of using supplements, but quickly become turned off to the process when they try to come to grips with swallowing a handful of capsules and juggling a few different products on a daily basis. What can you do to make taking supplement products easier and stick to your regimen? A lot, actually. Find out in today’s AllStarHealth.com blog, where we’ll discuss the easiest and best ways to physically take nutritional supplements. Check back on Friday, when we’ll talk about the best way to manage a supplement regimen and stay consistent. (more…)

Don't blame me!

Herba epimedii is an herb that’s been used for thousands of years in Traditional Chinese Medicine, which refers to it as yin yang huo, but not in the sense of the well-known yin/yang paradigm.  Loosely translated, yin yang huo used this way means “horny goat weed”. Horny goat weed is a very popular supplement both by itself and in various libido formulas where it’s combined with other herbs and nutrients. With a name like ‘horny goat weed’ it’s hardly surprising that it’s best-known and most widely-used as a libido and sexual tonic.  But the name also makes it hard for people to take the herb seriously. The name too easily lends itself to jokes and makes many otherwise interested customers uncomfortable talking about it or purchasing it. That’s a shame because it’s now clear that horny goat weed is useful for much more than boosting libido. Find out more about the herb with the unfortunate name in today’s AllStarHealth.com blog. (more…)

You've come a long way, baby.

Among the most common questions from our female (and occasionally male) customers are those that concern PMS, also known as dysmenorrhea;  Are there alternatives to drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen, and which ones do you recommend? Among the most commonly-used supplements to help ease the cramping, bloating and irritability that characterize PMS/dysmenorrhea are herbs like dong quai and vitex, vitamin B-6 and B-12, minerals like magnesium and potassium and the serotonin precursor 5-HTP. You can find women who get great results with one or a combination of these nutrients, but because PMS has a complex and dynamic set of causative factors that vary from woman to woman,  there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, and probably never will be. However, research suggests that there are two types of nutrients that - besides being good for you anyway - deserve special consideration in terms of easing PMS symptoms. (more…)

In Monday’s post, we talked about the widely-publicized recent research that identified how some cancers use an enzyme to prepare a remote site for new tumor growth.   Enzymes are also a rapidly-growing category of nutritional supplement. Digestive enzymes are the most popular types, but systemic enzymes are gaining acceptance too.  Systemic enzymes are used for all kinds of health issues from chronic sinusitis to back pain and sports injuries. Find out more about systemic enzymes in today’s AllStarHealth blog. (more…)

Electron microscope shows the 3D structure of alpha amylase, an enzyme used to digest starch.

A recently published cancer-research study provides new insights into the way cancer spreads (metastasizes) throughout the body.  A key to the process is the LOX enzyme that cancer cells use to prepare a remote site for new tumor growth.  Enzymes are in fact intricately involved in both sides of the health equation; promoting both health and disease process. So what are enzymes and how can you use this knowledge to better protect your health?  Find out in today’s AllStarHealth blog. (more…)

Find out why you probably don't want to mix blueberries with milk or milk proteins like whey or casein.

Here’s a study we wish they’d have done a long time ago. As you may know, blueberries are one of the most, if not THE most antioxidant-rich fruits in the human diet due to their high polyphenol content. They also taste great and are available year-round in both fresh and frozen forms. So blueberries make the perfect addition to a protein shake.  Or don’t they? (more…)