Winter is Coming… Give Your Immune System a Boost!

Flavonoids are potent antioxidants that protect the body and fight silent inflammation – the leading cause of many chronic diseases, including cancer, heart disease, stroke, dementia and others. Flavonoid-rich foods include vegetables, tea, red wine and dark chocolate.

There are more than 5,000 flavonoids, but one of the most powerful is Quercetin. It’s one of nature’s best immune boosters and antihistamines – and among the most abundant flavonoids found in food.

Quercetin fights free radicals that can damage cells. But what really makes quercetin unique is that it protects you in three ways. It’s contains antioxidant, antihistamine and anti-inflammatory power. It stops your body from boosting histamine levels when you get sick, which can reduce symptoms like a stuffy nose, congestion and more.

One recent study by The American Journal of Physiology found that quercetin can protect against the flu for immune systems under stress. Another study put Quercetin’s healing powers to the test against the common cold, when University of Michigan researchers tested Quercetin on cells infected with the rhinovirus. Quercetin stopped the virus from replicating and prevented excess inflammation.

In a study to test the strength of Quercetin and vitamin C for fighting free radicals, Quercetin was a more effective antioxidant than vitamin C. So the next time you come down with a bug, treat it with 10 mg of quercetin daily.

The easiest way to get enough Quercetin is to eat dark, leafy, greens, or other dark-colored vegetables like red onions, scallions and kale. Even capers have Quercetin. But, what you may not know is that if you cook those veggies, they lose Quercetin. So it’s best to eat them washed and raw. A good way to remember which fruits have the most Quercetin is that they have it in the skin. That means blueberries, blackberries, cherries, grapes, and, of course, apples.

You can also try supplementing. American Nutrition carries a variety of dosages of Quercetin – along with several other rare and naturalimmune-boosting herbs and nutrients.

Piracetam & it’s Effects on the Brain

Piracetam (2-oxo-1-pyrrolidineacetamide) is a derivative of the neurotransmitter GABA (Gamma Amino Butyric Acid). Interestingly it is chemically related to the amino acid Pyroglutamic Acid (Pyrrolidine Carboxylic acid), which occurs in cerebrospinal fluid and plays an important role in cognitive functioning.

Piracetam positively supports healthy cognitive & cardiovascular functioning by a multifaceted means of action.

Supports Overall Brain Health
Increases Blood Flow to the Brain
Boosts Memory & Concentration
Reduces Hyperactive Behavior

Piracetams’ effects on the brain:

• Piracetam increases Glucose Utilization, Blood & Oxygen Flow to the brain.  This helps boost mental energy & cerebral circulation and enhances brain metabolism.

• Piracetam increases Cerebral Phospholipids & Cellular Membrane Fluidity by interacting with the polar head moieties of the phospholipid bilayer. This helps support healthy neuron communication & structure.

• Piracetam supports the health of Cognitive Receptors in the brain. By amplifys the density of the Muscarinic Cholinergic (Frontal Cortex, Striatum, & Hippocampus), NMDA (NMethylDAspartate) [Hippocampus], & AMPA (Alphaamino3hydroxy5Methyl4isoxazolePropionic Acid) 

• Piracetam supports healthy Cerebral Cortex Receptors and strengthens neurotransmitter receptors involved in memory and neuroprotection. 

• Piracetam stimulates the Corpus Callosum, an area of the brain that controls communication between the left and right hemispheres (Increases communication between both hemispheres) Thease are Involved in speech and the creative thinking process.

• Piracetam stimulates the Locus Coeruleus, (specialized neurons) Involved in information processing, attention, cortical/behavioral arousal, learning and memory.

• Piracetam also, Inhibits Platelet Aggregation (By increasing RedWhite blood cells & Platelet deformability, inhibiting thromboxane A2 synthetase or antagonism of thromboxane A2, reducing von Willebrand’s factor & fibrinogen levels) which supports Healthy Blood Flow to the Brain.

• Piracetam secreases EEG complexity (Increases cooperatively of brain functional processing) which positively effects NeuroElectrical Functioning.

• Piracetam has a significant antioxidant effect on the brain and memory.

Piracetam has been approved & used since 1970’s worldwide (Europe, Asia, and South American) for various health conditions. It is recommended by many healthcare professionals and health organizations as a Nootropic.

Herbs for Alzheimer’s & Dementia

Alzheimer’s patients experience inflammation of the brain, deposits of beta amyloid, traces of heavy metals and signs of oxidative stress.

Brahmi, a semi-aquatic plant, acts on all of these, says Con Stough, director of the National Institute of Complementary Medicine (NICM) involved in trials underway at Swinburne University of Technology Brain Sciences Institute (BSI).

“It has an anti-inflammatory effect, is an antioxidant and collates and removes heavy metals and beta amyloid,” he said.

Two trials with a brahmi extract conducted over 90 days, have shown improvements in working memory, particularly spatial memory accuracy.

Pine bark, lemon balm, American ginseng, rosemary and brahmi, are some of the herbs showing promise in fending off Alzheimer’s dementia, causing memory loss, depression and anxiety.

A 50-day trial of a particular pine bark extract supplement for men aged 50 to 65 years has also shown improved speed in spatial working memory and immediate recognition tasks, along with lowering blood pressure.

Another trial is investigating the short-term calmative effects of a special lemon balm product, because anxiety and agitation are major symptoms that Alzheimer sufferers experience.

Andrew Scholey, who heads BSI’s Herbal and Nutritional Medicine Research Unit, said that historically the field of alternative medicine has struggled to gain scientific credibility.

“However, Swinburne’s trials are performed to standards that provide acceptance within the mainstream scientific community,” added Scholey.

Consumer research indicates that more and more people are using some form of alternative health products as part of a proactive, preventative health strategy.