Home and Health

Herbal supplements have many health benefits. Many of them are potent antioxidants. Some have antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial, and antitumor properties. Some improve general bodily functions such as digestion, mental clarity, circulation, hormonal balance, etc. Many people also consume herbal supplements to prevent and treat common ailments and improve the overall well beings.

Herbal supplements contain active constituents extracted from dry or fresh herbs. These active constituents can be divided into two main groups based on their chemical properties, hydrophilic (water loving) and lipophilic (oil loving). Traditionally, hydrophilic compounds are extracted in water and ethanol whereas lipophilic compounds are extracted in chemical solvents such as acetone and hexane.

The use of chemical solvents in extracting lipophilic compounds has raised some health, environmental and safety concerns in recently years. First of all, there is a small amount of toxic residues left after the extraction process, which can pose a health threat to the consumers. Secondly, the disposal of organic solvents is detrimental to the environment. And lastly, these chemical solvents are toxic and highly volatile, handling of these chemicals require extreme caution.

Unfortunately, the major active constituents in many herbs such as ginger, St. John's Wort, valerian, rosemary are lipophilic. In the past, they were extracted by organic solvents such as acetone and hexane. But the advance in new technologies has provided safer alternative to the food industry. Supercritical fluid extraction is one of these new technologies. It allows health food manufacturers to produce cleaner, more potent and stable herbal products.

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) using carbon dioxide (CO2) is an improved extraction method. Carbon dioxide is non-toxic, non-explosive and can be readily removed from the finished products and recycled. It does not pose any hazardous problems to the environment. The extraction takes place without high temperature heating and boiling so the extracted products are more stable. In addition, the extraction yields a highly concentrated herbal extract.

In comparison, chemical extraction using organic solvents leaves adsorbed chemical residues in the finished products. The solvents may react with the active compounds and degrade them. To remove the solvents from the extracted products, high temperature heating is required, which may degrade the active constituents. As a result, the quality of the extracted products is generally inferior to that from supercritical fluid extraction.

The commercial application of supercritical fluid technology is still limited to few high valued products due to high investment costs and new operation. New chapter is one premium brand producing herbal and fatty acid supplements using this new technology. With the increasing public demand of purer, cleaner nutritional supplements, one may assume that more companies would be applying this new extraction technology in the near future.

About The Author Kwan H Lo is the owner of http://vitaminstores.4reviews.net, an online site providing information on health food supplements.

There is no single more powerful stumbling block to moving beyond our divorce into a new life than the inability to accept our new reality. Acceptance is the hardest part of the divorce recovery process. Acceptance requires total honesty, courage and the willingness to let go of the life that we had...a life that no longer exists. Without that acceptance, we cannot move forward and create a new life.

How does one learn acceptance? Although it takes time and a good deal of inner work, it can be done. Here is a step-by-step guide to move you towards acceptance:

1) It's about you, not them.

One of the most powerful lessons in life is the knowledge that we have control over one person and one person only…ourselves. If you are looking outside of yourself to move forward, you won't. We can't change anyone but ourselves. We have power over no one except ourselves. It is when we turn inward and do the work on ourselves that we will be able to effect dramatic and positive changes in our lives.

Being a victim means giving away all control and power. If I blame someone else for my situation, then I am powerless to do anything about it as I have chosen to absolve myself of any responsibility.

We can create changes that will make out lives better but not until we stop trying to change our ex or our current reality and we realize that it's about us, not them.

2) Get support.

If you think you can do this all by yourself you may be in for a big surprise. Research consistently shows that getting support in any challenging endeavor leads to more success. Whether you choose a divorce support group, a therapist, a member of the clergy or a Life Coach, just do it.

If you are one of the those people who think that you have to handle life's challenges on your own because somehow you equate support with weakness, get over it! Getting support is a sign of intelligence as far as I'm concerned as well as an indication that you really are serious about moving onward in life.

3) First, you must get through the initial stages of loss that includes denial, grief, anger, depression and whatever else you might be feeling early in the divorce process.

These emotions are all natural and necessary states that we need to experience. They are the norm versus the exception. Each one of these feelings needs to be embraced and experienced fully. There must be an ending before a new beginning.

There is a difference between fully experiencing an emotional stage and getting stuck in it. Beware excessive self-pity and real depression. Here is where support becomes important to your well-being and improvement.

4) Distinguish between facts and interpretations.

I cannot stress the importance of this step enough. People get stuck when they cannot face the facts and prefer to believe that their personal interpretations are reality.

You might be familiar with the exercise of the picture that has a hidden image within it. Ten people may come up with ten different interpretations of the picture. Some people will see the hidden image immediately and others will never see it until it is pointed out to them. Either way, the hidden picture exists. It is a fact.

You may feel that you have been mentally abused and yet your partner may feel that you are the one that is abusive. He said, she said. Probably a counselor will see a totally different picture altogether. You know, there's your side, his side and then the truth.

Once you are truthful with yourself and can see the facts versus the drama or story of your divorce, you will be on your way to acceptance.

5) Be brutally honest and take responsibility for your marriage, divorce and life.

Those of us who can be totally honest with ourselves will receive the gift of a deep awareness of who and what we are along with the ability to accept our lives as they are without looking to blame someone else. Being honest allows us to see things that hadn't existed for us before. The truth will indeed set you free. By setting aside our egos, we can look at our life for what it actually is versus a story about our divorce.

Once we have been honest and have embraced all the facts about our divorce, we are free to accept full responsibility for our lives. Responsibility is power and the freedom to choose what we want next in life. If we cannot take responsibility, we remain victims and victims absolve themselves of both their responsibility and therefore the power to control their own lives.

6) Learn the difference between what is and what you think should be.

If we are living in a netherland of what we think should be, we are completely cut off from reality or 'what is'. If you think that you should not have to be experiencing divorce, then you cannot accept what is…that you are indeed getting divorced. You live in a world of your own.

We all create a list of should be's that keep us stuck in the status quo: I should be happier, I should be getting more support, I shouldn't have to work, and I should still be married. By concentrating on what we should be, we ignore what actually exists for us and remain stuck.

I think we should live in a world where peace is the predominant ethic but we don't live in that world. That's a dream I have. By acknowledging the world as it truly exists, I can make choices as to how I will live my life and also how to address the problems that do exist.

7) Consider the emotional wounds that you brought to the marriage.

Your ex may complain that you were not a warm person. I doubt that it was your marriage that created a cold person, if indeed that is what you are. We bring ourselves into our marriages and the parts of us that show up and create issues are the parts of us that we haven't addressed yet. They are emotional wounds from somewhere in our past and they have a tendency to pop-up in our close relationships or when we are faced with challenging times.

Now is your chance to address those wounds and heal them so that you do not repeat your so-called mistakes again. Use your divorce as a catalyst to go inside and heal yourself.

8) Release toxic emotions.

Get rid of the debilitating toxic emotions that you are carrying around. Picture them as heavy baggage that keeps you stuck in your misery and produces a broken back. Anger, bitterness, hatred, resentment, rage…these are all toxic emotions that will harm you far more than your ex. You are the one who pays the price. You need to work through them and then release them because they will weigh you down for the rest of your life if you allow it.

Once you have done the work of truth versus interpretations and what is versus what should be, you will find it much easier to give up your anger and resentment. They do not serve you and you are learning to give away anything that does not serve you well.

9) Learn forgiveness for yourself and your mate.

You might not be able to practice forgiveness in the early stages of the journey to recovery but if you go through these other steps, you will be able to forigive your ex and more importantly, yourself. Forgiveness takes a big load off your shoulders. It releases energy that can be used for positive things.

Forgiveness does not necessarily mean you condone bad behavior, it simply means you forgive. If we separate the person from the behavior it becomes easier to forgive. You know that just because you sometimes say mean things it does not mean you are a bad person. Just a lapse in judgment. We are not necessarily our behavior. We know all the subconscious motivations that exist within every individual. If we look at the inner child within a person, forgiveness is a given.

10) Make conscious decisions; utilize free choice.

When you do the inner work of divorce recovery, you tend to attend to many things that have been left unresolved for years. You become more conscious of your actions and your choices. You become aware of the subconscious and how it can run your life. When you learn to observe the constant mind chatter that goes on inside your heads, you learn that the mind chatter is not us, its just chatter.

Making conscious decisions based in free choice means that we are not letting our mind chatter, our past, our emotional wounds or our interpretations of reality run the show. We take control of our lives. Conscious living allows for incredible freedom and the ability to create extraordinary changes.

And your bonus tip:

11) Find the gifts of your divorce.

Everything that occurs in our lives and everything that we are (warts and all) has a hidden gift. If you speak to someone who has survived divorce and has gone on to create a and vibrant life based upon their own passions and values, they will certainly tell you that their divorce was the best thing that happened to them. That may not be true for you but there is a gift waiting for you to find. My ex likes to say that he is responsible for my new career and to a certain extent he has played a part. Oftentimes it takes a good whack on the head to awaken us to life's possibilities and our own happiness.

It's the old adage: Every cloud has a silver lining. It is true. Search for the gifts of your divorce and it becomes yet another step toward a successful recovery from the trauma of divorce.

Successful divorce recovery takes inner work. Much like a flower, the work that has takes place underneath the surface of the ground, invisible to the human eye, is the crucial aspect. Without that subterranean work, there would be no flower. The reward of the flower is dependent upon the inner work of the seed and the root system. It is the same with humans. Do the inner work and you see the outer rewards.

About The Author Shelley Stile is a professionally trained (Coaches Training Institute) who coaches clients on a one-on-one basis guiding them towards the goals they desire to achieve in order to live their best life possible. She specializes in working with women and divorce recovery. Shelley also teaches the "Creating Change in Your Life" workshop at the Adult Schools of Montclair and The Chathams in New Jersey as well as volunteering at the Center for Women in Livingston, New Jersey. She is a member of the International Speaker's Forum and served as a Coach for Harv Ekar's Life Directions seminar series. Shelley trained with the Coaches training Institute and is presently undergoing certification for Divorce Coaching with the Ford Institute for Integrative Coaching. You can learn more about Life Coaching with Shelley at http://www.changecoachshelley.com and http://shelleyblog.changecoachshelley.com or contact Shelley at shelleystile@changecoachshelley.com.

Every year about this time doctors around the world are recommending that people go in and get their annual flu shot. What most people don't know or understand is just how dangerous this could be, especially for children under the age of 12. When people call and say "My doctor is telling the family to go in and get a flu shot. Should I do it?"…I tell them they should learn about the side effects and decide for themselves…as a chiropractor and naturopathic physician I don't' have the time or energy to argue with family practitioners or family doctors who are obviously uneducated on the possible side effects or detrimental effects flu shots or vaccinations in general can have on the body.
I personally have never received a flu shot and have never been ill during the flu season. In my personal opinion I don't think toxic chemicals and strains of different viruses growing on living tissue belong inside the body. Because of the demand, I want to share with you some of the research that we have found in the latest flu shot trend and the by-products of these supposedly sterile and non-harmful solutions.
I don't know about you, but I sure would not want any of the following compounds in my bloodstream or deposited in my body. Let's look at what we have found in the common vaccinations:
Ethylene Glycol: Ethylene Glycol is nothing more than the technical name for anti-freeze, the same stuff that you put inside your car engine. I don't think I have to tell you what would happen if you ingest antifreeze.
Thimerosal: This is a mercury derived disinfectant and preservative which is used in a majority of the vaccinations and can result in brain injury over a long period of time leading into Alzheimer's or Parkinson's Disease, lack of memory, sluggish brain performance and also is known to induce auto-immune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, ALS as well as altering and depleting the immune system from working efficiently.
Phenol: Phenol is most commonly used as a disinfectant, also used as a dye, is listened as a carcinogenic agent (cancer-causing) agent and is also known as carbolic acid.
Neomycin and Streptomycin: These compounds are used as antibiotics which have side effects to include severe allergic reactions in some people. It always puzzled me why they are putting two different forms of antibiotics in a viral vaccine.
Aluminum: Aluminum accumulates in the skin, bones, brain and kidneys and can cause Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Aluminum has also caused cancer in laboratory mice. It is commonly used as an additive in most vaccinations.
Formaldehyde: Formaldehyde is used as a preservative. It is also classified as a carcinogenic (cancer-causing agent) and causes the body fluids to become acidic in nature. Formaldehyde will start to preserve your tissues within the body.
I hope that when your doctor starts telling you that it is time for your annual flu vaccine you will present this material to him and ask him how all of these ingredients are going to prevent you from getting the flu. I'll be very interested in knowing what his answer is to that question. As a side note just to let you know what is being injected to your body, these vaccines are strained through animal or human tissues like chicken embryos, monkey kidney tissue and embryonic guinea pig cells, to name a few.
So what am I supposed to do if I don't listen to my doctor and I decide not to get an annual flu shot? Well, you have probably made the smartest decision you have ever made in your entire life. So let me give you 5 Simple Secrets and Bonuses to Sailing Through The Flu Season:
Secret #1: Reduce your intake of caffeine, alcohol and carbonated beverages and replace with purified water with addition of organic apple cider vinegar added. Two tablespoons per gallon or a capful per glass. Ideally, you should drink at least ½ gallon of water each day.
Secret #2: Reduce intake of refined white sugar, white flour, sweets, refined grains and hydrogenated oils. Try not to over-eat, especially during the holidays. Try to get adequate exercise—at least 3 times per week. The more you move, the better your lymph system is able to move toxic materials out of the body.
Secret #3: Zinc. In a majority of the studies that have been done during the flu season many people have prevented the flu by taking supplements of zinc. Zinc is one of the most powerful immune stimulants and is powerful anti-viral. There are a lot of different forms of zinc and you have to be careful on which one you choose. Therefore I recommend the best and most absorbable form of zinc which is zinc orotate. If you cannot find this form of zinc at your local health food store or natural health care practitioner contact Global Healing Center at 713.476.0016 or staff@globalhealingcenter.com. Do not take zinc at the same time you eat or drink citrus fruits or juices. It will diminish the effectiveness of the zinc.
Secret #4: Eat as close to nature as possible. This means to eat food that is considered "live." Include raw fruits (seasonal), vegetables and nuts and seeds as much as possible in your diet. If possible, buy organic or from a local farmer's market. Make sure that you thoroughly wash your fruits and vegetables before consuming. Vegetables may be steamed lightly or used in nourishing soups and stews. Adding fresh garlic to your diet is also recommended.
Secret #5: Eliminate stress and negative emotions. Being negative and allowing stress to affect you can quickly bring down the immune system. Learn to say no to activities that will over-tax your schedule. Spend time alone each day and read positive books, listen to good music or practice meditation. Train your mind to find the positive or good in every situation and treat all of these situations as a learning experience. Don't go around playing the "victim" in life.
BONUS! Secret #6: Colloidal Silver, Oxygenator and Oregano Oil: Colloidal silver has been around for hundreds of years and has been used as a natural antibiotic which promotes healing. It can also be used as a nasal spray and as eardrops. Oxygenator is a safe, stable, inorganic compound of oxygen and chlorine-containing products, in a colorless and odorless aqueous medium. Oxygenator is known to release chlorine dioxide (CL02), and the product has demonstrated efficacy as an anti-inflammatory, broad spectrum, bactericidal, fungicidal, as well as a virucidal agent. The Chemistry Literature verifies this triple-threat ability of CL02. Oregano Oil is a powerful germ and painkiller. An article published in Phytotherapy Research describes how oregano oil superceded anti-inflammatory drugs in reversing pain and inflammation and is nearly as powerful as morphine as a painkiller. The oil also possesses significant antioxidant powers. Furthermore, it stimulates the flow of bile, which greatly aids digestion. Keep these three products in your medicine cabinet at all times. All three are available from www.globalhealingcenter.com or call 713.476.0016.
SUPER BONUS!! Extra Tips and Suggestions

• Get adequate sleep and rest. The body does the most healing between the hours of sundown and midnight. It is impossible to "catch-up" on sleep.
  
• Wash your hands frequently. Rinse and dry your hands thoroughly and keep them away from your eyes, nose, and mouth. If you sneeze use a tissue and throw it away as soon as possible.
  
• Buy a new toothbrush frequently. Toothbrushes can harbor viruses and prolong an illness.
  
• Eucalyptus Oil is good for relieving congestion. Put 6 drops in a hot bath or in boiling water, put a towel over your head and inhale the vapors. You can also diffuse it through an essential oil diffuser.
  
• Dairy Products. Dairy can be very mucous causing not to mention the fact that many people have an allergy to cow's milk and don't even know it.
  
• 3 Drops of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide in each ear 3x daily for 5 days helps relieve flu symptoms.

With many flu seasons ahead I felt it was finally time to break the silence and reveal these secrets to as many people as possible. I have come to the conclusion that your Dr. doesn't want you to know about the detrimental effects of flu shots and vaccinations. Please feel free to share this article with your friends, family and loved ones. I wish you a happy and healthy holiday season. Don't forget to check all the information and research articles on our continually up-dated website: www.globalhealingcenter.com

About The Author Dr. Group and his book have received critical acclaim from the media, health publications and people from around the country. He in an international speaker and has spoken with respected speakers such as Deepak Chopra, Julian Whittaker, Stedman Graham and Joseph Mercola. He has spoken at the International Wellness Conference, State Chiropractic Conventions and on the campuses of many colleges and universities. He's also been interviewed by several radio talk shows and magazines. staff@globalhealingcenter.com

When was the last time you took a look at what was in that best selling natural skin care moisturizer product? After all, you want your skin to feel soft and look young and glowing. So, it's a good idea to check your product's ingredients list.

Make sure the moisturizer, and other products, don't contain any harmful substances which are ineffective or cause ugly side effects.

Take a look at the label and see if there are any substances like: mineral oils (names like paraffin wax or petrolatum), parabens (also known by names like methyl, propyl and ethyl paraben), dioxanes and fragrances.

Why? If you find any of them in your skin care moisturizer cream product, avoid them. They're synthetic unnatural ingredients that aren't healthy or safe to be in skincare products. They cause anything from dry skin, depression, irritation...even cancer.

Just do a bit of research and become an educated consumer. Start looking at the ingredients used by skincare companies. Very few best selling natural skincare moisturizer products you'll find are 100% pure natural skincare products as they claim.

Don't give up, keep looking for a natural skin care moisturizer cream containing natural substances. There are some very good natural skincare companies out that have effective, healthy skin care products.

When I researched natural skincare companies, I found one that uses pure substances in their products. Their products are safe, effective and healthy for you and your skin.

Ready to find the best selling natural skin care moisturizer which contains amazing natural ingredients that are high quality and proven effective?

Here are some ingredients which are 100% natural:

1. Phytessence Wakame - is an effective natural healthy skin care ingredient. An extract from a Japanese sea kelp (from the Japanese sea), which is rich in sodium, iron, potassium, calcium, B-group vitamins, antioxidants and other essential minerals are our body needs.

It's not wonder it's a Japanese "beauty preserver", this Japanese sea kelp is prized for its ability to keep skin healthy and youthful looking. It increases skin elasticity and helps heal irritated and dry skin.

2. Nano-Lipobelle H-EQ10 -- is a special form of CoenzymeQ10 that penetrates deep into your skin. It supplies skin with powerful antioxidants which fight the harmful free radicals. It also protects the skin from the sun's UV rays and helps to rejuvenate skin cells to keep your skin toned.

3. Cynergy TK - this substance (extracted from the wool of the New Zealand sheep) contains functional keratin. The keratin protein is found throughout the body and has the ability to convert natural keratin into a functional form which increases your body's own production of collagen and elastin. This results in smoothing your fine lines and rejuvenating your skin.

So there you have it, checking the best selling natural skin care moisturizer ingredients is a must, because when you find the best natural skin care moisturizer cream there's no doubt you'll achieve healthy, soft, young-looking and glowing skin.

Visit my website today for information on more powerful and effective ingredients. All substances are safe, healthy and proven effective.

About The Author Marcia Kruger is a researcher, editor and passionate advocate of a natural healthy lifestyle which includes skin care and supplementation. Marcia enjoys sharing and introducing people to the best natural products she finds and uses herself daily. Visit her latest site http://www.health-beauty-and-vitality.com to learn about clinically tested and scientifically proven natural skin care ingredients for women and men. The author invites you to visit: http://www.health-beauty-and-vitality.com