Nature's Harmony Melatonin
What is Melatonin?
Nature's Harmony® Melatonin may help temporary relief of insomnia. Melatonin promotes sleep, relieves jet lag, and helps shift workers with change-overs without the hazards of prescription sleeping pills.
How does Melatonin work?
Melatonin is a regulating hormone known for its important role in the body's sleep/wake cycle. Very simply, melatonin released from the pineal gland is triggered by darkness, and inhibited by light. Effective release of Melatonin is critical for a healthy sleep cycle. Age, illness or weakness in the pineal gland affects melatonin release, and can lead to sleep disturbances. Night shifts and jet lag can also interrupt the body's natural release of melatonin and have detrimental effects on sleep. Supplementing melatonin induces sleep without the side effects associated with prescription sleep aids.
Are there studies to support the use of Melatonin?
Yes. Research has shown that melatonin increases the speed of falling to sleep, improves the quality and duration of sleep, and reduces the number night-time wakings. Studies also support the use of melatonin to lessen the effects of jet lag. Talk to your health care provider about other health benefits of melatonin.
Flora Oat Beta Glucan
Research has shown that the soluble fibre in oats – Oat Beta Glucan – provides a cholesterol lowering effect. In fact, so effective are oats in the fight against high cholesterol that the United States Food and Drug Administration recently announced that it would allow a health claim to be made for foods containing oat bran, oat flour or rolled oats. Just 2-3 capsules per day of Flora Oat Beta Glucan can help you achieve the recommended daily intake while avoiding the monotony of bowl after bowl of oatmeal.
Oat beta-glucan is one of the most important dietary supplements available to today's health-conscious consumer, because it safely and effectively reduces LDL ("bad") cholesterol when taken regularly in modest amounts. In contrast to virtually any other cholesterol-lowering agent, it has no side-effects and it is highly palatable.
Beta-glucan is the soluble fiber which occurs naturally in the oat. In general, soluble fiber differs from other types of dietary fiber in that it is not digested in the small intestine but, instead, it is broken down in the colon (large intestine). Beta-glucan is a water-soluble polymer and, like many other water-soluble polymers, it forms thick, viscous solutions when dissolved, even at low concentrations. Although science has not completely deciphered the way in which beta-glucan reduces cholesterol, it is generally accepted that the ability of beta-glucan to form a viscous mass in the gastrointestinal tract is the trigger required for cholesterol reduction. This mass absorbs bile acids which are derived from cholesterol preventing their return to the bloodstream. This, in turn, requires that the liver convert more cholesterol into bile acids, effectively reducing the amount of cholesterol retained by the body.
Cholesterol reduction can be as much as 20%, particularly for health-conscious individuals willing to reduce their intake of saturated fat. The most convenient and effective way to avail yourself of this benefit is in a concentrated form of oat beta-glucan.
For more information on this product, please visit www.florahealth.com
A. Vogel Venaforce
Venous insufficiency is a complex state involving an increase in capillary and vein pressure, an increase in capillary permeability, a blood stasis, an oedema, inflammation, etc. Its precise cause is still unknown but many risk factors have been identified: overweight, hypertension, tobacco, alcohol, lack of physical activity, bad diet, pregnancy, standing or sitting stationary work (nurse, pharmacist, clerk), constipation, etc.
The symptoms of venous insufficiency may be benign, like heavy and tired legs, but may also be much more serious, like varicose veins, painful haemorrhoids and even phlebitis. Aside from surgery (that eliminates the diseased veins but does not stop the progression of varicose veins), there are few treatments for venous insufficiency. Support stockings are effective but so uncomfortable that very few people wear them.
Horse Chestnut seed extract is used for venous insufficiency problems (including phlebitis), fragile capillaries, liver congestion, diarrhea and fever.
The active ingredients of Horse Chestnut seeds are triterpene saponines (about thirty) collectively known as aescine or escine. Aescine increases vein wall resistance and reduces permeability (seepage), objectively reducing venous insufficiency symptoms (oedema, swelling, etc.). Horse Chestnut seed extract is known for its phlebotonic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and vein wall protector effects.(1) It inhibits elastase and hyaluronidase activity. These two enzymes degrade the vein wall and the surrounding tissues (like collagen) therefore increasing venous insufficiency symptoms and progression (like spider veins, varicose veins and hemorrhoids).(2)
In vitro, aescine has demonstrated an anti-inflammatory effect.(3)
Horse Chestnut seed cannot reverse varicose veins.(4) Its effect is limited to symptom control and a slowing down of the disease progression, translating in an increased quality of life.
The German Commission E acknowledges its benefits in cases of: treatment of complaints found in pathological conditions of the veins of the legs (chronic venous insufficiency), for example, pains and a sensation of heaviness in the legs, nocturnal systremma (cramps in the calves), pruritis and swelling of the legs.
A meta-analysis has collected all controlled studies conducted on Horse Chestnut seed extract up to 1996. Horse Chestnut seed extracts have been found effective against venous insufficiency symptoms like swelling of the legs, itching, pain, fatigue and heavy legs. Five studies demonstrated that Horse Chestnut seed extract was more effective than a placebo and as effective as the other available medications. One study demonstrated that Horse Chestnut seed extract was as effective as support stockings. Moreover, all researchers concluded that side effects were minor and few.(5)
A 12 weeks placebo-controlled clinical study conducted on 240 patients demonstrated that Horse Chestnut seed extract (50 mg aescine, twice daily) reduces by 25% the volume of oedema in the legs (same effectiveness as support stockings). The authors mention that the full effect of Horse Chestnut cannot be obtained in 12 weeks and that a longer period of use would yield better results.(6)
A double-blind placebo-controlled multicentric study was conducted with Venaforce® on 52 patients showing signs of chronic venous insufficiency. In the treated group (2 tablets, 3 times daily), the ankle diameter was reduced by 0.5 cm while, in the control group, no changes were observed. The side effects reported were similar to those of the placebo. Venaforce® is very well tolerated and is effective to relieve chronic venous insufficiency symptoms.(7)
The protective film coating the Venaforce® tablets is resistant to stomach acidic juices. Hence, the active substance is released in the small intestine and causes no strains to the stomach.
For more information on this product, please visit www.bioforce.ca