Pure hoodia gordonii supplements are being marketed all over the internet. Millions of Americans are overweight; it has been called a national health problem. So, the internet companies are aware of the sales potential for any supplement that suppresses the appetite. Hoodia gordoni is no exception. Weight loss products are big sellers. Everyone is looking for a miracle; some product that magically allows overnight weight loss. Pure hoodia gordonii supplements are not magic pills. They will only help suppress the appetite. Dieters should consider hoodia gordoni as part of a healthy weight loss program and not the weight loss program.

It is commonly accepted that anyone can lose weight if they reduce their caloric intake. Phytopharm, a British pharmaceutical company, studied the effects of the active molecule in pure hoodia gordonii in 2001. This was a double-blind study of overweight, but otherwise healthy individuals. Participants were placed on a reduced calorie diet for two weeks. Those participants who received the hoodia gordoni extract reported feeling less hungry than those participants who were given a placebo. Both groups lost some weight, but the group that received the hoodia gordoni lost a significant amount of body fat. It is believed that the active molecule in pure hoodia gordonii improves metabolism. This may explain the loss of extra body fat or it could have been caused by other factors.

Many supplement companies are marketing hoodia gordoni, but Phytopharm (the first pharmaceutical company to do any research on the appetite suppressant qualities of the plant) is not yet ready to market their patented form of pure hoodia gordonii. Phytopharm says that clinical trials are not complete, long-term effects are unknown and necessary quantities are not yet available. Pharmaceutical companies have to be careful when entering a new market. Recalls are far too common and can prove disastrous for the companies. Supplement companies are apparently more willing to take the risk.

Manufacturers of dietary supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) handles all complaints related to hoodia gordoni and other supplements. The FTC has not reported any complaints related to pure hoodia gordonii products as of this writing. Other false claims concerning weight loss supplements have been investigated and some have been taken off the market. The FTC advises that the best way to lose weight is by reducing calories and increasing physical activity.

Most overweight people know that the only way to maintain a healthy weight is to watch what they eat and exercise, but for many, it is hard to stick to a low calorie diet long enough to see results. This is where hoodia gordoni may be helpful. If it does help to suppress the appetite and increase metabolism, then it may be easier for a person to lose weight. Another important thing to remember is that a low calorie diet has a tendency to have a negative impact on a person’s metabolism. If pure hoodia gordonii products can suppress the appetite, allowing a person to stick to a low calorie diet, without lowering that person’s metabolism, then dieters should not hit those terrible plateaus where they are unable to lose any more weight. No matter how hard they try.

So, if all the things that everyone is saying about hoodia gordoni are true and the research seems to support these statements, then it may be worth a trial. It is recommended that dieters remember to drink plenty of water, since pure hoodia gordonii products will suppress thirst, as well as appetite. Water is important to dieters, in any case. The average person needs about 64 ounces of water per day. Most people do not drink enough. So, if you need to lose some weight, see your doctor to confirm that you are in good health. Make some lifestyle changes that include an increase in physical activity and a decrease in high calorie, high fat foods. And, if you usually have trouble sticking to a diet, purchase some hoodia gordoni from a reputable company to help suppress your appetite.

For more information on hoodia gordoni visit http://hoodiainfo.blogspot.com

Knowing a few important facts about folic acid could help keep you from developing heart disease, depression and dementia and even keep your unborn baby from developing birth defects. Yes, there are many critical benefits of folic acid.

First of all, before we go into the folic acid facts, let’s find out what folic acid is. Folic acid is one of your B vitamins - Vitamin B9 to be exact. Folic Acid is a water soluble vitamin as opposed to a fat soluble vitamin. That means that folic acid is not stored by your body.

Folic acid is oftentimes used interchangeably with the word folate (remember this when looking at some of the studies below). Folate is the form of this vitamin found in foods such as leafy green vegetables. Folate is also found in citrus fruits and legumes such as beans.

Folic Acid is the more stable form of Vitamin B9 than is folate. Folic acid is not found naturally in foods and is the form of the vitamin found in supplements. In 1998, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration mandated the enrichment of grain products such as bread, pasta, rice and breakfast cereal with folic acid to help reduce birth defects.

Folic Acid Facts and Cardiovascular Disease: The Benefits of Folic Acid in Guarding Against This Number One Killer

Some of the folic acid facts surrounding cardiovascular diseases may surprise you. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) defines cardiovascular diseases as including heart disease, stroke and diseases of the blood vessels in your extremities.

The CDC reports that heart disease and stroke account for the number one and number three cause of death in America. The CDC estimates that every year, 950,000 Americans die of cardiovascular disease. They also estimate that as many as 61 million (or one quarter) of all Americans have some sort of cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular disease is the primary cause of early, permanent disability among adults of working age. Stroke alone is responsible for the disability of over 1 million Americans.

So, tell me some folic acid facts that will help me reduce my chances of cardiovascular disease

Much research has shown that the benefits of folic acid along with Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) can significantly reduce your body’s level of homocysteine.

Homocysteine is an amino acid produced by your body, usually as a result of your eating meat. Normally homocysteine is converted to methionine which is required by your body for the building of proteins and other vital chemical processes. However, your body needs the benefits of folic acid along with Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12 to accomplish this.

One of your important folic acid facts is that without an adequate supply of folic acid, homocysteine levels build up in your body. And this is when the problems begin to occur. Elevated homocysteine levels have been directly linked to a higher incidence of cardiovascular disease.

It seems that higher levels of homocysteine in our bodies is responsible for an increase in the narrowing and hardening of our arteries. This of course results in a decrease in and perhaps eventually the lack of blood flow, and therefore oxygen to our vital organs. Lack of blood flow to parts of your heart result in heart attack and lack of blood flow to parts of your brain result in strokes.

A study appearing in the ARCHIVES OF INTERNAL MEDICINE titled “Hyperhomocysteinemia and Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease” tells us that “hyperhomocysteinemia has recently been identified as an important risk factor for atherosclerotic vascular disease.” Further “treatment is most conveniently administered as a folic acid supplement (400-1000 g) and a high-potency multivitamin that contains at least 400 g of folate.”

Another study appearing in the same journal titled “Homocysteine and Ischemic Heart Disease” states that “the epidemiological, genetic, and animal evidence together indicate that the association between serum homocysteine level and IHD (ischemic heart disease) is likely to be causal. A general increase in consumption of the vitamin folic acid (which reduces serum homocysteine levels) would, therefore, be expected to reduce mortality from IHD.” Ischemic means “a decrease in the blood supply to a bodily organ, tissue, or part caused by constriction or obstruction of the blood vessels.”

From the American Heart Association’s website called CIRCULATION, we read “users of multivitamin supplements in observational studies have lower homocysteine levels than nonusers, as well as higher concentrations of plasma folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12.” It goes on further to state “users of multivitamins have been reported to have a reduced prevalence of CAD (coronary artery disease) compared with nonusers.”

Folic Acid Facts and Dementia / Depression: The Benefits of Folic Acid in Keeping Your Brain Young

Another of our folic acid facts speaks to the relationship between low intakes of folic acid and dementia in our later years. The HOUGHTON MIFFLIN Medical Dictionary defines dementia as “deterioration of intellectual faculties, such as memory, concentration, and judgment, resulting from an organic disease or a disorder of the brain, and often accompanied by emotional disturbance and personality changes.”

One of the benefits of folic acid is that it is believed to be a factor in reducing the incidence of dementia or cognitive decline as we get older. Why is this? Again we go back to one of the folic acid facts above and look at that word homocysteine.

Researchers have determined what they feel are causal (causing) links between elevated homocysteine levels and brain dysfunction in our golden years. As we learned earlier on this page, one of the benefits of folic acid is that it has been shown to significantly reduce our levels of homocysteine (remember one of our folic acid facts above and how folic acid is required to turn homocysteine into methionine - methionine is required for the building of proteins).

A study appearing in the NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE titled “Folate, vitamin B12, and neuropsychiatric disorders” states that “folate and vitamin B12 are required both in the methylation of homocysteine to methionine and in the synthesis of S-adenosylmethionine.” It further tells us that “both folate and vitamin B12 deficiency may cause similar neurologic and psychiatric disturbances including depression, dementia, and a demyelinating myelopathy” and also “the neurotoxic effects of homocysteine may also play a role in the neurologic and psychiatric disturbances that are associated with folate and vitamin B12 deficiency.”

Another study appearing in the JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY, NEUROSURGERY AND PSYCHIATRY titled “Homocysteine, folate, methylation, and monoamine metabolism in depression” tells us that “although folate deficiency is often the result of depression due to poor diet, there is evidence from controlled studies that whether the deficiency is secondary or primary, folate replacement will enhance recovery of the mental state, probably by a mechanism linking methylation in the nervous system to mood.”

Folic Acid Facts and Birth Defects: The Benefits of Folic Acid in Protecting Your Unborn Child

One of the folic acid facts that is well known to the medical community is that folic acid significantly reduces birth defects. Neural tube defects (NTD) to be more specific. The neural tube is that part of the unborn child that develops into the brain and spinal cord. The neural tube is designed to close after about the 30th day after conception.

If the neural tube fails to close properly, neural tube defects result. Neural tube defects result in birth defects such as spina bifida, encephalocele and anencephaly.

And one of the major benefits of folic acid is that it is known to prevent the occurrence of neural tube defects as well as some other types birth defects. Why is this so? Well, shortly after conception, cell division is very critical to the healthy development and growth of the unborn child. One of the folic acid facts is that folic acid is extremely important to DNA and RNA synthesis. Without adequate benefits of folic acid, abnormalities can occur.

Studies have shown that women who take folic acid supplements (in addition to a well balanced diet) both before and during pregnancy have a 60 - 100 % reduced chance of a baby born with NTD. As a matter of fact, U.S. Public Health Service suggests that all women of childbearing age, get at least 400 mcg of folic acid daily. Some researchers suggest 600 mcg.

The American government felt so strongly about the benefits of folic acid that in 1998, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration mandated the enrichment of grain products such as bread, pasta, rice and breakfast cereal with folic acid to help reduce birth defects.

The CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION in an article titled “Folic Acid Helps Prevent Some Birth Defects” has this to say: “Folic acid is a B vitamin. It is used in our bodies to make new cells. If a woman has enough folic acid in her body before she is pregnant, it can help prevent major birth defects of her baby’s brain and spine. These birth defects are called neural tube defects or NTDs. Women need to take folic acid every day starting before they are pregnant to help prevent NTDs.”

The CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION also tells us that “one easy way a woman can be sure she is getting enough folic acid is to take a vitamin that has folic acid in it every day. Folic acid pills and most multivitamins sold in the U.S. have 100% of the daily value (DV) of folic acid.”

Folic Acid Facts and Cancer: Though Not Yet Conclusive, The Benefits of Folic Acid Are Beginning to Become Known

We won’t spend much time here on the benefits of folic acid and cancer because it seems that the jury is still out on this one. However, some researchers seem to feel that another of the benefits of folic acid is protection against some form of cancers. We know that one of our folic acid facts is that it protects our DNA and guards against mutations. This is this mechanism that leads some researchers to feel further studies should be done in this area.

A study appearing in the JOURNAL OF NUTRITION titled “Folate and Carcinogenesis: An Integrated Scheme” has this to say: “Folate deficiency induces breaks in chromosomes and such breaks are associated with an increased risk of cancer in humans.” The study goes on to say that “folate depletion appears to enhance carcinogenesis whereas folate supplementation above what is presently considered to be the basal requirement appears to convey a protective effect.”

Folic Acid Facts: How Much is Enough? - How Much is Too Much?

No harmful effects have been associated with large doses of folic acid. However, large doses of folic acid could possibly mask an undiagnosed Vitamin B12 deficiency. An undiagnosed Vitamin B12 deficiency could possibly lead to neurologic damage especially in older adults. The level of folic acid intake which could mask a Vitamin B12 deficiency is thought to occur at around 5000 mcg.

For this reason the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine suggests that adults limit their folic acid intake to 1000 mcg. Actually, a good adult multivitamin will contain the RDA of 400 mcg. And remembering our folic acid facts above, it is suggested that women of childbearing age might want to increase that to 600 mcg.

You can learn much more about Folic Acid facts by visiting http://www.health-supplements-advisor.com/folic-acid-facts.html Copyright R. Edward Jones

I’ve been to several French alpine snowboarding holiday resorts for instance Plateau de Beille, Grand Massif, Samoens and Tignes, however altogether during all the family’s ski holidays Chamonix Mont Blanc has to be my no. 1 mountain to go for ski holiday.

The cradle of European alpine history and home to the astonishing Monte Bianco - at 4807m Europe’s tallest peak - Chamonix Haute Savoie vaunts a good historical snow record, a protracted winter season (Dec-May), incomparable off-piste snowboarding, and sights to die for. Moreover Chamonix has an multinational renown as having a lot of the most striking, challenging, and invigorating boarding accessible anyplace in the planet.

The Chamonix valley is huge likewise it is daunting, and this is before one figure in the abutting resorts; including La Plagne, La Mongie, Tignes-les-Brevieres, Chamonix and Superbagneres.

The Monte Bianco skiing lift pass covers eight Chamonix, and twelve departmental ski resorts; on terrain up to 3840m, more than 200 bubbles, and 750 kilometers of ski tracks - with the absolute majority of the skiing resorts preceding 2050m. It provides for each standard from starters right through to expert skiers. Visit our skiing fields section for detailed look at each of the major resorts: Avoriaz, Verchaix, Savoie, Le Grand-Bornand, Flegere and Val Cenis.

Lately, I’ve been hearing alot of buzz about No2 and it’s possible effects on building muscle.

No2 has been around for a couple of years and there has been plenty of people who have tried this particular supplement with mixed results.

For those of you who don’t know what N02 is, let me give you a bit of background.

No2 stands for nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is supposed to relax the smooth muscle in the walls of very small arteries called arterioles.

When a muscles contracts and it’s blood vessels are dilated, a “puff” of gas appears for a brief instant and than dissapears. This gas settles into the underlying smooth muscle cells causing them to relax which allows a surge of blood to pass through more easily.

This gas is called nitric oxide.

You see, everytime you do a couple sets of curls and you feel that expanding feeling in your bicep, it means that nitric oxide was released into the smooth muscle, causing an extra surge in blood to your muscles. It gives your muscles that full feeling and that”puffy” look.

However, once you finish your workout, your muscels slowly loose the blood that it accumulated during the workout and it slowly goes back to normal. Of course, the pump is one of the best feelings you can get and too lose it, well, sucks. So, the man who brought creatine to the fitness world, Ed Byrd, gives you Hemodilator N02.

This stuff is supposed to help release nitric oxide at different times of the day to keep your muscles feeling pumped. What Ed Byrd managed to do was create a delivery system called phyex 9 which is supposed to help stimulate the release of nitric oxide at different times during the day. Certainly a beautiful concept for just about everyone out there who weight trains. Who doesn’t want a constant pump…Maybe just walking down the street?

Well, I heard alot about no2 and it got my attention. So, I decided to give this supplement a shot. I have to admit, this stuff is not cheap. At $80 bucks a pop, it’s kind of steep for the everyday working, weight trainer. Today, there are a whack of nitric oxide supplements out there and they all cost about
the same.

Now, I had my doubts. You see, this supplement uses arginine as it’s main nitric oxide delivery mechanism. That is, arginine is supposed to cause the nitric oxide reaction which will produce the”pump”. Now, back in the mid 80’s, I vividly remember a supplement called”Inosine” which was supposed to do the same thing as No2. It was supposed to cause the small artieries to expand which would cause more blood flow into
the muscle.

Well, as a young, wide eyed teenager looking for a miracle supplment, this fit the bill. I bought a bunch of inosine in the hopes that it would help me build more strength and power. The result? A couple of hundred dollars down the toilet. I still see adds for inosine and I still shake my head.

So, after a bit of research I decided to give this particular supplement a shot and see if the results were as good as they claimed on the label. I choose to use the Hemodilator No2 for my nitric oxide supplement review.

According to the label, it reads “NO2 generates a PERPETUAL PUMP, Helps Boost Strength, Augments Peak Power, Delays Muscle Fatigue”

Well, does it do all that? First off, according to the label, they performed a clinical trial of this supplement at Baylor University. According to the results, there was a 300% increase in bench press strength for those who were taking Hemodilator compared to those who were taking a placebo (fake), over an eight
week period.

Also, the group taking the Hemodilator gained more endurance and power than the placebo group over the same 8 week period.

So, how did I fare with this supplement? Now, I’m just finishing up my third bottle and the results have not been mind blowing. Maybe I was expecting too much from this supplement but I haven’t gained as much as I would have hoped. There has been a slight change from the pumps I get in the gym but they are not perpetual. The pumps stay in the gym.

In terms of strength, I gained a little bit in some of my compound movements but not as nearly as much as I would have if I would have taken creatine. For endurance, I can’t say I noticed any thing at all. In terms of overall power, I would say that it has increased…But not 300% or even 20%.

Did I get my monies worth? That’s a hard one to say. I mean, would have I gotten the same results if I didn’t use the supplement? Probably not. The thing I noticed most about this product was the pumps in the gym. Like I said before, pumps are the reason I mainly go to the gym.

Am I happy with this product? I guess you can say that I’m “ok” with it. However, when I take the supplement Xpand, which is a combination of the nitric oxide booster arginine and tri-creatine malate, I simply explode! Maybe the combination of nitric oxide and creatine compliment each other more so than regular creatine or straight arginine.

In terms of side effects, I didn’t experience anything. Just remember, huge doses of arginine can be toxic. However, there are some reports of users experiencing diarrhea nausea with relatively high doses.

Now, do I recommend this product? If you do not want to take a product such as creatine, I would have to say yes. It does work and will produce some results provided you have a well laid down eating plan and steady lifting habits. Just remember, you have to be on it for at least 8 weeks to see any sort of results.

However, next to a good creatine product such as SAN V12 or Dymatize Xpand, I would have to say no. These products
are so much better and the results are more immediate and dramatic.

So there you have it. A personal nitric oxide supplement review.

Blake Bissaillion is the owner of http://www.building-muscle101.com. This website offers free weight lifting routines for the beginner and advanced weight trainer. Includes free menus, nutritional advice, weight training tips and techniques,
exercise descriptions and illustrations, and much more.

Haven’t heard of fucose? Think it’s the latest teen dance craze? Think again, because fucose could make a huge difference in your quality of life.

Fucose is a rare sugar, one of the eight known bioactive sugars essential for proper cell to cell communication. Found in many plants, marine algae is purported to be one of the best sources of fucose and has long been used by naturopathic physicians to support immune function in patients. Those concerned with optimal health should have a basic understanding of the role fucose plays in our bodies.

Fucose molecules are found throughout the body and are involved in many functions. For example, fucose is found in the photoreceptor layer of the retina of the eye. Fucose is also found in the skin, brain cells, and kidneys. Fucose is also excreted in breast milk and may play a part in the transfer of immunity to the newborn. In addition, fucose has an active role in the immune system and in red blood cell function.

According to research, fucose is important in regulation of the immune system, which may affect the activity of inflammatory diseases in the body. Fucose has also been found to inhibit the ability of bacteria to adhere to cells, without which infection cannot occur. In addition, research has also shown fucose to inhibit the growth and spread of cancer cells.

Still think fucose is new to you? One abundant source of the marine algae which fucose is derived from is seaweed. Even if you are not a fan of Asian foods, you have likely consumed some seaweed today in the form of carrageenan, agar or other algae derivatives. Check the labels of some of your favorite foods and you’ll find seaweed in cheese, instant puddings, chocolate milk, mayonnaise, ice cream and sherbet, for example. Unfortunately for you, commercially processed seaweed products do not contain active fucose.

Because of the role fucose plays in the body, and especially the immune system, does it not make sense to support the body with supplementation? It is well known that depleted soils, food storage techniques and manufacturing methods all adversely affect the levels of nutrients available to us in our modern diets. It is doubtful anyone can obtain enough of this valuable glyconutrient through food alone.

But there is a very good, accessible source of fucose available today. The brown seaweed Undaria pinnatifida, considered to be essential for long term health in Japan, is an excellent source of the fucose sugar. However, anyone considering using brown seaweed should be sure of its source due to the increasing pollution of the world’s oceans by toxic chemicals and other contaminants. Nonetheless, there are safe brown seaweed products available.

Fucose is a rare sugar not commonly consumed in most people’s diets, at least not to a level that is beneficial to the body. A better understanding of fucose and the important, complex role it plays in our health should lead to a careful consideration of supplementation.

Karen Walker is a wellness consultant and author. She works from her home in western Montana. She and her husband, Lynn McCormick, maintain a website to help those whose lives have been upset by catastrophic health events.
http://www.keephealthkeepwealth.com

Since its discovery in the late 1950s Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) has received much attention as a necessary compound for proper cellular function. It is the essential coenzyme necessary for the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) upon which all cellular functions depend. Without ATP our bodies cannot function properly. Without CoQ10, ATP cannot function. This connection has made CoQ10 a very important object of study in relation to chronic disease.

In many cases the presence of chronic disease is associated with inadequate levels of CoQ10. But no area of study has received more attention than the relation between CoQ10 and heart disease. That is because CoQ10 is believed to be of fundamental importance in cells with high metabolic demands such as cardiac cells. A further reason the connection of heart disease and CoQ10 has gained so much attention is because heart conditions of many kinds are associated with chronically low CoQ10 levels.

CoQ10 is highly concentrated in heart muscle cells because of their high energy requirements. Add this to the fact that heart disease is the number one killer in developed and developing countries and one can see why the bulk of scientific research on CoQ10 has been concerned with heart disease. Specifically, studies on congestive heart failure have demonstrated a strong correlation between the severity of heart failure and the degree of CoQ10 deficiency. The lower the levels of CoQ10 in the heart muscles the more severe the heart failure. If indeed CoQ10 deficiency is a primary cause of congestive heart failure then, in such cases, the remedy is simple and cost effective; CoQ10 supplementation.

Congestive heart failure is a condition where the heart does not pump effectively resulting in an accumulation of fluid in the lungs. Symptoms may include shortness of breath, difficulty breathing when lying flat and leg or ankle swelling. Causes include chronic hypertension, cardiomyopathy (primary heart disease) and myocardial infarction (irreversible injury to heart muscles). Heart muscle strength is measure by the ejection fraction which is a measure of the fraction of blood pumped out of the heart with each beat. A low ejection fraction indicates a weak heart.

Several trials have been conducted involving patients with enlarged weak heart muscles of unknown causes. For those of you who like difficult phrases this condition (or variety of conditions) is known as idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. In these trials CoQ10 supplementation was compared to placebo effects. Standard treatments for heart failure were not discontinued. The results were measured by echocardiography (a diagnostic test which uses ultrasound waves to make images of the heart chambers, valves and surrounding structures).

The overall results of CoQ10 supplementation demonstrated a steady and continued improvement in heart function as well as steady and continued reduction in patient symptoms including fatigue, chest pains, palpitations and breathing difficulty. Patients with more establish and long-term cases showed gradual improvement but did not gain normal heart function. Patients with newer cases of heart failure demonstrated much more rapid improvement often returning to normal heart function.

Papers numbering in the hundreds from eight different symposia have been written and presented on the effects of CoQ10 on heart disease. International clinical studies have also been conducted in the United States, Japan, Germany, Italy and Sweden. Together these studies and the papers that have been derived from them demonstrate significant improvement in heart muscle function while causing no adverse effects.

One particular area of study involves diastolic dysfunction which is one of the earliest signs of myocardial failure. Diastole is the phase of the cardiac cycle when the heart is filled with returning blood. Because this phase requires more cellular energy than the systolic phase (when the blood is pushed out of the heart) it is more dependent on CoQ10. Diastolic dysfunction is a stiffening of the heart muscle which naturally restricts the hearts ability to pump. This condition is associated with many cardiac disorders. Hypertension is among these disorders. As the heart muscles become stiff there is often a corresponding rise in blood pressure. When the diastolic dysfunction is reversed, blood pressure tends to lower as well.

In one study involving 109 patients with hypertension, CoQ10 supplementation was added to normal hypertension treatments. In an average of 4.4 months 51% of the patients were able stop using at least one blood pressure lowering medication. Some were able to stop using up to three medications. Another study produced similar results. In that study 43% of 424 patients were able to stop using between one and three cardiovascular drugs because of CoQ10 supplementation.

These examples are just a drop in the bucket. Diastolic dysfunction (and by proxy, hypertension) includes only a small sampling of heart conditions that respond favorably to CoQ10 supplementation. Other areas of research show great promise for CoQ10 treatments. Among these are cancer and AIDS. But such conditions are beyond the scope of this essay. CoQ10 is essential to the proper functioning of all cell types. It is not surprising, therefore, to find a diverse number of diseases that respond favorably to CoQ10 supplementation. Since all metabolically active tissues are highly sensitive to CoQ10 deficiency, we can expect to see CoQ10 research expand to many other areas of chronic diseases.

Greg holds degrees in science, divinity and philosophy and is currently an I.T. developer.

http://www.optimal-heart-health.com/coq10.html

Heaven is coming down over me
And kissing the earth
Wherever I go
Phenomenal flow
You can get in it
Or you can go!
Because to God I’ve said yes
And to you
I can say no
Without feeling guilty
For not participating
In your vain show

The irony however is

This flow I feel
That’s oh so real
The mad deal
Giving me fiery zeal
It’s this that you need
And not cynical negativity
Nor self-imprisoning jealousy
Or lofty self-sufficiency
Oh what a pity
To see you so grumpy
Meanwhile the river’s flowing
And I’m going
Full force with God
On devils I trod
Pulling out the sword of the Spirit
Nations rejoice
And hear it!
But you can’t bear it
Cause you ain’t got it
Nevertheless it’s available for all
Not just those named Paul
But Jesus said “Whosoever will”
And apparently you won’t
That’s your loss friend
Because God don’t
Push or pull
He said, “Follow Me”
And He didn’t beg you see
But you still don’t get it
Cause you’re all dressed up with self
And going nowhere
But if you’d rob yourself with humility
You could blast off
And go everywhere
Anywhere
Anyhow
Any way
Cause God would make a way
He does it for me
Day after day
Some days
It’s more obvious than others
But when I’m stuck
In circumstantial pressure
I don’t dis my brothers
Get a grip yeah
And sit at the Master’s feet
Find some solitude for the soul
And a quiet retreat
Your divine energy seems low
On continual deplete
As you personally
Draw near to defeat
Meanwhile the enemy continues to throw
Blow after blow
Belittling you in your mind
Buffeting you all the time
Badgering your soul
To thwart you from being whole
But greater is He who is in you
It’s time to pull on Christ within
And see what He can do
He who is the hope of glory
He who can rewrite your life’s story
Get it together in God
Then get back up
Get back on
The narrow path of life
Put an end to hostility
And meaningless pointless strife
Let the Son shine today
And get a life!
Arise and shine
This is your time
To alter the course of your life
To break forth into joy
To harness your inner resource
And wholeheartedly employ
The spiritual gifts
God has given you
This is what you must do
Stop feeling diminished
By the gifts and blessings of others
Stop competing with your brothers
Rejoice with them who rejoice
Weep with them who weep
Reap with them who reap
Sow with them who sow
Grow with them who grow
Don’t say you know
When you won’t flow
For God is a Spirit
Not a brain
Neither a theologian
Nor a fancy religious slogan
No, it’s more than that
Truth is not a thing
Truth is a Person
A heavenly individual
Who’s frankly is quite cool
What He has in the Spirit
He didn’t get it in school
Oh would this generation
Ever get it?
God is lot’s of fun
And at the same time
Knows how to get the job done
Knows how to leverage your weaknesses
And turn them into strengths
He’s patient and kind
And will go to great lengths
He’s done it before for you

And He’ll do it again
He’s the Lord of the breakthrough
He’s the One we’re to turn to
Scripture says “Be clothed with Christ”
Not self-life
Your personal agenda
Or your doctrinal addendum
Nay, nigh and no!
It’s all about the flow
A phenomenal flow indeed
A miraculous flow
That deposits holy seed
Into your dreams
Making them a reality
Taking prophesies from fantasy
Turning them into flesh
For Jesus Himself
Is the Word made flesh
He is real, relatable and revolutionary
And as the world turns
He wants to turn your situation around
Just sit down
Take your hands off
It’s not about being a workaholic
Or being continually given to sloth
Prayers go up
Blessings come down
Put feet to your faith
And settle down
Stop repeatedly circling around
The mountains of defeat
It’s time to break that cycle
And no more recycle
Your past pains and hurts
Get out of the desert
Cut the umbilical chord to the past
Ride with God
Let’s have a blast
The river is flowing
It’s always moving
Far more than your mentality
Your rigid and frigid mindset
Which won’t let
God even in
Because of your prideful spin
Your arrogant eye
And your self exertion
By which you excessively try
Painfully inwardly cry
And continually reason why
Listen to big Daddy in the sky
He’s telling you now
It’s not about your know how
It’s not about you
It’s all about Him
Just die to self
And let Him in
It’s not some of self
And some of God
You can’t swim in water
When you’re half in
And half out
No, like Ezekiel
Get in over your head
For therein your intelligence
Is surely dead
There you must flow
There you must know
But not from your head
Down deep in your gut
Wherein there can be no
Religious stagnating rut
The Spirit within your belly
Makes you roll happily like jelly
Rap like Nelly
Well, with a holy vibe
With godly lyrics

Nevertheless moving a generation
So all will hear it
You were born an original
Why therefore live like a copy?
Get divine energy
It’s better than coffee
Better than yohimbe
Better than Disney
For in the life of the Spirit
You’ll always be up
No time for religious nuts
Or fixating on our mess ups
Discover the Father’s love
From up above
With which you’ll run
Have fun
And be free
To make mistakes
Even if bones you break
He’ll heal you
Pick you up
Dust you off
And before long
You’ll again be up and running
Gunning full throttle ahead
Feeding on His Word like bread
Breaking open nations
Giving new sensations
Awaking them to
The new creation
And global liberation
This my friend is your destination
If you can just get out
Of your cerebral fixation
That’s tends toward domination
Domineering, self-imagineering and superiority
God likes humility
Cause there’s none like Him
He’s bigger than steroid heads
At your local gym
Moreover with Him
Your psychoanalysis and spin
It can’t win
Cause God knows all things
From the beginning to the end
He’s my closest friend
So make a decision
You can oppose me
Or befriend me
Because you’ll never beat me
Nor defeat me
Cause we’re on the same team
Though you might want to scream
I’m fighting for your dream
The seed of destiny within you
That within which
You don’t know what to do
It keeps eating at you
Looking earnestly for
A form or avenue of expression
To bless the earth
With a new dimension
Beware!
Keep your gift in the oven
Lest it come out half-baked
And be bitter to all
And you in your pride
And false administration
Embarrass yourself
And take a great fall
Premature birthings are dangerous
As too soon out of the womb
Makes it difficult to survive
Harder to thrive
And to keep alive.
Do it God’s way
And go the distance
Develop a firm foundation
A holy conviction
A holy esteem
And divine honor
A love for yourself
And all others
Remembering
Not always
Are things as they first appear
Sometimes you see clearer
When you draw near
Not always do things
Have to be your way
You’re not God
You don’t always get a say
If you discern and see something
Be quiet and lovingly pray
That is if you believe in your prayers
Which I would hope to be
God centered, not ego driven
Or selfishly uttered
Though they be religiously buttered
Come on my friend
Let’s not fight one another
Until the end
Time is short
Let’s be on with the Father’s business
And remove all the resistance
And trivial pissyness
For the river is flowing
A phenomenal flow
With it I must go
For therein will all
Feel and know
God above is fulfilling and fun
With Him I’ll run
In the rivers of the Spirit I’ll swim
And against foul religious finger wagging
Victoriously win!

Paul Davis is author of Breakthrough for a Broken Heart a book telling us “How to overcome disappointments and blossom into your dreams!” He is a minister, life coach (relational & professional), dating expert, popular worldwide keynote speaker, creative consultant, humor being, adventurer, explorer, mediator, liberator and dream-maker.

Paul’s compassion for people & passion to travel has taken him to over 50 countries of the world where he has had a tremendous impact. Paul has also brought revival to many in war-torn, impoverished and tsunami stricken regions of the earth. His nonprofit organization Dream-Maker Ministries is building dreams and breaking limitations.

Paul’s Breakthrough Seminars inspire, revive, awaken, impregnate with purpose, impart the fire of desire, catapult people into a new level of self-awareness, facilitate destiny discovery and dream fulfillment.

Paul can be contacted at:
RevivingNations@yahoo.com
407-967-7553 or 407-282-1745.

For additional info:
http://www.CreativeCommunications.com
- http://www.DreamMakerMinistries.com

Research for this article was easy because of all the hype about Dan Brown’s new movie about the Da Vinci code. The question is simple. How can an educated public anywhere in the world take this novel or the movie it spawned seriously? I have found a few answers and some of them come from the bible itself which the Da Vinci code obviously does not take very seriously. There are those who would insist that if it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck it still may not be a duck but even this crowd could hardly deny that it at least sounds quacky.

The bible says that in the last days that people will not endure or allow sound teaching or admonition from the bible or just about any other source, 2 Timothy 4:3. It says people would rather scour the earth looking for teachers who will scratch their itching exactly the way they want to be scratched. Of course Dan Brown has repeatedly said that after all it is only a novel and is not meant to be a history or an immutable heretofore un-acknowledged truth. Against that claim I can remember the night I watched two of TV’s most prominent movie reviewers discuss all that we the public have learned from various movies over the past forty years. Let’s get real. Whether Dan Brown insists that his novel was meant to be didactic or not, it will teach the weak minded and those hungry for any new thing that’s hot off the secular media buffet.

Who would dare argue with three hundred million copies sold? Who has not noticed the great foul perched and proud sitting atop the New York Times bestseller list? I for one believe that all this acclaim still wouldn’t be reason enough for some people not to actually look at and compare Brown’s imaginative roll through an Alice in Wonderland style theology and come to the obvious conclusion that trash by any other name is after all… trash.

Opening scenes of The Da Vinci Code are weird and bloody as the curator of the world famous Louvre in Paris is killed by obsessed Opus Dei monk named Silas. It seems Silas is carrying on in the Monty Python tradition of finding the elusive “Holy Grail” But now the grail has changed from being merely the cup from which Christ and his apostles drank from at the last supper to something far more human. The grail is now the truth kept secret for centuries that the blood of Christ is kept in a bloodline created by his marriage to Mary Magdalene and their offspring. Modern secularism it seems will stop at nothing to remove deity from Jesus Christ including passing it on to Mary Magdalene. For those in the western society who have been drifting beyond just standing in awe of the feminine mystique it seems but a small step to move up to the deification of a women. We should not be surprised if new churches start springing up where Magdalene is the new and highest deity.

The movie conveys itself with a full range of characters psychotic, obsessed, possessed, mislead and misinformed but eventually winds up back in the Louvre where nothing at all is positively resolved. New York Times reviewers have said that Brown’s research was above question. Yet his historical errors are lavishly sprinkled throughout the movie with such profusion that if they were salt that serving of meat would be wholly inedible. One example is the inference that upwards of five million women were burned as witches during the inquisition. When does exaggeration pass the line from benign error to the malevolent? Brown s research and implied conclusions are at least as good as those used to find the answers to who actually killed Brer Rabbit but not much more.

More blatant are the errors that seem borne out of a lapse in common sense. Leonardo Da Vinci painted the Last Supper fifteen hundred years after Christ walked the earth and gave his life to ransom the sinful. Neither Da Vinci nor anyone else seemed to think that the effeminate person to the right of Jesus in the Last Supper was anyone other than the Apostle John. Yes, he is depicted in a somewhat feminine manner which is typical of all renaissance art and especially that of Leonardo Da Vinci. Brown interprets Da Vinci for us and ascribes to him some exclusive secret knowledge about who the person on the right really is. It is alleged that Da Vinci was homosexual. Let’s reason here, would a homosexual man really paint a woman into the picture or an effeminate man? As if insulting the Apostle John weren’t enough Brown goes on to insult Mary Magdalene but why stop there. While he’s at it why not throw in a grand slam against the Savior of the world. Where did Da Vinci and or Brown get this secret knowledge about Christ? In simple language they didn’t get it anywhere. It comes rather from the fertile minds of the modern secularists who will stop at nothing to insult, defame and un-deify the most dignified human being to ever set foot on this old ball we call the planet earth.

Da Vinci often referred to himself as “omo sanza lettere” or “man without a formal education.” Now the worshippers of science have raised the status of their revered high priest of empiricism close to that of apostle of science with notions of a secret knowledge that could only be derived from something slightly above genius. Sounds pretty much like revelation to me but no, this novel and this movie are no revelation.

The best description of this movie I have heard to date is that it is “Harry Potter for adults.” But I think it should be taken step further to warn those less versed and perhaps a bit weaker in heart. Brown begins his Novel with statements about the truth regarding the actual existence of the documents purported to have come from the Opus Dei and other sources. No need to argue here. The documents may exist but does the truth exist in the documents? Mein Kamph truly exists but not much useful truth exists in it.

Almost all the documentation Brown uses for his novel was derived from first century documents and other material not allowed into New Testament Canon. What does that mean? It means he derived the bulk of his material from writings that were labeled as false and spurious in origin. Plain language…not from God. Reviewers say the movie is fast paced and intelligent. I conclude that it needs to move fast so no one will notice the recurring inaccuracies and bumbling historical mistakes that are anything but intelligent.

The movie may provide fodder for the cannons of freshmen academia to incite waves of controversy but beyond that it has no upward levels. I doubt this juvenile presentation of magic and mystery could shake the faith of even a college freshman but it should also be said that those who produce both this book and the movie should be warned.

I will place myself on no platform to judge either the author or the movie producers but rather will leave only a clear warning of the scripture for them to peruse and ponder while we all wait for the final judge who will come and judge us all by the words he has spoken, “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. John 12:48 And what words did this judge say concerning making light of his holiness, making fun of his deity, disregarding the purpose of his shed blood as an innocent man. I’ll quote them here and I’ll meet you there where we will all be gathered soon.

He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Matthew 12:30-37

Rev Bresciani is the author of two Christian books and the writer of hundreds of articles both online and in print. Visit his website at http://www.americanprophet.org.

Chances are that if someone doesn’t have an iPod then they want one. That’s why they’re such a popular gift for Christmas, birthdays and other occasions. A lot of people will be saving up for one right now. They’re one of Apple’s greatest ventures and luckily for us they’re being updated all the time to bring us better and more fun ways of listening to music, radio and podcasts, watch movies and videos, view images and even surf the internet.
It’s hard to think that it all happens at the touch of a button and from such a tiny piece of equipment, but you never really believe it until you see it first hand. Like a glimpse into the future the 8 or 16GB iPod touch lights up as it turns on and lets users browse the web via WiFi, watch videos and movies and listen to music all through a touch screen interface. It looks quite similar to the iPhone also released by Apple in early 2008 and when connected to the web you can visit the iTunes store and download music, TV shows and movies straight onto the iPod Touch. That solves the problem of being bored on a train, right?

There’s no way to adequately explain just how cool the new iPods are. They provide hours of entertainment, followed by hours more after a short charge and a huge range of features. The only question is: which one is right for you?

Many in the Gay and Lesbian Community are a little upset with the Catholic Church. Some have commented as merely observations that this latest restriction is part of the larger hypocrisy going on with the church in the present period.

On one hand the Catholic Church says “No Gay Priests” as if some kind of high and mighty calling, yet simultaneously admits to raping children, stealing art, appointing a Pope to unite who was a NAZI Youth and then collecting money from the same group they deny higher rolls to.

The Catholic Church admits their challenges, but one has to ask; What is wrong with this total picture? And one cannot deny that such charges are not a worthy observation and even more worthy of national discussion. Why sugarcoat the truth they ask? It is not okay what is going on with the Catholic Church, as it is not good for mankind and whether merely challenges or an inherent cancer in that organization, still some answers are in order.

Some believe that the Catholic Church needs to clean house and not straddle the line on these issues and that the negative observations are those of the fact. One critic of the Church recently argued on a BLOG;

“Okay let’s take a look here for a second. Are we saying that it is okay to molest children and rape them for 2000 years and then when caught simply apologize? Is that what we are saying, it is okay to RAPE and MOLEST children? Is that offensive to this forum, the truth? If we are talking about the Catholic Church shouldn’t we put it into perspective?”

These are very serious accusations and no one can prove that the Catholic Church approves of the molesting of children, in fact they demand celibacy from their Priests and Bishops, so that means they cannot partake in sexual relations with another no matter of age. So the question then is; “Do we forgive the Catholic Church” and move on or do we listen to those who are furious with the shallow apologies of appeasement of the wishes and laws of our nation and duly kick the Catholic Church out of the country? What do you think?

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/