Red Rice Yeast

Red Rice Yeast

Overview
Red rice yeast (red yeast rice) has been used in Chinese traditional medicine for centuries to help blood circulation and ease stomach problems. It is made by growing red yeast on white rice, and then powdering it.



In the 1970s it was discovered that red rice yeast lowers high levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides in the blood. In 1998, the FDA banned the sale of a commercial dietary supplement called Cholestin which contained red rice yeast, claiming that the chemical composition of red rice yeast is nearly identical to that of the prescription drug Lovastatin, a statin which is often prescribed to help lower cholesterol levels. Products containing red rice yeast may not be sold in the United States, but are still widely available throughout the world, and can often be purchased on the internet.



What Red Rice Yeast Does:

Red rice yeast has been proven to lower levels of bad cholesterol in the blood as effectively as most pharmaceutical drugs that are prescribed to help lower cholesterol levels. In addition, red rice yeast has been proven in a number of research studies to help lower high levels of triglycerides in the blood. Like cholesterol, trigycerides can affect blood circulation by clogging blood vessels in the body. Red rice yeast (or, as it’s more often called – red yeast rice) contains a substance called monacolin K which inhibits the production of cholesterol in the liver. This is exactly the same action that prescription drugs like lovastatin (Mexacor) and Lipitor have on the production of cholesterol.



Interestingly, the concentration of monacolin K in red rice yeast is considerably lower than the amount of lovastatin usually prescribed as a daily dose to lower cholesterol – but it still reduced LDL cholesterol levels by as much as 17% in just 8 weeks in a study at UCLA. This has led some doctors and researchers to speculate that other chemicals in red rice yeast (specifically sterols) may boost the effect of monacolin K or actively reduce cholesterol themselves.



Health Benefits of Red Rice Yeast:
A number of well-constructed and well-documented studies confirm that red rice yeast substantially lowers the amount of total cholesterol and ‘bad’ cholesterol in the blood without affecting the HDL, ‘good’ cholesterol.



At UCLA, researchers tested the effects of Cholestin, a red rice yeast product that contained red rice yeast produced by a proprietary method that increased the amount of monacolin K to near pharmaceutical levels. The results were unmistakable. Those in the study that took Cholestin reduced LDL cholesterol levels by as much as 21% over the 12 weeks of the study, and reduced triglycerides by . In contrast, those who took a placebo averaged a reduction of 1%. This is the most well-documented study and the one most often cited when referring to red rice yeast, but it’s important to note that the product used in this study contains higher levels of monacolin K than most preparations of red yeast rice though considerably less than the amount of active ingredients in most prescription statin drugs.




Possible Side Effects of Red Rice Yeast
Because the active components in red rice yeast affect the body in ways that are identical to those of some statin drugs, most doctors advise patients to treat red rice yeast with the same caution. The side effects of red rice yeast are rare and generally mild, but lovastatin has raised some concerns about compromised liver function. In addition, doctors and nutritionists advise that those who are taking statin drugs or other drugs to lower cholesterol levels should discuss the possibility of using red rice yeast as an alternative to conventional drug therapy rather than in addition to it.



Summary and Conclusion

In 2001, the FDA decided that Cholestin, with its proprietary formula of red rice yeast, contained a substance identical to lovastatin, a drug that is regulated by the FDA. A court upheld the FDA ruling, and Cholestin was removed from open store shelves. The manufacturer has introduced a reformulated Cholestin without red rice yeast. Following in the steps of NuSkin, the manufacturers of Cholestin, other nutraceutical companies also pulled products containing red rice yeast from the U.S. market. It is still, however, possible to find red yeast rice on the Internet.

HSI first told the full story behind GRAVIOLA

HSI first told the full story behind GRAVIOLA
ALMOST FIVE YEARS AGO...

NOW - YOU AND YOUR ONCOLOGIST
CAN FINALLY GET THE COMPLETE REPORT!

See the original research that proves
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Just when you thought we covered everything there was to know about Graviola...now there's even more to prove that it's perhaps the world's ultimate cancer-fighter!

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Boost your immune system without causing nausea, hair loss, or weight loss.
This report is a 'must-have' for anyone battling cancer who is considering Graviola as a complement to their traditional course of treatment.

You'll read the complete details of one recent study conducted at Catholic University of South Korea. Scientists discovered that two chemicals extracted from Graviola seeds targeted and killed malignant breast and colon cells in a test tube.

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Graviola is 10,000 times stronger than chemo

In another study, published in the Journal of Natural Products, scientists proved that Graviola dramatically outperforms one of the most common chemotherapy drugs on the market. You'll have all the scientific evidence that showed one chemical in Graviola selectively kills colon cancer cells at "10,000 times the potency of Adriamycin."

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The cure for arthritis could be hiding in your spice rack?
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Other promising and ongoing research at Purdue University is supported by a grant from the National Cancer Institute. Purdue researchers recently found that leaves from the Graviola tree kills cancer cells "among six human-cell lines" and are especially effective against prostate and pancreatic cancer cells.

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In each of these studies, Graviola was shown to selectively target the enemy - leaving all healthy, normal cells untouched. By comparison, chemotherapy indiscriminately seeks and destroys all actively reproducing cells - even normal hair and stomach cells.

Share original research with your oncologist

Complete details from each of these scientific studies are now available in the 'Graviola Technical Report' published by Sage Press.

In this Technical Report, you'll receive the entire archive of published scientific research on Graviola, including:

Original scientific data with complete references and citations
Complete explanations of chemical and cytotoxic activities
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Results of numerous laboratory tests in Japan & Taiwan
Lists on contradictions & known drug interactions
Recommended dosage information
Medicinal history of Graviola
Botanical description
Worldwide ethnobotanical uses
As you can see, this is an incredibly comprehensive report. It would probably take even the most experienced scientific researcher days to gather all this information into one report.

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The Ten Health Supplements You Should Be Taking

The Ten Health Supplements You Should Be Taking

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is one of the top ten health supplements because it strengthens the immune system and helps relieve the effects of physical and mental stress on the body. Because 10-30% of adults over 30 may not absorb Vitamin B12 from food well, the University of Maryland Medical Center’s Complementary Medicine Program recommends daily health supplements containing vitamin B12 to all adults over the age of 50.

Green Tea Extract

The catechins in green tea extract, especially one known as ECGC (Epigallocatechin Gallate) protect your body against respiratory and digestive infections, short circuit the reproduction of cancerous cells, help lower high blood pressure, reduce the levels of LDL and total cholesterol in your blood, and – believe it or not – helps fight cavities. Green tea extract should definitely be an ingredient in any health supplements that you take regularly.

Vitamin D

While scientists say that ten minutes a day of full summer sun is enough for your body to manufacture all the Vitamin D that it needs, they also suggest that anyone living in the northern states should be taking health supplements with Vitamin D during the winter months in order to get enough Vitamin D for their body’s needs.

Alpha Lipoic Acid

Health supplements containing alpha lipoic acid (ALA) may help your body control its use of insulin, helps protect against memory loss in aging and may be beneficial in treating Alzheimers’ disease and stroke victims, increases blood flow to the nerve endings and helps reduce tingling and other symptoms of neuropathy. The antioxidant properties of ALA are what make it so important as part of a daily regimen of health supplements.

Calcium

According to the National Institutes of Health, the average American gets less than half their needed calcium from his daily diet. Because our high protein diets and the high consumption of caffeine also deplete the body’s supply of calcium, the NIH recommends daily health supplements containing calcium for most American adults.

Saw Palmetto (for men)

Beta sitosterol, the active ingredient in saw palmetto, is one of the most effective treatments for the symptoms of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, a prostate condition that affects over 60% of American men over 50. According to the Complementary Medicine Program at the University of Maryland Medical Center, the recommended dosage for treatment of the early stages of BPH is difficult to get in tea or tincture. They recommend daily health supplements containing 160 mg of saw palmetto extract standardized for 85% to 95% of fatty acids and sterols for best effects.

Black Cohosh (for women)

Black cohosh has been used for over 40 years to treat menstrual cramps, hot flashes, mood swings, irritability and sleep disturbances. Dozens of scientific studies over the years have proven the effectiveness of black cohosh in treating those symptoms. Even the American College of Gynecologists recognizes the value of using black cohosh to treat menopausal symptoms, though they suggest limiting treatment with black cohosh to six months or less. Health supplements containing black cohosh can help relieve the symptoms of painful menstruation and pre-menopause in women and greatly increase the enjoyment of daily their daily lives.

Vitamin C

Daily health supplements containing Vitamin C can help your body combat the effects of aging and boost the immune system to help you combat common illnesses. It seems to prevent cataracts (Nurses’ Health Study) and protect the eyes against macular degeneration, the most common cause of vision loss among older adults. Vitamin C, along with Vitamin E, may also help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

Coenzyme Q10 (CO Q10)

Since its discovery in 1957, CO Q10 (ubiquinone) has been widely studied. It’s a component in the mitochondria in every cell in your body, where it seems to function as an antioxidant. Among the benefits associated with taking health supplements containing CO Q10 are fewer and less severe migraines, lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reduced incidence of atherosclerosis, increased energy and heightened immune system.

Fish Oil (DHA and EPA)

The omega 3 essential fatty acids found in fish oil, DHA and EPA, are essential for your body to make new cells, particularly brain and nerve cells. Because of the low availability and contamination of natural sources of fish oil and omega 3 fatty acids, health supplements containing fish oil extracts, particularly DHA, are a vital source of these important nutrients.

While it is certainly possible to take each of these health supplements separately, most nutritional experts recommend choosing a multi-benefit health supplement. Our personal choice of all the daily health supplements we’ve researched and tried is Total Balance, a formulation created by the R&D department at Xtend-Life Natural Products in New Zealand. We particularly like the fact that Xtend-Life is committed to the concept of synergy, and carefully formulates all of its nutritional and health supplements to work together and support each other.

Total Balance, Xtend-Life’s complete daily health supplement, is made in three different formulations to take into account the varying needs of men and women at different stages in their lives. The Unisex formulation contains all the essential nutrients recommended for your body’s daily needs in a formula that is carefully balanced to make full use of each of them. Total Balance Plus for Men adds the most potent herbal extracts, minerals and phytonutrients to promote prostate health in adult men. Total Balance Plus for Women is created specifically to address the needs of women with extra calcium, vitamins and herbal extracts that relieve and prevent cramping, hot flashes, mood swings and other symptoms associated with menopause and premenstrual syndrome.

While a varied diet is the best source of nutrients for your body, taking daily health supplements like Total Balance from Xtend-Life Natural Products can help ensure that your body has all the nutrients it needs to boost your energy and improve your health.