Pine Extract to Treat Infections

Pine Conifer Needles

  

Merry Christmas readers! In this joyous festive season, we will look into a natural wonder of mother earth today. 

The extracts of PINE CONIFER NEEDLES has been shown to contain many medicinal properties. In the 1930s, Russian forest biochemists were observing pine trees for their ability to thrive and remain evergreen through severe weather conditions. They found certain 'live elements' in pine conifer needles which was the key to the pine tree's good health and longevity, and when these 'live elements' were given to humans, they recovered from their illnesses.

This nutritional supplement contains a whole load of goodness, known as Bioeffective A (Brand: Nuvapine A). Bioeffective A comprises of chlorophyll derivatives, beta-carotene and other carotenoids, vitamin E, phytosterols, polyprenols, squalene, and many more other minerals. Below is a summary of all the nutritional benefits of Bioeffective A.

1. Antioxidant - This nutritional supplement helps to prevent premature aging in cells, helping with cholesterol and triglyceride lowering, protects cell from malfunction and disease, better heart and nerve health, improved immune functions.   

2. Anti-microbial - Bioeffective A has all antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal activity. This extracts help to protect one from infectious respiratory infections, helps with the recovery of respiratory infections as well. Besides, it provides protection from gastric ulceration (H. Pylori infections).

3. Gastrointestinal - This extract has shown to help improve stomach and gut health, providing better digestive health with improved immune health..

4. Detoxification - Bioeffective A has been shown to prevent toxin overload in the body by its detoxifying actions in the blood and liver. It helps with hepatitis, and has also been shown to reduce the severity of chemotherapy side effects.

Almonds Are Good For You!

Did you know the almond tree is a cousin of the peach, cherry and apricot tree?

Did you know that the almond tree bears fruits with very fragrant beautiful flowers, but we enjoy mostly the seed of the fruit, which we go nuts about; ALMONDS.

It will surprise you how this tiny little tear-shaped seed can bring so much health benefits for you.

1. Improving Heart Health

Research has shown that snacking on a handful of almonds everyday will bring you a long way towards protecting and strengthening your heart. The nutrients contained in this powerful seed have been found to help decrease blood sugar spikes after a high carbohydrate meal, hence a reduction in incidences of heart disease over time.


2. Almonds Take All Your Stress Away

Almonds are rich in stress-busting nutrients (particularly vitamin B and vitamin E). These vitamins help you relieve tension in your nerves. All you will need is to munch on a quarter cup of almonds, which is definitely enough to chase all the anxieties away! Next time your boss screams at you, chew on some almonds, take a few deep breaths, and you'll do just fine.


3. Rich in Calcium

We know dairy products are the way to get calcium into our body. But do you also know that besides the former, ALMONDS are one of the richest sources of calcium around too!. Just about 14 grams of almonds give you about 37 grams of calcium (Harvard University Health Services)


4. Beauty Care

Almonds are as good for you when applied topically on your skin. They're a great moisturising agent that can heal scars. Almonds have also been found to be able to relieve muscle aches. Have a read on the labels of your beauty products today. Don't be surprise to see almonds there.


5. Weight Maintenance

Everybody wants to lose weight. Fat is always an issue. Now, here's the way to go. Chewing on almonds have been scientifically proven to increased the feeling of fullness in oneself (Journal of Clinical Nutrition). However, there is a trick here. Chew 25-40 times before swallowing each mouthful of almonds. The feeling of satiety will stop you from reaching that bag of chips, and its definitely an effective way to tackle overeating which can quickly lead to obesity. 

Now that you know, go on and start munching on your almonds today!

Dietary Change is a MUST in Gout Patients

Gout is a terrible, painful condition that is now affecting almost 1% of the world's population.

It is a medical condition that can be prevented, if not well-controlled if proper education and awareness is present among this group.

Gout & Uric Acid

Gout is closely linked with the levels of uric acid in our body. Uric acid is a by-product of the metabolism of foods rich  in purines, and is also made by the body. Excess uric acid is transferred by the kidneys to urine and removed by the body. People with gout either produce too much uric acid or their kidneys are unable to dispose of it sufficiently. As a result, uric acid accumulates and forms tiny needle-shaped crystals in the joints, causing excruciating pain and inflammation.

A gout attack can occur overnight, followed by severe pain and joint inflammation that can last between 5-10 days. The big toe where it joins the ball of the foot, the instep, ankle, knee, kneecap, wrist, tip of the elbow, and fingers can all be affected. 

        

Medications

Medical advice should be sought early; non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can be a group of very effective pain killers to relieve gout pain. DO NOT TAKE ASPIRIN to relieve pain from an episode of gout attack. Colchicine is usually used together with NSAIDs for a short period.

The mainstay treatment of gout is to ensure that drugs used to control uric acid levels (such as Allopurinol/Probencid) must be taken EVERY DAY, even when there is NO ACUTE PAIN!

Dietary Changes

Gout patients MUST avoid all foods containing high levels of purines. 

IF DIET IS NOT CHANGED, THERE IS NO CURE TO GOUT.

1. Avoid/Restrict foods high in purines such as sardines, anchovies, shell fish, fish roe, peas, lentils, beans, Marmite and Vegemite.

2. Avoid large amounts of red meat.

3. Drink alcohol in moderation.

4. Drink plenty of non-alcoholic fluids, as dehydration can trigger an attack!

Aggressive Behaviour in Children Today - Soft Drinks

This is a very interesting study that is worth a read.



A study in the United States (US) has found a link between soft drink consumption and aggressive behaviour among young children. Data was collected among 3,000 5-year old children all across 20 large US cities, in the Fragile Families and Wellbeing Study. The results were shocking.

Those who drank more than 4 drinks a day were more than twice likely to destroy things belonging to others, get into fights and physically attack people.

 They also had increased attention problems, and withdrawal behaviour as compared to those who did not consume these beverages.

"We found that child's aggressive behaviour score increased with every increase in soft drinks servings per day."

 - Dr Shakira Suglia (Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, US)

Although the study was unable to identify the exact reasons on why soft drinks cause aggressive behaviour in children, it is recommended to limit or totally eliminate soft drinks consumption among children today to reduce behavioural problems.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids for Children

Omega 3 Fatty Acids are essential fatty acids that your own body cannot produce, and that is why supplementing it from our diet is crucial. There are 3 different omega-3 fatty acids;

ALA-Alpha Lenoleic Acid
EPA-Eicosapentaenoic Acid
DHA-Docosahexanoic Acid


What is considered the most essential for children is the component DHA.
How is DHA beneficial in children?

In a published Journal PLOS One, 

'Higher levels of Omega-3, particularly DHA were associated with better reading and memory with fewer behavioural problems among the children examined.'

'Lower levels of DHA was linked to poorer behaviour and learning in children.'

Sources of DHA would include fatty fishes such as tuna, salmon, mackarel, and sardines.
The recommended weekly intake is a minimum of two fish portions a week.

When you come across difficult children who refuse to eat any fish/ do not eat the recommended portion, it is strongly advised to start giving supplementation in the form of fish oil. Buy it at Farmasi Alpha USJ1 Subang today.

Hair Loss

Hair loss also known by its medical term alopecia, occurs due to a variety of reasons.

It is perfectly normal for one to lose about 50 to 100 strands of hair daily.However, when you start seeing lots of lost hair in your bathroom, or loads of it on your bed/floor, that is when you start worrying and thinking that you are gonna be bald soon enough.

There can be many reasons to hair loss. Stress, aging, medication and hormonal changes are some of the more common causes. Besides, practices like dyeing your hair in different chemicals and poor nutrition can further worsen this condition.

More importantly, how do you slow down hair loss or rather, restore what is left on your head?

1. Obviously, you got to EAT RIGHT. A healthy proper diet will provide your hair and scalp with the nutrition it needs.

2. KEEP IT LOOSE. For ladies out there, pulling your hair too hard to tie a tight ponytail or braid can hurt your scalp immensely, causing it to weep in agony.

3. BE GENTLE. Rubbing your hair scalp roughly will not help in this situation. Refrain from pulling your hair if this is part of that bad habit you have.

Depending on the severity of your hair loss, you might want to seek professional medical help if you lose quite a bit of hair in a short period of time. There is a medication that your doctor would recommend to you.
Read more below.

MINOXIDIL 
It comes in a solution, and its used to treat hair loss.
It dilates the scalp's blood vessels, allowing more blood and nutrients to flow through.
It comes as a spray. You are to spray 7 sprays each time to areas of hair loss, then gently massage into your scalp using your fingertips and leave it on for at least 4 hours, before washing it off. Administration is repeated, twice daily.


There you go. All the help you will need to save your hair today. Now, go on and speak to your pharmacist to know more about it!

Protect Your Liver Today

The Liver is the most humble organ in our body, yet one of the most important ones that we cannot live without. It cleans up all the oily and fatty stuffs that we eat after each meal. It helps to detoxify all toxins that hang around in our circulation, and aids in the process of digestion, to keep us nice and clean inside out. 

Yet, having said that, how much have we done for our Liver today?

The 'rule of the thumb' to ensure you have a healthy liver today? Diet and Exercise. We have heard that over and over again from our beloved doctors, read them in newspapers, and just know them by hard. But, do we practice what we hear and what we read today?..

The natural way to protecting your liver

Phyllanthus Nuri

This is a long-studied herb that have been shown to contain many medicinal properties, and one of them worth noting is its effect in liver protection. Researchers have discovered the main backbone behind this miracle plant is a compound called Corilagin. 

A year 2007 study conducted in liver-induced damage mice showed that proteins isolated from this herb brought the liver back to almost normal conditions. This suggests an ability of this herb to protect our liver tissues, and if liver is damage, this herb can stimulate the liver to repair itself.

There are other studies involving this herb as an alternative treatment to Hepatitis B, a viral liver infection. Although the evidences are not conclusive, the findings suggest augmented results when extracts of this plant are taken in combination with medicinal treatment.

In Malaysia, extracts of this plant can be found in the form of a tablet called Hepar-P. This is a product manufactured by Nova Laboratories Sdn Bhd. Make sure to grab a bottle the next time you stop by Farmasi Alpha USJ1 Mydin Mall.

Ten Easy Diets for Diabetic Patients

Diabetes is a silent killer, affecting over 2.6 million Malaysians nationwide. It is the 7th leading cause of death worldwide (according to World Health Organisation-WHO). It is that scary, yet many do not realise that the main cause of these terrible disease mounts from excess body weight, poor diet and physical inactivity.

Here are 10 very simple diet changes that you probably overlooked all this while. Read on... 

No.1 Replace White Rice with Brown Rice

No.2 Replace White Potato with Sweet Potatoes/Yam

No.3 Replace Regular Pasta/Bread with Wholemeal Pasta/Bread

No.4 Replace Instant Oatmeal with Steel-cut Oats/Rolled Oats

No.5 Replace Caffeinated Can-Drinks with Water/100% Fruit Juice

No.6 Replace Canned Fruit with Fresh/Frozen Fruit

No.7 Replace Sausages with Fresh-cut Lean Meat

No.8 Replace Steak with Salmon

No.9 Replace Corn with Dark Green Leafy Vegetables like Spinach

No.10 Replace Processed Sweets/Candy with Raw Nuts

The Living Journal

Heartburn

Heartburn is often described as a burning sensation in your chest, just behind your breastbone. Heartburn often worsens when lying down or bending over.

Some symptoms of heartburn can be similar to a heart attack. Urgent medical attention will be required if anyone describes pain radiating through the neck, jaw, shoulders/arms, and gets worse with exercise.

To prevent heartburn from recurring, one must be aware of different lifestyle changes. Below stated are just a few to note:

• Avoid foods known to cause indigestion/heartburn (citrus fruits, spicy food, tea&coffee)
• Eat small, but frequent meals, slowly
• Avoid tight waistbands, bending over or lying down soon after a meal
• Reduce alcohol intake, stop smoking, and lose weight
• Raise the bed head when asleep
• Avoid certain medications that cause and aggravate heartburn (iron tablets, anti-inflammatory pills

Do see a doctor if the symptoms of your heartburn are persisting for a period longer than 2 weeks.

Coughs and Cold for Children- Natural Remedies

Natural remedies are more sought after these days as there are now an increasing amount of researches to evidence that these remedies do have medicinal properties. The list below is a summary of remedies that one can use for your child when suffering from a cough or a cold.

1. Honey

 Administer honey directly on a teaspoon, or as a warm honey and lemon drink. Honey should not be given to babies under one year of age as it is associated with infant botulism.

2. Menthol & Eucalyptus Oil

These can be added to warm water to create a vapour to relieve congestion and ease breathing. However, parents should not use boiling water due to the risk of scalding, and should store aromatic oils out of reach of children.

3.  Aromatic Decongestant Rubs

Recommended to be used in children above 3 months to provide comfort. There are no evidences to date that these products have any clinically significant effects on cough and cold symptoms.

4. Ivy Leaf Extract

 A review of randomised trials testing the efficacy of ivy leaf extract in children with bronchial asthma showed that these preparations have some effect on improving respiratory function.

World Arthritis Day 12 October 2013 - Green Lipped Mussel Extract

In conjunction with World Arthritis Day that just went by last week, this weeks post will review on Arthritis and how this debilitating condition is burdening the ageing population worldwide today.

Arthritis usually involves the breakdown of cartilage, pain, inflammation and stiffness. It is one of the most prevalent chronic health problems and a common cause of disability.Three of the common diseases that make up arthritis are osteoarthritis(OA), rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile arthritis. 

The Community Oriented Program for the Control of Rheumatic Diseases (COPCORD) survey in Malaysia showed that 14.4% of those with a rheumatic complaint had pain in the joints, while more than half of those with knee pain had clinical evidence of OA.

Risk factors for arthritis include age, genetics, gender (60% of all arthritis patients are women), obesity, joint injuries, and repetitive movements. Arthritis can affect any joint in the body and every aspect of a patient's life. Knee OA, especially, can shorten many healthy years of life, affecting more women than men above aged above 50.

There is no cure for joint disorders, only prevention and management of symptoms. Natural products that help with pain and inflammation associated with joint disorders are emerging in the market today. One of such products is the New Zealand green-lipped muscle extract.

Research has shown that these mussels contain a combination of bioactive enzymatic nutrients, naturally occurring components such as omega-3 fatty acids, gylcosaminoglycans (important constituents of joint cartilage and synovial fluid) and nourishing marine minerals. More importantly, green-lipped mussels have shown to be able to inhibit enzymes called matrix metalloproteases (MMP). MMP denatures every cell in the body and this process starts at birth. However, MMP seems to denature joint tissues at a much faster rate in arthritic patients and in the elderly. Studies have now shown that this extract improves osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis in 70% of patients that take it.

Menopause: Herbs That Have Proven To HELP.

"I've got hot flushes".

"I just can't seem to fall asleep every night, its so frustrating!"

"My mood swings are just all day long. I don't feel like myself any more".

These are just some very common complaints of the dreadful condition, beginning with capital M.

MENOPAUSE.

As a woman reaches the age of 50, she is likely to begin experiencing many of the above mentioned symptoms, which accompany the end of her fertile years. The effects of menopause- sometimes lasting for years, can have a significant impact on the woman's quality of life, leaving her unable to function optimally.

There are many available options in the market that one can get today, to help ease the symptoms of menopause. However, many are already looking for more natural/less synthetic remedies that they can use to help alleviate the symptoms of menopause.

Herb#1- Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa)

The roots of the Black Cohosh has been used by the Native Americans since centuries ago to help relieve hot flushes, irritability and sleep disturbances linked to menopause. A year 2005 review of several studies 

examining the efficacy of this herb found very promising results in providing relief from menopausal symptoms, including hot flushes and mood swings.

Herb#2- St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum)

Again, just like the former herb mentioned, this bright yellow coloured plant has been used as a folk remedy for depression, anxiety and sleep disorders during the ancient times, and it is still practised up till today. In fact, researchers are all trying to get their hands on this herb because it has so much natural cures to ailments today, particularly in the area of depression. In the area of menopause, studies have found that St John's Wort can improve mild depression and irritability associated with this condition.

As with all herbs and supplementation, one is always advised to speak to a healthcare professional if one is uncertain or in doubt. There are always possibilities of medicine-herb interactions or even herbs that might not be suitable to be taken in certain disease conditions. 

Do drop by and visit our pharmacist at Alpha USJ 1 Subang Jaya for professional consultation and counselling services today.

Goodness of Goji Berries

Goji Berry (also known as Wolfberry) is a bright-orange red berry with a mild tangy taste. It has been used for centuries by the Chinese as medicine to cure a variety of ailments. They are packed with antioxidants, amino acids and other health promoting vitamins and minerals.

• 500x more vitamin C in weight than oranges
• 15x more iron than spinach
• 18 types of amino acids, which is 6x higher than in bee pollen
• 21 trace minerals such as zinc, iron, copper, germanium & selenium

You can eat them raw, brew them into teas, boil them in soups or make them into liquid extracts.The extracts of goji berries can now be found as a dietary supplements as well.

Do speak to your pharmacist for further information today.

Extracted from TheStar

The 101 of Detox

Detox seems to be the trend in the market today. Everyone wants to detox.
What you need to know all about detox will be written in this article.

No.1 Know your toxins.
There are 2 forms of toxins eliminated from our body, one water-soluble, the other fat-soluble.

• Water-soluble toxins: Eliminated via sweat/urine. For ladies, via menstruation as well.
• Fat-soluble toxins: This goes through a a process in our liver,  via two phases, Phase 1 and Phase 2.

Problem arises when there is an imbalance between Phase 1 and Phase 2 detox process. 

"Research studies have found links between imbalances of Phase 1 and Phase 2 detoxification processes to incidences of lupus, cancer and Parkinson's disease"

You see, there are many different nutrients that are required for each phase of detoxification. So, when you are lacking of any of such nutrients (due to diet/disease/detox packages), then that's when the problem starts.

No. 2 Know what you are eating.

1. Slimming diets - These diets are designed to reduce body fats. And they may be doing more harm than good, if they contain inadequate nutrients to meet Phase 2 detox process in the liver. There may be a x100 more chemical toxins in our fat cells than in our blood or other tissues. If these toxins are not properly cleared, they can travel to your heart, brain, endocrine systems as well as to your joints and tissues; causing pain, discomfort and bodily dysfunction.

2. Excessive refined starch/sugar - These causes increased blood triglyceride levels, leading to slower bile flow. Bile acid hardens, and become gallstones! DO NOT undergo liver detox programme if there is evidence of bile flow obstruction. Do a proper liver function test/GGT test/stool test that can detect this condition.

Alcoholic beverages and refined carbohydrates (bread, noodles, buns, pastries, biscuits, white rice) interferes with detox process. DO NOT add fruit sugar (that means NO fruit juices for breakfast, NO soft drinks for lunch/dinner) when you plan to detox because fructose is a big cause of fatty liver, after alcohol!

3. Dietary Fibres - You have to increase intake of this. Why? Because bile acid is full of toxins, and this is eliminated via our stools. If there is not enough dietary fibres ingested, than chances are a large portion if the toxins will not be trapped, but be absorbed back into our bloodstream.

No.3 How to Detox

Eating organic non-processed and non-GMO foods. Drinking filtered water.

Showering in non-chlorinated water. Having regular exercises, Healthy lifestyles.

AND, if you do want to try out a detox regimen at any one time, please consult the pharmacist at your nearest pharmacy store for better advice and understanding before indulging into one.

*This article was extracted from NewStraitTimes 

  

LOVE your BROCCOLI

Does your children love eating broccoli? Do you include broccoli in your everyday meal? If your answer is NO, perhaps this article will change your mind.

Scientists from the Institute of Food Research in Norwich have discovered that eating broccoli led to improvements in the chemical reactions that occur inside the human mitochondria (these are tiny 'batteries' that generate energy for each cell in the human body).

"Mitochondria are really, really important, and when they start to go wrong, it leads to many of the diseases of aging. We think this provide some evidence as to why people who eat diets rich in broccoli may keep in good health" - Prof. Richard Mithen

The research further shows that eating broccoli 2-3 times a week is probably enough. However, for those who are not a fan of this wonder vegetable, they probably have to eat 3 times as much as others before reaping any benefits. Start loving broccoli today! 

Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA)

• Super Antioxidant

This is a very powerful antioxidant; many times more potent as an antioxidant than Vitamin C and Vitamin E. The mechanism behind this is probably its ability to dissolve well in both fats and water. Antioxidants help to protect the mitochondria, which is our body's cells powerhouse, and DNA material from oxidative stress. ALA helps recycle Vitamin C and E, making these vitamins more effective when taken together with ALA.

• Energy provider

ALA helps the B vitamins in producing energy from proteins, carbohydrates and fats from food. It is used in our body to induce the breakdown of carbohydrates and to make energy for the organs in our body.

• Diabetic patients, you might want to read this

ALA has been found to improve insulin resistance among diabetic patients. In simple words, your body's cells can use insulin more effectively when you include ALA into your antidiabetic regimen. Hence, sugar levels are better controlled. You are always advised to consult your doctor or pharmacist first before including any supplementations to your medication regime.

ALA appears to reduce symptoms of pain, tingling, and prickling  in the feet and legs among diabetic patients (Neuropathy). It has been shown to be able to protect the retina from damage that can occur due to diabetes (Retinopathy).

• Anti-aging

ALA may help with the symptoms of dementia. Other studies have reported that ALA creams may help to repair skin damage related to aging.

ALA is naturally available in foods in small amounts like spinach, brocolli, yams potatoes yeast, tomatoes, brussels sprouts, carrots and rice bran. Red meat, particularly organs like liver is also a good source.

Do drop by our pharmacy today to supplement yourself with ALA.

Our pharmacists is available for professional counselling and advice whenever necessary.

Good Dental Hygiene

Many of us today take very lightly on oral hygiene. What is the purpose of brushing our teeth daily? So that we have better-looking teeth? Research now shows that the state of our teeth goes beyond aesthetics.

Normally, our body's natural immunity and proper oral hygiene habits like brushing and flossing our teeth keeps germs in our mouth under control. However, when our hygiene habits go out of the window, these germs may reach levels which can result in oral infections; gum disease.

Gum Disease 

Gum disease causes inflammation, and when this inflammation is severe, it can spread to the bloodstream, affecting other organs. One health problem associated commonly with gum problems is cardiovascular disease. Clogged arteries, stroke and heart attacks are among heart-related complications linked to gum disease.


Healthy Gums Lower Risk of Alzheimer's Disease

Studies have now shown that those with better dental hygiene have lower risk of Alzheimer's Disease.
It is believed that constant build-up of bacteria and debris in the teeth may trigger certain immune responses, which may cause nerve cell death, and possibly, memory loss in the long run.


Good Oral Hygiene Habits

• Brushing your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste at least twice daily with a good quality toothbrush. Remember to replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months or when the bristles become frayed.
• Eating a well-balanced diet
• Flossing and gargling with mouthwash daily
• Quit smoking
• Regular dental check-ups; Do not only go to a dentist when you have a toothache. Remember, it is crucial as well to get your teeth cleaned professionally on a regular basis.

This article is extracted from HealthToday