This is my favorite product out of the wellness preservative-free skincare line (containing no parabens, fragrance, animal products, harsh chemicals, or preservatives). I've blogged about this eyecream before and still love how well it works at reducing the puffiness and dark circles underneath my eyes. A few of my friends also use is as a firming cream for their neck and face. A little goes a long way and if you use it for your eyes alone, it should last for 2 - 3 months.

I went a little crazy and stocked up while in Japan (no shipping to pay!). If you'd like to purchase a jar, please contact me directly at healthluxe at gmail.com. Retail this product sells for $106.43 USD, but while I have a few on hand, you can purchase it at the Member price of $83.37 USD. Purchase more than one and I will include a bonus 4-piece travel set Free ($20 value).

Most preservative-free products require refrigeration or have a short shelf life, this line uses a special water formulated to prohibit bacteria growth without introducing harsh or possibly harmful chemicals. 60% or more of what we apply to our skin is absorbed into our bloodstream. I recommend this eyecream to everyone, especially to women who are expecting and have heightened sensitivity to what goes onto their skin and into their bodies.

Ever since returning from Japan a few weeks, I'd been craving the simmered pumpkin that Naoki's mother made many times while we were there. Luckily, I found that Nijiya, our local Japanese food market carries organic Kabocha! The first time I purchased one, I selected the smallest (in case I made any mistakes in cooking it).

> It was simple to cut, scoop out the seeds, and slice into 1 1/2 inch or so pieces.
> To finish, place pieces of the pumpkin into a large pot, fill one third of the way with filtered water, soy sauce, and mirin (Japanese cooking wine).
> Sugar is optional, but I usually leave it out, as this vegetable is sweet enough (to me).
> Heat on high until boiling, then reduce to a simmer until the pumpkin is easy to cut through.
> Add a small drizzle of olive oil towards the end (my mother-in-laws suggestion) and serve hot or cold.

* My dear friend, who has the most amazing cooking skills, recommends adding butter. I have to agree that I love that richness it adds, but can do with out the extra fat, salt and calories.

* This lovely little dish makes a welcome addition to a packed lunch. It is rich in beta carotene, with iron, vitamin C, potassium, and smaller traces of calcium, folic acid, and minute amounts of B vitamins. <= last part pinched from Wikipedia.com

We just arrived in Japan yesterday after a long journey by car, plane, speedboat, and minivan!

Our first place to visit was my in-laws in Mie. My lovely mother-in-law, Misako-san, prepared a wonderful assortment of dishes of different types of sashimi, homegrown edamame (soybeans), lots of fresh vine-ripened veggies from their garden, and mixed rice loaded with yummy bits of shitake mushroom, tofu, and other greens. In addition to their green tea, they also have a huge garden of tomatoes, cucumbers, shiso (a type of basil), grapes, and much more.

For breakfast this morning, we had grilled mochi (rice cakes) wrapped in seaweed, miso (w/tofu, seaweed, and more mushrooms), fishcake stuffed with cucumber, and more melon and white peaches...yum!

"All the things you wanted to know and understand about natural health care for pets but didn't know who to ask".

GLYCONUTRIENT VET EXPERT
Dr. Arthur Young, DVM

5PM PT / 8PM ET
865-362-4150 1027#

On this call Dr Young will be speaking about Glyconutrients and their role in dealing with the epidemic of immune mediated diseases in pets. To ask questions, please visit his web site at http://www.homeopathyanimals.com and click on the Ask the Dr. page.

With over 56 years of experience, Dr. Young has observed the price our pets have paid because of the effects of over-vaccinating and excessive use of steroids and antibiotics, in addition to the questionable quality of most processed, commercial pet foods.

Dr. Young will provide alternative solutions that are non-toxic, natural ways to treat animals—even animals who are seriously ill—including preventative steps that you can take to ensure your pets’ health and increase their quality of life.

This call will take place every first Thursday of the month.

For the past few months there have been numerous (but not new) reports on the benefits of drinking tea, especially the green kind! Naoki's family has a beautiful green tea farm in Mie, Japan and they are ready to ship 2007 spring leaves. The cut off date to order will be this Thursday, May 10.

This green tea tastes different and has a sweeter and fresher flavor than what is available in most stores here. It can be cold brewed as well as served hot. Please allow boiled water to cool for a few minutes before adding the delicate tea leaves to prevent burning, which can alter the taste. Hadaseicha's tea is dark green in color, has a bold taste and was carefully harvested by Naoki's parents. Orders are available only once a year and large orders can be stored in the freezer to preserve freshness. My mother likes to order the teabags in bulk and repackage them to give as gifts to her health-conscious clients.

Wait 90 minutes or more to drink coffee, tea or milk,
after taking the iron.

To satisfy my fix, I blended two scoops of French Vanilla low-glycemic shake with one heaping scoop of naturally flavored orange fiber/energy mix (no, not Metameucil for those of you wondering!) along with a cup and a half of cold filtered ionic water and a handful of ice (also made from the same water). The taste and flavor was spot on, and the plus side was that this frothy drink was low-glycemic, high in protein and fiber.

This same concoction makes a lovely sorbet if blended til smooth then placed in the freezer for 30 minutes! Yum :)

When I was younger, my friend's mother used to make the most amazing homemade chicken soup and used these types of dates to give it a touch of sweetness. The dates also flavor tea in the most remarkable way too. What's special about the dates we received is that they're organic, do not contain sulphur, and their huge size. Most of the ones sold in markets are small and have a tiny seed, whereas you can tell that these were allowed to grow to full size before harvesting.

Please contact me via email if you would be interested in ordering any of these dates. You can learn more about these special fruit (sometimes known as "jujube" Chinese, "daechu" Korean, or "natsume" Japanese) on Wikipedia!

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Gerald Ellison, Ph.D., director of Psychoneuroimmunology Services at Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is another proponent of friendship for managing stress. He observed,

"Friends keep us from becoming isolated and lonely; they offer encouragement and support; and they help keep our thinking in line with the real world... When we're missing friendship, we experience isolation and loneliness. These feelings are associated with illness, discomfort, and general ineffectiveness as a person... Having friends can also be especially helpful if you're already seriously ill... Friends--if supportive and encouraging--can increase our hope when dealing with illness and trauma. And increased hope is associated with higher levels of immune system functioning."

Summary:
Friendship is a sound prescription in times of stress, for both our emotional and physical health. Dr. Ellison's statement seems a fitting summary:

"Friends--if supportive and encouraging--can increase our hope when dealing with illness and trauma. And increased hope is associated with higher levels of immune system functioning."

This documentary-style movie stirred up a lot of buzz within our group of friends, colleagues and also online with many of the Yahoo Groups I'm a part of. If you haven't seen it yet, it's something I would highly recommend be watched to my family and friends.

If you live nearby me (in San Jose, California) and are interested in watching it, please let me know. You can also go online and view it yourself for $4.95 at http://www.theSecret.tv or purchase it via that site or at Amazon.

In addition to glyconutrients, I regularly take a plant-based phytosterol, an antioxidant that ranks highest on the ORAC-O* test, and a multivitamin/mineral. For the past week, I've been taking a new multi that is 100% plant-based, including it's minerals. My energy levels have surprisingly gone up and it feels as though my eyesight has improved as well.

Most of the better quality supplements sold on the market currently chelate (coat/roll) their minerals in protein or other matter so the body will readily digest them. Occassionally though this is not enough and some of us that are sensitive may experience nausea or an upset stomach. During the digestive process many of the minerals we take in supplement form are flushed from our system once the body recognizes that they aren't in food form.

How the system of consuming vitamins and minerals is supposed to work -
Plants consume vitamins and minerals from the soil => Humans in turn consume the plant to get these essential nutrients. Of course this is a simplified explanation, but the fact is 97% of the multivitamin/mineral supplements sold are not fully assimilated in our bodies.

When we recently visited the supplement aisle at Wholefoods, the only wholefood supplements on the shelf were ones that incorporated spinach or another vegetable along with their chelated or non-chelated minerals.

You can click here to order this wholefood supplement or email me at jeanette337 at gmail dot com for more information.

* Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity

I used two containers of fresh cranberries, one navel orange cut into small pieces, xylitol, and pure blackberry honey. All of the fruit and honey is organic. After using the chop feature on the blender, I stored the contents in a jar for this Thursday's Thanksgiving dinner. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and/or a light dash of ground clove can be added.

To keep from overeating during the holidays, I'll usually have a light meal two hours before consisting of food that I'm used to eating on a daily basis, such as brown rice, fish or chicken and a dark green veggie on the side. When we arrive at my family's place, I'll use a small plate to keep portions under control. If I'm too lazy to fill a second serving, I've probably had enough to eat.

My sweet-loving family also always have a variety of desserts to gorge upon. Mom's pecan pie is my weakness, so I'll have a sliver and a nice hot cup of cinnamon tea to accompany it. This time I'll bring a lovely chocolate port from Sonoma Port Works (I blogged about this earlier) for my sister. It's heavenly drizzled on vanilla bean ice cream.

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By Maggie Fox, Health and Science EditorTue Nov 14, 6:38 PM ET

They were so addicted, they just could not give up their favorite daily snack -- not even in the interest of science.

But chocolate lovers who flunked out of a Johns Hopkins University study on aspirin and heart disease helped researchers stumble on an explanation of why a little chocolate a day can cut the risk of heart attack.

http://www.informedchoice.info/cocktail.html

If you're a part of the 7% of women who never miss a meal or make unhealthy food choices, maybe you don't need supplements. For the rest of us, supplements are a great way to fill in what's missing from our diets and may even prevent against disease. But with all the pills and potions on the market, which ones do you really need? The following guide will spell out which nutrients we should be taking every day based on the latest safety and efficacy research, which forms are best absorbed, and optimal doses.

The ground rules - Unless otherwise noted, all the nutrients on this list should be taken in a daily multivitamin with a meal. A multivitamin saves you money compared with buying dozens of individual bottles, and the nutrients will work better as a team. Also, recommended amounts are for adult women, not men or children. (It is specified if doses are different for pregnant, breastfeeding, or menopausal women). Bring this guide with you when discussing supplements with your doctor or when shopping. Most important, please remember vitamins cannot replace a healthy diet, but they can help compensate for what's missing - and provide you with peace of mind as well.

On that note, I'd like to interject and state that a wholefood, natural food multivitamin can be taken without food and without worry of nausea and stomach upset. Oftentimes multivitamin/mineral supplements contain minerals which are essentially dirt chelated in either protein or another matter that will trick the body into digesting it as food. The issue is that most of it isn't properly absorbed. The best way to get these necessary nutrients into the system is to take a multi that is made from natural plant matter that the body recognizes as food and is able to assimilate.

The cover of the program featured a DNA strand interlaced with fruits and vegetables, quite similar to a recent Newsweek cover that discussed the same topic.

Can what we eat/consume influence our genetic makeup and can we take a preventative approach to developing the diseases that are coded in our genes?

Good nutrition and supplements make a positive difference in our health and for most of us, without our health often not much else matters. Mothers-to-be can really impact the future health and lives of their children by making sure their bodies are well nourished, rested, and avoiding substances and environments that can be harmful to both them and their growing fetus.

Steer clear of these - alcohol, smoke, sugar-free foods containing aspartame or saccharine (such as diet sodas, candy, gum, etc.), too much intake of high-glycemic foods (such as white rice, bread, and potatoes).

Instead consume plenty of these - organic produce (fruits and vegetables), brown rice (Nijiya Japanese Market carries the best tasting organic brown rice we've tried), sprouted wheat bread, and proteins purchased from trusted places such as Whole Food Market, Prather Ranch Meats, etc.

For several years, the medical community disputed that supplements were necessary. It wasn't until a recent publication from JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) stated otherwise. Vitamins/minerals, amino acids, phytonutrients, glyconutrients (saccharides), fatty acids, and phytogenins should be supplemented into everyone's diet.

From the American Heritage Dictionary -
sup·ple·ment (spl-mnt) n.

1. Something added to complete a thing, make up for a deficiency, or extend or strengthen the whole.

The old nutrition paradigm was of a one-way process: "bad" foods gave you heart disease or cancer unless "good" genes intervened to protect you. New research suggests a continual interaction, in which certain foods enhance the action of protective (or harmful) genes, while others tend to suppress them. This supports what we know from observation, that some individuals are better adapted than others to survive a morning commute past a dozen doughnut shops. Individuals have widely varying responses to high- or low-fat diets, wine, salt, even exercise. Overwhelmingly, though, researchers expect that conventional dietary wisdom will hold for most people. [from MSNBC / Newsweek]

When our bodies are fed well and cared for properly, they are able to perform the most remarkable feats that we're often not aware of. In the first videoclip, you can see how the quickly Listeria bacteria infections can spread. In the second, you will see a macrophage cell the human body sends out to consume and kill the bacteria.

* All Natural Gelatin-free Gummy Bear Snacks - These contain a blend of freeze-dried fruits and veggies, along with other added essential nutrients. (No colors, fillers or preservatives) They are so tasty, I find them hard to resist eating by the handful.

* Natural and Super Fresh Tasting Japanese Green Tea - Brewed hot or cold, this is honestly the best green tea I've ever had. Most of the tea we buy at the supermarket has been sitting forever on the shelves or have been overprocessed. This tea is actually green and makes the perfect substitute to coffee in the morning. Does contain caffeine, but does not cause the jitters like coffee.

* Travel size Aloe Gel - Oftentimes most aloe products do not contain the active ingredients that fresh aloe does. This easy to carry gel is soothing to burns, cuts, and irritations. The healing ingredient of aloe has been stabilized in this product. Sunburns, papercuts, scrapes and bug bites are a few of the things we use this get on.

* Preservative/Paraben-Free Skincare - This line will launch in the U.S. in March of 2007; however, we are able to have our family ship it to us from Japan. It isn't anything like what is currently on the market and the results are remarkable! Did I mention I love the eye cream?

Please contact me directly via email at jeanette337 at gmail.com

Most of us seem to be starved on sleep as much as we are on nutrition. Included in this entry are a few tips on developing good sleep habits and maintaining them.

The ANA is also now offering a cost-efficient (non-biased) check up kit to score the amount of free radicals in your system. It is non-invasive procedure that's an easy way to help determine the impact of antioxidant nutrition in the body. Yes, urine is involved, but that seems preferable over the drawing of blood.

There have been studies done to show that too much antioxidants from certain supplements can actually cause an oxidative effect, therefore making it a pro-oxidant and causes much more free radical damage to the cells. More on that later.

Yesterday morning I decided to dine on rice soup and a half of an egg salad sandwich. For the rest of the day, I was nauseous, dizzy, and stuck with an icky taste. It almost felt like the stomach flu, but had come on so suddenly after eating that I believe it was the darn sandwich that made me ill. Ginger tea, ginger ale, antacids, and heating pads weren't doing a thing. I stuck it out at the office until the end of the day, hopped the train and managed to drive home without any incidents.

Took a shower, brushed the teeth and slept at 9:30 p.m. Before hitting the sack, I downed a handful of supplements and glyconutrient powder. When I woke up the following morning at 6 a.m. the pain and nausea was gone; however, after lunch later in the day a little of the dizziness returned. For the most part, this is the fastest recovery I've ever had from food poisoning! Thank God I didn't eat the other half of that sandwich!!

Nothing beats the taste of a freshly picked strawberry or tomato grown in your garden, or in our case, balcony planter. I never believed it til actually trying it for the first time! Our local farmers market carries a fabulous assortment of tasty, organic produce, which I believe probably tastes even more amazing right after it's picked.

We purchased organic baby tomato seedlings and wild strawberries plants from Whole Foods in Campbell earlier this spring. It was the first time I'd ever grown something edible.

Gazpacho is one of my favorite dishes, especially on hot summer days! This is an easy recipe that I modify to my taste using spicy peppers, more garlic and sprouted wheat toast (instead of the stale white bread). Since this is a cold soup, you can add Phyto-Aloe powder to enhance the nutritional value and taste. Enjoy!

Today we headed to the Farmers Market at Santana Row. Thankfully the crowd was light, as I believe most people were swarming around downtown San Jose for the Grand Prix racing event. There were quite a few certified farmers there and a handful of organic vendors as well. We left with decent sized bags of delicious white peaches, white nectarines, shiney red plums, juicy strawberries, and one crisp, j-shaped Armenian cucumber - all organic of course!

Afterwards we made a quick stop over at the Great Mall in Milpitas for something to eat and to get a bit of exercise in. Window shopping at a mall that's the size of four football fields definitely counts as exercise.

This particular mall has a mix of really cool and some seriously junkie stores. I usually have a lot of fun visiting the accessory shops that sell all types of sparkley stuff. It's a bad case of "Magpie Syndrome", being attracted by things that glitter and catch the light. Maybe it was from being full or from shopping the day before at the Gilroy Outlets, but I couldn't find anything to purchase even though there were some excellent sales going on.

A recent report stated that people who were currently taking prescription meds did not take additional steps to better their health, such as losing weight, exercising and improving their daily diet. On the other side, people who took supplements did take the time to shop for organically grown produce, at minimum walked daily and avoided poor lifestyle choices (smoking, fast food, etc.).

It's amazing how many drug commercials are on television these days. It's seems for every disorder you think you may or may not have, there's a prescription for it. I don't remember there being that many ads 20 years ago, but then I don't remember there being that many cases of cancer, diabetes, asthma, and other illnesses then either.

Last weekend, I worked an event in Las Vegas and had more make up on than a drag queen/showgirl. It had to be a few layers thick. It usually would take a good scrubbing that would leave my face raw for a few hours to clean the stuff off, but the cleansing oil did a quick and mighty efficient job of removing every last bit of war paint I had on. It took nearly two hours to apply the make up and less than three minutes to wash it off without any irritation. So, I guess I love the cleansing oil which I thought I'd dislike.

The serum seems to work well for my husband (yes, he's using it too) and my girlfriend, but I stopped using it after the third day. Vitamin C products tend to cause redness and makes my face burn a bit.

Lastly, the skin cream which is thicker than the skin lotion works well as a night moisturizer, but is a little to heavy for day use. Using it in the evenings really does soften my skin though. Oh and after using the aftershave milk, I haven't had any ingrown hairs or abrasions after shaving my legs!

All-in-all I am really pleased with this product line and am looking forward to see what the company comes out with next! Stay tuned :)

When our company recently launched a new paraben-free skincare line that uses a new technology utilizing bacteriostatic water to prevent bacteria growth, I thought it might be a good idea to do a little research. Aside from finding information online, what better way to learn about a new product than to use it?

There are seven (7) products total in this interesting assortment of skincare.

1. Cleansing oil
The idea of rubbing oil of any kind on my face to remove makeup seems foreign (and it is!). Many Japanese and Korean cosmetics have a cleansing oil in their line to gentle take off makeup. The texture is very light and not at all like olive oil or even baby oil. It does a fine job of lifting embedded dirt, foundation and eyeliner.

2. Cleansing cream
Included in our pack was a "foaming net" made from corn husk. It's a light and airy little net that does an amazing job of creating well, foam. It made the most luxurious lather which I couldn't seem to do with water and my hands alone. The cream contained fine particles of a special stone that does an excellent job of exfoliating and evening the skintone.

3. Skin lotion
When I think of "lotion", I think of a cream-based liquid, but this is a clear and very light moisturizing toner without any alcohol. It's cooling and moisturizes well without any heavy feeling.

4. Skin serum
Oh this contains vitamin C and a few other key ingredients meant to help with dark spots and improve dull looking, saggy skin. It's supposed to restore elasticity from within. (We'll see...)

5. Skin cream
This is the other product I really liked! It goes on light, but gives that extra moisture without feeling oily or heavy. It comes with a handy little spatula to pull out the perfect amount. I'll use this day and night.

6. Eye cream
I LOVE this stuff!! It's far better than anything else I've tried and really does live up to the hype. It's only been a few days and I've noticed significant different in a reduction of puffiness and definitely lightening of the dark circles.

7. Aftershave milk (for men or women to use as body lotion)
Haven't done this just yet, so stay tuned...

These products were developed and are currently only available in Japan. We are importing these products into the states until they're launched in the U.S., which is around a year or so from now. If you are interested in ordering them, please let me know. We can usually have them delivered directly to you via air shipping.

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From Nancy Schimelpfening,Your Guide to Depression.
A Good Vitamin Supplement Could Be Just What the Doctor Ordered

Did you ever wish that you could take a vitamin for depression? Well, for some of you it may be just that simple. There are a variety of vitamin deficiencies that can lead to depression symptoms.

The B-Complex Vitamins

The B-complex vitamins are essential to mental and emotional well-being. They cannot be stored in our bodies, so we depend entirely on our daily diet to supply them. B vitamins are destroyed by alcohol, refined sugars, nicotine, and caffeine so it is no surprise that many people may be deficient in these.

Here's a rundown of recent finding about the relationship of B-complex vitamins to depression:

* Vitamin B1 (thiamine): The brain uses this vitamin to help convert glucose, or blood sugar, into fuel, and without it the brain rapidly runs out of energy. This can lead to fatigue, depression, irritability, anxiety, and even thoughts of suicide. Deficiencies can also cause memory problems, loss of appetite, insomnia, and gastrointestinal disorders. The consumption of refined carbohydrates, such as simple sugars, drains the body's B1 supply.

* Vitamin B3 (niacin): Pellagra-which produces psychosis and dementia, among other symptoms-was eventually found to be caused by niacin deficiency. Many commercial food products now contain niacin, and pellagra has virtually disappeared. However, subclinical deficiencies of vitamin B3 can produce agitation and anxiety, as well as mental and physical slowness.

* Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid): Symptoms of deficiency are fatigue, chronic stress, and depression. Vitamin B5 is needed for hormone formation and the uptake of amino acids and the brain chemical acetylcholine, which combine to prevent certain types of depression.

* Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine): This vitamin aids in the processing of amino acids, which are the building blocks of all proteins and some hormones. It is needed in the manufacture of serotonin, melatonin and dopamine. Vitamin B6 deficiencies, although very rare, cause impaired immunity, skin lesions, and mental confusion. A marginal deficiency sometimes occurs in alcoholics, patients with kidney failure, and women using oral contraceptives. MAOIs, ironically, may also lead to a shortage of this vitamin. Many nutritionally oriented doctors believe that most diets do not provide optimal amounts of this vitamin.

* Vitamin B12: Because vitamin B12 is important to red blood cell formation, deficiency leads to an oxygen-transport problem known as pernicious anemia. This disorder can cause mood swings, paranoia, irritability, confusion, dementia, hallucinations, or mania, eventually followed by appetite loss, dizziness, weakness, shortage of breath, heart palpitations, diarrhea, and tingling sensations in the extremities. Deficiencies take a long time to develop, since the body stores a three- to five-year supply in the liver. When shortages do occur, they are often due to a lack of intrinsic factor, an enzyme that allows vitamin B12 to be absorbed in the intestinal tract. Since intrinsic factor diminishes with age, older people are more prone to B12 deficiencies.

* Folic acid: This B vitamin is needed for DNA synthesis. It is also necessary for the production of SAM (S-adenosyl methionine). Poor dietary habits contribute to folic acid deficiencies, as do illness, alcoholism, and various drugs, including aspirin, birth control pills, barbiturates, and anticonvulsants. It is usually administered along with vitamin B12, since a B12 deficiency can mask a folic acid deficiency. Pregnant women are often advised to take this vitamin to prevent neural tube defects in the developing fetus.

Vitamin for Depression?

Vitamin C

Subclinical deficiencies can produce depression, which requires the use of supplements. Supplementation is particularly important if you have had surgery or an inflammatory disease. Stress, pregnancy, and lactation also increase the body's need for vitamin C, while aspirin, tetracycline, and birth control pills can deplete the body's supply.

Minerals

Deficiencies in a number of minerals can also cause depression.

* Magnesium: Deficiency can result in depressive symptoms, along with confusion, agitation, anxiety, and hallucinations, as well as a variety of physical problems. Most diets do not include enough magnesium, and stress also contributes to magnesium depletion

* Calcium: Depletion affects the central nervous system. Low levels of calcium cause nervousness, apprehension, irritability, and numbness.

* Zinc: Inadequacies result in apathy, lack of appetite, and lethargy. When zinc is low, copper in the body can increase to toxic levels, resulting in paranoia and fearfulness.

* Iron: Depression is often a symptom of chronic iron deficiency. Other symptoms include general weakness, listlessness, exhaustion, lack of appetite, and headaches.

* Manganese: This metal is needed for proper use of the B-complex vitamins and vitamin C. Since it also plays a role in amino-acid formation, a deficiency may contribute to depression stemming from low levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine. Manganese also helps stabilize blood sugar and prevent hypoglycemic mood swings.

* Potassium: Depletion is frequently associated with depression, tearfulness, weakness, and fatigue.

About four or so years ago at age 28, I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and was given the options of either taking medication for two years, have surgery, or take the radioactive iodine treatment. Of course, I chose to take the medication (Tapazol) for two years. Six months later I had gained over 20 pounds, was cold all the time, and dealing with muscle spasms in the chest, backside, arms and legs. Somewhere along the way I had also developed a heart murmur. For that they prescribed Propranolol, a beta blocker. My endocrinologist retired around this time and I was reassigned to a different doctor. This doctor informed me that the medication was working as it should and the point of it was to destroy my thryoid, making me "hypo" instead of hyper, then I would be placed on the synthetic thyroid hormone for the rest of my life. This was news to me. My previous doctor had told me that Tapazol would regulate my thyroid and get it back on track. I was fed up, uncomfortable and depressed so I decided to stop taking all medication.

My husband, Naoki, had found out about glyconutrition two years ago and wanted us both to take it. Symptoms from the thyroid problem were coming back (temperature sensitivity to heat, constant sweating, tremors, blurred vision, weightloss, frequent colds, moodiness) and I was just tired of feeling terrible. About three and half months on the products I noticed the tremors disappeared and I could sleep better, as well as wake up refreshed. After four months my weight evened out to 110 and has stayed there. I don't experience sensitivity to heat anymore, and the best thing is that my vision has improved. Stress has a lot to do with things too, so in addition to taking the products I looked for ways to relax (knitting, turning off the tv and reading, etc.)

I currently take the following products on a regular basis:

Glyconutrient(original formula) - 5 capsules twice daily
Antioxidant (highest avail on ORAC-O) - 3 capsules twice daily
Phytosterol - 3 caplets twice daily
Whole Food Multivitamin - 2 caplets twice daily (the recommended use)
Heart/Cardio Supplement - 1 capsule twice daily

Avoid: kelp, heavily salted foods, kale (the small quantity in the antioxidant product is ok), seaweed/iodine bodywraps (spa treatment)
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If you or someone you know has Graves Disease / Hyperthyroidism and would like to learn how I became asymptomatic and normalized my TSH levels, please contact me before you consider radiating, cutting (surgery), or poisoning through medication. To comply with certain regulations I gave generic terms to the what products I've been taking. Feel free to email or call me for names of the specific products.

As far as glyconutrients go, there is only one company that follows strict guidelines (GMP - Good Manufacturing Practices) to insure you're getting the same active ingredient in every container and serving. They also hold worldwide patents on this technology. I am aware that there are places to purchase those supplements cheaper, but from what I've read tests have shown that they don't come close in quality or effectiveness.

My life and lifestyle has changed so significantly since using these products. Whatever your health condition currently is, I hope you also find improved health and happiness with glyconutrition as I have.