8 Reasons To Kiss Your Amino Acid Supplements …

Not many people realize just how essential amino acids are to our body's function! Just about every single thing your body does involvesbuilding proteins - and proteins are made from amino acids. Our body synthesises some amino acids from the foods we eat (no matter what they are), while others need to be obtained whole from our diet. Amino acid supplements are essential for people that can't or don't eat a balanced diet - here are eight reasons that you should kiss your amino acid supplements!

1. Strengthens the immune system
   Alanine is an amino acid that helps strengthen the immune system, as well as helping you metabolise the energy gained from your food.
2. Fighting immune-related diseases
   An amino acid called arginine not only helps in insulin production, muscle metabolism and metabolism of fats by the liver, but also increates T-cell activity to help fight AIDS, cancer cells andchronic fatigue syndrome as well as normal bacteria and viruses.
3. Keeps your skin and hair looking fab!
   Cysteine is an amino acid that is in wide use throughout the body - but one of its functions is the synthesis of collagen that is used for keeping your skin tight, and making the alpha-keratin in your nails and hair.
4. Helps prevent Alzheimer's and memory defects
   Amino acid alternative health supplements that contain L-carnitine play an important role in mitigating age-related memory loss and protecting against Alzheimer's disease.
5. General anti-aging effects
   You can thank cysteine, among other amino acid supplements, for this one too! The liver detoxifying agent glutathione has cysteine as a one of its precursors - no cysteine, not enough glutathione.
6. Decreases stress
   Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) functions as a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, and actually occupies the receptor sites that would usually be plugged up by adrenaline, epinephrine etc.
7. Helps with ADHD and hypertension
   Another one to thank GABA for!
8. Stops your brain being eaten away…
   Always a handy substance to have in your body, glutamine scavenges ammonia from your central nervous system that would otherwise poison your brain. Thanks, glutamine!

Eight Little Gifts That Depression Gives

It's definitely not a standard sort of topic … thinking about the positive side of depression! However, if you’re caring for someone undergoing standard or natural treatment of depression and low moods, it is essential to try to find the positive side of each and every little thing that happens. It will help keep both your mood, and the person you’re caring for, looking upwards instead of down and in. Today we check out ten little gifts that depression can give … and remind you not to ignore the help that alternative health products can offer!

1. Time slows down. When you're living a normal life, it often seems that time races by with barely a chance to catch your breath, smell the roses or see your children grow. Depression can slow that all down.
2. Learning to say no. Being a 'yes person' often leads to depression, as you start to feel that you aren't really in control of your life. Depression can be the trigger for learning to say "No" when it is appropriate
3. Life is simplified. When you are depressed, you don't care about keeping up with the Jones', what shade of eye shadow to wear or whether you are carrying an extra 5 kilos.
4. Being thankful. People battling depression often learn, in their brief respites offered by exercise, love and doctor-recommended natural supplements, to be truly thankful for what they have and what people do for them.
5. A greater focus on your body, your brain and your health often coexists with a battle to lift yourself out of depression.
6. Depression creates a greater sense of perspective on what is important and what is not.
7. A stronger marriage. If people are willing to stick at a marriage, mental illness will definitely help make it stronger. Marriages are like our bodies - if they are never challenged, they never gain fitness or strength.
8. Culling the fair-weather friends and keeping the worthwhile ones is another very positive aspect of having depression or a mental illness.

Take Control of Your Health

We would not run a car without checking the gas and oil ourselves at regular intervals. But we run our bodies as if they were some kind of perpetual machine needing no maintenance. . . that is, until they break down. Moreover, we listen to our cars, for the funny whirring or clicking or grinding, and try to take appropriate steps before we grind the gears or blow a gasket.

WESTERN MEDICINE AND PERSONAL CONTROL

But what about our bodies? Growing up in a Western society means becoming responsible for the things we can control, like a car. At the same time, paradoxically, our culture often encourages us to be rather mindless about our own bodies. Instead of great daily care and regular maintenance, we are apt to leave it to doctors to “fix” us after we start falling apart in some way. In other words, on the health dimension, I’m not really a grown up.

Don’t get me wrong, please. When I am truly sick, I am grateful for modern Western medicine that can set my broken arm or offer me an antibiotic for an infection. But I want to be more proactive now, less reactive, less of a child about my own health. I know I have been guilty of running myself ragged and then asking my family health doctor to help put me back together when stressful living left me vulnerable to whatever was going around.

One of the biggest changes I have made over the past year is to become more conscious of how I am at a physical level. I have become to believe strongly in taking care of myself and in using alternative medicineand alternative health products.

TRY A NATURAL “BODY SCAN”

That starts with just paying attention to my body the way I might my car. One of the most basic things I do now to promote this is known as a natural “body scan.” To do one, I sit quietly with my eyes closed and, beginning at the top, with my head, I allow myself a few moments to feel my head without touching it, just sensing the tightness of my scalp or face, noticing the sounds that are entering, or perhaps the breeze blowing a wisp of hair across my face. I try to feel it from the inside out as well. Then I move down to my neck, then arms, hands, trunk, hips, thighs, knees, calves, ankles, feet, and toes.

Have you ever stopped to feel your fingers, for example, from the inside out? It will put you in touch with any tension that may be there. Do you feel tired at the end of the day? Stopping to note that your shoulders are hunched around your ears, or that you are breathing rapidly or shallowly could make a tremendous difference in keeping your body in tune. You wouldn’t drive 60 mph in second gear, would you? Or with a serious rattle? Okay, now treat your body and daily pace with that kind of care.

This simple practice is just one way that I am regaining control of my own life and boosting my own well-being! Another simple practice is eating well and taking a natural health supplement because I know that no diet is really complete. Natural health alternatives allow me to take charge.

What is one small thing you could start doing to be responsible for your own health. The thing is, you can always buy a new car. . . but we just get this one body. May yours glow with health from the inside out!

"You, Me & My Blood Sugar!"

The other afternoon after my lunch, I was browsing graduation cards in a local shop and overheard the three women on the other side who were really lollygagging in the birthday card section.

“Okay, ladies, it is now all about me and my blood sugar level!” laughed one of them rather loudly, with a tinge of insistence that was unmistakable to me. I looked at my watch—it was nearly 2:30 p.m.

I felt a sudden surge of empathy for her, knowing that she probably was suffering from low blood sugar and feeling the jitters and irritation I used to feel. Frankly, I also admired her light yet assertive way of reminding her companions that she really needed to eat before she fell apart!

I consider myself a self-diagnosed hypoglycemic. My life really changed when I discovered how to manage my own rollercoaster rides with blood sugar. It was by accident really, over 20 years ago. My husband had been officially diagnosed with moderate hypoglycemia after one of those grueling six-hour blood tests, so we changed how and when we eat in order to help him concentrate more and feel less anxious.

Hypoglycemia is a condition of abnormal sugar metabolism resulting in low blood sugar. It can paradoxically be created by eating too much sugar or refined carbohydrates. (It can be associated with other disorders, but this seemed to be his problem.)

In a nutshell, we were both eating way too much sugar, white flour and other refined carbohydrates, which are basically empty calories. This causes a spike in blood sugar followed by big drop—and therein lies the problem.

He was given a menu template that we agreed we would both follow just to make things simpler. It basically called for smaller but more frequent meals that were more nutritionally dense: proteins, complex carbohydrates, and fats. We also began taking nutritional supplements.

The results were amazing! Not only did Mark start to be more productive at work and home, but my general mood improved too! No more crying jags and unexplained blues, for a start. I also felt more energy and less irritation. This was my first insight into how “we are what we eat”! I felt more in control of my life again. I am grateful that we could do all of this naturally, without medications.

So no more skipping meals in order to finish a task or because I don’t feel like cooking. I keep stuff like turkey, cheese, nuts, yogurt, and the like for snacks. And no more coffee, sodas, or cookies for a boost, because I know I’ll pay for it double shortly afterwards. I’ve also found lots of great information from free alternative health newsletters that has helped me take more responsibility for how my day goes. There are lots of natural treatments of health conditions, from supplements to enhance our wellbeing. The choice is ours.

The Alternative Way to a Healthy Life

We have all spent our share of hours in our local doctor’s office or emergency room for ourselves or with our children or loved ones. We all know how stressful that can be -- not to mention the symptoms we are already suffering. What about those moments in life when symptoms occur that do not require immediate medical attention but you need some reliable advice whether for a cure or peace of mind? Not being able to speak with someone you trust at those moments in life can aggravate the already uncomfortable situation.

Then there are those moments in life when you just need someone to talk to about an illness or condition you are experience who can sympathize with you and your feelings. The good news is that online you can find just what the doctor ordered when it comes to alternative medicines for a wide range of illnesses and diseases as well as a reliable professional who is available to you on a regular bases. Through the web site thewayup.com you can receive valuable information on new alternative medicines as well as a spot that you can actually ask the doctor questions for advice and other guidance.

Browse through more than 200 alternative medicines for the common cold to different severities of depression. Find alternative ways for natural living including vitamins and other nutrients to add to your daily diet. Discover natural ways to prevent colds and other illnesses as well as control your moods to a certain degree. Learn more about vitamins for yourself and your children and when you have a question take advantage of the customer service offered by trained professionals who spend hours researching and studying different alternative medicines and all-natural herbs and vitamins. From herbal supplements to nutritional supplements including amino acid supplements and other alternative medicines, you will find exactly what you need when it comes to treating your body the all natural and healthy way.

Take advantage of free shipping in some cases, discount shopping, valuable newsletters, a free book on the natural treatment of depressionand much more when you join thewayup.com and purchase all your alternative medicines and other supplements. Within days you can have the perfect solution for your illness, disease or common cold delivered to your door step accompanied with the knowledge that any question or concern you may have can be addressed the same day by a professional who cares about you and your way of living.

An Alternative Solution to Healthy Living

I believe we are all tired of medication prices continuing to increase. I know I am! With the way prescription medications are increasing their prices no one will be able to afford them in 5 years. Why not switch to the new of treating illnesses now? The Way Up specializes in mood disorders and depression. We understand that sometimes the chemical imbalances inside of our bodies get in the way of leading a normal lifestyle. The Way Up is here to help! We provide real treatments with real results through natural health products.

Dr. Priscilla Slagle has been introducing nutrients into her treatment methods since 1975. She knows what she is doing and has a tremendous customer following. The Way Up has been in existence since 1988. We are located in Palm Springs, California but openly ship to anywhere in the world. Our website includes a ‘Quick Order’ tab that allows easy access to our entire inventory. Check out our shipping policies on our website for more information. State borders should not stop you from receiving the best medical treatments possible.

Dr. Slagle has introduced a new gadget on The Way Up’s website called, “Ask the Doctor.” We encourage you to use this new feature for whatever questions concerning health care you may have. Our products are not made for adults only. Check out our children’s medicine link for more information on treating your children with natural products. You may also sign up for our free alternative medicine newsletters. In these contain discount coupons, notices of sales, and offers that are sure to beat retail pharmacy prices.

If you are looking more and more into the alternative health products then Dr. Slagle has provided excellent books to get you started on your new healthy way of living. A few of the products we have in our inventory include natural herb supplements, minerals, iron products, protein powders, digestive aids, and chromium products. There are many many more so do not be shy to check them all out. We offer guides for new comers and welcome all questions. We have recommendations on the website as well. The next time you are looking for alternative health care products to improve your mental and physical health please consider The Way Up. We would be honored to serve you.

Should You Consider Alternative Health Supplements for Depression?

One thing is certain: Our moods and our bodies’ chemistry are very interrelated.

The most common mood disorder, depression, has been dubbed the “cold” of mental illness, given its prevalence. Fortunately research is contributing significantly to our understanding and to more effective treatments. The consensus from medical spheres is depression has both biochemical and genetic bases, with environmental factors involved as well. Traditionally, a combination of drug therapy and psychotherapy are most effective in relieving the resulting feelings of hopelessness, joylessness, and lack of motivation. [see January blog post].

There is always a search for new drugs because not all of the current drugs work equally well for all of those who receive the diagnosis of “depression.” Some respond better to stimulants, some to sedatives. Various causes and brain processes may be involved, it seems. Even so, they all seem to work by increasing the amount of serotonin and norepinephrine—two brain amines--available to the brain as neurotransmitters and thereby elevate mood.

One of the most intriguing new discoveries is that alternative health supplements may also help fight the low moods brought on by depression, as detailed in the e-book Up From Under. These supplements do so by acting on the very same parts of the brain that more traditional treatments for depression act on. A multi-nutrient health-promoting approach has the distinct advantage of no unwanted side effects, which is an important consideration.

The amines are so important to communication within the brain that it has mechanisms to conserve them and facilitate their functioning. To make a long story short, when that system is disrupted, depression can result. The precursor nutrients appear to provide an apt way to intervene in such cases because modifying their level can change the level of amines.

What are these precursor nutrients? They are already familiar to most of us! They are amino acids, enzymes, minerals, and vitamins.

Such an approach has many benefits, among them:

· Greater overall safety than drugs

· Safe for long-term use and for intermittent use

· Has other health benefits, included more energy, greater resistance to illness, and so on

· No withdrawal symptoms

· Can be used with considerable flexibility by each person over time

· They are non-toxic and do not accumulate in bodily systems

When you weigh the benefits against the costs, using whole food supplements and natural supplements a natural treatment of depression begins to make a lot of sense. The supplements themselves are readily available from reputable suppliers who carry high-quality brands of natural herb supplements, nutritional supplements, and amino acide supplements.

A Healthier Me

I decided a couple of years ago to take control of my health and begin to get into a routine of exercise and better eating habits. I also started taking alternative health supplements to make sure I was getting all the essential vitamins and minerals I needed to make my body as efficient as possible.

I realized that many of the foods I was eating were not helping my body as well as other foods could. I decided to limit the red meat in my diet to just once a week and I increased my consumption of whole foods, vegetables, fruits, and nuts. I had been taking medications for acid reflux and decided I should find a natural health alternative to those medications. I discovered that I could completely eliminate acid reflux from occurring just by eliminating the foods that caused the acid. I haven’t taken any medication for the acid reflux in almost a year.

So many people don’t know about the natural treatment of health conditions that they could be using instead of prescribed medications. Almost any type of illness or disease can be treated naturally, inexpensively, and effectively. Our bodies are designed to fight off these things and when we fuel our bodies to work on a specific problem our bodies are quite capable of eliminating that problem. I was skeptical at first but now I’m a true believer.

The alternative health supplements that I take are directly responsible for the increase in energy I have found, the weight loss I accomplished, and the overall good health I have been experiencing since I changed my lifestyle. I have probably added at least ten years if not twenty to my life and truly believe it’s never too late to improve the quality and quantity of your life. It’s a rather simple process but it takes commitment.

Alternative Health Supplements and … Your Anterior Pituitary Gland

When it comes to our feeling of wellbeing, some of the most important jobs in our body are done by some of the smallest organs. Your heart may be beating, your brain's neurons may be firing, and your lungs may be quietly inflating and deflating, but you can feel either horribly depressed, or on top of the world depending on what your glands are doing. In previous decades we have really been at the mercy of our hormones -- now alternative medicine offers every one of us a way to self-diagnose and treat our low moods quickly and easily. Today we are looking specifically at the role of anterior pituitary gland in our moods, and how you can support it.

What does the anterior pituitary gland look like, and where is it?

In medical terminology, anterior simply means that it is located at the front of the body. It is not a separate gland, but it is a separate lobe of the main pituitary gland. The pituitary gland itself is only pea-sized, and sits within a protective bony enclosure known as the sella turcica, at the base of the brain. It's main connection is to the hypothalamus, also within the brain.

What does the anterior pituitary gland do?

The anterior pituitary gland is responsible for secreting hormones to control bodily process like stress, reproduction and growth. It does this under the direction of hormones secreted by the hypothalamus, which receives information from other parts of the brain, and uses hormone production to try to respond appropriately to it. When it comes to natural treatment of depression and low moods, alternative medicine products can act on the anterior pituitary to help control stress, convert food efficiently into energy, regulate temperature and thyroid gland function and regulate blood pressure.

Alternative health products to support your anterior pituitary gland

One great side effect of alternative medicinal products to support the anterior pituitary are there anti-aging effects. Pro-HGH Symbiotropinsupports the anterior pituitary, and can also have effects like:

• Increasing muscle mass while decreasing body fat
• Thickening the skin
• Encouraging hair growth on the scalp, and helping re-colour hair
• Increasing general energy levels
• Improving vision
• Improving cholesterol profile

Focus on Amino Acids: Lysine

Amino acids are some of the most basic building blocks of the body. They help us function in every way that is important to us - movement, thought, sight and other senses all depend on the presence of a range of amino acids. Lysine is an essential amino acid, which means that we cannot synthesize it in the body - we need to get it from food or alternative health products. Today we take an in-depth look at lysine - what it is, what it does for us, and what you should do if you think you may be lysine deficient.

What is lysine?

As we mentioned, lysine is an essential amino acid. Lysine I a base amino acid, which means that it is often synthesied into other products - like arginine and hysitidine. When lysine is 'catabolised', it becomes acetoacetic acid. We first isolated llysine from casein, a wheat protein, in 1889.

What is lysine used for in the body?

At a base level, lysine is used in growth, to maintain the correct nitrogen balance in the body, and for converting fatty acids into energy. More specifically, lysine is also needed to:

• Produce antibodies
• Produce hormones
• Produce enzymes
• Repair tissue, assist with injury recovery
• Maintain healthy blood vessels
• Maintain blood cholesterol at an optimal level

Food sources of lysine

Most people get plenty of lysine through their diet, however there will be some subgroups who are prone to deficiency - particularly vegans and vegetarians. Red and white meat, cheese (especially parmesan), cod and sardines, nuts, eggs, soybeans and spirulina are all good sources of lysine, There are also trace amounts present in other foods - however these are the major sources.

Alternative health products with lysine

There are plenty of alternative medicine supplements that contain lysine. The best way to deliver this is in concert with other amino acids, in a complex formula. They often come in powder format, which is ideally taken in liquid such as water, or a milkshake o cup of soup, and with meals. You should take your lysine supplements in small amounts several times a day, rather than in ne big hit once a day.

Alternative Health Supplements and … Your Thymus

When it comes to discussion of hormone production and regulating biological functions, many people's minds move immediately to the brain. It is true that as the "Chief Executive Officer" of the body, the brain plays a large role in regulating our bodily functions. But, just like a real manager, it can’t be everywhere at once! When it comes to regulating your immune system, one of the key middle managers that the brain uses is the thymus, a gland located close to your heart. It is this gland that many alternative health products target when they are aiming to build up immune function. Today we get intimate with one of the most important glands in our bodies -- the general that wages war against foreign bodies.

What does the thymus look like, and where is it?

The thymus is located close to the heart, just behind the breastbone. You may actually be familiar with this from your dinners ... animal thymus glands are known as sweetbreads when they are used in cooking, and considered a delicacy. In children the thymus is grayish-pink in color, in adults it is yellow. It reaches peak mass at puberty, usually around 27-30 grams, and shrinks to around 6 grams by age 75.

What does the thymus do?

Here is where this little lump of lobules starts getting interesting! You have probably heard of T-cells, especially if you have ever known somebody with cancer. T-cells are so named because they are produced by the thymus gland. The thymus gland is responsible for creating and maturing thymocytes or T cells.

Although the thymus shrinks as we age (because a store of T-cells is built up early in life), the thymus still continues to play an important role in immune function even in the elderly.

Alternative health products to support your thymus

Most alternative health products which aim to support the health of the thymus use extracts of fresh healthy tissue from animal thymus glands. Tissue form the lymph nodes and the spleen is also included in many of the more respected brands, which are also involved in producing white blood cells under the charge of the thymus. A typical breakdown of these products is as follows:

• Thymic extract
• Lymph extract
• Spleen extract
• Goldenseal root
• Echinacea
• Cloves

Goodies from the Free Book on Natural treatment of Depression: All About the Zung Self-Rating Scale

One of the most difficult things about depression is how tough it is to diagnose. From the inside, people usually don't realize that they have clinical depression -- they think that they'll be fine as soon as one thing in their lives changes, or they attribute symptoms to a transient phenomenon. When depression is left longer without treatment, however, the neural pathways that are involved in depressed ways of thinking become more firmly entrenched -- and more difficult to break. One way of easily deciding whether it is time to see a doctor or investigate drug free treatment of depression, is using the Zung self-rating scale. We tell you all about it here.

The test

The rating scale was developed as a tool for initial self-diagnosis, or for a physician to initially diagnose depression, by William WK Zung. There is an adapted version of the test for anxiety, simply known as the Zung self-rating anxiety scale. The test has questions worded differently, at a ratio of half positively worded questions to half negatively worded questions. This helps to overcome the traditional bias that can be evident due to differing answering styles for quizzes.

The quiz itself is below.

ZUNG SELF-RATING SCALE FOR DEPRESSION	None or a little of the time	Some of the time	Good part of the time	Most or all of the time
1. I feel down hearted, blue and sad	1	2	3	4
2. Morning is when I feel the best	1	2	3	4
3. I have crying spells or feel like it	1	2	3	4
4. I have trouble sleeping through the night	1	2	3	4
5. I eat as much as I used to	1	2	3	4
6. I enjoy looking at, talking to and being with attractive women/men	1	2	3	4
7. I notice that I am losing weight	1	2	3	4
8. I have trouble with constipation	1	2	3	4
9. My heart beats faster than usual	1	2	3	4
10. I get tired for no reason	1	2	3	4
11. My mind isn't as clear as it used to be	1	2	3	4
12. I find it easy to do the things I used to	1	2	3	4
13. I am restless and can't keep still	1	2	3	4
14. I feel hopeful about the future	1	2	3	4
15. I am more irritable than usual	1	2	3	4
16. I find it easy to make decisions	1	2	3	4
17. I feel that I am useful and needed	1	2	3	4
18. My life is pretty full	1	2	3	4
19. I feel that others would be better off if I were dead	1	2	3	4
20. I still enjoy the things I used to do	1	2	3	4

The scoring key for the test is:

Below 50 = Within normal range, no psychopathology

50-59 = Presence of minimal to mild depression

60-69 = Presence of moderate to marked depression

70 & over = Presence of severe to most extreme depression

How to use the scale

Obviously, as you read through the questions, you'll notice that some of them are worded so that it might be difficult to give an accurate answer. For example, in the statement "I still enjoy doing the things I used to," your interests may have changed completely in the past few weeks or months, without any indication of depression. Temper the results with what you know of yourself.

Unconscious bias

Try to answer the questions as quickly as you can -- give an intuitive answer. If you are unsure of the results, have a physician administer the test, and give them your qualifications to any answers you feel might not represent you properly.

Alternative Health Products

Look into drug free methods for treating depression if you feel that you are mildly depressed -- and don’t forget common sense preventive actions like getting some exercise, even if you rate under 50.