What are Herbal Decoctions Anyway?

Ever Heard of a Decoction?    

Does it conjure up images of a witches brew?

 

Decoction literally means to concentrate the essence of a substance by heating or boiling, especially a medicinal preparation made from a plant.

This is exactly the method of preparation Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) uses to extract or release the chemicals stored in botanicals used for medicinal purposes. 

 

In fact, this was the way I was first introduced to Chinese herbal medicine.  I visited a Licensed Acupuncturist/Doctor of Oriental Medicine whom I was referred to me by my OB/GYN.  Yes, I was extremely fortunate to have an alternative minded OB/GYN who understood just enough about herbs to refer me to a professional.  I was 9 1/2 months pregnant.  (A small exaggeration, but this is how I felt.) The baby was overdue and there were no signs of labor.  I wanted a natural, gentle way to encourage my body into labor.  Rather than experimenting with a bottle of capsules my doctor insisted I see a Licensed Acupuncturist/Herbalist for a safe herbal prescription.

 

After a lengthy visit with the Chinese Medicine doctor,  I had my bag of roots, barks and berries boiling in my kitchen.  I cooked them as instructed. The correct word is actually, “DECOCTED”. This is generally boiling them at the appropriate temperature, for a certain amount of time, with a set amount of purified water. I drank them for three days and on the third day I went into labor.  Ok, the baby was due anyway but this was my introduction into Chinese herbal medicine.  It’s been over 20 years since I decocted my first Chinese herbs.


Herbal decoction methods have been used throughout the ages. Before the industrialized revolution built factories to produce herbal medicine into capsules and pills, people boiled herbs. Today we still have many traditional cultures which use herbal medicine the “old fashioned way”.   Boiling a pot of roots, bark and berries and then drinking the water left behind is the foundation of Traditional Chinese Medicine. 

 

The question remains, is drinking a pot of herbal medicine a better, faster, more effective way to use herbs than swallowing a handful of pills? 

 

The answer is without a doubt YES!   The average size of pills and capsules are very small and can hold only about 1/2 a gram of herbal extract. 

Even if the herbal extract is at a very high concentration, 1/2 gram per capsule (about 1/4 tsp)  is a very small amount to get a desired effect from the herbal medicinal.  Most encapsulated bottled products recommend taking 2-3 capsules once or twice daily.  This equals an extremely small dose of raw herbs or decocted herbs.  Practically speaking pills and capsules are fairly easy to take, that is, until you have to take 20 or so pills a day.  

 

Drinking your herbal medicine not only allows the chemical components from the plants to be more readily bio-available, it is also the way your body understands receiving nourishment.   Research has been conducted on the dissolution of herbs in our body.  Dissolving herb granules in hot water or decocting them allows the solvents to release their effect immediately thereby working more quickly in the body.  Whereas, herbal medicine combined with fillers such as dextrin in capsules or pills, (also used to prevent clumping), need very hot,  near boiling water to dissolve. This high dissolution temperature of dextrin inhibits the fast absorption.

 

With so much information available on the use of decoctions, it’s hard for me to choose a pill or capsule over granule medicinal herbal extracts.   Besides, who would want all those fillers in capsules and tablets anyway?

Touring in Taiwan? Stop to See A Chinese Herbal Medicine Factory

A New Chinese Herb Factory in Taiwan, Taiwan is gaining popularity with tourists. 

Greater Tainan Mayor William Lai, second left, listens on Sunday to a man telling the story of traditional Chinese medicine at a tourist factory that opened in the Guantian District’s Industrial Park.

Photo: Yang Chin-cheng, Taipei Times

Herbal medicine is for everyday life, not just for sickness, staff at a Chinese medicinal herb tourist factory said as it opened in Greater Tainan’s Guantian District Industrial Area on Sunday.

Tainan Mayor William Lai said Taiwanese are health-conscious and understand that taking medicinal herbs, even when healthy, is good for the body as a whole.

The Tian Yi factory combines relaxation, food and Chinese medicinal knowledge, specializing in knowledge of how Chinese medicine can be incorporated into everyday life.

General manager Chen Hui-chua said the new Chinese medicinal tourist factory is the third among 14 tourist factories in the municipality.

The factory has its roots in a renowned and venerated Chinese medicinal brand that was better at making medicine than carrying out marketing, Chen said, adding that it was the city’s hope that the factory could help bridge tradition-steeped Chinese medicine with a health-conscious modern world.

“Even if the tastes of Chinese medicine do not agree with everyone, we hope that healthy drinks and teas will eventually be embraced by the younger generation,” Chen said.

The factory is divided into four sections, including a gallery illustrating the development of Chinese medicine over the past 5,000 years, as well as the personal stories of traditional Chinese medicine doctors of old, Chen added.

“There is also an display that explains the process of making Chinese medicine and common concepts of when to use them” Chen said.

“There is a section where tourists can experience what it felt like to be a traditional medicine doctor in the old days,” she said.

“There is also a dining area, where people can try meals that incorporate Chinese medicines,” Chen added.

The meals are a joint effort by the factory and the National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism, she said.

Can Chinese Herbs Be The Next Cancer Treatment?

Traditional forms of  medicine may offer  hope for cancer.  

Experts from Cardiff University's School of Medicine have joined forces with Peking University in China to test the health benefits of a traditional Chinese medicine. The new treatments come from Chinese herbs used for liver, lung, colorectal cancers and osteosarcoma of the bones.

"Traditional Chinese medicine where compounds are extracted from natural products or herbs has been practised for centuries in China, Korea, Japan and other countries in Asia," according to Professor Wen Jiang from Cardiff University's School of Medicine, who is the director of the Cardiff University-Peking University Joint Cancer Institute at Cardiff and led the research as part of a collaboration between Cardiff University and Peking University.

The traditional Chinese herb formula consist of 14 herbs. The formula has been shown to be beneficial to cancer patients.  The researchers have discovered how the formula work.  Apparently it works by blocking a pathway which stops the spread of cancer cells in the body.

"It suggests that combining the formula with conventional as well as new therapies could hold the key to developing new treatments for cancer patients.

"We are already looking to clinical trials in treatment of lung and other cancer types."

Funded by Cancer Research Wales and the Albert Hung Foundation – the results will be presented at the European Cancer Congress 2013 which takes place in Amsterdam between the 27th September and 1st October.

http://www.sciencecodex.com/combining_chinese_and_western_medicine_could_lead_to_new_cancer_treatments-120173 

11 Easy Ways To Eat and Lose Weight Naturally Following The Asian Diet Plan

The focus of Asian diet plan is to create wellness. By practicing these dietary habits you will  have health and energy for life.

 We all know:  “Health is not simply the absence of sickness.” — Hannah Green

Consider ways to eat what you enjoy and enjoy what you eat by following these Asian Diet secrets.

This list has been perfected and practiced for centuries.

To paraphrase Sun Simiao, the great Chinese physician in the sixth century, one wastes the skill of a great physician if one does not first consider the food he or she are eating. This is still true today. Consider also when you eat and how you eat as you read the tips below.

11 Asian Diet Habits

#1. Limit Drinks, Especially Cold Drinks With Meals

Americans have a bad habit of drinking a cold glass of water or soda with meals. Changing this habit alone will create better digestion of food. Limit fluid intake with your meals and you will stop diluting your digestive enzymes which are so important for proper digestion. Green tea or other hot teas before a meal supports enzymatic activity and helps enhance your digestive abilities. It’s best to add liquids 30 minutes before or after meals, not during.

#2.  Enjoy Soup Often

Soup is a nutrient dense food and fills you up quickly. You don’t need much, just a half cup is beneficial. Most Asian soups are made with bones and/or combinations of vegetables so you’re getting lots of vitamins and minerals even with a small portion. Whether it is bone broth soup, vegetable or miso, soups are rich in vitamins and minerals and easily absorbed. Secondly, but equally important is that the warm temperature of soup (like tea) can improve the entire digestive process.

#3. Eat a 3:1 Ratio Vegetables to Meat

3:1 means three times the amount of vegetables to the amount of meat. The meat and potato American diet does not make much room for vegetables on the plate. In fact, the favorite American vegetable, potatoes, (i.e., French fries) should be replaced with sweet potatoes if you absolutely can’t live without that starch. Better still, consider vegetables with bitter flavors. Give radishes, radicchio and bitter melon a spot on your plate.

#4. Small Plates and Chopsticks

Small serving bowls and small plates are a great way to eat smaller portions. I love to mix up attractive small plates and bowls in different shapes and sizes. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing to eat from these but it helps you eat smaller portions. Chopsticks are another easy way to avoid the shovel techniques of eating. For the average American inexperienced chopstick user, they are guaranteed to slow down your rate of consumption and give your stomach time to send the message to your brain that you’re full and it’s time to stop eating.

#5. Rice Combining

Rice combinations like black, brown, red, or even purple rice are nutritionally denser than white or brown alone. (The best is unpolished/less processed rice, because it is rich in B vitamins.) Rice is eaten to supplement the meal in Asia, not a main course. Rice has always been a popular carbohydrate, cheap to grow and easy to transport and store. But as a carbohydrate it is converted into sugar during the digestive process. This means it can cause a dramatic effect in our glycemic index. This is good for fast energy, but bad if you want to avoid blood sugar fluctuations and bad for those who are diabetic or pre-diabetic. Rice combinations are less starchy therefore less sugar conversion and lower in calories.

#6. Not Every Night Is Dessert Night

My kids will tell you from the time they were very little if they asked about dessert, my standard answer was “tonight is not dessert night.” Admittedly, this didn’t work so well past the age of 7, but it’s still a great rule of thumb. If you must have dessert make it fruit. Fruit is nutritious and delicious and a common Asian dessert. Cut and serve it up in a fun and interesting way to make it that much more exciting. Sugary cakes, cookies and ice cream can be for special celebrations only.

#7. Seafood — See Food Differently

No need to repeat what we already know. Research supports this common Asian diet practice of eating fish daily. We’ve heard all about the healthy oils from fish. Fish has always been part of man’s diet nearly everywhere in the world, not just Asia. But the Asian culture has kept this part of their heritage alive better than most.

#8. Asian Snacks are Healthier

Take a look at what Asians eat for snacks and compare it with the American chips and cookies and you’ll understand part of the reason Americans are so overweight and Asians are not. Choose seaweed snacks, nuts, dried fruit and seeds. I love pumpkin and sunflower seeds. All are easy to find in nearly every market. These healthy snacks are packed full of micro-nutrients, vitamins and minerals and the choices are limitless. One caveat, do watch out for the salt content of nuts. Raw is preferred but admittedly not as tasty as salted. If you really want the salt, try “lightly salted” versions.

#9. Optimize Food Temperatures With Seasons

Energetic temperatures of foods should not be overlooked. Eat warming foods in cold weather and cooling foods in hot weather. This common-sense rule of thumb is barely spoken in Asia because it’s simply practiced. Cold drinks and cold foods such celery, melons and cold salads are not eaten in the middle of winter. Hot soups and stews with meat are preferred because this is what the body needs in cold weather. A hot summer day is the perfect time for watermelon or a cooling drink made with aloe and cucumber. Every food has an energetic temperature and acts on the body accordingly. Eating the right temperature foods during the various season of the year is an important part of a healthy diet.

#10. Avoid Cow’s Milk and Milk Combining

Milk combines horribly with just about everything, while supplying vastly too much calcium and not enough magnesium. Cow’s milk is completely absent in Asian diets. Other cultures such as Jewish kosher rules recognized thousands of years ago that milk products should be eaten apart from other foods. If you just can’t give up cow’s milk, at the very least don’t ignore the tenet of food combining. Combining the wrong foods, i.e., dairy, slows down gut motility to a snail’s pace, the exact opposite of what is best for healthy digestion. Replacements for cow’s milk are easier than ever today with the arrival of convenient cartons of almond, coconut, rice or organic soy milk.

#11 is regular bowel movements.

Healthy eating and good digestion create healthy bowel movements and a healthy gut is a clean gut. Although often not talked about in the S.A.D. Standard American Diet, a minimum of one bowel movement a day is an absolute necessity. So much of our immune system is dependent on our gut health and this is one reason proper digestion is key to optimizing our health and wellness. This is our body’s natural detox method and the last on this list of Asian diet tips.  Check out  Skinny Boost Herb Pack a Chinese herb formula for improving bowel health is the  #1 formula used in Japan to improve weight loss results and detox the gut gently and safely.

 

Embrace the Change – Menopause Health and Wellness Summit

Finally all you need to know on how to embrace the menopause change.

Now a days more and more women are seeking natural solutions for menopause symptoms such as depression, anxiety, weight gain,  insomnia, lack of libido and much more. Some of which can be extremely annoying and life interfering.

And that's why I am excited to announce that I will be collaborating with Kris T. Smith and many expert speakers to bring you much of those needed solutions for menopause during the "Embrace the Change" Menopause Health and Wellness Summit for 8 consecutive days starting September 22-29th, 2013.

It's a FREE summit that will bring you life-changing results and ways to help you thrive through midlife, peri-menopause and menopause. 

Go Here to Get your guaranteed FREE Spot
 

The 22 expert speakers will give you valuable information and life changing results for you to keep forever.

Topics such as:

How to Ignite the Flame in your Relationship and Thrive through Menopause

5 Ways to Avoid Packing on the Pounds

Vaginal Dryness

The 6 Secrets to Overcoming Weight Loss Resistance and Achieving Diving Health

The Mindful Way through Menopause-How to Stay Cool and Embrace the Change

Diabetes and Menopause

Living with Zest

“Stinkin Thinkin” during Menopause

Using Essential Oils for Menopause

Reclaiming Your Feminine Power

Stress Reduction

How to get Better Sleep

The Power of Mindset

AND MUCH MORE

I bet you are ready to Embrace the Change, stay healthy, be balanced, look and feel your best, and create your very best second half of life!

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE AND REGISTER FOR FREE, NOW

The best of this all is that is FREE and the 22 experts will bring you valuable information. There will also be many bonuses for you.

Sign up today—you'll be glad you did. You won't want to miss this opportunity of a lifetime!

Be Well, 

 

Cathy Margolin, L.Ac. Dipl.

President Pacific Herbs

 

P.S. REGISTER TODAY and RESERVE YOUR SPOT by CLICKING HERE NOW

Oh….don't forget to share the opportunity with all your friends and family as well.

 

 

           

All About The Schizandra Berry – A famous Chinese Medicinal

Schisandra-Berries

Schizandra berry has been a famous adaptogenic herb used for centuries in Chinese Medicine. Adaptogenic herbs do exactly what the name implies.  They help the body adapt. Schizandra helps sharpen the mind, helps the body deal with stressors, it increases alertness and is excellent in treating wheezing due to asthma. This berry is call We Wei Zi in Chinese, which means five flavored seed because it contains all five flavors, sweet, sour, bitter, salty and spicy. Watch the video to see all the incredible properties of this magic berry.

The 5 Biggest “Health Insurance” Tips You Will Ever Need

Love your body, be healthy and prevent disease.I having been surrounded (quite literally) for the past three days by so called “healthy products”,  everything from fortified lolly pops, safer nail polish to every type of infused water possible. I had three days of endless conversations with wellness experts from around the world, Naturopaths, Dieticians, Chiropractors, Acupuncturists, Herbalists, Homeopaths and Bio-Chemists to name a few. Every health professional I spoke to had the same resounding theme, the key to better health is not in any one of these hot new health products that you’ll find at the Natural Products Expo and later on a store shelf.  It’s not about curing a disease, it’s about PREVENTING it in the first place. The key is and always has been about PREVENTION.

So how do you PREVENT disease?  It’s actually not that difficult. Everyone can do it.
What you eat of course plays a big part and being a fast food society does cause “eating challenges”. (the subject of a later blog)
However, every health practitioner that I spoke with agreed that since all dis-ease (disease) is associated with inflammation and hormonal imbalances, getting those two area of the body in balance is the beginning to true prevention.
Think of prevention as the most cost effective “health insurance” available. Here are 5 tips to help your body be less acidic and more alkaline to keep inflammation to a minimum and a couple easy steps to balancing your hormones. (especially essential for women)
1. Reduce the sugar, it leads to inflammation. This includes fruit juices and products sweetened with fruit juice.  Most fruit is highly acidic.
2. Stay away from artificial hormones such as birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy and artificial “muscle building” powders. You can easily balance your own hormones through exercise and diet and you won’t need hormone replacements.
3. Get good quality sleep. Sleep helps the body heal and restores natural energy. When you sleep well, you will naturally produce more hormones. You won’t need that artificial, sugar laced energy drink and one cup of coffee will be enough. 
4. Add tea’s rather than coffee to your diet. There a thousand types of teas to choose from bags, loose leaf everyone can find something pleasing. Green teas (and others) naturally reduce body acidity and help reduce inflammation. Don’t misunderstand coffee has health benefits, but adding variety to your diet with tea’s provides other unique health benefits.
5. Exercise and learn some new stress releasing techniques like Yoga, Qi Gong breathing, Tai Qi and other types of relaxation / breathing exercises to reduce your stress. (All sorts of Youtube videos are freely available on these subjects) Get at least 45 minutes of sustained exercise everyday even if it’s just a brisk walk. Movement helps stimulate natural hormone production in your thymus, pituitary, adrenals and thyroid glands. Do it daily, for the greatest disease insurance.
It’s been said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, I think it’s something closer to a ton of cure.
This post is proud to be part of “Prevention Not Prescription Tues” at The Kathleen Show

Harvard Says Menopause Hormone Therapy Carries Proven Heart Risks

A very important study was just released from Harvard School of Public Health by the National Institute of Health.  This study on women’s health confirmed that combination hormone therapy used commonly for symptoms due to menopause increases a woman’s risk for heart disease.
 
 
“New analysis from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) confirm that combination hormone therapy increases the risk of heart disease in healthy postmenopausal women. Researchers report a trend toward an increased risk of heart disease during the first two years of hormone therapy among women who began therapy within 10 years of menopause, and a more marked elevation of risk among women who began hormone therapy more than 10 years after menopause. Analysis indicate that overall a woman’s risk of heart disease more than doubles within the first two years of taking combination HT.”
 
 
My hope is that this study will be read by the throngs of women who visit their medical doctors looking for a quick fix for hot flashes and night sweats.  Understanding these proven risks will surely save lives. There is a better way to treat menopausal symptoms using Chinese medicine and Chinese herbs. This less understood Complementary and Alternative Medicine has been practiced in Asia for centuries with truly remarkable results. Today nearly every community across America has an Acupuncturist and the profession is growing.
 
 
Jacques E. Rossouw, M.D., chief of the NHLBI Women's Health Initiative Branch and a coauthor of the paper, added, "Although the number of recently menopausal women who would be expected to suffer a heart attack during the first years of combination hormone therapy is small, the risk is likely to be real.”
 
 
The risk  of taking hormone therapy is real!   It can’t be much clearer than that. Yet, to me it sounds like Dr. Rossouw’s statement doesn’t want to cause panic so he says the risk is small. But if even one women dies unnecessarily from a heart attack due to hormone replacement therapy, in my book, that’s one heart attack and one life to many.     
 
 
I treat many women with menopausal symptoms and I understand how uncomfortable hot flashes and night sweats can be. Routinely I hear the common complaints about quality of sleep, how difficult it is to dress comfortably and all the other dryness issues from hair to nails to skin, etc.   I treat women with Acupuncture and with Chinese herbs. I don’t do anything miraculous as an Acupuncturist, but my patients get great results.  It’s the acupuncture and herbs that balance the body naturally and help ease the symptoms of menopause.
 
 
It’s also not a quick fix, many patients come for three to six months on a  weekly basis and are very compliant about taking the herbal formulas. Again it’s not me, it’s Chinese medicine that understands the relationship of Yin and Yang energy in the body and has been perfected throughout the last 2000 years.
 
 
My hope is that all women will ease into the change of life and experience little to no uncomfortable symptoms. But when they do, spread the word that help is available using Chinese Medicine and Chinese herbs that does not carry proven risk factors such as heart attacks. Acupuncture is safe and effective when performed by a licensed Acupuncturist. If you need a referral we are here to help. Use the yellow contact button on the left and just let us know your looking for an acupuncturist in your hometown.  
 
 
I always give links to studies in my articles, here’s the link for this one. http://www.nih.gov/news/health/feb2010/nhlbi-15.htm

Hormone Use Increases Breast Cancer Risk

Newly released research sugherbs for menopausegests that the long-term use of any type of hormones (this includes the birth control pill) can increase the risk of breast cancer. Women taking  long-term hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for menopause symptoms are at an even greater risk. 

Research has already shown that taking birth control pills with combined estrogen and progestin, the most common type, can increase breast cancer risk.

 

The outcome from this new study states any type of hormones (i.e. birth control pills, HRT ) after many years of use, results in cancer.

 

This new study tracked the health of over 100,000 registered nurses and found that use of any kind of hormones for 10 years (or more) raised the chances of developing breast cancer. "There's a continued increase in risk with longer durations of use and there does not appear to be a plateau," said study leader Dr. Wendy Chen of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

 

There are natural and safe answers to menopausal hot flashes, night sweats and other menopause symptoms.Traditional Chinese herbal medicine has been used for generations of women to elliminate the uncomfortable symptoms on menopause such as hot flashes and night sweats. See our Menopause Relief Herb Pack here.

 

 

The hormone picture has been confusing and now doctors say women should use the lowest dose needed for the shortest time possible.

– Estrogen use with progesterone for 10 to 14.9 years had an 88% higher incidence of breast cancer

– Estrogen use with progesterone for 15 to 19.9 years had an increase risk of “more than twofold”

– Estrogen use alone for 10 to 14.9 years had a 22% increased risk of breast cancer

– Estrogen alone for 15 to 19.9 years had a 43% increased risk of breast cancer

"It's hard to be surprised that if you keep taking it, sooner or later it's going to raise risk," said Dr. Robert Clarke of Georgetown University's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center.

——————————————————————————————-

Reference:

American Association for Cancer Research –    http://www.aacr.org/

See study here:

http://www.abstractsonline.com/Plan/ViewAbstract.aspx?sKey=489622a8-6ba9-4309-b54c-6e00a5886d06&cKey=726a2cb6-a357-418f-8fe2-cc997d8ce387&mKey={2D8C569E-B72C-4E7D-AB3B-070BEC7EB280}

New Research Says Breast Cancer Triggered By Artificial Hormone Progestin

Another day and another friend/mother/sister/daughter diagnosed with breast cancer.  Today breast cancer is affecting one in every eight women sometime during their lifetime  in the USA, Europe and the UK.   Looking around at my friends, family and extended family we need no reminders of the impact of these statistics. But there is good news, actually GREAT news– medical researchers at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna identified a key protein that triggers breast cancer and in December 2012 received a grant of $7.4 million from the USA Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program for ongoing research.

Working for the last ten years, the research team has been able to show the synthetic female sex hormone progestin used in HRT and contraceptive pills can trigger RANKL (a protein found in breast cells).  As a consequence of this trigger, mammary cells start to divide and multiply and fail to die when they should. Moreover, stem cells in the breast become able to renew themselves, ultimately resulting in breast cancer.

The research around the artificial sex hormone progestin, used in hormone replacement therapy, HRT, and in birth control pills has been the center of  work for  Professor Josef Penninger, (IMBA director) who found the first genetic evidence that this protein RANKL is the master regulator of healthy bones and breast cell multiplication.

“Ten years ago we formulated the hypothesis that RANKL might be involved in breast cancer and it took us a long time to develop systems to prove this idea”, says Prof. Josef Penninger. ” I have to admit it completely surprised me just how massive the effects of the system were. Millions of women take progesterone derivatives in contraceptives and for hormonal replacement therapy. Since our results show that the RANKL system is an important molecular link between a synthetic sex hormone and breast tumors, one day women may be able to reduce their risk by taking blocking medicines in advance to prevent breast cancer”.

Alternative answers are available for women suffering with menopausal symptoms and want relief from hot flashes and night sweats without adding artificial hormones to their body.  Natural solutions used in Traditional Chinese Medicine are available that are safe and are made from natural plant sources, not artificial hormones.

Alternative birth control methods beyond the pill include the  IUD’s  without hormones, condoms, diaphragm,  natural rhythm method and permanent birth control in the form of tubal litigation.

The research results presented here was an  international collaboration between lead researchers at IMBA and scientists at the Medical University of Vienna; the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, Australia; the Ontario Cancer Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard Medical School and the Ragon Institute of MGH/MIT and Harvard, Boston, USA; the Institute for Genetics, Centre for Molecular Medicine (CMMC), and Cologne Excellence Cluster (CECAD), University of Cologne, Germany; University College London, UK; and the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany.

http://phys.org/news/2011-01-progesterone-breast-cancer.html

 

 

 

 

New Menopause Treatment, Not So Fast

Menopause Relief by Pacific Herbs relieves menopause symptomsI’m happy to report that a new menopause treatment will most likely not be approved by the FDA. A panel of advisers to the Food and Drug Administration overwhelmingly voted against a Depomed drug called Gabapentin to treat hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause. Apparently, the benefits were heavily outweighed by the risks involved with this would be prescription menopause treatment.

Drug makers have been experimenting with non-hormonal treatments for menopause ever since they lost considerable market share with HRT drugs once they were proven to increase the risk for breast cancer and heart disease.

The FDA panelists overwhelmingly recommended the FDA reject the use of generically known Gabapentin pointing out that three company studies failed to show a significant reduction in hot flashes over 12 weeks. Patients also experienced side effects including dizziness, fatigue and balance problems. Gabapentin already carries a warning label that it can increase the frequency of suicidal thoughts.  The FDA often follows the advice of panelists although it is not required to do so.

Looking for a safe Menopause Treatment that works fast!   Look no further, Menopause Relief Herb Pack is here.

Natural Weight Loss Herbs- Skinny Boost

This is an informative video about Skinny Boost, the new herbal formula from Pacific Herbs!  It is the number one weight loss herbal formula used in Japan today, and has its roots in Traditional Chinese Medicine. This herbal remedy was first written down in 1070 AD and has been used ever since then. Skinny Boost Herb Pack is a time-tested weight loss remedy that helps improve metabolism, helps with elimination and gives your digestive system a boost so you can process and use what you eat more effectively. Give Skinny Boost a try today. We know you're going to love it. More about Skinny Boost here.