A thistle tale

Good morning,

As I was reading the newspaper this morning, there was a great story on the death cap mushroom and some poisoning that occurred here in the SF Bay Area.  We have a doctor in the Santa Cruz area that knows how to deal with poisoning and his efforts have prevented deaths and liver transplants for these patients.   How was this accomplished??  Through the use of an intravenous form of milkthistle, also known as the wild artichoke.  Why is this important??  Well, the fact that milkthistle has clear hepatic (liver) protection qualities due to it’s flavonoids, primarily silymarin, supports natural products in a big way.  Even more important to you is the fact that LiverGARD is even more potent a liver support mechanism.  LiverGARD utilizes the entire cynara floridanum artichoke ( not the globe or scolamus version you see in the stores ) and sarsaparilla to enhance the liver supporting plant chemicals.  The resulting extract is the basis behind our product and it’s effectiveness, especially as compared to any of the milkthistle products in capsule form.  Most milkthistle products are standardized at 80% silymarin making this flavonoid the primary component.  In the case of LiverGARD, our complex of flavonoids includes quercetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, (+)-catechin, silymarin, cynarin, caffeic acid, and chlorogenic acid.  To read more about how valuable our supplement is, check out the following link, http://www.naturalbridges.ws/full_study.html.  Let me be very clear…I have no knowledge of LiverGARD’s ability to work with mushroom poisoning, but I can state factually that customers with elevated liver enzymes due to statins and/or painkillers have reported significant improvements, customers have reported improved digestion, and without a doubt customers have been using our formula for years to prevent the symptoms of too much alcohol, often referred to as the hangover.  Your liver deserves to be treated well, especially since we don’t always do the right thing to our bodies.   Make LiverGARD part of your daily longevity program.

All the best, NBPI   www.livergard.com   www.naturalbridgesproducts.com

Liver health helping the body cope with colds and flu

As we enter a cold and flu season that has many experts concerned, especially with the H1N1 (Swine) variety estimated to impact up to 120 million of us in the USA this year.   Viruses, whether the cold or influenza variety, are different than bacteria in how they replicate.  As they commandeer the protein system in a cell, more viruses are created and the residual effect of the ‘leaking’ of fluids, proteins, etc. from the infected cell must be metabolized.  The huge number of viruses infecting the cells in the body releases a toxic soup that ends up slowing down the metabolizing ability of the liver.  The result is headache, achy muscles, lethargy, or in other words – misery.   (This is similar to the effects of too much alcohol consumption or the alcohol hangover, in fact most of the ‘symptoms’ of the hangover mimic the flu. )  In most cases, the misery only lasts from 3 days to 2 weeks depending on the strength of your immune system.  This is where you can help yourself now.  Eating plenty of vegetables/fruits, getting plenty of rest, a decent amount of exercise, and frequent washing of hands should be the norm.  A supplement like LiverGARD can provide much of the daily antioxidant levels needed daily and keep the liver function top notch and when the inevitable strikes, your body will be in the best possible shape to quickly rid yourself of the viruses.

In health, NBPI   www.livergard.com

PS.  A good, but older article on colds/viruses can be found here:

http://www.healthieryou.com/cold.html

heart health and wine but what about the liver?

It’s an interesting question to me and is  actually relevant to about 80% of the adults that I know.  So many of us drink wine from the occasional glass with dinner,  a tasting party with friends at a winery, or the ‘crush your own grapes and we’ll make some ourselves’ crew.  Knowing that there is mixed evidence of the  heart health benefit of wine (and more specifically red wine) here is some information from the Mayo Clinic that helps us understand where the research is currently:

‘The studies supporting red wine suggest antioxidants in red wine called polyphenols help protect the lining of blood vessels in your heart. These antioxidants come in two main forms: flavonoids and nonflavonoids.

• Flavonoids. These antioxidants are found in a variety of foods, including oranges, grape juice, apples, onions, tea and cocoa. Other types of alcohol, such as white wine and beer, contain small amounts, too, but red wine has higher levels.
• Nonflavonoids. These antioxidants found in red wine have recently been of particular interest because they appear to help prevent arteries from becoming clogged with fatty blockages. However, these studies mostly involved mice — not humans. Resveratrol is the nonflavonoid that’s received the most attention from researchers.’

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/red-wine/HB00089

The rest of the article at the above link is good information as well.  The final recommendation that people shouldn’t start drinking in order to get the health benefits due the other health concerns associated with alcohol consumption is why I’m pointing out the liver in all of this.  Of course the liver is impacted, especially if too much alcohol is consumed.  So, the question begs…if we’re not going to stop drinking wine ( or beer or whiskey ), what can we do to get the heart health advantage without the negative liver consequences?  THAT, I do have an answer for…and if you read the MayoClinic information you’re going to see that my answer may also have heart health benefits that I haven’t even thought of.  My answer is a product called LiverGARD.  A food product extract comprised of artichoke and sarsaparilla, it provides nutrition to the body that allows the liver to continue it’s normal efficiency under the duress of moderate alcohol consumption.  It’s extremely high in antioxidants ( two capsules = 3-4 cups of blueberries );  high in polyphenols and flavonoids.  Exactly what is good for you in the red wine  for your heart and in this case the liver.  It’s no wonder then that it actually prevents the dreaded hangover that usually effects who???  Yeah, the light to moderate drinker or more pointedly, YOU.   So as we come in to the holiday season and football starts up and the grape crushing parties are underway, get yourself some LiverGARD and have it on hand for everyone.  You’ll be doing your heart, liver, and lifestyle a huge service.  Check out www.livergard.com

In health,

NBPI

trying to figure out the demographics

It’s difficult to run a company in these times.  Who are my customers?  Why are they my customers?  Why aren’t they?  How to I get more?  How do I help people understand the benefits of becoming a customer?  How do I help them understand my company and our product(s)  and what and who we are so they want to be customers?  We’re always struggling with this…especially since we know we have an incredibly useful product for essentially everyone.  This is probably part of our problem because we can’t find a reason for anyone NOT to use our product.  It can be used strategically or tactically and sometimes both at the same time.   It is safe for almost anyone; even children.  There is both a health and lifestyle benefit from use.  It’s that GOOD.  From Maxim Magazine to the Santa Cruz Sentinel we’ve been positively reported on.  So after all this, what is the product?  That answer is LiverGARD.  What is LiverGARD?…it is a food, a supplement, a lifestyle enhancer, an energy provider, digestive aid, and yes…a HANGOVER PREVENTATIVE.   A food?  yes, as the sole ingredients are artichoke and sarsaparilla.  As a supplement you are getting 1650 ORAC units from every two capsules.  That makes up for several cups of broccoli and some blueberries.  Think about our kids getting their nutrition more efficiently and without complaint.  If your lifestyle includes such thing as working out, massage therapy, or yoga, then liverGARD helps clean out the body from the toxins released into the bloodstream.  Out of energy, then let’s look at why that could be before we take energy shots or drinks.  Since LiverGARD aids digestion and better metabolization, the foods we eat will be more adequately be used by the body.  This means more energy as sugars a more easily metabolized and converted to use.  See, these are all reasons for all of us to use LiverGARD every day.   LiverGARD; it’s not just to prevent a hangover anymore!  See for youself!

Liver Health in the NEWS

In the past three weeks there have been several major references to liver health in both treatment and potential harm to the liver via a certain supplement.  From our perspective, this awareness is welcome and indicates a growing concern for something that we’ve been paying close attention to for almost 10 years.  We’re very excited to see improved treatment posibilities for Hepatitis C.  I’ve blogged before on this subject and having a friend who went through the standard treatment (successfully) any improvement in results and fewer side effects is a huge positive.  I’ve also blogged about supplements and the need to clearly identify what is in the product and what the possibility for harm is.  Any of us who sell supplements have to be concerned about this and should not market any product, whatsoever, if there are any doubts to safety.  The hydroxycut issue is an example of this.   I’d like to see the various companies selling this product open their adverse events log and share that with the public.  Were these liver problems only recently reported or have there been other reports back to the manufacturer or reseller as to these concerns.  They should now do the research to find out why ( supplement/drug interaction, genetic type, gender, age, ???).  The supplement may be very safe except when certain conditions are present.  Hopefully that’s what happens next so that the consumer and the supplement industry can continue to benefit each other.  In the meantime, for those who have been taking hydroxycut, successfully or otherwise, I would be tempted to get some liver support supplements.  Look at the ingredients, any research, and decide for yourself.  What nutritional support can you give this organ to help your body maintain its optimum performance.  I can send you here to start and I trust you’ll finish here (after your research, of course).  See what LiverGARD is all about.  1650 Orac units per serving and only two ingredients – artichoke and sarsaparilla (like in root beer). www.livergard.com

In health, NBPI

Liver Health resources…

Thanks for visiting today.  I had taken a few days off to clear my head.  Too much on my plate and too little time to get to it.  As much as I have strong assessments/opinions (which I sometimes provide via this vehicle ) what I want to remain focused on is my desire to make sure that relevant information can get to you regarding the liver.  Hepatic (liver) research is ongoing and both pharmaceutical and natural considerations are being utilized to increase liver wellness.   We’re searching daily and will update weekly, information that we find on liver related issues and provide those links here.   Here one from the AP via Yahoo News that discusses an experimental treatment for liver cancer:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090331/ap_on_he_me/med_healthbeat_liver_cancer;_ylt=AhUVpTp241TAuy0KkqOwGFzVJRIF

Here’s another that links surgery with general anesthesia for children under 4 and learning disabilities:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102306350&ft=1&f=1007&sc=YahooNews

What’s relevant about that is how the anesthesia is metabolized.  Body weight, development, etc. impact the livers capabilities.  It could be that liver support might help reduce the impact in the body of the anesthesia.  Obviously research in this area is warranted.

Check back often…naturalbridges

Thank you Armed Forces members!

I was really grateful for the sales we received last week for liverGARD.  A good percentage of them were from listeners of Armed Forces Radio and sports fans who were listening to a friend of mine who does our commercials.  Shipping to  an APO is no problem and I’m glad that folks were listening and willing to see what we’re all about.  Both of the founders of NBPI are ex USAF and many of our team members are former USARMY.  The web guy is  former USN so you can see that we have tremendous respect for the sacrifices you all make on our behalf.   We know that liverGARD will serve you well on your tours in places that put a strain on your detox system.  Too many airborne pollutants get in your bloodstream and must be metabolized when passing through the liver.  Using liverGARD daily will help your body deal with all of that.  When you do get downtime, you can use liverGARD to support your evening fun without losing the next day due to a hangover.  Keep up the solid work that you do and recognize that a significant majority of us know that regardless of politics, the job you do is the price of freedom and we’re grateful.

NBPI March 12, 2009

generalizations mislead the average consumer…

If you follow the story on Yahoo linked here…http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090219/hl_time/08599188014500, you’ll see that at the end of the article there are some other links that talk about how vitamins and supplements in general may not be valuable to you.  As is typical of some of the journalism these days, this is generalized and not been vetted by anyone with real knowledge.  This is impacting you negatively.  FACT…organic is better than commercial.  This is not made up and organic foods can help you get the vitamins and minerals you need.  PARTIAL FICTION…vitamin supplements aren’t that effective.  What is fact in the generalizations mentioned in these stories is that most vitamin supplements aren’t that effective and here’s why.  Synthetically produced vitamins make up a majority of these products and it’s correct in stating that these aren’t all that great.  If only 10% max of the vitamin is bioavailable to the body, then that makes sense.  Vitamin E without the tocopherols associated with natural Vitamin E are not healthy for example.  If you look at the amount of binders or fillers ( the stuff that holds most of the multivitamins together) you get a bunch of stuff that your body doesn’t need and prevents more of the good stuff from being used by the body.  Vitamins, however, that are natural in origin are very good for the body and certainly can help provide support from immune function to overall general health and that’s what our bodies need.  So rather than just follow along with a story that is too general to be fair to you, dig a little deeper and consider the facts above.  Do your own research and you’ll find out that supplementation is useful and helpful, you just have to know which ones really work.  In our case at Natural Bridges Products and our supplement LiverGARD you can get wonderful antioxidant support via the organically produced raw materials that make up our extract.  It’s not about minerals and vitamins for us, but a natural food product that is really healthy.  To find vitamin supplements that work, stay away from the drug store brands…it’s likely that those multivitamins are produced by the same pharmaceutical companies that stock their aspirin and ibuprofen aisles.  Those will be synthetic vitamins that won’t help you very much and discredit the industry.  Demand natural origin vitamins and you’ll feel the difference in your body.    Remember, education is up to you.  If you rely only on what is being provided you via the mainstream media and don’t do some of the research, you will shortchange yourself.  The information is out there and we want you educate and learn about the possibilities that help you stay healthy and promote wellness.  It’s our mission and our promise.  Visit us at www.livergard.com to find out more about our products and spend some time reading the health journals to learn even more about other very good supplements that will have a positive impact in your life.

In health!  NBPI

Organic versus commercial and a supplement that does help

Sometimes we learn stuff that helps us lead better lives.  This is one of those times.  http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090219/hl_time/08599188014500  ….read this link on Yahoo.  I learned many years ago that commercially grown vegetables had lost much of their nutritional value.  My family started using organic vegetables and have reaped the benefits.  One of those benefits is taste which isn’t discussed in that story but one that my kids appreciate.  How this relates to LiverGARD is another matter.  LiverGARD is two vegetables, sarsaparilla (actually a root) and artichoke.  Both are grown organically, then harvested to make our extract.  What this means to you is an incredible amount of antioxidant value and nutritional value that your body can use.  At 1650 ORAC units per 2 capsules (420mg each) you get the equivalent antioxidant value of several servings of blueberries and significantly more servings of many other fruits and vegetables.  You can compare this at http://www.naturalbridges.ws/BruReport.html

So please do yourself a favor and buy LiverGARD or First Call.  They are one and the same and will help provide you and your family good nutrition to ensure better health.  What I like even more is that my kids, who don’t always like to eat their vegetables, can take LiverGARD and do so.  This way, as a parent, I know they are getting their nutritional needs met.  Mom was right…we need to eat our vegetables and one way to do this nowadays is with LiverGARD.  Visit us and purchase today….www.livergard.com

In health, NBPI

supplements versus meds

It’s been a couple of days…too many irons in the fire and my own health to worry about.  The good news is that all my tests came out in the better part of the statistics for my age and that’s even with a chronic lung infection that had been plaguing me since the end of November.  What has made the difference?  I can certainly tell you it wasn’t meds.  Rather try an asthma med that could have temporarily helped, I spent the better part of two months seeking out what was causing the problem versus treating a symptom.  Having the patience and the desire to do so has reaped tremendous rewards.  Here’s what I did:  First we did blood work, a pulmonary function test, and a chest xray.  By doing these it cleared my mind of any anxiety and worry about stuff that was unfounded.  That can drive you crazy and excarbate symptoms.  Then I paid attention to the triggers to my chest tightness and observed when and where and realized it wasn’t anything to do with exertion or activity.  Noticing that it was actually at home when the heater was on during this abnormally dry winter, or at someone’s house who also had their heater on we determined airborne pollutants, perhaps mold, ash, dust, mites; we’re still not sure.  At that point I added a mushroom extract supplement to my regimen and in 2 days the tightness disappeared even when the heater was on.  It was strictly a boost to my immune system that was required.  In another two days, I wasn’t producing any mucus in my throat and lungs and the breathing has been simple, free, and easy; like it’s supposed to be.  Now why is it that we don’t take the time with our kids and our families to do the same?  Is it that much easier to go to the doctor, get prescribed an asthma med or antihistamine that never deals with the real problem?  Now you get side effects, have to continue to go for follow ups and try other meds, when all that needed  to be done was find out what actually was causing the issue in the first place.  This is the problem in our system as it stands.  It feeds the pharmaceutical machine who have, like our financial machine, forced useless and dangerous products into the market causing significantly more harm than good, all for ‘profit’.  What should bother you is that these costs are paid by everyone with more expensive insurance and ever more expensive treatment options.   I’ll add another piece to this…because my liver was accomplishing it’s detox function extremely well during all of this my symptoms never got out of hand.  The doctor said keep doing whatever it was I was doing because it was helping even when we didn’t know what was up.  Well, what I was doing was taking LiverGARD, another natural extract of artichoke and sarsaparilla, which kept my body from breaking down further.  It’s that good for you and armed with new knowledge, I can continue to support my health and offer new reasons for you to use LiverGARD yourself.  Just think, if you’re on meds now, how much better your body can heal if the negative side effects of the meds can be minimized by elimination.  Do yourself a favor and educate yourself on the possibilities of natural health.  Start with LiverGARD and begin a journey into health that can never be understated.

All the best, NBPI     www.naturalbridgesproducts.com and www.livergard.com