The Sisyphus Blog

Antioxidants are becoming the most talked about health and fitness trend in years. While we have always known that fruits, vegetables, and vitamins were good for us, we are just starting to realize how helpful antioxidants are to our bodies. Let’s discuss what an antioxidant is and then how you can best supplement your diet.

Inside your body, free radicals roam around and damage your cells. I won’t Read more…

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Ok so you might find the next few links interesting. These are from around the web, just random snippets that I’ve picked up in my reading, but I found some very cool information in them. You might too. Here goes…

Clearstream s’invite aux Journées parlementaires de l’UMP

Dominique de Villepin s’adresse a la presse avant d’entrer dans la salle d’audience dans l’affaire Clearstream./S. Read more…

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Wu Long tea (more commonly known in the west as “oolong”) is perhaps the most exotic and possibly the most beneficial of all the teas produced from the Camellia Sinenis plant.   Romantic legends abound as to its ancient origins, not least because “Wu Long”, translates literally from the Chinese as Black Dragon, allegedly because the leaves used for this type of tea are shaped like this mythical creature.  More prosaically, it is claimed that the tea was named after a man named Wu Liang who devised the unique method by which oolong tea is prepared, and whose name was later corrupted to Wu Long.

But whatever the truth of all this, it is not disputed that oolong tea has been highly prized since the time of the Emperors, both on the grounds of the health benefits it provides and because of the unique and delicate flavours with which it is endowed.  The term WuYi oolong describes a particularly prized variety; its name derived from the WuYi mountains where it is cultivated and prepared.

And it’s the method of preparation which is the key to WuYi oolong’s tremendous health-promoting power

The teas of the camellia sinensis plant may be roughly divided into green, white, black and oolong.  The black teas long familiar in the West are produced by allowing the leaves fully to oxidise, giving them their characteristic dark brown or black colour.  White teas, by contrast, are produced by steaming the fresh young leaves of the plant before they can oxidise at all. Green teas are produced by a similar process, but using older leaves.  Oolong teas are in truth a hybrid produced by a deliberate, but only partial oxidation of the leaves.  In this way much of the antioxidant power of green and white teas is preserved, whilst allowing the creation of a range of delicious  flavours.  Anything between 10 and 70% oxidation may be allowed, depending on the type and flavour of tea required.

So WuYi oolongs are known for their range of delicate and subtle flavours, often commanding premium prices as a result,  Like green tea, oolongs are free of the bitterness and astringency produced by the oxidation (fermentation) process and characteristic of black teas.  Oolong is also relatively low in caffeine and this combination of qualities has made it extremely popular as an aid to digestion and a soothing after-dinner drink.  But the health promoting properties of this fabulous drink, now attracting great attention, are far more profound than this.

Click below to enjoy your risk-free trial of the power of WuYi oolong

White Tea

Most importantly, the steaming of the leaves for WuYi oolong preserves much of the antioxidant power which is lost in the production of black tea.   Antioxidants generally are known to be vitally important in protecting the body against free radical damage to cells, and the premature ageing and even degenerative diseases which may result.  But the antioxidant polyphenols retained in green and oolong teas, notably Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG), have been credited with  health benefits going far beyond this.

Research has shown EGCG to be a powerful fat-burner and for reasons not fully understood it is claimed by some that oolong teas may be even more effective than green in this respect.  Like green tea, too, oolongs are superb boosters for the circulation, helping to break down the cholesterol and tri-glycerides (blood fats) which are common precursors of serious cardiovascular disease.

Both green and oolong teas have also been hailed as protectors against cancer, and while much research remains to be done, the idea makes sense.  In many, though not all, cases, cancer is principally a disease of degeneration, the end product of years and decades of damage to cells.  A diet rich in antioxidants can go along way towards reducing this damage, and consequently reducing the risk of disease.   And there are few if any pleasanter ways of sourcing these than a regular daily intake of exquisitely flavoured WuYi oolong tea.

So click below to enjoy your risk-free trial of the power of WuYi oolong
(now blended with green and white teas for even more antioxidant power)

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Western Science has finally “discovered” the miracle power of green tea – which the Chinese have known for 4,000 years!

The Chinese knew green tea from earliest times first as a stimulant to good digestion when consumed after a meal, stimulating the absorption of nutrients from food, but also as a powerful anti-oxidant and detoxifying agent helping to flush toxins from the body.  These qualities alone, common to all teas, would be more than enough to make it a very valuable health supplement.  But there’s  much more to green tea than this.

Green tea – nature’s fat metabolizer

If there’s one single disease that’s most characteristic of western society today it must surely be obesity; as a look around your local gym or shopping mall will quickly confirm.  And in truth, a lot of the other killer diseases of affluence, most notably diabetes and cardio-vascular problems, have chronic obesity at their root.
So can green tea help with this all too common, but disastrous health problem?   Swiss research published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in November 1999 suggests that it can.  The research concluded that green tea possessed thermogenic properties and promoted fat metabolism at a faster rate than could be explained by its caffeine content alone.  Or in layman’s terms, green tea is a powerful fat burner which can be a very useful tool in any weight loss program.

What makes green tea different

What makes green tea different from the black varieties with which we’re all so familiar, since all are derived from the camellia plant, is the method of production.  Crucially, leaves for green tea are steamed rather than fermented, preventing the oxidation (ie destruction) of the vital EGCG compound which gives green tea its power.

If you’ll forgive a little scientific jargon, EGCG is short for Epigallocatechin Gallate, one of a number of catechin polyphenols that occur naturally in tea.  But what’s more important to know is that EGCG is a very powerful antioxidant, the preservation of which has been indicated by research to make green tea anything up to ten times more potent than the more common fermented varieties.

[Click below for your risk-free trial of a high-potency green tea fat metabolizer and detoxifier.]

Green Tea Purity

This is not an academic difference.  In fact today’s western science is increasingly confirming the health benefits long claimed for the consumption of green tea. And amazing as it may seem, EGCG and related compounds in green tea appear directly to target the most common killer diseases commonly attributed to western affluence and diet.

One of nature’s most powerful antioxidants

Another striking example of the potential benefits of green tea is the case of the so-called “French paradox”.  Medical science had long been puzzled by the relatively low incidence of heart disease in France, despite its traditionally high fat national diet.  But then it was discovered that the red wine traditionally enjoyed in France contains significant quantities of resveratrol, an antioxidant polyphenol credited with protective powers against the effects of a fatty diet.

Amazingly enough, however, a 1997 study at the University of Kansas demonstrated that EGCG is up to twice as powerful as resveratrol.  Other research has credited EGCG with the ability to reduce total levels of cholesterol as well as improving the ratio of “good” (HDL) cholesterol to “bad” (LDL) cholesterol; and to protect against abnormal blood clotting.   This kind of thrombosis is a major risk factor for both heart attacks and strokes – still two of the biggest causes of premature death and disablement in the western world.

Green tea against cancer?

But perhaps most excitingly of all, there’s increasing evidence that the antioxidant effects of green tea may even have positive effects in the fight against cancer.  For example, in 1994 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of a study indicating that drinking green tea reduced the risk of oesophageal cancer in Chinese people by almost sixty percent.

And University of Purdue researchers recently concluded that EGCG can directly inhibit the growth of cancer cells without apparently harming healthy tissue.  This ground breaking study suggested that consumption of as few as four or five cups of green tea a day may have a significant inhibiting effect on tumour growth.  Whilst earlier studies had also indicated the possible anti-cancer benefits of green tea, this was the first to isolate EGCG as the compound responsible – a major step forward.

Whilst traditional Chinese medicine retains its focus on promoting the balance and harmony of the entire human organism;  on unleashing and then harnessing the body’s own incredible healing powers, with ever increasing interest in the health promoting properties of green tea, new benefits are coming to light all the time.  Already for example, the antioxidant (ie anti–ageing) qualities of the tea are being applied to the manufacture of skin care products.   That may seem a little far fetched right now, but there’s little doubt that incorporating green tea in your daily routine can deliver dramatic improvements in your well being.

And now you can find out for yourself with this free trial of a high-potency green tea fat metabolizer and detoxifier.

Green Tea Purity

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Why resveratrol is the main source of red wine health benefits

Resveratrol is a polyphenol type flavonoid currently exciting great interest as a potential boon to health.  Like other such compounds, it is a very useful antioxidant in its own right, but it has attracted particular attention as a potential solution to the so-called “French Paradox” -  that is the relatively low rates of cardiovascular disease enjoyed in France despite a national diet traditionally rich in cholesterol and saturated fat.  The French, of course, are also known as high per capita consumers of alcohol, particularly in the form of red wine.

Recent research appears to have established that the consumption of alcohol in moderation offers significant protection for the cardiovascular system, and may even reduce the incidence of related diseases by as much as 30%.  And although conventional medical opinion is characteristically cautious, there is also some good evidence that the resveratrol which is almost unique to red wine may provide health benefits which go far beyond those which can be explained by the effects of the alcohol alone.

The role of fat-soluble antioxidants in protecting the circulatory system from damaging free radical attack is already well understood, and the resveratrol and other polyphenols contained in red wine are therefore likely to be highly beneficial for this reason alone.  Laboratory tests, moreover, have shown resveratrol to have significant anti-coagulant and anti-inflammatory effects.

But that’s not all.  It’s known that some potentially harmful compounds in the body do not become carcinogenic unless and until they are metabolised by particular enzymes.  Research suggests that resveratrol may help inhibit the activity of these enzymes, and it therefore seems possible that the compound may have some protective effect against certain cancers.   It’s only fair to acknowledge, however, that orthodox scientific opinion quite rightly still insists that more large scale trials are required outside the laboratory before any protective effects of resveratrol against cancer can be definitely asserted.

But the anti-inflammatory properties of resveratrol may also have a significant protective effect in the battle against atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), a significant precursor of serious cardiovascular disease; and like other antioxidants, resveratrol is believed to help prevent the formation of the blood clots which if they obstruct a coronary or cerebral artery may lead to a heart attack or stroke, still two of the leading causes of premature death or disability in the West.

And amazingly enough it appears that resveratrol may also have a more direct effect in terms of increasing longevity.  A good deal of research has shown that reduced calorie intake may increase animal lifespans, including those of certain mammalian species, apparently by increasing the activity of specific enzymes.  Resveratrol has also been shown to stimulate these enzymes and to enhance the life spans of worms and fruit flies.

The Safe Way To Get Your Red Wine Health Benefits

To maximise your intake of resveratrol from wine you need to know that it’s confined almost entirely to the skins of red or black grapes, and is consequently found in significant quantities only in those wines produced by an initial fermentation on the pulp of these skins.  Naturally the longer the pulp fermentation is allowed to continue the more colour and resveratrol is leached from the skins.  So the colour of the finished wine is a handy guide; generally the richer and darker the colour the more resveratrol will be found.  Rose types and light reds may contain some, but white wines produced by a juice fermentation alone will provide little if any.

Usually it is the red wines produced in the sunnier latitudes of the Mediterranean, and the New World which will be richest in resveratrol, and dark red wines from these regions may provide as much as 2 mg in a small 5 oz glass.  But unfortunately, these wines also tend to be the strongest in alcohol, as well as so-called “congeners”, the mildly toxic compounds which can cause nasty hangovers.

Fortunately supplements of resveratrol are now readily available, principally in the form of red wine or red grape extracts, which will also contain other antioxidant polyphenols.  Recommended doses will typically provide between 10 and 50 mg of resveratrol, which it would be hazardous to health to attempt to achieve through the consumption of red wine alone.

There are of course many other reasons than resveratrol to drink red wine, not least the relaxation and sheer pleasure to be derived.  So continue to enjoy the odd glass, by all means, but why not also allow extracted resveratrol to supply you with a vastly more concentrated and much safer source of red wine health benefits.

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Siberian eleuthero root extract (commonly, though incorrectly, known as siberian ginseng), is arguably nature’s most powerful adaptogen.

But sadly, it’s just one of the many scientifically and time-proven stress remedies that so-called “experts” will swear you don’t need. To be strictly fair, though, those “experts” may have a point. But only if you get a regular eight hours unbroken sleep a night, eat a well balanced diet supplying every nutrient your body needs each day and consume alcohol only in strict moderation and tobacco not at all.

If you’re a typical twenty-first century animal, however, you more likely eat on the run – a snatched breakfast or none at all, lunch on a sandwich at your desk; and in the evening “enjoy” a highly processed, nutrition-stripped ready meal for dinner, giving thanks that you can always disguise the taste with the drink (or two) that by now you urgently need to help you relax.

It may be years before this way of life produces any treatable physical symptoms you can point to. But your energy levels are low, your muscle tone is poor, and you struggle to fight off even the most trivial colds and infections. The condition is so common that your physician probably uses the shorthand, “TATT”, to describe it. But don’t ask for the scientific meaning of this – it simply stands for “tired all the time”, and doesn’t respond well to prescription medications.

You see, conventional western medicine is primarily geared to producing a specific “magic bullet” treatment for each specific ailment with which it is presented. But it’s much less good at providing what you need to prevent you from becoming ill in the first place – that’s to say a powerful tonic and stimulant which will not only protect you against disease, but optimise every aspect of your physical and mental performance.

Fortunately, such substances are found in nature and are known as adaptogens, a term coined in Russia in 1947 specifically to describe compounds found to increase the body’s resistance and help normalise its functions in response to all kinds of stress. One in particular, eleutherococcus senticosus (eleuthero), has been the subject of exhaustive scientific enquiry, and

siberian eleuthero extract was approved for human use way back in 1962

But the power of this remarkable plant (an unprepossessing spiny shrub growing to a maximum of nine feet tall) has been known in China for at least 2,000 years. And it’s still widely used there as a general tonic and stimulant for improved vigor and general health, increasing resistance to disease and longevity in keeping with the general emphasis of Chinese medicine on prevention rather than cure, while promoting the harmony of the body’s own systems as the best means of ensuring continued optimal health.

In brief, research has shown a significant improvement in individuals’ adaptogenic response to all kinds of stresses; including heat, cold excessive noise and vibration, physical exhaustion, viruses and bacteria, and chemicals and pollution. In fact, so many and diverse have been the positive effects that eleuthero can be legitimately claimed to improve adaptation to the very stresses of life itself.

For an illustration of this power, it’s only necessary to look at the widespread use of siberian eleuthero extract by individuals whose occupations subject their bodies and minds to extremes of stress….

Cosmonauts, deep-sea divers, soldiers explorers, mountain rescue teams and elite athletes are just a few of the groups of such people to swear by the benefits of eleuthero

But it’s not just a question of helping the already supremely fit attain even higher levels of performance. Many modern scientific studies have now examined the effect of siberian eleuthero upon thousands of individuals of all ages, and the herb is also a traditional Chinese folk remedy for common ailments such as bronchitis, all kinds of heart and circulatory problems, rheumatism and male infertility to name but a few.

And in the 1960s eleuthero root became, and remains, extremely popular with countless thousands of ordinary Russians – which is not surprising as more recent Russian studies have confirmed eleuthero extract’s potential benefits in tackling cardiac disease, disorders of the circulatory system, blood pressure problems, diabetes and even cancer.

Now it’s important to stress that siberian eleuthero is not claimed as a cure for these or any other health condition; it’s rather that the herb performs the essential function of the adaptogen – acting as a tonic and stimulant for the entire system, and so helping the body’s natural healing processes restore it to optimum performance.

Click here for siberian eleuthero and more than 2,000 other top quality health products

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The Benefits of Blueberry Nutrition

Blueberries have recently been hailed as a superfood for their health promoting   properties.  But is it possible that these humble fruits can really pack such a punch?

Like most fruits, blueberries are packed with health promoting compounds, not least among these being vitamin C, the most important water soluble antioxidant in the body.  But vitamin C functions best in the presence of plant flavonoids (or bioflavonoids) which are themselves antioxidants and as such are important protectors against the damage to cells and tissues, which may be caused by the compounds known as free radicals.

So luckily, blueberries are also rich in flavonoids and the most important blueberry antioxidant, the flavonoid known as anthocyanidin, is thought to be responsible for most blueberry health benefits, particularly those which relate to the eyes.

Anthocyanidin is believed to be crucial for the maintenance of the body’s connective tissue, or collagen, on which depends the strength of the capillary walls, and is also vital for efficient blood circulation and effective use of vitamin C throughout the body. Anthocyanidin pigment is also an effective anti-bacterial agent, which is especially good for soothing digestive and intestinal disorders, but . . .

…it’s from anthocyanidin’s stimulating and strengthening effect on the circulation and tiny blood vessels of the eyes that most of the benefits of blueberry nutrition are derived.

The central area of the eye’s retina, the macula, is made up of countless light sensitive cells which are essential to good vision. These cells depend for their effective functioning on huge numbers of tiny capillaries which supply them with oxygenated blood and essential nutrients.  Using the power of blueberry nutrition to ensure a good supply of anthocyanidin may therefore be a wise precaution because serious and even catastrophic loss of vision may occur if any weakening of the capillaries through disease or free radical activity leads to any leakage of blood into the retina itself.

These kind of eye problems are particularly common amongst sufferers from diabetes and as well as possibly helping prevent this condition – known as “diabetic retinopathy” there’s also evidence that blueberries may help reduce the high blood sugar which is the root cause of the problem.

Blueberry antioxidant effects within the eyes…

…are also believed by many practitioners to help prevent the cataracts and age related macular degeneration (AMD) which remain an all too common cause of progressive blindness in older people.

But it’s only fair to acknowledge that conventional opinion in the medical and opthalmic professions remains unconvinced of the benefits of blueberry nutrition, their attitude being sceptical if not downright hostile. But nutritional therapists, herbalist and many alternative health practitioners are nevertheless convinced of blueberry health benefits. And of course this attitude of most (but by no means all) opthalmic professionals is very much in keeping with the profession’s traditional hostility to those pioneers who have sought cures for visual disorders rather than being content to rely on mere artificial correction of symptoms (ie prescription lenses), and in its persistent rejection of the evidence which supports more natural methods of improving vision and eye health.

But whatever your views about alternative therapies or diet supplements in general, the good news about blueberries is that they’re an entirely natural food stuff, consumed by humans since time immemorial, which can be easily and cheaply obtained, and which present no risk to health in any quantities conceivably likely to be ingested, even if taken in the form of a concentrated extract.

Click here for an inexpensive high-potency extract of blueberry and many other antioxidant fruits

Blueberry supplements are now easily available in good health stores, and are often found combined in mixed berry formulations along with extracts of red raspberry, strawberry, grape and even passion juice – all valuable sources of antioxidant flavonoids in their own right. For eye health in particular, blueberry is often combined with lutein and zeaxanthin, more antioxidants which evidence suggests may have powerful beneficial effects within the eyes, particularly in tackling AMD.

So if the claims made for blueberry nutrition are even partly true, then blueberries or blueberry supplements can be a potentially hugely valuable (and completely harmless) addition to your dietary regime.

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