Today we’re investigating one the body’s most vital minerals, magnesium. We’ll be taking a look at two different magnesium supplements: Nature’s Bounty 500mg Magnesium tablets & Nature’s Way 500mg Magnesium Complex capsules.

Nature's Way Magnesium Complex and Nature's Bounty Magnesium

Magnesium plays an important role in many functions of the human body. It has been linked to helping prevent osteoporosis, diabetes, anxiety, migraines, indigestion, constipation and other ailments. Magnesium is also important for activation of cellular energy(ATP,Adenosine triphosphate). While magnesium is one of the most common elements in the human body most people do not intake enough magnesium on a daily basis. Continue reading “Review: Best Magnesium Supplement? Nature’s Bounty Versus Nature’s Way” »

Today we’re taking a look at Nature’s Way Psyllium Husks capsules.

Nature's Way Psyllium Husk Front LabelPsyllium husks come from the seeds of the psyllium plant. Psyllium husks are hydrophilic meaning they are attracted to water & readily absorb it. When saturated with water psyllium husks produce mucilage which is a thick gooey substance. Mucilage creates a film over mucous membranes, such as those found in the intestines. This film can help with the passage of stool as well as lowering inflammation by reducing the chances of irritation.

Psyllium husk is not digestible so it can be thought of as a “bulking agent”, meaning it will help add size to stool potentially increasing the chances of properly formed stool, which can aid with proper bowel movements.Psyllium husk is often advertised as a laxative, but it’s not a stimulant & can be used on a daily basis for those who want to try adding fiber to their their daily diet or treatment regimen. Fiber supplementation can be helpful for things like chronic diarrhea or constipation related to Irritable Bowel Syndrome or Inflammatory Bowel Diseases like Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis. Continue reading “Review: Nature’s Way Psyllium Husks” »

Today we’re reviewing Custom Probiotics CP-1 Adult Formula, a multi-strain probiotic containing 50 billion colony forming units.

Custom Probiotics CP-1 Adult Formula BottleWhen I first started looking into getting on a serious probiotic regimen I believed the holy grail of probiotics would be a low CFU(colony forming units) probiotic that you could slowly taper up as you got used to it. CFU is a measurement of the number of colony forming bacteria units inside a probiotic supplement. Supposedly the idea is that the more CFU the higher chances the bacteria will populate the digestive system.

My target at the time was around 1 billion CFU. This is why I reviewed a lot of products like Primadophilus for Children & Align. Part of the reason I was concerned with finding a low CFU probiotic was due to the fact that I often experienced herx reactions(flu like symptoms) & constipation when taking probiotics. My thought was that if I go low & slow, my body will adjust as I taper up. I’ve since learned that any probiotic I take gives me these reactions, so for me, low & slow has failed. I was often not taking probiotics because of the symptoms they produced.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the digestive system has literally zillions of bacteria within it. For someone with a serious bacterial imbalance, a 1 billion CFU probiotic product may cause a negative reaction like herx, but not offer any benefit as the bacteria die off before they can do anything worthwhile. Continue reading “Review: Custom Probiotics CP-1 50 Billion CFU Adult Formula” »

Today we’re taking a look at Now Foods Artichoke Extract Capsules.

Now Foods Artichoke Extract 450mg BottleArtichoke extract is taken from the leaves of the artichoke plant. The leaves contain Cynarine which increases bile production from the liver & gall bladder. Bile is a bitter substance that is used in the lower digestive tract to help digest food, especially fats. Artichoke extract also contains luteolin & apigenin which are flavones. Luteolin looks to have some benefits as far as helping control the immune system & reducing inflammation. Apigenin benefits are sketchy at best, but it is a known inhibitor of the CYP2C9 enzyme which many pharmaceutical drugs rely on to work. So if you rely on one of these drugs, you might need to hold off on using artichoke extract despite the dosage of apigenin being small. Continue reading “Review: NOW Foods Artichoke Extract” »

GoodBelly Splash, A Healthier Alternative In Your Grocer’s Cold Drink Case.

I recently reviewed GoodBelly BigShot, but for those who do not know about GoodBelly I’ll recap the main idea behind GoodBelly. GoodBelly is an organic, non-dairy, probiotic(Lactobacillus plantarum299v) drink. GoodBelly originally was just a single product but they have expanded their product line to offer GoodBelly BigShot, GoodBelly Splash, GoodBelly Plus & GoodBelly To-Go. The people at GoodBelly were kind enough to furnish me with some samples of GoodBelly Splash which I am reviewing today. Continue reading “Review – GoodBelly Splash Probiotic Drink” »

Goodbelly ramps up the probiotics with one of their newest products, “Goodbelly BigShot”.

A while back I reviewed the original GoodBelly drink, but for those who do not know I’ll recap the main idea behind GoodBelly. GoodBelly is essentially an organic, non-dairy,  probiotic(Lactobacillus plantarum299v) drink. GoodBelly originally was just a single product but they have expanded their product line to offer GoodBelly BigShot, GoodBelly Splash, GoodBelly Plus & GoodBelly To-Go. The people at GoodBelly were kind enough to furnish me with some samples of GoodBelly BigShot which I am reviewing today. Continue reading “Review – GoodBelly BigShot Probiotic Drink” »

For the many people dealing with acid reflux, lying down can literally be a painful experience. When a person is lying down on their back they are putting more strain on  their lower esophageal sphincter(LES valve). The LES valve is what keeps the contents of your stomach from flowing into the esophagus. One of the reasons for acid reflux disease is a weakened or faulty LES valve, meaning lying down flat on your back is just asking for trouble. Even those who don’t have acid reflux, but have other digestive issues such as Gastroparesis, Functional Dyspepsia or even Irritable Bowel Syndrome/Inflammatory Bowel Disease may have issues when lying down. I personally deal with bouts of indigestion w/ acid reflux combo along with my Irritable Bowel Syndrome, which is why I’ve been looking for a solution. Continue reading “Review – Trademark Bed Risers – Elevating Your Bed For Digestive Health” »

Review: Nature’s Life Betaine HCl – Hydrochloric Acid

Stomach acid(mainly Hydrochloric acid) is an essential part of the digestive process. It is one of the three main things(enzymes,acid & muscle contractions) your stomach uses to breakdown foods into things like sugars and peptides which your small intestine can then absorb.

Hypochlorhydria is a condition where stomach acids are lower than normal or completely absent. The interesting thing about Hypochlorhydria is that the symptoms are very similar to Gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD). There may be many people out there who are experiencing GERD like symptoms, but the medication they’re prescribed is either not working or actually makes their symptoms worse. This may mean they are experiencing low stomach acid instead of too much stomach acid. Usually doctors do not check to verify if that is the case or not. If you have Hypochlorhydria or you feel you have upper digestive issues related to low stomach acid you can supplement this Hydrochloric acid in pill form.


Bottle Of Nature's Life Betaine HCL
Continue reading “Review: Nature’s Life Betaine HCl – Hydrochloric Acid” »

Review: DigestActiv Digestive Enzymes From Source Naturals

Digestive enzymes are an essential part of the digestive process. They are one of the three main things(enzymes,acid & muscle contractions) your stomach uses to breakdown foods into things like sugars and peptides which your small intestine can then absorb. Some are born with digestive enzymes up the wazoo while others may be deficient or as they age become deficient. Signs of enzyme deficiency are rather generic and may mimic many others issues. Usually the symptoms are bloating, belching, heartburn, nausea or indigestion. Digestive enzymes are used mainly in the stomach & don’t normally affect the intestinal tract, however upper digestive issues can manifest new or worsen existing problems in the intestinal tract. Continue reading “Review: DigestActiv Digestive Enzymes From Source Naturals” »

Yogurt Review – Zoi Greek Style

August 28th, 2010 - Written by - 19 comments
Zoi Greek Style Yogurt Strawberry

Zoi Greek Style Yogurt Strawberry

The Rise of The Greek Yogurt Empire

Today we’re reviewing Zoi Greek Yogurt.

Zoi Yogurt is made by Auburn Dairy Products. It’s a regional brand found in the Pacific Northwest(USA). The packing is simplistic but charming. It advertises itself as having a “Great Taste – Fit For The Gods”. You can get Zoi in the following flavors: Plain, Vanilla, Honey, Strawberry & Blueberry. One of the best things about the fruit flavors is that they have “Fruit on the Bottom”, which I feel lends to the use of higher quality ingredients and allows one to mix the fruit in or slowly make their way to the fruity explosion awaiting at the bottom. I initially didn’t even know that there was fruit on the bottom(failed to read the label), there was the essence of fruit flavor throughout the yogurt even before I hit the bottom, so the fruit on the bottom was an extra bonus. Continue reading “Yogurt Review – Zoi Greek Style” »

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