Vice President Yemi Osinbajo Endorses Bitter Leaf Capsules

Nigerian vice president, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has endorsed the Bitter Leaf Capsules dietary supplement. This was contained in a release by the manufacturers of the herbal product made available to Nigeria Natural Health Online www.kimekwu.com.

According to Mr. Greg, the Marketing Director of Nature Herbal Life, manufacturers of Bitter Leaf Capsules, "recently the Nigerian Vice President expressed interest in our product and also plans are been made to ensure that our popular product: Bitter Leaf Capsules are available throughout Nigeria."

Call: 07031040178

Bitter Leaf Capsule is an African Herbal, dietary supplement made in the USA. The product is one hundred percent natural and formulated to deliver the highest level of health benefit that you expect and deserve. Because the only ingredient use is the Bitter Leaf herbs, the potency of Bitter Leaf Capsules is guaranteed – what’s on the label is what’s in the bottle. Plus, the manufacturing of Bitter Leaf Capsules strictly adheres to the FDA’s (the food and drugs regulatory body in the US) Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMPs), ensuring that it is manufactured to high standards of POTENCY, PURITY, EFFICACY and SAFETY.

The following are some of the amazing health benefits derived from consuming Bitter Leaf Capsules: 

1. Prevent Cancer

2. Treat Prostrate Cnacer 

3. It also helps to reduce high sugar level in the blood, and great for diabetic patients.

4. Reduces Bad Cholesterol

5. Bitter leaf is said to soothe and also cure pile.

6. Taking Bitter Leaf Capsules Dietary supplement a day, is a great way to detoxify the body of harmful toxins.

7. Bitter leaf nourishes the skin.

8. Bitter leaf also cures mild stomach ailments

9. Weight Control Supplement
  

Bitter Leaf Capsules is now available in Nigeria and other African countries. To place orders and get it delivered on your doorstep, consumers as well as re-sellers/distributors should call or SMS Frank on +2347031040178. Email: kimekwucommunications149@gmail.com

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Speeding Up Fitness Recovery With CBD

Cannabidiol is a popular natural remedy used for many common ailments. Better known as CBD, it is one of the 104 compounds known as cannabinoids found in the cannabis or marijuana plant, Cannabis sativa. This article from Kimberly Torres gives vital information on the importance of CBD on work out and fitness.

Everyone’s talking about CBD (Cannabidiol). So, what gives? Well, quite a lot actually. Far from just being the health, well-being and fitness fad of the moment, this natural oil has plenty of proven benefits going for it. Like the fact that there’s scientific proof that it’s anti-inflammatory and anti-anxiety, great for your immune system and can even reduce pain.

Now, to add to these benefits, a study has found that using CBD while working out can also help speed up recovery times. 

More CBD, less stiffness, less soreness

Catabolic hormones are responsible for breaking down muscle tissue. When you’re looking to increase muscle mass and improve muscle tone, driving down your levels of catabolic hormones (including cortisol) is essential.

Excessive cortisol impairs protein synthesis and proactively works against tissue growth. When cortisol levels are too high, even the hardest hitting of workouts could bring about little in the way of muscle improvement. Yet on the flip side, cortisol is pivotal to protecting the liver and removing toxins (which is why cortisol is still needed by the body, despite its negative effects).

CBD oil can play a central role in helping your body hold onto to a natural cortisol balance.

“It actually mentions very specifically that the non-psychoactive cannabinoids like CBD are more preferable to use because you can give larger doses without any of the intoxicating or negative side effects”.

• Stuart Titus, president and CEO of Medical Marijuana, Inc.

A solid night’s sleep before hitting the gym
Your body recovers best (and fastest) while asleep, which CBD oil can help with too. Looking at the biology of it – CBD oil engages CB2 receptors in the limbic and paralimbic regions of the brain. These serve as the ‘control centers’ of the endocannabinoid system (the system that’s responsible for regulating sleep and mood).

CBD has been found to aid regular REM sleep (the deep, dreamy kind of sleep), which is exactly when optimum recovery time takes place. 

Up your stamina, with a rush of anandamide

Ever heard of runner’s high? If you’ve not been lucky enough to experience this euphoric feeling while working out, allow us to fill you in. Some think that it’s nothing more than a myth. But actually, there’s plenty of research out there that proves the existence of this phenomenon.

Runner’s high can be experienced after any long, hard workout that gets the adrenaline pumping. For decades, it was thought that the release of endorphins was responsible for the effect, but more recently a study has shown that it is the endocannabinoid system that lies behind runner’s high or, more specifically, a flood of anandamide, which is an endocannabinoid compound. And guess what naturally regulates this compound? Yeah, that would be CBD oil. 

Up your stamina x 2 – with regulated blood sugar levels

Last (but by no means least), we need to talk about blood sugar levels. Get these wrong with an imbalanced diet, and you’re going to be grappling with energy dips as you attempt to put in a reasonable gym performance.

Now here’s something interesting – while a carefully considered diet is absolutely essential to your blood sugar levels, chronic inflammation (which many athletes struggle with) can be a cause of insulin resistance (the hormone that regulates blood sugar).

Three years ago, research into this area found something staggering – that CBD could potentially be used to treat diabetes. This study reported findings that the anti-inflammatory properties of cannabidiol not only aided chronic inflammation, but also improved the body’s metabolism. This ranks among one of the most impressive benefits of CBD yet. And research into this natural resource are really only in their infancy.

So, CBD. It’s believed to aid stamina, regulate cortisol and blood sugars, and support you as you work your way to runner’s high. 

As an athlete, CBD oil is almost essential to pack into your gym bag as your sweatpants and sneakers.

Kimberly Torres is from the Content Team of Sunday Scaries, an organization that provides information on relieving anxiety and stress from professional, moral and financial hangovers, through various strategies including the use of CBD.

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5 Naturally Ways To Lower Your Blood Pressure Without Drugs

By James Adeyemi

If you have been diagnosed with high bp, it is very likely you may already be getting worried about it, and you might have even started taking High blood pressure Medication to try and bring your blood pressure down. 

After all, high blood pressure is a serious condition and it is only natural that you want to take steps to manage it. But lucky for you, you do not have to rely on all these expensive pharmaceutical drugs to treat yourself. 

Because with a few changes and improvements in your lifestyle, hypertension can be treated and treated even when your BP is too high or if you have been struggling with high bp for a long time. And in this short article below are 5 things you should do and shouldn’t do to manage your blood pressure naturally. 

Lose Weight: Excess weight and high blood pressure go hand in hand, as your weight goes up, your blood pressure will soon follow. When you are overweight, your body tends to hold on to fat and these can put more pressure on your blood vessels, or even make them get blocked. 

Exercise Regularly: Regular exercise makes your body stronger and healthier, it also strengthens your heart and blood vessels and lowers your risk of hypertension. Studies have even shown that people with healthy fit bodies tend to live longer and are at a lower risk for 

Limit Alcohol: Excess alcohol intake is dangerous to your body because it causes you to gain weight, and affects how your body absorbs magnesium and potassium which are essential nutrients for keeping your blood pressure low. 

So if you drink at all try to reduce how frequently you do it, so that your blood pressure can reduce or not go any higher. 

No More Caffeine: Caffeine is a natural stimulant found in coffee and soft drinks like Coca cola and Pepsi. Caffeine has a way of raising the blood pressure of people who drink it, it may also cause insomnia and restlessness. So if you have been diagnosed with High Blood pressure reducing your caffeine intake can help you bring it down. 

Reduce Your Stress: Chronic stress may contribute to your high blood pressure. Occasional stress can also contribute to your high BP especially if you react to stress by eating unhealthy food, drinking,alcohol or smoking. This lifestyle changes are a very good way to start..But if you are tired of relying on medications to normalize your blood pressure and its complications and almost given up..dont give up yet.

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7 Things You’re Not Doing for Your Skin But Should

Story From Penelope Andersan 

The quest for clear, smooth, radiant skin can feel like an uphill battle at times, especially when dealing with hard-to-control variables like pollution and fluctuating hormones.

Ask any celebrity about the secrets to a smooth, dewy complexion and you’re likely to hear, “Drink water and get plenty of sleep!” While hydration and rest can work wonders for your skin, most of us require a little bit more TLC to achieve a flawless face.

An estimated 85 percent of young people between the ages of 12 and 24 are plagued by breakouts – whether it’s pimples, congested pores, blackheads, or all of the above. As we get older, the worries over blemishes don’t end. The number of adults that struggle with acne is increasing, affecting up to 15 percent of women. Add fine lines, wrinkles, and dark circles to the mix and it’s no wonder the average American woman spends up to $300,000 on face products in her lifetime.

The quest for clear, smooth, radiant skin can feel like an uphill battle at times, especially when dealing with hard-to-control variables like pollution and fluctuating hormones. This can make it all the more frustrating to see models like Kendall Jenner and Jaime King look amazing even without makeup. While genetics have a lot to do with their perfect complexions, these celebs also have access to a crew of beauty professionals brimming with knowledge about the best acne treatments, face masks, and eye creams for every skin type.

Of course, having a makeup artist and facialist on speed dial is unrealistic for most of us. So, we asked a few people with great skin about their biggest skincare secrets. Here are seven simple tips for getting an Instagrammable complexion – no filter required.

1. Cut back on sugar

You’ve heard it dozens of times – sugar isn’t great for you. In addition to weight gain, cavities, and diabetes, eating or drinking too much sugar can lead to skin issues. When you consume sugar, it causes your insulin levels to spike, which creates inflammation in the body. Inflammation produces enzymes that break down collagen and elastin, contributing to sagging skin and wrinkles. In addition to aging your skin, sugar can also make conditions like acne and rosacea worse.

“Our diet can really impact our skin health,” explains Dana Sivak, a registered dietitian in Chicago. She says cutting back on sugar helped improve the tone and texture of her complexion. “Watching my sugar intake throughout the day so it doesn’t exceed the recommended 25 grams can be challenging, but I notice my efforts paying off when my skin remains healthy.” Start small by swapping white bread, pasta, and rice for whole grains. Read food labels to look for sugar hiding in “health foods,” like pasta sauce, salad dressing, and granola.

2. Look to supplements for hormonal balance

Katie, a 30 year-old blogger in California, never struggled with acne as a teen. But as she approached her late twenties, she began to get cystic acne around her mouth and chin. “I stopped taking birth control and my hormones went haywire,” Katie explains. “I tried so many different cleansers, serums, moisturizers, and oils to get my acne under control, but nothing worked.”

After a year of battling painful acne with no success, Katie turned to supplements to treat her sensitive skin from the inside out. After filling out a survey by HUM Nutrition, Katie began taking Gut Instinct™, a potent probiotic, Daily Cleanse™, which contains organic algae and cleansing minerals, and Red Carpet™, a supplement with black currant seed oil – a source of ALA and GLA shown to maintain hormone balance.

“Within two weeks my cystic acne was completely gone,” says Katie. “At this point it’s been a month and my skin has improved so much. I’m floored by how taking supplements has transformed my complexion.”

Katie’s friend Rachael also relies on supplements to promote a healthy complexion.

“I take collagen gummies and prenatal vitamins every morning to help with my skin,” she explains. Rachael started paying closer attention to her skin two years ago after moving to the desert. “My oily skin started to dry out and break out, so I had to set up a routine to keep it moist.” In addition to supplements, Rachael credits her dewy complexion to a regular morning and evening skincare routine along with LUSH Don’t Look at Me face masks twice per week.

3. Use vitamin E to rejuvenate your skin

While hard to resist, it’s not a good idea to pop your pimples or pick at your skin during a breakout. Doing so actually tears your skin and can leave a scar that lasts way longer than a pimple ever would have. That’s exactly what happened to Andrew, a 33 year-old musician, who battled breakouts as a teen. “I had really bad acne on my nose and cheeks in high school,” says Andrew, “I picked at my face a lot and it left some pretty bad scars.”

Andrew, who now has a clear complexion and barely-there acne scars, credits vitamin E and Korean sheet masks for his even skin tone and smooth texture. While there’s little evidence that vitamin E heals acne scars, it can help regulate the production of collagen and elastin. By blocking free radicals, vitamin E reduces wrinkles and keeps your skin looking youthful.

While vitamin E has many beauty benefits, this miracle serum should be used with caution. If you’re prone to breakouts, it could make your blemishes worse. Talk to your dermatologist before incorporating it into your skincare routine.

4. Drink enough water

There’s truth behind the blanket statement celebrities give about maintaining a clear complexion. “Hydration is a key factor,” says Sivak. “Women should aim to drink about nine cups per day.” Staying hydrated helps flush toxins from the body that can accumulate and cause acne. And, because the skin is made of 64 percent water, hydrating will help keep your complexion from becoming dry, tight, and flaky. Hydrated skin is more resilient than dry skin and is less prone to wrinkling.

5. Establish a nightly skincare routine

Gone are the days of falling asleep before washing your face. For a flawless complexion, it’s important to establish an evening skincare routine that cleanses, nourishes, and moisturizes your skin. Ideally, a nightly skincare routine will include using makeup remover, a gentle cleanser, toner, and moisturizer.

“I use Image Vital C Hydrating Facial Cleanser and splurge on Creme del La Mer Facial Moisturizer before bed," says Katie. "I tend to use sheet or clay masks more in the summer months when I'm sweating more and traveling.” Katie takes a preventative approach to her nightly skincare routine to thwart blemishes and the signs of aging. “I never used to wash my face before bed,” says Katie. “Now I see it as a form of self care, rather than a chore.” She uses Kate Somerville Anti Bac™ Acne Clearing Lotion and InstaNatural Retinol Serum on alternating nights to minimize blackheads and promote healthy collagen production.

6. Give skincare products a chance to work

If you’re anything like me, you’re always looking to try the latest best sellers and new arrivals in skincare. It can take some trial and error to find products that work for you, but constantly switching up your night cream, face oil, and acne treatment doesn’t give the products a chance to produce visible results.

You need to use most products for at least a month to see a difference, since average cell turnover is 28 days. Serums, like vitamin C and hyaluronic acid, can take up to six to eight weeks to brighten your complexion. Retinol in particular is known to cause redness and peeling at first, which many people mistake as an allergic reaction. They throw the product away before giving it a chance to work its magic to bust acne, reduce scarring, and minimize the signs of aging.

When you find a product that works, stick with it. At 65 years old, Carole has maintained a youthful complexion without the use of fillers, lasers, or serums. Her anti-aging secret? She has used the same skincare products for decades. “I wash my face with Mary Kay cleanser and follow up with Mary Kay moisturizer every morning,” says Carole. “I’ve used Mary Kay since I was 22.”

7. Use sun protection every morning

Sun care isn’t just for beach days. Even if you work indoors, you’re still exposing your skin to harmful UV rays during your commute that can cause dark spots, wrinkles, and worst of all, skin cancer. Unfortunately, the SPF built in to your makeup isn’t enough to provide anti-aging protection. Dermatologist Leslie Baumann told WebMD, “You need seven times the normal amount of foundation and 14 times the normal amount of powder to get the sun protection factor on the label.”

After cleansing and moisturizing your face, liberally apply broad-spectrum sunscreen with zinc oxide all the way up to your hairline and down your neck. Allow the sunscreen to soak in for a few minutes before putting on your makeup.

“After applying vitamin C serum I use Coola Moisturizing Face Sunscreen SPF 30 followed by Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen WOW Brightening Makeup,” says Katie. “My foundation has SPF 25 so I feel like I’m really protecting my skin.”

To touch up your SPF throughout the day without messing up your foundation, try a face mist. A thorough coating of Supergoop Defense Refresh Setting Mist SPF 50 will lock in your morning makeup while providing added sun protection.

Penelope Andersan is from the Content Partnerships Team of The AEDITION, an online publication created by new, aesthetic enhancement platform AEDIT. AEDIT is a next-generation, go-to source for anyone looking to continue or begin their medial aesthetic journey.

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Bitter Kola: Nature's Powerful Defence Against A Host Of Ailments

Bitter kola is one of the few fruit whose nutritional values come when eaten raw. Eating a piece of bitter kola daily can help in the treatment of low libido, low sperm count, erectile dysfunction, arthritis, reduction of eye pressure, treating hangover, improving lung function and knee osteoarthritis among others. Medical experts at  Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, OAUTH, Nigeria in a study published in the Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research, said that bitter kola has a significant analgesic/anti-inflammatory effects in knee osteoarthritis patients.

Bitter kola is a potential osteoarthritis disease activity modifier with good mid-term outcome. Another study on bitter kola published recently in Science Journal of Microbiology showed that seed and leaf of bitter kola have antibacterial activity on clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Streptococcus pyogenes. Bitter kola has been shown to be a popular treatment for diarrhea and fever. The seed extract is antiseptic and is active mostly against gram-positive bacteria, while the leaf, is active mostly against gram-negative bacteria. It is also very efficacious for hepatitis.

 In West Africa, bitter kola is now being harnessed as a cure for the Ebola virus infections and also against flu. The stem, bark and the seeds are used for acute fever, inflammation of the respiratory tract and throat infections. The seeds are also chewed to relieve hoarseness of voice, sore throat and cough. In folk medicine, the seed is used for the treatment of liver disorder and it’s also used in the treatment of dysentery and diarrhea. The leaves are used for stomachache and pains and they also serve as good remedy for typhoid fever.

Generally used as a social snack and offered to guests in some cultural settings, bitter kola has been indicated in the treatment of laryngitis, general inflammation, bronchitis, viral infections and diabetes. Some Igbos (in Nigeria) medicine-men prescribe the fruit for arthritic conditions and is eaten raw and not prepared as food because it has medicinal attributes. It is also taken dry as a remedy for dysentery and is said to provide an antidote against Strophanthus poisoning.

Some medical experts have said that regular intake of bitter kola has little or no side effect on human health. They said that bitter kola is a potent antibiotic, which could be effective in the treatment of many ailments and infections. Bartholomew Brai, nutritional biochemist at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, said bitter kola is used in the preparation of herbal drugs either as a nourishment, a supplement or a herbal remedy.

Brai said: “If a patient on medication chews bitter kola, it will make the drugs ineffective but aside this, I do not think bitter kola has any other side effect. Bitter kola has lots of health benefits, like the treatment of cough, sneezing, cold, diarrhea, tuberculosis, bacterial infections and fever. It improves lungs’ function by expanding the alveolar ducts and sac in the lungs thereby improving and strengthening the fibres in the lung tissue.”

Emeka Amaechi, a general physician, also says that bitter kola has chemical compounds that could help the breakdown of glycogen in the liver. Bitter kola has antioxidant properties used as tonic for the liver and the gall bladder, which helps detoxifies the body system and it clears the voice by stimulating the production of mucus along the lining of the vocal tube which softens the dry throat. Bitter kola is an anti-poison. When food is suspected to be contaminated by bacteria, chewing of bitter kola will prevent the development of any infection or poison.

Bitter kola helps to reduce eye pressure and relieves arthritis by reducing swelling, pain and increase joint movement. The likely side effect of eating bitter kola could be incurred by any patient on drugs or medication. Botanically known as Garcinia kola, bitter kola belongs to the plant family Guttifereae. In Nigeria it is called oje in Bokyi, edun or efiari in Efik, efrie in Ejagham-Ekin, cida goro in Hausa, efiat in Ibibio, emiale in Icheve, igoligo in Idoma, aku-ilu or ugolo in Ibo, akaan in Ijo-Izon, okain in Isekiri, and orogbo in Yoruba.

Considerable experimental studies found the chemical constituents in bitter kola have anti-malaria properties. That aside, traditional healers have for many years prescribed bitter kola for the treatment of malaria infections. Researchers who reported that bitter kola had anti-malaria effect in the of Journal of Medicinal Plants Research, from a survey of plants used by traditional healers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, attributed this to its quinones content.

Bitter kola is a potent antibiotic which could be efficacious in the management of HIV and AIDS. A researcher with the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA), Mrs. Chinyere Nwokeke told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that bitter kola could be used in treating opportunistic infections associated with HIV. According to her: “Bitter kola is highly recommended in the treatment of HIV and AIDS because of its antibacterial, detoxification, and cleansing properties.”

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The Connection Between Exercise And Menopause

There was a time when the word menopause was never spoken, not even between mother and daughter. Regardless of the development in the approach to the condition, menopause is still referred to as the “change”, but is no longer a taboo subject.

Nowadays, most women can expect to live one-third to half of their lives past menopause; this can be among the most satisfying years of life, as you no longer have to worry about your periods.

The emergence of menopause as a hot health topic is likely the result of newer research that has shown that exercise plays a key role in easing the transition into menopause, enhancing a woman’s health, happiness, and productivity.

What is menopause?

The medical definition of menopause is a cessation of menses for 12 months. Menopause occurs when the ovaries stop making the hormones oestrogen and progesterone. While the average menopause onset is at about 51 years old, some women may enter menopause as early as their 30s or as late as their 60s.

Symptoms of menopause include hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, insomnia, headache, lethargy, chronic fatigue, irritability, anxiety, depression, a racing heart and joint pain.

How does exercise help?

Heart disease and osteoporosis risk increase after menopause. The good news is that this risk can be decreased substantially with regular physical activity program emphasising cardiovascular conditioning, weight-bearing exercise, and high impact activities when tolerated.

The mood elevating, tension-relieving effects of aerobic exercise reduce depression and anxiety, which often accompany menopause. Aerobic exercise promotes the loss of abdominal fat, a common place for postmenopausal weight gain. Strength training stimulates bones to retain the minerals that keep them dense and strong, thereby preventing the onset and progression of osteoporosis.

These effects of exercise, along with improved cholesterol levels and physical fitness, work together to prevent heart disease.

Keep in mind that good nutrition and a physically active lifestyle go together. A diet low in saturated and trans-fat and high in fibre and calcium is key in reaping the full benefits of exercise.

To reap the benefits of exercise, a balanced program of cardiovascular conditioning to reduce the risk of heart disease, strength training to decrease the risk of osteoporosis and flexibility to maintain range of motion is essential.

Consistency is important. Strive to be moderately active for at least 30 minutes each day, or at least most days of the week, every week.

Tips to get started

Given that the average age of menopause is 51, and women can expect to live 30 to 50 years beyond menopause, it’s important to think positively about this new phase of your life. Starting a new exercise program at mid-life is no different than starting one in your youth.

• Set some realistic and attainable goals. What can you accomplish in three months? Six months? One year?
• Create a sustainable exercise schedule.
• Experiment with different forms of exercise to find something you enjoy.
• Seek out professional advice if you are unsure of what types of exercise you should be doing or how to do them.
• Change things up every four to six weeks, your body needs change to keep moving towards your goals.
• Reward yourself periodically for sticking with it. Non-food rewards, please, so as not to undermine your hard work in the gym.

Often, the choices and information available on menopause can be simply overwhelming. The health and wellness industry is confusing even to fitness professionals. There are always new studies being published contradicting the findings of the older ones.

Rather than blindly following the results of the latest study, find out what works for you. This requires a commitment to paying attention to your own body and accepting or rejecting things that don’t benefit you. And of course, your best strategy will continue to change as you age.

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