Primo Health Blog

A portal for functional health topics and news.

Natural Breast Enlargement

Natural Breast Enlargement

Breast Enlargement Botanicals

By Gene Bruno, MS, MHS – Dean of Academics, Huntington College of Health Sciences

Nowadays, many women who desire larger breasts are opting for surgical breast implants. These implants are controversial, with some scientists saying they’re dangerous, and others saying they cause no harm. This gives rise to the question, “What other methods exist for increasing breast size?” In answering this question, the first place to begin is with a discussion of female hormones.

Female hormones

Supplement of the week: Designs for Health Pulmonary Revive

Supplement of the week: Designs for Health Pulmonary Revive

Quick Overview

Pulmonary Revive™ is a combination of high quality, standardized herbal extracts including CordycepsPrime™, combined with propolis, bromelain (2400 GDU/gm) and vinpocetine as BioVinca®. This unique combination of superior quality ingredients makes Pulmonary Revive™ an especially effective formula for supporting lung health.

The Health Benefits of Bee Pollen, Propolis & Royal Jelly

The Health Benefits of Bee Pollen, Propolis  & Royal Jelly

Bee Pollen, Propolis & Royal Jelly

By Gene Bruno, MS, MHS – Dean of Academics, Huntington College of Health Sciences

The common honey bee is a fascinating little insect that offers us humans some valuable natural foods with health-promoting benefits. These “super foods” include bee pollen, royal jelly and propolis.

Bee Pollen

Bee pollen is the pollen gathered from plants by honey bees, and brought back to their hive. Bee pollen contains all of the eight essential amino acids in amounts that vary between five to seven times the level found in equal weights of traditional high protein foods. It also contains vitamins A, D, E, K, C and bioflavonoids, as well as the complete B- complex; especially pantothenic acid (B5) and niacin. The high levels of vitamin B5 are particularly beneficial for the adrenal glands which are adversely affected during stress. Bee pollen has been used traditionally as an anti-aging food, and an energy food. As a matter of fact, it has been used by a number of Olympic athletes to improve their performance.

Creating Your Own Vitamin Protocol

Creating Your Own Vitamin Protocol

 

Basic Foundation Program

By Art Presser, PharmD & Gene Bruno, MS, MHS – Huntington College of Health Sciences

Everyday our bodies make cancer. Everyday our bodies have high blood pressure. Everyday our bodies are challenged by an amazing amount of toxins. That’s the bad news. The good news is that every day our bodies make anticancer, antihypertenive, and poison neutralizing drugs. Our bodies are a living pharmacy.

Nutrient shortages

What do you think our bodies manufacture life- sustaining drugs out of? They manufacturer these natural marvels out of the ingredients stocked on their shelves; ingredients that are replenished daily from the foods taken in and processed. Each vitamin, mineral and other nutrients have a place on the shelf.

Supplement of the week: Designs for Health Immunitone Plus

Supplement of the week: Designs for Health Immunitone Plus

Quick Overview

Immunitone Plus™ is an herbal formula that is designed to support healthy immune system function during cold and flu season. It contains herbs that support normal natural killer (NK) cell activity and the balance of cytokines, which are the regulatory proteins released by immune cells as part of a normal immune system response.* The standardized herbs in this formula contain optimal and consistent amounts of the most active ingredients. Immunitone Plus™ is suitable for long term use and for all age groups.

Product Desription

This powerful immune supportive formula combines herbs that have antiviral and antibacterial abilities as well as the ability to maintain Natural Killer (NK) cell activity and cytokine synthesis. Immunitone Plus is safe enough to use for chronic viral conditions, and in cases of a weak immune system and acute illness.* There is impressive research on every ingredient of Immunitone. This formula is extremely powerful yet safe enough to use in high doses for acute applications, while also being suitable for long-term use in chronic conditions. This formula contains green tea standardized to a very high level of EGCG as well as standardized Echinacea augustifolia, Andrographis paniculata, and even Goldenseal. Standardized herbs contain optimal and consistent amounts of the most active compounds.

Astragalus Root Health Benefits

Astragalus Root Health Benefits

Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceous)

By Art Presser, PharmD - President, Huntington College of Health Sciences

Background:

Astragalus comes to us from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), where it is first mentioned in Shen Nung Ben Cao Jing, a 2000- year-old classic as Huang Qi. Huang Qi means “yellow leader,” and astragalus is considered a most important tonic. Traditional uses include lethargy, colds, flu, appetite (lack of), stomach ulcers, and deficiencies of chi (namely, general weakness and fatigue). Other Chinese uses include diabetes, lowering blood pressure, and water retention.

The plant is native to northern China where the 4-7 year old roots are harvested in the spring to make medicine preparations. There are over 2000 types of Astragalus worldwide, but it seems that the Chinese variety has been the most studied. Astragalus gummifera, also known as tragacangth, is an old friend of the pharmaceutical industry, long used as a thickening agent.

Natural Androgen Alternatives

Natural Androgen Alternatives

By Gene Bruno, MS, MHS – Dean of Academics, Huntington College of Health Sciences 

Smart SupplementationTM is a free series of educational literature created by Huntington College of Health Sciences (HCHS) as a public service. Although copyrighted, it may be freely photocopied and distributed, but may not be altered in any way. Smart SupplementationTM is not intended as medical advice. For diagnosis and treatment of any medical condition, consult your physician. 

For better of for worse (depending upon your viewpoint), as of January 2005 androgen or “andro” products are no longer available. For some athletes, this represents a significant loss in their dietary supplement arsenal. After all, whatever else you might say about andro it did have some established benefits: 

  • Some androgens increased testosterone levels

  • Some androgens increased performance

  • Some androgens increased strength

  • Some androgens promoted muscle growth  

So now that andro is gone, what viable alternatives currently exist? Following is a discussion of dietary supplement ingredients that offer similar benefits to those of andro, or perhaps better. 

Supplement of the Week: Designs for Health Amino Acid Synergy

Supplement of the Week: Designs for Health Amino Acid Synergy
Product Description

Amino Acid Synergy is useful as a general supplement to diets that are insufficient in quality protein, for athletes that require additional amino acids to maintain or achieve greater lean body mass, for patients who are cachexic from chronic illness or GI malabsorption, for individuals who are in catabolic states due to stress or illness, for those recovering from surgery or tissue trauma, for people wanting better quality hair and nails and for patients who have been found to have confirmed amino acid deficiencies on metabolic testing. Amino acids play central roles both as building blocks of proteins and as intermediates in metabolism. The precise amino acid content, and the sequence of those amino acids, of a specific protein, determines the biological activity of the protein. Proteins not only catalyze all (or most) of the reactions in living cells, they control virtually all cellular processes. Humans can produce 10 of the 20 amino acids. The others must be supplied in food. Failure to obtain enough of even 1 of the 10 essential amino acids, those that we cannot make, results in degradation of the body's proteins, including muscle. Unlike fat and starch, the human body does not store excess amino acids for later use so amino acids must be consumed every day. Amino Acid Synergy provides a mixture of essential amino in the free-form, meaning they are immediately available for absorption and can be put to metabolic use much more readily and rapidly when compared to amino acids contained in dietary protein.

The Health Benefits of Amino Acids

The Health Benefits of Amino Acids

By Art Presser, PharmD - President, Huntington College of Health Sciences

Smart SupplementationTM is a free series of educational literature created by Huntington College of Health Sciences (HCHS) as a public service. Although copyrighted, it may be freely photocopied and distributed, but may not be altered in any way. Smart SupplementationTM is not intended as medical advice. For diagnosis and treatment of any medical condition, consult your physician.

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, and the end-result of protein digestion. That is, the body digests protein into individual amino acids and then rebuilds them back into protein. Next to water, protein is the most abundant substance in the body. The body requires approximately twenty-two amino acids in a specific pattern to make human protein. There are eight amino acids that the body cannot make and must get through food or supplement. They are lysine, methionine, leucine, threonine, valine, tryptophan, isoleucine, and phenylalanine.

When used individually as supplements, particular amino acids may perform specific functions rather than the general function of a complete protein. For example, taking carnitine may help you lose weight; eating a hamburger would not.

Aspirin Alternatives: Salicin Containing Herbs

Aspirin Alternatives: Salicin Containing Herbs

By Art Presser, PharmD - President, Huntington College of Health Sciences 

Smart SupplementationTM is a free series of educational literature created by Huntington College of Health Sciences (HCHS) as a public service. Although copyrighted, it may be freely photocopied and distributed, but may not be altered in any way. Smart SupplementationTM is not intended as medical advice. For diagnosis and treatment of any medical condition, consult your physician.

The Willow is a shrub or tree depending on its size (some can grow to 50 feet), native to England, Europe, Asia, and North America. There are 300 species of Willow, White Willow the most famous of them. Native Americans relied on Willow for its analgesic properties.

In 1829, another bright pharmacist, this time a Frenchman named H. Leroux, discovered Willow’s active chemical, salicin. In 1838, pure salicylic acid was synthesized by an Italian chemist, not from Willow but Wintergreen and other plants. Salicin and salicylic acid were widely used through the 19th century for fever, gout, pain, and inflammation. However, as usual, when you isolate chemicals from plants or synthesize them, you almost always increase their toxicity. The farther away you stray from Nature, the more likely you are to do harm. And such was the case. The high doses used routinely led to gastric irritation and vomiting.