1. What are Antioxidants?

The prefix "anti" means against, in opposition to, or corrective in nature. In order to understand antioxidants, it helps to learn what exactly these agents oppose and correct.

Within the human body, millions of processes are occurring at all times. These processes require oxygen. Unfortunately, that same life giving oxygen can create harmful side effects, or oxidant substances, which cause cell damage and lead to chronic disease.

Oxidants, commonly known as "free radicals," are also introduced through external sources such as exposure to the sun or pollution. Other mediums include stress, as well as things that people put into their bodies, such as alcoholic beverages, unhealthy foods, and cigarette smoke.

In much the same way as oxidation creates rust, causing a breakdown on the surface of inanimate objects, oxidation inside the body causes a breakdown of cells. Free radicals produced by this breakdown attack healthy cells, usually DNA as well as proteins and fats. This chain of events weakens immunological functions as well as speeding up the aging process, and is also linked to several diseases such as cataracts, various forms of cancer, and heart disease. Some studies indicate possible links to arthritis and several other chronic conditions.

Antioxidants, or anti-oxidation agents, reduce the effect of dangerous oxidants by binding together with these harmful molecules, decreasing their destructive power. Antioxidants can also help repair damage already sustained by cells.

Certain antioxidant enzymes are produced within the body. The most commonly recognized of these naturally occurring antioxidants are Superoxide Dismutase, Catalase, and Glutathione. Superoxide Dismutase changes the structure of oxidants and breaks them down into hydrogen peroxide. Catalase in turn, breaks down hydrogen peroxide into water and tiny oxygen particles or gasses. Glutathione is a detoxifying agent, which binds with different toxins to change their form so that they are able to leave the body as waste.

Other antioxidant agents are found in foods, such as dark green leafy vegetables. Items high in vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene are believed to be the most beneficial. These nutrients are commonly found in fruits and vegetables, those with the strongest colors being healthiest. Orange and red peppers, tomatoes, spinach, and carrots are examples. Choosing raw fruits and vegetables rather than cooked, provides the highest concentration and best absorption of antioxidants.

2. What are Free Radicals?

Free radicals are atoms or groups of atoms that have at least one unpaired electron, which makes them highly reactive. Free radicals promote beneficial oxidation that produces energy and kills bacterial invaders. In excess, however, they produce harmful oxidation that can damage cell membranes and cell contents. It is known that people who eat adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants have a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and cataracts. Fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants, but it is not known which dietary factors are responsible for the beneficial effects. Each plant contains hundreds of phytochemicals (plant chemicals) whose presence is dictated by hereditary factors.

3.       Why take Greens every day?

Our organic GREENS are an easy mixing, great tasting and energizing phytonutrient powder mix loaded with certified organic, whole foods and plant extracts. These are the "Super-Foods" that the scientific experts and doctors tell us to eat daily, but we never seem to do with regularity. Our GREENS include organic green plants, Flax Lignans, Ionic Trace Minerals, healthy herbs and spices, natural food concentrates and antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables. In addition, Our GREENS also contains a few other significant ingredients that other 'Greens' products just don't have. Our GREENS supply a super blend of completely natural vitamins, Flax Lignans, ionic trace minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, phytonutrients and symbiotic intestinal flora for maximum energy, metabolism, fat burning, digestion, detoxification, immunity, repair, recovery, revitalization, and longevity. Drink Our GREENS every day and your body will love you for it. With the fast paced lifestyle of most people today it’s practically impossible to maintain a good healthy diet. Our GREENS make it possible. Its' fast, easy to mix and only takes a second to enjoy. Many have commented on its great taste and have said that they would have begun taking it years ago if only they had such a product. Well now there are no excuses. Our GREENS are a ready to go energizer that can be taken any time of day. Keep it in your desk at work, or take it to school for a fast recharge to your bodies batteries.

4. What Does ORAC Really Mean?

The word ORAC stands for - Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. The ORAC analysis of a given product or food measures the ability of the item to protect against free radical attack, or its' ablity to act as an Antioxidant. The ORAC value of certain fruits and vegetables are higher than others, therefore are able to protect the body from free radical damage to the cells in our bodies. Free radical damage to cells in the body has been attributed to the process of aging, disease and many other medical complications. Studies suggest that foods with a higher ORAC value may be helpful in protecting our bodies from premature aging and disease. Based on the evidence so far, some studies suggest that daily intake be increased to between 3,000 and 5,000 ORAC units to have a significant impact on plasma and tissue antioxidant capacity.
An example of the antioxidant value of some foods can be demonstrated by the following: One serving of mixed fruits and vegetables (about 4 oz) may have an ORAC value of 300 per serving. While other fruits and vegetables like prunes and blueberries may have an ORAC value over 1000 per serving.

5. What are Probiotics and how can they benefit us?

Probiotics help to replace healthy intestinal flora, the bacteria responsible for maintaining a healthy digestive system while promoting active peristaltic movement of the bowels. This normal process of our bodies is easily upset by taking antibiotics and other antibacterial agents.

Several studies have demonstrated that patterns of antibiotic usage can have a dramatic affect on the prevalence of resistant organisms. Other factors contributing to resistance include incorrect diagnosis, unnecessary prescriptions, improper use of antibiotics by patients, and the use of antibiotics as livestock food additives for growth promotion.

Unlike antibiotics, vaccines do not contribute to resistance. Vaccines work by enhancing the body's natural defenses, whereas antibiotics operate in lieu of the body's normal defenses. Probiotics work at returning the bodies processes to their normal function while strengthening immune function.

6. How do Greens and rich dark green plants help with Cleansing & Detoxification?

Greens are a concentrated source of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, fiber and the essential amino acids, which reputedly add alkalinity to our system, balance us, increase our energy, improve stamina, sharpen mental activity, and deodorize and cleanse the cells and colon. Greens help to cleanse and carry out the garbage that we collect in our cells through exposure to environmental toxins and dietary choices. The vitamins and minerals in Greens are naturally occurring from the herbs and ingredients. Alfalfa, barley grass, lecithin, spirulina, chlorella and non-dairy probiotic cultures are all packed with nutrients that strengthen our immune system and neutralize toxins. Greens are a return to the basics of the food chain, generally they are organically grown in a chemical free environment (some ingredients such as chlorella, lecithin and spirulina are not able to be grown organically). These concentrated, nutrient-rich food powders are mixed with water or juice and consumed in liquid form, preferably upon waking and an empty stomach for maximum absorption.

7. Why take seaweeds and plants of the sea like Spirulina, Kelp and Chlorella?

Seaweeds are really not a weed but large marine algae that grow in the coastal waters of many countries. They include thousands of species from microscopic plants called phytoplankton to huge floating/anchored plants commonly seen washed up on shore. Many kinds of seaweed are eaten by people because they are full of vitamins and iodine. Asian cultures use seaweed like green beans and carrots are used in the United States. One of seaweed's most prominent health benefits is its ability to remove radioactive strontium and other heavy metals from our bodies. Brown seaweeds such as kelp contain alginic acid which binds with the toxins in the intestines rendering them indigestible and carries them out of the system.

Sea vegetables are virtually fat-free, low calorie and one of the richest sources of minerals in the vegetable kingdom as they have ready access to the abundance of minerals found in the ocean. Nourishment is acquired across the sea vegetable's entire surface through the gentle wave action of underwater currents. Sea water & human blood contain many of the same minerals in very similar concentrations. Sea vegetables contain high amounts of calcium and phosphorous and are extremely high in magnesium, iron, iodine and sodium. They also contain vitamins A, B1, C and E, as well as protein and carbohydrates.

The beauty of using the seaweed is that it can only do good, and never harm. It does not deplete the energy of the body as some reducing programs do; indeed, it strengthens the vital energy by working in cooperating with the endocrine glands. It has been found that there is a definite connection between the amount of energy available and our iodine intake. In Kelp, as we mentioned before, we have a perfectly natural source of all the iodine we require. 

Obesity is rare among the Polynesians and other races that incorporate seaweeds as a regular part of their daily diet. These sea plants influences the mucous membranes and lymphatic system. It is a slow, persistent agent, but it will accomplish the desired weight loss results. It is stimulating to the absorbents and especially influences the fatty globules. Its best action is observed in individuals having a cold, torpid, clammy skin and loose flabby rolls of fat. It is an agent that gives better results in sick, overweight people than in cases of healthy, fat people. Instead of being simply a weight loss agent, it is more a normalizer, as thin people can put on weight while taking Kelp.

8. What are Ionic Trace Minerals and how can they benefit us?
   Ionic minerals are already in a form that the body recognizes and understands so they can be easily assimilated through the selectively permeable cell membranes. Because your body requires nearly two thirds of all the elements currently known to man in order to maintain health, keeping these minerals in balance is a complex yet incredibly vital task. The events of everyday demand a continual ingestion of minerals.
   That is why an estimated 90% of Americans suffer a mineral deficiency or imbalance. Unfortunately in today's world, naturally occurring, nutrient-rich foods are becoming a thing of the past. Eons of vegetation growth and aggressive modern farming techniques have brought many of the earth's minerals to the surface where they have been washed away to the oceans. Chemical and electrical processes are occurring within your body at every moment. Processes that can only function correctly if the proper balance of minerals is continually being supplied to your system. Iron for your blood, sulfur for your muscles, calcium for your bones, and an aggregation of many other elements in balanced trace amounts to ensure the proper function of your body.

9. What are Digestive Enzymes and how can they benefit us?

Digestive enzymes are proteins specially tailored to break down foods into nutrients that your body can then readily digest. The human body produces some 22 different digestive enzymes. Many more are found in the fruits, vegetables, meats, grains, and other foods. A number of digestive enzymes--from both plants and animals--are also sold as supplements.

When you eat a meal, digestive enzymes that are released from your salivary glands, stomach, and small intestine immediately get to work to speed up the digestive process. Each enzyme acts on a specific type of food. A variety of different proteases, for example, break down the components of protein. Amylases help digest carbohydrates; lipases break down fats; and cellulases, found in plants, digest fiber.

Nutritionally oriented doctors often turn to digestive enzyme products to promote good digestion and enhance nutrient absorption. They contend that many people are lacking enzymes because of inadequate diets, over-refined foods, environmental toxins, and poor health. Such symptoms as bloating, gas, heartburn, and indigestion are thought to be a common result. Taking this one step further, some practitioners also believe that even in the absence of symptoms many people can benefit from routinely taking extra enzymes to maintain peak digestion and enhance stores of vital nutrients.

Conventional physicians, including gastroenterologists, sometimes recommend enzymes as well, although much less frequently than nutritionally oriented practitioners do. In general, conventional doctors believe that most people get all the enzymes they need, except in the case of a true enzyme deficiency, which can be detected by a stool analysis. For example, doctors sometimes prescribe Pancreatin, a digestive enzyme that comes from the pancreas of pigs, to treat chronic pancreatitis, a fairly uncommon condition in which the enzyme production in the pancreas steadily declines. Far more commonly, however, conventional doctors recommend over-the-counter enzyme products such as Lactaid for lactose (dairy-related) intolerance or Beano for chronic gas.

Alternative practitioners may recommend plant-based digestive enzymes, such as bromelain (from pineapples), Papain (from papayas), and enzymes grown on the fungus aspergillus. They also prescribe animal-based products (often called pancreatic enzymes because they are derived from the pancreas, the tongue-shaped digestive organ that sits under the stomach) either alone or together with plant-based enzymes.

Health Benefits of Enzymes-

·         Nutritionally oriented doctors recommend digestive enzyme supplements for various ailments, from simple heartburn and bloating to more persistent problems, such as chronic indigestion and irritable bowel syndrome. The supplements also are given as digestive aids for patients battling cancer, and sometimes for non-digestive complaints, such as the skin ailment rosacea. Some practitioners even advise patients to take enzymes daily in the belief that doing so will result in peak digestive performance.

Specifically, digestive enzymes may help to:

·         Reverse the digestive upset that can occur with normal aging. Many practitioners contend that digestive problems often develop in later decades because stores of digestive enzymes decline with advancing age. Taking supplemental enzymes helps to restore good digestion by replenishing these dwindling supplies.

·         Reduce flatulence, heartburn, irritable bowel syndrome, and other digestive complaints. Nearly all types of digestive problems can benefit from enzyme therapy. In the case of heartburn, for example, the thinking is that any means of accelerating the stomach's emptying of food may well reduce stomach acid and lessen irritation along the digestive tract. Upset due to irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis) may also be eased.

·         Provide nutritional support for cancer patients. Although definitive studies are lacking, some practitioners prescribe high-dose enzyme therapy as adjunctive (supportive) treatment for cancers of the pancreas, colon, lung, and other organs. Enzymes are also given to soothe side effects from harsh chemotherapy and radiation regimens. Some physicians who use alternative therapies to treat cancer include high doses of enzymes because they believe the enzymes can have a direct effect on the cancer itself.

·         Ease symptoms of Candida overgrowth syndrome. This controversial illness, thought to be due to runaway growth of Candida yeast in the intestines, can cause diarrhea, gas, bloating, joint aches, and many other discomforts. Plant-based digestive enzymes may help to restore good digestion in Candida-compromised digestive systems.

10.   Why is Dietary Fiber so important?

Plant materials that are indigestible to humans are a complex carbohydrate known as dietary fiber. Our bodies need roughage to properly digest food and eliminate waste because the bulky substance cleans the colon as it makes its way through our digestive tract. Dietary fiber comes from vegetables, fruit, grain, and legumes.

The two types of dietary fiber are soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water, like the pectin found in fruit. Insoluble fiber, such as cellulose from grain, doesn’t dissolve in water. Examples of soluble fiber are many vegetables, barley, oatmeal, rye, and fruits like peaches, grapes, berries, and pears. It’s important to eat the skin of fruits like apples, since that is where most of the fiber resides. Whole grains, pasta, bran, brown rice, seeds, bran, beans, and a few vegetables like carrots and celery, provide insoluble fiber.

Proper amounts of dietary fiber improve health in ways other than digestion. Studies have shown that fiber seems to lower cholesterol, in combination with a balanced diet. There is also an inexplicable link between a diet high in fiber and a lowered risk of heart disease. In the stomach, fiber seems to affect the speed with which sugar enters the bloodstream. This means our blood sugar levels stay more consistent, our insulin doesn’t work as hard, and we benefit from a reduced risk of developing diabetes.

Since fiber is not technically a nutrient, there is no Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA). However, health care experts have declared we need .7-1.2 oz (20 - 35 grams) of fiber per day. Yet Americans only average 1/2 oz (15 grams) a day. Fresh food is the best source of fiber because it contains other important vitamins. If fresh food is not available, dietary supplements of fiber will suffice. A gradual increase, over several weeks, in your fiber intake will ensure you don't suffer any discomfort. In combination with a diet low in sugar, fat, and cholesterol, roughage improves many aspects of health.

           11.  What are SDG Flax Lignans and how can they benefit us?

Lignans are a group of phytonutrients found in seeds and grains. Flaxseed is known for being the plant containing the highest concentration of Lignans known as SDG (secoisolariciresinol diglucoside). Most of the Lignans in flax seed are located in the hull that encased the seed. Our product contains only pure organic flax hulls, which have been mechanically separated from the flax seed. The resulting product is said to contain 70 times the amount of SDG Lignans per gram as compared to the traditional ground up seed. They are believed to be converted by intestinal bacteria into enterolactone and enterodiol, which are absorbed across the intestinal walls where they travel to tissues and blood, binding with hormonal receptors. These weak estrogens may reduce excessive hormonal stimulation in tissues and reduce estrogen-related cancers.

Studies have shown these SDG Lignans to be effective in a variety of health complications. Much extensive study has been done on the effects of flax Lignans on certain diseases such as Prostate cancer, Skin cancer, Melanoma, Diabetes, Lupus and many more. Being Phytoestrogens, SDG Lignans have also been reported to be effective in balancing hormone related problems in women. Fiber in Lignans is also thought to reduce cancer risk by binding carcinogens in the intestines and making a favorable environment for beneficial bacterial flora. Fiber is acted upon by intestinal enzymes and microbes, yielding short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which are noted to have anticancer effects.