Muscadines (Vitis rotundifolia) are a grapevine species native to the present-day southeastern United States that has been extensively cultivated since the 16th Century. Its recognized range in the United States extends from New York south to Florida, and west to Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas. They are well adapted to their native warm and humid climate; they need fewer chilling hours than better known varieties and they thrive on summer heat.

The muscadine berries range from bronze to dark purple to black in color when ripe. They have skin sufficiently tough that eating the raw fruit often involves biting a small hole in the skin to suck out the pulp inside. Muscadines are not only eaten fresh, but also are used in making wine, juice, and jelly.

Muscadine grapes are rich sources of polyphenols and other nutrients studied for their potential health benefits. Reports have indicated that muscadine grapes may contain high concentrations of resveratrol — a polyphenol with reported beneficial health effects.

Growing Evidence Links Resveratrol to Extended Life Span. Resveratrol is also gaining growing recognition for its promise in fighting age-related diseases ranging from dementia to diabetes. For example, the National Institutes of Health is currently sponsoring a clinical trial investigating Resveratrol’s ability to fight colon cancer.

Today, scientists around the world are studying resveratrol to determine how it helps fight aging and prolong life span. Current evidence suggests that Resveratrol exerts antioxidant effects, boosts energy production, and favorably alters patterns of gene expression.

According to prominent resveratrol investigator Dr. Milos Sovak, announced “There is no question that Resveratrol is one of the best free-radical scavengers and that it has many effects whose ramifications might affect not only longevity but also general health.

Among the life-prolonging benefits of Resveratrol supplementation demonstrated in the study were:

• increased insulin sensitivity
• lower blood sugar
• enhanced mitochondrial energy production
• improved motor function.
• inflammation and arthritis
• neuroprotection
• Cardiovascular Health

Resveratrol appears to act through several mechanisms to protect the cardiovascular system. Resveratrol may inhibit platelets from clumping together, thus reducing the risk of deadly blood clots that can lead to heart attack and stroke.18-21 Furthermore, resveratrol helps improve blood flow by exerting beneficial effects on the linings of small blood vessels, known as the endothelium. This is a critical finding, since endothelial dysfunction is believed to underlie the progression of atheroscleros.

What is Krill Oil?
Krill are shrimp-like crustaceans that are approximately 1 to 6 centimeters long. They live is the ocean, where they feed mainly on phytoplankton. Krill live near the bottom of the food chain and are eaten by whales, seals, penguins, squid and fish. Krill primarily live in the Southern Ocean and the northern Pacific Ocean along the coasts of Canada and Japan. Krill used for aquaculture and aquarium feeds, sport fishing bait or they are eaten as a source of healthy fatty acids.

Krill oil contains rich omega-3 fatty acids, which is the main reason it’s becoming popular as a nutritional supplement.

Another reason krill oil is becoming popular is because it contains an antioxidant called astaxanthin. The algae that krill eat produces the bright red pigment astaxanthin that gives krill and other crustaceans such as lobster and shrimp their reddish-pink color.

Advantages of ASTAXANTHIN may help with:

• Protection against cardiovascular diseases. Astaxanthin is capable of penetrating the blood-brain barrier, therefore stretching its antioxidant action to the brain. Stimulates the immune system
• photoproctive - maintains the good health of the eyes
• skin and cell health - detoxification and hepatic functions
• inflammation - muscles, joint & back pain
• lower cholesterol level - osteoarthritis
• asthma - menstrual cramps
• rhumatoid arthritis - postsurgical inflammation
• fibromyalgia - stomach ulcer
• gastritis - prostatitis

Antioxidants protect our body cells from damage from free radicals, unstable substances that are thought to contribute to certain chronic diseases. Unlike many other antioxidants, astaxanthin crosses the blood brain barrier, where it could possibly protect the eye, brain and central nervous system from free radical damage.

Why Do People Use Krill Oil?

• Cholesterol
• Premenstrual syndrome
• Arthritis
• Eczema

People use krill oil for the same reasons they use fish oil, flax oil or other omega-3 fatty acids. Unlike fish oil, krill oil doesn’t cause fishy burps or an aftertaste, a common side effect of fish oil. Also, krill oil contains higher amounts of astaxanthin than fish oil. Here are some specific conditions for which it’s used.

Cholesterol:
Krill oil is being studied as a natural remedy for high cholesterol. In one study, 120 people were given krill oil, fish oil or a placebo. Krill oil reduced LDL (commonly referred to as “bad”) cholesterol by 34% and increased HDL (“good”) cholesterol by 43.5% compared to the placebo. In comparison, fish oil reduced LDL cholesterol by 4.6% and increased HDL cholesterol by 4.2%. Krill also lowered triglycerides.

Premenstrual syndrome:
Preliminary research suggests krill oil may help reduce symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), however, more research is needed.

Arthritis:
A study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition examined krill oil (300 mg daily) compared to a placebo and found that krill oil was effective at reducing arthritis symptoms and inflammation.

The public recognizes CoQ10 as a nutrient that protects heart health, yet provocative research indicates that CoQ10 may have a wide range of benefits that include:

• preventing skin cancer and skin aging
• guarding against prostate and breast cancers
• supporting healthy blood sugar levels in diabetics
• averting endothelial dysfunction

Scientists also report additional novel uses of CoQ10, such as helping to slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease, preventing crippling migraine headaches, supporting immune health, guarding against periodontal disease, reserving healthy vision, and boosting male fertility.

CoQ10 May Prevent Migraine in Kids and Teens - LEI Magazine January 2008.
Coenzyme Q10 supplementation may prevent migraine headaches in those who are deficient in this nutrient.* Researchers at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center assessed CoQ10 levels among more than 1,500 children and adolescents visiting a neurology clinic due to frequent headaches. Those with low CoQ10 levels were started on a program of CoQ10 supplementation. Their subsequent headaches and CoQ10 levels were monitored.

About one third of the children and adolescents referred to the clinic for frequent headaches were CoQ10 deficient. A subset of patients who were seen in follow-up after about three months had normalized CoQ10 levels. The normalized CoQ10 patients reported fewer headaches, while headache disability scores decreased by more than half, overall.