Learn How To achieve energy, vitality and an over-all feeling of general well being

Reverse The Effects of Aging With A Powerful Alternative Health Supplement

There are many health supplements on the market, however not all nutritional supplements are created equal. After 10 years of research and trying various health products, we have finally found a product worth recommending. Please take a few minutes to read this page in its entirety. We strongly believe that reading this page could be one of the most important pages you'll ever read or come across for your health and general well-being.

We here, have been taking alternative health supplements and other alternative health products for over 10 years.

Over time, as we got more in to the research of dietary supplements and the industry’s manufacturing standards, we came to several important conclusions, but the most important was that it’s difficult to find an honest alternative health supplement -- one that actually contains the amount of ingredients stated on the label.

If you don't believe that many health supplements that are being sold don't contain the ingredients the product label states, then you will be shocked to learn the truth. In-fact, dont just take our word, even the FDA recognises this industry wide problem.

The fact is that alternative health supplement makers are currently self-policed. Because of this, many manufacturers of alternative health products make absolutely outrageous claims with respect to their efficacy. We know because we have used such products our selves.

Most of these claims are nothing more than pure marketing hype, with little to no scientific evidence or clinical studies to back any of them.

Another monumental -- and shocking -- problem of the unregulated alternative health supplements industry is that many products on the market contain toxic contaminants! You may find this hard to believe, but unfortunately, this is too true.

The well respected and known consumerlabs.com, for example, has shown and proved many health supplements to be laoded with harmful toxins, which would eventually have a negative impact on ones health.

You can learn some important information on what we have found out during our dedicated research on health supplements and nutrition as a whole within this page.

You, the consumer, needs to ask questions when it comes to the purity of nutritional supplements, these considerations apply to all dietary supplements

What are the benefits of an all in one nutritional supplement?

While there are many nutritional supplements on the market, such as multi vitamins, herbal supplements, and protein supplements - not all of them are created equal. More over, many of the supplements being sold don't contain the nutrients required in order for the other nutrients to work correctly. What this means for us as consumers, is that many nutrients will not give us any health benefits at all if certain other ingredients arent included.

Many nutritional supplements currently being sold on the market will not give you any therapeutic benefits, and sadly us, as consumers, buy these supplements thinking they are benefiting us. The truth is, they can actually impair your health, mainly through lack of knowledge in the nutrition field from the manufactures of these supplements.

What if we told you there was a supplement product available that's jam packed with nutrients that have been shown in scientific studies to:

• maintain a strong, healthy heart
• boost one's emotional well being
• enhance brain functioning and mood
• increase the body' s immunity
• elevate one's energy level and vitality
• improve ones skin tone and texture
• and much much more...

Well the good news is that product exists and if you really are serious about your health, you'll want to keep reading...

What Makes the Difference Between Grades of Nutritional Supplements?

There are a few processes which can make all the difference in the quality and purity of the nutritional supplement you purchase. These processes are known as follows:

A process called pharmaceutical GMP compliance is the main fundamental difference. This process is among the most rigorous and stringent manufacturing standards for dietary supplements in the world. By using supplements that adhere to pharmaceutical GMP compliance standards, you can be sure the product you are buying is free from harmful contaminants and contains the actual ingredients listed.

The second process is something known as a COA (Certificate of Analysis), which a company selling health supplements should have on file for each batch of products produced. In short, this confirms the potency of the ingredients used in their nutritional supplements.

Because the best type of nutritional supplements, should contain a whole range of nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, amino acids and herbs, another extremely important point is that products you obtain should use only standardized herbal extracts. These are what contain the actual active ingredients of the herb, and, hence, where the true therapeutic benefit lies. Many companies on the market do NOT use standardized herbal extracts, because alternative health supplements manufactured without them are much cheaper to produce.

Are there any side effects?

Many companies selling health supplements will have you believe that their products are free from side effects of any kind. Unfortunately, this is not the whole truth. Although the above processes will be your safest best for obtaining a quality nutritional supplement, certain individuals may still experience mild side effects.

A quality health supplement will contain all natural ingredients, however, that does not mean a person will have no side effects. Side effects can vary depending on you as an individual. However, generally, by obtaining a quality natural supplement, you will be at a far less risk from unwanted side effects.

For the best possible therapeutic benefits, it is important to look in to products that are produced with the following:

High Synergy

All ingredients should be assessed at molecular level to ensure synergy, safety and effectiveness. This is crucial because when some ingredients are combined they will help create other substances in the body. For example, Total Balance, our product of choice will stimulate the liver to make CoEnzymeQ10, thus avoiding the need to purchase this important but expensive ingredient, (Unless the user is taking a statin drug).

The Best Delivery System

This is crucial! Without a good delivery system a supplement is rendered useless. Many supplements will pass through the body with the active ingredients never being released. Other supplements will lose their efficacy when active ingredients are released in the stomach and they are converted to less potent ‘salt’ forms by the hydrochloric acid present in the stomach.

The design of Total Balance, the health product we have personally been using for over 3 years with excellent health results, uses two techniques to ensure that the active ingredients reach the liver via the blood stream for distribution to various body organs and cells.

1. It encases the active ingredients using a technology known as enteric coating. This enables the active ingredients to be released in the upper intestine, thus avoiding damage to any of the nutrients.

2. It binds various active ingredients with larger molecular sizes to selected enzymes, which when released in the upper intestine, break the molecules down to a smaller size to enable easy transfer of the nutrients through the intestinal wall into the blood stream and then on to the liver.

Are you purchasing from a reputable company that sells a wide array of health supplements and has the company been in business for some time?

Many companies on the market selling vitamins are no more than middle men. You will find that they purchase bulk raw ingredients from a wholesale distributor and have little quality control. Some companies buy supplements already packaged in an unlabeled bottle and add their own label, this is appalling to be honest, and its surprising these companies get away with it, after all, its us as consumers who are the ones that suffer. 

Some even dilute the active ingredients in order to increase profits.  Random samples by consumer groups have shown that many supplements being sold do not contain what is printed on the label. Reputable companies guarantee quality, content and customer satisfaction.

We always assumed nutritional supplements and alternative health products were supposed to IMPROVE your health, not impair it?

We learnt that many vitamins, minerals, herbal extracts, and specialty nutrients work synergistically or can interact with one another. This itself presents a vast array of problems.

Lets look at some of these problems and how to get round them:

1. Most consumers of health supplements understandably do not have in depth knowledge about supplements, and, because of this, they do not realize that many ingredients can end up cancelling each other out, have harmful side effects when combined, or not be effective due to another specific nutrient being needed for that nutrient to function and do its job correctly.

2. For those people who have thoroughly researched the synergistic nature of supplements, it is very cumbersome to have to take 10 to 15 (if not more) different supplements per day (as we ourselves used to do). Most people, due to the time and hassle, would eventually just stop taking the supplements altogether, thereby receiving no benefits.

In-fact, this happens all the time, we personally know people who have began a supplement program and health regime but have just stopped due to the hassle it became. Other than that, it is just simply far too expensive to have to buy all the different ingredients as individual products. In the end, it would end up costing many hundreds of dollars per month. And who can afford that every month!

Important Sidenote: There are valid reasons when one may want or need to take an individual product with just one ingredient. Sometimes, it could be due to a certain physical condition that creates a pronounced or chronic deficiency, a special need, or simply to experiment in order to maximize the true therapeutic benefits.

Then, there are considerations that relate specifically to multi ingredient nutritional supplements. You, the consumer should ask:

What are the ingredients contained in the supplement?

Many people have come to believe that a quality nutritional supplement will contain a bunch of vitamins and minerals and then they have the foundation for the perfect health regime. Unfortunately, many people have been mislead by the majority of hype and false claims for nutritional products as a whole.

Vitamins, although important for our daily diet, are very weak anti oxidants when compared to other, more powerful nutrients. We need high doses of antioxidants to fight off free radicals. Free radicals have been said to be the very process of what causes aging and disease in the human body. Anti oxidants balance out the acid in our internal system and help keep free radicals under control. 

Below we will take a look at some studies and excerpts taking from credible nutritional sources on the benefits of such powerful nutrients for our present and future health.

Aloe vera is a potent anti oxidant:

According to Xtend-Life Natural Products:

"Not all Aloe Vera's are the same...

It is important to be aware that the Aloe Vera extract you see advertised is usually quite weak and the only type that gives the protection is one which is harvested and prepared in a special way which involves spray drying and concentrating to 200:1. This is quite an uncommon extract as it is more expensive to process in this manner. It is nothing like the common aloe vera sold in liquid form which also has additives and preservatives which are needed when in solution form."

Health Turmeric..

Turmeric is a powerful antioxidant, neutralizing free radical damage, and acts as an anti-inflammatory, which may help mitigate arthritis (and other) pains. Many people, in fact, swear by turmeric pain relief.

Health turmeric also harbors anti-carcinogenic properties. For example, curcumin slowed the development of prostate cancer on tumor cells in a lab dish and another study at a major University revealed that "a mixture of curcumin and isoflavonoids is the most potent inhibitor against the growth of human breast tumor cells."

A Clinical study at UCLA revealed that curcumin from tumeric may help slow the progression of Alzheimer's. Specifically, it reduced the buildup of amyloid protein "plaques" in the brain of rats. Amyloid protein plaque buildup is one of the primary factors that characterizes Alzheimer's disease. Studies have shown that cultures such as India which use a lot of curcumin in their cooking have a much lower incidence of Alzheimer's disease than the Western world.

Ginger Root..

Ginger root herb is also a highly effective antibiotic agent, strong antioxidant (scavenges free radicals that would otherwise damage healthy cells), and harbors anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. Therefore, it has been used to treat arthritis, along with bodily aches and pains. It also may benefit colds, flus, and allergies.

Medical ginger root, indeed. For these reasons and more, this is one of the most popular and sought after herbals.

Green Tea..

Because of its potent antioxidant strength, green tea extract is a powerful immune system booster, which is just one of the health benefits of green tea.

Studies and research have revealed that green tea extract may, in fact, be one of the most potent nutrients in the fight against various forms of cancer and heart disease. The benefits of green tea extract continue to impress the researchers of Modern medicine.

For example, it has been shown to reduce the damage caused by LDL (bad) cholesterol, which, if left unchecked, leads to the buildup of plaque in arterial walls. Such buildup can eventually trigger off heart attacks. In addition, green tea extract harbors a compound that appears to induce cancer cells to die off and stop reproducing.

Large studies have shown that both men and women who consumed green tea had far less pancreatic, rectal, and colon cancer. Experts are hopeful the benefits of green tea extract will prove in the future to be just as beneficial for breast, stomach, and skin cancers as well.

Lastly, green tea seems to hold great promise as a substance that can regulate glucose –- the body’s primary source of fuel. Any glucose that isn’t used becomes stored by the body as fat. Therefore, in this way, green tea may function as a weight loss aid.

Red clover..

The benefits of red clover have most been attributed to alleviating a wide range of skin disorders, such as eczema and psoriasis.

Traditionally, it was used as a cancer fighting agent, but, in this regard, there is scant scientific evidence.

Other noted benefits of this herb include: alleviating bronchitis, and associated coughing; fighting colds, flus, and sore throats; mitigating liver problems; helping to relieve arthritis pains; and improving digestion.

Red clover is rich in the following nutrients, all of which have their own respective benefits: calcium, chromium, magnesium, potassium, and vitamins C and A, and the B-complex.

In addition, there are chemically active constituents in red clover that have been ascribed to have benefits for postmenopausal women. Like some other herbs, it is believed these compounds can have positive estrogen regulating effects.

Gotu Kola..

Gotu kola extract is best known for promoting healthy skin and helping skin conditions, such as burns, scar tissue, psoriasis, and the like.

More recently, however, it has been attributed a broad range of benefits that include enhancing mental acuity, staving off memory deterioration, improving blood flow by strengthening blood vessels, and mitigating unsightly varicose veins.

Unlike some other herbal remedies, where the scientific evidence is scant, the gotu kola benefits are strongly suggested by various studies.

For example, in the book published by Reader's Digest called "The Healing Power of Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs" it states: "In one study, 30 developmentally disabled children were found to have significantly better concentration and attention after taking gotu kola for 12 weeks..." and "In more than a dozen studies observing gotu kola's effects on veins...about 80% of patients with varicose veins and similar problems showed substantial improvement."

The active constituent of the herb is called asiaticoside. It is this substance which harbors properties that seem to be able to help the body build connective tissues, such as the collagen that keeps skin firm, and enhance vascular and neurological functioning.

Alpha-Lipoic acid..

Alpha-Lipoic acid acts as a facilitator to other powerful antioxidants, such as Vitamin E and C, by “recycling” them in the body, thus increasing their effectiveness. Because it is believed to be such a powerful antioxidant, it is now used to treat and prevent a wide array of age related diseases, including diabetes, cataracts, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s, along with boosting the immune system.

In particular, it has been used to treat nerve damage that can result from diabetes. The nerve damage is believed to be a result of free radicals, which can be counteracted by potent antioxidants such as alpha-lipoic acid. It has also been shown in studies to help diabetics lower their glucose levels.

Another major benefit is its ability to chelate (pull out) heavy metals (such as lead, cadmium, and mercury) and assists the liver in clearing out other bodily toxins.

Resveratrol..

1) Powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants are substances that can neutralize free radicals, which are highly reactive compounds that, if left unchecked, can lead to cellular damage. Free radicals are believed by some experts to be a major culprit in heart disease, cancer, and aging itself.

2) The study conducted by Dr. Pezzuto showed that resveratrol was effective against the progression of cancer. Most impressively, it was effective in all the major stages of cancer -- the initiation, promotion, and progression.

3) Resveratrol has been shown to help lower bad cholesterol (LDL), and, therefore, may be a potent nutrient in preventing cardiovascular disease. It has also shown to reduce the clumping of platelets. Thus, such conditions as atherosclerosis and heart attacks, which are often caused by arterial blockages, may potentially be reduced by this potent substance.

Quercitin..

Bioflavonoids are potent nutrients that help maintain the health of collagen. Collagen is responsible for the firmness and health of our largest organ -- our skin. Indeed, wrinkles and sagging is the direct result of the breakdown of collagen.

Quercitin, along with other bioflavanoids, can also improve the health of capillaries and connective tissues. Because of this, the many benefits of quercitin include alleviating bruising, edema, varicose veins, and fragile capillaries.

Other benefits include its ability to inhibit the release of histamine. As such, it is said to help mitigate conditions brought on by some type of allergin (ex. eczema, asthma, hay fever, etc) and has been ascribed anti-inflammatory properties. Indeed, the prestigious Mayo Clinic, after conducting laboratory tests, concluded that quercitin may be useful in helping to treat or prevent prostate cancer.

In the words of the Mayo Clinic researcher Nianzeng Xing, Ph.D who presented the findings of the study: "Our laboratory results showed quercitin blocks the androgen activity in androgen-responsive human prostate cancer cell lines."

"By blocking the androgen activity," he continued, "the growth of prostate cancer cells can be prevented or stopped."

DMAE benefits..

DMAE can elevate one’s mood, counter depression, and boost cognitive functions (such as memory and concentration), and even increase intelligence. These benefits stem from this nutrient’s role in manufacturing acetylcholine, which is a substance responsible for healthy mental functioning.

Physician’s monitoring patients on DMAE have reported that such people are more congenial, upbeat, and exhibit greater mental acuity. In addition, people taking it often report sleeping better and having more energy while awake.

Lastly, one of the best DMAE benefits is that it promotes healthy skin, by preventing the manufacture of arachidonic acid, which is a substance that leads to the formation of wrinkles. For these cosmetic purposes, it can be both taken as a nutritional supplement and applied topically via a cream.

The Nutritional supplements you should avoid are as follows:

• Cheap vitamin supplements from your local vitamin store - They will be bouught in bulk and adhere to none of the above that we have mentioned.
• Nutritional supplements that do not contain the ingredient's above along with vitamins and minerals - This is because nutrients work together, and, if a certain nutrient is not contained, the effects of a certain nutrient will be rendered useless.
• Supplements that do not comply to pharmaceutical GMP compliance.
• Avoid companies that do not hold a Certificate of Analysis confirming the potency of the ingredients listed.

During our research and after having tried countless health supplements, our quest to find the right nutritional health supplement for ourselves eventually led us to a company outside of the U.S. where the manufacturing regulations for nutritional supplements is very strict (far exceeding those of the FDA).

The company that produces this product is called Xtend-Life Natural Products, its funny because they are in a sense extending lives, and their flagship product, called Total Balance, was just the kind of alternative health supplement we were looking for: an all in one health supplement containing around 70 powerful nutrients to restore youthful vitality and keep the body working the way it should be.

What is Total Balance and what can it do for me?

1. Total Balance is a synergistic, comprehensive product formulated by a scientist with absolutely top notch credentials, not hyped and conceived by marketers, as is the case with many other products currently on the market. Each tablet of Total Balance contains the majority of the ingredients discussed on our sister site - http://www.nutritional-supplement-guides.com! To view the actual ingredients (and scientific studies associated with them) in Total Balance, click here.

To be honest, the chances are you landed at this page from typing in a certain ingredient or you were looking for information on a certain part of nutrition. You will be happy to know, that Total Balance not only gives the best possible therapeutic benefits for a vast array of nutrients, the product its self contains all the nutrients needed for optimal health.

So, if you were looking for a certain benefit from a nutrient, or you were looking for something to help improve your health, then you've landed at the right page at the right time because now you have the chance to really improve your overall health!

2. We were very impressed to see that Xtend Life Natural Products adhered to pharmaceutical GMP compliance, which is among the most rigorous and stringent manufacturing standards for dietary supplements in the world.

3. On top of this, they also had a COA (Certificate of Analysis) on file for each batch of products produced. In short, this confirms the potency of the ingredients used.

4. Another extremely important point to us personally was that they used only standardized herbal extracts. These are what contain the actual active ingredients of the herb, and, hence, where the true therapeutic benefit lies. Many companies on the market do NOT use standardized herbal extracts, because alternative health supplements manufactured without them are much cheaper to produce.

5. Now, one of our biggest concerns was price. You can have the best supplement in the wold, but if its costly, is not going to be any use because most people don't want to pay huge amounts each month on supplements. We were, quite frankly, tired of spending more on our alternative health supplements and products every month than we did on our own groceries!

After doing a price comparison of Total Balance to other products on the market, and calculating what it would cost to buy all of the ingredients separately, and you would need to, to obtain the same kind of health benefits, not that you would be able to get them as natural and toxin free as Total Balance. The good news is that we were extremely impressed. In conclusion, Total Balance represented unbeatable value for money.

6. Last but not least, Xtend-Life had the strongest money back guarantee we've ever come across for nutritional supplements: a full one year refund, no questions asked policy. Most places, as you are well aware, offer an appalling 30 or 60 day guarantee. If you factor in the time it takes these companies to ship you their product, and the time it takes to ship it back, a 30 day guarantee is virtually worthless.

We summarize these kinds of guarantees as pathetic, and a mere feeble attempt to grab ones money for a low grade product - knowing fine well that most people wont be able to get the supplement back to them before the guarantee anyway. 

And we're speaking from first hand experience: one of the editors here returned some alternative health products once after only a few days of use from a company with a 30-day guarantee and their response was that they could not honor the refund because the product arrived back to them 1 day after the guarantee expired! In summary - Appalling!

7. Our last concern was that Xtend-Life is a company based in New Zealand, while we come from both the US and the United Kingdom, we didn’t want to buy an alternative health supplement that took weeks to arrive, never arrived at all, or had very costly shipping costs. However, we were very pleased to find their shipping was extremely fast, with all of our orders arriving usually within several days!

We had a delay once due to a bank holiday, after a few emails of updates with the customer support staff, we were giving an apology direct from the management and we were giving a free supply of supplements!  And, to add to this - the shipping cost is cheaper than compared to other supplement companies based in our own resided countries..

Update: We have now been using Xtend-Life Total Balance (and their Energy Product) for over three years, and have been VERY pleased with the results and the customer service: we have noticed a remarkable increase in energy levels, mental focus, and general feeling of well-being.

We have also added their omega 3 capsules to the mix and we believe we have the ultimate foundation for one of the strongest nutritional plans. We have also had our family members use their products, such as their high quality Omega-3 Fish Oil, their cholesterol formula, and their newly added highly recommended Viral Protect product, all of our family have reported very positive results.

Bottom line? If you are looking for alternative health supplements that will serve as the foundation of your nutritional supplement regimen, won't break the bank account, uses only the highest quality ingredients, and is manufactured under the most stringent regulatory conditions, you may wish to have a closer look by visiting their website: Xtend-Life Natural Products

We have researched dozens and dozens of companies before deciding to recommend Xtend-Life and their products over all the rest -- and only after we have taken them ourselves for a prolonged period of time.

In conclusion, this recommendation doesn't come lightly.

Please keep in mind, however, that everybody reacts differently to different nutrients, so only you can decide if Total Balance is the right product for you. We also strongly advise that you consult with your physician before taking ANY alternative health supplements, not just Total Balance, since some of these nutrients can interact with certain prescription and over the counter medications.

Respectfully and honestly submitted,

The Editors

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