Pro PHC

Most people’s only reference for the element strontium is strontium-90, a highly dangerous, radioactive product of nuclear fallout.  However, directly below calcium on the periodic table of elements, lies element number 38, a stable, non-radioactive, version of strontium, which is non-toxic even in high doses and happens to be one of the most effective substances found so far for treatment of osteoporosis and other bone-related conditions.

Trace amounts of strontium are found naturally in soil, and in appear in relatively high doses in foods such as spices, seafood, whole grains, root and leafy vegetables, and legumes.  In the body strontium is found in the bones in a concentration of around 100 micrograms in every gram of bone.  It is important for healthy bone growth and is part of the same chemical family as calcium and magnesium, two other minerals vital for healthy bones.  Thus, supplementing with natural sources of strontium will make more of this vital natural element available for your bones.

Often the body’s bone cells are caught in a continuous cycle of growth and re-absorption (when the body runs low on minerals stored in bone); bone growth drugs or rock-based calcium supplements really only affect the resorption part of the cycle, but scientists have discovered that strontium’s unique method of action provides two functions in your bones.  Strontium actually inhibits bone resorption while at he same time, stimulating bone growth.  No other natural substance known to man provides this double effect.

Animal and human studies on strontium have been conducted since the early 1950s, and over the years these studies have shown strontium to have important bone health properties.  Unfortunately, most recent studies on strontium have looked at strontium ranelate, a patentable, and t

Most people are aware that consuming a variety of fruits and vegetables helps improve health and fend off many chronic conditions, but a new study from the Journal of the American Dietetic Association provides details on how consumption of specific fruits and vegetables will lower the prevalence of many types of colon cancer; colon cancer being the third most common form of the disease.  It turns out that foods such as apples, broccoli and cauliflower can each lower the risk of developing cancer in different parts of the colon while high sugar, and fiber-void fruit and vegetable juices actually increase risk of the illness (partially due to their high-fructose corn syrup content – read more here).

Head of the Epidemiology Group at the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research, professor Lin Fritschi, PhD, and her research team have provided significant evidence to confirm the importance of consuming a diet rich in a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables to lower colon cancer risk.  They performed a study in which 918 participants with a confirmed colon cancer diagnosis and 1021 individuals with no history of the digestive disease completed extensive nutritional and demographic questionnaires.  A comparison of the two group’s nutritional patterns revealed that specific fruit and vegetable families affect risk for colon cancer in different portions of the digestive tract.  Specifically, eating brassicas like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts was linked to a reduced rate of cancer in the top portion of the colon (proximal colon).  In addition, both total vegetable and fruit intake were linked to a lower risk of distal colon cancer (lower portion of colon).  As well, they found that eating dark yellow vegetables and apples was also correlated with a significant reducti

Ginkgo Biloba is one of the oldest plants in existence, as it is believed to have been unchanged for the past 270 million years.  This living fossil, which has no close living relatives, is a resilient plant, having survived several mass extinctions and was apparently the only living tree found near the epicenter of the Hiroshima nuclear blast.  It has been reported that a single ginkgo biloba tree can live more than 1,000 years and grow to a height of 120 feet.

Although you might not know much about this plant’s healing properties, Chinese herbal medicine has used both the ginkgo leaf and seed in traditional healing therapies for thousands of years.  As well, ginkgo supplements are currently some of the best-selling herbal medications in North America and Europe.

So, why is this ancient plant becoming so popular now, in the 21^st century?  Well, for starters, we, in the western world, are seeing a shift in our medical practices, adopting more and more traditional herbal remedies.  As this shift occurs, we are able to use our western scientific practices to isolate and describe the chemical properties of these plants and how they can improve health and cure disease.  We now know that gingko contains two types of chemicals, flavonoids and terpenoids.  Flavonoids are potent antioxidants that can protect nerves, heart muscle, blood vessels, and the retina from damage; terpenoids improve blood flow by dilating blood vessels and reducing the stickiness of platelets.  Recently, research has identified over 100 conditions that can be improved with ginkgo consumption.  Some of those conditions are as follows:

Boosting cognitive function/fighting Alzheimers & Dementia:

Although not all studies are in agreeance, there is some evidence to support the claims that ginkgo supplementation improves memory and helps support brain health.  Ginkgo is often promoted as a brain boo

According to the Canadian Cancer Society, based on current incidence rates, 40% of women and 45% of men in Canada will develop cancer during their lifetimes, and as we adapt to an aging population, we’re going to see the prevalence of cancer skyrocket.  Researchers are working frantically to develop more effective cures, and new approaches to treatment, and one recent perspective change might be the answer.

Many of us understand cancer as our own cells revolting and fighting against us, yet sufferers often report that it feels more like a foreign invader is attacking them.  Well, what if both are true?  A recent paper brought out by the University of California suggests this might just be the case.  In the article they actually go as far as to suggest that we should be viewing each cancer outbreak as a new species of parasite.  Cancer itself is a cluster of rogue cells that proliferate rapidly propagating their own individual genes at the expense of the body as a whole (which just happens to be the definition of a parasite).  Cancer may not be a foreign invader itself, but something has to trigger the reaction.  The group at the University of California points their finger at DNA mutations caused by parasites and viruses.  If we think of cancer in these terms, we may better understand how to treat, cure and ultimately prevent the disease.

This is the premise behind the cervical cancer vaccine, Gardasil, which inoculates against the human papilloma virus; if you fight the virus, which causes the cancer, you’re effectively fighting the cancer.  According to the UK’s National Health Services, HPV is found in over 99% of people with cervical cancer.

In all cases of cancer, the DNA of the cancer cells is notably different from that of the host cell.  This is where the researchers at the University of California get the basis for thinking of every tumor as a new species, but one major issue with

Lately it seems that the global population is becoming more and more interested in nutrition related issues.  People are finally seeking information and educating themselves on health and nutrition and not relying on governments and big business to dictate what they should be eating.  We at Pro-HPC could not be happier about this, but we recognize we still have a long way to go.  This is the reason we exist as a company, to educate, and help make our world a healthier place, and today we would like to offer a list of 24 nutrient dense superfoods which we encourage you to try to incorporate into your daily diet.

Adzuki Beans:

The hamstrings are one of the biggest muscle groups in your body, yet they frequently are overshadowed by the quadriceps and overlooked.  This is unfortunate because they arguably more important than the quads with regards to athletics, and forgetting to work out your hamstring can lead to chronic injury.

The hamstrings are the antagonist muscle group to the quadriceps, meaning the two groups work together through opposite movements.  The quads, located on the front of the thigh, extend (straighten) the knee and help in flexion (bending) at the hip, while the hamstrings, located on the back of the upper leg, flexes the knee and extends/hyperextends the hip.  There are three muscles that make up the hamstring group: semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris, which is comprised of a long and short head.  In order for a muscle to produce movement in more than one joint, that muscle must cross all of the joints involved and the semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and the biceps femoris long head do just that, all connecting to the pelvis and extending down to attach below the knee.

So Why Are The Hamstrings So Great?

·      The hamstrings are key to acceleration and deceleration, which means they’re strength is essential to athletes who need bursts of speed, abrupt stops and need to change direction quickly.

·      The hamstrings help transfer power from the knee joint to the hip joint.

·      The hamstrings and glutes are the two main sprinting muscles, and are extremely important to forward propulsion at maximal running speed.

·    &nbs