Zestz for LAUGHS?

An old couple was watching TV one evening, and the husband got up to go to the kitchen. His wife told him to get her some iced tea, and knowing that the years had taken their toll on his memory, she told him to write it down.

"I can remember iced tea," he protested.

"But I want sugar in my tea too," she told him, "so write it down."

He told her he could remember iced tea with sugar.

"I want a slice of lemon too." she said, "Just write it down."

He left the room grumbling to himself. A few minutes later he came back with a plate full of mashed potatoes for her.

"Now look what you've done!" she yelled at him, "You forgot my gravy!"

There’s really more to your Iced Lemon Tea than just a cooling refreshing drink in the current dry spell.

Adding lemon juice and sugar to your tea could help your body absorb the brew's beneficial compounds, epigallocatechin (EGC) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), according to a recent paper published in the Food Research International.

EGC and EGCG are antioxidant polyphenols found in fresh tealeaves. Green tea contains between 30 and 40 per cent of water-extractable polyphenols, while black tea (green tea that has been oxidized by fermentation) contains between 3 and 10 per cent.

The health profile of green tea are increasingly known to consumers, with studies reporting a wide range of effects, including a lower risk of certain cancers, improved heart health, weight loss, and protection against Alzheimer's.

Zhen-Yu Chen et al had in 1998 suggested the ability of ascorbic acid to stabilize tea polyphenols in the intestine. In their study, Dr M.G. Ferruzzi and his associates formulated a range of green tea products to contain 50 mg of green tea extract. The effects of additional sucrose (1.25 grams), ascorbic acid (10 milligrams) or both on the bioavailability and bioaccessibility of the tea’s catechins were evaluated in Sprague Dawley rats and in intestinal cells. The doses were chosen to emulate a typical commercial sweetened ready-to-drink green tea beverage

According to their findings, formulation with both sucrose and ascorbic acid increased the absorption of EGC and EGCG was significantly enhanced with levels three times higher than that observed in the control tea.

In laboratory tests on human intestinal cells, scientists discovered that vitamin C increased the absorption of EGC and EGCG by as much as three times.

These data suggest that formulation with sucrose and ascorbic acid may improve catechin bioavailability by enhancing bioaccessibility and intestinal uptake from tea.

1. Zhen-Yu Chen, Qin Yan Zhu, Yeun Fan Wong, Zesheng Zhang, and Hau Yin Chung. Stabilizing Effect of Ascorbic Acid on Green Tea Catechins. J. Agric. Food Chem., 1998, 46 (7), pp 2512–2516

2. C.M. Peters, R.J. Green, E.M. Janle, M.G. Ferruzzi. Formulation with ascorbic acid and sucrose modulates catechin bioavailability from green tea. Food Res Int 2010 Jan 1; 43(1):95-102

3. Picture: http://www.stockphotopro.com

Zestz JAZZ

Ela e Carioca

Rachel Guerzo Quartet at No Black Tie - July 2007

Rizal Soliano on drums, Valentino Soliano on bass and Salvador Guerzo on tenor

CLICK HERE to play

You can also catch Rachel

LIVE at DEWAN FILHARMONIK PETRONAS

Tuesday, 27 April 2010 at 9.00 p.m.

Purchase your tickets here

Photo credit: http://www.glaringnotebook.com

Significant Belly Fat Loss Seen With Orlistat

Two studies presented at the recently concluded 1st International Congress on Abdominal Obesity in Hong Kong show that overweight and obese people using orlistat 60 mg with a reduced calorie, lower-fat diet can significantly reduce weight, visceral fat, and waist circumference and therefore may reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and stroke (1).

In the three-month randomized placebo controlled Visceral Fat Imaging Study (2) trial 26 overweight and obese subjects took orlistat 60 mg 3 times a day and ate a hypocaloric (reduced by 500 kcal) low-fat diet.

Subjects received a single dietary counseling session, and an abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan was performed to measure visceral adipose tissue (VAT) at baseline.

By showing changes taking place inside people's bodies MRI measures fat more accurately than weight or waist measurement.

After 12 weeks, the Visceral Fat Imaging Study recorded a significant reduction in body weight, waist circumference, and VAT was recorded, according to MRI. 24 subjects completed the study.

In the six-month Visceral Fat Multi-Center Study (3), overweight and obese adults receiving orlistat while on a reduced calorie, lower-fat diet had significantly greater improvements in visceral fat than those treated with diet alone. 123 participants were randomly assigned to receive either alli three times per day or a placebo, along with recommendations to follow a reduced calorie, lower-fat diet, for 24 weeks.

At week 24, statistically significant reductions in visceral fat and body weight were observed in both groups; however, the reduction was significantly higher among patients taking orlistat.

With an aging population and burgeoning obesity rates among children, the stage is being set for an epidemic of cardiometabolic disease among future generations.

Congress organizers hope to raise awareness of abdominal obesity as a new risk factor that, along with traditional risk factors, can be modified to reduce the risk of serious diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and stroke.

- Orlistat works by inhibiting the action of lipases in the lumen of the stomach and small intestine. The inactivated enzymes are thus unavailable to hydrolyze dietary fat into absorbable free fatty acids and monoglycerides. A significant proportion of dietary fat, therefore, remains undigested and unabsorbed, passing through the GI tract unchanged.

- Visceral fat (belly fat) is a dangerous type of fat that surrounds the vital organs in the abdomen and when present in excess disrupts the normal functioning of organs, increasing the risk of life-threatening diseases. Even modest weight loss can result in significant reductions in visceral fat and substantially improve health.

References:

1. CLICK HERE for our earlier post on the Dangers of Belly Fat

2. Beaver J, Bell JD, Thomas EL et al. Orlistat 60 mg in conjunction with diet provides significant reduction in visceral adipose tissue. Poster presented at: 1st International Congress on Abdominal Obesity, 2009, Hong Kong.

3. Greenway F, Smith SR, Murray K et al. Orlistat 60 mg demonstrates a significant reduction in visceral adipose tissue at 24 weeks compared with placebo. Poster presented at: 1st International Congress on Abdominal Obesity, 2009, Hong Kong.

4. Picture : http://i578.photobucket.com

Moderate Exercise keeps Dangerous Belly Fat away

Moderate amounts of exercise, involving the equivalent of walking 30 to 45 minutes a day five days a week, even without a change in diet can reduce the inflammation in visceral fat, or belly fat, that has been linked with metabolic syndrome, according to a new University of Illinois study.

Metabolic syndrome is a group of risk factors (large waistline, high levels of triglyceride, blood sugar, blood pressure and low level of HDL cholesterol) that predict heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.

Excess belly fat is particularly dangerous because it produces inflammatory molecules such as C-reactive protein, that enter the bloodstream and trigger the systemic diseases linked with metabolic syndrome, such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

In the study, Vieira et al examined the effects of diet and exercise on the inflammation of visceral fat tissue in mice. A high-fat diet was first used to induce obesity in the animals.

After 6 weeks, mice were assigned to either a sedentary group, an exercise group, a low-fat diet group, or a group that combined a low-fat diet with exercise for 6 or 12 weeks so the scientists could compare the effects in both the short and long term.

“Unexpectedly, the only significant increase from 6 to 12 weeks in belly fat - the type of fat that triggers these inflammatory diseases - was in the mice who were sedentary, which suggests that exercise is an effective behavioral approach to reduce the accumulation of visceral fat even when fat in the diet is high,” she said.

This is a promising finding.

It indicates that even if you struggle with dieting, you can still reduce the likelihood of developing obesity-related inflammatory diseases, such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, by adding a modest amount of exercise to your life.

Visceral fat is different from other body fat. Visceral fat, also called intra-abdominal fat, refers to the fat that surrounds the internal organs. Subcutaneous fat, on the other hand, is body fat that is close to the skin's surface and is considered less dangerous, and easier to lose, than visceral fat.

Vieira VJ, Valentine RJ, Wilund KR, Antao N, Baynard T, Woods JA. Effects of exercise and low-fat diet on adipose tissue inflammation and metabolic complications in obese mice. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2009 May;296(5):E1164-71.

Picture : http://realbodycafe.com/images/visceralfat.gif

FREE Body Fat Screening Service - details below.

FREE Body Fat Screening

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DATE / 日期 ： 05.03.2010 (Friday)

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Kindly contact your pharmacist at 03-31689667 for further information

Q: Why is it important to monitor body fat percentage?
A: Measuring weight alone is not a completely accurate assessment of health or fitness because it doesn't distinguish pounds that come from fat and pounds that come from lean muscle mass. Everyone needs some body fat, but too much fat results in obesity--one of the most important public health issues in the United States. According to new federal guidelines, more than half of the US adult population are now overweight or obese, and one out of four children and adolescents is too fat.

Q: Are there any illnesses directly linked to obesity?
A: Obesity is directly linked with Diabetes Type II and hypertension, and is a contributing risk factor for many other conditions including heart disease, sleep disorders, arthritis, gall bladder disease, stroke, and several forms of cancer. Awareness and monitoring of body fat percentage can be a motivational tool for a fitness or weight management program. Additionally, with any chronic degenerative disease, monitoring body fat and lean body mass is critical to evaluation, treatment, and management of the condition. This information is helpful in determining a suitable exercise and nutritional program on an individual basis.

Q: Is it possible to have too little body fat?
A: Yes. Both extremes--too much or too little body fat--put an individual at risk for serious medical and/or psychological conditions. Having a very low body fat percentage, particularly for women, can result in musculoskeletal problems and osteoporosis. And it can upset the hormonal balance causing loss of menstruation. Striving for extremely low body fat can also result in severe eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and binge-eating which have significant health implications.

Picture: http://heartmdphd.com/gifs/BlackFat.jpg

What Happens to Your body when you stop smoking?*

One of the main reasons it’s so hard to quit smoking is because all the benefits of quitting and all the dangers of continuing seem very far away.

Well, here’s a little timeline about some of the more immediate effects of quitting smoking and how that will affect your body RIGHT NOW.

• In 20 minutes your blood pressure will drop back down to normal.
• In 8 hours the carbon monoxide (a toxic gas) levels in your blood stream will drop by half, and oxygen levels will return to normal.
• In 48 hours your chance of having a heart attack will have decreased. All nicotine will have left your body. Your sense of taste and smell will return to a normal level.
• In 72 hours your bronchial tubes will relax, and your energy levels will increase.
• In 2 weeks your circulation will increase, and it will continue to improve for the next 10 weeks.
• In three to nine months coughs, wheezing and breathing problems will dissipate as your lung capacity improves by 10%.
• In 1 year your risk of having a heart attack will have dropped by half.
• In 5 years your risk of having a stroke returns to that of a non-smoker.
• In 10 years your risk of lung cancer will have returned to that of a non-smoker.
• In 15 years your risk of heart attack will have returned to that of a non-smoker.

So, you have more immediate things to look forward to if you quit now besides just freaking out about not being able to smoke. Quit now!

Secondhand and Thirdhand Smoke will cost a lot of money in medical care for your loved ones.

The cold turkey method is free, and you can do it at any time. Why not today?

A positive mindset, eat healthy, exercising moderately and spending fun time with friends or family are simple, useful daily routine to adopt.

Supplementing with certain age-essential nutrients like Calcium, B Vitamins and antioxidants helps in the maintenance of optimum health. Click Here - Centrum^® Silver may be just the right age-adjusted multivitamin for you.

*Adapted, almost wholesale, from Liz Lewis’ “What Happens to Your Body if You Stop Smoking Right Now”. Liz is living the good life in New Zealand, working as a health professional by day and blogging about health, wellness, travel, and green issues by night. She’s also working on a new project The Green Wine Guide.

Photo Source

Tips for Succeeding Going Cold Turkey*

If you do decide to go cold turkey, here are some steps you can take to improve your chances of success:

• Choose a quit day and plan for it. Pick a day within the next four weeks. Use the intervening time to pay attention to what triggers your desire to smoke, so you can avoid those triggers later on. You also might begin to scale back on the number of cigarettes you smoke each day, to make it easier to cut yourself off on your quit day.
• Get your family and friends on board. Tell them your quit date and ask for their help. Tell them you’re going to need their support and that you’re also going to need them to be kind to you because you’re going to be cranky and occasionally nasty.
• Get rid of your smoking paraphernalia. On quit day, toss all your matches, lighters, ashtrays, and, of course, tobacco.
• List the reasons why you want to quit: laminate it, keep it in your pocket and when you start to slip, take it out and review it."
• Don't use a lapse as an excuse for giving up. Most smokers trying to quit will lapse at least once. Acknowledge what happened, but tell yourself that this does not mean you've taken up smoking again. You can use a slip-up as a learning opportunity. Analyze the circumstances under which you slipped and try to change that behavior..
• When you feel like reaching for a smoke: Divert your attention by calling a friend; take a quick walk, even if it is just to the bathroom ; or close your eyes and count down from 10 to 0, very slowly, breathing deeply with each count

Another important point: Come up with a plan to deal with cravings. You may find it helpful to keep a smoking journal before your quit date, to record data like what time each craving hit, where you were, and so on.

* Adapted from http://www.everydayhealth.com/stop-smoking/quit-smoking-cold-turkey.aspx

Picture : http://www.youruserreviews.com

Congratulations, you have taken the first big step towards regaining the ZESTZ of life.

A positive mindset, eat healthy, exercise moderately, spend fun time with friends or family are simple, logical steps that follow.

Supplementing with certain age-essential nutrients like Calcium, B Vitamins and antioxidants helps in the maintenance of optimum health.

Click Here - This may be just the right age-adjusted multivitamin for you.

Quit Smoking Cold-Turkey

There is good evidence that the most successful method used by most ex-smokers is quitting "cold turkey" or reducing-then-quitting.

Reviewing 511 studies published in 2007 and 2008 Chapman and MacKenzie report that studies repeatedly show that two-thirds to three-quarters of ex-smokers stop unaided and most ex-smokers report that cessation was “not at all difficult”.

In 2003, some 20 years after the introduction of cessation pharmacotherapies, smokers trying to stop unaided in the past year were twice as numerous as those using pharmacotherapies and only 8.8% of US quit attempters used a behavioural treatment. Moreover, despite the pharmaceutical industry's efforts to promote pharmacologically mediated cessation and numerous clinical trials demonstrating the efficacy of pharmacotherapy, the most common method used by most people who have successfully stopped smoking remains unassisted cessation (cold turkey or reducing before quitting).

Today, unassisted cessation continues to lead the next most successful method (nicotine replacement therapy [NRT]) by a wide margin.

Click Here for full report

The cold turkey method is free, and you can do it at any time. Why not today?

Chapman S, MacKenzie R. The Global Research Neglect of Unassisted Smoking Cessation: Causes and Consequences. PLoS Medicine, 2010; 7 (2): e1000216 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1000216

Picture: http://www.londonstimes.us

Zestz : Celebrating the PRESENT

WHEN YOU SURRENDER TO WHAT IS AND BECOME FULLY PRESENT,

THE PAST CEASES TO HAVE ANY POWER.

YOU DO NOT NEED IT ANYMORE.

PRESENCE IS THE KEY, THE NOW IS THE KEY

Eckhart Tolle, born Ulrich Leonard Tolle, February 16, 1948) is a German-born public speaker, a teacher on spirituality and the author of The Power of Now and A New Earth.

PHOTO: http://clearwatersunsations.com/uploads/sunset2_1241973252.jpg

Zestz for LAUGHS

A man finally gets his prescription for Viagra. Anxious to try it out, he takes one as soon as he gets home, and waits for his wife to come home from work, but, in his excitement he forgets and leaves the package open on the table and his cockatiel eats all of them.

Seeing the results and panicking the man grabs the bird and stuffs him into the freezer to cool off.

Just as his wife comes home, the Viagra kicks in and it's hours later before he remembers the cockatiel. He runs and looks in the freezer expecting the worst, only to find the bird breathing heavily, drained with sweat and totally exhausted.

"What happened?" the man asks, "You were in there for hours and yet you're not only alive but you're sweating like crazy?"

The cockatiel pants: "Man, have you ever tried to pry apart the legs of a frozen chicken?"

CLICK HERE : Learn how to really take good care of your cock-a-tiel

Joke credit: http://www.impotence-guide.com/viagra-jokes.html

Photo credit : http://letustalk.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/viagra.gif

Zestz JAZZ

Mimpiku Semalam - Rachel Guerzo Trio with Finn Martin

Instrumental piece composed by the late Alfonso Soliano. 'Live' at No Black Tie, Dec 2007 - Rachel Guerzo on piano, Halim on bass, Rizal Soliano on drums and Finn Martin on soprano sax.
CLICK HERE to play

You can also catch Rachel

LIVE at DEWAN FILHARMONIK PETRONAS

Tuesday, 27 April 2010 at 9.00 p.m.

Click here to purchase your tickets.

Photo credit: www.alexis.com.my

Futsal May Significantly Reduce Blood Pressure in Inactive People

It is well known that physical inactivity is a substantial risk factor in developing cardiovascular diseases in itself, but it is new that a pleasurable team sport like soccer is effective in treating high blood pressure

A European research experiment on inactive men with high blood pressure shows that just 3 months of soccer practise twice a week causes a significant fall in blood pressure, resting pulse rate, and percentage of body fat, and is more effective than the doctor's usual advice on healthy diet and exercise.

Other parallel experiments on both women and men further demonstrates that a regular game of soccer affects numerous cardiovascular risk factors such as maximal oxygen uptake, heart function, elasticity of the vascular system, blood pressure, cholesterol and fat mass far more than e.g. strength training and just as much if not more than running.

Led by Professors Peter Krustrup and Jens Bangsbo from Department of Exercise and Sports Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 50 researchers from seven countries have studied the physical, psychological and social aspects of soccer and the results are remarkable. A number of scientific articles from the project are published on 2 February 2010 at a seminar at the University of Copenhagen and later this month the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports will publish a special edition issue entitled "Football for Health" containing 14 scientific articles from the soccer project.

When untrained children, teens, adults and older people play soccer, their pulse rate remains high and they perform multiple intense actions like sprints, turns, kicks and tackles. The pulse rate and activity profile is the same in small-sided games where only 4, 6, 8 or 14 people play. In other words, it is very easy to obtain a combination of cardio and strength training with soccer.

Furthermore, football may have other favourable effects on the vascular system, namely a reduction of arterial stiffness, which has been associated with improved cardiovascular outcomes.

So, couch potatoes, get up and rediscover the zestz of life with soccer. But before you hit the arena, make sure that you supplement your bulk with adequate vitamins, minerals and probiotcs. CLICK HERE for details!

Photo credit : http://my-rawk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/futsal.jpg

Katsuobushi oligopeptides May Also Decrease Diabetes Risk

2

The findings of the recent HOPE (Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation) trial strongly suggest that ACE inhibitor therapy may reduce risk for type 2 diabetes in patients who are non-diabetic at baseline. This finding is readily rationalized by previous evidence that ACE inhibitors can potentiate the insulin responsiveness of both adipocytes and muscle fibers.

Since the population at risk for diabetes is huge and increasing dramatically, the recent development of orally absorbable food-derived peptides with clinically significant ACE inhibitory activity – such as ‘Katsuobushi oligopeptides’ derived from bonito – may make it more logistically feasible to achieve this protection on a widescale basis, while simultaneously promoting blood pressure control and reducing risk for atherothrombotic disease.

Nevertheless, adhering to your healthcare professional's recommendations, eating wisely, exercise and a positive mindset remain crucial aspects the maintenance of optimum health.

McCarty MF (2003) ACE inhibition may decrease diabetes risk by boosting the impact of bradykinin on adipocytes. Med Hypotheses 60:779 –783

Available as Kordel’s BPGard. It contains 375mg of the Katsuobushi Oligopeptide per capsule. Recommended Retail Price :RM108.00 per 60 capsules, Dose: two capsules once or twice daily, depending on individual requirement

Photo credit : http://www.parasaito.com/wp-content/katsuo-bushi.jpg

This scientific review was written by the Zestzfulness Team

Smoking reduction increases the probability of future cessation

With the introduction of gory images on cigarette packs, smokers are beginning to realize that smoking is a slow and for many a painful way to die. But will these scary pictures stop people lighting up?

Many smokers think about giving up and yet continue to puff away oblivious to the dangers they are exposing their nearest and dearest to with their secondhand and thirdhand smoke.

Passive smoking causes lower respiratory illness in children and lung cancer in adults and contributes to the symptoms of asthma in children. Click Here for more gory details.

Quit smoking as soon as you can. If you find the going tough. Here’s a clinically proven fact to help keep you going.

In a qualitative review of 19 studies on smoking reduction in individuals who did not want to quit, researchers at the University of Vermont found this method, typically coupled with the use of nicotine replacement products, led to an increase in quitting in 16 of the studies.

This review contradicts the commonly held belief that quitting requires stopping abruptly and provides evidence that smokers can quit successfully by reducing the amount of cigarettes smoked. Furthermore, it indicates cutting back is often a great way to start changing smoking that can lead to eventual quitting.

Lead author John Hughes, however, warns that smokers do need to understand that there is no good evidence that cutting back alone decreases smoking-related health risks and thus health care providers should promote reduction only as a step towards eventual cessation to their patients.

Hughes JR, Carpenter MJ. Does smoking reduction increase future cessation and decrease disease risk? A qualitative review. Nicotine Tob Res. 2006 Dec;8(6):739-49.

Photo credit: http://www.stopsmokingsteps.com

Aroma Incredibellous – I smell….you stink!

Aroma Incredibellous – I smell….you stink!

There’s a layer of warm air that immediately surrounds our body.

It is called the human thermal plume. This plume originates at the top of your feet, swirls and rises, gathering speed and increasing in volume, staying with you as you move through the day and ascending the length of your torso until it flows from the top of your head.

As the air moves up and away from you, dead cells (also known as rafts), body secretions and bacteria that were present on your skin's surface can also be carried upward. The warm air currents carry these loaded rafts into the surrounding area depositing your odour in the environment.

Human body odour consists of various odour components. Studies examining the volatile components have detected the presence of fatty acids, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, esters, ethers, hydrocarbons, and other substances in body odour(1,2).

Odour individuality can be due to the slight differences in the overall composition of this mix(3).

References:

1. Bernier UR, Kline DL, Barnard DR, Schreck CE & Yost RA. Analysis of human skin emanations by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. 2. Identification of volatile compounds that are candidate attractants for the yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti). Anal Chem (2000) 72: 747–756
2. Ellin RI, Farrand RL & Oberst FW et al. An apparatus for the detection and quantitation of volatile human effluents. J Chromatogr (1974) 100: 137–152.
3. Nicolaides N. Skin lipids: their biochemical uniqueness. Science (1974) 186: 19–26.

Get Zestz DeO Spray today! Zestz DeO has an active pH balance and contains the right ingredients to fight odour without affecting the natural functions of the skin.
CLICK HERE for more info.

Blood Pressure Lowering Activity of Katsuobushi oligopeptide

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and the chief risk factor for stroke and heart failure, and also can lead to kidney damage.

The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC 7) defines optimal blood pressure as below 120/80,

When the arteries become hard due to the build-up of plaque containing cholesterol, blood pressure rises.

Some of the important lifestyle factors which may cause high blood pressure include stress, lack of exercise, and smoking.

Some of the dietary factors include: obesity; high sodium to potassium ratio; low fiber, high sugar diet; high saturated fat and low omega-3 fatty acid intake; and a diet low in calcium, magnesium and vitamin C.

These same factors are known to also impact the ability of the kidneys to regulate fluid volume and control blood pressure.

You are diagnosed as prehypertensive if your systolic blood pressure is in the range of 120 to 129 and your diastolic ranges between 80–89mmHg. Your doctor may not prescribe any antihypertensive drug and would recommend instead a non-medicinal approach to lowering blood pressure. Diet, lifestyle modification, and proper supplementation should be the first steps.

Katsuobushi is a traditional Japanese food made from dried Bonita fish (a member of the tuna family). It is used to make soup stock and to season food. Katsuobushi oligopeptide has been found to moderately inhibit ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) activity (1).

This enzyme converts angiotensin I to angiotensin II - a compound that increases both the fluid volume and the degree of constriction of the blood vessels. Narrowing the diameter of the blood vessels sends up the blood pressure.

By inhibiting the formation of angiotensins, Katsuobushi oligopeptide relaxes the arterial walls and reduce fluid volume, thus lowering blood pressure.

Thus Katsuobushi oligopeptide can be a useful supplementation in the maintenance of optimal blood pressure.

Nevertheless, adhering to your healthcare professional's recommendations, eating wisely, exercise and a positive mindset remain crucial aspects in lowering or bringing your blood pressure under control.

1. Fujita H, Yasumoto R, Hasegawa M, Ohshima K. Antihypertensive activity of "Katsuobushi Oligopeptide" in hypertensive and borderline hypertensive subjects. Jpn Pharmacol Ther 1997;25:147-51.

Photo: http://1.bp.blogspot.com

This scientific review was written by the Zestzfulness Team