Certain nutrients may help slow down the aging process; make them a part of your daily supplement regimen. We'll start with the assumption that you are already taking a good daily multiple that supplies you with vitamins and minerals appropriate to your age and sex. Now look to the following to provide protection from powerful aging factors.

Colostrum for Intestinal and Immune Health

Colostrum contains many factors that are able to be transferred to humans. Colostrum contains Insulin-like Growth Factor (IgF) which stimulates cellular growth and repair; Transforming Growth Factors (TgF) which promotes the synthesis and repair of RNA and DNA and the repair of muscle tissue (particularly helpful for athletes); and Epithelial Growth Factor (EgF) which stimulates normal skin growth. The growth factors in colostrum can help repair, heal and rebuild the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and provide benefits for the growth of good bacteria. Colostrum also contains significant amounts of interleukin 10 - a strong inflammation inhibitory agent found to significantly reduce inflammation in arthritic joints and injury areas". .

Herbs & Nutrients that Promote Sleep

Important hormone production is regulated during sleep and insufficient sleep can affect hormonal balance in adults. Tissue repair also occurs during sleep, including repair to the daily skin damage done by UV light. Memory, mood, immune function and much more are all affected by the quality of sleep you get. Many nutritional and herbal products or combinations of these can promote a good night's sleep.


Humans share 30% of our DNA with the fungal kingdom (versus 10% with the plant kingdom), of which mushrooms are the most visible member. As a result, the bacteria and viruses that attack mushrooms also attack humans. Mushrooms protect themselves from these invaders by secreting natural antimicrobial substances into their environment. When properly harvested and prepared using cold water and alcohol, these powerful mushroom defense compounds may be administered directly to humans to ward off infectionsinfections for which little to no pharmaceutical drugs have been found to effectively treat or prevent. Mushrooms have been shown to activate immune cells known as Natural Killer cells and macrophages which are considered to be our body's first line defenders against infections and cancer cells.

Bone Health

Not just calcium, but rather a combination of nutrients have the ability to improve bone health. Nutrients associated with calcium assimilation like vitamin K, magnesium, boron, vitamin C and more must be part of any bone building formula. Vitamin D alone and in combination is crucial. Biologically active forms of silicon are important for efficient calcium deposition in bones.

Control Inflammation

Inflammation is connected to heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and many other conditions associated with aging. The company New Chapter has extensively researched the herbal pharmacopoeia and international medical databases and has discovered that the following time-tested herbs, properly extracted and blended in the correct proportions, contain at least 8 phytonutrients that may safely and significantly promote a healthy inflammation response. They are: holy basil, turmeric, ginger, green tea, rosemary, hu zhang, Chinese goldenthread, barberry, oregano, and skullcap.

Skin Health

Omega 3, 6, and 9: those fatty acids are no doubt already part of your health routine. But one critical Omega fatty acid that may be missing from that list: Omega 7 oil from Sea Buckthorn. This oil has been used in Chinese and Tibetan medicine for promoting digestive and urogenital health for more than 12 centuries. The berries and seeds of Sea Buckthorn also deliver representatives of the Omega 3, 6, and 9 series. Scientists believe our most delicate body tissues, like the skin and the mucus membranes that line the digestive and urogenital tracts, have the greatest affinity for Omega 7 fatty acids. Omega 7 fatty acids are now being hailed as nourishment that may protect, replenish, moisturize, and restore. Constituents also known to add to Sea Buckthorn's "rescue role" are a naturally occurring rich array of carotenoids, tocopherols, tocotrienols and sterols.

Weleda has just introduced a line of skin care products created from Sea Buckthorn extract.

Get Rid of Toxic Skin Care Products

The regulatory requirements governing the sale of cosmetics are not as stringent as those that apply to other FDA-regulated products. Manufacturers may use any ingredient or raw material, except for color additives and a few prohibited substances, to market a product without a government review or approval." This is not so in many other regions such as the European Union, which banned the use of chemicals that may cause cancer, mutation or birth defects. Apparently the FDA has no problem with these, because they get the green light here in America.

Ingredients to watch out for include: paraben, a chemical found in underarm deodorants and other cosmetics that has been shown to mimic the action of the female hormone estrogen, which can drive the growth of human breast tumors, phthalates, plasticizing ingredients (present in nearly three-quarters of 72 products tested by the Environmental Working Group), which have been linked to birth defects in the reproductive system of boys and lower spermmotility in adult men, among other problems. Mercury, used in mascara, gels, and even eye drops, this metal can damage your brain function. Look for it listed as "thimerosal." Musks, used as fragrances, can accumulate in your body, and have been linked to skin irritation, hormone disruption, and cancer in laboratory studies. Artificial fragrances, which are among the top five known allergens, and can cause asthma and trigger asthma attacks. Fragrances can also contain neurotoxins and cause hormone disruption. Petroleum byproducts, used in makeup, shampoo (even baby shampoo), face creams and more, these chemicals have been linked to cancer. Methylisothiazolinone (MIT), a chemical used in shampoo to prevent bacteria from developing, may have detrimental effects on your nervous system.

The Vitamin Trader features two skin care companies that conform ingredients in their products to European Union standards: Weleda and Mychelle Dermaceuticals and . We believe you can trust both of these companies to provide skin care that not only is safe but also very effective with herbal and natural ingredients that promote beautiful skin.