Amazing Alfalfa

Alfalfa is one of the most beneficial foods of all creation.  For thousands of years alfalfa has been known as "The Father of All Foods" because it's importance was widely recognized.  In fact, alfalfa has long been considered "a superfood" because it is so rich in bio-available nutrients.  Especially rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and iron in their most digestible forms, alfalfa also contains fluoride in a natural form, beneficial trace minerals, protein, fiber, all vitamins including vitamin A as beta carotene, B6, B12, C, D, E, and K, essential fatty acids, antioxidants such as chlorophyll, Octacosanol, Saponins, Carotenoids and other phytonutrients.  Generations ago the Arabs who raised wonderful horses found that alfalfa made their horses strong and swift.

Long ago, organic cereal grasses and green vegetables were our ancestors' original dietary supplements.  Ancient people knew that foods helped to protect their health and they had learned early on what plants were required for overall good health as well as which plants provided benefits for various illnesses.  Concentrated green foods provide the same benefits to us today that they did for our ancestors. 

Alfalfa is an immune-system stimulant and blood purifier, and it aids in the assimilation of protein, fats and carbohydrates.  Alfalfa alkalizes, detoxifies and purifies the body.  For many centuries alfalfa has been found to aid in the healing of a variety of illnesses including:

• arthritis
• bleeding gums
• blood sugar regulation
• body and breath odor
• nosebleeds

• Digestive System:  intestinal ulcers, gastritis, hemorrhoids
• Heart Health:  cholesterol, heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke risk reductions 
• Immune System:   allergies, asthma, cancer and infections
• Skin Health:  athlete's foot, burns, eczema
• Women's Health:  anemia, endometriosis, menopause related problems, osteoporosis, water retention

While we appreciate the benefits of alfalfa and appreciate alfalfa sprouts on our salad or on a really good sandwich, few of us eat alfalfa as a food and the sprouts have been found to be contaminated with bacteria and pesticides.  Having organic alfalfa in a tablet form sure makes it easy to include this wonder herb in our daily diet without feeling like we need to eat from a bale of hay or choke down some of those "green drinks". 

Shaklee has a wonderful Alfalfa Complex available in tablet form made from 3 grams of alfalfa and a little spearmint.


Keep in mind, if you are allergic to grasses that you are likely allergic to alfalfa too, so to use it with care.  And as always, talk to your physician about supplementing your diet with herbs.  Some prescription medication and herb combinations are not beneficial at all, and in fact some can be quite harmful. 

Women's Health Solutions

All women are on one side or the other of menopause.  Either you've already begun to experience this phase of life or you haven't reached this point yet.  As women mature, the most pressing health concern is menopause. Menopause is inevitable, it is unavoidable, and it can be extremely difficult. There are 35 known health effects associated with menopause including [1]:

• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Fatigue
• Insomnia
• Increased wrinkles
• Weight gain and muscle loss (sarcopenia)
• Memory issues

It's inevitable.  What are some things we can do to help make this transition a little easier?

For A Good Night's Sleep

If you struggle with getting a good night's sleep, as many of us do from time to time, you might want to consider using Peace & Calming and/or Gentle Sleep Complex.

Peace & Calming is an essential oil blend that promotes relaxation and has a calming effect.  The Gentle Sleep Complex is an herbal blend designed to promote and maintain a calm state, relaxation and a natural way to promote restful sleep.  Both the Peace & Calming blend and the Gentle Sleep Complex are kosher certified.

May you soon find peace and rest in your life.

Making Herbal Tinctures

** originally posted July, 2008


After my Stinging Nettle for Allergies entry, I've had a few friends ask me to share with them how I make herbal tinctures. I think it's about time I get around to doing that now.

First you have to collect the herbs you want to make into tinctures. Collect the herbs at their peak time for maximum benefit. Flowers are best picked early in the morning just as they open into their bloom. When collecting leaves, usually earlier in the season they leaves are more tender but my personal experience has been that tinctures don't care if the leaves are tough or tender. You never want leaves or flowers that have been eaten by bugs or damaged by weather, disease or something else. Try to get the best herbs you can, then dry them. I dry larger things like stinging nettle or mint hanging in the attic where it's warm and dry. For smaller things like flowers, I use a food dehydrator. You do not want to dry your herbs in the sunlight because the thought is that just like the sun fades the herbs it will destroy some of it's beneficial properties. The key is to dry them in a place that is dark, dry, and with good airflow so that the herbs will dry well and not become moldy.

Dried nettle leaves going into clean glass jars

Once the herbs are dry they can be crunched up and stored in a jar. I've found that flowers like red clover can be put through a coffee grinder and then stored in a jar so they don't take up so much room, which means that you can get more of the red clover in a single jar. The coffee grinder is also good for chopping up tougher things like dandelion roots. The herbs should then be stored in a cool dark place, like a cupboard that is not near your range or above your toaster oven.

Red Clover - Crushed vs Whole

Stinging Nettle for Allergies

**originally posted June, 2008

To the wild food and herb forager who has learned to respect its sting and recognize its attributes, stinging nettle is a true delight.  From ancient Greece to the present, nettle (both leaf and root) has been used for treating a wide range of ailments.  Stinging nettle leaf has anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties.  Stinging nettle has been used to treat urinary tract infections and as an aid in increasing milk production in nursing mothers.  When used as a health treatment, stinging nettle helps to reduce the inflammation of allergies, benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) and lupus, eczema, hemorrhage (nosebleed, excessive uterine bleeding) and chronic diarrhea.

Stinging nettle is a very valuable plant, used for food, medicine and fiber.  Nettle contains iron, vitamin C and chlorophyll - all of which aid in the treatment of iron-deficiency anemia.  I've been told that nettle has more iron than spinach.  Nettle provides the iron necessary for the production of red blood cells.  Stinging nettle roots also help keep testerone in an active form in both men and women.

We have been harvesting and drying stinging nettle for some time now, having been using it fairly regularly for a few years.  After learning about how valuable nettle has been since ancient times, we opted to add nettle to our medicine cabinet.  In our family there are some who suffer terribly from seasonal allergies.  In fact, almost 12 years ago my husband was told by his allergist that he had the worst reaction to his allergy testing that he had seen in his 25+ years of practice.  He was almost rushed to the emergency room by the allergist from his testing alone!  This was days after his throat swelled almost completely closed from his allergies.  Needless to say, allergy treatments have been high on our family priority list for quite some time.

CorEnergy

Cordyceps sinensis is a fancy name for a particular mushroom that has been used for a very long time in Traditional Chinese and Tibetan Medicine and has a reputation even in Western medicine.  This medicinal mushroom is highly prized as a treatment for everything from fatigue to cancer, treating high cholesterol to ringing in the ears.  This little mushroom has been extensively tested and found to enhance stamina, possibly by promoting a more efficient use of oxygen and enhancing cardiovascular health.

For thousands of years, Panax Ginseng has been a part of Traditional Chinese Medicine as a treatment for a variety of ailments ranging from anxiety to diabetes to heart and lung conditions to the cold and flu, for brightening the eyes and enlightening the mind.  Panax Ginseng is said to promote energy, improve circulation, increase blood supply, revitalize, stimulate the body and aids in recovery.  Ginseng is an adaptogen - it increases the body's ability to tolerate stressful situations of all types.  It is commonly taken to increase energy, enhance physical performance and to prolong life.

Green Tea has been a medicinal tea in the Orient for thousands of years.  Green tea is both a stimulant and an antioxidant with a diversity of healing applications.  Used as treatments for asthma, heart disease, cancers, cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes, ear infections and the flu as well as a treatment for the herpes virus infections, eczema and even wrinkles, Green Tea has shown it's variety of benefits beyond simply increasing energy.  There are individuals who should not take Green Tea because it can counteract certain prescription medications so be sure to check with your physician before taking any products containing Green Tea.

Three CorEnergy capsules provide herbal adaptogens and antioxidant phytonutrients that support the body's own ability to maintain energy and enhance stamina.  CorEnergy is certified Gluten Free and comes in a certified Kosher formula too. 

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Pharmaceutical Mushrooms
Ginseng
Green Tea

Herb-Lax

Constipation is a common gastrointestinal problem.  It happens when we have a poor diet, when we're dehydrated or when we've been ill.  If you are not passing solid waste at least once a day or, ideally, in relation to each meal, then you are experiencing constipation.  When we eat solid foods they pass through our digestive tract and move what is at the end of the system along.  "What goes in must go out."  When we become constipated the waste contained in our intestines does not pass through and our body continues to try to pull out every last nutrient and every last bit of fluid.  What our body is pulling out is waste and waste water, not nutrients.  The longer waste stays in our intestines, the harder it is to pass. 

A diet rich in fiber, plenty of liquids and regular exercise all contribute to digestive regularity.  Our modern diet is not rich in fiber and few drink quality fluids like water and fresh juices.  Often times our lifestyles are more sedentary than physically active.  Fast food, processed and refined foods, and high sugar drinks do our bodies more harm than good.  Often times constipation is one of the results of a diet that is "less than the best." 

For millennia there have been plants that different people groups have used to provide relief from constipation.  Senna, Licorice, Buckthorn, Alfalfa, Fennel, Anise, Rhubarb, Blue Malva and Culver's root are all well known and trusted herbal laxitives.  However, when not combined carefully the results can be quite uncomfortable and embarrassing.

Herb-Lax is a gentle laxative designed for occasional use.  It encourages a mild cleansing action to aid the body in it's natural processes.  Herb-Lax is a certified Kosher product and one of Dr. Shaklee's signature, prioprientary blends.

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Constipation

Garlic Complex

Oh, the wonders of garlic!!  For millennia people of many cultures have sung the praises of this wonder herb.  It has been credited with curing everything from the common cold and the flu to protecting people from the Plague.  Modern science has revealed that garlic is a wonderful natural broad-spectrum antibiotic and an anti-fungal whose only negative side effect is garlic-breath and a possibly upset stomach if one ingests too much.

Studies have also shown that garlic promotes cardiovascular health by helping to maintain normal blood pressure and cholesterol levels when included with a diet low in fat and cholesterol.  Garlic has also been used to treat parasites, respiratory problems, poor digestion, and low energy and Garlic has been shown to reduce blood sugar, support the immune system and support beneficial microorganisms.

 

Garlic Complex combines the benefits of garlic with the antioxidant properties of Spearmint and Rosemary. 

Garlic Complex is a wonderful garlic tablet that is a unique Shaklee combination of 1 gm Garlic, 3 mg Spearmint Oil and 50 mg Rosemary Extract to provide optimal benefits in heart health, maintaining healthy levels of beneficial microorganisms as well as all the other amazing benefits of Garlic that have been noted through the ages.  Garlic Complex is both Kosher and Gluten Free.

For more information, or to order Garlic Complex, 
or visit this link.

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Garlic Health Benefits
Rosemary:  The Super Antioxidant
Spearmint

NutriFeron: Immune Support

Your body's built-in defenses work hard to keep you healthy.  Daily bombardment from environmental irritants and airborne pollutants can unbalance your immune system.  Our immune systems are complex and multi-faceted systems designed to protect us from invading bacteria, viruses and allergens.  When our immune system is out of balance we are much more susceptible to illness.  Part of the job of the immune system is to recognize and destroy potentially dangerous invaders and pre-cancerous cells.  The way our bodies do this is with the production of interferon.  Interferon triggers neighboring cells resistance mechanism and activates other immune cells that kill invaders.  Interferon is a critical component of our immune system.

World-renowned immunologist Dr. Yasuhiko Kojima first discovered interferon in 1954, while he was conducting research at Tokyo University. After 40 years of painstaking research, testing hundreds of natural compounds, he developed a unique blend of four powerful plant extracts that boosts the body’s natural production of interferon. Those 4 powerful plant extracts are:  Pumpkin seed extract, Safflower extract, Asian plantain seed extract and Japanese honeysuckle flower extract.

Scientists and medical communities have identified interferon as critical to healthy immune function. NutriFeron is the only dietary supplement in the U.S. created by the discoverer of interferon that naturally increases the production of interferon in the body.  In a recent laboratory study, NutriFeron has been shown to positively impact natural killer (NK) cells.

This potent-yet-safe phytonutrient blend provides immune support right at the cellular level. Studies have shown the extraordinary health and immune protection benefits of NutriFeron’s proprietary blend of four plant extracts.

NutriFeron is an exclusive patented formula available only through Shaklee. A powerfully effective supplement, it has exceeded a stringent set of scientific tests for safety, purity, potency, and performance.  NutriFeron is both Kosher and Gluten Free. 

For more information about NutriFeron, 
or visit this link.

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Understanding Interferon

Human Clinical Studies
1. Ushiroyama T, Yoshida S, Tadaki K, Ikeda A, Ueki M. Clinical efficacy of EH0202, a Kampo formula, on the health of middle-aged women. Am J Chin Med. 2004; 32(5):755-770.
2. Ushiroyama T, Yoshida S, Tadaki K, Ikeda A, Ueki M. A pilot study of a Kampo formula, EH0202, with intriguing results for menopausal symptoms. J Altern Complement Med. 2004 Apr; 10(2):397-399.
3. Kaji K, Yoshida S, Nagata N, Yamashita T, Mizukoshi E, Honda M, Kojima Y, Kaneko S. An open-label study of administration of EH0202, a health-food additive, to patients with chronic hepatitis C. J Gastroenterol. 2004 Sep; 39 (9):873-878.
4. Kubo M, Hashimoto Y, Yoshida S. The effect of health food containing EH0202 on physical and mental symptoms accompanying menstruation in women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Clin Pharm Ther. 2004; 14(2):129-142

Defend & Resist Complex

It seems that each season has it's challenges with the immune system.  The colder months tend to find viruses and other illness spreading like wildfire while the warmer months tend to bring allergies and other seasonal maladaies.


There are many significantly important functions of zinc in the body, including proper protein synthesis, promotion of a healthy immune system, healing of wounds, bone formation and required for the body to utilize vitamin E and vitamin A.  Zinc is an essential mineral for our good health.  Zinc has been shown to be effective in relieving the symptoms of the common cold as well as reducing it's duration.

Echinacea Extract (Echinacea purpurea) is used extensively to boost the immune system, to treat colds and the flu, help fight infections and to help speed wound healing.  Research has shown that Echinacea has wonderful immune system stimulating properties that are directly involved in the destruction of bacteria, viruses and other infectious agents as well as cancer cells.  Echinacea has been found to be beneficial for a wide range of conditions including cancer, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and yeast infections, colds, cough, influenza, strep throat, and ear infections.




For centuries the Lakota Sioux Indians used Echinacea and would combine it with extracts of the Larch Tree.  The Larch Tree is in the Pine family and possesses an inner bark that contains astringent and gently stimulating qualities.  Traditionally it has been used to treat metabolic dysfunction, inflammation, diarrhea, rheumatism, bronchitis and asthma.  Both Echinacea purpurea and Larch Tree Extract activate an important class of white blood cells known as natural killer (NK) cells which is a vital part of our immune system.  Also recognized for it's support of healthy bacteria in the digestive tract, Larch Tree extract is now being used in the treatment of cancer.




Elderberry is one of the most effective herbs for preventing and treating upper respiratory infections and fever.  In England it was known as "nature's medicine chest" and other primitive people groups recognized the many benefits of the cooked berries as well.  Elderberry stimulates the immune system and has shown promising activity in clinical trials against viruses such as herpes simplex and HIV.  Benefits of elderberry have been found to include health conditions such as asthma, bronchitis, influenza, sinusitis, nasal congestion, fever and sore throat.  A clinical trial of elderberry found that it cured 0% of flu infections within 72 hours when used properly.

Defend & Resist Complex

Defend & Resist Complex features four clinically proven immune-supporting ingredients.  The immunoactive arabinogalactans in extracts of Echinacea, Black Elderberry and Larch Tree stimulate the body's natural resistance and Zinc is known to support healthy immune functions.  When you feel that first 'tickle' of an illness, have Defend & Resist Complex ready to supercharge your immune system and help you beat back those seasonal bugs.

Defend & Resist Complex is:

• Kosher
• Gluten Free
• Save & Effective

For more information on the Defend & Resist Complex, 

or visit this link.

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Cold & Flu Fighters

Stress Relief Complex

For over 2,500 years Ashwaganda has been considered a "vitalizer" for it's rejuvenating, balancing, strengthening and calming effects.  From the same plant family as the tomato, Ashwagandha Root Extract (Withania somnifera) is often referred to as "Indian Ginseng" since it has been used the same way as traditional Chinese medicine uses ginseng.  It helps correct memory loss, aids in reducing pain and inflammation from arthritis and for centuries has been used as a tonic for long-term endurance and increasing ones resistance to stress. 


Beta sitosterols are natural components from many vegetables and grains, one more reason Grandma encouraged you to "eat your vegetables".  Beta sitosterols aid in the body's metabolism of natural hormones and reducing the production of cholesterol.  When we are under stress our bodies produce the hormone cortisol which has been linked to long-term negative health impacts.  Research has shown that Beta sitosterols reduce the blunt the cortisol response as well as controlling cholesterol, promoting prostate health, preventing cancer, boosting immunity and reduced inflammation, and normalizing blood sugar and more.  The Beta sitosterols used in Shaklee's Stress Relief Comples are soybean phytosterols, meaning that these compounds are naturally derived and not synthetically designed in a laboratory.


L-Tyrosine (from sugar beet, Beta vulgaris, root) is a supplement for those under stress because while the body is under stress the brain may not synthesize enough tyrosine.  L-Tyrosine finds its use in helping to boost one's mood, concentration, learning and memory.  It helps to counteract fatigue and stress in those physically active, and may benefit all manner of ailments from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome to narcolepsy to cardiovascular disease.  The L-Tyrosine used in Shaklee's Stress Relief Complex are from the sugar beet root, meaning that this is naturally derived compound rather than a synthetic compound.

Stress Relief Complex

With 100 mg of Ashwagandha Root Extract, 60 mg of Beta sitosterol and 100 mg of L-Tyrosine, Stress Relief Complex offers nutritional support to help you get through your day in a calm, alert and healthy way.  The powerful ingredients in Stress Relief Complex work to provide quick relief from tension.  This formula has been tested and proven effective to promote a calm relaxed state without causing drowsieness, within 30 minutes and to keep you more alert, less tense and able to concentrate better.  Stress Relief Complex is certified:

• Save and Effective
• Kosher
• Gluten Free
   

For more information about or to purchase Stress Relief Complex,

or visit this link.

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Stress Relief Complex Talk Sheet
Ashwagandha Root: An Overview
Beta Sitosterol
What is L-Tyrosine?

Gentle Sleep Complex

Valerian Root (Valeriana officinalis) is an herb that has been used for thousands of years in Asia and Europe.  Hippocrates (460-337 BCE) mentions common medicinal use of Valerian Root.  Valerian Root is used for it's calmative effects with relation to anxiety, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, indigestion and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.  Large scale studies have confirmed Valerian's ability to improve the quality of sleep and relieve insomnia, especially the insomnia that sometimes accompanies menopause.  Valerian relieved insomnia without leaving a tired or groggy feeling the following morning.


For over 200 years Passion Flower (Passiflora incarnata) has been documented in the West to help settle edgy nerves, relieve muscle tension and calm extreme anxiety.  A wide range of therapeutic applications of the compounds in Passion Flower are currently being investigated because of its broad range of benefits.  Passion Flower is regularly used for aiding those who are suffering from anxiety, insomnia, attention deficit disorder and restless leg syndrome and several other applications as well.


German Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) is one of the most widely used and recognized herbs, found in most grocery stores in the tea aisle, it is one of the safest herbs one can use.  Chamomile has anti-anxiety, anti-histamine, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-spasmodic properties making it an ideal herb with a variety of benefits.  Herbalists especially recommend Chamomile for sleeplessness in children.  It is traditionally used for it's calming effects on people under stress, which is why you usually find Chamomile in bedtime teas.

Gentle Sleep Complex

Gentle Sleep Complex is a unique combination of a proprietary blend of Passion Flower Extract and German Chamomile Extract with 225 mg of Valerian Root Extract.  Designed to promote and maintain a calm state, relaxation and Gentle Sleep Complex is a natural way to promote restful sleep.  It is:

• Safe and Effective
• Kosher
• Gluten Free

For more information about Gentle Sleep Complex,  

or visit this link.

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About: Passion Flower
Chamomile:  Medicinal Herb
About:  Valerian Root

Pain Relief Complex

 Over three millennia ago in Egypt and India, Boswellia Serrata (Indian Frankincense) was recognized for it's anti-inflammatory effects and the benefits the herb brought to arthritis sufferers.  In recent years Boswellia has been clinically studied to test it's benefits on joint function in general and osteoarthritis of the knee specifically. In clinical studies scientists and patients have noted that boswellia decreased pain and swelling while increasing range of motion and endurance. 

Boswellia has also been noted for it's anti-cancer properties, particularly with regards to leukemia.

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) in an herb that has been used medicinally in Asia for thousands of years to ease joint stiffness and pain, but is only recently being utilized here in the West.  Safflower contains strong antioxidant compounds that aid in reducing inflammation that produce bursitis, gout and arthritis.  Safflower also aids in dissolving blood clots and because of this it should not be combined with blood-thinning treatments.



A Boswellia extract and Safflower extract combination has been proven effective and safe for relief of:

• arthritis pain
• joint discomfort
• restricted knee flexion
• discomfort from overexertion
• joint stiffness

Pain Relief Complex

Pain Relief Complex contains 1,000 mg Boswellia Extract and 150 mg Safflower Extract.  Pain Relief Complex is safe, natural and easy on the stomach as it provides help for overworked joints.   Pain Relief Complex is both

• Kosher
• Gluten Free

For more information about or to order Pain Relief Complex

or visit this link.

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Benefits of Boswellia
Safflower for Arthritis Relief

Severe Allergies Helped Naturally

I'm allergic to pollen, dust, grass, weed, trees, feathers, fun, certain scents, dogs, cats and certain food (citrus, fish, cashews or anything processed in a plant with tree nuts). I also have asthma. I suffered oozy itchy rashes on my hands so bad I could hardly bend my fingers and couldn't work as a nail tech. For years I would break out all over my body every time the wind blew. I was always getting nosebleeds. I was constantly sick with bronchitis, and pretty much had no vice for 4-6 months out of the year. I tried over the counter, and every prescription med, inhalers, nose sprays, you name it. Zyrtec worked the best but made me absolutely crazy and I had to quit taking it. I was getting allergy shots for a while and they helped a lot, but the series were sporadic, due to red tape in the MediCal system, and a couple times I had anaphylactic reactions to the shots which was really scary! The last time MediCal stopped my shots was when the Nutriferon first cam out. I was freaking about the shots because if I didn't get them every week, I'd be back to the same symptoms and end up with bronchitis and losing my voice, etc.

I was a non-committed Shaklee user, but decided to give the Nutriferon a try at the urging of my sponsor. My gosh, what a difference! I doubled up on it the first few days, then took two a day regularly for a long time. I did go without it for about a week at one point, and that is where I really saw the difference because the symptoms came back!

Other than that, I've been basically symptom free since I started taking the Nutriferon, and I've gotten friends who were distributors for other companies taking it for their allergies and asthma because they saw the difference in me an dhow much better I was since I started taking the Nutriferon. I've only been taking one a day for a while now, along with the foundation vitamins (Vitalizer & Protein), plus Alfalfa & Calcium.

I have seven children, one with severe allergies who also takes Nutriferon. My oldest daughter, who is in college in Santa Cruz, takes it every day and she was the only on in school that didn't get sick the whole year, except once, and that time she recovered really fast when she double up on the Nutriferon. The other kids take it when others around them are getting sick at school and work. It feels good to be able to go outside on a beautiful day and not be afraid of breaking out in a rash. I even go outside when it is windy and still have my voice! Recently I went on a five-mile hike when everything was blooming and didn't even sneeze or get wheezy! Nutriferon is amazing stuff - I can't help but be excited about it!

God Bless the doctor who developed it!

T. Colvin

Nutriferon (kosher)

Vitalizer

Protein (kosher)

** Wellness Pack with Vitalizer, Nurtiferon & Protein 

Alfalfa (kosher)

Calcium