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Melatonin

Melatonin is a natural hormone produced by the pineal gland; a pea-sized structure embedded deep within the brain. The pineal gland is the body's natural timekeeper. The hormone melatonin, the pineal glands messenger. 

Sleep:

Melatonin production peaks at night during sleep and falls during the day. The daily ebb and flow of melatonin controls the body's sleep/wake cycles. 

Melatonin's main function is to help you fall asleep. When the eyes notice its getting dark, that information gets sent to the pineal gland, which starts making melatonin. It reaches its peak at around two in the morning and then gradually tapers off toward sunrise. 

Until you're about 40, you make plenty of melatonin. As we age, our pineal gland gets smaller and produces less and less melatonin. This may be one of the reasons many elderly people don't sleep well, or women going through menopause have trouble sleeping.

Taking melatonin supplements on a regular basis a few hours before bedtime does help many people get to sleep faster and stay asleep longer. 

Relieving Jet Lag:

Traveling between time zones throws off you sleep rhythm, so does shift work and night jobs. Melatonin can help reset your internal clock to nighttime at your destination, or new hours in a job, and helps you sleep.

Other advantages to taking Melatonin:

Animal studies have shown that adding melatonin to the drinking water of older animals can not only significantly extend life but also reverse many of the telltale signs of aging. On the basis of these studies, some researchers believe that restoring youthful levels of melatonin in humans could help prevent or slow down age-related declines in physical and mental function. 

Melatonin is a potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger that can protect cells from oxidative damage. (See Free Radicals and Antioxidants).

Oxidative damage contributes to many different diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, which is characterized by the formation of amyloid plaques in the brain that can kill brain cells. Plaques are small, disk shaped formation or growth. Amyloid is a hard protein deposit resulting from degeneration of tissue. According to a report published in the Journal of Neuroscience, melatonin has been shown in test tube studies to inhibit the oxidative damage that lead to amyloid formation in the brain, which suggests that it may help to prevent Alzheimer's.

Another study shoed that Melatonin helps relieve cluster headaches particularly debilitating headaches that primarily affect men. In a controlled study, 20 cluster headache patients were given either 10 mg. of melatonin daily or a placebo. The melatonin treatment group noticed a marked improvement after about one-month of treatment. 

Melatonin has also been shown to boost immune function by activating the cancer-fighting cells that weed out potential malignancies before they can spread. A report published in the Journal of Pineal Research suggests that melatonin may help extend the life of patients with melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer. The study included 30 patients who received either 20 mg of melatonin nightly or no treatment. After 31 months, the researchers noted that the survival rate in the melatonin group was considerably better than those not receiving treatment. 

Kava Kava: (piper methysticum)

For 3000 years, residents of the South Pacific have used a beverage made from the herb kava kava, a member of the pepper family, to induce a feeling of well being and relaxation. In 1993, scientists discovered that kava kava contains potent compounds, kavalactones, which are natural muscle relaxants that have a pleasant calming effect. Several studies have shown that kavalactones can reduce the symptoms of anxiety as well as or even better than prescription antianxiety drugs, but without the unpleasant side effects. Kava kava will not leave you feeling drugged or groggy, as do many tranquilizers. You should feel calm, yet alert. 

Note: There is a small risk that it may make you drowsy, which is why it can be taken to help sleep, but should be monitored if the herb is taken during the day. If you feel drowsy or "out of it" after taking kava kava, don't drive or engage in any activity that requires concentration.

Valerian Root

Known as "herbal valium", this herb is used to treat insomnia, stress and tension headaches. (Despite its name, it is completely unrelated to the synthetic drug Valium.) Numerous studies have confirmed that varlerian is an effective aid to sleep. It is also excellent for muscle spasms, which are often caused by stress. The herb is safe and not habit-forming. Valerian reduces activity in the central nervous system, and the best known herbal treatment for insomnia.

VITAMIN E:

Is good at protecting the cell membranes against free radicals.. It is good because it is a fat soluble vitamin and cell membranes are made up mostly of fat. Vitamin E gets into the membrane and lassos any free radicals that try to get through. 

MM-6 EXTRACT: Medicinal Mushroom Immunity Formula

Cordyceps sinensis - Derived from a Chinese mushroom traditionally used to fight fatigue and promote vitality. It is believed to improve athletic performance by opening up the breathing passages, thereby allowing more oxygen into the body.
It has long been used to treat asthma and respiratory problems. 

Agaricus blazeii: Studies show it enhances the immune function. 

Coriolus versicolor: Derived from an edible mushroom popular in Asia. In Japan, it is widely used as a government-approved, nontoxic cancer treatment called PSK or Crestin. It is not touted as a miracle cure; rather, it is an important part of an overall cancer treatment program. Natural healers also report success as a treatment for auto immune problems, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, which occur when immune cells become confused and begin to attack the body's own tissue. 

Ganodermia lucidum: (Reishi mushroom)
An Oriental mushroom that is used as a tonic for the treatment of obesity, angina pectoris, bronchitis, hepatitis and insomnia. Scientific evidence is building that suggests that the this mushroom has hypotensive, anti-tumour, hypoglycemic and immunostimulatory activity. 

Lenitula edodes: (Shitake Mushroom) Contains a substance called lentinan which enhances the immune system's ability to fight against infection. This mushroom is used as a cancer-fighting agent in Japan and China. It also lowers cholesterol. 

Grafoia frondosus: Studies show it enhances the immune function.

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