Cellulite affects 85%-98% of women. Lots of treatments promise false results. A new study shows that this herbal treatment can deliver real results. Cellulite refers to the dimpling and denting of the skin, usually around the thighs, stomach and buttocks. It is painless but can cause distress. This just published double-blind study compared pine bark extract (Pycnogenol) to placebo. The dose of the pine bark was 50mg in the morning and 100mg in the evening for 3 months. 60 women were included in the study. While there was no statistical improvement in the placebo group, there was significant improvement in the pine bark group. On the Hexsel cellulite severity score, there was a 12.2% improvement after 2 months and a 13.6% improvement at 3 months. Pine bark extract also significantly improved skin roughness and skin smoothness. There was also a significant 2.07cm reduction in upper thigh circumference in the pine bark extract group. The researchers note that this reduction is greater than that seen with FDA-approved cellulite treatments. The pine bark extract was able to achieve all of these benefits safely. This is the first double-blind study to demonstrate the ability of pine bark extract to improve cellulite. Thank you for choosing Healthy Living 4 U for all your wellness needs!

Urinary tract infections are one of the most common infections. Even worse, they are often recurring. Recurring UTIs not only affect your health and quality of life, they can also contribute to antibiotic resistance. But adding these natural supplements to your antibiotic may mean you don’t have to take that antibiotic again.

This study gave 98 women with UTIs either an antibiotic or the same antibiotic with 500mg of cranberry, 2000mg of D-mannose and a very small 40IU dose of vitamin D for 12 weeks.

The effect of adding the natural supplement was remarkable. 77.6% of the antibiotic group had a recurrence compared to only 19.2% of the women who added the supplement. That is a significant difference.

Compared to taking an antibiotic alone, quality of life scores improved significantly in the supplement group.
Cranberry is a well known and well established treatment for recurrent UTIs. A meta-analysis of 3 studies found that D-mannose, a sugar found in fruit and naturally in the body, is very protective against recurrent UTIs (Am J Obstet
Gynecol. 2020 Aug;223(2):265.e1-265.e13).
EC Gynaecology. 2024,13(2).

Our bodies are made up of calcium, up to 99% of it is tied up in our 33 teeth and 206 bones. Recent research has shown that by supplementing our diets with a high quality calcium and magnesium in a 1 to 1 ratio along with K2 boron strontium and D3, bones can actually be rebuilt. A diet deficient in these things will break down and absorb teeth and bones in an effort to balance our bodies’ needs.

So eat lots of leafy green veggies and see the helpful folks at your local health food store, just to be sure you're getting enough calcium. For all your wellness needs, think Healthy Living 4U!