If you are anything like us, you may have also been on the quest for the perfect toothpaste but left the health food store unsatisfied in the toothpaste section with each visit made there.  While there are many organic or “all-natural” brands available out there that are close to being usable, most of them still contain less than optimal ingredients, such as calcium carbonate, sodium sulfate, etc.  Knowing and using this new “made at home” toothpaste option feels great for us because we are going through the creation process of it ourselves – We know the steps involved and are using ingredients that we trust.

In the video below, Daniel takes us through the step-by-step process of making this detoxifying toothpaste!  This recipe takes under ten minutes to make and would cost probably less than $100 to make a lifetimes supply of it!  Daniel also explains the importance of each ingredient used in the recipe and shares the names of some companies who do in fact sell toothpaste brands that we know and trust, which inspired the recipe in the video and also what we would use if we weren’t making our own toothpaste these days.

Daniel was inspired to make this toothpaste recipe after he began experimenting with tissue detoxification using Zeolites and Clay.  He realized that these substances, when rendered into a fine flour-like powder, have just the right amount of abrasiveness to take the place of the average toothpaste available in stores.

A word from Daniel about the use of this toothpaste:

“You can swallow this toothpaste, which yields all of the amazing health benefits of these detoxifying earth compounds.  In particular I am referring to zeolites ability to perform cation exchange - CEC or Cation Exchange Capacity is the term used in physics – which is its ability to electrically bind positively charged ions (heavy metals, radio-isotopes, etc) whilst trading out (in exchange) beneficial cations like potassium or calcium.  The toxic cations are then transported out of our bodies, along with the zeolite powder in our bowel movement.  The case with clay is very similar, though the phenomena in this case is referred to as adsorption, which is also an electrical binding, but in this case to the surface of the clay particle and without the accompanying exchange of a cation.

Keep in mind that this practice, consuming clay and other earth compounds, is perhaps one of the oldest of all human behaviors.  It has been practiced around the world and is present in virtually all pre-industrial populations.  Evidence for this has been found in archeological sites that predated our current human form, and anthropological surveys have found that it lives on in societies around the world today.  Actually, it is common to nearly all mammals, and in particular to broad ranging herbivores.  The behavior is termed “geophagy”, and is unquestionably part of the species-specific diet of human beings.  From my perspective, it appears that a diet that lacks the geophagy pattern could not be called a “natural diet” at all, as it would essentially be deficient in these all-important compounds.

Most of us were taught to spit our toothpaste out, which, given the host of less-than-beneficial ingredients (particularly fluoride) is pretty sound advice.  With this home-made clay or zeolite toothpaste, the goal is indeed to swallow it, moving it into the intestine where it can go to work mopping up industrial and nuclear debris that has bio-accumulated in our tissues.

When this clay or zeolite consumption is combined with sauna therapy (this dual approach is the subject of my last video), we arrive at a very effective life-long detoxification strategy that really works, and is easy to implement.”

We hope that you enjoy this video and find the information shared here to be inspiring and helpful!  Please leave your comments below this post or on the video linked in this blog letting us know what you liked, what you want to hear more about from us, and your own toothpaste experiments!

In Health Always,

The SurThrival Team

SurThrival bovine colostrum powder has proven, without a doubt, to be the most popular product we carry and recommend to our friends, family, and customers.  Having been in the “alternative health scene” since a young boy, it seems today that as more people are healing their lives and finding balance, just as many are in a degenerative state with serious pain and “problems”.  I like to use the word opportunities instead of problems because today we have access to such incredibly powerful and life-changing products, that I feel any state of imbalance can be rectified.

SurThrival’s bovine colostrum powder is one of these products.  This is not a theory or part of some philosophical debate.  The scientific research alone is profound enough to quiet oneself and respect its power.  This is not what I am talking about either.  I am talking about direct firsthand experience.  We at Complete Wellness, have witnessed such tremendous breakthroughs with SurThrival’s colostrum that this alone has fueled our inspiration to share the knowledge and experience with others, which in turn brings a product popularity that is unmatched.

It has encouraged many weightlifters and hardcore athletes in the Southern California area to get rid of the isolated, refined, and chemical ridden supplements and protein powders that were causing them just as many complications as pounds gained.  We have not had one negative experience amongst athletes in achieving lean body mass, increased recovery time, and more energy.  One customer, for the first time in over 10 years, did not experience pain in his knees after using Surthrival’s colostrum powder for less than a week.  Of course, all situations and individuals are unique and we at Complete Wellness, as well as SurThrival, make no claims as to what this product will do.  All I am here to do is share my experience with this magnificent superfood with you, so that you can make the educated decision to better yourself.

Share it with Your Pets

Many people are aware of the amazing benefits bovine colostrum powder contributes to human beings.  However, many are not familiar with its application for animal regeneration and longevity. Two of my dogs (both are rescues) never received colostrum as babies.  One is an akita/border collie and the other isa yellow lab.  Both were weak, underdeveloped, and low on energy. After starting them on colostrum powder and leaving to Hawaii for a month, I was excited to return and see what kind of state they were in.  Not to my surprise, both my dogs had changed dramatically.  They looked like new dogs.  They were now strong having gained lean muscle mass with lush flowing hair and tremendous energy!  It was truly amazing.  For those unaware, bovine colostrum powder is not species specific and is optimal for all mammals, including your pets.  It even transformed the life of my Aunt’s cat that was on the verge of death from kidney complications and malnourishment.

SurThrival’s Colostrum is Superior

I have one more major thing to share with you.  We have plenty of customers who had been taking bovine colostrum powder for extended periods of time before finding our company, but from a different supplier.  Interestingly, they did not have much success and were having hard time believing what I was sharing with them about this incredible food.  The issue was (and remains) that not all colostrum products are created equal.  Most bovine colostrum products on the market are heavily processed and/or cut with excipients.

The heavy processing that other companies use destroys all the vital growth and immune factors, while ruining the EFA’s by making them go rancid.  Excipients, or “toxic tag-a-longs”, get in the way of nutrient absorption and bio-availability, as well as being just plain toxic for the body.  It is most important that you can receive the third party verification of your colostrum product, which SurThrival has for their Colostrum, to ensure no hormones, chemicals, or pesticides are used whatsoever in the production or processing.

This will also verify the amount of fat present, which is another practice many companies use. Other companies de-fat the colostrum, removing important fat-soluble vitamins, growth factors and immune factors along the way.  As far as we are aware, Immune Tree Certified bovine colostrum powder meets these requirements.

It is quite astonishing what state the body is in when deprived of nature’s first food.  Thanks to people like Dr. Anthony Kleinsmith and Daniel Vitalis, we now have available the only third party verified, true six-hour colostrum in its raw, activated form.  I wish you and your loved ones the same success we witness every day at Complete Wellness.  Have a happy day!

*Timothy Matz is a Wellness Strategist and is also Co-Founder of Complete Wellness, LLC. Complete Wellness distributes SurThrival’s <a href=”http://www.cwsuperfoods.com/detail/bovine_colostrum_powder>colostrum powder</a> and is proud to support Daniel and the entire SurThrival team.

I was at an audition last week in Los Angeles and spotted some massive pine trees lumbering overthe street. I noticed the huge flower clusters right away.  There they were alike little torches glowing through the green needles…  Pine pollen had finally presented itself to me, after a long year of waiting.

I had found some pine trees in Arizona last March that finally gave me the one on one contact that I was asking for.  I was so confused about all the varieties and the timing of the harvest.  When I finally stumbled upon that Arizona pine one year ago, I could see at last the flower clusters in their prime and now knew what to look for in the future.

So, it was with a dropped jaw that I found these pines in Los Angeles.  They were dripping with pollen and about 5-times as large as the flower clusters I had previously harvested from.  I gently removed them from the branches and got them into my bag. I am drying out many and will tincture many as well.

Harvesting is messy, to put it bluntly.  There definitely has to be a passion for foraging involved,

otherwise if it feels like a chore.  We are missing half the point of being outside and harvesting our own

foods and medicines.  Foraging is therapeutic! It is a lot of time and “work”, but I love foraging and processing wild foods.  I know how amazing this food is, so there is no hesitation.

The pollen harvest is flowing North as I write this.  From February till late May, the pollen bursts from so many different regions on the planet.  These ancient trees feed the forest.  Getting wild food from a 300-year old pine tree, scraping the sky, is literally a completely different level of eating.

We are planting many pines this year too.  We already have many nut pines, but now I’d like to find some that are known for their ample pollen production.

I am delving into discovering which pines we can plant to help spread this abundance.

A huge thanks to Daniel Vitalis and Stephen Harrod Buhner for turning so many people onto pine pollen.  The feeling of eating this food from ancient trees is truly a gift and I must personally thank you both for all the inspiration with not just this food, but many, many other foods as well.

The SurThrival team and the Blackbird team are dedicated to re-wilding Mother Earth and re-planting Paradise, by changing the way we interact with our environment and assuming the role of co-creators of this Earth.  We are putting our work and our profits into spreading these ideas and have been seeing the ripples travel widely.  We’ll both be at the Longevity Now Conference in Costa Mesa, California April 1st-3rd to discuss topics and ideas such as these, so come by the booths and say hello!

Here’s to Heaven on Earth again!

~ Anthony Anderson

www.BlackbirdNaturals.com

Some of you may already be familiar with the connective tissue component of skin called collagen.  However, are you aware of just how vital collagen is to the integrity and longevity your skin?  The collagen proteins are the beauty secret I am referring to.  Collagen is the most abundant protein in mammals and makes up about 25-30% of the whole body protein content.  Our epidermis is our outer layer of skin, while collagen forms large bundles that weave together in a continuous layer under our epidermis.  Collagen is not just in the skin, but is found all throughout our tissues, strengthening our tissue matrix as a whole structure.  It is also found in our glands, organs, tendons, and ligaments.  I suppose you could say that collagen basically helps hold our bodies together.  It is the foundation for what allows us to maintain (or fail to maintain) firm and beautiful skin and tissues.

Collagen is a family of extra-cellular proteins that give the skin its ability to move, stretch and rebound its shape.  With this information you can imagine how healthy collagen assists in resisting the aging process and maintaining tight and firm skin.  Collagen helps us to avoid the development of wrinkles and fine-lines, as well as prevent the decline of our musculature and vital organs.

There is one member in the collagen protein family that is the driving force for aging well and looking young.  That protein is elastin.  Our skin, arteries, lungs and ligaments contain the most elastin found in our bodies.  It has been said that elastin represents, more than any other substance, the molecular Fountain of Youth.

Elastin is made to last.  It is produced naturally by your body during puberty and during other periods of rapid growth.  Hormones and growth factors facilitate the manufacturing of elastin which is why it is produced during potent hormonal growing phases.

If our bodies only have the ability to naturally produce elastin while experiencing significant hormonal changes and growth during adolescence, how can we rebuild, regenerate, and strengthen our elastin now that we are beyond our adolescent years?  The answer is to consume foods and supplements that contain elastin.  SurThrival has one of the few supplements in todays marketplace that actually contains these collagen proteins, including elastin.

Now, you are probably wondering what natural supplement can supply the elastin that cansupport the integrity of our skin.  What is the source of this natural elastin that supports beautiful skin and resistance to the aging process?

It is our Elk Antler Velvet extraction, which contains elastin and five other collagen proteins.  One of the active extracellular matrix components of Elk Antler Velvet is the collagen proteins, which include specifically, concentrations of elastin.

Collagen aids in the development of the Elk’s antler, where it acts as a structural molecule.  At SurThrival, we humanely harvest the “living tips” of these velvet stage antlers, for the production of our Immortal Velvet.

Many of you may already be familiar with the fact that Elk Antler Velvet contains a wide array of growth factors, including the well-known and researched, IGF-1.  IGF-1 and IGF-2 have been known to increase lean body mass, reduce fat deposition, build bone, muscle, and nerves, all the while assisting in glucose metabolism.  It has also been known to stimulate hormone production.  Thus, IGF growth factors could facilitate the breeding grounds for the development of elastin.  This means the consumption of our Immortal Velvet Elk Antler has the potential to stimulate the healthy production of elastin when it is a part of our everyday diet.

This means, supplementing your diet with Immortal Velvet Elk Antler may assist in the maintenance of beautiful skin, strong organs, healthy flexibility; all while approaching and moving through the aging process gracefully and easily!

“I have been eating raw for 5 years and was vegan for 4 years but about 3 months ago started doing raw dairy, mostly colostrum. I had been hearing of many different raw food “gurus” using raw dairy so I watched the youtube video w Daniel talking about colostrum. It led me to watch the other one about Deer Antler. Once I watched it, I was hooked. I had to try it out to see for myself. Let’s just say I have been using it for over 8 months and I have never felt or looked better. I have also been putting colostrum in my face cream and my skin is awesome…it’s my little beauty secret. Here is the miraculous and inspiring part….

About 2 weeks after receiving my first bottle of deer antler, I traveled to my parent’s home in Colorado (I live in Santa Monica, CA) to help out after my mother had her double mastectomy. It was truly divine timing. She had already undergone chemo and this was the next step in her Inflammatory Breast Cancer “treatment.” I actually got her to watch the youtube video explaining what it was and what it does for you. Remarkably, she was up for taking it. I got her to start dosing the day before surgery, right before she went into surgery and right after she came out. She took deer antler the all day after her surgery, she actually liked the taste, we joked that it was “her morning cocktail” because it tastes like ‘…..’. After 2 nights in the hospital she was discharged and able to return home. Her doctors said that on a scale from 1 -10, 10 being the best outcome, she was a 10. She recovered faster than they could have imagined and were so pleased. She continued to take it until the bottle was gone and never had any health challenges or set backs during her recovery. Was it the deer antler that helped her heal so quickly and effortlessly? I believe so! I am so thankful to you guys for bringing a product that, in my eyes, sped up and ensured my mother’s safe and speedy recovery.”
Eternally grateful,
Megan

Here  are a few of the other lovely testimonials that we received from some of our supportive customers:

“I absolutely love your Colostrum – it is the most freshing tasting colostrum I have ever tasted.  It smells like mothers milk.
I started taking colostrum to build up my immune system and to help me overcome many deficiencies.   Before taking Surthrival Colostrum, I was very fatigued with little energy.
I am back feeling like myself and enjoy my morning smoothie with Surthrival Colostrum everyday.  I am working out again like never before.  I absolutely love the Colostrophy ice cream better than any ice cream ever – it is a recipe given at the Longevity conference.  Colostrum is worth every penny and will continue to give to my family. Thanks for a great product!”
~ Susan Hunter

“I went through a 6.5 container of colostrum and half of bottle of elk antler gold during this last fast of mine which only lasted 18 days. Long story short – my detox symptoms were non-existent, my foot that I am almost certain was fractured healed in 2 weeks, and I don’t feel like I lost any muscle mass at all. I guess I’m trying to say thank you.”

~ Mathew Milligan

We appreciate everyones contributions! Each of your experiences is valued. Again, it means so much to us to hear your wonderful experiences with our products. We are honored to know that the products we are putting out to the world are having such an extreme influence on peoples lives. So, thank you!

Pollen pini

We have been on the earth as a human species for a million-or -some-odd years, in one form or another. Humans have been using the pine trees and their Pollen as medicine since the beginning.

Pine Pollen is a tonic medicine, meaning that it can be used over a course of time, without it having toxic effects on your body. It is also adaptogenic so it will cater to exactly what your body needs and treat any areas of distress. As a nutritive, Pine Pollen can be consumed in large amounts to derive any of the wide range of vitamins and minerals it contains, such as Vitamins A B-Carotene, B1, B2, B3, B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin D, and Vitamin E. Its host of minerals include Calcium, Copper, Iron, Manganese, Magnesium, Molybdenum, Phosphorous, Potassium, Selenium, Silicon, Sodium, and Zinc. Oh, and another plus: Pine Pollen contains over twenty amino acids and all eight essential amino acids! Do you know what this means? It is a complete protein!

Not only is Pine Pollen ultra-rich in vitamins and minerals, while also being a medicine you can take on an on-going basis, but Pine Pollen enhances an array of bodily functions while assisting in preventing degenerative conditions as well. Pine Pollen has the potential to increase immune and endocrine function, reduce sensitivity to pain, lower cholesterol, stimulate liver regeneration; it is an anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, and anti-tumor.

Another potent function of Pine Pollen which has brought a significant amount of attention to it, is that it is an androgen. The fact that Pine Pollen is an androgen means that it has the ability to raise testosterone levels effectively, making it a naturally derived source of testosterone! This is a huge discovery, as sources of testosterone in nature are few and far between. Pine Pollen raises the testosterone levels in the blood and balances the ratio of androgens to estrogen. What it is in the Pine Pollen that has this effect on the hormonal levels, are the sterols. The sterols are basically plant steroids, which benefit us, though also help the pines grow and develop!

Pine Pollen can help to reduce size and regulate the prostate, when dealing with one that is enlarged. Pine Pollen’s adaptogenic effects come into play here, as using it will reduce the size of a prostate that is enlarged, and increase its size or prevent atrophy if it is too small. Pine Pollen also contains a steroid that is active against breast and prostate cancer. It inhibits and halts cancer cell growth and multiplication.

Because Pine Pollen is an androgen, it has developed a stigma around it that it caters strictly to the male population. This is untrue. Pine Pollen contains phenylalanine, which is associated with neurotransmitters in the brain. Phenylalanine stimulates dopamine levels in the brain and is a L-dopa precursor. L-dopa has been known to specifically treat a woman’s inability to have an orgasm. Pine Pollen contains arginine, which improves fertility in women and men, as well as, increases growth hormone release.

The dogma that only men need to supplement testosterone is also a myth. Women can become testosterone deficient, leading to a host of ailments such as lack of libido, fatigue, decline in mood/well-being, unexplained bodily changes, sleep disturbances, etc. It is important for women to maintain healthy levels of testosterone. This becomes even more important, as women enter their menopausal years. The menopausal years bring on a serious decline in women’s testosterone levels, which is generally why women tend to lack a sex drive and go through, you could say, “mid-life crises” as their moods are frequently shifting. Pine Pollen could be a perfect supplement for women going through their menopausal years, to aid the likely symptoms they could experience and decrease the discomfort that menopause can bring.

Pine Pollen can also be used externally, to successfully treat skin conditions of all kinds. It can be made into a cream to apply directly to the skin when battling eczema, acne, impetigo, and diaper rash. The arginine in Pine Pollen also caters to the improvement of skin challenges.

Pine Pollen can be consumed in various methods. When harvested, it is in its original powder form. This can be taken orally, or used as an addition to meals, blended drinks, and so on. Here at SurThrival, we offer the Pine Pollen powder in its loose form or in capsules. Another method of use for Pine Pollen for men, is to use it in its tincture form. When it is tinctured, the testosterone becomes more readily available for the body to assimilate. The androgens are still present in the powder form, though not quite as bio-available. We also offer a tincture of the Pine Pollen, in two different strengths. A 1:1 extract (Pine Pollen Gold) and a 1:4 extract (Pine Pollen Silver). It would be beneficial to use the more potent strength tincture, the Gold 1:1, in the case that you are treating specific ailment. For maintenance, the Silver 1:4 extract would suffice.

Pine Pollen is a whole food source and a tonic medicine. This piece of writing is only a mere glance at the realm of health and healing that Pine Pollen can provide. For both men and women, Pine Pollen has successfully elevated sexual/libido and general vitality, decreased impacts from aging, increased energy levels, and mental integrity.

Through whichever method you choose for your consumption of Pine Pollen, you will quickly learn that this is an important Meta-Food to bring into your Elite nutrition regimen!

Colostrum is Mother Natures perfectly formed natural Nano-technology for balancing the body and helping with Rejuvenation, Regeneration and Immune Enhancement & Regulation.  The four corners of colostrum are the Anti-Aging factors, Immune Factors, Essential Factors, Basics and Metabolic Factors, in their whole food forms!

For centuries, colostrum, the first milk of all mammals, has been utilized for anti-aging and immune-support purposes. It is loaded with natural growth, immune, essential and metabolic factors to keep the newborn healthy and protected; not only during the first few days of life but for the rest of their lives. As a matter of fact research has shown that without that first “food” you may be prone to diseases such as, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and more.

Colostrum is highly regarded worldwide by public health experts as a safe and effective means of immune and antiaging support. Colostrum can help both the overactive and underactive immune system.

This substance is intuitive, thanks to its proline-rich peptides. As a matter of fact, I have been working with top researchers at major educational diagnostics labs on this little piece and I am about to release a new product which will have a major beneficial impact on auto-immune situations like;

Lupus, Diabetes, Cancer, Crohn’s, Aids, HIV, Allergies, Leaky Gut, Irritable Bowel, Congestive Heart Failure, Fibromyalgia, Hepatitis, Herpes, ITP Disease, H. Pylori, E. Coli, Influenza, Autism, Arthritis, Anti-fungal

Bulk Colostrum is here!

. . . just to name a few!!

It is safe for all ages and species and is also a fantastic training aid for athletes at all levels because it is rich in natural growth factors necessary for muscle, tissue and cellular repair. For this same reason, it is widely used in anti-aging medicine.

Let’s take a look at something you may not even be aware of, “Thymus Gland”. This little gland is the seat of our immune system; it directs how we respond to bacteria, viruses and all kinds of nastiness, including disease.

The issue is that it shrinks from the size of a small navel orange (Birth to just after puberty) to the size of a pea by the time we are age 45 and to a strand of tissue by the time we are 55.

Why is this important? If the seat of our immune system isn’t functional ask yourself this question, “Do I have the same protection as I once did?”!

The answer is a resounding, “NO”!

Do we have to sit idly by and do nothing? Again, the answer is a resounding, “NO”!

Within “True” colostrum there is a combination given to us by Mother Nature which has been shown to regenerate the Thymus to a normal functional state. What are the three factors; the Captain of the ship, naturally occurring, IGF-1 and Thymosin Alfa and Beta.

It is critical to realize, however, that not all colostrum is the same. Some brands may call their products “colostrum” but may come from milkings other than the very first milking within six to eight hours after birth. Some take the second and even third milkings, which is “transitional milk.” Any dairy farmer or even nursing mother can tell you there is a huge difference between the substance produced at the first milking and the milk produced over the next few days. That initial colostrum is essential in protecting the newborn.

Dr. Don Lein, professor emeritus at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine Diagnostic Laboratory and Expert witness in several court cases, which were won based on his science, has performed numerous tests that substantiate significant differences between true colostrum and transitional milk claiming to be colostrum. Always ask for 3^rd party validation, not in-house validation.

~Dr. Anthony Kleinsmith~

Surthrival is an Immune Tree Certified preferred Vendor

The so-called growth factors in colostrum, growth hormone (GH) and the insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), are not mutually exclusive in terms of their effects. It is well documented that the influence of growth hormone on the proliferation of new cells in the body occurs primarily through what is known as the GH/IGF axis wherein the presence of GH triggers and enhances the many effects of the IGFs.

There are very small quantities of growth hormone in complete first milking colostrum, but GH is an extremely potent hormone and, thus, not much is required. It directly affects almost every cell in the body and significantly influences the development of new cells, causing them to generate at a more rapid rate when a sufficient quantity of the hormone is present. Scientific studies have shown that one of the benefits of ingesting even small amounts of GH is limitation of the deterioration of cells associated with the aging process. In addition, more recent studies have shown that small doses of GH can accelerate repair of the muscle damage associated with congestive heart failure and much more. This is a case where it is believed that the benefit occurs through the GH/IGF axis.

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and its closely related counterpart insulin-like growth factor-2 (IGF-2) are potent hormones that are found in association with almost every cell in the body. IGF-1 is the most potent and best described of this pair. These molecules are present in all mammals and, in every case, have a very similar chemical structure regardless of the species. IGF-1 is absolutely necessary for normal cell growth and for the development of the fetus in the uterus. Both IGF-1 and growth hormone are also required for normal development outside of the uterus and that is why they are both present in colostrum. The chemical structure of the IGFs is very similar to insulin and that is where their name comes from.

Scientific knowledge about the IGFs, what they do and how they act on cells in the body has developed very quickly during the last few years. It is now known that there are specific sites, called receptors, on almost all cells in the body capable of interacting with IGF-1. These sites have a structure that fits perfectly with part of the IGF molecule and this interaction triggers a series of chemical events within the cell. There are also 6 different proteins present inside the cell and on the surface of the cell that react to the attachment of IGF-1 to its receptor. These are called insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBPs) and they control the actions of IGF-1 on the cell. In addition, inside the cell there are at least 87 other related proteins either capable of binding to IGF-1, altering its actions, or influencing the effects of the IGFBPs. These are called insulin-like growth factor binding protein-related proteins (IGFBP-rPs). The entire collection of these proteins is referred to as the Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein (IGFBP) Superfamily. The key event that triggers the effects of any of these proteins appears to be the interaction of IGF-1 with its specific cell-surface receptor, an event that some of these proteins regulate. 

The multitude of available IGF-1binding proteins and related proteins available in the cell is indicative of the many potential effects that the binding of IGF-1 to its specific cell-surface receptor can have on cells. To keep these many effects under control, some of the binding proteins act as checks and balances, allowing the secondary chemical switches in a cell to be turned on and then turning them off when it is appropriate. Therefore, IGF-1 is like the captain of a ship. When it binds to its specific receptor, the ship can move forward, but there are all kinds of systems in place to keep it moving at the right speed and in the right direction.

The main triggered events include activation of the process by which the cell grows and reproduces itself and maintenance of the metabolic pathways by which the cell converts glucose into glycogen and uses amino acids to create proteins. The actual pathway by which the cell uses glucose and converts it to glycogen is first switched on by the binding of insulin to its specific cell surface receptors. Glycogen is stored in the liver and muscles and is the reserve source of readily available energy when the muscles are exercised. The IGFBP Superfamily also has a direct role in how the cell uses amino acids to build proteins. As we age, the ability of our body to create an adequate supply of IGF-1 is diminished. Thus, by eating a well-balanced diet and maintaining a constant supply of IGF-1 in our body, we can keep the ship moving at the right speed and in the right direction. And when we exercise this becomes even more critical since there is an increased demand for glycogen to provide energy to our muscles and the preference is to build more muscle protein. Even more importantly, as we age the cells in our body do not reproduce themselves as well and, since IGF-1 is a primary factor, along with growth hormone, in the ability of cells to grow and reproduce, it is highly desirable to have an appropriate level of IGF-1 in the circulation through dietary supplementation to limit the ever increasing rate of cell death.

From the above, we can conclude that making sure that we have sufficient quantities of IGF-1 in the bloodstream, as would occur by dietary supplementation with a high quality first milking colostrum, means assurance of more effective regulation of protein, carbohydrate and fat metabolism. When this is coupled with a well-balanced diet and exercise, the end result will be more muscle and less fat – a leaner body mass. This becomes even more important as we age since metabolism increasingly slows naturally over the years.

There have been several published studies that reflect an increase in IGF-1 levels in the circulation as a result of supplementation with a source of IGF-1. Most have been conducted in athletes since this could be an important consideration.  Our colostrum contains 2200 – 2300 ng per gram of IGF-1, this has been verified through independent testing at Cornell University.  

You should also be aware that a high quality first milking colostrum contains several vitamin and mineral carrier proteins that will assist in the more effective utilization of such substances when they are obtained through dietary supplementation.

It is also very, very important to recognize that all colostrum products are not the same and, despite the claims made by their manufacturers, they do not all contain every beneficial component at an optimum concentration and, in many cases, they have been manipulated and may be missing some of the essential components. When choosing a colostrum product, you should be certain that it is made from only first milking bovine colostrum collected within 6-8 hours after birth of the calf and that the colostrum is “complete” and that none of the components have been removed, including the fat.

This article has been published with special permission by Dr. Anthony Kleinsmith

But… That is not enough to stop the Wild Forage and Medicine Craft! In fact, it becomes all the more fun! I am so enamored by these snow white crystals of solid state water that adorn the ground here. The purity of the winter air, the stillness and quietude of the Northern forests in January, this is why I inhabit this latitude of the Earth!
The Quest for Mushroom of Immortality has been one of those most Healing and Transformative paths of my Journey. It has lead me into the Wilds, and into relationship with a unique Kingdom of Life… the Fungi.
These, the Medicinal Mushrooms, which are actually a distinct class of species known as the “Polypores” contain structural components that are often called “polysaccharides”. This term means “many sugars”, and refers to a long-chain sugar that they use to construct their “Fruit Bodies”, which is the term for the mushroom itself.
To put this into perspective, keep in mind that wood is made from cellulose, which is also a long-chain sugar, one that we humans lack an enzyme to digest. It is likely that the building you are reading this in is made of sugar. The whole of the forest is made of sugar! Interesting, right?

Mushrooms, unlike plants, form their cell wall out of Chitin, another long chain sugar. This sugar is the building material not only for fungal cell walls, but for the exoskeletons of insects, shrimp, lobsters, crabs, and even the beaks of squid!  It, just like cellulose, is also indigestible to humans and this is why we are unable to digest raw mushrooms. This is not to say that they can not be eaten, but rather that we have no means of breaking through their cell wall to liberate the nutrients from within.
They sort of just pass right through…
Now, what does this have to do with Medicine, and what makes these mushrooms so “Medicinal”?
Inside the chitinous cell wall are another class of polysaccharides known as “Beta-Glucans”. These long-chain, complex sugar molecules are “Biological Response Modifiers”. They have the ability to alter function in the body in way that is referred to as “Adaptogenic”.
Essentially, Beta-Glucans modulate the immune system, by lowering the overactive (auto-immune) Immune System, and stimulating the under-active (immuno-deficient) Immune System.
In otherwords they assist the body in adapting to its own unique circumstances. This is very different from pharmaceuticals or even herbal immuno-stimulants which simply excited the nervous system. Mushrooms lead to adaptation… and adaptation is evolution… Mushrooms ‘evolve’ your Immune System. And this is becoming increasingly critical in this Brave New World we are living in!

Over time, experimentation, and intimate experience with these Organsims, I have come to see the Medicinal Mushrooms as Immune System “Re-Educators”. The complex Sugar Molecules they contain re-train our Immune Systems to better clean away the viral, fungal, and bacterial load the our bodies have been dealing with.
Beyond this they work to ‘Tonify’ the Liver, Scavenge and Destroy Cancer and Tumor Cells, speed Wound Healing, reduce the likelihood of Infection, and so much more.

Of course you are thinking, ‘how do I get these sugars into my body?’ Well remember, first we have to get them out of the cell.
There are many products on the market that are made from “crushed” or “tinctured” (extracted in Ethanol) mushrooms. Most are not the Fruit Body at all, but rather, they are made form the Mycelia.

The “Fruit Body” is the portion of the Fungus we think of when we picture a Mushroom. This is in fact the fruit, much like the apple on the tree. The ‘Tree’ itself, or in this case the Fungal body is called the Mycelia, and it is a delicate filament system that is embedded in the ‘Substrate” that it is growing in. In the case of Medicinal Mushrooms this is usually, in Nature at least, Trees.

Today, because of recent advances in Fungal Farming, these Mushrooms can now be grown indoors. All to often they are being grown on substrates like commercially grown rice, which may produce mushrooms that look healthy but do not constitute the natural food for these organisms. Many of the products that people have been buying do not contain the fruit body at all, but rather the mycelium biomass, and this is often simply crushed or alcohol extracted. Unfortunately neither process liberates the Beta-Glucans from the Chitinous Cell Wall, and so, from the perspective of Immuno-Modualtion, these products are all but useless.
The obvious question is this… “How do we best access these Beta-Glucans for use?” Its one our ancestors asked as well… And here is what they discovered.

Mushrooms are best extracted in Hot Water. In fact there is 5000 years of Chinese medical history in which they have been used this way! They are, and were, boiled in Water, and the resulting ‘tea’ (called a decoction) is drunk as medicine. This has been shown to be 50-80X more potent than Mycelium Bio-mass or tinctures.
The Chinese and all those who followed used exclusively the Wild Fruit Bodies of these highly biologically active species. Many of us follow suit today. I have been Wild-Crafting these species for years, and have led walks and retreats around North America so that others can learn too.

This is a highly rewarding pursuit, and in my mind, one of the parts of the healing that can occur from working with Mushrooms. I always recommend that people use medicines that are growing wild in the eco-range that they are a part of. These organisms are producing medicine in response to their own needs within their eco-system, as well as to meet the needs of the ecosystem itself. Since your immune system needs are, in part, a reflection of the demands of your eco-system, the wild species from your area obviously represent the best medicines possible for you.
Still, there are many people who desperately need medicines of this caliber. There are Mushroom Formulas on the market that are made properly, and work so well that I would stake my reputation on them.

First let me just say, no matter where you get them, here are a few basic requirements for any Medicinal Mushroom formula that you purchase.
~They must be made from Fruit Bodies. The scientificaly validated research on Mushrooms is largely based on Fruit Bodies extractions, not bulk Mycelia. Mycelia products are often mixed with their substrates. You end up buying the corn or rice they were grown on. There is literally thousands of years of history using Fruit Bodies, there is virtually no history using Mycelia.

~They must be Hot Water Extracted. The Beta Glucans are held within a rigidly locked structure of Chitin. It is like the sheets particle board that is used to build a house. If you wanted to remove the particles from the board you would have to dissolve the glue that is binding them together. This glue (chitin) is hot water soluble, but will not dissolve into alcohol. This is why tinctures of medicinal don’t work.
The research on Medicinal Mushrooms has been largely (if not completely) done using Hot Water Extracts (tea) and this is critical for the extraction of the Beta Glucan Fraction of the fruit-body.
~A combination Hot Water and Ethanol extraction is even better when working with single formula mushrooms like Reishi and Chaga, and this is because of the Alcohol Soluble Fraction found within them. This is largely the “Triterpine” complex, and these molecules are responsible for many of the Adaptogenic properties of these species.

When I produce medicine at home with my Wild Harvested Specimens, I do both Hot Water and Ethanol extracts and then combine them. This makes for the most complete formula, and is the full compliment of medicines. Remember, if you can only get one extraction you definitely want the Hot Water Extract, not tinctures or mycelium biomass.
My company, SurThrival has created just such a line of Mushrooms, we call it Immortality Quest! In fact we feel it is the best available anywhere on this scale. Our single species formulas are from Wild (Chaga) or Log Grown (Reishi) Fruit Bodies which have been both Hot Water and Ethanol extracted, and then spray dried. The resulting powder is in capsules, and there are a full 150 caps to a bottle (this is a double sized container).
Our “Synergy” Formula consists of 5 Wood Grown species and is designed for those who are looking for the synergistic effects of a mushroom combination. This is in response to much of the cancer research that has shown that a broad spectrum of Beta Glucans is most beneficial.
I personally use all 3 formulas, in addition to using the mushrooms I Wild Craft and Prepare. They have become a powerful ally in my Immuno-Strategy, and have provided me with an Adaptability that has left me fearless of the colds and flu’s that circulate throughout the population.  I also feel that relationship with these species will become even more critical as we face the many impending consequences of the industrial pollution, emerging disease, and powerful biome/climate shifts that are underway.

Adaptability is the name of the Game for those who want to Thrive in the Coming Age.
That is why I have called my company “SurThrival”. It is about more than Surviving… It is about Thriving. Thriving no matter what the circumstances, no matter what the mass population is facing.
There are medicines that occur here on Earth, naturally that can assist us through whatever transitions the world is facing. I believe Mushrooms are principle amongst these!
So, now you know why I am trekking through the snow to gather Wild Mushrooms, and why I have created a company to meet the Immuno-Needs of my Community!

To Your Invincible Health!

~Daniel

P.S. Last year Sarah Maria and I led a Wild Mushroom Foraging Retreat in the Kootenay Mountains outside of Nelson BC. We studied Mushrooms, Harvested them, made medicine out of them, and more… If you are interested in doing something like this, post a comment below to let us know!

Check out Daniels latest Chaga video in the forest showing you what he has found:  http://www.danielvitalis.com/2010/02/stalking-the-wild-chaga/

Here is the study:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17456621

Due to the many seen and unseen stressors and pollutants of modern day life amidst the carnage of the industrial and technological revolution, the GI tract usually takes a pretty hard beating. One of the reasons it takes such a beating is because of its size, about 30 feet from mouth to anus and because of its function, to process food, liquids and emotions consumed on a daily basis. The reason it suffers due to its size is because it has a lot of delicate surface area that is usually in a state of peristalsis or organized muscle contractions caused by the digestive function. Peristalsis can often be disrupted by stress, poor diet and poor lifestyle. This disruption causes the bodies’ immune function to go into a state of disarray making effective combat of viral or bacterial invaders a challenge. The good news is that with the consumption of proper elements, the GI tract has the ability to heal and renew immune function within a relatively short amount of time.

Cultured foods such as kefir, yogurt, sour kraut, kim chi, natto, etc will replenish your GI tract with healthy probiotics (pro-life). Probiotics are bacteria like acidophilus (acid loving milk bacteria) that will give strength and immunity to your bodies’ anti-viral defense systems. Eating these foods multiple times daily combined with a lot of Colostrum and medicinal mushrooms will allow you to maintain superior health throughout the most extreme of conditions. When Daniel Vitalis and I travel around the country giving lectures and educating people about ways to take control of their health and sovereignty we do massive amounts of Colostrum, medicinal mushrooms and cultured foods. We visit airports and major metropolitan cities on a frequent basis. The amount of germs and viruses that we are exposed to are astronomical. But, throughout all of our travels, we SurThrive and have the most amazing experiences without ever getting sick! In addition to creating the lifestyle that we choose, we also listen to our bodies and give them the high quality nourishment they demand and deserve.

On the next blog I will talk about how I have overcome massive Candida and fungal issues that I have dealt with for 6 years by using SurThrival products in specific ways.

Seth Leaf