The Glandular System

The glandular system is made up of the hormone producing organs of the body, including the pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, thymus,  adrenal and pancreas. The glands perform a myriad of regulatory  functions, including temperature control and metabolic rate. Herbalists use herbs rich in trace minerals to supplement the production of hormones and enhance the efficency of the glandular  system.

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Herbs and Herbal Combinations that affect the glandular system include:
 
Black Cohosh Classification: Bitter, astringent herb
Black Cohosh has been valued in many societies, including Native Americans, for its nutritional support to the female reproductive system. It was also made into a
poultice and applied to snake bites; hence it is sometimes known as snakeroot. It is
a tall perennial bearing creamy-white flowers, and grows in wooded regions
throughout the eastern U.S.A. and Canada. Modern natural-health enthusiasts, like
those of the past, use it to nourish the female reproductive and glandular system. It is
an excellent source of vitamin A and iron.
Blessed Thistle Classification: Bitter herb. Cool energy.
Blessed Thistle is so named because of the ancient belief that it possessed
supernatural qualities. It grows up to two feet tall and is found in meadows and along
road sides. From May to June it bears pale yellow flowers. Blessed thistle is an
excellent source of potassium and sodium. Blessed Thistle has been used to balance
hormones, to increase mother’s milk, and as a strengthening toner.
C-X C-X is formulated to provide nutrients that are needed to support women
experiencing menopause. It contains plant sources of chromium, magnesium and
selenium.
Ingredients: blessed thistle herb, false unicorn root, black cohosh root, licorice root,
squaw vine herb, sarsaparilla root, and Siberian ginseng root.
Chickweed Classification: Bitter/Mucilaginous herb
A common backyard herb, chickweed is often considered a weed. It provides one
of the few sources of fresh seeds for birds in winter, and is a favorite in salads or as a cooked vegetable. In herbology it is used primarily to support the urinary and
glandular systems. Contains vitamins A, C, and B vitamins, calcium, phosphorus,
potassium and zinc.
Chinese Mineral 
Chi Tonic
 East meets West as Nature’s Sunshine combines the finest source of liquid trace
minerals with time-honoured Chinese tonic herbs to create an exciting new adrenal/energizing tonic. Minerals, with their positive and negative electrical charges,
are responsible for every electrochemical reaction in the body, from muscle    contractions to the firing of neurotransmitters in the brain.
Chromium GFT Although there is only the smallest amount of chromium stored in an adult body (less
than six milligrams), this trace mineral plays a vital role in several life-sustaining
cellular processes essential for maintaining good health, proper weight and normal
blood sugar levels. Specifically, chromium is a co-factor in regulating blood sugar
levels. Together with insulin it plays a role in protein metabolism and aids in fat
breakdown.
The North American processed-food diet makes it difficult to maintain adequate
stores of chromium. In fact, processed foods and foods high in sugar and simple
carbohydrates deplete chromium stores because they add sugar and carbohydrates
to the blood stream but do not, in themselves, supply the chromium that helps to
regulate blood sugar levels.
Damiana Classification: Bitter/Aromatic herb.
Damiana is a shrub that grows abundantly in dry, rocky soils such as those found in
Mexico, California and Texas. It has small leaves and occasionally produces small,
yellow flowers. The Mayans of the Yucatan employed it in their dietary regimen for
its special health benefits. Today, it is widely used in Latin-American cultures. It is
believed to have mildly aphrodisiac qualities due to its volatile oil content. Some
herbalists use it to relieve constipation and as a general tonic to promote a sense of
well-being. In addition to volatile oils it contains alkaloids, flavonoids, cyanogenic
glycosides, tannins and resins. It is an excellent source of vitamins A, C and niacin.
Dandelion Classification: Bitter herb.
Native to Europe and naturalized in North America, this member of the sunflower
family derives its name from the French dents de lion, which means "teeth of the
lion." Although gardeners consider it a nuisance, herbalists consider the plant one of the most nutrient-rich plants for the urinary and glandular systems. Early pioneers would eagerly await the first spouts of dandelion to eat as a fresh vegetable and internal cleansing agent after a long winter. The whole plant is edible. The flowers are used to make wine, the leaves can be boiled like spinach or added raw to salads, and the roots are used as a vegetable and coffee substitutes. The herb is a source of potassium, sodium, phosphorus and iron. The leaves are a richer source of vitamin A than carrots and contain some amounts of vitamins B, C and D.
ENERG-V ENERG-V provides nutrients needed for optimal energy and vitality, such as
magnesium, sodium, zinc and vitamin A. It is commonly taken in conjunction with
vitamin C, B-complex, bee pollen and iron supplements to enhance its metabolism.
Ingredients: bee pollen, ginkgo leaves, kelp plant, licorice root,
Siberian ginseng root, yellow dock root, barley grass herb, rosehips, schizandra
fruit, and capsicum fruit.
Evening 
Primrose Oil
An excellent source of Essential Fatty Acids (EFA). Evening primrose oil plays an
important role in the formation of prostaglandins—a hormone-like substance that is
involved in a variety of physiological functions which are especially vital for women.
Flash Ease Black Cohosh, a popular herb native to the western world, is widely known for its
ability to help support the mature woman’s body as she encounters normal glandular
imbalances and physical changes. In fact, women have used it for decades to help
"keep cool" during menopause.
Flash-Ease is a potent timed-release version of this trusted herb. Flash-Ease is
standardized to 2.5 percent concentration of triterpene glycosides (the key active
component) and includes dong quai, a noted Chinese herb, to further support the
glandular system.
Each tablet contains a highly concentrated extract that provides 80 mg of black
cohosh. A slow-release matrix process ensures a full 10 hours of release, yielding 2
mg of triterpene glycosides.
HY-A Nutritionally supports the functions of the adrenal glands, pancreas, liver and
digestive systems.
Ingredients: licorice root, safflower flowers, dandelion root and horseradish root.
HY-C Constitution: Nourishes yin
Normalizes imbalances often associated with metabolic processes, such as sugar
metabolism, menopause and dryness of the skin, throat and bowel.
Ingredients: ophiopogon root, eucommia bark, rehmannia root, inula flower, pueraria
root, achyranthes root, anemarrhena rhizome, alisma rhizome, asparagus root, hoelen plant, moutan root, cornus fruit, licorice root, phellodendron bark and schizandra fruit.
KC-X Provides nutrition support to the thyroid gland. High in calcium, iron, magnesium,
potassium, selenium, sodium, zinc and vitamin A.
Ingredients: Irish moss plant, kelp plant, black walnut hulls, parsley herb, watercress
herb and sarsaparilla root.
Kelp Classification: Mucilaginous herb. 
Commonly referred to as seaweed, kelp grows along coastlines throughout the
world. Botanically classified as algae, it is a very rich source of natural vitamins and
minerals, including essential trace minerals. Kelp is dependent upon the sea for its
nourishment, which is an excellent source because the sea receives all the minerals
that have been washed from the land through the millennia. The plant can grow as
much as two feet per day. In herbology, the entire plant is used. Kelp is especially
high in iodine, which must be present for proper glandular function and metabolism.
It also contains iron, sodium, phosphorous and calcium, as well as magnesium and
potassium. Kelp is a source of vitamins A, B1, B2, C, D and E, plus amino acids.
Kelp makes a popular salt substitute. Because the plant’s nutrients come in a natural
form, they are easily assimilated by the body.
Licorice root Classification: Bitter herb
The Greeks, Egyptians, Chinese and Hindus are among the world’s cultures that
have added to the long history of licorice. It grows wild in southern and central
Europe and is extensively cultivated in Russia, Spain, Iran and India. Licorice was so
valued in ancient Egypt that even King Tutankhamen was buried with a supply.
Licorice is widely used as a flavouring, not only for candy (although most modern
licorice candies are flavoured with anise) but also in cough drops, syrups, tonics and
laxatives. It flavours certain kinds of beer, frozen dairy desserts, gelatins, puddings
and meat products. The sweet root can be chewed as a special treat. Licorice is
included in most Chinese herb combinations to balance the other herbs and to
promote vitality. It nutritionally supports the glandular system and is a source of
magnesium, silicon and thiamine.
Mens
Formula
Men’s Formula is for the special needs of men over 40 years of age. It contains
herbs and nutrients that have traditionally been used to help promote fertility, reduce
inflammation, swelling, pain, and relieve excessive urination due to prostate
enlargement. 
Ingredients: 5 mg of zinc gluconate in a base of saw palmetto (Serenoa repens)
208 mg standardized to 20% essential fatty acids, ginkgo leaves powder (Ginkgo
biloba) 168 mg, and stinging nettle concentrated extract (Urtica dioica) 28 mg
standardized to 2% plant silica.
Montmorillonite Provides excellent nutritional support for the glandular system. As long as the body’s
store of minerals is adequate, the glandular regulators perform well. However,
allowing the levels of trace elements to fall through poor nutrition can cripple the
body’s regulators and lead to chronic problems in other body systems. Trace
minerals can also be a factor in the proper utilization of essential nutrients by acting
as catalysts to help release energy from food.
Ingredients: Each tablet contains 300 mg of Montmorillonite, a clay mined from an
ancient ocean deposit containing 70 trace minerals chelated by nature for better
absorption. Montmorillonite contains natural combinations and varying amounts of
the following minerals: aluminum, antimony, barium, beryllium, bismuth, boron,
bromine, cadmium, calcium, cerium, cesium, chlorine, chromium, cobalt, copper,
dysposium, erbium, europium, fluorine, gadolinium, gallium, germanium, gold,
hafnium, holnium, indium, iodine, iridium, iron, lanthanum, lithium, lutetium,
magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, neodymium, nickel, niobium, osmium,
palladium, phosphorus, platinum, potassium, praseodymium, rhenium, rhodium,
rubidium, ruthenium, samarium, scandium, selenium, silicon, silver, sodium, sulphur,
tantalum, tellurium, terbium, thallium, thorium, thulium, tin, titanium, tungsten,
uranium, vanadium, ytterbium, zinc and zirconium.
Red
Raspberry
Red Raspberry is believed to be native to Europe, but is widely cultivated in North
America, Britain, Scandinavia and Scotland. The fruit is too common to need
explanation; the leaves are widely used in herbology. They are rich in vitamin C, and
contain astringent qualities due to their high tannin content. Red raspberry leaves
have been used by women for centuries as a support to the reproductive system,
especially during pregnancy. The leaves contain manganese, and are also a source of
iron and niacin.
Sarsaparilla Classification: Bitter herb
A perennial trailing vine with prickly stems, sarsaparilla is native to tropical America
and the West Indies. Its name comes from the Spanish words sarza, for shrub, and
parilla for little vine. Its roots, which are used in herbology, burrow deeply into the
ground, while its vines are avid climbers. During the mid-1800s, the brewed plant
was very popular in the U.S.A. as a spring tonic. The root has been used
commercially as a foaming ingredient and flavouring in root beer and other soft
drinks. Sarsaparilla root contains sulphur, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium and
selenium.
Saw
Palmetto
Saw Palmetto nutritionally supports healthy prostate function and proper urinary
tract function in men. Prostate health is of particular importance to men over the age
of 40.
Target 
Endurance
Target Endurance nutritionally supports the physiological needs of body systems
involved in strenuous activity. Organic target minerals are chelated to specific amino
acids, which makes them more readily absorbed by the body. In this formula,
copper, potassium and zinc are chelated to the amino acids arginine, leucine and
glycine, all of which are required to produce energy in the cells. Copper and zinc are
balanced for optimal use by the body. Potassium is also important in the transmission
of nerve impulses, muscle contractions and blood pressure regulation. As for zinc,
rather large amounts are stored in the bones and muscles, as well as the prostate and
retina. Zinc appears to be easily depleted and is important for many enzyme
functions.
Ingredients: Target-Minerals of copper, potassium and zinc are chelated to the
amino acids which are required to produce energy in the mitochondria of cells.
Target-minerals are hydrolyzed vegetable proteinates. As chelates, these minerals
are readily absorbed and targeted to specific body systems. The Target-Minerals
have been combined with a unique blend of calcium (12.75 mg), copper (0.3 mg),
potassium (12.275 mg), and phosphorus, Siberian ginseng root, ginger root, ginkgo
leaves, schizandra fruit, licorice root, capsicum fruit and l-glutamine.
Each capsule provides: Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), 3 mg; Vitamin
B12 (cyanocobalamin), 5 mcg; Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), 15 mg; Folic acid, 25
mcg; Niacinamide, 4 mg; Potassium (amino acid chelate), 12.2 mg; Pantothenic acid
(d-calcium pantothenate), 4.5 mg; and, Zinc (proteinate), 0.725 mg.
Three Three is a high-mineral supplement that provides nutrients necessary for the
glandular, digestive and eliminative functions of the body. The deep roots of the
dandelion and alfalfa plants are able to absorb trace minerals that are often lacking in
the common shallow-root vegetables preferred in Western diets. For example,
dandelion root contains iron, which is not a trace mineral, but often hard for the
body to absorb. The root also contains manganese. Kelp contains calcium and
magnesium, needed for balance in building bones and calming nerves. It also
supplies iodine, a nutrient necessary for proper thyroid function.
Ingredients: 475 mg of the finest kelp plant, dandelion root and alfalfa herb.
Womens 
Formula
This combination is designed to provide the nutrition necessary for proper balance of
the female reproductive and glandular systems. It is an herbal source of iron,
magnesium, manganese, selenium, silicon, sodium, B vitamins niacin and riboflavin
and vitamins A and C.
Ingredients: red raspberry leaves, dong quai root, black cohosh root, ginger root, licorice root, marshmallow root, blessed thistle herb and queen of the meadow herb.

All of the above products are available from Nature's Sunshine Herbal Products.

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