Back in 2003, FreeLife® made headlines with the introduction of Himalayan Goji® Juice, the healthy and delicious functional beverage that started the goji revolution. Seven years later, Himalayan Goji Juice is still making headlines, thanks to exciting new research showing even greater promise for optimal health and wellness.
On February 1, 2010, London’s venerable Daily Express newspaper reported the results of Australian research studying the effects of ultraviolet rays on mice. It is well known that overexposure to the sun’s UV rays can suppress immunity, and that is what makes sun worshippers more susceptible to skin cancer. University of Sydney researchers set out to see if goji, a known immune enhancer, might be able to counteract the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation.
The mice in the study were divided into two groups: the “Goji Group” was given Himalayan Goji Juice mixed into their drinking water; and the “Control Group” received either apple or pear juice in their drinking water. After UV exposure, the mice in the Control Group developed sunburn, which was accompanied by inflammation and edema (swelling and fluid retention) just like you would have if you had been a bit careless about sunbathing without enough sunscreen.
But what happened to the mice in the Goji Group? As reported in the Express article, “the inflammatory sunburn reaction was strongly reduced.” And this was with just 5 percent goji juice mixed into their water!
According to lead researcher (and FreeLife Scientific Advisory Board member) Dr. Vivienne Reeve, goji’s action is two-fold. It protects against decreased immune response, and it also increases the body’s antioxidant power so that it is better able to mop up the dangerous free radicals that are generated after UV exposure.
Dr. Reeve’s groundbreaking study will be published in the upcoming issue of the respected peer-reviewed journal Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences, a publication of the Royal Society of Chemistry. Animal studies cannot guarantee identical results in humans, but they are an important first step. Dr. Reeve believes that “goji berry juice might prove useful in susceptible humans.”
About Vivienne Reeve, Ph.D.
An expert in photoimmunological research, Dr. Vivienne Reeve received her doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Sydney. A senior research fellow at the University of Sydney since 1989, she is currently a principal research fellow and chief investigator, specializing in research on photoimmunosuppression, photoprotection, and photocarcinogenesis. Dr. Reeve has published multiple articles, and was recently recognized for her pioneering and sustaining research into the immunological significance of the UVA waveband.
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Article copyright: Rick Handel, Chief Product Officer of Freelife International
