Archive for November, 2009
-- Posted in Vitamins and Antioxidants |
Most of us are aware of the fact that supplementing your diet with vitamins can be extremely beneficial. Far too many of us are deficient in one or more vitamins and antioxidants and this can cause a number of different health issues. Although it may seem like enough to take an over-the-counter daily multivitamin, you need to understand that not all of these vitamins are created equally. It is important for you to buy good quality vitamins and antioxidants.
One of the most difficult things about supplementing with vitamins and antioxidants is choosing a reputable source that is going to give you everything that you need without including anything that you don’t. You might be surprised to learn that many of the vitamins that are available at the store are not going to be the healthiest thing for you. Some of them have been manipulated and stripped of some of the most important things which can be contained in the vitamins and antioxidants, at times even being turned into something that is of no use to you at all. Whenever you are trying to improve your health through supplementation, the last thing that you would want to do is to damage it in the process. continue reading »
-- Posted in Vitamins and Antioxidants |
If there is one thing that people have been fighting throughout the ages, it is the aging process. Just a simple look back through history will show you that people have been fixated on the aging process, from the ancient Chinese medicine which is still in use today, down to the search for the fountain of youth. You might be surprised to learn, however, that the fountain of youth may not be so far off from us. Provided you can do something that will reverse the process of aging in you as an individual, there’s no telling exactly how far you can take it. Taking a good supplement containing vitamins and antioxidants could go a long way to reversing the aging process. continue reading »
-- Posted in Vitamins and Antioxidants |
Most of us are interested finding ways in order to achieve optimum health. Two of the things that we can do which will benefit us greatly is to make sure that we are getting enough vitamins and antioxidants in our daily diet. There are a number of different ways that we can do this, including eating specific foods which are full of these items as well as by supplementing in order to make up for any lack that our diet may contain. The health benefits of taking a good quality supplement containing vitamins and antioxidants will become evident, once you are doing it consistently. Until that time, however, it is good to know what you can expect.
continue reading »
-- Posted in Other Supplements |
Omega-3 fatty acids have long been known to protect the cardiovascular system, reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke, lowering blood pressure and even improve cholesterol levels. That’s a lot of power in one little group of micro-nutrients as it is but science has turned up evidence that the larger benefit from this group of fatty acids could be as a brain boosting super nutrient.
Omega-3s are called essential fatty acids because while they are necessary for optimal health, the body is incapable of producing them. Therefore, they must be obtained from what we eat. Foods that are the richest sources of these fats include certain fish like salmon, sardines and herring, as well as walnuts, flaxseed and canola oil. Other sources, while not as packed with the fats are still good sources and that includes shrimp, clams, cod and spinach.
Three main compounds make up the Omega-3 fats: docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Since ALA actually is converted into the other two compounds in the body, the most important to watch for would be DHA and EPA. Those two are more readily utilized by the body.
Studies have been done with giving omega-3 supplements during pregnancy and then following the resulting infants until they were four years old. The children were consistently ahead of their peers who did not receive supplementation in utero. DHA, in particular, has been shown so beneficial to brain development that baby formula makers are including it in their formulas. continue reading »
-- Posted in Vitamins and Antioxidants |
If you look at the term antioxidant, you can likely figure out the roots of the word.
Anti meaning against and oxidant referring to oxygen and oxidization – antioxidant. Wait a minute – against oxygen? Don’t we need that to survive? Of course we do as oxygen is a large component of the air we breathe. However, the way our system is set up, the molecules of our cells become oxidized because of the oxygen intake causing one of the electrons to shake loose from the molecule. This makes the molecule become unstable and known as a free radical.
The worst thing about this whole situation is that just about everything contributes to this oxidization process so our body’s are pretty much constantly producing more free radicals. Air pollution, cigarette smoke (yours or someone else’s), alcohol, stress, even sun exposure all contribute to the process. Thankfully, nature herself has provided a countermeasure for all the damage caused by free radicals – antioxidants. These handy little nutrient compounds come along and donate a spare electron to the unstable molecule, turning it stable again.
The most amazing thing about antioxidants is that there are so very many of them and more are being discovered every day. Your body actually produces some antioxidants on its own while the rest need to be consumed through the food we eat. Some of the everyday vitamins and minerals that we’ve long known are necessary for optimal health turned out to have antioxidant properties like vitamin C and zinc. More, however, have been discovered as scientists discover and isolate substances in nutritional compounds. Things like flavonoids, lutein and resveratrol are all recent discoveries in antioxidant research. continue reading »
-- Posted in Vitamins and Antioxidants |
With all the media attention to the dangers of UV ray exposure in the past two decades, people are avoiding even small amounts of sun exposure. Of course, with the hectic lives that many of us lead now, many people simply don’t have time to be out enjoying the sunshine as they would have in past times. Most of us are aware now that UV rays can contribute to premature aging and skin cancer, but many are unaware of the side effect that seems to be rising from the anti-sun crusade: widespread deficiencies in vitamin D.
Severe vitamin D deficiencies can lead to major problems with bones. Vitamin D acts as a catalyst that helps maintain proper levels of both calcium and phosphorus in the blood. Both of these minerals are vital to strong, healthy bone tissue. This isn’t the only thing that vitamin D affects in the body, either. Studies have shown that vitamin D deficiencies can lead to depression, certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and diabetes. Is it any wonder that our rates of diabetes keep rising along with the craze to stay out of the sun? Seems rather a big coincidence. continue reading »
-- Posted in Other Supplements |
Many people think that the FDA regulates nutritional supplements the same way that they do drugs but that is far from true. The rules for creating and selling supplements are far less stringent than with medications. As long as the main ingredients haven’t been proven harmful, they can be sold. Naturally, this leads to some serious issues at times, such as the banning of ephedra products a few years ago. Ephedra was perfectly acceptable until it started causing serious health problems, even fatalities in some cases. Only then was it withdrawn from the market.
The thing is with dietary supplements, including vitamins or herbal concoctions, is that they are treated more like a food than a drug since most are derived from food. Even synthetically engineered vitamins are treated as if they are nothing more than what we would normally eat. Years of clinical trials and research studies must be done before a pharmaceutical company can bring a new medication to market but supplements are not required to follow these rigorous standards. Unfortunately, this lack of research and regulation can lead to some serious issues for the consumer. continue reading »
-- Posted in Other Supplements |
Hypothyroidism is a fancy term for under-active thyroid. The thyroid glands produce hormones which are largely responsible for regulating our metabolism. This includes how we burn calories or fat, how our body’s temperature is regulated and how much energy we have on tap every day. People with hypothyroidism experience a wide range of symptoms including weight gain, inability to lose weight, fatigue, inability to concentrate, poor memory, hair loss, dry skin, increase in menstrual flow and pain and depression. Needless to say, this disorder can have a huge negative impact on your life.
The standard treatment for hypothyroidism is a daily dose of either natural or synthetic thyroid supplements and possibly an anti-depressant until the medication improves the situation. The major problem with drug treatment is that most doctors treat with enough medication to bring your body’s blood levels of TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) into the range considered normal. That ranges from as little as .2 mcg to 4 mcg. As you can see, that is a very wide range for what is considered normal.
continue reading »
-- Posted in Other Supplements |
.
In the United States, the love for the pomegranate has grown over the past few years as more and more people are realizing the powerful health benefits that the juice of the pomegranate offers. Most of the pomegranate juice that is sold in the United States comes from pomegranates that are grown in California. Pomegranate juice contains nearly three times the amount of antioxidants as red wine or green tea. Pomegranate juice also fights hardening of the arteries and related diseases such as strokes and heart attacks. The powerful antioxidants in pomegranate juice help to lower blood pressure and reduce the oxidation of LDL cholesterol. Recent research also has found that drinking the juice of the pomegranate during pregnancy could protect the brain of newborns during traumatic births.
One pomegranate contains 40 percent of the recommended daily vitamin C requirements for adults as well as folic acid, potassium, fiber, niacin and vitamins A and E. Research done in Israel found that the oil from the pomegranate seed could cause breast cancer cells to self-destruct, leaving the healthy cells untouched. This study also suggests that a regular intake of pomegranate juice will prevent the growth of cancer cells in the breast.
continue reading »
-- Posted in Other Supplements |
Supplements consisting of acai berry have swept the health food industry and the sale of acai berry supplements have shot through the roof. The acai berry was dubbed the newest ‘super food’ and consumers embraced the berry as it was featured on numerous talk shows and made the headlines on a regular basis.
The acai berry grows in the rainforest of Brazil and it is classified as a fruit. The berry itself is about the same size as a grape and has a purplish hue. Ninety percent of the fruit consists of seed and the berry is covered by a thin pulp.
The old saying that good things come in small packages is indeed true of the acai berry, as it is touted for its amazing benefits. It is claimed to be one of the most nutritious foods and an extremely powerful antioxidant. The acai berry contains a fairly high amount of fiber and it also contains omega 6 and omega 9 fats. Both of these fats act as natural appetite suppressants.
Not only does the high fiber content of the acai berry lower blood sugar levels but it also boosts energy levels and increases stamina. The high amounts of essential fatty acids and omegas have been proven to lower LDL cholesterol and maintain HDL cholesterol levels. The acai berry is also rich in carbohydrates which provide the body with the energy that is needed while working out or playing sports. For this reason, gyms and health spas the world over are offering acai berry juice to their customers.
continue reading »
Next »