Archive for the 'Other Supplements' Category
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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 »
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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 Only then was it withdrawn from the market.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 »
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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.
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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.
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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.
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While it is true that whey protein became popular with athletes and body builders, it has continued to grow in popularity as a aid for many health concerns. Whey protein significantly assists in increasing lean muscle mass. Without protein, body builders can spend countless hours working out and see a very little increase in muscle mass.
This is simply due to the fact that you cannot grow muscle without protein.
Whey protein provides many other health benefits besides promoting muscle growth. It is particularly helpful for weight loss and more specifically, fat loss. It is widely known that achieving and maintaining a healthy weight can add years to one’s life and can help to prevent complications such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Adding whey protein to a healthy diet makes a positive difference as whey protein is a pure protein that has very little fat and carbohydrates. continue reading »
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The entire fish oil saga began with a very simple observation—people whose diets were rich in certain types of fatty, cold water fish seemed to enjoy much lower rates of heart disease than other populations who consumed less fish on a regular basis. The diet of Japanese, for example, is rich in fish as are Norwegian diets as well as other arctic groups.
Scientists were curious with this correlation so they began to run studies to see if incorporating more cold water fish in the diets of those who do not normally eat much fish, could produce the same benefit. Their findings did indeed find a very definite link between the consumption of specific fats that were in fish and a decreased risk for certain types of heart disease. continue reading »
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Krill are crustaceans that are very much like shrimp, measuring just one to five centimeters in length. Krill are found mainly in the cold waters of the North Pacific and Antarctic Oceans. According to scientists, Krill is the largest source of animal biomass on earth, as it is thought that there are five hundred million tons of krill swimming the chilly waters of our planet’s northern seas. The annual krill harvest is estimated at being well over 100,000 tons.
Krill oil is an excellent source of omega-3 fat, docosahexanoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentanoic acid (EPA), much like fish oil. Krill oil also contains the A, D, and E vitamins as well as another potent antioxidant called canthaxanthin.
Remarkably, the antioxidant strength of krill oil is 48 times higher than that of fish oil. Krill oil also contains astaxanthin, yet another powerful antioxidant which is beneficial in fighting the harmful effects of ultraviolet light on skin. continue reading »
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If you’re tired, you might be tempted to reach for a coffee or an energy drink to get you through the day. Don’t! The detrimental effects these stimulants have on your health isn’t worth getting through the afternoon — not when you can do it with these all-natural energy boosters:
B-Vitamins
The B-spectrum vitamins assist the body in utilizing oxygen, and help keep the nervous system operating at its peak. While each individual B-vitamin has specific health benefits, if you’re taking them for a boost of energy, it’s best to take a B Complex, because the effects of the B-spectrum on your energy levels are synergetic: the whole is more than the sum of its parts.
Iron
Quite often, unexplained tiredness is a symptom of a minor case of anemia, when the red blood cells don’t have enough iron present to do their jobs. Iron is used by the cell to produce hemoglobin, which is necessary to carry oxygen to your cells — which is in turn necessary for the cells to burn calories into energy. Iron won’t help someone who isn’t anemic, but if you can’t figure out why you’re tired, it’s absolutely worth taking. continue reading »