Autor: Hasen Chat

Learning about vitamins can be confusing, especially when you are trying to figure out just what type of supplements you should be taking. We’ve all been told at one time or another, that if we ate a nutritionally balanced meal three times a day we wouldn’t need dietary supplements or need to know about vitamins, but of course, this just isn’t realistic in our society.

A huge number of us are stressed out on a routine basis, and don’t always have time to eat at all let alone a nutritionally balanced meal (and three of them?!). Vitamins should never be substituted for good nutritional intake. Your body needs fuel to accomplish all the tasks you have to attend to in a day. A good diet is one with plenty of calcium, protein, fats, carbohydrates, and fiber supplemented by vitamins as needed for specific health concerns.

Many food items are enriched with vitamins and minerals, like breads, pastas, and cereals. Information about vitamins listed on packaging includes the percentage of the daily recommended allowance of each, which will give you a pretty good idea how much you are getting of a certain vitamin or mineral. Calcium is an important mineral for women, and most sources about vitamins state that women should consume at least 1200-1500 mg of calcium daily. Most calcium supplements only contain 30-50% of the recommended daily amounts and must be supplemented by diet intake of other sources, such as cheese, yogurt, milk, and ice cream. About vitamin D, this is an important vitamin and is essential to bone health, and is included in some calcium supplements as well. Vitamin D can be absorbed through the skin via sunlight as well, but for people living in northern states, or for the elderly, this is not always an option, therefore a vitamin supplement is the answer.

Part of taking care of yourself is learning about vitamins and minerals that our bodies require for optimal health. Many sources are available to you to learn more about vitamins and how certain vitamin deficiencies as well as excess intake can be detrimental to your health. It’s important to take an active role in your health, and be knowledgeable about vitamins in your cabinet and which are right for you. In addition to searching on the web, you can find an abundance of information about vitamins in various health publications, or you can even consult a nutritionist or naturopathic physician for advice about vitamins and supplements, and how you can implement them into your diet. Here’s to your good health!

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) may possibly be a „wonder vitamin“ in some people’s books. A lot of claims have been made for it in the past few years, not the least of which was Dr. Linus Pauling’s claims for its ability to prevent and lessen the duration and intensity of the common cold when taken in large doses.

Unfortunately, although vitamin C is anti-viral and does support the immune system, it is not necessarily a magic bullet that will defeat the common cold or even cancer! In fact, some recent studies seem to be indicating that Dr. Pauling’s claims might be a little overstated.

Vitamin C, like most other vitamins and mineral supplements primarily helps the body do its job effectively. Deficiencies of vitamin C CAN predispose the body to certain ills, and proper intake either through daily diet or vitamin supplementation can HELP prevent certain conditions and illnesses. Vitamins and mineral supplements should never be used as the only path to health, but should be part of a lifestyle that includes overall attention to nutrition, activity (okay, exercise), proper rest and sleep, and enjoyable forms of recreation and relaxation. I personally would throw in yoga and meditation, but those are MY enjoyable forms of recreation, relaxation, and exercise, I guess. You will have to find what works best for you.

SOURCES

Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin, and, as such, is not stored in the body. This means it must be regularly replaced by diet and/or supplementation. The most commonly recognized sources of vitamin C are citrus and other fruits – oranges, tangerines, limes, guava, lemons, papayas, strawberries, black currants, grapefruit and mangoes – as well as a wide range of vegetables. Some vegetables which contain Vitamin C include collard greens, sweet and hot peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, brussel sprouts, cabbage, potatoes, kale, spinach, and watercress.

AFFECTS

Vitamin C is a nutrient valuable for tissue growth, protection of cell membranes from toxic wastes, wound healing, and, as mentioned, support of the immune system. It supports the growth of collagen and cartilage, protecting in this way against many of the effects of aging.

As an antioxidant, vitamin C helps combat free radicals, and it may help with cancer, high cholesterol, cataracts, diabetes, allergies, asthma, and periodontal disease.

The effectiveness of vitamin C is believed to be increased when taken with vitamin E.

DOSES

The recommended daily intake of Vitamin C is 60 mg per day for adults, although many people, following Dr. Pauling’s lead, take much higher doses in hopes of preventing colds and warding off the effects of aging. However, in higher doses there may be some toxicity with one of the side effects being diarrhea. In some cases, higher doses of vitamin C may cause kidney stones or anemia, due to an interference with the absorption of vitamin B12.

A reminder: vitamin C is water soluble, and unused portions will be flushed from the body, so daily intake of foods rich in vitamin C or supplementation with a multivitamin may be of value.

While there do not seem to be major problems associated with an high doses of Vitamin C, it might a good idea to stick within recommended daily allowances since the jury is still out on side effects.

DEFICIENCIES

The most well-known result of a vitamin C deficiency is scurvy, a condition characterized by weakness, anemia, gum disease, and skin lesions. Fortunately, scurvy is very rare in our modern society although still found to a greater degree in areas of poor nutrition.

Frequent infections, severe colds, nose bleeds, tiredness, and painful joints may also indicate a deficiency.

These days, there are plenty of pills out there offered by your local pharmacy to cure what ails you. But you can never be too sure that the products pushed on us by the food and drug administration are the best thing for you. A lot of these pills have side effects, and some of them are not tolerated well by certain people.

To that end, there are numerous alternative health supplements offered that can help your body get into the best shape it’s ever been. Here are the facts on some of them:

Coral calcium- This supplement is great to help your body. You probably know that your body needs calcium to maintain its bones and teeth, but most people don’t realize that you need a certain level of calcium in your bloodstream as well.

If you don’t keep replenishing this calcium, your body will begin to sap the calcium from your bones and teeth to maintain the level in your blood. This can result in bone and teeth shrinkage, and can make them brittle and cause movements to be painful. Coral calcium is a source of calcium that surpasses most of the others. Available in supplement form, coral calcium can be a great buy.

Another one of the alternative health supplements offered is fish oil. Harvested from fatty fish, this oil contains substances known as omega-3 essential fatty acids. Containing the fatty acids DHA and EPA, fish oil has been linked to memory improvement and general brain health, considering DHA is a substance that needs to maintain its presence in the brain. Also, the American Heart Association recommends that you take fish oils to help maintain heart health. It can help to decrease your risks of heart disease or cardiac arrest!

These are two of the alternative health supplements offered these days that can help lead your body to great health. Hopefully they can help you!

Why not check out our nutrition guide at http://www.nutritional-supplement-guides.com/nut-ebook.html

and also what supplement we personally use for our nutrition needs at http://www.nutritional-supplement-guides.com/what-we-use.html

Melatonin is produced by the pineal gland. It is believed to play a role in anti aging, as well as helping with jet lag and insomnia. But caution is well advised with using melatonin as a supplement, given how powerful its effects are.

One of the problems with melatonin is that most of the studies were done on animals, like rats, and not humans. Animal studies are used by the scientific community to indicate whether a substance has promise, and can yield valuable results even though they are ethically reprehensible and other alternatives exist. One such study was done at the University of Texas Health Science Center.

Whilst it was funded by a grant from the California Walnut Industry, these scientists were able to establish not only that walnuts contained melatonin, but that it was able to be absorbed – at least by rats. But they believe humans would also be able to absorb melatonin from walnuts. Unfortunately, they don’t know how many walnuts you’d have to eat to get the benefits they established as a potential in this study. It might be a lot! But using food as a source of melatonin is a good option given that it is much safer, particularly if suffering from serious illnesses.

University of Texas scientists also found that melatonin had an antioxidant effect. Antioxidants protect our cells from damage by oxidation. Antioxidants slow down the aging process, and interestingly, melatonin levels often decrease with age.

The antioxidant effect of melatonin has been presented before. Dr Reiter, also of the University of Texas Health Science Center, believes it can protect the central nervous system as well as the body generally from free radicals. He also thinks melatonin can increase the body’s own production of another antioxidant, glutathione peroxidase.

People who should not take melatonin supplements are:

* children
* pregnant women
* breastfeeding mothers
* couples trying to conceive
* people with serious allergies
* HIV and cancer patients

Whilst it is not recommended that people with cancer take melatonin, this is primarily for the reasons that not enough research has been done on humans, at least according to Dr Kenneth Cooper. But some of the research that has been done with people suggests that melatonin may be very helpful – if it is taken with the supervision of a doctor. And herein lies the crux of the problem – melatonin is a very powerful substance. Only small doses are needed to create improvements. For example, Dr Cooper cites the example of dosages as small as 2 to 3 mg only, for some people suffering insomnia.

Overall, melatonin is very promising, and may well help people with serious illnesses like cancer and multiple sclerosis. In the meantime, increasing our dietary intake of foods like walnuts that potentially supply us with this wonderful nutrient, may have a host of protective health benefits as well as slowing down the aging process.

A natural hormone supplement is a hormone that is identical to what occurs naturally in the body. Most prescription drugs are not the same as a natural hormone supplement. Why?

In the USA since the late 1800’s, U.S. laws allow medicines to be patented only if they are not naturally occurring substances. If a drug company discovers a natural substance that can be used medically, anyone else can also use/make/sell that substance. So for business purposes, what happens is that the pharmaceutical companies create synthetic hormones that are intentionally different from a natural hormone supplement. Examples are Premarin, Prempro and Provera – these synthetic drugs are different in their molecular structure from the estrogens and progesterone found in the human body.

And the problem with synthetic drugs is – since they are different from what occurs naturally in the human body, the body treats them differently and the result is often harmful side effects. Studies such as the Women’s Health Initiative have concluded that synthetic hormone replacement therapy risks may exceed the benefits!

For women, a natural hormone supplement program will use natural natural progesterone and/or natural estrogen. Both hormones are crucial for good health in women. In a normal menstrual cycle, estrogen is the hormone produced for the first 10-12 days of the cycle. Ovulation signals the body to produce progesterone that continues for the next 12 days or so. If there’s no pregnancy, estrogen and progesterone levels drop at about day 28 and menstruation begins. However, if there is no ovulation, progesterone is not produced that cycle. This happens frequently today for women in their thirties and forties – no ovulation and no progesterone, likely resulting in symptoms of hormone imbalance.

If the woman has had a hysterectomy, surgical menopause means the body produces little or no progesterone, creating hormone imbalance. And in postmenopausal women, the production of progesterone ceases as ovulation no longer occurs. However, even after menopause, estrogen production will still be 40 to 60 percent of what it once was.

For men, natural hormone supplement therapy uses natural testosterone, not one of the synthetic testosterone drugs. Testosterone replacement therapy requires the supervision of a physician in the USA.

Using a safer natural hormone supplement such as natural progesterone or natural estrogen is recommended by numerous physicians since these hormones are identical to what occurs in the body, having few or no side effects like the synthetic drugs have. There are reliable online sources of natural hormones. Learn as much as you can about when to use natural hormone supplements to help stay strong, energized, healthy and free from the many symptoms associated with growing old prematurely.

Body detox is among the best ways of keeping ourselves clean and healthy, besides other methods such as special diets, vitamin supplements, natural therapies, and so on. An important step in a full body detox is to restore or also to replenish energy levels to make you more alert in different areas of your life, such as at work. A body cleanse or body detox is also a great way to give your body a boost after a night of over-indulgence, eating all the wrong foods and consuming more alcohol than is healthy. That is why body detox is needed because some mortals are having this kind of lifestyle.

The human body has a built in detox system that removes harmful substances from the body through excretion but when we put pressure on it by eating unhealthy foods, drinking too much alcohol and not getting enough sleep the system is weakened. At one time, the need for a natural body detox seemed to apply only to those who suffered from some form of drug or alcohol dependency. The pollution your body is exposed to daily, and your consumption of various types of junk food, coffee, aerated drinks, alcohol etc leads to the accumulation of various toxins in your body. Initially known for elimination of excessive alcohol and drugs from the body, detox is now being used more extensively for the process of elimination of any kind of toxins that may be present in the body. A full body detox diet plan using raw vegetables and fresh fruits is especially recommended for young individuals whose bodies have been subjected to high levels of alcohol, burgers and pizzas.

Todays refined diets, stressful lifestyles antibiotics or other health problems can deplete the body’s natural store of these little miracle workers and upset the delicate balance or eubiosis. There are numerous other methods to detox your body, such as through herbal tea and supplements, in addition to specialized diets and spa programs. Body detox diets vary but typically involve eating or drinking nothing but raw, steamed or gently stir-fried vegetables and fruit, pulses, sprouted seeds, thin soups, juices and plain cereals such as brown rice, millet or buckwheat. Mediterranean diets are low on fat and carbohydrates and they provide us with healthy alternative to the oily food we consume every day.

Start using the benefit of exercise to cleanse and detoxify your body. Exercise increases oxygen to your system and raises your body temperature, in effect combining oxygen therapy and hyperthermia. Exercise detoxification is an effective method of cleansing many vital organs simultaneously and should become a regular part of your life. There are tons of exercise programs and plans out there, or just walking for at least 12-15 minutes a day is beneficial to the colon function. The simplest form of administering oxygen therapy is through a simple deep breathing exercise.

The increase in the amount of toxins in the body results in stress in the immune system that eventually breaks down due to overwork. If you are interested in the idea of detoxing and want to receive the fastest results possible, then what you are going to want to do is find a quick detox diet, a body detox that is going to offer you quick results. Some methods are used individually as body detox solutions while other individuals use several methods together to achieve the best possible results. If you want to receive optimum results from your detox, you should consider taking some supplements for detox. It is also good for keeping track of detox intervals or a detox schedule, body detox is not just a one time thing, for best results it should be done on a regular basis throughout the year.

While our body is not totally defenseless against toxins as we have an effective built-in natural detoxification system but body detox is still a must to help keep your body free of toxins. One of the much-desired benefits of body detox is weight loss. Liver and Kidneys detox is excellent to use before and during a weight loss program, as it will improve weight loss results. In conclusion, making your own home remedy for body detox is much better and less expensive way to pursue long term health as compared to eating detox pills.

When you get sick, you go to the doctor. And the doctor will, of course, prescribe medicines. You will go and buy medicines. You take them, and hopefully, you get well.

This is how the health profession goes on nowadays – a cycle of diagnosis and prescription.

If anyone were to give you herbs for medicine, you would probably say that that person was a quack.

But nowadays, studies are being conducted to see if there are really is any merit to what is called natural medicine.

Natural medicine is the use of natural methods, herbal medicines, and traditional practices to heal ailments. Every culture has a form of natural medicine. In ancient cultures, village medicine men served as the doctors of the community, passing on medical knowledge to the apprentices that followed them.

Many categories of the healing methods fall under natural medicine. Among these are traditional medicine, complementary medicine, and alternative medicine.

Usually, natural medicine refers to medical practices that were in place before the advent of modern medicine.

This includes herbal medicine, or phytotherapy, which is prevalent in Chinese, Ayurvedic(or Indian), and Greek medicine.

Upon the advent of modern medicine, many professionals discarded the use of herbs in favor of man-made medicine. The fact that these treatments are based on the healing properties of some herbs was forgotten.

For example, opium, digitalis, quinine, and aspirin all have their roots in traditional medicine.

Natural medicine can be considered as a lost art. This does not mean that it has lost efficacy over time. In some cases, natural therapy is actually better than modern medicine. This leads some doctors to seriously consider and study the possible uses of natural medicine

Before we continue, it is important to stress that not all the natural remedies are legitimate. It would help to only try those remedies which have been thoroughly studied and are relatively risk free.

Take herbal medicine for example. There are many well-documented and studied herbal remedies available. However, only those that deal with minor ailments such as cough, colds, fever, skin rashes, and its ilk are likely to be recommended by health professionals. These remedies are sometimes superior to synthetic medicine. This is because herbal medicines are less likely to cause negative side effects.

Currently there are numerous organizations that study the effects and advocacy of natural medicine – among which is herbal medicine. Some governments and health agencies openly advocate the use of natural methods since they are inexpensive and relatively risk-free.

As their studies compile, more herbs and treatments are added to the list of accepted medicines. However, many herbs and treatments have been proven to be bogus medicine. This represents a challenge for both the user and the agencies because they have to ascertain that the treatments they either use or advocate are legitimate.

There exist today many alternative medical treatments that fall under natural medicine. However, not all of them have been proven to be effective. You could mention homeopathy, aromatherapy, acupuncture, and other alternative medical treatments. It would pay to consult the experts as to the legitimacy of these treatments.

Natural medicine should also be thought of as an accompanying medicine. Right now, the current collective medical thought suggests that natural medicine be used only to supplement accepted modern medical practices. In that case of minor ailments your expert we actually advise you to take natural therapies instead.

The practice of modern medicine revolves around diagnosing an illness and prescribing treatments for such. Natural medicine is helpful because it suggests that treatment be not necessarily given only when sick. Natural medicine strives to make each patient practice good health habits. These habits include good diet, healthy living, and the regular natural treatment.

It is this same line of thought that leads our parents to tell us to eat our vegetables. Yes, a healthy lifestyle and will do no harm to our well-being. And this is the foundation of natural medicine – may it be massage, herbal medicine, aromatherapy or others.

It is funny but true that science, in its quest for excellence, is studying the knowledge of sages past. This, surprisingly, leads us back to the remedies nature offers. The possibilities of finding remedies to everyday illnesses in natural medicine are encouraging. So staying tuned to studying these remedies is worthwhile until we can verify that these therapies are truly helpful to our health and our society.

Feel less tired, more alive, and energized by adopting the following energy
boosting strategies:

* Always eat breakfast

Believe it or not, the first meal of the day is the most important one which
provides your body the required fuel to keep you going throughout the day.
Never miss breakfast; snack on an energy bar, a banana or apple, or drink a
glass of juice, if you’re in a hurry.

* Eat smaller meals and more often

Studies have proven that by eating smaller and healthier meals actually
give you more energy as opposed to bigger meals which often make you feel
tired and sleepy! Try to eat a healthy snack every four hours to maintain your energy levels.

* Exercise!

Walk, jog, or cycle at least fifteen minutes everyday. Any kind of physical
activity will boost your energy levels. Find time between breaks, classes,
before or after work. Plan ahead and establish a schedule for exercising.
You’ll notice an immediate difference in energy!

* Feed your cells!

If you feel run down and extreme fatigue often or just sometimes, this may be a sure sign that the cells in your body are not receiving enough nutrients. When our body does not get its required dosage of nutrients from our diet, we become exhausted much faster. A powerful way to feel more energized is to supplement our diet with Cellfood. Personally, I take Cellfood every day like clockwork; because of Cellfood I feel more energetic, I sleep less, and I don’t easily get so tired. For information on Cellfood go to: http://www.chronic-fatigue-aid.com/cfs_articles.html

* High energy foods

Consider adding high energy foods to your diet such as low-fat cheese, milk,
yogurt, beans, eggs, fish, poultry, and lean meat.

* Hoodia Gordonii

To get an added natural flow of energy, consider taking Hoodia Gordonii. This amazing cactus-looking plant is fast becoming popular around the world. To learn all of its benefits, visit: http://www.hoodia-way.com

* Juice

Drink a whole glass of organic apple or pure orange juice. These two will provide you with plenty of energy, especially when you are running low!

* Water

Drink water on a regular basis.

* Reduce caffeine consumption!

A great way to help maintain your energy levels is to reduce or eliminate caffeine from your diet. Remember: caffeine is a stimulant and will make you jittery.

* Vitamins

Take supplements of vitamins C, E, and B6. Or, eat foods rich in these vitamins like oranges, almonds, peanuts, and pecans.

* Minerals

Take iron as a supplement; it will boost your overall energy.

There are two main types of vitamins, water soluble vitamins and fat soluble vitamins, and the way that the body does or does not store vitamin content taken from food depends on which type it is. The body cannot store water soluble vitamins and this means that a person needs to replenish their water soluble vitamin intake on a daily basis. The eight B vitamins and vitamin C are water soluble vitamins and the body cannot store vitamin content that is either of these.

It is not simply that the body cannot store vitamins that are water soluble but also the water soluble vitamins are easily destroyed by improper storage, handling, or cooking of foods that contain these vitamins. In particular, it is important not to overcook vegetables by boiling as the water soluble vitamins are in effect washed out of them but this lack of being able to store vitamins that are water soluble can be overcome by light cooking or steaming and by using the water that vegetable have been cooked in to form sauces and gravies. As the body cannot store vitamin C or the other water soluble vitamins it is essential to eat a balanced diet with at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables to ensure that enough vitamins are available for the body to use when necessary and a person does not suffer from a vitamin deficiency due to the body’s inability to store vitamin content.

On the other hand, the body can store vitamin content that is fat soluble. The body will store vitamin content in the fat cells so that it can be used when required and a person does not need to consume as many of these fat soluble vitamins on as frequent a basis as they do with water soluble vitamins. The fat cells store vitamin A, D, E, and K as these are all fat soluble vitamins.

It is also important to store vitamin supplements correctly to ensure that the beneficial qualities of these are not diminished. The best way to store vitamin supplements is in a container with a screw top lid and to keep the container in a dry place. When you store vitamin supplements it is also essential to check that they have not been kept longer than the expiration date. The vitamin content of supplements cannot be guaranteed if you store vitamin tablets past their use by date.

The majority of people do not eat a sufficiently balanced diet to provide them with all of the vitamins that they require and this has led to a boom in the multi vitamin supplement industry. Multi vitamin supplements are available in a number of different forms, including tablets, gel capsules and even liquids. Of course the most obvious benefit to taking multi vitamin supplements is convenience. It is far easier for a person to take one dose of a multi vitamin supplement that contains all of the necessary vitamins compared to taking each one individually. This is especially the case for children as it can be difficult for them to take a large number of vitamin supplements but one dose of a multi vitamin supplement is far easier. Of course, a liquid multi vitamin supplement is the most suitable form for children but it is also beneficiate anyone who has difficulty taking supplements in traditional tablet form.

The increase in the availability of multi vitamin supplements has led to a great variety in the brands and also the actual content of the multi vitamin supplements. The names of some of the nutrients in these multi vitamin supplements can be a little bewildering and many people simply do not know which ones they require. To make the decision simpler there are now a number of multi vitamin supplements created for specific people. For example, there are multi vitamin supplements that are designed for children. These multi vitamin supplements contain the specific nutrients that children need for them to grow and develop properly. Pregnant women have unique nutrient requirements to ensure that their baby receives the necessary nutrients and there are multi vitamin supplements prepared for pregnant women. As we get older we also have different nutrient requirements and multi vitamin supplements for the elderly are a popular product.

It is important to consider the contents of any multi vitamin supplement before consuming too many. There are some vitamins that can be toxic if too much is absorbed and this can occur more easily with multi vitamin supplements as some of the content may be overlooked. The labelling of the actual percentage of the recommended daily allowance for each vitamin in a multi vitamin supplement should be clearly labelled and must be assessed before a person takes them. Always seek professional medical advice before taking any multi vitamin supplement if thereis any doubt as to the benefits of the contents.

Most people do not realise that the body can absorb the nutrients from liquid vitamin supplements easier than from tablets. It is estimated that liquid vitamin supplements are actually absorbed at least five times better than regular vitamin pills. Of course, there are many other benefits that liquid vitamin supplements have over pills. For example, the liquid vitamin supplements are easier to swallow. This alone makes liquid vitamin supplements preferable to pills, especially for children and anyone else who has trouble taking pills of any type.

Young children are often unable to gather sufficient nutrients from the foods that they eat but it is almost impossible for them to take vitamin supplements in pill form. Liquid vitamin supplements are ideal because they can be given by a dropper, straight into the child’s mouth or even added to their regular bottle of water or juice to ensure that they receive all of the vitamins that they need to grow. For exactly the same reason, liquid vitamin supplements are perfect for anyone who is unwell and not able to eat properly.

Despite the best efforts of most people it is likely that most are not getting sufficient vitamins and minerals from their diet and that is where liquid vitamin supplements are beneficial. The vitamins in many common pill supplements are actually packed too densely. This leads to a lot of the vitamins not being broken down and absorbed as they should do whereas liquid vitamin supplements do not have the same problem. The body is therefore able to absorb far more of the nutritional value from liquid vitamin supplements than it can from those in the traditional pill form. In fact, the body only absorbs about 10-20% of the nutrients from vitamin pills compared to around 80-90% that it can absorb from liquid vitamin supplements.

Another benefit of liquid vitamin supplements is that they often contain more than one type of vitamin and other nutrients. Vitamin pills traditionally contain only one which means that you are going to have to take a whole handful of vitamin pills to get the same benefits as you do from many of the liquid vitamin supplements. Liquid vitamin supplements offer far more convenience and effectiveness for supplying the body with the vitamins that it needs. The cost of buying the equivalent number of vitamin pills to obtain the same results is also far more than that of liquid vitamin supplements.

The K vitamin is essential for the blood to clot to repair injuries. Whenever a person has a bleeding wound, it is the K vitamin that is present in the blood that stops the bleeding and enables most minor cuts to heal quickly.

There are three different forms of the K vitamin. The first variant of the K vitamin is vitamin K1, also known as phylloquinone. This is the form of the K vitamin that is found in types of plant foods. Vitamin K found in plant foods. The second form of the K vitamin is the vitamin K2, or menaquinone. This type of the K vitamin is formed by friendly bacteria in the intestines. Thirdly, there is vitamin K3 which is also known as menadione and is actually an artificial form of the K vitamin. All three of these types of K vitamin end up in the liver where it is used to create the blood clotting substances.

The best natural sources of the K vitamin are green leafy vegetables, such as spinach. However, because the friendly bacteria in the intestine makes one of the forms of the K vitamin it is extremely rare for a person to have a deficiency of the K vitamin and so K vitamin supplements are not needed by the majority of people.

Apart from the main function of helping blood to clot, the K vitamin, specifically the Vitamin K1, has an important part to play in the bone building process. This K vitamin is required to retain the calcium in the bones and redistribute it to where it is needed.

Although a K vitamin deficiency is relatively rare there are certain groups of people who may suffer from it. Newborn babies may not have enough of the K vitamin as they have insufficient bacteria in their intestines to produce it. The majority of newborn babies in developed countries are therefore given a K vitamin injection to tide them over until the natural process takes over. That is the only time that a K vitamin supplement will be taken by most people throughout their lives. However, an extended course of antibiotics may lead to a K vitamin deficiency due to the fact that the antibiotics kill the intestinal bacteria as well as the ones that they are being taken to cure. Again, a K vitamin supplement may be given if the course of antibiotics has to continue for a long period of time.

There are a number of ways that you can find discount vitamins. The most common is to wait until your favourite vitamin store has a sale but this can be a rather difficult way to get a discount vitamin. The problem is mainly due to the discount time. Most discount vitamin offers only have a limited amount of stock available and it is a case of first-come, first-served. The other issue with trying to get these discount vitamin offers is that they are strictly time limited and again, you may miss out unless you find out about the sale in advance.

A large number of stores produce coupons that offer discount vitamin purchases. These coupons are often distributed in newspapers and magazines – the Sunday newspapers are so full of coupons that it may be time-consuming looking for the discount vitamin offers but it is worth the effort. You may find that some of these coupons do not give an instant discount vitamin purchase but you can claim the appropriate money back through a rebate system. Beware that some of these rebated discount vitamin offers require you to purchase additional equipment or accessories to qualify for them.

One extremely good source for discount vitamin offers is to actually look for bulk purchases. This is an extremely underestimated resource as many people do not actually understand what a bulk purchase discount vitamin really is. In all honesty you are likely to get a better discount vitamin offer if you opt for a bulk purchase from your local outlet. This is because the bulk purchases offer the best discount vitamin prices possible. This is especially the case for vitamins that you may want to take on an ongoing basis. Vitamin C, for example, is a great choice to buy in bulk and obtain a discount vitamin price.

It is extremely important, however, to ensure that the bulk discount vitamin purchases do not include vitamins that may have an expiration date that could be exceeded before they are all consumed. Do not be tempted to purchase bulk amounts of vitamins simply to obtain a discount vitamin price unless you are sure that you can consume all of the vitamins within the expiration dates given. One of the major mistakes that people make when looking for a discount vitamin is to overlook the expiration date. There may not be any danger if the discount vitamins are a few days past their sell by date but it is not worth the risk just to save a few pennies.

The D vitamin is the only vitamin that is not obtained from foods that are consumed. Instead, the D vitamin is actually obtained by sunlight on the skin. There has been a lot of media coverage about the dangers of getting too much sun but it is essential that the skin is exposed to sunlight to obtain the recommended daily allowance of the D vitamin. In reality, the amount of time that a person has to spend in the sun to receive a sufficient dose of the D vitamin is extremely small and just a few minutes a day will be sufficient and not have any adverse effects from the amount of ultra-violet light received.

The most important function of the D vitamin is to help control how much calcium is absorbed from food. The majority of the calcium is used to build strong teeth and bones but it is also needed to send messages along the nerves and to help muscles, such as the heart muscles, to contract. It is the D vitamin that ensures that there is always sufficient calcium in the blood to perform these tasks. Other functions that require the D vitamin relate to the immune system and it is believed that it is also a contributing factor in reducing the risk of contracting cancer and, in particular, colon cancer.

The variant of the D vitamin that is formed under the skin is known as vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol. This D vitamin is created when the ultraviolet in the sunlight reacts with a type of cholesterol that is found under the skin naturally. The D3 is converted into a more active form of the d vitamin in the liver and is then diverted to where it is needed the most. Some of the D vitamin remains in the liver and kidneys to help reabsorb the calcium from the blood. The rest of the D vitamin is dispersed to the bones to help them retain their calcium and the intestines to aid absorption of calcium from food.

Even though the majority of the D vitamin is formed through the exposure of the skin to sunlight there are some foods that do contain some of the vitamin naturally. This form of the D vitamin is known as vitamin D2, or ergocalciferol. This is used in the same way as the other D vitamins and is the type used to create the majority of D vitamin supplements.

The c vitamin has got to be the most widely known vitamin these days. It is not surprising because the body needs c vitamin for over 300 functions. In fact, the c vitamin has been proved to help protect against heart disease, cancer and other serious illnesses. Without the c vitamin the body would not be able to heal itself either. This is because the c vitamin is vital for the formation of collagen. Whenever a person has a cut or an injury it is the collagen that helps repair the damage and without sufficient c vitamin this would be almost impossible. Collagen has a multitude of functions in the body, including keeping the organs in place, and it would not be able to do this without sufficient c vitamin.

The c vitamin is also an antioxidant for the body and helps other vitamins and minerals to be absorbed better. Folic acid and iron, for example, need the c vitamin to maximise their usefulness. The more c vitamin that the body has, the better its defence against colds and other common ailments and the c vitamin may not prevent a person catching a virus but it does help speed up the recovery process.

There is c vitamin in almost every fruit and vegetable but some have far higher c vitamin content than others. Cranberries and melons have high c vitamin content. In fact, tropical fruits have the highest c vitamin amounts of all fruit. Hot peppers are amongst the richest sources of the c vitamin when it comes to vegetables. The hotter the pepper, the higher its c vitamin content is. Unfortunately, the c vitamin is water soluble so many vegetables lose their effectiveness as a c vitamin provider if they are boiled for a long time. Steaming or quick stir frying vegetables ensures that more of their c vitamin content is retained. The recommended daily amount of the c vitamin is easily obtained from eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day if they are consumed raw or cooked quickly.

C vitamin supplements are extremely useful to ensure that people obtain sufficient c vitamin. However, with a balanced diet the amount of c vitamin the body receives is likely to be sufficient. However, if a person begins feeling tired or lethargic then a c vitamin supplement will help overcome this. There is no danger of having too much c vitamin as the body simply excretes the excess.

The B6 vitamin, also known as pyridoxine, is one of the most versatile of the B vitamins and yet the body only requires a relatively small amount. The B6 vitamin works closely with all the other B vitamins, especially niacin, folic acid, and Cobalamin and contributes to numerous functions in the body. Amino acids are converted by the B6 vitamin into proteins and it is also required for transforming stored sugar within the body into essential energy. Basically, the B6 vitamin is essential for converting the proteins that are consumed into proteins that the body needs and also for converting the carbohydrates from the form that they are stored in the body to a form that can be used for extra energy.

The body requires a number of different proteins and it is the B6 vitamin that ensures that the correct forms are available. For example, the B6 vitamin will create haemoglobin for carrying oxygen in the blood cells, hormones for regulating blood pressure, neurotransmitters and various enzymes.

The recommended daily allowance for the B6 vitamin is only around 2.0mg but this seemingly insignificant amount is used extremely efficiently within the body to produce over sixty different enzymes. The best sources of the B6 vitamin are high-protein foods such as eggs, fish, poultry, and meat and it is also added to breakfast cereals and bread to ensure that everyone is able to consume their recommended daily allowance, even if they do not eat meat products. An additional amount of the b6 vitamin may be beneficial for the heart and immune system. B6 vitamin supplements are sometimes required by asthmatics and diabetics. However, it is important to be aware that large doses of the B6 vitamin can be toxic.

As the B6 vitamin is found in many common foods the majority of people receive sufficient amounts of the vitamin from their normal diet. There are some groups that may need to take a B6 vitamin supplement to ensure that they obtain the recommended daily allowance. For example, pregnant or breastfeeding women will need a slightly higher amount of the B6 vitamin to allow for the amount of the vitamin that is being absorbed by the baby although it is possible to obtain the extra B6 vitamin from an increased consumption of high-protein foods. Strict vegetarians or vegans, however, and children who do not eat animal products may need a B6 vitamin supplement as vegetables and fruits are poor sources of the B6 vitamin.

Eating raw foods is natural. Our bodies thrive on all that is fresh and vital. A raw food diet (or increasing the amount of raw food that you eat) is bound to bring a feeling of increased wellbeing.

Raw food diets are based on unprocessed and uncooked plant foods, preferably organic, such as a variety of fresh fruits and vegies, nuts, seeds, grains, dried fruit, fresh juices and purified water.

Why Raw Foods?

Basically a vegetarian diet, the raw food diet promotes eating and drinking ‘living’ foods. Living foods and juices contain the maximum amount of fibre found in raw produce, fibre that can be lost in processing. Such foods are easily metabolised and tend to be lower in calories than the average diet.

Heating food above 116°F destroys enzymes in food that aid in digestion and in absorption of food, diminishing its nutritional value.

Benefits of a Raw Food Diet

A diet of at least 75% raw food offers numerous health benefits, such as increased energy, improved skin appearance, better digestion, weight loss and reduced risk of serious illnesses like heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

A raw food diet contains little or no saturated fats, is low in sodium, high in potassium, magnesium, folate and fibre.
Raw food diets are also excellent detox diets. Different combinations of raw, living foods and juices can be used for colon cleansing, liver cleansing, kidney cleansing and skin cleansing.

The Basics of a Raw Food Diet

Any fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds, beans, nuts, legumes, young coconut milk – even seaweed – can be menu items of a raw food diet. Your choice of foods may depend on your reasons for dieting, for example:

– sprouted brown rice slows glucose absorption and improves the metabolism

– cabbage supports healthy cellular function; radish leaves act as an anti-oxidant, as does Shitake mushroom

-carrots are a great source of vitamin A as well as encouraging healthy vision and a healthy cardio-vascular system

You can use a sprouter such as the Easy Green automatic sprouter to sprout seeds, grains, beans – even wheatgrass. Sprouts could be called a ‘super food’ – organic sprouts contain enormous levels of proteins, vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, chlorophyll pigments and enzymes, and are the ideal natural supplement.

Sprouts can be used in salads and soups, or can be juiced. Fresh juices are a great ready energy supply and a good quality juicer, such as the Kempo Greenpower juicer, produces living juices that are full of essential nutrients.
A great juicing recipe to complement a raw food diet is carrot juice with potato, fennel and apple. Simply juice 4 medium carrots, 2 apples, 1 small potato and 1 small stalk of fennel.
Fennel has been shown to reduce and control inflammation of arthritis, it evens mood fluctuation and depressive states and has the rare nutrient called manganese, plus zinc and vitamin B complex.
The nutritional value of grains and seeds is impressive. They contain most of the vitamins – particularly A, B, and E. They’re also fantastic natural sources of unsaturated fatty acids and lecithin, and an excellent source of proteins.

You can even use soy milk makers (such as SoyQuick) to make non-dairy drinks from different beans, rice, nuts, seeds and grains to have with breakfast. If you want something a little more substantial than soy milk you can make your tofu (or, of course, visit a good health food shop).

Essentially, the idea of a raw food diet is to eat unprocessed foods for at least 75% of the time. If the idea of raw food isn’t very appetising to you, you can warm the food a little as long as the food isn’t heated above 116°F.

Cautionary Note

As with any major change in diet, it’s wise idea to consult your doctor before beginning a special diet. This is especially true for children, pregnant women, anyone with anemia and anyone with a pre-existing medical condition.

Even natural foods can conflict with certain medications, so please ask your doctor or pharmacist if you’re taking any medication.

Because a raw food diet is detoxifying some people suffer a mild detox reaction including mild headaches, nausea and cravings. These symptoms may last for several days and you’ll get more enjoyment out of your raw food diet if you cut down on things like meat, sugar and caffeine a week or so before commencing the diet.

Last But Not Least…

A raw food diet is certainly a good way to improve your overall health and wellbeing. Like anything worthwhile it takes time, energy and commitment. Because many of the foods for this particular type of diet are made from scratch there is some preparation time involved. There are many great products on the market that can help you prepare your own living food and save you some time as well.

Combined with regular exercise, a raw food diet is also an excellent weight loss method. If you’ve been feeling ‘a little off’, or just need a pick-me-up and some extra energy, then a raw food diet is certainly a good way to go.

Loss of hair, or baldness, is the result of not having enough vitamin B supplements. Vitamin B is very important, as it contains B3 niacin, which is very important for growing hair. Vitamin B6 is another important vitamin, containing nutrients such as sulfur, biotin, magnesium, and zinc. Without these vitamins, your body won’t be able to grow hair as much, which commonly results in balding or hair loss as we get older.

What many people fail to realize, is the importance of vitamin B. Research has shown in the past that vitamin B is very important to hair growth. Men who consume foods that are rich in vitamin B are less likely to experience hair loss. Vitamin B is an essential vitamin, and also one that enriches the overall quality and thickness of hair.

Vitamin A is also important with hair growth. To get the proper amount of vitamin A, you should consume fatty acids. Some examples include flaxseed oil, primrose, and salmon oil. If you consume these types of fatty acids, you’ll get the right amount of vitamin A that is needed to enhance the growth of your hair. If you are worried about hair loss, you should make sure that you are getting enough vitamin A and vitamin B.

Vitamin E is also important for hair growth, as it stimulates your intake of oxygen and helps to improve your blood circulation as well. If your blood is circulating properly, then the growth of your hair will be enhanced. The proper circulation of blood is very important with hair growth, as the blood is what helps your hair to grow, and the necessary vitamins to flow through your body.

Another necessary vitamin for hair growth is biotin. You can find this essential source in rice, green peas, soybeans, oats, yeast, walnuts, and sunflower seeds. It is also found with some types of shampoos as well. If you are using shampoo that contains biotin, you’ll be getting into your root tips faster, which will help to promote the growth of your hair. Even though you may be using shampoo that contains biotin, you’ll still need to take the necessary vitamins and supplements as well.

Before you take any vitamins or supplements, you should always consult with your doctor and get his opinion. There may be some vitamins and supplements that you shouldn’t be taking, which is why you should always consult with your doctor before you make any decision. Your doctor will be able to run tests and go through your history with you, letting you know what you can and can’t take. This way, you can choose your vitamin supplements accordingly – and know without a doubt that there will be no long term side effects or problems.

More than 10 million American’s throughout the United States suffer from asthma. Asthma is very common, with doctors considering it to be a new epidemic. Most Americans who suffer from asthma blame it on environmental pollution, along with the increasing exposure of toxic chemicals throughout the air. Deaths that result from asthma are on the rise, due to those who have it not recognizing the early warning signs.

The condition of asthma causes the airways in the lungs to swell, throw out thick mucus, and over time spasm. The swelling that takes place will make the airways smaller, making it difficult to breathe. The first attack from asthma that you experience may include congestion, pain, wheezing, a shortness of breath, dryness in the mouth, coughing, and a feeling as if you have a fever.

Contrary to what you may think, just about anything can result in asthma. The more common triggers of it include allergies, an upper respiratory infection, stress, over exertion in exercise, or even the lack of a proper diet. Out of all the triggers, allergies tends to be the most common.

In most cases, asthma attacks are the result of exposure to things such as smoke, pollen, gas odors, and even automotive exhaust. Foods can also trigger attacks as well, such as peanuts, corn, chocolate, and almost all dairy products. If you take any type of antibiotics, tranquilizers, or hormones, it may prompt asthma. Asthma is a serious and somewhat annoying condition, one that millions of us face on a daily basis.

There are several mineral, vitamin, and herbal supplements that you can take to treat asthma. Among all that you can take, vitamin B is among the most important. Vitamin B maintains a biochemical balance in the body and it can also reduce the severity of the attacks. If you take vitamin A and E together, they can work to protect your lungs against air pollution. You can also take large doses of vitamin C as well, as it is very effective in fighting asthma.

Gingko biloba is effective as well, as it will enhance your breathing and help with your bronchial reactions. Oder-less garlic is another great choice, as it contains an anti-inflammatory agent that will reduce your chances of an attack. Throughout the world of vitamins and supplements, there are many different things that you can take to fight back against asthma.

Anytime that you suspect you may have asthma, you shouldn’t hesitate to go to your doctor and be tested for it as soon as possible. Your doctor will be able to tell you if you have it, and how severe it may be. In the meantime, you should avoid known triggers and be sure that you are eating a high protein diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables. You should also eat a few meals throughout the day, instead of sticking with the three most common meals – breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

As a whole, asthma can be very stressful. There are ways that you can fight back and help to eliminate asthma, which is always great news. If your doctor tells you that you indeed have asthma, you should ask him any questions that come to mind, as well as his advice on what you should and shouldn’t do. Even though it may not seem like it at the time, asthma can be prevented, and it doesn’t always have to stop you from doing things you love to do. Although it may slow you down – you can always stop it.

We all know that oxygen is a primary component that is needed for life. This very same oxygen, once inside of the body, becomes very reactive through certain molecules and will start to cause damage through the free radicals, which is known as oxidative stress. As an antioxidant, vitamin E will help to prevent this type of stress, which will prevent the cells from aging or sustaining any type of permanent damage as well.

Cholesterol, which is a fatty substance found in many foods, is absorbed by the body then transferred from the liver to be stored by tissue as fat. This is carried through the bloodstream by molecules known as LDL (Low Density Lipoproteins). When the LDL is oxidized, it reacts to the cholesterol and a fat substance known as plaque begins to get deposited on the artery walls, which causes the blood flow to stop.

Vitamin E will stop cholesterol from forming into plaque, which will allow the blood to flow properly. If you don’t use vitamin E, in this situation, the blood will stop flowing and the arteries will begin to get backed up. As most of us know, this is the main cause of heart attacks, high blood pressure, and other serious diseases.

Even though many researchers and doctors have linked vitamin E to preventing cancer, this hasn’t been conclusively proven. There are many doctors that have said in the past that vitamin E can indeed prevent cancer, although no documentation or proof has been given to back up such statements. We all know that it is a very important vitamin, regardless.

There are studies however, that have proven vitamin E to be very effective in protecting the skin against UV rays. Vitamin E has been shown on numerous occasions to shield the skin from the harmful rays of the sun, which as we all know, can lead to skin cancer. If you include sources of vitamin E, or supplements in your diet you can help to prevent the damage of UV rays to your skin.

Along with these types of benefits, vitamin E can also protect against alzheimer’s disease and inflammation of the pancreas. This vitamin can also be very beneficial with reducing scars, and healing many types of burns and wounds. Included in your diet, vitamin E can help your skin to heal from many discrepancies over time.

When included with vitamin C, vitamin E can be one of the most important vitamins for your body. It offers many different benefits, besides the ones listed above. You can find it in many different forms, including fruits and nuts. Fruits are excellent sources of vitamin E, especially oranges. Oranges have always been known to be rich in this vitamin, whether you are consuming whole oranges or just drinking orange juice. If you are drinking orange juice that contains pulp, you’ll be getting plenty of vitamin E in your diet.

All things aside, you should always make sure that you include vitamin E in your diet. Along with fruits and nuts, you can also find this vitamin plentiful in vegetables as well. You can include it into your diet, or take supplements that provide it. You should be getting around 1,000 mg of the vitamin a day, which isn’t hard to do if you eat the right foods. If you consume the right amount of vitamin E in your diet, you’ll notice that your body will perform much better – and you’ll be well protected against numerous diseases as well.