Nutrition’s Best Friend is the Multivitamin

It’s estimated that over 80% of Americans do not consume the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables each day necessary for good health. For many people, this doesn’t come as a big surprise. It can be hard to fit in that many servings of fruits and veggies during the course of a busy day. Even forewarned with nutrition knowledge and having the best dietary intentions, it’s pretty hard to eat right while on the go. The good news is that we no longer have to struggle to maintain our health through food alone thanks to nutritional science and the multivitamin.

People today prepare meals at home far less frequently than past generations. Two working parents often add up to a lot of take-out food and restaurants aren’t often following health-conscious preparation. Many restaurants in the United States also provide portions that are too large and are made with excessive amounts of sodium and saturated fats. Today’s jobs frequently call for hectic schedules which cause irregular or even skipped meals. Stress is also an unwelcome companion of many employees which causes them to snack on nutritionally-empty foods and adopt poor overall eating habits. When working late, it is simply easier to find a vending machine than a carrot.

Even if someone is in the 20% group of diet champions, it’s still a good idea to take a multivitamin supplement. Even the most diligently consumed fruits and vegetables may not contain the highest levels of certain vitamins (such as D and E). People not taking vitamins are also likely not getting enough protection against diseases such as cancer, osteoporosis, and cardiac disease. The Journal of the American Medical Association acknowledges that even the healthiest of pregnant women don’t take in enough folate through diet alone to help prevent birth defects. Another consideration for adding a multivitamin is the adverse affects current processing, pesticides, and chemical fertilizers have on our foods. As with all things, not all multivitamins are the same. It’s important to look for vitamins and minerals that are combined in a similar way to what’s found in nature to optimize their synergy. You want their components to be supremely balanced and find vitamins that are backed by reputable clinical studies and contain all 23 of the recommended vitamins and minerals at proven levels for the best possible health benefits.

Natural Mothers: Beware of Personal Care Products

Many women today are realizing the benefits of having a natural pregnancy and hope for natural birth. They are embracing clean living and being as organic as possible with their choices. However, while women are choosing clean foods and paying attention to their nutrition, they may not be as aware of their personal care products. Many products which are put on skin and hair may contain ingredients which could be harmful to a developing fetus. Personal care products are not held to the same standards as food so, while they could say they are natural, they still may not be completely safe during pregnancy. Products such as shampoos, conditioners, cleansers, self-tanners, deodorants, toothpaste, and even belly oil can be made with ingredients which are associated with cancer, allergies, biochemical and cellular mutation, and developmental and reproductive toxicity.

Most mothers aren’t aware that they may unknowingly be putting their baby at risk. Once they do learn of the potential harm, naturally minded mothers look to make choices which are safe, pure, and consistent with their overall approach to pregnancy. Even after their child is born, mothers are embracing the idea of a natural baby. They can continue their baby’s care with products that don’t have potentially harmful additives and are even good for the environment. As a means of helping educate women, the Environmental Working Group has compiled a database of skin, nail, cosmetics, and hair products and rated them based on their level of toxicity. Women can see the products which are considered the most harmful to the least. Moms-to-be can also go to www.cosmeticsdatabase.com and research products they are using on their body to see what ingredients could be passed to their baby. Mothers can make better choices which are healthier, more in keeping with an overall organic philosophy, better for them, and safer for their child.

Dieting for a Healthy Mind and Body

The word diet can cause so many negative feelings: guilt, deprivation, starvation, and even desperation. People who had previously enjoyed a healthy self-esteem reported feeling immediately depressed and anxious the day they start a diet. They crave certain foods more once put on a forbidden list and want to consume calories when asked to count them. Consider the common “last meal” approach to dieting as proof of how much dread is associated with the process. People planning to start a diet typically overindulged on their favorite foods the day before, as if they never expect to eat them again. If the intention behind a decision to diet is so positive then why does the process make people feel so bad? It may be because the focus is on outer appearance instead of inner health.

The primary motivator to lose weight should be to achieve a greater state of wellness. If someone is overweight, they are at higher risk for many serious ailments like heart disease and diabetes. Even if a patient has already been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, studies have shown that people who lose weight are two times more able to successfully control their disease. The American Institute for Cancer tells us that losing weight can also help prevent certain cancers like colon, breast, prostate and uterine cancers. Patients who lose weight will have more energy and put less stress on their joints. There are many physical ailments that can’t be controlled but thankfully, weight is one that we can. People need to should say to themselves, “I am starting a diet, not because I don’t look good, but to be healthier.” Rather than looking for immediate results on a scale, dieters need to make better food choices and increase their physical activity. They should adopt a manageable and reasonable eating plan which they can maintain throughout their life - not an extreme fix. Crash diets often confuse the metabolism and people end up gaining back the weight they lost, plus additional pounds. People who focus on improving their physical and mental condition will experience an improved state of peace, health, wellness, and weight.

Vivix – Today’s Foundation of Youth

History and literature dating back to biblical times are filled with stories about the search for the Fountain of Youth. The people of Florida may have this quest to thank, as legend says the Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon was searching for the Foundation of Youth when he found present-day Florida. Many different cultures have their own version of stories about magical waters that can restore the drinker’s youth and legends about the elixir of life. Such stories exist because of man’s desire for them to be true. Scientists and researchers have developed institutes that specifically study the aging in the hopes to better understand the process and slow the effects of time on the human body. The combination of science and years of research from the Shaklee Corporation, the number one natural nutrition company in the United States, has resulted in the anti-aging supplement called, Vivix.

The best science comes from nature and produces the healthiest, results. Vivix is a highly effective all-natural tonic that, if taken daily, will combat aging and promote overall health and wellness. Vivix is a patent-pending polyphenol blend whose ingredients have been shown to significantly impact the primary four mechanisms of cellular aging: DNA damage, genetic regulators, declining cellular energy production, and accumulation of Advanced Glycation Endproducts (AGE) proteins. The all natural polyphenol formulation in Vivix is blended with resveratrol, which has potent anti-aging properties and is found in plants, fruits, seeds, grapes and grape-derived products like red wine. You may have heard that having a glass of red wine daily has beneficial health properties and Vivix contains the equivalent amount of resveratrol as three-thousand glasses. In addition to its anti-aging properties, Vivix also promotes heart and cardiovascular function, brain health, provides improved immunity, supports joint function, increases cellular energy and longevity, and is excellent antioxidant support.

Once over a certain age we look for products that won’t stop the clock but at least make the hands appear to be moving slower. We want to feel strong and healthy for as long as possible and enjoy a feeling of youth and wellness. The key to looking and feeling young is embracing a healthy lifestyle and taking Vivix can help. While taking Vivix isn’t the same as bathing in magic waters, it is the closest thing to the elixir of life that science and nutritional study has achieved. It also would have saved Ponce de Leon a lot of mileage.

Why Your Body Needs Iron

Iron is among the most common metals found on earth and is a critical component of all forms of life. As humans, we need to ingest a certain amount of iron so our bodies can function properly. Iron plays an important role in protein’s delivery of oxygen throughout the body and helps ensure normal cell development and function. It builds the immune system’s response to disease and makes it less susceptible to the negative effects of stress. Iron also inhibits fatigue and help the body maintain a positive energy level. Without the needed amount of iron, people may tire more easily and suffer from frequent infections. They may experience a rapid heart rate and feel emotionally irritable. Some commons signs of iron deficiency are pale skin, a reduced appetite, and an inability to focus attention.

How to Get More Iron

While iron can be taken through nutritional supplements, the best way to give your body an adequate supply of iron is through the foods you eat. The recommended amount of daily iron intake for adults is eight milligrams a day for men. However, women under the age of fifty need more iron and are advised to take at least eighteen milligrams per day. There are two different kinds of iron when it is derived from food: heme and non-heme. Heme iron is primarily found in animal meat and originates from hemoglobin and myoglobin. It is better at being absorbed, with up to 25% of heme iron from animal foods being taken in by the body. Non-heme iron is found in plants and is often more readily integrated into the average diet. However, the body only absorbs between 2% -20% of non-heme iron from food, with the average person absorbing as little as 2%.

10 Foods to Find Iron

Both forms of iron can easily be found in a wide variety of foods. Here are ten groups of food which will help you get the daily iron intake you need:

1. Liver is an excellent source of heme iron.

2. Lean cuts of beef, lamb, and pork have many nutritional benefits and are a powerful source of heme iron.

3. Shellfish contains heme iron, which can be found in shrimp, oysters, clams, and crab.

4. Most fishes such as salmon, halibut, and tuna are smart choices because they deliver protein and are rich in heme iron.

5. Light or dark meat chicken, turkey, and egg yolks are a great way to ingest heme iron.

6. Cereals, breads, pasta, grits, rice and even oatmeal can contain non-heme iron, if they have been are fortified with the mineral.

7. Beans are a great place to find non-heme iron such as soybeans, lima beans, kidney beans, chick peas, black eye beans, pinto beans, and lentils.

8. Tofu is an excellent source of both soy protein and non-heme iron.

9. Leafy green vegetables such as broccoli, asparagus, parsley, collard greens, turnip greens, cabbage, and mustard greens are good resources of non-heme iron. Dark green spinach is especially packed full with iron.

10. Dried fruits and nuts are a healthy snack food for both children and adults and contain non-heme iron. Good choices are: raisins, dates, figs, prunes, and apricots, walnuts, cashews and sunflower seeds.

Iron and Vitamin C

The body’s rate of iron absorption from all of the aforementioned foods can be aided if taken with vitamin C, from either citrus fruits or a supplement. Vitamin C is especially effective when taken with non-heme iron, which really benefits from the absorption boost. So take your vitamin C with your leafy green vegetables and be sure to regularly eat foods with the all important mineral – iron.

The Importance of Sports Nutrition

Why Athletes Need Balanced Nutrition

Everyone should pay attention to their nutrition; however, athletes need to be especially careful with what they put into their body. Athletes push their body which depletes energy, causes fatigue, and sometimes brings about pain. It’s important that athletes or anyone who is physically active stays well hydrated, maintains their energy levels, gets rest to ensure recovery, and maintains proper nutrition. If the body is well fueled and cared for then it will simply perform better. Top performance and a competitive edge is what athletes strive for and sports nutrition can help give it to them. Nutrition and a strong commitment to being healthy and active will also benefit anyone who isn’t exercising at the professional level but still strives to keep in shape.

The Role of Sports Nutritional Supplements

When exercising regularly, the body needs to receive the optimum amounts of vitamins and minerals. Some people can achieve this through diet; however, it can be difficult to achieve the recommended nutritional balance through food intake alone. Many professional and recreational athletes have turned to sports nutritional supplements to ensure that their body receives the fuel and support it needs. Sports supplements can fill in any deficits in diet and help the body before, during, and after workouts.

Maximum performance and optimum recovery are what everyone physically active wants from their body. Essential to achieving good health is eating a balanced diet and engaging in regular exercise. Exercise helps prevent many diseases (such as cardiac disease and diabetes), is an effective weight-loss aid, helps to maintain an ideal weight, and contributes to an overall state of wellness. The body needs to be able function properly and avoid injury so athletes or anyone people exercising can continue to do it. This is where sports nutrition can help.

Effects of Sports Supplements on the Body

Sports nutrition includes performance drinks which are designed to keep the body hydrated and energized. A good sports drink will maintain blood glucose levels and provide both electrolytes for fast rehydration and carbohydrates for maximum endurance. Vitamin and mineral products can help the body heal by enhancing its ability to recover after exercise and repair injured muscle tissue. Specific nutritional products can also help prevent pain after a workout, by relieving aching muscles caused by lactic acid. Protein powders can better enable athletes to maintain muscle mass, while joint health supplements can rebuild cartridge. Weight management products like meal replacement bars can be a convenient and healthy alternative for training athletes or anyone on the go. However, it’s important to read their nutritional label. Meal replacement bars may promote themselves as being healthy but actually have very little nutritional content and be filled with unhealthy oils, fats, and sugars. A meal or snack bar should contain at least 10 grams of protein, be low in calories, and have no trans fats and a low glycemic. It is recommended that everyone, exercising or not, take a general multi-vitamin supplement to ensure a balanced nutritional intake and contribute to a strong and efficient immune system.

Sports Supplements and the Non-Professional Athlete

Professional athletes regularly use sport supplement products to keep up their energy levels, replenish important fluids, and help their body’s recovery. If they want to be successful within their sport, their body needs to perform at its very best. Athletes look to optimize their nutritional intake so they are healthy and strong. “Non-professionals” who are still doing their personal best to include exercise in their lives can benefit from the same thing. Anyone who is paying attention to their health, fitness, and general well-being should eat a balanced diet and consider adding a general supplement, or one specifically with sports benefits, to their daily routine.

Antioxidants - Believe the Hype

If you want to help your body fight off cancer, consume lots of brightly colored fruits and vegetables. If you're interesting in preventing chronic heart disease, go grab a whole grain bagel. If you are looking to reduce your chances of developing diabetes, consider making a slow-cooked tomato sauce (even better, pour it over whole wheat pasta). Do you love dark chocolate and enjoy a glass of red wine? Go ahead and indulge yourself – they will actually improve your health. All of these amazing foods will help your body achieve a state of greater wellness, thanks to power of antioxidants.

Antioxidants are amazing nutrients in certain foods that can slow or stop oxidative damage to our body's cells. You can compare oxidative cell damage in the body to the formation of rust on a car. When iron is exposed to oxygen and water it corrodes. The free-radical theory of aging tells us that, as we age, cells are damaged by free radicals over time. If you've occasionally flipped through health magazines you may have seen the phrase, "fights free-radicals." However, many people don't know what a free-radical is and why it's worth fighting. The website www.wisegeek.com gives us the following definition, "Free radicals are organic molecules responsible for aging, tissue damage, and possibly some diseases. These molecules are very unstable, therefore they look to bond with other molecules, destroying their vigor and perpetuating the detrimental process." Free-radicals can destroy cells and cause significant damage to your health. They've been linked to diabetes, macular degeneration, heart disease, cancer, stroke, and aging prematurely. Ingesting foods with antioxidants and taking supplements will enable you to protect yourself and build your immune system, all while stimulating your palate. Antioxidants are found in fruits like grapes, strawberries, blueberries, oranges, lime, cranberries, tomatoes and peaches. They are in dark, leafy vegetables and also green peppers, carrots, squash and broccoli. Antioxidants are in nuts, seeds, whole grains and soy. You can even find them in dark chocolate. A list of the top twenty vegetables, fruits and nuts with antioxidants can be read at: http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/supplements/a/antioxidants.htm. When it comes to your health, antioxidants are one trend you really should follow.