Vitamin B - The REAL Benefits By: Luke Burgis

No Comment - Post a comment

One of my favorite nods to the benefits of Vitamin B came from Christian Troy of the FX drama Nip/Tuck - when his business partner's teenage son confides in him about his desire to have a threesome with a couple of his high school classmates, Christian, the sex-crazed plastic surgeon, gives him some key advice:

"Sure, I don't have a problem with it. But you'd better take your B-vitamins because it's some tiring stuff."

This is coming from a guy with experience. He's also a doctor, which means he probably knows nothing about B-vitamins or nutrition. As a fictional character, he has no idea what a hangover feels like nor the Ciceric friend that a bottle of B vitamins can make when it's waiting for you on your pillow next to a bottle of warm Gatorade upon returning after a long night of debauchery. No, Christian's knowledge of B-vitamins extends no further than the wacky minds of his writers, and I'm guessing his writers have only had threesomes with a sand wedge in their hands.

Vitamin B is actually a complex of multiple water-soluble vitamins (the only other water soluble vitamin is Vitamin C) that happen to co-exist in the same foods. They've been shown to bolster metabolism, maintain healthy skin and muscle tone, enhance immune and nervous system functions, promote cell growth and division and, of course, may assist in any kind of ‘tiring activity' – use your imagination. Together, they're a powerful force.

Foods that contain a substantial amount of B Vitamins include potatoes, bananas, lentils, chili peppers, turkey and tuna. Brewer's yeast is one of the best sources of B vitamins.

The first question most people ask us at Fit Fuel is whether or not to take B vitamins individually or as complex (all B vitamins). Others ask if they can get everything they need through a regular multi-vitamin (which is likely to include the B vitamins). My recommendation would be to simply take a good multi-vitamin (I recommend Jay Robb multi's, which are in gelcap form - a good thing - and contain a generous dosage of B's) so that you have a balanced intake to fuel all of your body's complex functions. B vitamins are chemically distinct vitamins that all play very specific roles within your body.

When you first start taking a B complex, should you choose to target this vitamin group, you'll notice that your urine is bright yellow. This is natural - it's your body's way of disposing of excess vitamins. If you're general healthy, this is inevitable. Very few people need to take extra high dosages of any Vitamin B unless they have a specific ailment. There are many people who hear that Vitamin B12 may help prevent memory loss starts so they start nailing half a bottle a day. It would probably be more effective to order one of the memory aid tools off the QVC infomercial channel, though the excess vitamins are unlikely to do you any harm unless you continue to take them for an extended period of time because you don't look down while you're going or you attribute your colorful stream to a copious amount of way-too-strong lemonade.

And gents – don't bother asking your doctor about a custom B6/B12 doping to help with your performance on dual battlefronts unless his name is Christian Troy.

 

Are Sport Drinks Healthy? By: Carolyn Jones

No Comment - Post a comment

Sport drinks such as "Gatorade" have become as American as apple pie, having been around since the mid-sixties, and originally developed by a team of doctors in Florida to solve the issue of dehydration.Since that time, other brands have surfaced and the fabled"Gatorade" has become storied history, but are they healthy?

 Summer is almost here and with the advent of the traditional kick-off to the season,Memorial Day week-end almost here, I thought it may be a good time to talk about the importance of re hydration. Americans spend a lot of time outdoors participating in various activities. From the little leaguer to the major pro-athlete, and all construction workers in between, summer brings a heightened awareness of the need to replenish fluids and salts, lost during physical exertion.

The most high profile of the sport drinks, Gatorade brand, is consumed at every major league sporting event and has become a staple for sports enthusiasts everywhere. The main functions of the sport drink according to a study conducted at Vanderbilt University are to encourage the following: 1. rapid fluid absorption 2.rapid re hydration 3.transmission of energy to working muscles 4.drinking more fluids

This is achieved, by using a mixture of water, sugar(carbohydrates) salt(electrolytes) and a variety of flavorings. This precisely measured mixture is designed to help us avoid problems related to extreme physical exertion from working and playing hard like, the loss of fluids and salts, overheating, and depleting energy.

The following is from a Gatorade brand label:

serving size: 8fl oz; calories 50; total fat 0g; sodium 110mg; potassium 20mg; total carb 14g; sugars 14g; protein 0g;

The ingredient labels vary according to flavor, but the main ingredients are sodium, sucrose, glucose fructose and water. For long distance running,biking and other activities that require an extended period of physical endurance, the sport drinks were shown to provided a better benefit than plain water, due to being fortified,plus having great taste and potability.In addition, these popular drinks were not shown to cause any gastro-intestinal problems.

Make sure to have plenty of fluids for your next outing, including fresh water and your favorite sport drink. If you're on a budget like most, you may want to try the following mixture. You will need to measure your ingredients precisely.*Do not use a salt substitute without first consulting your physician. Do not serve to children under the age of twelve.You will need:

1 quart water

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon table salt or *salt substitute

3-4 tablespoons sugar

 

What Are B Complex Vitamins

No Comment - Post a comment

There are eight vitamins that make up the vitamin B complex:

1. Thiamine or Vitamin B1

2. Riboflavin or Vitamin B2

3. Niacin or Vitamin B3

4. Pyridoxine or Vitamin B6

5. Cobalamine or Vitamin B12

6. Choline

7. Inositol

8. Para-amino benzoic

Much discussion has surrounded the B complex vitamins benefit to the human body. The eight vitamins that make up the B complex each have a specific function to perform in the human body. In the B complex vitamin all eight individual vitamins help maintain a healthy human body.

Since the B complex vitamin is water soluble they must be taken daily. The reason for this is because water soluble vitamins are difficult to restore in the body.

The age of an individual will determine how much vitamin B complex they will take. There are several good benefits you can receive by taking vitamin B complex. Nervousness and pressure can be lessened if you take vitamin B complex. If you suffer from tiredness this can be reduced by taking vitamin B complex. In addition, a regular intake of vitamin B complex can help individuals recover sooner from sickness.

In addition, your bodies appearance can benefit from a regular intake of vitamin B complex. You will grow healthier hair with B complex vitamins. There are also skin creams that will help your skin condition which contain vitamin B complex. Vitamin B complex can also be used to help treat dermatitis.

Author Information:

 Bette Daoust is the writer of - B Complex Vitamins , She writes articles for - vitamins diary and general nutrition info - vitamins,minerals.

 

Vegetable Nutrition For a Healthy Life by: Shelley Green

No Comment - Post a comment


Fruit and vegetables are brimming with fibre, plus a whole range of vitamins and minerals, and because they're low in calories, they make an important and healthy addition to any diet. Here is some information for you about vegetable nutrition. "Eat your fruits and vegetables" is one of the tried and true recommendations for a healthy diet, and for good reason. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can help you ward off heart disease and stroke, control blood pressure and cholesterol, prevent some types of cancer, avoid a painful intestinal ailment called diverticulitis, and guard against cataract and macular degeneration, two common causes of vision loss."5 A Day" is a national health programme in the USA and also in the UK to explain why you need vegetable nutrition as well as fruit and to encourage you to eat more servings of fruit and vegetables every day. People all over the world are becoming more and more aware of how important fruit nutrition and vegetable nutrition is to stay healthy.

In general, yellow and dark green vegetables are excellent sources of vitamin A. Green leafy vegetables are rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin C and many of the B vitamins. The greener the leaf, the richer the nutrients will be. Here are some suggestions to think about color to pack nutritional power in your diet: · White: Eat cauliflower more often than potatoes, onions and mushrooms.· Green: Add more dark lettuces, such as romaine and red leaf lettuce, spinach, broccoli and Brussels sprouts to replace iceberg lettuce and green beans. · Yellow-orange: Substitute more carrots, winter squashes, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, oranges and grapefruit for corn or bananas. · Red: Select tomatoes, red peppers and strawberries in favor of apples. If you are trying to watch your weight, an idea is to make sure you are not eating too many calories if you are adding these foods to your diet. increasing the amounts of fruits and vegetables you eat can promote weight control, but only if they replace higher fat foods like ice cream, meat and chips to help you consume fewer calories. But if fruits and vegetables are simply added to what you already eat, total calories won't significantly drop and weight loss should not be expected. The most important thing to do is to vary the fruit and vegetables that you eat from day to day. This is to give your body a variety but to also keep you interested in your food. There are always great new recipes, ideas and ways to make your food look and taste great!

 

What IS a Healthy Diet by: Chris Chenoweth

No Comment - Post a comment


There is so much information about what is healthy and nutritious these days that it is very difficult to sort out the hype from the truth. Following a healthy diet can be accomplished by making some simple adjustments to your current diet.

 If you think it is just too much trouble to make some simple changes to improve your family’s diet, think again. Most people do not realize the incredible impact that a healthy diet has on our bodies, making the difference between poor health and good health.

 Along with regular physical activity, a healthy diet is the most important factor that determines your weight. If you are overweight or obese, your chances of developing many diseases or conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, and certain cancers, increase significantly.

 EASY STEPS TO A HEALTHY DIET

Your first step to following a healthy diet is to make sure you include food from all food groups. Vegetables, fruits, whole-grains, legumes, lean proteins and low fat milk products should all be incorporated into your daily diet.

*VEGETABLES – A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer. It also contributes to a healthy weight, reducing your risk of obesity and the conditions associated with it. There are a multitude of vegetables to choose from, the healthiest being dark green vegetables like broccoli, lettuces, and kale, orange vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, and squash, and red vegetables like red peppers and tomatoes.

 *FRUITS – Eat a variety of fruits each day, canned, dried, fresh or frozen. Stay away from fruit juices as they can be high in sugar. (Unless you make the juice yourself.)

*WHOLE GRAINS – Choose whole grain cereals, breads, rice, and pasta. Read the food label and make sure the grain that is listed such as wheat, rice, oats or corn is referred to as WHOLE in the list of ingredients. Whole grains are an excellent source of fiber. Fiber can help reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

 *LEGUMES – This class of vegetable includes beans, peas and lentils. They are low in fat, contain no cholesterol, are high in protein, and have phytochemicals, compounds that help prevent heart disease and cancer. They are also a good source of fiber. Add pinto, kidney, black and garbanzo beans, split peas and lentils to your daily diet.

*LEAN PROTEINS – Choose lean meats, poultry, and fish. Bake, broil, or grill it. Do not fry! Beans, nuts and seeds also provide protein.

*LOW-FAT MILK PRODUCTS – Eat low-fat yogurt, low-fat cheese or low-fat milk every day. Dairy products can lower your risk of diabetes and help build strong bones, reducing your risk of osteoporosis.

There are a variety of foods that should not be present in your diet except in very small amounts. These foods, such as sugars, alcohol, and some fats, contribute to diseases and poor health.

 *SUGARS – Avoid foods containing sugar. You know what they are! Always check food labels to see how much sugar is present as some foods contain sugar that may surprise you.

*ALCOHOL – Avoid alcohol. If you must drink, limit intake to one drink a day. Alcohol can increase your risk of many conditions including some types of cancers.

 *FATS – There are different kinds of fat in our foods. Some are detrimental to your health and others are very healthy.

 1. Monounsaturated fats (olive oil, flaxseed oil, peanut oil and avocados)

 2. Polyunsaturated fats (safflower, sesame, sunflower seeds)

 These fats raise your good cholesterol levels. To stick to a healthy diet, choose foods with these fats.

3. Saturated fat and trans fatty acids raise your bad cholesterol levels, contributing to your risk of heart disease. Limit your intake.

Saturated fats are found in beef, veal, lamb, pork, lard, butter, cream, whole milk dairy products and can be present in processed foods like frozen dinners and some canned food. Always check food labels before purchasing.

Trans fatty acids, the kind of fats that increase the risk of heart disease, are formed during the process of creating cooking oils, shortening, and margarine and are found in commercially fried foods, some baked goods, and crackers. When checking food labels, make sure the ingredients do not include hydrogenated fats.

Following a healthy diet is a necessary step for the improved health of you and your family. It is not difficult to make the simple changes necessary to change an unhealthy diet to a healthy one. The advantages, better health, longer life, and more energy, far outweigh any inconveniences you may experience.

 

Limiting diet is not the remedy for Food allergies

No Comment - Post a comment

The threat of allergy is at its peak, with a new genre of allergy rising with every passing day. Allergies are essentially a situation in which your immune system responds too strongly to a stimulus. While this may sound good, it is a toxic and potentially deadly situation for your body. The pace at which allergy is replicating simply indicate the looming catastrophe ahead for human kind. Food allergy is one such evil manifestation which can challenge the intake of food or proper diet, putting human life at stake.


The threat of allergy is at its peak, with a new genre of allergy rising with every passing day. Allergies are essentially a situation in which your immune system responds too strongly to a stimulus. While this may sound good, it is a toxic and potentially deadly situation for your body. The pace at which allergy is replicating simply indicate the looming catastrophe ahead for human kind. Food allergy is one such evil manifestation which can challenge the intake of food or proper diet, putting human life at stake.


Common Food Allergies
The most common foods causing allergic reactions in adults include: shellfish such as shrimp, crayfish, lobster, and crab; peanuts, a legume that is one of the chief foods to cause severe anaphylaxis, a sudden drop in blood pressure that can be fatal if not treated quickly; tree nuts such as walnuts; fish; and eggs. Beside this, there are many food allergens causing allergies among children like eggs, milk and peanuts. But usually it is observed that children are ore likely to outgrow allergies to milk or soy than allergies to peanuts, fish or shrimp. The food that adults or children react to are those foods they eat often. For example in Japan, allergy to rice is more frequent than in Scandinavia, where codfish allergy is quite common.

Limiting the diet or food intake as you are wary about food allergy is not the solution for the problem. Many people suffering from food allergy unnecessarily avoid the proper intake of food making them their own victim of health. A study reveals that nearly 28 percent of parents thought their children to have at least one food allergy during their initial 2-3 days years of life. But it is rather a fear than a fact, as in reality only 8 percent children had food allergy.

Differential Diagnoses
People often mistaken food intolerance for food allergy. Food allergy occurs when the immune system mistakenly recognizes a food as harmful, and reacts against it. Allergic reactions can occur in the skin, respiratory system or gastrointestinal tract, causing swelling, hives, sneezing, nausea, abdominal pain, wheezing, shortness of breath or a drop in blood pressure. People can and do die from severe allergic reactions to food. Food intolerance occurs when the body has difficulty digesting food. It does not involve the immune system, generally causes milder reactions only in the gastrointestinal tract, and requires larger amounts of food to provoke a reaction. While both food intolerance and food allergy cause discomfort, food intolerance is not considered dangerous, and can sometimes be prevented with dietary supplements. So a differential diagnosis is needed for distinguishing food allergy from food intolerance or other illnesses.

Diagnosis of Food Allergy
We cannot deny the fact that food allergies can be serious and life-threatening, unless the food causing the allergic reaction is discontinued. But no need to make all those wild guesses and create panic about food intake resulting in inadequate nutrition. Self-diagnosis of food allergy can be a bit difficult, unless you keep a detailed food diary for 2-3 days before visiting a physician. It should include all details like what did you eat, when did you eat and how long after you ate it that you had a reaction and what were the symptoms and how long did they persist with or without any medication. Food diary is an easy and convenient way for patients to keep record of their food intake and its reactions so that the exact history can be passed on to the physician. This will help your physician to analyze your medical history and diagnose the problem as to what exactly is the cause for your food allergy helping you to eliminate that specific food from your diet.

Allergy Test
The fastest way to test allergies is the prick skin test; where a drop of extract from the suspected food is placed on the skin, and a tiny needle is used to prick the skin at the place of the drop. A patient who develops a reaction at the injection site may have an allergy. However, this test does not confirm the allergies and may even be falsely positive. So, the physician may carry out a blood test. The most common blood test, a radioallergosorbent test (RAST), measures the IgE antibodies to a specific food in your blood to get to know the allergen.

Treatment
The best treatment is to never eat the foods you are allergic to. Learn to read food labels and spot other names for problem foods. For example, milk may be listed as "caseinate," wheat as "gluten," and peanuts as "hydrolyzed vegetable protein." If you do eat a food you are allergic to, medicines can help. You may be able to stop a mild reaction by taking over-the-counter antihistamines. You may need prescription medicines if over-the-counter drugs do not help or if they cause side effects, such as making you feel sleepy.

If you have severe food allergies, your doctor will prescribe an allergy kit that contains epinephrine and antihistamines. An epinephrine shot can slow down or stop an allergic reaction. Your doctor can teach you how to give yourself the shot.

So a proper food and diet mechanism can be followed with proper diagnosis and treatment of food allergy, abstaining the food you are allergic to. So no need now to cut or control your diet as you need to eliminate only the allergic food from your staples.

Author Information:

 Jane Perez,
 Trustpharma Team.

 

What Are Phytonutrients? by: Mary Desaulniers

No Comment - Post a comment

Folk wisdom has always singled out fruits and vegetables as being indispensable for health, but it has only been within the last thirty years that we know why. Science and technology have isolated compounds in plants and vegetables that have literally been our life-savers. These are phytonutrients which all fruits and vegetables produce because their means of survival in the environment is through the release of disease-fighting phytochemicals. Phytochemicals stimulate the production of protective self-repairing cells in plants.

They also produce the same kinds of responses in humans. For example, they release protective enzymes that inhibit cancer-producing substances, thus reducing our susceptibility to disease. It makes sense for us to harness the powers of plants in our diets. Four sources of phytonutrients that cannot be ignored if we want to remain healthy and cancer free are berries, cruciferous and dark, leafy vegetables, soy and red wine. Berries, such as blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries offer the highest sources of phytonutrients. They all produce a natural substance called ellagic acid which has been shown to be a good defense against carcinogens because they suppress tumor development. Blueberries have the highest antioxidant content. High in flavonoids, they also provide powerful protection against prostate cancer.

Two and a half cups of fresh strawberries a day can supply enough vitamin C to help restore sperm production in men. Cranberries have been known to prevent cystisis, a painful and often recurring urinary tract infection in women. A study involving 72 postmenopausal women found that 10 ounces of cranberry juice every day reduced the likelihood of bladder infection by 58%. Cranberries have also been shown to reduce stomach ulcers and lower LDL cholesterol levels. Cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower) and dark leafy vegetables (like swiss chard, spinach) also have high levels of antioxidant phytonutrients. In a study conducted by New York's Strang-Cornell Cancer Research Laboratory, women who consumed a diet high in cruciferous vegetables experienced a dramatic drop in estrogen levels, which means that these vegetable are definitely powerful tools for fighting against breast cancer. The assumption is that the phytochemicals in these vegetables deactivate potent estrogens, thus preventing estrogen-sensitive cells, particularly in the breast , from developing tumors. Sulforaphane, another phytochemical in cruciferous vegetables, triggers a self-defense system in the body that acts to detoxify carcinogens. Spinach contains four times more beta carotene than broccoli and is a good source of vitamins C and E. It also has high levels of photosynthetic proteins which convert sunlight into energy.

Researchers at the Massachussetts Institute of Technology are harnessing the power of spinach in a new direction--creating highly cost-effective solar panels. Soy is another phytonutrient rich food. Soy products contain genestein, which has been shown to have strong anti-cancer properties. It contains as well phytoestrogen, which has been shown to reduce the risk and spread of prostate cancer. Researchers suggest that the phytonutrient isoflavones, like phytoestrogen, may reduce the risk of breast cancer. Another isoflavone compound in soy called daidzein has also been found to improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels in women. A study conducted at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles has uncovered evidence that this estrogen-like compound is the main reason for soy's healthy effects. Women with low estrogen levels seemed to have benefited most from daidzein, which reduced LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol levels, leading researchers to recommend that women include soy food products as part of their cardiovascular risk reduction strategies. And last but not least is the phytonutrient, resveratrol, found in red wine, that literally makes wine drinking a cancer-fighting measure.

Resveratrol is present in the leaves, twigs and bark of the grape vines. And red wine, which is fermented from grape skins, seeds and twigs tends to have large quantities of these cancer-fighting substances. Resveratrol has also been demonstrated to be a potent antioxidant (more potent than vitamin C alone) which can act synergistically with vitamin C, thus enhancing the effects of each. It also prevents the formation of blood clots and promotes the formation of new dendrites in the brain. Let us put all these phytonutrients to good use. Why not sit down to a hearty soy burger, broccoli spears and cauliflower salad, warm berry compote and a glass of red wine? Yummy! Life cannot be better!

 

Older Posts
Newer Posts
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)