Dietary Supplements

Salt: The worst enemy of our society

The western culture is addicted to salt. While historically, it was used to help preserve our foods, we have taken our love of salt to a whole new level. One must seek out any kind of food anywhere, that isn’t packed with salt. For years doctors have had heart problem patients on low sodium diets, now it seems, the rest of the world needs to stand up and get rid of that salt shaker. I have been on a low sodium or salt-free diet for most of my life. Yes, it was rough not to put salt on that first ear of corn, in fact, I couldn’t imagine that it would even taste right. But, over the years, I have found that food not only tastes good, it tastes better without the salt. If I cook at home, we don’t even put salt shakers on the table. However, going to a restaurant or buying prepackaged food is another story. To me, everything tastes like it was layered in salt. When I look around and see people pouring the salt on, I realize that most of our nation or the world for that matter is still less educated on what harm salt actually has on our bodies. (more...)

Singing the praises of dark chocolate: our favorite antioxidant

Singing the praises of dark chocolate: our favorite antioxidant

Those of us that are known choco-holics did our biggest happy dance when University of Cologne in Germany came out with their study results that lowers blood pressure. Combine that study with the report by the National Institute of Food and Nutrition in Rome, Italy that stated is an excellent antioxidant, and we are in a win-win situation.

This is, by no means, an excuse to go on dark chocolate binge eating. It also has to be remembered that these reports relate to dark chocolate only; not milk chocolate or white chocolate. Additionally, the dark chocolate should not be combined with drinking milk, as the milk may interfere with the antioxidant absorption. Dark chocolate is very rich in flavanols, which are a type of flavanoid antioxidant.
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FDA’s New Dietary Requirements: Don’t take my vitamins away

FDA’s New Dietary Requirements: Don’t take my vitamins away

If you haven’t heard, the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) has proposed a rather hefty set of new laws on vitamins, herbs and dietary supplements. In general, the proposal is to treat these types of products as ‘synthetic food preservatives” and to treat them to the rigorous testing standards and protocols. The proposal seems to have been prompted by the enormous layers of complaints, problems and claims regarding some of the athletic supplements and energy drink products on the market. It depends on who you talk to whether you are for or against this new proposal, but, if it passes it can cause a plethora of difficulties – including increased costs for the consumer.
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3 More Ways Supplement Companies are Killing You

3 More Ways Supplement Companies are Killing You

In the previous article we covered 3 ways are killing you with their products. Here are three more.

1) Uncleanly Facilities
Believe it or not many manufacturers rarely get inspected by the health department and despite warning continue to make products in uncleanly facilities. Protein blenders are cleaned properly, rodents infest the raw materials, you name and I am sure it has happened. These facilities pose a seriously health risk to consumers. While the government has increased regulation, there is still a long way to go.
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3 Ways Supplement Companies are Killing You

3 Ways Supplement Companies are Killing You

Every day millions of people trust to provide high quality products that are true to label and are created using good manufacturing practices. The dietary supplement industry is a 20 billion dollar business, yet lacks any serious form of regulation. In 1994, congress passed legislation to deregulate supplements. While there are plenty of reputable companies on the market, there are many more that pose a serious threat to consumers. Below are 3 ways are killing you with their products.
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3 More Supplements that are a Waste of Money

Supplements that are a Waste of Money

We couldn’t just stop at 3. Here are a few more supplements that are a waste of your hard earned dollars.
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3 Supplements that are a Waste of Money

Supplements that are a Waste of Money

While getting nutrition from whole food sources is always the best option, supplements are a convenient way to get your daily requirement of vitamins and minerals. If you look inside a nutrition shop these days you will see the shelves stocked with many useful products but you will also find many that are as effective as flushing you money down the toilet. To boost sales, vitamin companies, as well as sport nutrition companies, will do whatever is necessary to make you think you cannot live without their product. Below are a few supplements that you can live without.
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Fo Ti Root As a Dietary Supplement – Updated Article With Extra Information

Fo Ti Root (botanically known as polygonum multiflorum) is a herbal Chinese medicine. Its plant is grown on a large scale in China along with Japan and Taiwan. A member of the buckwheat family, it has a sweet slightly bitter taste. It can be used processed and unprocessed. The unprocessed root is known as white and the processed one is known as the red . Studies show that the red is a lot more effective than the white . It is prepared by simply boiling the roots in a special liquid made of black beans. Its recommended dosage is 2 to 3 capsules taken with water at mealtime twice a day or as directed by the doctor.
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Natural Sources of Iodine – Updated Article With Extra Information.

Sources of Iodine
Iodine is an essential element which helps to protect our body from germs. It also ensures the proper and healthy functioning of the thyroid gland. If a person doesn’t have the required amount of iodine in his diet he may suffer from depression, obesity, weakness and persistent headache. In some serious cases it can also result in brain, fibrocystic breast and thyroid diseases. Miscarriages are also a sign of low iodine levels in our body, which is why pregnant women are told to consume foods which are rich in iodine. It is good for strong nails, teeth and skin too. Fortunately for us, iodine is readily available through the foods that we eat on a regular basis. These dietary account for 90% of our the chemical. About 10% is from the water. Some of the dieary are as follows:
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The Benefits of Ginseng – Updated Article With Additional Information

Benefits of GinsengThe ginseng herb is a nutritious root, which for centuries has been used to not only boost energy, but to also treat many health problems. According to scientific research conducted on ginseng, ginseng makes the brain produce more endorphins, which are responsible for the balance of emotional and physical stress hormones that are secreted by the adrenal glands.

The health can make up a long list. For starters, there is valid scientific evidence that ginseng benefits those with heart problems. Also, ginseng has been demonstrated to decrease the sugar levels in the blood to reasonable levels in those who have diabetes type 2. Some research was able to prove that ginseng enhances the effectiveness of flu vaccinations and antibiotics. It is still uncertain why this is the case, so it is necessary to conduct more research in order to understand these benefits fully.
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Antioxidants ORAC Based Comparison

Antioxidants ORAC Based Comparison

There is so much hype about antioxidants. It’s on every health channel, news topic and now an additive in almost everything that we see on the grocer’s shelf. Most people have a preliminary understanding of antioxidants, but there is more to the story than just another healthy item to have in the diet.
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What is Stem Cells Controversy?

What Is Stem Cells Controversy?

If you have watched the news in the last ten years, you will probably have heard the topic of the . The medical community seems to be lined up on one side along with those people who suffer from the diseases, disorders and disabilities that stem cell research could help. On the other side, is the religious community. So what is ?
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What is ORAC Value And What is Highest ORAC Value Antioxidant?

What Is ORAC Value And What Is Highest ORAC Value Antioxidant?

ORAC is the oxygen rate absorption capacity of a particular food, supplement or additive in the diet. The ORAC value score is established by the National Institutes of Ageing in the National Institutes of Health and involves a number of variables to rate the best antioxidant absorption level.
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What Are the Top 5 Joint Support Supplements?

Joint Support Supplements

1. Glucosamine
Top usually include the amino acid glucosamine, which is a natural product that your body makes to lubricate and keep your joints healthy. This amino acid helps to build cartilage and other healthy joint tissues, and to increase the lubrication and flexibility of the affected joints. The usual dose is about fifteen hundred milligrams every day.
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What is Phytoestrogen?

Phytoestrogen

is also known as dietary estrogen. Phytoestrogens make up a diverse group of naturally occurring, non-steroidal plant compounds. They occur in plants and plant products that include soy beans, grains, seeds, herbs, fruits and vegetables.
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Can You Take Too Much Vitamin C?

Too Much Vitamin C

A common question asked of doctors is can you take too much ? is the most common antioxidant taken by people but mega doses can be harmful. Too much can cause nausea, diarrhea, and kidney stones. The human body absorbs the amount of C it needs and the rest ends up in the body’s urine. It is pretty difficult to take too much .
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Can I Give Probiotics to Kids?

Probiotics To Kids

Probiotics are microorganisms, such as acidophilus, that increase the overall health of the people who eat or drink them. They increase the number of good bacteria that live in our intestines, and prevent the growth of the bacteria that can harm the body.
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What to Look for in a Women’s Multivitamin

What To Look For In A Womens Multivitamin

Sometimes eating a healthy, well-rounded diet isn’t always enough to provide all the nutrients a woman’s body needs every day. A women’s fills these gaps, making sure that your body gets what it needs to stay healthy. However, it can be confusing to know . Read on for some important guidelines.
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What to Look for in a Multivitamin

What To Look For In A Multivitamin

Though the best way to get the vitamins and minerals you need is by eating a healthy, well-rounded diet, it can sometimes be hard to fit in the optimum amount of nutrients. This is where a comes in. It fills in the gaps and ensures you receive the vitamins and minerals your body needs for peak performance.
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How to Avoid Iodine Deficiency Disorder

Iodine deficiency is most common in underdeveloped countries, due to the addition of iodine to most table in the United States and other developed nations. However, it is not a chemical produced by the body, so if you don’t get sufficient amounts through diet or supplementation, you may be at risk for .
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