Health Nugget - Take the Cheapest Supplements You Can Find?

Early in my career, I remember telling my patients who were set on taking supplements to just take the cheapest ones they could find. The reason I made this comment was that I really did not believe that supplements had any value anyway, so why not just buy the cheapest ones? At least, they would not cost my patients too much money. In contrast, now that I realize all of the health benefits my patients can receive by taking supplements, I want to be sure that they receive high-quality products. One of the greatest frustrations in becoming a specialist in nutritional medicine is that I work with such an unregulated market. The FDA looks at nutritional supplements the same way it looks at foods. This entire industry is really not regulated, and a nutritional company can pretty much put any amount of nutrients in their tablets. In other words, the amount stated on the label is not necessarily what is in the tablet. Unless a nutritional company voluntarily produces its nutritional supplements in a pharmaceutical-grade method, the consumer has no assurance that what is on the label is in the tablet. Why sell your health to the lowest bidder? Taking high-quality, complete and balanced nutritional are the least expensive health insurance policy you will ever purchase.

Health Nugget - You Can Get Everything You Need from a Healthy Diet

I told my patients for years that they did not need to take supplements and that they could get everything they needed by eating a healthy diet. When I began to realize that RDA's had nothing to do with the types of diseases I was trying to prevent, I had to rethink my decision not to recommend supplements. As I mentioned earlier, the optimal level of vitamin E is 400 IU. Why just not have my patients eat 400 IU of vitamin E. They would only need to eat 33 heads of spinach or 28 pounds of butter or 5 pounds of wheat germ each day to get that much vitamin E. The optimal level of vitamin C is about 1000 to 2000 mg daily (the RDA is only 60 mg). My patients would only have to eat 18 large oranges or 80 avocados to get that amount of vitamin C from their diet.

I certainly believe that we must supplement a healthy diet with 8 to 12 servings of fruits and vegetables along with those good fats and good proteins. However, there was no way my patients could receive health benefits from optimal levels of nutrients without supplementing their diet. It became very obvious to me that my patients needed to supplement their diet with high-quality, complete and balanced nutritional supplements for the best protection against chronic degenerative diseases.

Omega3 Fatty Acid Lowers Heart Disease

Omega-3 fatty acid intake associated with lower heart disease risk
Increased consumption of omega-3 fatty acids in the diet is associated with lower levels of inflammation and endothelial activation, according to results from a study at Harvard. Dysfunction of the endothelium, which is the inner lining of the blood vessel wall, is an early event in the development of atherosclerosis and subsequent heart disease. Food frequency questionnaires completed in1986 and 1990 by 727 participants in the Nurses' Health study were evaluated for levels of the omega-3 fatty acids alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Alpha-linolenic acid consumption was found to be inversely associated with several plasma markers of inflammation, while EPA and DHA intake was inversely related to platelet aggregration. Results of this study indicate that in addition to reducing triglycerides, platelet aggregation and heart arrhythmias, omega-3 fatty acids may also reduce the body's production of hydrogen peroxide, which is involved in the inflammatory process. J Nutr 2004 Jul;134(7):1806-11

VITAMINS
Vitamins are essential to the normal functions of our body. They are necessary for our health, vitality, and well-being. Natural vitamins are found in living things, such as plants and animals. Vitamins must be supplied through our foods or plant supplements. Vitamins cannot or should not be taken to replace food. Our bodies can only assimilate added vitamins when taken with food. Always eat before taking vitamins.

VITAMIN A (BETA CAROTENE)
Necessary for growth & repair of body tissues. It helps maintain smooth, soft skin; helps protect the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, throat & lungs, protects against air pollutants; counteracts night-blindness & weak eyesight; aids in bone and teeth formation. Current medical research shows that foods rich in Beta Carotene will help reduce the risk of lung cancer and certain oral cancers.

VITAMIN C (Ascorbic Acid)
Essential for healthy teeth and gums; helps heal wounds, scar tissue, and fractures; prevents scurvy; builds resistance to infection; aids in the prevention & treatment of the common cold; gives strength to blood vessels and aids in the absorption of iron. It is required for the synthesis of collagen, the "cement" which holds tissues together. It is also one of the major antioxidant nutrients. It prevents the conversion of nitrates (from tobacco smoke, smog, lunch meats, & some vegetables) into cancer- causing substances. According to Dr. Lines Pauling, the foremost authority on Vitamin C, Vitamin C will decrease the risk of getting certain cancers by 75%.

VITAMIN D
Improves absorption and utilization of Calcium and Phosphorous; required for bone and teeth formation; maintains a stable nervous and cardiovascular system.

VITAMIN E
Major anti-oxidant nutrient; retards cellular aging due to oxidation; supplies oxygen to the blood; alleviates fatigue; aids in nourishing cells; strengthens the capillary walls and protects the red blood cells from destructive poisons; prevents and dissolves blood clots; has also been used by doctors in helping prevent sterility, muscular dystrophy, calcium deposits in blood walls and heart conditions.

VITAMIN B-1 (Thiamin)
Plays a key role in the body's metabolic cycle for generating energy; aids in digesting carbohydrates; essential for the normal functions of the nervous system, muscles & heart; stabilizes appetite; promotes growth & good muscle tone.

VITAMIN B-2 (Riboflavin)
Necessary for carbohydrate, fat & protein metabolism; aids in the formation of antibodies and red blood cells; maintains cell oxygenation; necessary for the nourishment of good vision, skin, nails & hair; alleviates eye fatigue.

VITAMIN B-6 (Pyridoxine)
Necessary for the synthesis & breakdown of amino acids. Aids in the metabolism of fat and carbohydrates; aids in the formation of antibodies; maintains the central nervous system; aids in the removal of excess fluid of premenstrual women; promotes healthy skin; reduces muscle spasms, leg cramps, hand numbness, nausea & stiffness of hands; helps maintain a proper balance of sodium & phosphorous in the body.

VITAMIN B-12 (Cobalamin)
Helps in the formation and regeneration of red blood cells, which helps to prevent anemia; necessary for carbohydrate, fat & protein metabolism; maintains a healthy nervous system; promotes growth in children; increases energy; needed for Calcium absorption.

NIACINAMIDE (Niacin- vitamin B-3)
Improves circulation and reduces cholesterol levels in the blood; maintains the nervous system; helps metabolize protein, sugar & fat; reduces high blood pressure; increases energy; helps maintain a healthy skin, tongue & digestive system.

PANTOTHENIC ACID
Participates in the release of energy from carbohydrates, fats & protein; aids in the utilization of vitamins; improves the body's ability to cope with stress; helps in cell building & the development of the central nervous system; helps the adrenal glands; fights infections by building antibodies in the blood.

FOLIC ACID
Necessary for DNA & RNA synthesis, which is essential for the growth and reproduction of all body cells; essential to the formation of red blood cells; aids in amino acid metabolism.

Now you know which vitamins you need for some of the deficiencies that you are experiencing. If you are not getting the vitamins your body needs through your food then you must get them by means of taking vitamins and supplements. Remember this, the sooner you practice what you are learning here the sooner you will begin to enjoy natural health and HEALING THYSELF NATURALLY!!!!

Fish Oil Lowers Heart Risk

Fish oil is known to decrease the risk of heart arrhythmias, which are a potential cause of heart disease, stroke and sudden cardiac death. According to a new study, regular intake of fish oil can reduce heart rate and decrease the risk of sudden death by as much as 5% in the overall population.

There is significant evidence that omega-3 fatty acids can reduce arrhythmias, disorders of the regular rhythmic beating of the heart. Arrhythmias can occur in a healthy heart and be of minimal consequence, but they also may indicate a serious problem and lead to heart disease, stroke or sudden cardiac death.

A recent meta-analysis published in the journal Circulation further confirms this association. Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health combined statistical analysis of thirty studies published from 1996 to 2005. These studies involved nearly 1,700 individuals treated with fish oil or placebo for up to one year. The median combined dose of EPA and DHA was 3.5 grams/day for an average of 8 weeks. The overall estimated change in heart rate of those treated with fish oil was 1.6 beats per minute. The reduction in heart rate was even greater among trials whose participants had higher baseline heart rates.

In those studies, treatment with fish oil resulted in a decreased heart rate of 2.5 beats per min. There was no evidence of a dose-response effect, and heart rate was not significantly different between higher and lower doses compared with placebo. Although the overall effect of fish oil on heart rate appears small, researchers estimate that on a population basis this could correspond to as much as a 5% reduction in sudden death.

Mozaffarian D, Geelen A, Brouwer IA, Geleijnse JM, Zock PL, Katan MB. Effect of fish oil on heart rate in humans. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Circulation 2005;112:1945-1952.

Folic acid supplements reduce stroke risk

A meta-analysis published in the most recent issue of The Lancet concluded that supplementing with the B vitamin folic acid can reduce stroke risk by at least 18 percent. Researchers analyzed eight randomized trials involving folic acid and stroke. Participants supplementing with folic acid lowered their risk of stroke by an average of 18 percent compared to those who did not use folic acid supplements.
Trials involving folic acid supplementation longer than 3 years showed an even greater reduction in stroke risk (29%). Folic acid supplementation was also more significant in people with reduced homocysteine levels, those with no prior stroke risk, or those who lived in area without folic acid fortification of foods.It is believed that folic acid's ability to reduce homocysteine, an amino acid found in the blood that is toxic in excess, may be the reason for the lower incidence of strokes.
Lancet 2007 Jun 2;369(9576):1876-82