Has your doctor told you that supplements are useless. Not true. In this weeks UltraWellness podcast, Dr. Mark Hyman discusses new research that shows the very real benefits of certain supplements – and shares with you the four supplements everyone should take. For more, see www.ultrawellness.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Dynamo Street Magic
Video Rating: 4 / 5

I first looked at integrating energy supplements into my lifestyle after our second child was born. I took up a second job to manage our expenses, since my wife had to quit hers. So there I was, working two jobs, coming home too exhausted to spend time with my family, even with my new-born.

The energy supplements I began taking were pills that were convenient to take every day. As my work load reduced, I began focusing on my general fitness by going to the gym. The idea was to build muscle and overall stamina. That’s when I went for energy-enhancing supplements that also helped in muscle building.

From the years gone by, my experience has been that you focus on milder, natural supplements, such as herbal ones, if your aim is to enhance your general energy levels, but not heavy-duty body-building or fitness activities such as going to the gym, jogging, tennis etc. You can opt for supplements such as FRS Healthy Energy Chews or Twinlab Energy Fuel Drink.

For serious body building and fitness activities, there a number of high-performance supplements especially dedicated to heavy-duty exercise. These include high-protein bars and powder such as Nature’s Plus Spiru-Tein High Protein Energy Meal and Creatine products such as TSN Extreme Creatine. Creatine monohydrate is a fast-acting, muscle building supplement.

Energy supplements today are available in a variety of flavors, such as orange, blueberry, soy etc. You can select the form of the supplement that is most convenient for you. This could be pills, powders, drinks, or bars. I prefer high-protein bars, since they are easy to carry around and munch quickly.

Related Twinlab Articles

When you live in America, most likely, you need nutritional vitamin supplements. Remember that common American diets often lack vitamin and minerals. In fact, a study found out that 9 out of 10 Americans do not get all the needed vitamins and minerals from the diet that they take. High quality nutritional supplements are here to fill that gap. Vitalizer Nutritional Vitamin Supplements made by Shaklee may be the best way for you to ensure complete nutritional support.

All nutritional vitamin supplements will contain the vitamins plus minerals necessary for minimal physiological function. Ideal nutritional vitamin supplements will contain not only these, but other ingredients such as antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, probiotics and phytonutrients necessary for optimal absorption and utilization of all the ingredients. Perfect nutritional vitamin supplements will have all of these qualities and be manufactured from whole foods in a natural way, not by using artificial processes to chemically extract and simulate vitamins and minerals.

Whenever you are looking for the right nutritional vitamin supplements for your need, Shaklee’s Vitalizer plus Iron is surely the one that you must choose. Shaklee Vitalizer Nutritional Vitamin Supplements surely gives you complete nutritional support. 12 separate clinical studies all confirmed that Shaklee’s Vitalizer is one of the most complete nutritional vitamin supplements, giving you vitamins and minerals plus phytonutrients, probiotics, omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, giving you the needed nutritional support to combat diseases as well as ageing.

]]>

Shaklee is confident enough that you will surely be satisfied with the complete nutritional support that is provided by Vitalizer or Vitalizer plus Iron, simply because it gives you nutrients from the entire spectrum of vitamins and minerals, which are actually bio-optimized to give you optimum absorption and utilization. All active forms of Vitamin B that ensures the reduction of nutritional stress is also provided, in addition to all the 8 forms of Vitamin E that act as natural antioxidants to help you in the protection of vital organs, tissues and liver .

In addition, Vitalizer and Vitalizer plus Iron give you important EPA and DHA forms of 7 different Omega-3 fatty acids in a natural, pharmaceutical and ultrapure formula. In fact, Vitalizer is the only kind of product that give you super active probiotics, which helps you in having better digestion, as well as immune supports, in addition to phytonutrients like carotenoids and flavonoids which surely prevents DNA degradation. In this case, Vitalizer is the most complete nutritional vitamin supplements that you can find.

Shaklee has also revolutionized vitamin absorption with the Shaklee Micronutrient Advanced Release Technology (SMART) delivery system which allows different vitamins and minerals to be released into the digestive system and absorbed at the exact location in the gastrointestinal tract to ensure maximum utilization of nutritional vitamin supplements.

Shaklee is confident that you will experience a wide spectrum of benefits including increased energy, enhanced immunity and better nutritional health from your hair, skin and nails to organ systems such as heart, brain, lungs and reproductive organs. Shaklee is the only company to offer an absolute 100% money back guarantee; no questions asked if you are not completely satisfied with Vitalizer nutritional vitamin supplements.

Research carried out over the last few decades has shown that many chronic diseases in the world are nutrition related.

Many people believe that eating a well balanced diet provides all the necessary vitamins for good health. In ideal circumstances this is the case, but in reality there are many reasons why you may need vitamin, mineral and herbal supplements to help your body cope with today’s living environment.

Some of the reason for the necessity to take dietary supplements can be attributed to;

    * unhealthy diet
    * poor lifestyle choices
    * soil depletion from over-worked lands
    * pollution
    * stress

Many of us, even those who feel that they eat well, do not eat a balanced diet. On average almost 40% of the calories we consume come from highly processed convenience or snack foods which are rich in fat and refined sugar. These foods contain few of the vitamins and minerals we need.

In fact, as the body processes certain ‘junk’ foods, important nutrients are lost, and must be replaced from other sources. No supplement can be used as a substitute for a good diet – yet a good diet is not always enough. Environmental and lifestyle stresses can sometimes increase the need for essential nutrients to a higher level than can be obtained from the diet.

Some factors that contribute to nutrient depletion are:

    * stress
    * strenuous exercise
    * alcohol
    * tea, coffee and cola drinks
    * dieting
    * processed foods
    * prescription drugs
    * illness
    * pregnancy
    * smoking
    * antibiotics
    * oral contraceptives
    * age
    * poor digestion
    * food additives

For many people today nutritional care, and health supplements are an integral part of total health care and preventative medicine.

Long term nutrient depletion can adversely affect health and vitality, and also contribute to serious degenerative diseases.

Every bodily function depends on energy producing chemical reactions in the cells. Without adequate vitamins and minerals as well as essential proteins, carbohydrates and fatty acids, energy and vitality is reduced, and illness may occur.

In fact without proper nutrients, the body is unable to continue the biochemical and metabolic processes which produce cellular energy.

Pollution, dietary habits and lifestyle factors make it difficult to receive all the nutrients you need from food alone. Therefore most health practitioners these days recommend that at the very least a multi vitamin and mineral formula should be included in everyone’s diet, to ensure valuable nutrients are not missed. Ideally this should contain ample amounts of Antioxidants, B Vitamins, Vitamin C, Beta-Carotene, and Minerals in specific ratios.

Read on to find out the 23 reasons why you may need to supplement your diet.

You can complete a completely confidential free health assessment here. For your convenience this link is also available at the foot of this page.

1. Do you have poor digestion. Even when your food intake is good, inefficient digestion can limit your body’s uptake of vitamins. Some common causes of inefficient digestion are not chewing well enough and eating too fast. Both of these result in larger then normal food particle size, too large to allow the complete action of digestive enzymes. Many people with dentures are unable to chew as efficiently as those with a full set of original teeth. Digestion also becomes less efficient with age.

2. Do you drink tea, coffee or chocolate products. When people have these products, inositol and biotin, which are both recognised as part of the B complex vitamins, may become deficient in the body. Being deficient in these prevents iron from being properly used, and causes other vitamins to be pumped through and out of the body before they can be properly absorbed. Tannin and caffeine in these products acts like a magnet and binds with minerals and vitamins and eliminates these from the body. Ideally you should not have tea & coffee for up to 1 hour after a meal.

3. Alcohol can effect you. Drinking too much alcohol is known to damage the liver and pancreas, which are vital to digestion and metabolism. It can also damage the lining of the intestinal tract and adversely affect the absorption of nutrients. Regular heavy use of alcohol increases the body’s need for the B group vitamins and vitamins C, as well as the minerals Zinc, magnesium and calcium. Alcohol affects availability, absorption and metabolism of nutrients.

4. Do you smoke. Smoking tobacco is also an irritant to the digestive tract and increases the metabolic requirements for vitamin C by at least 30mg per cigarette, over and above the typical requirement of a non smoker. Vitamin C is normally present in foods such as paw paw, oranges and capsicum, but it oxidises rapidly once these are cut, juiced, cooked or stored in direct sunlight. Vitamin C & A supplementation is essential.

5. Do you take laxatives. Overuse of laxatives can result in poor absorption of vitamins and minerals from food, by hastening the intestinal transit time. Most laxatives used to excess can cause large losses of minerals, such as potassium, sodium and magnesium.

6. Beware of fad diets. Bizarre diets that miss out on whole groups of foods can be seriously lacking in nutrients. Even the popular low fat diets, if taken to an extreme, can be deficient in vitamins A, D & E. Vegetarian diets, which exclude meat and other animal sources, must be very skilfully planned to avoid vitamin B12 deficiency, which may lead to anaemia.

7. Overcooking your food. Lengthy cooking and reheating of meat and vegetables can oxidise and destroy heat susceptible vitamins such as the B-group, C & E. Boiling vegetables leaches the water soluble vitamins B group and C, as well as many minerals. Eating raw fruit & vegetables is preferable, or light steaming. Some vitamins such as B6 can be destroyed by irradiation from microwaves.

8. Avoid food processing.   Freezing food containing Vitamin E can significantly reduce its levels once defrosted. Foods containing vitamin E exposed to heat and air can turn rancid. Many common sources of vitamin E, such as bread and oils are nowadays highly processed, so that the vitamin E content is significantly reduced or missing totally, which increases storage life but can lower nutrient levels. Vitamin E is an Antioxidants which defensively inhibits oxidative damage to all tissues. Other vitamin losses from food processing include vitamin B1 and C.

9. Do you eat convenience foods.   A diet overly dependant on highly refined carbohydrates, such as sugar, white flour and white rice places a greater demand on additional sources of B group vitamins to process these carbohydrates. An unbalanced diet contributes to such conditions as irritability, lethargy and sleep disorders.

10. Have you taken antibiotics. Although these can be valuable in fighting infections, they also kill off friendly bacteria in the gut, which would normally be producing B-group vitamins to be absorbed through the intestinal walls. Such deficiencies can result in a wide variety of nervous conditions. Although we do not recommend the use of Antibiotics (as there are natural antibiotics that work as effectively and without the side effects), If you choose to take antibiotics, especially a lengthy course of broad spectrum antibiotics, then it is advisable you also take a B-complex. (A high quality acidophilus supplement is vital as well)

11. Do you have food allergies. The omission of whole food groups from the diet, as in the case of dairy, wheat and gluten allergies, can result in the loss of significant dietary sources of nutrients, such as calcium, iron or the B vitamins.

12. Have you had a recent accidents or illness. Burns lead to a loss of protein and essential trace nutrients such as Vitamins and Minerals. Surgery increases the need for Zinc, Vitamin C & E and other nutrients involved in the cellular repair mechanism. The repair of broken bones will be retarded by an inadequate supply of Calcium and Vitamin C – suppling these promote rapid healing. The challenge of possible infection places high demands on the nutritional resources of Zinc, Magnesium and the Vitamins B5, B6 and Zinc.

13. Are you stressed. Chemical, physical and emotional stresses can increase the body’s requirements for Vitamins B2, B5, B6 and C. Air pollution increases the requirements for Vitamin E. Also important are Calcium and Magnesium.

14. PMT. Research has shown that up to 60% of women suffering from symptoms of premenstrual tension, such as headaches, lethargy and depression can benefit from supplementation with vitamin B6.

15 Teenagers. Rapid growth spurts, such as in the teenage years, particularly in girls, places high demands on nutritional resources. The need for Calcium is at one of the highest of all times in their life. All vitamins and minerals are needed during this time in large quantities, but particularly vitamin A, C, calcium & iron.

16. Are you pregnant. Pregnancy creates higher then average demands for nutrients, to ensure healthy growth of the baby. The nutrients that increase in need during pregnancy are the B group, especially B1, B2, B3, B6, folic acid, B12, A, D, E and the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and phosphorus.

17. Do you take oral contraceptives. These can decrease absorption of folic acid and increase the need for Vitamins B6, C, Zinc and riboflavin.

18. Are you a light eater. Some people eat very sparingly, even without weight reduction goals. This can cause a lack of vitamins and mineral stores, especially Calcium, iron and thiamine.

19. For the elderly… The aged have been shown to have a low intake of vitamins and minerals, especially iron, calcium and Zinc. Folic acid deficiencies are common in conjunction with a vitamin C deficiency. Fibre intake is often low. Causes of these may be due to inefficiency of the stomach to digest foods properly, chronic diseases and a lack of enzymes.

20. Lack of sunlight… Invalids, shift workers and people whose exposure to sunlight may be minimal, can suffer from insufficient amounts of vitamin D, which is required for calcium metabolism, without which rickets and osteoporosis (bone thinning) has been observed. UV Light is the stimulus to vitamin D formation in the skin. It is blocked by clouds, fog, smog, smoke, ordinary window glass, curtains and clothing.

21 Bio-individuality… Wide fluctuations in individual nutrient requirements, for vitamin and mineral intakes are common, particularly for those in high physical demand vocations, such as athletics and manual labour, taking into account body weight and physical type. Each person’s body has a different absorption rate and ability.

22. Low body reserves. Although the body is able to store reserves of certain vitamins, such as A & E, Canadian autopsy data has shown that up to 30% of the population have reserves of Vitamin A so low as to be judged “at risk”. Vitamin A is important to healthy skin, mucous membranes (including the sinus and lungs) and eyesight.

23. Athletes. Athletes consume large amounts of food and experience considerable stress. These factors affect their needs for B group vitamins, vitamin C and iron in particular. Tests on Australian Olympic athletes and A grade football players, for example, have shown wide ranging vitamin deficiencies.

www.natural-fertility-info.com Vitamins good for fertility ~ Learn which vitamins are good for fertility, ovulation and egg health. **Natural Fertility Resources** *Natural Fertility Information & Guides natural-fertility-info.com *The Fertility Cleanse http *The Fertility Shop www.NaturalFertilityShop.com *Self Fertility Massage http *Natural Fertility Community fertility.ning.com *21 Day Fertility Diet Challenge http *Fertility Consultation natural-fertility-info.com When the world says, “Give up,” Hope whispers, “Try it one more time.” ~Author Unknown
Video Rating: 5 / 5

Do You Know What’s In Your Vitamins and Dietary Supplements?

Look for this mark when purchasing vitamins and supplements.

Rockville, Md. (Vocus) June 22, 2009

If you are one of the millions of Americans who take a vitamin or other dietary supplement regularly, you may not be aware that not all vitamins and supplements are created equal.

Yes, in this multi-billion dollar industry, many of the vitamins in your medicine cabinet and on store shelves may not be what they say they are–both on their bottle labels and in advertisements. As consumers, many of us take for granted that our daily vitamin actually contains the ingredients it claims to–and in the correct amounts. But as recent actions by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and news reports have illustrated, this is not necessarily the case. This is problematic for a number of reasons. Consider the following:

Vitamins/Supplements May Not Contain What the Manufacturers Claim: Just a few months ago, the New England Journal of Medicine published a study showing that, across many different brands, many prenatal vitamins did not contain the amount of iodine claimed on their labels. Pregnant women frequently take a vitamin with a certain amount of iodine to help prevent neurocognitive delays in their babies, making this a serious issue. And this is not just an issue for pregnant women. It is important that a vitamin or supplement include the correct dose of an ingredient–let alone contain the ingredient at all–whether you are, for example, a senior citizen taking a calcium supplement for bone health, if you’re one of the three quarters of Americans who are vitamin D deficient and have decided to take a supplement, or if you are simply using a supplement to generally enhance your health.

Vitamins/Supplements May Contain Ingredients that are Not Claimed on Their Labels: While it is important for vitamins and supplements to contain the ingredients they claim, it is also critical that they don’t contain certain undeclared ingredients. This is key to avoiding a possible adverse interaction with a prescription medication or allergic reaction, among other reasons.

Vitamins/Supplements May Contain Harmful Levels of Certain Contaminants: Studies have shown that some vitamins and supplements contain potentially harmful level of certain contaminants such as lead, mercury, pesticides, etc. This, too, can have health consequences, particularly for more vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, or pregnant women.

For all of these reasons, it is important to consider the quality of a vitamin or supplement when purchasing a product for yourself and for your family. One of the best ways to do this is to check if a product has been certified by an independent, third party. This is a voluntary measure that supplement manufacturers can take to demonstrate the quality of their products to their customers. Look for a mark indicating this type of certification right on the bottle of your vitamin or supplement.

And while all supplements are not created equal, neither are all organizations behind these certification programs. Equally important is to consider the organization behind a mark of quality. The U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) is a nearly 200 year old nonprofit scientific organization that sets standards in the United States for the quality, purity, and strength of medicines, which FDA enforces. USP also operates a “USP Verified” program to help consumers identify quality vitamins and dietary supplements. It is the only such organization that offers dietary supplement verification. USP Verified vitamins are recommended by many leading health experts. Learn more about the program — and see which vitamins and supplements are “USP Verified” — at http://www.uspverified.org .

And remember, when beginning a supplement program, always check with your doctor and research your supplement and its brand from objective and neutral sources such as Consumer Reports, Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, or Pogo Health.

Resources:

Consumer Reports: The Vitamin Dilemma/4 Shopping Tips

Post and Courier (Dr. Oz): Be wary of risky product claims – Consumer must take the lead as own FDA

Support Quality Vitamins and Supplements on Facebook

Become a Fan of USP Verified

USP–Advancing Public Health Since 1820

The United States Pharmacopeial (USP) Convention is a scientific, nonprofit, standards-setting organization that advances public health through public standards and related programs that help ensure the quality, safety, and benefit of medicines and foods. USP’s standards are recognized and used worldwide. For more information about USP visit http://www.usp.org .

CONTACT:

Francine Pierson

301/816-8588

###

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Day 2 of 100 day hair challenge! These are the vitamins and supplements I will be taking to promote hair growth For more info: www.hairfinity.com (they talk alot about MSM) www.growafrohairlong.com

As darkness falls at the end of each day, melatonin production rises. In the morning, when daylight hits the retina, neural impulses cause production of the hormone to slow. Clearly, light and darkness are the primary factors that set the rhythms of melatonin production. However, they are not the only factors involved. In fact, it has been found that a variety of regular daily routines can strengthen the rhythm of melatonin production. Here are a few simple ways in which you can help your body maintain high levels of this important hormone: Eat regular meals. The rhythm of melatonin production is strengthened by regular daily routines. Keep your meal times as regular as possible to keep your body in sync with the rhythms of the day.

Keep your diet light at night. When melatonin production begins after nightfall, the digestive process is slowed.

Thus, any heavy foods eaten close to bedtime may lead to digestive problems, which can make it difficult to sleep. To get the sleep you need, eat small, light meals in the late evening.

Avoid stimulants. Stimulants such as coffee, tea, and caffeine containing medications and soft drinks can interfere with melatonin production by interfering with your sleep. As much as possible, eliminate these stimulants from your diet and lifestyle.

Avoid exercising late at night. Vigorous activity delays melatonin secretion. If you exercise in the morning, you will reinforce healthful sleeping habits that lead to regular melatonin production. For best results, do your morning exercise outdoors, in the morning light.

Most North Americans today eat considerable amounts of processed food, and MSM is normally either not present at all or present only in very small amounts in the typical diet. Most people therefore would probably benefit from supplementation.

Research suggests that we require a constant supply of MSM for optimum good health, as sulfur is one of the essential minerals. Commonly recommended dosage levels are about 2,000 milligrams (2 grams) per day taken in divided doses, with the morning and evening meals, but it is best to start out at 1,000 milligrams (1 gram) per day to avoid a too-rapid rate of detoxification. Benefits usually become evident in two to twenty-one days, and can be enhanced by vitamin C supplementation. MSM from Aerobic Life Industries and OptiMSM , which is an ingredient in products made by Allergy Research Group, Bluebonnet, Country Life, Jarrow, and others, are good sources. Natrol, Inc., produces a good MSM supplement as well.

Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NADH)

NADH is a form of vitamin 63 (niacin) that is essential for the production of various neurotransmitters and cellular energy. NADH, which is also known as coenzyme 1, also acts as an antioxidant .

As we age, natural levels of NADH decline, which can lead to reduced levels of both energy and significant brain chemicals. Taking supplemental NADH can result in improvements in the biochemistry of energy production, especially in the brain and nervous systems. NADH shows promise as a therapy for Parkinson’s disease because it results in an increase in brain levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is deficient in people with this disorder. People with Alzheimer’s disease may be helped by this supplement as well. Some people suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) have shown significant improvement with NADH therapy. ENADA (NADH) from Kal Dietary Supplements is a good source of NADH.

Octacosanol

Octacosanol is a naturally derived wheat germ oil concentrate. Although it would be possible to extract octacosanol from whole wheat, 10 pounds of wheat would be needed to obtain just 1,000 micrograms of octacosanol. Wheat germ has long been known for its many benefits. Today, extracts of wheat germ weighing only 2 milligrams offer remarkable benefits as well.

Octacosanol has been clinically proven to increase oxygen utilization during exercise and improve glycogen stores in muscle tissue. As a result, it increases physical endurance, improves reaction time, reduces high-altitude stress, and aids in tissue oxygenation. This substance can greatly benefit those who experience muscle pain after exercise or have a lowered endurance level. It is good for muscular dystrophies and other neuromuscular disorders as well. It also reduces blood cholesterol levels.

For bodybuilders, it is important to remember that you are doing great work on your body, and this work is causing you to become stronger. However, as you increase in your ability to lift things and as you increase in the strength of your muscles, you are going to need more vitamins and minerals, as well as more energy, in order to use these enhanced muscles.

You should not start bodybuilding before you have talked to a doctor or a nutritionist about what you should do to make sure that your body can maintain the muscles that it has. If you are not able to consume enough of the foods that have the right vitamins, you are going to need to take supplements. This is because it is extremely important that you have enough of the right things if you are going to be bodybuilding. If you are building your muscles and not feeding your body properly, there is not going to be anything left over to keep you healthy as well as strong. Vitamins help to build you immune system, make hormones, and much more.

Many times it is a good idea to go on a general multivitamin if you are going to be working out and working hard on your body. This is a good idea because as you work out you are burning energy that your body would otherwise use to protect itself. Your immune system might be very compromised as you work out, so you should try to do whatever you can to make sure that you are getting the correct vitamins and minerals that your immune system needs to function correctly. Do not be afraid to talk to your doctor about what you can do to make sure you are putting the right things into your body at all times.

When you are learning about the vitamins your body needs to survive, you may notice that there are a number of vitamins listed. However, each is important in specific ways. Vitamin B12 is another part of the vitamin B complex, and without it, our metabolism would be affected. Vitamin B 12 is also important in helping to form red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body, and in maintaining the nervous systems, which sends messages to and from the brain to tell us that things are hot, painful, itchy, moving, and so forth.

Vitamins fall into two general categories. The first are called fat-soluble vitamins and include vitamins E and K, among others. These vitamins can be stored in the body and, in some cases, produced by the body, so deficiency is very rare. However, vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin. While is can be stored, in some cases, it cannot be used properly. Therefore, eating is every day is very important to our bodies. If we do not, our bodies cannot function properly. If you believe that you are not getting enough vitamin B12, you should talk to a doctor he or she can help you find the right vitamin supplements to take, so this will not be a problem.

Of course, your diet is the best way to get vitamin B12 into your body. If you eat a healthy, balanced diet, you should not have to worry about not have to worry about have lower or higher than normal levels of vitamin B12 in the body. However, if you have special dietary needs or medical conditions, vitamin supplements may be needed. You can find fairly high levels of vitamin B 12 in eggs, poultry, beef, pork, shellfish, and dairy products, especially milk.

Because vitamin B12 is one of the few vitamins that can be stored in the body, extreme deficiency is very rare. However, if you body cannot use vitamin B12 properly or absorb it from foods in the intestinal tract, you may need vitamin supplements to help your body. Vegans are especially prone to this and should take vitamin supplements, since most of the vitamin B12 we get in our diets is found in meat. If you don’t get enough vitamin B12, you develop a condition known as pernicious anemia. Symptoms include numbness and tingling in your arms and legs, weakness, low of balance, and other neurological symptoms. If you are worried about developing pernicious anemia, you should talk to your doctor about beginning to take vitamin B12 supplements today.

There are many vitamins that your body needs every single day in order to function properly. One such vitamin is vitamin C. The best way to get vitamin C is to each a balanced diet that includes foods like green peppers, citrus fruits, strawberries, green vegetables, fish, potatoes, broccoli, milk, and tomatoes. Look at the labels on your foods. Vitamin C is sometimes also called ascorbic acid. If you are worried that you cannot get enough vitamin C naturally in your food, talk to a doctor. He or she may recommend a daily vitamin C supplement to help you maintain the correct levels of vitamin C in your body.

Vitamin C is one of 13 vitamins that out body needs. Some of these vitamins are fat-soluble, which means that our body can store them for later use. However, vitamin C is one of vitamins in the body that is not fat-soluble. Therefore, the body cannot store it and it must be consumed every day. How much vitamin C you should have in your body depends on your age, gender, weight, lifestyle, and whether you are pregnant or not.

What does vitamin C do? Basically , vitamin C is an antioxidant, which means that it battles the forces in our body that can cause organ, tissue, and cell damage. Therefore, vitamin C protects the body and may specifically be linked to reducing the signs of aging. If you do not have enough vitamin C in your body, you will develop scurvy. Scurvy is very uncommon in the United States, but can cause anemia, gum disease, skin hemorrhages, and weakness.

When you begin taking vitamin C supplements, make sure that you follow your doctor’s recommendations. If you take to much vitamin C, you can overdose, just as you would with a typical drug. This is rare, because vitamin C is water soluble and high amounts will leave the body at a normal rate, but when it does happen, it can cause kidney stones and interfere with vitamin B12 absorption, causing anemia. Diarrhea is also a side effect. Therefore, it is best to listen to you doctor’s recommendation.

In most cases, you will automatically get enough vitamin C in your foods, especially if you are eating a healthy diet. If you are not and your doctor tells you to begin taking vitamin C supplements, look carefully at the labels of different brands before you buy anything. Because vitamin supplements are classified as foods and not drugs, they are not regulated by the government and each brand’s potency will vary slightly from the next.

More Vitamins Articles

Taking vitamins has long been considered as a prerequisite to good health. In fact, health experts are in agreement, that these organic molecules are needed to be taken by the human body in minute quantities, to ensure proper health. According to these experts, a person deprived of a particular vitamin would eventually exhibit disease symptoms particular to the said vitamin.

The importance of vitamins for good health is a fact well known to everybody. Even children at the primary school level are well aware of this because they are being educated on the importance of vitamins for their body. But while everybody knows how important vitamins are, not everybody knows where to get them. In fact, many believe that the only source of vitamins is the medicine bottle.

Vitamins, however, are not limited to those that are sold on drug stores as food supplements. In fact, vitamins do exist naturally. To give more light on this topic, it may be better if we give you first a background on the basic types of vitamins available today.

The Basic Types of Vitamins Available in the Market

There are three general types of vitamins being sold in the market today. These three types are the natural vitamins, crystalline vitamins, and synthetic vitamins.

• Natural Vitamins

Natural vitamins are those vitamins that can readily be found in natural foods. If processed into a commercial food supplement, the vitamin must have all of its components intact, including its enzymes, co-enzymes, minerals, mineral activators, and co-vitamin helpers.

• Crystalline Vitamins

Crystalline vitamins are those vitamins that are extracted from natural food sources but were already treated with various high-powered chemicals, solvents, heat and distillations to separate the specific vitamin from all other synergistic components attached to it. As such, these vitamins have a very simple structure compared to the complex structure of natural vitamins.

• Synthetic Vitamins

Synthetic vitamins are those vitamins that were chemically formed in laboratories by scientists. While they are not derived from any natural source, the structure of these vitamins would usually resemble that of their crystalline counterparts.

As you can see, vitamins are not limited to those found on drug stores and medicine bottles. In this article, we’ll concentrate on those vitamins that can be found on natural food sources—the natural vitamin supplements.

Natural Vitamin Supplements

According to studies, our body needs 13 vitamins for proper bodily functions. These vitamins are composed of the vitamins A, C, D, E, K and the B vitamins. The B vitamins, on the other hand, are composed of thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and folate.

Now, all these vitamins are available in drug stores in various concentrations. However, all of these 13 vitamins can also be found on natural food sources. In fact, a person having a variety of foods in his diet must already be taking minute amounts of these vitamins everyday. And as have previously been said, only a minute amount of all these vitamins are needed by the body to function properly.

So if you are interested on keeping your health at its prime, then you can bank on the natural vitamins that nature has to offer. Here is a list of the food sources from which you can extract natural vitamin supplements:

1. Vitamin A

Vitamin A can be found from meat sources and dairy products like milk, cheese, cream, liver, kidney, and cod liver. But since all of these are high cholesterol products, you may want to try getting vitamin A from its precursor, beta-carotene. Common sources of beta carotene are raw carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash, cantaloupe, spinach, mango, broccoli and other red- or yellow-skinned fruits and vegetables.

2. Vitamin B1 (thiamine)

Common sources of thiamine are fortified breads, cereals, pasta, whole grains, lean meats, fish, peas and dried beans. Some dairy products, fruits and vegetables are also rich in vitamin B1.

3. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)

Dairy products like milk and yogurt are the primary sources of riboflavin. Other sources are chicken meat, green and leafy vegetables, fruits and almonds.

4. Vitamin B3 (niacin)

Food products that are rich in niacin include dairy products, poultry, fish, lean meats, nuts and eggs. Some legumes and cereals also contain traces of niacin.

5. Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)

Vitamin B5 rich foods would include, fish, dairy products, poultry, lean beef, yeast and vegetables in the cabbage family. Also rich in vitamin B5 are white and sweet potatoes as well as peanuts and peas.

6. Vitamin B6 (pyroxidine)

Fruits like bananas, watermelons and tomatoes are known sources of vitamin B6. Other common sources are chicken, broccoli, spinach, potatoes, white rice, peanuts, oats and fortified cereals.

7. Vitamin B12

Meat, poultry, fish, shellfish and dairy products comprise the rich sources for vitamin B12.

8. Folate

Green and leafy vegetables are the largest source of folates, although this vitamin can also be found on tomato juice, peas, wheat germ, oranges and mushrooms.

9. Vitamin C

The most common sources of vitamin C are the citrus fruits and their juices like strawberry, melon, cranberry, grapefruit and others. Most other fruits and vegetables also contain small amounts of vitamin C.

10. Vitamin D

The largest sources of vitamin D are dairy products, poultry, and cereals. Aside from these food sources, the body also synthesizes vitamin D when the skin is exposed to the heat of the sun.

11. Vitamin E

Vitamin E is mostly derived from plant oils and products made from it, like margarine and mayonnaise. Other sources include peanuts, whole grains, wheat germ, corn, nuts, olives, spinach and other green and leafy vegetables.

12. Vitamin K

Leafy and green vegetables like cabbage and spinach are the primary source of Vitamin K. Other sources include soybeans, cereals, fruits, beets, potatoes, dairy products, meat products and poultry. Bacteria found in the stomach and in the intestines can also synthesize vitamin K.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not generally considered part of conventional medicine”, National Institute of Health. People with diabetes take supplements to manage their diabetes and diabetes complications. We have listed articles that discuss supplements and their believed benefits and harm. We suggest you speak with your health care professionals about whether you should take diabetes nutritional supplements.

Magnesium is a mineral. Foods high in magnesium include green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, and some whole grains. Glucose supplements and various supplemental forms of magnesium are marketed as tablets, capsules, or liquids.

Magnesium has many important functions in the body, including in the heart, nerves, muscles, bones, handling glucose, and making proteins. Low levels of magnesium are commonly seen in people with diabetes. Scientists have studied the relationship between magnesium and diabetes for a long time, but it is not yet fully understood.

Summary of the Research Findings

There have been a handful of studies on magnesium and type 2 diabetes, many of them very small in size and/or short in length and primarily looking at blood glucose control. The results have been mixed, with most finding that magnesium did not affect blood glucose control. Some studies have suggested that low magnesium levels may make glucose control worse in type 2 diabetes (interrupting insulin secretion in the pancreas and increasing insulin resistance) and contribute to diabetes complications. There is evidence that magnesium supplementation may be helpful for insulin resistance. Additional controlled studies are needed to establish firmly whether magnesium supplements have any role or benefit as a CAM therapy for type 2 diabetes.

Side Effects and Other Risks

Magnesium supplements and supplements for diabetes appear to be safe for most adults at low doses. High doses can be unsafe and cause such problems as nausea, diarrhea, loss of appetite, muscle weakness, difficulty breathing, extremely low blood pressure, irregular heart rate, and confusion. Magnesium can interact with and affect the action of certain drugs, including some antibiotics, drugs to prevent osteoporosis, certain high blood pressure medicines (calcium channel blockers), muscle relaxants, and diuretics (“water pills”).

Living With Diabetes – Diabetes – A Silent Killer. Care World Channel has ‘Living With Diabetes’, a show dedicated to providing vital information about diabetes, like the symptoms, causes and effects of the dreaded disease, all by expert doctors. This episode of ‘Living With Diabetes’ poses practical questions that are sure to alert victims of diabetes and warn them to take precautions. Dr. Vijay Panekar, a diabetologist gives basic information, symptoms, causes, etc. of diabetes in great detail. Log on to www.rajshri.com to watch more beauty, health & Yoga tips.

Find More Diabetes Articles