The Benefits of Taking a Daily Multivitamin
May 31, 2007
The Benefits of Taking a Daily Multivitamin
by: John Collins
The human body needs vitamins to function properly. Each of the 13 essential vitamins (A, C, D, E, K, B12, and the 7 B-complex vitamins) provides the regulation of a crucial function. We acquire a majority of the vitamins our body needs from food. When there is a deficiency, we are in danger of becoming seriously ill or even dying. Vitamin supplementation can reverse illness caused by vitamin deficiency, sometimes miraculously. Nowadays, it is very rare to find someone who isn’t taking a daily multivitamin. Since there is a good chance that most of the individuals who take a daily multivitamin are eating a variety of foods, is it really necessary that they take a multivitamin? It may not be necessary, but everyone can benefit from taking a multivitamin.
The obvious benefit of taking a multivitamin is to prevent deficiency. In some situations your dietary needs may increase. Pregnant women, for example, are generally advised to start taking multivitamins in their first trimester. This is to ensure that they receive the proper nutrition and pass it on to their unborn child. By taking a multivitamin every day a pregnant woman can decrease her risk of passing malnutrition on to her baby. However, the benefits of taking a multivitamin every day go beyond replenishing nutrient stores.
Pregnancy and Pre-natal Vitamins
May 30, 2007
Pre-natal vitamins are important to the health of a growing baby. They are also important to pregnant mothers because their bodies are going through so many changes.
Our diets today are often deficient in key nutrients found in pre-natal vitamins that help a baby’s development in the womb. One deficiency that has been found is the lack of enough folic acid, one of the B vitamins.
Rectifying vitamin deficiency can be done by modifying your diet and by taking pre-natal vitamin supplements. It is easiest for your body to absorb nutrients from foods, but since it can be difficult to take in enough of those key vitamins and minerals during pregnancy, most doctors recommend that you also take pre-natal supplements.
The most important pre-natal vitamin is folic acid, which is the synthetic form of the naturally occurring folate. If folic acid is taken in the first four weeks of pregnancy, it can reduce the risk of the baby having an incomplete spinal column, or neural tube defect by up to 70%.
Martial Arts Wisdom for Alzheimer’s Caregivers: Rolling with Life’s Punches
May 30, 2007
Martial Arts Wisdom for Alzheimer’s Caregivers: Rolling with Life’s Punches
by: Mark Matloff
Learn to Roll with Life’s Punches and Bounce Back
What can the martial arts teach Alzheimer’s family caregivers? Plenty. One powerful lesson comes from Aikido, a powerful, ethical,dynamic and beautiful martial art. Aikido means: “The Way of Harmonizing Energy.” Aikido practitioners learn to blend and steer an opponent’s force to safely control a situation. In the process of training we learn a lot about ourselves as well.
One thing that we learn in Aikido is ukemi (pronounced ooh-keh-mee) training. Ukemi is the art of falling down safely. It is important to learn how to fall in this martial art, so that you don’t get hurt when you are thrown. Basically, injury to yourself is not the result of being thrown hard, it’s the effect of falling poorly. Knowing how to fall well is essential for those times when you are thrown. You can spend a lifetime perfecting this skill. And you might as well. Take it from me: Gravity Always Wins.
How to Help Your Picky Eater
May 29, 2007
One of the most common questions I am asked is how to help a picky eater. If you’re worried that your child won’t get enough nutrients from a limited selection of foods, the good news is that because the American food supply is super-fortified, nutrient deficiencies are rare.If your child is growing normally according to your pediatrician, you can almost always assume that he or she is well-nourished. With the notable exception of calcium, most nutrient deficiencies are easy to spot ? you would notice poor growth, low energy, slow development, and unhealthy-looking skin and hair. If you notice these symptoms in your picky eater, mention your concerns to your pediatrician. Often a multivitamin supplement can solve the problem and reduce your worry. Kids often grow out of picky eating if it isn’t given too much attention, so while you wait, here are some options to try.
1. Eat together as a family and let your children see you try new foods (even if you’re not sure you’ll like them). Children often identify with a parent’s eating style, so if you don’t like something, it’s not fair to expect your children to eat it. The opposite is also true ? children’s tastes are more sensitive than adults, so just because you like something doesn’t mean they will.
The History of Vitamins
May 28, 2007
The History of Vitamins
by: John Collins
It may seem that the significance of vitamins to nutrition health has been known for a significant amount of time. However, it wasn’t until the 15th century that scientists began to realize that nutrients found in various foods could improve health. The classic realization is the one of sailors who suffered from scurvy and improved their condition by eating citrus fruits. To discover the exact benefits a particular food would provide, scientists simulated conditions of nutrient deficiency using animals. These experiments were carried out by feeding the animals one specific type of food for an extended period of time. In all cases the animals’ health declined; some became seriously ill and some died. For those that became ill, the scientists fed them various nutrients until their health improved.
In the early 1900s, British chemist and Nobel Prize winner Frederick Gowland Hopkins concluded from his research that the human body needed a certain amount of specific substances to live. Casimir Funk, a biochemist from Poland who worked closely with Hopkins, conducted an experiment with polished and unpolished rice. The results of his experiments coupled with what Hopkins discovered led him to coin the term “vitamin” to represent the crucial supplemental substances necessary for growth. It would only take thirty years after their discoveries for chemists to begin synthesizing (commercially producing) the vitamins that we know today.
Stretch for Fitness Success
May 27, 2007
Stretch for Fitness Success
by: Anna Fleet
When you think of developing a strong, muscular physique what type of exercises do you think of doing? To improve and develop strength most individuals focus on lifting weights - exercises such as bench press, push ups and flies - that focus on powerful pushing and pulling movements. Cardiovascular activity usually takes the passenger seat, when it comes to developing strength - unless you’re involved in a sport that requires a lot of endurance training, or if you want to loose excess body fat on top of improving your strength.
Stretching - unfortunately isn’t even put in the strength development category, because most of us figure that since it’s a low intensity movement it’s purely for cooling down after our workouts. However stretching isn’t merely a great way to cool down - trust me it can actually help make you stronger. That’s why I feature a great stretching diagram on my website, FitnessGear101.com.
The benefits of stretching have numerous effects on your weightlifting progress. Just remember when you stretch you should feel slight tension in your muscles, but no pain!
Stretching is your key to the following fitness pluses:
Medical Malpractice
May 26, 2007
Medical Malpractice
by: Christian Tylor
Many people may not realize that medical malpractice is a real and ever growing problem. People die everyday from wrong diagnoses and incorrect treatments. The problem is that most of these cases are private and many are never reported. A lot of the population does not know enough about medical practices to know when they are faced with a malpractice problem. They are forced to take the word of the doctor and staff at hand. This may explain why only a small number of claims are filed for malpractice suits and only about half of them actually win the lawsuit.
Physicians have medical malpractice insurance that will cover them in the event someone files a malpractice claim against them. In the past the cost for this type of insurance was a flat rate, but due to the fact that medical malpractice suits are on the rise, the cost for this insurance has also begun to rise. There are not as many providers for this type of insurance as it use to be. This is because medical costs are going up and it is very difficult to make a profit in this business.
Step Forward: Education For The Learning
May 25, 2007
Step Forward: Education For The Learning
by: Mrs. Dolores Rubio
I’m easily shocked at times. I open the newspaper, I read articles about child abuse, the mentally ill, the shortcomings in our education system, and I feel things along the lines of torment and anguish. But it doesn’t stop there. It actually goes on, manifesting itself in a dozen minor ways. Maybe in a dozen major ways, if you’re one who believes in the magnitude of advocacy, of standing up to make sure that your voice can be heard over all the loud chatter and backtalk.
For years, I’ve been investigating the atrocities that are taking place in our schools each and every day. I’ve been sending letters to our Presidents, our Senators, and our Congressman, pleading for them to be the change they so vehemently declare they are. But words are useless. We need Action. For what can mere words really do, when so many mentally-challenged students are struggling to keep up in an education system that is unapologetically incongruent to their ways of thinking and learning?
What?s Causing Your Energy Drain?
May 25, 2007
This is such a busy time of year, isn’t it? Whether it’s school or after-school commitments, social or philanthropic organizations that start meeting again after the summer, end of the year plans at work, or all of the above, fall activities are demanding! If you’re like me, you know you plan too much, but you still want to be efficient, accomplish everything, and do it well. There is no time in the schedule for running out of energy or getting sick, and "Collapse From Exhaustion" is not on the TO DO list. But your body will stop you if you don’t stop it first. How will you know if you are running on empty? The number one warning sign is fatigue. Abnormal fatigue can be a sign from your body that you are overworking, overthinking, underresting, or undereating. (I don’t know if all those are words, but they should be.) A variety of illnesses and medical conditions can cause fatigue, including hormone disorders, depression, and pregnancy, so if you notice a dramatic or persistent change in your energy level, it’s wise to consult your physician. The good news is that if it’s your hectic agenda that’s leaving you drained, you can give yourself the best chance of staying well by looking at a few key areas ? sleep, nutrition, hydration, and relaxation. As with many beneficial life habits, these four staples of health do not have catchy slogans or expensive promotional campaigns. Bottled water brands and sleep number beds are starting to change that, but they’re based on the premise that you need a very extravagant bed or water purification system, rather than the idea that you need sleep and water to be healthy. (Common sense, you say? How long has it been since you got eight hours of sleep and drank two liters of water in the same day?) Most nutrition-related marketing promotes one food or food group over another, rather than the guiding principle that you faithful readers know by now: eating frequent, small amounts of a variety of foods. On the other hand, I’m sure you’ve seen and heard multiple advertisements for energy bars, energy drinks, and energy boosting supplements, promising more energy if you eat or drink the magical concoction of chemicals. Remember what you learned in Nutrition 101: Your body can only make energy from three things: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. ONLY. Other nutrients help your body USE energy, including iron and B vitamins, but nothing you get in a pill can actually give you more energy than eating actual food. Caffeine, ginseng, guarana, ma huang, ephedra, and xenedrine are all stimulants that make your heart beat faster, so your brain gets more oxygen, so you FEEL like you have more energy?but it’s a trap. When the effects wear off, you will be more tired than you were before. If you use the chemicals again, you perpetuate the cycle, or in other words, you’re hooked! Quick Tip: Real energy means calories. If a product contains 0 calories, it’s a fake. The good news (yes, there’s more!) is that although no supplement can make up for poor habits, changing habits can eliminate the need for these potentially harmful chemicals in your body. Easier said than done, I agree. But start in one area, and experiment with a small change. If you see results, you will have proved to yourself that the change is worth it! In the coming weeks, we’ll look at each of the key areas, sleep, nutrition, hydration, and relaxation, with the goal of maintaining exceptional energy throughout your day. If you need an energy makeover, why not keep an energy log? On 2 weekdays and 2 weekend days write down the following: What time it is each time you eat (you don’t have to write down WHAT you eat); what time it is when you go to sleep and when you wake up; what beverages you drink throughout the day; any relaxing activities you did that day; and a description of your energy (highs or lows) throughout the day. In two weeks we’ll meet back and see what your results mean and where to improve! To be continued?
Rooibos, Just the Facts
May 24, 2007
Rooibos, Just the Facts
by: Beth Johnston
Rooibos (pronounced “Roy-boss”), botanical name Aspalathus linearis, is clearly gaining popularity in the US due in part to all the hype surrounding the South African herb. I personally get many questions about Rooibos and the various properties and benefits it delivers. Like everyone else I can get drawn up in the “hype” so I decided to do an in-depth look at exactly what we do and do not know about Rooibos and here is what I found;
History and Trends
- Rooibos has a 300-year history with the first botanical reference recorded in 1772.
- It is indigenous to only the southwest coast of Africa in the Cedarburg Mountain region of the Western Cape.
- Unlike other herbs Rooibos is available in non - oxidize and oxidized forms (think green tea, non - oxidized vs. black tea, oxidized).
- The most commonly consumed type of Rooibos is the dark or oxidized version.
- Rooibos is naturally free of caffeine and makes a terrific beverage for anyone avoiding caffeine late in the day or all together.
