Many question the need to supplement their diet with Vitamins and minerals. However if you look deeper into the quality and type of foods most Americans consume the reality and evidence for the need to add daily dietary vitamin supplements is overwhelming.
As a nation, we eat poor-quality foods that have been stripped of nutrients. We do not consume enough fresh fruits and vegetables. Many of us get our whole grains from instant rice, refined wheat breads, pastas, and cereal. We eat a tremendous amount of prepackaged, pre-made meals. One-quarter of Americans eat at fast food restaurants each day. Americans are overfed and undernourished.
Yummy a favorite country style American favorite, along with various other versions of American breakfast’s delights. And how about that Starbucks supper coffee drink and a scone or bagel…another breakfast wonder.
So where are those suggested servings of fruits, low fat dairy or whole grains? Don’t get me wrong I love comfort food too and I am not suggesting that you should give up living a life fully alive. So what to do?
No problem for me I take along a multivitamin and a super green food tablet. I know it may sound like I am cheating the nutritional guru paradigm and yes you are right I am. Once in a while I can have my cake or in this case biscuits and gravy and eat it too. With the wide variety of nutritional supplements available today there is no excuse for getting all the daily nutritional value you need.
No I am not referring to your car, I am speaking to the vehicle you call your body. Most of us are aware that we need to drink plenty of water to replenish our body’s ever present need to stay hydrated to maintain a healthy body. What most people are not aware of is our need to also consume healthy oils daily.
It is great that people are far more aware of the need to change to healthier cooking oils such as olive or grapseed oils, but did you know that consuming unheated oils on salads and vegetables along with oil from healthy fats is just as important?
Yes I used the word “fats”. The oils derived from fat sources such as fish, grass feed beef and vegetarian sources are a vital necessity for our health. These sources provide us with much needed omega 3 fatty acids, that are know to help with aiding in the treatment of heart diseases, high cholesterol, depression, anxiety, AHDH, low immunity, cancer, diabetes, inflammation, arthritis, IBD, AIDS, Alzheimer’s disease, eye disorders, macular degeneration and ulcers. It is helps in weight loss, pregnancy, fertility and skin care (particular for disorders such as psoriasis, acne). Adding an Omega 3 supplement can be an easy way to make sure you are maintaining a healthy dietary balance.
The best time of the day to take your vitamins is generally when it is convenient for you is a good rule to start with. The producer of the vitamin will make general recommendations based on their product research. Some of us can take say a Multi-Vitamin with or without food and not have an upset stomach problem from the intense intake of condensed nutrients.
Generally though taking vitamins with a portion of food is recommended but the key is not to combine with a “full” meal. As the body is taking in nutrients from the food the vitamin supplement may not complement the nutritional value of the meal or the high nutritional value of the food may interfere with the intake of additional nutrients. Because of this some of the nutritional value of the Multi-Vitamin or supplement may be wasted. It would be like eating a ½ pound steak and drinking a protein shake in the same meal very redundant as you can see.
Your best bet to maximize the supplement is to follow the recommended advice from the Supplement company and then adjust to your schedule just remember that less can be more when combining with food.
Every once in a while our research on health and wellness products leads us to an unusually great product. We would like to take this opportunity to recognize a company that produces just that, great protein supplement that goes beyond just another protein shake. These guys have combined the best of both of the worlds we love, high quality whey protein along with our other favorite, Super Green Food and it’s an organic earth friendly product.
WHEY Protein Greens Plus contains 100% pure, free-range Whey Isolate from New Zealand, providing the highest biological value of any protein source. Grown in accordance with organic program standards, WHEY Protein Greens Plus is certified hormone, antibiotic, and lactose-free.
One daily serving of Natural Whey Protein Greens Plus delivers 20g of protein, the full-spectrum equivalent of two servings of fruit and vegetables, and the essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes needed for peak performance
Now that makes a power house nutrient dense Protein Shake and it taste great too.
Fast food doesn’t have to slow you down. In fact it can actually power you up if you choose the right fast food options. If you don’t have time for a sit down breakfast or lunch a great alternative is a homemade protein shake or choose from a variety of great protein bars available.
In the morning just toss some of your fresh or frozen fruit (preferably organic) in a blender along with pure filtered water or juice add a scoop or two of protein powder, egg, whey or soy a little honey if you like and you have created a perfect protein shake. Then just pour and go. I like to pop a slice of my favorite whole grain bread in the toaster for a side dish to take along to round out the fast food meal. I throw my favorite protein bar in my pocket for a quick mid morning snack to keep me charged up and then out the door I go to greet the day.
Move over Juice Bars I just created a protein shake at a fraction of the cost and saved gas and time getting it.
Fall has fell and the chill is in the morning air. It’s a great time to start thinking about that old favorite cold weather breakfast to start your day off right, Hot Cereal. Whether your favorite is Cream of Barley or Hot Steal Cut Oatmeal it is a great way to kick off your day. Don’t forget to add some of your favorite fall berries and a scoop of fresh yogurt adding a delicious flavor and important nutrients.
To add an extra nutrient kick try adding a generous scope of Super Green Food Powder to the mix. It adds not only a great taste it is also a great energy booster, gives you digestive support, and kicks up your immune system to help prepare you for the coming cold and flu season.
Most Super Green Food Powders are formulated to give you the maximum benefits of natural whole food ingredients such as active enzymes, antioxidants, carotenoids, flavonoids, vitamins and minerals, fiber, protein, amino acids, prebiotics, probiotics, and chlorophyll. Wow now that is a kicked up power house way to start your day. Be sure when choosing a Super Green Food Powder to get an organic formula whenever possible.
Omega 3 Fatty acids are particularly beneficial to men’s health. Omega-3 Fatty Acids are part of the membrane of every cell in the body; they’re also the building blocks of hormones that govern much of the body’s physiology. A low intake of Omega-3 Fatty Acids and low circulating levels of DHA, are associated with prostate cancer, BPH or enlarged prostate, and prostatitis. Increasing consumption of Omega-3 Fatty Acids found in fish as well as flax, hemp, pumpkin, and nuts such as walnuts can help reduce the risk associated with low Omega 3 dietary intake.
Although Omega-3 can be obtained from other sources other than fish, fish is still considered the richest and most plentiful source for Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Unfortunately too many Americans just don’t like the taste of the oily, fatty fish – such as mackerel, tuna, sardines, or wild salmon – that are rich in Omega-3’s. Others eat the wrong fish – for example, fish sticks or other white fish – which has a negligible impact on their Omega-3 level and may actually raise their omega-6 levels which is associated with inflammation and other health problems when out of balance with Omega 3’s.
However the good news is, supplements can fill the gap. Fish oil oral supplements have an important role in restoring the desired balance of Omega 3’s in your diet. They are affordable, convenient and lower the risk of heavy metal contamination found in so many of the preferred fish sources.
New research from China adds to a small but growing body of evidence suggesting that getting more omega-3 fats and less omega-6s may reduce your cancer risk. Vanderbilt researchers analyzed data on 73,242 Chinese women in the Shanghai Women’s Health Study. They found that women with the highest ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s were nearly twice as likely to develop colorectal cancer as those with the lowest ratio.
What is the answer? Reduce dietary intake of omega 6 which is found in greatest amounts in foods such as poultry dark meat and organ meats, and also comes from eggs. Research suggests that Omega 6 an essential fatty acid, more specifically arachidonic acid may promote inflammation that’s associated with cancer.
Getting more Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, such as salmon, tuna, halibut and other marine life such as algae and krill, also certain plants and nut oils has been shown to reduce the risk of certain cancers. In addition omega-3 fatty acids also known as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), play a crucial role in brain function as well as normal growth and development. Extensive research indicates that omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and help prevent risk factors associated with chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. There is a wide variety of Omega 3 supplements available that can be taken as a convenient and great alternative to assure you are getting enough Omega 3 in your daily diet. This also reduces the risk of consuming mercury and other heavy metals associated with eating to much of fish. So make sure you purchase supplements that are certified mercury free.
With all the hoop-la about protein these days from the Atkins diet and the South Beach diet to the high protein hype for building muscle and losing weight Amino Acids ARE the real hero that seems to have been forgotten, lost in the fanfare of protein. Amino acids, are the forgotten hero because protein is not protein without them and without a complete protein profile it is just that, incomplete. It is like walking around with just one shoe on, one is good but not great it is incomplete and half functional.
Amino acids play central roles both as building blocks of proteins and as intermediates in metabolism. The 20 amino acids that are found within proteins convey a vast array of chemical versatility and combine to making a complete protein. The precise amino acid content, and the sequence of those amino acids, of a specific protein, is determined by the sequence of the bases in the gene that encodes that protein. The chemical properties of the amino acids of proteins determine the biological activity of the protein. Proteins not only catalyze all (or most) of the reactions in living cells, they control virtually all cellular process. In addition, proteins contain within their amino acid sequences the necessary information to determine how that protein will fold into a three dimensional structure, and the stability of the resulting structure.
In brief Amino Acids are the chemical units or “building blocks” of proteins that make up the components of the body . Amino Acids the real Hero of healthy tissue that combine to make protein and protein substances make up the muscles, tendons, organs, glands, nails, and hair. Growth, repair and maintenance of all cells are dependent upon them. Next to water, protein (amino acids) makes up the greatest portion of our body weight.
So the next time you have that chicken salad or your favorite protein shake give a little nod and smile for the 20 amino acids that have created such a tasty and healthy body moment.
Watch for more on the Amino Hero’s in the Future.