The day I turned 40 years old I was 25 pounds overweight, lethargic, and seldom did any type of real exercise. At 40 I felt like a 60-year-old and to be honest, I looked the part as well. I took a good look in the mirror and decided to give myself the best birthday present ever; a new lease on life. I threw out all the junk that made me the fat, unhealthy person I was, and began taking dietary supplements, eating the right foods, and exercising. This was a decision that saved my life.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Life Worth Living
Whole Food Supplements
We are told that we need to take vitamins and supplements in order to ensure the body gets the nutrients that it needs. Even though this is true, many of us are not sure what kind to take or what are the differences between vitamins and whole food supplements. It works like this: The body works better when digesting whole foods. For example, we know that oranges contain vitamin C and then think that taking an isolated vitamin C tablet is the same as eating an orange. This is not true; we also need the other micronutrients that are contained in the orange. All of these micronutrients and vitamins that are in fruits and vegetables work together in the body to help maintain optimal health. This is where taking a whole food supplement is better then taking an isolated vitamin.
Whole food vitamins are very different from the synthetic isolated vitamins that are sold at the local pharmacy. Whole food supplements are concentrates of real whole foods. These foods are dried and turned into powder form and then encapsulated into pill form. The supplement now contains the micronutrients that are found in whole foods unlike an isolated synthetic vitamin.
There are more than 25,000 different micronutrients that have been identified so far in vegetables and fruits. For this reason, it is very hard for one to consume the number of nutrients that are needed for the body to maintain optimal health every day. That is why it is important to take whole food vitamins such as Garden of Life supplements, since we do not get enough whole foods in our daily diet. Synthetic vitamins cannot provide these micronutrients as a quality whole food supplement can.
There are some companies that only make organic whole food supplements. Organic whole food vitamins are made from foods that are grown organically. That means that they are grown without pesticides or chemicals. With many now becoming more aware of the benefits of eating organic fruits and vegetables, there are also the option to take organic vitamins and supplements. Some companies are even making 100% vegan vitamins. One such company is called Vitamin Code.
Since whole food vitamins are made from whole foods, the body can absorb and digest them more efficiently. This also means that many can take them on an empty stomach with no irritation to the digestive track. The many benefits of taking whole food supplements outweigh synthetic vitamins by far.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Top 5 Complexes and Supplements for Women's Health
Living a Healthier Life
Last year I became aware of the need to live a healthier life. I decided to change all my bad habits and replace them with a plan that I call mygarden of life. I went through my pantry and refrigerator and threw away all the food items that were not healthy and replaced them with foods that help my body function more efficiently. I began keeping a diary of all the things I wanted to change such as my weight, sleeping habits, and mental abilities such as my memory. Over the last year I have seen major changes in all these things.
I recognized that I needed to make these changes in my life. My garden of life plan has benefited me in so many ways and I highly recommend that if you are feeling run down and unable to fully participate in life, that you make these same type of changes in your life. You will have a longer and more satisfying life if you do.
Vitamins and Supplements for Optimal Nutrition
The majorities of us lead very busy lives and do not have time to eat healthy. We know that we do not always make the right food choices on a daily basis. Breakfast can be a cup of coffee and maybe a doughnut -- or even worse, fast food -- as we run out the door. Taking a multivitamin can help one to get the vitamins and minerals that our bodies need to stay healthy.
With all the different vitamins on the market it can be confusing choosing the right one. Each one of use has different needs to help our bodies maintain optimal health. Looking at age, sex and nutritional needs will generally help one to decide on which vitamin to buy.
Have you considered organic vitamins? These vitamins are made from ingredients that do not contain chemicals, artificial coloring and flavors. With many of us trying to lead a healthier lifestyle these are a great choice and is a great first step.
There is also a lot of confusion on what whole food vitamins are. These are vitamins that are made only from natural sources. This means that the vitamins and minerals are not made from man-made materials. The ingredients come from plants, vegetables and fruits. They also do not contain any artificial ingredients like the organic vitamins.
Vitamins and multivitamins are not the same. A vitamin is considered to be an isolated vitamin where there are no other vitamins that are mixed in. A multivitamin is a mixture of vitamins and minerals.
Vitamins that are made for women usually contain more iron and calcium, while vitamins that are made for men may contain things to promote prostate health. Children also have special nutritional needs when it comes to taking a multivitamin.
As science finds out more on how taking certain supplements can help our bodies to achieve optimal health, it is important to be informed on the many different types. For some of us a whole food vitamin is just what we need, while others may need to take organic vitamins. Either way, taking vitamins and supplements can help the body to stay healthy when faced with a busy lifestyle.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
If you think of your body as an automobile, you can understand how important it is to keep it maintained properly for optimal performance. If you don’t put oil in the engine of your car, the engine is going to lock up and stop working. If you don’t put the right things into your body, your body is going to slow down and possibly shut down. The most important thing you should understand is the vitamin code and what each vitamin does for your body.
Whole Food Vitamins and Supplements
There are many of us out there that live a grab-and-go lifestyle when it comes to our eating habits. Many of us do not have time to eat as healthy as we would like. With busy schedules working and running our children from one activity to another, we have a tendency to eat on the go. We do not always get the proper nutrition that our bodies need on a daily basis. By taking whole food vitamins and supplements can help our bodies to get the proper nutrition that they so desperately need. Supplements that are made from whole foods are a smart choice in wanting to lead a healthy lifestyle.
There are many brands of multivitamins now on the market. With so many to choose from, many nutritionists recommend taking organic whole food vitamins to help the body deal with everyday stresses. This type of vitamin is more nutritionally complete then many of the other multivitamins that do not contain micronutrients on the market today.
Monday, January 4, 2010
New Year’s Resolutions
I’ve never been much to make New Year’s resolutions but this year I decided that I needed to move towards a healthier life style beginning with the care of my body. Specifically I decided I needed to begin incorporating items such as all natural skin care products into my daily routine. I have thrown away all my non-organic cosmetics and beauty products to go for a more natural approach. I did a bit of research and found that the all natural products are far better for my skin than the ones I had been using.
Acid Reflux
Many people suffer with acid reflux and heartburn symptoms in the United States. During the holidays, eating many traditional foods can really irritate this condition. I know, I have been suffering from this uncomfortable problem for the past three years and it got so severe that I have sought medical treatment for it. The reason that I went to see my doctor about it, is that I learned that leaving acid reflux untreated can destroy the lining of the esophagus and throat, and that can even lead to many more serious health issues.
Since my doctor has been treating me for this condition, I was on the lookout for other ways that could also help me relieve the pain of acid reflux. What I found was many of the Mt. Capra products could help me when dealing with the burning that would occur when eating many of my favorite foods. I checked with my doctor first to make sure that taking organic whole food supplements would not interfere with the medications that I was already taking. Giving him the information on each product helped me to decide on which natural product was right for my condition.
I started using the Mineral Goat Whey powder mixed in a glass of water to help relieve the burning. I got immediate relief from this product. The reason why I started using this instead of an over-the-counter antacid tablets is because I wanted a more natural product. With that being said, I also started focusing on my overall health. I learned that avoiding certain foods such as fried foods, spicy foods and caffeine would help me avoid food triggers that can cause acid reflux. So, I started taking organic vitamins to avoid many of the additives that are added to many other types of vitamins that could also be triggering some of my symptoms.
In conjunction with taking my prescribed medications for acid reflux, many of the natural supplements have helped me to better manage my condition. Knowing and understanding this painful condition has helped me in making better choices when it comes to food. Taking herbal supplements that can aid in digestion and my prescribed medication is helping me to experience that burning sensation less. This in turn has helped in the healing process of my esophagus thanks to the great products on this site.