reflections

My Utile Center

November 3rd, 2008 Detoxification Diet: Diet for Detox

There are two major systems involved with detoxification: anti-oxidation and the detoxification process in the liver. ” Eastern cultures have long recommended routine cleansings with each change in season. The process of herbal detox is very important for your health and has many cascading effects that can help you in many ways. When toxins enter the liver two groups of enzymes break down the toxins into water-soluble substances to be excreted via the kidneys and other organs. Learn more at about Diet For Detox! The mucus secretions can also block the ducts that transport digestive enzymes from the pancreas to the intestines thus hampering digestion of food and absorption of nutrients.

Spiritual Body Detox:
Foot Detox is another simple and easy method of detoxifying. With this procedure you only have to place your foot in basin of salted water that contains ion generators. The ion generators are then supplied with a very low current of electricity which causes the production of positively charged and negatively charged ions that then attract opposite charged particles in the body. With gorgeous celebrities like Carol Vorderman and Kim Wilde extolling the virtues of a detox diet you may be tempted to give it a go. It’s sort of like fasting but it’s easier to do and you can do it at home when you need it. Do view more on Diet For Detox. I found the author’s suggestions of alternatives for the above substances and his tips for a healthier lifestyle quite positive and sensible. As toxic poisoning increases tissues and cells stop functioning well.

Total Body Cleanse:
Some people prefer to add in coffee enemas or colon hydrotherapy. Many different approaches to detoxification and wellness will work even though they attack the problem at different levels as well as Diet For Detox. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1 tea bag or 1 teaspoon of dried herb. The best way to clean ourselves internally of course is by eating natural foods like fruits and vegetables.

Posted in Beauty Resources, Nutrition Stuff, Styling Life | Comments Off
June 12th, 2008 Glyconutrients - Improving Health and Preventing Disease

“Let food be thy medicine, and let thy medicine be food”, Hippocrates.

No phrase could be truer, as any honest doctor will tell you. Here we will examine glyconutrients, and how they can help supplement your diet program,improve health and prevent disease.

Glyconutrients are large sugar polymers containing “monosaccharides”

A monosaccharide is a carbohydrate consisting of one simple sugar. These monosaccharides are important elements used by the body to create glycoproteins.

What are they?

In turn, glycoproteins are the molecules that act as a cellular code for cell to cell communication. In fact, the majority of proteins in our bodies are glycoproteins.

Today there is an entire branch of medicine now called
Gycoscience, based on glyconutients, and more there is an associated new (re-discovered) discipline in medicine called Orthomoleculogy.

Orthomolecular medicine describes the practice of preventing and treating disease by providing the body with optimal amounts of substances which are natural to the body.

The principle idea here is that genetic factors affect not only to the physical characteristics of individuals, but also to their biochemical potentials.

It is believed that biochemical pathways of the body have significant genetic variability and diseases such as atherosclerosis, cancer, schizophrenia or depression are associated with specific biochemical abnormalities which are causal or contributing factors of the illness describes.

From the above, the whole industry and habit of taking food supplements have arisen, and now it is commonplace to find food supplements in almost every pharmacy and supermarket.
The supplements themselves are almost always glyconutrients, and usually glycoproteins.

How they work and what they can do for you

Let’s see how they work, and what they can do for you. Since the topic is much to large to cover in any single article we will use the B-vitamin supplements as an example.

The B-vitamins are working best when taken in a group, but even given singly have good and well documented results. B-6 taken alone helps all the symptoms of PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome), an essential (now widely accepted practice) addition to any woman taking oral contraceptives, as it is a possible stroke preventative (women taking oral contraceptives are 3 times as likely to suffer stroke than women who do not).

B-3 (Niacin) also has been used for a very long time by psychiatrists as it is an effective alternative treatment for severe depression, psychotic behavior, and schizophrenia.

Additionally Niacin has finally gained popularity as one of the cheapest ways to lower serum cholesterol.
It must be mentioned again, as above, that the B-vitamins work well when taken together, and somehow even better with other glyconutrients such as Vitamin C.

There is a very good effect on organs such as the liver, which means if you drink alcohol to any extent, you need to be taking these supplements.

Assuming Orthomolecular medicine will be gaining credence in the near future, we may discover how to treat and even prevent all our illnesses with diet and natural cures.

The problem is perhaps the huge pharmaceutical industry that makes hundreds of billions of dollars early by providing expensive drugs and may or may not work. Also a doctor would have a real problem with collecting high fees by prescribing eating an apple a day.

The key then will lay in the real education of the general public.

An article such as this should also contain a detailed explanation of how the glyconutrients work, and what they do.
In the future, we hope that all interested people will demand such an instruction and explanation. Today’s basic biology classes are going into more detail than ever before and this too is a good sign.

More FREE helth diet and nutrition advice

For more free information health and nutrition including articles features and downloads visit
http://www.net-planet.org

Posted in Nutrition Stuff | Comments Off
May 21st, 2008 OPC-3 And Antioxidants

OPC-3, also known as oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPC’s) is made from a combination of grape seed, pine bark, red wine extracts, and also bilberry and citrus extracts.

OPC-3 is thought to be a free radical neutralizer or antioxidant. It is also thought to support the circulatory system and strengthen capillaries.

Antioxidants are a chemical compound or substance that are thought to prevent cellular damage. Organic substances such as vitamin E, vitamin C, or beta carotene, for example, are thought to protect cells from damage caused by unstable molecules known as free radicals.

Free radicals can form when oxygen interacts with certain molecules. Free radicals can be beneficial in neutralizing bacteria and viruses. But in excess, they produce harmful oxidation that can damage cells.

Antioxidants are molecules which can safely interact with free radicals to stop any damage to vital molecules.

Antioxidants, such as OPC-3, are believed to be effective in helping to prevent cancer, heart disease, and stroke. They are also thought to play a role in slowing the aging process.

Fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants and their are health supplements on the market such as OPC-3 that are marketed as antioxidants.

There are conflicting reports on the benefits of antioxidants and how much to take. So in short, supplements should not be taken to replace, a healthy, well balanced diet. It should be taken to supplement it.

Al Martinovic is the owner of a health and nutrition store featuring vitamin and mineral supplements, antioxidants, weight-management formulas, heart-health supplements and more. Visit him at: http://www.ineedbetterhealth.com

Posted in Nutrition Stuff | Comments Off
May 12th, 2008 Vitamin B12 Sources

A unique feature of vitamin B12 is that unlike other vitamins, animal sources are the only reliable sources for its intake. Vitamin B12 is primarily found in meat, eggs, dairy products and fish.

A valuable source of vitamin B12 is calves’ liver (one pound per day), which contains such a high quantity of vitamin B12 that even people who lack the intrinsic factor can absorb this in sufficient amounts to prevent pernicious anemia (a disease caused by deficiency of this vitamin).

There is much controversy vis–vis the proposed plant sources of vitamin B12. Some findings suggest that fermented soya products, seaweeds (named nori), and algae such as spirulina all contain significant amounts of vitamin B12. However, analysis reveals that due to the presence of compounds structurally similar to vitamin B12, termed as B12 analogues, there is difficulty in distinguishing between the two forms and these cannot be utilized to satisfy dietary needs. The most prevalent view today is that plant sources of vitamin B12 are not likely to be available to humans and hence cannot be tagged as safe sources of the vitamin.

There is some question as to whether vegetarians and vegans acquire enough vitamin B12. They are at a risk of developing a deficiency syndrome because natural food sources of this vitamin are limited to animal foods. Hence, vegetarians are advised to include a rich intake of foods fortified with vitamin B12 within their diet schedule. Good sources of this vitamin are fortified cereals, dairy products like soya milk, free-range eggs and sunflower margarines. Strict vegetarians and vegans who do not even consume plant foods fortified with vitamin B12 need to consider taking a in a supplement that contains vitamin B12 either in oral or dietary form.

There are claims that vitamin B12 can be consistently obtained from nutritional yeasts. However, one should be aware that there is no substantial proof to validate such a claim.

Bacteria exclusively synthesize vitamin B12. Streptomyces griseus, a bacterium once thought to be a yeast, was once a source of vitamin B12. Now, the bacteria Propionibacterium shermanii and Pseudomonas denitrificans have replaced it as the latest commercial sources.

Some foods, along with their vitamin B12 content in micrograms (mcg), include

Crab (steamed), 3 ounces8.8 mcg; Salmon (baked), 3 ounces2.4 mcg; Rockfish (baked), 3 ounces1.0 mcg; Beef (cooked), 3 ounces2.1mcg; Chicken (roasted), 3 ounces0.3 mcg; Turkey (roasted), 3ounces0.3 mcg; Egg (poached), 1 large0.4 mcg; Milk, 8 ounces0.9 mcg; Brie (cheese), 1 ounce 0.5 mcg.

Vitamin B 12 provides detailed information on Vitamin B 12, Vitamin B 12 Creams, Vitamin B 12 Deficiency, Vitamin B 12 Injections and more. Vitamin B 12 is affiliated with Topical Vitamin C.

Posted in Nutrition Stuff | Comments Off
April 14th, 2008 About Women Health Supplements

Question: I want to get my health back on track. What kind of nutrients would you recommend I should look into in the area of women health supplements?

Answer: Great question! There are plenty of supplements out there that can be of great aid to women’s health. One problem that plagues women, especially later in life, can be the dreaded osteoperosis. Since your body needs a steady supply of calcium, if you do not meet your body’s calcium requirements, it will begin to sap the calcium from your body’s teeth and bones, leaving them brittle and weak.

To prevent this, a calcium supplement can be of great aid. Coral calcium is one product on the market that can help prevent this ailment. Harvested from long-dead sea beds, the calcium found in coral sediments can help to pave the way for clear health.

Antioxidants are also key parts in maintaining the health of both males and females. Helping to stop the damaging effects of free-radicals (highly reactive chemicals that capture electrons and modify chemical structures), antioxidants such as Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Vitamin E may reduce the risk of cancer and muscular degeneration. Iron is also a key element that needs to be regularly consumed to help maintain the female body.

The body needs this mineral to produce red blood cells, and an iron shortage can result in anemia, a condition marked by a lack of red blood cells. Many of these simple minerals can help maintain your body’s structure and help lead you to great health. Some supplements even offer combined compounds that help to meet your daily requirements in a few of these categories.

I hope this article has helped you to learn more about your body and the things it needs to be working in its fittest form. Best of luck on your quest for nutrition!

Why not check out our nutrition guide at http://www.nutritional-supplement-guides.com/nut-ebook.html

This no nonsense book will tell you everything you need to know about nutrition.

Ans also, what supplement we personally use for our nutrition needs at http://www.nutritional-supplement-guides.com/what-we-use.html

John Gibb is the owner of Nutrition guides, a website offering free nutrition advice and a quality nutrition book for newsletter subscribers.

Posted in Nutrition Stuff | Comments Off
April 8th, 2008 Top Ten Ways to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

Did you know the average American gains 5-7 pounds every year between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day? That equates to ingesting at least 17,500 more calories than you burn on a daily basis during that time period. At a minimum, that equals nearly 500 extra calories per day on average over that stretch of days.

Usually, the added weight comes in fancy cookie trays or creatively decorated gift baskets from clients, friends and family. The sound of Christmas music and arrival of cold weather encourage us to partake of traditional holiday fare and simply move less. This combination leads to tighter fitting pants and feeling sluggish.

Now is the time to fight back! Don’t wait to start your exercise program after the New Year begins. Initiate better exercise and eating habits now, because the weight is always harder to take off compared to preventing the gain beforehand. See the list below for tips on staying trim during this holiday season.

1. Perform strength training workouts at least 3 times per week.

2. Build in extra cardiovascular training if you decide to stray from your normal eating patterns to offset the extra calories.

3. Limit alcohol consumption as it will cloud your eating judgment and predisposes you to cravings and overeating.

4. Limit the number of holiday parties you attend.

5. Eat a small nutritious and fibrous snack prior to arriving at holiday parties. This way you will eat less because your stomach will feel full faster.

6. Do not buy holiday snacks for your house. If it is available, you will graze all day long without even noticing.

7. Plan events such as the Jingle Bell Run that keep you focused on training and exercise amidst the hustle and bustle.

8. Try to limit eating out when possible. With shopping, it becomes easy to dine out and partake in heavier foods and desserts.

9. Go to bed early or on time. Studies suggest that getting too little sleep will affect metabolism and prompt late night eating.

10. While at the mall, take additional time to walk after your shopping is finished.

Brian Schiff, PT, CSCS, is a respected author, physical therapist and fitness expert. You can sign-up for his free online newsletter @ http://www.thefitnessedge.cc.

Copyright © 2004 Brian Schiff

Posted in Nutrition Stuff | Comments Off