Diet Information

In parts one and two of this series, titled “Take Back Your Life” and “Take Back Your Life 2″; we discussed the importance of proper cell function and the necessity of having and maintaining a balanced endocrine system as they relate to wellness. Here in part 3, we shall examine why vitamins and minerals, including certain trace minerals are absolutely necessary to further insure and maintain a state of wellness and optimum health.

Fresh foods have, in the past, been the main source that provided vitamins and minerals essential to the properly functioning, healthy human body. These nutrients, naturally occurring in some fresh fruits and vegetables, can and have, in the past given our bodies what was needed for health and vitality. Today, however, because of modern farming, harvesting, storage, and food processing methods, our formally nutrient rich food sources contain lower levels of some vitamins and minerals for supporting and maintaining good health. We still need to eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables in our daily food consumption, but we also need to complement that dietary habit with adequate, high quality, food formed vitamin and mineral supplements in order to insure that our healthy, active lifestyles which include proper diet and exercise are contributing to the desired state of optimal health.

Today, nutritionists remind us that we need to eat 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables including a healthy balance of dairy products, lean meats, and whole grains. But with modern methods of processing whereby our foods are boiled, microwaved, canned, frozen, refined, pasteurized, and laced with additives intended to help preserve them, our fresh fruits and vegetables are lower in vitamins and minerals today than they were even 30 years ago. One example from a recent study reported that two peaches would have supplied the current RDA of vitamin A for adult women in 1951. Today, a woman would have to eat almost 53 peaches to meet her daily requirements! These losses are due, primarily to the fact that food science has focused on the issues of mass production, visual appearance, and physical features that motivate people to buy rather than nutrient content. The average fruit or vegetable travels 1,500 to 2,500 miles from the farm to your plate. They are grown, harvested, stored, and handled with this in mind as priority of waste and product loss before being sold, trump any concerns for nutrient content and health benefits. There are extensive losses of many important nutrients during all stages of food production as our foods move from the farms to our tables to be eaten. Therefore we must supplement our diets with high quality food formed vitamins and minerals in order to achieve the health benefits that we desire.

Health is defined in Stedman’s medical dictionary as a state of normal functioning without evidence of disease or abnormality. That means feeling good, being symptom free, having all organ systems apparently functioning normally, no evidence of disease, and enough energy to do what we want to do. The lifestyle choices that we make are contributing factors in the quest for optimal health. Choices can be made that will have a major impact on our health. These choices include lifestyle, diet and nutrition. This is why it is highly recommended that we exercise, eat well, and supplement wisely. To be included in our diets are certain fruits and vegetables that help our bodies fend off disease. Amounts recommended include eating 5 to 9 varied servings of fruits and vegetables every day. It is further recommended that these food servings include cruciferous vegetables, citrus fruit, dark leafy vegetables and yellow/orange/red vegetables with three different colors per day. The vast majority of people in Western countries do not eat like this, which leads to poor health and desperate disease states. This being the case, if we will not eat the ideal diet, for whatever reason, it becomes absolutely necessary that we supplement our diets, with whole food based supplements. Isolated synthetics will not do the trick. Food formed vitamins and minerals as close to that found in Nature are best.

“Vita”, the Latin word for “life”, is the root of “vitamin”, the name given to certain nutrients identified as essential to life. Certain minerals have also been shown to be vitally important to human health. Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients that work together with enzymes to facilitate the chemical reactions involved in virtually every process in the body. Shortage of necessary vitamins or minerals can block critical functions. A certain level of intake of specific vitamins and minerals is required for optimal health. Micronutrient deficiencies in the diets of many people, I believe, contribute to many of our disease conditions that exist today. And because of this widely held association, I cannot think of anyone who would not benefit from this type of supplementation to their daily diet. Daily supplementation is certainly very important to help avoid the risks to our health that are associated with poor diet. But, be careful! Not all vitamin and mineral supplements are created equal. There are vast differences between brands. Experts have learned that taking too much of certain vitamins is not healthy and can actually cause health problems. Ratios of one ingredient to another can also make a significant difference in how well any vitamin product will work. Be sure to get a comprehensive multivitamin and mineral supplement that is formulated to give you what you need and that is food formed so that your body may recognize and utilize these beneficial nutrients. And above all else remember to drink plenty of pure, enhanced water, move your body, eat well, and supplement wisely so that you can take back your life.

To read more about why Steve is so passionate about moving toward wellness and how you can head that way through a healthy lifestyle, that includes proper vitamin and mineral support supplementation, visit http://steve.myglycostore.com/go/glycentials

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Riboflavin is a common name for vitamin B-2 and was once
known as Vitamin G. You will see Vitamin B-2 described as
Riboflavin on the back of vitamin bottles and in other food
packaging.

An interesting and curious fact about Riboflavin is that it
is naturally produced by the bacteria in your gut. Although
it may not be produced in sufficient quantities to prevent
deficiencies. Intestinal production, however, can reduce
the symptoms of a deficient state.

Some experts claim that B-2 deficiency is the most prominent
nutrient deficiency in North America. Those who eat a diet
largely constructed of refined and fast foods may be at
risk. And of course, alcoholics are at higher risk of B
vitamin deficiencies. Low-income individuals may also tend
to be at higher risk due to diet.

Problems with blood proteins may lead to deficiency. And
states that block or reduce the uptake of riboflavin into
the cell can also be responsible for a deficient state.
Therefore, just having an adequate supply of Riboflavin in
your food does not necessarily preclude deficiency.

Brewer’s yeast and organ meats are sources that are high in
Riboflavin. Lower amounts may be found in milk, eggs, green
leafy vegetables and some fruits.

As a side note, I once had a biochemistry teacher whom
offered two pieces of advice to his students. He told us to
drink a gallon of water per day and to take some brewer’s
yeast every day. As I remember it, he talked about how
brewer’s yeast was excellent food for the cellular processes
of the body. That was probably due to the fact that
brewer’s yeast is an excellent source of the b vitamins.

Drinking a gallon of water per day was slightly unusual
advice as most experts and nutritionists agree that 2 liters
is an adequate intake. This biochemistry teacher was
recommending twice that amount. Remember to consult with a
physician before changing your diet, supplement or water
intake.

Riboflavin is very important in cellular metabolism, the
process by which your body produces usable energy. It is
important in forming the coenzymes that are necessary to
make ATP, which is the energy currency of the cells.

A partial list of deficiency symptoms include fatigue,
sensitivity to light and dermatitis. Nerve tissue damage
and retarded growth in infants and children can result from
a deficiency.

More detailed and technical information about Riboflavin can
be found at emedicine.com. If you have any doubts about
your health as it relates to Riboflavin, ask your doctor for
a proper diagnoses and treatment. Each human body is
different with different needs and contraindications, that
is why it is important to consult your physician.

This article is for information purposes only and is not
intended to prevent, treat or diagnose any health issue. If
you have or think you might have a health condition or
issue, please contact your primary care physician for proper
diagnoses and treatment. The statements in this article have
not been evaluated by the US FDA as far as I know.

You have permission to publish this article electronically
or in print, free of charge, as long as the author bylines
are included and any hyperlinks are left active on web
pages. You may make minor editorial corrections only.

David Snape writes for All Things Pondered: http://allthingspondered.com - where you can have your say and (almost) anything is pondered. He also writes for To Be Informed: http://tobeinformed.com - a site supportive of health, fitness and wellness.

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Garlic and its benefits

Being brought up in a typical chinese family, the garlic flavoring has always been a must in every meal. And because I eat garlic so often, that it is about time that I learn about this wonderful food and what it is that I have subjected my body through all these years. Garlic not only tastes wonderful, it is supposed to be very good for your body.

Garlic has sometimes been called the Stinking Rose. Garlic is a cousin to onions, leeks, chives, and shallots. A bulb or head of garlic is composed of smaller cloves. It is a root vegetable, with the bulb growing underground.

The garlic crop is harvested in mid-July and hung in sheds to dry before reaching their prime in late-July/early-August. But due to commercial demands, fresh and dried garlic are available year-round in most markets.

There are over 300 varieties of garlic grown worldwide. It has been in used since 6,000 years ago. It is a native crop to to Central Asia and also a staple food in the Mediterranean region. It is now more often used as a seasoning in Asia, Africa and Europe. The Egyptians used to worship garlic and models of garlic bulbs had been found in the tomb of Tutankhamen. Once it was even used as a form of currency. Folk superstition use garlic to repel vampires (our favourite Drakula) and had also been revered as an aphrodisiac.

You store unpeeled garlic in an open container in a cool, dry place away from other foods. You don’t refrigerate or freeze unpeeled garlic. Peeled garlic cloves may be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It is important that garlic in oil be stored under refrigeration to avoid potentially-deadly bacteria growth. Garlic powder, on the other hand, should be stored in a cool, dry, dark place.

The smaller you chop garlic, the more pungent it becomes. Chopping finely and/or pressing a clove exposes more surfaces to the air, causing a chemical reaction to produce that strong aroma. This pungent smell comes from an enzyme which contains sulphur molecules. These sulphur molecules are absorbed into the bloodstream and lungs, and escape through exhaled air and perspiration. Thus, the garlic breath.
Whole cooked garlic cloves are quite mild, with a nutty flavor.

Studies have shown garlic can suppress the growth of tumors, and is a potent antioxidant good for cardiovascular health. During the Middle Ages, garlic was used by monks to protect against plagues.
Hippocrates used garlic vapors to treat cervical cancer, and garlic pieces were placed on wounds during World War II as an inexpensive, and effective replacement for antibiotics, which were scarce during wartime.

Other studies have also shown that garlic can reduce LDL or “bad” cholesterol and is a good blood-thinning agent to avoid blood clots that could lead to heart attack or stroke.

In 2003, scientists reported that garlic could provide the cure for cancer.
Scientists say, “Garlic which is already renowned for its antioxidant properties, produces a chemical that gives it its flavour, that could be used in a “smart bomb” to fight cancer.” This chemical, allicin, comes from garlic. Israeli researchers recreated the reaction between this garlic chemical allicin at the site of a cancer tumour. It then penetrates and kills the tumour cells but healthy cells nearby were left intact. The researchers from the Weizmann Institute in Rehovet successfully used the same technique to block the growth of stomach tumours in mice.

Again in 2002, researchers in US said that garlic could help prevent men from developing prostate cancer. It was found that men who ate the vegetable had a 50% lower risk of having prostate cancer than those who ate the least. Two hundred and thirty-eight men with prostate cancer and 471 men without were asked about what they ate. It was found men who ate more than a third of an ounce (10 grammes) a day of onions, garlic, chives or scallions were much less likely to be in the group with cancer.

Also people who take a garlic supplement each day are far less likely to fall victim to the common cold than those who do not. No wonder garlic had been traditionally used to fight off and treat the symptoms of the common cold.

However, a word of caution. Some health professionals warned that the high sulphur content in garlic can cause colitis and dermatitis by destroying the natural flora in the gut. They say excessive high doses of garlic may even prevent blood clotting and interfere with proper thyroid function. (I guess, excessive doses of anything is bad for our health!)

Well, how not to be excessive and how much should we consume?

Doctors have suggested that - half a clove - is the amount that they think a person would have to eat each day to gain from its anti-cancer properties. It should be served raw to have maximum effect, they said. If it is cooked, it should be about four and a half cloves.

So there you are, shall we head on to the nearest Chinese restaurant for some Raw Garlic?

In Asia, eating garlic is like drinking water. We have ample supply of garlic daily with our lunch and dinner. Could it be that Asians eat a lot and still remain slim?
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