Nutrition Vitamins

The body, and the brain, needs a wide variety of vitamins and mineral to grow and to thrive. Deficiencies in certain minerals can therefore be potentially disastrous in the sense that the body cannot properly fulfill a particular function.

Specific vitamins and minerals are necessary for best functioning of brain as a controller of our bodies. As these elements cannot be produced by your body you must have them through choosing appropriate dietary schedule. Many a times it becomes tough to workout diets which fulfill criteria with enough quantity of vitamins and minerals. Many people go for vitamin supplements to meet this requirement besides having healthy diet. When you workout dietary schedule and plan some supplement it becomes mandatory to choose sufficient quantity of major vitamins and minerals rather than choosing some ‘fad vitamin’. Your must be specific while dealing with vitamins and minerals for improving impaired brain function and dealing with ADD/ADHD symptoms. It is evident that vitamin and mineral intake must be designed as per the requirement of brain which functions smoothly after proper planning.

As far as brain function is concerned the most important vitamins and minerals are the following:The specific vitamins and minerals which help can prove appropriate for brain functioning is mentioned below:Most important vitamins and minerals which are effective for brain functioning is mentioned below for your reference:

Vitamin E: Study after study has shown that Vitamin E can play a significant role in delaying, or blocking, the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. This is due to the fact that Vitamin E can significantly reduce oxidative stress in the brain. This anti-oxidative effect of Vitamin E means that it plays a vital role in combating the natural brain cell ‘damage’ that comes with time. There are several kinds of food that are rich in Vitamin E. They include: almonds, leafy vegetables, most vegetable oils and whole-grain flour. If you choose a supplement containing Vitamin E make sure that it contains ‘mixed topocherols’. This simply means that you will get the two most important Vitamin E components. (Alpha topocherol and gamma topecherol if you are interested).

B Vitamins: When you talk of major set of ‘brain vitamins’ you can’t ignore B Vitamins. They are too much beneficial for brain. All types of Vitamin B are important and help brains to formulate their most important messengers including dopamine, epinephrine and serotonin.

Prominent categories of B Vitamins are:

* Vitamin B12: Formation of myelin is major role which B12 vitamin plays in brain. This category of Vitamin B is responsible for strengthening sheaths which keep nerve cells protected. Major reasons for memory loss, mood swings and impaired reasoning is caused due to damaged or insufficient myelin in brain. Meat is a best source of B12 group of Vitamin B. If you are a vegetarian and don’t like meat you can have B12 supplements to keep your brain healthy.

* Folic Acid (Folate): This category of Vitamin B complex nourishes brain since childhood until entire lifetime. When you grow older, Folic Acid strengthens your brain to focus, remember and stay alert. This vitamin input keeps your brain refreshed by reducing amino acids, also called homocysteine, which is too much harmful and may even damage your brain. Beans, fruits, leafy vegetables and lentils are some food items from which this vitamin can be procured.

* Vitamin B6: Creation of an all-important brain chemical serotonin is done through an effective role played by B6 vitamin. It is also helpful in the creation of dopamine. Your nutritional priority must revolve round B6. Peppers, cranberries, cauliflowers, garlic and tuna are best sources of it.

Vitamin C: Antioxidant properties are most crucial aspects of Vitamin C for proper functioning of human brains. Our bodies use this vitamin for appropriate interception of some ‘free radicals’ which usually damage oxidation in our bodies. Various research findings have proved that this vitamin helps one in fighting most common free radicals. It also plays crucial role in delaying or blocking Alzheimer’s diseases. You can have Vitamin C from various food items. Citrus fruits, broccoli, beans, potatoes and strawberries are some of the prominent sources of it from which you get this vitamin for healthy body and brain.

Magnesium

The main ‘brain benefit’ of magnesium can be found in the way that it protects nerve cells from potentially toxic substances (neurotoxins). Some sources of this important mineral are: nuts, seeds, bananas and whole grains.

There are several other kinds of vitamins and minerals that can have a positive impact on brain function but any diet and/or supplement strategy should at the very least include ample quantities of those mentioned above. Making sure of this can be a very important step in the fight against the symptoms of ADD-ADHD.

By: Jimmy Brownen

Labels: health vitamins, minerals vitamins, nutrition vitamins, vitamin, vitamin b, vitamin c, vitamin d, vitamins, vitamins minerals, vitamins supplements

his is certainly not earth shattering news but is well worth repeating if you are trying to discover how to help prevent hair loss.

It is a known fact that a high level of nutrition gained by maintaining a healthy diet rich in fresh leafy greens and fruits in season is one of the most important aspects of preventing hair loss (amongst other conditions) in both women and men.

Even though there are a number of different causes for hair loss and baldness, a regular exercise program and healthy food have proven to bring positive results in many people suffering from hair loss. Some of the most common dietary nutrients known to assist with hair loss include:

• protein
• iron
• copper
• iodine
• zinc
• many vitamins including A and B groups
• silica
• biotin
• folic acid

As well as having a good knowledge of which vitamins and nutrients to increase in your diet, you must take the time to educate yourself about what foods contain which vitamins and minerals, so as you are aware of the correct foods that can contribute to stemming hair thinning or even baldness.

If you are suffering from hair loss then before rushing out to buy huge amounts of over the counter vitamin supplements, there are some things you should first consider. Most vitamin supplements available in stores do not get absorbed into the body as they should. This is because they are chemically processed. In addition, over dosage on some over the counter vitamin supplements can cause adverse reactions as well as toxicity problems so please be a little careful and do your research first.

Hair loss prevention is best achieved when a person is obtaining all the essential vitamins and minerals through the food they eat.

Vitamin A is one of the most important vitamins to assist with the prevention of hair loss. Vitamin A helps prevent clogging and drying of the sebaceous glands, which is necessary to achieve essential hair follicle lubrication. This can help prevent hair thinning and baldness. Here are some great sources of vitamin A:

• fish oil (an oily fish like Salmon is really good and is high in omega 3)
• fortified milk
• fresh farm eggs
• liver
• orange colored vegetables
• and of course, fresh green leafy vegetables contain sufficient amounts.

Vitamin B is another essential nutrient that will help in the prevention of hair loss and balding. It is also really good for red blood cell metabolism, and helps in making hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is necessary to transport oxygen from the lungs to your body tissues – and that includes our hair. Sufficient quantities of Vitamin B can be obtained by eating foods from the following group:

• fish
• pork
• kidney
• liver
• chicken
• soybeans

The daily addition of at least one of these foods to your diet can most definitely assist in the prevention of hair loss and balding. And here is one last tip - folic acid is another important nutrient in our daily diets to help prevent hair loss. One of the best sources of folic acid can be found in liver.

So to quickly recap – to keep that falling hair at bay have a close look at your current diet and see where it can be improved – when it comes to hair loss prevention every little bit counts.

By: Allan Johns

Labels: health vitamins, minerals vitamins, nutrition vitamins, vitamin, vitamin b, vitamin c, vitamin d, vitamins, vitamins minerals, vitamins supplements

Nutrition as it applies to our daily lives means that we take in what we need to maintain our body's healthy state. Nutrition has become an important word thanks to the involvement of the USDA in our daily food requirements, and the FDA's involvement in determining what is and is not dangerous for us to consume.

But what is our responsibility in the nutrition game? Do we understand what our nutritional requirements are, how to fulfill those requirements, and how to look for real nutritional value in our foods?

I'm not sure that nutrition has been successfully addressed in its own right. We hear nutrition in relation to our vitamin intake, our fortified cereals and milk, and in the context that we need "nutritional value" from our food choices. But what really is nutrition when applied to our daily bodily functions?

Today, we must determine how much nourishment we need, how much physical exercise we need, and how best to accomplish those ends. Calorie needs, nutritional needs, physical needs, and education about those needs now is information we should all understand, at least as it applies to our individual self.

If you will visit your local doctor, library, or fitness center, there is massive amounts of information available to help educate and to help you make good health choices, no matter what the age group.

Nutrition refers to the nurturing of our body, in our ability to keep it healthy and functioning as it is supposed to do. Our ability to provide the body with all it's necessary food, vitamins, and minerals so that we continue to thrive in our daily life processes.

If you were to take a cross section of the population, and check for adequate levels of the most used and fortified vitamins and minerals, you would probably find that as high as 80% or the population is lacking in a least one of the vitamins and minerals.

Now, that doesn't sound too bad, until you stop to think, what if it's calcium? A calcium deficiency brings on osteoporosis, a deteriorating of the bone. This disease alone costs millions in medical expense to the population.

Can you see how a little more cooperation and open-minded participation on the part of our medical field could result in far fewer health problems? It would also have provided the general population with a viable way to discern their nutrition, vitamin and mineral needs, accurately.

So how do we determine that we are providing the essential nutritional needs? That knowledge comes by educating ourselves about what our individual needs are, the needs of our family, and then taking that knowledge and applying it to the foods we buy, that we prepare, and that our families consume.

Quite often, our vitamin and mineral needs outweigh our caloric needs. In those instances, we turn to manufactured vitamins and minerals to fill the gap. This is a part of our nutritional needs, also.

Nutrition is one of the most complex areas to gain useful knowledge about, because there are so many components, and because each person has their own individual needs.

Women needs differ from those of men, and older women's needs differ from those of a young girl. As we age, our needs constantly change; therefore continual education about nutrition is a fact of life. The nutritional needs of a cardiac patient are different than those of a healthy, middle-aged hiker.

Can you see the complexity of the situation now? What we really need is to develop a scale that determines the nutritional needs of our bodies on a cellular level, so that as we age, as our physical condition changes, or our health changes, we can recalculate our needs, based on cellular changes and content in our body.

Individuality is the key to understanding each person's nutritional needs, and then working to educate us is the key to fulfilling those nutritional needs. Good nutrition should be the ultimate goal of every person alive.

By: Nishanth Reddy

Labels: health vitamins, minerals vitamins, nutrition vitamins, vitamin, vitamin b, vitamin c, vitamin d, vitamins, vitamins minerals, vitamins supplements

Fatigue, chronic muscle pain and weakness trouble fitness enthusiast's very often. The exercises that they undertake cause muscle wear and tear. They need extra dietary fiber to restore this loss. Nutritional vitamin fiber supplements are good alternative for improved health and well-being. Find out the expert facts in this article.

These fiber supplements help to restore the damaged tissues and help in the maintenance of healthy muscles. Additional vitamins are included in energy drinks and supplement pills that help to replenish any vitamin deficiency in the diet.

Here are some factors that you should consider while looking for the best nutritional vitamin fiber supplements for yourself. Let us look at the ingredients that you commonly find in fiber supplements --

1) Psyllium -- it can be taken on a daily basis for improving digestion. It is derived from plantain fiber. It helps to facilitate and regulate the passage of bowel stool movement.

Psyllium is frequently used in the treatment of constipation, irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulosis. It also helps in the reduction of cholesterol. Its side effects include flatulence.

2) Methyl cellulose -- it is a substance that is quite similar to psyllium -- the major difference is that its synthetic. Methyl cellulose is not digestible and remains present in our digestive tract to hold the water required to soften stool. It is used in similar health conditions as Psyllium. It also causes flatulence and gas, but not as much as psyllium.

3) Polycarbophil -- it helps in the restoration of natural moisture present in our intestines, which then helps in well formed stools. It finds widespread use in the treatment of diarrhea, chronic digestive problems and constipation as it is relatively safe for long-term intake.

It produces the least amount of bowel gas, but is not recommended in the case of those patients who suffer from swallowing problem or have a difficulty in swallowing.

Dietary supplements are an excellent source of fiber, although natural foods sources provide the most plentiful amount of fiber. Nutritional vitamin fiber supplements help to restore any deficiencies that might occur due to unbalanced diet.

Some of the fiber rich natural food sources that you should include in your regular diet are oranges, whole-grain bread, oatmeal, carrots, legumes and nuts.

By: Anand K Dulhanomal

Labels: health vitamins, minerals vitamins, nutrition vitamins, vitamin, vitamin b, vitamin c, vitamin d, vitamins, vitamins minerals, vitamins supplements

In today's busy fast-food saturated world, many people cannot make the time to take proper care of their bodies. As a result, several people end up lacking the correct amount of vitamins that the body requires to function properly. To supplement their meager if not unhealthy diets doctors usually advice people take nutritional vitamin supplements to make up for the difference.

Nutritional vitamins come in various forms: tablets, liquids and capsules. Certain tablets contain ingredients that take some time to dissolve in the body so for better absorption, choose nutritional vitamins made with organic supplements. Liquid nutritional vitamin supplements are the easiest and most efficient to administer because liquefied vitamin supplements are more directly and readily absorbed than tablets and capsules. Capsules come in tiny edible containers that are more loosely packed so they easily dissolve but generally require greater dosage.

Remember:

1. Read the label. Nutritional vitamin packages must provide a nutritional facts table containing all the nutrients it possesses as well the correct amount (at least 10 percent) of the recommended daily allowance for each vitamin. Look for any enzymes listed that would help increase absorption.

Also, look for the USP label which is United States Pharmacopoeia (BP or British Pharmacopoeia in the UK). A USP recognized and tested vitamin supplement fulfills the highest industry standards for both safety and quality.

2. Go for food based supplements. Nutritional vitamin supplements that are food based contains enzymes which increase the absorption up to 400 percent to 800 percent. These are by far the most efficient, however a bit bulkier and generally require larger doses. Always remember though that some manufacturers make fake claims on their labels. Be sure that your vitamin supplement does not contain any additives such as silica, gluten, sugar or starch.

By: Fred Burfell

Labels: health vitamins, minerals vitamins, nutrition vitamins, vitamin, vitamin b, vitamin c, vitamin d, vitamins, vitamins minerals, vitamins supplements

People take vitamin supplements regularly but not everyone know exactly what they are or what they are for. Of course, people know that it is for the benefit of their health, but not many understand why vitamins do help indeed. It is important to know these things in order to take full advantage of their benefits.

Vitamins are very important for the health as they are the tools needed for keeping the body functioning well, repairing organs, and building tissues. However, people have been finding it more difficult to keep up with their nutritional requirements due to their very hectic lifestyles. Most people solve this problem by taking vitamin supplements that help fulfill their dietary needs.

When taking nutritional vitamin supplements, however, careful consideration is needed to ensure that they can indeed improve your health. It is not safe to just grab jars of pills from the drug store without knowing what they are for or how they should be taken. To be safe and to ensure that you are getting the most from vitamin supplements, it is important to check a couple of things.

1. The dosage - vitamin supplements are like medicines in the way that there are prescribed dosages for certain people. Depending on your weight, age, sex, there is an optimal amount that you would need in order to get the most from a particular supplement. If you take too little, you may not receive the full benefits of the supplement. If you take too much you may be wasting a lot of nutrients or even cause them to build up to toxic levels. You should consult your doctor to know how much you should take for every type of vitamin supplement.

2. Safety - like drugs, nutritional vitamin supplements should have had passed testing and research. It would be rather risky to bank on a product that has not been tested by a reputable institution. You may be taking something that could actually be harmful to your health. You should also not be deceived by labels such as "organic" and "herbal" because not all things that come from nature are safe for human consumption. You would not drink snake venom or eat poisonous mushrooms for obvious reasons - these things are natural.

3. Your Diet - you may already be getting some, if not many of your needed vitamins from the food you eat. It would just be redundant to take these vitamins in supplement form. If you eat citrus fruits regularly, then you might not need to take Vitamin C supplements anymore. If you always eat nuts, then you might not need to take Vitamin E capsules. Observe your diet and check if there are indeed things that are missing so that you know if you really need supplements, and if you do, which particular ones you would have to take.

4. Your Health Profile - people are not made equal, what may be good for your spouse may not necessarily good for you. Certain supplements might react negatively with some medicines you are taking or it may worsen a particular health condition you are suffering. It is best to check with your doctor and see which supplements you can and cannot take.

By Mario Churchill

Labels: health nutrition vitamins, nutrition vitamin, nutrition vitamins, nutrition vitamins supplements, nutritional supplements vitamins, nutritional vitamins, vitamins and nutrition