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Welcome to Vitamin Tips
Hi, I'm Heidi Splete, one of the hundreds of writers here at LifeTips.com. Enjoy these 203 Vitamin Tips! If you’re a business, why not hire the expert writers at LifeTips? And if you’re a writer, apply for freelance writing gigs.
Immune System Support and Aging
Old age isn't so bad...when you consider the alternative. Right. In youth-oriented societies, the alternative is plastic surgery and, for men, finding trophy girlfriends. Relax. You can still date (Sherry Halperin humorously explores this in RESCUE ME, HE'S WEARING A MOOSE HAT AND FORTY OTHER DATES AFTER FIFTY) and exercise and eat right to look good. Some of our not-so-bad alternatives to putting on your mom's granny dress:
Cinnamon will spice up your immune system and keep your heart healthy.
Vitamin C and E--'nuff said.
Acidophilus, so varicose veins and the portrayal of older women on TV don't turn your stomach.
Luo Han Kuo from China, where they respect aging -- you're adventurous enough to try new things, right?
Beta-carotene so you can eliminate free radicals like the ex-hippie you dated last night.
Old age isn't so bad...when nutrition smarts come with it. Immune system vitamins will keep you glowing and growing!
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Antioxidants: The Body’s Defense Team
Antioxidants are compounds that counteract free radicals. Free radicals are unstable oxygen particles that damage cell function. By damaging cell function, free radicals contribute to aging and possibly to the development of cancer and other diseases. Although some free radicals arise naturally in the body over time, the body produces free radicals in response to external factors, such as pollution and smoking. Antioxidants work against these free-range oxygen particles to keep them from damaging cells.
Exercise also produces free radicals in the body and antioxidants helps promote speedy recovery from tough workouts and competitions. Tough workouts and competitions deplete the body, which is why athletes may get colds after a marathon, triathlon or other major event.
Antioxidants that are important for overall good health include: vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, lycopene, beta-carotene, lutein, selenium, alpha lipoic acid and green tea extract. Some of these antioxidants have been associated with specific health benefits. For example, vitamin C supports your immune system, beta-carotene is important for developing good vision and selenium has been associated with a reduced risk of prostate, colorectal and lung cancers.
If you are deficient in a specific nutrient or antioxidant, you can find a supplement to meet your needs. Or you can choose a multi-vitamin supplement or a multi-vitamin pack that contains several anti-oxidants.
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Omega-3 and Omega-6 Benefits
Omega 3 and Omega 6. Didn't Captain Kirk visit those planets? If you think that, then in the words of William Shatner, "Get a life!" And get some vitamins.
Actually, you probably already ingest more of the Omega-6 essential fatty acids than you need by eating:
Americans ingest far too much Omega 6 and not enough Omega 3 that comes from cooked fish and fish oil. Nutritionists think the ideal ratio is 1:1. While you need Omega 6 to reinforce anti-inflammatory and anti-pain defense mechanisms as well as heart diseast, it alone isn't enough for health.
Omega 3 benefits outweigh those of simply taking Omega 6, and Omega 3 can also prevent or treat:
A superfluity of Omega 6 without Omega 3 can actually aggravate these conditions. Ifyou must take Omega 6, opt for a fish oil suppllement that incorporates Omega 6.
After all, you need your health if you're going to dress up like a Klingon at the convention this weekend.
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Vitamin B Supplements: B Good to Your Body
Vitamin B is essential for good health, and there are several types of B vitamins that work together to keep your body running smoothly. B vitamins are water-soluble, so they aren’t stored in the body and you need to replenish them every day. Many factors can deplete B vitamins even more, including excessive exercise, dieting, smoking, alcohol consumption, and even taking oral contraceptives. That’s where supplements can help.
For example, Vitamin B2, also known as riboflavin, is not stored in the body, so it’s important to get enough in your diet from food and supplements. Vitamin B2 works in conjunction with other B vitamins to help the body release the energy it stores as carbohydrates. If you’re participating in sports, or even if you are just moderately active, you get your energy from the body’s ability to process carbohydrates. Vitamin B3, also known as niacin, has been shown to lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels and can help prevent the narrowing of the blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
Also, anyone who follows a strict vegetarian or vegan diet needs vitamin B12 supplements because the best food sources for B12 are animal products. Although some non-animal products contain B12, the amounts are not enough to meet the body’s needs. If you don’t get enough B12 in your body, you can develop anemia or you may experience weakness, loss of balance, or tingling in the arms and legs.
But Vitamin B's benefits don’t stop with physical health. A recent study in the Archives of General Psychiatry found that adults who were being treated for depression had high levels of the amino acid called homocysteine in their blood, which can make it difficult to break down folic acid. Consequently, anti-depressants appeared to be more effective in people who took folic acid supplements, although the connection between depression and problems processing folic acid remains unknown.
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Peak Bone Mass and Calcium
When you're in your twenties, everything feels great. You've acquired up to 90 percent of peak bone mass and bone density. You have a car, a killer apartment, you're in love and you have a smile models would kill for. By the time you get to be your mother's age, the apartment has been traded in for an equity line of credit, the love of your life forgets your anniversary and you'd smile if your bones didn't feel so darn lousy some of the time. You wish you were your teenage daughter.
Actually, unless your daughter takes a calcium supplement and avoids hanging out for hours at the computer, you don't want to be her. The reason: She, like you, may not be getting enough calcium (or vitamin D). The NIH estimates that less than ten percent of girls aged 10-17 get the calcium they need. So before you go into a lament of "Oh, I wish I were your age," order calcium carbonate or a zinc and calcium supplement--for both you and your daughter. The zinc will endear you to your little girl, because zinc is linked to fighting acne, which you're happy you don't have any more after menopause, right? See, there are some benefits to growing older--after all, your daughter is still fretting over boys and your hubby just cooked your favorite dinner as a belated anniversary gift. He's lucky that your newly strengthened bones won't have to kick him all the way back to that first apartment.
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Branched Chain Amino Acids Boost Endurance Boost Muscle Strength and Minimize Muscle Loss When Dieting
You have heard the term “amino acids,” but if you are an endurance athlete, it’s worth learning a few things about branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), which are a subset of amino acids. They include three essential amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine.
What makes the BCAAs different? They help the body process protein, which is what allows you to build muscle and preserve a lean body mass. In addition, studies have shown that working muscles call on BCAAs as an energy source. So the more you exercise, the more you could benefit from supplemental BCAAs.
BCAAs may also help you recover after tough workouts more quickly. One study found that adult men and women who took 5 grams of BCAAs (the amount found in 20-25 grams of a whey protein supplement) reported less muscle soreness and fatigue immediately following a strength training workout, compared to exercisers who took a placebo supplement. And Dieters should be taking BCAAs, which can be burned for energy. They spare muscle while on calorie-restricted diets
But amino acids and BCAAs aren’t just for athletes. A study of men and women 65 to 79 years old showed that BCAA supplements improved leg muscle strength, which declines with age. Maintaining strong muscles as you get older may reduce the risk for falls and other injuries.
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Bilberry for Vision
Bilberry sounds like the Hobbit. Actually, bilberry does come from merry old England--it's called the European blueberry, and like the blueberry, bilberry has flavonoids, a.k.a. antioxidants! You think that like blueberries, which are considered an antioxidant superfood, bilberry may give you the vision you need to find the One Ring to rule them all. Yes, there are women fantasy geeks and they all need good vision and eye health. Not as much as the guys that spend hours staring at computerized RPGs, but still...
Unlike beta carotene/vitamin A, which carries warnings about overly high dosages, bilberry doesn't have any warnings, except that it may not be effective for long-term eye health. Diabetic retinopathy does show some improvement, according to studies done on bilberry where the standard dosage is 120 to 240 mg of bilberry extract twice daily.
Huh? You mean the benefits of bilberry are as fake as orc feet? Bilberry may indeed be effective when combined with selenium, lutein, and beta carotene in an eye health formula. Other scientific research indicates that bilberry does preserve retinal health and that it should be taken three times daily as a liquid.
Like the question of which fantasy epic is better, the visual effects of bilberry is a source of debate. Frodo made a choice to cast the Ring into Mordor. You make your own decision about your eye health.
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Multivitamins: The Most Bang for Your Buck
If you don’t want to pay for many pills but still be sure that you're getting all your nutrients, consider one of the many multi-vitamin and mineral formulas available. For example, Lindberg’s Mega One Multiple vitamin, provides not only time-release doses of vitamins B and C but high potencies of other vitamins and minerals such as natural vitamin E.
Other multivitamin and mineral formulas are more comprehensive and may require you to take 2-9 pills a day. Generally, the more pills, the higher the potencies and the more calcium they provide.
If you have specific medical needs, the right multi-vitamin and mineral formulas may help promote and maintain good health. For example, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, a pre/post-natal multi-vitamin contains plenty of folic acid, calcium, and the B vitamins needed to keep both mother and baby healthy during and after pregnancy.
Similarly, you can find multi-vitamins meant just for men that include saw palmetto and lycopene to promote prostate health, in addition to the basic vitamins and minerals essential for overall wellness. Specialty multi-vitamin and mineral formulas are available for women, children, and seniors, too. Don’t like to swallow a pill? Try this: Multivitamin and mineral formulas even come in liquid, powder, and chewable forms.
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Bone Up on Bone Density
Dem bones, dem bones gotta walk around, but between running the marathon that is your life and succumbing to the fast-food nutrient poor regimen that so many people fall into, you find that your bones don't walk around as much. Plus the "Got Milk?" campaign doesn't help if you're lactose-intolerant. Congratulations--you're losing bone density. Why? You lose bone density if you:
Don't consume a diet rich in vitamin D, vitamin A, magnesium and zinc
Smoke heavily
Are a woman of Asian or of Northern European ancestry
Don't take a calcium supplement
Some good news for women of African descent: You have a low incidence of bone density loss. But no matter what your statistical picture, you still need a calcium carbonate supplement. Dr. Andrew Weil recommends 1,500 mg of calcium daily for women, 1,000 to 1,200 mg per day for men, plus 400 to 800 IU of vitamin D. While you're taking your calcium and your Lactaid with calcium and vitamin D, don't forget to move those bones outside in the sun, which is an abundant source of vitamin D and makes you want to exercise. Oh, the leg bone's connected to the kneebone...
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The High Points of Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid sounds to you like: a) an alternative rock group b) a new form of "slime" your boys play with c) something you hope your kids will never take Actually, your kids will be better off taking hyaluronic acid when they're older. Hyaluronic acid may not be alien ammo for your boys, but it's ammunition that you can use along with glucosamine and chondroitin to promote joint health. As for rock and roll, hyaluronic acid can help you and your kids rock on. Hyaluronic acid is used in anti-wrinkle injections, but it's also thought to be effective as a skin moisturizing ingredient and an antioxidant. What does this have to do with joint health? Hyaluronic acid builds up the collagen that in turn keeps your joints from sounding like that alternative rock band or a bizarre space alien. And when you're promoting joint health to your kids amid the electronic synthesizer background noise, just mention that you dropped acid in the '70s and '80s. Honesty is the anti-drug.
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Gimme 5 HTP for Anxiety
You feel like you're about to burst out of your pants--actually, you forgot to get them altered. That makes you more anxious. The big company dinner party is tonight. Before you jump in the car and succumb to anxiety that can turn to road rage, take some 5 HTP. (Don't take St. John's Wort unless you stop to talk to the doctor on the way to the tailor shop.) 5 HTP is a natural mood enhancer and the precursor to serotonin production. Speaking of serotonin, jogging will help your anxiety--exercise produces serotonin too. Do it so you don't yell at the tailor. If you feel too anxious to drive and you can jog to the tailor, put on your jogging shoes. 5 HTP can tone down your anxiety, especially by producing L-tryptophan if you don't get enough in your diet. L-tryptophan calms and cheers--just what you need when you're trying to impress your boss. Just remember that it can cause drowsiness, not good if you fall asleep from all that jogging in the middle of your boss's speech! You have no drug interactions (such as levodopa to treat Parkinson's Disease), your pants are crisp and tailored, and you look great. Your tailor is happy, your doctor is happy, and let's hope your boss is happy. You hope. But don't stress over it--just relax and enjoy dinner.
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Vitamin C Drops Keep Falling On My Head
You hate taking chewable vitamin C because it reminds you too much of grade school. You would take chewable C if you could sneak your kids' Flintstones vitamins. But your immune system isn't worth the ridicule. So you give your kids chewable echinacea with goldenseal, blackberry flavor, and Vitamin C to keep away colds and flu. Relax --you're not missing out on immune system support if you don't take chewable vitamin C. However, you hate traditional vitamin C capsules, and you don't own your own personal orange grove. Flintstones addiction is looking better all the time. We recommend vitamin C (and vitamin E) liquid drops--you can combine them with your orange juice. Liquid absorbs as fast as Dino leaping on Fred. We also like vitamin C powder that you can mix with your favorite juice. Chewable tablets, including vitamin C, echinacea, and zinc, usually contain sugar, so we recommend the organic sugarless kind with natural flavors for your kids, and no chewables for you. Awww. You were looking forward to sampling a Wilma and a Barney again.
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Side Effects: Chondroitin, Glucosamine, Hyaluronic Acid
By now you've become wary of all those commercials...you know, the ones where the women frolic through a field of flowers because they're free of asthma, or a couple shares a romantic moment because of Cialis. Then comes the lawyer-mandated list of side effects. Now you're pondering hyaluronic acid, glucosamine, and chondroitin for joint stiffness and pain, arthritis, the whole works. Can you afford the side effects? Actually, the biggest side effect of all these joint health supplements is...that you will frolic through a field of flowers. Your love life may even improve. Naturally, glucosamine isn't recommended for anyone with diabetes -- choose hyaluronic acid instead. Minor side effects of glucosamine and chondroitin include stomach problems, heartburn and diarrhea. Hyaluronic acid side effects are mostly unknown, although some people have reported a skin rash like chicken pox.
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Glucosamine and MSM
MSM. Isn't that the stuff in Chinese food you should avoid? MSM. Aren't those the pyramid schemes you get in your e-mail when you're trying to complete a client proposal and the kids are yelling? MSM or methylsulfonylmethane is an organic source of sulfur, one of the major building blocks of joint health as well as a component of the healthy skin, nails and hair you need to make a good impression on your clients and not scare your kids. Combine MSM with glucosamine and what do you get? Glucosamine, like chondroitin, supports your cartilage and acts as a lubricant like oil. Your joints are getting stiff from building a business and being a work-at-home mom. You may not have to gas your car, but you need to fuel your joints so they keep working. So what do you get when you combine glucosamine with MSM? Strong joints and replenished cartilage that allow you to dive into both new client accounts and piles of leaves with your kids!
