Antioxidants

Antioxidants – you hear the word bandied about in the press and on television, but what are they? Supposedly they are good for you, but good in what way? Here are answers to some of the most frequently-asked questions about antioxidants.

What Are Antioxidants?

Antioxidants are naturally-occurring substances found in many foods; they are generally referred to as a member of the vitamin family, and they help protect the body against damage from free radicals. Technically, an antioxidant is any product that slows or prevents the oxidation of other molecules. When oxidation occurs, free radicals are released; it is these free radicals that damage cells in the body. Antioxidants form a ‘buffer’ between the body and such free radicals.

Oxidation within the human body is now being widely studied. It is believed to potentially play a part in, or even be a main cause of, various diseases from neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s to cancer and strokes. If the body can be protected from the progression of these diseases, or even their onset, individuals would live longer, healthier, and more productive lives.

Different Types of Antioxidants

We are all familiar by now with the most well-known of the antioxidants, vitamin C, or ascorbic acid. Although found in both plants and animals, it is abundant in citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons, but also in often-overlooked products such as papayas and strawberries.

Melatonin is another antioxidant that significantly impacts overall health. Melatonin has been shown to have an effect on the sleep cycle, and individuals with low melatonin levels often experience poor sleep length and quality. Melatonin easily crosses the blood-brain barrier, allowing its beneficial aspects to enter the cerebrospinal fluid and thereafter the brain. Supplementation with melatonin has been shown to be effective in the treatment of cluster headaches as well as migraines. There is early evidence of interaction with the human immune system, though studies are still being conducted to discover the full extent of this interaction.

Benefits of Antioxidants

Even if all the effects of antioxidants are not yet known, what we do know is that antioxidants form an important part of the human body and thus are of crucial importance to overall health. At therapeutic levels, the beneficial effects of antioxidant supplementation may lessen the effects of aging and disease. Even at maintenance levels, antioxidants may help maintain the body at peak condition and vigor.

In addition to the damage wrought by free radicals within the body, external contact with chemicals, heavy metals, tobacco and poisons – just to name a few – expose an individual to a barrage of aging compounds. Antioxidants are the first level of defense. They protect the body from free radicals, and at therapeutic levels may even help repair existing damage.

To ensure that one is consuming adequate amounts of antioxidants, it is wise to consider the use of antioxidant supplements such as The Ultimate Antioxidant from Baseline Nutritionals which provide rich benefits from various plants and herbs. While supplements should not be used as a substitute for unprocessed fruits and vegetables, they are essential for a less than optimal diet.

Meal Replacement Powders

As the incidence of obesity in the American public has reached epidemic proportions, more and more individuals have begun searching for a way to lose weight that fits within their hectic lifestyles. With time for exercise often difficult to find, reducing our food intake is the next best option.

Meal Replacement Powders

The most significant barrier to weight loss is food consumption. Reducing portion size, eliminating comfort foods, and relinquishing long-held habits are difficult for most. Endeavoring to conduct one’s daily affairs while famished is not the answer. And this is precisely why meal replacement powders can assist dieters. Meal replacement powders are high-protein; nutrient-dense, low-fat powders intended to be mixed with milk, fruit juice, or water to create a complete and filling balanced meal. Rather than take the time to prepare a meal or, worse yet, consume highly processed foods, one can quickly and easily prepare a healthy meal replacement shake that will satisfy cravings and satiates appetites in a healthy manner which support the nutritional requirements of the body at a very low caloric expense.

Furthermore, quality meal replacement powders have a low to moderate amount of carbohydrates, which may aid individuals with risk factors for diabetes to moderate their blood sugar levels. Of course, one of the greatest risk factors for type 2 diabetes is obesity, and many who lose sufficient weight have seen their diabetes disappear as well. Additionally, meal replacements are low in sugar and cholesterol, two components that nearly everyone, not simply diabetics, should endeavor to minimize in their diets. Premium meal replacement powders have vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, with no artificial additives and only high-quality ingredients. Thus while losing weight; one is nourishing the body with healthy nutrients to enable optimal cognitive and physiological functionality.

The Numbers

How many calories does the average meal replacement powder consist of? Most meal replacement powders contain 250-350 calories per serving. Compared with the average fast-food meal consisting of 800-1000 calories, the majority of which are composed of sugar and fat and the benefits of meal replacement powders are easily discerned.

While fruits, nut butters and other ingredients can be added to the meal replacement drink for variety, it is advisable to monitor the calorie count. With this caveat, it is clear that meal replacement powders/shakes like IsaLean are one of the easiest ways to continue to move towards enhanced health.

PROTEIN POWDER SUPPLEMENTATION

The resurgence of interest in healthy weight-loss has spurred an interest in overall health, and many individuals have begun asking questions about nutritional supplements. Are they necessary? Can they help? Are they right for me? And the answer is quite simply, yes.

What Are Protein Powers?

A high quality protein powder is made from highly absorbable forms of protein, no fillers and an absence or reduced level of traditional allergens. Many nutritional experts and personal trainers include whey products when constructing personalized nutritional plans for their clients. Whey protein, in particular, contains some compounds that appear to boost immune systems, to enable benefits in addition to weight loss.

Depending upon how the protein is processed, it may be much more easily absorbed by the body than the standard proteins found in eggs, meat, or dairy products. And for those who are lactose-intolerant, protein powders may be much easier on their digestive tract than the proteins in milk or cheese. There can also be a cost benefit. Pound for pound, protein powder provides more protein for less money, as compared to meats, fish or other traditional forms of protein. That said, such powders should be used solely as a supplement as opposed to simply a replacement for natural foods.

Health Benefits

Meats and cheeses have some of the highest percentages of fat of any foods on the market today. Even lower-fat cheese and lean meat contain fair amounts of animal fats, which can be difficult for the digestive system to metabolize. Additionally, they may raise cholesterol levels and elevate risk for heart disease and stroke. Protein powders do not carry the same risks.

Some, of course, are more expensive than others, in part due to the cost of the raw product from which they are made, and in part due to the process of extracting the protein from the base element. Looking to replenish your body quickly after an intense workout? Try a protein powder made from whey protein, as it is easily absorbable and releases its benefits rapidly. Protein powders with casein as their base provide a much slower release. Protein powders are excellent supplements, but it is important to remember that they are not meal replacements. However such protein powders may become an important supplement to one’s overall nutritional plan. I recommend Nutribody Protein, click to order now.

Detoxification

The detoxification movement, traditionally a little-known branch of naturopathy, has been quietly gaining momentum over the past few years and is now poised to enter mainstream health management. During detoxification, one strives to eliminate or purge impurities from the body while minimizing exposure to new poisons. One follows a cleansing diet consists of nutrient rich drinks and foods, and allow extra time for sleep and rest, thus allowing the body to utilize pure foods and drinks to eliminate toxins.

What is Detoxification?

Fasting, the simplest form of detoxification has been used as part of health and religious practices since the commencement of recorded history. There are many records of individuals fasting and praying, and the benefits of periodic fasting are well-documented. Rest is usually one aspect to a proper cleanse. Resting during the day or sleeping longer periods at night allows the body to use its energy for improved well-being. When we are up and about, fighting off the environmental toxins that surround us is virtually a full-time job; resting during the detoxification process is necessary and allows the body to cleanse itself more efficiently.

Many of today’s detoxification plans encourage the consumption of pure foods and beverages that support the body’s ability to heal itself. Fruits, vegetables, herbs and filtered water are some of the more common components. Detoxification is centered in the concept of enabling the body’s natural immune system to function naturally. When we eat packaged, salted, preserved or unnatural foods, we tax our bodies in ways we are only now becoming cognizant of. Detoxification allows our bodies to enjoy a proverbial “breather”. During detoxification, only “whole” foods, such as whole grains, fiber-rich fruits and vegetables, and clean, healthy water are consumed, precluding chemicals and preservatives so prevalent in modern-day meals.

Easier than Ever Before

For those who do not want to research the various combinations that support detoxification, there are a few quality products that perform the nutritional cleansing or detoxification process quickly and easily like Isagenix Cleansing Programs. Typically, homeopathic doctors are much more likely to be well-versed in detoxification and cleansing. Although it has been used for centuries, the mainstream medical profession in the United States often does not recognize its benefits.

The liver and colon have long been recognized as essential to optimal health. They regulate not only the benefits reaped from the food and drink consumed, but also how quickly waste products are eliminated. Detoxification can be used to periodically cleanse the body of nutrients. Modern weight-loss programs suggest starting with a detoxification period in order to prepare the body for a new, healthier regimen. It is a new idea that has been in existence for centuries.

Purifying Yourself through Nutritional Cleansing

In this modern environment, we are battered by chemicals, pharmaceuticals, heavy metals, and yes, even poisons on a daily basis. Our bodies are fully capable of eliminating certain issues fairly easily; liver, intestines and colon are designed simply for that purpose. But Mother Nature never imagined the pollution that humans would unleash on the planet, and our bodies have not adapted sufficiently to eliminate the toxins wrought by the industrial age. Over time, these pollutants escalate within the body, impacting the physiological and cognitive functioning. This is where nutritional cleansing may be able to assist.

What Nutritional Cleansing Does

Nutritional cleansing provides the body with pure, healthy, nutritionally dense liquids, replenishing energy levels and providing the strength to eliminate toxins and pollutants. The pure foods included in a nutritional cleanse are blended in ratios to provide the body with its requirements for optimum health. When the body’s requirements are met, the excess toxins and pollutants may be eliminated naturally.

No area on our planet is safe from environmental and man-made pollutants. They have even been found in Antarctic ice! If toxins travel to the four corners of the globe, it is inevitable that our bodies contain such poisonous materials. One need look no further than the recent evidence of BPA (Bisphenol A) contamination; the chemical found in plastics included in products ranging from baby bottles to Nalgene water containers. Indeed, the FDA has found that the plastic may leach these chemicals into whatever liquid or food is included inside the container. This plastic typically is labeled with the number 7 for easy identification.

A more common plastic is one labeled with the number 1 on the container, and concerns have been raised that this type of plastic may leach polyethylene terephthalate, also known as PET or PETE, into its contents. This plastic is used for most disposable water and soda bottles, and thus the cumulative effect of PETE exposure over years can create a tremendous stress on an individual’s body.

Reestablishing the Body’s Balance

Nutritional cleansing helps to bring one back into balance. Infusing the body with healthy substances rather than chemicals and toxins is the first step to optimal health. Many individuals who start nutritional cleansing report feelings of purity after only one day of detoxification. Of course, depending upon the level of toxins in each body, it may actually take up to a week to feel the effects. Nutritional cleansing is new, but is gaining momentum rapidly for a very good reason – the benefits are numerous based upon anecdotal and testimonial evidence.

Provide your body with what it needs via nutritional cleansing. Treat your body to healthy support, rather than living with unwholesome toxins. You will notice the difference! I personally recommend Isagenix Cleansing Programs.

Just One Cigarette Makes the Heart Work Harder

While social smokers, who claim to enjoy a cigarette on occasion, may believe themselves to be free from the dangers that face the true nicotine addict, it now appears that just one cigarette is all that is necessary to adversely affect the circulatory system.

Smoking Stiffens Arteries

A recent study conducted by the McGill University Health Center in Canada examined the effect of smoking on arterial stiffness, which is an important factor in determining how hard a heart must work to perform its basic functionality.

Researchers led by Dr. Stella Daskalopoulou studied the effects of smoking on people between the ages of 18 and 30 and discovered some shocking results, likely to be of concern to even the least active social smoker. The survey examined the arterial stiffness of both smokers and non-smokers while at rest and after exercise. While non-smokers’ arteries responded well to physical exertion – demonstrating a noticeable drop in arterial stiffness after even a small amount of exercise – the smokers’ vessels became 2.2 percent stiffer with exercise, 12.6 percent stiffer after chewing a piece of nicotine gum and 24 percent stiffer after smoking only one cigarette.

The results are alarming because stiffened arteries force the heart to work harder and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Hearts Working Harder

Dr. Daskalopoulou noted that her team’s research indicated that arterial damage, compromising the body’s ability to respond to physical exertion, was likely the first damage inflicted when an individual begins his or her smoking habit. She added that the oxygen circulation of the smoker was not only compromised while indulging in this addiction, but that lingering effects continued to impact their system.

Young Smokers’ Systems Compromised

Dr. Daskalopoulou stated, “In effect, this means that even light smoking in otherwise healthy young people can damage the arteries, compromising the ability of their bodies to cope with physical stress, such as climbing a set of stairs or running to catch a bus. It seems that this compromised ability to respond to physical stress occurs first, before the damage of the arteries becomes evident at rest.”

Anti-smoking campaigners will not be surprised by the revelation. Pursuant to Heart and Stroke Federation spokeswoman, Dr. Beth Abramson, the study served only to reiterate the importance of the long-standing efforts to alert individuals to the very real dangers of smoking.

Protection Against Smoke Damage

While time and money will continue to be poured into efforts to prevent new smokers from starting down the path to compromised circulation, established smokers may be asking what they can do to reverse the damage.

Most important is of course to case smoking completely, and while the preparation and process may take some time, holistic practitioners recommend augmenting the diet with supplements such as vitamin C, and the antioxidant grape seed oil which can help equip the body to fight against the ravages wrought by smoking.

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Is it Possible to Counteract the Risks of Smoking?

Smoking is hazardous to one’s health. Smoking causes cancer. Smoking harms unborn babies. Second-hand smoke poses an increasing number of health-related risks. These are the warnings printed on the packaging of tobacco products in some countries across the world today. And yet, despite these dire warnings, some of which are accompanied by graphic pictures of diseased lungs and cancerous tongues, many individuals continue their smoking habit, or worse, begin to smoke, despite the research, in the 21^st century.

The highly addictive nature of nicotine is widely recognized, and eliminating this addiction is an arduous task requiring a strong will and great determination, albeit there are alternative techniques, such as acupuncture, NLP, and hypnotherapy that have proven successful for some individuals. Irrespective of the alternatives for cessation of smoking, the fact is that smoking is once again rising as a habit across a wide spectrum of individuals, of varying ages and socioeconomic status.

Smoking on the Rise

Estimates approximate that 1,000 individuals begin the nicotine habit each day in America. This figure accounts for a one percent rise in the number of smokers in the country in 2008, when health officials were celebrating an all time low in the smoking rate for the US. The figures make for depressing reading, particularly for health professionals and anti-smoking campaigners, who have worked tirelessly over the past 50 years to reduce the number of smoking related illnesses and deaths in countries throughout the world.

Fighting Smoking Related Illness

While the first generations to die of cigarette related cancers could not have known what fate their habit might bring, the same cannot be said for the smokers of today, which makes the decision to start or continue smoking even more incomprehensible. And while work to address the numbers of smokers will continue, some have begun to question what can be done by way of damage mitigation for those who insist upon continuing this unhealthy habit.

Supplements for Smokers

Some holistic practitioners have begun to suggest that perhaps health levels amongst smokers might be improved by education on counteracting the damaging effects of the chemicals contained in cigarette smoke, which toxins have been shown to correlate with diseases such as lung, bladder and bowel cancer, as well as an array of cardiovascular diseases.

One school of thought is that supplements should be introduced to the diet to balance the chemical intake caused by smoking. While nearly every individual would benefit from a premium multivitamin supplement, smokers may wish to consider additional supplements tailored to meet the specific needs of their weakened immune systems.

A vitamin C supplement is an excellent addition to the smoker’s regime as this nutrient is quickly depleted by nicotine in the blood stream. Other recommended dietary supplements for smokers include CoQ10 – an enzyme with antioxidant properties currently undergoing scientific testing as a possible weapon in the fight against cancers – and grape seed extract, which contains antioxidants useful in the prevention of heart disease.

Smokers Should Protect Themselves

While the best defense against smoking related illness is cease the habit entirely, smokers who find this difficult should explore alternative techniques while paying enhanced attention to their nutritional needs, supplementing their diet with vitamins and antioxidants where possible to provide the best possibility of resisting cigarette related damage.

We strongly recommend Bionx Multivitamin/Mineral Complex, to mitigate smoking related damage.