Do you take a multivitamin every day? Millions do. The purpose of a daily multivitamin is to provide supplemental nutritional protection that our daily diet does not provide. However, it does NOT make up for an unhealthy diet.
A multivitamin provides the primary vitamins needed to maintain health, but that is only a small fraction of what we can receive simply by eating a healthy diet. A diet that consists of fruits, vegetables and whole grains and low in sugar and saturated fat is our best defense against disease and poor health.
There are three possible ways to increase vitamin intake. The first is to make improvements in the diet. The second is to fortify foods with vitamins and the third is to take vitamin supplements. Since most of us do not follow a nutritionally balanced diet, we choose the third option.
You should make sure your multivitamin provides you with 100% of the required amounts of the following vitamins. These vitamins are necessary for the prevention of many diseases and conditions.
VITAMIN A
Vitamin A is required for night vision and for healthy skin, bones, and teeth. It assists the immune system by regulating cell growth and division. Because of its antioxidant properties, it protects against cancer formation and other diseases. It also helps the digestive and urinary tract and helps slow aging.
Liver, milk, egg-yolk, carrots, dark green leafy vegetables and yellow fruits are high in vitamin A or beta-carotene. Many other foods are fortified with vitamin A including cereals and juices. A number of fruits and vegetables contain beta-carotene and other vitamin A precursors (the body turns the precursors into vitamin A).
The body converts vitamin A from beta-carotene as needed and there is no toxic level for beta-carotene as there is for vitamin A. Therefore, it is preferable to choose a vitamin supplement that has its vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene.
FOLIC ACID
Folic Acid works together with vitamin B12 to form healthy red blood cells and helps reduce the risk of spina bifida in unborn babies. Your body needs this nutrient for the production, repair, and functioning of DNA, our genetic map and the basic building block of our body’s cells.
Folic acid is found in small amounts in many foods. Good sources include broccoli and Brussels sprouts, peas, chickpeas, brown rice and some fruit (oranges and bananas). Other good sources are fortified cereals and whole grains.
VITAMIN C
In 1932, it was discovered that the consumption of citrus fruits could prevent scurvy, a disease that killed millions of people. Today, it is used to prevent many illnesses, from everyday ailments such as the common cold to devastating diseases such as cancer.
It is a powerful antioxidant that strengthens the immune system and neutralizes free radicals, reducing the risk for several types of cancer. It helps make the collagen needed for healthy bones and blood vessels, and it controls infections.
The best food sources for vitamin C are citrus fruits or juices, peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, and spinach. Many breakfast cereals are also fortified with vitamin C.
VITAMIN D
Vitamin D helps the body absorb and retain calcium and phosphorus, vital for building healthy bones. It helps maintain a healthy immune system, helps regulate cell growth, and keeps cancer cells from growing and dividing.
Inadequate intake of vitamin D is associated with an increased risk of bone fractures, and prostate, breast, and colon cancers. Taking a vitamin D supplement can help reduce those risks.
There are very few foods that naturally contain vitamin D. Adequate sources include dairy products, fortified cereals, and fatty fish like salmon and tuna.
VITAMIN E
As an antioxidant, vitamin E protects your cells against the effects of free radicals that can damage cells and contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Vitamin E can help prevent or delay the development of those chronic diseases. Vitamin E has also been shown to play a role in immune function and in DNA repair.
Good dietary sources of vitamin E are vegetable oils, nuts, green leafy vegetables, and fortified cereals.
VITAMIN K
Vitamin K is used in the body to control blood clotting and is essential for synthesizing the liver protein that controls the clotting. It is also important in bone formation and repair. Vitamin K can decrease the incidence or severity of osteoporosis and slow bone loss.
Vitamin K is found in a number of foods, including leafy greens, cauliflower and liver. Other good sources are cooking oils like vegetable oil, olive oil, canola oil, and soybean oil. Vitamin K is also produced in the intestines and this function is improved with the presence of yogurt in the diet.
There is no substitute for a healthy nutritious diet. However, the vitamins listed above provide very important supplemental benefits for our bodies in the war against disease and poor health.
Thank You For Visiting Our Blog, FEEL BETTER AND LIVE LONGER!
The purpose of our blog is to share what we have learned about nutrition, weight loss, fitness, and health, in order to help you find ways to feel better and live longer. It is amazing how much our diet and lifestyle affect our health and well-being.
Did you know that you can reduce your risk and even prevent many diseases and health conditions simply by making some changes to your diet? Check back often for valuable tips and information.
HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT & KEEP IT OFF:
For the first time in my life I have found weight loss success. During my adult life I have tried dozens and dozens of so-called "diets" and none of them worked over the long-haul. Oh, I was able to lose weight with some of them, but once I went off of the "diet" I quickly gained back all of my weight (plus some).
I have finally learned that losing weight has to be a lifestyle change, not a temporary fix. Crash diets and all the other crazy diets will not only cause you to fail, they are harmful to your health. To lose weight and keep it off you must NOT go on a "diet." What? Why? Because we all consider a "diet" a temporary thing. For example, how many times have you said, "Oh, I will go on this low-fat diet until I lose 20 pounds." Okay, what happens after you lose the 20 pounds? Or you simply give up? You go back to your old habits and gain that 20 pounds back.
The only way you will ever be successful at losing weight, with the added benefit of improving your health, is to make healthy changes that you can live with for the rest of your life. Period. Not for a week, a month or 3 months, but for life. For me, my initial goal was to lower my cholesterol level. I had to have a blood test for my insurance coverage and my cholesterol level had to be lower than the previous year's levels or I would have to pay a much higher premium. Well, that was a pretty good incentive for me make some positive changes.
I sat down and figured out what I needed to do. I knew I had to change the way I ate and I knew I had to exercise in some form or other every day. So, I made a list and I stuck to it. It was difficult at first. To make matters worse, I am a compulsive eater. However, as the days went by, it became much easier because my body stopped craving sweets and processed foods. For the first time in my life, I was never tempted to binge because I never felt deprived.
Use the list below and make whatever changes you need to make in order for it to work for you. FYI, my cholesterol level dropped 65 points after 7 weeks, and my triglycerides dropped 70 points! Another benefit that I hadn't planned on was that after being an insomniac since my teen-age years, I now sleep like a baby every night!
MY LIST FOR WEIGHT LOSS SUCESS:
1. Avoid "white" Foods & Processed Foods. These foods have no nutritional value and are "empty" calories. Sweets, anything made with white flour,and anything that comes in a package with a long list of ingredients. Always read the food labels. Stay away from those long lists of ingredients. The longer the list, the more chemicals and additives are present. These are extremely toxic to your body.
2. Drink Lots of Water. Water keeps your body's organs hydrated and flushes out unhealthy toxins. It helps to fill you up and reduces your urge to over-eat.
3. Eat a Healthy Breakfast. Instead of coffee and donuts, try fruit, yogurt, grains like oatmeal or whole grain toast, and lean protein. NEVER skip breakfast. By eating a large, healthy meal when you get up in the morning, your metabolism will "rev up" and you will not be hungry by mid-morning. If you skip breakfast, your body will go into starvation mode and store calories in your body as FAT, yes FAT! So do yourself a big favor and eat breakfast.
4. Reduce Your Stress Level. So many of us live with too much stress. Stress lowers your immune system, making it easier to get sick. It also makes us lethargic, tired, and depressed. There are a lot of simple things you can do and a lot of ways to feel better about yourself and your life. Take a long, hot bath, read a book, listen to music, get a massage. Do something nice for yourself. Giving yourself something to look forward to is a tremendous mental incentive.
5. Move! Oh my gosh! There are so many ways to incorporate movement into your day, even at work. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Get up every hour and walk around your floor, your hallway or your desk. Park your car in the farthest space from where you need to be. Walk or bike to work. Skate, dance, golf, jump rope, clean house, play tag. The best exercise you can do is to walk. Try to take a walk every day! The more you move, the more your metabolism will be your friend. (I walk 3 miles every day whether it is raining, snowing or freezing.)
The purpose of our blog is to share what we have learned about nutrition, weight loss, fitness, and health, in order to help you find ways to feel better and live longer. It is amazing how much our diet and lifestyle affect our health and well-being.
Did you know that you can reduce your risk and even prevent many diseases and health conditions simply by making some changes to your diet? Check back often for valuable tips and information.
HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT & KEEP IT OFF:
For the first time in my life I have found weight loss success. During my adult life I have tried dozens and dozens of so-called "diets" and none of them worked over the long-haul. Oh, I was able to lose weight with some of them, but once I went off of the "diet" I quickly gained back all of my weight (plus some).
I have finally learned that losing weight has to be a lifestyle change, not a temporary fix. Crash diets and all the other crazy diets will not only cause you to fail, they are harmful to your health. To lose weight and keep it off you must NOT go on a "diet." What? Why? Because we all consider a "diet" a temporary thing. For example, how many times have you said, "Oh, I will go on this low-fat diet until I lose 20 pounds." Okay, what happens after you lose the 20 pounds? Or you simply give up? You go back to your old habits and gain that 20 pounds back.
The only way you will ever be successful at losing weight, with the added benefit of improving your health, is to make healthy changes that you can live with for the rest of your life. Period. Not for a week, a month or 3 months, but for life. For me, my initial goal was to lower my cholesterol level. I had to have a blood test for my insurance coverage and my cholesterol level had to be lower than the previous year's levels or I would have to pay a much higher premium. Well, that was a pretty good incentive for me make some positive changes.
I sat down and figured out what I needed to do. I knew I had to change the way I ate and I knew I had to exercise in some form or other every day. So, I made a list and I stuck to it. It was difficult at first. To make matters worse, I am a compulsive eater. However, as the days went by, it became much easier because my body stopped craving sweets and processed foods. For the first time in my life, I was never tempted to binge because I never felt deprived.
Use the list below and make whatever changes you need to make in order for it to work for you. FYI, my cholesterol level dropped 65 points after 7 weeks, and my triglycerides dropped 70 points! Another benefit that I hadn't planned on was that after being an insomniac since my teen-age years, I now sleep like a baby every night!
MY LIST FOR WEIGHT LOSS SUCESS:
1. Avoid "white" Foods & Processed Foods. These foods have no nutritional value and are "empty" calories. Sweets, anything made with white flour,and anything that comes in a package with a long list of ingredients. Always read the food labels. Stay away from those long lists of ingredients. The longer the list, the more chemicals and additives are present. These are extremely toxic to your body.
2. Drink Lots of Water. Water keeps your body's organs hydrated and flushes out unhealthy toxins. It helps to fill you up and reduces your urge to over-eat.
3. Eat a Healthy Breakfast. Instead of coffee and donuts, try fruit, yogurt, grains like oatmeal or whole grain toast, and lean protein. NEVER skip breakfast. By eating a large, healthy meal when you get up in the morning, your metabolism will "rev up" and you will not be hungry by mid-morning. If you skip breakfast, your body will go into starvation mode and store calories in your body as FAT, yes FAT! So do yourself a big favor and eat breakfast.
4. Reduce Your Stress Level. So many of us live with too much stress. Stress lowers your immune system, making it easier to get sick. It also makes us lethargic, tired, and depressed. There are a lot of simple things you can do and a lot of ways to feel better about yourself and your life. Take a long, hot bath, read a book, listen to music, get a massage. Do something nice for yourself. Giving yourself something to look forward to is a tremendous mental incentive.
5. Move! Oh my gosh! There are so many ways to incorporate movement into your day, even at work. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Get up every hour and walk around your floor, your hallway or your desk. Park your car in the farthest space from where you need to be. Walk or bike to work. Skate, dance, golf, jump rope, clean house, play tag. The best exercise you can do is to walk. Try to take a walk every day! The more you move, the more your metabolism will be your friend. (I walk 3 miles every day whether it is raining, snowing or freezing.)
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