Vitamin C is one of the most famous vitamins as it benefits so many areas of the body. It isn’t stored in the body and its highest sources are fresh vegetables and fruits.
This vitamin strengthens bones and teeth, heals wounds, fights infections, smooths skin wrinkles (by helping to make collagen), and supports heart and eye health.
Especially for heart health, vitamin C has been the topic of research studies for its ability to lower blood pressure and increase the health of blood vessels.
A recent study from research scientist Dr. Caitlin Dow at the University of Colorado at Boulder, focused on 35 obese or overweight adults. These adults are often advised to walk for exercise, but they can find it a challenge to include it in their daily lives.
Dr. Dow’s research found that 500 mg. of time-release vitamin C taken daily, reduces blood vessel constriction as much as walking does.
Overweight and obese people have higher levels of a certain vessel-constricting protein which makes their blood vessels less responsive to blood flow and increases the risk of developing vascular or heart disease. Exercise has been shown to reduce the effects of this protein and benefit the blood vessels.
The University of Colorado study compared the daily use of vitamin C supplements to daily walking in a group of 35 sedentary, overweight individuals. Blood flow was measured before and after each alternate remedy.
Daily supplementation of vitamin C (500 mg/day, time-released), reduced blood vessel constriction as much as the walking exercise did. Their recommendation: Vitamin C supplementation represents an effective lifestyle strategy for this condition.
In addition to this current study, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a review of 29 research trials on people with high blood pressure and concluded that vitamin C has a useful role in lowering it.
This health news is shared by Nutrition Breakthroughs, a provider of natural health articles and effective natural remedies since 2001. Nutrition Breakthroughs makes the original calcium and magnesium based sleep aid Sleep Minerals II, as well as Joints and More, the natural solution for joint relief, aches and pains and stronger hair and nails.
Studies have shown that potassium rich foods can lower blood pressure, improve blood vessel function, reduce risk of stroke, strengthen muscles, help preserve bone density, prevent kidney stones and remedy insomnia.
Potassium is found in many fruits and vegetables, so one of the main sources of a potassium deficiency would be not eating enough of these.
Sometimes potassium is referred to as vitamin K, but they are actually not the same. Vitamin K is a vitamin found in many fresh foods and potassium is a mineral.
One of the healthiest, highest sources of potassium is the banana, which contains 400 milligrams. Other good potassium rich foods are avocados, prunes, spinach, sunflower seeds and almonds.
One recent study from the Journal “Sleep” researched the effects of potassium supplements on sleep quality. The researchers gathered data from wrist monitors and notes made in sleep diaries. Normal young males on a low-potassium diet participated in the study. After one week of taking potassium supplements, there were significant improvements in their quality of sleep and less waking up during the night.
This health news is shared with you by Nutrition Breakthroughs, maker of the original calcium and magnesium based sleep aid Sleep Minerals II, as well as Joints and More, the natural solution for joint relief, aches and pains, and stronger hair and nails.
Vitamin D is known as the “Sunshine Vitamin” as spending time outdoors in the sun is known to increase vitamin D in the body via the skin.
Our ancestors spent a considerable amount of their time outdoors, but for the first time in history, large amounts of the world population spend most of their time inside their offices and homes.
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition recommends some regular sun exposure (usually 5–10 min of exposure of the arms and legs or the hands, arms, and face, 2 or 3 times per week) and increased dietary and supplemental vitamin D to guarantee getting enough and preventing a vitamin D deficiency. The foods highest in vitamin D are featured in the chart below.
Vitamin D supports healthy bones, reduces diabetes risk, strengthens the immune system, remedies insomnia and soothes skin conditions. One study on vitamin D supplements for people with insomnia was published in the journal “Medical Hypothesis”. The researchers followed 1500 patients over a 2 year period. A consistent level of vitamin D3 was maintained in their blood over many months.
This produced normal sleep in most of the participants, regardless of their type of sleep disorder. During the research, the authors discovered the presence of high concentrations of vitamin D “receiving sites” or “receptors” in those areas of the brain that are related to the onset and maintenance of sleep.
Vitamin D supports healthy bones. Vitamin D deficiency is a known cause of rickets (soft bones) in children and osteoporosis in adults.The pioneering nutritionist Adelle Davis writes about vitamin D in her book “Let’s Get Well”. She says: “Vitamin D increases calcium absorption…and controls the enzymes necessary to deposit minerals in bones and teeth. This vitamin can be produced on the skin by sunshine provided the oils have not been washed off (the skin).”
A study from the Journal of Investigative Medicine found that vitamin D has important functions beyond those of supporting calcium and bones in the body. It concluded that vitamin D is a boost to immunity and a deficiency of the vitamin is common in autoimmune disease – a disease where the body’s immune system attacks healthy cells by mistake. These include multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease.
As an example, 3 ounces of sardines provides 164 IU (international units) of vitamin D and this is 41% of the recommended daily intake of 400 IU. Daily values are developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help provide a general guideline, however doses of 1,000 or more daily are not uncommon.
Good vitamin D foods include cod liver oil, sardines, salmon, mackerel, eggs, herring, raw mushrooms, yogurt, cheese and liver.
This health news is shared by Nutrition Breakthroughs, a provider of natural health articles and effective natural remedies since 2001. Nutrition Breakthroughs makes the original calcium and magnesium based sleep aid Sleep Minerals II, as well as Joints and More, the natural solution for joint relief, aches and pains and stronger hair and nails.
Osteoporosis, or the loss of bone, affects more than 25 million people in the United States, including one out of every three people over the age of 65. It is eight times more prevalent in women as in men. It is the major underlying cause of bone fractures in postmenopausal women and the elderly.
The chance one will have osteoporosis in later years is related to the amount and density of bone at the completion of growth. This depends largely on a person’s calcium intake and retention from birth through adolescence. And adequate intakes of magnesium and phosphorous are also important.
Recent surveys, however, indicate that about 60 percent of men and 90 percent of women don’t get the recommended amount of calcium. Surveys also show that self-selected diets also provide less than the recommended intake allowance for magnesium for a significant percentage of adults and teens.
Lower intakes of calcium and magnesium have been accompanied by a large increase in the consumption of non-diet sodas. Twenty years ago, the average teen drank as much milk as soda. Today, teens average twice as much soda as milk. Recent surveys have shown a rise in soda as the beverage of choice among many adults and teens.
Last fall, the Center for Science in the Public Interest publicized concerns that kids are guzzling too much “liquid candy” in the form of non-diet sodas at the expense of foods that are important for healthy bone growth. The average teen male drinks three cans of soda a day; the average teen girl drinks two.
These concerns are well founded. Studies at the Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center and other laboratories have shown that large amounts of fructose, the major sweetener in soft drinks, upsets the balance of minerals needed for healthy bones.
We found that when young men in their 20s and 30s downed 4 ½ cans of non-diet soda every day for six weeks, it upset their balance of major bone minerals; they retained less calcium and lost more phosphorous than they ate. The effect on the bone minerals was greatest when the diets were also low in magnesium.
There is a way to have sodas and keep the fizz in your bones. One or two sodas a day may be okay. However, people also need to eat foods that are rich in calcium and magnesium.
Milk and milk products are excellent sources of calcium and phosphorous. Calcium is also found in sardines, clams, oysters, and canned salmon. Dark green leafy vegetables, such as kale, collards, turnip greens, mustard greens and broccoli are good sources of both calcium and magnesium. Seeds, nuts, legumes, and cereal grains are additional sources of magnesium.
Carbonated drinks have a place, but in moderation. However, to assure healthy bones and quality of life, we must pay attention to the other beverages we drink and the foods we eat.
This news on calcium bone health is shared with you by Nutrition Breakthroughs, a provider of natural health articles and effective natural remedies since 2001. Nutrition Breakthroughs makes the original calcium and magnesium based sleep aid Sleep Minerals II, as well as Joints and More, the natural solution for joint relief, aches and pains and stronger hair and nails.
Vitamin C is a vital nutrient for health. Although most animals can make vitamin C from scratch, humans have lost the ability and must get it from food, chiefly fresh fruits and vegetables. Recent research studies are showing many health benefits for vitamin C.
Some of the top sources of vitamin C foods are strawberries, tomatoes, cherries, guavas, parsley, bell peppers, citrus fruits, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and white potatoes.
Vitamin C helps maintain blood vessels, strengthens bones and teeth, heals wounds, fights infections, and supports heart and eye health. Vitamin C is a key player in the production of collagen, which is the most abundant protein in the body and is a component of muscle, joints, bone, skin, hair and nails.
The daily value (DV) of vitamin C is 60 milligrams. Daily values are developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help people determine how much they should take of vitamins and minerals. However, Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling, famous for his work with high levels of vitamin C for disease, suggests higher levels.
According to a study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, recent scientific evidence indicates an increased intake of vitamin C is associated with a reduced risk of chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and cataract, probably through antioxidant mechanisms.
An antioxidant is a nutrient that counteracts the harmful effects of oxygen in the body. An unhealthful diet, as well as the normal processes of digestion and metabolism, can produce excess oxygen which contributes to aging and disease. The key antioxidants are vitamin C and vitamin E.
A Scandinavian researcher conducted a review of 21 studies that tested between 1 and 8 grams (1,000 to 8,000 milligrams) of Vitamin C for the common cold. He concluded that “in each of the twenty-one studies, Vitamin C reduced the duration of the cold and the severity of the symptoms by an average of 23%. Even much lower amounts of vitamin C such as 100 milligrams have been found to be beneficial.
Cataracts are an eye condition where the clarity is reduced in the lens, resulting in blurred vision. Research was recently published in an eye health journal which found that high daily intakes of fruit and vegetables provided greater blood levels of vitamins C and E and decreased the frequency of cataract and cataract surgery.
According to the Linus Pauling Institute, two observational studies discovered that vitamin C from the diet is associated with better skin appearance, with significant decreases in skin wrinkling. In addition, using topical applications of vitamin C in a skin cream for several months has been shown to increase the production of collagen in skin, reduce signs of skin roughness and reduce wrinkling.
This news is shared with you by Nutrition Breakthroughs, provider of natural health articles and effective natural remedies since 2001. Nutrition Breakthroughs makes original calcium and magnesium based sleep aid, Sleep Minerals II.
Avocado and Estrogen: The Fabulous Fruit That Helps Balance Hormones in Women and Men ************************* This health news is provided by Nutrition Breakthroughs, maker of Sleep Minerals II ************************* Avocados are a healthy, creamy, tasty food, whether they sit on top of a sandwich, an omelet or a salad — or become transformed into guacamole. Avocados balance hormones, contain beneficial fats, and feature over twenty vitamins and minerals.
They are a uniquely high source of plant sterols, which is the part of the plant that corresponds to cholesterol in people. Eating plant sterols has been proven to lower cholesterol and increase heart health in several research studies from sources like the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Another key benefit of avocados is their ability to block estrogen absorption in the body. They contain key plant sterols that can reduce excess estrogen. This allows increased progesterone to be present in women and testosterone in men.
For women in menopause, it’s all about the balance between estrogen and progesterone. There’s little to no progesterone left in menopause while there’s still some estrogen. This can lead to estrogen dominance symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings and insomnia. Avocado can help to increase progesterone and create more hormonal balance. Women who eat more wholesome plant foods tend to have a far lower incidence of menopausal symptoms.
Some other causes of excess estrogen in men and women include exposure to toxins and pollutants in the environment, chemical estrogens in plastics, hormones from food, and toxic cleaning products. Eating some avocado regularly can take the edge off the toxic load and provide better hormonal balance.
Increased estrogen levels can lead to weight gain, tiredness, headaches and a lower sexual interest. Regarding excess weight, one study in the “Nutrition Journal” showed that adding half an avocado to the lunch time meal resulted in a feeling of satisfaction and a 40% reduction in the desire to eat during the 3 hours after lunch.
According to Michael Lam, M.D. who specializes in nutritional medicine: ”Plants contain over 5,000 known sterols that have progesterone enhancing effects. People who eat more wholesome plant foods have a far lower incidence of menopausal symptoms because their pre- and post-menopause levels of (hormones) do not drop as significantly.”
Avocado and estrogen: Simply adding some avocado to meals is a great way to help balance hormones — half an avocado is a good amount. Avocado oil is another concentrated form of plant sterols that can be used for cooking in any high heat application like stir-fry, bar-b-q or roasting. It also makes a great base for salad dressings and sauces. An avocado in any form is a great food for overall health and particularly good hormonal health.
This natural health news is brought to you by Nutrition Breakthroughs, a provider of health articles and effective natural remedies since 2001. Nutrition Breakthroughs makes the original calcium and magnesium based natural sleep aid Sleep Minerals II, as well as Joints and More, the natural solution for joint relief, aches and pains, stronger hair and nails, and more energy.
Are avocados good for hormones?
One key benefit of avocados is their ability to block estrogen absorption in the body. They contain healthy plant nutrients that can reduce excess estrogen. This allows for increased progesterone to be present in women and testosterone in men.
Do avocados increase estrogen?
No, in fact plant foods like avocado contain thousands of known nutrients that have progesterone enhancing and hormone balancing effects. Women who eat more wholesome plant foods have a far lower incidence of menopausal symptoms.
Cranberries are little red gems that are high in vitamins C and E and have been shown to boost immunity, fight oral bacteria, prevent and treat urinary tract infections, and improve heart and skin health.
Cranberry benefits oral health by preventing bacteria from binding to the teeth, according to Researchers at the Eastman Department of Dentistry at the University of Rochester Medical Center.
Drinking cranberry juice does this by preventing bacteria in the mouth from forming the plaque which is the cause of dental cavities.
Similarly, cranberries help prevent bacteria from adhering to the urinary tract walls, thus fighting off infections of the bladder. One research study with women who had a history of recurring bladder infections, found that daily treatment with cranberry concentrate capsules (400 mg. twice per day for three months), significantly reduced the recurrence of urinary tract infections.
Drinking cranberry juice is helpful, but its important to select a natural cranberry juice that is unsweetened or sweetened from fruit sources, rather a cranberry juice cocktail sweetened with white sugar.
Regarding white sugar, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that when healthy volunteers consumed a large amount of refined sugar, their immune system’s white blood cells had an impaired ability to destroy bacteria for at least five hours.
Other ways to get more cranberry benefits into the diet is to enjoy them in trail mixes, add frozen cranberries to smoothies, throw a few into a muffin recipe, or use dried cranberries in a salad or vegetable side dish. Cranberry powder supplements are available and may provide the most benefits.
This health news is provided by Nutrition Breakthroughs, maker of the effective natural sleep aid featuring calcium and magnesium Sleep Minerals II, and Joints and More, the natural solution for joint relief, hair growth, allergies and more energy.
Cranberries have very unique antibacterial benefits that prevent bacteria from causing dental cavities and bladder infections. The fruit and juice also benefit immunity, heart health and skin health.
Research scientists are discovering more and more ways to help people remedy insomnia and sleep better with simple nutrition and lifestyle improvements
Almost six out of ten Americans experience insomnia and sleep problems at least a few nights a week, as reported in a recent study done by the National Sleep Foundation.
Insomnia is defined as “An inability to fall asleep or remain asleep long enough to feel rested, especially when the problem continues over time.”
In an effort to combat this, as many as twenty-five percent of the people in the U.S. turn to sleep drugs. Because most people would prefer to avoid the side effects and addiction of sleep medications, research scientists have been busy studying nutritional and lifestyle approaches to getting better sleep.
Tip # 1 – We live in an electronics-oriented world, from computers, to cell phones, to texting, to reading books on tablets. These tools help increase our efficiency and ability to work and learn and communicate, but when it comes to getting good sound sleep, they can interfere.
One study from a university in New York found that exposure to light from electronic displays can suppress melatonin by about twenty two percent. Melatonin is a hormone made in the brain that helps to regulate the sleep/wake cycle. It is present in higher amounts at night. The researchers recommend shutting off all electronic devices at least one hour before bedtime and doing some relaxing things before bed.
Tip # 2 – Regarding sounder, deeper sleep resulting from taking walks, studies at the University of Arizona have found that walking more than six blocks a day at a normal pace significantly improves sleep at night for women.
Scientists suspect that walking helps to set our biological clock into a consistent sleep pattern. Walking can help increase “endorphins”, which are protein-like chemicals made in the brain that can have a relaxing effect, a pain-relieving effect, and can also reduce stress and increase well-being.
Tip # 3 – Sometimes hunger can strike at 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning and keep one awake. If this occurs, eat something with high protein such as turkey. Turkey contains tryptophan, which is an amino acid (a component of protein) that has a calming effect. According to Ray Sahelian, M.D., “Tryptophan ….can be converted at night into melatonin, the sleep-inducing hormone.”
As a note, concentrated tryptophan capsules are not recommended as they can create grogginess in the morning and take some time to wear off. Other foods that are high in tryptophan include nuts, seeds, chicken, fish, oats, beans, lentils, and eggs.
Tip # 4 – When taking natural sleep aids, it’s good to remember that each person is a unique individual and doing some experimenting with the dosage can be instrumental in achieving success. At first, err on the side of taking too little rather than too much. Another thing to keep in mind is that natural aids are not drugs and they may not work immediately with the first dose or even the first few doses. It can take up to a couple weeks to see results.
James F. Balch, M.D., author of Prescription for Nutritional Healing, writes: “A lack of the nutrients calcium and magnesium will cause you to wake up after a few hours and not be able to return to sleep.”
In one study published in the European Neurology Journal, researchers found that calcium levels in the body are higher during some of the deepest levels of sleep, such as the rapid eye movement (REM) phase. In the study, taking calcium restored normal sleep patterns.
One example of a mineral-based sleep remedy is Sleep Minerals II from Nutrition Breakthroughs. This sleep aid contains highly absorbable forms of calcium, magnesium and vitamin D. The ingredients are delivered in a softgel form with healthy carrier oils, making them more easily assimilated than capsules or tablets and providing a deeper, longer-lasting sleep.
Richard P. of Parkville, Maryland says: “The Sleep Minerals are making quite a difference. I was regularly waking up at around 3:00 a.m. and after a few days use my sleep improved quite a lot. I wake up once a night to go to the bathroom, but the great thing is, I then fall back asleep and sleep several more hours. This has been a great improvement.”
In summary, take the tips of recent research studies and take a walk each day, put the computers and cell phones away an hour before bedtime and do something relaxing, keep a high-tryprophan snack next to your bed at night, and use an effective form of calcium and magnesium before bed for a deeper, longer night’s sleep.
Rice bran oil is a heart-healthy oil that is used in cooking, salad oil and nutritional supplements.
It is extracted from the outer bran coats of rice. It is a rich source of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and essential fatty acids that help fight disease and promote good health.
Research studies have found that this oil reduces blood pressure and cholesterol, remedies menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, strengthens the immune system and protects the retina of the eye.
Rice bran oil is rich in two types of natural vitamin E and also high in Oryzanol (a word that sounds like “Original”), which is a powerful antioxidant only found in rice bran oil. Antioxidants protect our tissues from deterioration and help to slow the aging process.
One example of rice oil benefiting the heart health is a study done by a team of cardiovascular scientists in Japan. The 60-day study was conducted with 300 men and women and found that a combination of rice bran oil and sesame oil reduced blood pressure by 14 points and lowered cholesterol by 26%. The oil consisted of 80% rice bran oil and 20% sesame oil.
Menopause symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats and insomnia can plague women who are at pre-menopause or menopause. In a study of menopausal women, researchers gave the participants the active component of rice bran oil in supplement form. After four to six weeks, 90% of the women had some form of relief, with 40% claiming “excellent” improvement. The women also experienced significantly reduced cholesterol levels.
Our immune system protects and defends us from disease in all its forms. It is made up of a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body. The main cells involved are white blood cells called “leukocytes” which create antibodies that neutralize toxins and infections.
From the journal of Phytotherapy Research (phyto refers to plants) comes a study showing that rice bran oil evokes a significant increase in antibodies that greatly enhance immune activity.
Rice bran oil can help calcium to be absorbed better into the body. In a review article from “Progress in Lipid Research” (a lipid is a natural fat or oil), the authors write that healthy oils increase mineral utilization by enhancing the effects of vitamin D – a vitamin that works alongside calcium and magnesium. As a result, oils such as this can help calcium to be deposited into bone and improve bone strength.
This health news is provided by Nutrition Breakthroughs, maker of the effective natural sleep aid Sleep Minerals II. This sleep remedy features calcium, magnesium and vitamin D, all mixed with rice bran oil in a highly absorbable softgel.
Kimberly B. of Troy, Michigan gives her review and says: “I have been taking Sleep Minerals II for about a month now. I have tried everything out there and this supplement is amazing. I have suffered with insomnia for 2 1/2 years. I have also had restless leg syndrome my entire life and this is the first relief I’ve ever had…gone for a month now.”
Have a look at this magnificent chart of fruits below and what they heal. Whether its grapefruit for urinary tract infections, blueberries for diabetes, watermelon for reducing blood pressure, or pomegranate for women’s hormone health.
This health information is brought to you by Nutrition Breakthroughs, maker of the effective natural sleep aid Sleep Minerals II, and Joints and More, the natural solution for arthritis, pain relief, allergies and more energy.
Vitamin C is one of the most famous vitamins as it benefits so many areas of the body. It isn’t stored in the body and its highest sources are fresh vegetables and fruits.
