An Overview of the B5 Vitamin

The B5 vitamin is also known as Pantothenic Acid. The B5 vitamin is the most prolific of all the vitamins and is found in every type of food. In fact, it is impossible for a person to consume less B5 vitamin than they need. That means that there is no little possibility that a person can have a B5 vitamin deficiency. For this reason, there is actually no recommended daily amount that health professionals can state as everyone obtains more than enough from their normal food consumption. However, even though there is no need to calculate a recommended daily allowance it does not mean that the B5 vitamin is not vital for a healthy body and mind. In fact, the B5 vitamin is essential for turning food into energy amongst other functions. The B5 vitamin is responsible for taking the fats and carbohydrates into energy.

 

Some B5 vitamin can be found in almost every food whether it is animal or vegetable. Obviously there are some sources of the B5 vitamin that are better than others but a balanced diet will provide more than enough. The foods with the highest B5 vitamin content are organ meats, salmon, eggs, beans, milk, and whole grains. It is worth noting that the B5 vitamin is lost when grains are milled into flour and tends not to beaded back in. Therefore, processed grain foods such as bread, pasta, rice, breakfast cereal, and baked goods are not good sources of the B5 vitamin.

 

The B5 vitamin is the most effective when it is combined with other B vitamins especially thiamine or B1, riboflavin or B2, niacin or B3, pyridoxine or B6, and biotin. Along with these other B vitamins, the B5 vitamin is an integral part in a number of processes. The most important of these is the production of energy from food that is consumed and this is known as the Krebs cycle. The B5 vitamin is also required for releasing energy from fats. 

 

Interestingly, the B5 vitamin is also considered to be helpful in reducing stress. This is chiefly due to the fact that during periods of stress, the body produces more of certain hormones such as adrenalin and these require the B5 vitamin. There are many theories as to the benefits of the B5 vitamin but there is no need for the majority of people to actively seek out foods that are high in B5 as they are likely to be consuming far more than is needed already. There are no adverse effects to consuming too much B5 vitamin.

Amazing Antioxidants

Antioxidants are being recognized by the medical profession as one of the best supplements to help the body fight off the ravages of free radical damage. Though most fresh fruit and vegetables contain antioxidants, some are far superior then others, and fruits from the rainforest seem especially blessed. The acai berry for example is packed so full of antioxidants it is rightly called a superfood! Read on!

The prefix 'anti' means against, in opposition to, or corrective in nature. In this case, the 'anti' in antioxidant describes the effect these chemicals have against oxidants.  

 

Oxidants, usually referred to as 'free radicals' are produced as a natural by-product of the millions of biochemical processes undertaken by the body every minute. The same life-giving oxygen that supports all the functions of the body creates these harmful by-products which cause cell damage, usually to DNA, fats and proteins.  

 

Free radicals also enter the body through external influences such as exposure to the sun, pesticides and other kinds of environmental pollution. In addition, their levels are increased by mental and physical stress, the consumption of alcoholic beverages, unhealthy foods, and cigarette smoke. 

 

In much the same way as oxidation causes rust on cars, oxidation inside the body causes a breakdown of cells. If the amount of free radical oxidation in the body is allowed to rise to an unhealthy level, it can result in extensive damage to cellular components and can accelerate the ageing process.  

 

More importantly, it may contribute to a wide range of degenerative illnesses and reduce the body's ability to deal with other problems, including cardiovascular malfunction, eye disease, and cancer. 

 

Additionally, it may result in a compromised immune system, leading to immunological disorders and a lessening of the body's ability to heal wounds and overcome infections. Some studies indicate possible links to arthritis and similar chronic conditions.  

 

Antioxidants counter these effects by binding with free radicals before they can cause damage. They then convert them into non-damaging biochemical substances, assisting enormously with the reparation of cellular damage.  

 

Certain antioxidant enzymes are produced within the body. The most well-known of these are catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione: 

 

Catalase coverts hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen.  

 

Superoxide dismutase breaks antioxidants down into hydrogen peroxide. 

 

Glutathione is a detoxifying agent, changing the form of toxins so that they are easily eliminated by the body.  

 

Other antioxidants can be consumed through the diet. Some of the better known include the antioxidant vitamins beta-carotene, vitamin B6, vitamin C and vitamin E.  

 

Minerals such as selenium, zinc, glutathione and co-enzyme Q10 may also have antioxidant properties, and so may flavonoids such as cranberry, some amino acids, plus organic extracts from milk thistle and the tree known as ginkgo biloba.  

 

A diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables provides a large supply of these anti-oxidants, to help eliminate damaging free radicals. The highest concentrations are found in fruits and leafy green vegetables, such as carrots, orange and red peppers, spinach and tomatoes. 

 

Cooking can destroy some antioxidants and interfere with the body's ability to absorb them, so eating raw vegetables and fruit, and including sprouts in the diet can help. Steaming vegetables as opposed to frying, microwaving or boiling is also a good idea. 

 

Antioxidants are best taken in combination, since single antioxidants, such as vitamin E, need other vitamins in order to work as an effective antioxidant. Food and natural supplements may therefore provide the most bio-available source of antioxidants. Natural products from the rain forests of the world are some of the best sources of natural antioxidants ever found. Fruits like the acai berry are amazing the health world because of the wide range and high number of antioxidants they contain, making them a perfect source of antioxidants. It’s no wonder that the acai berry has been dubbed one of the top 10 superfoods in the world.  To read more about the marvellous acai berry and other natural rain forest health products visit 

http://www.natural-health-from-the-rainforest.com/acai-berry.html.

Advices about Diet to Reduce Rheumatic Pain and Inflammatory Conditions

Inflammation is a major component in most Rheumatic pain conditions or rheumatic diseases, therefore it is advisable to eat a good amount of food that reduces inflammation and reduce  the consumption of food that contains  inflammatory agents. Here are some simple dietary advices that may help reduce rheumatic conditions:

 

Things You Should Eat To Reduce Rheumatism

 

Fish, especially fat fish, fish oil, olive oil, walnut oil and raps oil should be a part of your diet. The fat in these types of food, omega-3-poly-unsaturated fat or omega-9-poly-unsaturated fat, reduces inflammation. However, if you add these type of oils to your diet, you should reduce the intake of other types of fat, so that you do not get too much fat.

 

You should also eat much vegetables, since also these make a body chemistry that reduce inflammation.

 

Things You Should Not Eat Too Much Of

 

Do not consume much soya oil and corn oil, since these types of fat increase inflammation. Most food you buy that is ready to eat from the factory or restaurant contain these types of fat. You should therefore reduce the consumption of food you do not cook yourself.

 

Bread, cereals and products  made of corn or cereals also increase the inflammation response, especially if they contain wheat. Wheat causes a special type of inflammation in the intestines called celiac disease in some individuals, but may also trigger inflammation  of non-celiac type. However, full-corn cereals and full-corn bread are valuable types of food, so you should not stop eating them. But if you eat bread or corn products at every meal, you should reduce your intake of these and eat more potatoes, beans and peas.

 

Things You Should Ideally Not Eat At All

 

You should absolutely not consume fat that has been chemically altered to give it another consistence. This type of fat has a very negative effect on the health and may be very potent inflammatory agents. Margarine, snacks, fast food and ready-made cakes or cookies often contain this kind of fat. Unfortunately this type of fat is also often added to bread. A good idea could be to bake your bread yourself.

Addictive Foods and their Harmful Consequences

Most of us are fond of at least one product that has the effect of a stimulant and that eventually becomes an addiction. These products include exercise stimulant drinks (they come in cans and look like cola), fizzy aerated drinks, tobacco, betel nut, betel leaf, strong coffee, strong tea, mahuang (an ephedrine-like compound consumed in china), and alcohol.

 

Before I tell you why we shouldn’t consume these products, I’d like to deal with the question of why we do consume them in the first place.

 

There’s no one who doesn’t know that products like these, consumed in excess, can severely harm our bodies. Yet, we still find them hard to resist. The need to eat stimulant food is a simple human weakness that has existed for ages: humans (and many animals) have always indulged in foods that give a sort of emotional high. In clinical terms, this means rapid heartbeat, a little sweating, dilation or constriction of the pupils of the eye, a warm flush on the face, and a sense of greater sensitivity, concentration and perception.

 

These sensations of ‘high’ die down within a few hours, and we are left feeling listless and low. This leads to a craving for that food again, to experience the high one more time. And there we are going round and round in a vicious circle.

 

The physiology of addictions is as follows:

 

When you eat an addictive food, it stimulates the hormone like substances found at the end of your nerves, which triggers an avalanche of similar stimulatory substances and you experiences a high. As the substances near the nerves are depleted, you get into the low phase, which leads you to crave that food again. This yo-yo phase of nerve stimulation and depletion leads to a pattern of addiction.

 

Consuming addictive foods is one of the oldest unhealthy food practices and, despite a revolution in health consciousness; it shows no signs of dying out.

 

Below are some side effects of certain addictive foods.

 

Alcohol Addiction: Erosion of stomach and intestinal lining, liver damage, nutritional deficiency.

 

Tobacco: Erosion of gum and tongue can lead to cancer of the buccal mucosa.

 

Betel nut: Leads to the discoloration of teeth, erosion of the lining of the mouth, and cancer of the mouth and upper tract. It also leads to heart problems among people who already have a weak heart.

 

Ma huang: It contains ephedrine and leads to heart problems.

 

Aerated drinks: High doses of caffeine.

 

Caffeine and xanthine: Found in tea, coffee. These become harmful only in very high doses; don’t consume more than five cups a day.

 

Mixed drug reactions: People who consume medications for the heart, hypertension and asthma have to be very careful about the interactions of the drugs with stimulant foods, as mixing the two can be fatal. After years of experience, all doctors know how difficult it is to break the food addictions of their patients. So like them, I can only advise a good compromise. If you can’t break the addiction, then at least you should practice moderation.

Acid Vs Alkaline Diet

In this article, I will answer the question of ‘acid vs. alkaline diet; which is the best?’

Well, ok, it’s quite obvious from where I’m sitting; I mean who wants to say their body is mostly acid? But, what are the benefits of having an alkaline diet, over an acid diet?

Our body’s internal system needs a PH of just above 7.0; our immunologic, enzymatic and repair mechanisms all function at their best in this alkaline range.

If our body becomes over acidic, i.e. under a PH of 7, you may start to experience a combination of these symptoms:

 

• Low energy, fatigue
• Nasal congestion
• Hives
• Muscle Pain
• Weak nails, dry skin, dry hair
• Frequent colds, flu and infection
• Headaches

 

If you have these symptoms and eat foods which create acid in the body, you may need to balance it with an alkaline diet.

 

What foods cause acid in the body?

 

There is a whole list of foods that cause the body to be over-acidic: dairy and dairy substitutes, animal meat, most grains, chickpeas, condiments, aspartame, prunes, chocolate, peanuts, alcohol and quite a few other types of foods. 

 

To balance your PH, the remedy is simple and logical; eat more alkaline causing foods.

 

To name but a few of these foods, there is; watermelon, lime, mango, most vegetables, vegetable juices, almonds, sprouts, avocados and green tea. 

 

When you’re body becomes more alkaline, the changes that will take place are truly amazing! It will seem magical, but it’s all perfectly normal. You will feel how we all have the right to feel, we just don’t know it.

 

Benefits include:

• Rapid weight loss
• Increased energy
• The need for less sleep
• Improved skin and hair condition
• Better mental attitude

 

Are these benefits worth pursuing? I think so, and you are crazy if you don’t agree with me! Fortunately, it is not hard to slowly alkalise your body. Take it one day at a time, add more and more green food to your diet, reduce the number of cups of coffee you have every day and you’ll soon reap the benefits.

About Omega 3 Fish Oils

Question: What’s all the fuss about Omega 3 fish oils? What do they do for my body?

 

Answer: Omega 3 fish oils are a substance that can be found in the bodies of fish. However, eating fresh fish is no longer recommended. The mercury levels that are prevalent in almost all fresh fish these days can be very detrimental to your health. However, companies have manufactured fish oil that is mercury free by processing the oils that naturally occur in the fish. Omega 3 is a type of fat that is essential for human health. Omega 3 contains two fatty acids that benefit the human body greatly, which are known as DHA and EPA. 

 

These fatty acids have been linked to helping prevent heart disease, cancer, and many other diseases. DHA is also required by the human brain. Low levels of DHA in the brain have been linked to depression, schizophrenia, memory loss, and an increased chance of being stricken with Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, the regular and repeated consumption of Omega 3 fish oils can greatly help affect the quality of your life for the better. 

 

The American Heart Association recommends the use of fish oils to help your hearts performance as long as you keep your dosage under 3 grams per day, suggesting an amount roughly between 0.5 to 1.8 grams per day. Clinical trials conducted have shown that Omega 3 fish oils can reduce cardiovascular events including heart attacks, strokes, and even death.

 

Also, research has shown that fish oils can help decrease the risk of arrhythmias, decrease triglyceride levels, decrease the growth rate of atherosclerotic plaque, and even slightly lower blood pressure! With all these facts, there is no doubt that the regular and responsible use of Omega 3 fish oils from supplements can be of great benefit to your health.

A Juicy, Fun Way To Take Your Vitamins

While kids want great taste, you want to give them the vitamins, minerals and fibre their growing bodies need. Serve watermelon and you can both be happy.

 

Watermelon is a fun, nutritious way to make sure active kids don't get dehydrated; it's 92 percent water. 

 

A two-cup serving of watermelon is an excellent source of vitamins A, B6 and C, and it provides 7 percent of the recommended daily value of potassium, with only 80 calories. 

 

Watermelon is fat-free and also contains fibre. It’s beautiful red colour comes from all-natural lycopene, an antioxidant that can help keep kids' bodies healthy. 

 

Watermelon can be eaten at any meal, breakfast, lunch or dinner, and it's a wonderful snack for the whole family. Delicious on its own, watermelon is a fantastic ingredient in recipes, too. Previously just a summertime treat, tasty watermelon is now available year-round.

 

A watermelon carving makes a great addition to a kids' party buffet, and the birthday boy or girl can help make it. The salad inside can be as simple as a mixture of blueberries, seedless green grapes and balls of watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew melon. It's colourful and kids love it.

 

Carving Instructions for Watermelon Fish

 

Slice 1/4 inch off the bottom lengthwise to provide a stable base. 

 

With a melon baller, cut half circles over half the top of the watermelon in a rectangular shape, remove and set aside. This piece will be used for the top fin and tail. 

 

Scoop out the flesh.

 

Cut out the tail shape and the melon balled fin-piece from the rectangular piece set aside earlier. Attach the fin and tail with sturdy, round toothpicks.

 

Cut out eyes using a melon baller. Trim around the outside of the eye socket, then place it back in, rind side out.

 

For the mouth, point a paring knife at a downward angle above the stem and slice through 3 inches on either side of the stem, cutting through the rind. Push out the mouth from the inside. For the side fin, cut 3 cuts into the side using the melon baller to make the curves on the back of the fin. Then slice straight cuts to form the top and bottom of the fin.

A Healthy Guide to Good Nutrition

Whether you are at your ideal weight or striving to reach your weight goal is it simply a matter of burning more calories than you take in? The answer, I suggest, is no! Overall body health improvement as well as weight gain or loss must be factored in to the equation or you could be heading for problems. Correct nutrition can help to reduce the risk of a myriad of health-related problems, the most frightening of which are surely heart disease and cancer. Proper nutrition, however, entails eating many different foods, monitoring your consumption of some food and beverage items, and counting calories. Good diets offer balanced nutrition that reduces cholesterol, blood pressure, and helps with weight control.

 

To function properly, your body must have the correct combination of nutrients:

 

Carbohydrates. They are the primary source of ammunition in your diet. The body uses carbohydrates to build glucose which can be used immediately or stored in your body for later. Too much glucose, however, is stored as fat. There are two types of carbohydrates - simple and complex. Sugars are simple carbohydrates. Starches and fibres are complex carbohydrates.

 

Proteins. Proteins help your body build and maintain muscles and other tissues. They also function in the creation of hormones. Like carbohydrates, excess protein is stored as fat. 

 

Animal and vegetable are the two major types of proteins. Too much animal protein can cause high cholesterol, as it is high in saturated fat.

 

Fat. Strange as it may seem; fat is another nutrient your body requires. It comes in both saturated and unsaturated forms. Saturated fat puts you at risk of health problems. Unsaturated fat is healthy, but if it goes through any type of refinement process, it can become saturated fat.

 

Vitamins. These are also required nutrients. Different vitamins perform different tasks within the body. They can work with the metabolism to help with energy levels for any task you can think of that you need your body to perform. It has also been noted that certain vitamins can prevent disease. 

 

For example, vitamins A, C, and E, also called antioxidants, can assist with the prevention of coronary artery disease by keeping build up from occurring on artery walls. Vitamin B-1 is needed for digestion and proper nervous system function. Vitamin B-2 is needed for normal cell growth. Vitamin B-3 helps to detoxify your body. Folic acid assists with production of red blood cells. Vitamin D assists with the absorption of calcium. Vitamin K helps your blood clot. 

 

Minerals and trace elements. These are another nutrient your body requires. Both are used in many different body processes. Minerals like chlorine help make your digestive juices. Phosphorus helps build strong bones. Both can be found in the foods we consume, but with a trace element, your body just needs a tiny amount. Salt is one final nutrient your body requires. You should not consume more than 2400 milligrams per day, though, as it might raise your blood pressure. 

 

You should follow several guidelines to create a well-balanced, nutritional diet. First, try to consume two and one half cups of vegetables and two cups of fruit each day. When making your selections for each day, be sure to choose a good variety. A good rough guide is to eat as many different colours as possible, this will help you to select from all five vegetable subgroups at least four times per week.

 

You should eat at least three ounces of whole grain products each day. At least half of your grain intake should be whole grain based. Milk should also be part of a healthy diet. Consume at least forty-eight ounces of low fat milk or milk products on a daily basis. Your total fat intake should only be between ten and thirty percent of your calories. Most of the fats you consume should be in the form of unsaturated fats, as saturated fats can do much to damage your health. Meat, poultry, dry beans, and milk or milk products should all be lean, low-fat, or fat-free. Less than ten percent of your calories should come from saturated fats, and you should always try to avoid trans-fatty acid.

 

Fibre-rich fruits, vegetables and whole grains should be a regular part of your diet as should potassium rich foods. Alcoholic beverages should only be consumed in moderation.

 

Excellent nutrition is the basis of a healthy diet.

A Colon Detox Can Improve Your Colon Health

If you would like a healthy colon then you need to read about the best colon cleanse methods.

 

A healthy colon is a vital part of a healthy body.  The colon, along with the small and large intestines, are a major area where the nutrients in food are absorbed.  If the colon is not clean, it cannot fulfil this important task.  Not only that, the impacted faecal material that builds up in the colon and intestines releases toxins into the bloodstream.  You are in effect getting toxins instead of nutrients - not a very good trade.

 

Symptoms that a colon detoxification might be in order include tiredness, PMS, headaches, and of course, constipation.  There are a variety of ways colon cleansing can be done, including colonic irrigation, enemas, dietary fibre, and laxative herbs.  These methods can help, but each has negative points.

 

Another natural option for colon health is to use an oxygen based colon cleanser.  This method uses magnesium oxide that has been treated with oxygen and ozone.  This substance will react with the hydrochloric acid in the stomach to release oxygen.  The oxygen gets into the bloodstream to nourish all parts of the body, but it does more than that.  It also nourishes the favourable bacteria that live in the digestive tract.

 

Unfavourable bacteria in the digestive tract will give you vomiting, diarrhoea, and cramps. Favourable bacteria compete with the unfavourable ones for living space.  An oxygen based colon detox will encourage those good microbes, for better all-around health.  So how exactly does it work?

 

An oxygen based colon health product creates a chemical reaction that releases oxygen and melts the impacted material in the intestines and colon into gas and liquid.  It will make you need to stay close to a bathroom for a day or so while you eliminate the material from your colon, but you will feel much better afterwards.

 

Look for an oxygen based colon detox product that is available in a capsule form.  Make sure it does not include ascorbic acid among the ingredients because ascorbic acid is an antioxidant.  An antioxidant will undo the good that could be done by the oxygen.  A good ingredient to look for, however, is GE-132.  This is the germanium-132, which is good for the health of the immune system.  It also facilitates and adds oxygen.  It is considered to be a nutrient that is helpful for many ailments.

 

Cleansing the colon can help with weight loss.  Many people who have eaten an average diet for years have accumulated ten to twenty pounds of impacted faecal matter in their colons.  An oxygen based colon cleanse will help the body eliminate this material, resulting in a quick loss to jump start your weight loss plan.  Follow up the cleanse with reasonable portions of healthy natural food.  You should have enough energy after the cleanse to start an exercise program, too.