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Nutrients to Look for in Brain Supplements and Vitamins

Feb 172011

Unfortunately, many people believe a progressive decline in overall brain function is a unavoidable part of aging. This degenerative process causes us to lose our short-term memory and abstract reasoning ability. It also may make concentration or learning new information difficult.

Many neurological diseases are also directly related to aging such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. But, research is showing that there are things we can do to slow or stop this process. High quality brain supplements can be very helpful.

- Vitamin B Supplements

A healthy diet should provide you with all the vitamins that are needed by the body. But at times of stress and fatigue, the body gets depleted of Vitamin B. This deficiency prevents the functioning of acetylcholine. Vitamin B also helps carry oxygen to the brain and this does away with harmful free radicals. Some natural foods like liver, eggs, soybeans, lentils, and green beans are rich in Vitamin B. Vitamin B Supplements also help to boost the level of these vital vitamins in the body.

-Omega 3s in Fish Oil

-Vitamin E and Blueberry Extract

-Gingko Biloba

-Phosphatidylserine

Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a phospholipid normally found in nearly every cell in your body. A phospholipid is a type of lipid. Lipids add to cell structure and are a source of fuel. In the brain PS operates in part as a communication facilitator between nerve cells.

-SAMe – Find out more about SAMe on our article about brain vitamins.

Finding the Most Effective Eye Vitamins

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Feb 112011

Why a Lutein Supplement May Be Essential

Eye health vitamins should contain the xanthophylls and other carotenoids. Zeaxanthin along with lutein provides the xanthophylls, but not the other carotenoids. Here, you will learn about carotenoids and why your eyes need them.

Carotenoids are pigments or colors found in plants. The orange colors of carrots, the yellow colors of squash and the dark green colors of kale are due to carotenoids.

In the back of each of your eyes, there is a spot called the macula. It is responsible for central vision. Peripheral vision occurs in the surrounding retina.

The macula is yellow in color, because of the xanthophylls it contains. The xanthophylls protect the macula from damage.
Other carotenoids are converted into retinol or vitamin A.

Vitamin A is needed for good vision in general. A lack of carotenoids in the diet can result in blindness. The more common problem is night blindness or difficulty seeing in low light, which often accompanies the aging process.

Taking vitamin A might seem like a better idea than taking carotenoids, which require the body to do some work to convert. The problem is that vitamin A can be toxic. Too much can kill you. Carotenoids are converted to vitamin A on an as-needed basis and the rest is discarded from the body.

Macular degeneration Prevention

The best eye vitamins contain beta-carotene, lycopene and other carotenoids to ensure that vision is good. They also contain zeaxanthin with lutein to help prevent a disease called macular degeneration.

Macular degeneration is the most common cause of age-related blindness. According to US Research to Prevent Blindness, 10 million Americans suffer from reduced vision due to age-related macular degeneration.

The Importance of Zeaxanthin and Lutein

Research has shown that dietary supplements containing zeaxanthin with lutein and other carotenoids help to prevent the condition from progressing to the point of total central blindness.

Some eye vitamins also contain bilberry extract. Bilberries contain unique antioxidants that have proven to be beneficial for improving visual acuity, near-sightedness and night vision. The nutrients work by improving the strength of the capillaries that nourish the eyes.

Leaky capillaries are a problem in one of the forms of macular degeneration. Doctors refer to it as the “wet” form. Blood and proteins leak from the blood vessels and interfere with vision. Zeaxanthin with lutein has proven to be beneficial only for the “dry” form of the condition.

There are some excellent multi-nutritional supplements that contain all of the nutrients mentioned here, as well as many others. It is not really necessary to take specialty eye vitamins, as long as you choose the right daily supplement.

Featured Product

We at advanced vitamin formulas have years of experience in reseaching and using nutritional supplements, We recommend the multivitamin formula produced by Xtend Life natural products of New Zealand. Their multivitamin, Total Balance is manufactured to the highest GMP standards within the supplement industry.

Total Balance contains important vitamins, minerals, herbal extracts, amino acids and many other nutrients which are important for overall health and specifically for eye health like Zeaxanthin, lutein, beta-carotene, lycopene and many more – over 75 other powerful vitamins and nutrients which work together to support optimal health and specifically eye health.

* Enzymes like amylase, lipase and more
* Vitamin D
* Minerals like magnesium, selenium, calcium, zinc and potassium
* Trace elements
* Carotenoids
* over 75 different nutrients

Instead of taking what may amount to handfuls of pills every day and spending hundreds of dollars a month on various supplements, another option is to take a high quality multi vitamin like Xtend-Life’s Total Balance.

From Xtend Life Chairman, Warren Matthews

“In my opinion it is definitely possible to avoid cataracts by good supplementation. Zeaxanthin, astaxanthin, lutein and various other nutrients are good for this objective. Over the years we have had many reports from customers who have had excellent results with various eye issues including cataracts using Total Balance. Total Balance has all the nutrients necessary to help maintain good eye health. I would strongly suggest that you try it.”

“I personally have my eyes checked each year and for the last 8 years there has been no deterioration at all. In fact the optometrist says they have never seen anyone of my age (over 60) whose eyes are as healthy. I totally put it down to my regime of supplements.”

Have You Considered Taking Memory Supplements?

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Feb 092011

With the prevalence of unhealthy levels of stress and highly processed food with lower nutritional value, there is plenty of evidence that nutritional supplements can be helpful in increasing your overall state of health as well as your resistance to illness and disease. The issue of what are the are the best memory supplements is one that is a continuing subject of research.

Vitamins and nutritional supplements are going through an evolution process. Using the latest research, a new generation of supplements has come into being in the last several decades.

These new supplements are sometimes called “nutraceuticals”, and are much more powerful and effective than “supermarket” vitamins, which are often still being produced using knowledge and technology from the 1950′s.

Many new nutrients have been discovered (or rediscovered) that are significantly boosting the ability of supplements to help strengthen the immune system naturally. The basic vitamins like B complex, natural vitamin E and vitamins A and C are still important, but with the addition of additional powerful antioxidant nutrients, protection against colds and flu, as well as more serious degenerative diseases may be greatly enhanced.

Memory Supplements – Nutrients and Herbs to Enhance Brain Function and Memory

Ginkgo biloba comes from the most ancient tree known to humankind and is one of the most popular herbal medicines in Europe. It has been shown in clinical research studies to increase the oxygen content in the brain and throughout the body. Ginkgo biloba is sometimes used for depression usually in conjunction with other herbs and nutrients known to help the condition.

Much of the research done on ginkgo validates the positive effect it has on cognitive performance and memory. Research has shown that older adults, people with age related brain impairment, and people experiencing Alzheimer’s disease may experience benefits from ginkgo.

Because it appears to enhance blood circulation to the brain, ginkgo is an effective and popular ingredient in herbal supplements for Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Ginkgo increases brain levels of adenosine triphosphate, which is present in abundance in healthy people, and also protects the nervous system and brain by neutralizing the effects of stress and toxins. Ginkgo combine with other mood supporting herbs like ginseng, passionflower, valerian and hops can be helpful with reducing stress induced anxiety and depression.

Ginkgo can be found as an herbal remedy in pill or liquid (tincture) form and usually the standard dosage is around 40 milligrams. For specific issues like depression, it can be helpful to combine different herbs and nutrients to enhance the overall beneficial effect.

Precautions for Gingko Biloba Usage

The main precaution with this herb is connected to its blood thinning effect. People who are on some type of blood thinner like aspirin or a prescription medication blood thinner should consult their health care provider before using ginkgo.

To protect yourself from the negative effects of depression, natural remedies and nutritional supplements can be used along with other natural tactics like biofeedback, diet changes and physical exercise.

Being one of the most well researched and popular herbs in use today, ginkgo biloba may well be one of many memory supplements. Another example is the nutrient SAMe. SAMe is prescribed often iin many European countries because of its well known benefits for fighting depression. Low levels of SAMe are found in people suffering from Alzheimer’s. Current research indicates that the nutrient is beneficial for treating Alzheimer’s disease and for preventing free radical damage that leads to loss of memories and dementia.

Featured Product

After years of experience with nutritional supplements, we at advanced vitamin formulas recommend the multivitamin formula produced by Xtend Life natural products of New Zealand. Their multivitamin, Total Balance is manufactured to the highest standards within the supplement industry.

Total Balance contains important vitamins, minerals, herbal extracts, amino acids and many other nutrients which are important for overall health and specifically for brain and memory health like SAMe (S-Adenosylmethionine), ginkgo biloba, bacopa extract, green tea extract and many more – over 75 other powerful vitamins and nutrients which work together to support optimal health.

* Enzymes like amylase, lipase and more
* Vitamin D
* Minerals like magnesium, selenium, calcium, zinc and potassium
* Trace elements
* Carotenoids
* over 75 different nutrients

Instead of spending hundreds of dollars a month on various supplements and taking what may amount to handfuls of pills every day, another option is to take a high quality multi vitamin like Xtend-Life’s Total Balance.

Learn About the Health Protecting Advantages of Green Tea Supplements

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Feb 042011

Unique Antioxidants in Tea Provide Powerful Health Benefits

Green tea supplements may be beneficial for a variety of health problems. They can also be used to support good health by helping to prevent free radical damage. So, whether you are healthy or ill, the benefits should be of interest to you.

The beneficial leaves come from the camellia sinensis plant, also known as the common tea plant. The leaves are green, because they are not oxidized.

The process used to turn the leaves black is called fermentation, although it is not the type of fermentation used to make alcoholic beverages. The fermentation process causes the caffeine content to increase. The leaves develop a somewhat stronger taste and the oxidation causes the loss of some of the antioxidants.

Powerful Cell Protecting Antioxidants and Catechins in Tea

Both black and green camellia sinensis leaves contain some antioxidants. But the black varieties do not contain the high concentration of catechins. The catechins have antioxidant activity and are responsible for the bitter taste.

Other nutrients found in the greener leaves include carotenoids and tocopherols. Carotenoids are pre-cursors of Vitamin A. Tocopherols include vitamin E, alpha-tocopherol. The minerals chromium, manganese, selenium and zinc may also be present, along with vitamin C.

The nutritional content and the antioxidants in tea leaves vary from one leaf to another and from one season to another. The quality of the soil has an effect on the nutritional content, as does the amount of processing used.

It is for those reasons that the better supplement manufacturers choose to use a standardized concentrated extract. Verification of the catechin content is important to ensure we get the full health benefits. The best supplements provide 48mg of catechins per dose.

Benefits that have been seen in laboratory and clinical studies include a reduction of stomach problems and headaches. The leaves have been used historically to treat vomiting and diarrhea.

The antioxidants in tea seem to be helpful for weight loss. Some studies indicate the benefit has to do with increased metabolic activity. Your body burns more calories, making it easier to lose weight.

A reduced risk of various kinds of cancer is associated with supplementation. This benefit is probably due to the antioxidant activity.

The supplement may help prevent Parkinson’s, heart disease, kidney stones and dental cavities. Several studies indicate the catechins can help protect against skin damage caused by exposure to UV light.

Many people find that green tea helps improve their mental clarity and function. That may be due to the amino acid theanine or some of the other nutrients contained in the teas.

In addition to the single-ingredient green tea supplements on the market, you can also find multi-nutritional compounds that contain the catechins. The multi-nutritional formulas provide more value for your money. We at advanced-vitamin-formulas.com use and recommend the multi-nutrient supplement produced by Xtend-Life Natural Products called Total Balance.

Tips for Choosing High Quality Dietary Supplements

Because the supplement industry has an excellent track record of safety there’s not a lot of government oversight on the production of nutritional supplements. The quality of the ingredients used may vary greatly.

The industry essentially “polices” itself by voluntarily adhering to manufacturing requirements known as good manufacturing practices or GMP. Look for manufacturers who can prove that they adhere to current good manufacturing practices (GMP)

An independent research testing lab which randomly tests supplement products currently on the market has verified that supplements don’t always contain the true amount of active ingredients as stated on the label. Not only that, but at times contaminants are also found to be present.

Even though it may take some extra effort, but we believe it’s worthwhile to put in your “due diligence” when choosing a nutritional supplements. Find a company you can trust who discloses all the information concerning the ingredients they use as well as the research which is the basis of their supplement formulas.

A company that produces high quality supplements which meet all of the requirements above is Xtend-Life Natural Products.

Their multivitamin supplement, Total Balance, is the most complete nutritional supplement we’ve found so far. For example, not only does it contain green tea, it also contains other important nutrients for weight loss, healthy metabolism and heart health (and overall health) like alpha lipoic acid, L-carnosine, N-acetyl cysteine and coenzyme Q10. Plus much more…

* Enzymes – amylase, lipase and more
* Herbs like green tea and ginkgo biloba
* Vitamin D
* Minerals like magnesium, selenium, calcium, zinc and potassium
* Trace elements
* Carotenoids
* Amino acids
* over 75 different nutrients

Rather than spending hundreds of dollars a month on various supplements and taking handfuls of pills every day, another option is to take a high quality multi vitamin like Xtend-Life’s Total Balance.

What are the Possible Benefits of a COQ10 Supplement?

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Feb 042011

Coenzyme q10 Benefits can provide help for many different health conditions.

Co Q10 is also called ubiquinone, a name which signifies its widespread distribution in the human body. This is a very important nutrient for energy production. The latest research has shown that
CoQ10 is used by the body to convert food into ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which is another name for the energy which runs the body.

Some of the possible health benefits of co q10 supplementation include heart health, carbohydrate metabolism enhancement for diabetics, migraine relief and it has been shown to slow the rate of progression in Parkinson’s disease by over 40% in some cases.

We just added a new page about the benefits of Coenzyme q10

check it out here –> Coenzyme q10 Benefits

Discover the Powerful Benefits of Lutein for Eyes

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Jan 262011

Learn More About This Vision Protecting Antioxidant

Some optometrists recommend taking lutein for eyes. Most suggest a combination of nutrients to provide the greatest benefit.

The benefits we are talking about include a decreased risk of various age-related eye diseases. Glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and cataracts are the three most common. Age-related macular degeneration is the number one cause of blindness in the elderly.

Those diseases may be preventable. In fact, a growing body of evidence indicates that all of the so-called age-related diseases are preventable.

It takes a healthy lifestyle and a healthy diet. But there is no doubt that striving for optimum nutrient intake helps a great deal.

We know that good nutrition is important, because we can look at individuals and societies that have very little disease. What we always see is that the healthiest people are the ones who get the greatest variety of nutrients in their diet.

There are people who say that you can get all of the nutrients you need through diet alone. They say that supplementation is unnecessary for otherwise healthy people. To be blunt, those people are wrong.

If you did not take a lutein supplement, you would need to eat a serving of kale every day. Even if you love kale, that is hard to do.

There is also a vast difference in the nutrient content of kale and other lutein-rich foods. It depends on the quality of the soil, the amount of rain, the use of pesticides, the season of the year and the freshness of the vegetable.

Zeaxanthin with Lutein

Then there is the issue of the other nutrients that are needed for continued eye health. Zeaxanthin, the bioflavonoids found in bilberry, molybdenum, beta-carotene, glucosamine and L-carnosine are the other nutrients recommended specifically for eye health.

It is pretty easy to find a zeaxanthin and lutein supplement. But in order to get all of those other nutrients, you could end up taking a handful of pills every day. Luckily, there are some well-designed multi-nutritional supplements that include everything you need.

What follows is some information for those of you who want to know why those nutrients are so important.
Zeaxanthin and lutein are present in the macula in high concentrations. People with macular degeneration typically have low blood levels of those nutrients.

The bioflavonoids in bilberry extract support blood flow to the eyes. The extract has been shown to improve near-sightedness and reduce night blindness.

Deficiency of molybdenum is known to play a role in the development of cataracts. Research has shown that supplementation helps to reduce the risk of cataracts in susceptible individuals.

Beta-carotene is pro-vitamin A, a nutrient essential for good vision. Studies show that supplementation reduces the risk of age-related macular degeneration.

Glucosamine is found in several structures of the eyes, including the retina. Supplementation has been shown to reduce internal ocular pressure, the cause of glaucoma.

L-carnosine has also been shown to prevent cataract formation and is the only nutrient that prevents glycation. Glycation is a cause of cellular aging throughout the body.

You can take lutein for eyes. But for about the same price, you could take a good multi-nutritional formula. The choice is yours.

Featured Product

We at advanced vitamin formulas recommend the multivitamin formula produced by Xtend Life natural products of New Zealand. Their multivitamin, Total Balance is manufactured to the highest standards within the supplement industry, and contains not only Lutein, but over 75 other powerful vitamins and nutrients which work together to support optimal health of your eyes and throughout your whole body.

Alpha Lipoic Acid Benefits

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Jan 262011

Alpha lipoic acid benefits the liver and the heart. The nutrient has detoxifying and antioxidant activity, which makes it beneficial for all of the cells of the body. Read on to learn more.

Studies have shown that 25-50mg per day is beneficial in diabetes and diabetes associated nerve damage. It has been used successfully to improve liver circulation and treat hepatitis, jaundice, cirrhosis and other types of liver disease.

The nutrient alters carbohydrate metabolism, which is probably why it is helpful in diabetes. It could also be useful for weight management, because of that effect.

It has been used to treat certain metabolic disorders and psychiatric diseases. It is useful for various kinds of poisoning, including mercury, antimony, potassium cyanide and mushroom poisoning.

Research suggests it can help lower unhealthy cholesterol levels. In at least one experiment, it was helpful for reducing a person’s voluntary alcohol intake, suggesting it may be beneficial for alcoholism.

The nutrient helps prevent organ dysfunction. It accelerates wound healing. It has been used to treat and may help prevent heart disease. It may be useful in kidney disease, burning mouth syndrome and Alzheimer’s.

It is recommended as a daily supplement to help prevent erectile dysfunction and age-related cognitive decline. As you can see, the benefits seen in scientific studies cover practically every part of the body, from head to toe.

To date, no alpha lipoic acid side effects have been reported. Even when injected into the bloodstream, it causes no negative side effects. It is well tolerated and completely safe.

Some nutrients are toxic at high doses. The vitamins A and E are examples. Researchers believe that some antioxidants can act as pro-oxidants when too much is consumed. A pro-oxidant would act like a free radical, causing damage that leads to age-related diseases.

Research indicates that alpha lipoic acid has no negative effects on the cells. In some instances, it actually reduces oxidative stress by acting as a pro-oxidant. That is a complicated topic.

The easiest thing to remember is that it will not hurt you. While most of the alpha lipoic acid benefits are related to the antioxidant activity, it also addresses two of the other causes of cellular aging. Those causes are chronic inflammation and Advanced Glycation End-products or AGEs. It has natural anti-inflammatory activity and inhibits the formation of AGEs.

Although alpha lipoic acid benefits are quite impressive,it is not the only nutrient you need every day. Your best choice may be to look for an all natural, multi-nutritional supplement containing it. Many of the supplements on the market are synthetic. No one knows if the synthetics are as effective as the naturally occurring compounds.

We at advanced vitamin formulas recommend the multivitamin formula produced by Xtend Life natural products of New Zealand. Their multivitamin, Total Balance is manufactured to the highest standards within the supplement industry, and contains not only alpha lipoic acid, but over 75 other powerful vitamins and nutrients which work together to support optimal health.

Selecting a Multi Vitamin

Certainly one of your first steps in looking for a multi vitamin must be to check to see if the product you’re considering contains 100% of the each day value(DV) for many of the essential nutrient groups. For some nutrients like Calcium, the DV received’t all fit in a single multi vitamin, so this is one other level to take into consideration.

Additionally be aware that the daily allowance (RDA) normally displays solely the nutrient quantities neccessary to sustain life and could also be completely different from the amount wanted for theraputic health benefits.

You probably have particular health or life-style points, consider these while shopping for multi vitamins and dietary supplements. For instance, if you’re under stress on an ongoing, day by day basis, the body breaks down protein at an amazing rate, so that you might consider a specific multi vitamin formulation to deal with the issue.

If you have coronary heart or cardiovascular issues, there are multi vitamin formulas that focus on this specific area.

Some Extra Factors to Take into account:

The potency of vitamins in multi vitamin and mineral supplements can fluctuate considerably. In some circumstances there’s a alternative between pure and synthetic. The natural versions, (notably nutritional vitamins) are uaually considered to be more potent than their artificial counterparts (typically greater than double).

Companies willing to present a full disclosure and outline of their ingredients have normally put more effort and research into their product.

Synergy

In multivitamin and mineral dietary supplements the significance of synergy between vitamins cannot be overstated. Countless clinical trials have clearly established that vitamins working together can enhance their individual effectiveness up to ten fold or more.

Many nutritional dietary supplements are not scientifically formulated. They are merely “thrown together” creating an unbalanced, incomplete, and non-synergistic product, offering little or no benefit.

When designing any vitamin or mineral complement a high stage of scientific knowledge is crucial to ensure that all parts will work together without canceling each other out.

Manufacturing

It’s been verified by the unbiased product testing of consumerlab that many dietary supplements do not contain what’s stated on their label. This is due partially to the very relaxed regulatory environment governing the manufacture of dietary dietary supplements within the USA and many different countries.

Additionally many vitamin and mineral dietary supplements are mass produced for supplement suppliers on a ‘private label’ basis. This tends to create circumstances by which manufacturers will make short cuts by substituting cheaper ingredients and their clients may be unaware of it.

Security

Though most dietary supplements are pure you have to be cautious that you simply don’t take an excess of some nutrients – notably minerals. Many people inadvertently do so!

To get all of the nutrients talked about above, as well as all of the vitamins listed below -:

* Vitamin D
* Minerals, including selenium, calcium, magnesium, potassium and zinc
* Trace elements, together with iodine and molybdenum
* Enzymes, including amylase and lipase
* Other amino acids, together with ATP, arginine, lysine, proline and taurine
* Carotenoids (vegetable types of the A-nutritional vitamins)
* Natural extracts like green tea and ginkgo biloba

You could take a handful of various pills and spend lots of money each month. Or, you can use Xtend-Life’s Total Balance supplement. When you take the recommended dosage, the price is less than $50.00 per month and you get 76 different essential nutrients every day.

Why not try Xtend-Life’s Total Balance Supplement – save money, get more healthy – and perhaps even lengthen your life span. The benefits of each of the 76 different nutrients (which includes Alpha lipoic Acid) are defined in great detail at the Xtend life website. Go to their web site and learn more. It could possibly be the best thing that you ever do for your health.

All about Lycopene Benefits

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Jan 202011

Lycopene benefits may include a reduced risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and skin aging. The main benefits have to do with the nutrient’s antioxidant activity.

There are hundreds of different antioxidants in fruits, vegetables and some other foods. The bright color of the plant is often indicative of the kind of antioxidant it contains. In this case, the color is red.

Tomatoes and tomato products are the best known dietary sources. It is often said that the nutrient concentration increases with cooking, which is unusual because cooking usually reduces the nutrient content of fruits and vegetables.

If you have ever made spaghetti sauce from fresh tomatoes, you know that the seeds, skins and much of the water are discarded. So, it isn’t really that cooking increases the nutrient concentration. It is that only the lycopene-rich parts are included in sauces and pastes. Other than the skin, the richest parts are the reddest.

You might know that antioxidants are important for neutralizing free radicals. What you might not know is that some antioxidants are more powerful than others, particularly against certain free radicals.

For example, free radicals known as singlet oxygen species are produced in the skin during exposure to UV light from the sun. The antioxidant lycopene is more powerful than any other when it comes to neutralizing singlet oxygen.

You may have seen a lycopene supplement advertised as an anti-aging supplement. Depending on the ingredients it contains and how well it is designed, the supplements could actually de-age your skin. The antioxidants can repair damage that has already occurred.

When it comes to preventing cancer, most of the evidence is in the area of prostate cancer prevention. Most natural health experts and many doctors recommend that their male patients take a good lycopene supplement every day.

Major health agencies like the FDA would not agree with that recommendation. It is very hard to prove that a nutrient prevents a disease. It takes years of study just to say that it might help.

What has been proven again and again is that people who watch their weight, avoid cigarette smoking, exercise and eat a variety of fruits and vegetables seem to live longer, healthier lives.

If you are impressed by the lycopene benefits, you might be interested in a multi-nutritional formula that contains it. Instead of getting just one antioxidant, you can get them all.

Featured Product

A company that produces a Lycopene supplement which supplies all the benefits mentioned above is Xtend-Life Natural Products.

Their multivitamin supplement, Total Balance, is the most complete nutritional supplement we’ve found so far. For example, not only does it contain Lycopene it also contains other important nutrients for heart and overall health like L-carnosine, N-acetyl cysteine, green tea and coenzyme Q10.

Wishing You Good Health – The Editors
advanced-vitamin-formulas.com

Vitamin and Mineral Deficiency

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Aug 112010

Vitamin and Mineral Deficiency and Your Health

Today many health researchers believe there is overwhelming evidence that vitamin and mineral deficiency may be associated with many degenerative diseases and the condition of your health.

Some health care professionals believe a large part of the population has an inadequate intake of vitamin and antioxidant nutrients and are in the range of sub-clinical (low level) vitamin deficiency for many vitamins and nutrients.

Vitamin, mineral and other nutrient deficiencies can impair the immune system which can contribute to degenerative diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and many other illnesses. The Micronutrient Information Center can provide information on specific vitamin deficiencies.

Many people work at improving their health, eating a balanced diet and even using vitamin supplementation, yet some individuals still have vitamin deficiencies. Some of the signs of vitamin deficiency could be fatique, depression, allergies or infections that are slow to heal.

What Causes Vitamin and Mineral Deficiency?

Deficiencies of crucial minerals and vitamins can be caused by many different factors, such as not absorbing the nutrients taken in because of digestive tract disorders, lifestyle issues (alcohol, smoking, medications, over-exercising, etc.) chronic illness, age and many other factors.

Anti-nutrients

Anti nutrients are substances like sugar, food coloring, processed fats and most of the 3,000 or so food additives currently allowed in the United States.

These substances antagonize nutrients needed by the body by binding to them and rendering them useless. Other anti-nutrients tie up enzymes needed in digestion, and interfere with normal bodily functions in countless ways.

Since we’re all exposed to anti-nutrients daily this represents an important factor in developing vitamin deficiencies. By consciously limiting our exposure to these substances and using high-quality vitamin and nutritional supplements we can reduce the impact that anti-nutrients have on our health.

Pharmaceutical Drugs

Long term use of pharmaceutical drugs are another lesser-known way that we can develop nutritional deficiencies.

The Drug-Induced Nutrient Depletion Handbook, written by pharmacists, provides information on how prescription and over-the-counter drugs deplete the nutrients that the body needs to repair itself.

Statin drugs such as Prevastatin and Lovastin appear to lower the amount of CoQ10 in the body, which could be the most important nutrient needed to provide the energy to repair the heart.

The good news is that by addressing and correcting vitamin and nutritional deficiencies, you’re taking an important step toward life-long maintenance of optimal health. Taking a high quality multivitamin supplement daily may help make up for lack of adequate dietary nutrients, and can help to neutralize the effects of stress. We at advanced-vitamin-formulas.com use and recommend the professional quality supplements produced by Xtend Life of New Zealand. We especially recommend their high quality multivitamin, Total Balance.

Testing for Vitamin Deficiencies

There are many different tests for vitamin and mineral deficiencies – blood, urine, hair and even saliva. These tests are diverse and sometimes confusing to doctors as well as patients. There is some disagreement on which test best measures a particular nutrient, or what the results of the test actually mean.

Healthcare professionals who’ve incorporated nutrition into their practice rely on “eyeball” observations along with medical history, dietary analysis and lab tests to make their assessment. Naturopaths and sometimes chiropractors seem to be more familiar with this type of nutritional analysis.

Resveratrol Benefits

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Aug 112010

The potential health benefits of resveratrol have received much media coverage of late and seem to be related in large part to its antioxidant activity. So far, research has been limited to animals rather than humans, but results are promising enough that investors are pushing ahead with research in the hopes that this substance may be developed into a disease fighting, anti-aging wonder drug.

Resveratrol is one of a group of polyphenols – compounds primarily found in red wine, red grape skins, red grape juice, mulberries and in smaller amounts in peanuts. Resveratrol decreases the activity of inflammatory cytokines, which some researchers believe suggests a mechanism for reducing mortality in cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

Scientists have shown that it inhibits the replication of herpes simplex virus in laboratory research done mainly on animals. Although the mechanism of this action is not fully known, exposure to this nutrient within one hour of infection appears to be effective in arresting viral growth. Some researchers believe this suggests that resveratrol reduces production of proteins needed to regulate viral proliferation.

Animal studies have also shown that resveratrol may provide many of the benefits of a calorie restricting diet without actually having to lower caloric intake. The possibilities here have researchers encouraged about the potential of developing a pharmaceutical drug which may reduce the effect of age related degenerative diseases – in other words, an anti-aging drug. In the natural health field, some believe that including resveratrol in a high-quality multi-nutrient supplement which contains other research backed substances may also support anti-aging, disease prevention and longevity – and without the need for a prescription.

Possible Health benefits of Resveratrol may include:

Reducing the risks of atherosclerosis
lowering cholesterol levels
protection against heart disease
preventing cancer
protection from free-radical damage
alleviation of menopausal symptoms

Resveratrol in Wine

Resveratrol is found in grapes and other food like cranberries, blueberries and bilberries. In grapes, it is found in high amounts in the skins. The actual amount of this nutrient varies according to grape type and location. In the production of wine, fermentation techniques help determine the actual end amount of resveratrol. alcohol healthy

You may be familiar with what is known as the “French Paradox” . This is the theory that because the people of France tend to eat a diet of high fat foods, consume alcohol and smoke, still their rate of cardiovascular illness is much lower than in other countries in the Western world. The theory is that because the French consume red wine on daily basis this may account for the lower incidence of heart disease. The studies supporting the health benefits of red wine suggest the antioxidants in red wine called polyphenols help protect the lining of blood vessels in the heart.

When choosing Resveratrol supplements, make sure you consider the following issues:

It’s important to remember that nutrients tend to work as a team. Some of the research being done on resveratrol and other nutrients treats each nutrient as a drug which will hopefully treat one disease. As a result, many of these studies fail. A high quality multivitamin should provide a balanced selection of nutrients which can work together synergistically to support overall health. This will provide the basic raw materials needed for everyone who wants to maintain optimal health and slow the effects of aging.

Because of loose government regulations and the dizzying number of products available on the market as well as variations in the quality of supplements, this may create obstacles for people trying to locate the best vitamin, supplement or herbs.

Look for manufacturers who adhere to current good manufacturing practices (GMP). Nutritional supplements are loosely regulated as food products within the USA. Compliance to good manufacturing practice standards is strictly voluntary, so it’s important to do your own research to find companies which adhere to GMP.

Consumer lab, an independent consumer research group, has found in their tests that some supplements don’t contain the true amount of ingredients stated on the label, and sometimes they may harbor contaminants. It may take some extra effort, but we believe it’s worthwhile to do your “due diligence” when choosing a nutritional supplements.

A company that produces a resveratrol supplement which meets all of the requirements above is Xtend-Life Natural Products.

Their multivitamin supplement, Total Balance, is the most complete nutritional supplement we’ve found so far. For example, not only does it have more reservatrol than several bottles of red wine, it also contains other important nutrients for heart and overall health like L-carnosine, N-acetyl cysteine, green tea and coenzyme Q10.

Wishing You Good Health – The Editors

advanced-vitamin-formulas.com

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