True Health and True Wealth

Vitamin C

pinoyusana — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 13:22:54 +0000

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a water-soluble vitamin found in a variety of fruits and vegetables that is easily destroyed when exposed to air, heat and light.

Functions: Essential for growth and maintenance of all cells and tissues; promotes the absorption of iron in the intestines; and acts as a water-soluble antioxidant in the body.

Sources: Many fruits and vegetables, including citrus fruits, cantaloupe, strawberries, tomatoes, green and red peppers, kale, collards, mustard greens, broccoli, cabbage, and potatoes.

Deficiency: Signs of deficiency include delayed wound healing; increased susceptibility to infection; and scurvy, a condition characterized by bleeding under the skin, anemia, joint tenderness and swelling, poor wound healing, weakness, and such oral disorders as bleeding gums, tooth loss, and gingivitis.

However, because vitamin C sources are plentiful in the U.S. food supply, deficiency is rarely seen; it mainly occurs n infants fed cow’s milk only, or in people whose diets lack adequate sources of vitamin C. In addition, cigarette smokers have lower blood levels of vitamin C than nonsmokers. As a consequence, the National Research Council recommends that smokers consume at least 100 milligrams of vitamin C per day.

Excess: High intakes of 1 gram or more per day may cause nausea, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea in some people.

Vitamin E

pinoyusana — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 11:39:31 +0000

Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin not recognized as an essential nutrient until the 1960s, about 40 years after its discovery.

Function: Prevents potentially harmful oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the body, which would lead to cell damage; important in protecting red blood cell membranes from oxidation.

Deficiency: Vitamin E deficiency can cause anemia, as a result of red blood cell destruction, and nerve damage. However, deficiency is rare and mainly occurs in premature, very low-birth-weight infants and people with fat absorption disorders, such as cystic fibrosis.

Excess: Some evidence suggests that large intakes may cause increased levels of blood cholesterol and lipids.

U.S. Recommended Daily Allowances

Infants (0-12 mo.) – 5IU*
Children (1-3 years) – 10IU
Adults and Children 4 Years+ – 30IU
Pregnant or Nursing Women – 30IU

*IU= International Units

(The U.S. RDA amounts are sufficient to meet the needs of practically all healthy people.)

Vitamin K

pinoyusana — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 11:47:49 +0000

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin usually formed in the body by intestinal bacteria but also available from some plant and animal sources.

Function: Essential in the formation of prothrombin, a substance necessary for proper clotting of blood, and at least five other blood-clotting factors.

Sources: All green leafy vegetables (including lettuce, spinach, kale, and cabbage), eggs, meats, cereal grain products, fruits, and milk and dairy products.

Deficiency: Vitamin K deficiency may cause bleeding disorders in premature infants with inadequate amounts of stored vitamin K, and in people on blood-thinning medications and those with fat malabsorption syndromes.

Excess: Natural forms have no known toxic effects; large doses of the synthetic version, menadione, and its derivatives cause anemia and kernicterus, a condition characterized by jaundice, in infants.

Vitamin D

pinoyusana — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 20:04:09 +0000

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin available from some foods, as well as from sunlight.

Functions : Forms the hormone 1, 25-dihydrocholecalciferol, which aids in the absorption and metabolism of calcium and phosphorus for bone and tooth formation.

Sources : Sunlight (which stimulates vitamin D production in the skin), fatty fish, fish liver oils, vitamin D-fortified milk, egg yolk, and butter.

Deficiency : In children, vitamin D deficiency causes rickets, a disease in which weak bones lead to bowlegs, knock-knees, and other bone deformities. The disease is rarely seen in the United States because milk and other foods are fortified with vitamin D and because children usually get some sun exposure. In the elderly, especially those in extended-care facilities, vitamin D deficiency has been associated with calcium loss from bones.

Excess : High intakes may cause vomiting, diarrhea, and weight loss and lead to calcium deposits in various organs. Children are especially susceptible, but anyone can have adverse effects from high daily doses.

Vitamin A

pinoyusana — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 10:44:22 +0000

Vitamin A (retinoid) is a fat-soluble vitamin found mainly in animal foods in the vitamin form and in plant foods primarily as carotenes, substances that are formed into vitamin A chiefly in the small intestine.

Function: Essential for growth and for keeping skin and other tissues healthy; helps eyes to adapt to dim light and perceive colors; essential for normal tooth development.

Sources: Beef, chicken and pork livers; whole and vitamin A-fortified milk; cheddar cheese; butter; margarine; egg yolk; deep green, yellow or orange vegetables and fruits (including carrots, spinach, collards, broccoli, kale, nectarines, apricots, mangoes, cantaloupe, pumpkins, winter squash, turnip greens, sweet potatoes, and watermelon).

Deficiency: Vitamin A deficiency is rare in the United States; it mainly occurs among some people in developing countries. Some signs include skin changes, stunted growth, night blindness, and serious eye problems (such as drying, thickening, wrinkling, and muddy pigmentation of the mucous membrane lining the eyelid and eyeball, which eventually can destroy the eye). Inadequate intakes of foods containing vitamin A have been associated with some types of cancer, but the effect, if any, appears related to lack of carotene.

Excess: Because vitamin A is fat soluble, it is stored in the body. As a result, continued high doses (several times the U.S. RDA) have toxic effects. Signs of toxicity include dry and itching skin, headaches, and nausea and diarrhea. High vitamin A intake during pregnancy also may cause birth defects, but it is not known at what level this can occur. Excessive amounts of carotene are not known to be toxic, but will cause the skin to turn deep yellow. The color disappears when the amount of carotene in the diet is decreased.

Negative Possible Side Effects of Statin Drugs

pinoyusana — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 10:04:44 +0000

Coronary heart disease is the leading single cause of death in the United States.There are several risk factors for heart disease, including family history, high blood pressure, and high levels of LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol, but many people focus heavily on the dangers of high cholesterol. Because it can be difficult for people to keep the recommended balance between LDL and HDL (or “good”) cholesterol, many turn to medications. Statin drugs are the most commonly prescribed class of medications in the United States, and though they are very effective at reducing cholesterol production in the liver, they may not be the healthiest way to do so.

The possible side effects of statin drugs include, but are not limited to:

Fatigue
Nausea
Headache
Irritability
Constipation
Diarrhea
Insomnia
Depression
Hostility
Rapid loss of mental clarity
Amnesia
Kidney failure
Muscle aches
Muscle weakness
Tingling or cramping in the legs
Inability to walk
Destruction of skeletal muscle
Impair muscle formation
Erectile dysfunction
Temperature regulation problems
Nerve damage
Mental Confusion
Liver damage and abnormalities
Neuropathy
Cardiomyopathy
Congestive heart failure
Increased risk of cancer
Death

Certain side effects, such as memory loss, muscle pain, and diabetes are more common for women than men.

Statins can also lead to a depletion of Coenzyme Q₁₀ in the body, which is part of why statins can cause so many harmful side effects. Your cells need CoQ₁₀to function, and though the levels decline with age, statins only accelerate this process.

Though they are potentially harmful, statins show little evidence of prolonging life for men without heart disease, and women with or without heart disease. If statins are so heavily relied on, why aren’t they saving more lives?

source: http://www.myhealthyhome.com/

Hidden Danger of Over-Medication

pinoyusana — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 16:01:21 +0000

Many people have gotten used to the idea of taking a pill every time they are in pain or even feel moderately uncomfortable. There is something available over-the-counter for everything from headaches to the common cold, but in the end these medicines could be doing your body much more harm than good. Many common over-the-counter medications can be dangerous if taken to excess, or even if taken regularly over a long period of time.

Acetaminophen is the painkiller of choice for Americans, but overdoses of this medicine is one of the most common causes of poisoning in the world. Because it’s found in so many different kinds of over-the-counter products, from cold medicine to fever-reducing painkillers, it is easy for the consumer to use far more acetaminophen than they realize. Unless treated immediately, overdose can result in liver failure and death. Regular use of acetaminophen and/or ibuprofen may even lead to hearing loss.

Ibuprofen is another popular painkiller, but it is no less dangerous. Women who take a great deal of ibuprofen increase their risk of high blood pressure by as much as 78 percent. It also increases the risk of peptic ulcers. An overdose can cause loss of consciousness and seizures. Excessive use can cause serious gastrointestinal ulceration and bleeding without warning symptoms.

Aspirin is a useful blood thinner for people at great risk for heart attacks, but when healthy people take it daily “just in case,” it almost doubles their risk of being hospitalized for internal bleeding. It also increases the risk for ulcers, and increases the incidence of bleeding for those who have already had bleeding ulcers.

Dextromethorphan (DXM) is a cough suppressant that is widely known for its side effects. It has shown up in the media and is an issue for concerned parents, because many people take it recreationally for its euphoric and hallucinogenic effects. DXM is a common ingredient in many over-the-counter cold medicines, so it wouldn’t be difficult to accidentally take more than the recommended dose when combining drugs.

Prescription drugs are an even greater danger. Statistical analysis of fatalities among hospitalized patients in the United States during 1994 revealed that 76,000–137,000 deaths could be attributed to adverse drug reactions.According to this study, even if the number were 76,000 deaths, adverse drugs reactions would have ranked as the sixth leading cause of death among inpatients that year—behind cardiovascular disease, cancer, stroke, pulmonary disease, and accidental trauma.This analysis would not have included fatalities resulting from adverse drug reactions occurring outside the hospital setting, so it may have underestimated the number of deaths attributable to adverse drug reactions in that year.

source: http://www.myhealthyhome.com/

How Can Alpha Lipoic Acid Prevent Diabetes?

pinoyusana — Wed, 25 May 2011 14:29:12 +0000

Alpha Lipoic Acid is an anti-oxidants but unlike other anti-oxidants it is soluble in either fat or water. Alpha Lipoic Acid is naturally made in our body but can also be found in small amounts in some foods such as spinach and brocolli.

Alpha Lipoic Acid can lessen your blood sugar levels and kill the free radicals. In the end, there is easing of numbness, pain, tingling, burning as well as itching during nerve damages as part of the detrimental results of diabetes. This is known as the peripheral neuropathy. Certainly this ingredient will help reduce symptoms. Additionally, there are medical studies that shown taking Alpha Lipoic Acid to be a good aid on another diabetes-related condition, the autonomic neuropathy (concern nerves at the heart.)

Other vitamins and minerals beneficial:
1. Vitamin C – can neutralize free radicals with antioxidants
2. Vitamin E – can boost the antioxidants to work against specific free radicals that lead to eye damage, kidney damage and heart disease.
3. Chromium – can advance your lipid and blood glucose levels, which is opposite to rumors of it being a weight loss ingredient.

Life is good. Don’t let your efforts be put to waste! Upon getting diabetes, immediately consult a doctor. Being a “set” of related diseases, it can put an end to your healthy lifestyle.

Now, more drugs are made in order to regulate the amount of glucose or sugar in the blood. This is the right choice. Since, glucose is vital to garner bodily energy.

How else are you going maintain a healthy living?

Make no mistake about it; find the right aids on nutritional support for diabetes in one supplement!

The Benefits of Fiber and Protein

pinoyusana — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 12:01:18 +0000

Diets high in soluble and insoluble fiber are generally rich in essential nutrients. Fiber is important for maintaining digestive health. When regularly eaten as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, soluble fiber has been shown to help support healthy cholesterol levels, provided they are healthy to begin with.

Twenty-five grams of soy protein a day, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.

Soy protein is a complete protein, containing all of the essential amino acids and in a highly digestible form. Whey protein, which is also easily digestible, is an excellent source of amino acids essential for building a healthy body.

USANA Definition of Terms

pinoyusana — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 12:06:19 +0000

If you are new to a multilevel marketing, here are the definitions of terms you may want to take not with. Please note that these terms are being used at USANA.
Autoship : A convenient way to receive your products every four weeks at a discounted price.
Business Development System (BDS) : A selection of USANA training materials and business support literature that each new Distributor purchases, also referred to as the Starter Kit.
Distributor : An individual who signs a Distributor Application with USANA, which gives permission to purchase products at wholesale prices, resell the products, and enroll others who will do the same.
Preferred Customer : A retail customer who purchases products directly from USANA at wholesale prices, and does not participate as a Distributor in the USANA compensation plan.
Sponsor : The Distributor who introduced you to USANA and helped you enroll using the Distributor Application.
Upline Distributors : Those team members who have enrolled before you and are working in partnership with you to support you in building your business.
Upline Mentor : A person in your upline who is familiar with USANA’s business practices and the BDS, and is able to go through the Get Started Today Workbook with a new Distributor, give a Health & Freedom Presentation, and answer any initial questions you and your prospects may have. This person is often the same as the Sponsor.