best supplements

Have you ever waltzed into your friendly neighborhood Nutrition Store or frantically surfed the worldwide web searching for that elusive miracle pill
deluding yourself into believing that maybe
just maybe
it would somehow magically transform your so-called body into the next Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie? Or perhaps you want pecks like Arnold. Or the energy to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Or heck
maybe you’d simply settle for enough energy to pry your sleepy little self out of that comfy bed as your annoying alarm clock goes berserk Monday morning
like a runaway freight train on steroids. If so
then you’ve probably encountered a severe mega-dose of chronic overwhelm. Yikes! We are continually bombarded with a never-ending avalanche of pills and potions. Plus
you’d almost need the bank account of Bill Gates or Donald Trump to afford the buffed-up body you’d “really” like to have. Meanwhile
Madison Avenue persistently insists that you won’t be able to live with yourself until you finally succumb to today’s latest nutritional fad.

So what’s the solution?

If you’ve read this far
you are probably convinced that supplementing your diet with vitamins is critically important. You probably already know how depleted our topsoil is. Chances are
you’re also cognoscente of the highly processed state of the foodless foods we consume on a regular basis. Taber's Medical Dictionary concludes that vitamins are indispensable for the maintenance of good health. Likewise
The Journal of American Medical Association concluded that everyone should take a multi-vitamin everyday.

So it’s not a question of whether or not we should take vitamins. Rather
the question we ought to be asking is
“With so many brands of vitamins on the market
which one is the smartest choice?”

Great question.

However
before we can even begin to answer that question
we have to answer a series of other sub-questions
such as:

1. Are cheap
synthetic vitamins just as good as all-natural vitamins?

2. Which vitamins and minerals do my body need?

3. What dosage should I take?


Let’s narrow the playing field by addressing those questions one at a time.

Are cheap
synthetic vitamins just as good as all-natural vitamins?

First
let’s compare synthetic vitamins with all-natural vitamins. I just completed an article entitled “Vitamin Wars: Natural VS Synthetic.” Putting everything into a nutshell
synthetic vitamins simply cannot measure up to nature’s finest. Over 3
800
different compounds have been identified in foods as having nutritional significance. However
in a laboratory
twenty nutrients are about all that modern science can reproduce and put into a vitamin product.

But even more of a concern than the ineffectiveness of these synthetic vitamins is the harm that they can cause. One of many examples is a recent study on Vitamin C as synthetic ascorbic acid. It was found to thicken the walls of the arteries.

On the other hand
all-natural vitamins made from whole-food sources have many positive benefits that synthetic vitamins just can’t duplicate in a lab. Whole-food vitamins derive their nutrients directly from fruits and vegetables. Unlike synthetic vitamins
whole-food vitamins do not rob precious nutrients from the body. Rather
they supply the individual cells with the nutrients they need to flourish. For greatest gains in terms of health
take only whole food vitamins. When evaluating a vitamin supplement
simply read the label. Rather than multi-syllable
unpronounceable chemical names
you should find the names of foods listed as the vitamin sources. What a concept! This is your way of knowing that you are getting the best possible absorption and retention of your vitamins.

Which vitamins and minerals do my body need?

The short answer is
there are many benefits to all vitamins and minerals.

Vitamin A is important for our vision
while preventing cancer and promoting wellness of bones
eyes
hair
mucous linings
membranes
nails
skin and teeth.

Vitamin B2 promotes healthy skin
nails
and hair.

Vitamin C extends life by enabling protein cells to hold together.

And we haven’t even begun to scratch the surface.

Minerals are critical

Minerals are also critical to maintaining good health. Approximately 75% of the people living in the Western World are not ingesting the right amount of Magnesium
approximately 68% are not ingesting enough Calcium
approximately 58% are not ingesting enough Iron
and approximately 40% are not ingesting enough Zinc.

Make sure your minerals are chelated – here’s why:

Most minerals found in synthetic supplements are cheap and not what we would recommend for the body. They are not chelated minerals and therefore it is extremely difficult for the body to absorb and utilize these minerals after ingesting them. Many times they cause problems with the digestive tract and other systems of the body.

What you might not know is that a chelated mineral acts differently within the body. A chelated mineral is a mineral that is bonded with amino acids or malates naturally found within the food in a stable form. Since 95% of amino acids are absorbed through the intestinal tract
it makes it very easy for high quality chelated minerals to be absorbed and utilized by the body.

Don’t forget to take your Probiotics!

You may be asking
“Probi – what – ics”?

The term “probiotics” simply means “pro life.” Their role in maintaining good health is tremendous. In the scientific community
they are known as “friendly bacteria.” Probiotics aid the digestive system and strengthen the immune system. Bottom line
probiotics have such a wide range of positive roles that nearly everybody could improve their health by supplementing their diet with probiotics.


The importance of Enzymes

Like probiotics
enzymes also aid digestion. Proper digestion of food should be your body’s top priority. Why? Because all other bodily functions
including the immune system
energy production and even brain functions
are all put on pause until the body digests its food. When digestion is functioning properly
food is broken down and nutrients are made available by the body itself for repair
metabolism
and healing without undue stress. Many negative factors wreck havoc on our digestive systems: the way our foods are grown and processed
toxins in the environment - even undue stress and anger. As a result
up to 70 million Americans experience a whole range of digestive disorders such as bloating
gas
and stomach cramps.

What dosage should I take?
Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA)

RDA's are based on scientific research and are set at levels to provide for 98% of all healthy persons living in the US. There is a cushion built in so that if you get 67% of the RDA for a nutrient
you should be getting a minimum amount as an average person. Remember that the RDA's are based on preventing deficiency symptoms specific to each vitamin and mineral. So when choosing a multi-vitamin
check to see if a daily serving contains 100% of the RDA
providing
of course
that a daily value has been established.

So in summary
there are five Steps to Choosing a Great Vitamin:

1. Choose a multi-vitamin made from the highest grade of Whole-Food sources. Do NOT choose a multi-vitamin that contains a concoction of synthetic ingredients that you can’t even pronounce.

2. Choose minerals that are chelated.

3. Choose a multi-vitamin containing Probiotics.

4. Choose a multi-vitamin containing Enzymes derived from vegetables.

5. Choose a multi-vitamin containing 100% of the Recommended Daily Allowances whenever established.

Keeping the above criteria in mind dramatically narrows the playing field.

It’s also a good idea to select a product that gives you a money-back guarantee. Quality multi-vitamins are not as cheap as synthetics
but they are affordable.

I hope this information has educated you and will help you make smart choices. Remember - you only get one body in this life. Treat it well and stay healthy!

For additional information
visit:

http://www.TomsVitamins.com.

Copyright 2006 Donovan Baldwin

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) may possibly be a "wonder vitamin" in some people's books. A lot of claims have been made for it in the past few years
not the least of which was Dr. Linus Pauling's claims for its ability to prevent and lessen the duration and intensity of the common cold when taken in large doses.

Unfortunately
although vitamin C is anti-viral and does support the immune system
it is not necessarily a magic bullet that will defeat the common cold or even cancer! In fact
some recent studies seem to be indicating that Dr. Pauling's claims might be a little overstated.

Vitamin C
like most other vitamins and mineral supplements primarily helps the body do its job effectively. Deficiencies of vitamin C CAN predispose the body to certain ills
and proper intake either through daily diet or vitamin supplementation can HELP prevent certain conditions and illnesses. Vitamins and mineral supplements should never be used as the only path to health
but should be part of a lifestyle that includes overall attention to nutrition
activity (okay
exercise)
proper rest and sleep
and enjoyable forms of recreation and relaxation. I personally would throw in yoga and meditation
but those are MY enjoyable forms of recreation
relaxation
and exercise
I guess. You will have to find what works best for you.

SOURCES

Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin
and
as such
is not stored in the body. This means it must be regularly replaced by diet and/or supplementation. The most commonly recognized sources of vitamin C are citrus and other fruits - oranges
tangerines
limes
guava
lemons
papayas
strawberries
black currants
grapefruit and mangoes - as well as a wide range of vegetables. Some vegetables which contain Vitamin C include collard greens
sweet and hot peppers
broccoli
tomatoes
brussel sprouts
cabbage
potatoes
kale
spinach
and watercress.

AFFECTS

Vitamin C is a nutrient valuable for tissue growth
protection of cell membranes from toxic wastes
wound healing
and
as mentioned
support of the immune system. It supports the growth of collagen and cartilage
protecting in this way against many of the effects of aging.

As an antioxidant
vitamin C helps combat free radicals
and it may help with cancer
high cholesterol
cataracts
diabetes
allergies
asthma
and periodontal disease.

The effectiveness of vitamin C is believed to be increased when taken with vitamin E.

DOSES

The recommended daily intake of Vitamin C is 60 mg per day for adults
although many people
following Dr. Pauling's lead
take much higher doses in hopes of preventing colds and warding off the effects of aging. However
in higher doses there may be some toxicity with one of the side effects being diarrhea. In some cases
higher doses of vitamin C may cause kidney stones or anemia
due to an interference with the absorption of vitamin B12.

A reminder: vitamin C is water soluble
and unused portions will be flushed from the body
so daily intake of foods rich in vitamin C or supplementation with a multivitamin may be of value.

While there do not seem to be major problems associated with an high doses of Vitamin C
it might a good idea to stick within recommended daily allowances since the jury is still out on side effects.

DEFICIENCIES

The most well-known result of a vitamin C deficiency is scurvy
a condition characterized by weakness
anemia
gum disease
and skin lesions. Fortunately
scurvy is very rare in our modern society although still found to a greater degree in areas of poor nutrition.

Frequent infections
severe colds
nose bleeds
tiredness
and painful joints may also indicate a deficiency.