Few people eat as nutritiously as they should for lasting wellness. Nutritionists recommend eating five to nine servings of fresh fruits and vegetables per day to support health, but relatively few people meet this goal. Also, modern agricultural practices have reduced the nutritional value of many forms of produce from their nutritional content of only a few decades ago.

Do you know where your minerals come from? Some minerals are derived from rocks, others are taken from salts, the best are plant-sourced, making it easy for your body to absorb them.

New research suggests that natural, plant-sourced minerals may be absorbed better by your body-so it makes sense to get them from natural forms, like plants.

So ask yourself: Am I giving my body the natural nutrition it needs? Probably not.

These are some of the things to look for:

Appearance:

• Is the product labelled as food form/food matrix
• is it of uniform colour – probably coated – not good in many cases – bright colours also signify synthetic
• if the vitamin tablet you are looking at is small and of the one a day variety it is more likely that it contains synthetics
• any worthwhile multi vitamin/mineral tablet is likely to be on the large side and you may even have to take upto 4 a day

Content from the label:

• Vitamin A- derived from mixed carotenoids- to support bones and vision.
• Vitamin C- derived from tropical acerola cherries, with 30 times more vitamin C per gram than an orange-to provide enhanced immune support.
• Is the Vitamin D₃ or cholecalciferol present – the amounts should be 500IU or more
• there should be at least 10 additional essential vitamins- including a complete B-vitamin complex (the best comes from from natural yeast sources- to provide a great source of energy)
• How many of the additional vitamins are plant sourced – if the label doesn’t say it is from a plant then it will be synthetic – any your body doesn’t like synthesised vitamins
• are the ingredients standardised – if no then the quality can and will vary from batch to batch
• To ensure the vitamins and minerals work well together standardized phytonutrients – derived from foods such as broccoli, aloe vera, cranberry juice and grape extract are helpful.

herbal-children-questions

Generally speaking, herbal remedies should not be used by children under 12 years old unless under physician guidance (or children’s dose stated clearly on herbal product).

For mild ailments such as colds and infections – echinacea may be used (follow dose directions). Use should be restricted to several weeks.

In all cases the family physician should be notified of any herbals being used by child.

Considering the safety and toxicity issues around herbal remedies as relevant to children, it is clear that recent UK research reveals that herbal treatment for children has dramatically increased.

Adverse reactions have been found in children, however the main causes for these adverse reactions have been due to poor quality products ie: toxicity of herbal ingredient, heavy metal contamination, and adulteration of the remedy with undeclared synthetic drugs! Therefore choosing a reputable brand as found in a good health food store is paramount.

Care is needed as there is a greater susceptibility in children to the toxic effects due to differences in absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion.

It should also be noted that plant chemicals can be transmitted to an infant through breastfeeding.

The importance of a good diet, appropriate supplements and exercise cannot be overstated. Consider the diet and activity levels of the child. Exercise is important for the lymphatic system and immune response.

The 5-a-day (fruits/vegetables) message is important. One way might be to juice fruits and vegetables.

Consider also, was child breast fed? If not, a course of probiotics is likely to be beneficial for supporting immunity and gut integrity.

A good suggestion is using smoothie recipes as a good method of boosting fruit and nutrient intake in children – incorporating a quality ‘green food’ blend with nutrient packed wheatgrass or barleygrass, a children’s multi-vitamin but take care to avoid those with added sugars. The best kids’ multivitamins are in capsules rather than tablets and will avoid all nasty additives. You can also add EFAs (omega-3 oils) to a smoothie. This gives it a nice creamy taste, too. Acerola powders can be a useful source of vitamin C through the winter or to help with allergies.

Gentle safe botanicals that are certainly applicable for children include – cranberry, ginger, garlic, chamomile, lemon balm, Californian poppy, echinacea, avena sativa. Dose – half capsule, with food.

It is also important to consider the unborn child and so I will also touch on pregnancy and lactation here.

Herbal remedies should not be recommended for pregnant women unless prescribed by a physician. An exception is Red Raspberry which is a very supportive uterine tonic.

The first trimester especially critical due to foetal organ development. Some herbs are known as ‘arbotifacients’ and must be especially avoided during this vulnerable. These include oregon grape root, black cohosh, sage, and rosemary.

If you have any doubt, do not give a herbal remedy to a child without consulting a healthcare practitioner.

You can choose your teas with your health in mind. Here is some great research on the antioxidant power that green and black teas provide.

Green Tea, Black Tea: Packed With Antioxidants

Read the tea leaves, caffeine lovers. Tea is gaining ground over coffee. Even Starbucks is bucking up its tea menu. The health benefits of tea are one compelling reason: Green and black teas have 10 times the amount of antioxidants found in fruits and veggies, by one estimate.

Studies of humans and animals show that the antioxidants in black and green teas are highly beneficial to our health, says 82-year-old John Weisburger, PhD, senior researcher at the Institute for Cancer Prevention in Valhalla , N.Y.

“I’ve published more than 500 papers, including a hell of a lot on tea,” says Weisburger, who drinks 10 cups daily. “I was the first American researcher to show that tea modifies the metabolism to detoxify harmful chemicals.”

Green tea, black tea, and oolong tea — they all come from the same tea plant, Camellia sinensis. The leaves are simply processed differently, explains Weisburger. Green tea leaves are not fermented; they are withered and steamed. Black tea and oolong tea leaves undergo a crushing and fermenting process.

All teas from the camellia tea plant are rich in polyphenols, which are a type of antioxidant. These wonder nutrients scavenge for cell-damaging free radicals in the body and detoxify them, says Weisburger. “Astounding” aptly describes tea’s antioxidant power, he tells WebMD. “Whether it’s green or black, tea has about eight to 10 times the polyphenols found in fruits and vegetables.”

Black and green both have different types of antioxidants than fruits and vegetables. Thearubigins, epicatechins, and catechins are among those listed in a USDA chart. All are considered flavonoids, a type of antioxidant. Brewed green and black teas have loads of those, the chart shows. (Herbal teas may also contain antioxidants but less is known about them, Weisburger says.)

“In my lab, we found that green and black tea had identical amounts of polyphenols,” he tells WebMD. “We found that both types of tea blocked DNA damage associated with tobacco and other toxic chemicals. In animal studies, tea-drinking rats have less cancer.”

Look at the world’s big tea drinkers, like Japan and China . “They have much less heart disease and don’t have certain cancers that we in the Western world suffer,” says Weisburger.

“The scientific evidence about tea is evolving and I think it’s compelling,” Jeffrey Blumberg, PhD, of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University .

Tea is a great example of the past decade’s research of antioxidants, he says. “There is a pretty consistent body of evidence suggesting there is a benefit to tea. Tea is a very rich source of a specific kind of antioxidant called flavonoids.”

The detoxifying effect of these antioxidants protects cells from free radicals, the damage that can lead to blood clot formation, atherosclerosis, and cancer, says Weisburger.

The bulk of research shows that regular tea drinkers, people who drink two cups or more a day, have less heart disease and stroke, lower total and LDL (often called “bad”) cholesterol, and that they recover from heart attacks faster.

Some laboratory tests also show that black and green tea may help boost metabolism to aid weight loss, block allergic response, slow the growth of tumors, protect bones, fight bad breath, improve skin, protect against Parkinson’s disease, and even delay the onset of diabetes.

In a study involving bladder cancer cells, green tea extract seemed to make the cancer cells behave oddly. They matured sooner, bound together tightly, and had a hard time multiplying. Another study found that men who drank oolong tea plus green tea extract lost more weight and total body fat, compared with men who drank plain oolong tea. Also, the green tea drinkers had lower LDL cholesterol.

Other small studies have found that the antioxidants from drinking tea can help prevent skin cancer. There’s also evidence that tea extracts applied to the skin (in a lotion) can block sun damage that leads to skin cancer.

All this research seems to suggest that if you want to do something good for yourself, drink tea. “It has no calories and lots of polyphenols. If you’re drinking tea, you’re not drinking soda — that’s a real benefit. Water doesn’t give you those polyphenols,” says Blumberg.

Weisburger recommends drinking six to 10 cups of black or green tea throughout the day, starting with breakfast. Switch to decaf tea midday, if you need to. “Flavonoids are unchanged by removal of caffeine,” he says.

Source: WebMD Inc.

We often get questions about coffee. It is okay for you? How much can I drink? The following article explores this topic.

One of the best ways to ward off chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer, is to eat a diet rich in antioxidants. But many of us do not eat the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables considered superior sources of antioxidants.

So, guess where many people are getting their antioxidants instead? Recent studies reveal coffee may be a surprising source. In fact, it is the top dietary source of antioxidants in many populations, including in the United States . Moreover, roasted coffee residues retain their antioxidant ability; it isn’t lost in processing.

And there may be related benefits to this brew. Although most of the research is in the early stages, studies show that drinking coffee may be linked to some desirable health outcomes, such as:

Decreased risk of Parkinson’s disease: A study revealed that men may experience up to a 40% reduction in risk by drinking as little as one cup per day. However, the effects were not observed in postmenopausal women who take estrogen replacement. In this case, coffee drinking may actually increase Parkinson’s risk.

Reduced risk of type 2 diabetes: However, this reduced risk is only linked to people who drink excess amounts of coffee, which is not recommended; the risks of drinking too much coffee outweigh this possible benefit.

Decreased risk of liver cancer: Drinking coffee may be especially helpful reducing the risk of liver cancer caused by cirrhosis, a type of liver disease that causes scarring of the liver.

If coffee does have health benefits, it’s not clear what they are from. Coffee contains not only antioxidants, but also caffeine and other yet-to-be researched compounds.

But even if there are clear health benefits to the brew, there are caveats. Although coffee consumption does not seem to raise the risk of cardiovascular disease, research shows that chronic consumption may increase aortic stiffness. Plus, unfiltered coffee can raise levels of blood fats, and excessive caffeine intake may be bad for people who are sensitive to caffeine. Coffee can contain anywhere from 72 to 130 milligrams of caffeine per 8-ounce serving, depending on the bean source and the brewing methods.

So there is give and take with coffee. If you don’t already drink it, the recent news about antioxidants is not necessarily a reason to pick up the habit. And for people who already drink it, it’s no excuse to stop eating fruits and veggies. Finally, because of the caffeine content, moderation is still the key to enjoying it healthfully.

Your best bet is to eat your fruits and veggies, and try to limit yourself to about one or two small cups about 8-ounces of coffee per day. That way you stay within the recommended limit of no more than 250 milligrams of caffeine per day.

We love this article because it shows the power that simple habits, one of which is exercise, have on your long-term health. If you need some of that “practical support” mentioned in the last paragraph, we are happy to help. Our Health Offer was designed to provide this type of support.

Healthy Habits May Give 14 Years

To get an extra 14 years of life, don’t smoke, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, exercise regularly and drink alcohol in moderation.

That is according to a study published Monday in the Public Library of Science Medicine journal.

After tracking more than 20,000 people aged 45 to 79 years in the United Kingdom from about 1993 to 2006, Kay-Tee Khaw of the University of Cambridge and colleagues found that people who adopted these four healthy habits lived an average of 14 years longer than those who didn’t.

“We’ve known for a long time that these behaviours are good things to do, but we’ve never seen these additive benefits before,” said Susan Jebb, head of Nutrition and Health at Britain ’s Medical Research Council. Jebb was not involved in the study.

“Just doing one of these behaviours helps, but every step you make to improve your health seems to have an added benefit,” she said. The benefits were also seen regardless of whether or not people were fat and what social class they came from.

Study participants scored a point each for not smoking, regular physical activity, eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day and moderate alcohol intake. People who scored four were four times less likely to die than those who scored zero.

Researchers tracked deaths from all causes, including cardiovascular disease, cancer and respiratory diseases.

Participants filled in a health questionnaire and nurses conducted a medical exam at a clinic. The study was largely paid for by the Medical Research Council and Cancer Research United Kingdom.

Khaw said that the study should convince people that improving their health does not always require extreme changes to their lifestyles. “We didn’t ask these people to do anything exceptional,” Khaw said. We measured normal behaviors that were entirely feasible within people’s normal, everyday lives.”

Public health experts said they hoped the study would inspire governments to introduce policies helping people to adopt these changes.

“This research is an important piece of work which emphasizes how modifying just a few risk factors can add years to your life,” said Dr. Tim Armstrong, a physical activity expert at the World Health Organization.

Experts are unsure if these new findings will actually improve the public’s health.

“What stops people from changing their behavior is not a lack of knowledge,” Jebb said. ”Most people know that things like a good diet matter and that smoking is not good for you,” she said. “We need to work on providing people with much more practical support to help them change.”