ⓒ iStockPhoto - feverpitched

Is it true, can one cure himself of nagging, persistent symptoms just by taking supplements?  That is a complicated question but the answer is yes and no.  First off, it’s not just the supplements, but a combination of eating right, exercising, resting and living life to the fullest.  Once these things are set in place then you can address your symptoms with supplements.

I personally know that my son has better attention and does better in school simply by taking a Vitamin B Complex daily.  I don’t have data to prove it, I just see the difference in him.  This brings me to another point… do we really need data or a study to tell us if something works or not?  Why not try it for 30 days and see what the results are, this is the only true way to measure the performance it has on your body.  Another problem I have with a study is that the findings are not always true. Look to see who funded the study and you will see a biased opinion.   (continue reading…)

ⓒ iStockPhoto - LajosRepasi

If you have an exercise program you follow, you should know that when you exercise, you use up more nutrients and therefore, will need more nutritional supplementation than those who don’t.

Exercise makes people healthy, but that’s only half the picture. The recovery period after exercise is what ultimately makes you healthier. You do not improve your health during the exercise, nor do you burn significant amounts of fat during exercise. Virtually all the health benefits associated with exercise are created during the recovery period after exercise, which can take anywhere from 24 hours to several weeks, depending on the intensity of your exercise. (continue reading…)

ⓒ iStockPhoto - luchschen

Consumer Reports recently published an expose on nutritional supplements contaminated with ingredients not on the label, and promoted for health claims based on dubious evidence, or occasionally in the face of evidence that the substances could be harmful. The magazine singled out weight loss and bedroom-enhancing supplements as particularly problematic, but any herb or supplement can cause problems with unwise supplementation.

While the science behind the Consumer Reports supplement report isn’t rigorous enough to indicate a red-flag health threat, the report is a reminder to be as mindful with nutritional supplements, vitamins and herbs as you would be with any medication or food. “Natural” or “herbal” doesn’t necessarily mean “safe,” especially when marketing consultants get involved with packaging a product. Green Diva Mom has four simple things to keep in mind when considering and taking herbal or nutritional supplements. (continue reading…)

ⓒ iStockPhoto - feverpitched

When you hear the word “iron,” you probably think of a strong, hard metal used in construction and building. But when it comes to health, iron plays a major role in keeping us strong. Find out more about this important mineral, its function in our blood and bodies – and what happens when we don’t get enough.

What Is Iron and Why Do We Need It?

Iron is an important mineral, found in plants (vegetables) and meats. It’s carried by pigment called hemoglobin in our red blood cells. As blood flows through our bodies, hemoglobin delivers oxygen to organs and tissues. In order to manufacture hemoglobin, your body needs iron. Without enough iron, you can’t make enough hemoglobin, and your body won’t get the oxygen it needs. In addition, lack of iron can affect cell enzymes and processes like digestion. When we don’t take in enough iron, we start using up iron reserves stored in our bodies, a condition known as iron deficiency. This can lead to a more serious condition called anemia over time (1, 2, 3, 4). Anemia is “a condition in which your blood has a lower than normal number of red blood cells” and results in hemoglobin shortage, according to the National Heart Lung Blood Institute (NHLBI) (2).

A person can develop iron deficiency for many reasons: (continue reading…)

Aloe Vera. Photo Credit: Steve Hillebrand, USFWS

Aloe vera is a popular plant that nearly everybody has heard of these days. It is renowned for its medicinal purposes. Although it looks like a cactus and likes to live in dry areas, it is actually a member of the lily family. The active substance is the jelly on the inside of the leaves and this is put into the many aloe vera drinks, capsules, creams, shampoos and other products that are available on the market. It contains a wide range of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other nutrients which lead to its potent medicinal abilities.

When drunk, aloe vera has citrus like flavor that some people like and some don’t, although the addition of fruit juice can make it more palatable. (continue reading…)

ⓒ iStockPhoto - szefei

In Coconut Oil, Friend or Foe Part 1, I discussed some of the unique properties of coconut oil.  In Part Two of this series, I have chosen to review some of my own personal experiences relating to the effects of what is being touted as nature’s “miracle” oil.

As a brief review, unrefined, virgin coconut oil, also called coconut butter, comes from processing the meat of the mature brown coconut.  Even though coconut oil is 92% saturated, it has no trans-fats and contains no cholesterol.  The fatty acids in coconut oil are medium chain fatty acids (MCFA’s).  These fatty acids are shorter than large chain fatty acids/triglycerides found in other fats and oils that are responsible for raising one’s cholesterol.  Large chain fatty acids take longer to digest and tend to be stored as stubborn fat, while MCFA’s are broken down very quickly and burned as fuel before they can be stored as fat.  Coconut oil contains a high concentration of lauric acid, which plays a key role in protecting the digestive tract by killing bacteria and viruses and is a potent anti-microbial agent.  Its health advantages further vary from metabolic miracle to a healing skin and beauty aid.

(continue reading…)

©iStockPhoto.com - inkret

Summer travel season is upon us, and for many adults and children, traveling means dealing with motion sickness. As a regular traveler and veteran of motion sickness on land, sea and air, I’m always on the lookout for ways to prevent motion sickness. Vomiting is just not a fun way to start a vacation.

For many years, I wouldn’t consider a trip without either Dramamine or Bonine. However, even splitting the pills to take just a half dose, barely enough to keep the vomiting at bay and not nearly enough to stave off nausea, I would still have to factor in a full day to recoup from what the label charitably calls “drowsiness.” Road trips were exceedingly unpleasant, since I couldn’t take a motion sickness drug if I was going to take a turn at the wheel at all.

Traveling became much more fun when I discovered a natural remedy for my motion sickness that left me bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at my destination. My motion sickness is severe enough that I use a combination of several approaches, but those with more mild symptoms may be able to get by with one or two of these.

(continue reading…)