Vitamin Supplements

Who benefits from supplements?

The answer is simple: Everyone. Many of my colleagues will probably want to burn me at the stake for this but there is enough evidence to prove that most people today do not eat a balanced enough diet to get all the vitamins they need. In addition, the fast pace, stress and pollution of modern society result in a greater need for vitamins and other nutrients. Read the rest of this entry »

Salt

Sodium and chlorine are both very powerful substances when they are alone. When combined they form a useful combination called sodium chloride. This is ordinary table salt. Without sodium chloride in our bodies, we could not live. This salt is necessary in maintaining the normal acid-base balance of the body. This is good news, for most of us like a little salt with our food. Read the rest of this entry »

Within the human body there is a surprising assortment of minerals. They have much to do with keeping us in good physical condition. Some minerals, such as calcium and phosphorus, are needed for building strong bones and teeth. If it were not for these, our bodies would collapse. Other minerals act more or less like chemical “spark plugs” through their association with the enzyme systems of the body. Still others have special functions of their own to perform.

The chief minerals of the body are calcium, phosphorus, iron, and iodine. We need more of these than of the others. For that reason, these four are the most likely to be missing from a deficient diet. There are only traces of the other minerals in the body, but most of them must also be present for normal health. Read the rest of this entry »

The next group of foodstuffs is the cereals. In this country we associate the word cereal with breakfast foods, but it covers all foods made from grain. This includes wheat, barley, maize, millet, rice, sorghum and many more. Cereal is often described as a staple food, meaning that it is the main food of a particular country. Wheat is our staple whereas rice is the staple of many Asian countries. All grains are rich in B vitamins and products made from grains provide many of the B complex group. Grains are the seeds of a plant from the grass family, Gramineae. The seed contains starch as a food for the new plant, and also a rich supply of vitamins, minerals and oil. These are found in the outer husk of the seed and in the ‘germ’ or embryo. Read the rest of this entry »

Understanding Your Digestive System

Knowing how your digestive system works will clear up, right at the start, some of the more common confusions about how, when, and where nutrients operate.

Mouth and OesophagusDigestion begins in the mouth with the grinding of food and admixture of saliva. An enzyme called ptyalin in the saliva already begins to split starches into simple sugars. The food is then forced to the back of the mouth and into the oesophagus, or gullet. Here is where peristalsis begins. This is a kneading “milking” constriction and relaxation of muscles that propels material through the digestive system. To prevent back-flow of materials, and to time the release of proper enzymes — since one enzyme cannot do another enzyme’s work — the digestive tract is equipped with valves at important junctions. Read the rest of this entry »

Kelp

This amazing seaweed contains more vitamins and minerals than any other food. To be more specific, kelp has vitamin B2, niacin, choline, carotene, and algenic acid, as well as twenty-three minerals which range as follows:

Plus traces of: barium, boron, chromium, lithium, nickel,silver, titanium, vanadium, aluminium, strontium, and silicon. Because of its natural iodine content, kelp has a normalising effect on the thyroid gland. In other words, thin people with thyroid trouble can gain weight by using kelp and obese people can lose weight with it. Read the rest of this entry »

Nursing Mothers

The same supplements recommended for pregnant women plus additional vitamins A, B6, B₁₂, and C. Your body and your baby need the best nourishment you can give them.

Runners

During the first fifteen to twenty minutes of running you burn up almost only glucose. The body then comes in with fats [lipids] for energy [in utilising lipids for energy, a compound called acetylcoenzyme-A is formed]. If there are only animal fats present, the compound forms slowly and energy is insufficient. If polyunsaturates are present, on the other hand, the compound forms quickly. Increase your intake of polyunsaturates — seeds, peanuts – and antioxidants, such as vitamin A, C, E and selenium, to avoid free radical reactions. Read the rest of this entry »

Selecting Your Regimen

We all know that not everyone has the same metabolism, but we often forget that this also means that not everyone requires the same vitamins. In the following sections I have outlined a number of personalised regimens for a variety of specialised needs. Look them all over and see which ones best fit your own special situation. If you fall under more than one category, adjust the combined regimens so that you are not double-dosing yourself, only adding the additional vitamins.

You will notice that in many cases I advise what I call an nsp, a nutrition starter programme. This basic vitamin trio, taken twice daily, is my foundation for general good health. Read the rest of this entry »

Vitamins for Healthy Skin

What you look like on the outside depends a lot on what you do for yourself on the inside. And as far as you skin is concerned, vitamins and proper nutrition are essential.

To look your best, make sure you’re getting 55 to 65 g. of protein a day. Drink eight glasses of water daily [herbal teas can count for a few of them], and keep your milk and yoghurt consumption restricted to the nonfat variety. Keep away from chocolate, nuts, dried fruids, fried foods, cola drinks, coffee, alcohol, cigarettes, and excessive salt. Also, do not use sugar. Small amounts of honey or blackstrap molasses will sweeten just as well and you’ll look better for it.

A good start toward healthy, glowing skin is a daily protein drink. It can be taken in place of any meal, but it makes an especially good breakfast. Read the rest of this entry »