Nutrition For Natural Stress Relief

We’ve all had stress at one point in our life or another. There are some types of stress that are healthy and beneficial to life. Unfortunately, the majority of the stress we encounter in today’s world is destructive and may even help to shorten our lives.

According to a study done at Duke University’s Medical center and reported to the American Journal of Cardiology, a link can be found between an “aggressive” personality and the likelihood of death in people younger than age 61 who currently have heart disease. If you can’t find a way of managing stress properly, it will help to kill you.

There are several tools available nutritionally for stress management. Some vitamin supplements give natural stress relief and bring body balance when stress saps your energy. Some natural sources for managing stress are foods, herbs, and some from nutritional supplements.

Stress Management with Food

When thinking of managing stress in the body and food sources, the key is maintaining a balance between the many chemicals within the body that control mood.

Serotonin is a chemical released within the body that works to control mood.

Overall, when stressed, depending on what your activity level it can be a good idea to eat a diet rich in complex carbohydrates. These help to release serotonin into the body and elevate mood. Some good food sources of complex carbohydrates include broccoli, potatoes, squash, and brown rice.

In addition, you should likely look to increase your consumption of B vitamins in food as the B vitamins are essential in stress management. Foods high in B vitamins include asparagus, beets, soybeans and spinach.

Finally, including tryptophan in the diet is important in maintaining a balance of serotonin levels in the body and stress management. Foods rich in tryptophan include poultry (chicken, turkey, etc.), eggs and nuts

For more information on foods rich in stress reduction properties, visit the food and stress page at [http://www.wholehealthmd.com/hk/remedies/disp/1],1459,516,00.html – Whole Health MD.com

Natural Stress Relief with herbs

One of the biggest “stars” of the herb world relative to stress management has become St. John’s Wort. St. John’s Wort has been shown to be effective in treating mild to moderate depression in clinical trials conducted in Europe.

St. John’s Wort acts much the same as some medicinal serotonin inhibitors such as Prozac. St. John’s Wort helps to balance serotonin levels in the body. This leads to an overall elevation in mood.

The biggest concern about St. John’s Wort is its possible interaction with other drugs and/or supplements. The use of St. John’s Wort should be discussed with a physician or health professional before beginning a course of stress management therapy.

Another herbal remedy for natural stress relief is chamomile. Chamomile has a sweet apple-like fragrance-in fact, it’s name comes from the Greek kamai melon which translates to “ground apple”. Chamomile can be taken as a supplement but is likely a better tool for natural stress relief as a hot tea.

While the herb “kava-kava” has been promoted as a possible herbal remedy for natural stress relief, the U.S. FDA has issued a warning about the possible effects of this herb on the liver. Please read the article [http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/addskava.html] here.

Stress Reduction with natural supplements

When choosing natural supplements for managing stress, it’s a good idea to look at those natural supplements which directly combat stress.

The B-Complex of vitamins is a great place to start. All of the B-Complex of vitamins are important in managing stress and elevating mood. While you can take them individually for a variety of issues, for managing stress, it’s beneficial to take a B-Complex tablet which includes all of the vitamins in the B-Complex.

In general, natural stress relief is possible in many ways by the foods we eat, by herbal remedies and even by natural supplements. By learning how to properly incorporate natural stress relief elements into our diet, we can achieve stress reduction and live a happier life.

This has been a short overview of a few methods to use for managing stress naturally and nutritionally. For more information, please visit the reference sources listed below.

References

Chamomile: Herb Profile and Information - http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/c/chammo49.html

UK Health And Nutrition Information – Depression
[http://www.healthandnutrition.co.uk/articles/depression.htm]

St. Johns Wort (Hypericum perforatum) and the Treatment of Depression
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/stjohnswort/

Stress Management, Diet, Food and Stress-Controlling Stress by Diet, Food, Nutrition
http://www.holistic-online.com/stress/stress_diet.htm

Hostility may speed death from heart disease
http://www.somersetmedicalcenter.com/115569.cfm

Ben Douglas is the webmaster for VitaminFan.com. VitaminFan.com is an internet portal with independant information and resources on vitamins, nutrition and overall health. VitaminFan.com is a site by vitamin "laypeople" specifically geared to the needs of nutrition consumers. Please visit VitaminFan.com at http://www.vitaminfan.com.

Good Nutrition For Alzheimer's Patients

Alzheimers! This is a word that no one wants to hear in a diagnosis. Alzheimer's disease is a degenerative condition that is progressive, causing the loss of many functions in elderly people, including memory. Often, it is the short-term memory that is affected, and often, patients will relive memories of their distant pasts.

Millions of Americans are affected by Alzheimer's, and in addition to affecting the memory, this devastating condition also affects the physical and emotional functions as well. Many Alzheimer's patients inherited their condition through a faulty gene, but there are a number of theories as to how and why Alzheimer's starts in many patients.

Progressively, Alzheimer's patients will experience memory loss, the inability to communicate and even the inability to perform simple daily tasks that were once commonplace for the patient. In most cases, patients with Alzheimer's are over the age of 65, but there have been a number of reported cases of patients being much younger. Unfortunately, there is no test for Alzheimer's disease, but a CAT scan or MRI can diagnose Alzheimer's, or at least rule out other causes of dementia. Following stroke, heart disease and cancer, Alzheimer's is the fourth leading cause of death in the elderly.

Signs of Alzheimer's Disease

There are many theories about the mysterious Alzheimer's disease, one being that it is caused by a faulty enzyme related to neuron activity in the brain. The pattern of decline is the same in all Alzheimer's patients, but the rate and level of impairment varies from patient to patient.

Noticeable symptoms of Alzheimer's disease can include an abnormal loss of memory as well as confusion. Many patients will begin to forget things, such as the names of loved ones, dates, places, etc. They may begin to forget simple things, like the names of many items that they use every day. Often, Alzheimer's patients become nasty when they were once loving and kind and have been known to become violent as well.

Many Alzheimer's patients, when they become confused, look for a means to escape their confusion. Therefore, these patients must be watched at all times. All too often, Alzheimer's patients have been picked up by police officers as they are wandering around the streets, confused and scared. In time, it will be necessary for most Alzheimer's patients to move to a facility where they can receive around-the-clock care and attention.

Life Expectancy of Alzheimer's Patients

Unfortunately, physicians are unable to correctly predict the life expectancy of Alzheimer's patients because the disease, as mentioned above, has the same level of decline but every patient has different symptoms and their conditions degenerate at different rates. Early on in the disease, patients will start experiencing confusion and memory loss, which will increase over time.

The second stage of Alzheimer's may not be reached by the patient for a number of years, and once the disease is into the third stage, decline is rapid. This is when the patient is no longer able to care for themselves, including eating and even getting dressed. Other illnesses can develop at this time as well as an increased rate of bone breakage, particularly in the hips. At this stage of the disease, the patient is usually bed-ridden and may even need to be tube-fed.

The Free Radical Damage Theory

Some researchers theorize that Alzheimer's may be the result of damage caused by free radicals concentrated in the brain. These are found naturally in our bodies, and can cause damage by stealing electrons from healthy cells to use themselves. Free radicals can be found throughout the body, and there are a number of environmental factors that are known to increase the presence of free radicals in the body, including pollution, alcohol, smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke.

Nutrition's Role in Alzheimer's Treatment

Factors that contribute to free radical damage include too much sun exposure and having a poor diet. In order to prevent, or treat, Alzheimer's disease, everyone needs to follow a healthy diet plan that is rich in the proper vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Vitamin E is important, but because it can be dangerous when taken in high doses, it should only be taken on the advice of a physician. Vitamin E can also have adverse effects on other medications. Thiamin is also beneficial and may help in memory improvement. Again, this should only be used under a physician's care, because large doses can cause cases of mild nausea. Another important nutrient that is necessary for all diets, especially for Alzheimer's patients, is protein.

Protein for Alzheimer's Patients

Protein is a macronutrient that is necessary in order for survival. Of course, one of the problems associated with Alzheimer's disease is a loss of appetite and difficulty eating, and this can cause patients to not get the nutrients they so desperately need, including protein. But they need to digest the right proteins. There is a blood protein, ApoE, which transports cholesterol throughout the bloodstream, which, in Alzheimer's patients, deposits extra amyloid plaque compounds in the brain. It may also cause these compounds to harden as well. People who test positive for the ApoE-4 gene are eight times more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than people with the ApoE-2 or ApoE-3 genes.

Using Protein Supplements in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Patients

Because appetite and the ability to eat are affected by Alzheimer's disease, many people need to find other ways to get the nutrients that they need without resorting to being tube-fed. As we get older, we need more and more protein in our systems in order for our bodies to function properly, and if Alzheimer's patients are not getting the protein that they need from dietary sources, they may need to add protein supplements to their diets.

In addition to the many powdered and liquid protein supplements available on the market today. Supplements like this are great for Alzheimer's patients because they are usually small, so there is not a lot for them to have to drink and digest. Liquid supplements are ideal for Alzheimer's patients who are having difficulty swallowing solid foods.

About Protica Research

Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm specializing in the development of protein-rich, capsulized foods (dense nutrition in compact liquid and food forms). Protica manufactures Profect protein beverage, IsoMetric, Fruitasia and more than 100 other brands in its GMP-certified, 250,000 square foot facility.

You can learn more about Protica at http://www.protica.com

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The Amazing Benefits of Spinach Nutrition

Spinach Nutrition

Everyone has heard good things about spinach nutrition, but not many people know about the specific healthy properties of spinach.

When one looks at the scientific evidence, it's easy to see that spinach deserves its reputation as health food par excellence.

In fact, when compared calorie for calorie to other vegetables, nothing is as nutrient dense as spinach.

Those who prize good health, therefore, should make sure to include spinach regularly in their diet.

Healthy Effects of Spinach

Spinach nutrition isn't just about the vitamins and minerals found within its leafy, green exterior. To be sure, it is loaded with such antioxidants as Vitamins A, C, E, K, B1, B6, minerals like potassium, calcium, zinc, and so much more.

But, more than this, the major healthy properties of spinach are attributed to special substances it contains. For example, research has shown that spinach is packed with over a dozen phytonutrients.

These phytonutrients are potent substances that have properties that can fight cancer. In fact, extracts of spinach used by researchers have reduced the occurrence of skin cancers on tested animals and lessened cell division in stomach cancer cells.

The incidence of breast cancer may also be cut with the consumption of spinach by women. For men, prostate cancer risk may be slashed because of a carotenoid substance spinach contains called neoxanthin.

Women who are worried about osteoporosis should consume spinach because it is a rich source of calcium and vitamin K.

For the millions of people who are concerned about cardiovascular health, the healthy effects of spinach are promising due to its free radical fighting antioxidants.

More and more, a substance called homocysteine is believed to be just as an important marker of heart disease and high levels are also associated with elevated risks of stroke. However, one of the components of spinach nutrition is folate. Folate can help neutralize harmful homocysteine.

Do you suffer from arthritis? You'll be glad to know that one of the healthy properties of spinach is that it harbors anti-inflammatory nutrients.

Are you worried about macular degeneration and other common eye diseases people get as they age? Spinach has lutein, which is a nutrient that has been extensively shown in Government studies to protect against not only macular degeneration but also cataracts.

Spinach has a long history of providing good nutrition. History books reveal that it was consumed in China in the 7th century and, later, in Europe by royalty.

Preparing Spinach

To get optimal spinach nutrition, you should thoroughly wash it and eat it raw. It works well in salads. Many dishes are prepared on a bed of spinach. In culinary terms, this is referred to as "a la Florentine."

If you cook it, try to cook it lightly to preserve most of its beneficial spinach nutrition.

If you don't like the way it tastes, or can't seem to find enough time in your busy schedule to consistently eat spinach, you may want to do what I do and take it in capsule form in a whole food supplement.

Russell Cantwell is editor of http://www.whole-food-supplements-guide.com/ Visit us to learn more about spinach nutrition and to learn about whole food supplements that contain it.

Post-Exercise Nutrition

The importance of post workout nutrition cannot be undermined. In order to recover properly from your workouts your body needs essential nutrients to rebuild and re-energize. You've worked hard in the gym, or just completed your run, or just finished an intense game and don't want your sweat and effort to go unrewarded right? Well, the following information is essential in assuring you get the most from your training as well as helping your body recover as best it can.

It is important to realize that making poor food choices following exercise can not only reduce the benefits of exercise but it can also weaken your immune system, increase the likelihood of injury, cause hypoglycemia (drop in blood sugar) and reduce your energy and performance during subsequent exercise sessions.

Carbohydrates, proteins and healthy fats all have an important role in the post exercise nutrition. While working out or exercising, your body mainly uses muscle glycogen and blood glucose as its main fuel sources. These glycogen and blood sugar levels can be severely depleted upon completion of an intense workout and must subsequently be replenished to ensure proper recovery.

Exercise, and specifically weight lifting, causes microtears in the muscle fibers (protein degradation). This is what causes muscle soreness but also what stimulates their recovery to a stronger state than before. Since muscles are made up of protein, post-workout protein consumption is important to foster quick and full regeneration.

I also highly recommend adding essential fatty acids for the role they play in reducing inflammation, supporting the immune system, and building healthy cell membranes.

Another component I recommend adding to a post-exercise smoothie is Maca. Maca is an ancient Peruvian root vegetable that has tremendous adrenal supporting benefits. Considering that intense exercise places significant stress on the adrenal glands, maca can play a noteworthy role in helping your body come back to balance and reduce its stress load. Maca powder is the easiest form to use.

After your exercise session, fuel replenishment (glycogen stores), muscle regeneration, and rehydration (discussed later) are your three main goals. As such, food choices that stimulate the release of insulin (ie. sugars) will cause the most effective uptake of carbohydrates into the muscles. This increase in insulin levels due to consuming carbohydrates after exercise also increases muscle repair because insulin stimulates muscle protein synthesis. High quality protein and essential fatty acids will foster proper recovery of muscle tissue and other cellular damage, respectively.

The quicker you can get the proper nutrients into your body after your workout, the more effective your recovery will be. And just to reiterate, by ensuring that nutrients come from plant-based whole foods, you will greatly assist your recovery. One study out of Denmark showed that a vegetarian group of athletes recovered in 1/5 of the time it took the "meat-eating" athletes. Something to consider the next time you reach for that steak!

The ideal is to consume a quickly absorbable (high glycemic index) form of carbohydrates within 15 minutes of your workout's end. This can take the form of a sport drink, fruit juice, fruit, or the sport gels and puddings. After this initial glucose-rich drink/snack, you can have a more substantial smoothie that balances carbohydrate-rich foods with high quality alkalizing proteins (hemp or whey) and essential fatty acids.

Whey protein has been found to stimulate the release of insulin. Therefore, it would be an effective protein to consume after an exercise bout as the extra boost of insulin will help drive nutrients into the muscle cells. Whey protein is also a very high-quality protein that would help muscles recover more quickly. You can throw in some Maca if you like as well.

After your smoothie, it is preferable to have a more balanced and substantial meal no later than 2 hours post workout. As with your smoothie, this meal should contain good sources of carbohydrates, proteins, and essential fatty acids. Remember that you want to choose whole living plant-based foods for they have tremendous life force, contain huge amounts of enzymes, and are mostly alkaline forming in the body.

Yuri Elkaim is the owner and founder of Total Wellness Consulting, a leading health, fitness, and wellness company offering health-conscious individuals the most innovative information, programs, and technologies to help reach their goals of physical and mental well being. He is a Certified Kinesiologist, Registered Holistic Nutritionist, former Professional Soccer Player, Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for the University of Toronto men's soccer program, and regarded by many as Canada's leading fitness expert.

For more information on Yuri and his nutrition expertise, please visit us at http://www.eatingforenergy.ca

A Balance Intake Of Health Nutrition

Health nutrition from food you eat and drink is your health and strength. What you eat is part of what you are and what you will become. What you choose for a meal has an impact on our body either positively or negatively. The quality of food you take affects the length and quality of your life. Many life threatening diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancers, are often, at least in part, linked to poor nutrition. Much of these diseases could be prevented with sufficient health nutrition intake.

We are often told that we must eat a balanced diet to obtain health nutrition for our wellbeing. However, what is a balanced diet? How do you know you are achieving the correct balance? Many of us do not eat enough healthy carbohydrates. Many of us are unaware of a diet which is very low in fat can cause as much harm to our body as a high-fat diet. Many of us do not know that we eat more protein than we really need, and that too much can be bad for us. Many of us fall short on the daily requirement of vitamins and minerals that our body need.

A perfect diet should contain all needed health nutrition such as carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins, minerals, fibre, in the right quantities. The WHO suggests at least fifty per cent of calories in our diet should come from complex carbohydrates, no more than thirty five per cent comes from fat and up to fifteen per cent comes from protein. The allowance for alcohol consumption is no more than five per cent.

To get fifty per cent or so of carbohydrates you need to ensure that at every meal you have a good portion of starchy carbohydrates food such as rice, pasta, potatoes, or bread. At most meals, you need good portion of vegetables and/or fruits. You should also include small portion of low- or moderate-fat protein such as fish, poultry, pulses and lean meat in our diets. High-fat protein such cheese, dairy product and fatty meats should be eaten less frequently and in even smaller portions. As all fat is a calorie-dense food, ideally you should include only small quantities of oil such as olive or corn oil in your meals. The majority part of your daily calorie needs have been taken up. There is only little room for alcohol and for the sugars. So, add these to your diet in moderation, if at all.

A variety and a balance intake of health nutrition is the most important element of a healthy diet for life. To ensure adequate amounts of all necessary vitamins, minerals, fat, protein, carbohydrates and fibre, eat as wide a variety of foods as you can. You should eat different sources of carbohydrates, varying types of protein, lots of different vegetables, salads and fruits.

There is no need to worry too much about the exact nutritional content of every morsel of food you eat. The fact is that almost any kind of meal can be adapted to form part of a healthy diet if you follow the abovementioned guidelines.

Food Chart. Food For Weight Control. Food as Medicine. Everything About Food Nutrition Such As Vital Vitamins, Dietary Minerals, Fibre, Fat and Carbohydrate.

3 Sports Nutrition Myths

Perhaps the biggest reason why people failed to achieve the level of performance they want in their sports endeavors is poor or improper nutrition.

Because they don't have the right information. they are trapped in various sports nutrition myths. They behave according to whatever beliefs they have regarding what they should eat in order to prepare their bodies for the sports they want to excel in.

As a result, they focus too much in a particular type of nutrition while neglecting others. This will cause more harm than good. This article highlights 3 common sports nutrition myths.

Sports Nutrition Myth #1: Carbohydrates Is The Most Important Food Component

Carbohydrates is the most important food component as it gives energy. Because people preparing for a particular sport uses a lot of physical energy during training, they think that this is the most important nutrients to consume. No doubt, carbohydrates are important sources of fuel for the body. They provide the energy required for the vigorous training activities.

However, the body needs a balanced combination of different foods to function well. Other nutrients are just as important, if not more important than carbohydrates, for optimal performance. In fact, an athlete's body requires nutrients like iron and calcium more than carbohydrates.

Sports Nutrition Myth #2: One Should Eat As Much Carbohydrates As Possible

One should eat as much carbohydrates as possible in order to have as much energy as possible to perform well. The body needs plenty of energy for the workout during training and carbohydrates provide this energy.

However, loading the body with too much carbohydrates will fill the tummy and leave the person feeling tired even before the training session starts.

Sports Nutrition Myth #3: Take Plenty of Protein and Amino Acid Supplements for Muscle Building

In order to build large and strong muscles, a person has to take plenty of protein and amino acid supplements. Many young aspiring athletes in their haste to build big strong muscles take too much protein and amino acid supplements. This often results in accusations of unauthorized drug intake that frequently ends careers before they even get started.

There are no short-cuts. Building muscles and strength requires hard workouts and regular training.

Many people have these erroneous thinking about their nutritional needs because of inadequate knowledge. As a result, they do not have proper dieting which will lead to their inability to cope with the rigorous demand on their bodies. However, with proper information, one can discard such sports nutrition myths and eat healthily for peak performance in their activities.

Lenox Smith is a sports nutrition specialist who is dedicated to helping sportsmen and women achieve their peak performance through good nutrition.

The Benefits of Good Nutrition

There are multiple benefits to good nutrition. Good nutrition is essential for the maintenance and health of you and your body. It is known that good nutrition can provide mental health relief, promote sleep, and increases energy. Good nutrition also provides the body with the nutrients it needs to fight of disease and germs.

Sugary food and foods that are filled with excessive amounts of fat can stymie your energy throughout the day and limit the energy you can produce. Since fats digest more slowly than other molecules, they cannot provide the body with a constant source of fuel. Sugars also promote higher blood sugar levels, which can leave a body feeling tired once the initial sugar rush is gone. Diet that limits sugar intake can leave a body feeling energized and vigorous. It is also known that excessive sugar levels forces the body to store sugar as fat, causing you to actually gain weight, instead of losing weight.

What keeps standing upright is the one thing we forget to nourish. The skeleton is necessary for our survival, and as we age can begin to deteriorate. By consuming a healthy diet, we can provide the bones the needed calcium for bone growth and maintenance. This will help us avoid painful medical conditions later in life. The skeleton is one of the most important elements to our bodies, and not caring for it can leave us crippled and paralyzed.

It is also important to avoid sugary, high fat foods because of the damage it can do the biggest muscle in our body: the heart. Research provides us the evidence that certain foods do increase the risk of heart disease and other conditions, while eating a smart, balanced diet can actually reverse the signs of aging in our heart. By avoiding unsaturated fats, the heart can keep pumping for years to come. Since all the body's blood flows through the heart, it is best to keep that muscle as healthy as possible, so your body can receive fresh, clean blood to function.

Making the choice to eat healthier and better makes us feel better about ourselves and our bodies. The comfort good nutrition allows us to feel about our body is immeasurable. The mental benefits of good nutrition are strong reason to make the change to healthier eating. When you eat better, you feel better and it shows in your smile, your skin, your attitude. Eating a more balanced diet can actually perfect your complexion, clear up any blemishes on your skin and give you a nice, healthy glow. Sugary, high fat foods will do just the opposite.

Looking at the variety of benefits good nutrition can offer a person, you realize what a better lifestyle healthier dieting and better food choices can be. And it can begin with one meal. Anyone can enjoy the benefits almost immediately, with just one plate. So load up on the fruits, vegetables and lean protein. Enjoy the healthy life style you have just chosen. Your body will thank you for it.

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