Cultured, Whole Food Vitamins and Supplements – Best Source of Dietary Supplementation

Whole Foods for Optimal NutritionWhole foods are our best source of nutrition and provide the most complete sources of vitamins and minerals. We are nourished by eating whole foods because they contain the necessary proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fiber, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other micronutrients that our body needs for proper nourishment and optimal health. Unfortunately, most of us do not eat enough variety of whole, nutrient-dense foods for proper nutrition levels. Instead, our modern diets include too many processed foods that provide sub-standard levels of nutrients. These days, dietary supplementation is often needed to provide our nutritional requirements for optimum health and energy.The Complexity of Whole Food Vitamins and Dietary SupplementsDietary supplements and vitamins made from whole foods contain not only recognized vitamins and minerals, but a whole symphony of other micronutrients (phytonutrients or phytochemicals) that work in concert with vitamins and minerals to orchestrate a natural harmony in our bodies. More than 25,000 different micronutrients, also known as cofactors, have been discovered in whole fruits and vegetables alone. These micronutrients are still being studied, but what we do know is that they not only provide additional nutritional support, they also enhance the effectiveness and absorption of other nutrients contained in whole foods.An interesting study was conducted by researchers at the USDA’s Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston. Two different age groups of men and women were fed a diet containing ten servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Then they measured the ‘antioxidant capacity’ of the participants’ blood samples by seeing how well the blood deactivated damaging oxidized free radicals in a test tube. After two weeks, the antioxidant capacity of the participants’ blood rose in both groups, though more consistently in the older people. Based on this and other studies, it appears that compounds other than vitamins C and E and carotenoids contribute a major portion of the increase in antioxidant capacity.Food researcher Vic Shayne, Ph.D. clearly describes the complexity of whole food nutrition and how this cannot be duplicated in the lab with vitamin isolates, in the following quotation:Since whole food ingredients are natural, they contain a host of nutrients that exist within a complex.A food complex includes not only vitamins and minerals, but also many cofactors (helper nutrients) that are found in nature’s foods as a result of the evolutionary process.Cofactors and food complexes therefore cannot be made in a laboratory nor can they be duplicated by scientists.Many nutritional doctors and researchers conclude that cofactors are often more valuable than vitamins and minerals, and that food cannot be duplicated due to its complexity, dynamism and energy.Cofactors within nature’s foods (which are found also in whole food supplements) include, but are not limited to: vitamins, minerals, terpenes, trace mineral activators, enzymes, co-enzymes, chlorophyll, lipids, essential fatty acids, fiber, carotenoids, antioxidants, flavonoids, pigments, amino acids, whole proteins and more.The human organism is biologically suited to ingest and utilize nature’s whole foods for its sustenance, including the optimal functioning of cells, and for the processes of healing and prevention. Because (isolated) vitamin and mineral pills are merely comprised of isolated chemicals, the body often regards these as foreign invaders.Many vitamins, minerals and amino acids produce toxic side effects ranging from skin itching and flushing (niacin, for example) to liver impairment (vitamin A palmitate, for example).The ingredients within foods operate on a system of synergism; in other words they work as ‘teams’ to feed cells. The interwoven, interrelated and complementary functions of food particles represent some of Nature’s most wonderful properties of synergistic power and function.Synergism is defined as the interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects: working together.The Power of Fermentation and Probiotic CulturesWe understand that dietary supplements created from whole foods provide a more complex source of nutrition than isolated supplements created in a lab. So, what happens when we incorporate a probiotic fermentation process to whole food nutritional ingredients?I am sure we have all heard of Captain Cook’s remedy for scurvy on his ships. Due to the lack of fresh produce on long voyages, he would require all his sailors to eat sauerkraut, which is fermented cabbage. Scurvy is caused by a vitamin C deficiency; by fermenting cabbage, the Vitamin C levels of the cabbage are increased.The power of the fermentation and culturing process is due to the additional nutrients that are created by the activated bacteria. By culturing live, whole foods in probiotics (healthy, beneficial, naturally occurring bacteria), a synergy of health promoting compounds is created. Those compounds produce much greater results than the sum of the individual whole food nutritional ingredients. According to Dr. Richard Sarnat, M.D., co-author of “The Life Bridge: The Way to Longevity with Probiotic Nutrients,” “These (cultured) nutrients promote the health of the entire digestive system. It’s the process of fermentation that unlocks all these wonderful nutrients.”In her book, “Nourishing Traditions,” author Sally Fallon, further explains the benefits of the lacto-fermentation process: “Like the fermentation of dairy products, preservation of vegetables and fruits by the process of lacto-fermentation has numerous advantages beyond those of simple preservation. The proliferation of lactobacilli (probiotics) in fermented vegetables enhances their digestibility and increases vitamin levels. These beneficial organisms produce numerous helpful enzymes as well as antibiotic and anticarcinogenic substances. Their main by-product, lactic acid, not only keeps vegetables and fruits in a state of perfect preservation but also promotes the growth of healthy flora throughout the intestine.”SummaryBy supplementing our diets with cultured, whole food vitamins and supplements, we are able to provide our bodies with the complexity of nutrients missing from our modern diets, delivered in a cultured, whole food form that our bodies recognize and utilize efficiently. Nutrients from isolated vitamins and supplements are not adequate for our dietary requirements because they lack the cofactors and micronutrients needed and are not recognized by our bodies as food. As a Clinical Nutritionist, I recommend my clients and customers eat a whole food, natural diet and use cultured, whole food vitamins and dietary supplements for optimal health. I am impressed with nutrition companies such as Garden of Life, Mt. Capra, and New Chapter, because they follow these health promoting principles of using only whole food ingredients and a culturing probiotic process in their vitamin and supplement formulas.© Copyright 2008 by Christine’s Cleanse Corner, Inc.References:Dr. Richard Sarnat, Paul Schulick and Thomas M. Newmark, “The Life Bridge: The Way to Longevity with Probiotic Nutrients,” Jordan Rubin N.D, J. Brasco M.D., “Restoring Your Digestive Health” www.westonaprice.org/foodfeatures/lacto.htmlSally Fallon, “Nourishing Traditions”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whole_food_supplementshttp://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0NAH/is_4_34/ai_114783531, Cooking culture: tangy, tasty, and teeming with health benefits, fermented foods are the new stars of a wholesome diet - Healthy Appetites - Natural Health, April 2004, Jill Newmarkhttp://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FKA/is_6_63/ai_78476943 Better Nutrition, June, 2001, Marie Moneysmith

Diet your way to a longer life?

Lately, people are searching for the fountain of youth, but not with facelifts or Botox. They are turning to their diet to help them live longer. Research on monkeys, rodents, fish and even insects has shown that if calories are cut below what the animal would normally choose to eat, they actually live longer.A recent study at Tufts University shows that people who restrict their calories do not just live longer, they are healthier. In an animal study conducted, the animals actually aged biologically slower. Their hair has gone gray less quickly. Their hormones have stayed at their youthful profile and their immune function has stayed good.So what is the theory behind this research?With fewer calories, cells throughout the body appear to die more slowly and repair themselves more easily. Research on fruit flies and rats has shown that a 30% reduction in calories can lead to 30% longer life, according to the National Institute of Health.There are 2 simple “drug-free” ways to help you to maintain a moderate diet and keeping your weight down:1. Eat slowly. Or take a break in the middle of your meal, go outside and have a fruit juice. Theory: By the time you return to your meal, you will find that you are no longer hungry. It takes some time for the body to digest the food and send the signals to the brain that you are already satiated. Giving your body enough time to make this neural connection will prevent you from overeating.2. Wear a shapewear.Theory: Shapewear are specialized medical grade garments that compresses at a particular pressure that is optimal to blood and lymph flow.Shapewear meant for cellulite purposes may resemble a pair of undergarments or a pair of tights, and will help to reduce cellulite by improving lymphatic drainage and eliminating water retention. Shapewear that compresses around the abdomen can also act as an “appetite suppressant” as you are less likely to feel hungry.So is there really a fountain of youth in eating less? Well, there certainly appears to be a small fountain. Given the genes we have got, we can certainly do our best to have a healthier lifestyle by choosing to eat wisely. As the old saying goes, “you are what you eat”. So it is really up to us to choose to eat well and live well.

Diet your way to a longer life?

Lately, people are searching for the fountain of youth, but not with facelifts or Botox. They are turning to their diet to help them live longer. Research on monkeys, rodents, fish and even insects has shown that if calories are cut below what the animal would normally choose to eat, they actually live longer.A recent study at Tufts University shows that people who restrict their calories do not just live longer, they are healthier. In an animal study conducted, the animals actually aged biologically slower. Their hair has gone gray less quickly. Their hormones have stayed at their youthful profile and their immune function has stayed good.So what is the theory behind this research?With fewer calories, cells throughout the body appear to die more slowly and repair themselves more easily. Research on fruit flies and rats has shown that a 30% reduction in calories can lead to 30% longer life, according to the National Institute of Health.There are 2 simple “drug-free” ways to help you to maintain a moderate diet and keeping your weight down:1. Eat slowly. Or take a break in the middle of your meal, go outside and have a fruit juice. Theory: By the time you return to your meal, you will find that you are no longer hungry. It takes some time for the body to digest the food and send the signals to the brain that you are already satiated. Giving your body enough time to make this neural connection will prevent you from overeating.2. Wear a shapewear.Theory: Shapewear are specialized medical grade garments that compresses at a particular pressure that is optimal to blood and lymph flow.Shapewear meant for cellulite purposes may resemble a pair of undergarments or a pair of tights, and will help to reduce cellulite by improving lymphatic drainage and eliminating water retention. Shapewear that compresses around the abdomen can also act as an “appetite suppressant” as you are less likely to feel hungry.So is there really a fountain of youth in eating less? Well, there certainly appears to be a small fountain. Given the genes we have got, we can certainly do our best to have a healthier lifestyle by choosing to eat wisely. As the old saying goes, “you are what you eat”. So it is really up to us to choose to eat well and live well.

Vitamin K, usually associated with leafy green vegetables, is an important factor in proper blood clotting and bone metabolism. Researchers at the Jean Mayer U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, along with the USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland, has found that vegetable oils are also an excellent source of vitamin K.

To attain a more comprehensive understanding of vitamin K content of various fats and oils used by consumers in the U.S., the researchers analyzed margarines, spreads, butters, shortening, vegetable oils, and salad dressings

Their results showed that vitamin K content decreased with hydrogenation, the process of converting liquid oils to semisolid forms by adding hydrogen molecules to the fatty acid. Butter was shown to contain less vitamin K than vegetable-derived oils and spreads, corroborating the current USDA dietary guidelines recommending that consumers obtain most of their dietary fat from nonhydrogenated vegetable sources. The concentration of vitamin K varied according to fat content, which is why reduced-fat salad dressings contain lower amounts of the vitamin.

The guidelines suggest that women take in 90 micrograms of vitamin K a day, while the adequate intake (AI) requirement for men is 120 micrograms. One tablespoon of margarine would be equal to about 10 percent of the AI for men and 13 percent for women; two tablespoons of regular salad dressing provides 25 percent and 33 percent of the AI for men and women, respectively. Please send your review to Indo Munch.

The researchers also measured blood concentrations of several molecules that the body secretes in response to stress. High readings for these molecules can indicate increased vulnerability to various illnesses because stress molecules, such as various hormonelike prostaglandins, induce inflammation and oxidative stress. Inflammation normally aids the repair of injured tissue as part of the body’s infection-fighting defenses, but when a person’s internal regulatory mechanisms are faulty, systemic low-grade inflammation can cause progressive damage.

Diet your way to a longer life?

Lately, people are searching for the fountain of youth, but not with facelifts or Botox. They are turning to their diet to help them live longer. Research on monkeys, rodents, fish and even insects has shown that if calories are cut below what the animal would normally choose to eat, they actually live longer.A recent study at Tufts University shows that people who restrict their calories do not just live longer, they are healthier. In an animal study conducted, the animals actually aged biologically slower. Their hair has gone gray less quickly. Their hormones have stayed at their youthful profile and their immune function has stayed good.So what is the theory behind this research?With fewer calories, cells throughout the body appear to die more slowly and repair themselves more easily. Research on fruit flies and rats has shown that a 30% reduction in calories can lead to 30% longer life, according to the National Institute of Health.There are 2 simple “drug-free” ways to help you to maintain a moderate diet and keeping your weight down:1. Eat slowly. Or take a break in the middle of your meal, go outside and have a fruit juice. Theory: By the time you return to your meal, you will find that you are no longer hungry. It takes some time for the body to digest the food and send the signals to the brain that you are already satiated. Giving your body enough time to make this neural connection will prevent you from overeating.2. Wear a shapewear.Theory: Shapewear are specialized medical grade garments that compresses at a particular pressure that is optimal to blood and lymph flow.Shapewear meant for cellulite purposes may resemble a pair of undergarments or a pair of tights, and will help to reduce cellulite by improving lymphatic drainage and eliminating water retention. Shapewear that compresses around the abdomen can also act as an “appetite suppressant” as you are less likely to feel hungry.So is there really a fountain of youth in eating less? Well, there certainly appears to be a small fountain. Given the genes we have got, we can certainly do our best to have a healthier lifestyle by choosing to eat wisely. As the old saying goes, “you are what you eat”. So it is really up to us to choose to eat well and live well.

If your doctor says your bone density is degenerating or that you have osteoporosis, what can you do? Most likely your doctor will want to put you on a drug. Since most drugs have real nasty side effects, after long term use, you may want to look for a natural alternative.

First of all, you need to make sure that you are getting a good supplement of calcium and magnesium for reducing osteoporosis. For women up to 1200 mg to 1600 mg of calcium per day and about 600 mg to 800 mg of magnesium is recommended. And for real good calcium absorption take 500 mg of vitamin D. For men, use around 200 mg less than women, except for the vitamin D quantity.

Realize that calcium is a difficult mineral to absorb in your intestinal tract. Taking magnesium and vitamin D improves your absorption of calcium. Using an ionic form of calcium also improves your changes of absorbing more of this mineral.

Vitamin B12 reduces osteoporosis

There is one other nutrient that you should also take to increase your absorption of calcium. In a clinical study made at the University of California, they found that women who had the highest levels of vitamin B12 compared to the ones that had the lowest levels had a significant decrease in bone loss and bone fractures - reduced osteoporosis.

In another study done by Tufts University, they again found that in 2,500 men and women that high levels of vitamin B12 reduced their chances of getting osteoporosis.

Homocysteine

In previous articles, I had written of the other serious benefits of Vitamin B12 and the other B Vitamins, B6 and folic acid. These B vitamins are essential for reducing your homocysteine levels. Remember that high homocysteine levels and unchecked homocysteine levels in your blood lead to plaque buildup in blood vessels. Plaque build up in your blood vessels is probably the most serious condition that you will have to face as you age. Plaque buildup in the blood vessels is the major cause of cardiovascular disease or arthrosclerosis.

Celiac Disease encourages osteoporosis

In another article, I have also written about celiac disease. This is a disease where more than 1.5 million people have it and many don’t know it. It is a disease where grains (gluten) have destroyed the small intestines ability to absorb nutrients.

In studies, it has been shown that those with severe celiac disease

also have severe osteoporosis.

To make things worse, your ability to absorb Vitamin B12 decreases as you age, since you produce less intrinsic factor. Intrinsic factor is created in the stomach where it helps you adsorb more Vitamin B12.

Pharmaceuticals block calcium and encourage osteoporosis

Pharmaceuticals of various kinds, especially acid blockers, can also prevent you from properly absorbing Vitamin B12.

So now you can see that it’s necessary to supplement with calcium, magnesium, B12, B6, and folic acid to prevent or even reduce osteoporosis. Not only do these supplements help you with osteoporosis, but they also will reduce the plaque buildup in your artery walls.