Continual Vigilance

You would probably think that I was writing a lot of old rubbish, but please stay with me, as I can assure you that it is very possible and there are many cases reported worldwide to back up my statement.

A number of medical experts recommend that everyone should drink eight glasses of water per day, which is about two litres. This old chestnut has been pulled out of the fire, so many times over the years, that no one really knows where the recommendation came from in the first place, or what the benefits to your health would be, if you followed this regime.

A survey that was sponsored by large companies that sell bottled water, state that everyone should consume between one and a half, to two litres per day, of Natural Mineral Water, of course, makes you think, when they paid for the survey.

There is a lot of confusion about how much water should be taken daily, and when you look around, you will see numerous people carrying their water bottles of natural mineral water everywhere, probably more ladies than men.

Excessive consumption of water can lead to a condition known as, Hyponatremia, which means “water intoxication”.

People are encouraged to drink water for detoxing purposes, and yes, it does that very well, it can flush most of the toxins out of your body, this is one of the things that it is meant for, but, when you overdo it, the minerals and sodium levels in the blood can become too low, because they are also being flushed out of your system, this can lead to complications, coma and even death.

This situation has often been seen in Athletes, especially runners when they collapse on the track, this is frequently caused by a low level of sodium in the athletes’ blood, and there are instances where it has had serious consequences.

A young man of 23 years of age was rushed to hospital, after going in to a coma, he was diagnosed with Hyponatremia, his sodium levels was dangerously low, and his brain was starting to swell, of course there is not much room available for the brain to swell, because it is surrounded by the hard skull, this causes the brain to be compressed and it does not like this one little bit.

Drinking too much water can flush out the essential nutrients and minerals and if you are drinking mineral water to excess, it can lead to high levels of calcium, magnesium or other minerals that is in the water. Some of these minerals are needed, but not in excess quantities.

A large number of water drinkers think that Natural Mineral Water is better for you health than the ordinary water that is supplied by your local authority.

I have written before about the dangerous concoction of chemicals that is put into the water supply, Fluoride, Chlorine and goodness knows what else, but please consider the following: Bottled water is frequently supplied in plastic bottles, this can give bacteria a very good environment for breeding, the water is sometimes taken from natural springs, no one knows what is in that water. You will think that this natural mineral water would be fresh, but, when you consider that it has been in the warehouse, before being shipped to the supermarket, some of these waters come from various overseas countries, so by the time you purchase the water off the supermarket shelf, it could be anywhere up to two years old. Does that make you think?

My personal way of having water is by the use of a rainwater tank, the rain comes from the sky, falls on the roof picks up some dust and probably some bird droppings on the way to the tank. I therefore recommend that the tank is cleaned out on a timely basis, also that a quality filter is fitted in the supply line and that the water is boiled before drinking
I use it for drinking water, tea, coffee and for cooking purposes only.
Not all local authorities will allow you to have a rainwater tank, but if they do, I honestly feel that even though this is not perfect, it is the best quality water that you are going to get. In today’s environment.

Look upon drinking water as an essential part of a healthy lifestyle, rather than as something that you have to do every day. Some days you will drink more than on others, if its hot, you will want more, if its cold, you won’t be so keen and it will depend on just how thirsty you feel and how hard you are physically working.

My old Grandmother always said to me. “Everything in moderation my boy” it is so true about drinking the essential water and almost everything else that you do in this life.

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Lost amidst the politically motivated and media-hyped cries of the cultural decline in America is the very real issue of the nutritional decline in America. Despite being the wealthiest and fattest nation in the world, many Americans are nutritionally underfed. Indeed, a survey by the Produce for Better Health Foundation found that only 38 percent of Americans ate the daily-recommended number of vegetable servings and only 23 percent consumed the recommended number of servings of fruit.

Increasingly, however, companies are providing a measure of relief from America’s nutritional decline in the form of easily absorbed nutritional supplements. Prepackaged in appealing flavors, these vitamins and minerals are seen as a crucial element to enhance Americans’ poor dietary choices. Agel Enterprises (www.yes2agel.com), manufactures Gelceuticals, which combine essential vitamins and minerals in a gel suspension. “Agel understands that we sometimes replace fresh fruits and vegetables with less than ideal choices,” says Regional Director Cedrick Penn, who is also an Agel advisory board member. “An exceptional supplement helps to fill the gap between a less than optimal diet and sound nutrition.”

The spending habits of Americans support the Produce for Better Health Foundation’s finding. A study published in the May 2004 Agricultural Economic Report noted that low income households spent a weekly average of $3.59 per person on fruits and vegetables, while higher income households spent a weekly average of $5.02 per person. Astoundingly, the report found that close to 19 percent of low-income households and 10 percent of higher-income households bought no fruits and vegetable in any given week.

Instead of buying the products that provide life-sustaining and disease-preventing vitamins and minerals, Americans are spending a substantial portion of their food budgets eating out. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) found that, in 2003, almost 40 percent of food expenditures made by individuals and families were made on food not prepared at home. Of that, 38 percent was spent at what the USDA termed “limited service eating places” - what we might call fast food restaurants. During 2003, the average person spent $1,531 each year for food eaten away from home and $1,731 for food eaten at home. Even the most generous figures in the Agricultural Economic Report provide for a startling contrast: The average person spends a little over $5.00 per week buying fruits and vegetables, but spends almost $30 each week eating out. This represents a seismic shift in consumer habits over the past four decades. In 1963, for example, less than ten percent of food budgets were spent eating away from home.

Americans aren’t spending all that money on salad bars. The USDA’s Agricultural Research Service reported in 2004 that, on any given day, about 25 percent of Americans over the age of 20 eat fast food. The report stated that, “Although fast food provided one-third of some respondents’ daily caloric intakes, those meals included almost no milk, fruit, or fruit juices, which are important nutrient sources among key food groups. In fact…the intake levels of vitamins A and C, carotenes, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium decreased.”

The hectic pace of the American lifestyle and the quarter of a million fast food restaurants in the U.S. combine to form a recipe for calorie-packed, nutrient-deficient foods. Companies such as Agel are banking on the need to counteract the tendency of Americans to gravitate toward the quick but empty calories of fast food. “Our four formulas are packaged for men and women on the go,” says Penn. “They can be tucked away in a pocket or a purse, and can be taken without water.” Americans may never forgo their beloved junk food, but with supplements such as Agel’s, they’ll at least be able to pack some nutrition in alongside their burgers and fries.

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Getting enough Vitamin D is much typically not a huge issue for most people today, but it was just a few years ago that a lack of this vitamin was a serious health issue. As recently as the early 1900s, many children suffered from rickets, a severe malformation of legs caused by a lack of Vitamin D.

Vitamin D is vital to the formation of strong bones. When both children and adults don’t get enough Vitamin D, they may have a tendency toward skeletal problems, such as osteomalacia, rickets and weak bones. This is also one of the vitamins that can help regulate growth, making it very important for children in their formative years.

You may think that milk is a natural source of Vitamin D, but milk is actually fortified with several vitamins, including Vitamin D. The practice began in direct response to the high number of rickets cases that hit the United States in the early 1900s. While milk is a good source of Vitamin D because it’s fortified with this vitamin, it’s not a natural source.

Some fish are high in Vitamin D and make excellent sources of this vitamin during a typically daily intake. Two of the more common are tuna and salmon. That means that a tuna sandwich for lunch each day can provide a significant start on the amount of Vitamin D needed to maintain healthy bones. Mackerel, sardines and cod are also sources of Vitamin D - which means those doses of cod liver oil had some serious health benefits for the pioneers who had access to few real medicines.

Eggs are another natural source of Vitamin D. You can use eggs in many ways to increase the amount of Vitamin D in your daily diet. Egg salad sandwiches are a quick “on the go” option, but boiled eggs also make a good “fast food” for breakfast or as a mid-morning snack.

Many people don’t like liver, but beef liver is a good source of Vitamin D. There are other benefits of liver, including the fact that this is an excellent natural source of iron - important if you’re trying to boost your iron or battle anemia. Unfortunately, it takes quite a large serving of beef liver to significantly increase the amount of Vitamin D in your diet.

One thing to remember is that many dairy products are fortified with Vitamin D, but are not natural sources. That means that milk, cheese and other dairy products won’t help you get the Vitamin D you need unless those products have been fortified with this important vitamin. Be sure to check the label before you assume that you’re getting the Vitamin D you need from your daily dairy consumption.

Bob Benson is the founder of Vitamins online. You can check out our website at http://www.nutritional-vitamin-supplements.info.

Choosing antioxidants to supplement your regular skin routine is an approach that has been validated scientifically. A study by French scientists found that woman taking vitamin C, vitamin E, and betacarotene had 23% fewer new wrinkles, and a reduction in existing wrinkles of 8%. Antioxidants stop the breakdown of collagen and elastin by free radicals.

Foods with the highest levels of antioxidants, as measured by the ORAC (oxygen radical absorbence capacity), listed from the highest: prunes, raisins, blueberries, kale, cranberries, spinach, raspberries, brussel sprouts, plums and broccoli.

Vitamin A is another important nutrient for the skin. A deficiency in vitamin A will reduce the effectiveness of skin treatments. Vitamin A is needed for the normal growth and renewal of skin cells. Our skin cells are constantly replacing each other, and new ones are pushed up to the surface as the old ones slough off. Not only is vitamin A an antioxidant, but it also nourishes the fat layer underneath the skin. Vitamin A keeps skin supple, and may prevent skin damage.

Symptoms of vitamin A deficiency include dry and rough skin, localized breakouts, fragile skin, wrinkle prone skin, poor skin texture, and splitting nails.

One thing to remember with taking vitamin A supplements is not to exceed the recommended daily dose, as it can build up in your body if taken in excess. Taking 10000 IU per day is fine.

Vitamin C is another important beauty supplement. Not only does it help in skin repair by building collagen, but lower levels of vitamin C in the skin are associated with aging and UV damage. Taking 500mg to 2000mg per day, in divided doses, is recommended.

An excellent antioxidant supplement to take is alpha lipoic acid (ALA), especially if you’re taking the other antioxidant vitamins C and E, and coenzyme Q10. Alpha lipoic acid is not only an antioxidant in its own right, but it has the capacity to recycle these other antioxidants. Alpha lipoic acid is also an anti inflammatory agent, and improves insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is associated with obesity and heart disease. ALA increases the rate at which glucose is removed from the bloodstream, and helps the body detoxify metals that have accumulated. Alpha lipoic acid also prevents the cross linking of fibers, which leads to aging and the development of wrinkles.

Alpha lipoic acid is produced by the body, but only in small amounts. It is used by the cells in their production of cellular energy, and we only benefit from its antioxidant effects if the amount of ALA in our bodies is greater than that which our cells need for normal functioning. And, unfortunately, the levels of ALA in our body decline as we age.

One advantage of alpha lipoic acid is that it is both fat and water soluble. This means it can work in all parts of our body, making it very versatile. Most antioxidants are either fat or water soluble, but not both. For example, vitamin A is fat soluble, and vitamin C is water soluble.

Taking about 50 to 100mg of alpha lipoic acid supplements a day has been suggested, though this supplement has not been tested on pregnant or breast feeding women.

References: Nature and Health, April/May 2006

To learn more about why good anti aging best skin care regimens include beauty foods and supplements, see this article. Included are foods you should be eating regularly to nourish your skin. For a review of anti aging skin care treatments, see this article.