Vitamins for Wellness

Dr. Paul Gross :

We’ve been reading a lot in magazines and newspapers about antioxidant plant foods, including berries like blueberries and cranberries, and we keep seeing the word anthocyanins.

What are anthocyanins?

Anthocyanins (Etymology: Greek. anthos = Flower, kyáneos = purple) are water-soluble pigments reflecting the red to blue range of the visible spectrum. The colour depends on the acidity of the surrounding medium.

Anthocyanins exist only in plants with bright colors in everything from flower petals to autumn leaves and edible fruits or vegetables. Chemical identification studies reveal that there are as many as 600 unique anthocyanins in nature.

How are anthocyanins synthesized in the plant?

Here’s a brief botany summary. Anthocyanins are formed from chemical raw materials in the plant, using the amino acid phenylalanine, or another chemical called malonyl coenzyme A. These two substrates join to form the base material for anthocyanins called “chalcones” that lead to the production of anthocyanins after a series of enzyme steps.

The parent material of anthocyanins is a group of similar structures named “anthocyanidins” or “proanthocyanidins” which contain no sugar molecules. When sugars become attached, an anthocyanin glycoside is formed, taking the characteristic shape of anthocyanins.

When first isolated by chemists, many anthocyanins were named after the colorful flowers from which they were extracted, such as petunidin (petunia), rosinidin (rose) and peonidin (peonies).

The large class of antioxidant cyanidins is also anthocyanins – all these compounds belong to the group of compounds called flavonoids within the super-family of antioxidants named phenolics or polyphenols.

What is the purpose of anthocyanins in a plant?

Anthocyanins exist mainly to preserve the regeneration of the plant. In flowers, the colorful anthocyanins of petals attract pollinators whereas in fruits, like brightly colored berries, they reside in the skin to attract animals that eat the fruit and later disperse the seeds in their droppings. This is nature’s efficient way of symbiosis between a plant and feeding animal.

Anthocyanins also serve a protective role much like a “sunscreen” by absorbing the ultraviolet light that plants face from constant sun exposure.

This “sunscreen” function is thought to be the reason why many deciduous plants turn red in autumn. When green chlorophylls break down, and as leaves begin to dehydrate and die, anthocyanins shield the remaining leaf tissues while the plant moves nutrients back into the stems and vascular system of the tree.

How do people benefit from anthocyanins and what plant foods contain them?

In berry research particularly, anthocyanins have been shown to possess strong antioxidant qualities that guard cells of the fruit pulp and seeds from reactive oxygen species (“free radicals”) formed during normal plant metabolism and exposure to ultraviolet light.

When people eat anthocyanin-rich foods, we obtain the benefit of these antioxidant qualities, giving us the same capacity for combating the damaging free radicals.

Among plant foods providing the richest sources of anthocyanins are blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, red currants and cherries (up to 400 mg in every 100 gram serving) and Concord grapes (as high as 750 mg/100 grams). Two of the richest sources of anthocyanins in berries are in the black raspberry and tropical palmberry (or acai).

A good rule of thumb is this: dark blue, purple or black fruits that easily stain your fingers (or thumb) during picking are great sources of anthocyanins.

Non-berry plant foods rich in anthocyanins include brightly colored (bluish) vegetables like the purple cabbage and eggplant. White plant foods like banana, pear and potato do not contain significant levels of anthocyanins.

Are there known health values of eating anthocyanin-rich foods?

Medical research has been examining potential health or anti-disease benefits of having anthocyanin-enriched plant foods like berries included in the regular human diet.

Although the work must be considered preliminary until thorough clinical trials are completed, the list of potential benefits are many and includes positive effects against:

• Cancer

• Diabetes

• Inflammation

• Heart and vascular disease

• Alzheimer’s disease

• Other types of neurodegeneration

• High blood cholesterol

• Stroke

• Bacterial infections

• Urinary tract infections

• Age-related eyesight deterioration

• Premature aging

Reading

Wikipedia, free encyclopedia, http://www.wikipedia.com

PubMed, online literature database of the US National Library of Medicine, http://pubmed.gov

Shahidi F, Naczk M. Phenolics in Food and Nutraceuticals, CRC Press, Boca Raton, 2003.

Yuri Elkaim :

For all those vegans (and non-vegans) out there who are hesitant to supplement with fish oil there’s an even better solution for you.

It’s called spirulina and it is one of the most incredible foods our planet has to offer. Spirulina is a blue-green algae. Spirulina usually grows in waters of lakes naturally alkaline localized in arid zones.

Spirulina has unparalleled health benefits (explained later) and is an incredibly sustainable food source. For instance, according the journal Human Nature, spirulina presents a fast reproduction rate, dividing itself three times a day! Therefore, an area exclusively aimed at spirulina growth may produce 125 times more protein if compared to an area of the same size aimed at growing corn and 70 times more protein if compared to the breeding of cattle.

Furthermore, the spirulina presents some advantages in relation to other algae and seaweeds such as presenting no problems with digestion and no toxicity to humans. This can’t be said for other seaweeds such as Chlorella.

Spirulina – the omega-3 food choice for vegans!

Now let’s get to the good stuff. If you’re a vegan and looking for an alternative to fish then spirulina is what you want. This is because algaes, like spirulina, are athe original source of omega-3 fatty acids. Algaes are what small, bottom-feeding fish consume. These fish are then eaten by larger ones, and then eventually by humans. Cold water fish, which are well-known for their omega-3 fatty acids, owe their “omega-3 fame” to the consumption algaes such as spirulina, even if indirectly.

Here are some more incredible nutritional characteristics of spirulina. For starters, spirulina is the probably the highest vegetarian protein source consisting of 60-70% protein! It is also rich in chlorophyll and carotenoids, vitamins (vitamin A, especially) and tons of important minerals from deep in the seabed. An important note (especially for vegetarians and vegans) is that spirulina is a terrific source of vitamin B12 and iron.

Iron is the most common mineral deficiency in the world. Since spirulina contains high iron concentrations its bioavailability has been tested in comparison to ferrous sulfate which is the typical iron supplement. One such comparison was revealed in the journal Nutrition Research, spirulina fed rats absorbed 60% more iron than rats fed the iron supplement!

So next time someone asks you where you’re getting your protein, iron, or B12 from just tell them you’re eating an incredible blue-green powder called spirulina.

Aside from human breast milk and evening primrose oil, spirulina is the only food source rich in gamma linoleic acid (GLA). The GLA content comprises 25% of the total polyunsaturated fatty acid content of spirulina, a number that is much higher than the GLA content of evening primrose oil (only 7%)!

The Importance of GLA

GLA is essential fatty acid that has numerous benefits to the body. Along with omega-3 fatty acids, GLA has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Both are excellent skin fatty acids for preventing and treating eczema, psoriasis, wrinkles, rashes and more. Research has confirmed that GLA has positive effects in breast cancer treatment; they enhance lubrication in those with Sjogren’s syndrome; help relieve PMS symptoms, breast pain, skin conditions (including eczema and psoriasis, and wrinkles), and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children; improve cardiovascular health, mental health; and much more!

A British study published in 2000 observed women who had locally advanced and metastatic breast cancer (when cancer cells spread elsewhere in the body). They found that women with breast cancer who were taking Tamoxifen (a drug that blocks estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer) and received GLA demonstrated faster clinical response than those taking Tamoxifen alone. Study participants received 3 grams of GLA. The researchers concluded that GLA was a useful adjunct to primary Tamoxifen treatment with no serious side effects: “… this study suggests high-dose oral GLA to be a valuable new agent in the treatment of hormone-sensitive breast cancer.”

Spirulina’s Effects on Blood Lipids and Cholesterol

Numerous studies on rats have shown that spirulina has powerful effects on blood lipids and cholesterol. Almost all these studies show a reduction in LDL (bad) cholesterol, triglycerides, and fat deposits in the arteries upon consuming spirulina.

A human study investigating the cholesterol-lowering effect of spirulina published in Nutrition Reports International looked at 30 male volunteers who had mild hyperlipidemia and mild hypertension. They were divided into two groups. Group A subjects were given spirulina at 4.2 g/day and group B subjects the same amount of spirulina for 4 weeks and, then were observed for the next 4 weeks without spirulina.

The results showed a statistically significant reduction of LDL-cholesterol in Group A subjects after 8 weeks. The LDL-cholesterol also fell significantly in Group B subjects after 4 weeks of spirulina consumption, but thereafter increased to its baseline value after administration of spirulina was discontinued.

Anti-Cancer and Anti-Radioactive Properties of Spirulina

Several animal studies have shown that spirulina inhibits tumor and protects the body from cancer propagation.

There are also unpublished reports from scientists and doctors about the radioprotective effect of spirulina in experiments conducted on child victims of the Chernobyl radiation. In a study involving 49 children, 3-7 years old, in Beryozovka, administration of spirulina for 45 days resulted in an increase in T-cell suppressors and beneficial hormones. In addition, the radioactivity of the urine decreased in 83% of the children!

These are just some of the powerful benefits and healing powers possessed by spirulina. So whether or not you supplement with fish oil, I would highly recommend spirulina as an addition to your diet for lifelong health, strength, and vigor!

References:

Furst PT. Spirulina – a nutricious alga, once a staple of Aztec diet, could feed many of the world hungry people. Human Nature 1978;3:60.

Nakaya N, Honma Y, Goto Y (1988) Cholesterol lowering effect of Spirulina Nutr. Rep. Int. 37: 1329-1337.

Johnson P, Shubert LE (1986) Availability of iron to rats from Spirulina, a blue-green alga. Nutr. Res. 6: 85-94.

Scott White :

Aspartame is an artificial sweetener found in most diet, sugar-free and diabetic products that would normally contain sugar. Beverages, baked goods, ice cream, gelatins, candy, syrups, jams and jellies are some of the foods that commonly contain aspartame. While the sweetener was long touted as a wonderful substitute, allowing diabetics to enjoy sugar-free sweets. The side effects are now known, though, and they can be quite debilitating.

In 1965, a chemist was working on an anti-ulcer drug. He licked his finger after accidentally contaminating it with the drug and found it to be very sweet. This was the birth of aspartame. Preliminary tests caused brain tumors in rats so it was not approved by the FDA for many years. By 1983, it was approved for many foods and by 1996, all restrictions had been lifted in the US.

The only warning aspartame carries is for those born with phenylketonuria (also known as PKU.) One ingredient of aspartame, phenylalanine, is dangerous for those with PKU and can cause mental retardation. More recently, though, other health risks have been associated with aspartame consumption, though the FDA has not yet taken any action towards restricting it.

Aspartame is commonly marketed under the name NutraSweet, Equal and Canderel. Saccharin and sucralose, the main ingredients in other artificial sweeteners, do not pose the exact same risks as aspartame, though they do each come with their own set of potential side effects.

Side Effects

In 1995 it was reported, by the FDA, that aspartame accounted for three quarters of all adverse reactions to food substance reports from 1981 to 1995. Among the nearly 100 reported symptoms reported, the mild ones include:

Feeling flush in the face

Itching

Other allergy-like side effects

Burning eyes and throat

Excessive thirst or hunger

Inability to concentrate

Numbness or tingling of extremities

Bloating

Weight gain

More serious symptoms include:

Asthmatic reactions

Impotency and sexual problems

Anxiety and panic attacks

Menstrual problems or changes

Higher susceptibility to infections

Muscle spasms

Phobias

Noticeable personality changes

Nausea or vomiting

Diarrhea

Depression

Chronic fatigue

Hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia

Migraines

Hair thinning or loss

Hearing and vision loss

Hypertension

Chest pains and heart palpitations

Seizures, convulsions and tremors

Death

Aspartame has also been linked to lymphoma and brain cancer in a few cases.

Research

Aspartame research is as controversial as the reported side effects are. Scientists conducting human studies often choose capsules, which are slow releasing, rather than a common form of ingestion, like sugar-free beverages. Because the absorption is much slower with the capsules, the results of the tests aren’t necessarily reliable.

What Makes Aspartame Dangerous

When you consume aspartame, about 10% of it is broken down into methanol in the small intestine. Methanol is transformed into formaldehyde, a potentially lethal substance that is known to cause rapid, shallow breathing, hypothermia, and can cause comas.

A 1998 study in Spain found that formaldehyde produced by methanol breakdown from aspartame consumption collected in the brain, liver and kidneys in lab animals. Some scientists, however, claim there is not enough methanol produced to cause toxicity.

Many users of aspartame treat it like a blank check to eat all the sweets and sugary foods they desire. Because most foods that contain aspartame are either free of nutrients and/or filled with empty calories, like processed flour, it likely contributes to being overweight or obese. While refined sugar consumption also contributes to obesity, when used in moderation it usually carries few other long term effects.

Zach Zimmerman:


What can you learn from a reverse osmosis water treatment comparison? Like other consumer opinions, reverse osmosis reviews provide limited information. Either the homeowner is happy or not. If they are not, they don’t suggest options. Here, you can learn what the common problems are, why they are problems, and what the better options are.

The most frequent complaint that you will see in a reverse osmosis water treatment comparison concerns the costs. The equipment is expensive to purchase and maintain. It requires electricity to operate and often a new outlet must be installed. It creates gallons of wastewater and often a new drain must be installed.

 

For less than $1000, you can purchase a whole house carbon and sediment filter. It takes a plumber less than two hours to install, does not require electricity and does not create wastewater. The maintenance costs average out to less than $18 per month.

 

Another complaint that you will see in reverse osmosis reviews has to do with bad tasting water. People say that they can still taste chlorine, which means that they system does not include carbon filtration. They sometimes say that the water tastes stale. That’s because reverse osmosis removes naturally occurring minerals. Without them, the water is basically tasteless.

 

To get the best tasting water, an ideal solution is a multi-stage system that you attach to your kitchen tap. If the system includes ion exchange, it will balance mineral content and pH levels, remove lead, copper and other metallic particles, without reducing any naturally occurring mineral content.

 

One other complaint that you often see in reverse osmosis reviews concerns breakdowns, particularly in areas where sand or sediment content is very high. The delicate membranes within the units tear very easily. Pre-filtration is necessary to protect them. The cheaper self-contained units that are designed for homeowners will not work for wells that have salt, sand or other granular contaminants.

 

So, if you do have these problems, when you do a reverse osmosis water treatment comparison, look at other options. You can almost always find a better, less expensive option. If you are serviced by a public treatment facility, you don’t need to waste your time reading reverse osmosis reviews. The purification step is unnecessary. If you’re worried about cysts, submicron filtration can handle that, for a much lower price.

 

If you do a whole house reverse osmosis water treatment comparison, you will see that those designed for well owners cost in the $10,000 range. Those designed for homes on a public waterline cost as much as $6000. I believe that everyone needs a home purifier, because there is only so much that large-scale treatment facilities can do.

 

I also think that everyone should know that purification is affordable, something they won’t learn by reading reverse osmosis reviews. A kitchen purifier is by far the least expensive, but most effective alternative. When you do a reverse osmosis water treatment comparison to multi-stage selective filtration, reverse osmosis always loses.

Martin Applebaum :


Growing up most of us thought nothing of drinking water straight from the garden hose; today most people would not consider drinking water straight from the kitchen tap, and with good reason. Over the years, increasing numbers of reports produced by governmental scientists have increased our awareness about the real dangers found in the drinking water we once felt good about. As everything from chlorine, asbestos, pesticides, copper, mercury, and lead enter our soils and waterways the level of toxicity in our drinking water continues to increase. Our bodies need water to survive. One suggested solution for clean water has been the process of water distillation. However, how pure is distilled water?

Distilled water has virtually all of the contaminants and impurities removed. The process of distilling water involves boiling water and condensing the steam. However, this process also removes natural trace minerals our bodies need. Taking away minerals our bodies need can cause electrolyte deficiencies, which can lead to an irregular heat beat and high blood pressure. Cooking foods in distilled water pulls the minerals out of your food as well, lessening the nutritional benefit. The pure water solution may not be distilled water after all.

Bottled water is now the most profitable beverage on the market creating a multi-million dollar industry. However, we are now learning that bottled water, once seen as the solution to our contaminated drinking water fears, is now just another contributing culprit in disguise. Buying bottled water only gives us the misperception that we are drinking safe, uncontaminated water.

Unfortunately, just because water has been processed and bottled, does not guarantee that it is any safer. Today you can purchase various types of bottled water including distilled, yet knowing the answer to the question how pure is distilled water, I would not buy it.

We are encouraged to drink water; physicians recommend a minimum of 8 eight oz. glasses a day. Water not only hydrates our bodies but also flushes out chemicals and waste, unless the water we are drinking is distilled water. No matter how pure is distilled water, long term intake of distilled water has hazardous health results, causing mineral deficiencies within the body. Distilled water is mineral free, meaning free from trace minerals like magnesium, potassium, and calcium our bodies need. Distilled water is very acidic and in an attempt to neutralize the acid, our body will pull minerals from our teeth and bones, not something our doctors or dentist would be happy to hear.

Two things are bodies require for survival is water and oxygen. Many people have come to realize the importance of clean air and have purchased air purifiers, but what about their drinking water. Many of the contaminants in water has no noticeable taste or odor, therefore people are not aware of it and do not think about it. I am constantly discouraging my children from drinking sugary sports drinks and encouraging them to drink water, but in reality, both can be harmful.

So what is the pure water solution? Having a water purification system of your own which cleans your water of dangerous toxins without stripping it of beneficial minerals and nutrients will give you the safest water possible for you and your family. Bottled water, and many water filters do not eliminate enough toxins, or they can remove things from the water that our bodies need. Using a water filter with a multi-stage filtration process that combines activated carbon and a special filter designed to only eliminate the unwanted parts of your drinking water means pure, great-tasting water anytime you want it, and for much less than you can buy at a store.

You can purchase affordable and portable water purification systems for use at home, work or for use virtually anywhere to guarantee you are drinking water free from harmful contaminants while maintaining a safe and healthy balance of nutrients. So again, I ask you, how pure is distilled water? Too pure for my taste!

Bob Smith :


You probably have heard about “pH Balance” before, but are still wondering what it really means. The term “pH” is a medical term that describes the balance of your system and it refers to the condition of metabolic changes. pH Balance, simply put, is the balance of acid and alkaline in all fluids and cells in the body. The scale of pH runs from 0 to 14. Zero is totally acidic and 14 totally alkaline. The middle of the scale at 7 is neutral. The pH level indicates the body’s acid/alkaline balance.

People wonder why the pH balance of the body is so important to maintain. This is because if body’s pH Balance is not in equilibrium, it will create an environment where diseases can attack easily. Therefore, it is critical to maintain pH Balance of the body. Now one might ask: “How to maintain the pH Balance of one’s body”?

If you suspect that your pH Balance is out of order, it is important to consider a change in your lifestyle and nutrition. Optimizing your health with a pH balanced diet is the natural way to obtain healthy living for a long time. All foods have an effect on the body’s acid/alkaline level. To maintain health, the diet should consist of 60% alkaline forming foods and 40% acid forming foods. However, to restore health, nutritionists suggest that 80% of one’s dietary intake should be alkaline and 20% acidic.

Alkaline forming foods include most fruits, green vegetables, peas, beans, lentils, spices herbs and seasonings, seeds and nuts, almonds, apples, avocados, bananas, beans, brazil nuts, broccoli, cantaloupe and carrots and acid forming foods include meat, fish, poultry, eggs, grains, legumes, white flour, refined sugars, dairy products, peanut butter and chocolates.

Our health lies in our hands. Since most illnesses find their roots in an imbalanced body pH, it is obvious that most cures also lie in maintaining the body pH Balance. Maintaining a pH Balance of 7.4 is the answer to all our physical problems. Alkaline supplements help to eliminate acid wastes from the body and restore overall health.

To know more about pH Balance and pH Balance diet, please visit the site pHion Balancing Programs

Johanna Myers :

Alpha lipoic acid is one of the substances found in the cells of our body. It is produced within the cells themselves. In the cells, it is produced for various metabolic activities including derivation of energy from food etc. However, it also has antioxidant properties and therefore it can help the body fend off free radical damage and remain young for a longer time.

There are numerous reasons for someone to buy alpha lipoic acid. The most important among these is that it is produced in the cells in amounts that is barely enough to run the many the metabolic activities of energy production. Therefore, too little alpha lipoic acid is left for any anti oxidizing purpose. This is why the nutritional supplements are so important.

Moreover, natural dietary sources do not provide an optimal amount of the nutrient. Leaving it to food consumption alone is not going to provided you enough alpha lipoic acid for all of its intended purposes. Only the supplementation of alpha lipoic acid will ensure that you have enough of it to get the maximum benefits.

There may be some other antioxidants like vitamins C and E that can carry the antioxidant load, but they are not as powerful as alpha lipoic acid is for that purpose. Researchers have recently discovered that alpha lipoic acid is much more powerful than these two vitamins. Besides this, it is soluble in both water and fat which make it more effective in reaching virtually all tissues in the body.

There is one more thing that may encourage you to buy alpha lipoic acid supplements. It is unlike most other supplements due to its absorption capabilities. Moreover, there are no side effects even if you consume it in excess amounts. You can, therefore, take alpha lipoic acid supplements without worry.

It is very easy to buy alpha lipoic acid. It is available without a prescription from a medical professional and therefore it is generally available at most nutrition stores. This generalization makes it cheaper as well. Several manufacturers manufacture different kinds of alpha lipoic acid supplements.

They are available in solid, liquid, and powered forms. However, the tablets are the most widely used form for those who buy alpha lipoic acid. The tablets may contain different amounts of alpha lipoic acid. Generally, the amount in these tablets will vary from 50 mg to 600 mg. Two alpha lipoic acid 200 mg capsules a day are ideal for an adult person.

Most often alpha lipoic acid is available in combination with some other valuable substances or nutrients. The most common of them being the vitamins C and E as both of these are also antioxidants. These supplements become even more advantageous when combined with these nutrients. The anti oxidation property of these vitamins greatly increases in presence of alpha lipoic acid.

As mentioned earlier, alpha lipoic acid supplements are commonly used and therefore they are cheaper than most medications. Ideally the prices for tablets are around 10$ for 50 capsules of 100 mg each. The prices can however vary depending upon the type of capsules and their content.

Some people oppose taking nutritional supplements advise people to avoid them. The natural methods for acquiring nutrients through may be effective and have their own advantages; however, the important thing is that they are not effective every case. If you buy alpha lipoic acid supplements and consume them regularly, you will ensure that you have a greater chance at remaining young and healthy for a longer period of time.

Katie Carwell asked:

Toxins are agents or poisons that are either created by the body or come from external sources that are capable of causing the body harm. For instance car fumes, tobacco smoke, drugs and air pollution are all toxins. Toxins are a major contributor to the aging process so the goal therefore should be to limit our exposure as much as possible.

Avoiding toxins is not as simple as giving up the cigarettes because we come in contact with toxins in our day to day lives that we are often unaware of. Many individuals are shocked to find out that many shampoos, toothpastes and mouth washes contain a specific ingredient SLS Sodium Laureth Sulfate which is considered an irritant by some and a toxin by others. SLS is a foaming agent and there is great debate over its possible effects on the body including whether or not it is a carcinogen (there is no proof).

The point is not to cause mass hysteria or to get you to throw out all your shampoos and tooth pastes just in case. Instead you should simply be aware that we come in contact with agents each and everyday that we do not know everything about. Our bodies do have certain mechanisms (ie. Vomiting) that help us get rid of toxins but we need to do what we can to help it out. For instance in defence against toxins that do enter our bodies the cells of certain organs begin to rapidly reproduce to replace affected cells, this rapid reproduction leads to increased chances of mutation. Mutation in cells can lead to cancer.

Toxins affect us to varying degrees, for instance some cause fatigue or minor irritations while others cause allergies, asthma, or cancer. Whether or not the effects are extreme or subtle they all have an effect on our overall health and therefore the aging of our bodies. This is the big dilemma because many of the products that we use contain ingredients that are not proven safe or proven to be dangerous therefore in many instances we do not know what we are subjecting our bodies to.

The possible threat of toxins is one of the reasons why so many individuals are going organic and going green. This trend does indeed have positive effects on the environment, but in reality that translates to a safer place for us to live. For instance using “green” household cleaners is good for the environment but at the same time they are health friendly to you as the consumer.

Being aware and educating yourself about the products you use is your best defence against toxins. Making small changes can have a big impact on the overall health of you and your family, not to mention the environment we live in.

Aging is an absolute but the how and when is greatly affected by what we subject our bodies to including the environment we live in. For most people the houses we live in are actually more polluted with toxins than the smog filled air outside their doors.