Healthy Choices

Vitamin C

Vitamin C – otherwise known as Ascorbic Acid is an essential nutrient for human beings. A lack of vitamin C can cause a deficiency disease called scurvy, which is characterized by pale skin, sunken eyes, tender gums, muscle pain, loss of teeth, and internal bleeding,

Vitamin C has many uses within the human body including:-

• It is an antioxidant
• It strengthens the immune system and fights infection
• It lessens oxidative stress
• It is required for 8 different enzymes
• It is required for the integrity of the artery walls
• It enhances the absorption of iron

Vitamin C is water soluble and is not stored by the body. Consequently we need to have a daily dose to ensure that we are not deficient. Vitamin C is found in fresh fruit and vegetables and in particular, peppers, watercress, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, strawberries, lemons, kiwi fruit, oranges, grapefruit, limes and tomatoes.

Most animals and plants have the ability to synthesize their own vitamin C by utilizing 4 enzymes to convert glucose to vitamin C. Humans do not have the ability to do this and instead they rely on a daily intake of vitamin C from their food sources. It is also possible to ensure that adequate vitamin C is absorbed on a daily basis by taking a supplement. This can be taken in the form of ascorbic acid, but as this can be mildly acidic it is often preferable to take it in the form of calcium or magnesium ascorbate. A therapeutic dose for an adult can be anything from 1000mg to 10,000mg. This may cause diarrhea if taken in excess of the bodies needs, but this soon subsides as the dose is reduced.

Because vitamin C is water soluble it is very easily lost from food when it dissolves into the cooking water. Vitamin C is leached from some foods more than others, but one way of ensuring you get the best from your fruit and vegetables is to eat it raw, preferably juiced to release the enzymes.

Over the years there has been much speculation about the therapeutic effects of Vitamin C ranging from curing the common cold to curing diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Although we can be sure that Vitamin C prevents scurvy the other claims on its efficacy are inconclusive and rely on anecdotal evidence. Many people find Vitamin C is helpful for a range of conditions and its ability to enhance the immune system would appear to be a likely fact. Despite the efforts of the renowned scientists such as Linus Pauling two times Nobel Prize winner, who wrote the book called “Vitamin C and the Common Cold” there will always be skepticism on behalf of the medical profession who seem reluctant to accept the validity of most natural remedies.

Janet L. Matthews
Skype ID: lindajanetmatthews

Vitamins

The human body is reliant on a certain level of nutrients for optimal health. Vitamins, minerals and other trace elements in the right proportions can help to keep disease at bay and ensure that the body is functioning optimally.

Ideally we should be able to get all the vitamins and minerals our bodies need from the food we eat, unfortunately this is not always possible. In this modern day and age not only do we consume processed foods that are devoid of any natural nutrients, but even our fresh food is grown or reared on soil that is mineral deficient.

So why is it so important to ensure we have our optimal intake of vitamins and minerals? Each of these nutrients has a specific role to play in the body.

• Vitamin A is needed for eye health and skin health. It is an antioxidant vitamin that is used for protein synthesis and is also important for the healthy function of lung tissue.
• Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) is needed for the production of HCl (hydrochloric Acid) blood formation, and carbohydrate metabolism. It is also needed fore normal muscle tone of the intestines, stomach and heart.
• Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) is needed for red blood cell formation, antibody production, cell respiration and growth and it facilitates O2 (oxygen) use in the body
• Vitamin B3 (Niacin) is needed for the correct function of the nervous system, the metabolism of carbohydrates and the production of HCl. It is also needed for the synthesis of sex hormones.
• Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is involved in almost all body systems and organ functions, including activating many enzymes. It aids B12 absorption, immune function and antibody production and also helps to regulate oestrogen and inhibits homocysteine
• Vitamin B12 aids in cell formation and cellular longevity. It prevents anaemia, aids digestion and absorption of food. It is essential for a healthy nervous system and also maintains fertility and promotes normal growth and development
• Vitamin C is an antioxidant. Its primary role is the formation of collagen. It is also important for growth and repair of body tissue cells, gums, blood vessels, bones and teeth. It aids in the absorption of iron and helps reduce LDL’s ( bad cholesterol) It is also a natural anti inflammatory and anti histamine.
• Vitamin D also known as the sunshine vitamin protects bones and preserves muscle tone. It is essential for calcium and phosphorus metabolism and regulates cell growth, immunity and energy metabolism
• Vitamin E is fat a soluble antioxidant with particular affinity to the cardiovascular system. It is involved in helping maintain normal cholesterol levels, the integrity of the cell wall, the health of capillary walls, the integrity of red blood cells as well as controlling the clotting of blood. It is also responsible for healthy skin and a healthy reproductive system.

So as you can see vitamins are essential for our health and well being and it is vital that we get an optimal amount of each of these vitamins on a daily basis

Janet L. Matthews
Skype ID: lindajanetmatthews

Nutritional Supplements

The question of when nutritional supplementation is necessary for optimal wellness is a difficult one, not simply whether the person needs nutritional supplements, but what supplements would help their condition and aid their recovery. In order be certain what supplements are required it is often a good idea to book a session with a nutritional therapist. This may seem like an unnecessary expense, but it can in fact save you money in the long run, as your therapist will be able to tell you which nutritional supplements are best for your needs. This will remove the guess work and the possibility of taking supplements that you don’t really need.

Dr Mark Draper, medical nutritionist to Cytoplan, a Nutritional company in the UK, has chosen to include nutritional supplementation as part of his practice. This was prompted initially by his experience in the West Indies, where he was treating children with advancing infections in the upper respiratory fact. These children were requiring antibiotics until it was discovered they were suffering from iron deficiency anemia. Supplementation program of iron resulted in a rapid cure of these conditions.

On other occasions Dr Mark Draper experienced dramatic responses in the condition of his patients with eczema and psoriasis after supplementation with zinc and selenium. Dr Draper is quoted as saying

“I strongly believe that the body is programmed to succeed and not to fail given the right building blocks. It appears that there is a commonality of cause in many acute recurrent or chronic diseases….which can be classified as type B malnutrition. This can be defined as a shortage of one or more micro nutrients”

He goes on to say that pharmaceutical treatment regimes set out to control the symptoms rather than address the cause, leaving it to go unchecked, and resulting in an even greater need for nutritional supplementation to support the body. He feels that nutritional supplementation will either prevent the worsening of the disease or may even cause a regression.

Basically the body is a self healing entity, but it can only operate efficiently if provided with all the nutrients needed for optimal health. Type B malnutrition can often be due to poor dietary habits, but it can also be due to the poor nutritional status of many of the foods we buy at the present time. Many foods now lack minerals and trace elements due to the way we produce, farm and transport food. We no longer eat food in season. We expect all fresh foods to be available all year round. But at what cost to the consumer? If we wish to ensure that our nutritional needs are met then it is important to take appropriate nutritional supplements. By doing this we are giving our bodies the best support and the best opportunity to deal with any underlying deficiencies that may be contributing to our overall health.

Janet L. Matthews
Skype ID: lindajanetmatthews

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is a member of the vitamin B complex group, all of which are vital for mental health. Deficiency in any of the 8 B vitamins will very quickly affect the way you feel and think. These B vitamins are water soluble and rapidly pass out of the body and so we need to replenish them on a daily basis. The B vitamin group tend to work synergistically so it is advisable to take them in a complex. If you feel you need an extra amount of any of the B vitamin group then make sure you take it in conjunction with a B Complex formula.


Vitamin B 12 is one such vitamin that is often supplemented alongside a B complex supplement. Vitamin B12’s primary functions include the formation of red blood cells and the maintenance of a healthy nervous system. It is also necessary for the synthesis of DNA during cell division.

Vitamin B12 is found primarily in meat, eggs and diary products. It has been suggested that B12 is also found in fermented soy and seaweed products, however, although this may be the case, it is unclear as to how available this plant source is to the human body. Those on a vegetarian diet may well find that their diets are deficient in this essential vitamin and may need to consider supplementation,

Vegans need to make sure that the foods in their diet are fortified with vitamin B12. For example foods such as marmite, or other yeast extracts, breakfast cereals and textured vegetable protein are fortified with vitamin B12

If you are experiencing lack of energy, exhaustion, irritability, forgetfulness or brain fog, you could be suffering from Vitamin B12 deficiency. This deficiency may be caused by a lack of B12 in your diet, however it could be caused by stress, which increases our demand for B12. In addition our ability to absorb B vitamins in general declines after the age of 40, so supplementation may be advisable once you have reached this age.

Occasionally B12 deficiency can be caused by digestive problems such as irritable bowel syndrome, colitis or gastric reflux, all of which inhibit the body’s ability to absorb vitamin B12 from the foods they eat.

Janet L. Matthews
Skype ID: lindajanetmatthews

Stevia

Stevia is an extremely sweet, non calorific herb that has been used as a sweetener and flavour enhancer for centuries. Unfortunately its use within the USA has been virtually impossible in recent years due to the fact that it has been handled as if it were an illegal drug. However more recently it has been decided that it can now be sold legally in the USA provided it is called a dietary supplement.

With obesity reaching epidemic proportions, alternatives to sugar have been very high profile. Artificial sweeteners have been deemed detrimental to health and have even been cited as a causal factor of weight gain. Many people who have a weight problem also have a sweet tooth and find giving up sweet foods very difficult. Stevia, unlike the artificial sweeteners on the market does not mimic sugar in the same way and so has a very beneficial part to play in the diets of many obese individuals. Stevia has actually been used in South America for centuries to treat Type 2 Diabetes.

Stevia is in fact commonly known as sweetleaf or sugarleaf. Its extracts are 300 times the sweetness of sugar and amazingly has a zero calorific value. It will come as no surprise therefore to know that cooking with stevia can take a little getting used to. The most important thing to remember is not to use too much as this can result in excessive sweetness and an after taste. One suggestion is to start using stevia with other natural sweeteners such as honey and maple syrup.

Recipes for beverages sweetened with stevia will often be measured as a liquid concentrate. Stevia is sold as a white powder or as dried or powdered leaves. In order to make the stevia liquid concentrate you must purchase the white stevia powder.

Stevia is sold in 4 different varieties:-

• fresh leaves – the most natural unrefined state
• dried, crushed leaves – this variety released more sweetness and flavour
• stevia extracts – this is the white powdered extract that is approximately 200-300 times sweeter than sugar(by weight)
• liquid concentrates – this can be made from the white powder and preserved with grapefruit seed extract or may be a syrupy black liquid made by boiling the leaves in water

ref – Wikededia
— Stevia.net

Janet L. Matthews
Skype ID: lindajanetmatthews

Since Stevia is much sweeter than sugar we recommend to get it in liquid form, where you are able to add a drop up to a few drops depending on your taste.

Read More about Stevia

Do We Really Need Dietary Supplements?

If we were to believe all that we read in the press, we could be forgiven for accepting that buying supplements is tantamount to throwing our money down the drain. Supplements are held in such little regard by the medical profession that many people truly believe that we have no need for them. Many consumers believe that if they already have a balanced healthy diet then why would they need a supplement?

In an ideal world this would of course be true, but unfortunately very few people really understand what a well balanced healthy meal is – let alone have one on a regular basis. In addition the quality of our food is far from perfect and is lacking in many of the essential nutrients needed for our bodies to be working optimally. It is also a fact that due to our poor digestive systems, many of us are not able to absorb the nutrients from our food.

There have been many clinical trials over the years that have attempted to discredit the use of supplementation, but on closer inspection it has been found that the trials have been set up for that express purpose rather than to ascertain the truth. On the other hand there have also been other trials that have proved that if we take dietary supplements containing the optimal levels of nutrients great improvements have been shown to have taken place

There is no doubt that many people are suffering from vitamin deficiencies that may or may not manifest in particular symptoms. Simple tests can now be taken to ascertain the levels of nutrients in an individual and careful supplementation can make a huge difference to their wellbeing. However these cases are not valid as clinical trials and will do little to persuade the sceptics that dietary supplements have any value.

At the end of the day it is up to each individual to make up their own minds. If taking particular dietary supplements helps you to feel better or gives you more energy, then it is likely that you will continue to take it.

There are more and more people today who would rather be taking dietary supplements than taking a prescription drug. However, our approach to health should be about more than taking a pill to make us better whether that pill is a supplement or a drug. Perhaps first and foremost we should be looking to change our dietary and lifestyle habits and view the need to take dietary supplements as a way of supporting that change rather than seeing it is a miracle cure.

Janet L. Matthews
Skype ID: lindajanetmatthews