Health for life

Natural health practitioners understand that poor diet is a large contributor to this preventable disease. In addition to diet, new research is beginning to shine a light on a super nutrient that could hold the key to prevention.

Homocysteine is a naturally occurring amino acid commonly seen in excess due to a diet high in meat and protein sources. Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine demonstrated that elevated homocysteine levels double the risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and B12 are known to dramatically lower levels of homocysteine in the blood and lower risk of disease.

Evidence is mounting to suggest that a vitamin B12 deficiency may be connected to increased risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease. The results of a study released in the journal Neurology studied the level of homocysteine and vitamin B12 in elderly subjects. They found that for every single unit increase in the blood level of homocysteine, the risk of Alzheimer’s disease jumped by 16%. Similarly, risk decreased by 2% for each unit increase in blood concentration of Vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is known to become dangerously low with age, and represents a significant factor in the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

The normal shrinking of the brain with age is considered normal by modern medicine, but scientists have been able to show that shrinkage can be halted and reduced with high doses of B vitamins. Researchers at Oxford University supplemented test participants with full spectrum B vitamins for a period of 2 years and found that they were able to reduce brain shrinkage in half as compared to a group receiving a placebo. The study authors conclude, "It is our hope that this simple and safe treatment will delay development of Alzheimer’s in many people who suffer from mild memory problems."

More than enough evidence is mounting to show that poor diet and lack of B vitamins represent independent risk factors for developing Alzheimer’s disease. You can lower your risk of developing this disease by eating a diet low in animal protein to restrict production of homocysteine. Cut sugar and processed carbs in favor of a diet packed with fresh vegetables and natural nuts, seeds and Omega-3 fats. Take a high potency organic whole food based B vitamin supplement daily, and be sure to have your homocysteine blood levels checked regularly.

Research is confirming that diet is the single most important risk factor that leads to Alzheimer’s disease. Many studies are beginning to show that B vitamins are critical to brain health and can prevent dementia in the aging population. While the entire family of B vitamins protects the brain, most studies concentrate on B6 and B12 taken in quantities that are 300 to 500% higher than the RDA values. Lower your risks of Alzheimer’s by modifying your diet and supplement accordingly to slash risk factors that can extend your life.

Our body has many survival mechanisms that provide for short term nutritional shortfalls. After a period of years and decades the lack of vitamins and minerals cause our body to age and set the stage for heart disease, diabetes, dementia and cancer. Fortunately there are important steps we can take to fight cellular aging and dramatically lower disease risk.

The heart requires a constant supply of energy and nutrients to function optimally. Specific nutrients such as vitamin C are critical to build collagen and provide elasticity to the arteries that supply blood to the heart. Magnesium helps maintain electrical activity and reduces blood pressure so the muscle can beat efficiently. When we are deficient in these nutrients over time, heart function declines and risk of a heart attack rises quickly.

The results of a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition provides evidence that taking a multi vitamin can have a critical impact on heart disease risk. Women who took a high potency multi vitamin over a 5 year period were found to lower their risk of a heart attack by 41% compared to women who didn’t supplement. These results demonstrate the importance of proper nutrition to our health.

The results of this study highlight the importance of vitamins and minerals to our health. A potent multi vitamin is a good way to ensure you get the minimum requirements for the vitamins and minerals that are commonly available in a single tablet. Nature provides a bounty of additional nutrients in whole foods that simply aren’t available in a pill. Many of the nutrients that exist in natural foods have yet to be discovered and undoubtedly have a major impact on our health when eaten as part of a whole food diet.

The vast majority people are grossly deficient in nutrients from their diet. This places them at increased risk of immune related disease ranging from the common cold to many forms of cancer and other serious illness. Details from ` Americas Phytonutrient Report: Immune Health by Color` demonstrates that 8 out of 10 people fall short in meeting the minimum daily requirements for vegetables and fruits and lack basic support for optimal immune function. Specifically the report finds that people are deficient in vitamins A, C, D, E, zinc and selenium that provide the structure for a healthy immune response.

To ensure you benefit from the full matrix of nutrients, eat a diet with plenty of fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. Cut the processed foods, sugar and hydrogenated fats that are known to promote disease. Find a multi vitamin that is made from organic food sources for maximum health benefit and stay away from synthetic varieties that are full of chemicals and toxins. Take control of your health with a natural diet of whole foods and supplement daily with a quality multi vitamin.

Your mother was right when she told you to eat your vegetables and take your vitamins. It just sounds like good advice, yet millions of people fail to eat the minimum servings of fresh vegetables and fruit and don’t supplement their poor diet with the essential vitamins and minerals needed to prevent chronic illness.

Our body has many survival mechanisms that provide for short term nutritional shortfalls. After a period of years and decades the lack of vitamins and minerals cause our body to age and set the stage for heart disease, diabetes, dementia and cancer. Fortunately there are important steps we can take to fight cellular aging and dramatically lower disease risk.

The heart is a very metabolically active organ that requires a constant supply of energy and nutrients to function optimally. Vitamin C is critical to the structural integrity of arteries that supply blood to the heart and magnesium helps maintain electrical activity and lower blood pressure so the muscle can beat efficiently. When we are deficient in these nutrients over time, heart function begins to decline and risk of a heart attack increase quickly.

The results of a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition provide evidence that taking a multi vitamin can have a critical impact on heart disease risk. Women who took a high potency multi vitamin over a 5 year period were found to lower their risk of a heart attack by 41% compared to women who didn’t supplement. These results demonstrate the importance of proper nutrition to our health.

It’s important to note that the study participants were all in good health at the beginning of the study, indicating that multi vitamins are effective in maintaining health status. People with existing health concerns need to be much more vigilant about their nutrition and would want to follow a more potent and targeted supplemental regimen.

The results of this study highlight the importance of vitamins and minerals to our health. A potent multi vitamin is a good way to ensure you get the minimum requirements for the vitamins and minerals that are commonly available in a single tablet. Nature provides a bounty of additional nutrients in whole foods that simply aren’t available in a pill. Many of the nutrients that exist in natural foods have yet to be discovered and undoubtedly have a major impact on our health when eaten as part of a whole food diet.

To ensure you benefit from the full matrix of nutrients, eat a diet with plenty of fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. Cut the processed foods, sugar and hydrogenated fats that are known to promote disease. Find a multi vitamin that is made from organic whole foods for maximum health benefit, and stay away from synthetic varieties that are full of chemicals and toxins. Take control of your health with a natural diet of whole foods and supplement daily with a quality whole food based multi vitamin.