Are vitamins and supplements important?

by Diane Hoffmann,Nutritional Consultant

Picking up from my blog of yesterday, I take an excerpt from the webinar/seminar mentioned on Health, Nutrition and Fitness. It’s about supplements.

Some folks think that eating well will provide all the nutrients their body needs. However, there are a lot of reasons why this is not necessarily so.

First of all, most people do NOT each well even though they think they are. I’m always amazed when I give the task of writing down “everything” a client eats for one week, how far they are from the target.

From that list they return to me, I make a complete analysis of the good and bad of their food eating habits and the nutrients they deliver or don’t deliver, accordingly.

In every case, they are far from the ideal health sustainability of their food intake nutrient supply.

My next blog is going to get into this in more details. But right now is the excerpt from the webinar that give an idea of how important vitamins and supplements are in our daily food intake. This webinar is particularly aimed at Seniors, however it goes for anyone at any age.

Nutritional Supplements:

Let’s take a look at nutritional supplements.

Sound nutrition helps our bodies function well. Much of this can limit or reverse damage resulting from previously poor eating habits.

However, seniors in particular often are nutritionally insufficient in the following areas:

*intake of several nutrients including folate, vitamin C, vitamin E… there could be also a deficiency of vitamin B -- which should be taken in a complex form, by the way, unless your physician tells you otherwise. Always check with your doctor or health professional, especially if you are on any type of medication.

*intake of vegetable and meat groups and dietary variety.

Seniors are often at higher risk of being underweight. The few studies undertaken among frail seniors showed that providing nutritional supplementation – especially a liquid supplement – along with dietary follow-up can result in significant improvement in their nutritional status.

I am particularly reminded of an ad that is running on television about “Boost” liquid meal supplement being recommended as a supplement for seniors. I like the taste and texture of this drink but I find it far too sweet. So we need to be careful about the sugar contents of anything that we see available and advertised – especially if one has diabetes or is sugar intolerant. Always check with a health professional or your local health food store for healthy choices.

As I said earlier, I will write my next blog on further details of this topic and expand on more of the role of vitamins and supplements in our diets.

Diane

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Health, Diet and Weight Loss – The 4 Basic Groups of Foods Essential For Life

Health, Diet and Weight Loss – The 4 Basic Groups of Foods Essential For Life

by Diane Hoffmann, Certified Nutritional Consultant

Our foods for life consist of water, proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, vitamins and fibre. These raw materials essential for basic healthy nutrition incorporate into our body's cells and fluids and become part of these life-sustaining elements.

North Americans have guidelines provided by their national health departments, the RDA or the Recommended Daily Allowance guidelines. These guidelines do not seem to be adequate since most people already eat these foods and, apparently, are not getting enough vitamins and minerals to keep the immune system strong and safe from rampant diseases, illnesses and ailments. As our environment increasingly strips our foods of nutrients, we need increasingly more supplements to compensate.

The four groups of products given to us seem to be simple enough to follow and understand what family of foods each given product group belongs to, however don't seem to be adequate enough as mentioned above. Here they are:

1.milk and milk products.
2. breads and cereals.
3. fruits and vegetables.
4. meats and alternatives.

When changing diet pattern, one must learn to use the proper combination of these four groups and watch for allergic reactions in order to adjust to the new way of eating. For example, some people may be allergic to milk. Switching to soya milk may eliminate the problem.  It may also show another reaction to it. In order to reduce fats in their diets, many people have gone to using skim milk or 1-2%. But by taking out the fat, the content of the milk increases in lactose. It may be that if they drank the whole milk, they would not have the same symptoms. 

A similar thing happens with eggs. A lot of people thing eggs are bad for you because of the perceived high cholesterol in the yolk. However it has bee shown that the egg is a healthy protein food with the yolk naturally being balanced with the white.

As you can see there can be many varieties and combination of causes to every symptom. One must pay attention to the body's response and reaction -- with the help of a health or nutrition consultant try different products for one or two weeks at a time and make notes. This way one gets to know his/her own body for ultimate individual health maintenance.

In Canada, the Food Guide recommends the number of servings for each age group and gives the nutrients in each of these groups. If you live in a different country, call your local Health Department branch to obtain a current copy of the suggested guidelines and use it as your basic source.

As an example, here is a partial list for adults:

For milk & milk products: recommended: 1 serving = Equivalent to about 300 mg of calcium. It can be 1 cup (250 ml) of: skim milk; buttermilk; reconstituted dry skim milk; partially skimmed milk; whole milk; reconstituted evaporated milk; cocoa made with milk; flavored milk; yogurt; 1-1/2 oz (45g) firm cheese.

For bread & cereals: Recommended: 3 to 5 servings. Some of these are: 1 slice enriched or whole grain bread; 1/2 to 1 cup; (125-250 ml) cooked or ready to eat cereal; 1 roll, tea biscuits or bran muffin; 1/2 to 3/4 (125-250 ml) cooked rice, macaroni, spaghetti, noodles; 1/2 hamburger bun. Number and size of serving is a matter of individual choice according to energy needs and personal preference.

Fruits & vegetables: Recommended: 4-5 servings to include at least 2 vegetables, such as 1/2 cup (125 mil) cooked vegetable, fruit or their juices; medium size potato, carrot, green pepper, tomato; medium size peach, apple, orange, banana. Vegetables particularly dark green, yellow and orange are a major source of carotene which converts into Vitamin A in the body.

Meats and alternatives: Recommended: 1 serving = 17 to 22 grams of protein -- 2 servings per day such as 2 to 3 oz (60-90 grams) after cooking of meat, poultry, liver, fish. This is not including skin, bone or fats; 4 tbs peanut butter (60 ml); 1 cup (250 ml) baked beans, cooked dried peas, lentils; 2 oz (60 g) cheese; 2 eggs; 1/4 cup (80 ml) canned tuna or salmon; 1/4 to 1 cup (80-250 ml) nutmeats or seeds; 4 tb (60 ml) vegetable protein pieces.

The recommended grams of protein above may be over the recommendation limits from health experts on proteins from meats. Also for protein sources other than vegetables, fish should be the first and foremost choice, then poultry, then meat, in that order. And vegetables should be lightly cooked or raw.

If you are interested in optimum health, nutrition and easy dieting, getting familiar with these 4 groups of foods and expanding on the varieties and combinations within them will go a long way to reach your desired and permanent well-being./dmh

If you have any questions, please write them in the comments below and I will respond with an article on the subject.

To your health,

Diane

Articles copyright(c)2010 Diane M. Hoffmann. You may reprint this article without any changes, making sure to include the following bio:

Diane M. Hoffmann is a certified nutritional consultant and an entrepreneur of offline and online businesses. Diane offers this web site on health and stress management for business people who need to keep healthy and strong in order to run their businesses.
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Easy Health, Wellness, and Weight Loss Diet.

Easy Health, Wellness, and Weight Loss Diet.

by Diane M. Hoffmann

So many people are looking for the perfect diet -- either to lose weight or get healthier or both. Usually it's both.  And there are indeed many of them around. But a lot of the programs are too cumbersome to follow.

One of the things that people are looking for in a diet program is SIMPLICITY.  I followed different types of programs over the years which worked somewhat but which still contained harmful foods.  About a year ago I wrote a truly healthy-eating program from much of the reading and research I did.

It came with recipes and all, but it became too cumbersome to follow.  Sometimes when I didn’t have the time to plan the meals ahead or didn't have the ingredients for the particular recipe on any particular days, I would have to either go to the store and buy the missing staples or substitute it with something bad which would get me off track.

So, I simplified. And I would love to share the program with you. If you're looking for a program just click on the tab above.

So many folks are suffering from actual diseases. I meet them all the time. Just the other day I ran into a couple in the grocery store.  Both suffer from various common diseases. Both are over-weight.

As they tell me their tales of woes and assure me they watch what they eat, I glance into their grocery basket and see 90% of the products are dead wrong!

I'm thinking, "I can fix you if you'd only eat what I tell you to eat and not to eat".  But that's the problem, we want to get better but still stuff ourselves with junk foods. And, hey, I know junk foods taste good!

Our diet today is killing us slowly. We could empty the hospitals by 50 to 75 percent if we changed it.

People think they eat well. But when I give them the test in my consultation, they fail it woefully. When I ask them to do the "1-week list of what they eat" and analyze it, it is 90% wrong.

People are looking for a diet that's easy to follow, they don't want to have to count calories, skip meals, fight cravings, buy expensive supplements -- and all that for short term benefits or none at all.

Well the simple way is to cut out the bad stuff and replace it with good living foods. Yes that means cut out the sugars and refined and processed foods.

You say, "that's hard to do." Well only at the beginning.  A good diet requires a change of lifestyle in our eating habits. Depends how badly you want to get well or lose the weight. Depends on how serious you are. Depends on how tired you are of being sick and tired.

And it doesn't mean you'll never, ever be able to eat ice cream or chocolate and chips, etc. again. It means you will have to change the priorities around. Once you get through the first couple of weeks of re-conditioning your body, you will start a second nature with your foods habits.

The easy part is that "dieting begins at the grocery store".  If you make a list of the right foods to eat, you just need to buy what' s on the list.  How easy is that?

And you will no longer have the wrong foods in the house to tempt you. Plus you'll feel so good that you will not want to get back to the old ways./dmh

Articles copyright(c)2010 Diane M. Hoffmann. You may reprint this article without any changes, making sure to include the following bio:
Diane M. Hoffmann is a certified nutritional consultant and an entrepreneur of offline and online businesses. Diane offers her web site http://easyhealthwellnessweightlossdiet.blogspot.com on health, diet and stress management for business people who need to keep healthy and strong in order to run their businesses.

For my "Feel Great and Lose Weight Within the First Week" click on the tab at the top of the page.

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Health, Diet and Weight Loss – Your No.1 Preventive Health Program

Health, Diet and Weight Loss – Your No.1 Preventive Health Program

by Diane Hoffmann, Certified Nutritional Consultant

The most important contribution to your preventive health program is reading your body signs. Knowing your body signs can help you determine nutrient deficiencies and then prevent illnesses by eating the right foods which will, in turn, provide the needed corrective nutrients.

Knowing your body signs will also help you recognize when to see your doctor. Sometimes you need the diagnosis of a medical doctor in order to know what problem exists before you can begin a remedial or preventive health program.

Once you have a professional diagnosis from your physician, you can work out a dietary or an alternative approach to drugs. If you must take drugs, let it be temporary. Work with your doctor toward an alternative to long-term intake of drugs that can create other problems. Certainly, eating well is always beneficial in any medical situation.

Before undertaking any major alternative health program and adding supplements to your diet, check it out with your doctor to make sure nothing will interfere with the conditions or medications. Your doctor will help you make the transition in the most beneficial manner.

Begin to understand your body language and learn what it means to your health. Your body may be getting enough nutrients or supplements and still give signs or symptoms of a lack of them. This could be because of several factors such as poor absorption of nutrients, poor digestion, not chewing foods properly, imbalances of nutrients foods taken together, stress factors, blockage by drugs, an increased rate of nutrients utilization, etc..

Different strokes for different folks.

World renowned biochemist Dr. Roger Williams coined a term “biochemical individuality” to denote the effect of heredity on the individual nutritional needs. This is based on the concept that every individual has different requirements and needs for their body and mind to function at optimum health. For example some people have natural gluten intolerance, or may have certain diseases such as celiac disease, the inability to digest the protein of wheat, rye, oats or barley. To some people, certain foods may cause mild or acute diarrhea, bloating and other discomforts.

Others may suffer from allergic reactions caused by pollen, certain foods, certain chemicals, certain clothes, etc. According to experts in the field, these people may have a certain requirement for the B vitamins complex or certain isolated B vitamins. Most people can minimize allergic reactions by strengthening the immune system through eating only healthy foods, getting lots of exercise, avoiding toxins, keeping free of stress and its effects, taking sufficient amounts of daily nutrients such as vitamins A, C, & B complex, etc.


In some cases, it may also be necessary to take digestive enzymes to break down the proteins and prevent allergic reactions in the bloodstream. Often, just taking the time to chew the foods to liquid state can change the whole digestive process for clear improvements. These are all signs to watch for from your body’s reactions and responses to regular foods and even supplements.

To help digestion, one must get “live” enzymes into the body. Most foods are cooked and with the cooking are lost important and critical enzymes. For proper bodily functions one should be eating raw vegetables and sprouts, natural, raw and sprouted, nuts and seeds, daily.

Garden of Eden

Pain and sickness makes us long for a time when there was “none of these diseases” — a beginning in time when things were the way God intended them to be. It was a time of innocence and purity of body, soul and spirit, in its most natural environment - the Garden of Eden - when people lived on a purely natural food source.


Natural foods from the garden was the sustaining fuel of the human being, originally provided to feed every cell and building block of life in the human body. And it was good !

Interestingly, I read somewhere that Thomas A. Edison had a dream that the doctor of the future would give no medicine but would interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease. Let’s hope that his vision will come true some day. So far, most traditional doctors have been increasingly interesting their patients in pharmaceutical and medical products.

But, in the meantime, the #1 preventive health program is still to know what our body is telling us and act upon it. Making the right changes and choices of foods and educating ourselves on the issues specific to our individual body needs and requirements will take us a long way closer to our aim to enjoy a permanent state of health, nutrition and easy dieting./dmh

If you have any questions, please write them in the comments below and I will respond with an article on the subject.

To your health,

Diane

Articles copyright(c)2010 Diane M. Hoffmann. You may reprint this article without any changes, making sure to include the following bio:

Diane M. Hoffmann is a certified nutritional consultant and an entrepreneur of offline and online businesses. Diane offers this web site on health and stress management for business people who need to keep healthy and strong in order to run their businesses.

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Health, Diet and Weight Loss – Understanding Our Body System

Health, Diet and Weight Loss – Understanding Our Body System

by Diane Hoffmann, certified nutritional consultant

The human body is a complex organism with the ability to heal itself — if only we’d listen to it and respond with proper care and nourishment. If we have respect for our bodies, diet will be easy. Understanding the nine main divisions of our body will help to discuss our needs with out health professional.

Respecting this fearfully and wonderfully made body system is key to realize the importance of diet and health. Even the smallest elements going into our body play a critical role in its proper function of health and well-being.

The body is composed of millions of cells that work like tiny engines. These work either synergistically or independently. To work properly these cells need specific types of fuel or nourishment. Like engines, if they are not given proper fuel and oil they cannot work properly – it’s as simple as that.

These fuel and oil called nutrients come from within the healthy foods we eat. These nutrients are basically vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water, amino acids, carbohydrates and fats. All of these are vital for the body to carry on its daily functions. The functions of these nutrients take place on a microscopic level. That’s why every bit of healthy foods and supplements given to our body affects the system critically.

To give you an idea, a cup of coffee has approximately 375 mg of caffeine. When a doctor gives you a medication, check and see what milligram of ‘whatever’ it contains. Often these may be only 5 mg. If only 5 mg of some medication is enough to make a difference, imagine what coffee does at 375 mg 2, 3 and 4 times a day!

The specific processes of these nutrients differ greatly and are involved from fighting infections to repairing tissues and nourishing even our brain function and thinking. If we do not give our body the proper nutrients, the normal functions are impaired. And we all know that this generation is lacking a major portion of these. That’s why we have so many sick people around and obese. There may even be no signs of illness or disease for a long time before we begin to notice symptoms. It is our responsibility to find out if we are eating right — most people in our society do not!

Right off, one of the most common problems is the cooking and processing of our foods. We cook and process nutrients right out of our foods before they even get into our mouths. The next thing is the organic raw foods supplying these basic elements are largely missing from today’s diet, because of the constant attacks from environment pollutants, food additives, pesticides, drugs, air pollution, chemicals and now, increasingly, genetically altered foods. All these destroy the needed nutrients from our foods and our bodies.

If we want to be and stay healthy, we must increasingly take conscious control of the food intake in the form of good choices of foods and supplements in order to overcome these pollutants. And to do this, it helps to know where our bodies might be affected.

The body is divided into nine main basic systems: 1. The Immune system. 2. The Circulatory system. 3. The Digestive system. 4. The Intestinal system. 5. The Nervous system. 6. The Respiratory. 7. The Urinary. 8. The Glandular.. 9. The Structural system. Each of these systems receives the benefit of certain key supplemental products. For more on each of these main divisions of the body click here.

For example the Digestive system’s key requirements and supplements are enzymes. If we eat our foods mostly over-cooked and over-processed, they are depleted of needed enzymes. Enzymes are found mostly in fresh, raw vegetables. The Intestinal system requires also a healthy bacterial environment and good amounts of fibre which are found respectively in acidophilus, yogurt, raw vegetables and fruits, etc.

So in order to get the right foods and supplements for specific problem areas, it helps to understand that not all foods and supplements are the same for all over the body. Being aware of this will help you to discuss your needs with your health professional in order to put your money in the right places. If we have respect for our bodies, diet will be easy./dmh

Articles copyright(c)2010 Diane M. Hoffmann. You may reprint this article without any changes, making sure to include the following bio:

Diane M. Hoffmann is a certified nutritional consultant and an entrepreneur of offline and online businesses. Diane offers this web site on health and stress management for business people who need to keep healthy and strong in order to run their businesses.

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