Astaxanthin: A Potent Supplement
October 6, 2011 | 1 Comment
Having only surfaced in the last 10 years, Astaxanthin
was the unknown health supplement. It seemed almost no one knew about the many benefits of taking this powerful antioxidant and, therefore, its supply was plentiful on shelves of most health food stores. But that changed recently when Dr. Mercola appeared on Dr. Oz’s show touting it as a “#1 supplement” we should all be taking.
See video: The Surprising Supplement You Need.
Suddenly, store shelves were emply of Astaxanthin and it was a product difficult to find. And once stores finally restocked their shelves, some of them chose to raise their price on this sudden best-seller product.
So what’s the big deal with Astaxanthin? Well, for starters, Astaxanthin has 10 times more the antioxidant powers of beta-carotene. In addition …
- Astaxanthin is way more potent than Vitamins C and E, making it a great product for your skin. You may have heard that the best vitamins for your skin are Vitamins A, C, and E (”ACE your skin”). Since Astaxanthin is more powerful than Vitamins C and E, and beta-carotene, it is going to be a great choice to add to your skin care regimen. Simply put, it helps reduce wrinkles and age spots and you will most likely age better if taking Astaxanthin regularly.
- Astaxanthin helps protect our bodies against heart disease and cancer.
- It assists in keeping the brain healthy.
- It relaxes the eye muscles and helps prevent cataracts.
- Astaxanthin is also believed to protect our skin against harmful rays from the sun.
- It increases strength and endurance, making it a great supplement for athletes.
- It boosts our immune system.
- And recent studies show that Astaxanthin may even assist in preventing obesity.
But before buying Astaxanthin, there are some important things you shouId know. Such as …
- Astaxanthin is a natural antioxidant that comes from marine algae. It is also found in many types of seafood; however, the richest source for Astaxanthin is found in Haematococcus pluvialis algae (look for this on the label when purchasing Astaxanthin supplements).
- Astaxanthin is fat soluable, which means it needs to be taken with a good fat supplement, such as fish oil, in order to provide good absorption. Some companies add a fat supplement to their Astaxanthin capsules for this reason. (Again, check the label.) However, it is best to take Astaxanthin with food.
- Because Astaxanthin is fat soluable, it should not be taken if you are using obesity products such as Orlistat or Ally. These products block the absorption of fat in your body and, as a result, will prevent the Astaxanthin supplement from being absorbed as well.
To buy Astaxanthin, click here:
Solgar Astaxanthin Complex 5 MG - 60 Softgels - Other Supplements
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Peggy Fleming: Raising Awareness For Our Heart Health
January 20, 2011 | Leave a Comment
It was in 1968 that Peggy Fleming first won our hearts, as a gold medalist in the Olympics, with her beauty, gracefulness, and athleticism on the ice.
Now, over 40 years later, she aims to protect our hearts with her inspiration and her continual hard work and dedication to encourage women to take responsibility for their health.
Peggy Fleming … figure skater, author, and cancer survivor … is also a health care advocate raising awareness of the benefits of CoQ10 in its most advanced form, Ubiquinol.
CoQ10 (Co-enzyme Q10) is a compound naturally produced by our body. We need it in order to convert energy from fats and sugars into cellular energy. In addition to providing our body with energy, it is known to:
- act as a powerful antioxidant
- be effective in slowing aging
- aid in heart attack prevention and recovery, and
- aid in weight loss
Before we can reap the benefits of CoQ10, our body must first convert it to another form so that our body can absorb it. As we age, though, our body makes less CoQ10 and the ability to convert it declines dramatically. Therefore, in order to receive any benefits from CoQ10, it may become necessary to take supplements.
However, there are some drugs, such as statins which are used to lower cholesterol, which block CoQ10 from converting to the proper form necessary for our body to absorb it. Thereby the CoQ10 levels in the blood may become depleted. People who take statins and CoQ10 supplements may not be receiving the benefits of CoQ10 which they are expecting. However, Ubiquinol has a positive interaction with statin drugs.
Ubiquinol is a preconverted form of CoQ10 so that your body does not need to do the converting for you. And this makes it easier for your body to absorb.
Listen to Peggy Fleming’s thoughts on the subject and please share your thoughts on CoQ10 as well.
Click here to buy Ubiquinol CoQ10 from The Vitamin Shoppe.
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Today’s Olympic Champions Are Going Farther And Faster Than Ever Before … And The Rest Of Us Can Too
August 18, 2008 | 1 Comment
Photo by Incase Designs
How are today’s Champions reaching overwhelming speeds on the race tracks?
With Michael Phelps surpassing Mark Spitz at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, along with many other amazing feats happening there, the question arises … what are these athletes doing these days in preparation for the Olympics?
You may take a look at the fitness clothing and shoes that they wear (surely for a hefty price) and think these things are making a big difference. But when Spitz competed and earned his title as the greatest Olympic athlete of all time, he did so simply in a regular swimsuit, without either the goggles or the swim cap.
Today’s athletes are competing into their 30’s and 40’s as well.
Take for instance 41-year-old Dara Torres, who is one of the oldest Olympians at the 2008 Olympics. Dara is a personal inspiration to me. Quoted for saying, “You can’t put an age limit on your dreams,” she is competing against (and defeating) women young enough to be her children. Unheard of? No. Unusual? Yes. And to prove that she has been competing fairly and naturally and not illegally doping, she has requested extra testing be done on her.
So what’s their secret?
Today’s champions endure intense training. They train longer and they train harder. They aren’t necessarily born with just the right genes. As Dr. Joyner at the Mayo Clinic stated, “Many genes contribute to performance, but it isn’t likely that one individual would have the right combination of all genes that would give you a natural competitive edge.” Dr. Joyner also attributes new world records being made to the fact that today’s athletes have improved medical care, plus there are many more athletes, from more countries, participating.
But there is one other secret they have that stands out.
These Olympic Champions have a strong mind and have a strong faith in themselves. With that faith, they are achieving world records. These athletes are proving to the rest of us that, whatever age we are, we can achieve great fitness, build good physique, and even fight aging. No matter what our health or fitness goals are, with good mental determination, we can achieve them.
But we first have to get off the sofa. And stop dreaming of being a champion, and go out and become one. No excuses!
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The Smog In Beijing And Its Effects On Our Athletes
August 9, 2008 | 1 Comment
I am happy with the peace.
Originally uploaded by Luo Shaoyang
While our world leaders and our best athletes meet in Beijing for the 2008 summer olympics, should we be concerned for their health?
Well, the smog certainly doesn’t seem to be harming the young girl and her friend in this precious photo which was taken in Beijing.
But what are the experts saying about the affects Beijing’s polluted air will have on the world’s best athletes?
The air pollution in Beijing is considered to be among the world’s worst. In fact, it has been found that Beijing and its surrounding areas have the world’s highest levels of nitrogen dioxide … which is poisonous to the lungs. As a precaution from getting sick, some of the athletes have unboarded planes wearing masks. And as a result, they are being accused of spating in the face of China which has so graciously welcomed them.
But these athletes have been training for many years for this event. Are they being over cautious or are they taking necessary steps to protect their performance during perhaps the biggest event of their lives?
According to experts, exercising athletes take in seven to eight times more air than a sedentary person and they are more likely to be affected by the pollution. And while all athletes and spectators are at risk for having respiratory problems, people with pre-existing lung or heart conditions, such as the case with USA cyclist Mike Friedman, are at a higher risk for having severe problems. All that being said, one would conclude that the athletes are justified in wearing masks.
But experts are also saying that the pollution is a fine gas. And while a mask will provide some protection, no mask will provide adequate protection. Basically, there is little to nothing the athletes can do to stop the exposure to the pollution.
Looking at the flip side, perhaps unboarding a plane with a mask on your face is going just a little over board. Afterall, the experts claim that a person is more likely to be affected due to inhaling more air “while exercising”. How many athletes will actually be wearing their mask during exercise? Then again, it is the individual athlete’s health … and their moment to shine … and therefore it should be their choice when it comes to protecting their health. The choices they made are what got them there in the first place.
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Viagra vs. Watermelon vs. The Little Blue Pill
July 7, 2008 | 3 Comments
Photo by Shrff14
If your choices to add vitality to your love life were … viagra, watermelon, or the little blue pill … which would you choose?
Of course, Viagra is the first treatment to come to mind. It is better known and it works. But there are pitfalls. It comes with side effects. Stomach discomfort, dyspepsia, nasal congestion, bladder pain, and vision loss to name a few. And it is expensive! First introduced in 1998, it arrived with a hefty price of $10 a pill. Sure, men found it pricey. But it was better than the alternative … impotence. Is it worth the risk though, especially when Viagra is just cosmetic. It does not cure or treat an illness. It is not for anything life threatening or critical. It only temporarily restores a body function for sexual enhancement.
But other alternatives have surfaced since 1998. And healthier ones too!
Take for instance a recent report involving watermelon. Researchers are saying that watermelon contains the ingredient citrulline which triggers production of a compound that relaxes the body’s blood vessels. Which is basically the same effect that Viagra has. And they tout, it tastes good and is side-effect free. But can it really be considered side-effect free when watermelon is a diuretic and will have you running to the bathroom all night long. Afterall, these same researchers claim you would need to eat at least six cups of watermelon in order to get enough citrulline into your body’s system. And while watermelon is a health food, let’s not forget, it is loaded with sugar and six cups in one serving may be a little too much. So far, which would you choose? Viagra or watermelon?
But wait, there is another alternative to consider … the little blue pill.
Popular in the UK, there is a little blue pill made of herbal ingredients which supposedly works just like Viagra. But unlike Viagra, it has zero side effects. Available at have.co.uk, it comes with a cheaper price and you don’t need a prescription. If it is as safe as the company claims, then this cheap Viagra is quite possibly a better alternative than Viagra itself and perhaps even better than watermelon. It would be just like taking Viagra without the dangers associated with it. And it could be swallowed a little faster than six cups of watermelon. Heck, I think it would be cheaper than watermelon too.
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Would You Eat A Raw Food Diet?
March 10, 2008 | 24 Comments
Photo by E p i t a
A menu consisting of raw foods sounds kind of boring, huh!
Yet, people who eat raw food diets claim they feel younger, have increased their energy, healed their body of certain ailments, and have even lost weight.
But, before you answer the question above - “Would you eat a raw food diet?” - let’s clear up the definition of “raw food” as it seems everyone has different opinions. Raw does not mean eating nothing but raw vegetables …. or salads. A raw menu, according to Carol Alt over at Raw Nutrition, can consist of sandwiches, smoothies, soup, granola, hummus, and desserts. Raw simply means foods that have not been cooked. And that can include vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, grains, unpasteurized dairy products, fish, and meat. Raw can also mean (and this is where some may disagree) food that has not been sprayed with pesticides, has no added preservatives, or has not been irradiated (treated with ionizing radiation to kill germs). I personally think of the latter as organic, but for some people this falls under the raw category because its causes foods to lose their vitality.
There are pros and there are cons to cooking these foods.
The pros are the main purpose for cooking the foods . . . to destroy all bacteria and other pathogens that could cause serious illnesses. And for that reason alone, many people understandably choose not to eat a raw food diet.
And the cons . . . that eating foods cooked at high temperatures (more than 112 degrees) can increase the rate at which we age plus it can contribute to weight gain. Again, according to Carol Alt, this is due to four things happening to the food when it is cooked at high temperatures:
1. The molecular structure changes.
2. The enzymes are killed.
3. The vitamins and minerals are destroyed.
4. The acid alkaline balance changes.
All this has an effect on how our body digests food which in turn prevents us from absorbing all the nutrients we need. The end result … the onset of weight gain and aging more quickly.
The health benefits of choosing raw foods over cooked include,
1. Weight loss
2. Slower aging
3. Better digestion
4. Increase energy
5. Improved skin appearance
6. Reduced heart disease
By simply changing how foods are prepared, we could shed our body of fat and we could lessen the effects of aging. But before giving up all our home-cooked meals, we need to decide which is the better risk,
1. Consuming foods that are cooked and considered bacteria free but which could promote weight gain and early aging, or
2. Consuming foods that are raw and facilitate weight loss and anti-aging and which perhaps is not bacteria free, but the fact that it provides better absorption of nutrients may be enough to protect against diseases.
For recipes for a raw food diet, consider Carol Alt’s book, The Raw 50: 10 Amazing Breakfasts, Lunches, Dinners, Snacks, and Drinks for Your Raw Food Lifestyle
Technorati Tags: raw food diet, Carol Alt, benefits of raw food, health, wellness, weight loss
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