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Getting The Right Amount Of Vitamins

Assuming if you eat healthy and balanced meals each and every day, then you will get all of the necessary vitamins and minerals your body needs to function. But the fact is, even though we all have different dietary needs, we all still need vitamins in order to live healthy lives and prevent diseases.  Vitamins have been around for hundreds of years, providing us with a way to live our lives in a healthy manner. What we take is not enough given that there are variables that comes into the picture i.e, individual patients absorption issues, exposure to pollutants etc. 

We all know there are many different vitamins out there, you’ll need a certain amount of each one to keep your body healthy.  There are many different classifications of vitamins, including A, B, C, and E.  These vitamins are extremely important, with each one serving a unique purpose for both your body and your health. For example you may not be getting what you need of the B vitamin family and thus If this happens to be the case, you should look into vitamin supplements that will give you the doses of the B vitamins you need.  Although you may not realize it, going without B vitamins (depleted by excessive alcohol intake) can be very bad on your body and your health.  If you make the smart choice and get yourself some B vitamin supplements - you’ll know that you are getting exactly what you need to live a healthy life. 

The 'universal' RDI guideline is only applicable when one is not affected by external factors mentioned earlier. But in today's day and age, who does? No one lived that ideal perfect life anyway. This is where the importance of supplements is to be realized. 

Everyone knows that the human body needs a certain amount of vitamins and minerals everyday to function properly and remain healthy.  A well balanced diet can supply your body with the vitamins it needs, although problems and disorders can arise if your diet doesn’t supply your body with the vitamins it needs.  The symptoms of vitamin deficiency will normally present themselves when the lack of vitamins is at an advanced level.

Those who don’t get enough of vitamins A, B1, and B2 for example, will always feel tired, along with a loss of appetite.  Other symptoms include mental and emotional stress, chapped lips, and other annoying or painful habits.  

The most common causes of deficiency include a poor diet, alcoholism, stress, a lack of vitamins, or medicine that interferes with your ingestion of vitamins.  If you are always feeling tired or feeling a lack of energy, you are probably short on the vitamins that your body needs to have on a daily basis.  If you visit your doctor and tell him the problem, he will probably recommend vitamins and supplements that will give you want you need.  Whatever you do, you should never overdo it and try to catch up on what you’ve been missing - as this will do you more harm than good.

Even though you may be following a healthy diet, you’ll still need to take vitamins and supplements.  No matter how healthy you eat, you should still use the right vitamins and supplements to give your body what it needs.  Vitamins are a great back up source, as they will provide your body with the minerals and nutrients it needs in the event of your diet failing you.

Before or after every meal that you consume, you should take vitamins or supplements.  If you have a deficiency in a certain vitamin or vitamins, you should make sure that you never miss taking the vitamin you need.  Even though you may not realize it, being deficient in a vitamin can greatly damper your performance as well as the overall health of your body.

When you look for supplements, you should always look for those that contain vitamins B6, B12, D, E, and folic acid.  Along with being considered dietary supplements, these well known vitamins will help to fight cancer and help your heart remain healthy.  The combination of these vitamins will help your body to remain healthy, boost your immune system, and keep you feeling refreshed.

To remain healthy and keep your body operating as it should, you’ll need to invest in vitamins and supplements.  You can find them online or at local nutrition stores, many of which won’t cost you much money at all.  No matter what your age may be, you’ll need to ensure that you are eating the right foods and taking the right foods.  Keep in mind that you should never replace food with vitamins, as they are more less meant to give you additional nutrients and minerals.  

Anytime you aren’t able to eat the right food, you should always turn to vitamin supplements to give your body what it needs.  Supplements and vitamins are one of the best investments you can make, as everyone needs vitamins in their body.  Even though the costs may add up over time, it is more than worth it when you think about.  For what you spend in vitamins and supplements, you’ll be keeping your body healthy - and preventing a deficiency in vitamins. Although vitamin deficiency is very common these days, it doesn’t have to be.

Vitamins And Asthma

More than 10 million American’s throughout the United States suffer from asthma (according to Asthma and Allergy foundation of America).  Asthma is very common, with doctors considering it to be a new epidemic.  Most Americans who suffer from asthma blame it on environmental pollution, along with the increasing exposure of toxic chemicals throughout the air.  Deaths that result from asthma are on the rise, due to those who have it not recognizing the early warning signs.

The condition of asthma causes the airways in the lungs to swell, throw out thick mucus, and over time spasm.  The swelling that takes place will make the airways smaller, making it difficult to breathe.  The first attack from asthma that you experience may include congestion, pain, wheezing, a shortness of breath, dryness in the mouth, coughing, and a feeling as if you have a fever.

Contrary to what you may think, just about anything can result in asthma.  The more common triggers of it include allergies, an upper respiratory infection, stress, over exertion in exercise, or even the lack of a proper diet.  Out of all the triggers, allergies tends to be the most common.  

In most cases, asthma attacks are the result of exposure to things such as smoke, pollen, gas odors, and even automotive exhaust. Foods can also trigger attacks as well, such as peanuts, corn, chocolate, and almost all dairy products.  If you take any type of antibiotics, tranquilizers, or hormones, it may prompt asthma.  Asthma is a serious and somewhat annoying condition, one that millions of us face on a daily basis.

There are several mineral, vitamin, and herbal supplements that you can take to treat asthma.  Among all that you can take, vitamin B is among the most important.  Vitamin B maintains a biochemical balance in the body and it can also reduce the severity of the attacks.  If you take vitamin A and E together, they can work to protect your lungs against air pollution.  You can also take large doses of vitamin C as well, as it is very effective in fighting asthma.

Gingko biloba is effective as well, as it will enhance your breathing and help with your bronchial reactions. Oder-less garlic can be another great choice, as it contains an anti-inflammatory agent that will reduce your chances of an attack.  Throughout the world of vitamins and supplements, there are many different things that you can take to fight back against asthma.

Anytime that you suspect you may have asthma, you shouldn’t hesitate to go to your doctor and be tested for it as soon as possible.  Your doctor will be able to tell you if you have it, and how severe it may be.  In the meantime, you should avoid known triggers and be sure that you are eating a high protein diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables.  You should also eat a few meals throughout the day, instead of sticking with the three most common meals - breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

As a whole, asthma can be very stressful.  There are ways that you can fight back and help to eliminate asthma, which is always great news.   If your doctor tells you that you indeed have asthma, you should ask him any questions that come to mind, as well as his advice on what you should and shouldn’t do.  Even though it may not seem like it at the time, asthma can be prevented, and it doesn’t always have to stop you from doing things you love to do.  Although it may slow you down - you can always stop it.

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Selected Article : Alkalizing with sodium bicarbonate and potassium citrate - article by Walter Last

Our metabolism works best when the lymph fluid is slightly acid while the blood is always slightly alkaline. If the diet is deficient in minerals or the cellular energy production is inefficient, and produces much lactic acid instead of oxidizing nutrients to carbon dioxide and water, then the body gradually becomes too acid. This leads to loss of minerals and inflammations with pain and oversensitivity. Chronic inflammations cause most of the discomfort and health deterioration associated with chronic diseases. The most common conditions associated with inflammations are infections and Candida problems, autoimmune diseases, including arthritis, and cancer.

To reduce and eventually stop destructive inflammations the body needs to be alkalized. This is best done with mineral-rich vegetables, especially green leaf-vegetables and green protein powders such as spirulina, chlorella, and wheat grass or barley grass powder. However, until the inflammation is under control it is often helpful or necessary to use in addition alkalizing remedies such as sodium bicarbonate and potassium citrate.  Both are 'natural' as the body produces large amounts of sodium bicarbonate to neutralize the stomach acid when it enters the intestines, and potassium citrate is the strongest alkalizing agent in citrus fruit.

When you dissolve sodium bicarbonate in water it is more alkaline than potassium citrate but inside the body potassium citrate becomes a stronger alkalizer. Another difference is that sodium bicarbonate should not be taken with meals as it then reduces our stomach acid which is needed for digestion, but potassium citrate can be mixed with meals.

All this seems to show that potassium citrate is a better choice for alkalizing than sodium bicarbonate but which one is preferable really depends on some additional factors. The following conditions favour the use of potassium citrate:

1.    A high sodium and low potassium intake as in a conventional Western diet

2.   Raised and especially high blood pressure

3.   Kidney problems or water retention/edema.

Sodium bicarbonate, on the other hand, is called for

1.        With low blood pressure

2.        With a diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in salted foods.

Those who do not fit into one of these categories may take both alkalizers. Commonly a ratio of 2 parts of sodium bicarbonate to 1 part of potassium citrate is being used, but also 1 : 1 or an excess of potassium is alright. These may be mixed and taken together in the same drink, or they may be taken separately during the day. If you take more than 1 teaspoonful then space them out during the day.  

How much and for how long?

Sodium is the most abundant mineral in the blood and lymph fluid while potassium is highest inside cells. Therefore a sudden high intake of potassium can cause an imbalance in the blood, and higher amounts need to be distributed over several meals. A diet high in fruit and vegetables may provide 5 g of potassium daily while a normal 'good' diet supplies about 3 g. A level teaspoon of about 5 g of potassium citrate contains about 1 g of potassium. This amount 3 times a day with drinks or mixed with meals is about the upper recommended daily intake.

If there are no contraindications for sodium intake, then sodium bicarbonate in higher amounts is somewhat less critical. The best way to take it is with a drink some time (e.g. half an hour) before meals or, generally easier to 'stomach', 2-3 hours after meals. Another recommended way is to dissolve a teaspoon of bicarbonate in a large glass of water, stir in a teaspoon of psyllium hulls and drink immediately, best soon after rising. In all you may use up to 3 rounded teaspoons of bicarbonate spaced out over the day.

There are two ways of estimating how much to take and for how long. The simpler way is just to go by the amount of pain and other discomfort caused by an inflammation. The more inflammation and pain, the more alkalizer you may take. When problems subside then you reduce the amount of alkalizers, and eventually the minerals in a good diet may be sufficient to keep you well.

The other possibility and the better option is from time to time to measure the pH or acid-alkaline balance of your saliva or urine. The saliva is a better indicator of the condition of the lymph fluid but urine is easier to test. Take so much alkalizer that your urine during the day is mostly above pH 7 or slightly alkaline (pH 7 is neutral). To check your urine you may buy pH papers with a range from about 4 or 5 to 8 or 9 (see the Internet for suppliers).

Alternatively you may use turmeric (or even curry powder) dissolved in water or better methanol. Turmeric changes colour at pH 6.8. Above this it is red and below 6.8 it is yellow. Therefore when the urine sample turns red you can assume that it is neutral or alkaline. Dissolve a teaspoonful of turmeric in half a litre of methylated spirits (methanol), shake and allow to settle, producing a yellow solution.

To make a test pour some of the yellow solution into a test tube or small drinking glass. Add a few drops of urine or saliva. If it turns ruby red, then what was added had a pH greater than 6.8 (neutral or alkaline). If it stays yellow, then the pH is less than 6.8 (acid). For making an extract of red cabbage with a very wide pH indicator range see the Acid - Alkaline Balance.

If the overacidity was caused by an unbalanced food intake with too much acid-forming foods and not enough alkalizing foods, then the urine may respond within days to alkalizing remedies and foods. Acid-forming foods are generally high in phosphorus, such as meat, fish and eggs. Also sugar and refined cereals low in minerals increase acidity. However, if the overacidity is caused by damage to the oxidizing component of the cellular energy production then the overproduction of lactic acid may continue for a long time until health is sufficiently improved, for instance when a systemic Candida infection has been removed.

Another common cause of overacidity are allergies, especially food allergies. If you avoid an allergenic food for several days the urine may become more alkaline but if you then re-introduce the food, urine and saliva become again more acid within hours. You can make a urine test about two and a half hours after eating the food. To reduce or stop an allergic reaction take in a drink a rounded teaspoon of 2 parts of sodium bicarbonate and 1 part of potassium citrate.  If necessary repeat this dose an hour later.

However, in the long term there is a price to pay for trying to make your lymph fluid alkaline: the body may gradually start forming calcium deposits. That is good for teeth, bones and joints, but you do not want other tissue to calcify as this will cause stiffness and speed up aging. This is what commonly happens with chronic inflammations anyway - over the years they cause calcium to accumulate in the inflamed areas, and this reduces inflammation and increases stiffness.

Therefore, when chronic inflammation and its related disease processes are no longer a problem but stiffness increases instead, then it is best to lower the pH of urine and saliva to a slightly acid pH level of about 6.4 to 6.8 or to when turmeric just turns from red to yellow.

Summary for taking Alkalizers

The following recommendations are the maximum amounts. Start with a lower dose and increase gradually up to 3 teaspoons daily. It is important to check your pH and adjust the intake of alkalizers as your pH moves into the required range.

How to use Potassium citrate: Take up to 1 level teaspoon 3 x a day directly mixed with meals, or with some diluted vegetable or fruit juice, or stir into a green drink (a mix of spirulina, wheat or barley grass, and chlorella is great).                                           

How to use Sodium bicarbonate: Take at least ½ hour before a meal or 2 to 3 hours after a meal, up to 1 rounded teaspoon 3 times daily. You may also add 1 teaspoon each of sodium bicarbonate and psyllium hulls to a large glass of water, stir and drink immediately, best soon after rising.

Directions for combining Potassium citrate and Sodium bicarbonate:  You may use both at a ratio of 2 parts of sodium bicarbonate to 1 part of potassium citrate, or alternatively you may also mix equal parts or use more potassium. These may be taken together in the same drink such as diluted juice or a green drink; take at least ½ hour before or 2 to 3 hours after a meal. If using them separately you may take 1 teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate each early in the morning and late in the afternoon, and a teaspoon of potassium at midday; you may also use any other sequence.

When to test your pH: To beat inflammation initially test several times a day without much attention to mealtimes and, except for morning urine, it should be above pH 7. For those who want to reduce stiffness, 6.0 to 6.5 in the morning is OK but then throughout the day it should be between 6.5 and 7.0. After initially testing more frequently it is OK later to test only occasionally, perhaps once or twice a week, best 3 hours after a meal or snack at the same time of the day. 

Can be bought via 97361205 (Dr Hadinata). No prescription needed.

Mark Hyman at TEDMED 2010 - Functional Medicine

Another of my favourite functional medicine practitioner other than Dr. Peter Osborne (DC)

Dr. Mark Hyman believes that functional medicine is the way of the future, and that we can only improve medicine if we understand the body's system, not just symptoms.

Mark Hyman is an American physician (MD), and New York Times best-selling author. He is the founder and medical director of the UltraWellness Center and a columnist for The Huffington Post. 

Dr Hyman is a regular contributor to the Katie Couric Show and a staunch functional medicine advocate.

Functional medicine is the bridge between Medical Science and Nutrition,  widely used by Naturopathic Doctors and some MD's. 

Functional Medicine addresses the underlying causes of disease, using a systems-oriented approach and engaging both patient and practitioner in a therapeutic partnership. It is an evolution in the practice of medicine that better addresses the healthcare needs of the 21st century. By shifting the traditional disease-centered focus of medical practice to a more patient-centered approach, Functional Medicine addresses the whole person, not just an isolated set of symptoms. Functional Medicine practitioners spend time with their patients, listening to their histories and looking at the interactions among genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors that can influence long-term health and complex, chronic disease. In this way, Functional Medicine supports the unique expression of health and vitality for each individual.

HOW FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE CHANGES THE WAY WE DO MEDICINE:

Functional Medicine offers a powerful new operating system and clinical model for assessment, treatment, and prevention of chronic disease to replace the outdated and ineffective acute-care models carried forward from the 20th century.

Functional Medicine incorporates the latest in genetic science, systems biology, and understanding of how environmental and lifestyle factors influence the emergence and progression of disease.

Functional Medicine enables physicians and other health professionals to practice proactive, predictive, personalized medicine and empowers patients to take an active role in their own health.

GERD

Acid Reflux is the other generally used name of Gastro-esophageal reflux disease, also more often referred as GERD. The disease causes damage to the esophagus as the acidic contents from the stomach, containing acids and pepsin, pushes back to the esophagus since the sphincter becomes weak and can no-more prevent the contents from stomach from gushing back in esophagus. The acidic contents burn the esophagus and causes irritation in the esophagus. This is a chronic disease, which has life long repercussions. The treatment in this case can only help temporarily, i.e., as well as one continues with the medication.

To diagnose Acid Reflux, one can go through gastroscopy, since the symptoms of this disease re so mild that diagnosing them is very difficult and people rather than going to the doctor stick to own medication. The very commonly used resort to escape the pains and the problems from GERD is going for an antacid. These are actually helpful in case of short-term and infrequent attacks of the disease. But these can’t provide much relief for a long time.

People can change their diets to actually eliminate or reduce the effects of Acid Reflux. A proper routine can be made to reduce the problem which generally causes due to the irregular habits of eating or eating more junk food and also from excessive drinking. Patients also in this case maintain diaries for keeping a track of what they eating and drinking to keep a check on the recurrence of the attacks of Acid Reflux. And when these controlled diets also don’t help in controlling the disease then the doctors resorts to drugs to keep the disease in a controlled position.

The most popular and largely used drug for this disease is PPI (Proton Pump Inhibitors), this is the drug which is generally prescribed by the doctors for relief from the pains causing due to the attacks of Acid Reflux. The drug helps in stopping the production of the acidic contents in the stomach which pushes into esophagus and cause acid reflux. Not many side effects do these drugs have, but are really relieving at times of attacks.

The other drug primarily prescribed by the doctors all over the world is 2 Blocker, which also restores relief to the esophagus. Both these drugs have been proved to be successful drug therapy for long term acid reflux sufferers. But patients with more severe damages, who don’t respond to these drugs, are prescribed more radical drugs, with strong effects, known as Promotility agents. These drugs have sometimes adverse side effects, so these are very seldom prescribed by the doctors.

courtesy of Youtube user Nucleus Medical Media

Natural remedies of GERD by Dr Mercola :

However only a few know that there is something within reach in the kitchen for GERD.

Raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar - As mentioned earlier, acid reflux typically results from having too little acid in your stomach.

You can quickly improve the acid content of your stomach by taking one tablespoon of raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar in a large glass of water.

Baking soda - One-half to one full teaspoon of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) in an eight-ounce glass of water may ease the burn of acid reflux as it helps neutralize stomach acid. I would not recommend this is a regular solution but it can sure help in an emergency when you are in excruciating pain.

Aloe juice - The juice of the aloe plant naturally helps reduce inflammation, which may ease symptoms of acid reflux.

Drink about 1/2 cup of aloe vera juice before meals. If you want to avoid its laxative effect, look for a brand that has removed  the laxative component.

 Ginger root  - Ginger has been found to have a gastroprotective effect by blocking acid and suppressing helicobacter pylori.9 this is no surprise for me considering the fact that ginger root has been traditionally used against gastric disturbances since ancient times.

Add two or three slices of fresh ginger root to two cups of hot water. Let steep for about half an hour. Drink about 20 minutes or so before your meal.

Before bed, try a cup of chamomile tea, which can help soothe stomach inflammation and help you sleep.


Foods to avoid

Diet and some medication does have a role in GERD. Of all the food that is not mentioned in this list above is that one should avoid Vinegar.

Note that ACV - Apple Cider Vinegar and Vinegar is not two of the same thing (just in case newbie to the natural remedies world gets confused.)