Finding Heart Health in Fruit Extracts
Apples, pomegranates, and Bergamot citrus for cardiovascular health “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” my nephew sings before biting into the honey crisp he’s holding. “But…” he thinks as he chews and then clarifies to me, his doctor-auntie, “I don’t want you to go away.” Where did he learn the saying about…
B Vitamins for Brain Health
Simple-yet-powerful nutrients to fight depression, dementia, and more B vitamins are required for just about every major function in the body, from red blood cell production, to metabolism, to brain health. There are eight different B vitamins – B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), B7 (biotin), B9 (folate) and…
Eat Your Antioxidants, My Dear
The healthy person’s guide to fruits and vegetables If you ask the typical American how many servings of vegetables they eat per day, they’ll likely answer, “Not enough.” And they’re right; most of us aren’t getting enough of our plant-based foods or the nutrients they contain. In their 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, theUnited States…
Is Fish Oil Just Snake Oil?
The research on essential fatty acids Some major news channels have reported that fish oil’s importance in heart health has been debunked and that essential fatty acid (EFA) supplements are useless. These types of sensationalist headlines are unhelpful for many reasons, mainly because, well, they’re wrong. It’s been known for many decades just how…
The Fat-Soluble Vitamins: A, D, E and K
Nutrients for strong bones and a healthy heart Vitamins are classified into two groups: fat-soluble (vitamins A, D, E, and K) and water-soluble (B-complex vitamins and vitamin C). Fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed best when consumed with higher-fat foods.[1] Fatty fish, vegetable oils, green vegetables, and nuts and seeds are good sources of vitamins A,…
The Power of CoQ10
CoQ10’s effects on fatigue, fertility, and the heart Do you ever feel as if you don’t have enough energy? You’re not alone! Energy is not just a function of mood, positive thinking, or lack of sleep, although all those things play a role. Energy is, literally, the power to do work. Within the body,…
Glutathione, the Master Antioxidant
Does supplementation really increase glutathione levels? Scientists have been trying to understand the aging process for, well, ages. One thing we know for sure is that oxidative stress plays a major role in the aging process, and a powerful antioxidant known as glutathione helps fight that oxidative stress.[1],[2] Oxidative stress is a process that…
Breaking Bad: Homocysteine and Aging
The role of B vitamins in cardiovascular and neurological health “If I’d known I was going to live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself.” – Eubie Blake, American composer, upon reaching the age of 100 By now it’s widely known that high blood cholesterol levels can be harmful to our health….
Enzymes for Heart Health: Lumbrokinase and Nattokinase
Cardiovascular health is influenced not only by blood cholesterol, cholesterol transporters known as lipoproteins, and antioxidants, but also by the tendency of blood to coagulate or clot.[1],[2],[3],[4] All of us have clotting factors in our blood to ensure we do not bleed to death if we cut ourselves – and that’s a good thing!…
The Probiotic-Cholesterol Connection
How a specific strain of Lactobacillus reuteri, NCIMB 30242, supports cardiovascular health The relationship between increasing levels of LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) and the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) has long been established.[1] With CAD on the rise – not to mention the chest pain and heart attacks it can lead to – the importance…
Selenium: A Mineral Essential for Detox/Redox
Guarding against environmental toxins Selenium is a mineral with remarkable antioxidant benefits. Although it is needed only in small amounts, selenium is vital for thyroid, reproductive and immune function, and for protecting the brain, heart, and kidneys against environmental toxins.[1] Selenium is like a battery that operates within 25 different selenium-containing proteins (selenoproteins) in…
Understanding Inflammation
When too much of a good thing becomes harmful If you’ve ever scraped your knee, you’ve seen the healing power of inflammation at work. The body reacts to injury and invasion by sending a flood of white blood cells to the area to repair the damage, stop the spread of infection, and battle any…
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