The RazorKnow Organisation

November 18, 2008

Building Muscle Power Through Vitamins and Minerals

Filed under: Nutrition Management — admin @ 2:15 pm

The muscles of the body actually depend heavily on the vitamins, minerals as well as on the other nutrients that we take in so as to ensure that they’re always well taken care of. Consciously taking care of your body through the proper exercise, a well-balanced diet and a stress-free mind all contribute greatly towards keeping healthy and building a good set of muscles.

Muscles actually serve a far more important physical function apart from making fit people look good as well as the ability to lift heavy objects. Actually unknown to most people, the heart is the most important muscle of the body, as it runs the circulatory system. Our muscles help keep our internal organs in place and gives us the ability to perform each and every movement we make, from chewing and swallowing to controlling our bladder to sitting, standing and walking. Healthy muscles are essential to our day-to-day lives. Several vitamins and minerals actually work well together in keeping us fit and having stronger muscles.

Such vitamins and minerals that contribute to this are potassium, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus which all greatly work together in making sure that our muscles are able to contract smoothly and effectively, as they should. This is, of course, essential to keeping the heart beating in a regular and efficient fashion. It is also important to take note that while the heart is the most important muscle in the body, each and every muscle in a person’s body deserves to be treated with equal importance and care since they work as a group.

Vitamin C is highly essential to the health and performance of muscles because it works alongside potassium, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus in their muscle regulation tasks. Vitamin C is also necessary to the formation of collagen and elastin, which are important connective tissues of the body that helps build muscle structure. Vitamin C is also responsible for the well-being of the blood vessels, which support the muscles need for oxygen and nutrients.

Naturally, as with most of the important processes and systems of the body, the vitamins that make up the powerful and essential Vitamin B complex have a role in the health and function of the muscles. In fact, deficiencies in the B vitamins can even lead to all sorts of muscle problems, including a lack of muscle coordination. The B vitamins are greatly responsible for the creation of the red blood cells that support the entire body.

Proper nutrition is a good way to ensure that one’s muscles have what they need to function efficiently and to be strong. Daily exercise also plays an important role in muscle health and strength and should never be left out of any endurance strengthening health plans. Exercise is what actually helps the body to stay in shape and helping keep the jiggling flabs away. But before you start rushing to the nearest gym and start picking up the various exercise equipments there, it is highly important to note that even though it’s a good thing that you’re actually on your way to improving your health.

One must not be a brash, eager beaver. From zero exercise to lifting 50 pound weights can cause your muscle to tear and ache. You probably won’t even be able to get up from bed the following day. Have patience that even though the road to good health is still a long way to go for a beginner like you, it’s highly commendable that you’ve made the conscious decision to actually get there.

Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR’S resource box at the bottom of this article is included and and all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.

EzineArticles Expert Author Charlene Nuble

Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For up to date links and information about Vitamins, please go to: http://vitamins.besthealthlink.net/ or for updated links and information on all health related topics, go to: http://www.besthealthlink.net/

Vitamin Supplement Ratings - Proof Of Popularity

Filed under: Nutrition Management — admin @ 1:36 pm

Vitamin supplement ratings quite clearly show just how popular nutritional care and supplement products have become over recent years. For many vitamin and herbal products, vitamin supplement ratings seem to indicate that consumers are becoming more and more concerned with their health, and increasingly keen to protect themselves against health problems. Many people now combine supplement and vitamin intake with a healthy diet to promote a more natural way of protecting their health and enhancing the body’s ability to treat illness.

If vitamin supplement ratings are anything to go by, supplements will continue to grow in popularity over the coming years, and many people could enjoy a wide range of benefits from such products. However, vitamins and supplements can have both pros and cons, and in order to avoid the cons and promote the pros it is important to follow some simple rules when taking any sort of supplement or vitamins. A few precautions will ensure that you really benefit from your supplement intake instead of damaging your health.

Benefit From Vitamins And Supplements - Simple Guidelines

There are many ways in which you can benefit from nutritional supplements, herbal supplements, and vitamins. However, in order to reap the health benefits it is important to take the supplements as directed when it comes to frequency and dosage. It is usually those that abuse supplements and throw caution to the wind that end up feeling ill effects from these products. In addition to taking the supplements properly, you should also ensure that you buy products that are of high quality and meet strict safety standards, as you can then look forward to safe and effective benefits.

James Purfoy runs http://www.nutritionpost.com
where he reviews all the latest trends in vitamin and nutritional supplementation.
If you want to keep up with the very latest information on the Best Vitamin Supplements and nutritional supplements generally then visiting this site is an absolute must!

Antioxidants Nutrients Have Powerful Anti-Cancer Activity!

Filed under: Nutrition Management — admin @ 1:10 am

Antioxidants . . . The Nutrients Boost The Immune System and Have Powerful Anti-Cancer Activity . . .

Health and nutrition experts have increasingly come to recognize the value of taking a synergistic blend of potent antioxidants, the cancer-fighting, health-promoting nutrients that help boost the immune system naturally. Heres a summary of major antioxidants that should be considered for daily intake . . .

Researchers analyzed data from the Beta-Carotene and Retinol Efficacy Trial (CARET). They focused on blood samples from 278 subjects with prostate cancer and 483 matched subjects without cancer. They analyzed blood levels of several carotenoids, including lutein vitamin A and vitamin E (alpha and gamma tocopherols), then identified correlations between those levels and the risk of lung and prostate cancer.

Results: In the overall population, the highest intakes of lutein, zeaxanthin and alpha-tocopherol were associated with a significantly lower risk

of lung cancer. Women with the highest blood levels of lutein, zeaxanth
in and beta-cryptoxanthin had the lowest risk of developing lung cancer.

The risk reduction associated with these nutrients was 69% for lutein zeaxanthin. Men with the highest blood levels of vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) were 41% less likely to develop prostate cancer.

Firstly, for a good, all-around antioxidant boost, everyone can benefit from daily vitamin C, vitamin E, and Selenium.

Vitamin C

What It Does:

May protect against GI (gastro-intestinal) cancers, cataracts, and heart
disease; reduces severity of colds. Optimizes vitamin E utilization.

Best Food Sources:

Fruits and vegetables (eg., strawberries, citrus fruits, broccoli, dark leafy green, red peppers).

Suggested Dose:

500 to 1,000 mg. (or more) a day. Best taken with meals.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E comes in two forms: tocoperols (the most common form of the vitamin) and tocotrienols. Take a vitamin E supplement to assure youre getting optimum tocopherol levels. Less is known about the tocotrienols; research is ongoing.

What It Does:

Tocopherols may protect against heart disease, stroke, Alzheimers, and certain cancers; they may also enhance immunity. Tocotrienols may

fight heart disease and breast cancer; may also protect skin against the suns UV rays.

Best Food Sources:

Tocopherols: Nuts and vegetable oils have a small amount. Tocotrienols:
Rice bran. Supplements are beneficial to supply a therapeutic dose of these vital vitamin compounds.

Suggested Dose

Tocopherols: 400 to 800 IU of natural vitamin E a day, preferably as mixe
d tocopherols; best taken with meals.

Selenium

What It Does:

Protects against cancer, heart disease, cataracts, and macular degeneration. Assists other antioxidants to function at optimum levels.

Best Food Sources:

Brazil nuts, grains, vegetables (selenium content varies depending on the

soil produce is grown in.)

Suggested Dose:

100 to 200 mcg. a day; avoid higher daily doses, which may be toxic. Take with meals to help boost absorption.

Coenzyme Q10

What It Does:

May fight cancer and heart disease; strengthens gums; protects nerves; helps generate energy, naturally.

Where Its Found and Specific Food Sources:

Present in all cells of the body, especially in the heart. Also found in

nuts and oils, but supplementation is required to get a therapeutic dose.

Suggested Dose:

At least 30 mg. a day. CoQ10 is particularly important for anyone who has heart disease. In addition, anyone taking cholesterol-lowering statin
drugs, such as Mevacor (lovastatin), Lipitor (atorvastatin), or Zocor (simvastatin) should take CoQ10 because these drugs deplete the bodys store of Coenzyme.

Alpha-Lipolc Acid

What It Does:

May protect against heart disease, cataracts, stroke, cancer, and diabetes-related nerve damage. May also help boost critical glutathione levels.

Best Food Sources:

Found in tiny amounts in some foods (eg., spinach, beef, potatoes).

Suggested Dose

100 mg. a day with food. For people with diabetes, 200 mg. three times aday.

These Additional Antioxidants May Also Be Beneficial To Your Health.

Other antioxidants that may be worth including in your antioxidant mix depending on your individual health concerns are carotenoids, ginkgo biloba, and proanthocyanidins. Glutathione, an amino-acid like antioxidant, is very important for immunity and proper liver function
. Taking these additional antioxidants boosts your bodys natural production of valuable glutathione.

Carotenoids
What They Do:

May lower your risk of certain cancers, heart disease, cataracts, and macular degeneration.

Best Food Sources:

Orange and red fruits and vegetables; dark green vegetables.

Suggested Dose:

If diet is lacking in fruits and vegetables: Take mixed carotenoids supplying 25,000 IU of vitamin A activity a day.

Ginkgo Biloba

What It Does:

Improves circulation; may fight heart disease, Alzheimers, impotence.

Where Its Found:

Extracted from the leaves of the ginkgo biloba tree.

Suggested Dose

30 to 60 mg., of extract (equivalent 250 mg. - 500 mg. of whole herb) once or twice a day, with or without food.

Proanthocyanidins (Grape Seed Extract / Pine Bark Extract / Berry, Fruit Extracts)

What It Does:

Boosts bodys production of vitamins C and E and glutathione.

Where Its Found:

Extracted from grape seeds, berry extracts or pine bark (such as Pycnogenol).

Suggested Dose

30 to 200 mg. a day.

SOURCES / REFERENCES:

The Doctors Complete Guide To Vitamins and Minerals

/ Eades, M.D.

The Nutrition Desk Reference / Garrison, Jr., M.A., R.Ph. & Somer, M.A., R.D.

Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, 2003;2003:518-526.

Roger Jirves is an authorized dealer of the Vitamin Power line natural nutrition-science products. Antioxidant Vitamins, Minerals and other Anti-Aging Nutrients . . .

« Previous Page