GIOSTAR Chicago | A Closer Look at Glutathione, the 'Master Antioxidant'

GIOSTAR Chicago | A Closer Look at Glutathione, the 'Master Antioxidant'

Countries with Most Food Safety Violations

With more than 30 million shipments of food from foreign countries, almost 80% of the U.S. seafood and two-thirds of its produce is foreign-sourced revealing that food safety is a global challenge.

A recent analysis of international food sources by the watchdog organization Food Sentry reveals the most frequent food safety violators as well as the nature of the problems found.  
For the study, the researchers examined nearly 1,000 incident reports from 73 countries over a one-year period.

Worst Offenders:
According to the data, the top ten most frequent offenders were:

1. China
2. United States
3. India
4. Vietnam
5. Japan
6. Dominican Republic
7. Thailand
8. Turkey
9. Brazil and France (tied)
10. Indonesia and Spain (tied)

It is important to note that the top five countries export significant amounts of food to other countries. Therefore their food products get tested more, leading to their place in the top five.

Biggest Problems:
In most countries, except the U.S., pesticide residue was the number one safety problem. Over 32 distinct pesticides were found in Chinese foods, mostly in produce, fruit and spices. One cumin sample had six different pesticides.

Among U.S. exports, Listeria monocytogenes contamination, followed by the presence of various types of mycotoxin were most prevalent.
Other frequent problems included:

• Heavy metal contamination (cadmium, lead or mercury). Examples included kelp, cinnamon, crab, and infant formula.
• Excessive use of antibiotics was common in exports from China and Vietnam, particularly seafood products.
• Overuse of chemical additives such as preservatives and dyes. Examples including sulfur dioxide, formaldehyde, and sodium hydroxide.

While not necessarily a safety risk, the researchers also documented a high rate of economically motivated adulteration, or “food fraud” in Chinese imports. This practice involves substituting a cheaper ingredient for the real thing.

Foodborne Illness Risks
Currently one out of six Americans will experience food poisoning this year. In recent years, audits of FDA inspection rates indicated that 56% of domestic food manufacturers have not been inspected in five or more years. Furthermore the overall number of inspections and citations has declined.
As for food imports, the FDA only inspects about 2% of all incoming foods.

Original Article: https://www.cncahealth.com/blog/24511/china-tops-list-of-countries-with-most-food-safety-violations
 
Sources:
Food Navigator
Food Sentry
Dallas News

Top 10 Food Ingredients to Avoid

The consumer action group Citizens for Health, designated today as "Read Your Labels Day," to create awareness about potentially harmful ingredients and chemicals found in thousands of grocery store products.

The non-profit group singled out these top ten artificial sweeteners, preservatives and chemical additives to avoid and identified which foods contain them and why they should be avoided.

Worst Offenders

1. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) – is a cheap super-sweet chemical made from corn that is found in a wide variety of foods and beverages--from sodas to salad dressing. HFCS and high fructose consumption have been implicated in a variety of diseases and health problems, including heart disease, diabetes and weight gain.

2. Aspartame – This artificial sweetener is found in many diet beverages and other sugar-free foods. Aspartame is considered by experts to be in a class of ingredients called “excitotoxins” that can overly excite brain cells, especially in children and the elderly. Thousands of aspartame-related health complaints, from migraines to memory loss to dizziness to vision problems have been reported to the FDA.

3. 4. and 5. Flavor Enhancers (Hydrolyzed protein, Autolyzed yeast and Monosodium glutamate [MSG]) – These three ingredients are often found in processed foods such as canned or dry soups, chips, dips, frozen dinners, and snacks. All three contain processed glutamic acid that damages brain cells. They are especially harmful to kids, the elderly and developing fetuses. Adverse reactions include skin rashes, asthma attacks, mood swings, upset stomach, migraines, heart irregularities and seizures.

6. Potassium Bromate – Often added to flour, it can be found in breads, flat breads, bakery products and tortillas. (It may also be listed as “bromated flour.”) Potassium bromate has been known for over three decades to cause cancer in laboratory animal and is banned in Europe, China, Canada and Brazil.

7. Bromated Vegetable Oil (BVO) – Beverages containing citrus flavorings often contain this ingredient that has never been declared safe by the FDA and is banned in Europe, India and Japan. BVO builds up in fatty tissue and causes heart damage in research animals.

8. BHA and BHT Preservatives – These additives are found in breakfast cereals, snack foods, pastries and processed meats. Made from coal tar or petroleum, these chemicals affect brain chemistry of laboratory animals and are considered a carcinogen in California and a possible carcinogen by the World Health Organization.

9. Trans Fats – Food products that list “partially hydrogenated oil” as an ingredient contain trans fats. These oils/fats are usually found in baked goods, snack foods and frozen meals. Trans fats increase LDL (bad) cholesterol and contribute to heart disease. High consumption has also been linked to cancer and Alzheimer’s Disease.

10. Artificial Colors – Often made from coal tar and/or petroleum extracts, artificial colors are widely acknowledged to cause hyperactivity and behavioral problems in some children. Certain colors, such as Red #3, have been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals, but are still allowed to be used in foods.

Tips to Avoid

The best way to avoid these and other artificial ingredients is to purchase whole, fresh foods or organic processed foods. Otherwise, taking a moment to “Read the Label” is a must to protect you and your family from these chemicals.

Blind Trust

Although many shoppers already read label ingredients, a 2011 study from market research firm Mintel found that less than half of consumers surveyed checked the ingredient labels on the foods they bought.

"I think consumers will be surprised to see just how many everyday supermarket products there are that contain things like monosodium glutamate, aspartame, and High Fructose Corn Syrup," said Jim Turner, who chairs Citizens for Health. "No one needs these ingredients in their diets, and this campaign will help families avoid them."

For more on this topic, see Fooled by Food Labels: 9 Deceptive Claims to Watch Out For.

Original Article:  https://www.cncahealth.com/blog/24766/read-your-labels-top-ten-food-ingredients-to-avoid

Sources:

Progressive Grocer

Citizens for Health

Top Foods and Nutrients for Heart Health

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, but it’s a chronic condition that is often preventable by making healthy choices

throughout your lifetime -- including and especially regarding the foods you eat and the nutrients you get on a daily basis.

In fact, eating a healthy diet is one of the best ways to keep your heart in tip-top physical condition … but you may be wondering what a “healthy diet” actually entails.

Most people know that they should eat plenty of fruits and vegetables while cutting back on unhealthy fats, like trans fats. This is a good start, and your diet should include a wide array of fresh, unprocessed foods at its core, but if you’re looking for more specifics, check out the list below.

The foods and nutrients that follow are ideal for keeping your heart healthy, especially when combined with other heart-healthy habits like regular exercise, not smoking and not drinking too much alcohol.

8 Top Foods and Nutrients for a Healthy Heart

1. Fish Oil
Fish oil is a rich source of the omega-3 fats eicopentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Omega-3 fatty acids like EPA and DHA support your heart by helping to maintain healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Omega-3 fatty acids also provide protection and maintenance of the healthy function of your body's cell.
You can get omega-3 fats from eating fish, but many types (especially larger, predatory fish) may contain high levels of mercury, PCBs, dioxins and other contaminants. If you are limiting your fish consumption due to contamination concerns, high-quality fish oil supplements are a safe alternative. Look for those that are ultra pure and independently tested for rancidity, mercury, PCBs, and EPA and DHA levels.
2. Olive Oil
Olive oil contains healthy monounsaturated fats, which have long been praised for their health benefits, including the ability to lower your bad cholesterol and risk of heart disease.
For instance, a new study from the Cancer Research and Prevention Institute in Florence found that women who ate at least three tablespoons of olive oil a day were 40 percent less likely to be diagnosed with heart disease during the eight-year study period than women who ate the least.1
Olive oil is also a rich source of antioxidant polyphenols, which are beneficial for heart health. When choosing olive oil, “extra virgin” or “virgin” varieties are the least processed and may be better for your health.
Virgin and extra-virgin olive oil contain more phenolics, which act as antioxidants and also have anti-inflammatory and anti-clotting properties, than more heavily processed oils.
One study even found that people’s blood vessels were healthier after eating a meal rich in high-phenolic olive oil (including dilating better to improve blood flow) than they were after eating low-phenolic olive oil, again suggesting virgin or extra-virgin varieties may be best for your health.2

3. CoQ10 Supplement
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a necessary component of every cell; the CoQ10 enzyme helps cells produce the energy they need to fuel your body. However, CoQ10 is not only known to support healthy energy levels, but also your cardiovascular system. Research suggests that CoQ10 is especially helpful for your heart health, and your heart contains some of the highest amounts of CoQ10 in your body.
It also functions as an antioxidant, helping to protect against oxidative stress caused by free radicals.
Your body naturally produces CoQ10, but tissue levels peak at age 20 and decline with age, particularly in your heart.
Due to increased awareness that many prescription drugs (such as statin cholesterol-lowering drugs, high-blood pressure drugs and antidepressants) may deplete the level of CoQ10 in your body, more people are turning to CoQ10 supplements to help maintain their heart health.
Meat and fish are dietary sources of CoQ10, but the amounts found in food are far less than what can be obtained from supplements.

4. Avocado
Another source of healthy monounsaturated fats, including oleic acid (the same type found in olive oil), avocados are a tasty addition to your heart-healthy diet.
Along with monounsaturated fats, they also contain beta-sitosterol, a plant sterol shown to reduce total and bad (LDL) cholesterol in 16 human studies.3 Researchers have also shown that people who ate an avocado every day for a week reduced their cholesterol by an average of 17 percent, with bad cholesterol levels and triglycerides, which are associated with heart disease, declining and good (HDL) cholesterol levels rising.4 Avocados also contain an array of phytonutrients, such as carotenoids, that may support heart health. According to the California Avocado Commission, the highest concentration of carotenoids is in the dark green part of the fruit closest to the peel.5 To make sure you’re getting this most beneficial section, nick the skin and peel it from the avocado, as opposed to scooping it out with a spoon.
Avocado is also a natural source of L-carnitine (see below).

5. L-Carnitine
L-carnitine is an amino acid derivative found in almost all of your body's cells. It’s essential for breaking down fats into energy, while also supporting your heart and healthy cholesterol levels.

In fact, your skeletal muscles, heart and other tissues all depend on L-carnitine to function properly.

L-carnitine is found in avocado and fermented soy foods like tempeh, as well as in animal products. However, animal products contain only small amounts of L-carnitine, making it difficult to get enough from diet alone. For this reason, a supplement can be taken to help support your cardiovascular health.

6. Garlic
If you love garlic you’re in luck, as this potent plant is excellent for your heart. Allicin, garlic’s active ingredient, produces hydrogen sulfide, a gas with many heart-protective qualities.
Specifically, research has shown that allicin may signal blood vessels to relax, increase blood flow and boost heart health, and as researchers noted in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, “The consumption of garlic is inversely correlated with the progression of cardiovascular disease.”6

To get the most benefits, however, garlic should be freshly crushed, not dried, processed or cooked. A recent study on rats from researchers at the Cardiovascular Research Center at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine revealed that freshly crushed garlic helped rats’ hearts recover from a heart attack better than dried garlic.

While both reduced damage from lack of oxygen, the fresh garlic was better at restoring blood flow and protecting the heart from damage, most likely due to the presence of hydrogen sulfide, which is not present in dried, processed or cooked garlic.7

7. Grapefruit
A grapefruit a day may be enough to keep the heart doctor away, especially if it’s red grapefruit. Rich in polyphenols and antioxidants like vitamin C, both white and red grapefruits have been found to help lower cholesterol levels, including LDL cholesterol. However, red grapefruits have also been found to lower triglyceride levels, a type of fat in your blood that’s linked to hardening of the arteries, heart attack and heart disease.8
Grapefruit also contains pectin, a type of fiber that has been shown to protect against high cholesterol and hardening of the arteries in animal studies.9

8. Green Leafy Vegetables
Eating just about any vegetable is a wise choice for your heart, but green leafy vegetables like spinach, Swiss chard and romaine lettuce are a step above the rest. For instance, a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that eating eight or more servings of fruits and vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables, a day resulted in a more than 20 percent reduced risk of coronary heart disease compared to eating less than three.10
The antioxidants in green leafy vegetables also help protect heart rate flexibility, helping to reduce your risk of heart disease.11 This is important as decreased flexibility in heart rate, such as can occur during exposure to air pollution, can trigger heart problems. Researchers concluded that higher intake of green leafy vegetables may reduce the risk of heart disease.

Remember, heart disease is often preventable through a healthy diet and exercise. Eating a wide variety of nutrient-rich foods -- with a focus on fresh, unprocessed vegetables, fruits and lean proteins -- can lower your risk of heart disease and its associated risk factors like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and excess weight. Taking appropriate high-quality supplements may also help to further support your heart health.

Related Blog Posts:

Measure the Heart-Harming Stress in Your Hair
Brush Your Teeth, Protect Your Heart

Original Article:  https://www.cncahealth.com/explore/learn/nutrition-food/heart-health-top-8-foods-and-nutrients

Sources:1. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2010 Dec 22.
2. Journal of the American College of Cardiology 2005; 46:1864-1868.
3. The American Journal of Medicine Volume 107, Issue 6, Pages 588-594, December 1999.
4. WebMD.com “The Avocado Advantage” August 14, 2000.
5. California Avocado Commission “Heart Health: Get the Good Fat With California Avocados”.
6. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 2007 Nov 13;104(46):17977-82.
7. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2009 Aug 12;57(15):7137-44.
8. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2006 Mar 8;54(5):1887-92.
9. Clinical Cardiology 1988 Sep;11(9):597-600.
10. Annals of Internal Medicine June 19, 2001 vol. 134 no. 12 1106-1114.
11. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 89: 778-786, 2009.

Top Natural Solutions for More Restful Sleep

For an activity that takes up roughly one-third of your life, there are still many mysteries surrounding sleep. Scientists still don’t know exactly why we do it or what occurs when we do, but it’s abundantly clear that sleep is crucial for your survival. In fact, virtually all animals require sleep, and if you don’t get enough, your health and your state of mind can suffer.

What Happens When You Don’t Get Enough Sleep?

The United States is, unfortunately, not a nation of deep sleepers. Blame it on the economy (one-third of Americans say they lose sleep over economic and financial concerns), hectic schedules, or simply staying up too late, about 20 percent of Americans sleep less than six hours a night and another 20 percent report sleep problems. 1

As you might suspect, those who don’t get enough shut-eye say they are too tired to work efficiently, exercise or eat healthy. More than half of adults also say they have driven drowsy in the past year, which could be deadly.

Lack of sleep also impacts your body directly, and research shows it can influence:

• The state of your immune system
• Tumor growth
• Hormone production
• Weight gain
• Memory

When lack of sleep progresses to insomnia, which is estimated to impact up to 15 percent of adults on a chronic level, research shows it can be deadly; men with insomnia have a four-fold higher risk of death compared with normal sleepers, and that rises to a seven-fold increase among those with diabetes or high blood pressure.2

4 Top Secrets to Getting Enough Sleep

By now you’ve probably heard the drill that establishing a relaxing bedtime routine, such as winding down with a cup of chamomile tea and a warm bath, as well as going to bed and waking at the same times each day, are conducive to restful slumber. This is true, and well worth noting, but what if this just isn’t enough?

Chances are there may be other steps you can take to encourage your body to fall asleep, steps that you may be inadvertently overlooking…

1. Plan for the Change in Seasons

Just when you got used to the sun staying out until well into the evening, daylight savings time hits and boom -- it’s dark at 4 in the afternoon. This change may leave you feeling sleepy well before it’s time to go to bed, and this is actually a natural response. Your body picks up on levels of light and darkness and sends signals to your brain’s pineal gland to trigger the production of hormones involved in your sleep-wake cycle. When it gets dark, your body produces the hormone melatonin, which tells your body it’s time to go to sleep.

The trouble is, most of us are far too busy to hit the hay in the early evening hours, and as a result fight the urge to sleep. That, and the fact that we are exposed to artificial light, which suppresses melatonin production, can send confusing signals to your body, making it difficult to fall asleep when the time comes.

What can you do about all of this?

When fall and winter come, you may want to naturally shift your schedule to more closely mimic the natural light/dark cycles outdoors. If possible, go to sleep a little earlier and wake earlier, closer to when the sun naturally rises and sets. You can also help your melatonin production to stay on track by keeping your exposure to artificial light after nightfall to a minimum. At the very least, be sure you are winding down well before you plan to fall asleep, and this includes turning off your TV, computer, and smartphone … see below for more details.

2. Turn off the Technology

Watching TV or working on your computer in the evening hours are detrimental to sleep not only because they lull you into staying up later than you should and stimulate your mind (it’s not easy to fall asleep after an hour of upsetting world news or work deadlines), but also because of the light they emit -- blue light.

Blue light interferes with the production of melatonin and exposure in the hour or two before bedtime will probably interfere with your sleep. Said Charles Czeisler, PhD, MD, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, in a National Sleep Foundation (NSF) press release:3

"Artificial light exposure between dusk and the time we go to bed at night suppresses release of the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin, enhances alertness and shifts circadian rhythms to a later hour—making it more difficult to fall asleep."

NSF’s 2011 Sleep in America poll was focused on this very topic, and it found that technology use among Americans is pervasive before bedtime. In all, 95 percent of those polled said they used some type of electronics, such as a television, computer, video game or cell phone, at least a few nights a week within the hour before bed. Czeisler continued:

"This study reveals that light-emitting screens are in heavy use within the pivotal hour before sleep. Invasion of such alerting technologies into the bedroom may contribute to the high proportion of respondents [more than 60%] who reported that they routinely get less sleep than they need."

So if you have trouble sleeping, try an experiment: shut off your TV, computer and all other electronics a couple of hours before bed. Pick up a good book or a journal instead, and see if you’re able to sleep better.

3. Use Nutrition and Supplements to Your Advantage

What you eat and drink clearly can have an impact on your sleep quality. Here’s what you need to know:

• Caffeine: One of the most obvious hurdles to sound sleep is caffeine, which is a stimulant that will block hormones in your brain that make you sleepy -- a good thing first thing in the morning, but not so much when you’re trying to fall asleep. Keep in mind that the effects of caffeine can begin in as few as 15 minutes and can persist in your body for several hours. Everyone processes it slightly differently, but generally it takes about six hours from consumption to eliminate half of the caffeine,4 so a cup of coffee or tea late in the afternoon could impact your bedtime. Remember, too, that caffeine is not only in coffee but also in tea, chocolate, certain soft drinks and some medications, so plan accordingly.
  
• Magnesium: Magnesium helps to maintain normal muscle and nerve function, and may help calm nerves, relax muscles and promote restful sleep. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey showed that significant numbers of adults do not consume the recommended amounts of magnesium. Among adults, 68% consume less than the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of magnesium, and 19% consume less than 50% of the RDA. Magnesium is found in unpolished grains, nuts, avocadoes, and green vegetables, particularly leafy, green vegetables, as well as in supplement form.
  
• Melatonin: Melatonin is a naturally occurring substance that has both powerful antioxidant and sleep-regulating properties. The amount of melatonin produced by the pineal gland, however, is reported to decline with age, possibly accounting for the sleep disturbances often found in older adults. You can take melatonin in supplement form, and it’s also in many fruits (especially tart cherries) and vegetables as well as olive oil, wine and beer, at lower levels.
  
• Tryptophan: Responsible for your post-Thanksgiving dinner nap, tryptophan is most often associated with turkey, but this sleep-inducing amino acid actually comes from all dietary proteins, which are its building blocks. Carbohydrates, meanwhile, make tryptophan more available to your brain, so if you want a light bedtime snack choose one with both protein and carbs, like peanut butter or cheese and crackers.5
• Valerian: Valerian root has been used since ancient Greek and Roman times for its various health benefits, most notably for its ability to promote restful sleep. Researchers believe this compound helps induce sleep by increasing the amount of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) -- the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter that limits brain activity -- and slowing its reuptake. This produces a calming effect so you can relax and fall asleep.
  
  When choosing a valerian supplement, make sure it contains a “root extract” that is standardized to deliver a guaranteed amount of the active compound, valerenic acid. Also, as with all supplements, make sure you pruchase a high quality product. In recent independent quality testing, 78 percent of valerian supplements failed due to subpotency or because they were tainted with heavy metals cadmium and lead. Valerian supplements are best taken about 30 minutes before bedtime.

4. Exercise

It may sound surprising that physical activity can help you sleep, but it does just that. After a group of previously sedentary adults began exercising four times a week, one study found sleep quality improved so much that previously “poor” sleepers became “good” sleepers. They also reported less sleepiness and more vitality during the day.6

Other research has shown that physical activity during the day shortens the time it takes to fall asleep in children, with every hour of sedentary daytime activity linked to an additional three minutes to fall asleep at night. This may not sound like a huge impact, but those who fell asleep faster also stayed asleep longer, for an extra hour for each 10-minute reduction in how long it took to fall asleep.7

This is just one more reason to add a regular exercise program to your family’s lifestyle, but one caveat to remember: don’t exercise too close to bedtime, as this can keep you awake. Ideally, exercise at least three hours prior to bedtime so you have time to unwind afterward and your body temperature has a chance to cool off (your body temperature rises with exercise, but a cooler body temperature is more conducive to sleep).

Taken together, the sleep tips above should help you to get the rest your mind and body need to thrive. If not, don’t hesitate to discuss your sleep troubles with your health care practitioner, who may be able to recommend even more lifestyle changes to help improve your sleep quality and duration.Related Blog Posts:

Chances of Recovering from Sleep Debt Linked to Gender
Some Night Lights May Interfere with Sleep

Original Article: https://www.cncahealth.com/explore/learn/general-health/top-natural-solutions-for-more-restful-sleep

Sources:
1. National Sleep Foundation, 2009 Health and Safety Study
2. Sleep. 2010 Sep;33(9):1159-64
3. National Sleep Foundation, Technology and Use and Sleep, Sleep in America Poll 2011 press release
4. National Sleep Foundation, Caffeine and Sleep
5. National Sleep Foundation, Food and Sleep
6. Sleep Medicine 2010 Oct;11(9):934-40.
7. Archives of Disease in Childhood 2009 Sep;94(9):686-9.

Top Supplements Dos and Don'ts

Do you start your day off with a mini “handful” of vitamins, minerals, and various other herbal supplements? If so you’re not alone; more than half of U.S. adults use dietary supplements,1 with the most popular being fish oil, multivitamins, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin C, calcium and B-complex vitamins.

If you have any of these, or others, in your kitchen cabinet, you certainly want to be sure you’re using them correctly, not only to protect your health but also to protect your “investment.” Americans spend an estimated $25 billion a year on natural products including dietary supplements, but if you’re not careful you could end up flushing the benefits right down the toilet (quite literally!).

This is because certain supplements do better when kept in the fridge. Others need to be taken with food or are most effective in combination with other supplements. Others can even be harmful if taken with certain medications. Knowing what to do, and what not to do, when it comes to storing, combining and using your supplements will ensure you stay safe and get the most health bang for your buck.

Top Tips for Being a Savvy Supplement User

Proper Storage

Fat-based supplements, like omega-3 fats (fish oil), generally do better stored in the fridge. The cold temperature helps protect the fragile fat molecules from rancidity. Certain probiotics should also be stored in the refrigerator to help preserve the number of live bacteria (if your probiotic does not require refrigeration, it should say so on the label). All supplements should be stored in a cool, dry and dark place, particularly fat-soluble vitamins (like vitamins E, A and K), as they can be damaged by ultraviolet light and heat.

Take Fat-Soluble Supplements with Food

Certain vitamins cannot be absorbed by your body unless you eat them along with some fat. This includes vitamin A or retinol, vitamin D, vitamin K and vitamin E. Always take these supplements, as well as your multivitamin, with a meal that contains fat to ensure maximum absorption. Calcium carbonate is another example of a supplement to take with food, as your stomach acid during digestion will help its absorption.

Be Careful When Combining Supplements with Prescription Drugs

They can interact in ways you may not expect, and some of the interactions can be serious. For instance, supplements that can interfere with the blood-thinning medication warfarin (Coumadin) include:

• Dong quai
• Evening primrose oil
• Garlic
• Ginkgo
• Ginseng
• Vitamin K
• St. John's wort

Before you take any prescription drug, make sure to ask your doctor and pharmacist, and read the label yourself, to be sure supplements you’re taking will not cause an adverse event or otherwise impact its effects. Other important interactions to be aware of include:

• St. John’s wort may speed up the rate at which drugs such as antidepressants and birth control pills break down, impacting their effectiveness2
• Vitamins C and E and certain other antioxidants may reduce the effectiveness of certain types of chemotherapy
• Calcium may interact with antibiotics, bisphosphonates and blood pressure medications
• Certain oral diabetes drugs, aspirin, antacids and antibiotics can affect vitamin B6 metabolism

Combine Vitamins When Appropriate

Certain supplements are absorbed better when taken in combination. For instance, taking vitamin D along with calcium and magnesium can enhance the absorption of calcium, magnesium and other minerals. Taking calcium with vitamin D and magnesium may help your body absorb the calcium into the appropriate areas.

Similarly, vitamin C helps increase the absorption of iron.

Beware of Synthetic Versions

Certain supplements should be taken only in their natural form. For instance:

• In choosing a vitamin D supplement, for instance, look for vitamin D3, which is the same natural vitamin D your body makes when exposed to the sun. Vitamin D2, which is synthetic, may be less effective.
• Most vitamin E supplements contain a synthetic form called dl-alpha-tocopheryl, which is made from petrochemicals. Research suggests that natural vitamin E, d-alpha-tocopherol (or a natural vitamin E with mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols), is better absorbed and preferred by your body.

Avoid Mega-Doses

The mentality that “if a little is good a lot will be better” is dangerous when it comes to dietary supplements. Taking too much iron, for instance, could lead to liver problems and accumulation of fluid in your lungs. An excess of vitamin A can cause liver damage, while chronic overdosing on vitamin B6 may cause nerve damage in your arms and legs.

Follow Label Directions for Time of Day

Certain supplements require multiple daily doses, or work best when taken at a certain time of day. For instance, B vitamins should be taken in the morning for the best effectiveness and because they increase energy levels, which means taking them in the evening may interfere with your sleep. Magnesium, on the other hand, may support sound sleep so is best taken in the evening.

Stay Consistent

Know Your Supplements …

Before you add a new selection to your dietary supplement arsenal, do a little homework to find out the best way to take it. For instance, here’s a brief primer on calcium:
It’s best to take smaller doses of 500-600 mg at a time, as this will be absorbed most efficiently. If you need to take more than that, split the dose in half and take it twice a day. Iron should not be taken at the same time as calcium, as they compete for absorption. While calcium carbonate should be taken with food, calcium citrate is better absorbed on an empty stomach.3
Use Caution if You’re Pregnant, Nursing or Giving Supplements to a Child
Most dietary supplements have not been specifically tested in these groups, so be sure you are working with a knowledgeable health care provider before deciding which to take if you’re pregnant, nursing or giving supplements to a child.
In many cases, supplements can be a smart and safe way to add nutritional oomph and a variety of health benefits to your lifestyle. In addition to the tips above, you can help get the most out of your dietary supplements by choosing only those that offer superior purity and reliability, from a brand you know and trust. The supplements you choose should go through a rigorous quality control process and offer guarantees of potency and purity to protect your health.

Related Blog Posts:

Supplement Industry Experts Challenge Damaging Myth
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Original Article: https://www.cncahealth.com/explore/learn/nutrition-supplements/know-your-supplements-top-dos-and-donts


Sources:
1. Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health, Message from the Director
2. Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health, What You Need to Know
3. Mayo Clinic.com Calcium Supplements

Top Ways To Protect Your Vision Health

Age-related eye diseases are the primary cause of blindness and vision impairment in the United States. Over 3 million Americans aged 40 and over are legally blind or visually impaired, and the number of those impacted is expected to double by 2030.1

Maintaining your vision health as you age is important for obvious reasons – like protecting your ability to drive, read, watch TV and even function on a daily basis – but vision health impacts far more than this. For instance, vision problems in the elderly are linked to:

• Social isolation
• Increased risk of falling and hip fractures
• Depression
• Family stress
• Disability
• Premature death

The good news is that many vision problems can be prevented entirely by taking proactive steps to protect your eyes now.

Make These 7 Changes to Protect Your Vision Health

1. Eat a Diet Rich in Antioxidants

Antioxidants help protect your eyes from free radical damage, which can be particularly damaging to your eye’s retina and lens. Two of the most important are lutein and zeaxanthin, found in egg yolks and green leafy vegetables, which help protect against cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD, a leading cause of blindness in the elderly). Other dietary additions to consider include:

• Berries: Berries (blueberries, blackberries, etc.) are rich in anthocyanins, which may help improve blood flow to your eyes and strengthen blood vessel walls, which plays a role in slowing the development of diabetic retinopathy (damage to the retina that occurs in people with diabetes).
• Brazil Nuts: One Brazil nut provides more than the recommended daily allowance of selenium, an antioxidant that may help prevent cataracts and macular degeneration.
• Broccoli: This and other members of the cruciferous family of vegetables contain sulforaphane, a compound that not only fights cancer but also has antioxidant properties that may help protect your retinal cells from damaging free radicals.2

2. Wear Sunglasses

Ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun can cause cumulative damage to your eyes over time, increasing your risk of cataracts, AMD, and even cancer of the eye and eyelids. Wearing sunglasses can help to reduce UV-light-related risks to your eyes. Some tips:

• Choose sunglasses that block 99-100 percent of UVA and UVB rays
• The color of the lens (darker vs. lighter) does not matter; they must state on the label that they offer UV protection
• Polarized lenses can help reduce glare, which is helpful when driving or boating
• Wrap-around sunglasses offer side protection as well, making them a smart choice
• Wear your sunglasses year-round, and even when it’s cloudy, as UV rays are present in all types of weather

3. Don’t Smoke

Smoking takes a heavy toll on your vision health, increasing your risk of AMD, cataracts, glaucoma, and dry eye syndrome. Smoking also increases your risk of diabetes, which is a leading cause of blindness in Americans. Aside from age, smoking is the leading risk factor for AMD, and research shows it’s never too late to quit. Even quitting smoking in your 80s may benefit your vision health.3

4. Maintain a Healthy Body Weight

Excess weight is linked to a number of chronic diseases, and some of these, like diabetes, can be detrimental to your vision health. Obesity is also directly related to age-related cataracts, glaucoma, age-related maculopathy, and diabetic retinopathy.4 By eating right and exercising regularly, you can help maintain a healthy body weight and protect your vision health in the process.

5. Additional Nutrients for Healthy Eyes

The following nutrients play an important role as part of a healthy eye diet. They’re available via your diet and also in supplement form:

• Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Beta Carotene and Zinc: Research sponsored by the National Eye Institute revealed that high levels of vitamin C, vitamin E, beta carotene and zinc significantly protect vision health.5
• Fatty Acids: Alpha lipoic acid and other omega-3 fatty acids like those found in fish and fish oil are potent antioxidants that work against both fat and water-soluble free radicals and support vision health.6

6. Avoid Chronic Eyestrain

While the long-term effects of chronic eyestrain are unknown, in the short-term over-taxing your eyes by staring at a computer screen too long can lead to eye pain, blurry vision, headaches and more. It’s a good idea to take frequent eye “breaks” anytime you’re engaging in an activity that involves intense, prolonged eye focus (including hobby work, crossword puzzles, etc.). Generally, give your eyes a break and a chance to focus on something else at least once every 20 minutes.

7. Exercise Moderately at Least 3 Days a Week

As mentioned, exercise is important because it will help you maintain a healthy weight. But above and beyond this, exercise helps reduce pressure in your eyes, which lowers the risk of glaucoma. Staying active can also help prevent cataracts, retinal artery and retinal vein occlusions and even AMD. In fact, people aged 43 to 86 who engaged in moderate-intensity exercise like dancing, cycling and jogging three times a week or more were 70 percent less likely to develop AMD!7

As you may have noticed, many of the cornerstones of a healthy lifestyle equate with better vision health as you age, and this is true even of strategies not necessarily listed here. For instance, proper sleep, relaxation and avoiding exposure to environmental toxins all impact both your overall and your vision health, so the more you adhere to a healthy lifestyle, the better your eyesight is likely to be.

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Computer Vision Syndrome: Are You at Risk?
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Original Article: https://www.cncahealth.com/explore/learn/healthy-aging/protect-your-vision-health-as-you-age-7-top-tips 

Sources:
1. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Improving the Nation’s Vision Health”
2. World’s Healthiest Foods
3. Am J Ophthalmol. 2010 Jan;149(1):160-9. Epub 2009 Oct 1.
4. Survey of Ophthalmology 52, no. 2 (3, 2007): 180-195.
5. Arch Ophthalmol. 2001;119(10):1417-1436.
6. Sci Transl Med. 2011 Feb 9;3(69):69ra12.
7. Br J Ophthalmol. 2006 Dec;90(12):1461-3. Epub 2006 Oct 31.