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My Nutty Valentine−Your Heart on Nuts

Vitaminlady Blog — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:38:00 GMT

Eating nuts along with a healthy diet may reduce the risks of heart disease by lowering lipid levels or the bad fats in the blood like triglycerides and cholesterol. High levels of these two lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides) significantly increases your risks of heart disease, so eating nuts to help keep them in check can be very helpful.

An Evaluation of past studies showed that eating 2.4 oz of nuts per day can lower your total cholesterol by 5% and bad LDL cholesterol by 7%, triglyceride levels decrease by 10%. A whole food, eating nuts including walnuts, almonds, pistachios, and hazelnuts, you can expect positive affects on blood lipid levels and lower heart disease risks.

Understanding Protein

Vitaminlady Blog — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:57:00 GMT

Protein is a secret weapon in the fight against fatigue and weight loss but it is important to know what types of protein, how much and when to eat them. Muscle is made of protein, so making sure you get enough protein is essential in any weight loss plan. Protein is best absorbed in amounts of 15 to 30 grams at a time, to boost your metabolism, try eating 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking. It will kick start your energy and help build muscle.

To repair muscle after resistance or cardio training, whey protein in the way to go. Whey protein comes from dairy and refuels your muscle after working out. Again, 30 grams is the magic number, so try a good post workout whey protein. You may also want to consider a pre-workout protein to maximize your benefits and give you extra energy during you workout.

Lastly, it is important to make sure you are getting a well balance diet with vegetables, fruit and whole grains. If your diet is not balance, then protein will not be as productive in your system, to make protein a portion of your complete diet program.

The New Raisin – a Look at the Goji Berry

Vitaminlady Blog — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:45:00 GMT

Believed to enhance longevity, build strength and virility, but these health claim have not been confirmed by research. Goji berries are full of antioxidants, carotenoids, vitamin B1, B2, B6 and vitamin E, 11 amino acids, 22 minerals and polysaccharides making this sexy little berry a superfruit. They taste like a mix of cranberries and cherries.

When naturally dried, they may be the new raisin, ¼ cup for a single serving can me tossed into rice or stuffing rather than cranberries, in trail mix, added to oatmeal or other cereal, added to a smoothie, puréed into carrot soup, added to a fruit pie or on top of a salad, let your imagination go wild. We offer Goji juice, goji supplements and nut & berry crunch snacks with Goji berries.

Love Your Liver with Vitamin E

Vitaminlady Blog — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:38:18 GMT

The liver is the largest internal organ and often under appreciated. The liver has a wide range of functions, including detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion, glycogen storage, decomposition of red blood cells, plasma protein synthesis, hormone production, and metabolism, making it one of the most important organs to keep healthy and it is often neglected. I have moved to completely natural pain alternatives like Curamin that does not process negatively on the liver. Many over the counter pain remedies are very harmful to the liver. I became aware of the potential risks about a year ago when my liver enzemes tested a little high and my doctor was concerned about why.

Most of us are aware that Alcohol is dangerous for your liver, but insulin resistance can lead to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and severe cases can cause scaring and perminate damage and can progess into cirrhosis and liver failure, all serious concerns. This made perfect sense for me as I love sugar and have been informed more than once that unless I change my sugar intake I will develop diabetes in the future.

Now a study shows that 800 IU of Vitamin E supplements may reduce inflammation and fatty deposits in people with nonalcoholic steahepatitis. To help with insulin resistance, try chromium picolionate and or cinnamon, both of which help insulin process glucose better and have helped me control the amount of sugar and carbs I eat. So try eating a low-glycemic index diet, regular exercise, healthy weight loss, eat vitamin E rich foods especially seeds and nuts and consider adding a vitamin E supplement.

Supplement Safety on Doctor Oz

Vitaminlady Blog — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:37:00 GMT

Yesterdays show discussed supplement safety particularly diet supplements and I wanted to give my option. I agree that we all need to be concerned about what we put in our bodies from food to supplements. We always advocate the importance to making sure your supplements are good quality, produced with quality ingredients and by reputable manufactures. There are many big box companies where you can purchase less expensive supplements and vitamins but I am concerned about how much those large general merchants really know about what they sell and the manufactures that produce them.

We only carry products from manufactures who comply with FDA regulations. All of our products have all labeling in English and manufactures information is listed on labeling and they manufactures have real phone numbers, customer services agents and usually a nutritional specials on staff to answer questions. Sometimes customers don’t understand why a particular product may be out of stock for a period of time and that is often because the product is undergoing regular testing to verify content and accurate labeling. It can be frustrating when you need something but it for everyone’s safety. I am happy that our manufactures stand behind their product and do regular testing.

Diet to Avoid Alzheimer’s

Vitaminlady Blog — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:13:00 GMT

Research indicates that persons eating plenty of fish and poultry, tomatoes, cruciferous vegetables, dark green and leafy vegetables, and fruits and limited high-fat dairy, red meat and organ meat had a 38% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s. This research is consistent with research on Mediterranean diets and Alzheimer’s.

So the bottom line is, try filling your plate with brain boosting foods that can also reduce risks of heart disease, some cancers, diabetes and dementia.

Go Fish is not just a game, eat more fish especially wild-caught seasonal fish once or twice a week.
Got more chicken, poultry is a healthy way to get protein and it tastes great, why else would everything else be compared to it as, “it tastes like chicken”
Go Green with your food, leafy green veggies 5 times a week minimum. With salads, use olive oil or vinaigrette dressing and maybe skip the high fat add on like cheese and croutons.
Drop your red meat intake to 3 oz portions only a few times per week and organ meats to only special occasions.
Go with low fat dairy, but high fat dairy like butter and cream to 3 times per week or less.
Each fresh tomatoes or low or reduced sodium tomato products a few times per week.

Calcium the Miracle Mineral

Vitaminlady Blog — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:00:00 GMT

Calcium to fortify bones, help prevent osteoporosis and maintain bone mass, nothing new there. What you probably don’t know are the effects of calcium on blood pressure, cholesterol, reduced risk of colon cancer and helps weight management. Calcium is often overlooked and it is as important as your daily multivitamin. Calcium with magnesium is one of the 4 things that cardiovascular surgeon Doctor Oz said you must start taking this year.

It is essential that you get enough and as I have said for years, I drink tons of milk, but I have started taking calcium magnesium supplements to be sure. I would hate to find out that I was not getting enough calcium with all the benefits getting sufficient levels does for me. 1000mg per day for those under 50 and 1200 mg for those over the age of 50 in a 3 to 2 ratio of magnesium. (1000mg calcium about 600 to 700 mg of magnesium, 1200mg calcium with 800mg magnesium) .

There are different forms of calcium which are listed below for your reference from Healthnotes article "Boning Up on Calcium" dated May 27th, 2010, regardless of which form you take, it appears that the amount is more important than the form, so make sure you are getting enough calcium.

Calcium citrate malate (CCM): This form is well absorbed by the body and may be more effective in keeping bones strong than some other forms.
Calcium citrate: Not to be confused with CCM, this is the calcium salt of citric acid.
Calcium carbonate: This form absorbs as well as the calcium in milk, it’s inexpensive, and also requires the fewest number of tablets to reach an appropriate level, which makes it a popular choice for many people. Calcium carbonate is the main ingredient of coral calcium supplements and also antacids, such as Tums®, which is why some people rely on those as a calcium supplement.
Calcium amino acid chelates: These have not been well studied, though they appears to be well-absorbed by the body.
Microcrystalline hydroxyapatite: This bonemeal variation has been shown to build bone mass in people with certain conditions.

Chemical Warfare on Cancer

Vitaminlady Blog — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:56:00 GMT

There is always a lot of talk about causes of cancer including the many chemicals we exposed. There are many studies which have lead to conflict among experts and confusion for the rest of us. Of the over 80,000 chemicals used in the US, only a few hundred have been tested for safety. When they are tested, they are test individually overlooking the effects of combined chemicals and what the health damages are. We are usually exposed to more than one chemical at a time, so obviously there is a long way to go. Chemicals are assumed safe unless strong evidence come up to show otherwise meaning that chemicals with unknown effects are not considered unsafe by regulatory agencies.

So what should you do, try to limit your exposure to harsh chemicals and go for more natural solutions especially in cleaning products, the natural option may be a little more but what is the price of your future health? We offer both Mrs. Meyers Clean day and Dr. Bonners both of which are great natural options. Also, try to eat organic fruits and veggies, make sure of local farmers market, the closer you can get food from the farm the better. Filter your tap water and store drinking water in stainless steel or bisphenol-A (BPA)-free containers, only microwave foods in ceramic or glass not plastic.

Everyday Women Everyday Vitamins

Vitaminlady Blog — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:47:00 GMT

Life changes but our core nutritional needs remain the same over time, such as protein, fiber, essential vitamins and minerals like vitamin D, calcium and zinc. To ensure you get enough, you may need to concider taking supplements to fill in the gaps in your diet. A good quality daily multivitamin provides a family of vitamins and minerals including a Vitamin B complex including Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and B12. To B or not to B, who would have guessed there are so many vitamin Bs to be worried about. Your multivitamin should also have between 200mg to 1,000mg of vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E and zinc.

To avoid osteoporosis later in life, women need an increased amount of calcium to preserve bone mass. For women under 50, 1000mg per day is recommended, after 50 you need to increase that to 1200 mg per day. Your calcium should be taken with magnesium at a 3 to 2 ratio, so 1200mg of calcium should be with 800 mg of magnesium. A minimum of 400mg of vitamin D per day is also recommended, although I would suggest around 2500 to 5000 mg, but you should discuss actual levels with your doctor.

Now we can’t forget the Omazing Omega 3 fatty acids which may protect against heart disease, depression, osteoporosis as well as a wide range of other conditions. It is good for your joints and your skin, between 1000 and 4000 mg per day is recommended. Try our Omega 3 fusion which is 3500 mg of Omega with both DHA and EPA and being a liquid it is absorbed better in the body. The great lemon taste will surprise you, my teenage sons say it tastes like skittles, so taste the rainbow.

Four Ways to Live Longer

Vitaminlady Blog — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:23:00 GMT

Easy ways to live longer, stay active, eat fruits & veggies, DON’T SMOKE and no or moderate alcohol consumption. Nothing new, but always a good reminder. A new study looked the correlation of these 4 things to longevity and the higher the number of the 4 health behaviors that are poor the higher effective age compared to actual age. Those who had all 4 poor health behaviors were effectively 12 years older than their actual age, not to mention future quality of life.

As a mother of 3, business owner, wife and community volunteer, I know how the demands of life can get in the way of meeting healthy diet and exercise goals, so there are some tips that may help all of us;

Coloring in the line by getting your fruits and veggies in an array of colors or as said in the health industry, eat the rainbow. Try to get fruits and veggies from each color of the rainbow and you will be getting your fruits and veggies fill for the day.
Give yourself a break and break up your exercise routine with shorter groups of exercise like 3 small ten minute walks rather than 30 minutes all together. I get 2 of my 3 walks just walking to and from my store and the train and walking around the store probably makes up the 3rd, so that was easy. So look at your life to see where you may be able to replace a small car ride with walking or maybe biking.
Smoke out your smoking and quit now. Risks of many serious diseases are lowered by stopping smoking and it is never too late, you can always lower your risks by quitting.
Celebrate life with a smoothie, some use the antioxidant properties of some alcohol as a reason for moderate drinking but as little as only one drink daily can increase risks of some cancers. Any amount of positive antioxidants that can be obtained from alcohol can be much outweighed by consuming fruits and veggies high in antioxidants or with an antioxidant supplement or resveratrol.

Help your Doctor Out

Vitaminlady Blog — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:10:00 GMT

I went to visit my doctor today for a regular annual check up. When it came time to discussing what medications or supplements I am taking, I started listing the supplements I take on a regular basis. I take a multivitamin, Vitamin D3, Super Omega 3 Fish Oil, Vitamin B complex, Vitamin C, Ubiquinol (oxidized version of CoQ10), Calcium & Magnesium, Chromium Picolinate and cinnamon to help we with my carb and sugar cravings. At the time I was taking bromelain to help with a UTI as recommended by Doctor Oz until I got to the doctor for a prescription.

I was surprised by the response from my doctor, she did not know what bromelain was but it is a little obscure, so I would understand, but when she did not know what Ubiquinol was a little disappointed. Now understand, she is not a heart specialist, so the benefits of Ubiquinol for the heart is not her field.

My conclusion from all my experience dealing with doctors is this, first, doctors are either general practitioners or specialist. General practitioners have a general knowledge of health but not in deep detail in a specific area. Specialist have in depth knowledge in their field but only that field, so do not ask a gynecologist details about your heart health, the fields are different. The same can be said about nutrition and natural preventative health. Most doctors are not knowledgeable about nutrition, that is a nutritionist.

Second, you need to take your health into your own hands. I have had to in the past really push my doctor in order to get the health care I needed for a particular situation. Education yourself and know what you want to accomplish and how you want to deal with your health care. If you want to go with more natural products, make sure you have a doctor who is open to natural alternatives to prescription medication when applicable. Stand up for yourself and your health, when it is all said and done, it is your body. Your doctor is there to help you achieve your goals.

The best advocate for your health is you, so education yourself. You have a world of information available to you, but make sure the sources are credible. All our information is taken from our Healthnotes service - a health information service featuring information from leading industry expects or the manufactures of the products we offer who have followed FDA regulations concerning their products and ingredients.

Count Down to Lose Weight

Vitaminlady Blog — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 23:39:00 GMT

1. We grew up being told “early to bed, early to rise make one healthy and wise”. The economy may be down, but we can still be healthy and wise. Get enough sleep and when you get up, eat a good breakfast with a balance of fat, protein and carbs within 45 minutes of waking.

2. Carbs are good, just eat good carbs. Eat carbs in the form they come from nature like sweet potatoes, brown rice or apples. Eat your carbs with good fat like lean protein, and fiber to keep you full.

3. Start drinking more water, the body needs to be fully hydrated to maintain a healthy metabolism. In otherwords, if you are not hydrated your body’s metabolism is not going to increase to lose. Try ½ ounce of water per pound of body weight everyday and watch what happens.

4. Your body needs calories to burn fat, so eat more often jut make sure you eat small meals and make those meals or snacks good foot including lean protein, good fats, complex carbs and of course fiber.

5. Get moving and starting pumping, muscle weights more than fat but it also burns more calories. Building lean muscles will give you a better body than just losing weight alone. Building muscles can help you lose more weight. Who cares if the scale stays the same as long as the measuring tape around the waste or hips gets smaller.

6. Don’t go cold turkey, reward yourself. Maybe once a week get something special and don’t worry about it. It is great to look forward to a treat and then reward yourself for accomplishing it. Today and I have eaten about half the sugar I usually do, so I may reward myself with one scoop of ice cream when I get home.

Recipe for Weight Loss

Vitaminlady Blog — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 23:45:00 GMT

Lack of sleep leads to increased hunger hormones making you eat more. Less sleep also leads to decreases in hormones that make you feel full. After a restless night sleep, to increase our energy, we tend to eat more also. Studies have shown that as amount of time slept decreases the body mass index increases. In a recent study participants ate 22% more after having only 4 hours sleep compared to what eaten after 8 hours sleep and the percentage of fat increased by 98%, so almost double the fat intake. No wonder with so much sleep issues in our society that we are having difficulty keeping a healthy body composition.

So here are some tips, keep a regular sleep schedule, preferably retiring around 10 pm and raising no less than 8 hours later. Go to bed the same time each night, eliminate stimulants in the bedroom like watching TV. A small protein snack before bed helps regulate blood sugar during the night to avoid frequent wakening due to drops in blood sugar. Take a break from working when it is bed time, the email will wait, household chores, etc. Trying a natural sleep aid like valerian root to help for a relaxing night.

The Connection of Heart Disease and Carbs for Women

Vitaminlady Blog — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 18:02:00 GMT

This is a hard some for me because I would be on the “Carborhydrate Diet” rather than a Mediterranean or traditional diet if it were at all healthy. I love my carbs and it is hard for me to stay away from pasta, good bread and sugars. As if the potential for developing diabetes and the impact on weight were not enough, now it appears that high-glycemic-index foods put women like me at higher risks of heart disease, oh grrrrrrreat! “The glycemic index is an indicator of how high the carbohydrate portion of a food causes blood sugar (glucose) to rise.” (Healthnotes article “Carbs and Heart Disease: New News for Women” dated May 20, 2010)

From a study of 47,000 people in Italy showed that women who consumed a high-glycemic diet were twice as likely to develop heart disease compared to those with the lowest glycemic intake. Of course this was in the women, no relationship was found for men, so just another thing that men can eat without as negative an impact as for women. Keep in mind that the guilty carbs are not the complex carbs or low-glycemic-index carbs, so not all carbs are equal and not all are bad, that’s good news. So who are the good guys?

Fruits and veggies have the low glycemic effect, but the negative effects on glycemic index goes up with dried or juiced. Whole grains rather than processed grains and flours. Beans, nuts, seeds and lentils are all good also. In otherwords, if is processed to be “instant” or easy to prepare then it is further from nature and higher the glycemic impact.

To help we curb my sugar and processed carb cravings, I started taking a 500mg Chromium Picolinate tablet and I also started taking cinnamon from Natures Vision. Two cinnamon tablets with each meal and I can see the difference in the amount of carbs. I am not saying that I have kicked the habit, but a decrease of 20 to 50% can’t help but make a difference.

Supplement Safety for Pregnant Women

Vitaminlady Blog — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:49:00 GMT

We have had a lot of women in the store lately purchasing prenatal vitamins and that made we want to find some information on the safety of supplements with pregnant or nursing. Women’s nutritional needs change during these times and extra care needs to be taken as some supplements and herbs can be unsafe while pregnant even if they are safe at other times. It is a good idea to consult your doctor concerning supplements during pregnancy and nursing.

· During pregnancy, What vitamins and minerals do I need more of?

The recommended allowance of many vitamins and minerals increases while pregnant. A high-quality prenantal mutlivitamin is a good way to get the increased recommended allowances.

The following information is from the Healthnotes Article from May 13, 2010 titled “Pregnancy & Supplement Safety” By Jeremy Appleton, ND, CNS

Folic acid: The body's folic acid need more than doubles during pregnancy. Folic acid deficiencies during pregnancy have been linked to low birth weight and to an increased incidence of neural tube defects (such as spina bifida) in infants. Most healthcare professionals recommend that women of childbearing age supplement with 400 to 800 mcg per day. Folic acid should be taken even before a woman knows she is pregnant and throughout the entire pregnancy. Folic-acid supplementation is important prior to conception because it provides its protection in the first weeks of pregnancy before a woman knows she has conceived. Waiting to begin supplementation until after you know you are pregnant may increase the risk of birth defects. Most prenatal multivitamins contain sufficient folic acid.
Iron: The need for iron increases during pregnancy. The highest risk for iron deficiency occurs in the last weeks of pregnancy. Healthy nonpregnant women should not supplement with iron unless they have an iron deficiency proven by a blood test. Many, but not all, pregnant women eventually require iron supplementation during pregnancy, usually around 45 mg per day. Pregnant women may help increase the birth weight of their babies by taking iron supplements before 20 weeks' gestation. Women should consult with their doctor to find out if iron supplementation is right for them.
Vitamin B12eficiency of vitamin B12 can cause anemia and irreparable damage to the nervous system. Vegans (people who eat no animal products), including those who are pregnant, should take a daily vitamin B12 supplement. Low maternal vitamin B12 levels are more commonly seen in smokers and are associated with low birth weights and premature birth. The RDA of vitamin B12 for pregnant women is 2.6 mcg per day from all sources. Lactating women require 2.8 mcg per day.
Vitamin B6: Women who have taken oral contraceptives during the months prior to pregnancy may be at increased risk of vitamin B6 deficiency. Vitamin B6 supplementation in the range of 10 to 25 mg three times per day has been reported to help relieve morning sickness.
Iodine: Adequate iodine intake is needed for fetal development and maintaining pregnancy. A healthful diet that includes iodized salt should supply ample iodine, particularly if a prenatal multivitamin that contains iodine is taken. No additional supplementation should be necessary.
Calcium: Calcium needs increase significantly during pregnancy. Low dietary intake of calcium is associated with increased risk of preeclampsia (a potentially serious complication involving high blood pressure and kidney problems). Most pregnant women should consume about 1,500 mg of calcium per day (total from food and supplements). Those at high risk for preeclampsia should consider taking up to 2,000 mg per day.
Biotin: A deficiency of biotin (a B-complex vitamin) may occur in as many as 50% of pregnant women, and this deficiency may increase the risk of birth defects, according to one study. Taking 300 mcg per day can correct a biotin deficiency.
Zinc: Women may become marginally zinc deficient during pregnancy, particularly if they are supplementing with greater than 30 mg per day of iron. Studies conflict as to whether zinc supplementation is effective or necessary in well-nourished pregnant women. Most prenatal multivitamins contain sufficient zinc to prevent a deficiency.
Probiotics: Women who take supplemental Lactobacillus GG (a probiotic or “friendly” bacterium) during pregnancy and breast-feeding may help lower the risk of their child developing eczema, according to a one study. Not all probiotic supplements are equal, so particular attention should be given to obtaining a high-quality supplement of the right type.
Vitamin C: Vitamin C requirements are increased in pregnancy. Women with low intakes of vitamin C before and during pregnancy have increased risk of preterm delivery and of preeclampsia compared with women taking higher amounts. The recommended amount is 500 to 1,000 mg per day.

· Are there supplements that should be avoided during pregnancy?

From the previously mentioned Healthnotes article, there are supplements and herbs to use with caustion or avoid during pregnancy:

Vitamin A: Women who are or could become pregnant have been told by doctors to take less than 10,000 IU per day of vitamin A to avoid the risk of birth defects. Although the evidence on which this recommendation is based has been contradicted by at least two studies, extremely large amounts of vitamin A do cause birth defects in experimental animals. The safe level for vitamin A supplementation in pregnant women is not known. Therefore, women who are pregnant should talk with a doctor before supplementing with more than 10,000 IU of vitamin A per day. This recommendation does not apply to beta-carotene.
Vitamin D: Pregnant women need 400 IU of vitamin D per day. They should not exceed 1,000 IU per day unless supervised by a doctor.
Supplemental hormones: Hormones sold as dietary supplements should be avoided during pregnancy, including androstenedione, melatonin, DHEA, human growth hormone, progesterone, and others, unless prescribed by a doctor.
Untested supplements: Most newer and specialty nutrients have not been proven safe for use during pregnancy and should be avoided.

But because some have the potential for causing miscarriage or other problems, avoid the following herbs during pregnancy:

Caffeine-containing herbal supplements: Many herbal formulas (especially those that are intended to promote weight loss) contain caffeine or its relatives. While population studies have not proven caffeine’s harm in pregnancy, some research does suggest that caffeine consumption can increase the likelihood of miscarriages and fetal-growth impairment. Until more is known, women should limit their consumption of caffeine during pregnancy.
Herbs with known dangers: Among others, the following herbs have the potential to disrupt pregnancy when taken as supplements and must be avoided by pregnant women (this is not a complete list):
Achillea millefolium (yarrow)
Acorus calamus (sweet flag)
Aletris farinosa (unicorn root)
Allium sativum (garlic supplements; garlic in moderation as a food is acceptable)
Allium cepa (onion) (eat in moderation)
Aloe vera, Aloe barbadensis (aloe)
Anemone pulsatilla (wind flower)
Areca catechu (betel)
Aristolochia spp. (Virginia snakeroot, birthwort)
Arnica montana (arnica)
Artemisia absinthium (wormwood, absinthe)
Asclepias tuberosa (pleurisy root)
Berberis vulgaris (barberry)
Brayera anthelmintica (kousso)
Coffea arabica (coffee)
Capsicum frutescens (cayenne)
Caulophyllum thalictroides (blue cohosh)
Cephaelis ipecacuanha (ipecac)
Chelidonium majus (greater celandine)
Chenopodium ambrosioides (wormseed)
Cimicifuga racemosa (black cohosh)
Cinchona officinalis (quinine)
Cinnamomum zeylanicum (cinnamon)
Citrullus colocynthis (bitter apple)
Colchicum autumnale (autumn crocus)
Conium maculatum (poison hemlock)
Croton tiglium and other species (croton seed)
Cytisus scoparius (broom, Scotch broom)
Dryopteris spp. (fern)
Ephedra sinica (Chinese ephedra)
Foeniculum vulgare (fennel)
Gelsemium sempervirens (yellow jessamine)
Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice)
Hedeoma pulegioides (American false pennyroyal)
Helleborus niger (Christmas rose)
Hydrastis canadensis (goldenseal)
Juniperus communis (juniper)
Lavendula officinalis (lavender)
Linum usitatissimum (flaxseeds; flaxseed oil is acceptable)
Mentha pulegium (pennyroyal)
Myristica fragrans (nutmeg)
Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco)
Papaver somniferum (opium poppy)
Passiflora incarnata (passionflower)
Petroselinum sativum (parsley supplements; parsley as a garnish is acceptable)
Phytolacca americana (pokeweed)
Pilocarpus jaborandi (jaborandi)
Pinus palustris (southern pine; longleaf pine)
Podophyllum peltatum (may apple)
Polygala senega (Seneca snakeroot)
Prunus persica (peach pit)
Prunus serotina (wild black cherry pit)
Prunus virginiana (chokecherry)
Ranunculus spp. (buttercup)
Rauwolfia serpentina (Indian snakeroot)
Rheum spp. (rhubarb)
Ricinus communis (castor bean, castor oil)
Ruta graveolens (rue)
Salvia officinalis (sage)
Sanguinaria canadensis (bloodroot)
Sassafrass albidum (sassafrass)
Senecio vulgaris (groundsel)
Strophanthus spp. (kombe seed)
Strychnos nux-vomica (nux vomica)
Tanacetum vulgare (tansy)
Thuja occidentalis (American arborvitae, northern white cedar)
Thymus vulgaris (thyme)
Thymus serpyllum (lemon thyme)
Veratrum spp. (false hellebore)
Veronicastrum virginicum (Culver’s root)
Vinca rosea (periwinkle)
Viscum album (mistletoe)

There are many safe herbs, ginger or peppermint are herbs used for centuries to help with pregnancy-related symptoms like nausea.

Think Mediterranean for Your Mind

Vitaminlady Blog — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 17:51:00 GMT

A Recent report shows more benefits from a Mediterranean diet may be the effect on the mind in addition to the heart and cancer protective benefits. Results indicated as much as a 40% drop in risks of Alzheimer’s disease by following a Mediterranean diet closely. The Mediterranean diet can be categorized as a traditional diet in that is includes fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans and dairy products along with fish, lean protein, low amounts of ret meat, but the large difference between other traditional diets being in the Mediterranean diet the main source of monounsaturated fat is olive oil.

It is not know how much a Mediterranean diet positively effects the mind as those who observe a traditional diet tend to also participate in regular exercise with is good to help keep the mind sharp, but a traditional diet is one more tool to use to help lowers risks of many health issues. Traditional diets base consumption on foods as close to nature and less processed. Additional ways to keep your mind sharp are:

Get moving, regular exercise reduces the risks of dementia and when combined with a healthy diet have an ever bigger effect.
Engage in mind stimulating games and activities such as crossword puzzles, Sudoku, Scrabble, checkers and chess.
Give us your bad habits of smoking and drinking, both can damage the ability to think over time.

Vitamin K - the Unknown Vitamin

Vitaminlady Blog — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 00:36:00 GMT

What is the deal with Vitamin K? We skipped from E to K, are there other vitamins that we are not readily aware of? Essential for blood and bone health, Vitamin K is also found to help prevent cancer. Vitamin K is found in 2 forms, Vitamin K1 which is found in green leafy vegetables and Vitamin K2 found in cheese and meat. People taking blood thinning medication should talk to their doctor as Vitamin K can interfere and cause side effects.

To help lower your risks of cancer by making wise food choices, get exercise and stop bad habits for good. Get your regular check ups with your doctor, eat a healthy diet, eat low fat dairy, stop smoking and limit alcohol.

You are What You Eat

Vitaminlady Blog — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 15:31:00 GMT

Food is the largest substance we put into our bodies and what we eat really does affect how we feel. Studies find that the quality of our diets impacts our mood including depression and anxiety. A good traditional diet including fruits, veggies, lean meat, red meat, fish and wholegrain foods was found to have less depression and anxiety disorders as opposite to diets including more processed meats and inflammatory foods like chips & pizza which had more likelihood of psychological symptoms and disorders.

Ways to improve your diet include eating foods that are as close as they’re found in nature. The more processed it is the further it is from nature, the more negative impact it has on our mental health. So if you are in doubt, keep it the way it was back in the day.

Nuts for Nuts

Vitaminlady Blog — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 23:27:00 GMT

Nuts can be added to most any meal to spruce it us and are very versatile. They are a great snack on the go. I can’t eat my romaine honey raspberry vinaigrette salad without pecans on top. Remember sometimes you feel like a nut, here are some ways to GO NUTS every day. Chopped up they make a great crust on seafood and poultry entrees and can be puréed to thicken soups, caramelize your favorite nuts to enjoy alone or with dried fruits, berries or whole grain cereals.

Eating nuts each day provide a source of protein, fiber, antioxidants, and may lower risks of heart disease and diabetes. Nuts also provide nutrients like Vitamin B, Vitamin E, Iron, Selenium, Potassium and Magnesium. Raw and Unsalted nuts provide the most health benefits. Some of the most popular nuts such as almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans, Brazil nuts, macadamia, chia seeds, soybeans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, sesame seeds, all of which are available in our healthy food sections.

Zinc away the Blues

Vitaminlady Blog — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 01:25:00 GMT

Zinc may reduce depression and anger and make be a better way to manage mood. Mood disorders medications can be have intolerable side effect and just don’t work for some. In a resent study, young women who took a multivitamin with 7mg of zinc per day had significantly reduced depression, anger, hostility and feeling of dejection. Researches concluded that zinc may be an another way to deal with some mood disorders such as depression.

Try adding zinc-rich foods like zinc fortified cereals, beans, chickpeas, lentils, turkey, lean beef, nuts, seeds, barley and other whole grains. Don’t overdue the zinc as too much can interfere with other mineral adsorption. Check your multivitamin zinc level and add extra zinc if needed, up to 8mg per day is considered save. Talk to your doctor about adding zinc, he or she may recommend a larger does.