Nutrition Information

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4 Steps To Brain Health


New studies bring to our attention that high levels of cholesterol might make the brain cells more prone to dementia. The heart and brain are connected to long term health - many things that heart patients do are good for all of us to keep our brain healthy, too. So by preventing a heart attack, you can avoid brain drain.

1. Take B Vitamins.

B vitamins can help stifle homocysteine, an amino acid that damages blood vessels. A new study of seniors from researchers at the Chicago-based Rush Institute found in 2004 that seniors with low levels of niacin were more likely to suffer from Alzheimer's. Get in the habit of taking a quality B Complex every day.

2. Try Ginkgo Biloba.

Extracted from the ancient ginkgo tree, ginkgo biloba is considered the best of all brain-boosting supplements on the market. Studies of people with Alzheimer's disease show that ginkgo enhances blood flow to the brain and improves memory recall. In addition, ginkgo is a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. Ginkgo does thin the blood and can clash with some medications, especially blood thinners; so check with your doctor before taking and make sure not to take before a surgery.

3. Avoid inflammation.

Chronic inflammation, whether from an irritated bowel disease, inflamed gums, or an autoimmune disease, weakens the arteries in both the heart and the head. Inflammation makes the arteries more vulnerable to rupture and increases the danger of heart attack and stroke. Keep an eye on early warning signs of inflammation.

4. Exercise your brain.

Older folks who are readers stay sharp while those who watch TV melt into the couch. When researchers compared those struck by Alzheimer's and their activity level, 47% are less likely to develop the disease than those who taxed their brains the least. Do crossword puzzles, read, play cards, write detailed and interesting e-mails to all your friends, surf the web, and just plain stay busy.

Supplements of the Month:

Ginkgo Biloba

The ginkgo is the oldest living tree species, geological records indicate this plant has been growing on earth for 150 - 200 million years. It was first brought to Europe in the 1700's and it is now a commonly prescribed drug in France and Germany.

In the last 30 years, more that 300 studies have given clinical evidence that ginkgo prevents and benefits many problems throughout the entire body. Ginkgo is gaining recognition as a brain tonic that enhances memory because of its positive effects on the vascular system, especially in the cerebellum.

Ginkgo may help to counteract the effects of aging, including mental fatigue and lack of energy.

Ginkgo works by increasing blood flow to the brain and throughout the body's network of blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the organ systems. It increases metabolism efficiency, regulates neurotransmitters, and boosts oxygen levels in the brain which uses 20% of the body's oxygen.

Ginkgo has been used to relieve tension and anxiety and improve mental alertness, elevate mood and restore energy.

Ginkgo also acts as a powerful antioxidant and contributes to the oxidation of free radicals which are believed to contribute to premature aging and dementia. Antioxidants also protect the eyes, cardiovascular system and central nervous system.

Ginkgo may also help control the transformation of cholesterol to plaque associated with the hardening of arteries, and can relax constricted blood vessels.

Studies have confirmed that ginkgo increases blood flow to the retina, and can slow retinal deterioration resulting in an increase of visual acuity.

Flush-Free Niacin

Vitamin B 3 - (Niacin) is used in the process of releasing energy from carbohydrates, forming fat from carbohydrates and to metabolize alcohol. Vitamin B3 comes in two basic forms - niacin (also called nicotinic acid) and niacinamide (also called nicotinamide). Inositol hexaniacinate, a "flush-free" niacin, is also available and has many of the same benefits of niacin, and is becoming increasingly popular. Dietary niacin and niacin formed within the body from the amino acid tryptophan are converted to niacinamide. Niacinamide is the biologically active form of niacin.

The RDA for men and women is in the range 14-18mg, and is easily achieved. Prescribed doses of the supplement go as high as 3gm per day and sometimes even higher.

The best food sources of vitamin B3 are peanuts, brewer's yeast, fish and meat, and fortified breakfast cereals. Some vitamin B3 is also found in whole grains. Vitamin B3 is found in most vitamin supplements, but additional supplementation is needed to achieve many of the proven health benefits.

Food sources (mg per 100gm):

Rice bran (18.5)
Tuna (11.6)
Chicken liver (9.3)
Chicken, white meat (8.1)
Wheat germ (5.6)
Brown rice (4.7)
Broccoli (0.8)
Dried figs (0.4)

Niacin is one of the most stable of the B-vitamins. It is resistant to the effects of heat, light, air, acid and alkali. A white crystalline substance that is soluble in water and alcohol, niacin and niacinamide are both readily absorbed from the small intestine. Small amounts may be stored in the liver, but most of the excess is excreted in the urine. The only appreciable loss of niacin occurs when it leaches into cooking water.

Caution:

Niacin, taken orally as nicotinic acid, can produce redness, warmth, and itching over areas of the skin; this "niacin flush" usually occurs when doses of 50mg or more are taken and is a result of the release of histamine by the cells, which causes vasodilatation. 'Take Your Vitamins' brand of Flush Free Niacin can be taken, as it will not produce this reaction.

As with any vitamin or supplement, please consult your doctor before taking.

Author Beverly Terhune speaks from 35 years of living with Rheumatoid Arthritis and shares her experience, strength & hope on how to lead a healthy, substance-free life.

Are you looking for ways to improve your memory, energy level or fight depression? Purchase our all natural vitamins, minerals, herbs and teas at wholesale prices. Subscribe to our free health tip newsletter.

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MORE RESOURCES:

Department of Defense

First Lady Lauds DOD's New Nutrition Campaign
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10, 2012 – The Defense Department's new obesity and nutrition awareness campaign sets a powerful example for the rest of the nation, First Lady Michelle Obama said yesterday. First Lady Michelle Obama speaks to airmen in a dining facility on Little ...
US military meals redux: More fruit and vegetables, less fatLos Angeles Times
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Hold the mystery meat: Military bases to get first nutrition standards upgrade ...Washington Post
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Nutrition tip: Eating for a healthy heart
Lakenewsonline.com
By Anita Marlay The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that diseases of the heart remain the No. 1 cause of mortality in the United States, causing 600000 deaths a year. Heart protective eating habits can help to lower your risk of ...
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Cambridge News

Healthy Chocolates Make a Lovely Valentine
Patch.com
Nutrition author explains which chocolates are richest in anti-oxidants; fruit and nut gifts also help keep valentines' hearts healthy so they can love you longer. By Pam DeFiglio and Christopher Brinckerhoff Chocolate flavors are incredibly complex ...
Perryman Nutrition Column: Go Ahead, Chocoholics, a Little Chocolate is Good ...Colorado State University News (press release)

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OUR Center's Empty Bowls fundraiser highlights nutrition
Longmont Daily Times-Call
This year's event also is shining a spotlight on nutrition. Last week, at a sunny table at Crackpots in Longmont, Jean Youngman painted a plate modeled after the US Department of Agriculture's new "Choose My Plate" dietary guidelines that first lady ...



Boston Globe

LETTER: 'No cuts to Elder Nutrition Program'
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Deval Patrick has proposed a 24 percent cut in the Elder Nutrition Program that not only provides lifesaving sustenance to the elderly, but also a lifeline through daily contact with the caring volunteer that delivers the meal.
Patrick's budget would cut senior mealsBoston Globe

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TIME

Walmart Unveils 'Great For You' Icon
CSPnet.com
Items with the "Great For You" icon must meet rigorous nutrition criteria informed by the latest nutrition science and authoritative guidance from the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, US Food & Drug Administration (FDA), US Department of ...
How Good Is Walmart's 'Great For You' Nutrition Labeling?TIME
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Walmart's New Healthy Labels: Great for You, or Great for Them?brandchannel.com
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Globe and Mail

Walmart to Label Healthy Foods
New York Times
As part of its promise last year to improve the nutritional quality of the food it sells, Walmart said on Tuesday that it had devised standards to determine what is healthy and would label the foods that meet those standards.
Should shoppers trust Walmart's 'Great for You' nutrition labels?Globe and Mail
Walmart 'Great for You' Healthy Labels: Nutrition Experts Say 'Devil in the ...ABC News
Walmart joins stores labeling healthier food selectionsBoston Herald
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NorthJersey.com

Coming soon: Nutrition labels for health insurance
Washington Post (blog)
Think of them as nutrition facts for a health insurance plan that outline a health plan's deductible, out-of-pocket limits and costs for visits to the emergency room or primary care doctor. What you see above is one part of a four-page document that ...
Obama: Health plan briefs must be consumer-friendlyUSA TODAY
Summaries to spell out health insurance coverage, copaysChicago Tribune
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Boston.com

First lady talks nutrition in Florida
MiamiHerald.com
AP HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Michelle Obama is assuring kids and parents that hamburgers and chicken nuggets aren't completely off-limits as she chats about healthy eating and exercise during a town hall meeting in Florida. The first lady took part in a WebMD ...
First lady announces expansion of military nutrition program on Arkansas visitArkansas News
UPDATED: First Lady Michelle Obama and Top Chefs put on cooking show in DallasPegasus News
Michelle Obama marks 'Let's Move' milestone with arugula, 'Interlude Dance' (+ ...Christian Science Monitor
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Nutritional Medicine for Adults Workshop Series at Rush University Medical Center
Newswise (press release)
Newswise — CHICAGO — Rush University Medical Center is sponsoring a Nutritional Medicine workshop March 15 to 16, 2012, that features internationally-renowned faculty who are leaders in research in nutritional medicine. The workshop is part of a ...

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