Eating for your mood

Do you find your mood fluctuating more than ever, feeling fatigued, irritable, light-headed along with highs and lows? If so, it is possible that by just changing your diet and eating foods that help stabilize your blood sugar as well as help your body, you will find yourself feeling better.

To start, take a look at how you respond to feelings of lethargy. Do you grab a soda, eat something sweet or drink caffeine? If so, your blood sugar levels may temporarily rise but then will follow so dramatically that you will be left worse than before you started. Then , the cycle starts again as you reach for more sugar. When your blood sugar first drops, if you can avoid the quick fix and try some foods that will slowly lift your levels, you might be surprised of the result. To start, eat breakfast in the morning. When you eat, try mixing foods with fiber and protein along with foods that are starch, the more slowly foods are digested and released into your system.

Once you stop stressing your body with the sugars, now you can add foods to your diet that help support your adrenal function, the part of your body that helps support stressful moments. Foods that include proteins like eggs, fish, lean meat, poultry, dairy products or soy, will slow down the rate at which sugar is released into your bloodstream.

There are also certain herbs and vitamins that help balance blood sugar. These include Vitamin C and B5 along with B3 and B6. Herbs are licorice, ginseng and astragalus.

What about a balanced diet, you might ask? Review studies have not shown that taking daily multivitamin supplements will prevent any chronic disease. However, taking supplements will help ensure you are getting enough of nutrients that may be missing from your diet.

Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet should provide you with all of the individual nutrients you need. Not everyone has a good diet so some of those nutrients might be deficient. For example, a person who hates fruits and vegetables might not get enough vitamin C and someone who refuses to eat dairy products will frequently need extra calcium.

Taking a daily multivitamin is an inexpensive and easy way to be sure you are getting the vitamins and minerals you need. A few individual dietary supplements have been shown to have positive benefits for your health too. Adding these extra supplements may be beneficial:

Calcium
Many people don't eat enough calcium-containing foods. This can add to a person's risk of developing osteoporosis, or weakened bones. The recommended amount of calcium for most adults is about 1200 mg per day.

Vitamin D
Some of the vitamin D you need comes from the food you eat, but most of it is made by your body after exposure to sun. Vitamin D is important for calcium absorption and the two nutrients are often combined into one supplement. An average adult needs about 400 IU of vitamin D.

Fish Oil
Omega-3 fatty acids will help prevent cardiovascular disease. Fatty fish is the best dietary source of omega-3 fatty acids, though plants such as flax contain omega-3 fatty acids. Studies suggest that 0.5 to 1.8 grams of fish oil per day is an effective amount.

Folic Acid
Folate is a B vitamin and folic acid is the supplemental form of folate. Folate is found in green leafy vegetables, citrus fruit and legumes. Folic acid supplementation is recommended for any woman who may become pregnant and may also help reduce homocysteine levels, which might help reduce the risk of heart disease. The recommended amount for adults is 400 mcg per day.

Chondroitin and Glucosamine
Researchers from the Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial found that participants with moderate-to-severe osteoarthritis pain found statistically significant amounts of pain relief with 1500 mg glucosamine combined with 1200 mg chondroitin sulfate supplements.

Antioxidants and Zinc
The Age-Related Eye Disease Study results showed that a combination of antioxidants and zinc taken as a dietary supplement reduced the risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration. The formula used in the study was:

* 500 mg of vitamin C
* 400 IU of vitamin E
* 15 mg of beta-carotene
* 80 mg of zinc as zinc oxide
* 2 mg of copper as cupric oxide

Probiotics
Foods like yogurt and fermented foods naturally contain bacteria called probiotics. These bacteria are similar to the friendly bacteria normally found in your digestive system. Probiotics are also available as dietary supplements and may be beneficial for people with irritable bowel syndrome and diarrhea.

Try changing your habits and replacing them with healthier foods and vitamins and you might be surprised how good you feel not only physically but mentally and emotionally as well.

About the Author: R. Fredriksen is the Vice President of Nutrition Dome, a leading provider of Jarrow Formulas, Pioneer Nutritional Forumulas, Lipodrene and other quality supplements. For more information, please visit www.nutritiondome.com.

Why Take A MultiVitamin

We all probably know somebody who takes vitamins. The question is whether taking vitamins is a fad or something needed for good health.

To start, we all know our bodies need vitamins and minerals and that our body alone cannot manufacture sufficient quantities to provide the foundation for all normal biological functions. Vitamins and minerals are necessary for normal metabolism, growth, and general well being. A single deficiency of any vitamin or mineral can endanger the whole body. Many people believe they are eating the 'right' foods, and getting the proper amount of essential nutrients in this way. And, of course, eating a balanced diet is one way to obtain the vitamins and minerals you need.

The problem is, few of us get a truly balanced diet. According to one U.S. Government survey of 21,000 people, not a single person obtained 100 percent of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for each of ten basic nutrients. Processing, storing, or even cooking can reduce the vitamin content of foods. Foods can also be adversely affected by chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and soil conditions. Nutrients are also adversely affected by heavy smoking, alcohol consumption, and numerous health conditions including obesity and chronic illness.

Your multivitamin should contain a full range of vitamins and minerals to meet essential nutritional needs. For example, the average diet frequently provides less than the recommended daily allowance for zinc. A low-dose supplement (15 mg per day) can fill in dietary gaps. Statistics show that over 65% of American diets are deficient in Zinc. Zinc is considered the most important mineral for proper immune system function. Magnesium is also an important element available in multivitamin form, and is also in a majority of American diets. A lack of this essential mineral can lead to fatigue, abnormal heart rhythms, muscle weakness and spasm, depression, loss of appetite, listlessness, and potassium depletion.

If you don’t take vitamins then you want to make sure you are eating properly Here are some challenges you would have to meet:

Challenge 1: Inadequate Fruits and Vegetables

Solutions:

* Eat a serving of fresh fruit at lunch and dinner as dessert
* Include a variety of vegetables for lunch and dinner. Choose dark green, leafy vegetables (such as broccoli, spinach, Chinese bok choy and kale) as well as bright-colored vegetables (such as bell peppers, tomato, avocado, sweet potato and carrot)
* Use fruits as snacks. Bring to work fruits that are easy to prepare (such as grapes, apple, banana, berries or cut-up melons).

Challenge 2: Inadequate Calcium

Solutions:

* Instead of snacking on cookies, choose low-fat yogurt or low-fat cheese with fruits as snacks throughout the day
* If you are not a cow's milk fan, try other calcium-rich beverages such as calcium-fortified orange juice, calcium-fortified soy or rice milk, or goat's milk
* Try other calcium-rich foods such as tofu and canned fish with bones

Challenge 3: Inadequate Whole Grains

Solutions:

* Choose whole grain bread when making sandwiches
* Have a serving of whole grain breakfast cereal or a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast
* Snack on popcorn instead of chips on movie nights
* Toss in brown rice, wild rice or barley in your soup

Taking a multivitamin daily is important to ensure optimum nutritional status for a certain population - particularly among pregnant and lactating women, as well as those with specific chronic diseases. For people older than 50 (men and women), a multivitamin or calcium/D supplement may be warranted as foods alone may be not able to deliver adequate calcium and Vitamin D to meet the increased needs. Always speak to your doctor or dietitian before starting a new supplement.

As fortified-foods are widely available, the expert panel recommended choosing a multivitamin with ingredients less than 100 percent of the daily value (% DV) to avoid toxicity.


A good multivitamin can give you reassurance that you are obtaining the proper amounts of vitamins and minerals needed for good health. Whatever your specific nutritional needs are, a multivitamin should be the foundation of any nutritional supplement or vitamin regimen and will significantly increase the effectiveness of the other supplements you take.

About the Author: R. Fredriksen is the Vice President of Nutrition Dome, a leading provider of Stimerex, Met-Rx, Pioneer Nutritional Forumulas, Lipodrene and other quality supplements. For more information, please visit www.nutritiondome.com.

A Natural Way to Combat PMS

Premenstrual syndrome (known as PMS) involves a variety of physical, mental, and behavioral symptoms tied to a woman’s menstrual cycle. By definition, symptoms occur during the days before a woman's period starts. They usually go away after the first day or two of flow.

PMS has been seen since the times of ancient Greece. It has been reported in Eastern (Asian) cultures as well as throughout the Western World. Modern scientific study of PMS has been going on since the early 1930s.

At least 80% of menstruating women have some premenstrual symptoms:

* About 40% of menstruating women have PMS

* About 10% have severe symptoms, a condition called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Nine million women, or approximately five to seven percent of women of childbearing age, have PMDD.

For most women PMS symptoms are mild. In others, the symptoms may be severe and even incapacitating. The severity of a woman's symptoms has much more to do with her body chemistry than her personality.

PMS can occur at any time after puberty, but more women experience symptoms in their 30s and 40s than in their teenage years. Women who have had more children tend to have more severe symptoms, and women whose mother had PMS are at increased risk. PMS tends to get worse as women age and experience hormonal changes. Women with a history of depression have a greater risk of PMS.

Experts say that the definitive cause of PMS is not yet known. However, the most likely explanation for PMS is that many women are sensitive to the hormonal shifts that occur in the second half of the menstrual cycle. During the normal menstrual cycle, the ovaries make two main hormones, called estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen is made by the ovaries throughout the entire menstrual cycle. It reaches its highest levels during the second and third weeks and declines during the last week. During the last two weeks of the cycle the ovaries also make progesterone. The last two weeks of the menstrual cycle is called the luteal (secretory) phase.

These hormones can effect our body’s neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters affected are:

* Serotonin: Women with PMS have fluctuations in serotonin levels. These changes may cause depression and carbohydrate cravings. Serotonin is made by the body from the amino acid tryptophan.

* GABA: GABA stands for gamma-aminobutyric acid. This neurotransmitter is important in feeling calm.

* Endorphins: Endorphins are important in the experience of pain and pleasure. Estrogen and progesterone change endorphin levels.

* Norepinephrine: Norepinephrine and epinephrine are also neurotransmitters that influence mood. In addition, these substances play a role in blood pressure and heart rate.

With this, it is no wonder women can feel terrible. So what can women do to help themselves naturally?

To start, try calcium and magnesium. Some researchers think that certain imbalances in calcium and magnesium levels may trigger PMS symptoms. These two minerals affect nerve cell communication and blood vessel opening and closing

Eating a healthy diet is important for general health and may also help relieve PMS symptoms such as bloating, breast tenderness, weight gain, irritability, and headaches.

This includes eating foods high in complex carbohydrates like whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables, and avoiding saturated fats. It may also help to avoid salt, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, and red meat, and sometimes dairy products. Eating more small meals each day instead of three large meals may reduce food cravings and mood swings.

Most women report that exercise improves their PMS symptoms. It is especially helpful in relieving stress, improving mood, and preventing weight gain.

Try to be physically active for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week throughout your menstrual cycle.

Some women report relief of PMS symptoms from taking vitamins, especially vitamins B6 and E. If you try vitamins beyond a daily multivitamin, be careful about the amounts you take. Some vitamins can cause harm in large doses.

Some women have reported relief from using herbs. Evening primrose oil and dong quai have helped some women. A side effect of dong quai is sun sensitivity. Black cohosh may affect estrogen The major female hormone produced by the body which influences breast development, enables a mature egg to be released each month, and helps prepare the uterus for pregnancy. levels, and may help open the blood vessels, which may relieve symptoms. Possible side effects include dizziness and headaches.

Reducing salt intake or taking a mild diuretic when PMS symptoms commonly begin can help reduce or remove excess fluid that causes bloating and swelling of the hands and feet. You may also feel better if you reduce the amounts of caffeine and refined sugars in your diet and participate in some form of aerobic exercise at this time.

Women may not be able to totally get away from the PMS symptoms but there are certainly ways to make them more tolerable.

R. Fredriksen is the Vice President of Nutrition Dome, a leading provider of Stimerex, Met-Rx, Pioneer Nutritional Forumulas, Lipodrene and other quality supplements. For more information, please visit www.nutritiondome.com.