Herbal Dietary Supplement Look Outs

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Bear in mind that herbal dietary supplements can affect other substances in your body, including your medication.

More than 100 million Americans take vitamins or dietary supplements daily—including dozens of herbal nutrition supplements—and with a good reason. Research has shown that many herbal nutrition supplements can:

• Provide us with essential nutrients
• Boost the human’s immune system
• Enhance the memory and quality of sleep

Nevertheless, despite the popularity of herbal nutrition supplements to promote better health, not everybody who uses them is well informed about all of their properties or how they may interact—or interfere—with a variety of prescription drugs and other medication. As a result of this:

• Many people don’t share information about their use of herbal nutrition supplements with their health providers.
• Health providers do not think to ask if patients are taking herbal nutrition supplements.

Both are oversights that could have potentially dangerous consequences.

If you have had surgery in the past, you were probably told that you should stop taking aspirin several days before the operation to avoid excessive bleeding, even if you normally take aspirin daily to help protect your heart. (NOTE: There is news that stopping aspirin therapy suddenly can increase your risk of heart attack or stroke).

But what about herbal nutrition supplements which may increase bleeding, decrease the effectiveness of anti-clotting medications, or elevate heart rate or high blood pressure under certain conditions?

Benefits and Side Effects Of Nutrition Supplements

People who are contemplating surgery, or who even take medication regularly, should become familiar with the power and properties of any herbal nutrition supplements that they are taking.

Herbal dietary supplements are able provide important health benefits but it is important to know how they react to medication you may already be taking. Before you take herbal dietary supplements, do check with your health care provider to be sure the herbal supplement is safe for you.

 

John Rifkind is a contributing editor at FitnessHealthArticles.com. This article may be reproduced provided that its complete content, links and author byline are kept intact and unchanged. No additional links permitted. Hyperlinks and/or URLs must remain both human clickable and search engine spiderable.

Don’t Let Diet Plans Confuse You

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If you’re confused by weight loss programs you’re not alone. There are so many different types of diets and programs that it’s no wonder there’s confusion. Some try to convince you that the answer is low fat, low carb, whereas others will preach the opposite.

The important thing to remember is to choose a diet which is correct for your lifestyle.

Each diet or program has some advantages and disadvantages. In a program such as Jenny Craig or NutriSystem, you’re being closely monitored and will eat specific meals designed for your weight loss.

However, if you’re on the Zone or Atkins Diets, you will have to monitor and prepare your own meals. Your choice might also be a financial consideration as well. Most programs such as Jenny Craig or NutriSystem will cost you more than the Zone or Atkins, as they prepare your food for you.

To eliminate confusion on choosing a tailored program or a specific diet, you might first want to consult your physician to discuss what the best options for you might be.

Your physician might ask you to add a fitness program to your diet as well, or may require you to choose a specific diet if you have certain health issues.

Meeting with your physician is especially important before starting a diet, especially if your goal is to lose weight significantly.

Once you’ve decided on either a program or a specific diet, you’ll then be able to tailor your program or diet to meet your lifestyle and achieve the desired results.

John Rifkind is a contributing editor at FitnessHealthArticles.com. This article may be reproduced provided that its complete content, links and author byline are kept intact and unchanged. No additional links permitted. Hyperlinks and/or URLs must remain both human clickable and search engine spiderable.

Keys To A Healthy Diet

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These days, there seems to be as many “healthy diets” as there are experts. Whilst our specific dietary needs may vary according to our individual body types, metabolisms, and genetics, there are also some basic guidelines that can be useful in determining which foods are nutritious and which aren’t.

1. Try to emphasize fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are high in antioxidants–nutrients which help neutralize toxins in the body. In general, brightly coloured fruits and vegetables contain the highest levels of antioxidants: for example, yellow, orange, and dark green vegetables; citrus fruits; and cruciferous vegetables (those in the cabbage family, such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage). Whilst taking antioxidants in supplement form can be beneficial, those found in foods are a lot more powerful.

Fruits and vegetables are also high in other sorts of vitamins and minerals. Vitamin C, which is supportive of the immune system, is abundant in strawberries, oranges, and bell peppers. Carrots, sweet potatoes, and winter squash are a powerful source of beta-carotene, which is important for vision. Green leafy vegetables support the health of our bones and teeth, amongst other things, with high levels of calcium, magnesium, and vitamin K.

Some helpful guidelines for you to follow: Eat two to four pieces of fresh fruit every day, and fill half of your plate with vegetables at any meal.

2. Eat the amount and combination of whole foods that make you feel your best. There are so many different approaches to healthy eating. If you feel good when eating a high-protein diet with lots of non-starchy vegetables and few carbohydrates, it may be the best diet for you. However, if you feel your best when eating a diet high in grains, vegetables, and beans, then that may be the best diet for you.

Animals that are grass-fed and/or grown on organic foods (and all the products those animals produce) seem to have superior nutritional profiles. Additionally, studies have shown that children who grow up eating organic foods have lower levels of toxic chemicals in their bodies than those raised eating conventional foods.

 

John Rifkind is a contributing editor at FitnessHealthArticles.com. This article may be reproduced provided that its complete content, links and author byline are kept intact and unchanged. No additional links permitted. Hyperlinks and/or URLs must remain both human clickable and search engine spiderable.