Vitamin Information Center

PROTEIN
Protein is a necessary component for building, maintenance, and repair of many body
systems and processes, including:
•Production of collagen and keratin, which are the structural components of bones, teeth,
hair, and the outer layer of skin; they help maintain the structure of blood vessels
•Manufacture of hormones, such as insulin and thyroid hormone
•Production of enzymes that control chemical reactions in the body
•Proper immune function—production of antibodies, white blood cells, and other
immune factors
•Transportation of oxygen, vitamins, and minerals to target cells throughout the body
MACRONUTRIENTS8 | Chapter 1
•Source of energy—the liver can use protein to make glucose when there is not enough
carbohydrate available, such as when you skip a meal or follow a low-carb diet.
Food Sources
Protein is found in animal products, nuts, legumes, and, to a lesser extent, in fruits
and vegetables. When we eat protein the body breaks it down into amino acids, some
of which are called essential because they must be provided by the food we eat.
Others that can be produced by the body are called non-essential.
Protein from animal sources contains all of the essential amino acids. Therefore,
your best sources of lean protein are chicken, turkey, fi sh, and eggs. Choose free-
range and organic wherever possible to reduce ingesting harmful hormones and
chemicals.
Plant proteins do not contain all the essential amino acids and are considered
incomplete proteins. It is possible, though, to combine various plant proteins to get all
the essential amino acids. For example, eating oats, lentils, and sunfl ower seeds either
together or separately throughout the day provides all the essential amino acids. You
could also combine whole-wheat pasta with white kidney beans or tofu with brown
rice to get all the necessary amino acids. It just requires careful meal planning.
There are certain advantages of eating plant over animal proteins—they pro-
vide fi bre and phytochemicals (antioxidants), do not contain saturated fat, and
may play a role in disease prevention. Soy protein, for example, has been shown to
signifi cantly lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and protect against bone loss.
A number of studies have found lower risk of chronic disease in those who eat a
plant-based diet.
The Institute of Medicine recommends ranges for macronutrient intake that are
associated with a reduced risk of chronic disease while providing adequate intake
of essential nutrients. They suggest that adults get 45–65 percent of calories from
carbohydrates, 20–35 percent from fat, and 10–35 percent from protein. Ranges for
children are similar, except that infants and younger children need a slightly higher
proportion of fat (25–40 percent).

For thousands of years the benefits of the acai berry where hidden to the world outside of the Amazon rainforest. The Acai grows wild in the Amazon where the locals have being using for centuries. They have thought the Acai berry cured their most feared diseases and used to help improve their health.

The Acai berry is high in protein and dietary fiber and includes a large amount of omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids. The omega acids help protect the heart and the cardiovascular system. The Acai berry also is believed to help lower cholesterol. It has lately been going around that the acai berry is the new anti-aging super food and has even made an appearance on Opera. The acai berry has a high level of antioxidant vitamins from the fruit and a high level of anthocranins. The acai berry contains ten times more anthocranins than grapes and twice the amount of blueberries.

The anthocranins are the same ingredient that makes a glass of red wine a day helpful. Of course the benefit of the berry is that it contains other helpful ingredients and does not have the negative affects of alcohol. These anthocranins help boost the anti-aging affects of the berry.

So one might ask why as the acai berry been a mystery up to know, one of the major reasons is that its helpfulness lessens quickly after harvest. The key to preserving the acai berries helpful nature is to immediately freeze the fruit after harvest and then transport it for use. This is key to look for when purchase a product that includes the acai berry. Once the acai berry is made into a concentrated drink it is able to hold up because of the other items in the drink. Many stores now are starting to sell the acai berry in their raw form. Both methods can be used affectively.

Also the acai berry is helpful on the digestive track that helps your body loss weight. When your body is able digest correctly it breaks down food more affectively giving you more energy and allowing yourself to process food more affective. The acai berry will help you in many ways. While it is not a cure all that many wish it to be it is a safe and helpful additive to your diet.

Acai juice is originated from the Acai berry that is harvest from the Acai palm. The Acai palm is originated in South America and a local product from many Amazons and especially Brazilians. While many think that these Acai juices and blends are made right from the berries as their picked that is not true. While this can be true when your in South America it is not in the United States. The Acai berry needs to be frozen and processed to keep its beneficial qualities up to par. Once the berry is picked because of its high fatty acids it starts breaking down the antioxidants and fibers that are inside of it.

So how do we get a beneficial Acai berry here in the United States? The better products will have the Acai berry frozen immediately and broken down into a freeze dried product and then used in their product. So many of the smoothies and juices are actually artificially flavored not natural drinks, you must check the label to find out. Since the berry contains at least 10 times more antioxidants than grapes and even blueberries many companies are using this as a marketing ploy to sell a drink. Especially since the berry is similar in look to a grape as it is about an inch large and purple with a seed in the middle.

The facts are that the Acai juice that is on the market can have less helpful qualities than many of the pills that are available. If you enjoy the Acai juice products then they are for you. But many times these Acai juice products are higher priced than their pill substitutes and it can be harder to know exactly the levels of antioxidants you are getting. Either way the Acai berry is helpful to your body and should be part of everyone’s diet.

Any food that contains high levels of antioxidants is always a good thing, but that does not mean that the antioxidants are the very property that makes the food a good tool for dieting. That is the most common misconception surrounding acai berry and all acai berry based products. As many people already know, this small, innocuous-looking, dark purple berry has been praised by the western world as the super food to top all super foods. It seems that the acai berry has 12 times the antioxidants as compared to the blueberry. Antioxidants help preserve the cells of the body by encouraging faster cell renewal. This helps keep the skin clear and young looking. This also contributes to the overall feeling on youth and stamina. However, antioxidants do not directly help in shedding off those unwanted pounds.

So why is the acai berry (and all other products based on the fruit) being hailed as the best tool for dieting? The answer lies in its two lesser known properties. To be more precise, acai berry contains high levels of fiber and omega fatty acids.

High levels of fiber in itself can be used as a tool for dieting since it flushes out the toxins and most other unwanted materials from the body. Fiber is especially helpful in binding to the fat deposits in some food. In which case, the fats gets expelled out of the body with the fiber. This lessens the incidence of the body actually absorbing such fats.

On the other hand, omega fatty acids almost have the same toxin flushing property. These essential acids help increase blood flow by keeping the bad cholesterol and glycerine at a comfortable level. If a person has high levels of bad cholesterol and glycerine in his or her bloodstream, chances are the vessels of the carotid arteries will constrict. So much so that the constriction will make the blood move in a more sluggish manner. This will make digestion (among all bodily functions) slow down as well. If digestion is slowed down, then the process of eliminating waste from the body is likewise stalled. So high levels of omega fatty acids ensure that the body keeps bad cholesterol at bay; in turn, this speed up the digestive process considerably, making waste expelling relatively faster and easier.

Fiber is also known to be a natural appetite suppressant. Fiber rich foods tend to keep the body satiated from hunger for longer periods of time. It allows the stomach to feel like it is always “full” even when there are less calories being taken in by the person. This tends to curb most unwanted tendencies to binge or eat beyond the scope of the recommended diet.

Likewise, omega fatty acids lower down the glycerine or blood sugar level in the lymphatic system. If a person has very high levels of blood sugar, the body feels the need to eat and eat some more. The bad news to this scenario is that once a person eats, the blood sugar increases as well, making the person’s need to eat more food even more urgent. This cycle does not stop, even several hours after digestion. By helping control the levels of glycerine in the system, omega fatty acids also help curb the appetite, making the person less prone to seek calorie rich foods particularly carbohydrate-based sweets.

The ORAC, or Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, is an index that shows the amount of antioxidants in a single food source. It has become an important indicator of a fruit or vegetable’s ability to eliminate free radicals that damage cells in the human body.

Free radicals
Imagine rust forming on metal. As rust eats away the surface, the metal erodes and eventually becomes unusable. This is how free radicals attack our body - they weaken our cells, organs, tissue and other important parts, leading to diseases such as cancer, heart ailments, osteoarthritis and dementia.

The ORAC scale
The ORAC test identifies and measures important antioxidants in a food source. Foods with a high ORAC score can raise the antioxidant levels in the blood by up to 25 percent. Doctors recommend that we consume fruits and vegetables with a total ORAC score of 1,750 per day.

Different plants have different levels of antioxidants. You may consume five kinds of fruits and get only 1,300 ORAC units. Yet a handful of blueberries can give you an ORAC score of 9,000 per 100 grams. The USDA’s recommended level of ORAC units is 3,000 to 5,000 daily.

Acai tops the ORAC list
Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, cranberries and pomegranates score high on the ORAC index. But no single food source comes close to the ORAC score of the acai berry from Brazil.

A new research published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry shows that the acai has the highest ORAC antioxidant value of any food.

Compared to blackberries (53), pomegranates (105), and blueberries (92), acai has an amazing ORAC score of 1,027 per gram. Some samples of freeze-dried acai even turned out ORAC results of up to 50,000.

While these figures are impressive, they do not apply to all acai. Acai berries that have been frozen, spray dried or air dried have a lower ORAC score because many of the phytochemicals, enzymes and nutrients of the acai fruit are lost in the procedure.

To achieve the highest ORAC values, buy only acai products that are properly freeze-dried.

Many start a diet with high hopes. However, after the initial enthusiasm of the diet rubes off, many people simply give up to go back to old habits. Moreover, people think that there must be an easier way to lose weight and go fad diet hunting! The fact is that you don’t need to throw in the towel so soon. This article will give you some diet skills that will help you stick to your diet and make long term change.

1. Diets that work take time Diet has become a dirty word. When people think of a diet they think that they have to starve themselves, eat foods they don’t like and in the back of their they are saying to themselves “how long will i stick to this one”? Diets that work long term will need long term discipline on your behalf. The pain of discipline is far less painful than the pain of failure and regret. Commit that you aim to lose .5kg per week on your new diet. Commit that the changes that you are making will be for life and not just for a few weeks.

2. Choosing the wrong diet Diet selection is critical. Many people chose the newest fad on the market thinking that they will get the results. Think again. Choose a diet that contains the foods you like. If you enjoy carbohydrates, choosing a plan that doesn’t allow for moderate carbohydrate intake would be unrealistic. Take a diet profile to help you with your selection.

3. Unrealistic Goals Don’t create goals that are unachievable. Your weight loss and diet goals need to realistic. On a diet and weight loss program losing about .5kg per week is attainable. Perhaps a little more at the beginning of the diet program due to some water loss, however, after week two back to more consistent weight loss. Also don’t weight yourself too often. Once per week is ample on any diet you choose.

Herbs are well known for their skin nurturing properties. They can bring back the lost sheen without side effect, if used as prescribed. This article explains briefly the general properties of skin and some herbs found around the household that can be used to enhance the radiance of your skin.

Skin is the largest organ of our body and has a surface area of approximately 2 sq m. It protects the body from environmental pollution and bears the brunt of UV radiation as well. It is also an organ of elimination and eliminates waste matter in the form of sweat.

A healthy body has a healthy skin. Some digestive disorders like constipation and sluggish bowel can lead to skin disorders. If your gut has a predominance of bad bacteria over the good ones, then it can lead to skin conditions like acne, rosacea, psoriasis etc. So these toxins in the body have to be eliminated in the first place. A simple way to eliminate toxins is by drinking adequate amount of water at intervals. Increasing the fiber content in diet also helps improve the digestive capabilities. In case of chronic adverse skin conditions a colon cleansing is recommended.

Ayurvedic Skin Care

Ayurveda system recommends a number of herbal preparations that can help anyone to get a radiant skin free of blemishes. The system recommends a way of life which when adopted can get you not only a beautiful skin but also a healthy body, mind and spirit. This is accomplished with no side effects. Some herbal preparations for beautiful skin are given below.

Cynodon Dactylon also known as Bermuda grass has a positive action on skin. A paste made of a handful of this grass and a finger of turmeric should be smeared on the body in a thin layer and left for an hour or so. Then wash it off with water. This is effective in clearing most of the skin diseases, blemishes, boils, itching etc.

Cassia auriculata (Tanner’s Cassia) flowers can give you a radiant and glowing skin. A decoction of the fresh flowers or the fresh flowers themselves when taken regularly cures body odour, body heath, salt deposits on skin etc apart from making your skin stunningly radiant.

To achieve a toned and well-sculpted body through muscle building, proper exercises with the right equipments, an obliging diet as well as a good muscle building supplement are essential. Muscle building requires specific workouts especially for the major muscle groups such as the abdominis, the quadriceps, the deltoids, the pectorals and the biceps. These parts of the body can be fashioned to be toned and well-sculpted as the muscles are elastic. Weight lifting is ideal for building muscle mass as well as other exercises such as swimming, running and brisk walking. When building the muscles, body fat is initially eliminated therefore there may be a need to reduce calorie intake.

Through the course of the muscle building regimen, it is necessary to add nutrients such as carbohydrates and proteins in the diet. Carbohydrates is essential for energy maintenance during workouts. Proteins, on the other hand is the most required nutrient for developing the muscles. Rich sources of protein are chicken, beef, pork, fish, eggs, dairy foods as well as nuts, seeds, beans and lentils. Aside from sufficient nutrients, a muscle building supplement should also be included in the regimen to augment vitamin and mineral intake. During the past decades, one of the most widely researched muscle building supplement is bee pollen.

It has been conclusively found in studies that bee pollen as a muscle building supplement contains twice as much iron as any other food. On a per calorie basis, bee pollen has been found to have more beneficial effects than fruits and vegetables alone. Bee pollen as a muscle building supplement promotes the effective flow of oxygen throughout the body. With protein being the most essential nutrient in muscle building, the bee pollen muscle building supplement contains twice the amount of muscle building protein found in beef. A remarkable amount of antioxidant vitamins such as Vitamins A, C and E are also contained in the bee pollen muscle building supplement.

In fact, bee pollen has been found to include the maximum amounts of Vitamin A than every known food except tomatoes. The bee pollen muscle building supplement also hold three essential forms of Vitamin B including thiamin and niacin. Studies carried out in 1992 showed results of bee pollen being an excellent source of calcium. A high level of dietary calcium is necessary for the development of strong and sturdy bones. As skeletal muscles need to be stimulated for successful muscle building, it goes without saying that the bee pollen muscle building supplement is beneficial for this endeavor. It is by far too broad and expanse to discuss the particular ingredients of bee pollen in augmenting the development of muscle mass.

It is interesting to note, however, that the bee pollen muscle building supplement contains the highest level of folic acid than any of today’s common foods. Folic acid has an indispensable function in cell generation and prostate gland support. In increasing stamina and energy levels in athletic performances, the bee pollen muscle building supplement also performs a vital role. Muscle building supplements are taken to boost muscle size, increase the rate of fat loss, improve joint health and to prevent potential nutrient deficiencies. Scientific consensus supports the effectiveness of only a small number of commercially available muscle building supplements when the consumer is healthy and physically active.

When resorting to the bee pollen muscle building supplement a barrage of other supplements need not be taken as it is complete in itself.

Loose, saggy skin doesn’t happen only to the elderly. Even people in their thirties and twenties can start to display the signs of a wattle. Unless you’re a turkey, it’s a good idea to consider a skin care product like a neck firming cream to help improve your skin tone and elasticity.

The integrity of our skin’s structure — and subsequently, its smoothness, suppleness, and health — relies significantly on the presence of two skin proteins: collagen and elastin. As we grow older, the secretion of these proteins lessens and our skin becomes looser, saggier. It also becomes dry and wrinkles appear to become more prominent, making us look older than our years.

Did you know that the neck is one of the places on the body where we first start to look old?

It’s true. Look at the skin of a person’s neck, sometimes the lines there are even more apparent than facial wrinkles. Even someone who’s had a facelift (especially if it was a cheap procedure) doesn’t fully succeed in looking younger because of sagging neck skin.

Happily, there are ways to have a successful and painless neck lift without having to undergo neck surgery. One of the beneficial things you can do is perform a neck exercise. Here are two examples:

1. The Lip-Nose Exercise. While sitting upright, tilt your head back. Look at the ceiling (or the sky, if you’re outdoors) and make your lower lip go over your upper lip as far as it can reach, as if you were trying to touch the tip of your nose with your lower lip. Maintain the farthest position you can reach with your lower lip for at least five seconds. Repeat five more times, relaxing for a few seconds in between.

2. The Kissing Exercise. Again, sit upright with your head tilted back and your eyes looking straight up. Now, imagine the ceiling (or sky) showing the yummiest food, or perhaps the face of person you love the most. Concentrate on puckering your lips, as if you were about to give a kiss. Then stretch those puckered lips upwards as far as you can make them, like you were trying to kiss the image inches or feet above you. Maintain the “kiss” for ten seconds. Relax your lips and neck for a few counts, then repeat each kiss five times. This is one great exercise for the neck.

You’ll feel your neck muscles and skin activate and stretch while doing the neck exercises; just make sure you don’t tilt your head back excessively and strain your neck. They’re so simple and easy to do, and it doesn’t matter if your family or your co-workers give you strange looks if they catch you doing them. They might want to try out the exercises themselves once you show them how effective they can be!

Enhance Those Neck and Face Exercises with a Firming Neck Cream

But not just any neck firming cream you can get in your favorite beauty product store, mind you. In particular, beware of anti aging products that boast of collagen content. Remember the importance of collagen for healthy skin that I mentioned earlier? That’s true, but collagen replacement skincare products are big, fat — and oftentimes — expensive lies.

The collagen included in such anti aging skin care products are derived from animal by-products such as hooves and beaks, which are incompatible with our bodies’ own collagen. Furthermore, its molecules are simply too big for our skin to absorb. So, the incompatible collagen just sits on the surface of your skin after you apply your store-bought firming cream, doing nothing at all.

An ideal cream to firm your neck, therefore, would be something that works from the inside, pushing your body to make more collagen and elastin naturally. It should contain ingredients such as vitamin E and vitamin A, which are natural collagen-production boosters.

Consider also a technological breakthrough called Cynergy TK. Derived from all-natural sources in New Zealand, it’s a hypoallergenic ingredient that contains functional keratin — keratin being another vital substance for healthy skin. It has been clinically proven to galvanize the body’s natural collagen and elastin production, as well as its ability to retain moisture. Thus, it significantly helps skin become suppler, smoother, and healthier.

Have you ever wondered why it is that so many Japanese women and other Asian women look so much younger than their years? It certainly is intriguing to know just what is it in Japanese skincare products that seems to delay or stop the aging process, and makes skin look so smooth, healthy, and young.

The Japanese have traditionally used Mother Nature’s gifts from the earth and the sea to nourish and beautify their skin. Let’s take a look at some of the natural beauty ingredients that the women of Japan have been using since ancient times.

Azuki. A kind of red bean, it is also known as adzuki or aduki. It is a centuries-old traditional beauty ingredient in Japan and in some other Asian countries. Women would place ground azuki in small silk pouches, which they would then rub on their face to keep it smooth and free from blemishes.

Komenuka Rice Bran. Another super ingredient in Japanese skin care tradition, it enjoys a reputation as excellent skin food. Its nourishment properties help keep the skin looking young and smooth by preventing wrinkles from appearing and by controlling the skin’s natural oil production.

Wakame Kelp. This is a kind of sea algae found in the waters of Japan and is one of the superstars in Japanese traditional and natural skincare. Its other health benefits are so many that it’s also used as an ingredient in many Japanese dishes.

One of the things that is so amazing about wakame algae is its remarkable ability to prevent the breakdown of hyaluronic acid, a substance that our body needs in order to maintain healthy skin and keep it supple, firm, and young. Having insufficient amounts of hyaluronic acid leads to dark circles under the eyes and to dry, unappealing skin.

Another characteristic of this Japanese seaweed derivative is the excellent protection it provides from harmful free radicals, which cause our skin to age prematurely. It is rich in minerals needed for skin health and beauty, such as calcium, potassium, and vitamin B. It truly is a beauty preserver, and an outstanding skin care product ingredient.

You don’t necessarily have to be Japanese in order to experience the beneficial effects of these traditional beauty products used in Japan. There are anti-aging products like face creams, eye creams, and firming masks that contain them, and which you can buy regardless of your race or skin color.