Vitamin Information Center

It’s often said that good health is the foundation of beauty. I’m willing to take that statement a step farther and claim that a balanced diet is the foundation of good health - and, therefore, beauty. For proof, just read the numerous medical studies that link healthy eating with disease prevention and disease reversal. These same studies connect high fat intake, high sodium consumption, and diets with too much protein to numerous illnesses, including obesity, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diverticular diseases, hypertension, and kidney disease. And of course, there are all the looks-stealing side effects of a poor diet, such as thinning hair, scaly skin, breakouts, pale complexion, nail disorders, and excess weight. A nutrient-weak diet can also exacerbate existing skin conditions such as psoriasis and rosacea.

There are all kinds of health reasons to curb your salt intake to the recommended limit of 500 mg per day. For those prone to breakouts, iodine - a mineral found in iodized salt and seafood is believed by many professionals to contribute to acne flare-ups.

But what exactly is a balanced diet? Generally speaking, it is a diet comprising carbohydrates, dietary fiber, fat, protein, water, 13 vitamins, and 20 minerals. More specifically, it is a diet built around a wide variety of fruits, legumes, whole grains, and vegetables. Animal protein, high-fat foods, high-sodium foods, highly sugared foods, sodas, and processed foods are consumed sparingly, if at all. Of course, there are several ways to get your daily allotment of nutrients. Here are several of the most common diets.

All about omnivores

How healthy is an omnivorous diet? It depends. Omnivores may eat cheese, eggs, meat, poultry, fish, or seafood every day, choose refined snacks, and get only one daily serving of fruits and vegetables. This is not the healthiest option for those on an omnivorous diet.

On the other hand, those omnivores who limit animal-based foods to two or three times a week, choose water over soft drinks, and get the recommended five or more daily servings of fruits and vegetables have a much healthier diet. The usual complaints about traditional omnivorous diets revolve around the diet’s high levels of cholesterol and saturated fat (found in animal-based foods), which can increase the risk of cancer diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. However, an omnivorous diet can actually be a healthy one, provided that thoughtful choices are made. To keep cholesterol and saturated fat to a minimum and nutrients to a maximum, omnivores should aim to eat five or more daily servings of fruits and vegetables, choose whole grains over refined grains, enjoy daily legume or soy food protein sources, and limit their consumption of animal-based foods.

Everyone knows that, in order to lead a normal life, a good state of the mind and body is essential. We all know the basic rules of maintaining a healthy life style and staying in good shape, but as much as we may try to follow these rules, nature takes its course and we reach a point where we find it quite difficult to lead that active and busy life that we used to. In addition to that, there are certain factors that work against us. Unhealthy food, changes in the environment, pollution- all these have a tremendous influence on our health. Fortunately, the technology that seems to have caused most of the irreversible and damaging changes in our environment is also responsible for some major breakthroughs, which can be used to our advantage. Scientists are discovering new remedies and cures every day, and each step that they take brings us closer to that “fountain of youth” that mankind has been dreaming of from the beginning of times. Some remedies have just been discovered; others have been around for a very long time, but it has taken the science world quite a long time to demonstrate their benefits. Furthermore, almost everything that is synthetic has side effects. This means that alongside with the positive effects that a certain synthetic substance may have at an early stage, it may also have some negative effects. In other words, some substances may improve a certain condition or even cure it, but they may also lead to the development of a new one, which in most cases is also more serious. The solution is therefore to look for supplements whose positive effects have been demonstrated scientifically. Moreover, we can rely on the substances and hormones that our bodies produce naturally up to a certain age as very good means to fight certain conditions or improve our general well being. I am talking about DHEA and HGH supplements.

DHEA, short for dehydroepiandrosterone, is a hormone produced by the adrenal gland, which is situated above the kidney. DHEA is broken down by our bodies into estrogen, in women, and testosterone in men. Like any other hormone in our body, DHEA is responsible for functions such as growth and metabolism. It has been demonstrated that DHEA has both mental and physical effects. The production of DHEA decreases with age; in fact, studies have shown that the sulfated form of DHEA decreases dramatically over the lifespan. Clinical studies on humans have been started as early as the 1950s. Some of the studies have shown the amazing benefits of DHEA supplements, while others remained inconclusive. What is known for certain is that DHEA functions as an increment in the aging process and that it improves the quality of life. Studies have shown that DHEA has healing and strengthening benefits, it boosts energy, it helps decrease depression, and it promotes weight loss and muscle build.

HGH, the human growth hormone, is responsible for the healthy development of muscles and bones. In early adult years, the pituitary gland, situated in the brain, produces HGH. Just as with DHEA, the secretion of HGH decreases with age. The process slows down around the time that the growth process stops. This is when we start experiencing those aging signs that can be so annoying. Everyone knows that the occurrence of manifestations such as weight gain, hair loss, decreased sexual performance, increased body fat, thinning skin and even decreased mental performance is normal, as we grow old. Still, as normal as they may be, these signs can’t be pleasing, especially if they start occurring in an early stage of your adult life. What many people do not know is that they can fight the aging process by taking natural supplements and vitamins that stimulate the natural production of HGH. People who lead an active life, such as sports persons, should know that studies have demonstrated the fact that HGH works as a strength and flexibility booster, aside from its anti-aging properties.
by Groshan Fabiola