VitaBlog The Vitacost Blog: Views and News on Vitamins, Supplements and Herbs

A Strong Immune System – It Does a Body Good!

The immune system guards the body from potentially-harmful bacteria, viruses and parasites. Stress, lack of sleep and poor nutrition are some factors that can contribute to your immune system running down – and, if you're not careful, temporarily stopping you right in your tracks. 

In order to give your immune system a boost, it's important to take care of yourself. Try:

• Going for a walk or run, or working out
• Enjoying a bit of quiet time by doing yoga, meditation or just communing with nature
• Losing yourself in a book
• Making sure you get plenty of restorative sleep every night
• Committing to nourishing your body every day

Experts recommend the following vitamins for immune system support: vitamins A, C and E. In addition, the following minerals may help: copper, iron, pyridoxine, selenium and zinc.

With all that's going on in your busy life, Vitacost.com makes it easier to maintain the nutritional standards necessary for your immune system to stay well and ward off any complications that might come its way. Click here to find out more!

Proper Fluid Replacement Prevents Dehydration

There's nothing like working up a good sweat – just make sure to keep your body sufficiently hydrated. Proper fluid replacement is key to preventing dehydration after an intense workout or sports outing.

But sometimes, water is not enough. Luckily, there are many fluid replacement products designed to rebalance your body's electrolytes. Electrolytes are salts found in bodily fluids, tissue, and blood. They're vital for proper communication between cells and proper function of your heart, muscles and nerves. 

Keeping your system's electrolyte balance in check is easy. You can turn water into "sports water" instantly with a powder additive and dietary supplement containing potassium, magnesium, calcium, manganese and chromium.

Vitacost.com offers refreshing, nutritious and great-tasting ways to obtain these vital nutrients. One example is Alacer ElectroMIX—a revitalizing, lemon-lime powder you can mix with water to obtain the electrolytes your body needs.

Click here for more information on how Vitacost.com can offer you savings on this unique sports nutrition product.

Teen Vitamins Support Active, Growing Bodies

The teen years are those of rapid growth and change – growing bodies, growing minds and growing independence. With all that's going on in your teenager's life, how can you be sure that your son or daughter obtains the nutrition needed meet these changes head on?

According to the U.S. government Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the following nutrients are particularly important for teens: calcium, magnesium, potassium and vitamin E.

In addition, a study in the December 2006 Journal of the American Dietetic Association suggests teens who take a daily multi-vitamin supplement have overall healthier diets and lifestyles than teens who do not.

Vitacost.com offers a line of teen vitamins customized to meet the requirements of both girls, who may require added iron to replenish the body with that lost during menstrual periods, and boys, who may need higher levels of zinc.

Vitacost.com takes great pride in offering you teen vitamins at the lowest prices available, so your on-the-go teen can stay on-the-go!

Click here to see Vitacost's complete selection of teen vitamins.

NEW Diet Advisor Helps You Choose Which Supplements Are Best for You

Losing weight is challenging enough—don't let yourself get frustrated with the endless selection of diet products out there. Now, simply plug your height and weight into our Diet Advisor tool, and we'll determine which weight loss supplements are best for you.

The Diet Advisor is a free service newly available from Vitacost.com. After submitting your personal information, the Diet Advisor will calculate your body mass index, or the relationship between your height and weight. You'll be informed whether you're underweight, overweight or within a healthy weight range.

The Diet Advsior will then provide you with suggestions for daily meal plans, including healthy breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner ideas, and options for supplements that may help you meet your personal weight goals. You'll also receive links to learn more about and/or purchase other healthful and convenient foods and drinks.

To try the new Vitacost.com Diet Advisor, please click here.

You've Got (Health) Mail! Sign Up for Your Free Newsletters Today!

Besides offering an incredible selection of nutrition products at remarkably low prices, Vitacost.com strives to provide our customers with helpful, up-to-date information on the latest health news and discoveries. We offer a variety of free health newsletters to keep you informed, and to help you make the best-possible decisions about the products you purchase.

"For Your Health" is a once-weekly free health newsletter that offers an in-depth look at vitamins and other nutrients and how they affect your health. Written by Vitacost.com president, Allen Josephs, M.D., For Your Health reviews the latest scientific and medical studies on nutrition and health and provides suggestions for supplements that may help you.

"Daily Health Tip" is a once-daily free health newsletter consisting of current, mainstream health news stories, along with several corresponding product recommendations. Topics are wide ranging, covering important subjects such as diet and weight loss, sleep, bone health, brain health, women's health and more.

"Vitacost Values" is a once-weekly e-mail that gives subscribers special savings on Vitacost.com products. Sales include a wide variety of products, grouped according to different themes (i.e. brand name, type of vitamin, best-sellers, etc.) each week.

"Diet Deals" is also a free health newsletter giving subscribers exclusive savings on our high-quality, name-brand weight-loss products, as well as with links to other helpful diet products available at Vitacost.com.

To sign up to receive any or all of these free health newsletters, please click here.

Never Get Lost Again! Get a GPS Location Device Today

Forget matches, bottled water and Band-Aids®. To really prepare for an emergency, carry a global positioning satellite (GPS) location device on your next camping, sailing or mountain climbing trip.

GPS location devices, like the Revere Supply FastFind Plus™, use signals from satellites to pinpoint your exact location, anywhere in the world, within minutes, allowing search and rescue services to find you in the event of a life-threatening emergency.

For non-emergencies, GPS location devices, such as Garmin® StreetPilot® automotive navigators, will guide you as you drive from point A to point B, providing street names, estimated arrival times and even detailed traffic reports. Simply plug one of these helpful, easy-to-use devices into your car's lighter socket and you'll be on your way, never having to stop for directions again.

GPS devices are also available for those traveling by foot. The Garmin® Forerunner®, for example, uses an integrated GPS sensor to provide precise speed, distance and pace data. It features an ergonomic wristband and easy-to-read display and can also be supplemented with software that overlays courses on maps so runners can pinpoint specific areas and gauge how elevation and other factors affect performance.

Vitacost.com carries a number of GPS location devices at incredible savings, compared to other retailers. For more information, please click here.

January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month

Glaucoma, an eye condition involving damage to the optic nerve, which can lead to partial or complete loss of vision, affects approximately three million Americans. Yet, according to the Glaucoma Research Foundation, only half of these people know they have it.

To heighten awareness, January has been designated National Glaucoma Awareness Month. Many eye doctors and other organizations are offering free glaucoma screenings, as early detection is crucial for the prevention, slowing or treatment of this incurable disease. Click here for more information on how to obtain a free screening.

While January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month, steps can be taken anytime to protect your vision. Consider taking a daily supplement like Nutraceutical Sciences Institute®'s OcuPower®, a multi-vitamin containing nutrients such as lutein, zeaxanthin and bilberry to support visual health.

To see the full selection of vision supplements available from Vitacost.com, please click here.

Stick with Your Healthy Resolutions this New Year

Every January, millions of Americans vow to make big changes to their lives—no more fast food, visits to the gym at least three times a week, finally quitting smoking. But come February, these goals may already be thing of the past.

According to a Wall Street Journal Online/Harris Interactive Health-Care poll, 48 percent of U.S. adults made at least one New Year's resolution in 2006, with women more likely than men to set goals. Yet, only about half of those surveyed reported success in sticking with their resolutions.

To improve your chances of New Year's resolution success, consider the following advice:

Plan in advance. Give yourself time to think about changes you'd like to make. Don't wait until the last minute to come up with resolutions.

Research goals. Whether it's eating healthier or spending more time with family, use the Internet or visit the library to find information and ideas to support your goals.

Be realistic. One common reason New Year's resolutions fail is because they're too aggressive, or even impossible. Make goals manageable.

Set short-term goals. Set small goals that can be accomplished as part of a larger goal. This way, you'll see positive results and progress before long periods of time go by.

Write down goals. Keep the list somewhere where you'll see it often, like on your refrigerator, bathroom mirror or car dash board.

Do it for you. Make sure your goal isn't to please your spouse, your parents or anyone but yourself. You should be excited about what you're doing.

Keep track of progress. Make a chart or a list that lets you check off items daily, weekly or monthly.

Share goals. Tell others about your goal and talk about it often. It helps to have support from family and friends.

Devise coping strategies. Have a plan for what to do if you slip up or stray off track.

Be flexible. Understand that adjustments may need to be made for your goals to be accomplished. If something doesn't feel right, or if you're losing interest, take a step back and re-work your plan.

Keep Your Bladder Bacteria Free with Uva Ursi

Also known as "bearberry" because of the fondness bears have for its bright red or pink berries, uva ursi is an evergreen shrub that grows throughout North America, Europe, Siberia and the Himalayas.

Uva ursi is known to promote bladder health. It contains a compound called arbutin, which the body converts into hydroquinone, a substance with astringent and bacteria-fighting properties.

Besides providing antimicrobial benefits, uva ursi may promote urinary tract health by promoting urination, helping to flush harmful substances from the body. As it passes through urinary tract, uva ursi may also work to soothe irritation or discomfort.

The recommended dose for uva ursi is 100 mg to 200 mg capsules, up to four times daily or 1.5 to 2.5 mL (30 to 75 drops), three to four times per day. To order capsules or a liquid, click here.

Ginger Eases Queasy Stomachs

Commonly used as a spice in Chinese and Indian cuisine, ginger is also known as a digestive-health aid, offering relief for nausea and stomach discomfort associated with travel, pregnancy, illness and more.

Ginger is believed to stimulate digestive function and improve circulation to the digestive organs, increasing production of enzymes and fluids that ease the digestive process. It also has antioxidant properties and may function as an anti-inflammatory, helping ease pain associated with poor joint health.

Available in capsule form, the recommended dose of ginger for digestive health is 1,000 mg every four hours, or two 1,000 mg capsules three times daily. Ginger teas and beverages can also be sipped to soothe an upset stomach.

Please note: atificially flavored ginger ales and other ginger beverages do not offer the health benefits of genuine ginger. To view the complete selection of genuine ginger products available at Vitacost.com, click here.