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

Getting Enough Potassium?

Here's a nutrient you definitely don't want to leave home without. It's an essential mineral contained in most foods, and acts like an electrolyte in the body, carrying nutrients to cells and getting rid of excess waste. While incidents of potassium deficiency are far and few between, too low levels of potassium can weaken bones and collagen, increasing your susceptibility to fractures, skin lesions and connective tissue problems.

Potassium isn't as plentiful as it used to be in the diet. The widespread lack of potassium in modern America is largely due to the over processing of foods and high levels of added sodium, both of which rob potassium of its health benefits.

Potassium supplements come strongly recommended for drug and alcohol abusers, smokers, those with eating disorders, and workers and athletes who experience high levels of exertion. In many cases, the need for a potassium supplement can be reduced but cutting back on salt and sodium in everyday diet. 

Organic Vitamins: Better than the Rest?

I would have to say that anything organic is more nutritious than its inorganic counterpart, food-based supplements included. Food-based organic vitamins tend to contain one or more nutrients extracted from an organic whole food source and concentrated to deliver more than 100 times the nutrition contained in the all-natural foodstuff.

Keep in mind, though, that the terms organic and certified organic are USDA labeling terms that refer to the growing and handling of whole foods without the use of pesticides, herbicides and / or chemical fertilizers - or their processing with food additives or radiation. For animals, organic means raised without the use of antibiotics and / or growth hormones.

Dietary supplements are not USDA inspected nor are they required by law to meet USDA standards for food. Subsequently, your search for quality organic vitamins may require a bit more of your attention than expected. You'll find most quality organic vitamins to be perishable and in liquid form and with individual ingredients identified on the label as "organic" or "certified organic."  Brands such as Peter Gillham and Hero Nutritionals come highly recommended, as do various brands which advertise their organic vitamins as "supergreen food" or "green superfood."

Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 'Out Wheys' Others

Hydrolyzed whey peptides in Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard offer pure, unadulterated protein with lactase and digestive enzymes for maximum absorption. This means more whey for your workout, quick recovery and the ultimate rip.

What's the difference between Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard and other protein powders? For starters, 100% Gold Standard delivers 23 grams of protein per one ounce serving - more than most two-scoop brands. Secondly, Gold Standard is low in calories and carbohydrates - and high in potassium and calcium, minerals needed to build lean muscle and fortify bones.

The best thing about Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard is its easy to digest, doesn't make you feel bloated or gassy and rarely leads to stomach upset. Considering Gold Standard's average price of under $10 a pound, Optimum Nutrition out wheys the competition in more wheys than one.

Omega-3 EFAs Shown to Reduce Mortality

Omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) found in deepwater fish, fish oil and vegetable oils such as flaxseed, walnut and canola, have been shown to nourish skin, hair and nails, reduce blood pressure and keep cholesterol and triglyceride levels in check. As a result of omega-3 EFA health benefits, the FDA in 2004 allowed for qualified health claims on products containing the nutrient.

The impact of this "healthy fat" on mortality rates is imminent. It's been found to reduce plaque build up on arterial walls and protect against cardiovascular disorders. It's also being looked at closely for its potential in reducing painful inflammation of the joints.

Prior to purchasing an omega-3 supplement, make sure levels of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) - compounds responsible for the nutrient's health benefits - are highly concentrated. Chances are you'll end up purchasing a fish oil supplement, the grade of which is indicated by the products freshness and purity, its distillation process and the absence of PCBs and heavy metals.

Nordic Naturals Best Source of Omega

By now, we're all fairly convinced that Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids benefit good health. The FDA in 2004 agreed to a qualified health claim on products containing the essential omegas and Nordic Naturals, high in DHA and EPA, is flying off the shelves. I order Nordic Naturals online now because Whole Foods is always out-of-stock.

Eating omega-rich fish is good. And so is consuming flax seed, summer squash, olive oil, beans and nuts. So why is it then we don't eat enough of these opulent omegas? While some don't have the time to eat right; others don't make the time. And as some diets are dangerously low in nutrients, few do anything to change course.

It's never too late to start. Nordic Naturals carries a variety of Omega 3, 6 and 9 supplements and offers a heart-healthy arsenal of EPA and DHA good for cardiovascular wellness, skin, blood pressure and cholesterol. Don't wait another minute. Get omega in your diet, live long and prosper.

Nitro Tech and Cell Tech Hardcore Gets you Big, Fast

Gain more than eight pounds of lean muscle in two weeks claims MuscleTech, manufactures of Nitro Tech and Cell Tech Hardcore protein formulas. Is it possible? Yes, but not recommended for wimps. You gotta' be pumpin' pretty heavy to use these amino boosting, protein synthesizing muscle gainers that, when taken regularly, turn a wimpy weightlifter physique into a major mass of bodybuilding envy.

Called the most potent protein formulas ever, Nitro Tech and Cell Tech Hardcore supplements target fast, efficient muscle recovery, so you extend training sessions longer and get bigger and stronger faster. MuscleTech delivers amino acids directly to muscles via the bloodstream, heightening their bioavailability in the body's manufacture of protein and benefiting lean muscle quicker.

Nanomolecular Hyperdispersion Technology™ is the process by which Nitro Tech and Cell Hardcore products are manufactured, ensuring the highest quality ingredients and resulting in the ultimate body. Build big muscles and keep lean muscle longer with Nitro Tech and Cell Tech Hardcore powders.

Niacin B3 Promotes Longevity

A little more niacin in the diet may go a long way, say nutritionists. In addition to its essential metabolic role in breaking down carbohydrates and fats, this well-known B3 vitamin may help lower blood cholesterol and reduce the chance of clogged arteries and heart problems. Although frequently added to breakfast cereals, grain products and other foods, a daily niacin supplement may improve longevity and overall good health.

Those strongly encouraged to take niacin supplements are heavy drinkers, as alcohol inhibits the absorption of niacin, and vegans and vegetarians - as most B vitamins are obtained from eating fish, red meat and dairy products.

Aside from its cholesterol-lowering benefits, niacin helps to cleanse and detoxify the body and may improve cognitive function and aid in the absorption of other nutrients. Sufficient levels of niacin are also said to maintain GI tract and nervous system health.

A New Chapter in Killer Cells

New Chapter Host Defense gets its power from mushrooms - an immune-enhancing blend of 16 toadstools said to increase Natural Killer Cell activity by as much as 300 percent. As you may know, Natural Killer (NK) cells are central to the immune system in combating infectious agents and dispelling free radical stress.

Among New Chapter's list of fighting fungus is reishi, a mushroom known widely for its therapeutic use in folk medicine. It's been used in Asia for nearly 4,000 years as a health tonic and today to treat the liver, heart, asthma, high blood pressure and arthritis.

New Chapter cost a little more but is worth the money. New Chapter Host Defense contains plant sterols to aid allergies and inflammation and is unstoppable as an antioxidant in fighting everyday toxins, airborne viruses and relieving mental and physical stress.

New Chapter is Powerful Nutrition for Men

Having taken a multivitamin everyday for most of my life, during which time I've experimented with quite a few brands, I can safely say New Chapter Every Man is by far one of the most complete formulas I've enjoyed. New Chapter Every Man not only includes high vitamin and mineral counts, it delivers proven antioxidant herbs such as fenugreek, oregano and rosemary to fight the everyday environmental toxins we're exposed to in food, water and air - and there's more.

Saw Palmetto in New Chapter Every Man benefits prostate health while ginger and turmeric battle free radicals that attack blood and body tissue. Can herbs accomplish everything naturopaths say they can?

Man has been benefiting from the medicinal use of the herbs found in New Chapter Every Man for thousands of years. Tonics, topicals and internal treatments that rely on herbs appear in Chinese Traditional and Ayurvedic medicinal literature as far back as early A.D. Although modern pharmacology bases the majority of its treatments on synthetic derivatives and chemical compounds, more and more drug companies are seeing the light and incorporating age old herbs and ingredients into alternative medicines. Try New Chapter Every Man and experience the difference herbs make in a multivitamin supplement.

MyChelle Apple Brightening is Superb Exfoliate

As an avid consumer of personal care products I favor MyChelle skin care. The mission of this fine entrepreneur is aligned with my own beliefs regarding non-toxic dermatological solutions and MyChelle Apple Brightening, I feel, is superior in quality and value.

Levels of active ingredients in MyChelle are concentrated. All products are plant-based, and preserved with essential oils, powerful antioxidants and exceptional antimicrobial extracts – no coloring agents, parabens or artificial fragrances.

What I like most about MyChelle Apple Brightening is the way the exfoliate leaves my skin feeling clean, invigorated and nourished. It's one of the few natural skin cleansers that rely on free-radical-fighting resveratrol and revitalizers mulberry, gallic acid and green tea extract. An Apple Brightening a day just may keep the dermatologist away!