Striving4Zen

Vitamin D and calcium: Like most nutrients, calcium is absorbed primarily in the small intestine. If large quantities are present, the body can easily absorb it. But in smaller amounts, the mineral gets absorbed with active assistance from vitamin D. Right now, official nutrition guidelines recommend that adults get 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium and 400 international units (IU) of vitamin D daily. For older adults, it’s a bit more. To give you an idea of how much that is, an 8-ounce glass of milk contains 300 mg of calcium and, because of fortification, 100 IU of vitamin D.

There’s debate these days about whether to revise the recommendations to reduce the goal for calcium intake (or at least de-emphasize it) and raise the goal for vitamin D by recommending a daily 1,000 IU vitamin D supplement.

Sodium and potassium: About 90% of the sodium we ingest comes in the form of sodium chloride — salt, in common parlance. Although sodium is an essential nutrient that helps maintain fluid levels in the body, the average American consumes far more of it each day than he or she needs.

Too much sodium can boost blood pressure, and with it, the chances of having a stroke or heart attack. Potassium counters the harmful cardiovascular effects of a surplus of sodium by encouraging the kidneys to excrete sodium. Many studies have shown a connection between high potassium intake and lower blood pressure. In fact, the potassium-to-sodium ratio may be more important than potassium—or sodium—alone.

Almost all of us need to have more potassium in our diets and a whole lot less sodium. And the best way to do that is to load up on fruits and vegetables (prime sources of potassium) and cut back on cookies, salty snacks, fast foods, and ready-made lunches and dinners (prime sources of sodium).

Vitamin B₁₂ and folate: Vitamin B₁₂ and folate work together to support some of the most fundamental processes of cell division and replication. They also metabolize homocysteine in tandem. Folate, which is itself one of the B vitamins, depends on vitamin B₁₂ to be absorbed, stored, and metabolized. Breakfast cereals with added vitamins and minerals typically contain vitamin B₁₂, and in the United States, cereal grains are fortified with folate.

Zinc and copper: Copper and zinc, both essential nutrients, compete for absorption sites in the small intestine. If there’s a lot of zinc around, copper tends to lose out and a copper deficiency may develop. Adults are supposed to get 900 micrograms of copper daily. The daily zinc goals are 11 mg for men and 8 mg for women. Getting enough zinc can lead to a copper deficiency, so it’s important to get enough of both to keep the nutrients in balance.

Neither mineral is rare in the American food supply, so copper and zinc deficiencies aren’t something most people need to worry about. One possible source of zinc overload is, of all things, denture cream.

Niacin and tryptophan: Niacin is probably best known for its cholesterol effects. Taken under medical supervision, large doses (500 mg to 1,500 mg per day) lower “bad” LDL cholesterol and increase “good” HDL cholesterol. But the daily niacin requirement is just 16 mg for men and 14 mg for women.

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and tryptophan is one of nine that we need to ingest because the body doesn’t synthesize them on its own. Tryptophan is a supplier of niacin, courtesy of some rather complicated metabolism. So one way to avoid niacin shortfalls is to eat foods that contain a lot of tryptophan. Chicken and turkey are high on that list.

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Labels: calcium, copper, eating healthy, good health, supplements, Vitamins, zinc

• Food with calcium.

Dairy products obviously contain calcium, but if you don’t eat dairy, try dark leafy greens, like kale or spinach. You can pretty much incorporate greens into every meal: spinach in a breakfast green monster, salad for lunch, and sauteed greens for dinner.

• Complex carbs.

Your brain is telling you to reach for that cookie, but your crampy belly will thank you if you have a piece of sprouted or whole grain bread with an indulgent topping, like honey and almond butter, or PB & dark chocolate chips, instead.

• Foods with magnesium.

Foods rich in magnesium, like beans, tofu, and nuts, are thought to reduce bloating in menstruating women. Shoot for at least 200mg per day.

• Foods rich in vitamin E.

A great source of vitamin E is avocado. You can whip up some guac or just slice one up and go to town!

• Foods full of vitamin B6.

This powerhouse of a vitamin aids in the metabolism of proteins and red blood cells, and has even been shown to relieve symptoms of depression. Potatoes and bananas are great sources of this vitamin. Snack on a banana and nuts to get your magnesium and B6 fix.

• Foods with iron.

Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency among women. Make sure you’re getting enough by consuming lots of dark greens, beans, and nuts. Red meat and eggs also contain iron, but it’s a myth that they’re the only good sources of it.

• Foods containing vitamin C and zinc.

Red berries, kiwi, and bell peppers have plenty of C, as do broccoli, spinach, and tomatoes. Pumpkin seeds are a great source of zinc. Add them to oatmeal, cereal, or salads. Top a sweet potato with pumpkin seeds, wilted spinach, a small handful of nuts, and a sprinkle of goat cheese for a delicious meal that incorporates many of the items on this list.

• Water, water, water.

Getting dehydrated is the easiest way to feel horrible when you’re on your period.

• Avoid salt.

I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but not only can salt interfere with the absoption of certain minerals, it also causes more bloating at a time when that’s the last thing you want.

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Labels: calcium, cramps, healthy diet, period

Swiss chard is a very good non-dairy source of calcium and an excellent source of vitamin K, which plays an important role in maintaining bone health since it activates osteocalcin, the major non-collagen protein in bone.
Swiss chard's rich supply of magnesium is also necessary for healthy bones. About two-thirds of the magnesium in the human body is found in our bones. Some helps give bones their physical structure, while the rest is found on the surface of the bone where it is stored for the body to draw upon as needed.
Swiss chard is also an excellent source of pro-vitamin A as it is rich in beta-carotene. and thus helps promote healthy vision. In a study of over 50,000 women, those who consumed the highest dietary amount of pro-vitamin A had a 39% reduced risk of developing cataracts.
Chard is also rich in the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, two powerful antioxidants that concentrate in the lens and retina to protect them from oxidative damage. Dietary intake of these carotenoids has been found to reduce risk of developing cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

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Labels: calcium, greens, swiss chard

A recent study claims that young adults are not drinking enough milk -- that is, if you read what the media reports. But if you really read the study according to the lead author Nicole Larson, it's calcium they're lacking.

Labels: calcium, Collard Greens, cows, eating healthy, green leafy vegetables, Green veggies, healthy food, milk, sesame seeds, turnip greens

• What is it? Salba is the trademarked name for the white seeds produced by a variety of Salvia hispanica L. — the same plant of Chia Pet fame.

• What are its health benefits? Gram for gram, Salba contains eight times more omega-3 fatty acids than salmon, 25% more fiber than flaxseed, and six times more calcium than whole milk. Stuffed with protein, antioxidants, and minerals, the seed has been shown to regulate blood sugar levels and blood pressure.

• How is it different from a chia seed? Although they have a similar shape and size, Salba boasts 35% more protein and 30% more omega-3s than chia seed. Salba also commands a higher price tag.

• What does it taste like? Salba has a bland taste that becomes slightly nutty when baked.

• How do you use it? Grown in Peru, Salba is sold in bags and as an ingredient in prepared foods, such as tortillas, breads, pastas, and chips. The whole seed works well sprinkled on salad or cereal, blended into smoothies, and ground into flour for baking.

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Labels: calcium, chia seeds, eating healthy, health food, nutritious, Omega-3s, Salba

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that helps the digestive system absorb and regulate calcium and phosphorous. Naturally present in fatty fish (such as sardines and mackerel), egg yolk, lanolin, and liver, it's also produced by your skin as a result of direct exposure to UVB rays in sunlight. Vitamin D comes in two forms: D2 (ergocalciferol), often derived from yeast, and D3 (cholecalciferol), the type the skin makes as a result of sunlight exposure.

Benefits

Strengthens bones and prevents osteoporosis. Recently, research has suggested it may prevent high blood pressure, as well as colon, prostate, and breast cancers. It also is highly effective in boosting immunity.

News

A 2008 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that low levels of vitamin D could lead to a substantially increased risk of death. Researchers analyzed vitamin D levels in 13,331 healthy men and women over the course of seven years. Low levels of vitamin D were linked to an increased risk of mortality from all causes by 26%.

How to take it

The current recommended dietary allowance of vitamin D is 200-600 IU. However, the National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends that adults age 50 and older consume 800-1,000 IU per day for bone health. The Institute of Medicine is expected to release new, significantly higher daily requirements for vitamin D next year. Ask your health care practitioner if you should take supplements, especially if you spend little time in the sunshine, live in a cloudy climate, have dark skin, are lactose intolerant, over age 50, overweight, or a strict vegetarian.

Side effects

Experts disagree on an upper limit of vitamin D, but the Institute of Medicine suggests that anyone over age 14 can safely consume up to 2,000 IU per day.

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Labels: calcium, eggs, healthy diet, immunity, sardines, skin, study, sunshine, Vitamin D, Vitamins

We eat for our health and to feed our our bones, blood, and bowels, but some nutrients just don't play well with others. Take calcium and iron for instance. Calcium can reduce your ability to absorb iron by as much as 50%. However, calcium only interferes with non-heme iron, which comes from plant-based foods, not with heme iron, found in meat. This interplay between calcium and iron is really only important if you suffer from anemia, because although short-term iron absorption is reduced by calcium, studies have found that iron stored in the blood is not.

When it comes to calcium, fiber binds to the mineral, reducing its absorption. Studies have found that wheat fiber reduces calcium absorption by about half. If you're like most folks and you aim to get a jump-start on fulfilling your recommended daily intake of fiber and calcium with your bowl of breakfast cereal, choose cereals that feature oats or other grains since they don't seem to block the calcium.

Ultimately, if you eat a well balanced diet and aim to eat your nutrients rather than find them in supplements, you're probably getting all the vitamins, minerals, and fiber you need. Just think of this post as a little food for thought.

Thanks Fit!

Labels: anemia, calcium, eating healthy, essential nutrient, fiber, heme iron, iron, nutrients

Does canned fish (salmon or tuna) have any sort of nutritional benefit when compared to fresh fish?

Canned light tuna, ordinarily made from skipjack tuna, actually poses a substantially lower risk in terms of mercury exposure than fresh yellowfin or albacore tuna. So this type of tuna-canned light tuna-is the type that's best for you to buy if you want to eat tuna relatively often, for example, about one meal per week. While canned light tuna might not provide you with more nutrients than fresh light tuna, it is still likely to be saving you nutrient supplies by allowing your body to avoid processing unwanted mercury.

A second type of fish that can have some surprising benefits when canned is salmon. Because canned salmon is often packed in its own oil, you may be getting the benefit of some extra omega-3 fatty acids. Canned salmon also includes the bones (which are safe to eat since they soften during the canning process) and these bones can provide you with some added nutritional benefits as well. For example, a 3-ounce serving of salmon has over half the calcium found in an 8-ounce glass of cow's milk.

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Labels: calcium, canned salmon, canned tuna, fish, healthy diet, mercury, nutrition, Omega-3s

Calcium is a mineral found in a wide variety of foods besides dairy products. Virtually all greens contain calcium. By "greens," I mean all the dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, chard, mustard greens, and collard greens as well as lettuces, like romaine. Shredded cabbage is also a source of calcium.

Virtually all nuts and seeds - and especially sesame seeds - contain calcium. So do most beans, including navy, pinto, kidney, and black and others. Additionally, tofu can also be an important source of calcium, particularly when the tofu has been calcium-precipitated (meaning that calcium was used to help convert the soy milk into tofu) it can provide a significant amount of calcium.

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Labels: beans, calcium, green leafy vegetables, healthy diet, Nuts, plant foods, seeds, tofu, vegetarian

Did you know that one cup of cooked collard greens will provide you with almost as much calcium as a cup of milk? Milk products are often considered the best source of calcium, so you may be surprised to find that while one cup of 2% milk provides 29% of the daily value (297 mg) for calcium, one cup of cooked collard greens contains almost as much: 23% of the daily value (226 mg)! And the collard greens have half the calories of the milk (50 calories compared to 121) with virtually no fat. Calcium is known primarily for its role in maintaining the strength and density of bones, but recent studies have shown that it is also important in helping to protect colon cells from cancer-causing chemicals, preventing migraine headaches, and reducing PMS symptoms during the second half of the menstrual cycle. Since the body tightly controls the amount of calcium in the blood so that sufficient calcium is always available, when dietary intake it too low, calcium is pulled out of the bones to maintain normal blood concentrations. This is why low dietary calcium can, over many years, lead to osteoporosis. So next time you are wondering how to boost your calcium intake, don't just think milk, think collard greens!

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Labels: calcium, Collard Greens, green leafy vegetables, healthy diet, vegetable

Magnesium and calcium

Magnesium and calcium are both sleep boosters, and when taken together, they become even more effective. Plus, by taking magnesium, you cancel out any potential heart problems that might arise from taking calcium alone. Take 200 milligrams of magnesium—lower the dose if it causes diarrhea—and 600 milligrams of calcium each night.

Wild lettuce

If you've suffered anxiety, headaches, or muscle or joint pain, you might already be familiar with wild lettuce. It's also effective at calming restlessness and reducing anxiety—and may even quell restless legs syndrome. When using a wild-lettuce supplement, take 30 to 120 milligrams before bed.

Hops

Beer fans will no doubt be familiar with the calming effect of hops, the female flowers used in beer making. For sleep purposes, though, this extract has been widely used as a mild sedative for anxiety and insomnia. Take 30 to 120 milligrams before climbing under the covers.

Aromatherapy

Lavender is the trick here, as studies have proven that it aids in sleep. It's also a cheap, nontoxic way to slip into a peaceful slumber. Find a spray with real lavender and spritz it on your pillow before bedtime. Or buy a lavender-filled pillow.

Melatonin

Melatonin is the hormone that controls sleep, so it's no wonder that it naturally induces sleep. Although some experts recommend taking higher doses, studies show that lower doses are more effective. Plus, there's concern that too-high doses could cause toxicity as well as raise the risk of depression or infertility. Take 0.3 to 0.5 milligrams before bed.

Yoga or meditation

Choose gentle yoga or stretching, not vigorous power or ashtanga yoga, which could energize you instead. Try easy yoga stretches in bed followed by simple meditation. Close your eyes and, for 5 to 10 minutes, pay attention to nothing but your breathing.

L-theanine

This amino acid comes from green tea and not only helps maintain a calm alertness during the day but also a deeper sleep at night. However, green tea doesn't contain enough L-theanine to significantly boost your REM cycles. Besides, you might then wake up to go to the bathroom. Instead, buy a brand called Suntheanine, which is pure L-theanine. (Other brands have inactive forms of theanine that block the effectiveness.) Take 50 to 200 milligrams at bedtime.

Valerian

Valerian is one of the most common sleep remedies for insomnia. Numerous studies have found that valerian improves deep sleep, speed of falling asleep, and overall quality of sleep. However, it's most effective when used over a longer period of time. One caveat? About 10% of the people who use it actually feel energized, which may keep them awake. If that happens to you, take valerian during the day. Otherwise, take 200 to 800 milligrams before bed.

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Labels: benefits of yoga, calcium, hops, l-theanine, magnesium, melatonin, natural products, natural therapy, sleep, valerian

When thinking about apple cider vinegar and its potential benefits, it's important to keep in mind that it is not a whole food, but rather a liquid derived from processing. While vinegar can be both delicious and nourishing, it is still not possible to consider it as a whole food.

High acidity

First and foremost, vinegar is usually highly acidic. The acidity of vinegar is typically related to its acetic acid content, and this content can vary fairly widely from vinegar to vinegar. For some individuals, especially those with stomach or digestive problems including acid reflux, vinegar might not be a desirable food component to include in their meal plan because it can serve as an irritant. I've seen some websites that recommend use of vinegar precisely because of its acidity. These websites suggest that vinegar can be used to help offset problems with acid deficiency in the stomach or other digestive problems. I'm not aware of any scientific research that supports this recommendation.

Claimed benefit - blood sugar control

First, there are some studies linking vinegar to improved control of blood sugar following a test meal. About half of the limited studies in this area have been conducted on genetically modified rats and do not provide any immediately helpful information about humans and the way we eat everyday. The human studies in this area tend to focus on delivery of a test food or test meal-typically highly processed and devoid of any whole, natural foods-that has been augmented with a dose of vinegar. While these studies do show a trend toward improvement in blood sugar response in the range of 2-20%, it seems reasonable to assume that a key problem here is the poor quality of the test foods and test meals.

Several authors have mentioned delayed stomach emptying as a likely mechanism for the impact of added vinegar on blood sugar response. If that hunch turns out to be correct, the idea of poor quality foods makes even more sense. Our stomach tends to empty too quickly if it is filled with highly processed, low-nutrient, fiber-free foods. I would expect whole, natural foods with excellent fiber content and nutrient variety to be more effective in improving blood sugar control than vinegar added to a meal that is composed of poor quality foods.

Claimed benefit - enhanced calcium absorption

Second is the area of calcium absorption. This area has only been explored in animal studies so far, and both the doses and experimental conditions have been limited and difficult to match up with everyday consumption of vinegar on a salad or in a marinade. But the results of these studies showed the vinegar to increase the solubility of calcium within the intestinal tract of the test animals and to increase absorption in this way. Once again, I would question the value of these rat experiments for decision-making about whole, natural foods. From my perspective, the degree of calcium solubility in whole, natural foods that are properly handled and properly cooked is exactly what it should be.

Some websites tout the nutritional benefits of apple cider vinegar from a mineral standpoint. Based on nutrient database values, the amount of minerals in a tablespoon of this food is very, very limited and cannot be thought of as a significant contribution to any diet.

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Labels: Alpha Lipoic Acid, apple cider vinegar, calcium, digestion, world's healthiest foods

Did you know that one cup of cooked collard greens will provide you with almost as much calcium as a cup of milk?
Milk products are often considered the best source of calcium, so you may be surprised to find that while one cup of 2% milk provides 29% of the daily value (297 mg) for calcium, one cup of cooked collard greens contains almost as much: 23% of the daily value (226 mg)! And the collard greens have half the calories of the milk (50 calories compared to 121) with virtually no fat.
Calcium is known primarily for its role in maintaining the strength and density of bones, but recent studies have shown that it is also important in helping to protect colon cells from cancer-causing chemicals, preventing migraine headaches, and reducing PMS symptoms during the second half of the menstrual cycle. Since the body tightly controls the amount of calcium in the blood so that sufficient calcium is always available, when dietary intake it too low, calcium is pulled out of the bones to maintain normal blood concentrations. This is why low dietary calcium can, over many years, lead to osteoporosis. So next time you are wondering how to boost your calcium intake, don't just think milk, think collard greens!

Source

Labels: calcium, Collard Greens, cruciferous vegetables, healthy diet, vegetable