Saturday, July 26, 2008

Stretching



Stretching is the deliberate lengthening of muscles in order to increase muscle flexibility and joint range of motion. Stretching activities are an important part of any exercise or rehabilitation program. They help warm the body up prior to activity thus decreasing the risk of injury as well as muscle soreness.
The benefits of stretching are many and have been proven through various studies over time. Stretching benefits people of all ages, and is intended for the young as well as the elderly population.




The Benefits of Stretching


According to the Mayo Clinic, the top five benefits of stretching include:


Increased flexibility and joint range of motion:Flexible muscles can improve your daily performance. Tasks such as lifting packages, bending to tie your shoes or hurrying to catch a bus become easier and less tiring. Flexibility tends to diminish as you get older, but you can regain and maintain it.

Improved circulation:Stretching increases blood flow to your muscles. Blood flowing to your muscles brings nourishment and gets rid of waste byproducts in the muscle tissue. Improved circulation can help shorten your recovery time if you've had any muscle injuries.
Better posture:Frequent stretching can help keep your muscles from getting tight, allowing you to maintain proper posture. Good posture can minimize discomfort and keep aches and pains at a minimum.

Stress relief:Stretching relaxes tight, tense muscles that often accompany stress.


Enhanced coordination:Maintaining the full range-of-motion through your joints keeps you in better balance. Coordination and balance will help keep you mobile and less prone to injury from falls, especially as you get older.
Until next time,
JT

Thursday, July 17, 2008

General Vitamin Information




Vitamins
Recommended daily intake:



Biotin(B-complex)
30 µg
Biotin in food and as a supplement
No information found
Folate(B-complex)
400 µg
Folate in food and as a supplement
Doses larger than 400 µg may cause anaemia and may mask symptoms of a vitamin B12 deficiency
Vitamin A600 µg
Vitamin A in food and as a supplement
Extremely high doses (>9000 mg) can cause dry, scaly skin, fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, bone and joint pains and headaches
Vitamin B1 (thiamin)
1,4 mg
Vitamin B1 in food and as a supplement
No toxic effects resulting from high doses have been observed
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
1,6 mg
Vitamin B2 in food and as a supplement
Doses higher than 200 mg may cause urine colour alteration
Vitamin B3 (niacin)
18 mg
Vitamin B3 in food and as a supplement
Doses larger than 150 mg may cause problems ranging from facial flushing to liver disease
Vitamin B5 (patothenic acid)
6 mg
Vitamin B5 in food and as a supplement
Dose should not exceed 1200 mg; this may cause nausea and heartburn
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
2 mg
Vitamin B6 in food and as a supplement
Doses larger than 100 mg may cause numbness and tingling in hands and feet
Vitamin B12 (cobalamine)
6 µg
Vitamin B12 in food and as a supplement
Doses larger than 3000 µg may cause eye conditions
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
75 mg
Vitamin C in food and as a supplement
No impacts of over dose have been proven so far
Vitamin D (cholecalciferol)
5 µg
Vitamin D in food and as a supplement
Large doses (>50 µg) obtained form food can cause eating problems and ultimately disorientation, coma and death
Vitamin E (tocopherol)
10 mg
Vitamin E in food and as a supplement
Doses larger than 1000 mg cause blood clotting, which results in increased likelihood of haemorrhage in some individuals
Vitamin K80 µg
Vitamin K in food and as a supplement
Large doses of one form of vitamin K (menadione or K3) may result in liver damage or anaemia


Minerals
Recommended daily intake:

Boron
Calcium
1000 mg
Doses larger than 1500 mg may cause stomach problems for sensitive individuals
Chlorine
3400 mg (in chloride form)
No information found
Chromium
120 µg
Doses larger than 200 µg are toxic and may cause concentration problems and fainting
Copper
2 mg
As little as 10 mg of copper can have a toxic effect
Fluorine
3,5 mg
No information found
Iodine
150 µg
No information found
Iron
15 mg
Doses larger than 20 mg may cause stomach upset, constipation and blackened stools
Magnesium
350 mg
Doses larger than 400 mg may cause stomach problems and diarrhoea
Manganese
5 mg
Excess manganese may hinder iron adsorption
Molybdenum
75 µg
Contradiction: the FDA states that doses larger than 250 mg may cause stomach problems for sensitive individuals
Potassium
3500 mg
Large doses may cause stomach upsets, intestinal problems or heart rhythm disorder
Selenium
35 µg
Doses larger than 200 µg can be toxic
Sodium
2400 mg
No information found
Vanadium
Zinc
15 mg
Doses larger than 25 mg may cause anaemia and copper deficiency



Notes
- The above-stated values are not meant for diagnosis, these are mainly reference values for informational purposes.



- Most of these values are based on a 2000 calorie intake for people of 4 or more years of age. This reference is applied because it approximates the caloric requirements for postmenopausal women. This group has the highest risk for excessive intake of calories and fat.



- Values on labels are stated Daily Reference values (DRV) of Recommended Daily Intake (RDI). The RDI is a renewed value referring to the old Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). All values in this table are new RDI values.



- Maximum values are based on Food and Drug Administration (FDA) values, the World Health Organization (WHO), BBC Health values, the European Union Directive (based on FDA values) and values from various other governmental and private agencies in the USA and the UK.



- Values from the World Health Organization (WHO) may be somewhat lower than those of the FDA for various vitamins and minerals. Examples of differences (WHO values to FDA values): Mg: -60 mg, Vitamin B6: -0,5 mg, Vitamin B12: -4 µg, vitamin C: -15 mg, Vitamin K: -35 mg, folate: -220 µg.



- Elements that have a recommended daily intake within µg range are sometimes referred to as trace elements (e.g. copper, chromium, selenium).



I thought this might be helpful in your quest for better health.

Until next time,


JT

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Omega-3 fish oil is vital to good health



Dr.Bjorn Rene shares the importance of Omega-3 usage in your diet.

For more information or to purchase Omega-3 fish oil click on the title of this post.

Until next time,

JT

Monday, July 7, 2008

Maintaining Proper Nutrition While Losing Weight


At any given time up to 50% of American women are dieting. While maintaining a healthy weight is important to overall health, in their zealousness to lose weight many women may be harming their bodies by not getting proper nutrition.

Before you start on a weight loss plan you should examine your reasons. Is your weight over the healthy limit set by your doctor, or are you suffering from a bad body image? Could changing your diet slightly, as opposed to losing weight, help the issues you are dealing with? Once these issues have been clarified, you should consult with your doctor and proceed with a safe and effective weight loss plan.

If the diet you select gives you less than 3-4 servings per week of meat, you need to arm yourself with extra Iron, Vitamin B-12, and Zinc. Iron and B-12 help the body regulate energy and Zinc is a powerful antioxidant. If you are eating less that 6-11 servings of grains per day, make sure to take extra B Vitamins, for energy, Vitamin E, another antioxidant, and fiber (such as in Superior Fiber Blend and Essential Daily Nutrients by Waiora).

Antioxidants again become an issue if you are eating less than 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, especially in getting enough Vitamin C.Other food groups in our diets we tend to think we should avoid entirely are vitally important to our bodies. The Calcium and Vitamin D we get in dairy foods are essential to our bones.

If you consume less than 4 servings per day of dairy foods you should be taking calcium supplements that contain Vitamin D. Fats and Oils also provide us with essential fatty acids. If you are eating a very low fat diet you should make sure to take Vitamin E and Omega 3 fatty acids to help maintain your heart health and optimal cholesterol levels.

Most of all remember to keep your weight loss goals realistic, exercise regularly, and be in it for the long haul—your reward will be a happier, healthier you!

Until next time,
JT

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Prevention is key to good health.


We are often encouraged to plan for our economic future. Few of us, however apply this same level of seriousness to considerations pertaining to our long-term mental and physical well-being. Instead we employ a 'wait and see' approach which, more often than not, causes us to ignore the issue altogether. Our health is not listed as a priority until we become sick and can no longer ignore it. At this time our perception of our health quickly changes and it becomes of primary importance. It is only at this point that we are prepared to spend money and make a serious effort to restore our health. Sadly, however, sometimes it can be too late.

We should all be asking ourselves, “What can I do today to prevent myself from becoming ill in the future?”. Even though this may not seem important now, just speak to someone who is suffering from a life threatening or debilitating illness. We can benefit from their hindsight.

There are many reasons why people don't take sufficient care of their health. Some of them include;

Believing, “it wont happen to me”
Not recognising that many diseases and illnesses are due to toxic overload and or metabolic deficient/overload which are preventable, and not knowing what to do about it
Not taking responsibility
Believing, “I have strong genes that will protect me”
Viewing medical science as a universal panacea
This web site was designed as a starting point to help people address many of the above issues and guide them in planning for a healthy and happy future.

A person is far more likely to make a change when they perceive the pain or suffering that will result from not making the change as greater than the discomfort brought about by the change itself. Smoking is a good example of this behavioural phenomenon. It is therefore important to gain knowledge in health prevention as this establishes a belief in the need for healthy living.

Philip Day author of 'Health Wars', a controversial book that looks at the untold truths in the health industry today, states that “the two areas in which disease is concentrated are Metabolic and Toxin Related”. 1

Metabolic diseases/illness are caused by a nutrient deficiency such as scurvy, or Pellagra.

Toxin related diseases/illness are those caused by substances harmful to the biological processes of human beings.

Daily exposure to common toxins include:

Exhaust fumes.
Air pollution e.g. working in or around chemicals in the home, workplace and outside.
Pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers in food and water.
Animal products containing hormones, antibiotics, parasite treatments.
Drugs, prescribed & recreational, e.g. alcohol, tobacco etc.
Additives in food, e.g. colourings, flavourings, preservatives.
Carcinogenic ingredients in personal care and cleaning products.
Off gassing of furniture, appliances, paints etc.
Electromagnetic radiation (EMRs).
After reading this list, is it any wonder that in today's society many people become sick? The toxins that we are exposed to on a daily basis in our environment include, the air we breathe, chemicals we put on our body and absorb through our skin, as well as chemicals we ingest through food and drink. When this is coupled with poor nutrition and the body's extra nutritional requirements due to toxic overload the immune system is affected resulting in poor health.( The Heavy Metal Screen Test can help assess the toxic levels in your body right from home, see the "my blog list" area on this page for more info).

Dr Peter Dingle is one of Australia's leading environmental scientists whose doctoral thesis concerned chemical exposure in homes and work-spaces. In his book 'Cosmetics and Personal Care: Dangerous Beauty' he states the following;

"I suggest that many illnesses are not simply misfortune. I suggest they are preventable and can be linked to the chemicals in our food, water, homes, workplaces, general environment and in the products we use. I suggest illnesses such as cancer, asthma, chronic fatigue syndrome, allergies and multiple chemical sensitivities can be related to the unprecedented increase of chemicals in our environment."

Prevention, not treatment, is the key to a long and healthy life.
Click on the Waiora or JT Taylor Company store links for more information and healthy living products.

Until next time,
JT