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Iron is a mineral that is essential to the health and functioning of the body. Deficiencies in iron can have serious consequences for overall health and even energy levels. While iron is important for both sexes, it is of particular importance to women due to biological and reproductive factors. However, world wide, many people do not meet the minimum suggested daily intake of iron resulting in a variety of health problems that range from the mild, which simply increasing the daily iron intake could remedy, to the severe, which often require more complex treatments but could easily have been avoided by sufficient daily iron consumption.

Iron serves several purposes within the body. One of the most important functions of iron in the system is its role is oxygenating the blood. Another essential role of iron is energy metabolism. It is a factor of the neurodevelopment of babies as they grow and develop in the uterus. Iron also serves to promote the important functioning of the body’s immune system particularly in the production of the white blood cells essential in fighting infection and disease. Iron is also essential in properly utilizing the B vitamins.

Women, because of their role in reproduction, need to be especially sure that their iron levels are sufficient especially during pregnancy as the healthy growth and development of their babies depends on it. Because of blood loss during menstruation, most women need to take a little extra precaution during that time period to make sure their iron levels stay at recommended levels.

Iron deficiencies can cause a variety of health problems. Anemia is by far the most common and it results in weakness, fatigue and, to the detriment especially of school children, an inability to concentrate properly. Oxygen is one of the most important life giving forces of the body and due to the essential role of iron in seeing to it that oxygen reaches all parts of the body, via the blood, general feelings of health and well-being rely on proper iron levels.

Dietary supplements that include iron, as well as iron enriched foods, play an important role world wide in achieving the recommended daily iron requirements of the human body. However, like any other dietary supplement or medicine, iron supplements must be used properly to be effective and to avoid inducing other serious health problems. Always remember also to couple your iron supplement drinking with ascorbic acid or vitamin C. This is to help the body absorb the iron more quickly.

An overdose of iron in small children can be fatal. Always keep iron supplements and vitamins that contain iron well out of the reach of children. A reminder for parents who wisely make use of a daily multivitamin and iron supplement for their children: if you are using those brightly colored, cartoon character types, always be sure to remind your children that those are powerful medicines and not merely candy. That way if the bottle is accidentally left down and the child does find it, they are less likely to overdose themselves with it and more likely to call it to your attention that you left it in their reach.

Iron is an essential nutrient for some of the body’s very important functions and processes. For many years, dietary supplements have been a safe and trusted means of making sure to meet the recommended daily iron intake levels. When used properly, iron supplements are a good choice for helping to keep the body strong and healthy.

Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR’S resource box at the bottom of this article is included and and all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.

Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For up to date links and information about Vitamins, please go to: http://vitamins.besthealthlink.net/ or for updated links and information on all health related topics, go to: http://www.besthealthlink.net/

Have you heard about Hoodia Gordonii? It’s marketed as an “amazing” new weight loss ingredient that will help you lose weight without feeling hungry. The many advertisements hyping the product claim that Hoodia contains a “miracle molecule called P57 that tricks the brain into thinking you’ve eaten, and makes you feel full.” The claims do not stop there; in addition to losing weight, the ads claim you will feel better while taking this super weight loss ingredient, because Hoodia has “a feel-good, aphrodisiac quality.” What exactly is Hoodia and does it really work? Let us take a closer look at this “miracle appetite suppressant.”

What is Hoodia Gordonii?

Hoodia is a succulent that looks like a cactus. It has been described as a somewhat bitter-tasting cucumber that thrives in extremely hot, dry weather and takes 5-7 years to reach maturity. Hoodia grows in the Kalahari Desert region of South Africa, as well as the countries of Botswana, Namibia and Angola. It is said that for generations the San Bushmen, tribesmen native to the regions Hoodia grows, have removed the skin and spines of Hoodia prior to consumption as a way to curb their hunger and thirst during nomadic hunting trips.

In 1995 scientists isolated that one molecule in the plant that is responsible for the Hoodia appetite reducing effect. The molecule was named P57. The process to isolate the P57 compound was patented and the rights were sold to a British company called Phytopharm. In 1998 Phytopharm signed a licensing agreement with the U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer. Together, these two companies set the goal to isolate P57 in order to market and sell it for commercial weight loss purposes in the form of diet pills and capsules. In 2003, after many years of research, and no marketable P57 diet product, Pfizer elected to end its Hoodia contract with Phytopharm. Why? The process of isolating the P57 compound was way too costly to produce as a commercial weight loss product.

Research

Phytopharm conducted one proprietary clinical study in 2001. The results of this study were never submitted to a peer-reviewed journal; however, nearly every Hoodia marketer promotes the study in announcing the legitimacy of their product as a “magical” weight loss ingredient. The small study included only (18) eighteen subjects and they were all obese. The subjects took either the P57 compound or a placebo twice a day for 15 days. What Phytopharm concluded from their study was that the obese people who took P57 reduced their daily calorie intake by 1,000 and suffered no adverse effects. Phytopharm was so encouraged by their own study that they invested millions of dollars to determine how effectively farm and cultivate Hoodia.
In December of 2004 Phytopharm and Unilever (which owns commercially popular SlimFast amongst other business holdings) announced a deal which they claim will put Hoodia on the market within 3 years. Unilever paid $21 million to help fund additional clinical trials and expansion of the Hoodia cultivation program in South Africa and Namibia. Their goal is to include P57 in food products such as breakfast bars and meal replacement shakes and other diet related products.

What Does The Future Hold For Hoodia?

To date there has, not been any controlled Hoodia clinical study that shows statistically significant results for weight loss. However, this does not mean that Hoodia will not offer potential as an appetite suppressant in the future. If additional research indicates that Hoodia works as well as Phytopharm suggests it does, then it may in fact turn out to be a useful way to control weight. Until then, Phytopharm needs to conduct more clinical research with Hoodia so that broader conclusions may be reached. In the meantime, consumers should be aware of the unscrupulous Hoodia product peddlers attempting to dupe the public by offering for sale dried, powdered versions of Hoodia that are not regulated or inspected, and the exact contents of which are unknown. In addition, it should be stated that the appetite suppressing ability of Hoodia has only been shown effective in large fresh pieces of the plant, about 2 or 3 inches long. The dried powder that many peddlers are hawking these days contains such a small amount of P57 that it cannot produce any true, desired effect. This clearly demonstrates that many of these Hoodia eddlers are attempting to make a quick buck off the unsuspecting consumer. If the manufacturing process was as easy as drying and grinding the Hoodia plant don’t you think Pfizer and Phytopharm would have been selling P57 as a weight loss product back in 1998?

Someday we may learn that Hoodia does promote weight loss by effectively suppressing appetite, but until we do, we should all be careful how we spend our money on weight loss products claiming to contain Hoodia or its active ingredient P57.

About the Author

Peter Bracato is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of his insightful supplement articles can be found at the premier online health news magazine http://www.consumerhealthdigest.com

When you take your food next time, take care of the food what you are taking. Because the food you take determines your character. Not able to believe this. But it is true.

Although many other reasons determine the character of a man, food becomes an important part in determining the character of everybody.

Mind controls one’s action, and speech. Decision making ability is the important functions of a mind.

Decision making ability is depending upon the food we take.

Vegetarian food enhances intelligence. Even though the non-vegetarian food contains some energy vital for the human body, the same energy is available more in the vegetarian foods also.

The direction you are sitting to take food is also important. Facing eastern direction will be good.

Whether the mood of the person who is serving the food or preparing the food will affect your health. Yes, definitely.

When the person who serve you food or cook the food is in a happy mood naturally it will reflect in the food he is preparing.

Not only that when we take that food it will digest easily and we can also enjoy the real deliciousness of the food.

If the person cooks or serves with angry, decease, depressed mind, lust, hatred, then even the nutritious containing in the food become useless to us and cause more problems like indigestion, etc

I can explain it with one real example. There is one famous Hindu shrine in India.

There are thousands of cows belonging to the shrine. They gush milk and it is utilized for the purpose of temple rituals.

The temple authorities found sudden spurt in the gushing of milk from the cows. Then they find the reason after some difficulty that it was because of the audio system near the shelters where the cows are housed.

It is the routine of the temple authorities to broadcast devotional songs at specific intervals. They found that when a particular song is broadcasted the cows are gushing much milk than normal gushing.

So the power of music through the senses, increase the gushing of milk.

Another real incident is the soldiers in an army unit were used to give fresh and condensed milk every day for the better maintenance of health and for their better fighting capability.

But the story of gushing milk from the cows in the camp is very interesting. Before gushing the milk from the cows, the young calf will be released free.

By that time the dog in the camp will also be released. On seeing the dog, the calf began to run out of fear. Unable to tolerate the sufferings of the calf, which is chasing by the dog, the cow as a “mother” become in an angry mood.

The milk gushing by that time from the cow that was in an angry mood contains more nutritious which is essential for the fighting capability to the soldiers.

At least now we believe that the mood of the person who serve us, indirectly affecting us, if the food is prepared and served in a wrong mood.

C.Krishnan
Author

C. Krishnan, formerly working with Government in India, has written many articles on inspiration, children, parenting, etc.,

You can view more of his articles in his home page http://www.tncity.biz

The multi-vitamin market is rich with choice. It’s also very confusing. There are mega’s, potents, super all-day’s, vegetarian formulas, geriatric formulas, athlete’s formulas, recipes for men and women and teens! There are some things gastric bypass patients must consider when selecting a multi-vitamin supplement.

The weight loss surgery patient must first ask, “Can I swallow this with a small amount of water?” The next question, “Will it absorb quickly enough for my short circuited system?” Adult chewable tablets are available, but the taste is often unpleasant. However, these may be used during the first few months after surgery. Capsules and gels are a good choice because they are more likely to absorb quickly. Time released tablets should be avoided, they dissolve slowly, that’s what makes them timed release. They will pass through the shortened intestine before absorbing into the body.

There is no right or wrong form of supplement, just make sure to select a form you will take routinely.

Choose a gender and age specific formula. The more that is learned about nutrition, the more obvious are men and women’s different dietary needs. For example women need more calcium and iron in their diets. Men, particularly over 50, must be careful to limit iron intake. Geriatric vitamins often included chelated minerals for better absorption in addition to glucosamine to help with bones and joints and herbs to improve memory and wellness.

Finally, look for a supplement that contains most of the vitamins and minerals essential for good health - but does not exceed the U.S. RDA by more than 150 percent. (Most multi-vitamin supplements do not contain vitamin K - it is naturally synthesized by the body.) The label on the supplement bottle lists the weight in milligrams of the vitamin and minerals contained in the supplement.

The label also shows the percent of the U.S. RDA the supplement supplies. Natural and synthetic vitamins are virtually identical and most supplements are synthetic. It would require heaps of natural foods to extract enough vitamins for supplements and the cost would be prohibitive. One exception is vitamin E: the natural form is actually biologically more active and better absorbed and utilized by the body.

Copyright © 2005 Kaye Bailey - All Rights Reserved.

Kaye Bailey is a weight loss surgery success story having maintained her health and goal weight for 5+ years. An award winning journalist, she is the author and webmaster of http://www.livingafterwls.com and http://www.livingafterwls.blogspot.com. Fresh & insightful content is added daily, check in often.

Lactobacillus acidophilus may cure different diseases according to some experts. It is a lactic acid producing bacteria that it is thought to have beneficial effects on digestion and overall health. Under some experts, yogurt with acidophilus culture and acidophilus on its own has been shown to clear up yeast infections and vaginitis in children and adults, among other properties.

Acidophilus -experts explain- is a nutritional supplement product, which is often added to milk or sold as a capsule. It contains one or more bacteria which aid in digestion. Among these bacteria, you can find Lactobacillus acidophilus (A); Lactobacillus casei (C); Lactobacillus bulgaricus; Bifidobacterium bifidus (B) and Streptococcus thermophilus.

L. acidophilus, however, is not present in all brands of yogurt. So, you will have to check the labels of products. Acidophilus supplements usually work quickly and effectively. This occurs because they contain as many as one billion individual friendly bacteria per gram.

However, for those who cannot use milk products, acidophilus is also present in carrots, soybeans, rice starch, garbanzo beans and other sources. Health food stores carry a variety of acidophilus supplements in capsule, liquid and powder form. Some of the formulas contain bifidobacteria, another helpful bacterium, as well as vitamin C and other nutrients.

With the powder, you can make your own yogurt-type drink. For best results, acidophilus supplements should be taken on an empty stomach before breakfast, one hour before other meals. Many who have difficulty digesting ordinary dairy products often have success with cultured milk products, such as yogurt or acidophilus milk.

Article written by Hector Milla, editor of www.acidophiluseffects.com a website about Acidophilus Effects, plus you may read the free online guide for Healthy Eating Habits at www.acidophiluseffects.com/healthy-eating-habits/ , thanks for using this article in your website or ezine keeping a live link.

Fruit calories are very healthy as compared to calories in fast foods or processed food.

So, don’t avoid fruits.In fact have more of fruit calories if you want to get rid of that excess flab from your body.

Fruits require 20-25 minutes to digest and give us energy and vegetables take 4 hours to become nutrients for energy whereas meat takes upto 72 hours to completely break down and pass out from the body.

Unlike carnivorous animals,your intestines are too long for meat to pass out fast which leads to putrification of meat and accumulation of toxins in the body.

Meat produces Uric acid which your body is incapable of handling..this causes further tissue damage.

Further,fruits have anti oxidant properties and they take care of free radicals and reverse ageing.

Moreover fruits have enzymes essential for various bodily activities like metabolism, so difficult to obtain from meats and processed foods.

Dead meat products are not life supporting in the real sense but fruits are live foods and are a store house of solar energy.

Fruits also aid in filtering and cleansing of toxins from the body.Most of the weightloss programs out there ignore the fact that toxin elimination is the most important aspect of losing weight or burning fat.Infact, without toxin removal the fat cells become very stubborn to be burned or eliminated from the body.

Now consider this, having 2500 calories from fruit is good or being on a diet plan consisting of 1000 calories from meat and processed foods is good for health and maintaining ideal weight?

Get more cutting edge fat burning secrets in my Free 5day email ecourse delivered straight to your inbox by subscribing to my newsletter at: www.eweightlosstips.com/weightlossltr.htm

Rajesh Shetty

Expert in weight loss principles of Ayurveda Medical Science
and Author of the Best selling book,
“Proven weight loss secrets revealed”.
http://www.eweightlosstips.com/weightlossltr.htm