Are MultiVitamins Safe to Take?

By Anthony Gucciardi- Activist Post

Over the past 27 years — the complete timeframe that the data has been available —  there have been 0 deaths as a result of vitamins and over 3 million deaths related to prescription drug use in the USA alone. In fact, going back 54 years there have only been 11 claims of vitamin-related death, all of which provided no substantial evidence to link vitamins to the cause of death. The news comes after a recent statistically analysis found that pharmaceutical drug deaths now outnumber traffic fatalities in the US.

In 2009, drugs exceeded the amount of traffic-related deaths, killing at least 37,485 people nationwide.

The findings go against the claims of mainstream medical ‘experts’  and mainstream media outlets who often push the idea that multivitamins are detrimental to your health, and that prescription drugs are the only science-backed option to improving your health. While essential nutrients like vitamin D are continually being shown to slash your risk of disease such as diabetes and cancer, prescription pharmaceuticals are continually being linked to such conditions. In fact, the top-selling therapeutic class pharmaceutical drug has been tied to the development of diabetes and even suicide, and whistleblowers are just now starting to speak out despite studies as far back as the 80s highlighting the risks.

Mainstream medical health officials were recently forced to speak out over the danger of antipsychotic drugs, which millions of children have been prescribed since 2009. U.S. pediatric health advisers blew the whistle over the fact that these pharmaceuticals can lead to diabetes and even suicide, the very thing they aim to prevent. What is even more troubling is that half of all Americans will be diagnosed with a mental conditionduring their lifetime thanks to lack of diagnosis guidelines currently set by the medical establishment, of which many cases will lead to the prescription of antipsychotics and other similar medications.

Covering up the side effects

In order to protect sales, the link between suicide and antipsychotic drugs was completely covered up by Eli Lilly & Co, the makers of Prozac. Despite research stretching as far back as the 1980s finding that Prozac actually leads to suicide, the company managed to hide the evidence until a Harvard psychiatrist leaked the information into the press. The psychiatrist, Martin Teicher, stated that the American people were being treated like guinea pigs in a massive pharmaceutical experiment.

Greedy and oftentimes prescription-happy doctors are handing out antipsychotic medication like candy to adults and young children alike. In 2008, antipsychotics became the top-selling therapeutic class prescription drug in the United States and grossing over $14 billion in sales.

Antipsychotic drugs are not the only dangerous pharmaceuticals. The average drug label contains 70 side effects, though many popular pharmaceuticals have been found to contain 100 to 125. Some drugs, prescribed by doctors to supposedly improve your health, come with over 525 negative reactions.

Ritalin, for example, has been linked to conditions including:

·         Increased blood pressure

·         Increased heart rate

·         Increased body temperature

·         Increased alertness

·         Suppressed appetite

Perhaps the hundreds of negative side effects is part of the reason why the FDA announced last year that it is pulling more than 500 cold and allergy off the market due to health concerns. Prescription drugs kill more people than traffic accidents, and come with up to 525 negative side effects. Avoiding these drugs and utilizing high quality organic alternatives like whole food-based multivitamins and green superfoods will lead to a total health transformation without harsh side effects and an exponentially increased death risk.

Do you have the right weight?

Why Is a Healthy Weight Important?
Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight is important for overall health and can help you prevent and control many diseases and conditions. If you are overweight or obese, you are at higher risk of developing serious health problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, breathing problems, and certain cancers. That is why maintaining a healthy weight is so important: It helps you lower your risk for developing these problems, helps you feel good about yourself, and gives you more energy to enjoy life.

What Is Overweight and Obesity?
Overweight is having extra body weight from muscle, bone, fat, and/or water. Obesity is having a high amount of extra body fat. Body mass index (BMI) is a useful measure of overweight and obesity (You may google on website for getting BMI). According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2007–08, the overall prevalence of overweight and obesity for adults was 68 percent. Children have become heavier as well. In the past 30 years, the prevalence of childhood obesity has more than doubled among children ages 2-5, has tripled among youth ages 6-11, and has more than tripled among adolescents ages 12-19.
The information on this Web site will provide you with information about BMI (including limitations of this measure) and how to reach and stay at a healthy weight. Talk to your health care provider if you are concerned about your BMI.

What Factors Contribute To a Healthy Weight?
Many factors can contribute to a person’s weight. These factors include environment, family history and genetics, metabolism (the way your body changes food and oxygen into energy), and behavior or habits.

Energy Balance
Energy balance is important for maintaining a healthy weight. The amount of energy or calories you get from food and drinks (energy IN) is balanced with the energy your body uses for things like breathing, digesting, and being physically active (energy OUT):

• The same amount of energy IN and energy OUT over time = weight stays the same (energy balance)
• More energy IN than OUT over time = weight gain
• More energy OUT than IN over time = weight loss

To maintain a healthy weight, your energy IN and OUT don’t have to balance exactly every day. It’s the balance over time that helps you maintain a healthy weight.
You can reach and maintain a healthy weight if you:

• Follow a healthy diet, and if you are overweight or obese, reduce your daily intake by 500 calories for weight loss
• Are physically active
• Limit the time you spend being physically inactive

 See more on Effects of Obesity

Great Eating Tips for Busy Families: In Between Meals…

by Dr. Cristine Wood

• Plan for snacks, but don’t allow constant grazing of food. Use fresh fruits and vegetables (carrots, celery with peanut butter, any fruits) as part of the snacks and use less processed foods.
• Don’t use snacks to occupy bored children and don’t offer a constant array of snacks in the car. Kids will associate car rides or boredom with eating.
• Time the snacks so they are not too close to meals. If kids are begging for food after school and right before dinner is ready, offer them salad or carrot sticks to eat.
• Keep healthy food choices handy. Have fruits out on the kitchen counter. Cut up vegetables and have them front and center in the refrigerator.
• Keep treat foods out of sight. Keep candy in an area where they are out of reach for children. Foods that are out of sight will not be eaten as readily (by the children or the adults!)
• If you buy bulk food or snacks, break it down into smaller serving sizes in plastic bags. Everyone is more likely to eat more out of big bag of food, then when it is portioned as a single serving. Serve smaller portions in a bowl or plate rather than allowing eating out of bags.
• Make sure they drink plenty of water. Juice and soda are empty calorie choices. When offering juice, make sure it is 100 percent juice and not just high fructose corn syrup with water. Recommendations are for less than 6 ounces of 100 percent juice per day for ages 1 to 6 years, and less than 12 ounces per day for children ages 7 to 18 years.
• Work on getting kids to get their “five a day.” If you offer a fruit and/or vegetable at every meal and snack, your kids will get their five a day.
• Put snack choices in 3 groups: anytime, sometime and occasional. Anytime snacks would be fruits and vegetables and low-fat yogurt; Sometime snacks would be whole-grain crackers, cheese, and nuts; Occasional snacks would be chips, cookies, or candy. Make a list, post and make sure kids understand when and how often it is appropriate to eat these snacks. If they want a snack close to dinner, tell them it is time for an anytime snack.
• Use a smoothie as a healthy snack. Put a combination of fresh fruit (frozen berries, grapes, bananas, etc.), 3 scoops of USANA Nutrimeal®, fresh vegetable juice (Naked Juice Green Machine®), and water in a blender to make a wholesome smoothie.

Great Eating Tips for Busy Families is a blog series written by Dr. Christine Wood, a practicing pediatrician and author of How to Get Kids to Eat Great and Love It! For more information, please visit www.kidseatgreat.com. For additional posts in the series, please click here.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease

Visit  What's Up USANA? for more articles of health

Health Insurance!

It was found that there are three distinct aspects to a healthy lifestyle that are needed to offer you the absolute best protection for your health. When you adopt 2 of the following lifestyles changes, it is guaranteed that your health will improve. Furthermore, when you make the three lifestyle changes, the results will be phenomenal.

These aspects are:

A healthy diet for ...

•  weight correction / loss or gain
• decreased risk of diabetes
• decreased risk of hearth disease
• decreased risk of almost all cancers
• decreased risk of high blood pressure
• lower cholesterol levels
• enhanced immune system
• increased sensitivity to insulin
• increased energy and ability to concentrate

A modest exercise program for 

• weight loss
• lower blood pressure
• stronger bones and decreased risk of osteoporosis
• lower cholesterol levels
• elevated levels of "good" HDL cholesterol
• decreased levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol
• decreased levels of triglycerydes - the other fat in the blood
• increased strength and coordination which leads to decreased risk of falls
• improved sensitivity to insulin
• enhanced immune system
• overall increase in the sense of well-being

High quality, complete and balances nutritional supplements that... 

• enhances immune system 
• enhances the anti-oxidant defense system
• decreases risk of heart attacks, stokes and cancer
• decreases the risk of arthritis, macular degeneration and cataracts
• decreases the risk of asthma and hay fever
• decreases the risk of alzheimer's dementia, parkinson's desease, and many other chronic degenerative diseases. 

I have been reading Dr. Ray Strand's book and I'm learning a lot

See more of Dr. Ray Strand

Asthma and Nutrition

  Description

• Asthma is a chronic disorder characterized by recurring attacks of airway obstruction. The breathing difficulty that results can range from mild wheezing to respiratory failure. The airway obstruction results from bronchospasms, increased secretion of mucous, and swelling of bronchial mucosa.

Causes

• Asthma may result from sensitivity to specific external allergens or from other, nonallergenic factors. Asthma that is related to allergies is considered extrinsic, while asthma that does not seem to be related to allergies is called intrinsic asthma. Allergens that cause extrinsic asthma include pollen, animal dander, house dust or mold, kapok or feather pillows, food additives containing sulfites, and any other sensitizing substance.

Types

• There are various types of asthma which are differentiated by cause (such as allergy or exercise) and the degree of severity.

At Risk

• About half of all patients with asthma are under age 10.
• About one-third of all patients with asthma share the disease with at least one immediate family member.

Prevention and Management

General:

• The best prevention of asthma attacks is to identify and avoid the precipitating factors. People who have extrinsic (allergy-induced) asthma are advised to minimize their exposure to specific allergens.

Nutritional Influences:

• There are a number of studies that indicate that determination of food sensitivities (even if none had been suspected), and avoiding the foods which test positive either reduced or eliminated symptoms in some people.^,,,Of course, not all asthma is related to food sensitivities.
• Diets rich in antioxidants may have a modulatory effect on bronchial reactivity.
• Inclusion of oily fish in the diet may protect against asthma in childhood.
• Vitamin B₆ levels in the blood have been found to be lower in asthmatics than the non-asthmatics. Positive results have been reported when B₆ supplements have been taken.

• Vitamin B₁₂ therapy has been used to successfully treat asthmatics, especially those who suffer attacks after eating foods containing sulfites.
• Vitamin C levels in asthmatics are often lower than in non-asthmatics. Vitamin C may also be beneficial to those who experience asthma during exercise.
• Magnesium levels are lower in one out of two asthmatics during an attack. People with asthma also have lower magnesium concentrations in their white blood cells between attacks. Treatments by inhalation or injection have proven beneficial in stopping asthmatic attacks and improving lung function. At this time, however, the effect of oral supplementation remains unexplored.
• Selenium supplementation might be beneficial to patients with intrinsic asthma, which may be at risk of selenium deficiency.

Click here for the Research Reference

YOUR Reaction CAN CAUSE Stress OR Happiness

Unless you realize that it was you causing all this stress in your life, you will never overcome. You will never stop blaming other people for the bad things that are a happening to you. 

The result of not knowing that it is YOU who makes your life and not reacting on it in a good way cause YOU to suffer undeserved stress, trials, problems, headache, body aches and heartache. 

This article can help you realize it more. Juts have an open mind and an open heart. Add this to your learning and live a different happier life. 

" 10% of life is made up of what happens to you. 90% of life is decided by how you react. " What does this mean? We really have no control over 10% of what happens to us. We cannot stop the car from breaking down. The heavy traffic which throws your whole schedule off. A jeepney or taxi driver loading passengers in front of your car where in fact the place a a no loading zone and they even do it in the middle of the street. 

We have no control over this 10%. The other 90% is different. You determine the other 90%!

How?

By your reaction. You cannot control a red light, but you can control your reaction. Don't let people fool you, YOU can control how you react! It's the only thing in your control in this world. All the rest is out of your hand and all you can do is handle the situation and affect other people. 

Let's use an example. 

You're eating breakfast with your family. Your daughter knocks over a cup of coffee into your business shirt. You have no control over what just happened. What happens next will be determined by how you react. You curse. You harshly scold your daughter for knocking the coffee cup over. She breaks down in tears. After scolding her, you turn to your spouse and criticize them for placing the cup too close to the edge of the table.
 A short verbal battle follows. You storm upstairs and change your shirt. Back downstairs you find your daughter has been too busy crying to finish breakfast and get ready for school. She misses the bus. Your spouse must leave immediately for work. You rush to the car and drive your daughter to school. Because you are late, you drive 40 miles an hour in a 30 mph speed limit. After a 15 minute delay and throwing $60 (traffic fine) away, you arrive at school. Your daughter runs to the building without saying good-bye. After arriving at the office 20 minutes late, you find you forgot your briefcase. Your day has started terrible. As it continues, it seems to get worse and worse. You look forward to going home. When you arrive home you find a small wedge in your relationship with your spouse and daughter.

Why? Because of how you reacted in the morning! Why did you have a bad day?

          A) Did the coffee cause it?
          B) Did your daughter cause it?
          C) Did the Policeman cause it?
          D) Did you cause it?

The answer is .... ___!

You had no control over what happened with the coffee. How you reacted in those 5 seconds is what caused your bad day.

Here is what could have and should have happened:

Coffee splashes over you. Your daughter is about to cry. You gently say "It's OK honey, you just need to be more careful next time". Grabbing a towel you rush upstairs. After grabbing a new shirt and your briefcase, you come back down in time look through the window and see your child getting on the bus. She turns and waves. You and your spouse kiss before you both go to work. You arrive 5 minutes early and cheerfully greet the staff. Your boss comments on how good a day you are having.

Notice the difference? Two different scenarios. Both started the same. Both ended different. Why? Because of how you REACTED. You really do not have any control over 10% of what happens. The other 90% is determined by your reaction.

Here are some ways to apply the 90/10 secret: If someone says something negative about you, do not be a sponge. Let the attack roll off like water on glass. You do not have to let the negative comment affect you! React properly and it will not ruin your day. A wrong reaction could result in losing a friend, being fired, getting stressed out, etc.

How do you react if someone cuts you off in traffic? Do you lose your temper? Pound the steering wheel? (A friend of mine had the steering wheel fall off!) Do you curse? Does your blood pressure skyrocket? Do you try and bump them?

WHO CARES if you arrive ten seconds later at work? Why even blame the heavy traffic for it? If you loose your job, you got fired? Bad day? … Choose to look at the bright side. A lot of opportunity awaits even if you loose one, there are a lot to choose from. Just look around you.

Being stressed out and reacting negatively can just make things worse. Just always remember and be conscious everything in life is just 10%, the 90% is how well you will react on it. Choose to act positively. The answer is in your hands as to have a bad day or always have today a better day than yesterday.

Remember that there is only one thing you can control in this world and that is you. Everything outside of you is not in your control. And also remember that stress produces free radicals in your body. Free radicals!? - That is the next story... 

 * I found this article from my yahoo group Health Awareness Initiative and modified it bit :) 

What Will Your Family Look Like in the Future?

Make a choice on your health, do not leave it to chance... 

Prevention is better and cheaper than cure.


for more info visit 
Official Usana Website

Grape Seed Extract Prevents Chronic Degenerative Diseases

Grape Seed Extract Prevents Chronic Degenerative Diseases

The grape seed extract may be better for you than the grapes from which is comes. For countless centuries, people from many different cultures have enjoyed a fine glass of wine, but only recently have scientists discovered that it might be good for us, too.

Yes, moderate wine drinking actually has a number of excellent potential health benefits, although of course the alcohol is not the part that does all the good!

In fact, one of the surprising advantages of millions of consumers enjoying the fruits of the wine industry is that its by-products can be made into some really useful health supplements.

Take grape seeds, for example. Grape seed extract is known as waste product of the winery and grape juice industry, because they don’t go into the finished drinks.

What is in grape seed extract?

What you may not know is that grape seed extract contains a vast array of health-giving ingredients, such as protein, lipids, carbohydrates and polyphenols (which come mainly in the form of flavonoids, also known as bioflavonoids).

The term flavonoid is used for a class of plant chemicals known for their activity as highly potent antioxidants, and therefore for their capability in protecting the body against oxidative and free radical damage. It’s not really surprising when you consider the scientific studies: they show that the antioxidant power of polyphenols is 20 times more powerful than vitamin E, and 50 times greater than vitamin C.

Because of its polyphenol content, purple grape juice provides a far greater antioxidant effect than orange juice.

What else can grape seed extract do?

Some people call these polyphenols “nature’s biological response modifiers” because of their ability to help the body fight viruses, allergens, and carcinogens.

That means that among their many talents, they exhibit anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-cancerous and anti-microbial activity.

Not bad for a “waste product”!

Procyanadin: anti aging vitamin?

One particular type of phenol found in grape seed is called procyanidin. It was initially discovered in 1936 by Professor Jacques Masquelier, who called it Vitamin P, (although the name didn’t really catch on, and has since fallen out of usage).

As well as the disease prevention mentioned above, procyanidins are thought to protect the body from premature ageing.

Scientists think they do this by increasing vitamin C levels in the cells and scavenging for toxins so the organs can get rid of them.

A good "side effect": Younger looking skin

Procyanidins also bond with collagen, the most abundant protein in the body and a key component of skin, gums, bones, teeth, hair and body tissues.

The bonding promotes cell health and skin elasticity, making it seem more youthful, in a process that works almost like a natural face-lift. Procyanidins additionally help protect the body from sun damage, which can also cause premature ageing of the skin.

More importantly it helps inside the body

Vanity is one thing, but underlying health is quite another.

Far more important to your body than looking good, is the fact that procyanidins can improve your vision, the flexibility of your joints, the health of your arteries and body tissues (such as the heart) and also strengthen capilliaries and veins to improve your circulatory system.

This is important because the health of your circulatory system affects the health of your heart.

It seems that grape seed extract delays the oxidation of low density lipoproteins, the fats that are responsible for “bad cholesterol”.

The longer it takes for LDL to oxidize, the less likely it is to start clogging up your veins and arteries. People who drink purple grape juice can show an increase in oxidation lag time of 27%.

So, procyanidins present in grape seeds are known to exert anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic and anti-allergic activities, to prevent skin aging, to scavenge oxygen free radicals and to inhibit the damaging effects of UV radiation from sunlight.

Since most of these processes are linked to cancer, it follows that grape seeds are probably strong anti-carcinogenic and/or anti-tumor-promoting agents.

Studies show they may have particular use against colorectal cancer, and scientists are devoting a fair amount of new research to grape seed because they’re pretty confident about its abilities.

Other ingredient of grape seed extract.

One other of the grape’s hidden health weapons is also worth a mention: it’s called resveratrol. This chemical is found primarily in the skin and seeds, particularly in muscadine grapes, and it confers a number of beneficial effects to the body.

They include all those mentioned above, but also an ability to help the brain and its processes work efficiently i.e. they have neuroprotective capabilities. In rats, this has life-prolonging effects, so it’s reasonable to assume it may do the same for other animals, humans included.

How can you get the benefits of seed extract into your body?

Grapes in the Philippines are expensive and even more challenging is eating the seed and getting its nutrients. Wines are not only expensive but they also have alcohol that is unhealthy when taken too much and even addictive at times. 

No, we do not have to drink liters of grape juices or take too much wine or chew our way with a whole grape. 

Modern technology and high quality manufacturing process can give you the maximum benefits of grape seed extract. It is manufactured in pharmaceutical standard and can be available in your homes. 

The power of supplementation. You just have to find the best company that manufactures their products with care and in the highest standards. 

Top-quality Grape Seed Supplement
Article Reference