The concerns lie in the lack of proper labeling, certain ingredients, and lack of others. Both Maxum Matragen and Maxum Multi-Vite contain ginkgo biloba, green tea extracts and vanadium. At this point, the safety of these ingredients for pregnant women or nursing women isn’t known and there is no such labeling to that effect.

As well, the supplements don’t have enough iron or folic acid for pregnant or nursing women. These are essential for both baby and maternal health. Folic acid has been found to be very important in the baby’s development.

If you are pregnant or nursing and aren’t sure what type of vitamin supplement to take, speak with your doctor, midwife, and/or pharmacist for guidance.

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Image: Newscom.com

Post from: Blisstree

Health Canada Warns Against Supplement

I used to, and then stopped. I’ve listened to the argument go back and forth on vitamins. Now, I take a calcium pill and am still not convinced that it does anything for me. One article I just read said that “that there aren’t any studies showing that gender-specific vitamins have any particular health benefits” but added that the studies “would be very difficult and costly to run.”

This tells me that people really don’t know if vitamins work or not. I guess I’ll air on the side of caution, and probably use them until I find out evidence to the contrary. What about you?

Image: sxc.hu.

Post from: Blisstree

Vitamins for Women

Another flip flopping subject is vitamins. My doctors over the years have suggested that I take them, and after breaking my ankle one year I finally did. I drink milk, and try and eat healthy foods, but still, I take vitamins for that “extra protection.”

However, a new study by the Women’s Health Initiative “tracked multivitamin use by 161,000 older women over an eight-year period to see if the vitamins might reduce their risk for heart disease and certain cancers. In the end, the researchers found no such benefit from the vitamins.”

So what’s a girl to do? I know there are a lot of women that will continue taking vitamins regardless of this study, but is it worth it? What do you think?

Image from Morguefile.

Post from: Blisstree

Vitamins…Needed or Not?

Even though we have the ability to make our own vitamin D when the ultraviolet rays of the sun hit our skin, many Americans fail to get enough vitamin D. In fact, vitamin D deficiency in this country is being called a silent epidemic. The prudent use of sunscreen, sun-blocking pollution and long, cold winters indoors are partially to blame.

Says Krieger, “It’s alarming to see so many people fail to get enough vitamin D, especially when milk is such an easy and convenient source of this essential nutrient. Now more than ever we’re learning about the health risks linked to vitamin D deficiency.”

During March is even easier–and cheaper–to get your vitamin D. One of the CVS Extra Care specials for March is on a bottle of 100, 400IU vitamin D tablets. The bottle is $2.99, but you get a coupon for $2.99 off your next purchase when you check out with your Extra Care Card.

(photo credit: muffet/cc license)

Post from: Blisstree

Got Vitamin D?

Cancer I believe is the proliferation of the worst permutations of G x E: Genetics and Environment.

That been said, I came up with the top ten cancer beaters in the order of things most controllable to man to the least controllable:

1. Go natural. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Avoid junk foods, microwable and instant foods, canned goods and cured meat products. Eat more fish. Think antioxidants, flavonoids and the likes. Furthermore, go organic. Grow your own vegetables in your backyard or even in pots if that is possible.
2. Take vitamin supplements: most specially Vitamins C and E.
3. STOP smoking.
4. Moderate your alcohol intake. Think more grape wine.
5. Exercise. Take long walks. Do yoga or any stress management training.
6. Replace some of your coffee cups with tea (especially green tea) on top of fresh fruit juices.
7. Live a healthy lifestyle. Strive for less stress. Be happier. Stay away from pollution. Lessen your contribution to pollution. Take ample amount of sleep.
8. Visit your doctor for a complete medical check-up at least once a year.
9. Meditate. Pray to God for good health and positive emotions. Whoever and whatever you conceive God to be.
10. It’s in your genes? If it is, don’t do anything that will alter it more into cancer genes. Therefore DO more of the above.

In beating cancer, prevention is better than treatment. And treatment will work better at early cancer detection. So be vigilant, regularly (at least once a year) visit your doctor. You know your body more than anybody else, when you feel something weird or if you think that there is something weird, seek an oncologist and have tests conducted on you especially if you are at a higher risk.

With cancer I think it is better to be paranoid, particularly if you are in teh high-risk demographic, as long as you seek professional help to appease that paranoia. Researching on your own wouldn’t hurt as long as you refrain from speculating and trust that the experts are there to help you.

Maybe it’s in one of those mushy movies that I love watching where I heard that cancer is angst, cynicism and frustrations stucked deep inside us. The explanation or mechanism of action may be beyond scientific comprehension but it is already known that when a person cultivates negative emotions, it creates a rackus in our body’s system: immune, excretory, digestive, circulatory –potential precursors of cancers.

So be positive and let go of negative vibes. Stop living on the fast lane. Pause and sleep and rest on regular intervals and be careful of what you eat. If you are in a congested city, seek fresh, crisp air once in a while and smell the roses, literally and figuratively.

Post from: Blisstree

My Top 10 Cancer Beaters