November 2010 Archives

Written by Tena Moore

Gaining weight around the middle is not a good thing. For starters, it's not the most attractive thing (for those who might say: "Hey, it's a natural part of the aging process", I would respond that so is tooth decay, but that's something you keep a lid on as well). And it makes your pants and jeans fit badly and feel uncomfortable (guys who routinely and simply cinch things up and let the beer belly flop over the tightly belted waistline may disagree).

But, most importantly, if you have a significant amount of fat in your mid section indicating that this is not just beneath-the-skin fat, but, rather, visceral fat, then you are leaving your body open to insulin resistance, which often, or even usually I daresay, leads to type II diabetes.

You don't want type II diabetes. It's hard to get rid of, it can lead to complications such as neuropathy, hardening of the arteries, vision loss, and many of the medications used to treat type II diabetes, such as the sulfolynureas, can even induce additional weight gain.

Now, here's a tip I just read that I might put into practice myself. This one comes from Duke University. Pick the weight you want to be. Multiple that number by eleven and this will represent how many calories you should be maxing out on each day. Also, according to the Duke study, burning 2000 calories each week by exercising has the effect of reducing your stores of visceral fat by seven percent. And that's not insignificant.

Return to Vitamin Stuff Homepage:

• There is no proof that vitamin C can cure the common cold
• Colon Cleansing: Eliminate the Backed Up Waste
• TYPE 2 DIABETES AND THE EFFECTS OF GETTING EXTRA MAGNESIUM
• Olive oil is a source of good fat and inhibits oxidative stress
• HEALTH AND NUTRITION DEFINITIONS
• The Gene Smart Diet
• The Glycemic Index System for Ranking Carbohydrates
• Chromium helps the hormone insulin deliver glucose to your cells
• Raw Foods for Better Health
• Turmeric and Type 2 Diabetes

Written by Tim Moore

There are over seventy health promoting components to the herb garlic. The one you're more likely to hear about is allicin.

Here's a short excerpt from the vitaminstuff page on allicin: "Allicin is a sulfur compound that destroys many parasites, fungi, and viruses, including Helicobacter pylori (which causes peptic ulcers), herpes, and candida. Because it contains large amounts of allicin, garlic is thought to support the immune system against bacterial, viral, and fungal infection. Some studies have even shown garlic to be particularly effective in preventing recurrent yeast infections and in treating ear infections."

To read the entire page: The potential benefits of Garlic .

Sidenote: I once remember a friend telling me that his vet had recommended giving their family dog garlic supplements to ward off fleas. Has this practice stood the test of time? It might be worthy of a little internet research. However, frankly, my own dog's breath is bad enough on its own.

Return to Vitamin Stuff Homepage:

• Vitamins are micronutrients that are essential to life and healthy living
• Vitamin A is the generic name used for a group of naturally occurring molecules called retinoids
• Alpha-carotene may be even more effective than beta-carotene in its role as an antioxidant
• Studies conducted over several years indicate that betacarotene may play a significant role in reducing the effects of certain illnesses
• Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, helps to maintain healthy collagen in the skin
• Vitamin D is fat-soluble. This means that excess amounts of it are stored in the body tissues
• The best natural source of vitamin E is vegetable oil
• Most multivitamin supplements don�t contain vitamin K
• Biotin promotes healthy hair, skin, sweat glands, nerve tissue, bone marrow, and male sex glands
• Vitamin B1 is so important to a healthy mental state, it has been called the "morale vitamin"