It’s no surprise that as the world evolves, technology advances and information is made more readily available, people all over the globe are finding new and interesting ways to stay happy and healthy.  But in 2009, with the economic downturn in full swing, which vitamins are flying off the shelves, the world over?

Multi-Vitamins: Many vitamin retailers have reported an unexpected sales increase of up to 20% after the recession began.  Multi-vitamins have been exceptionally popular because they are easy to take and contain many essential vitamins and minerals in a once daily tablet or capsule.Omega 3 Fatty Acids: With cardiovascular health a huge concern among the western world, omega 3 fatty acids are being talked about, not only for their role in heart wellbeing, but as new findings are discovered, omega 3’s are also understood to maintain joint health, brain power and the immune system . Resveratrol: This nutrient is the product of chemical reactions that happen within red grapes when they’re attacked by fungi.  Reseveratrol is a potent antioxidant and identified to sustain good heart health.  Resveratrol is also used to increase stamina and endurance in athletes and others under strenuous exercise regimes.Green Tea: Green tea is prepared by steaming fresh-picked green tea leaves. This technique allows the tea to retain many of the nutrients found in its original form. Green tea is a strong antioxidant and also exhibits anti-bacterial properties.  Green tea is often consumed as a hot drink or in tablet form.Probiotics: Probiotics are receiving global kudos. In Europe, the sale of probiotics has grown considerably and while eating yoghurt is common in Asian countries; probiotic supplements are gaining popularity there as well.  The supplement is widely taken by consumers to promote digestive health among all ages.  It is also believed to help those with chronic digestive ailments.Fruit derived antioxidants: “Super-fruits” as they are widely known, are loaded with antioxidants and are readily available all year long.  They are so popular because they offer immune support, anti-ageing properties and can be taken in liquid, tablet or capsule form.Pure Cocoa: Women, rejoice!  According to researchers, pure cocoa may be the best way to maintain a healthy heart.  Polyphenols found in cocoa are thought to sustain and support vital functions of the heart.  Cocoa also contains serotonin which is directly related to fighting off depression.  Pure cocoa is often used in heart health protein shakes as well as diet snack bars.

Spirulina: The spiral-shaped freshwater plant is said to have one of the highest levels of nutrients of any food or plant on earth.  Spirulina is regularly called a “super food” because of the benefits it can offer like strong nails, teeth and skin and its ability to support healthy immune and thyroid function, just to name a few.

Alpha-lipoic Acid: “ALA” as it is commonly referred to in the vitamin world, is a powerful antioxidant and can help fight against free radicals. It has the ability to restore vitamin E, vitamin C and CoQ10, and encourage glutathione production – an essential antioxidant which operates inside our cells to eliminate toxins, which ultimately aides in the protection of organs such as the liver and kidneys.  ALA also helps with improving glucose metabolism as it converts glucose into energy.

In my medical practice, whenever I begin to talk about Vitamins & Minerals, most people ask “What are Vitamins and/or Minerals, do I need them and what is the best way to get them?”

I begin by explaining that the human body requires certain essential vitamins and minerals to be introduced, usually through food, into the body on a daily basis.

The only problem with this is that our modern day farming techniques can and often does remove an amount of those essential vitamins and minerals. A government study done over seventy years ago warned us that our soils were depleted of many of the necessary nutrients (vitamins and minerals), which means if the nutrients aren’t in the soil, how do you expect them to be in your fruits & vegetables? Modern farmers use fertilizers that speed the growing process, but these fertilizers lack many of the nutrients that need to be in the soil. Than there is the processing of the produce that can remove even more of the vital nutrients. So what are we to do?

The answer is very simple. You need to supplement your diet with a Whole Food Supplement. I do not mean an off the counter, at your grocery store, vitamin and/or mineral, I mean a True Whole Food Supplement. There is a very big difference between the two.

By definition (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia), whole food supplements are foods that have been compressed into tablet form, poured into capsules or powdered. The word “whole” indicates that the end product — a supplement — does not contain parts of foods, or synthetic or isolated vitamins. Ideally, the foods comprising these supplements have not been subjected to irradiation, contain no pesticide or herbicide residues, contain no GMO (genetically modified organisms), have not been sterilized, and do not contain animal products that have been subjected to steroids, antibiotics or other drugs. The belief being, the closer to nature, the more benefit foods provide the consumer.

Further, whole food supplements should not contain isolated minerals, amino acids, carotenes or any other substance that is not native to, and still intact within, the original food. Thus, a supplement that contains foods plus a mixture of isolated (also called “fractionated”) vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other substances, does not constitute a whole food supplement. Examples of whole food supplement ingredients may include carrots, broccoli, kale, alfalfa, wheat grass, acerola cherry, cauliflower, kelp, wild pansy, spirulina, bovine liver, bovine kidney, radishes and quinoa.

As for your typical over the counter multi-vitamin/mineral, as Mercola.com puts it, please don’t make the mistake of shopping for supplements at discount stores or large chains like Wal-Mart or Walgreen’s. In my opinion, these are examples of companies that primarily use cheap synthetic ingredients.

Synthetic alternatives to whole foods are known as “isolates”. Your body will absorb only a small percentage of an isolate form of vitamins and minerals and utilize even less. On top of that, there could potentially be side effects, depending on the quality of the isolate.

Many retail outlets and online sellers are primarily interested in your money, not your health. Supplements are not their specialty. Always refer to medical practitioners who specialize in Health & Wellness, for your nutritional questions.

You wouldn’t go to your local Fast Food Restaurant for a nice steak, would you? The same attitude should apply to your health products. You will get what you pay for, so buyers beware.

Consider this when choosing a supplement:

• If the ingredients were all natural, it would say so on their label.

• If the product went through vigorous quality control, you can bet that it would be mentioned.

• If there were no additives or major potential allergens in the product, they would definitely tell you all about it.

Additionally, the ingredients many companies use are not only synthetic, but there is a likelihood they may not have been thoroughly tested for purity and potency.

I am very pleased to tell you that there are products on the market that were designed to meet very high standards. I was asked to help design products, programs and health plans for Health & Wellness. Our core philosophy is that in order to reach True Wellness, you must have proper weight control and proper nutrition. This can only be accomplished by using Whole Food products, exercise and a little determination.

The bottom line is that in order to achieve Your Bodies Optimal Best, you must start with a solid nutritional foundation; we at Ultra International believe we have done just that. Using nothing but the finest ingredients, our Soul Super Food and Mind Super Drink is second to none.

Soul Super Food

• The Natural Visions Soul Super Food is a “Whole Food” Supplement, made from fruits, vegetables, herbs and mushrooms.

• Every Essential Vitamin & Mineral

• Probiotics

• Digestive Enzymes

• Antioxidants

• Glyconutrient Aloe Vera

• Made up of over 100 Essential nutrients that the body requires to perform at its optimal levels.

Mind Super Drink

• The Natural Visions Mind Super Drink is the most complete nutritional drink on the market today.

• The highest antioxidant levels of any drink

• 120 vitamins & minerals

• Glyconutrient enriched Aloe Vera

• 2 oz. serving will deliver about 4500 units based on the ORAC scale

• You will notice a natural increase in energy as well as providing the most packed infusion of antioxidants, minerals and vitamins that your body can utilize for your optimal health.

If you have a True interest in your body and health, which everyone of us should, please take the time to learn more about these revolutionary products and programs at: www.myui.com/lscg. Mind Body & Soul. Think It, Feel It, Live It.

By now we know which products are good for us and which aren’t, or so I hope. For example, dark chocolate has now been proven to be great for you, and things like Ephedrine and ephedrine type products have been proven to do more harm than help. I don’t know about you but, I’m constantly looking for more things that are good tasting yet healthy for me to take. Recently I found a few products that are good both beneficial to your health, inexpensive, and they taste good, so I wanted to just share a few of these products with you along with some information about the products such as benefits, ingredients, and “in the news” type deals.
The Healthy Energy Drink by DrinkAct is located at CashPeter, this company was established in 2005 by Paul Gravette and Mark McKnight as a web-based energy drink company. DrinkAct is full of vitamins, sugarless, healthy and inexpensive. This product not only is an energy drink but also a weight loss type of drink. The main ingredient is Epigallocatchin gallate also known as EGCG which is a main ingredient in green tea, which is said to have antioxidant attributes which get rid of free radicals that cause cell damage. Also, because it has green tea in it this makes it naturally decaffeinated. See this drink doesn’t hop you up and then make you crash like other drinks, it efficiently increases your energy without all the nasty side affects of other drinks. This product also contains guarana which is almost the same type of ingredient that is in chocolate. Needless to say this is the perfect drink if you’re looking to try something different but something that’s also going to benefit you health wise!
Stevia Drink Mix is placed as number two but a darn close number one. I have a personal love for Stevia it contains no sugar, zero calories, zero sugar, zero fat, no sodium and no carbs. Stevia is made from the Stevia plant which is known to be a beneficial natural food grade herb. It is hundreds of times sweeter than sugar, but does not adversely affect normal blood sugar levels. Of course it also doesn’t have anything beneficial necessarily but it does taste good it’s not bad for you like other sugary “health” drinks and it’s inexpensive. By the way sugary and health drinks? They shouldn’t even be in the same sentence! Ingredients for the Stevia drink include Citric Acid, Fumaric Acid, Stevia Rebaudiana (Bertoni), Tartaric Acid, Natural Flavorings, and Natural Color, nothing fake about this guy! Do some research on Stevia, so you can see the full benefits!
Fortune Delight is made without any sugar, artificial ingredients, isolated chemicals or sweetener of any kind. Fortune Delight is a flavorful replacement for sodas, sugary vitamin waters, and high caffeine energy drinks. Plus, this herbal formula enhances the benefits of drinking plain water with natural antioxidants from whole food ingredients. Unlike most fake, enhanced vitamin waters, with Fortune Delight you get vital nutrients from nature, not synthetic, isolated vitamins or minerals manufactured in a lab. Natural antioxidants, like those in Fortune Delight, help the body fight premature aging by absorbing free radicals that can cause cell damage as you get older.
So, those are my top threes. I can’t possibly be sure if I would even add more to the list, simply because I know the drinks listed above very well. The first one got awesome reviews and is a true health drink. The Stevia one in general got good reviews but Stevia has been a product known to people for a long time that don’t want to use unhealthy refined sugars but want a sweet taste added to their drinks. And the fortune delight was actually recommended to me by the same person that recommended the Stevia product which was Dr. Young who makes the super greens (also an amazing product). Now as always you can view reviews online by simply checking out your favorite search engine and doing a product search. Be wary when you do this, however, because everyone is competition against everyone else. Use common sense where you can. If 500 people say type A drink is healthful and 1 person says it’s not, who do you think is the honest participant?!?

HOW TO GET SUPER HEALTHY by DRAWING A REAL VITAMIN

The human race walks a common road but once in awhile there is a revelation so profound that it changes the journey and all observations.

It is then not possible to return unaffected and compliant with old beliefs, but begin to embrace a vision of wholeness and balance in all of Nature’s cycles. It is a return to the bounty of what Nature has provided immemorially for total health; thereby, redressing our shopping habits,

dinner tables and dietary supplements.

This exercise is guaranteed to make you never look at a vegetable or fruit in the same way again. Nature’s plant foods are intrinsic to our body’s structure and function. As importantly, when we choose our supplements, it is Nature’s whole plants that best meet the needs of the internal pharmacist inside us.

A couple years ago I was walking in similar shoes as most people believing several commonalities. Clearly, there is a direct link between

the food we eat and the structure and function of our cells.

Clearly, it is wise to eat several servings of fruits and vegetables daily highly recommended by many organizations, but often not substantially followed. Commonly, we understand that modern agricultural and food manufacturing processes have depleted and denutriented our natural plants of many of the essential elements

Subsequently, we are informed to do the next best thing …SUPPLEMENT…SUPPLEMENT… SUPPLEMENT

Now there are whole volumes that deal with vitamins, their role in health, best sources and more. But without a lot of training, most of us go to a store and decide to buy but based on what criteria. And on store shelves we are accosted by every kind of fancy labeling, claims, pills, capsules, powders, potions …and for some of us, the cheaper the better buy, right?

And once in awhile there appears a new buzzword of something vital for your body, accredited by a doctor or two, and so we have to purchase that, too. Often, to make sure we were getting a full spectrum of essential nutrients, we end up swallowing a handful of pills. Sound familiar? The latest advertising images of various vitamins are shown as brightly colored blocks with human bodies jostling each other to try and rank importance. What insulting balderdash, in my opinion.

But how much do we truly understand what constitutes a vitamin ?

Here‘s an interesting exercise…

Can you draw the elements of a vitamin (in the same way that you can draw the descriptive details of a cat, a dog, an apple or any other basic concrete object)

I’ve asked this question many times and am not surprised by the responses. In truth, a couple years ago, I would have responded in like fashion with a simple sketch of a pill or capsule form speckled with dots to show different vitamins.

A vitamin is not a dot, or speckle, a pill, a habit or a label.

A vitamin cannot be manufactured by the body and must be obtained from our diet (or supplements). A vitamin is a biochemical catalyst for growth, maintenance and reproduction of all cells in the body. It is an integral part of hormones, genes, amino acids, minerals, enzymes and immune components.

We need vitamins and minerals to help fill in the gaps in our modern food supply to benefit from total nutrition and who doesn’t want that. Your choice of dietary supplement is one of the most important choices you can make for long term health for you and your family. The question is which kind of supplement? We better get the right source and validation.

Undoubtedly, the most important drawing you’ll ever do is to see the real components of a vitamin. So take a few minutes now and draw what you understand to be a vitamin. Don’t worry about different kinds (B, C, D, A, etc.) because they all have three common features.

Don’t read ahead until you have actually drawn something because you’ll be amazed at the picture of what constitutes a vitamin. It is the revelation that transfigured my perception of what Nature’s provision is all about.

So what are the features of a vitamin?

A vitamin is an organic compound composed of three elements: carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.

Different vitamins have different combinations of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, some more a complex than others.

A drawing of a vitamin is a series of Carbon atoms linked with Hydrogen atoms linked with Oxygen atoms…all interconnected. For example, Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) shows a fixed matrix with 2 Carbon molecules,

7 Hydrogen molecules, and 6 Oxygen molecules

You can check out the actual configurations for different vitamins by google searching ‘vitamin structures.’ Some structures are impressively complex which further asks how best to replicate them or keep them as natural forms found in plants already.

Furthermore, an antioxidant is also a series of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen molecules…

A phytonutrient, or natural phytochemical, found in plants is a set of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen molecules…

An amino protein is a combination of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen with a Nitrogen element…

A fatty acid is a long chain combination of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.

Our natural whole plants are also composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen molecules with the extra elements of minerals drawn from the soil. Make sure your mineral supplements also come from plants, not ground up rock or metals that can actually accumulate in the body’s tissues.

A natural question is to find out how many different configurations are found in plant foods. The answer is a second revelation. Fruits and vegetables contain hundreds of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, anti-oxidants, phytochemicals, enzymes, other co -factors and fiber. For example, if an apple is “labeled” correctly there would be over 600 nutritional elements that scientists can identify. Just imagine, if Mother Nature in the spirit of fair advantage, could also label the nutrients found in fruits and vegetables, their lists would be very long and very impressive! A bottle of manufactured supplement pills with 20 or 30 elements could never compare with Mother Nature’s nutritional powerhouses.

This is such a simple revelation in a market of information overload. Dietary supplementation is huge garnering about 17 billion dollars a year. There are least 29,000 supplement products made by at least 500 manufacturers, many with ingredients from the same supplier (some of which are pharmaceutical subsidiaries selling chemically derived, isolated vitamins and minerals). Strangely enough, some forms of chronic diseases have not changed and even increased.

In my opinion, in the same way that refined foods are robbed of essential nutrients, so I believe “refined” or processed pill formulations also cause imbalances, especially if taken at high levels over a long time.

This personal revelation finally led to a crossroads…how to best supplement…increase our portions of whole foods, supplement with whole food extracts, or take manufactured pills with “fractions” of natural plants.

In making the decision, a few principles stand strong. First, the body functions properly with proper “fuel” (food) a synergy of at least 100 nutrients. Second, the body is designed to draw nutrients from a natural food supply all working synergistically. Third, be aware that our genetic paleolithic blueprint hasn’t changed and that for thousands of years “ethnobotany” was the basis for healing. Fourth, was the choice to focus preventatively on natural whole foods to treat any prevailing unhealthy condition, rather than on the disease itself hoping for a chemical cure.

I decided to put my faith and trust in omniscient Nature rather than sifting and sorting through a huge number of products made in laboratories on conveyor belts. I decided to align with the natural environment believing that the “whole food best treats the whole body”. I chose a whole food supplement that comes from the ocean because of its natural mineral formulation as well as many other vital ingredients, including the essential fatty acids. I can now drink all my essential nutrients as a delicious nectar.

Just try and reproduce a bottle of sea water in a laboratory. http://www.4healthlimu.com

When a new patient comes into my medical practice and asks me about Health & Wellness, I always start with the basics. The first question I ask is, “Are you taking a whole food supplement and how are you getting a good amount of antioxidants?”

Most patients say they are not taking either. I tell them that if I had to take only one product, I would have to say it would be Ultra International’s Mind Super Drink.

The facts speak for themselves:

The highest antioxidant ORAC level per serving available, with over 4500 + per serving…over 144,000 per bottle! This will be certified and actually made PUBLIC, unlike most other companies. Over 120 plant derived vitamins and minerals per serving, to guarantee easy assimilation into the body! A complete and well rounded source of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, glyconutrients and phytonutrients to support and boost your immune, digestive and cardiac systems! A Delicious Berry taste that even children like!

Ingredients:

• Patented Aloe Vera – Very high in glyconutrients and the ultimate delivery method for maximum assimilation of the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants into and throughout the body. Also a tremendous benefit for the reduction of internal cellular inflammation.

• Acai Berry – One of the most potent sources of antioxidants in any single naturally occurring food.

• Muscadine Grape – Very high in Reservatrol One of the most potent sources of antioxidants in any single naturally occurring food.

• Mangosteen – Very high in antioxidants, xanthones and phytonutrients. Mangosteen offers the most potent source of phytonutrients in any single naturally occurring food.

• Noni Berry – Very high in antioxidants and Vitamin C

• Goji Berry – Very high in antioxidants, vitamins and phytochemicals

• Pomegranate – Very high in antioxidants, Vitamin C and Vitamin B as well as other essential minerals

• Cranberry – Very high in antioxidants, Omegas, minerals and dietary fiber to support a healthy immune, digestive and cardiac system.

• Blueberry – Very high in antioxidants, phytochemicals, dietary fiber, Manganese and Vitamin K.

• Green Tea Extract – Raises the metabolism, enabling the body to use fat as an energy source as well as giving the body a natural source of energy without the crash.

• Vitamins B1, B3, B5, B6 & B12 – Sources for a natural energy boost without the crash

It is so important, when looking for a nutritional product, that a wide variety of ingredients are utilized. If there is not a varied assortment, then move on. Our bodies are designed to utilize many, many different sources of nutrients, thus it is very important to feed your bodies needs with a well rounded nutritional foundation.

Ultra International has done just that with the Mind Super Drink. This Revolutionary Power Packed Drink is the easiest way to guarantee your bodies’ desire for nutrients and more importantly the highest quality antioxidants available on the market today.

Antioxidants play a huge role in our bodies’ ability to fight off Free Radical Damage, (See article: Antioxidants, What is the big deal?), that we should all strive to ingest high quality antioxidants every day.

Can the Mind Super Drink guarantee good health, of course not, but it sure cannot hurt. Remember that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Don’t you owe it to yourself to feed your body the best “fuel” you can? Take some time to learn about the Mind Super Drink and the other products offered by Ultra International at www.myui.com/lscg. Believe me it will be worth your effort.