The first vitamin that comes to mind for most people is vitamin E, a vitamin that is essential to improving the overall health of your heart.  When taken correctly, vitamin E will stop the cholesterol in the body from harming the arteries that surround the heart.  Anytime cholesterol oxidizes, it sticks to the sides of the arteries and can lead to blockages which can cause heart attacks or other serious problems with the heart.

To help you keep your heart healthy, most doctors recommend that you take additional supplements that contain vitamin E.  They may also suggest that you eat foods that are naturally rich in vitamin E, such as nuts.  Nuts have high amounts of vitamin E, and most of them taste great.  You can find other foods that contain vitamin E as well, although nuts have the highest amounts.

In the past, research has shown Vitamin E to help those who have already suffered the wrath of a heart attack.  This vitamin helps to prevent heart attacks in the future by opening up the arteries and eliminate blockage.  Those who have had a heart attack in the past are always encouraged to add more vitamin E to their diet.

What many aren’t aware of, is the fact that you can use vitamin C to boost the effects of vitamin E.  Vitamin C is known as an antioxidant, which prevents the damaging effects that cholesterol has on the body.  Along with preventing cholesterol from damaging the body, vitamin C also helps vitamin E with it’s functions – such as protecting your arteries and your heart.

By taking both vitamin C and E as a combination, you’ll be well on your way to a healthier heart.  Overall, this is the easiest way that you can be sure you aren’t damaging your heart, especially if you have had a heart attack in the past.  If you have a history of heart disease or heart problems in your family, these vitamins are essential to your diet.  Even if you are just concerned about the health of your heart, these vitamins will give you the peace of mind in knowing that you are eating for a healthy heart.

As far as your dosage goes, it will vary from person to person, although 400 international units of vitamin E and C are the recommended amounts for most people.  On it’s own, vitamin C can be tolerated in large doses, without imposing any harmful effects.  You can take around 500 mg of it twice a day, and ensure that your heart remains healthy.

To be on the safe side, you should always make sure that you get the proper amount of vitamins in your daily diet.  Taking additional vitamins and supplements isn’t a bad idea either, especially if you are trying to boost the health of your heart.  Your heart is one of the most important organs in your body, which is why you should always take care of it.  If you eat the proper diet and take the necessary vitamins – you’ll be well on your way to keeping your heart healthy.

First of all let me explain what fiber is…

Fiber is an indigestible part of all plant foods. It is found in fruits, vegetables, grains and beans. Your digestive system cannot stomach fiber, so it is excreted undigested. Well, you may think you don’t need fiber, because it’s excreted undigested, but that’s not true.

Let’s imagine the following picture:

You overeat at least once or twice a week, more often at weekends, and your regular menu doesn’t include much fiber. Well, this might be your life style; however you should consider that it may cause you lots of health problems like:

- indigestion
- discomfort stomach aches
- gases in the digestive tract
- constipation
- hemorrhoids
- you got tired faster
- can’t concentrate on what you’re doing

I mean you become less productive at work and more irritable at home. Besides all this, you gain weight and that’s the moment when you realize you have a problem.

In order to solve a problem, you should first find the reason for it. In this case it’s the lowered intake of fiber-rich foods and respectively – the higher intake of foods containing no fiber (like meat). The average amount of fiber intake is about 25-30 grams per day. Unfortunately most people regular diets include less than 10-15 grams daily.

You should start consuming more fiber-rich foods:

- all bran cereal
- beans
- peas
- spinach
- sweet corn
- wholemeal brown bread
- red cabbage
- carrots
- baked potato with skin
- apples, bananas, oranges and all fruits

There are two types of fiber – soluble and insoluble. If you start eating more food rich in fiber, you’ll be amazed of its beneficial effects over your body, health and way of life.

Soluble fiber forms glue like gel in the intestinal tract. The gel softens stools (no more constipation) and improves your digestion (no more indigestion).

Fiber slows down stomach emptying and you feel fuller longer. This effect helps you eat less, your body burns additional calories to digest fiber and you can lose weight.

Insoluble fiber is an excellent natural laxative, because of its abilities to hold onto water and to push waste faster along the intestines – this way fiber decreases the risk of colon cancer.

In conclusion I’d like to tell you that you won’t be sorry if you start eating more fiber-rich foods. Like many other people I used to take not enough fiber, and I suffered stomach aches. Then I started to eat more fruits and fiber-rich foods in my daily menu. I must admit that it really worked for me, and now fiber-rich food is the most important nutritious part of my regular diet.

Now they have become more sophisticated and are available in all sorts of pills, capsules, liquids and of course teas of all sorts.

What are nutritional supplements? Nutritional supplements are used to add nutrients to our diets that are missing or not taken in large enough quantities. They are available in pills capsules, liquids and teas. They can be synthetic or from natural sources. They will contain one or more of the following ingredients:

• Vitamins
• Minerals
• Herbs
• Amino acids
• Saccharides

Why do we need nutritional supplements? These supplements are not intended to replace meals but enhance our diets. There are several reasons that we would be taking them:

• Environment: our environment has deteriorated over the years and we are now getting more toxins from the air, the water and even in the foods we eat, than ever before. Our bodies have to work more to protect and rid ourselves of these unwanted substances. Therefore it is wise for us to take nutritional supplements to help our bodies to do this.

• Stress: Stress will cause your body to function less efficiently. This will put your body at risk for a number of things, especially low resistance for disease. Supplements, especially Glyconutrients will help your bodies immune system get stronger and also help your body function better.

• Poor eating habits: Due to busy lifestyles, our ways of growing food and green harvests we are not getting the important nutrients our bodies need to keep us in good health. We often do not even stop to eat proper meals. This makes it necessary for us to take supplements to enhance our diets and add important nutrients to our diets.

• Athletic activities: when we take more exercise then normal our bodies need more nourishment. A professional athlete or even someone doing extra work outs needs more nutrition. Dietary supplements would include, Proteins, minerals, vitamins and saccharides (Glyconutrients).

• Part of a weight loss plan: when you go on a diet to lose weight you will be eating less and running the risk of not getting enough of the essential nutrients in your diet that your body needs. Therefore you would often be taking some nutritional supplements. Some of these substances even claim to help you to lose weight.

How do they improve your health? Different supplements will help you in different ways.

Glyconutrients: The latest nutritional supplements to come on the market are the saccharides. These are known as Glyconutrients. There are 8 of these essential nutrients:

• Mannose
• Glucose
• Galactose
• Xylose
• Fucose (not fructose)
• N-acetylglucosamine
• N-acetylneuramic acid
• N-acetylgalactosamine

These nutrients have only lately been researched with a technology known as Glycobiology. These nutrients have been shown to be vital to our health especially regarding our immune system and the ability of the body to heal itself.

Ambrotose: is a supplement made up of these Glyconutrients. Taking these supplements will help you to feel healthier and enjoy your life to the fullest.

In combination with other B vitamins, vitamin B12 ensures the smooth functioning of vital life processes of the human body. It is important to maintain a healthy nervous system and production of DNA. Vitamin B12 helps to regulate the formation of red blood cells in the body. Other benefits of vitamin B12 include its role in maintaining and increasing energy levels in the human body.

Vitamin B12 is highly beneficial in several ways. Methylcobalamin, the coenzyme form of vitamin B12 is a body version, which means that no metabolic steps are required for its ingestion and can be used as normal. It is available as a sublingual tablet that dissolves under the tongue (because the digestive system can adapt this molecule). Through this method, vitamin B12 can directly penetrate the bloodstream and produce many benefits. Hydroxocobalamin is another form of vitamin B12 has been recognized as an effective cure for cyanide poisoning.

Research studies show a clear inverse correlation between homocysteine (an amino acid found in the human body) and vitamin B12 levels. Blocking the formation of homocysteine leads to endothelial dysfunction (a narrowing of the arteries) and is a precursor of atherosclerosis, vitamin B12 helps to curb atherosclerosis. A vitamin B12, also increases the efficiency of the ability of folic acid to reduce homocysteine levels. The researchers are of the view that in relation to folic acid, an appropriate dose of vitamin B12 helps to counter heart disease and thrombosis. The synthesis of S-adenosylmethionine (SAME), a compound involved in immune function and mood, depends on the association of folic acid and vitamin B12.

Studies indicate that the absorption of vitamin B12 decreases with increasing age. Therefore, an increased intake of vitamin B12 is very useful for adults over fifty. The recommended intake in the form of a supplement, since the elderly this way a better absorption of food forms of vitamin B12. A supplementation of vitamin B12 helps in the cure neurological and cognitive function in this group.

In most cases, vitamin B12 must be taken together with a supplement of folic acid and vitamin B-Complex. The good news is that while an intake of vitamin B12 facilitates functions necessary for everyday existence, an extra dose causes no harm, but that could be stored for future use.

To help you fuel your health with fiber, here are 10 facts to help.

1.  Fiber fights diseases.  A diet high in fiber can help to prevent colon cancer and heart disease.  High fiber helps the body to eliminate cholesterol by
binding it in the digestive tract.  For thousands of years, fiber has been used to stop constipation.

2.  Fiber can actually help with overeating.  All high fiber foods will take longer to chew and digest, making you feel satisfied longer

3.  Most popular foods don’t have enough fiber.  If you like the more popular foods, you probably need to increase your intake of fiber.

4.  Grains offer the most fiber.  Dietary fiber is actually plant matter that we cannot digest.  The best sources are whole grains and concentrated grain
products.

5.  Kids need fiber as well.  Children that are older than 2 years of age should consume a daily intake of fiber.  Kids are most receptive to fiber found in
fruits, vegetables, and even fortified breakfast cereals.

6.  More fiber needs more water.  In order to keep fiber moving through your digestive tract, you’ll need to consume a lot of water.  With your diet of
fiber, you’ll need eight or more glasses of water every day.

7.  Fiber cannot be cooked out.  When you cook your fruits and vegetables, don’t worry about cooking the fiber out, as it stays.  The fiber found in
fruits and vegetables aren’t just in the skin or in the peel.

8.  You can get enough fiber.  If you eat more than 50 grams of fiber in a day, you can get diarrhea and bloating, which can interfere with your body’s
absorption of other key minerals.

9.  Getting the right amount of fiber in your diet doesn’t have to be hard.  Even though you may think so, getting the amount of fiber you need isn’t very hard to do.  All you have to do is eat the right foods and you’ll be well on your way to a fiber rich lifestyle.

As one of the key ingredients to healthy eating, fiber is something you don’t want to skip.  Fiber can serve many different purposes, which were covered
above.  If you aren’t getting enough fiber in your diet – you should do something about now instead of waiting until it is too late.

The essential fatty acids in Omega 3 have long been known for their many health benefits. Many clinical studies have proven that the biggest benefits come from DHA and EPA, these fatty acids are only found in fish oils, although you would still get some health benefits when taking Omega 3 from plant sources, it is recommended that you include Omega 3 from fish oils, either from eating fatty fish at least 3 times per week, or buying an Omega 3 supplement.

Of the two essential fatty acids mentioned above, DHA offer the most benefits, most supplements however, contain much more EPA than DHA, so when shopping for a supplement, be sure to choose one with as much DHA as possible.

Another thing you should be aware of when looking for an Omega 3 supplement is toxins (PCB’s), ask the manufacturer about the levels of PCB’s and heavy metals in their product, also ask if they can supply you with test data on the purity of their product.

Now, let’s take a look at the benefits of including Omega 3 in your daily diet, these have all been proven in clinical studies.

* Fish oils, rich in Omega 3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA) have been shown to significantly reduce deaths from heart disease.

* Clinical studies have shown improvement for people who suffer from depression.

* Lower aggression in teenagers.

* Improved memory.

* Lowered risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

* When taken by mothers during pregnancy, it may help protect babies from allergies.

* Improves the body’s immune system.

* If you have, or are in danger of developing type II diabetes, research has shown Omega 3 helps regulate blood sugar levels, and decrease insulin resistance.

* People suffering from skin disorders like psoriasis have shown improvements when taking fish oils.

As you can see, Omega 3 offers benefits both for those who just want to be proactive, as well as it can help those who already have developed some types if illnesses.

If you decide to eat more fatty fish, or take an Omega 3 supplement, remember to check the purity and levels of DHA in your chosen source.

Given everything we know about antioxidants and their beneficial properties, is more surprising people do not get enough fruits and vegetables, major sources of antioxidants. Experts recommend a minimum of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, but they get 7-10 servings is best.

Here are easy steps you can follow to get more antioxidants into your diet:

1. Breakfast

Breakfast need not be a toaster tart rushed out of the door. Throw some strawberries, 100% juice and yogurt in blender, blend for a delicious cup and head out the door. You just add one to three servings of fruit to your daily intake. Or throw some berries on your cereal cold or hot.

Saying that does not really have time in the morning and usually grab something in the race. Even the Golden Arches can be a little help here. Order a fruit and yogurt parfait and some apple slices. For around $ 2, you must supply a breakfast for two servings of fruit.

2. Lunch and Dinner

It may sound trite, but add a salad for each of your main meals a day can add loads to your overall health and wellness. They do not have to be boring and not have to be green salad. If you’re classic, add a few pieces of red pepper to your green salad, some tomatoes to the Greek salad, blueberry pie or your field greens. Prepare a broccoli salad for lunch, or a mixture of adventure and rice salad with a mixture of fresh vegetables like string beans, tomatoes, peppers and red onions.

3. Snacks

Here is an easy way to get more antioxidants in your diet. How about a handful of raisins for a snack or some fresh red grapes? Dip some strawberries in yogurt. You’ll feel decadent, but the berries provide the color you’re looking for. Need crunch? How about some carrots dipped in humus? Consider a handful of pecans and crunch of a good antioxidant boost.

4. Beverages

Replace soda with tea or coffee, with antioxidant compounds. Have a glass of wine with dinner or for a real change of pace, pouring a cup of Chai tea

5. Dessert

Berries, with or without whipped cream or chocolate are a wonderful way to end your day of healthy, antioxidant-rich eating.

6. Think outside the box

We know we can get our fix antioxidant berries, salads and the like, but researchers say powerful antioxidants can also be found in a variety of unexpected foods such as red potatoes, artichokes, and small red beans. The beans, in fact, may have more antioxidant power of blueberries, experts say. Therefore, his salad full of vegetables, rice, beans to add more antioxidants.

7. Cook Lightly

Do you think being good every night preparing vegetables for your family dinner? if you’re overcooking the vegetables, you are cooking out a large amount of the beneficial properties of antioxidants. Steam (not boil) vegetables, and stop cooking when you have all of their bright color and most of its bite.

8. Plant a garden

Experts believe that people who plant and harvest vegetables from their own yards are far more likely to eat more vegetables and fruits than people who buy their produce from the store. So plant a garden, watch it grow and eat the fruits (literally) of your labor.

9. Take your healthy diet on vacation

Too many of us consider going on vacation an opportunity to take a vacation from everything, including healthy eating. Think of vacation as a way to be introduced to new foods. Order an interesting vegetable dish in a restaurant and then pay attention to how the chef prepared the dish.

10. Learn to cook

If you’re cooking, you are not opening the bags and boxes. Cooking involves peeling and washing vegetables, preparing food and pay attention to how things are cooked. If you’re ordering out every night, which is much less likely to eat natural foods and fruits and vegetables that provide the basis of our intake of antioxidants.

Bee pollen is a complete food, and taking it helps to balance the incomplete foods that we are all used to eating in everyday life.

In addition, bee pollen is one of the world’s oldest health food. You can find references to it in the Bible, the Torah, the Koran, and ancient Chinese and Egyptian texts. And one of our most popular presidents, Ronald Reagan, had for years bee pollen.

And many people swear to the healing properties of bee pollen. They claim to give you greater energy, boost your body’s immune response by increasing their red and white blood cells, increasing the longevity of the repair of damaged cells and help cure all kinds of diseases with their built in antibacterial.

People also say that it is good for the intestines, moderating and controlling the organisms dwelling there and helping to aid digestion and the assimilation of nutrition

But it helps to keep a little perspective and remain as least a little skeptical. Thus far, I am aware of no reputable scientific study that supports the view that bee pollen is effective against any human disease.

So what exactly is bee pollen? Pollen is created by the male part of the flowering plant. As the bee flits from flower to flower, it carries pollen with it, which cross-pollinates and fertilizes the plant. Some of the pollen also makes it back to the bee hive where bee keepers can then collect it.

It is precisely because of this pollen that many people who have allergies will be negatively affected by bee pollen. In fact, there are documented reports of bee pollen and royal jelly triggering asthma, urticaria, sore throat, itchy facial anaphylactic shock and even in people with allergies to certain pollens. And these reactions can occur with as little as a teaspoon of bee pollen.

But another real hidden danger is that many people believe in the effectiveness of bee pollen and other nutrients in the month in which completely ignore the signs of his own body. Nutritional supplements should never take the place of consultation and treatment from your physician or health care professional and competent nutritionist.

The USDA recently revealed that Americans get plenty of protein and carbohydrates, but often fall short on key nutrients such as magnesium, potassium and vitamins C and E.

“Fifty years ago, we only recognized extreme cases of vitamin deficiencies, like scurvy, which is caused by a lack of vitamin C,” said Carroll Reider, MS, RD, Nature Made vitamins director of scientific affairs and education. “Science has advanced. We now know that even small amounts of vitamin deficiencies hurt us much more than people realize.”

While most Americans appear well fed, a key question is: Are you nutritionally fit? To assess your nutritional condition, Reider posed the following questions:

Do you shun the sun? People who wear sunscreen, live in northern climates or have darker skin may not receive optimal levels of vitamin D, which is made following exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and may also promote ovarian, breast, prostate, heart and colon health. Reider suggests 1,000 IU of vitamin D daily for people who spend most of their time indoors and those who don’t synthesize vitamin D easily, such as darker- skinned individuals and the elderly. Vitamin D food sources include milk and fatty types of fish; however, it is hard to achieve optimal intake through food alone. It is also available in supplement form.

Do your meals lack color? Does dinner typically consist of meat, starch and the same green vegetable? For optimal health, add more colors to your diet. Vegetables such as steamed carrots, peppers and red cabbage add vibrant hues to the dinner plate while citrus wedges brighten the standard bed of greens. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables maximizes nutrient intake and provides antioxidants, which help fight free radicals that may cause premature aging. “A multivitamin formulated for your age and gender is also a good way to compensate for dietary imbalances,” Reider said.

Is fish a regular dish? The American Heart Association recommends two servings of fish per week. Reider suggests salmon and tuna, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Some studies suggest omega-3 fatty acids may promote heart health. Other sources include walnuts, flaxseed or vitamins.

Scientists have found that the body forms unstable oxygen molecules, called free radicals; every cell produces tens of thousands of them each day. A free radical is basically an atom with an odd number of electrons in its outer ring. Since electrons have a very strong tendency to exist in a paired rather than an unpaired state, free radicals indiscriminately pick up electrons from other atoms, which in turn convert those other atoms into secondary free radicals, thus setting up a chain reaction, which can cause substantial biological damage. This, in short, is bad. There are also many kinds of free radicals, which we are exposed to everyday, for example, pollution, radiation, cigarette smoke and herbicides.

Antioxidants are thought to neutralise and stabilise these free radicals. So, antioxidant can be explained as a chemical that reduces the rate of particular oxidation reactions in a specific context, where oxidation reactions are chemical reactions that involve the transfer of electrons from a substance to an oxidising agent.

Antioxidants are particularly important in the context of organic chemistry and biology: all living cells contain complex systems of antioxidant chemicals and/or enzymes to prevent chemical damage to the cells’ components by oxidation.

So, which antioxidants are naturally found in which foods? We have:

Vitamin E: a fat-soluble vitamin found in vegetable oils, nuts, green leafy vegetables, and fortified cereals. Some of the foods containing the highest amounts of vitamin E are wheat germ oil, almonds, sunflower seeds, sunflower oil, hazelnuts, peanuts, spinach, broccoli, kiwi and mango.
Vitamin E is an antioxidant vitamin involved in the metabolism of all cells. It protects vitamin A and essential fatty acids from oxidation in the body cells and prevents breakdown of body tissues.

Vitamin C: Ascorbic acid is a water-soluble vitamin present in citrus fruits and juices, cabbage, green peppers, broccoli, spinach, tomato, kale, guava, cantaloupe, kiwi, papaya, and strawberries.
It is important in forming collagen, a protein that gives structure to bones, cartilage, muscle, and blood vessels. Vitamin C also aids in the absorption of iron, and helps maintain capillaries, bones, and teeth.

Beta-carotene: Beta-carotene is a precursor to vitamin A. It is present in liver, egg yolk, milk, butter, spinach, carrots, squash, broccoli, yams, tomato, cantaloupe, peaches, and grains.
Studies have been done on beta-carotene’s effectiveness for heart disease, cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease, fibromyalgia, male infertility, and psoriasis.

Coenzyme Q10: CoQ10 boosts energy, enhances the immune system, and acts as an antioxidant. A growing body of research suggests that coenzyme Q10 may help prevent or treat some of the following conditions: heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and others. Primary dietary sources of CoQ10 include oily fish, organ meats such as liver, spinach, broccoli, peanuts, wheat germ and whole grains.

Selenium: Selenium is a trace mineral that is essential to good health but required only in small amounts. It helps synthesize antibodies; helps synthesize co-enzyme Q10and helps transport ions across cell membranes. The best sources of selenium are Brazil nuts, wheat germ, molasses, sunflower seeds, whole wheat bread and dairy foods.

You should note that there are many other antioxidants naturally found in foods. You should also note that the best way to take antioxidants is naturally, through fresh, vibrant food.  One more thing; sometimes less is more. Some of these antioxidants are only needed in small amounts, so check into whether you need to take more or not, before you start overdosing on antioxidants!