5 Crucial Nutrients for Vegetarians

5 Crucial Nutrients for Vegetarians

A vegetarian or vegan diet can be a healthy lifestyle, but it takes a little planning to eat a variety of foods to meet your dietary needs. Unfortunately, even the most carefully planned plant-based diet may lack key nutrients. Whether you’re a lifelong vegetarian, a recent convert or somewhere in between, make sure you’re getting key nutrients by including the foods below on your grocery list. Calcium This mineral is necessary for muscle contraction, blood vessel constriction, and hormone and enzyme secretion. A Purdue University study suggests plant sources alone may not fulfill your calcium needs. If you don’t consume dairy, you may need a dietary supplement. On Your Grocery List: calcium-fortified soymilk (try Relivables® Fortified Soy Milk), fortified cereal and orange juice, collard greens, turnip greens, mustard greens, bok choy Iron Dietary iron is needed for the creation of neurotransmitters and the transportation of oxygen throughout the body. The human body doesn’t absorb plant-based (non-heme) iron as efficiently as animal-based (heme) iron, so vegetarians could be at risk for deficiency. On Your Grocery List: spinach, kidney beans, black-eyed peas, lentils, molasses, whole-wheat bread, peas, dried apricots, prunes, raisins, asparagus, strawberries Vitamin B-12 This important vitamin, which contributes to a healthy nervous system and the creation of red blood cells and DNA, is available primarily in animal products. It’s essential for vegetarians — especially those who avoid dairy and eggs — to take a dietary supplement containing B-12. On Your Grocery List: fortified cereals and veggie burgers, nutritional supplements like Reliv Classic® and Reliv Now® Zinc The function of over 300 enzymes in the human body and immune system health rely on zinc. Like iron, vegetarian sources of zinc are not as easily absorbed by the body, so make sure your dietary supplement contains zinc. On Your Grocery List: white beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, fortified cereal, wheat germ, pumpkin seeds Protein Every cell in the human body needs protein. It is also necessary for building and repairing tissue. Vegetarian protein sources are often low in saturated fat and high in fiber, so eat up! On Your Grocery List: beans, nuts, nut butters, peas, tofu, veggie burgers, soy nuts (try Relivables® Soy Nuts) Note: All Reliv products mentioned in this Healthy Living Tip are vegetarian and vegan. Enjoy a healthier, more active lifestyle with Reliv. Order now. This article was brought to by my friends at http://www.reliv.com

5 Ways to Summer Proof-Your Workout

5 Ways to Summer-Proof Your Workout

With temperatures rising and no relief in sight, it’s easy to let your workout fall to the wayside. But fret not, workout buffs. These tips will summer-proof your workout.

• Hydrate. Hydrate properly throughout the day — if you’re thirsty, you may already be dehydrated! When you sweat, your body loses important electrolytes. Add the sizzling summer heat and you’re at serious risk for dehydration. After a workout, water alone probably won’t meet your needs. Instead, reach for an isotonic sports drink (like Innergize!®) with at least 50mg sodium and 30mg potassium per serving as well as a carbohydrate such as fructose to boost energy production.

• Plan Ahead. Heading out for a long run at noon on the hottest day of the year isn’t smart. Instead, plan your workouts around the sun — head out in the morning or evening when the sun is the weakest. Make the best of a rainy day and enjoy a refreshing jog. If you do workout during peak sun time on a clear day, avoid reflective surfaces like sand that will attract reflect UV rays.
• Protect. When planning your summer workout, don’t forget about the largest organ of your body — your skin. Suntans are so last year! Now, proper skin protection is all the rage. When you head outside, use a sweat proof sunscreen SPF 30 or higher. Relivables® Sunscreen SPF 30+ Spray is an oil-free formula with a convenient spray pump so you can reapply often.
• Dress-Up. Jogging in sweat-soaked cotton clothing can make even a leisurely jog feel like boot camp. Avoid this pitfall by donning moisture wicking workout gear that pulls sweat away from your skin. Dark colors will protect you from harmful UV rays, and don’t forget to protect your scalp with a hat! Team Reliv’s black sport shirt and black runner’s cap are perfect hot weather options available in Reliv’s Company Store.
• Avoid Heat Stroke. Here are some signs to look for:
  • Hot, flushed skin and a lack of sweat
  • Headache
  • Disorientation
  • Trouble breathing

Follow these tips and you won’t melt like a popsicle in the sun this summer!

Enjoy a healthier, more active lifestyle with Reliv. Order now.

This article was written by http://www.reliv.com! Thank you for the great advice!

Yours in True Health!

Katrina van Oudheusden

Independent Reliv Distributor

24 Energy Drink – No Caffeine & No Sugar. Get Your Energy Shot today!

 

Many Multivitamins Don’t Have Claimed Nutrients

By Linda Carroll

msnbc.com contributor

updated 6/20/2011 7:22:53 PM ET

Correction: An earlier version of this story did not make clear that the ingredients in the  Hero Nutritionals Yummi Bears are in compliance with the Daily Value standards set by the federal Food and Drug Administration. ConsumerLab instead evaluated the supplement using the more recent standards established by the Institute of Medicine for upper tolerable limits. Dr. Tod Cooperman stated that excessive Vitamin A levels have been linked to liver abnormalities and other health concerns, but he was not speaking specifically about any particular multivitamin tested by his company.

A new review of popular multivitamins found that one in three did not contain the amount of nutrients claimed in their labels or improperly listed ingredients.

After testing 38 multivitamins for a new report published online this week, researchers at ConsumerLab.com discovered that eight contained too little of specific nutrients, two contained more nutrient than claimed and three improperly listed ingredients. The good news: some of the best vitamins were also the cheapest.

“We found a wide range in the quality of multivitamins,” said Dr. Tod Cooperman, president of the company. “Interestingly, the more expensive products didn’t fare any better than those that are just a few cents a day.”

While medications are closely overseen by the federal Food and Drug Administration, supplements like vitamins don’t get regular testing by any government agency. So there’s no way of knowing — outside of independent testing — whether a bottle of supplements contains what it’s supposed to.

The problems with quality control found by ConsumerLab don’t surprise Dan Hurley, a medical journalist and author of “Natural Causes,” a book on the supplement industry.

“That’s really pretty average for supplements. It’s a real crapshoot,” Hurley said. If a drug company had these kinds of lapses, it would be shut down, he said.

Although low levels of certain nutrients can be a problem, doses that exceed recommendations are especially worrisome. Several products evaluated by ConsumerLab, including some designed for children, had this issue. For the report, ConsumerLab used the recommended daily allowances and upper tolerable limits established by the Institutes of Medicine.

ConsumerLab is a Westchester, N.Y., company that independently evaluates hundreds of health and nutrition products and periodically publishes reviews. For this test, ConsumerLab purchased a selection of multivitamins and sent them, without labels to a lab for testing. If a problem was found, the product was sent to a second lab for confirmation.

ConsumerLab focused on some of the more important ingredients, such as folic acid, calcium, vitamin A (retinol and beta-carotene), zinc, and iron. Cooperman and his colleagues also looked to see how quickly vitamin tablets broke down in liquid. If a pill doesn’t break down fast enough, the body won’t be able to absorb as much of the various nutrients.

Among the supplements that had too little of a particular nutrient were Trader Joe’s Vitamin Crusade (just 59 percent of the vitamin A advertised on the label), Melaleuca Vitality Multivitamin & Mineral (just 42 percent of the touted vitamin A) and All One Active Seniors (less than 2 percent of the beta-carotene, 73 percent of the retinol and 49 percent of the vitamin A listed on the label).

Centrum Chewables had the opposite problem, with 173 percent of the vitamin A listed on the label. This is of particular concern because too much vitamin A can spell trouble.

“If you get too much vitamin A it can be toxic to your liver,” explained Dr. Michael Cirigliano, an associate professor of medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. “People don’t realize that everything they put in their mouths is bioactive. Whether it’s baby aspirin or food, it has an effect on the body. People think that if you can get it without a prescription it’s safe — that’s baloney.”

One product, Alpha Betic, took twice as long as it should have to break apart in solution, found ConsumerLab. The supplement also contained less vitamin A than it should have.

Particularly worrisome were high levels of certain nutrients in some of the children’s multivitamins.

Hero Nutritionals Yummi Bears, if given to children at the suggested dose, would exceed recommendations by the Institute for Medicine for Vitamin A in youngsters aged 1 to 3. However, the multivitamins were found to be in compliance with the standards set by the FDA. ConsumerLab considers the FDA’s standards to be outdated.

ConsumerLab found almost no connection between price and quality. Many of the cheaper pills (prices ranging between $0.03 and $0.14 per day) passed all the tests, while some of the most expensive ones (priced as high as $1 per day) failed.

Among the supplements that passed testing were several very inexpensive options, such as Equate Mature Multivitamin, at $0.03/day, Kirkland Signature Mature Multivitamins and Minerals Adult 50+ at $0.03/day and Flintstones Plus Bone Building Support at $0.14/day.

ConsumerLab also tested several pet supplements, one of which, Pet-Tabs Complete Daily Vitamin Mineral Supplement for Dogs contained lead at unhealthy levels.

Ultimately the new report is a strong argument for more regulation of the supplement industry, both Cirigliano and Hurley said.

“People are using these products more and more,” Cirigliano explained. “There needs to be more regulation.”

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Cheers to Your Health!

Katrina van Oudheusden

Independent Reliv Distributor

24K – Healthy Energy Drink – No Caffeine & No Sugar … Gives you Energy, Focus, and Stress Relief

Nectarines: A Smart Summer Snack

Nectarines: A Smart Summer Snack

The nectarine is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) fruit of the month in July. Include nectarines on your dinner table and in your lunch bag this month. They’re a great source of nutrients necessary for optimal health! Vitamin A. This retinoid plays a key role in cellular growth and vision. Vitamin C. This antioxidant is necessary for the formation of collagen in bones, cartilage, muscles and blood vessels. It also has been shown to prevent or reduce the duration of the common cold. Fiber. According to the U.S. National Cancer Institute, dietary fiber promotes longevity by decreasing risk of cardiovascular, infectious and respiratory diseases. Fiber’s widespread benefits also include aiding digestion and promoting weight loss. Niacin. This B vitamin helps convert carbohydrates into usable energy and plays an important role in the nervous system, digestive system. It also promotes skin, hair and eye health. Many studies show niacin may even increase HDL (good) cholesterol. Tips for adding to nectarines to your day: Shake-up breakfast. Add a cup of sliced nectarines and a cup of ice to your morning Reliv shake and blend. For a filling meal replacement, add a scoop of Slimplicity. Snack on the go. Grab a nectarine and a handful of Relivables Soy Nuts for a quick bite with plenty of fiber and protein. Save for later. To enjoy this summer fruit throughout the year, arrange whole or sliced nectarines on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer. Once frozen, store the nectarines in a plastic bag. When you’re ready to eat, run the nectarine under cold water to remove the skin. Prepare frozen nectarines as usual. Enjoy a healthier, more active lifestyle with Reliv. Order now. Another great article by our friends at http://www.reliv.com Yours in Healthy Options, Katrina van Oudheusden Independent Reliv Distributor

How to make a Reliv Berry Sunrise Shake

Looking to change up your Reliv shake? How to make a Reliv berry sunrise shake. This simple recipe may be just what you need to brighten your morning!

Recipe:
Berry Sunrise submitted by Carolyn Preber of South Dakota

Ingredients:
4oz Water
2oz Orange Juice
2oz Cranberry Juice
1 scoop Reliv Classic
1/2 scoop Cool Punch Innergize
3-4 Ice cubes or frozen strawberries, raspberries, etc

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth!
Feel free to add FibRestore or Arthaffect with out changing the flavor of the shake.

If you love this Reliv recipe “like” this page! Stay tuned for more Reliv recipes! And look for some new twists.

Yours in Yummy Recipes!

Chef Katrina
Independent Reliv Distributor
http://Katrina.Reliv.com
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