Brain Fog Solution

Posted under Memory Improvement

Few things have been as controversial as nutritional supplements have been recently. Depending on who you listen to, they are either the answer to any problem you have or they are the devil incarnate. The truth about nutritional supplements, though, is really somewhere in between.

Nutritional supplements are more widely used now than in other time in history. This is because many people have turned to nutritional supplements in order to fill the gaps in what they know to be unhealthy diets that don’t meet the minimum daily requirements for many, many necessary vitamins and minerals. Others have turned to nutritional supplements in order to enhance everything from their workout regimes to their memory and mental functions.

Considering the controversy over whether it’s safe to take nutritional supplements or not, you probably wonder just what you can really expect from taking nutritional supplements. Do they have any real benefit?

The fact is that taking nutritional supplements in their recommended dosages is extremely helpful for everyone from infants to elderly people. The methods used to grow and process our foods have changed drastically in the last 100 years. In many cases, this means that the food itself is deficient in many essential, basic vitamins and minerals.

Add that to the fact that people are so time-starved today that many of us practically live on meals out of paper bags makes taking nutritional supplements almost mandatory. Taking vitamins and other nutritional supplements is a good way to be certain you get all the proper vitamins and minerals you need daily.

However, nutritional supplements should never be used as a substitute for a good diet. Eating at least three (and many experts recommend five) well-balanced meals and two well-balanced snacks per day is still the best way to be sure you’re getting all the vitamins and minerals your body needs to stay fit and healthy. Adding nutritional supplements to good eating habits simply goes the extra mile to see that you’re getting all the nutrients that your body needs each day.

There are many high-quality multi-vitamins available at your local drugstores, as well as through many online sources. The key thing to remember when you decide to take (and you should!) nutritional supplements of any kind is to take them only as directed. Those directions are put on the bottles and packages for a reasonâ??to ensure the vitamins and other herbal supplements are taken correctly.

This is vital for any nutritional supplement you take to be both as safe and effective as it should be. Too high doses of anything can cause side effects you aren’t expecting and don’t want. When you take more of any vitamin or nutritional supplement than the manufacturer recommends you take daily, then you run the risk of taking more than your body can effectively and safely process in a twenty-four hour period of time. Any risk of taking too much or of unwanted side effects is slight, though, for nutritional supplements when they’re taken as directed. Even slightly higher dosages, in most cases, will have few side effects because your kidneys will flush them from your system, which keeps your body from absorbing too much of any one vitamin or mineral. Still, to be totally safe, take nutritional supplements exactly as instructed.

If you’re still uncertain as to whether you should take a nutritional supplement each day, ask for your doctor’s advice. This is particularly true if you’re on any prescribed medications. It is possible for some supplements to decrease the efficiency of some prescribed medicines and to interact with them, causing unwanted side effects. However, despite many news headlines you may have read, this is rare, especially when nutritional supplements are taken as directed.

Taken properly, nutritional supplements are an excellent way to ensure your body has all it needs to be healthy. Just be sure to use them to supplement, not substitute for, a good healthy diet.

Wesley Atkins
http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/why-you-should-take-nutritional-supplements-4030.html

Posted under Memory Improvement

Vitamin B complex is a group of 12 related water-soluble substances. The eight water-soluble vitamins including thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), biotin (B7), pyridoxine (B6), folic acid (B9), and cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12).

These eight are considered the essential vitamins because they need to be definitely included in the diet. Four are not essential because the body can synthesize them. The four unnumbered components of the B complex that can be synthesized by the body are choline, inositol, PABA, and lipoic acid.

Benefits of Vitamin B Complex:

Each member of the B-complex has a unique structure and performs unique functions in the human body. These vitamins are vital for:

« Lustrous hair

« B6 is essential for amino acid metabolism

« B12 and folic acid facilitate cell division

« Good vision

« Folic acid, pyridoxine, and cobalamin work together to keep homocysteine levels low, as high homocysteine levels lead to heart disease.

« Prevent certain birth defects such as cleft palate and neural tube defects, maintain healthy red blood cells, and may have a role in preventing certain types of cancer.

« Avoiding any mouth infections

« Proper functioning of liver

« The breakdown of carbohydrates into glucose so as to provide energy to the body.

« Helps tone stomach muscles and those of the intestinal tract

« Healthy skin

« The breakdown of fats and proteins to aid the normal functioning of the nervous system.

Sources of Vitamin B Complex â??

A well balanced diet should provide us with all the B vitamins we require, but because they are water soluble and therefore not retained by the body, we need a daily dietary source.

Vitamins B1 and B2 found in cereals, whole grains, potatoes, seafood, liver, and kidney beans.

Vitamin B3 is found in liver, fish, chicken, nuts, whole grains, and dried beans. Vitamin B5 is found in almost all foods. Fish, chicken, potatoes, wheat germ, bananas, and dried beans are good sources of vitamin B6. Vitamin B7 is present in peanuts, liver, egg yolk, bananas, watermelon, and grapefruit. Green leafy vegetables, liver, citrus fruits, nuts, peas, dried beans, and wheat bread contain vitamin B9. Vitamin B12 is found in eggs, meat, poultry, milk, and dairy products.

Daily requirement of Vitamin B Complex â??

Daily requirement of the B-complex varies considerably - from 3 mg per day for vitamin B12 to about 18 mg per day for vitamin B3 in adult males.

Vitamin B deficiency:

The Vitamin B requirement of different individuals varies according to the intensity of activity and loss of nutrients in sweat and through urine, especially after strenuous exercise. Many people involved in high-level sports or physical activity are unaware of the impact of vitamin B complex in their diet - a poor diet lacking in important micro nutrients may have severe detrimental effects on a personâ??s health and professional potential.

Several deficiency diseases may result from the lack of B-vitamins. These include -

· Vitamin B1 deficiency causes beriberi, weight loss, emotional disturbances, swelling of bodily tissues, amnesia.

· Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) deficiency causes cracks in the lips, high sensitivity to sunlight, inflammation of the tongue, syphilis.

· Vitamin B3 (Niacin) deficiency causes pellagra, mental confusion and even death.

· Vitamin B6 deficiency may lead to anaemia, dermatitis, high blood pressure.

· Vitamin B7 deficiency may lead to impaired growth and neurological disorders in infants.

· Folic acid deficiency in pregnant women can lead to birth defects.

· Vitamin B12 deficiency causes pernicious anaemia, memory loss and other cognitive diseases.

Causes of Vitamin B deficiency -

· Stress whether mental or physical.

· Increased intake of processed foods.

· Refined sugar robs the body of its vitamin B stores.

· Drugs deplete vitamin B in the body.

· Toxins â?? environmental pollution as well as personal care products deplete vitamin B complex

· Malnutrition.

· Cooking as vitamin B is killed or depleted in foods that are overcooked.

Symptoms of Vitamin B Complex deficiency -

Vitamin B complex deficiency shows symptoms such as:

· mental problems

· heart palpitations

· indigestion

· chronic fatigue

· nervousness

· inability to concentrate

· insomnia

· tingling fingers and toes

· rashes

What can be done to overcome Vitamin B deficiency?

« Avoid eating refined sugar.

« Reduce stress through a regular exercise, meditation.

« Avoid drinking too much of coffee or tea

« Eat more vitamin B containing foods such as oats, barley, wheat bran, leafy veggies, nuts.

« Avoid toxins such as alcohol, tobacco.

Tom alter
http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/vitamin-b-complex-benefits-sources-and-deficiency-104066.html

Posted under Memory Improvement

Why take Vitamins?

Vitamins are micronutrients that are essential to life and healthy living. And, as everyone is aware, failing to get the necessary amounts of specific vitamins can cause deficiency states that are unhealthy and even dangerous.

However, vitamins can play a much larger dietary role in our ongoing quest for health than the FDA’s Reference Daily Intakes (formerly known as recommended daily allowances, or RDA’s) might suggest.

As many scientific studies now indicate, vitamins, when taken in amounts greater than the RDIâ??s, may reduce the occurrence of certain illnesses and degenerative disorders, improve the functioning of the immune system, and, perhaps, even allow us to live longer and healthier lives.

Is my â??Dietâ? adequate?

There is an increasing tendency to associate the word â??dietâ? with special food combinations that help you lose weight, but this is not the true meaning of the word: simply put, your diet is what supplies the body with the vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and fiber it needs to sustain lifeâ??your life.

Without adequate amounts of healthy nutrients, it is a proven fact that you will become more vulnerable to infection and illness. Eyesight, memory, mood, energy level, lifespanâ??everything that defines your life experience is directly affected by what you eat. With so many food choices available, itâ??s important to know which foods are the best sources of nutrients, and how these nutrients function in the body.

Supplements? What are they, and should I be taking them?

Nutritional supplements are important for at least two simple reasons. The first is that many of us rely too much on fast foods and highly processed foods. And the second rationale for nutritional supplements is that evidence continues to mount that many of the nutrients and health promoting substances that we might take to achieve optimum health levels cannot be obtained through normal diet alone.

Of course, any nutrient that is not acquired through normal eating habits may be classified as a supplement. And this includes vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, enzymes, as well as a host of other nutrients. The key to nutrition is to keep track of and know the amount of nutrients you are getting from your normal eating habits each day and if this is not meeting the RDIâ??s suggested requirements, you should be taking a multi-vitamin every day.

Here are the values suggested by the FDA, taken from, (â??Daily Valuesâ? encourage healthy diets, by Paula Kurtzweil, member of the FDAâ??s public affairs staff)

â?¢ vitamin A 5,000 International Units (IU)

â?¢ vitamin C 60 milligrams (mg)

â?¢ thiamin 1.5 mg

â?¢ riboflavin 1.7 mg

â?¢ niacin 20 mg

â?¢ calcium 1.0 gram (g)

â?¢ iron 18 mg

â?¢ vitamin D 400 IU

â?¢ vitamin E 30 IU

â?¢ vitamin B6 2.0 mg

â?¢ folic acid 0.4 mg

â?¢ vitamin B12 6 micrograms (mcg)

â?¢ phosphorus 1.0 g

â?¢ iodine 150 mcg

â?¢ magnesium 400 mg

â?¢ zinc 15 mg

â?¢ copper 2 mg

â?¢ biotin 0.3 mg

â?¢ pantothenic acid 10 mg

Reference Daily Intakes (RDIs)

(Based on National Academy of Sciences’ 1968 Recommended Dietary Allowances)

James Jones
http://www.articlesbase.com/nutrition-articles/are-you-getting-enough-nutrition-form-your-diet-93998.html

Posted under Memory Improvement

There are many foods that help improve the memory power. Consuming these foods not only greatly enhances the memory power of an individual, but assists all round growth of the individual. It is recommended that people consume a healthy diet to maintain a level of intelligence. There are natural products without any artificial additives that help enrich a person’s capabilities. For instance, high vitamin and protein rich foods are suggested to people whose performance is below average in an effort to boost their academic performance. This is a commonly accepted practice across the world. Dieticians and physicians suggest the intake of proteins and vitamins with moderate quantity of carbohydrates in an effort to help people with poor intelligence levels. Similarly, there are some agents such as synthetic products that help improve the memory power. However, it is best suggested that people avoid artificial products and opt for natural ways of improving the intelligence and academic performance. They include a variety of vegetables and fruits grown in organic manure. Avoid vegetables and fruits grown with fertilizers and artificial manures since they are laced with chemicals. At the most possible extent use naturally grown fruits and vegetables.

Some of the foods meant for super brains include chocolate, yogurt, spinach, egg plants, red cabbage, broccoli, tomatoes, avocados, egg, green tea, pumpkin seeds, blackberries, strawberries, walnuts, almonds and cashews.

These foods meant for super brains contain a lot of minerals and vitamins that will assist the all round development of an individual. The lack or deficiency in any of these minerals or vitamins could result in poor health condition of the individuals. For instance, the deficiency of Vitamin A could result in night blindness among many people. Doctors recommend food rich in Vitamin A in an effort to improve their condition. Similarly, people lacking Vitamin B are exposed to a condition called Beri Beri. The absence of Vitamin C causes scurvy, especially among the children. The lack of Vitamin D among people results in leads to certain chronic conditions. In an effort to avoid such conditions over a prolonged period, it is recommended that people consume plenty of greens and spinach, which are rich in vitamins and minerals.

Red cabbage is found to be essential for easy flow of blood. Similarly, broccoli improves the iron content in the human body. Strawberries are said to be good at raising the level of thought process in a person. Therefore, doctors recommend a rich diet consisting of a balanced mix of vegetables and fruits, which will help the overall growth of an individual. Similarly, people showing anemic conditions are asked to inculcate a habit of consuming large amounts of naturally grown fruits devoid of any chemicals or fertilizers. It so happens that the addition of vitamins and carbohydrates in such forms have yielded the desired results among people of all age groups. These foods are considered super foods meant for the brain in an effort to enrich the intellectual thought process of an individual.

Robert Riles
http://www.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles/healthy-diet-will-improve-intellect-10-super-brain-foods-355628.html