The role of vitamins and minerals in your body: Why we must supplement?

Vitamins and minerals are natural substances found in living things such as plants and they are vital nutrients for bodily functions and prevention of disease. In a massive study of 26000 people it was concluded that not one person received nutritional requirements set by Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA). This pretty much does it for an archaic argument of "I can get everything I need from food!" Well, no, you can not!

The fact is that every one of us will eventually die, however, how you look and feel for the last 20 to 50 years of your life will depend on your lifestyle and vitamin and mineral intake throughout your life as Vitamins and Minerals influence the following:

Your Immune System: They help build up your immunity as heart disease, cancer and other illnesses and ailments are created due to deficiencies based on what you eat or don't eat.

Your Energy Levels: Optimum consumption of vitamins and minerals will increase your energy levels and vitamins and minerals are involved in the release of energy from digested foods. Strong and long lasting energy levels are pretty good indicators of a healthy nutrition.

Your Appearance: Vitamins and Minerals influence the appearance of your skin, tone, elasticity, hair strength, thickness and colour, fingernail strength, colour and texture, etc. Ever came across someone who looks 50 at 30 or someone who actually looks 30 at 50?

Your Intelligence: Brain function, ability to concentrate and memory are boosted by proper vitamin and mineral intake.

According to the research in the US alone, 96% of Americans die of disease attributed to NOT getting proper nutrition. This figure will be close to majority of the Western countries. Considering that Australia is now the fattest country in the world, YES! Even after the USA, these figures are probably low!

"A deficiency of a vitamin or mineral will cause a body part to malfunction and eventually break down - and, like dominos, other body parts will follow", James F. Balch, M.D., Prescription for Nutritional Healing

Here are the reasons why there is an increasing evidence that vitamin and mineral supplementation is absolutely necessary:

Crop nutrient losses - decades of agriculture have overworked and depleted soils of minerals.Poor digestion - eating too much or too quickly and stress can cause indigestion, which, in turn, reduces absorption of vitamins and minerals.

Over-cooking - can easily destroy valuable food nutrients.Microwave cooking - easily alter the nutritional structure and value of food

Food storage - length of storage and freezing deplete the nutritional value of most foods.

Food selection - eating a too limited range of different food groups will result in nutrient deficiency.

Food omission - allergies to foods, crash dieting and poorly designed vegetarian diets omit significant dietary sources of nutrients.

Environmental factors - herbicides and pesticides are used on crops, leaving them wit low nutritional value.

Antibiotics - interfere with the intake of essential nutrients.

Poor lifestyle habits - smoking, alcohol and caffeine can inhibit the absorption of vitamins and minerals or accelerate the loss of nutrients.

Stress - be it physical or emotional, it can increase body's requirement of vitamins and minerals.

Out of balance - the level of each mineral and vitamin in the body has an effect on others, so, if one is missing or out of balance, all will be effected. All combined enhance the power of the others.

Nutrient variance - there are substantial differences between one fruit or vegetable and another. One tomato can have 10 times more nutritional value than another - which one did you eat?

"Insufficient vitamin intake is apparently a cause of chronic diseases... Most people do not consume an optimal amount of all vitamins by diet alone. Pending strong evidence of effectiveness from randomised trials, it appears prudent for all adults to take vitamin supplements", American Medical Association.

Vitamins and Minerals in your body work in synergy as a network of nutrients working together and if one nutrient is missing, it will throw the entire network of nutrients out of balance. That is why supplements should include many different types of vitamins and minerals, combined in the right proportions.


Please note that not all supplements are beneficial. For a supplement to be beneficial to your body, it must be absorbed by your body. Research has proven that many, especially low cost supplements from high street stores, "name brands", would do you absolutely no good as the x-rays have shown that they simply remain in your colon, completely undissolved!


Herbalife's products are Cellular Nutrition and, as such, guarantee to be of the highest quality and completely absorbed by your body. That is why people say that they feel a difference when taking Herbalife products. Find out more about Herbalife's Cellular Nutrition Technology.


So, considering the above and the fact that your health, intelligence, energy levels and your looks are dependent on you replenishing your vitamins and minerals several times per day, have you decided which life are you designing for yourself?

Have you ever wondered why we Age and suffer Disease?

I find it rather interesting to hear doctors say that it is NOT normal for people in their sixties or seventies to be running active lifestyles to the point of running a marathon or something similar. Well, regardless what particular doctors may think, we are what we eat (and drink and think and do) and that diseases, regardless at what point in our lives they happen, are most probably caused by what goes into our bodies and that will determine whether we will be visiting doctor's surgery on a weekly basis once we hit 50 or even earlier, or we will more frequently visit local sport centre and still play tennis at the age of 70...

As our brain uses only 10% of it's potential, the same could apply to our physical abilities - if we were to give our bodies 100% throughout our lives, the outcome would have been a lot more different than what wellness trends report each and every day... Well, not so long ago, diseases were indeed accepted as unfortunate but inevitable facts of life. We know now that diseases are caused by what we eat or don't eat. What you put in, you get out as our focus needs to shift towards prevention of disease, not it’s treatment!

Our body's health depends on the health of each and every cell and to slow down the aging, limit sickness and prevent disease, those cells need proper protection and nourishment. We have all heard of Free Radicals. What are those exactly? Well, each and every cell is made up of many atoms and when those are healthy, the cells are too and when healthy cells replicate - our body remains young and free from the disease.

On the other hand, we have another type of an atom that is damaged due to smoking, stress, sunlight, pesticides in our food, pollution, travel, medications, foods and it's additives, x-rays, exercise, chlorine in water, Mercury in tooth fillings and seafood and many more factors. Those unhealthy and damaged atoms have only one instead of two electrons and are called Free Radicals. Free Radicals alter and eventually destroy cells. And it is exactly those cells that die and cells that replicate themselves in a damaged state that are the cause or contribute to premature aging, sickness and diseases such as cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, and many others.

THE SOLUTION IS ANTIOXIDANT
Antioxidants are super atoms that have extra electrons that they can give to those Free Radicals to neutralise them and eliminates their harmful effects. Antioxidants are indeed a body's defence against destructive free radicals and they help prevent aging, sickness and disease.

Antioxidants are found in fruits and vegetables, nuts, oils, beans. Organically grown local produce will have more antioxidants than non-organic alternatives that have travelled for miles, even across different countries or continents. Antioxidants are also found in high quality supplements as most adults do not eat the right foods to properly feed their cells.

"Don't underestimate the threat free radicals pose to our health. Scientists now believe that free radicals are causal factors in nearly every known disease, from heart disease to arthritis to cancers to cataracts. In fact, free radicals are a major culprit in the aging process itself. By controlling free radicals, antioxidants can make the difference between life and death, as well as influence how fast and how well we age.", Lester Packer, Head of Packer Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California at Berkeley

Heart Disease and Cancers are the most common killer diseases that are caused by the damaging effects of Free Radicals.

Heart Disease mostly comes from the build up of fatty deposits on the inner surfaces of arteries, which stops the normal blood flow and could lead to heart attack or stroke. Recent research has highlighted that those fatty deposits are influenced by free radicals, which cause it to become sticky and stick more easily to the walls of arteries. Antioxidants can therefore help in reducing the risk of free radicals oxidizing the fat and making it more sticky.

The common explanation for Cancer is that damaged and altered DNA that controls cell growth, development and replication, is the cause for the disease. The DNA has been proven to be damaged by Free Radicals, which is believed to be the main cause for most cancers. Antioxidants, once again, not only can protect DNA from free radical damage, but can also repair it.

So, the importance of antioxidants can not be overemphasized and next time when you get a simple cold remember that it is a symptom of your body lacking antioxidants in order to fight free radicals. It does not need medication, it needs nutrition, antioxidants.

And for the question Why should you take Vitamin and Mineral Supplements, please read on related article on the Importance of taking Supplements.

Be careful, not all supplements are created equal!

Important Weight Loss Reminders

Stay away from "bad" fat!

There is no question about it - cakes, lollies, biscuits etc. are bad for you. You should NOT be eating 0 grams of fat every day. Try to get your daily fat intake from lean meats (not the fried fast food kind), chicken (again, not fried!), etc. As well as the foods that contain the "healthy" types of fat, which can be found in just about every type of fish (tuna fish, salmon, fish oil supplements, etc.), nuts, olive oil and flaxseed oil.

LOWER THE BAD CARBS!

Most people think that it is fat that makes people fat and that just by eating less fat, they are on their way to weight loss! WRONG! Certain carbs can be just as bad as fat when it comes to losing weight. Limit foods high in bad carbs. These carbs will eventually turn into fat. Foods like sugar, white bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, etc. Are high in simple (bad) carbs. Sure, your body needs carbs, which is why foods like these are ok to eat, but don't go overboard. Stick to high protein/good carb/low fat foods like tuna fish (and other seafood), chicken breast, turkey, whole grains, fruits and vegetables etc.

WATER!

Drink water! Get rid of the soda, get rid of the beer, and get rid of the sports drinks. Drink 2 litres or more per day. Try to have 4 glasses before lunch time and 4 before tea. Water will give you energy and speed your weight loss.

STRENGTH TRAINING!

YES! Weightlifting isn't just great for muscles, it's great for losing weight. Muscles burn calories. - Weigh yourself at the end of every week. If you ever have more then 2 weeks go by without losing any weight, it's time to change something. Eat 250 less calories in your main meal then you've been eating. And keep everything else the same. Each time you see weight loss stop for more then 2 weeks, decrease calorie intake by 250 until you get down to where you want to be. Remember, NEVER starve yourself!

SLEEP!

YES! Sleep! The easiest, yet most over looked step. Get at least 8 hours of sleep a night.

Most Important - Keep on your Herbalife diet - it does work! If you need help please ask!

Why we need Food

Most people focus on enjoying their food because it tastes good, but we need food for three main purposes:

For Energy: Fuel (calories), necessary to perform daily work and basically to allow the heart, lungs and other organs to function

For Building blocks: Raw materials like proteins, minerals etc. is used to manufacture blood, skin, bones, hair, and internal organs; our bodies are constantly replacing and renewing every cell on a daily to monthly basis

For Catalysts: Chemical compounds like vitamins, enzymes and some minerals are necessary to facilitate the chemical reactions that convert food into energy and into the body's organs.

We need to understand that our bodies require food for energy every few hours. That is why it is important to eat five meals per day. Simply the body require food or an energy boost every 3-4 hours. We are so biologically programmed to immediately sense a lack of energy - we experience hunger pains. But the body is composed of about 60% water and requires at least 1.7L of fresh water daily. If you do not drink water regularly on a daily basis you can become chronically dehydrated and mistake thirst for hunger. Remember a drop of as little as 2% in body water can trigger fatigue and mental dysfunction. It is interesting to note that if you drink at least 5 glasses of water daily you can decrease the risk of colon cancer by 45%, the risk of breast cancer by 79% and the risk of risk of bladder cancer by 50%

The body also need specific foods as building blocks and catalysts on a daily or semidaily basis. We usually only become aware of missing building blocks and catalysts when our bodies become ill from these deficiencies. Sometimes we mistakenly think that as adults that our bodies are fully grown. The fact is that the individual cells actually replace themselves on a daily to monthly basis. Did you know that our manufacture 200 billion red blood cells each day, replacing all the blood in our bodies every 120 days or that skin is completely replaced every 1 to 3 months or that it takes 90 days for old bone to be broken down and replaced by new bone?

If we don't get enough protein, vitamins and minerals we can experience systems like mood swings, fatigue, nervousness, headaches, confusion and muscle weakness. In the long term such poor nutrition can cause cancer, hypertension, Alzheimer's and many other disease that we wrongly just accept as part of the aging process. Medicine on the other hand treats these problems with drugs that focus on the symptoms rather than the core problem. The core problem being What we eat or more accurately in the case of poor nutrition What we Don't eat.

Simply we need food, healthy food and a great variety thereof on a daily basis. We need to eat with the needs of bodies in mind and not our taste buds only!

"Sometimes you don't even realize how bad you feel until you start to feel better. Thanks to Herbalife I enjoy a quality of life that I never knew was possible."

Weightloss Results

After 32 years of married life, I found myself a good deal over weight, with 3 chins, a big tummy and I would fall asleep after a big meal.

I began taking Herbalife, replacing breakfast and lunch with a delicious protein meal shake, took some natural supplements and drank some extra water.This helped me lose 4 kilos in the first month, where I had not lost weight before. Suddenly I had more energy than the guys at my work and felt great.

In total I've gone on to lose 16 kilos in 18 weeks and even looked like the guy in my wedding picture, except for a grey hair or two.I've dropped down 3 shirt sizes, 2 suit sizes and 3 cholesterol points!

I feel great every day and the best part is that was over eight years ago!

Thanks to Herbalife, the weight has stayed off ever since!!!

Ken Shaddock, VIC

How to survive outings with a recognisable waistline

It is largely a matter of choices and determination. When gatherings and even shopping trips are often centred on food, weight gain can seem unavoidable.

Watch portion sizes
If you're having two shakes a day, be sure you don't overdo the quantities in your main meal. Remember, you would need to wash your car for one hour to burn off the calories consumed in just one extra helping of pudding and custard!

Plan ahead
Think about what to do when you've been offered food you'd prefer not to eat; what to eat instead; how to handle nosey relatives and their comments about your weight loss; fun ways to enjoy the season that aren't food-related, etc.

Be a picky eater
We all have particular foods that we love and others that we may eat simply because they're there. Don't beat yourself up about eating something that is normally out of the question. Enjoy it as long as you keep your portions under control.

Dont run on empty
Whatever you do, don't go to a party hungry or "save your appetite" for a big end-of-the-day meal at the family's. If you find yourself facing down a buffet table on an empty stomach, you'll have little chance of avoiding a binge.

Times are Lean
These days, meat is much leaner than it has been due to trimming efforts on the part of butchers. Beef labelled as "loin", "round" and "extra lean" are your best choices. Roasting, baking, grilling, braising and broiling are healthy meat-cooking methods. Use non-stick pans and choose cooking sprays over oil or butter during preparation.

Be Choosy about Chicken
Keep in mind that dark meat contains about twice as much fat as white meat. Also, chicken skin is fattening. You can remove the skin yourself before cooking, or take off the skin before you eat it. However you choose to avoid it - just do it.

Soy's Protein Weight Management Potential

A new review taking in animal, human populations, and clinical trials supports the potential role of soy protein to reduce cholesterol levels, and aid weight loss.

According to the review, published recently in Obesity Reviews, the ingredients also have the added benefits of boosting bone health and aiding overall cardiovascular health.

"Overall, the current data suggest that soy foods are as good as other protein sources for promoting weight loss and there is a suggestive body of evidence that soyfoods may confer additional benefits, but results must be carefully interpreted and additional evidence is needed before making firm conclusions concerning soyfoods and weight loss," wrote lead author Mark Cope from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Soy proteins and soy peptides have received attention for their hypolipidaemic and hypocholesterolaemic properties, as well as their ability to lower blood pressure, improve arterial compliance and endothelial function, insulin resistance and weight loss in obesity.

Over 300m adults are obese worldwide, according to latest statistics from the WHO and the International Obesity Task Force. About one-quarter of the US adult population is said to be obese, with rates in Western Europe on the rise although not yet at similar levels.

The review, including results from eight human studies, found that weight loss was equivalent and, in some cases, equal when using soy protein, dairy milk meal replacements, beef or pork at equal calorie levels.

Moreover, there was a suggestion that soy protein may decrease short-term appetite and calorie intake.

They also reviewed the evidence concerning soy isoflavones aiding diabetes by stopping fat tissue build up and enhancing fat breakdown. While some evidence does exist of improved blood glucose and insulin levels as a result of consuming a soy-based diet, the data to date if limited.

The review also supported reports of the cholesterol-lowering benefits of soy, and that soy may reduce bone loss in women.

Source: Obesity Reviews

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Rev Up Your Metabolism and Keep Your Weight Down!

Put your metabolism to work for you. Now's the perfect time to incorporate some metabolic-revving tips into your daily regimen and avoid gaining weight.

Rev Up Your Body's Engine!

We eat food for fuel. When we burn it for energy to run our bodies, the process creates heat. Our products assist the body's engine to burn fuel efficiently, helping our metabolism stay revved and functioning well.

Daily regimen tips to keep your metabolism revved up:

• Engage in 30 minutes of activity every day to help minimise weight gain and to raise metabolic rate.
• Tone your muscles by weight training three days a week.
• Start small - try walking with one to two pound weights.
• Do not eat fewer than 1,200 calories a day. Eating too little may slow your metabolism.
• Never skip breakfast. It may slow down your metabolism.

Use Herbalife products every day for wellness - including Herbalife's Nutritional Shake Mix and Instant Herbal Beverage.

Reach for healthy snacks. Enjoy Protein Bars, Roasted Soy Nuts with Cardia® Salt

No Time for Breakfast?

• Tired about feeling tired?
• Run out of steam during the day?
• Struggling with energy?
• Feeling flat?
• Grumpy?

BREAKFAST CAN PLAY A MAJOR ROLE ON HOW YOUR DAY TURNS OUT, AND HOW YOU FEEL DURING THE DAY.

DID YOU KNOW…

• 70% of illnesses have a relationship to diet?
• The most common complaint to Doctors is fatigue?
• Obesity and diet related conditions are now the number one cause of preventable death?

You might even be fit, but how is your energy?
How healthy are you really?

A strong connection has recently been discovered between a bad breakfast and many health-related problems. Our body consists of 100 trillion cells which need 114 various nutrients during the day. Yesterday you spent energy when you were awake, and your body used the building materials at night to regenerate itself. Besides that, your body has spent 1 litre of water during the night through breathing, sweating and morning visit to the bathroom. So your body wakes up “empty” in the morning and, on behalf of 100 trillion cells, begs you, “Hey, give me back all the nutrients, energy and water I spent in the last 24 hours”.

Formula 1 “Brekky Bag”
By adding 2 scoops of our Nutritional Shake Mix to low fat milk, soy milk, or juice, you can create a complete nutritional shake in seconds. It contains approximately 19 grams of protein when mixed with milk / soy milk, ALL of the vital 114 nutrients that your body needs IN PERFECT BALANCE for the right start to the day, in a way your body can use.

In a fraction of the time it takes to make a coffee, you can create a complete body fuel. If you have the time, you can even mix in milk & pour over your cereal, mix with yogurt or even blend with fruit for a mega-nutritious smoothie.

It's even quicker than boiling the kettle!

For Information about our Healthy Brekky Bag: melbwellbeing@optusnet.com.au

DIETITION LOSES 16KG & GAINS NEW LEASE ON LIFE

Sarojna before

I weighed 70 kilos, had chronic backache and was always tired. I also suffered from gastro-esophageal reflux. I had difficulty with my weight after 2 pregnancies and tried so many ways to lose weight. Being a Dietitian, I knew what to eat but there was always something to sabotage the best of my efforts. These products came my way through a business opportunity and I was really interested when I realised the business was about weight loss and nutrition. I started with my programme. After 3 days I wasn't tired anymore and lost 2 kilos in my first week. By the end of 6 weeks, I had lost 8 kilos, had heaps of energy, my backache was gone and the reflux was settling down. Having 2 yummy shakes a day and still being able to eat a healthy meal of my choice was ideal for me.I have upgraded to using all the nutritional products available in Australia. I lost 16 kilos in total and have maintained it for 4 years. This meant changing from size 14 to size 8.

Sarojna after