As for all athletes, nutrition for swimmers involves a proper mixture of protein, carbohydrates, and fats in their diets. Protein is essential for muscle development and repair, carbohydrates provide energy for high intensity exercise, and fats provide energy for extended endurance exercises. In the proper combinations, these three provide the energy and muscular needs of swimmers. To that end, experts recommend that 60 percent of a swimmer's calories should be carbohydrates, 15 percent should be protein, and the remaining 25 percent should be fat.
Low energy is simply not an option for an Endurance Athlete! Here is a quick look at the top 10 foods every endurance athlete should have on their shopping list.
1. Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah), also known as a "super food" for its high
nutritional profile, is my favourite fast cooking grain. It cooks in just 10-15 minutes.
Quinoa is an ancient high-energy grain from South America. The Incas used it to
increase the stamina of their warriors and allow them to run long distances at
high altitudes. It is an ideal food for endurance. Quinoa is a complete protein;
meaning is has all 9 essential amino acids comparable to milk! Therefore. it is
perfect for vegetarians concerned with protein intake. It is also a good source of
manganese, magnesium, iron, zinc, potassium and calcium. Because it is gluten
free, it is very easy to digest. Quinoa has a slight nutty flavour and crunchy
texture. I recommend trying to incorporate this whole grain into a variety of your
meals. From Breakfast to Dinner it can be very versatile.
2. Almond Butter is a great, healthy alternative to traditional peanut butter.
Almond butter is a nutritional powerhouse that contains significant amounts of
protein, calcium, fibre, magnesium, folic acid, potassium, and vitamin E. Nut
butters are a great source of protein, and will keep you full. Try them on
bananas, bagels, or sprouted grain toast.
3. Leafy greens (spinach, watercress, Swiss chard, collard greens) are the number one food
missing from most of our diets, yet should be the most consumed. They are
chock full of nutrients vital for athletic performance - high in calcium, vitamin c,
magnesium, zinc, iron and many other nutrients. Including more greens in your
daily diet will increase your energy and crowd out other foods that aren't as
nutritious. Plus, greens cook fast! Sauté them with some garlic and olive oil or
add your favourite condiments.
4. Salmon is a great source of protein that won’t leave you feeling sluggish plus is
one of the best sources of the essential fatty acid omega 3. Essential Fatty Acids
help you burn excess fat, restore health to the cardiovascular system, relieve
arthritis pain and inflammation, strengthen the immune system, improve oxygen
transport and muscle maintenance. Try salmon grilled with some soy or teriyaki
sauce.
5. Oatmeal is another great source of complex carbohydrates and one of my
personal favourites before any sporting event.. It is easily digested and does not seem to
ever cause discomfort. Try adding nuts, fruit, and cinnamon for a warm, tasty
breakfast. Rolled oats will cook in about 10 minutes making this a great option
before a long workout. You can also bake rolled oats with apples, pears, maple
syrup, and cinnamon for a yummy fruit crisp. Look for the gluten free oats made
by Bob’s Red Mill.
6. Blueberries: Blueberries contain vitamins C and E and beta-carotene. In addition, blueberries contain phytochemicals, like anthocyanins and phenolics that can also act as antioxidants.
7. Fruit: Any kind of fruit will do. Use the sweet taste of fruit to satisfy your sugar
cravings, without adding to your waistline. Add a variety of colours to your palate
to get the most benefits- from vitamin c, to other potent antioxidants. I always
have on hand some bananas, and whatever seasonal fruit is available. Frozen
fruits are also great to stock up on, just make sure there isn’t any added sugar.
8. Vegetables should be an athlete’s best friend. Add as many as possible to
your diet depending on what is in season. In the fall, root veggies like carrots
and parsnips are in season - as well as sweet veggies like yams and sweet
potatoes. In the spring, green vegetables like broccoli, asparagus, and spinach
are in season. If you don't have a lot of time, making a stir-fry with your favourite
veggies is the best way to get in those 5-9 servings each day.
Your Essential Supplements:
1) Spirulina:
Spirulina is considered the healthiest food on Earth. It contains the most beneficial combination of powerful nutrients and has amazing healing properties.
Spirulina provides you with:
• polysacharides
• chlorophyl blood purifier
• phycocyanin (blue pigment - inhibits cancer)
• irons (easier absorbed than iron supplements)
• magnesium
• selenium
• potassium
• calcium
• chromium
• copper
• manganese
• phosphorus
• sodium
• zinc
• vegetable protein
• provitamin A
• B complex vitamins (the highest source os B12)
• beta carotene (10 times more concentrated than in carrots)
• vitamin C
• vitamin D
• vitamin E
• carotenoids
• rare essential fatty acids (GLA, omega-3 EFA, DHA)
• carbohydrates
• enzymes
• sulfolipids
• glycolipids
Spirulina can protect cardiovascular health by lowering blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels. It also contains a number of antioxidant vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C and E, beta carotene, manganese, copper, zinc, chromium, iron and selenium. These antioxidants boost immune function and can help prevent some types of cancer.
Spirulina contains a lot of vegetable protein. A single dose of spirulina is made up of more than 60% protein; that makes it higher in protein than chicken, fish or beef. Spirulina’s vegetable protein is easier to digest than animal protein, and since it’s a water soluble protein, it doesn’t contribute to weight gain.
Spirulina for Athletes
Athletes often use spirulina supplements to boost their performance. Spirulina can help protect athletes from the symptoms of overtraining by supporting the immune system. Spirulina can also help to improve athletic endurance.
Studies have shown that spirulina boosts the metabolism and helps the body burn fat rather than carbohydrates when exercising. Spirulina supplementation also reduces the amount of oxidative stress sustained during athletic training, and helps increase antioxidant activity within the body in the period immediately following a workout or training session. By boosting the metabolism and protecting against oxidative stress, spirulina supplements can increase athletic endurance.
Spirulina boosts endurance by helping the body to metabolize fat. This reduces the body’s dependence on carbs for energy, which helps to keep energy levels higher throughout the duration of the workout and can contribute to increased athletic endurance. Spirulina’s high levels of antioxidants prevent the accumulation of toxic free radicals in your muscles during exercise; accumulation of toxins in the muscles is one of the primary causes of muscle fatigue during exercise and training.
2) Calcium & Magnesium
Magnesium is usually paired with calcium in supplements because they are both important in bone health and help prevent chronic fatigue, muscle cramps, heart palpitations, and many PMS symptoms including nausea and irritability. Avoiding these issues are important for athletes because things like fatigue and muscle cramps can severely impact performance and lead to injuries.
3) Fish Oil
The benefits of fish oil are countless and are important for athletes, and non-athletes, alike. Whether you’re looking to improve concentration, decrease soreness and inflammation, build and repair muscle, improve joint health, or get rid of stubborn body fat, a few fish oil capsules a couple of times a day can make a world of difference.
5) Whey Protein
Whey protein is a low fat, low carb, quick absorbing option to help people to meet their daily protein needs. Protein is important for athletes because it’s involved in muscle building and repair, hormone and antibody production, nutrient and oxygen transport .
Now I’ll readily acknowledge that eating a diet consisting of a variety of fresh fruits, veggies, lean proteins, quality carbohydrates, and good fats should always be the first step in meeting our body’s nutritional needs. But, as highly active individuals in a non-perfect world, we could all use a little help in meeting these needs. Knowing that, having a better sense of what supplements you could or should be taking, and taking those products on a regular basis can have a major impact on the way you look, feel, and perform.
Basic Nutritional Needs of Swimmers
Nutritional Needs During Training
A swimmer's nutritional needs are greatly increased during the competitive season when swimmers are in training. According to the American Dietetic Association, while in training nutrition for swimmers should include:
- A daily food intake of 3,000 to 6,000 calories
- The majority of these calories should be derived from carbohydrates (2.3 to 3.6 grams of carbohydrates for each pound of body weight per day).
- Protein intake should approximate 0.55 to 0.8 grams per pound of body weight per day. (A quality rice and green pea protein powder is an excellent adjunct to aid in meeting these requirements).
- Fat intake should comprise a minimum of 0.45 grams per pound of body weight per day. (Ensure that the majority of fat consumption is of the monounsaturated or polyunsaturated variety, as is found in canola oil and nuts).
- Proper hydration in the form of sports drinks or water - 2 cups 2 hours before practice and 5 to 10 ounces every 15 or 20 minutes during the practice.
In addition, some experts suggest that the diet should be supplemented with a pharmaceutical grade, standardized synergistic multivitamin/mineral complex
Preparing for a Meet with Carbohydrate Loading
In general, a swimmer's nutritional needs while preparing for a meet, or competition, would be the aforementioned methodology. But there are additional ways to use the diet to significantly increase athletic performance. One of the most popular of such methods is called "carbohydrate loading."
Carbohydrate loading is only useful to endurance athletes, such as swimmers, who will be in competition for a minimum of 90 minutes, but it has proven to be remarkably successful.
Carbohydrates (such as vegetables, grains, and beans) are the primary fuel source of the body. The body's digestive system converts carbohydrates into sugar, which then enters the cells to provide necessary energy. Some of this sugar is stored in the muscles as glycogen. But the muscles only store enough glycogen to sustain normal recreational exercise. If one exercises intensely for more than 90 minutes, glycogen stores will be depleted and athletic performance (and stamina) suffers-but not if one practices carbohydrate loading.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the process of carbohydrate loading is enacted in two steps.
- Step One: A week before the planned meet, the swimmer will reduce carbohydrate consumption to about 55 percent of the daily calories, but increase protein and fat consumption to compensate for the reduced amount of carbohydrates. The training level and intensity, however, will remain the same, which will cause a depletion of the swimmer's carbohydrate stores.
- Step Two: Approximately four days before the meet, the swimmer will increase carbohydrate consumption to 70 percent of the daily calories and reduce some of the fat consumption to compensate for this increase. (Some of the training levels will also be reduced so as to conserve glycogen stores). The day before the meet, the swimmer will completely rest and will not perform any physical fitness or exercise activities.
Studies have shown that, for a man, carbohydrate loading can increase the glycogen stores in his muscles by as much as twice the normal amount. Although he will still need to replenish his stores during the meet with a sports drink or a piece of fruit, this additional glycogen storage will increase his endurance levels. (Unfortunately, there are not many studies on the effects of carbohydrate loading on women to enable nutritionists to offer specific advice).
Recovery Nutritional Needs
Nutrition for swimmers, however, extends beyond the training and actual competition period. Indeed, the recovery period (the time immediately after training or competition, when the swimmer replenishes his energy stores and repairs muscle) is an essential part of this process.
And the swimmer has only 45 minutes to enact this part of the process.
The 45-Minute Nutritional Advantage
Studies have shown that athletes who eat and drink within 45 minutes after practice recover more quickly than those who do not. One 2004 study, conducted by Dr. Stager, showed that athletes who drank chocolate milk after their morning practice (during this crucial 45-minute period) were better able to perform athletically during their afternoon practice. It appears, said Stager, that muscles do not easily absorb nutrients after two hours. Although there are many reasons why chocolate milk, in particular, may have been so effective in this study (i.e., its sugar content boosted energy and its liquid content was more rapidly absorbed by the body), there is little doubt that there is, indeed, a recovery benefit for those swimmers who eat and/or drink after practice.
The results of this and other studies have led researchers to propose a recovery diet for swimmers and other athletes. Within 45 minutes after practice, say experts, a mixture of carbohydrates (for energy) and protein (for muscle repair) should be consumed. The carbohydrates should be composed of colourful fruits, vegetables, and breads while the protein may be derived from peanut butter, nuts, and high quality protein powder.
Though proper nutrition for swimmers can be a complicated subject, scientific research is paving the way for a proper understanding of this process. Science has shown that those swimmers who know what, when, and how much to eat have a decided competitive advantage over their peers. Indeed, these studies have proven that proper nutrition for swimmers may be even more important than technique and practice in improving athletic performance.
Fortunately, such nutritional choices are completely within a swimmer's realm of control
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Marcus Rohrer Spirulina backs the Cadiz Freedom Swim
Marcus Rohrer Spirulina is a proud sponsor of one of the world’s most exciting sea swim races – the extreme 7.5km Cadiz Freedom Swim from Robben Island to Blouberg on May 7 & 8, 2011.
Marcus Rohrer Spirulina has proven to help boost energy and is the ideal supplement for athletes. The sponsorship is thus a perfect fit, said OTC Pharma CEO Maria Ascencao.
The Cadiz Freedom Swim is one of the toughest swim events of its kind in the world due to the icy ocean (around 13°C), strong currents and various other conditions. It not only tests swimmers’ resolve, but also celebrates South Africa’s Freedom Day and the birth of the country’s democracy -- while raising funds for Vista Nova School for children with learning disabilities.
About 50 development swimmers from Cape Town will participate in the race. They have been supported by the Cadiz Open Water Swimming Development Trust over the last three years which has assisted young people from the Cape Flats.
Bulgaria’s Petar Stoychev is among the participants and is arguably the most successful marathon swimmer of the last decade. He has over 50 wins in individual events and was the first man to cross the English Channel in less than seven hours.
He joins Australian sensation Trent Grimsey (multiple ocean race champion), Israel’s Daniel Katzir (two-times Israel open water champion) and South Africans Tyron Venter (multiple Cadiz Freedom Swim winner), Terence Parkin (Olympic silver medalist) and Barend Nortje (fastest South African across the English Channel) in the line-up for one of the most thrilling extreme ocean swim races in the world.
Top female international champions, Jen Schumacher (US) and Nuala Muir (UK), will be pitted against local favourites Sarah Kay, Lisa Cowling and Jenny White for honours in the women’s race.
The overall winner of the solo category will walk away with a whopping US$10 000 – one of the biggest cash prize in open water swimming in the world. And, the first non-wetsuit relay team across the line will take home US$5 000 – a record open water relay prize in South Africa.
Entries for the event, rated among the top 100 open water swims in the world (see: Worlds Top 100 open water swims), are being snapped up. For the first time, the number of solo entries has been capped at 120 for maximum swimmer safety, while up to 90 relay teams (two, three or four swimmers) are expected to make up the field of around 400 swimmers.
Solos participate in a cap, goggles and a standard Speedo costume only and are totally exposed to the elements. Even the toughest swimmer may succumb to the cold water and every solo swimmer and relay team must be accompanied by a support vessel with a second watching closely for signs of hypothermia. Strict safety measures and qualifying criteria are a characteristic of this event. On race day, officials and medical staff patrol the water while a fully equipped mini-hospital is erected by Medi-Clinic at the finish.
Apart from the bitterly cold water, swimmers are exposed to variable weather conditions and sea life. Sharks, which inhabit these waters, are a reality and swimmers are made aware of this risk.
Local big names this year include: Theodore Yach, Andrew Chin, Ryan Stramrood, Liz Webb, Tony Sellmeyer, Kieron Palframan, Phillip Chappell, Monika Hayes, Liz Webb, and Barkai himself who holds a Guiness World record for an Antarctic lake swim (1°C) in 2008. Also expected is blind swimmer Hein Wagner and at least two shark attack survivors – one of them Paralympics swimming sensation Achmat Hassiem.
Hassiem, who lost part of his right leg in a shark attack in 2006 and who participated in the solo category last year has entered the relay category and he and his team have their sights on the US$5 000 relay prize.
“This is one of the most intense and extreme swim races I have ever done and it’s an amazing swim,” said Hassiem. “The fact that you get such a huge sense of accomplishment at the end of the race in such extreme temperatures makes it more than just a swim from Robben Island to Blouberg. It’s a massive sense of personal achievement and all for a great cause,” he added.
For a range of print quality photos of the 2010 Cadiz Freedom Swim, click here.
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Beauty is not only skin deep
Professional beauty magazine article
Cutting edge nutrition to enhance your skin care regime!
By Vanessa De Ascencao
SKIN AND NUTRITION
Your skin is a remarkable barometer of your body’s health and is therefore affected by how well you are internally. So getting your body’s systems working optimally is crucial to addressing skin problems. Diet is also key – eating foods which nourish your body while limiting those which are toxic or contribute no nutritional value is important.
Skin Nutrition:
The health of your skin depends on 3 basic elements:
1. The quality of nutrients taken in from your diet
2. How well these nutrients are digested and absorbed
3. The effectiveness of the bodies waste removal
Your skin is your body’s largest organ and barrier from the outside world. When your skin is constantly exposed to pollutants and UV damaging rays over an extended period of time, it becomes more vulnerable to free radical damage. Excessive free radical exposure through a toxic diet and environmental pollutants harm the skin by damaging DNA and cell membranes that keep the skin plump and firm.
Over time, skin cells can no longer perform their normal functions such as healthy cell turnover, processing nutrients and eliminating waste. This can trigger irritation, inflammation and destroy collagen/elastin resulting in thin, wrinkled and blotchy skin.
Along with a healthy lifestyle, cleansing programs are great to help “clear” those key filters in the body to promote vitality and overall wellbeing
It is important to nourish and balance each cell in the body with proper nutrients and water to help skin look and feel great. The human body has an innate intelligence; give the body what it needs (not what it desires), and the body will take care of all aspects of its health. The skin is part of the body, and it has many functions. It is the largest organ of the body. It serves as a protective cover, helps to regulate the body’s temperature, defends the body against foreign invaders (through the immune system), and helps the body’s detoxification process. It is also called “the third kidney.” If the kidney’s elimination pathways are backed up, toxins will eliminate through the skin. It is important to examine and incorporate the nutritional foundations.
Beautiful skin on the outside begins with good health on the inside. Skin will suffer dearly from the damage you cause on the inside if you don’t get enough sleep, smoke, drink too much alcohol, do not eat properly, and do not take nutritional supplements. The condition of skin is a direct reflection of our health; what is going on inside the body will be reflected on the outside of the body. Your lifestyle and the kind of dietary nutrients you consume have a big impact on the appearance of our skin. It is important to take care of the body the way nature intends. The body will take care of the rest: a healthy body, more energy and beautiful complexion.
With a fast paced lifestyle, a good diet may get overlooked. It may seem overwhelming to make a diet plan and stick to it. It is easier to find the most convenient foods to prepare. In a pinch, it is easier to take the magic pill, be it fast food, sodas, coffee or alcohol to feed your hunger or boost your energy. But this kind of diet will rob vital energy and deplete overall health. Health and skin care need a plan that will work for the duration of a lifetime. The eating habits you put in place today will yield either good or challenged health and skin quality for the rest of your lifespan.
Vanessa Top tips for glowing healthy skin at any age!
1. Drink more water and eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Sounds obvious, but it can make a real difference.
2. Limit your intake of sugary foods, refined carbohydrates (white bread etc) and anything fried.
3. Eat more antioxidant-rich foods such as carrots, pumpkin, watercress, berries, broccoli, fish and seafood.
4. Boost your intake of essential fats that help to keep your skin soft and supple – so eat a handful of unsalted nuts and seeds each day and have oily fish a few times a week.
5. If you experience other health issues – particularly with digestion or hormone balance – these can manifest in skin problems, so take steps to find out more and address these
Beautiful skin lifestyle eating plan!
Due to the diverse nature of skin disorders and the many different underlying causes, it is impossible to give blanket guidelines which will cover all situations. So below are some guiding principles for an optimum diet.
We all know that diet is essential to staying young and one of the key factors in environmental ageing. Sugar hastens the degradation of elastin and collagen, In other words, it actively ages you.
The key to anti-ageing is eating a low glycaemic index (a ranking system for carbohydrates based on their effect on blood glucose levels) and a high intake of antioxidants.
Aim for a daily diet that includes:
• Pure water – drink six to eight glasses every day.
• Colourful fruit & vegetables – five servings that include red/orange/yellow vegetables and fruits, purple foods, green foods, ‘seed’ foods such as peas or broccoli, onions, leeks and garlic.
• Fresh seeds – a tablespoon a day, for example pumpkin, sunflower, sesame or ground hemp/linseed.
• Cold-pressed seed oils - a tablespoon, for example with salads, drizzled over vegetables
• Vegetable sources of protein – enjoy foods such as soya, beans, lentils and quinoa
• Fibre-rich foods – rather than white refined foods, enjoy whole grains, root vegetables, lentils and beans.
• Natural yoghurt – choose low fat, live and organic
Limit your intake of:
• Alcohol – or avoid it completely.
• Tea and coffee – no more than 2 cups per day.
• Red meat – no more than three times per week. Have fish, organic chicken, game or vegetable sources of protein instead.
• Cheese and milk – try using dairy alternatives such as soya.
• Grain foods (those made from wheat, oats, rye etc) – have no more than two portions daily.
Exclude:
• Sugar – including sugary foods and drinks such as sweets, jams, many cereals, biscuits, cakes and desserts.
• Refined carbohydrates – such as bread, biscuits, cakes, pastries, pastas and any foods containing white flour.
• Chemicals added to food, which includes many canned and most preserved or processed foods.
• Fried and fatty foods – chips, crisps, cream, ice cream etc.
• Trans and hydrogenated fats found in many processed foods and margarines.
• Smoking.
Using these guidelines, a day’s meals may look like this:
Breakfast: natural, live yoghurt with chopped fresh fruits and a handful of pumpkin seeds.
OR a bowl of organic rolled oats with berries or grated apple and some fresh natural plain yogurt.
Lunch: A large vegetable salad with tinned salmon, tomato, celery and spring onion, with olive oil and lemon juice. You can also alternate with chicken breast or tuna or even some chickpeas and quinoa.
OR a big rice salad with many types of fresh vegetables, cottage cheese, pumpkin seeds, olive oil, lemon juice and freshly ground pepper.
Dinner: a hot meal of grilled fresh fish, chicken or lean meat or a vegetarian alternative made from beans, or quinoa.. Serve with a large helping of freshly steamed or lightly stir-fried vegetables. You can ‘steam-fry’ vegetables by using just the tiniest drop of oil and adding a couple of tablespoons of water, to, in effect, steam them.
Snacks: fresh fruit, raw nuts (eg almonds, hazelnuts or Brazils), pumpkin and sunflower seeds, raw vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, celery and cucumber.
Drinks: at least six glasses of water, herbal and fruit teas (beware of artificially flavoured or sweetened ones), diluted fresh fruit and vegetable juices, occasional smoothies, freshly made with fruits/vegetables.
Essential nutrients for healthy skin
Of all the news coming from the beauty community, the loudest buzz may be about the power of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to give skin a more radiant, healthy, and, yes, youthful glow.
The excitement is focused not only on creams and lotions you put on your skin but what you put into your body as well. Health experts say that vitamins and minerals in all forms play an integral role in a healthy complexion, whether the source is food, supplements, or even a jar of cream.
Supplements
To keep your skin super healthy I recommend you take:
• Spirulina which is rich in Vit K, E, A, and carotene
• Omega 3
• ALA
• DMAE
Here’s why:
Vitamins Good for Skin Nutrition
Spirulina - Marine Algae, the latest in nutraceutical skin care!
Spirulina, the wonder nutrient for the skin.
It not only contains just about every skin nutrient you need, but it cleanses and purifies the body, It naturally detoxes daily! “Spirulina platensis…has an antioxidant system which prevents the harmful action of radicals in the dermis and epidermis” Dr Ivonne Almiral, Havana University
Its outstanding nutritional profile also includes the essential fatty acids, GLA fatty acid, lipids, the nucleic acids (RNA and DNA), B complex, vitamin C and E and phytochemicals, such as carotenoids, chlorophyll (blood purifier), and phycocyanin (a blue pigment), which is a protein that is known to inhibit cancer.
Vitamins C, E, A, K, and B complex can all help improve skin health. Here's how:
Vitamins C and E. Among the most important new dermatologic discoveries is the power of vitamins to counter the effects of sun exposure.
Vitamin C and E help by reducing the damage caused by free radicals, a harmful byproduct of sunlight, smoke, and pollution. Free radicals gobble up collagen and elastin, the fibers that support skin structure, causing wrinkles and other signs of aging.
Vitamin A. If your vitamin A levels are up to snuff from the foods you eat, adding more probably won't do much more for your skin. That said, if those levels drop even a little below normal, you're likely to see some skin-related symptoms, including a dry, flaky complexion. That's because vitamin A is necessary for the maintenance and repair of skin tissue. Without it, you'll notice the difference. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamin A.
Vitamin B Complex. When it comes to skin, the single most important B vitamin is biotin, a nutrient that forms the basis of skin, nail, and hair cells. Without adequate amounts, you may end up with dermatitis (an itchy, scaly skin reaction) or sometimes even hair loss. Even a mild deficiency causes symptoms.
Most people get enough biotin without even trying. It's found in many foods including bananas, eggs, oatmeal, and rice, plus your body also makes some biotin on its own.
Vitamin K. As the nutrient responsible for helping blood clot, Vitamin K won't do much for your skin from the inside. But studies presented to the American Academy of Dermatology in 2003 showed that topical vitamin K works well to reduce circles under the eye as well as bruises. In research published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology in 2002, doctors from the University of Miami School of Medicine found that skin treatments with vitamin K cream after laser surgery significantly reduced bruising.
Spirulina provides you with:
• polysaccharides
• chlorophyll blood purifier
• phycocyanin (blue pigment - inhibits cancer)
• iron (easier absorbed than iron supplements)
• magnesium
• selenium
• potassium
• calcium
• chromium
• copper
• manganese
• phosphorus
• sodium
• zinc
• vegetable protein
• provitamin A
• B complex vitamins (the highest source os B12)
• beta carotene (10 times more concentrated than in carrots)
• vitamin E
• carotenoids
• rare essential fatty acids (GLA)
• carbohydrates
• enzymes
• sulfolipids
• glycolipids
Impressive health benefits of spirulina discovered by the extensive world-wide research:
• Inhibits penetration of viruses into body cells
• Inhibits replication of HIV-1, Herpes, Influenza, Mumps and Measles virus
• Prevents and in some cases also reverses cancer (all types)
• Supports the formation of red blood cells
• Protects you against allergic reactions
• Reduces blood cholesterol
• Regulates blood sugar
• Decreases appetite
• Helps to control your weight
• Reduces inflammation
• Boosts your immunity and energy levels
• Removes heavy metals (cadmium, arsenic, mercury, lead, PCB, ...)
• Protects from environmental toxins
• Increases mental energy
• Repairs DNA damage
• Reduces high blood pressure
• Increases antibody responses
• Accelerates recovery from any ilness
• Improves digestion
• Increases energy and alertness
• Improves gastrointestinal and digestive health
• Enhances natural cleansing and detoxification
Beyond Vitamins and Minerals: The New Skin Nutrients
Some of the more exciting new skin research looks beyond vitamins and minerals to other nutrients that when taken internally can have remarkable effects on your skin.
Alpha-Lipoic Acid. A powerful antioxidant, hundreds of times more potent that either vitamin C or E, alpha-lipoic acid may turn out to be a super boost for aging skin. What makes it so special, say skin experts, is its ability to penetrate both oil and water, affecting skin cells from both the inside and the outside of the body. Most other antioxidants can do one but not both.
DMAE. Another powerful antioxidant, this nutrient has one of the strongest appetites for free radicals. It works mostly by deactivating their power to harm skin cells. It also helps stabilize the membrane around the outside of each cell so that assaults from sun damage and cigarette smoke are reduced.
DMAE also prevents the formation of lipofucsin, the brown pigment that becomes the basis for age spots.
Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs). If your skin is dry, prone to inflammation, and frequently dotted with white heads and black heads, you may be lacking essential fatty acids, nutrients that are crucial to the production of skin's natural oil barrier. Without an adequate supply of EFAs, the skin produces a more irritating form of sebum, or oil, which can result in problems.
Don’t neglect these other lifestyle factors!
Sleep
When interviewed Ines de la Fressange, the original supermodel and Chanel muse, she told the world her top anti-ageing tip was sleep.
And she's right. Sleep deprivation is lethal in ageing terms. When we sleep, our cells regenerate. We also remove toxins and activate immune system cells.
But of course, it isn't just a question of sleeping any old way you like.
According to Melanie Vasseur, from Vasseur Scientific Skincare, a San Diego-based skincare company, "Sleeping on your side is the second cause of wrinkles after the sun, as when you sleep on your side you are ironing in wrinkles on your skin.
And it's not only your face you need to worry about - sleeping on your side can cause wrinkles.
Sex
Sex is actually very anti-ageing. During sex, the body secretes the steroid hormone DHEA which is linked to longevity.
Sex is also relaxing and good for the circulatory system. In addition it reduces cholesterol and stimulates the oxygen supply to cells.
Cutting edge nutrition to enhance your skin care regime!
By Vanessa De Ascencao
SKIN AND NUTRITION
Your skin is a remarkable barometer of your body’s health and is therefore affected by how well you are internally. So getting your body’s systems working optimally is crucial to addressing skin problems. Diet is also key – eating foods which nourish your body while limiting those which are toxic or contribute no nutritional value is important.
Skin Nutrition:
The health of your skin depends on 3 basic elements:
1. The quality of nutrients taken in from your diet
2. How well these nutrients are digested and absorbed
3. The effectiveness of the bodies waste removal
Your skin is your body’s largest organ and barrier from the outside world. When your skin is constantly exposed to pollutants and UV damaging rays over an extended period of time, it becomes more vulnerable to free radical damage. Excessive free radical exposure through a toxic diet and environmental pollutants harm the skin by damaging DNA and cell membranes that keep the skin plump and firm.
Over time, skin cells can no longer perform their normal functions such as healthy cell turnover, processing nutrients and eliminating waste. This can trigger irritation, inflammation and destroy collagen/elastin resulting in thin, wrinkled and blotchy skin.
Along with a healthy lifestyle, cleansing programs are great to help “clear” those key filters in the body to promote vitality and overall wellbeing
It is important to nourish and balance each cell in the body with proper nutrients and water to help skin look and feel great. The human body has an innate intelligence; give the body what it needs (not what it desires), and the body will take care of all aspects of its health. The skin is part of the body, and it has many functions. It is the largest organ of the body. It serves as a protective cover, helps to regulate the body’s temperature, defends the body against foreign invaders (through the immune system), and helps the body’s detoxification process. It is also called “the third kidney.” If the kidney’s elimination pathways are backed up, toxins will eliminate through the skin. It is important to examine and incorporate the nutritional foundations.
Beautiful skin on the outside begins with good health on the inside. Skin will suffer dearly from the damage you cause on the inside if you don’t get enough sleep, smoke, drink too much alcohol, do not eat properly, and do not take nutritional supplements. The condition of skin is a direct reflection of our health; what is going on inside the body will be reflected on the outside of the body. Your lifestyle and the kind of dietary nutrients you consume have a big impact on the appearance of our skin. It is important to take care of the body the way nature intends. The body will take care of the rest: a healthy body, more energy and beautiful complexion.
With a fast paced lifestyle, a good diet may get overlooked. It may seem overwhelming to make a diet plan and stick to it. It is easier to find the most convenient foods to prepare. In a pinch, it is easier to take the magic pill, be it fast food, sodas, coffee or alcohol to feed your hunger or boost your energy. But this kind of diet will rob vital energy and deplete overall health. Health and skin care need a plan that will work for the duration of a lifetime. The eating habits you put in place today will yield either good or challenged health and skin quality for the rest of your lifespan.
Vanessa Top tips for glowing healthy skin at any age!
1. Drink more water and eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Sounds obvious, but it can make a real difference.
2. Limit your intake of sugary foods, refined carbohydrates (white bread etc) and anything fried.
3. Eat more antioxidant-rich foods such as carrots, pumpkin, watercress, berries, broccoli, fish and seafood.
4. Boost your intake of essential fats that help to keep your skin soft and supple – so eat a handful of unsalted nuts and seeds each day and have oily fish a few times a week.
5. If you experience other health issues – particularly with digestion or hormone balance – these can manifest in skin problems, so take steps to find out more and address these
Beautiful skin lifestyle eating plan!
Due to the diverse nature of skin disorders and the many different underlying causes, it is impossible to give blanket guidelines which will cover all situations. So below are some guiding principles for an optimum diet.
We all know that diet is essential to staying young and one of the key factors in environmental ageing. Sugar hastens the degradation of elastin and collagen, In other words, it actively ages you.
The key to anti-ageing is eating a low glycaemic index (a ranking system for carbohydrates based on their effect on blood glucose levels) and a high intake of antioxidants.
Aim for a daily diet that includes:
• Pure water – drink six to eight glasses every day.
• Colourful fruit & vegetables – five servings that include red/orange/yellow vegetables and fruits, purple foods, green foods, ‘seed’ foods such as peas or broccoli, onions, leeks and garlic.
• Fresh seeds – a tablespoon a day, for example pumpkin, sunflower, sesame or ground hemp/linseed.
• Cold-pressed seed oils - a tablespoon, for example with salads, drizzled over vegetables
• Vegetable sources of protein – enjoy foods such as soya, beans, lentils and quinoa
• Fibre-rich foods – rather than white refined foods, enjoy whole grains, root vegetables, lentils and beans.
• Natural yoghurt – choose low fat, live and organic
Limit your intake of:
• Alcohol – or avoid it completely.
• Tea and coffee – no more than 2 cups per day.
• Red meat – no more than three times per week. Have fish, organic chicken, game or vegetable sources of protein instead.
• Cheese and milk – try using dairy alternatives such as soya.
• Grain foods (those made from wheat, oats, rye etc) – have no more than two portions daily.
Exclude:
• Sugar – including sugary foods and drinks such as sweets, jams, many cereals, biscuits, cakes and desserts.
• Refined carbohydrates – such as bread, biscuits, cakes, pastries, pastas and any foods containing white flour.
• Chemicals added to food, which includes many canned and most preserved or processed foods.
• Fried and fatty foods – chips, crisps, cream, ice cream etc.
• Trans and hydrogenated fats found in many processed foods and margarines.
• Smoking.
Using these guidelines, a day’s meals may look like this:
Breakfast: natural, live yoghurt with chopped fresh fruits and a handful of pumpkin seeds.
OR a bowl of organic rolled oats with berries or grated apple and some fresh natural plain yogurt.
Lunch: A large vegetable salad with tinned salmon, tomato, celery and spring onion, with olive oil and lemon juice. You can also alternate with chicken breast or tuna or even some chickpeas and quinoa.
OR a big rice salad with many types of fresh vegetables, cottage cheese, pumpkin seeds, olive oil, lemon juice and freshly ground pepper.
Dinner: a hot meal of grilled fresh fish, chicken or lean meat or a vegetarian alternative made from beans, or quinoa.. Serve with a large helping of freshly steamed or lightly stir-fried vegetables. You can ‘steam-fry’ vegetables by using just the tiniest drop of oil and adding a couple of tablespoons of water, to, in effect, steam them.
Snacks: fresh fruit, raw nuts (eg almonds, hazelnuts or Brazils), pumpkin and sunflower seeds, raw vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, celery and cucumber.
Drinks: at least six glasses of water, herbal and fruit teas (beware of artificially flavoured or sweetened ones), diluted fresh fruit and vegetable juices, occasional smoothies, freshly made with fruits/vegetables.
Essential nutrients for healthy skin
Of all the news coming from the beauty community, the loudest buzz may be about the power of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to give skin a more radiant, healthy, and, yes, youthful glow.
The excitement is focused not only on creams and lotions you put on your skin but what you put into your body as well. Health experts say that vitamins and minerals in all forms play an integral role in a healthy complexion, whether the source is food, supplements, or even a jar of cream.
Supplements
To keep your skin super healthy I recommend you take:
• Spirulina which is rich in Vit K, E, A, and carotene
• Omega 3
• ALA
• DMAE
Here’s why:
Vitamins Good for Skin Nutrition
Spirulina - Marine Algae, the latest in nutraceutical skin care!
Spirulina, the wonder nutrient for the skin.
It not only contains just about every skin nutrient you need, but it cleanses and purifies the body, It naturally detoxes daily! “Spirulina platensis…has an antioxidant system which prevents the harmful action of radicals in the dermis and epidermis” Dr Ivonne Almiral, Havana University
Its outstanding nutritional profile also includes the essential fatty acids, GLA fatty acid, lipids, the nucleic acids (RNA and DNA), B complex, vitamin C and E and phytochemicals, such as carotenoids, chlorophyll (blood purifier), and phycocyanin (a blue pigment), which is a protein that is known to inhibit cancer.
Vitamins C, E, A, K, and B complex can all help improve skin health. Here's how:
Vitamins C and E. Among the most important new dermatologic discoveries is the power of vitamins to counter the effects of sun exposure.
Vitamin C and E help by reducing the damage caused by free radicals, a harmful byproduct of sunlight, smoke, and pollution. Free radicals gobble up collagen and elastin, the fibers that support skin structure, causing wrinkles and other signs of aging.
Vitamin A. If your vitamin A levels are up to snuff from the foods you eat, adding more probably won't do much more for your skin. That said, if those levels drop even a little below normal, you're likely to see some skin-related symptoms, including a dry, flaky complexion. That's because vitamin A is necessary for the maintenance and repair of skin tissue. Without it, you'll notice the difference. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamin A.
Vitamin B Complex. When it comes to skin, the single most important B vitamin is biotin, a nutrient that forms the basis of skin, nail, and hair cells. Without adequate amounts, you may end up with dermatitis (an itchy, scaly skin reaction) or sometimes even hair loss. Even a mild deficiency causes symptoms.
Most people get enough biotin without even trying. It's found in many foods including bananas, eggs, oatmeal, and rice, plus your body also makes some biotin on its own.
Vitamin K. As the nutrient responsible for helping blood clot, Vitamin K won't do much for your skin from the inside. But studies presented to the American Academy of Dermatology in 2003 showed that topical vitamin K works well to reduce circles under the eye as well as bruises. In research published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology in 2002, doctors from the University of Miami School of Medicine found that skin treatments with vitamin K cream after laser surgery significantly reduced bruising.
Spirulina provides you with:
• polysaccharides
• chlorophyll blood purifier
• phycocyanin (blue pigment - inhibits cancer)
• iron (easier absorbed than iron supplements)
• magnesium
• selenium
• potassium
• calcium
• chromium
• copper
• manganese
• phosphorus
• sodium
• zinc
• vegetable protein
• provitamin A
• B complex vitamins (the highest source os B12)
• beta carotene (10 times more concentrated than in carrots)
• vitamin E
• carotenoids
• rare essential fatty acids (GLA)
• carbohydrates
• enzymes
• sulfolipids
• glycolipids
Impressive health benefits of spirulina discovered by the extensive world-wide research:
• Inhibits penetration of viruses into body cells
• Inhibits replication of HIV-1, Herpes, Influenza, Mumps and Measles virus
• Prevents and in some cases also reverses cancer (all types)
• Supports the formation of red blood cells
• Protects you against allergic reactions
• Reduces blood cholesterol
• Regulates blood sugar
• Decreases appetite
• Helps to control your weight
• Reduces inflammation
• Boosts your immunity and energy levels
• Removes heavy metals (cadmium, arsenic, mercury, lead, PCB, ...)
• Protects from environmental toxins
• Increases mental energy
• Repairs DNA damage
• Reduces high blood pressure
• Increases antibody responses
• Accelerates recovery from any ilness
• Improves digestion
• Increases energy and alertness
• Improves gastrointestinal and digestive health
• Enhances natural cleansing and detoxification
Beyond Vitamins and Minerals: The New Skin Nutrients
Some of the more exciting new skin research looks beyond vitamins and minerals to other nutrients that when taken internally can have remarkable effects on your skin.
Alpha-Lipoic Acid. A powerful antioxidant, hundreds of times more potent that either vitamin C or E, alpha-lipoic acid may turn out to be a super boost for aging skin. What makes it so special, say skin experts, is its ability to penetrate both oil and water, affecting skin cells from both the inside and the outside of the body. Most other antioxidants can do one but not both.
DMAE. Another powerful antioxidant, this nutrient has one of the strongest appetites for free radicals. It works mostly by deactivating their power to harm skin cells. It also helps stabilize the membrane around the outside of each cell so that assaults from sun damage and cigarette smoke are reduced.
DMAE also prevents the formation of lipofucsin, the brown pigment that becomes the basis for age spots.
Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs). If your skin is dry, prone to inflammation, and frequently dotted with white heads and black heads, you may be lacking essential fatty acids, nutrients that are crucial to the production of skin's natural oil barrier. Without an adequate supply of EFAs, the skin produces a more irritating form of sebum, or oil, which can result in problems.
Don’t neglect these other lifestyle factors!
Sleep
When interviewed Ines de la Fressange, the original supermodel and Chanel muse, she told the world her top anti-ageing tip was sleep.
And she's right. Sleep deprivation is lethal in ageing terms. When we sleep, our cells regenerate. We also remove toxins and activate immune system cells.
But of course, it isn't just a question of sleeping any old way you like.
According to Melanie Vasseur, from Vasseur Scientific Skincare, a San Diego-based skincare company, "Sleeping on your side is the second cause of wrinkles after the sun, as when you sleep on your side you are ironing in wrinkles on your skin.
And it's not only your face you need to worry about - sleeping on your side can cause wrinkles.
Sex
Sex is actually very anti-ageing. During sex, the body secretes the steroid hormone DHEA which is linked to longevity.
Sex is also relaxing and good for the circulatory system. In addition it reduces cholesterol and stimulates the oxygen supply to cells.
“MRS has helped my arthritis”
My mother and my sister’s mother-in-law use Marcus Rohrer Spirulina and swear that it is the only thing that helps alleviate their arthritis. They have tried many other herbal remedies, but Marcus Rohrer Spirulina is the only one that helps in such problems.
Thanks to Mr Peter Mahlatsi who encouraged me to utilize these green supplements , I started with Marcus Rohrer Spirulina to help the osteoarthritis in my knee, which it has done so well, in fact I shall not be without Marcus Rohrer Spirulina from now on.
I hope Mr Mahlatsi will continue to spoil me with full bottles of Marcus Rohrer Spirulina.
Thanks to Mr Peter Mahlatsi who encouraged me to utilize these green supplements , I started with Marcus Rohrer Spirulina to help the osteoarthritis in my knee, which it has done so well, in fact I shall not be without Marcus Rohrer Spirulina from now on.
I hope Mr Mahlatsi will continue to spoil me with full bottles of Marcus Rohrer Spirulina.
“MRS has brought me normality and joy”
These brief testimonials were compiled by Peter Mahlatsi, counsellor of the people who utilized the Marcus Rohrer Spirulina.
I suffer from numerous conditions, including diabetes, arthritis and gastric reflux. Over years of taking chronic medication, my colon has suffered to the point that it has just failed to work. I was therefore put on various prescription medicines to try and sort out the problem – but I could just not win.
A concerned relative recommended that I should go and see Mr Peter Mahlatsi, who took time to do counselling for me due to some other problems I had, and he give me one bottle of Marcus Rohrer Spirulina. I agreed to take those 6 tablets a day – with a certain degree of scepticism, I must admit.
However, after twenty nine days, I noticed a difference and the peristalsis began to be restored to my colon.
Things are now working normally after one course of the tablets and the daily fibre drink.
A big Thank You to Marcus Rohrer Spirulina for bringing normality and joy back into my life!
I suffer from numerous conditions, including diabetes, arthritis and gastric reflux. Over years of taking chronic medication, my colon has suffered to the point that it has just failed to work. I was therefore put on various prescription medicines to try and sort out the problem – but I could just not win.
A concerned relative recommended that I should go and see Mr Peter Mahlatsi, who took time to do counselling for me due to some other problems I had, and he give me one bottle of Marcus Rohrer Spirulina. I agreed to take those 6 tablets a day – with a certain degree of scepticism, I must admit.
However, after twenty nine days, I noticed a difference and the peristalsis began to be restored to my colon.
Things are now working normally after one course of the tablets and the daily fibre drink.
A big Thank You to Marcus Rohrer Spirulina for bringing normality and joy back into my life!
“My bloating is history, thanks to MRS”
I occasionally suffer from bloating due to my yeast and coffee intolerance. I have been bloated for nearly two weeks when I was offered a bottle of Marcus Rohrer Spirulina from Mr Peter Mahlatsi.
After seven days of taking the supplement (six tablets a day), the bloating was severely reduced. In fact, after five days of using the product I had lost half a kilogram. Since using the product my bowel movement has improved.
I am most impressed and would definitely recommend the product to my friends and family.
Thanks Mr Mahlatsi for your help.
After seven days of taking the supplement (six tablets a day), the bloating was severely reduced. In fact, after five days of using the product I had lost half a kilogram. Since using the product my bowel movement has improved.
I am most impressed and would definitely recommend the product to my friends and family.
Thanks Mr Mahlatsi for your help.
Lice affects us all – ensure you seek non-toxic solutions
Lice outbreaks are a frequent reality at SA schools with high numbers of children being booked off regularly.
Lice is such a common scourge world-wide that the media has recently reported on infestations at such high profile sites such as Number 10 Downing Street (the British Prime Minister’s residence) and even the home of pop icon Madonna.
Head lice are small wingless parasites that feed on tiny amounts of blood. Lice bites cause itching which result in skin irritation and even infection.
Giulia Criscuolo, responsible pharmacist for OTC Pharma which produces the nature-based Picksan Lice Stop shampoo, says everyone is at risk as head lice are extremely contagious. However, children aged three to 12 years are most prone as they often play very close together.
Head lice is spread by coming into direct contact with someone who is already infected with lice and also by sharing hats, towels, pillows, combs or brushes with an infected person. Though they can't fly or jump, these tiny parasites have specially adapted claws which allow them to crawl and cling to hair, says Criscuolo.
Despite being tiny, lice can be seen by the naked eye. Lice eggs or nits look like small yellow, tan or brown dots before they hatch, often mistaken for dandruff. Nits are laid on the hair shaft close to the skin’s surface where they are kept warm until they hatch within a week or two.
Once hatched, the lice, or nymphs, turn a greyish-white or tan colour and are no bigger than a sesame seed. The nymphs become adult lice two weeks after hatching, feeding on blood several times a day. Nymphs can survive up to two days off the scalp without food.
Once bitten, itching and scratching commences, leading to small red bumps or sores. The irritation varies from mild to a painful rash where there is excessive scratching, often leading to bacterial infections.
There are many anti-lice products, with most containing potentially harmful chemicals or insecticides such as pyrethrin or permethrin. These powerful chemicals may lead to burning and cases have been reported of permeation into the scalp.
Nature-based remedies are becoming increasingly popular and have proved effective. “Apart from the dangers to the skin, lice can become resistant to chemical products, making natural products safer and effective for longer,” says Criscuolo.
Dermatologically tested Picksan Lice Stop shampoo contains natural active ingredients, including the patented MelAza extract. The MelAza extract comprises a special neem seed extract. Neem seed oil has been used in Indian Ayurveda to treat lice for thousands of years.
Picksan Lice Stop shampoo is gentle on the hair, soft on the scalp, has a pleasant scent and has been voted among the best quality anti-lice shampoos in Europe.
Picksan Lice Stop shampoo is available in all health shops, pharmacies, Dis-Chem, Clicks, Pick n Pay and Medi-Rite.
Read more about Picksan products. Email info@otcpharma.co.za or call Giulia Criscuolo on: 0861998880.
You + Spirulina = Health
Review supports health benefits of Spirulina
By Mike Stones
The 'encouraging' health benefits of spirulina; blue - green algae used in dietary supplements and functional foods for its antioxidant properties, should promote further research, says a new review.
The potential health benefits of spirulina, which include immune health, cardiovascular health, and potential anti-cancer effects, should also encourage dietary supplementation, according to the review published in the journal Nutra Foods,
Entitled Potential health benefits of spirulina microalgae; a review of the existing literature, the article was written by Bob Capelli, vice president sales and Marketing of Cyanotech which produces and sells spirulina and Gerald Cysewski, the company’s chief scientific officer.
Immune-stimulating
After reviewing studies looking at the health benefits of products made from the blue-green algae, the authors concluded that: “Spirulina shows potent immune-stimulating effects (and) …. anti-viral activity against a variety of harmful viruses.”
It also “…shows promise as a cancer preventative agent and in the treatment of tumours,” and has “…far ranging cardiovascular benefits including improvement of blood lipid profiles, prevention of atherosclerosis, and control of hypertension.”
In humans, spirulina produces an immuno-stimulating effect by enhancing the resistance to infections, the capacity of influencing hemopoieses (the process by which new blood cells are formed) and stimulating the production of antibodies and cytokines.
Spirulina’s anti-viral properties were noted both in simple water extracts and dried bomass. The authors concluded that the algae’s anti-viral properties are derived both from its polysaccharides as well as other components.
In terms of cancer prevention, the authors acknowledged a shortage of human clinical research. But in animal studies they highlighted a numerous studies showing Spirulina’s potential to prevent carcinogenesis and to shrink tumours.
By contrast, the cardiovascular benefits of spirulina are described in many papers, according to the review article. A review published in 2009 noted several reports suggesting that spirulina may have a beneficial effect in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Decreases in blood pressure and plasma lipid concentrations, especially triacylglycerols and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol have been demonstrated as a result of oral consumption of spirulina.
Health benefits
Further research into the potential of spirulina and its constituent pigment C-phycocyanin in the four areas noted promise to unlock further health benefits, noted the authors.
The authors reviewed a series of published studies, most of which appeared in the past 10 years.
Many studies investigated benefits from pure Spirulina biomass, but some also focused on extracts of spirulina or isolated compounds from spirulina. These were mainly C-phycocyanin, the blue-green pigment found only in spirulina and other species of blue-green microalgae.
Research into the health benefits of this uni-cellular, blue-green microalgae began in the 1970s and has accelerated during the past 10 years.
Source: NutraFoods
Volume 9, Pages 16-26
"Potential health benefits of spirulina microalgae; a review of the existing literature"
Authors: B. Capelli, G. Cysewski
Volume 9, Pages 16-26
"Potential health benefits of spirulina microalgae; a review of the existing literature"
Authors: B. Capelli, G. Cysewski
Are hormones in food killing us?
From, The Huffington Post March 8, 2011 on Health.com
What do these hyper-productive animals have in common? Thanks to injections and implants (in the case of cows) or genetic engineering (in the case of salmon), they contain artificially high levels of sex or growth hormones.
Are these hormones dangerous to the humans who eat the food or drink the milk? The food industry says no -- and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) agrees, at least when it comes to cows.
The FDA, which regulates the use of hormones in livestock, hasn't yet decided whether it will approve the sale of a genetically engineered salmon patented by the biotech company AquaBounty. If the salmon -- which is wired to produce growth hormone year-round, instead of just in the spring and summer -- gets an OK from the agency, it will be the first genetically engineered animal to wind up on your dinner plate. (Genetically engineered fruits and vegetables have been around for years.)
The FDA's stamp of approval isn't likely to reassure those who worry that excess hormones in the food supply are contributing to cancer, early puberty in girls, and other health problems in humans. For years, consumer advocates and public health experts have fought to limit the use of hormones in cows, and some support a ban on the practice similar to the one in place in Europe, where food regulations are generally more stringent than in the U.S.
But it's not clear if such hormones truly are bad for our health. Surprisingly little research has been done on the health effects of these hormones in humans, in part because it's difficult to separate the effects of added hormones from the mixture of natural hormones, proteins, and other components found in milk and meat. Buying organic may reassure shoppers, but there's little proof these products are indeed safer.
Growth Hormones
In 1993, the FDA approved recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), a synthetic cow hormone that spurs milk production when injected into dairy cows, and consumer groups have been concerned about it ever since. The manipulation of growth hormone in the AquaBounty salmon has sparked similar concerns.
By itself, rBGH has no discernible effect in humans and is of little concern to your health, and the growth hormone in AquaBounty's salmon is expected to be inconsequential to your health as well. The actual fear is that manipulating growth hormones in cows -- or salmon -- may increase another hormone, insulin-like growth factor (IGF), which could mimic the effects of human growth hormone in harmful ways. In fact, research has found that milk from rBGH-treated cows contains up to 10 times more IGF than other milk.
Higher blood levels of IGF (regardless of what causes them) have been associated with an increased risk of breast, prostate, and other cancers in humans. In a 2004 study, patients with above-average IGF levels had nearly a 50 percent higher risk of prostate cancer and a 65 percent higher risk of hormone-dependent premenopausal breast cancer than people with below-average levels.
Many factors -- including genes, smoking, and fat intake -- contribute to these cancers, but "it's very likely that at least part of that [risk] is related to IGF levels," especially where prostate cancer is concerned, says Walter Willett, M.D., chairman of the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, in Boston.
While consuming lots of milk and other dairy has been shown to raise blood levels of human IGF, the increase is probably not a direct effect of the animal's IGF level or the IGF found in these foods. That's because the amount of IGF in dairy products -- whether or not it's from rBGH-treated cows -- pales in comparison to what is naturally in your body.
"Just [to get] the amount of IGF secreted in your saliva and digestive tract in a day, you'd have to drink about 95 quarts of milk," says Terry Etherton, Ph.D., a professor of dairy and animal science at Pennsylvania State University and the author of a blog about food biotechnology.
And you'd have to eat at least 170 three-ounce servings of genetically modified salmon. (The IGF levels in the AquaBounty salmon and regular salmon are comparable, although consumer advocates say the studies that determined this are too small to be reliable.)
So if the amount of IGF in milk is negligible, how does milk consumption increase our IGF levels? Milk in general -- and the proteins, sugar, minerals, and non-IGF hormones it contains -- may somehow cause the human body to make more of its own IGF, Dr. Willett says.
Sex Hormones and Early Puberty
IGF isn't the only hormone found in the food supply. Ranchers have been fattening up cattle with sex hormones -- most notably estrogen -- since the 1950s. Today most beef cows in the U.S. -- except those labeled "organic" -- receive an implant in their ear that delivers a hormone, usually a form of estrogen (estradiol) in some combination with five other hormones. (These hormones are not given to chicken and pigs because they don't have the same growth-promoting effect in these animals, although antibiotics are given to all three species for similar growth-promoting reasons.)
One concern is that such hormones may spur earlier puberty in children, who are, on average, entering puberty at a younger age than they did a generation or two ago, for reasons that are unclear.
But Ann Macrina, Ph.D., a researcher in the Department of Dairy and Animal Science at Pennsylvania State University, says that the amount of estrogen found in meat is vanishingly small compared to the level in our bodies. A three-ounce serving of beef from an estrogen-treated cow contains less than a billionth of a gram of estrogen, a level around 400,000 times lower than estrogen in women and nearly 100,000 times lower than that in men.
However, even miniscule amounts of estrogen could affect prepubescent girls and boys, says Dr. Willett. "[For] a girl who's not producing hormones herself, they could be quite substantial."
A 2009 study found that children who consumed the most protein from animal sources entered puberty about seven months earlier than those who consumed the least. "It doesn't matter so much if it's milk, cheese, or meat -- all these animal proteins have a clear impact on [our] IGF system," says Thomas Remer, Ph.D., one of the authors of the study and a professor at the Research Institute of Child Nutrition, in Germany.
Still, hormones added to the food supply are probably not the biggest culprit behind early puberty. It's more likely that meat, milk, and similar foods help trigger earlier puberty because they are rich in protein, calories, and nutrients, says Marcia Herman-Giddens, an adjunct professor at the University of North Carolina School of Public Health, in Chapel Hill, and the lead author of an influential 1997 study on early puberty in girls.
However, Herman-Giddens cautions that more research is needed to untangle the many factors involved. For instance, she says, rising rates of overweight and obesity -- and the processed foods, high-calorie drinks, and lack of exercise driving them -- are "probably the biggest reason" for the trend toward earlier puberty. (Fat cells stimulate the body to produce estrogen.) Pesticides, flame-retardants, plastics, and other chemicals in the environment that can disrupt hormones may also be partly to blame.
Organic Or Not?
Organic beef and dairy products certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) come with the guarantee that the cows were not treated with rBGH or sex hormones. They also come with a much heftier price. Is the peace of mind worth the extra cash?
Probably not, says Dr. Willett, who advocates cutting back on meat in general. Most people should eat no more than two servings of red meat per week, Dr. Willett says, and "if you're [only] having a couple of servings a week, it doesn't make much difference whether it's organic or not."
Dr. Willett offers similar advice regarding organic dairy. On the other hand, experts like Herman-Giddens urge consumers to stay away from rBGH-treated milk because of its potentially higher IGF levels, and the fact that it does not have any added health benefits over regular milk. Instead of switching to organic milk, Dr. Willett recommends cutting back on dairy altogether, despite USDA recommendations that call for three servings a day of dairy.
Bruce Chassy, Ph.D., a professor of food microbiology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, says "propaganda" from organic farming groups has created misconceptions about -- and resistance to -- rBGH among consumers. In fact, Chassy argues that manipulating growth hormones has benefits: rBGH-treated cows are better for the environment, not just the bottom line, since farmers can get the same amount of milk with fewer cows. Similarly, the AquaBounty salmon consumes 10 percent less feed during its lifecycle than a regular farmed salmon.
The most lasting effect of the fears surrounding hormones in the food supply may be the value of "organic" or "hormone free" as selling points, Chassy says.
"I think there are a lot of farms that are not using [rBGH] because they perceive that consumers do not want [rBGH]-treated milk," he says. He predicts that the AquaBounty salmon will likely inspire "marketing campaigns for 'hormone-free' fish." It's a ridiculous claim, he argues, since all fish -- and all meat and milk -- has hormones.
Diabetes? Put diet and lifestyle before drugs
Diet and lifestyle changes more effective than drugs
Nutritionists have of course been going on about this for years. But recently they got support from The Lancet. “Because Type 2 diabetes is largely rooted in reversible social and lifestyle factors, a medical approach alone is unlikely to be a solution,” it concluded. “To lessen the burden of diabetes requires a substantial change in diet and routine… The fact that Type 2 diabetes, a largely preventable disorder, has reached epidemic proportions is a public health humiliation.”
Around the same time, the British Medical Journal (July issue) reported a randomised controlled trial of over 90 patients which found that getting patients onto a diet that they enjoyed – Mediterranean or high protein – produced results that were as good if not better than those with medication. They were already quite ill – overweight or with hypertension – and had blood sugar levels that weren’t well controlled despite being on “optimised” drug treatment. The authors concluded: “The extent of the improvement in glycemic control should encourage patients to modify their eating habits.”
And a study last year has found that cinnamon, a natural insulin sensitiser, is almost as effective at lowering a key marker for poor blood sugar control (HbA1C – or glycosolated haemoglobin) as some of the new breed of drugs such as sitagliptin – yet costs considerably less In this randomized controlled trial, 109 participants with poorly-controlled Type 2 diabetes were either allocated their usual care, or usual care plus 1g of cinnamon daily. At the end of 3 months, those receiving the cinnamon recorded a drop in HbA1C levels of 0.83% compared to 0.37% for those receiving just their usual care.
This study gives diabetes care providers and diabetic patients an easily accessible, likely safe, and cheap alternative to help treat type 2 diabetes,” concluded the study’s author Dr Paul Crawford. Further research directly comparing cinnamon with HbA1C-lowering drugs would be useful to see.
The Low down on Insulin
Having too much insulin actually promotes weight gain because its job is to store excess sugar in the blood as fat. The antidote is a healthy clean diet. The higher your insulin the more effective a low-GL diet is. By following a low-GL diet your blood sugar level is naturally more even, so your body doesn’t have to produce so much insulin.
Having too much insulin actually promotes weight gain because its job is to store excess sugar in the blood as fat. The antidote is a healthy clean diet. The higher your insulin the more effective a low-GL diet is. By following a low-GL diet your blood sugar level is naturally more even, so your body doesn’t have to produce so much insulin.
There’s another problem with making, or injecting too much insulin - it increases cholesterol production in the liver, it constricts blood vessels making your blood pressure go up and stimulates the release of dangerous fats called triglycerides. So it’s bad news for heart disease.
The lifestyle eating plan
Instead of trying to cheat the system by stimulating more insulin release, the solution for both weight gain, diabetes and heart disease, is to eat a low-GL diet that means you need to make less insulin to keep your blood sugar level stable, and to naturally improve your sensitivity to insulin so you need less insulin to get the job done Hundreds of studies now prove that a low-GL diet helps to improve blood sugar balance, and makes you less insulin-resistant, and hence reduces the need for medication. These are well summarised in a review article in the Journal of the American Medical Association for those who want the science.
Exercise Plays a Key Role
Exercise is also a vital piece of the prevention equation. A review of fourteen good quality trials found that, while exercise alone didn’t decrease weight, it did lower glycosylated haemoglobin by the kind of amount one might expect from a drug.(10) As your energy goes up on my low-GL diet you’ll find that so too does your desire to exercise.
Low Fat Diets?
According to diabetes expert Professor Charles Clark, author of the Diabetes Revolution (Vermillion) “There is a simple cure for the obesity and diabetes epidemic but everyone is looking in the wrong place. We blame overeating or fat consumption, but the real villain in both diabetes and obesity is the large amount of refined carbohydrates we eat. It’s this that pushes up our blood sugar levels and leads to diabetes. Meanwhile our bodies store the extra blood sugar as fat and so we put on weight.”
Another study of 85,059 women found that low carbohydrate diets are better than low-fat diets in preventing diabetes. The women who ate less carbohydrate and got most of their fat and protein from vegetable sources were at less risk of developing diabetes. (15)
A 2008 study in the New England Journal of Medicine put volunteers onto one of three diets: a conventional low-calorie, low-fat diet; a Mediterranean diet, restricted for calories and high in fibre and monounsaturated fats; and a high-protein, high-fat, low-carb diet, similar to the Atkins diet, but emphasising vegetarian sources of protein rather than meat and dairy products. (16) The low-fat diet was the least effective for weight loss and raised glucose levels. The Mediterranean diet was the most effective for diabetes, significantly lowered glucose levels in diabetics.
A Spoonful of Cinnamon
Cinnamon has been used for many years in traditional herbal medicine for treatment of type-2 diabetes. The active ingredient in cinnamon, MCHP, mimics the action of the hormone insulin, which removes excess sugar from the bloodstream.
Animal studies have found that there is a positive effect on blood sugar levels when treated with cinnamon. There have also been positive findings in human studies. For example, a research group found that when pre-diabetics were given a cinnamon extract called Cinnulin for 12 weeks, there were improvements in blood sugar levels, as well as body fat percentage.(24) Another study gave diabetics 1, 3 or 6 grams of cinnamon per day.(25) One gram is about half a teaspoon. All responded to the cinnamon within weeks, with blood sugar levels 20 per cent lower on average than those of a control group. Not all studies, however, have shown a positive result.
In summary: The three steps to treating Diabetes:
• Follow the Eco Diet
• Exercise daily
• Supplement with Diabecinn
Bear in mind that your need for medication may decrease so it is important to monitor your blood sugar levels and inform your primary care practitioner accordingly. If you have Type-2 diabetes there’s a good chance you’ll end up not needing any medication. If you have Type-1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes the same recommendations apply but you’ll still need insulin, although possibly less of it.
Nine Diabetes Indicators you should know
More than 23 million people are living with diabetes in the United States, with 24 percent of cases going undiagnosed, according the American Diabetes Association. You may be at risk or already suffering complications and not even know it. Take a look at these surprising diabetes indicators.
Breast Size
If you're a size D or larger at age 20, you may be up to five times more likely to develop diabetes than your flat-chested friends, according to a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. This finding is surprising because it indicates that breast size is a significant factor independent of body mass index (BMI). However powerful these findings are, more studies and research remains to be done to be entirely conclusive.
If you're a size D or larger at age 20, you may be up to five times more likely to develop diabetes than your flat-chested friends, according to a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. This finding is surprising because it indicates that breast size is a significant factor independent of body mass index (BMI). However powerful these findings are, more studies and research remains to be done to be entirely conclusive.
Eyebrow Colour
Have your brows stayed dark while the rest of your hair has turned gray? You may want to get a fasting-glucose test from your doctor. A German study of 100 men between the ages of 50 and 70 with greying hair found that 76 percent of the men with dark brows had diabetes, compared to 18 percent of the gray-browed men. The theory is that diabetes may inhibit the greying process in eyebrow hair.
Have your brows stayed dark while the rest of your hair has turned gray? You may want to get a fasting-glucose test from your doctor. A German study of 100 men between the ages of 50 and 70 with greying hair found that 76 percent of the men with dark brows had diabetes, compared to 18 percent of the gray-browed men. The theory is that diabetes may inhibit the greying process in eyebrow hair.
Birth Month
New research suggests that the month in which you are born could play a role in the development of type 1 diabetes, reports the American Diabetes Association. More than 10,000 children were studied by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Diabetes Translation. The results showed that spring babies were more likely than fall babies to develop type 1 diabetes in the U.S. This trend was strongest in the northern parts of the United States. The reasoning behind this is currently unknown, but may be due to mother's diet or exposure to solar radiation.
New research suggests that the month in which you are born could play a role in the development of type 1 diabetes, reports the American Diabetes Association. More than 10,000 children were studied by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Diabetes Translation. The results showed that spring babies were more likely than fall babies to develop type 1 diabetes in the U.S. This trend was strongest in the northern parts of the United States. The reasoning behind this is currently unknown, but may be due to mother's diet or exposure to solar radiation.
Hearing Loss
Previously overlooked, hearing loss has now been linked to diabetes as a complication. Hearing loss was about twice as prevalent in people with diabetes as their healthy counterparts; found a study by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, reports MedPage Today. "Complications of diabetes are very widespread and this is yet another one,” says Dr. Judith Fradkin Director, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, & Metabolic Diseases at the National Institutes of Health. The trouble is that the population at risk for diabetes is now further at risk for hearing loss.
Previously overlooked, hearing loss has now been linked to diabetes as a complication. Hearing loss was about twice as prevalent in people with diabetes as their healthy counterparts; found a study by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, reports MedPage Today. "Complications of diabetes are very widespread and this is yet another one,” says Dr. Judith Fradkin Director, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, & Metabolic Diseases at the National Institutes of Health. The trouble is that the population at risk for diabetes is now further at risk for hearing loss.
Short Legs
Bad news for some shorties out there, researchers at Johns Hopkins University conducted a study of 3,600 men and found that men with shorter legs were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than their long-legged buddies, reports CBS News. It's not actually height that impacts diabetes risk, but the leg-to-height ratio. This finding hints at something more in terms of diabetes risk and foetal development.
Bad news for some shorties out there, researchers at Johns Hopkins University conducted a study of 3,600 men and found that men with shorter legs were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than their long-legged buddies, reports CBS News. It's not actually height that impacts diabetes risk, but the leg-to-height ratio. This finding hints at something more in terms of diabetes risk and foetal development.
Slow-Healing Cuts
If you find that your cuts are sticking around longer it may be a symptom of type 2 diabetes. Diabetics may suffer from a condition called atherosclerosis, which is the thickening of vessel walls and the subsequent thinning of blood vessels. With thicker walls and thinner cells, the blood stream has more trouble carrying white blood cells, the infection fighters, to the site of the cut, thus delaying your healing time.
If you find that your cuts are sticking around longer it may be a symptom of type 2 diabetes. Diabetics may suffer from a condition called atherosclerosis, which is the thickening of vessel walls and the subsequent thinning of blood vessels. With thicker walls and thinner cells, the blood stream has more trouble carrying white blood cells, the infection fighters, to the site of the cut, thus delaying your healing time.
Tooth Loss
If you have periodontal disease or tooth loss you are at increased risk for diabetes, according to the Harvard Schools of Public Health and Dental Medicine, reports MedPage Today. They concluded from their studies that tooth loss raised the risk of diabetes for both sexes by 14 to 29 percent. Periodontal disease is thought to be a complication of diabetes, but perhaps it's actually a two-way street.
If you have periodontal disease or tooth loss you are at increased risk for diabetes, according to the Harvard Schools of Public Health and Dental Medicine, reports MedPage Today. They concluded from their studies that tooth loss raised the risk of diabetes for both sexes by 14 to 29 percent. Periodontal disease is thought to be a complication of diabetes, but perhaps it's actually a two-way street.
Hair Loss
Something else diabetics with atherosclerosis may notice is a loss of hair or thinning hair. When there is a thickening of blood vessel walls the blood vessels narrow. This can occur in blood vessels all over your body, including your skin. Narrow blood vessels mean less oxygen, which causes symptoms like hair loss as well as shiny skin and thickened skin. Hair loss is not limited to any one specific area of the body. With circulatory impairment in your legs, you could often see hair loss on your legs say experts.
Something else diabetics with atherosclerosis may notice is a loss of hair or thinning hair. When there is a thickening of blood vessel walls the blood vessels narrow. This can occur in blood vessels all over your body, including your skin. Narrow blood vessels mean less oxygen, which causes symptoms like hair loss as well as shiny skin and thickened skin. Hair loss is not limited to any one specific area of the body. With circulatory impairment in your legs, you could often see hair loss on your legs say experts.
Pesticide Exposure
If you're a farmer, you may be raising your risk for diabetes, considering that long-term exposure to pesticides and herbicides have been found to increase diabetes risk, according to an Agricultural Health Study of Iowa farmers published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. However, the amount of pesticides the population is regularly exposed to are low, and not as powerful an indicator as obesity and family history.
If you're a farmer, you may be raising your risk for diabetes, considering that long-term exposure to pesticides and herbicides have been found to increase diabetes risk, according to an Agricultural Health Study of Iowa farmers published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. However, the amount of pesticides the population is regularly exposed to are low, and not as powerful an indicator as obesity and family history.
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