Diet & Nutrition

Guide to Herbal Supplements

Except from article:

An estimated 18 million adults use herbs in some form, and the sale of these products continues to increase.

Herbal supplements, which come from plants that have medicinal properties, claim to cure, treat, or prevent disease. But when an herbal supplement is billed as “natural” on the label, that doesn’t ensure its efficacy, purity, or safety. Although there are proven health benefits for some herbal products, potentially harmful effects exist for others.

Claims about herbal products are often based on folklore or testimonial instead of scientific studies. It is important to read reliable information and search out unbiased sources of research, when available. Because herbal supplements are not standardized, the same herb can be found in different products in varying amounts. This can lead to toxic levels that may cause harmful reactions in the body. Do not assume that “natural” means safe.

Here’s a very good article about carbohydrates, aka “carbs”. Many people believe they are the enemy while they really aren’t. Read some facts from registered dietitian Lisa Cicciarello:

Carbohydrates have gotten a bad rep these past few years due to various fad diets, when in reality- it’s what our bodies need most. Carbohydrates fuel our brain and muscles, and without them, we can’t function properly. However, the type of carbohydrate you choose can impact your blood sugar and insulin levels, which can enhance or impair your health.

Read more

They also specifically mention that you should still continue to eat fruit, but just avoid processed foods that contain high fructose corn syrup. The reason being is fruit also contains fiber which effects how the sugars get into the blood stream in the first place. This is a whole other area of research that one could delve into.

Take home message for today…

Avoid processed foods that contain high fructose corn syrup, continue to eat your whole fruits and most importantly be careful what you read from mainstream media. Research it further before coming to a conclusion.

- Jayson Hunter, http://getridofmygut.com

White refined sugar has become the most common form of sugar in North America as well as in Europe. Refined sugar can be made by dissolving raw sugar and purifying it with a phosphoric acid method similar to that used for blanco directo, a carbonatation process involving calcium hydroxide and carbon dioxide, or by various filtration strategies. It is then further purified by filtration through a bed of activated carbon or bone char depending on where the processing takes place. Beet sugar refineries produce refined white sugar directly without an intermediate raw stage. White refined sugar is typically sold as granulated sugar, which has been dried to prevent clumping.

¹ Sugar, Wikipedia, English Edition

One fitness website I frequent is SparkPeople. Lots of content but importantly they’ve got a lot good community. Many people I talk to don’t like to exercise. It’s hard. Its “easier” to sit on the couch, or in a bookstore and read. Going to the gym and exercising requires effort and after a long day at work, sometimes that’s just not going to happen.

This happens to almost everyone and is a very common them. Definitely happens to me. SparkPeople asked their readers to comment on this topic – read what they to say.