The Importance of Digestion and Detoxification

When you eat food, it is typically not in a form that the body can immediately use as nourishment. Food and drink must be reduced to smaller nutrients before they can be absorbed into the blood and then carried off to cells throughout the body. Digestion is the process by which food and drink are broken down into their smallest parts so the body can use them to build and nourish cells and to provide energy.

So where does the process of digestion start? In a nutshell, digestion begins in the mouth and ends in the small intestine. The path from the mouth to the small intestine is called the digestive tract. When you chew and swallow food, it moves down the digestive tract through muscle action called peristalsis. More specifically, food and drink is pushed from the mouth into the esophagus, which connects the throat with the stomach. At the junction of the esophagus and stomach is a ringlike muscle called the lower esophageal sphincter, which is like a gate that closes the passage between the two organs. As food approaches the closed sphincter, the sphincter relaxes and allows the food to pass through to the stomach. Once food enters the stomach, the stomach goes to work. The job of the stomach is three-fold. First, it stores the swallowed food and liquid. Secondly, it mixes up the food, liquid, and digestive juice produced by the stomach. And third, it empties its contents slowly into the small intestine. As the food dissolves into the juices from the pancreas, liver, and intestine, the contents of the intestine are then mixed and pushed forward to allow further digestion. Finally, the digested nutrients are absorbed through the intestinal walls and transported throughout the body. The waste products of this process include undigested parts of the food, or what is commonly known as fiber. Though undigested, fiber plays a crucial role in waste elimination. These materials are ultimately pushed from the intestines into the colon, where they remain until the feces are expelled by a bowel movement.

Now that you have a better understanding of digestion, let's discuss the role and importance of digestive enzymes. Enzymes are needed by the body to break down nutrients. An enzyme is simply a substance that speeds up chemical reactions in the body. When you put food in your mouth, the first thing that happens is saliva is produced. Saliva contains an enzyme that begins to digest the starch from food into smaller molecules. When food reaches the stomach, it mixes with stomach acid and an enzyme which helps to digest protein. After the stomach empties the food and juice mixture into the small intestine, the juices of two other digestive organs mix with the food. One of these organs, the pancreas, produces a juice that contains many enzymes to break down the carbohydrate, fat, and protein in food. Other enzymes that are active in the process come from glands in the wall of the intestine. The second organ, the liver, produces yet another digestive juice—bile. Bile is stored between meals in the gallbladder. At mealtime, it is squeezed out of the gallbladder, through the bile ducts, and into the intestine to mix with the fat in food. The bile acids dissolve fat into the watery contents of the intestine. After fat is dissolved, it is digested by enzymes from the pancreas and the lining of the intestine. Without the help of enzymes, digestion would be difficult!

But with the help of enzymes, most digested molecules of food, including water and minerals, are absorbed through the small intestine into the blood, where they are carried off in the bloodstream to other parts of the body for storage or further chemical change. This part of the process varies depending on whether the nutrient is a carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamin, mineral or water. Let's briefly discuss how each of these nutrients are digested and absorbed.

The digestible carbohydrates include both starch and sugar. Starch is digested in two steps. First, an enzyme in the saliva, along with pancreatic juice, breaks the starch into molecules called maltose. Then an enzyme in the lining of the small intestine splits the maltose into glucose molecules that can be absorbed into the blood. Glucose is carried through the bloodstream to the liver, where it is stored or used to provide energy for the work of the body. Sugars are digested in one step. An enzyme in the lining of the small intestine digests sucrose (or table sugar) into glucose and fructose, which are absorbed through the intestine into the blood. Milk contains another type of sugar, lactose, which is converted into absorbable molecules by another enzyme in the intestinal lining. Fiber, on the other hand, is an undigestible carbohydrate that moves through the digestive tract without being broken down by enzymes. I will discuss more about fiber in a bit.

Let's move on to protein, which is found in foods such as meat, eggs, and beans. Protein must be digested by enzymes before they can be used to build and repair body tissues such as muscle. It is in fact an enzyme in the stomach that starts the process of digestion of protein. Then, in the small intestine, several enzymes from the pancreatic juice and from the lining of the intestine finish breaking down the protein molecules into smaller molecules called amino acids. These amino acids are then absorbed through the small intestine into the blood and then be carried to all parts of the body to build cells.

As for fat, the first step in digestion is to dissolve it into the watery content of the intestine as mentioned earlier. After fat is dissolved, it is digested by enzymes from the pancreas and the lining of the intestine. More specifically, the bile acids produced by the liver dissolve fat and allow pancreatic and intestinal enzymes to break the large fat molecules into smaller molecules. Some of these smaller molecules are fatty acids and cholesterol. The bile acids combine with the fatty acids and cholesterol and help these molecules move into the lining of the intestines. Here the smaller molecules are formed back into large ones, most of which pass into vessels called lymphatics near the intestine. These small vessels carry the reformed fat to the veins of the chest, and the blood carries the fat to storage depots in different parts of the body.

And lastly, vitamins and water are also absorbed through the small intestine.

This should give you a better understanding of the digestive process, the way different nutrients are digested and absorbed, and the importance of enzymes which help to break food down into a form that can be utilized by the body.

With that said, it is important to understand that good digestion doesn't always take place in the body. Some people may have difficulty producing the necessary enzymes to assist in good digestion. Fortunately, there are some solutions. One solution comes in the form of a supplement which contains digestive enzymes. Supplemental enzymes can help your body break down the foods you eat so you can increase absorption of key nutrients -- so more of the food you eat can be converted to energy and help to repair and rebuild new cells. These enzymes, by the way, can also help relieve occasional upset stomach, indigestion, heartburn, gas, and bloating after eating a large meal, as well as help to eliminate toxins.

When looking for a digestive enzyme supplement, look for one that supplies several supplemental enzymes, including amylase, lipase,lactase, cellulase, protease, bromelain, and papain. These enzymes support the breakdown of dietary carbohydrates (including sugars and starches), fats, and proteins. Amylase helps to break down starch. Lipase helps to break down fat. Lactase helps to break down lactose. Cellulase helps to break down cellulose. Protease helps to break down protein. Bromelain helps to break down protein. And papain helps to break down protein.

Another solution comes in the form of a probiotic supplement. Probiotics contain healthy bacteria which help to promote healthy digestion and increase absorption of key nutrients in the intestines. Pay particular attention, however, to probiotic products that contain bacterial strains that can survive the harsh environment of the stomach to ensure effective colonization of the GI tract. Also look for probiotics that are guaranteed to remain effective for at least a year, or you could be wasting your money on bacterial strains that are no longer active.

And one other solution comes in the form of additional fiber. While a varied diet rich in healthy fiber is always the first recommendation, it is true that less than 10% of Americans get the recommended 21–38 grams of fiber in their daily diet. That being the case, fiber supplements can help increase fiber intake. (NOTE: 21-38 grams of fiber is the current recommendation for adults, depending on age and gender.) A diet high in fiber can help you maintain a healthy digestive system and great long-term health.

Dietary fiber not only promotes good digestive health, but it is important to the maintenance of heart health, and it aides in normal bowel regularity as well, which helps move wastes and toxins out of the colon quickly and efficiently. If the colon doesn’t function properly, wastes can back up and recycle through the body. High fiber will also leave you feeling satisfied, making it easy to skip unhealthy snacks throughout the day. Diets high in both soluble and insoluble fiber are important for digestive health.

I now want to turn from discussing the importance of digestion to talking about the importance of detoxification. Detoxification (or detox), in the context of this discussion, is the physiological removal of toxic substances from the body. This is important if you are looking to achieve optimal health. When you think of detoxification, think of the liver. The liver can be pushed to its limits by alcohol, cigarettes, & over-the-counter pain medications. Your liver works hard. After producing blood proteins, filtering toxins, and storing many vitamins and minerals, your liver most likely needs a little help. You can help to support your liver and your body’s natural detoxification process by eliminating, or cutting back on, alcohol, cigarettes, pain meds, and the like. In addition, you can enlist the support of a quality supplement that contains milk thistle. It is one of the most powerful antioxidants currently known, and it helps to increase both the amount and the activity of several antioxidant enzyme systems involved in the detoxification process (including superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the glutathione peroxidase system).

I hope this gives you a better understanding of the importance of digestion and detoxification. Many people take these issues for granted and assume their bodies are performing these duties just fine. Don't take your body for granted. Enlist the support of the supplements I mentioned above if you have issues related to digestion or liver issues. Or try them if you are unsure. As always, seek out supplements that are manufactured to pharmaceutical-grade standards so that you know you are getting a quality and value in exchange for your money.

The Factors That Determine Whether Your Multivitamin Is Getting Absorbed Into Your Body

Are you exchanging your hard-earned money for a multivitamin which provides little to no benefit? You can't receive any benefit from a supplement if it's not being absorbed...one of the first qualities a multivitamin must have in order to be effective. Do you know if the nutrients in your multivitamin are being absorbed? This seems to be an appropriate question since the U.S. is spending somewhere around $22 billion a year on dietary supplements, of which a considerable portion is tied to multivitamins.

The absorption of a multivitamin is often an overlooked factor when comparing supplement brands. But, it has major implications for the effectiveness of a supplement. The listed levels of nutrients on a multivitamin label are in no way an indication of how much actually make it into your bloodstream for use in the body! This is exactly why you want to seek out high quality, or pharmaceutical-grade, multivitamins.

Multivitamins that are manufactured to pharmaceutical standards are formulated to allow much higher levels of absorption than cheaper, mass produced vitamin and mineral products. This is due to the fact that they are science-based, use more sophisticated manufacturing processes, and adhere to higher quality standards. This is one reason why they cost more (but work better!)

So let's talk about some of the factors that can affect the absorption of a multivitamin (or what is referred to in the nutritional world as "bioavailability"). Several factors can affect the bioavailability of vitamins & minerals in the human body:

* Age
* Time of day multivitamin is taken
* Taking a multivitamin on a full or empty stomach
* Digestive system integrity
* Overall state of health
* Disintegration time
* Dissolution percentage
* Types of excipients used
* Nutrient forms, and
* Interactions with drugs.

As you can probably tell from the factors above, bioavailability can be a complicated topic because it is not dependent solely on product formulation.

Nevertheless, the point I want to make is that A SUPPLEMENT LABEL GIVES YOU NO IDEA OF THE ABSORPTION OF EACH NUTRIENT! (NOTE: It should seem reasonable, then, that stating an overall absorption rate on a package or in advertising can be misleading. So watch for this when choosing a supplement!)

Before discussing each of these factors in detail, let's provide a definition for bioavailability.

Bioavailability is defined as the degree and rate at which a compound is absorbed into a living system or is made available at the site of biological activity. One of the first things to understand about the bioavailability of nutrients is that different vitamins and minerals inherently have different absorption rates regardless of whether they come from a tablet, liquid, powder, or food. Calcium has a relatively standard absorption rate between 25 and 35%. Boron, molybdenum, and iodine can be absorbed at over 90% (when obtained from food sources). And the average absorption rates of zinc, copper, and selenium can range from 30 to 80% (when obtained from food sources). The delivery form (via tablet, liquid, powder, or food) does not generally make a significant difference if an individual is healthy and intakes are adequate. However, a well-made tablet provides a very effective delivery system and is the chosen form of most quality multivitamins and pharmaceutical medications. Tableted products allow for a higher level of active ingredients - almost 3 times as much as a capsule and much more than a liquid or spray. In general, the stability of tablets is also superior to liquids.

So let's discuss the factors we mentioned above that affect the bioavailability, or absorption, of a multivitamin.


AGE:

Age is a factor that can influence the absorption of nutrients. It is true that the ability to absorb nutrients declines as we age, but don't discount the importance of a mulitivitamin. This makes a multivitamin even more critical. Incidentally, a multivitamin should be added at about one year of age to help a child achieve all of the nutrients they need to be healthy. Nutritional needs begin to change during adolescence and then again as we become adults. So a multivitamin is needed through all stages of life.


TIME OF DAY MULTIVITAMIN IS TAKEN:

For purposes of increased absorption, you should always take multivitamins with meals.

Additionally, mineral flux in and out of bone is generally more active while at rest and some very sensitive individuals may notice a slight relaxation effect from taking mineral supplements. On the other hand, some individuals feel that some vitamins provide heightened energy, and claim they have trouble sleeping if they take them too late in the evening. Both claims are, unfortunately, difficult to explain with clinical evidence and should not be noticeable by the general population. Vitamins do not contain any stimulants and do not provide direct energy. Similarly, minerals do not contain sedatives or characteristic effects significant enough to cause drowsiness.

Having said this, perception is often quite powerful and even if there is no plausible scientific explanation, there may be individuals who need to adjust their supplement use accordingly. If you experience changes in sleep or energy patterns, try one of two things: Start with a half-dose and gradually work up to a full dose, or take the tablets at a particular time of day (morning for vitamins, evening for minerals) to minimize any effects on energy and/or sleep.


TAKING A MULTIVITAMIN ON A FULL OR EMPTY STOMACH:

For better absorption, there are several reasons it can be beneficial to take multivitamins with food or a complete meal. One reason is to buffer the stomach (especially important for those with sensitive stomachs). Another reason is to increase the consistency of taking a multivitamin. Many people find it easier to form a habit of taking supplements alongside a meal, as opposed to taking them separately. But perhaps the best reason to take supplements with a meal is that some nutrients (e.g. fat-soluble nutrients like vitamins A, D, E, and K and calcium) typically have improved absorption when taken with a meal or snack.


DIGESTIVE SYSTEM INTEGRITY:

Our digestive system degrades with age and some people just have difficulty with digestion period. In these cases, it may become more difficult for our bodies to absorb nutrients. So our digestive system can hinder the absorption of important nutrients.

To aid in digestion, there are supplements called digestive enzymes that can supply supplemental enzymes to help break down dietary carbohydrates (including sugars and starches), fats, and proteins. These encourage more complete digestion and absorption of nutrients. In addition, there are supplements called probiotics which contain healthy bacteria to help promote healthy digestion. Probiotics also help to improve absorption of nutrients in the gastrointestinal tract.


OVERALL STATE OF HEALTH:

Those who are in a poor state of health and are currently deficient may have significantly enhanced absorption rates for certain nutrients. Also, people whose nutrient needs are greater, such as growing children, pregnant or lactating women, may experience enhanced absorption rates.


DISINTEGRATION TIME:

Disintegration refers to a tablet’s ability to break apart and fragment into small particles in order to distribute the contents - a rather important thing that we all just assume will happen. Tablets that are formulated to meet higher quality standards than is required by law, such as United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) standards, require full disintegration within 30-45 min. If a tablet doesn't disintegrate within this period of time, it has little chance of getting absorbed. Look for something similar to the following statement before purchasing a multivitamin: "Laboratory tested, quality guaranteed. Meets USP specifications for potency, uniformity, and disintegration where applicable."

NOTE: The USP is a non-profit organization that works closely with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the pharmaceutical industry, and health care professionals to establish authoritative standards. These standards are enforceable by the FDA and the governments of more than 35 other countries, and are recognized worldwide as the hallmark of pharmaceutical, or advanced, manufacturing quality. Look for a nutritional supplement company that voluntarily adheres to a rigorous quality assurance program modeled after the pharmaceutical industry. This high standard of manufacturing separates top dietary supplement companies from mediocre companies.


DISSOLUTION PERCENTAGE:

Even if disintegration has occurred, it doesn’t mean that the ingredients have dissolved! Dissolution refers to the ability of a supplement to dissolve in solution. (It is expressed as a percentage.) Supplements which dissolve most rapidly have the greatest absorption because nutrients have a limited and defined region of absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. A tablet can have fast disintegration time yet be biologically unavailable i.e. the ingredients can’t get in to do their job. Tablets that are formulated to meet higher quality standards, such as USP standards, are required to dissolve. Dissolution is necessary for a tablet or supplement to be absorbed.


TYPES OF EXCIPIENTS USED:

Excipients (or inactive ingredients) are ingredients used to convert active compounds into dosage forms suitable for administration. All pharmaceutical or nutritional products - whether they are tablets, capsules, or liquids - contain excipients, regardless of whether they are specifically labeled as such. It is simply not possible to formulate tableted products without using binders, coating agents, and/or disintegrants, as well as processing-specific excipients like lubricants.

Interest in the physical effects and properties of excipients used in pharmaceutical formulations has increased in recent years as pharmaceutical scientists have become increasingly aware of the fundamental effects excipients can exert on absorption, stability, and overall performance of a product. Small variations in physical properties of an excipient can produce significant differences in the behavior of a finished product. In other words, using top quality excipients (inactive ingredients) is as important as using top quality active ingredients.


NUTRIENT FORMS:

Nutrients can exist in more than one chemical form, and different forms result in different levels of absorption. Along these lines, a common misconception is that "natural" vitamins and minerals are extracted from plants in their pure form, making them superior to "synthetic" vitamins and minerals which are made in a laboratory. This is often a misleading distinction.

First of all, it is not possible to extract pure vitamins from plants without considerable and significant processing.

Secondly, the biological activity of a compound has nothing to do with its source and is more determined by its chemical structure. In other words, it usually makes little difference whether the chemical originates from a leafy plant or is synthesized. It is the same compound, regardless. Some vitamin and antioxidant compounds can be efficiently synthesized in laboratories to produce products that are identical in chemical form to those found in nature, and that are extremely pure, equally safe, and often much less expensive than their "natural" counterparts.

Third, some synthetic vitamins are preferentially absorbed over compounds provided by food sources. One good example is folic acid, which is preferentially absorbed and utilized over natural food folates that must go through several conversion processes to be utilized as folic acid.

Fourth, sometimes the natural form is better than the synthetic form. An example of this exists with vitamin E. As well as showing the highest level of biological activity, natural vitamin E appears to be quickly absorbed into human cells, whereas the synthetic forms are metabolized (broken down) and excreted in the urine.

The take home message is this: Vitamin and mineral compounds should be used in the chemical forms, be it "natural" or "synthetic", that are best absorbed and utilized by the body.

And finally, avoid the use of multivitamins that provide minerals in the form of inorganic mineral salts (such as oxides, carbonates, sulfates and phosphates). While less expensive to manufacture, supplements using mineral salts do not appear to provide optimal nutritional value. To increase the absorption of minerals, many manufacturers chemically bond the mineral to an amino acid or organic acid carrier. These chelated minerals are believed to mimic the natural mineral chelates that form during the digestion process. Beyond their reported superior absorption, chelated minerals appear to have lower absorptive interference and better tolerance in the gut than the less expensive mineral salts.


INTERACTIONS WITH DRUGS:

Many medicines interact with vitamins. Some drugs increase or decrease the effectiveness of vitamins, and some vitamins increase or decrease the effectiveness of drugs. Because some drugs and nutrients have similar chemical structures, taking them at the same time fools your body into absorbing or using the nutrient rather than the drug. As an example, take a look at warfarin and vitamin K. Warfarin is a drug that keeps blood from clotting and vitamin K is a nutrient that makes blood clot. Eating lots of vitamin-K rich leafy greens, or obtaining vitamin K from a supplement, counteracts the intended effect of taking warfarin. So you have to be careful when taking drugs and multivitamins together. Your best resource for understanding the interactions between drugs and multivitamins is your pharmacist or physician. These individuals have the training, tools, and expertise to help you make an informed decision.


I hope this information has given you a better understanding of the factors involved in influencing the absorption of nutrients in multivitamins. Since multivitamin supplements are necessary in today's world, it's important you are obtaining the most out of your supplements and not throwing your money away.

For more information on this topic, feel free to send me a message. I will be happy to discuss your questions in greater detail.

Are You Choosing The Right Multivitamin? Is It Protecting Your Health? How Do You Know?

Before discussing the decisions that go into purchasing the right multivitamin, let me first answer the basic question of whether multivitamins are even needed at all.


DO I REALLY NEED A MULTIVITAMIN?


Theoretically, most of us can get all the nutrients we need from food. But the reality is very few of us do. This is evident in studies that have been done by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and others. The case where you may not be able to get all of the nutrients you need from food exists if have illnesses, are older, have certain diet preferences, or have certain gender-related conditions. Nevertheless, the fact that the majority of us are not getting all of the nutrients we need from food is the primary reason we all need to take multivitamins daily! But you must understand that a multivitamin DOES NOT REPLACE a a healthy diet. It sits on top of, or supports, a healthy diet. A healthy diet serves as the foundation, and a multivitamin fills in the missing gap....a very critical gap!

But don't take my word for it on the importance of a multivitamin. In 2002, the American Medical Association (AMA), which for decades maintained an anti-vitamin stance, changed its collective mind after a review of 26 years worth of scientific studies relating vitamin levels to the risk of chronic illness. Robert H. Fletcher and Kathleen M. Fairfield, the Harvard-based authors of the study which was published in the June 2002 issue of "The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), stated that while true vitamin-deficiency diseases such as scurvy, beriberi, and pellagra are rare in Western countries, "suboptimal vitamin levels" (meaning slightly less than you need) are a real problem! If "slightly less than you need" sounds slightly less than important, THINK AGAIN!

In the study, the authors concluded that: Suboptimal intake of folic acid and two other B vitamins (B6 and B12) raises your risk of heart disease, colon cancer, breast cancer, and birth defects; Suboptimal vitamin D intake means a higher risk of rickets and osteoporosis; and suboptimal levels of the antioxidant vitamins A, E, and C are linked to a particular form of heart disease and some forms of cancer. Hence the statement by the AMA that "It's prudent for all adults to take vitamin supplements." I want to repeat that. The AMA, which is arguably the most prestigious medical association in the world, reversed its position and stated that all adults need to take vitamin supplements. This should clear up any confusion you might have as to whether you need to be taking vitamin supplements. The answer is
clearly YES!

So now that you understand the importance of vitamin supplements, what levels do you need to be healthy?


UNDERSTANDING THE RDA


According to the Food and Nutrition Board (under the umbrella of the National Institutes of Health): "The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is the average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the requirement of nearly all apparently healthy individuals in a particular life stage and gender group." The Food and Nutrition Board further defines "requirement" as: "...the lowest continuing intake level of a nutrient that, for a specified indicator of adequacy, will maintain a defined level of nutriture in an individual."

Basically, the RDA is (by definition) the lowest level of nutrient intake necessary to prevent deficiencies. This is clearly important for helping individuals avoid acute deficiency diseases, but it fails to address the issue of optimal nutrition.

It is wonderful that the RDA's have been so successful in reducing blatant deficient diseases (including scurvy, pellagra, rickets and beriberi) to their lowest levels in recorded history. It is also good that products based on RDA amounts help combat deficiency diseases by providing minimal amounts of important vitamins and minerals.

However, as more and more of the general population is able to meet minimal nutrient requirements, new questions arise. For example, are RDA levels of vitamins and minerals enough to help prevent other degenerative diseases like heart disease and cancer? What about providing protection from oxidative damage?


IS THE RDA ADEQUATE?


For more than 50 years, the general public has been led to believe that RDA nutrient levels are adequate...but adequate for what? Adequate to prevent clinically obvious nutritional deficiencies like scurvy, beriberi, rickets, and pellagra? Indeed that is why they were developed. However, our dietary habits and the kinds of diseases we acquire today are very different than they were 50 years ago. Today we eat more processed food, live in a more polluted environment, and are fighting chronic degenerative diseases like heart disease and cancer, not vitamin deficiencies like scurvy and rickets, which was the case during World War II when the RDA's were created. To put it plainly, the RDA's are outdated, and the periodic modifications made to them are still not adequate.

If you take a closer look, you will find that there are more benefits to nutritional supplementation than merely preventing increasingly rare deficiency diseases.

If you delve into the most current nutritional research, you will find that nutrient levels may or may not have relevance to the RDA's. Rather than just looking to prevent total vitamin deficiencies, we should be concerned with the vast majority of people who are "apparently" healthy. Many degenerative diseases and chronic illnesses develop over a lifetime, striking otherwise healthy individuals when they least expect it. For the millions of "apparently" healthy individuals in the world, minimal nutrient intakes may not be adequate to address modern health challenges.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), much of the illness, disability, and death associated with chronic disease is avoidable through known prevention measures. Furthermore, recent studies examining the potential economic benefits of vitamin supplementation have concluded that substantial cost reductions can be associated with the use of vitamin supplements, based on principles of preventative nutrition. With the looming healthcare crisis, substantial cost reductions is a good thing!

Here are three examples where RDA levels are not sufficient to protect your health:

(1) Researchers who have looked at the RDA of vitamin C, which is between 60 mg and 90 mg daily, have concluded that you need at least 10 times more (or over 1,000 mg) to receive a health benefit. Incidentally, so that it is clear, the body can’t manufacture vitamin C and it has to get it through diet and supplementation. Vitamin C is critical for proper immune function, prevention of oxidative stress, and prevention of DNA damage.

(2) The RDA for vitamin D is 600 IU's if you are between 1 and 70 years of age. But you need to be supplementing with at least 1,000 to 1,200 IU's of vitamin D to maintain the recommended level of between 50 ng/ml and 60 ng/ml of vitamin D in your body. The RDA would be insufficient in bringing you up to, or maintaining, this level. A report in the Archives of Internal Medicine (June 11,2007) added more evidence in the link of low vitamin D levels and heart disease. These researchers measured the vitamin D levels in over 15,000 women. Those women who had the lowest levels of vitamin D had significantly higher prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, and elevated triglyceride levels (the other fat in the blood other than cholesterol). These are all risk factors for heart disease and strokes. These researchers again pointed out the fact that low vitamin D levels carry a significant risk factor to our health. They concluded that current intake of vitamin D is far too low for optimal health.

(3) The RDA for vitamin E in adults ranges from 15-19 mg/day, but the average adult takes in less than 10 mg per day. To make matters worse, reported therapeutic benefits of vitamin E intake generally require supplementation of 200-800 mg per day. It is clear that the RDA for vitamin E isn't sufficient to help us achieve OPTIMAL health and that most people don't even acheive the RDA level.

While these are solid examples of why the RDA's are inadequate, I want to point out that some doctors still maintain that a multivitamin isn't necessary and that RDA levels are sufficient to provide optimal health. Some of this belief comes from their training which may have been acquired decades ago. Nutrition, and what we know about it, has changed dramatically just over the past couple decades. Remember the about-face by the American Medical Association in June 2002 on the importance of vitamin supplements? One of the greatest sources of confusion among doctors and physicians, and consequently the general population, arises because of reliance on RDA's. The problem is really that the RDA’s have become a guide for optimal nutrition which is not what they were designed to do.

Optimal nutrition are the levels of nutrition required to prevent chronic degenerative diseases, not just combat vitamin deficiencies. New nutritional guidelines are being suggested by scientists and doctors that specialize in nutrition and are describing levels of nutrients far higher than RDA’s for the maintenance of long term health and the prevention of chronic degenerative diseases. I described a few examples of these above.

Well now that you understand the importance of a daily multivitamin, have a better understanding of the term RDA, and understand the reason RDA levels are inadequate, it is now time to discuss how you go about selecting the right multivitamin.


SELECTING THE RIGHT MULTIVITAMIN


This may seem like a daunting process as there are over 2,000 multivitamins on the market in the US and Canada. So how do you go from 2,000 to 1? Well, it turns out that having extensive knowledge around nutrition is helpful! But most people don't have that kind of knowledge, and that is precisely the reason for this section.

Before we talk about selecting the right multivitamin, I want to take a minute to talk about quality. What does quality mean to you? And just how important is it to you? Assume I was a qualified heart surgeon, and I told you that you needed a heart transplant. (NOTE: The average cost of a heart transplant today costs around $700,000.) And let's assume you told me you couldn't afford $700,000 and would need to seek a cheaper option. So you find an unqualified heart surgeon and find a great deal for $150,000 but you have no idea whether the heart is healthy or whether the heart surgeon is knowledgeable. Which option would you take? The majority of people would spend the extra money to ensure the heart transplant was done properly and that they were given a healthy heart.

Yet when it comes to nutritional supplements, such as multivitamins, I see many people consistently sell themselves to the lowest bidder. This is a dangerous game! But I have studied nutrition and the marketplace long enough to know the reason people spend the least amount possible on supplements. The fact is they believe all nutritional supplements are made the same. This couldn't be further from the truth. The quality that goes into making a multivitamin varies GREATLY from one company to the next. The question you should be asking is "Am I getting what I am paying for?" and "Am I getting what I need to be healthy?"

Let's take a look at the first question. "Am I getting what I'm paying for?" Well, what exactly are you paying for? You might conclude that you are paying primarily for the content of what is in the multivitamin. But did you know that what is on the label of a multivitamin is not necessarily what is in the bottle?!? You are probably thinking "How can that be? It must contain what it says on the label!" Unfortunately, that's not the case. You should understand that nutritional supplements are poorly regulated in the U.S. About 92% of the industry meets what are called food-grade standards, which are poor quality standards, and the only standards required by law. These are quality standards that allow what is on the label to be different than what is inside the bottle. The remaining 8% of the industry voluntarily adheres to much higher standards, called pharmaceutical standards, which ensure the quality of the product in numerous ways. While these companies charge a little more, it gives you the assurance that what is on the label is indeed in the bottle. If you can't trust what is on the label, how can you ensure you are getting what you need to be healthy? You can't!....and that is the real problem!...not to mention the fact that you don't know what you are paying for!

Ok so you now should understand that you need to find a company that manufactures to pharmaceutical standards. This is the only real way you as a consumer can guarantee quality. This narrows you down to about 8% of the industry. But how do you narrow a company down even further. Here is where having knowledge in nutrition helps. You must ask key questions. Does the multivitamin contain the full spectrum of nutrients considered essential for optimal health? For each nutrient, is the potency level appropriate? For those minerals included in the formulation, how many are found in a form that is the most absorbable by the body? Does the multivitamin contain the more-useful type of vitamin E? What kind of antioxidant support does the multivitamin have? Does the multivitamin contain the nutrients essential for optimal bone health? Does the multivitamin contain the nutrients necessary for optimal heart health? Does the multivitamin contain the necessary nutrients necessary for optimal liver health (for detoxification)? These, and the answers to several other questions, are important. This information may be outside of your area of knowledge, but it doesn't lessen the importance of the answers.

This doesn't mean you need to be a nutritionist. Just keep this point in mind: With the RIGHT multivitamin, you can greatly increase your chances of achieving optimal health, reducing your risk of chronic degenerative diseases like heart disease and cancer, and feeling great! You owe it to yourself to let your body feel the difference.

Feel free to contact me if you wish to expand your understanding of the criteria that goes into selecting the right multivitamin or if you would like my recommendation of the best multivitamin on the market along with my reasons as to why it's my choice.

Is Weight-Training Important?

If you answered yes, then you are correct! But don't just take my word for it. According to the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, you need to engage in two types of physical activity each week to improve your health: aerobic exercise and muscle-strengthening activities.

And according to the CDC, for important health benefits, adults need at least:

2 hours & 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (i.e. brisk walking) every week and muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms).

OR

1 hour & 15 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity (i.e. jogging or running) every week and muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms).

OR

An equivalent mix of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity and muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms).

In this article, I want to focus on muscle-strengthening activities and skip the discusson on aerobic exercise, even though both are very important! When it comes to muscle-strengthening, weight training (lifting weights) is one of the most common activities. Some other muscle strengthening activities, however, include: working with resistance bands; doing exercises that use your body weight for resistance (i.e. push ups, sit ups); heavy gardening (i.e. digging, shoveling); and yoga.

So you are probably wondering about the benefits of weight training. When many people hear the phrase weight training, they think about the primary benefit being sculpted arms or toned abs or a better physique. But there are numerous health benefits to lifting weights, which is why the CDC has advised engaging in muscle-strengthening activities weekly. So what are the benefits?

First of all, muscle-strengthening activities, like weight training, help keep your bones healthy. You may not know this, but the average woman loses about 1% of her bone mass each year after the age of 35. Men are susceptible to brittle bones, too. Lifting weights can drastically slow the rate of bone loss and may even reverse the process. With strong bones, you won't become hunched over as you age, and you'll lower your risk of life-threatening fractures. And keep this in mind: No matter what your age, it's never too late to start strengthening your bones.

Secondly, weight training can help control your weight. You must understand that when you lose weight through dieting and aerobic exercise (like walking or bicycling), you lose muscle along with fat. This can be a problem because when you lose muscle, your metabolism slows down, making you more likely to regain the weight. By adding weight training to the mix, you can maintain (or even increase) your muscle which allows you to maintain (or even boost) your metabolism. Although weight training isn't the only thing you need to do for weight loss, many obesity experts consider it to be an essential part of any weight-control program.

Third, weight training can help increase your strength. While lifting a tractor may not be among your goals in life, a certain amount of muscle strength does come in handy. Weight training makes it easier to move items around in your house, and it affords you the opportunity to not only play, but also keep up, with your kids. Incidentally, studies show that even 90 year olds can gain significant strength from lifting weights.

Fourth, weight training can help boost your energy. One of the best energy boosters around can be found on a weight rack. When you lift weights, you have more pep in your step. Suddenly, that 5K or 10K walk, or run, for cancer doesn't seem so daunting anymore.

And last, but certainly not least, weight training can help improve your heart health. For years, we've known that aerobic exercise such as walking, jogging, and bicycling can lower your risk of heart disease and high blood pressure. But newer research suggests that weight training may offer these benefits as well. Specifically, studies show that lifting weights can lower your risk of having a heart attack or stroke by lowering your LDL ("bad") cholesterol and reducing blood pressure.

As you can tell, weight training provides quite a few health benefits. But I would like to offer you a different perspective and help you to see a bigger picture.

I truly believe that a strong nation is made up of strong people...people that are healthy and fit. If we are to be a strong nation, we have to help guide and educate each other on becoming healthy and fit.

Now I want to give you an economical perspective. The economical aspect of those who don't take care of themselves impacts our country and each and every one of us in a very big way! A decade ago, in the year that 9/11 happened, the government spent over $100 billion caring for Americans who didn't take care of themselves. That money goes to treat people who are suffering from obesity and its secondary diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, vascular disease, and cancer. And when we don't take care of ourselves and allow our bodies to weaken and decay, we can also develop debilitating diseases such as osteoporosis. If that's not enough, a lack of physical strength also contributes to millions of unnecessary injuries each year, which cost billions of dollars in lost productivity as well as medical bills.

If you just look at it from a fiscal standpoint alone, you can begin to see how vitally important it is to make sure we don't become a burden to our country and its economic resources, especially in this day and age.

And the last point I want to make about the benefit of weight training involves the mental aspect. It's a fact that when you strengthen the body, you strengthen the mind -- you strengthen character and courage. Consider how much people today need a healthy way to deal with uncertainty, anxiety, stress, and confusion. And consider the fact that it has been scientifically proven that regular and intense exercise, as well as feeding the body in healthy manner, helps keep the mind clear, reduces depression, and releases stress. That, in turn, increases our productivity and improves quality of life. And, has there ever been a more important time in our nation's history for its citizens to be strong, healthy, and courageous?

I hope I have helped you to see the value and importance of weight training. If you are wondering where to begin, please don't hesitate to send me a message. I can work with you on where to start and how to put a program together to meet your needs.