The Natural Health Guy

Squalene is essentially an extract of shark oil proven to help stave of vardiovascular disease, boost the immune system and help treat skin problems such as wrinkles, rashes and aging lines.  Squalene is a powerful and effective new supplement that holds much promise in the treatment of many conditions especially of the immune and cardiovascular and skin health.  

What Is Squalene?

Squalene is a special fat soluble acid substance that has an isoprenoid as the main component. Isoprenoid is a fat-soluble antioxidant having unique property to anchor itself to cell membrane. Other nutrients with primary isoprenoids structure include Vitamin E, beta-carotene, mangosteen, tocotrienols and Q10 etc. It is now said that many fruits and vegetables also possess little amounts of isoprenoids but none as strong as shark derived squalene.

Can Squalene Help My Skin?

Yes

Squalene provides important nutrients and greatly benefits the health and beauty of skin.  Squalene can iron up wrinkles and tiny aging lines around the eyes. Squalene can also provide relief for many minor skin problems such as including rashes, scar’s and itchy, scaly skin.  Squalene can maximize the benefits of the skin-moisturizer and hence it enhances the effects of makeup. Squalene can enhance the skin’s overall look, turning it more radiant and velvety.

Can Squalene Aid in Cardiovascular Health?

Yes

According to a research on cardiac tonic, it was revealed that restoring Squalene levels in the body can protect against cardiovascular diseases¹. Squalene benefits include help achieving longer life by preventing chronic diseases. Coronary heart disease is America’s leading cause of death. Dietary Squalene has been discovered to lower down the levels of cholesterols in the bloodstream. The mechanism apparently derives from Squalene’s capability to bring down or restore the Co-A reductase that in turn, can enhance the liver’s capability to separate out bad cholesterol.

Can Squalene Boost My Immune System?

Yes

Health care experts believe that regular use of Squalene can provide  extra oxygen to the body tissues, fasten the healing process, boost the body’s immune system, and also provide nutrition and protection to the skin.  There are many studies that indicate that Squalene can also prevent various infections as it strengthens the general immune function.  Additionally , Squalene is anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-bacterial allowing you to have extra protection against infection and disease. Squalene is also believed to help keep you thin².

Supplements of Squalene are available in various forms including capsules those are cholesterol free and are famous to provide many natural healing qualities.

 A great choice for a high quality Squalene supplement is…

Mayumi Squalene from House of Nutrition It is 99.9% pure and extracted from liver oil of Aizame (dogfish) sharks, who inhabit non-polluted waters at depths of 3000 feet. This superior natural oil is a product of Japan. Great care is taken in its preparation to insure potency and stability.

References:

1. Resveratrol inhibits human squalene monooxygenase. Nutrition Research Volume 21, Issue 5, Pages 747 - 753 by B. Laden
2. Visceral Obesity is Associated with High Levels of Serum Squalene. Obesity by P. Peltola, J. Pihlajamaki, H. Koutnikova, et al. 14: 1155-1163 (July 2006). Source: Nutrition Research Newsletter,  September, 2006  

Best Vitamins for Children – Know the facts

Many health experts believe that most children do not require supplemental vitamins or minerals. According to an authentic source, "a diet based on the Food Guide Pyramid provides adequate amounts of all the vitamins" that a child requires. Even though, there are many cases in which, children’s vitamins are necessary, particularly if ther child is an epicurean and very choosy in eating or has a poor appetite. A child also requires additional vitamins if the diet doesn’t include best vitamins for children and essential supplements such as iron and calcium.

It is well known that children avoid eating vegetables those supply enough vitamins and minerals. Children’s multivitamins can help building healthy body and are particularly designed for the requirement of growing children. Some vegetarian kids may also require additional vitamin supplements in order that meets all of the nutritional needs. It is approximated that about 25-50% of US children are given multivitamin supplements on daily basis, though this is usually not necessary for most of the children who have an average diet. Some children having a poor or restricted diet, liver diseases or other chronic medical ailments, particularly those that cause the fat malabsorption, as in cystic fibrosis, might require vitamins and minerals as additional supplements for preventing deficiencies. 

Paediatricians believe that the intake of vitamin D rich foods is very less and parents are ot be promoted to supply adequate amounts of Vitamin D to their kids. Proper supplements of Vitamin D can help protecting against the bone fractures and maybe even cancer in addition to preventing risks of getting bone disorders such as rickets². Survey says that even using current guidelines, there are many Americans whose blood examination shows inadequate Vitamin D levels. McCann & Ames project that, in spite of uncertainty in regards to all of the harmful consequences of Vitamin D insufficiency, the evidence overall reflects that supplements that is both; cheap and prudent, is justified for the groups whose vitamin D levels are exceptionally low, especially nursing babies, the elderly people, and African Americans³.

There is a review by McCann & Ames that substantially evaluate scientific grounds that link deficiencies in micronutrients (there are about 40 vitamins, amino acids, minerals and fatty acids those are needed for the body to function) to brain function. Other reviews also describe about the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) ^{4, 5}, choline⁶, and iron⁷. Women who are on multivitamins right from their first trimester in pregnancy are at lower risks that their babies would suffer from some types of brain tumours⁸.

It is also proven that supplements containing Vitamin A can fairly improve overall linear growth and can provide substantial benefits in the children who lack of adequate aounts of vitamin A in their blood⁹.

References:

1. American Academy of Pediatrics.
2. The urgent need to recommend an intake of vitamin D that is effective by Vieth R, Bischoff-Ferrari H, Boucher BJ, et al. for Am J Clin Nutr 2007; 85:649-50.
3. High prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in black and white pregnant women residing in the northern United States and their neonates by Bodnar LM, Simhan HN, Powers RW, Frank MP, Cooperstein E, Roberts JM for J Nutr 2007; 137:447-52
4. Is docosahexaenoic acid, an n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid, required for the development of normal brain function" An overview of evidence from cognitive and behavioral tests in humans and animals by McCann JC, Ames BN. for Am J Clin Nutr 2005; 82:281-95
5. DHA and cognitive development: an update on the science by McCann JC, Ames BN. Pediatric Basics 2007; April.
6. An overview of evidence for a causal relationship between dietary availability of choline during development and cognitive function in offspring by McCann JC, Hudes M, Ames BN for Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2006;30:696-712.
7. An overview of evidence for a causal relationship between iron deficiency during development and cognitive or behavioral function in children by McCann JC, Ames BN for Am J Clin Nutr 2007; 85:931-45.
8. The National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Bunin with his co-authors Paul R. Gallagher, Lucy B. Rorke-Adams, M.D., and Avital Cnaan, Ph.D., all of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, as well as Leslie R. Robison, Ph.D., of St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tenn. Drs. Bunin and Cnaan also are faculty members of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
9. Vitamin A Supplementation Selectively Improves the Linear Growth of Indonesian Preschool Children: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial by Hamam Hadi, Rebecca J Stoltzfus, Michael J Diblet, et al. for Am J Clin Nutr 71: 507-513 (February 2000).

Are there really such diets as healthy liver diets? Liver disease is one of the important causes of sickness and death in the United States and also in the world. According to statistics given by Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), liver and biliary (gallbladder) ailments that includes hepatic carcinoma (liver cancer) claim approximately 46000 deaths every year and ranks 9^th in overall causes of death. It is due to high rates of liver disease, liver transplantation is now remaining as only effective therapy for patients with end-stage liver condition, regardless of diagnosis. But then, healthy liver diet can certainly keep such occurrence at bay. It is again, prevention is better than cure.

The liver is body’s major detoxifying hub. Its duty is to eliminate the toxins that the body is daily exposed to. With proper care of this largest gland of the body, it will take care of rest of the body systems and keep us healthy, however, in opposite case; toxic substances stockpile in the body and then can give raise to many hazardous conditions. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), all of us routinely get exposed to about 70,000 different chemicals and over 2000 new are brought in the environment every year.

The diet that protects the liver includes organic fruit and vegetable consumption. Such foods contain stupefying 40 per cent more antioxidants as compared to conventional products. They are also rich in minerals such as zinc and iron that may be beneficial for liver health. Sequential effects of high-fiber diet along with psyllium showed significant liver protection¹.

It is important to include enough proteins in regular diet. Good health liver diet must have enough sources of proteins such as beans, fishes and nuts, and eating some portion of beefs and chicken. One should avoid grilling, frying or any other cooking method that includes high-temperature. This is because high-temperature cooking method leads to creating some harmful chemicals that might include chemicals responsible to cause cancerous growths. Studies also suggest that including milk thistle can help protecting liver².

Daily health supplements that provide natural herbs such as Phyllanthus emblica³ and Silymarin⁴ are proven to be powerful hepato-protector that restore the function of the liver and possibly help healing the hepatic cellular damage. Vitamin supplements such as Vitamin E and C, glutathione, glutamine, methionine, glycine, taurine and carotinoids are good for liver. Tobacco, caffeine, alcohol and other narcotics are strictly to be avoided in order to keep liver healthy.

Apart from dietary modification, holistic exercises such as Yoga and Pranayama are also considered to be very beneficial in liver health. Regular jogging, aerobic exercises and meditation also help achieving mental and physical stability.

References:

1. Sequential effects of a high-fiber diet with psyllium husks on the expression levels of hepatic genes and plasma lipids. Nutrition. 2008 Jan; 24(1):57-66. Epub 2007 Nov 5 Chan MY, Heng CK. Department of Pediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
2. The Clinical Utility of Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) in Cirrhosis of the Liver in J Herb Pharmcother. 2002; 2(2):11-7.
   
3. The protective effects of Phyllanthus emblica Linn. Amla extract on ethanol induced rat hepatic injury in J Ethnopharmacol. 2006 Oct 11; 107(3):361-4 for Pharmacological Action of Natural Products Research Unit, Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand

4. Randomized controlled trial of silymarin treatment in patients with cirrhosis of the liver in Hepatol. 1989 Jul; 9(1):105-13.

Iron deficiency in women is quite common as women are more susceptible to have inadequate amounts of iron in their blood. This could be due to many reasons. The number one is they lose blood on a regular basis in their menstrual periods though it is considered to be a normal physiological process. In this way, men are less likely to develop iron deficiency. Apart from this, there is several reasons right from disliking towards healthy iron rich foods to natural decreased immune system of body.

The reason behind production of hemoglobin is low iron levels that decrease amounts of erythropoieses (the hormone EPO that is responsible for RBC production) that regulates it. Hemoglobin is the component of blood carrying vital gas oxygen. According to one study, in women (childbearing age) suffering from iron deficiency, a high-iron diet caused little increases in serum ferritin as compared to iron supplements but it resulted in constant improvement in iron status as observed in a 6-month follow-up¹.

As said before, during menstrual cycles of high training volume, reduction in body weight or menstruation iron deficiency is quite a common observation. Clinical trials reveal that 50 per cent of the women runners are iron deficient! Such women are unaware of their conditions since simply feeling chilled or cold could be a warning sign of low iron levels those are completely ignored. Iron deficiency can reduce working capacity and so the productivity².

Nature of iron deficiency during pregnancy is physiological. The woman loses approximately 2.5mg of iron a day. In addition, breastfeeding can also result in a loss of an extra milligram of iron a day. It is easy to tackle this till the woman is on excellent diet that supplies adequate amounts of iron and other essential supplements. If she falls behind these requirements, she is likely to develop iron deficiency anemia.

On the other hand, proper supplementation of iron will not only save woman from getting anemia but it can also make her intelligent! Young women who were supplied iron supplements for sixteen weeks markedly improved their attention and both the memories; short-term and long-term. Their overall performances on cognitive tasks were also observed improved³.

Another benefits woman get by getting regular iron supplements include healthy hair, skin and immunity. Iron supplements are important to have beautiful skin and healthy hair. A major French study to evaluate iron deficiency and hair loss reported that such deficiency can cause hair fall and dull hair⁴.

It is always advisable to have iron rich foods or supplements in order to prevent various health hazards in women. Additional iron supplements will keep woman healthy in any given stage. The report published in National Academy Press also puts light on iron supplementation and women’s health⁵.

References:

1. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 74, No. 5, 650-656, November 2001 Dietary treatment of iron deficiency in women of childbearing age by Amanda J Patterson, Wendy J Brown, David CK Roberts and Michael R Seldon at the Research Center for Gender and Health and the Discipline of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Science and Mathematics, The University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.

2. Journal of Nutrition; 2001;131:676S-690S for Iron Deficiency and Reduced Work Capacity: A Critical Review of the Research to Determine a Causal Relationship by Jere D. Haas and Thomas Brownlie at Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

3. A report from Penn State’s Department of Public Information

4. Research report from French cosmetic group L’Oreal

5. Food and Nutrition Board Institute of Medicine by Robert Earl and Catherine E. Woteki. Source: NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS Washington, D.C. 1993

What are the multivitamins that benefit you mostly? According to an authentic comprehensive report, consistent consumption of multivitamins and other essential supplementations can promote good health and help preventing health ailments. The report also included that regular intake of multivitamins (preferably with minerals) and other single supplement such as calcium, iron etc showed marked benefits in matter of boosting immunity in elderly people with high risks of getting diseases to significantly reducing the risks of spina bifida, a congenital neural tube defect¹.

Multivitamin supplements are daily vitamins those are cheap though effective way to protect the health from various medical problems. This has been distinctly illustrated by research study published at an influential conference. This study revealed that daily multivitamin supplement by older adults may save more than $1.6 million in medical field over the next 5 years. It can further reduce the hospitalizations for treating heart strokes, cancer and infections.

Based on another study, researchers indicated that insufficient levels of folic acid, Vitamin B₆ and Vitamin B₁₂ can make person at risks of having cardiovascular diseases, neural tube damage, and cancerous growth in colon and/or breasts. In addition, inadequate amounts of Vitamin D in body can lead to osteopenia (the condition wherein the density of bone is drastically decreased) and fractures. Furthermore, lower levels of vitamins such as Vitamin A, C and E can also put an individual to higher risks of developing chronic diseases².

Medical experts from the Harvard School of Public Health had conducted a large multi-vitamin study in 1078 Tanzanian pregnant women in between the years 1995 and 1997. The follow-up was published that said that the women who were on multivitamins 30 per cent fewer died or developed full AIDS during the trial as compared to the group of women who received nothing but just a placebo. The numbers of CD-4 cells, the immune system cells on what the AIDS virus attacked remained somewhat higher in the women who were kept on multivitamins. In addition, it was found that the group taking multivitamin supplement also reported fewer incidences of oral thrush, swollen gums, nausea, rashes, exhaustion and other body weakening effects³.

If women of childbearing age use multivitamins having folic acid, it may probably reduce the risks of giving birth to babies having neural tube birth defects like spina bifida. Amazingly, the numbers of cases can drastically be lowered as much as 70 per cent. Regular usage of multivitamin can give health benefits especially by improving immune function and hence reducing infectious disease in elderly people⁴.

Other benefits of taking multivitamin supplements and minerals are it can reduce appetite in a natural way. Therefore, it could be an ideal way to treat a woman on a weight reduction program. It can also give benefits to the men who have more incidence of suffering from lower body weight and fatty layers⁵.

References:

1. Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN).
2. 2002; Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) study
3. The New York Times, Washington Post; August 2003.
4. Statement by Annette Dickinson, PhD, an author of the Report and CRN Vice Precedent, Scientific and Regulatory Affairs.
5. Multivitamin and dietary supplements, body weight and appetite: results from a cross-sectional and a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled study. British Journal of Nutrition. Authors: G.C. Major, E. Doucet, M. Jacqmain, M. St-Onge, C. Bouchard, and A. Tremblay

Can you really cleanse your liver naturally?

Your liver is important as it removes any harmful things that are present in the bloodstream like toxic substances, and  then works to move them out from the body.  It is very important to make sure our livers are working correctly.

If your liver is damaged, toxins remain in the body and start accumulating, which have the potential to lead to a whole array of illnesses.

Cleansing your liver is an important process that should be done regularly. By cleansing your liver, it becomes rejuvenated and filtered. Many health care providers label this process as a ‘detox liver treatment’ or ‘detoxifying treatment for liver’.

Let’s look at some of the causes that can make liver unhealthy in the first place… 

Alcohol: Heavy and chronic consumption of alcohol can make the liver fatty and this can then choke off the supply of blood to the organ. This means that there would be lack of oxygen and other nutrients to the liver-cells which, in end, will cause them to give up their work and die.

Such cells are replaced with connective tissues resembling scars, a fatal condition medially known as liver cirrhosis., which according to one research study, is one of the deadliest diseases in the world.

Drugs: There are certain drugs that can cause liver damage. Such drugs include acetaminophen, quinine, anti-tubercular drugs, sulfonamides, allopurinol, diltiazem, methyltestosterone, mercaptopurine, antithyroid drugs, oral contraceptives, methyldopa drugs, adrenocortical steroids, painkillers like diclofenac, metoprolol and almost all kinds of antibiotic drugs can cause liver damage one or the other way.

Other factors: Other conditions such as congenital birth defects or abnormal structure of liver, metabolic disorder or some defect in basic body process can also cause liver damage. Viruses, bacteria, poisons can also cause serious damage to the gland. Nutritional deficiencies, trauma and/or injuries can also alter the liver function.

Natural Liver Cleanse:

Cleansing your liver naturally is considered to be safest and innocuous way to detox  your liver.

It is always better to start with simplest less stressful plan for liver cleansing.

Eating organic foods and washing the fruits and vegetables before eating is simple though effective way to care  for your liver. Avoid alcohol, narcotics, junk/canned and packed foods, foods with preservatives and too oily/spicy foods. Drink plenty of water and avoid carbonated beverages.

 Turn on to liver friendly foods that help supporting the liver function such as all types of beetroots, broccolis and cabbages, artichokes, seaweeds and radishes. Adding a good multivitamin supplements to enhance liver function help regenerating and healing liver cells. Studies suggest that herbs such as Phyllanthus emblica², Pergularia daemia³, Milk Thistle⁴, Silymarin⁵ are very helpful protecting and help treating various liver ailments that alter the liver function and cause liver diseases.

 Keeping your liver healthy can make body to function properly overall. This is because liver is often described as the ‘checkpost’ of the body through which toxic substances are thoroughly checked.

A damaged liver allows toxins to infiltrate in the body and then attack on healthy tissues whereas an alert liver can terminate germs, bacteria, virus and other toxic/unwanted harmful substances.

Don’t let an unhealthy liver stop you from experiencing high levels of vitality and energy! Start cleansing today, one of the best supplements to help you on the path of cleansing your liver naturally is….

"Nature’s Secret Ult Liver Cleanse" from MotherNature.com Ultimate Liver Cleanse contains an herbal formulation to cleanse, protect and rejuvenate the liver by facilitating the purging of toxins, and promoting recovery and regeneration of delicate cells and tissues. When you take Nature’s Secret product, you can feel confident that you are taking a precisely blended, all natural, quality tested product, made with the finest raw materials available in the world.

 PS. Speaking of cleanses, did you know that there are many types of benefits as well from cleansing your colon?

References:

1. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2008 Aug 29; 57(34):938-41 for Alcohol-attributable deaths and years of potential life lost among American Indians and Alaska Natives–United States, 2001—2005 at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

2. The protective effects of Phyllanthus emblica Linn. Amla extract on ethanol induced rat hepatic injury in J Ethnopharmacol. 2006 Oct 11; 107(3):361-4 for Pharmacological Action of Natural Products Research Unit, Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.

3. Hepatoprotective effect of extracts from Pergularia daemia Forsk in
   J Ethnopharmacol. 2006 Apr 4 at Pharmacy Department Kalabhavan. The M.S. University of Baroda, Vadodara, Gujarat, India.

4. The Clinical Utility of Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) in Cirrhosis of the Liver in J Herb Pharmcother. 2002; 2(2):11-7.

5. Randomized controlled trial of silymarin treatment in patients with cirrhosis of the liver in Hepatol. 1989 Jul; 9(1):105-13.

Iron deficiency in vegetarians – vegetarians who put their health at risk

The iron in meat is quite easy to absorb whereas that in veggies is less so. In addition, some of the vegetarian foods even make this absorption more ineffectual. For instance, soy products can make iron less absorbed. It is figured by the WHO (World Health Organization) that inadequate amounts of iron in the blood is the number one nutritional problem in the world reaching statistics of 80 per cent of the world population!

Many medical experts and dieticians believe that there is iron deficiency in vegetarians. In other words, the people who are vegetarians are at risks of developing iron deficiency. This could be because of less availability of essential iron present in vegetables. Meat is the prime source of iron that vegetarians do not eat as a result of that, they might have suffer from such condition as believed by health care providers.

The signs and symptoms of iron deficiency include general debility, paleness of the body, exhaustion and breathlessness (dyspnea). In more severe case, even death can occur. Iron deficiency can occur when the amounts of iron taken in body does not meet the demand of the body to function normally. The process of iron deficiency is generally very sluggish since the body first tries to counterbalance for the instability by getting iron from other sources and storage within the body. Once the iron storage stock is eaten up, blood hemoglobin levels starts to drop and finally, it leads to iron deficiency anemia.

According to one study, ferritin status found lower in vegetarian women as compared to omnivores. For that, 50 vegetarian women of reproductive age and 24 age-matched all-devouring control women. The vegetarian women did not report any substantial difference in the total iron intake in comparison to other women, but showed much lower haem iron. The report showed significantly decreased mean serum ferritin levels in the vegetarian women1.

Vegetarian diet can end up in increased capacity of iron absorption as a partial adjustment to lower iron bioavailability. This report was published by authors of an American feeding study. Further in iron deficiency in vegetarians, researchers found that vegetarian diet was linked with markedly less non-haem iron absorption as compared to non-vegetarian diet2

In another study conducted in Thailand, it was found that there is a high level of iron deficiency in the people who are vegetarians. They also showed marked Vitamin B12 deficiency due to their vegetarian diet3. Study was also conducted on strict vegetarian mothers and their infants in order to check out the link between iron deficiencies in vegetarians. The study showed that these people were at higher incidences and risk of anemia and iron deficiency4.

References:

1. Am J Clin Nutr 1999;70:353-358
   
2. Am J Clin Nutr 1999;69:831-2
   
3. J Med Assoc Thai 1999;82:304-11
   
4. Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry Volume 9, Number 2 / December, 1994 by D. C. Sharma1 Contact Information, Raj Kiran, Vijaywantee Ramnath, Krishna Khushiani and P. P. Singh at Departments of Biochemistry and Gynaecology and Obstetrics, R.N.T. Medical College, Udaipur and Ddepartment of Biochemistry, S.M.S. Medical College, 302004 Jaipur, India.

Iodine is the most commonly deficiency in the world. Iodine is an element required for body growth and survival. It is many where in the environment, but mainly found in the ocean and the soil. Because of iodine’s biological importance, it is present in living organisms in higher concentration. Iodine is found in different amounts in plants and animals but the amounts we get from plants depend upon the concentration of iodine in the soil they are grown from.

Iodine deficiency leads to diminished production of thyroid hormones and simultaneously, increased TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) levels secreted by the master gland. This may lead further in enlargement of the thyroid gland medically known as goiter. Furthermore, goiter with much iodine deficiency can also put negative impact on growth and development of the body, particularly the brain.

Substance called goitrogen that naturally occur in food can also cause goiter since it hinders the absorption and utilization of iodine. People eating such foods may be at risk of developing iodine deficiency. Some of the foods containing goitrogens include cabbages, turnips, grape seeds, peanuts, soy, kale, cauliflowers/broccolis, rutabaga, spuds, Indian mustards etc. Nevertheless, cooking can inactivate these substances.

Signs and symptoms of iodine deficiency: -

• Cretinism, a syndrome causing mental and physical retardation¹ featuring mental deficiency, deaf mutism and hindered growth of the body resulting shortened stature
• Hypothyroidism (reduced thyroid activity)
• Chronic Myxedema (a severe iodine deficiency result)
• Reduced metabolic rate
• Biochemical alteration²
• Anemia
• Goiter
• Inflammation of tongue (glossitis)
• Lethargy and unusual fatigue/exhaustion
• Puffiness of hands and face
•  

To meet daily requirement of iodine, iodized salt is enough. This has been supported by research that was conducted on pregnant women. Iodized source is the easiest way to provide adequate amounts of iodine that body requires regularly³. In addition, it is also one of the inexpensive ways to provide iodine than other supplements.

References:

1. Iodine deficiency, more than cretinism and goiter by Verheesen RH, Schweitzer CM for Med Hypotheses. 2008 Aug 12.
   
2. Iodine-deficiency disorders by Zimmermann MB, Jooste PL, Pandav CS. Laboratory for Human Nutrition at Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland and Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands.. Lancet; issue Aug 1; 2008.
   
3. Study on the status of nutrition in pregnant women, lactating women and babies in Yongjing, Gansu province by Wang YL, Ge PF, Wang GH, Zhang YX, Wang WH, Yao L. Gansu at Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou 730020, China. Zhonghua Liu Xing Bing Xue Za Zhi. 2008 Mar; 29(3):258-61.
   

How to improve your memory is a commonly asked question. Human brain is a very complex and spiritualist organ and that is why it requires constant care and nurturing. Brain has various functions that can be diminished or inhibited by different physiological and psychological factors such as having some medicines may have adverse effects, residues and unwanted toxic substances in the body. Such factors affect the brain cells in one or the other way and then, activities of these cells get decreased because of oxidation due to free radicals and also due to an insufficient supply of blood and so oxygen.

Brain faces day-to-day wear and tear and that is why, to keep it in a normal state, we need to take care of the brain. For this, providing it with the required resources so that it works with its maximum capacity is the only way. In order to know how to improve memory, you should use resources that include natural supplements and some holy exercises such as Yoga, Meditation and Pranayama (breathing technique). Natural supplements generally do not have any harmful effects on the body or the memory. Natural substances called flavonoids are found in various herbs that serve as highly efficient antioxidants and thus help protecting neuronal cells from getting damaged by free radicals. Some of the studies also explored that there is a wide range of benefits by flavonoids that the cognitive function can get from. Many health experts, based on studies, say that flavonoids have beneficial effects on various neurological stress and they also help inhibiting some biochemical processes that result into brain aging, the loss of memory and ultimately may decrease grasping power.

We can get benefits from the active antioxidants and anti-aging natural agents by eating more fruits, especially citrus fruits. All types of berries and apples are also useful. Including dark green leafy vegetables and parsley in regular diet also help improving memory. Some of the researchers believe that drinking red wine¹ and green tea is also one of the natural memory boosting ways. Herbal remedies may stimulate brain activities and prevent memory loss by supporting and nurturing brain. Some of the natural holistic healers say that massaging the head with specially made medicated herbal oil can improve the blood circulation to brain cells and this, in turn, finally helps to enhance memory.

The commonest and most popular herb used for enhancing the cognitive function and also for preventing or treating memory related disorder is Bacopa monnieri². The herb has been used by traditional Ayurvedic practitioners and also by many holistic healers. They believe that Bacopa helps improving blood circulation to the brain and also fighting as a powerful antioxidant agent beating free radicals and heal the adverse effects of neuronal cells oxidation. Ginseng and Gingko are few of important remedies that enhance memory and prevent neurological ailments³. Such herbs provide us with a more potent immune system and long lasting positive energy. Regular supplementation of such natural memory boosting herbs/products fight against various stressful and anxious conditions and keeps brain in a more stabilized state.

Another natural way to enhance memory is using aromatherapy oils. Some of the aroma-therapist use combination of Frankincense, Blue cypress, Lavender, Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Helichrysum, and Melissa to have sheer brain power. Using blend of chamomile, basil, palmarosa, peppermint, bergamot, cumin, geranium, jasmine, lemon, rosemary, rosewood, and saffron in a proper dosage is also said to be a good memory sharpening formula.

Foods rich in iron and zinc are very beneficial nutritive minerals to boost memory. You should also include acetyl L-Carnitine, L-Glutamine and phosphatidal choline serine. Eating fishes like sardines and salmons provide body with Omega 3 fatty acids⁴. Moreover, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) are the main components of fish oil that help in healing cognitive problems as in Alzheimer’s disease⁵.

References:

1. A study conducted by Dr. Giulio Maria Pasinetti on effects of red wine in preventing memory loss and brain cell death and slowing the Alzheimer’s disease-related symptom at A Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York City, USA
   
2. Neuropsychopharmacology (Aug.2002)
   
3. Journal of the American Dietetic Association March 2007, Volume 107, Issue 3, Pages 422-432
   
4. The Omega Wave. BBC News
   
5. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 85, 2007, pp. 1142-47 by van Gelder, BM, et al for Fish consumption, n-3 fatty acids, and subsequent 5-y cognitive decline in elderly men.

How to improve brain function - natural tips to improve brain function

"A diet rich in brain-enhancing fats consumed over many years can help people avoid Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder — and can even help alleviate depression and anxiety."¹ The human brain, as compared to other species, is very complex but intelligent. It has been now proven that some foods might help the brain in fighting off harmful free radicals that ramble around apprehensively looking to commingle with other normal molecules. This rush for a partner is considered to cause damage to cellular structure and in worst condition, even cell death. During any such procedure, a variety of problems in brain functioning is quite common and therefore, human brain requires constant care.

Based on lots of studies, researchers now know that foods like strawberries and spinach can help providing the brain with additional squads of antioxidants and such defensive molecules can make brain free from radicals, out of their ruling and terminating their assault! According to one research, a synthetic anti-oxidant, in this way, can also reduce damage of brain².

Maintaining physique

A long-term study that included 1500 volunteers found that the people who were obese in their middle ages were twofold as likely to acquire dementia in their later stages of life. Furthermore, the people who also have had high cholesterols and hypertension had six times the risks of developing the same. Adopting certain food lifestyle, rather than just ephemeral dietary pattern and eating in moderation may help overcoming the health ailment and keep brain healthy.

Yoga and Pranayama (breathing technique) has shown great benefits in retaining and recalling the memory. It helps the blood circulation and hence, improves the brain function. It is said that Yogasana such as Shirshasana not only helps improving eyesight

But it also soothes the brain and helps improving its cognitive function. Pranayama controls the life energy in a dramatic way and hence improves the brain function as firmly believed by holistic healers such as Ayurvedic doctors.

The food for brain health

Animal foods such as eggs and milk products are good sources of proteins and thus are to be consumed regularly. Other dietary supplements that consist of essential amino acids required for better neurotransmitter action include nuts, dried beans or legumes, seeds, dark green leafy vegetables and whole grains.

Any food or supplement that has antioxidant properties is good for the brain since it is proved through studies that damaged brain has free radicals³. The brain works with good and healthy environment. Fish oils are said to be good for the brain since they operate in the increasing of the dopamine level in the bloodstream. Dopamine is a monoamine neurotransmitter found in the brain and is vital for normal functioning of the CNS (Central Nervous System). Regular supplementation can help soothing over stressed brain and hence, the hormonal action of the brain is enhanced. This, in turn, enhances the ability to concentrate and brain function.

Omega 3 found in fish oils also benefit the brain in the area where the center of memory is located. More specifically, stress is a result of excessive amounts of hormone called cortisol that can cause detriments to the memory and nerve cell of the brain. Another component known as serotonin that governs the mood swings of an individual, lower serotonin levels oftentimes end up in depression. Simply put, restoring serotonin levels of in an individual can improve their moods.

Scientists also demonstrated that the omega-3 fatty acid DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) can help increasing the production of LR11, a protein found with low levels in patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. LR11 is a known for destroying the proteins that form the plaques linked with brain disease as stated by researchers⁴. Studies also reveal that large doses of fish oils have been established as more effective agent compared to Ritalin for ADD and ADHD to improve focus and concentration.

References:

1. Dr. Alan Logan in his book – "The Brain Diet".
2. Researchers at National Jewish Medical and Research Center and Duke University Medical Center for the Journal of Free Radical Biology and Medicine.
   
3. Formation of free radicals in hypoxic ischemic brain damage in the neonatal rat, assessed by an endogenous spin trap and lipid peroxidation by Ralph Bågenholm, Ulf A. Nilsson and Ingemar Kjellmer at Department of Physiology and Pharmacology and Department of Pediatrics, Göteborg University, Division of Perinatal Physiology, Medicinaregatan 11, 413 90 Sweden (Source: lsevier Science B.V.).
   
4. Issue December 2007; Journal of Neuroscience at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).