Watch the video below and learn about the four very important nutritional supplements that all of us should be using.

RECENT RESEARCH from the Lewin Group has shown that spending pennies a day on a few key nutritional supplements can significantly reduce sickness and chronic disease, resulting in a substantial decrease in healthcare costs. This post summarizes the Lewin Group study as reviewed by one of my favorite doctors, Mark Hyman, MD.

I was drawn to this research, and want to share it with you, because it supports one of my key approaches to health and longevity – the consumption of nutritional supplements. Given the degradation of food quality, the liberal use of pesticides, antibiotics and hormones, and the hectic lifestyle of many Americans, I’ve long considered that to optimize nutrition, supplementation was needed.  Moreover, some supplements yield benefits that no food can reasonably offer.

[Natural Resveratrol is just one example.  Studies indicate that Resveratrol, extracted from red grapes, may contribute to longevity.  If it weren’t extracted and concentrated, you would have to drink a thousand glasses of wine per day to get the longevity benefit.  Of course, you’d die from alcohol poisoning straight away.]

One startling statistic underscores my assertion – A startling 92 percent of Americans are deficient in one or more nutrients at the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) level, the minimum necessary to prevent “deficiency diseases” like rickets or scurvy (diseases that are the resulting from not getting enough vitamins and minerals).  (Note that the RDA standards do not necessarily outline the amount needed for optimal health; rather, they are typically minimum amounts to prevent deficiencies.)

More extreme than potentially causing deficiency diseases, a Vitamin deficiency can cause “long-latency deficiency diseases.” These include conditions like blindness, osteoporosis, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, dementia, and more.

Now, back to the Lewin Group study…  It examined just four supplements and disease combinations.

The supplements examined:

1. Calcium and vitamin D and their effect on osteoporosis
2. Folic acid and its ability to prevent birth defects
3. Omega-3 fatty acids and their benefits for heart disease
4. Lutein and zeaxanthin and their benefit in preventing major age-related blindness, or macular degeneration.

The strict criteria for the nutrient interventions were:

1. The supplement had to produce a measurable physiological effect.
2. This physiological effect had to create a change in health status.
3. The health problems must be those where a change in health status is associated with a decrease in healthcare expenditures.

Now, rather than repeat the whole study, or Dr. Hyman’s review of it, I’ll cut to the conclusion, which enumerates the four nutritional supplements that have the most positive impact on general health.

Dr. Hyman’s four low cost, high reward, no risk supplements for everybody:

1. A high-quality multivitamin and mineral. The multivitamin should contain mixed carotenoids, which include lutein and zeaxanthin as part of their mix, as well as at least 400 mcg of folate and a mixed B-complex vitamin.

I take Maximum Wellness Formula.

2. Calcium-magnesium with at least 600 mg of calcium and 400 mg of magnesium. The calcium should be calcium citrate or chelated versions of minerals. Do not use calcium carbonate or magnesium oxide, which are cheap minerals that are poorly absorbed.

I don’t take these separately as they’re in Maximum Wellness Formula in the proportions recommended by Dr. Hyman.

3. Vitamin D3, 1,000 to 2,000 IU a day (people who are deficient in vitamin D will need more).

Not only do Vitamin D deficient people need more, but perhaps also brown or black skin people living above the latitude of Atlanta Georgia during the low-sun winter months.

I take this Vitamin D3, 1,000 IU in the morning and another 1,000 in the evening during the winter, halving this amount during the summer.

4. Omega-3 fatty acids that contain the fats EPA and DHA, 1,000 to 2,000 mg a day.

I take Kill Oil or Cold Liver Oil.  Either is fantastic for reducing stress, inflammation and supporting heart and joint health.

If you’d like to dig into this topic in greater detail, check out Dr. Hyman’s post.

Related posts:

1. Get Lean And Strong With Dr. Hyman’s Metabolic Boosters
2. Dr Hyman’s 10 Rules to Eat Safely and My Thoughts On What May Stop You
3. Men’s Health Supplements for Prostate and Testosterone

10 ways to soothe your sunburn

IF YOU had the kind of Independence Day that I did, you had plenty of time in the sun.  My Croatian skin can take it, but those with less brown pigment melanin might have ended the day with some sunburn.

If so, take a look at Barbara Brody’s 10 Ways to Soothe Sunburn, which I summarize thus:

1. Slop on aloe. It’s soothing and healing. I get it from the source — a plant in my house.
2. Apply milk for 20 minutes.
3. Dissolve baking soda with water and apply generously.
4. Vinegar may help reduce pain.
5. The herbs comfrey and calendula promote tissue healing and have anti-inflammatory properties.
6. Drink pure water.
7. Raw honey can reduce inflammation.
8. Lock in moisture with Burt’s Bees Aloe & Linden After Sun Soother or Bach Rescue Cream.
9. Get more vitamins.  (Go to the article for specifics.)
10. Eat fish or take omega-3 fatty acids to reduce inflammation.

So, there’s 10 ways to go… hope your skin cools down!

The bottom line on Soda, Energy Drinks, Diary, Soy, Vitamins (esp. Vitamin D), Omega-3, Cell Phone Radiation, Eye Health, Antioxidants, Atkins, Trans Fat, Depression, Exercise, Juice Cleanses and Tea… whew!

IN THIS insightful exchange, Kevin Rose, the co-founder of Digg, interviews Dr. Andrew Weil, medical doctor, integrative medicine specialist and botanist, about many of the hot health topics of the day.

You’ll enjoy the video, but I’ve also made a transcription below of the interview (not verbatim, mind you) organized within the topics discussed, with my comments or amplification [in brackets]. Enjoy.

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Soda

Sugar is the big problem. Sugar drives obesity and type 2 diabetes in the U.S. If you want a carbonated drink try sparkling water with lemon, or a bit of fruit juice. Beware high fructose corn syrup masquerading as some good form of sugar. It’s not. It’s a marker for cheap, low quality foods. [Corn is a heavily subsidized crop in the U.S. which accounts for its use as a sugar. Read more about this here]

Energy Drinks

They may keep you up at nights for some all-night bender or work effort, but the usual ingredient that enables this is caffeine. [Caffeine spikes cortisol levels. Cortisol is the "stress hormone".] Added to the caffeine is sugar. You can at least avoid one bad ingredient (sugar) by drinking caffeinated coffee or tea , though if addicted to caffeine, you’ll get an insufficient “lift”  for your all-nighter.

In Japan, they often drink Matcha Tea, developed to help keep monks awake during meditation. Another energy drink alternative is a drink with bitter orange in it. Chino, made by San Pellegrino, contains some variety of bitter orange and is known to help keep people alert.

Diary

Cow milk and its derivatives, such as cheese, can be problematic for some. High in saturated fats [more about fats], milk can challenge artery and heart health. For some, milk sugars (lactose) and/or the milk protein (casein) are indigestible. Casein protein can irritate the immune system and can cause or exacerbate allergies.

If one or both parents have a history of milk intolerance, it would be wise to keep their infants off milk for first two or three years of life in order to prevent skin issues, allergies and sinus problems.

Another issue with milk concerns how it’s made. It’s common to produce milk from cows given a steady diet of hormones and antibiotics.

A Mongolian physician studied diary practices in Mongola and the U.S. and reported her findings in a Harvard journal. She found that farmers in the U.S. keep their cows always lactating, resulting in a high level of sex hormones being produced in their milk. In Mongola, farmers did not attempt to do this; the cows there only produced milk during their natural cycle.

Soy

[The value of soy in the diet has become a hotel debated issue] It’s important that whole soy, not fake hot dogs with soy isolates or soy supplements, be consumed. Don’t over do it. A half cup per day is fine.

Vitamins

Does quality matter? Yes, although price is not always equivalent to quality, it’s worth going for quality. Although vitamins are not a substitute for food, they do provide insurance against gaps in your diet, and for specific therapeutic and preventative effects.

Vitamin D

Deficiency is the rule. Most of us are not producing enough vitamin D via sun exposure, which other than supplementation, is the only sure way of getting it. Latitudes north of Atlanta, the sun too low in the winter to get enough. 2,000 units per day with your largest meal for absorption [with vitamin A is a good idea to help prevent toxicity, although this is rare]. Latest research indicates that vitamin D users contract flu much less often than those bereft of it. Even 4,000 units per day is not too high. Get tested [a blood test] to find out your level [before taking more than 2,000 units per day].

Omega-3

This is our biggest nutritional deficiency. Two to three grams fish oil supplemented every day is a good idea, even if you eat fish. Sockeye salmon (not farmed cause only eats insects and algae) sardines, anchovies are good choices as they’re lower on the food chain and therefore less likely to contain contaminants. Krill oil is great but is being over-harvested, and the population is not sustainable.

Vegetable sources of omega-3 such as hemp, flax and chia are good to have in your diet, but they have a different molecule of omega-3 than fish oil, which isn’t as effective. Algae is a better option, but currently is not well developed.

Cell phone radiation

There’s contradictory research here. Money seems to be an influence, as large industries have a stake in the outcome. Err on side caution. Limit your use. Distance yourself from the source of radiation. Don’t glue the phone, or phone apparatus to your ears. The radio magnetic field falls off exponentially to distance, [meaning that for each increment of distance from, say, your head, there's a multiple reduction in the strength of the field]. Use the speaker phone.

Eyes

[Knowledge workers today stare constantly at computers causing eye problems as is described here.] Every few minutes look away from whatever you’ve been staring at intently close up. Two things that help eyes are glasses that protect from UV radiation, and vitamin supplements like carotenoids, vitamin E, zinc, vitamin C and selenium. There are good formulas in the market. [Check out Envision Good Eyesight.]

Antioxidants

There’s no need to consume lots of the so-called “super fruits”. Pomegranate juice is fine, but expensive and unnecessary. Blueberries are cheaper and a good fruit antioxidant. Make sure you eat across the color spectrum. Consume lost of different colored fruits and vegetables. Tea, red wine and dark chocolate with 70% or more coca, are all good antioxidant-filled foods.

Bittersweet (dark) Chocolate

There are several reasons for eating bittersweet chocolate. Dark chocolate has a stimulant called theobromine, a bitter alkaloid in the cacao plant. The fat in chocolate gives a pleasant mouth feel. It contains antioxidants, and might lower cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and contain mood enhancing chemicals. [More in this article: Make Love with Bittersweet Chocolate]

Atkins

[The Atkins has fallen out of favor of late over claims that it isn't healthy nor sustainable.] A better diet is the South Beach diet, a relatively easy way to drop weight quickly. An anti-inflammatory diet is also a good way to go. It’s similar to the Mediterranean Diet, consisting of low glycemic foods, the healthy fats. [Eating Fats is Good and A Blueprint for Eating Right]

One quick diet tip: Avoid products with flour and sugar.

Trans Fat

[This is a type of fat created to help maintain a long shelf life for processed foods] It’s similar to high fructose corn syrup in that it is unhealthy, doesn’t belong in food and is evidence of low quality food. Read labels.

Tip: If you don’t recognize the ingredient and/or you wouldn’t use it to make the food at home, don’t buy it.

Depression

If mild to moderate, you can self manage depression through daily aerobic exercise (at least five days per week), and consuming supplements like vitamin D, fish oil (up to five grams/day) and SAMe. It’s also very helpful to get enough sleep, and reduce the consumption of caffeine and alcohol. [More: Do Depression Drugs Work? and How Depressing is Your Food? ]

Exercise

At a minimum, get your heart rate up every day. If you’re dealing with depression, 30 minutes of aerobic exercise at least five days per week. [If you're not into biking, ruining, or gym machines, simply walk up a hill. If there's more gas in the tank, lean and do yoga stretches.]

Juice Cleanses

Vegetable juice oriented cleanse are better than fruit juice cleanses because of the high sugar content in fruit. But the first best detox method is to stop putting toxins in the body! Next, enhance the regular forms of detoxification by drinking more water to increase urination, aerobic exercise to increase breathing [which by this I think Dr. Weil is referring to the sweating that helps toxins inside the body exit through the skin]. [More on cleansing: Detoxifying Your Way to Nirvana and It’s Detox Time.

Tea

There are many good teas, but Green tea has been researched the most. A report last year conducted in Japan showed lower death rates among those drinking four to five cups of green tea each day.

Dr. Weil drinks Matcha tea each morning. He’s also intrigued by the fermented Turmeric Tea drunk in Japan, which is excellent for reducing inflammation. They drink the Turmeric Tea unsweetened and cold. Controlling inflammation seems to be a secret to avoid chronic disease. In India turmeric is used daily. Try a level teaspoon added to stews and soups. In Other than tea

The key to tea is quality which can be sourced in tea shops, tea parlors or online.

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Well, that’s it.  Let me know in the “comments” section below if any of this was useful, or if you possess an alternative reality.  Also, let’s show Kevin Rose that we liked his interview by “Digging” his story… just click on the “Share This” icon below and then click “Digg”.

Related posts:

1. Dr. Weil’s Four Alternatives to Antidepressant Drugs
2. Dr. Weil on Larry King: What to Do about the Swine Flu
3. Why Dr. Weil’s Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid May Be The Best Diet

Why Take Them At All?

Supplements reviewed here: Maximum Wellness Formula, Resveratrol, Vitamin D3, Ultimate Greens, Acetyl L-Carnitine, Alpha Lipoic Acid, and Krill Oil.

Now this is one big catch-all category.  Most everything fits in this “Vitamins and Minerals” category, but there are a few gems that I’d like to point out.

First, consider why take vitamins and minerals at all?

If you consistently take several every day, the pocketbook may rebel. If they’re not absorbed, you produce expensive pee.  If you don’t remember to take them regularly, the benefits — assuming they exist — are diminished.

All that’s true in my estimation.  And yet I’m a supplement hound.  For me it distills down to three things:

• Certain supplements are more powerful than any food source in supplying specific benefits that I want (Resveratrol, for instance);
• It’s a good insurance policy (although by no means guaranteed) against poor quality food or immune challenging bugs and viruses; and finally
• Although I have not been subjected to scientific verification, something seems to be working for me — I’m aging better than my peers, and don’t get sick.

If you want to reduce the guess work about what supplements you truly need, consider a hair or blood test.

So, back to those supplement “gems” that are part of my arsenal… these are the basics that are the foundation of my supplement practice:

Maximum Wellness Formula You name it and it’s probably in here.  If I could only take one thing, it would be this, because it’s like taking 40 different supplements — check out the label.  If you’d prefer tablets to powder, consider
Mega Multiple III .

Natural ResveratrolThis is fast becoming a wonder supplement.  Among a long list of benefits that include helping with diabetes and cardiovascular disease, Resveratrol helps cells make protective enzymes to prevent the leakage of electrons and the production of toxic “free radicals”.   Reservatrol has received a lot of favorable press of late.  You should investigate if this remarkable supplement might be good for you.

Vitamin D3 Called the “sunshine vitamin” because your body will synthesize it in sunlight. This has been a check-in-the-box vitamin until recently.  Now, scientist are discovering that many of us are Vitamin D deficient, particularly African-Americans and Hispanics living in North America (who evolved in parts of the world with more sunlight).  What’s more, there’s a link between Vitamin D deficiency and cancer. Good insurance, I’d say!

Ultimate Greens What’s that about five servings of veggies and fruits per day?  Well, I usually do get that from my diet, but I fortify with this powdered mix of whole green foods.  You’d be hard pressed to get this much goodness in you from your diet alone.

Acetyl L-Carnitine Cellular energy production itself produces free radicals that can harm cell structures, including the mitochondria, if the body’s natural antioxidant capacity is low. Acetyl L-Carnitine and Lipoic Acid are both naturally present antioxidants in the body that have been shown to support mitochondrial function and help reduce free radical damage.

Alpha Lipoic Acid is a potent antioxidant that promotes the body’s production of energy. It supports the conversion of carbohydrates, fat, and protein from food into fuel, stimulating production of ATP (the body’s energy source). As an antioxidant, ALA is known to help neutralize the effects of free radicals on the body by enhancing the antioxidant functions of vitamin C, Vitamin E, and glutathione.

Arctic Select Krill Oil This form of omega-3 is absorbed faster and more efficiently than that typically found in fish oil. Arectic Krill Oil supports heart health and cell membrane integrity.

Go here for a list of Product Categories on this site.

Supplement Disclaimer

Just as with the descriptive statements made at the various company sites that manufacture and/or sell the supplement products presented in this blog, none, or nearly none, of the potential benefits stated here have been evaluated by the FDA. Likewise none, or nearly none, of the products here can be represented to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Before engaging a supplement program, it always makes sense to get the advice of your health practitioner.

Related posts:

1. Not Even A Trace of Minerals?
2. The Basics — My Approach to Health
3. 30 Reasons to Take Vitamin D — Watch