4 Steps To Brain Health

New studies bring to our attention that high levels of cholesterol might make the brain cells more prone to dementia. The heart and brain are connected to long term health - many things that heart patients do are good for all of us to keep our brain healthy, too. So by preventing a heart attack, you can avoid brain drain.

1. Take B Vitamins.

B vitamins can help stifle homocysteine, an amino acid that damages blood vessels. A new study of seniors from researchers at the Chicago-based Rush Institute found in 2004 that seniors with low levels of niacin were more likely to suffer from Alzheimer's. Get in the habit of taking a quality B Complex every day.

2. Try Ginkgo Biloba.

Extracted from the ancient ginkgo tree, ginkgo biloba is considered the best of all brain-boosting supplements on the market. Studies of people with Alzheimer's disease show that ginkgo enhances blood flow to the brain and improves memory recall. In addition, ginkgo is a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. Ginkgo does thin the blood and can clash with some medications, especially blood thinners; so check with your doctor before taking and make sure not to take before a surgery.

3. Avoid inflammation.

Chronic inflammation, whether from an irritated bowel disease, inflamed gums, or an autoimmune disease, weakens the arteries in both the heart and the head. Inflammation makes the arteries more vulnerable to rupture and increases the danger of heart attack and stroke. Keep an eye on early warning signs of inflammation.

4. Exercise your brain.

Older folks who are readers stay sharp while those who watch TV melt into the couch. When researchers compared those struck by Alzheimer's and their activity level, 47% are less likely to develop the disease than those who taxed their brains the least. Do crossword puzzles, read, play cards, write detailed and interesting e-mails to all your friends, surf the web, and just plain stay busy.

Supplements of the Month:

Ginkgo Biloba

The ginkgo is the oldest living tree species, geological records indicate this plant has been growing on earth for 150 - 200 million years. It was first brought to Europe in the 1700's and it is now a commonly prescribed drug in France and Germany.

In the last 30 years, more that 300 studies have given clinical evidence that ginkgo prevents and benefits many problems throughout the entire body. Ginkgo is gaining recognition as a brain tonic that enhances memory because of its positive effects on the vascular system, especially in the cerebellum.

Ginkgo may help to counteract the effects of aging, including mental fatigue and lack of energy.

Ginkgo works by increasing blood flow to the brain and throughout the body's network of blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the organ systems. It increases metabolism efficiency, regulates neurotransmitters, and boosts oxygen levels in the brain which uses 20% of the body's oxygen.

Ginkgo has been used to relieve tension and anxiety and improve mental alertness, elevate mood and restore energy.

Ginkgo also acts as a powerful antioxidant and contributes to the oxidation of free radicals which are believed to contribute to premature aging and dementia. Antioxidants also protect the eyes, cardiovascular system and central nervous system.

Ginkgo may also help control the transformation of cholesterol to plaque associated with the hardening of arteries, and can relax constricted blood vessels.

Studies have confirmed that ginkgo increases blood flow to the retina, and can slow retinal deterioration resulting in an increase of visual acuity.

Flush-Free Niacin

Vitamin B 3 - (Niacin) is used in the process of releasing energy from carbohydrates, forming fat from carbohydrates and to metabolize alcohol. Vitamin B3 comes in two basic forms - niacin (also called nicotinic acid) and niacinamide (also called nicotinamide). Inositol hexaniacinate, a "flush-free" niacin, is also available and has many of the same benefits of niacin, and is becoming increasingly popular. Dietary niacin and niacin formed within the body from the amino acid tryptophan are converted to niacinamide. Niacinamide is the biologically active form of niacin.

The RDA for men and women is in the range 14-18mg, and is easily achieved. Prescribed doses of the supplement go as high as 3gm per day and sometimes even higher.

The best food sources of vitamin B3 are peanuts, brewer's yeast, fish and meat, and fortified breakfast cereals. Some vitamin B3 is also found in whole grains. Vitamin B3 is found in most vitamin supplements, but additional supplementation is needed to achieve many of the proven health benefits.

Food sources (mg per 100gm):

Rice bran (18.5)
Tuna (11.6)
Chicken liver (9.3)
Chicken, white meat (8.1)
Wheat germ (5.6)
Brown rice (4.7)
Broccoli (0.8)
Dried figs (0.4)

Niacin is one of the most stable of the B-vitamins. It is resistant to the effects of heat, light, air, acid and alkali. A white crystalline substance that is soluble in water and alcohol, niacin and niacinamide are both readily absorbed from the small intestine. Small amounts may be stored in the liver, but most of the excess is excreted in the urine. The only appreciable loss of niacin occurs when it leaches into cooking water.

Caution:

Niacin, taken orally as nicotinic acid, can produce redness, warmth, and itching over areas of the skin; this "niacin flush" usually occurs when doses of 50mg or more are taken and is a result of the release of histamine by the cells, which causes vasodilatation. 'Take Your Vitamins' brand of Flush Free Niacin can be taken, as it will not produce this reaction.

As with any vitamin or supplement, please consult your doctor before taking.

Author Beverly Terhune speaks from 35 years of living with Rheumatoid Arthritis and shares her experience, strength & hope on how to lead a healthy, substance-free life.

Are you looking for ways to improve your memory, energy level or fight depression? Purchase our all natural vitamins, minerals, herbs and teas at wholesale prices. Subscribe to our free health tip newsletter.

Baron Import & Export: 'Take Your Vitamins' - Natural Products -Wholesale Prices - Fast Delivery Visit us at: http://www.vitaminbaron.com Phone: 602-942-0118 ? Fax: 602-863-9020

---

How Essential Fatty Acids Improve Your Brain Power and Mental Health

What is your brain made ofOver 50% of your brain is made of good fat. Twenty percent of this good fat comes from EPA and DHA. Remember EPA and DHA comes from,* omega-3... Read More

Functional Foods: What They Are And How They Work

In the brain, a typical protein can live for approximately ten days. The thoughts, feelings and memories of a human being are made up of what was in the stomach only a few... Read More

Unchaining Yourself from an Unhealthy Food Addiction

The cry of "I have no willpower!" often emerges from the consumers who jokingly surrender to their lack of will when it comes to eating something clearly unhealthy. However, scientific nutritional research has... Read More

How Food Affects Mood

Everyone can benefit from understanding how food affects our mood "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food," wrote the eminent Greek physician Hippocrates during the dawn of western medicine.... Read More

How You Can Support Your Immune System

Media coverage of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has incited fear among the American public, emptied Chinatowns all over North America and stopped much of the travel between the U.S., Toronto, Canada, China,... Read More

Food Additives Affect Behavior

On average 30% of foods in our daily diet are processed foods. These are foods that come in a box or a can and have many ingredients that are hard to pronounce, containing... Read More

What A 6-Month Old Can Teach Us About Our Eating Habits

Recently, I had the pleasure of seeing my 6-month old niece Rianna in Las Vegas. She has just started eating "real" baby food beyond the formula in her bottle, and I got a... Read More

Immunity and the Immune System

Since the 1930's the western diet has dramatically changed. This change is due to the change in farming from the natural farming process which has developed over 1000's of years to a modern... Read More

Aging Gracefully with the Aid of Various Nutrients

During the past thirty years there has been a steadily growing amount of scientific evidence linking vitamins and minerals to having a direct effect in protecting one's self from aging. Apart from the... Read More

Use Food and Focus to Gain Tons of Energy for Summer

While there are many effective ways to get more energy and build your productivity, I've found it very important to pay attention to the seasons."But wait a minute," you say. "Aren't I supposed... Read More

The Anti-Aging Wonders of Hyaluronic Acid

ABC News has recently focused on the possible anti-aging benefits of hyaluronic acid, also known as Hyaluron or HA. In a story entitled, "The Village of Long Life: Could Hyaluronic Acid Be an... Read More

Avoiding Nutritionally Deficient Foods After Gastric Bypass

After WLS we must concentrate on eating nutrient rich food. Nutritionally void foods cannot be part of the regular diet after surgery because they can cause dumping, vomiting and/or weight gain. In addition,... Read More

Dietary Sources of Glutathione

DIETARY SOURCES OF GLUTATHIONE: Glutathione (GSH) is an antioxidant and detoxifying agent whose protective role has been demonstrated in numerous clinical studies. GSH is synthesized rapidly in the liver, kidneys, and other tissues... Read More

Omega 3s: Using Our Heads to Nourish Our Brains

We sometimes hear about ways that we can take care of our organs by the foods we injest. When we think about our diet we cannot help but think about the effect our... Read More

Macrobiotics: Diet and Lifestyle for Long-term Health

A frequent misunderstanding about macrobiotics is that it is a diet sick people use - cancer patients especially - in order to heal. While it is true that a macrobiotic approach has helped... Read More

Healing Power of 8 Sugars: An Amazing Breakthrough in Nutrition

"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." Arthur Schopenhauer German philosopher (1788 - 1860)This new book, "The Healing... Read More

Turning an Addictive Snack into a Complete Meal

The proliferation of fast food restaurants, convenience stores, and vending machines in virtually every corner of residential America has created a serious nutritional problem. "Snacking" ? a harmless-sounding verb that deceptively implies something... Read More

How Can Fat Be Essential?

How Can Fat Be Essential? By Garry Gamber ... Read More

What Really Happens To The Food You Eat

After we have eaten a meal -- and often we do this in a hurry, without much chewing, under a lot of stress, or in the presence of negative emotions -- we give... Read More

Where Does Your Drinking Water Come From?

Have you ever thought about where your drinking water comes from? Most of us never give this question a thought. Yet, the sources of our water tell us a lot about its quality.The... Read More

You Are What You Eat

You really are what you eat. You are also very much affected by the lifestyle you live. Every item that enters your mouth will be digested and reconstructed into your living cells for... Read More

Hypertension -Twelve Simple Things You Can Do To Lower Your Blood Pressure

Headlines:Nearly a quarter of American adults just got diagnosed with a new disorder: pre-hypertension. Is your blood pressure low enough?Nearly 23% of people over the age of 18 have pre-hypertension (blood pressure over... Read More

Aggressive Behaviour Seems To Be Triggered By Early Age Diet

The fact that diet directly affects behaviour is no news, on the contrary, this reality has been perceived a very long time ago, as the old saying "a man is what he eats"... Read More

Help Prevent Premature Aging With Nutrition-Science

Aging occurs when the body's cells die at faster rates than new cells are generated. People age prematurely because inadequate nutrition resulting from poor diet stimulates cellular destruction and increases the potential for... Read More

Nutrition - Its Whats Eating You That Counts

"It's not what you eat, it's what's eating you that counts."Before we talk about food, the most important nutrients we put in our bodies are air and water. Forget about air if you... Read More

Improve Your Eating Habits.

1. Water. If you're thirsty you're already dehydrated. The majority of us don't tend to drink enough during the day. If you drink a lot of tea and coffee to keep you going... Read More

Fruits for Summer: Summer Skin Care

Summer is the time when we sweat highly and beating the heat is always high on our agenda. So, we move on to aerated drinks or other beverages. But what we tend to... Read More

Ultra Refined Fish Oil - The New Generation of Fish Oil

Dr. Barry Sears revolutionized nutritional thinking around the world with his 1995 landmark #1 New York Times best seller The Zone. With The Zone, and his subsequent bestselling Zone books, Dr. Sears describes... Read More

The Danger of Curbing Hunger Artificially

Unhealthy eating is a harmful problem in America, and contrary to a very outdated perception, this harm is not limited to those who suffer from obesity[1]. In reality, according to the Directors of... Read More