Find The Secret Behind The Best Alkaline, Ionized Water: Enagic's Highest Standards in Water Filtration and Ionization Systems!

Make a commitment to yourself today so that you may achieve optimal health and wellbeing!  Change your water, change your life!  Choose Enagic's purest Kangen water! Here is why. How to choose the best Ionizer company?‏ Enagic® - A Revolutionary Company! Having heard all about the amazing advantages of drinking Kangen Water®, you may be interested in finding out more about Enagic, the pioneering company who invented the first water filtration systems and is still considered the leader in the water ionizing industry today.  Enagic® is a privately owned Japanese company founded over 37 years ago. The company manufactures the alkaline ionized Kangen Water® System, a unique water filtration and ionization system that produces pure, health-giving water. Since pioneering scientist and businessman Hironari Oshiro first established the company in 1974, it has sold well over 400,000 water ionizers in Japan alone. Enagic is now making Kangen Water® available to the world by continuing its global expansion to most of the leading industrial countries where people strive to lead healthier lives. As the leader of ionizing, alkaline water, Enagic® provides an exclusive warranty on thequality and performance of all its water filtration and ionization systems. In fact, Enagic® is one of the few international water ionizing companies that are fully licensed and ISO quality certified and has received four distinct certifications from the Water Quality Association (WQA) - one of the oldest and most prestigious international not-for-profit trade associations in the world, including the Gold Seal, a highly-distinguished award that is only given to the most reliable and trusted producers of quality drinking water. The level of excellence, quality, and care demonstrated by Enagic has set this leading company apart from every other water ionizer producer around the globe. Enagic® stands behind every product it sells so that you can trust the quality and purity of the water you drink.  Everybody deserves to live a life of health and happiness, and drinking pure, superior water can help us achieve those goals. Enagic® is confident that Kangen Water® will help you embrace a better lifestyle and save money too. Using our Enagic® Water Systems to ionize water and filter out impurities conveniently in your home or office will also positively contribute to sustaining the environment. Discover Kangen Water®! Now that you know the story behind the company, you can trust Enagic® to provide you with a superior Alkaline Ionized Kangen Water® System. So follow the global consensus in the health profession and start hydrating your body with the highest quality water available today and discover what it can do for you! More on Enagic… If this high level presentation of Enagic® has left you wanting to know more, here is a detailed account on the company.  Who is Enagic USA? Enagic USA and its related branch offices are the dedicated distribution arm and marketing force for Enagic Co., Ltd. throughout the United States offering Kangen alkaline water filtration systems. Who is Enagic International? For over three decades, Japan-based Enagic International has been the leading manufacturer of alkaline ionizers and water filtration machines. Kangen Water® machines are used in hundreds of thousands of homes worldwide to transform tap water into pure, healthy alkaline drinking water. The Enagic Corporation has elected a direct sales marketing business model because it feels that the personal nature of a structure that utilizes hard-working, independent distributors is the best way to get the word out about a product as unique as Kangen Water®. Further, today's economy seems to be best suited to a direct approach to sales and marketing. In traditional models, wholesalers and retailers took the largest percentage of business profits. In contrast, Enagic believes that rerouting these profits BACK to the distribution force - essentially the consumers themselves, is the true meaning of Kangen Business (Kangen is a Japanese term which means, 'to return to the origin'). Enagic's corporate philosophy is based on three basic principles: Realizing true physical health Realizing true financial health Realizing true mental/metaphysical health Enagic's purpose is to spread this trifold truth throughout the world. When you commit to purchasing a product of this magnitude (i.e. that will impact your life on so many levels), it is your responsibility to find out all you can about the manufacturer, their corporate philosophy and customer service and the quality of the products they offer. This is why we presented Enagic to you, so that you could to take a closer look at what this industry leader really stands for.

HELPFUL TIPS FOR PERMANENT WEIGHT LOSS & REACHING YOUR IDEAL WEIGHT! (PART 4 OF 4) - EAT THE BEST FOODS FOR HEALTH & WELLNESS

HELPFUL TIPS FOR PERMANENT WEIGHT LOSS & REACHING YOUR IDEAL WEIGHT! (PART 4 OF 4) - EAT THE BEST FOODS FOR HEALTH & WELLNESS!

Over the past month, my Weekly Blog posts were dedicated to the major health issues resulting from following a poor diet, using food for emotional purposes, and lacking proper physical exercise. Last week, we began exploring dietary suggestions that can help us attain our natural weight and bring us back to health. Today, we will examine the changes in our diet and our eating habits that will keep moving us towards our healthy weight objectives! 

By following a few simple tips and implementing minor changes in your nutritional intake, you will soon find yourself effortlessly moving toward your permanent health & wellness objectives and reach your natural weight.

1. Stay away from processed food! If you're unsure what processed foods are, follow a simple rule; 'Anything that comes in a package and has more than 1 ingredient is essentially processed.' Remember that processed foods  essentially means 'dead' food, i.e. food that has no nutritional value to your body, that is 'empty' calories! To be nutritional, food needs to provide your body with the essential vitamins, minerals, and enzymes it needs to survive and thrive.

2. Buy your grains, legumes (rice, oats, barley, beans, lentils, etc.), nuts, and seeds in bulk, if you can. They will be fresher and you will lessen the risk of them having been processed or contaminated in some manner. 

3. Always favor Whole foods! For instance, for all your grains' needs, choose the WHOLE/ BROWN option! That means pick brown rice, whole wheat pasta, hole grain bread, etc, rather than their nutrient-stripped derivative. Stay away from white flour, rice, pasta, etc. Again, those are 'empty calorie' foods that build a compact ball of dough that sits undigested in your stomach and go on to block your colon. Remember, deprived of their husks which acts as roughage to help the process of digestion and elimination (peristalsis), the denatured foods that you eat are no longer filled with vitamins and nutritious qualities and prevent the healthy regular movement of your bowels.

4. Pick the 'No Sugar Added' over 'Sugar Free' alternative in all foods. The first option either has no sugar or uses a healthy alternative to sugar such as natural fruit juices or extracts* or completely natural sweeteners such as Stevia (*which is not the best but a better option for sure). The latter usually contains highly questionable products such as artificial sweeteners that have been linked to some types of cancers. When choosing whole grains breads, tomato sauce, or cereals, pay extra attention as there are currently only about 1 or 2 brands that do not ad any sugar or sugar replacement (such as high fructose syrup or other sugar alternatives) to their original ingredients. They do exist and are a much healthier alternative, so be sure to look for them.

5. Choose Organic over conventional foods, whenever you can. Some foods are more susceptible to collect and retain the pesticides and insecticides used in traditional agriculture than others. Following is a high level list of such foods which you should absolutely eat organic; Baby Food, Strawberries, Rice, Green and Red Bell Peppers, Milk, Corn, Bananas, Green Beans, Apples, Cherries, Celery,  Apricots, Peaches, Grapes, Soybeans, Potatoes, Raisins, and Cucumbers. If you really can't buy these organic foods, make sure to peel the skin off of them and to wash them thoroughly - possibly with an organic fruit & vegetable wash product, thereby removing as much of the pesticides and insecticides residues as possible. 

6. Prefer 'Natural' to fully conventional foods. In no way does 'natural' mean 'organic'. It might be better than conventional altogether as it excludes GMO's (Genetically Modified Organisms) but it can still be grown using highly undesirable pesticides and insecticides. So only use it as a 'second choice'.

7. Keep to a Raw diet as much as you can, only cooking grains that are just too hard to digest or cannot be easily eaten sprouted. Raw means 'Alive', and since the purpose of eating is to bring Life into the body, that makes for a much more effective process to provide you with optimum nutrition and vitality!  Don't cook what doesn't need to be cooked! You may be used to cooking everything and enjoying that taste of 'cooked' foods right now, but once you switch to raw food, you'll soon notice how much tastier food becomes and how much energy you actually get out of your food! That's real nutrition! Pace yourself when making the switch so that your body's digestive system builds back up and your taste buds get acquainted to new tastes and flavors.

8. Steam, grill or bake! If you are going to eat cooked food, choose one of those 3 healthier alternatives. Also, never cook vegetables for more than a few minutes as heat alters the natural 'chemical' structure of any element, and that is also true with food! As you might have noticed before, when you cook vegetables for more than a few minutes, they soon lose their vibrant colors and therefore their vitamins and minerals!  

9. When boiling food, use a healthy water source (see below) and keep the 'juice' as a refreshing and vitamin-packed drink!

10. Do not use a Microwave to cook or heat up your food! If you are currently using a microwave, you are actually depriving your food of all nutritional value. Think about the level of heat required to get something that usually takes 1h to cook to do it in less than 5-10 minutes. If you are willing to compromise for the sake of convenience, that's fine but just remember that you are just filling up on empty calories when eating microwaved food and that you should therefore add a reliable liquid vitamins & minerals supplement to your daily diet in order to make up for that loss.

 11. Stay away from fried foods as much as possible! Not only has it been cooked and therefore stripped of its nutritional value (vitamins and minerals) but if it's soaking in 'fat', it's not going to be healthy for you liver and your belly (where most of the fat storage occurs), let alone your arteries and your heart. Instead of frying your food, select one of the cooking methods described above. And If you really can't resist fried food, try using just a tablespoon of sesame oil and adding a little water for stir-fries and the likes. Using a little Tamari (a healthier alternative to soy sauce) or Amino Acids (Raw Coconut or Bragg) to which you add a little water also gives a great taste and texture to food cooked in a frying pan. The best oil for heat use remains Extra Virgin Olive Oil (cold-pressed) and Canola Oil.

12. Discontinue the use of salad dressings and oils in your salads wherever you can. Look at oil in a new light; imagine how many sunflower seeds you need to make a whole bottle of sunflower oil and ask yourself if you could actually consume that many seeds without feeling physically sick. Great alternatives to dressings and oils - which afford myriads of health-giving properties of their own, include: crushed avocado, grated mango, apple, or lemon, all kinds of seeds (sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, flax, etc.)  If you absolutely need to use oil, favor pure extra virgin olive oil or canola - both of which are rich in monounsaturated fats, the kind that help reduce “unhealthy” LDL cholesterol and boost “healthy” HDL cholesterol.

13. Stay away from Dairy products, if you can help it. Without entering into the controversial debate about milk and dairy and why its over-consumption can be detrimental to your health, it is worth noting that a large number of people are lactose intolerant (and some don't even know it.) Bloating and weight gain have long been associated with the consumption of dairy.  It also has a high level of fat which doesn't help your arteries (heart disease) and causes the formation of mucus in the body, which is associated not only with colds and the likes but with many of the less desirable modern diseases such as cancer. (For more on that, read Dr. T. Colin Campbell's Best Seller, 'The China Study') But If you really feel the need for that morning coffee 'enema', lose the milk!  There are so many healthy alternatives to milk nowadays that you are bound to find your pick. Most of these now come naturally fortified with Vitamins B12 and D as well as Calcium (so that you don't miss out on the good 'things' your body needs to remain strong and healthy). Almond, Rice, and Hemp are amongst the healthiest and best choices, and have the extra advantage of tasting naturally sweet without any added sugar. 

14. Switch to more Alkaline choices for your beverages! Sodas and mineral water are very acidic to the body. Most recently, doctors have even started warning people against using Spring water which minerals contribute to blockages in the arteries. In order to remain healthy, it is important that the body's PH level remains slightly alkaline rather than acidic. Our modern diet tend to make our body acidic, a state in which dis-ease can develop and thrive. Therefore using alkaline beverages such as Kangen water or green tea in place of soft drinks and regular water is a smart move.  Kangen water is known to be the most alkaline water of all and to be highly oxygenated, bringing a large supply of fresh oxygen to the whole body through all-day hydration. Further, Kangen water is renowned for its antioxidant properties which helps prevent and fight cancer.

15. Introduce 'fat-cutting' foods into your daily diet. Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (a teaspoon in 8 oz of water, 3 times a day), Papaya, Pineapple, and Grapefruit are all known for their enzymatic content or/ and 'fat-burning' properties. They will break down existing fat storage and prevent more from taking place. DaIly consumption of the first is greatly advised, especially since it also aids fight arthritis and pains and aches in the bones and joints. Small amounts of the one of the others will help greatly with digestion and to break down fat. All around, these are miracle foods to help fight fat! Of course, there are always more but these are great and cheap too!

16. Consider fasting from time to time! Fasting doesn't have to be all the way, i.e. no food! This kind of fast can actually be detrimental to the body if you are not ready for it.  Start slowly based on your current diet and health condition and build it up. If you have a really poor diet or know your body to be highly 'toxic' don't go all the way since you might be causing more harm than good. Whatever you do, drink lots of water all throughout!  Fasting for you could just be cutting out all greasy and processed foods and switching to healthier foods such as fruits and vegetables for a few days. It could also consist in going on a mono-diet, eating one one food at a time for a few days (healthy that is!). If you are a little healthier, it would be having fresh juices and smoothies only for a week or more. And if you are a hardcore and experienced faster, you could go on a 'water' only fast, though I would not recommend this type of fast but rather using a blue-green algae (such as E3LIve) in your water in order to continue to bring a non-invasive yet optimal nutrition to your cells while ripping the benefits of fasting.

17. At this point, providing you with a list of the healthiest foods to eat is beyond the scope of this Weekly Blog post as it requires a separate post of its own (which we'll cover next week). However if you follow the 'live food only' rule, you'll be eating the healthiest food and feeling great all the time. Until next week, 'eat as much fresh, unprocessed foods as possible; that means, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables (the green leafy kinds are packed with vitamins and antioxidants) and freshly sprouted legumes (beans, lentils) and seeds. Miso soup and sea vegetables (algae) should be integrated into any diet to make it most complete and healthful!  And keep drinking the most healthful beverages you can find (Kangen water, E3Live, Green Tea, Raw Coconut Water should be top on your list!)

For more on how to effect permanent changes in your life or ways to achieve permanent weight loss and gravitate towards your ideal weight, consider our Holistic Cleansing Programs which cater to all dimensions of your being. Visit us at www.thesouthbeachdetox.com and www.letloverule.us.

Next week tune in for our weekly "Health & Wellness" blog post covering the final addition to our Special on 'Food/ Lifestyle for Healthy Weight Management'. This last article will feature all the great foods that should be incorporated into our daily diet in order to balance both body and mind, keep healthy, and attain permanent weight loss objectives (or simply achieve our 'ideal' weight). 

Food & Nutrition: 'Foods that naturally detox the body'

Food & Nutrition: 'Foods that naturally detox the body' 

Health Food & Natural Medicine Author, Feb, 2011

Read below to find out more about the many foods available to help naturally detox the body.  These foods are a great addition to supplement a full body cleanse, before, after, and sometimes even in the middle of it.

Foods to detox the body

As toxicity becomes a growing concern within our society so does the need for detox. With newer, stronger chemicals in the air, water, drugs, medications and foods the risk for exposure is much greater than it was in the past. Other factors such as lifestyle also lead to the risk of exposure to pollutants, irritants and toxins. Food plays a major role in the body’s ability to eliminate toxins and chemicals. The body requires essential nutrients through food, supplements or vitamins to maintain metabolic balance. However, a poor diet that consists of foods with additives, flavor enhancers, food coloring, artificial preservatives, and refined and processed foods can compromise the body’s ability to eliminate unnecessary chemicals. Fresh and organically grown foods help to cleanse and detoxify the body. Food that is rich in fiber, high in water content and full of vitamins and minerals all help to eliminate impurities. Detoxifying foods stimulate excretion of toxic chemicals and replace them with nutrients that the body needs to restore health. When you have digestive problems, constipation, a distended stomach or sluggish elimination, look at your diet and replace fast food, soda and empty calorie snacks with these detoxifying foods.

1. Water- Water naturally flushes out chemicals, toxins and impurities from the body through sweat, breathing and urination. By adding an extra quart of water to your daily water intake you can quickly cleanse your system of ingested irritants.

2. Fruit- Fresh fruit is full of water, fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins. Fruits are easily digested and are high in nutrient content. Fruits can be eaten fresh, dried, frozen or juiced. Fruits high liquid content helps to wash out toxins. The list of fruits that can be consumed include apples, pears, oranges, grapefruit, bananas, raisins, pineapple, mango, kiwi fruit, raspberries, strawberries, blackcurrants, melon, sultanas, nectarines and peaches.

3. Lemon- Lemons have a wonderful detoxifying effect on the body. Adding lemon to your water can help to stimulate digestive enzymes. Also drinking hot water with lemon squeezed into it can aid in liver cleansing. Plus lemon is filled with vitamin C and antioxidants, which help to flush toxins such as free radicals from the body.

4. Leafy Green Vegetables- Eating raw vegetables is excellent for your health and can aid in detoxification, and also add a boost to detoxification through chlorophyll. Leafy green vegetables such as blue green algae, barley, wheatgrass, kale, spinach, spirulina, psyllium, cabbage, parsley, cilantro, watercress, alfalfa, chard, and arugula all contain chlorophyll, which help to rid the body of environmental toxins. Chlorophyll is a plant based compound that can flush out smog, heavy metals, herbicides, cleaning products and pesticides from the liver. These greens have a diuretic effect on the body, which causes toxins to be expelled through excretion. Leafy greens are most often used in salads, which are full of fiber and contain fewer calories, which help to flush the system of toxins.

5. Raw Vegetables- Eating raw vegetables helps to naturally cleanse the stomach, intestines and bowels. Raw vegetables also purge the liver of toxins. Vegetables are full of vitamins that are essential for health. Sulphur and glutathione are naturally occurring in many raw vegetables and help to cleanse the liver of toxic chemicals. Good detox vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, beets, radishes, onions, artichokes, seaweed, Brussels sprouts, asparagus and many more.

6. Broccoli- Broccoli is a great detoxifying vegetable as it helps to stimulate digestive enzymes, which encourages weight loss during detox. Broccoli sprouts are more effective than their full-grown counterpart however; they are rich in antioxidants, which encourages waste clearing from the body.

7. Garlic-Garlic is a great choice for any detoxification. In addition to being a blood cleanser, garlic is a natural antibiotic. It can reduce blood fat as well as lower blood pressure. Garlic stimulates cleansing of the liver and helps flush the body of toxic chemicals and impurities. Garlic can be added to food dishes or can be taken as a supplement to avoid the smell.

8. Green Tea- Green tea helps flush out toxins from the body. Green tea is full of antioxidants and boosts the metabolism. Green tea contains catechins, which speeds up liver function.

9. Seeds & Nuts- Seeds and nuts are a great way to detox the body. They are easily digested and aid and protect the liver in cleansing toxins. Seeds and nuts that are good for detoxing include flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashews, walnuts, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds, Siberian cedar nuts, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds. Remember to eat unsalted nuts during detox, because salt can impede the detoxification process.

10. Beans- Beans are a major source of protein and fiber. Legumes are easily digestible and should be part of any detox program. Beans cleanse the stomach of residual toxins and help the body get rid of unwanted impurities. Include kidney beans, pinto beans, garbanzo, soybeans, and mung beans are all great for detoxification.

11. Omega-3 Oils- Foods rich in omega-3s are not only healthy for you but also help to detox the system. Hemp, avocado, olive oils, and flax seed oil are all food sources of omega-3s. When consumed they lubricate the walls of the stomach and intestines which allows toxins to flush out through the bodies natural elimination systems.

12. Figs & Prunes- Figs are high in fiber and contain calcium and essential nutrients for the body. One to two figs a day can help to improve elimination. Prunes help to cleanse the digestive tract. Prunes are high in fiber content but also contain a natural laxative that helps elimination and stops constipation. Prunes can be consumed as a dried fruit or as prune juice.

For more information from this author who graduated with a BA in exercise science and has worked in the medical field since, with a focus in alternative medicine, check out his health website at http://www.universalhealthinfo.com/Detoxifying_Foods.html.

Food & Nutrition: '4 Reasons To Eat Almonds'

Food & Nutrition: '4 Reasons To Eat Almonds' 

Dr. Weil's Weekend Tip, January 30, 2011

Almonds, eaten in moderation, are a very healthy snack.  They are alkanizing to the body, keeping you healthy and free from disease.  They contain vitamins and minerals necessary to the body's proper functioning. For more, read below.

Some of the best snacks you can enjoy (in moderation) are nuts, and almonds in particular. The benefits are plentiful - almonds contain:

1. Monounsaturated fats that help reduce the risk of heart disease

2. Protein to provide sustained energy

3. Calcium for strong and healthy bones

4. Magnesium, which promotes normal blood pressure and healthy metabolism

I recommend unsalted or low-salt almonds that are raw or dry-roasted as a staple in your pantry. Toss almonds in a salad, cereal or yogurt; chop finely to use in a marinade or coat tofu "burgers"; or simply enjoy them on their own!

Other ways to eat almonds include vegetarian paté or stuffing for pears; almonds are versatile. 

Living a long and healthy life: "Foods to stay away from to keep strong bones"

Food, Vitamins and Nutrition

Maintaining strong healthy bones does not only depend upon eating healthy foods and exercising regularly, it also entails staying away from foods that deplete your calcium reserves.  Contrary to popular beliefs (a direct result of relentless advertising campaigns and misconceptions), foods which were once thought to keep your bones in great shape into advanced age have been identified as main culprits in calcium depletion, while other foods prevent absorption of new supplies.  For more, read below.

Foods That Calcium Reacts With

Livestrong.com, December 20, 2010

A variety of foods react with calcium and inhibit the absorption of this mineral into the body. Food containing oxalates, which are high in protein, sugar and salt, and drinks such as coffee and soda can react unfavorably with calcium.

Foods Containing Oxalates
Rhubarb, spinach, strawberries, chocolate, wheat bran, nuts, beets and tea have been found to contain the highest percentage of oxalates. While they shouldn't necessarily be avoided because of the other valuable nutrients they provide, anyone suffering from kidney stones should look for alternatives.
High Protein Foods
Excesses of protein, especially those in meat, when digested produce acids that must be neutralized by calcium. According to Paul Pitchford's "Healing With Whole Foods," animal protein contains excess phosphorus and sulphur, which deplete calcium absorption.
Excess Sugar and Salt
Excess sodium in the diet leads to excretion of calcium in the urine. Excess sugar not only inhibits calcium absorption but promotes excess bacteria and candida in the body. Pitchford recommends consuming celery, lettuce and chlorophyll, plants rich in silicon (a natural fiber), to help to diffuse buildup of yeast in the body and encourage calcium absorption. Sugar, already shown to be a major contributor to diabetes, also depletes phosphorus, another mineral important in facilitating the absorption of calcium.
Coffee and Soda
Phosphoric acid, present in coffee and soda, is found to lower bone density and deplete calcium and phosphorus. In a study published October 2006 in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" of over 3,000 men and women, results showed that daily consumption of soft drinks lowered bone density. Phosphoric acid is a food additive commonly used in processed foods and in combination with caffeine, a diuretic, and sugar, weakens the intestines and assimilation of important nutrients such as calcium.

THE CONTROVERSY AROUND VITAMINS & MINERALS SUPPLEMENTATION

VITAMINS & MINERALS SUPPLEMENTATION

Extra Calcium and Vitamin maybe Harmful says 

New York Times - November 30, 2010

There is no substitute for nature.  This applies to everything, including vitamin and mineral supplementation.  If you want to receive the appropriate level of vitamins and minerals, you need to follow a healthy and varied diet that provides your body with all the natural nutrients and supplements it requires for optimal functioning.  Absorption of synthetic supplements is always less efficient and most likely second-rate when compared to natural absorption received directly through the consumption of vegetables and fruit.  Medical authorities are starting to question supplementation as totally unnecessary and consider it as a potential health risk factor.  For more, read below.

The very high levels of vitamin D that are often recommended by doctors and testing laboratories — and can be achieved only by taking supplements — are unnecessary and could be harmful, an expert committee says. It also concludes that calcium supplements are not needed. The group said most people have adequate amounts of vitamin D in their blood supplied by their diets and natural sources like sunshine, the committee says in a report that is to be released on Tuesday. “For most people, taking extra calcium and vitamin D supplements is not indicated,” said Dr. Clifford J. Rosen, a member of the panel and an osteoporosis expert at the Maine Medical Center Research Institute. Dr. J. Christopher Gallagher, director of the bone metabolism unit at the Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, Neb., agreed, adding, “The onus is on the people who propose extra calcium and vitamin D to show it is safe before they push it on people.” Over the past few years, the idea that nearly everyone needs extra calcium and vitamin D — especially vitamin D — has swept the nation. With calcium, adolescent girls may be the only group that is getting too little, the panel found. Older women, on the other hand, may take too much, putting themselves at risk for kidney stones. And there is evidence that excess calcium can increase the risk of heart disease, the group wrote. As for vitamin D, some prominent doctors have said that most people need supplements or they will be at increased risk for a wide variety of illnesses, including heart disease, cancer and autoimmune diseases. And these days more and more people know their vitamin D levels because they are being tested for it as part of routine physical exams. “The number of vitamin D tests has exploded,” said Dennis Black, a reviewer of the report who is a professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco. At the same time, vitamin D sales have soared, growing faster than those of any supplement, according to The Nutrition Business Journal. Sales rose 82 percent from 2008 to 2009, reaching $430 million. “Everyone was hoping vitamin D would be kind of a panacea,” Dr. Black said. The report, he added, might quell the craze. “I think this will have an impact on a lot of primary care providers,” he said. The 14-member expert committee was convened by the Institute of Medicine, an independent nonprofit scientific body, at the request of the United States and Canadian governments. It was asked to examine the available data — nearly 1,000 publications — to determine how much vitamin D and calcium people were getting, how much was needed for optimal health and how much was too much. The two nutrients work together for bone health. Bone health, though, is only one of the benefits that have been attributed to vitamin D, and there is not enough good evidence to support most other claims, the committee said.

'Fish Oils and Omega-3 fatty acids: A cure for psychotic mental illnesses?'

BBC News - February 17, 2010

The essential fatty acid Omega-3 has tremendous effects on the brain when received in ample quantities, improving brain functioning significantly.  While Omega-3 oils are present in fish, a much healthier alternative - in a time when most fish is contaminated by human pollution and contains poisonous mercury levels - is to turn to organic vegetable sources of Omega-3 such as botanical blue-green algae (which is the source of the Omega-3 for fish) and flax seeds.  For more on the findings related to fish oil, read below. 

The BBC reported that 'taking a daily fish oil capsule can save off mental illness in those at highest risk'.  A three-month course of the supplement appeared to be as effective as drugs, cutting a rate of psychotic illness like

schizophrenia by a quarter. The researchers believe it is the Omega 3 in fish oil already held for promoting healthy hearts that has beneficial effects in the brain.