Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin that plays a role in more than 100 different reactions in the body, which is why you want to get vitamin B6 foods in your diet. This vitamin is needed to help make amino acids, the building blocks of proteins and hundreds of cellular functions. It can also be…
Vitamin B2, also called riboflavin, is an important vitamin that also acts as an antioxidant within the body. Because it’s a water-soluble vitamin, like all B vitamins, vitamin B2 must be obtained through a healthy diet and replenished often — ideally every day — in order to avoid vitamin B2 deficiency. All B vitamins are used…
Eating a variety of thiamine foods has many benefits, both for physical and mental health. The human body does not produce its own thiamine; therefore it must be ingested from foods in the diet. Unlike other nutrients that can sometimes be hard to get enough of, such as vitamin D or magnesium, thiamine is usually…
Are you getting enough iron-rich foods in your diet right now? Iron is a trace mineral found in every living cell in our bodies. It’s a primary component of two proteins: hemoglobin and myoglobin. Hemoglobin is the part of the red blood cell that carries oxygen to the body’s tissues while myoglobin is the part…
Different forms of arteriosclerosis are the primary causes of heart disease and strokes. It's a disease that progresses slowly and can start as early as childhood. Thanks to numerous studies and advancements in technology, we now have a clearer understanding of the complex molecular mechanisms that lead to arterial and coronary heart diseases. Strong evidence…
Seaweed: It’s not just for sushi anymore. In fact, kelp, a form of seaweed, has made its way into kitchens of health-conscious people all over the world — and that’s perfectly OK with me. Considered by many to be a superfood because of its wide variety of nutrients, kelp has been a staple of several Asian…
In the U.S., diabetes — or diabetes mellitus (DM) — is full-blown epidemic, and that’s not hyperbole. According to the CDC, an estimated 29 million Americans have some form of diabetes, nearly 9 percent of the population, and even more alarming, the average American has a one in three chance of developing diabetes symptoms at…
It's no secret that most Americans consume an unhealthy diet, which is perhaps the leading reason there are so many health issues in the U.S. In fact, compared to Japan, Americans are more likely to develop heart disease and cancer. But if we change the way we eat to reflect more of the healthier countries…
Adrenal insufficiency is a condition that occurs when your adrenal glands become impaired and therefore don't produce high enough levels of several important hormones. In people with adrenal insufficiency, levels of the hormones cortisol and aldosterone (a type of mineralocorticoid) are both usually lower than in healthy people. The adrenal glands are truly amazing in…
We all know pineapple as a delicious tropical fruit that garnishes our drinks, but did you know that there are also so many pineapple benefits due to its hefty dose of vitamins and minerals? This tasty fruit provides you with vitamin C, vitamin B1, potassium and manganese, in addition to other special compounds and antioxidants that studies…
