Beginning July, The Organic Affair owner Donna Mayfield will join the Freedom from PCOS Inner Circle Board of Directors, advising and contributing on nutrition and natural supplements.
Freedom from PCOS is a Web site devoted to helping women cope with the troubling effects of polycystic ovary syndrome, which can affect women’s menstrual cycle, ability to have children, hormones, heart and appearance.
It’s estimated that some 5 million women in the U.S. suffer from PCOS, and the condition can appear in girls as early as age 11.
Though the cause of PCOS is presently unknown, experts agree the underlying problem is hormonal imbalance. Women with PCOS make more male hormone, or androgens, in their ovaries, and they generally also have a higher serum level of the hormone insulin.
Though an array of drug therapies are currently used to treat PCOS symptoms, some of which carry the possibility of significant side-effects and the potential of unintended consequences, there are several natural considerations as well.
First and foremost – think about a few lifestyle changes, particularly your diet. A diet high in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lean meats and low in processed foods and added sugars is a good place to start.
For hormonal imbalances, an excellent consideration is always primrose, sometimes known as evening primrose oil. Primrose is a natural estrogen promoter, containing lignans, calcium, magnesium, zinc, vitamin E and essential fatty acids.
Primrose oil has long been linked to supporting a healthy response to menopausal symptoms and menstrual problems associated with hormone imbalance. Note: Primrose should not be used during pregnancy.
Borage oils, also containing essential fatty acids, the B vitamins along with iron, magnesium phosphorus and zinc, act as an adrenal tonic and gland balancer and may also help maintain a healthy hormonal balance.
In any event, essential fatty acids and oils are, well, essential to a healthy diet. Omega 3 is found in oily, cold water fish like salmon, herring and sardines. The American Heart Association recommends eating them twice a week. Other sources are spirulina, pumpkin, chia and flax seeds.
Grape seed, borage oil and primrose oil are good natural sources of Omega 6.
If we have enough omegas 3 and 6, our bodies will produce omega 9, monounsaturated oleic and stearic acid, whose benefits include boosting the immune system and prevention of artery hardening. Omega 9 also helps regulate the ratio of omegas 3 and 6.
Regardless of your condition or symptoms, a healthy, lean diet is always the best place to start. Reduce the junk and gunk and make sure to check your oils.
To follow Donna and The Organic Affair on Freedom from PCOS or to refer a friend to the site, go to www.freedomfrompcos.com/inner-circle.
Jim Mayfield is the lead shipper and loader for The Organic Affair, online retailer of natural, organic whole food vitamins, supplements, organic teas, and natural skin care and cosmetics at www.theorganicaffair.com.
Copyright ©2010 Jim Mayfield
Monday, August 30, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
Gingko Biloba: Food for Thought
You may have heard about the latest study on ginkgo biloba. The one that said there was no real evidence that ginkgo really did much of anything. Really.
It’s no wonder people just give up, don their hiking boots, load a stout llama (email me if you want to hear my lama, with one “L” story about Donna and the San Diego airport) and disappear deep into the Bitterroot Mountains of Montana. Forever.
Honestly, can it really be this hard? The ginkgo is an ornamental Chinese tree that has been around for thousands of years. People have been using the extract from its leaves for about as long, and I suppose, according to the most recent study, for absolutely no good reason.
Centuries ago people began crushing ginkgo leaves and pulling out the good stuff knowing it wasn’t doing them any good. And it makes sense. They knew golf clubs wouldn’t be invented for another couple hundred years, so what else was one to do after a Saturday morning of hunter-gathering.
I don’t mind a beaker-head. Some of them are surprisingly nice people, and a select few can actually name the city where the Chicago Bears play. But they also used to think the world was flat and the earth was the center of the universe.
If you need some anecdotal – translate: real world – evidence as to whether there’s anything to ginkgo, follow the money.
It seems one of the largest health care companies in the world with cubbies and crannies chock full of beaker-heads, Bayer AG, (that’s right, the aspirin guys) has introduced a new line of…Oh, my word, someone slap me…nutritional supplements.
Say it isn’t so.
Among this German-based conglomerate’s offerings is a formula of omega-3s and – you guessed it – ginkgo biloba to “help support healthy brain function, memory, concentration, and mental sharpness.” Their marketing words; not mine.
I guess they don’t play much golf in Germany.
Now say what you want about big-time pharmaceutical companies, but you can’t argue the fact they know how to turn a buck. According to Bayer’s web site, its nutritional supplement subgroup alone generated 9.4 billion euros worldwide in 2005, which translates to roughly a nifty $11.3 billion.
And I suppose they poured all that effort into products that don’t do anything for you.
OK, you take my point.
Ginkgo increases blood flow to the brain and central nervous system, thereby enhancing memory and brain function.
It is also an antioxidant, and it’s beneficial properties have been linked to favorable outcomes in depression, dementia, eczema, cardio issues and may slow the progression of Alzheimers in some individuals.
Here at The Organic Affair, we have our own ginkgo and omega-3 formula in Neurozyme by New Chapter, an herbal extract obtained without the use of chemical solvents. Unlike the process used by…other companies.
One important word of caution: if you presently take medications, especially blood thinners and/or over-the-counter pain killers, please consult your physician or health care provider before starting a ginkgo regimen as the herb can sometimes act as an anti-coagulant, and there is a risk of internal bleeding.
The seemingly never-ending confusion and contradictions surrounding supplements is hard to fathom at best. If you need to take an aspirin, I’ll understand.
Jim Mayfield is the lead shipper and loader for The Organic Affair, online retailer of natural, organic whole food vitamins and supplements at www.theorganicaffair.com.
Copyright ©2010 Jim Mayfield
It’s no wonder people just give up, don their hiking boots, load a stout llama (email me if you want to hear my lama, with one “L” story about Donna and the San Diego airport) and disappear deep into the Bitterroot Mountains of Montana. Forever.
Honestly, can it really be this hard? The ginkgo is an ornamental Chinese tree that has been around for thousands of years. People have been using the extract from its leaves for about as long, and I suppose, according to the most recent study, for absolutely no good reason.
Centuries ago people began crushing ginkgo leaves and pulling out the good stuff knowing it wasn’t doing them any good. And it makes sense. They knew golf clubs wouldn’t be invented for another couple hundred years, so what else was one to do after a Saturday morning of hunter-gathering.
I don’t mind a beaker-head. Some of them are surprisingly nice people, and a select few can actually name the city where the Chicago Bears play. But they also used to think the world was flat and the earth was the center of the universe.
If you need some anecdotal – translate: real world – evidence as to whether there’s anything to ginkgo, follow the money.
It seems one of the largest health care companies in the world with cubbies and crannies chock full of beaker-heads, Bayer AG, (that’s right, the aspirin guys) has introduced a new line of…Oh, my word, someone slap me…nutritional supplements.
Say it isn’t so.
Among this German-based conglomerate’s offerings is a formula of omega-3s and – you guessed it – ginkgo biloba to “help support healthy brain function, memory, concentration, and mental sharpness.” Their marketing words; not mine.
I guess they don’t play much golf in Germany.
Now say what you want about big-time pharmaceutical companies, but you can’t argue the fact they know how to turn a buck. According to Bayer’s web site, its nutritional supplement subgroup alone generated 9.4 billion euros worldwide in 2005, which translates to roughly a nifty $11.3 billion.
And I suppose they poured all that effort into products that don’t do anything for you.
OK, you take my point.
Ginkgo increases blood flow to the brain and central nervous system, thereby enhancing memory and brain function.
It is also an antioxidant, and it’s beneficial properties have been linked to favorable outcomes in depression, dementia, eczema, cardio issues and may slow the progression of Alzheimers in some individuals.
Here at The Organic Affair, we have our own ginkgo and omega-3 formula in Neurozyme by New Chapter, an herbal extract obtained without the use of chemical solvents. Unlike the process used by…other companies.
One important word of caution: if you presently take medications, especially blood thinners and/or over-the-counter pain killers, please consult your physician or health care provider before starting a ginkgo regimen as the herb can sometimes act as an anti-coagulant, and there is a risk of internal bleeding.
The seemingly never-ending confusion and contradictions surrounding supplements is hard to fathom at best. If you need to take an aspirin, I’ll understand.
Jim Mayfield is the lead shipper and loader for The Organic Affair, online retailer of natural, organic whole food vitamins and supplements at www.theorganicaffair.com.
Copyright ©2010 Jim Mayfield
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Dietary Supplements - Why Researchers Are Missing the Point
Somebody asked me the other day why we sell vitamins and supplements when studies abound saying we can get everything our bodies need from a healthy diet.
I couldn’t have been happier.
It is true, one probably can get all the nutrients and vitamins one needs through eating right and keep the body functioning well with the proper amount of exercise. Supplement bashers of all stripes, especially medical researchers, have no problem opining that dietary supplementation is a waste and of little force because, they drone, we can get everything we need…yada, yada, yada.
We’re not arguing with them. They are just missing the point.
How many weeks running have you had your two to three servings of cold-water fish or other source of omega fatty acids? How many consecutive days running have passed since you had your five daily servings (at the very least) of fruits and vegetables? The government recommends at least two cups of fruits and three cups of veggies daily.
Ok – have you had an apple in the last couple of days? Something? Anything?
Then there is the whole issue of processed and fast foods. The fact of the matter is America is tilted toward fast and convenient; healthy is probably back deep in the pack, running well off the pace. How many fast-food restaurants do you pass on your way home? Now, how many fresh produce stands do you pass along the same route.
A recent New York Times article stated Americans eat 31 percent more packaged and processed food than fresh food. The Center for Disease Control states the average American eats three burgers and four orders of fries per week.
That ain’t cold-water fish.
The percentage of kids who are overweight has tripled over the last 30 years, and obesity has become such a pandemic that governments have considered a weight tax on sweetened foods.
That’s why we sell natural, high-quality vitamins and supplements. We sell them because we – you, me, most of us – do not eat as well as we should for optimum health and we need them. This really isn’t news.
A 1998 article in the New England Journal of Medicine noted that since 1970, 25 percent of Americans regularly consumed a daily multivitamin and folic acid, and – lo and behold – these folks and their children were healthier.
There are just a myriad of vitamins, fats and nutrients that our bodies need for peak performance and health, and most likely we’re not eating the right foods or the right foods in the right amounts to get them.
If you’re eating the right things in the right amounts, then you may not need to supplement with something specific or generally with a daily vitamin. But before you start dancing on the tables, you’re still not out of the woods, tough guy. There’s also the issue of the laundry list of enzymes and hormones your body stops producing with age. That’s stops producing with a capital “stops.”
That’s for next week. For now go eat an apple and take your vitamin.
Copyright ©2010 Jim Mayfield
I couldn’t have been happier.
It is true, one probably can get all the nutrients and vitamins one needs through eating right and keep the body functioning well with the proper amount of exercise. Supplement bashers of all stripes, especially medical researchers, have no problem opining that dietary supplementation is a waste and of little force because, they drone, we can get everything we need…yada, yada, yada.
We’re not arguing with them. They are just missing the point.
How many weeks running have you had your two to three servings of cold-water fish or other source of omega fatty acids? How many consecutive days running have passed since you had your five daily servings (at the very least) of fruits and vegetables? The government recommends at least two cups of fruits and three cups of veggies daily.
Ok – have you had an apple in the last couple of days? Something? Anything?
Then there is the whole issue of processed and fast foods. The fact of the matter is America is tilted toward fast and convenient; healthy is probably back deep in the pack, running well off the pace. How many fast-food restaurants do you pass on your way home? Now, how many fresh produce stands do you pass along the same route.
A recent New York Times article stated Americans eat 31 percent more packaged and processed food than fresh food. The Center for Disease Control states the average American eats three burgers and four orders of fries per week.
That ain’t cold-water fish.
The percentage of kids who are overweight has tripled over the last 30 years, and obesity has become such a pandemic that governments have considered a weight tax on sweetened foods.
That’s why we sell natural, high-quality vitamins and supplements. We sell them because we – you, me, most of us – do not eat as well as we should for optimum health and we need them. This really isn’t news.
A 1998 article in the New England Journal of Medicine noted that since 1970, 25 percent of Americans regularly consumed a daily multivitamin and folic acid, and – lo and behold – these folks and their children were healthier.
There are just a myriad of vitamins, fats and nutrients that our bodies need for peak performance and health, and most likely we’re not eating the right foods or the right foods in the right amounts to get them.
If you’re eating the right things in the right amounts, then you may not need to supplement with something specific or generally with a daily vitamin. But before you start dancing on the tables, you’re still not out of the woods, tough guy. There’s also the issue of the laundry list of enzymes and hormones your body stops producing with age. That’s stops producing with a capital “stops.”
That’s for next week. For now go eat an apple and take your vitamin.
Copyright ©2010 Jim Mayfield
Monday, July 26, 2010
Chia Seed: Lots of Good Stuff in a Small Package
It is an ancient seed once prized by Aztec warriors who would never entertain a conquest without it and considered it a Superfood for endurance. It is a whole food source of pure Omega3, and just recently Dr. Oz featured this dynamic little seed on Oprah recommending it for dietary fiber and omega-3’s.
And you thought chia was only used to sprout “hair” on terra cotta likenesses of sheep, Uncle Charley and Homer Simpson.
Chia, known formally as salvia hispanica, is a remarkably nutritious seed that is power packed with omega-3’s, omega-6 and loaded with high-ORAC antioxidants, calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc and many trace minerals.
While it is a staple among hikers and mountain climbers, chia seed taken everyday can easily become a dietary essential for anyone who suffers from PCOS by enhancing your energy, stamina and endurance.
Pound for pound, this tiny little seed – about 1 mm in diameter – is chocked full of proteins, oils and dietary fiber. About 34 percent of chia is oil, and 64 percent of that is omega-3, an essential fatty acid.
It’s important to know that our bodies do not produce omega-3. We can only ingest it by eating cold water fish like herring, salmon and sardines or spirulina, pumpkin or chia seeds.
The American Heart Association recommends at least two servings of an omega-3 source weekly.
More importantly, chia absorbs more than 12 times its weight in water, prolonging hydration and helping the body regulate body fluids and the absorbtion of nutrients and also maintaining electrolyte balance.
Researchers also believe the gel that forms when chia begins to absorb moisture creates a barrier of sorts between carbohydrates and digestive enzymes, slowing the conversion of carbs to sugar. The decreased conversion rate is the primary factor in increased endurance without the highs and lows, peaks and valleys, normally associated with the process.
PCOS symptoms range broadly, and rarely will one find one “magic pill” for the condition. So it is vitally important to start at the beginning, where the rubber meets the road, with a well balanced, healthy diet.
Incorporating chia, with its abundance of protein, fiber and essential oils, is sound addition to anyone’s diet, no less for those that suffer from PCOS.
Now, go water Uncle Charley’s head.
And you thought chia was only used to sprout “hair” on terra cotta likenesses of sheep, Uncle Charley and Homer Simpson.
Chia, known formally as salvia hispanica, is a remarkably nutritious seed that is power packed with omega-3’s, omega-6 and loaded with high-ORAC antioxidants, calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc and many trace minerals.
While it is a staple among hikers and mountain climbers, chia seed taken everyday can easily become a dietary essential for anyone who suffers from PCOS by enhancing your energy, stamina and endurance.
Pound for pound, this tiny little seed – about 1 mm in diameter – is chocked full of proteins, oils and dietary fiber. About 34 percent of chia is oil, and 64 percent of that is omega-3, an essential fatty acid.
It’s important to know that our bodies do not produce omega-3. We can only ingest it by eating cold water fish like herring, salmon and sardines or spirulina, pumpkin or chia seeds.
The American Heart Association recommends at least two servings of an omega-3 source weekly.
More importantly, chia absorbs more than 12 times its weight in water, prolonging hydration and helping the body regulate body fluids and the absorbtion of nutrients and also maintaining electrolyte balance.
Researchers also believe the gel that forms when chia begins to absorb moisture creates a barrier of sorts between carbohydrates and digestive enzymes, slowing the conversion of carbs to sugar. The decreased conversion rate is the primary factor in increased endurance without the highs and lows, peaks and valleys, normally associated with the process.
PCOS symptoms range broadly, and rarely will one find one “magic pill” for the condition. So it is vitally important to start at the beginning, where the rubber meets the road, with a well balanced, healthy diet.
Incorporating chia, with its abundance of protein, fiber and essential oils, is sound addition to anyone’s diet, no less for those that suffer from PCOS.
Now, go water Uncle Charley’s head.
Monday, July 19, 2010
The Complex Nature of B Vitamins
It’s hard to overestimate the importance of vitamin B complex, primarily because vitamin B is not one compound, but eight different vitamins your body uses, quite literally, from head to toe.
Turkey, liver and tuna are excellent sources of B complex, and these water-soluble compounds can also be found in whole, unprocessed foods such as molasses, lentils, whole grains, potatoes, bananas, tempeh and c hile peppers.
As with most vitamins and nutrients, if you’re eating a wholesome, healthy diet, you can expect to get the B complex vitamins you need. If you’re not eating right, however, you need to consider other sources.
New Chapter's Coenzyme B Food Complex™ delivers 8 different nourishing probiotic vitamins as well as 11 stress-balancing, soothing and restorative herbs and mushrooms cultured for maximum effectiveness.
Thiamine (B1) is absolutely essential for daily function. Every part of your body, especially the heart, needs it to make energy.
Riboflavin (B2) assists in the production of red blood cells, helps the nervous system to function properly and activates B6 and folic acid to make them more effective.
Niacin (B3) has been shown to be an effective treatment for high cholesterol and helps breakdown and release energy from carbs, fats and proteins.
B5 is converted to pantethine, which can lower triglyceride and to a lesser extent reduce blood serum cholesterol levels, benefiting those with high triglyceride levels and Type 2 diabetes.
B6 is needed to produce the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine, so its cognitive attributes are particularly important. There is also strong evidence that B6 can significantly lower chances of heart disease, and it has been linked positively to treatments for PMS, childhood asthma and Alzheimer’s disease.
B12 is important for metabolism and maintaining a healthy nervous system and cognitive function. It is necessary for calcium absorption, and research indicates that the body’s ability to absorb B12 declines with age. It should be noted that B12 is not available from plants, which is a considerable concern for those on vegetarian and vegan diets.
Biotin (B7) is required for the formation of certain nucleic acids and glycogen, and important enzyme in the digestive and energy-producing process. It is also necessary for healthy hair and nails.
Supplementation of folic acid, or B9, is recommended during pregnancy, and research also shows its use may slow the effects of age on cognitive functions and the brain. Its key function is metabolizing fatty and amino acids, and it also helps in the production of red blood cells.
The B complex vitamins also reduce the effects of stress on the body.
So which one do you want to do without? Oh, and by the way – and we’re not making eye contact with anyone here – but a study found in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that an over-abundance of alcohol intake reduces vitamin B levels in the body.
Just thought you might want to know before Friday night.
So think about what you’re eating. If you’re not getting your vitamin B, you’re not getting a lot of things your body needs.
Jim Mayfield is the lead shipper and writer for The Organic Affair, online retailer of natural, organic whole food vitamins, supplements, and organic teas. Visit us at www.theorganicaffair.com.
Turkey, liver and tuna are excellent sources of B complex, and these water-soluble compounds can also be found in whole, unprocessed foods such as molasses, lentils, whole grains, potatoes, bananas, tempeh and c hile peppers.
As with most vitamins and nutrients, if you’re eating a wholesome, healthy diet, you can expect to get the B complex vitamins you need. If you’re not eating right, however, you need to consider other sources.
New Chapter's Coenzyme B Food Complex™ delivers 8 different nourishing probiotic vitamins as well as 11 stress-balancing, soothing and restorative herbs and mushrooms cultured for maximum effectiveness.
Thiamine (B1) is absolutely essential for daily function. Every part of your body, especially the heart, needs it to make energy.
Riboflavin (B2) assists in the production of red blood cells, helps the nervous system to function properly and activates B6 and folic acid to make them more effective.
Niacin (B3) has been shown to be an effective treatment for high cholesterol and helps breakdown and release energy from carbs, fats and proteins.
B5 is converted to pantethine, which can lower triglyceride and to a lesser extent reduce blood serum cholesterol levels, benefiting those with high triglyceride levels and Type 2 diabetes.
B6 is needed to produce the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine, so its cognitive attributes are particularly important. There is also strong evidence that B6 can significantly lower chances of heart disease, and it has been linked positively to treatments for PMS, childhood asthma and Alzheimer’s disease.
B12 is important for metabolism and maintaining a healthy nervous system and cognitive function. It is necessary for calcium absorption, and research indicates that the body’s ability to absorb B12 declines with age. It should be noted that B12 is not available from plants, which is a considerable concern for those on vegetarian and vegan diets.
Biotin (B7) is required for the formation of certain nucleic acids and glycogen, and important enzyme in the digestive and energy-producing process. It is also necessary for healthy hair and nails.
Supplementation of folic acid, or B9, is recommended during pregnancy, and research also shows its use may slow the effects of age on cognitive functions and the brain. Its key function is metabolizing fatty and amino acids, and it also helps in the production of red blood cells.
The B complex vitamins also reduce the effects of stress on the body.
So which one do you want to do without? Oh, and by the way – and we’re not making eye contact with anyone here – but a study found in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that an over-abundance of alcohol intake reduces vitamin B levels in the body.
Just thought you might want to know before Friday night.
So think about what you’re eating. If you’re not getting your vitamin B, you’re not getting a lot of things your body needs.
Jim Mayfield is the lead shipper and writer for The Organic Affair, online retailer of natural, organic whole food vitamins, supplements, and organic teas. Visit us at www.theorganicaffair.com.
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