Supplements- Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamins and minerals are the most common health supplements. Vitamin are chemicals that are required by our body in tiny amounts. They have diverse functions in our body- Vitamin B helps to catalyse metabolism, C helps to raise immunity, D is used in hormones, E has antioxidants, etc. A deficiency of vitamins can cause a number of diseases, ranging from night blindness to scurvy. We recommend a daily multivitamin. Note that overuse of vitamins is harmful and causes diseases, so only take the recommended dosage- table below. Vitamins are good for you, but do not substitute essential dietary minerals. Read on to know about them..
Photo- Vitamins and Minerals (scp@flickr)
Minerals, like sodium, potassium, calcium, zinc, iron, etc are also required by the body to perform biological functions. Similar to vitamins, lack or the excess of them can cause health disorders, so ensure you are getting the recommended daily intake (table below). Higher mineral requirements depend on your age, sex, occupation - women are at a higher risk of osteoperosis, so they are recommended to have calcium rich foods. Athletes sweat a lot, so they are recommended to get higher amounts of sodium ions to help maintain their blood pressure.
| Nutrient | EAR | RDA/AI | UL | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin A | 2083 | 3000 | 10000 | IU |
| Vitamin C | 75 | 90 | 2000 | mg |
| Vitamin D | NE | 200 | 2000 | IU |
| Vitamin K | NE | 120 | ND | µg |
| Vitamin B6 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 100 | mg |
| α-tocopherol (E) | 12 | 15 | 1000 | IU |
| Biotin | NE | 30 | ND | µg |
| Boron | NE | - | 20 | mg |
| Calcium | NE | 1000 | 2500 | mg |
| Chloride | NE | 2300 | 3600 | mg |
| Chromium | NE | 35 | ND | µg |
| Choline | NE | 550 | 3500 | mg |
| Copper | 700 | 900 | 10000 | µg |
| Cyanocobalamin (B12) | 2.0 | 2.4 | ND | µg |
| Fluoride | NE | 4 | 10 | mg |
| Folate (B9) | 320 | 400 | 1000 | µg |
| Iodine | 95 | 150 | 1100 | µg |
| Iron | 6 | 8 | 45 | mg |
| Magnesium | 330 | 420 | 350a | mg |
| Manganese | NE | 2.3 | 11 | mg |
| Molybdenum | 34 | 45 | 2000 | µg |
| Niacin (B3) | 12 | 16 | 35 | mg |
| Nickel | NE | - | 1.0 | mg |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) | NE | 5 | ND | mg |
| Phosphorus | 580 | 700 | 4000 | mg |
| Potassium | NE | 4700 | ND | mg |
| Thiamin (B1) | 1.0 | 1.2 | ND | mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 1.1 | 1.3 | ND | mg |
| Selenium | 45 | 55 | 400 | µg |
| Sodium | NE | 1500 | 2300 | mg |
| Sulfate | NE | - | ND | - |
| Zinc | 9.4 | 11 | 40 | mg |
Note that vitamins and minerals are best obtained from foods that are rich in them. But since its very hard to maintain a diet that is completely balanced in all nutrients, so vitamins and minerals help us do just that.
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Are supplements good for health?
We often associate ’supplements’ with steroids, but supplements are simply what we consume to supplement our diet. With the state of our diets, to ensure we get complete nutrition, it can help to use supplements. There are many types of supplements. In the next series of articles, we will consider the basic health supplements, what they contain, what you should look for, and their health effects.
Photo- Health Supplements (andrei z@flickr)
Here is the listing of categories:
Vitamins and Minerals: These are probably the most commonly used supplements. Most of us have had a multi-vitamin or a calcium pill.
Protein Powders: Protein powders are also getting very popular, since many diets do not get enough protein, so these powders can help to supplement those. Good for gaining muscle and burning fat
Fat Burners/Diet Pills: These supplements help people reduce body fat content, help them control their diets and claim to increase fat burning rates.
Weight Gainers: These are high calorie supplements for quick weight gain- good for those looking to gain muscle and those just looking to fill up 
Muscle Builders: These are supplements like Creatine and Amino Acids. These are chemicals that are used by our body to enhance or control certain processes that can speed up muscle building, slow down fat storage, or improve muscle recovery.
This list can go on, but we’ll cap it here. Over the next few articles, we’ll cover these supplements and their health effects.
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Are Frooti drinkers fat and unhealthy?
Have you seen the new frooti ad? (watch below) It is full on unhealthy looking people. Most of them are really out of shape. Is Frooti trying to imply that its drinkers get unhealthy like that? Mango is healthy, but mango flavoured drinks like these are loaded with sugar, and we all know that Sugar Makes you Fat. If you keep drinking sugar loaded drinks consistently, you will promote fat storage in your body, and become unhealthy.
Indians are a higher risk of diabetes and hypertension- India is projected to be the diabetes capital of the world by 2050. Obesity is also on the rise in India. Indians already lead such sedentary lives, that its important for us to ensure we stay healthy and fit. Have you been trying to reduce fat, lose weight, or gain muscle- Call us at 0-98108-20937 or email us at neha@fitho.in. We provide effective diet plans and exercise plans that are customized to your needs.
If the video doesn’t work, view it here- YouTube Frooti New Ad. On a side note, we think its an interesting ad film
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Hop, skip, jump.. to burn fat
10 minutes of skipping rope can provide the same calorie burn as 30 minutes of running!
And you thought skipping rope is only for little girls? Guess what, you got that wrong. Professional boxers and other athletes skip rope, because its a phenomenal calorie burning workout.
Photo- Jump Rope, Burn Calories (eosxti@flickr)
It takes practice to jump rope- keep your weight on the balls of your feet, knees slightly bent and don’t jump to high.. maybe, an inch. Keep your body straight, look in front and keep your arms close to your body. Try to land softly, so you reduce the impact on your joints.
When you start, aim for 5 sets of 12 repetitions, so you hit a total of 60 repetitions. Work your way upto 10 sets. As you get better, go up to 5-10 minutes of continuous jumping rope.
So, guess what .. its time you asked your 5 year old niece to teach you how to skip rope. One more thing- buy your own jump rope. Its a great investment for your health.
Below is an instructional video of how to skip rope
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Exercises to strengthen lower back muscles
In our previous article, we talked about how improving your posture can help you get slimmer instantly. To help you improve your posture, try these exercise to strengthen your lower back. Here are some simple exercises that help:
- Run: Yes, among the many benefits of running, it helps to strengthen your lower back muscles, and improve your posture.
- Back Raises: Lie, face down on an exercise mat, with your arms and legs extended in opposite directions. Keeping your arms and legs straight, simultaneously raise your arms and legs till your body forms a flat U. Refer to the photo for a visual. Hold this position for 1 second and lower down. Repeat this 10 times for each set. This will help to strengthen your back. As you build lower back strength, increase the repetitions and time you hold it up in the air.
Photo- Back Raise Exercise- Lower Back Muscle (courtesy: fitsugar)
- Watch TV: Or read a book, on a backless chair, and keep your back straight while doing it. This simple activity will help your back too.
Many exercises can help you back. Among them is the classic pushup also, which helps to build total upper body strength along with your back- check it out here. Building your lower back exercises will also help to build a six-pack. These exercises are for both men and women, so you should all do it!
Note: These exercises are not meant to reduce back pain, so please see a doctor for back pain.
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Tips: Get back to slim, quick!
The most important tip to look instantly slimmer is to have the right posture. You’ve heard it before, but its true! It help you look slimmer and burn more calories.
We tend to slouch when we sit, stand, drive, etc. Ever wondered why? Its your lazy body’s way to support its weight. Slouching makes all your upper body weight get supported by your backbone, instead of your back and abdominal muscles.
Photo- Back- Good Posture (ninja12@flickr)
To improve your posture, check out these exercises for lower back muscles. When you stand up straight, it elongates your torso so you instantly look slimmer. Your back bone is essential to almost all physical activity. It protects you spinal cord. So, protect it by taking away the pressure of supporting your upper body. Try this compete upper body exercise.
Also when you stand straight, you use your back and abdominal muscles to support your upper body weight. This strengthens your torso muscles (also known as your core), raises your metabolic rate and burns more calories. So, it has a double benefit. Not only do you look instantly slimmer, you also build muscle, and stoke your calorie burning mechanism.
Having a hard time keeping your back straight? In our next article, we’ll tell you simple exercises that you can do to help strengthen your lower back, for a better posture and smaller tummy
More tips to get lean and slim quick!
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Dangers and Side Effects of Detox Diets
Detox diets are very popular, but they can have serious side effects. A British woman suffered permanent brain damage after a week of a prescribed diet. That’s not the standard, but you must be aware of the health effects.
First of all, there is no scientifically proven reason to put yourself on a detox diet. These diets are extremely imbalanced. Some of them keep you on a liquid diet, depriving your body of basic nutrients. Others suggest herbal laxatives and colonics. Our bodies have natural detoxification methods that work very well, so we do we really need these?
Photo- Detox Diet (troyfish@flickr)
Because these are extremely low calorie diets, people experience common symptoms such as tiredness and lethargy. Long term detox diets can cause headaches, constipation, bad breath, and your metabolic rate will slow down, thus you will burn less fat. Also, since these diets are so restrictive on calories, your body goes into a starvation mode- it will store all your consumed calories as fat, and burn muscle.
To cleanse your colon, increase fiber in your diet. The diuretics and laxatives increase your waste output, and can cause severe dehydration. Also, they can change your electrolyte levels which may result in serious health problems. These diets can weaken your body’s immune system to fight infection and inflammation.
Read about Atkins, GM and other diets- along with their side effects here. Many people use these diets to lose weight. They do experience fast weight loss, but due to the nature of the diet, once they return to their normal life, they regain the weight back. The key really is to adopting a healthy diet that is long term. And a healthy diet does not mean boiled veggies and raw fruits. It just needs to be balanced. Also the focus should be on losing fat (not weight- read here) and being healthy.
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Tips to improve your health, fitness and sex life
In our previous article, we talked about how an unhealthy diet can negatively affect your sex life. Here, we will tell you all about how you can improve it
- Watch the Fat: The daily fat content of your diet should not be more than 30%. That’s the stipulated guideline for fat content in your diet. If you go over, you risk increasing fat storage in your body, along with cholesterol build up. High cholesterol reduces blood flow to all parts of your including your genitals for sexual arousal.
Photo- Tips for Healthy Sex bothrop@flickr
- Eat lots of fiber: Soluble fiber help to clean cholesterol build up in your arteries. With cleaner arteries, more blood can flow to all parts of your body, including your privates. Common sources of soluble fibre are legumes, oats, rye, barley, broccoli, carrots, onions, potatoes, apples and other fruits, etc. Check her for the whole list of sources.
- Do your Cardio: Cardiovascular exercises like cycling, running keep bad cholesterol down and raises good cholesterol. They also improves blood flow and circulation in your body, again benefiting sex life. Need some help to start running?- Here are tips to start running
So, keep the alcohol under control with these low calorie alcoholic drinks, follow these tips and improve your sex life.
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