Nutrition Information

Poor Dental Hygiene May Account for Poor Health


Bright white teeth and fresh breath does not necessarily mean you have a healthy mouth!  General health is directly related to gum health.  Gum disease has been linked to several medical conditions such as stroke, diabetes, heart attack and worsening lung disease. Healthy gums can reduce a person's biological age by up to 6.4 years. Why? Because studies show that the presence of periodontal diseases, most common in people with tooth loss, actually affects longevity. The best of these studies, done at Emory University in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control, indicates that people with gingivitis and periodontal disease have a mortality rate that is 23% to 46% higher than those who don't. Keeping your gums clean and healthy may help reduce the risk of many illnesses, including heart disease.   Gum Disease Gum disease or periodontal disease, a chronic inflammation and infection of the gums and surrounding tissue, is the major cause of about 70 percent of adult tooth loss, affecting three out of four persons at some point in their life. Red swollen and bleeding gums characterize gum disease in the initial stages and progresses to infections, chronic inflammation and bone loss in later stages. Eventually bacteria are allowed to flow freely through your gums and into your blood stream that activates and stresses the immune system.  Heart Attack Research shows that people with gum disease are 25% more likely to have a heart attack. Bacteria originating from the gums to the veins and arteries cause plaque build up and arterial inflammation that can provoke jeopardous clotting. A 12-year study conducted by Harvard University researchers and 41,000 healthy men free of cardiovascular disease showed that those with periodontal disease had more clot related strokes. Diabetes Periodontal disease severely affects the control of blood sugars.  The spread of bacteria through out the body through the blood stream stresses and confuses the body when trying to adjust sugars to the invasion.  Antibiotic treatment has help diabetics control blood sugars while treating the infections caused by gum disease. Lung Infections Breathing in oral bacteria caused by gum disease can cause lung infections. Bacteria that grow in the oral cavities can be breathed into the lungs to cause respiratory disease such as pneumonia.  

Food Sources That Boost Glutathione Naturally


Copyright © 2004 Priya Shah

How Can Fat Be Essential?


How Can Fat Be Essential? By Garry Gamber        Did you know that some fats are essential to the body?  Yes, there are some fats that our body cannot produce which means that we must get them from our food.  Perhaps you?ve heard of omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids.  These are both considered essential and must be supplied by the foods we eat.        What do they do?  Well, the omega-3 fatty acid, for example is used for the production of healthy cell membranes and for the production of a class of hormones called prostaglandins.  You know how aspirin and acetominophen are anti-inflammatories?  So are the prostaglandins that our bodies produce from omega-3 fatty acids.        Now, we need the omega-3?s and the omega-6?s to be in the proper combination to be most effective to us.  Empirical evidence shows that the proper ratio is about 4:1 between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.  What do you suppose our average diet gives us?  About a 20:1 and up to a 40:1 ratio; not even close to the optimal ratio.        Why is the balance so out of whack?  Well, our normal diets are rich in omega-6 fatty acids.  We get them from meats, dairy products, and processed foods.  We eat a lot of those foods on average.  We get omega-3 fatty acids from certain vegetable oils such as flaxseed, canola, and soybean.  And we get omega-3 fatty acids from cold-water fish such as mackerel, sardines, salmon, and tuna.        Eat more fish!  You?ve heard that said before, and now you know why.        Especially the salmon.  It is especially rich in the beneficial omega-3 fatty acids.  Salmon , or any of the other omega-3 rich fish (but what tastes better than good salmon?) should be consumed at least once a week.        In order to get the omega-6 vs. omega-3 ratio in order, decrease your consumption of the saturated fat from meats and dairy products and increase your consumption of fish such as salmon.        Do you know how else you will benefit from increased consumption of omega-3 fatty acids?  Your cholesterol level will improve.  You see, the essential omega-3 fatty acids have the ability to help decrease your total cholesterol and your LDL cholesterol level.  The LDL cholesterol is the so-called bad cholesterol.  So you will improve your cholesterol levels by adding a better balance of omega-3 fatty acids to your diet.        Not surprisingly, the omega-3 fatty acids can be heart healthy.  Several diseases show improvement when patients increase their intake of these essential fats.  Check out Dr. Ray Strand?s important book for citings of clinical studies of  omega-3.  The book is titled, ?What Your Doctor Doesn?t Know About Nutritional Medicine May Be Killing You.?  It?s a wonderful book and should be a standard reference volume in your nutrition library.        Eat well, take appropriate supplements, and stay healthy.

What Would You Do For a Klondike Bar?


Unfortunately, the words ?diet? and ?cheating? go hand in hand. When you say, ?I?m on a DIET?, it usually means you are depriving yourself of something. Diets do not work; they are restrictive and can become exceedingly frustrating, leading you to ?cheat?. The more you restrict calories and the tempting treats you love, the more likely you are to binge eat. This is counterproductive in a fat loss program and will prevent you from becoming lean.

The Best Protein Powder


What is the best protein powder to buy? I get this question all the time, and really, there is no best protein - many are very good for different reasons! In my opinion, it is futile and possibly detrimental to stick to only one brand for the following reasons:

Are Your Cells Talking To Each Other?


Are Your Cells Talking To Each Other?

What?s Causing Your Energy Drain?


This is such a busy time of year, isn?t it?  Whether it?s school or after-school commitments, social or philanthropic organizations that start meeting again after the summer, end of the year plans at work, or all of the above, fall activities are demanding!  If you?re like me, you know you plan too much, but you still want to be efficient, accomplish everything, and do it well.  There is no time in the schedule for running out of energy or getting sick, and ?Collapse From Exhaustion? is not on the TO DO list.  But your body will stop you if you don?t stop it first.  How will you know if you are running on empty?  The number one warning sign is fatigue.  Abnormal fatigue can be a sign from your body that you are overworking, overthinking, underresting, or undereating.  (I don?t know if all those are words, but they should be.)  A variety of illnesses and medical conditions can cause fatigue, including hormone disorders, depression, and pregnancy, so if you notice a dramatic or persistent change in your energy level, it?s wise to consult your physician.  The good news is that if it?s your hectic agenda that?s leaving you drained, you can give yourself the best chance of staying well by looking at a few key areas ? sleep, nutrition, hydration, and relaxation.  As with many beneficial life habits, these four staples of health do not have catchy slogans or expensive promotional campaigns.  Bottled water brands and sleep number beds are starting to change that, but they?re based on the premise that you need a very extravagant bed or water purification system, rather than the idea that you need sleep and water to be healthy.  (Common sense, you say?  How long has it been since you got eight hours of sleep and drank two liters of water in the same day?)  Most nutrition-related marketing promotes one food or food group over another, rather than the guiding principle that you faithful readers know by now: eating frequent, small amounts of a variety of foods.  On the other hand, I?m sure you?ve seen and heard multiple advertisements for energy bars, energy drinks, and energy boosting supplements, promising more energy if you eat or drink the magical concoction of chemicals.  Remember what you learned in Nutrition 101: Your body can only make energy from three things: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.  ONLY.  Other nutrients help your body USE energy, including iron and B vitamins, but nothing you get in a pill can actually give you more energy than eating actual food.  Caffeine, ginseng, guarana, ma huang, ephedra, and xenedrine are all stimulants that make your heart beat faster, so your brain gets more oxygen, so you FEEL like you have more energy?but it?s a trap.  When the effects wear off, you will be more tired than you were before.  If you use the chemicals again, you perpetuate the cycle, or in other words, you?re hooked!  Quick Tip: Real energy means calories.  If a product contains 0 calories, it?s a fake.  The good news (yes, there?s more!) is that although no supplement can make up for poor habits, changing habits can eliminate the need for these potentially harmful chemicals in your body.  Easier said than done, I agree.  But start in one area, and experiment with a small change.  If you see results, you will have proved to yourself that the change is worth it!  In the coming weeks, we?ll look at each of the key areas, sleep, nutrition, hydration, and relaxation, with the goal of maintaining exceptional energy throughout your day. If you need an energy makeover, why not keep an energy log?  On 2 weekdays and 2 weekend days write down the following: What time it is each time you eat (you don?t have to write down WHAT you eat); what time it is when you go to sleep and when you wake up; what beverages you drink throughout the day; any relaxing activities you did that day; and a description of your energy (highs or lows) throughout the day.  In two weeks we?ll meet back and see what your results mean and where to improve!  To be continued?

How to Help Your Picky Eater


One of the most common questions I am asked is how to help a picky eater.  If you?re worried that your child won?t get enough nutrients from a limited selection of foods, the good news is that because the American food supply is super-fortified, nutrient deficiencies are rare.If your child is growing normally according to your pediatrician, you can almost always assume that he or she is well-nourished.  With the notable exception of calcium, most nutrient deficiencies are easy to spot ? you would notice poor growth, low energy, slow development, and unhealthy-looking skin and hair.  If you notice these symptoms in your picky eater, mention your concerns to your pediatrician.  Often a multivitamin supplement can solve the problem and reduce your worry.  Kids often grow out of picky eating if it isn?t given too much attention, so while you wait, here are some options to try. 

From Cell to Super Cell - with Glutathione


Imagine you're a cell.

Male Infertility and Glutathione


Are You Half The Man Your Father Was?

Principles of The Zone Diet Plan


The Zone Diet has been around since around 1995, when fatty acids research scientist Dr. Barry Sears published the New York Times bestseller "The Zone". This book was aimed at other doctors but it was found rather quickly by the general public. Since that time he has authored several other books on the subject. The Zone can be summed up as a state of hormonal balance in the body which can be achieved by your diet. It is especially about keeping key hormone's in a balanced zone since the wrong amount in your body can trigger weight gain. This hormonal control is at the center of the Zone Diet. In fact, a craving for Carbohydrate's is essentially a byproduct of making bad hormonal choices at meals. But when you make Zone Diet meals, the real cause of these cravings will be largely subdued.

Ambrotose Complex


Mannatech's patent-pending glyconutrients complex, Ambrotose, is perhaps the greatest wellness discover in the last 50 years. By understanding it, you are in a better position to help others realize that they too would have this phenomenal nutrient Ambrotose complex working on their behalf as well.

A Diet Deficiency Today is a Clinical Event Tomorrow


For those of us that understand nutrition and it's importance in our lives, this statement makes all too much sense doesn't it?

Nutrition, Evolution, and Having a Healthy Diet


Nutrition has everything to do with health.  This isn?t news, exactly, but looking around at the crazy information on the market, one wonders if anyone actually makes the connection: what you eat affects how you feel.  It?s that simple.  Your health depends on the food choices you make in both the short and long term. 

Whey Protein Importance


Studies on whey demonstrate it's an even better protein supplement than previously thought. Although whey protein's health benefits have only recently been elucidated, the use of whey protein for medicinal purposes has been prescribed since the time of Hippocrates. In fact, there are two ancient proverbs from the Italian city of Florence that say, "If you want to live a healthy and active life, drink whey," and, "If everyone were raised on whey, doctors would be bankrupt."

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Disaster Assistance  USDA Food and Nutrition Service
















EDS ECHO Summit: Diet and Nutrition  The Ehlers Danlos Society

Team Nutrition  USDA Food and Nutrition Service

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)  USDA Food and Nutrition Service












Meals for Schools and Childcare  USDA Food and Nutrition Service





School Nutrition Standards Media Toolkit  USDA Food and Nutrition Service







Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program  USDA Food and Nutrition Service

















Team Nutrition Training Grants  USDA Food and Nutrition Service




Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP)  USDA Food and Nutrition Service





USDA Invests $46M in Efforts to Address Food and Nutrition Security  National Institute of Food and Agriculture






Nutrition  Delaware Department of Education









On Nutrition: Bulking up caution  Greater Milwaukee Today | GMToday.com

Taste-Testing Event Resources  USDA Food and Nutrition Service




Cindy Long Deputy Under Secretary  USDA Food and Nutrition Service





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