Dietary Guidelines Show Need For SupplementsWritten by Loren Baker
The 2005 Dietary Guidelines emphasize getting all of your nutrients from conventional foods, if possible, but also flag need for some supplemental nutrients."The fact is that many people do not get all nutrients they need from diet alone, and there are clear health benefits from getting full recommended amounts of all vitamins and minerals. A daily multivitamin can go a long way toward filling gaps, and an additional supplement providing more calcium and vitamin D is advisable for most people," said Annette Dickinson, Ph.D., president of Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), one of dietary supplement industry's leading trade associations. "Additionally, supplements of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids may be valuable for people who don't eat at least two fish meals each week." According to 2005 Dietary Guidelines, children and adolescents as well as adults often fall short in vitamin E, adults frequently fail to get enough vitamin C, people over age 50 should get supplemental form of vitamin B-12, women of childbearing age need synthetic folic acid (a B vitamin), and lots of people need extra vitamin D. According to Dr. Dickinson, "The good news is that all of these supplemental nutrients can be consumed conveniently and inexpensively in form of a daily multivitamin, for less than a dime a day."In addition, Dietary Guidelines point out that calcium is a critical nutrient that is in short supply for practically everybody—children, teens, and adults. A multivitamin with minerals will provide some extra calcium, but to get full amount of calcium that is recommended, people will need to use a separate supplement containing calcium (preferably with vitamin D) or consume lots of dairy products or calcium-fortified foods. While conventional foods and fortified foods and supplements are all effective ways to obtain additional nutrients, cost and calories are also factors to consider. The cost of 1,000 mg of calcium can range from 18 cents a day to $1.38 a day, depending on whether a person uses a calcium tablet, soft calcium chews, lowfat milk, a breakfast cereal with added calcium, or calcium-fortified orange juice (listed from lowest to highest cost). The number of calories that will come along with that amount of calcium ranges from negligible to over 300. "Multivitamins and calcium supplements can provide consumers with a major boost in their attempts to meet their nutrient needs while controlling cost and avoiding excess calories," said Dr. Dickinson. "The 2005 Dietary Guidelines flag important nutrient shortfalls, and ideally Food Guide Pyramid (when it comes out) should feature a flag on top to remind people to use appropriate supplements in addition to improving their diets and adopting a healthier lifestyle. Supplements can be an integral part of an optimal diet and should always be viewed in context of a healthy lifestyle." See below for a summary of Dietary Guidelines comments on nutrient shortfalls. The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), founded in 1973, is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing dietary supplement industry ingredient suppliers and manufacturers. CRN members adhere to a strong code of ethics, comply with dosage limits and manufacture dietary supplements to high quality standards under good manufacturing practices. For more information on CRN, visit http://www.crnusa.org.
| | Yoga Accessories– Getting What You Really NeedWritten by Della Menechella
Unlike some other sports, you don’t need a lot of yoga accessories when you practice. With yoga, your body is really most important ‘equipment’ that you need. There are some items that are basic and which can help you be more comfortable and safer in your practice.Standard Yoga Accessories Clothing – Your clothing should be comfortable and breathable and allow you to move freely. You don’t want anything that is going to get in way of your movements or that will bunch up or create a distraction. For instance, oversized, loose fitting tee shirts can fall towards your face during some inversion poses and cause you to pay more attention to whether or not anything is showing, than to actual asana. If you are taking a class, your instructor might want you to wear something form fitting in order to check your alignment. Shorts are often a good choice, if whether permits, because you tend to get very warm from doing asanas and your body temperature heats up. In some types of yoga, such as Bikram, shorts are really a necessity because of level of heat in room. Although yoga is usually practiced barefoot, some people wear cotton socks or soft yoga shoes. Mat – Yoga mats are typically used during practice, especially in a class. They offer some padding so you are not lying or sitting directly on a hard floor. They also provide some level of sanitation, since a number of postures require you to put your head on floor.
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