Dietary Fiber - Fiber is extremely important to your health in a number of different ways.

According to National Institutes of Health one of common causes of constipation is not enough fiber in diet.

Fiber promotes cardiovascular health plus in studies has been indicated to help lower harmful cholesterol levels when combined with a healthy diet. But what most people don't know about fiber is all various varieties there are of dietary fiber.

The point is with all healthy benefits of dietary fiber most people don't get enough everyday - it is recommend that people get 25-30 grams of fiber per day. So if they're not getting it through their diet it pays to take a supplement. No wonder so many people are constipated.

Let's talk next about enzymes - did you know that enzymes control virtually all chemical processes and reactions in your body - everything from digestion to breaking down old cells to generating new cells.

There is no doubt that enzymes are probably most under-rated nutritional substance. Essentially because nobody talks about them. Most manufactures are not putting them in their foods or supplements. Most manufactures proudly state that their cereal is Vitamin Enriched. However, when was last time you read a label that said our product is Enzyme Enriched!

However, with importance of enzymes question begs to be asked, Where do I get adequate enzymes from? It certainly isn't from our foods. Processed and cooked foods destroy all enzymes. Sure our body has ability to manufacture certain enzymes, but just like anything else it could sure use a supplement boost. The best foods for getting enzymes are fresh raw fruits and vegetables, but problem is less than 20 percent of all people eat even minimum recommended amount.

Perhaps an enzyme supplement would be advisable.

And why would someone only want minimum amount of health? That is like living off minimum wage - not a pleasant thought.

Larry Weber, Naturallighting.com Copyright© 2002-2004 http:www.naturallighting.com Toll Free - 888.900.6830 email: sales@naturallighting.com

All life on our planet has adapted to and is nourished by light from sun and sky, a critical balance of visible color and invisible ultraviolet wavelengths. Over ages, virtually every living thing developed with help of Nature's Full Spectrum. Today most people don't get enough sunlight because they spend so much time indoors, and most lack understanding of lighting and that there is significant difference is type, and quality of lighting available. Most lighting in homes, schools, offices, factories, stores, is so bad that many health disorders can be traced to lack of natural lighting. Natural sunlight and various forms of light therapy can help reestablish body's natural rhythm (circadian rhythm - body's inner clock) which controls timing of sleep, hormone production, body temperature, and other biological functions. Disturbances in this rhythm can lead to health problems such as depression (SAD - Seasonal Affective Disorder) and sleep disorders. Light therapy and use of natural full spectrum lighting are becoming an integral treatment for many related health conditions.

How Light Therapy Works - As light enters eyes, millions of light and color sensitive cells called photoreceptors convert light into electrical impulses. These impulses travel along optic nerve to brain where they tripper hypothalamus gland to send chemical messengers called neurotransmitters to regulate automatic functions of body. The hypothalamus is part of endocrine system whose secretions govern most bodily functions - blood pressure, body temperature, breathing, digestion, sexual function, moods, immune system, aging process, and circadian rhythm. Full spectrum lighting (containing all wavelengths) sparks delicate impulses that regulate these functions and maintain health.

The Importance of Natural Sunlight - According to numerous studies, poor light poses a serious threat to health. Many firmly believe that best light for maintaining health must contain full wavelength spectrum found in natural sunlight. Most artificial (incandescent and standard fluorescent) lighting lacks complete balanced spectrum of sunlight. The lack of full spectrum interferes with body's optimal absorption of nutrients, a condition known as "malillumination". Windows, windshields, eyeglasses, smog, and suntan lotions all filter out parts of light spectrum and contribute to problem. Most offices, even those with uncovered windows and lights on, have a light level of only 500 lux (the international unit illumination) as compared to outdoor light, which has about 50,000 lux, or about 100 times more. Light levels for night shift workers are usually about 50 lux. We spend about 90% of our lives indoors, under inadequate lighting conditions, which can cause or worsen a range of health problems, including depression, heart disease, hypertension, depression, insomnia, premenstrual syndrome, migraines, and carbohydrate cravings, associated with metabolic imbalances. A ten-year epidemiological study conducted at johns Hopkins University Medical School in Baltimore, Maryland, showed that exposure to full spectrum light (including ultraviolet frequency) is positively) related to prevention of breast, colon, and rectal cancers. In Russia, a full spectrum lighting system was installed in factories where colds and sore throats had become commonplace among workers. This lowered bacterial contamination of air by 40 to 70 percent. Workers who did not receive full spectrum light were absent twice as many days as those who did. Recent tests in classrooms, two using standard fluorescent lighting and two using full spectrum lights, indicated conclusively that students exposed to full spectrum lighting had a marked diminishment of hyperactivity, less absenteeism, and higher academic achievement.

SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder): Full spectrum light and bright light are effective treatments for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). The symptoms of SAD are depression, excess sleeping and eating, withdrawn feeling, lowered sex drive, etc. Melatonin levels are found to be very high in-patients with SAD. Daily exposure to sunlight or full spectrum light has been known to eliminate SAD symptoms.