Author: Wendy Sill

Vitamins and minerals are nutrients that our bodies require to grow and develop.  Vitamins are organic substances made by plants and animals, and each vitamin has an important role to play in our health.

Tales of early sailing excursions often contained reports of sailors and pirates succumbing to a mysterious illness called scurvy.  The victims would develop suppurating sores, and their teeth began to fall out.  After many years it was discovered that the disease resulted from a lack of vitamin C.  The early ships had no refrigeration systems, which made it impossible to keep fresh fruit and vegetables for any length of time.  This problem had a limiting effect on long-distance marine travel. Thankfully for sailors (and the rest of the world!) refrigeration has become commonplace.

Another important vitamin is D, which helps the body absorb calcium for strong bones and teeth.  We can get this vitamin from food sources, but another good supplier is the sun. Low vitamin D has become more of a problem in the recent years, as people are now careful to wear sunscreen when out of doors.  This is of course good for the skin as it protects it from the sun’s harmful UV rays, but the unfortunate side effect, is that we cut out a god source of this important vitamin as well. Good food sources for D are salmon, cod liver oil and enriched milk.

Other important vitamins are Vitamin A, B6, B12, E, and K.  We can acquire most of these vitamins by eating nutritious food and a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Without question, the best place to get vitamins and minerals is natural sources.

If you find you are low on a certain vitamin, you can consume more of the food which contains it, or take a daily vitamin supplement such as the high quality supplements from Nature’s Sunshine or any other high quality supplement supply organization. Supplements are a great way to get the essential vitamins that you need in your diet. Here is a complete list of all of the essential vitamins and minerals you need daily:

I hope that you found this information helpful!

Our bodies are like finely tuned engines – give them right type of fuel and they will run more efficiently. The wrong fuel can have the opposite effect and can even cause them to break down entirely. So what is the right type of fuel for your complex machine?

In these days of health consciousness most people know about good nutrition. Scientists have identified the best foods – leafy greens, super foods like blueberries and broccoli, fish, lean meats and barring allergies – whole grains.

Now, while our bodies operate best on these types of fuels, our taste buds often crave something entirely different. We sometimes favor foods high in carbohydrates and refined sugar, i.e fudge brownies, or salty high fat treats like potato chips. As a result, when something upsetting or stressful occurs we tend to reach for a donut, rather than a carrot stick. So how can we change this tendency? It’s easier than you’d think.

1. Get rid of temptation – If it isn’t in your pantry you’ll find something else to eat.

2. Substitute – It may sound crazy but if you’re craving a milkshake, it’s just the sugar you want. Distract your taste buds with a piece of hard candy or gum, even brushing your teeth can do the trick.

3. Make it Easy -Have healthy foods available and easy. Cut up veggies and have ranch dip available. If it’s quick and accessible you’re more likely to choose it.

4. Better recipes – Log onto one of the many wellness websites, where you’ll find a plethora of new recipes, as well as healthy remakes of old ones.

In summary, what it boils down to is deciding to live well and make conscious choices to change our eating habits. Remember, you are what you eat!

You hear a lot about probiotics these days. With so many people experiencing gastrointestinal issues, probiotics in their many forms have become a trendy yet effective phenomenon. These microorganisms are a naturally occurring presence in the human gut. Referred to as the “good bacteria” probiotics are known to prevent many unhealthy conditions, especially those which affect the digestive tract.

Probiotics can also provide multiple benefits for your immune system. They make it harder for bad bacteria to get a foothold and cause illness. Some probiotics even suppress the growth of harmful bacteria altogether.

Our digestive tract is home to over 500 bacterial species, and up to 10% of an individual’s daily energy needs can be derived from the byproducts of good bacteria – meaning the more healthy bacteria you have, the more energy you will have! It seems that everyone wants more energy as naturally as possible. This can be accomplished by eating foods which include probiotics or by taking supplements.

Yogurt is a great source of the aforementioned good bacteria. Unfortunately yogurt can be sensitive to light or changes in temperature which can easily kill the beneficial microbes. To avoid this problem, you’ll want to look for products with live or active cultures.

For non-dairy options you can find yogurts made from rice, soy and coconut milk. These can also contain added probiotics.

To promote the presence of good bacteria, I often recommend that you feed them with PREbiotics. No, this isn’t a typo – Prebiotics nourish and strengthen the good bacteria and enable them to fight off the bad. Prebiotics are found in foods such as bananas, whole grains, honey, garlic and onions. Try to get two to four servings of these prebiotic-rich foods a day.

If you’ve been experiencing poor digestive health, consider healthy food solutions, or try one of the many supplements from Natures Sunshine that are available. After a few weeks, you will probably notice a difference in both your digestive health and energy levels.

With the hustle and bustle of daily life being as demanding as it is, for most people trying to get all of the recommended daily vitamins and minerals can make your head swirl. There are more than 20 different vitamins and minerals that the Food and Nutrition Board and the Institute of Medicine recommend that adults take every day. But who has time to count how many micrograms you eat of all of the vitamins and minerals?

Experts agree that there is definitely a place for vitamin and mineral supplements in the diets of everyone. While most of our nutrition should come from a healthy and balanced diet (such as from healthy recipes I share on my blog), vitamins and supplements can help to fill small nutrient gaps that everyone has in their diet. Some of the most essential vitamins and minerals that we all need are calcium, potassium, vitamin D and vitamin B12. All of these key nutrients play an important part in keeping us healthy and active. For example, calcium helps us to prevent bone fractures and keep our teeth healthy and vitamin B12 helps us to convert food into usable energy.

There are other substances that can be beneficial, such as botanical (herbal) products, amino acids, essential fatty acids and oils, enzymes and probiotics. I have found all of Nature’s Sunshine’s products to be very high quality and effective. Beyond just filling in gaps of nutrition, studies have demonstrated that vitamins, minerals and other supplements can be very advantageous in helping us to both stay healthy and to become healthier. Additionally there are many other supplements that help with many things, from sleeping better to entire cleanses and detoxes.

Check out these Nature’s Sunshine products, they are a great value and will help you to be your best!