Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
VEGETABLES~GREENS AND BEYOND By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT Vegetables and greens always seem to be the most difficult for people to eat enough of on a daily basis. As I’ve talked to people over the years on this subject, I’ve noticed a few …
FRUITS~NATURE’S TREAT By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT Fruit is one of those groups that we all know and love. In my experience, it’s always that food that most people don’t seem to have problems getting into their daily diet. However, let’s explore this …
MY PLATE~OUR DIET GUIDELINE AND FOUNDATION FOR HEALTH
By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT
March is National Nutrition Month so I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to go back to basics. We all remember when we were growing up and learning about the food pyramid in school. It taught us about the different kinds of foods and how much to eat. Let’s now return to that simpler time and discuss MyPlate.
Every so often, the USDA (United Stated Department of Agriculture) re-evaluates and makes updates or modifications to the food pyramid. This happened a few years ago and they released MyPlate. This show use what is recommended we eat for a healthy diet. While there are guidelines specifically for such things like vegan, vegetarian or even heart hearth, let’s just focus on the traditional and basic MyPlate for this discussion.
MyPlate features the five basic food groups, which include vegetables, fruits, proteins, grains and dairy. They’ve sectioned out a plate to show us what they recommend for a health balanced diet. For example, you’ll see on the image above how it’s recommended that have of your daily intake should consist of fruits and vegetables, with more vegetables than fruit. Keep in mind that these are basic guidelines and may be adjusted depending on one’s specific needs, like vegan diets or if someone is diabetic.
You’ll notice a few groups are missing from MyPlate. These are such things like fats, sugar and even water. While these are important dietary topics, they aren’t considered food groups, and MyPlate concentrates on the five basic food groups. These sub-groups (as I like to call them) are definitely important, and we will discuss them more in depth this month.
Something I do want to add to this is discussion on healthy dietary guidelines to the addition of a multivitamin. These can help enhance the good eating habits we establish for ourselves based on the My Plate recommendations. But which is best? Let’s look at the options.
DAILY MULTIVITAMIN with GRAPE SEED EXTRACT: This is a very basic and easy to take multivitamin. Due to only needing to take one a day, I like to recommend this for anyone new to multivitamins or teens who are just needing a little extra nutrients throughout the day.
MULTI ENERGY POWDER: This is a multivitamin that is very easy to take, as it comes in a powder and just needs to be mixed into water. I like this for any adult, particularly those who just don’t want or like to take too many pills.
CORE MULTIVITAMIN: This is the classic, comprehensive multivitamin. It is made up of a wide variety of essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It’s a great all around choice for any adult.
CORE MEMORY MULTIVITAMIN: This is a new formula that is for those individuals looking for a good multivitamin as well as support for healthy brain and memory function. This is the classic Core Multivitamin with Choline, Ginkgo Leaf Powder and Lithium (as Lithium orotate) added.
MEN’S MULTIVITAMIN: This is a multivitamin specifically made for the needs of men in mind. It is the Core Multivitamin with Maca, Quercetin, Black Cumin Seed and Beta-Sitosterol added. I like to recommend this for men over the age of 40 to help support their specific needs like prostate health and healthy libido.
PERFORMANCE MULTIVITAMIN: This multivitamin was designed for those individuals that lead an active lifestyle or are looking to help support their energy levels. The Performance starts with the Core Multivitamin and adds Rhodiola Rosea Root and Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) to help with energy and endurance. I like this for adults that need a little extra pick-me-up to get through the day.
WOMEN’S MULTIVITAMIN: This multivitamin was made for the unique needs of women. The Core Multivitamin came together with Iron, Collagen Hydrolysate, Purple Corn Flower and Diindolymethane (DIM) to not only supply vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, but to also address healthy iron levels, immune system connective and breast tissues. I like to recommend this for any women still experiencing menses.
As you can see, the foundation of a healthy diet starts with our meals as outlined by MyPlate and then can be enhanced by the right multivitamin. I look forward to getting in depth all month long discussing each food group and “sub-group”. We’ll be seeing how much we need of each and compare the best choices versus what to watch out for. A perfect way to begin spring!
www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/what-is-myplate
www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/multivitamin/
Heart Health: The Complete Summary Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND I hope this series on heart health has been both informative and interesting! While I took the time in this series to review some rather severe heart conditions I also wanted to do a quick …
Reds Hx… for our heart! Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND I wanted to talk about Reds Hx next because it’s really the perfect partner to Greens Hx. Since Reds Hx is so full of heart healthy nutrients I am going to jump right into things …
MACA ROOT: THE LIBIDO BOOSTER
By: Allie Might, FMC, INHC, ATT
Maca Root is a very interesting nutrient that many people aren’t familiar with but is incredibly versatile. It can be found in a powder, in a capsule form (Maca Root) or even as part of a formulation (Menopause Hx Advanced and Men’s Edge Advanced). Let’s take some time to discuss some of the benefits this nutrient has to offer.
Let’s start at the beginning and discuss aphrodisiacs, as this is always a hot topic particularly during certain times of the year (like Valentine’s Day). An aphrodisiac is something, maybe a scent or food that is said to increase libido and “get you in the mood”. Most commonly, this is associated with such things as the scent of roses or jasmine (these are commonly used in perfumes and colognes), and such foods as chocolate, oysters or sometimes and nice glass of wine or champagne. However, there are also spices or herbs that fall into this category, such as ginger, ginseng and ginkgo….these have a tendency to be warming and slightly raise body temperature. In this category is also Maca Root which is one of my favorites. That is due to Maca being versatile in that it can be used as a supplement or can be used in recipes and smoothies all while tasting good and I don’t get that spicy taste that other herbs and spices tend to offer.
So what exactly is Maca? Simply put, Maca is a plant that is found in the Andes Mountains in South America. It is believed to be helpful for healthy sexual function, increased libido, and support for the brain and may even be helpful as an anti-inflammatory. This is also a nutrient that is helpful for both men’s and women’s health.
When it comes to men’s health, Maca is often a go-to choice. Studies mentioned in Medical News Today suggest that Maca can be helpful for men dealing with erectile dysfunction as well as offering a boost to the libido. It is also helpful with increasing energy and endurance. The Maca Root found in the Men’s Edge formula is a great addition to a regimen to support men’s health issues.
Maca can be equally beneficial for women’s health. It can be particularly helpful for women experiencing menopause. Due to the hormonal changes during this time, many women suffer from a variety of issues including, but not limited to, changes in mood, weight gain, hot flashes and of course low libido. Menopause Hx Advanced is a way to help address a variety of the issues effecting women, as it is a comprehensive formula that includes Maca Root.
Maca Root can also be beneficial for other health concerns. Studies published by the National Library of Medicine -National Center for Biotechnology Information discuss some of these issues. It is believed that Maca can assist in significantly lowering blood pressure. This can have a positive impact on one’s health, lower the risk of stroke and helping to maintain healthy circulation. Maca has also shown to be helpful in balancing mood and can be used by those suffering with mood disorders such as depression.
Maca is also shown to be a very safe nutrient to take by almost everyone. It has shown to have little to no interactions with medications and is a great compliment to those that have been prescribed conventional medication by their doctor.
As you can see, Maca Root is a safe, versatile and impactful nutrient to have in any healthy lifestyle plan. I want to encourage you to add this to your daily supplement regimen and please let us know how you are using this amazing and often forgotten nutrient.
www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/sex-aphrodisiac-foods
www.botanicalinstitute.org/maca/
www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-maca
www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322511#ten-benefits
www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/all-about-sex/201104/is-maca-aphrodisiac
www.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24931003/
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4411442/
www.medlineplus.gov/druginfo/natural/555.html