The body’s immune system does a great job at fighting off diseases, but giving it extra help with vitamins will make it do its job better. Here are the vitamins and minerals that boost the immune system:

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is the most widely known immune booster. It’s a water-soluble vitamin that gets excreted with sweat and urine. This means that the body doesn’t store vitamin C. You need to get vitamin C daily. In fact, lack of vitamin C can get you sick with scurvy.

You can get vitamin C from leafy greens like spinach and kale. Broccoli is rich in vitamin C, too. Citrus fruits like tangerines, grapefruit, and oranges are also good sources. Strawberries and bell peppers are also rich in vitamin C.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an antioxidant. It also boosts the immune system. It’s also good for keeping skin, hair, and nails supple and healthy.

You can get vitamin E from vegetables like spinach and broccoli and nuts and seeds. Peanuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, and hazelnuts.

Vitamin B6

Pyridoxine or vitamin B6 is another water-soluble vitamin. Vitamin B6 doesn’t have one major role, but it’s needed in more than a hundred biochemical reactions in the body.

You can get vitamin B6 from chicken meat, tuna, bananas, and chickpeas.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin. It’s actually a hormone and not a vitamin, because the body naturally produces it after sun exposure. Vitamin D is needed for healthy teeth and bones, and it can also prevent diabetes.

As mentioned, you can get vitamin D from sunlight. But you also get vitamin D from food sources. These include fatty fish such as tuna, mackerel, and salmon. Egg yolks are also a good source of vitamin D, as well as cheese. Organ meats such as beef liver is also rich in vitamin D. Lastly, mushrooms are also a good source.

A quick and easy way to get extra vitamin D during the winter months is to take convenient vitamin D drops in a liquid form. Often times our sun exposure drops in the winter time, so this is a good time to take a little extra D.

Selenium

Selenium is a mineral. It’s an antioxidant that regulates the free radicals in the body. It also helps regulate the body’s thyroid function and metabolism. It has also shown to prevent some forms of cancer and heart disease.

You can get selenium from garlic, sardines, broccoli, tuna, and brazil nuts.

Zinc

Zinc is another mineral that can help the immune system fight infections, particularly the flu. Zinc and vitamin C work better together, which is why they’re both commonly found in children’s vitamins. Aside from fighting off respiratory infections, zinc can also help wounds heal faster.

You can get zinc from yogurt, chickpeas, lean meats, crabs, and oysters.

Eat a healthy and varied diet to make sure you keep your immune system in tip-top shape!

Folic acid or folate is a vitamin that’s often prescribed to pregnant women. Are they the same? If not, what are their effects on the body?

Folic Acid Vs. Folate

No, folic acid and folate are not the same, even though many health care professionals use them interchangeably. Both are forms of the vitamin B9, which is one of the vitamins that target nerve health.

Folate is the form of vitamin B9 that’s commonly found in foods such as beans, leafy greens, eggs, avocados, citrus fruits, and organ meats like beef liver. Folic acid is the synthesized form of vitamin B9, and the one commonly added in processed foods or used in supplements.

How are They Different?

Folic acid’s molecular structure is different from folate’s. It’s a small difference, but something that can cause inefficiency to some people.

Folic acid, in its own, can’t be used by the body right away. The body needs to convert it twice; first, to DHF or dihydrofolate, and then to THF or tetrahydrofolate. Finally, THF is converted to L-methylfolate. This methylated folic acid is the form that the body uses in many of its important functions.

The Problem with Folic Acid

Folic acid is an effective supplement. Converted efficiently, it can be absorbed by the body similarly as folate. However, it was found in a 2011 study that around 60% of Americans can’t convert folic acid fully.

Some genetic differences in many Americans make the 60% unable to convert folic acid efficiently. If these people take in folic acid supplements, the amount of L-methylfolate their body converts from the folic acid will vary. It will also mean that there will be traces of unconverted folic acid in their bodies.

What are the Risks?

Excessive folic acid intake can damage the liver. The excess, unconverted folic acid can also enter the bloodstream.

Several studies show that excess folic acid intake is harmful to the body. A 2012 study found that it can increase the risk for prostate cancer. An older study also found that excess folic acid intake can cause cognitive decline in older adults.

Should You Take Folic Acid or Folate Supplements?

The effects of excessive folic acid are scary, but so are the effects of folic acid deficiency. Folic acid deficiency is a major cause of neural tube defects in newborns. It’s the reason why the FDA required common foods like breads, flour, and cereals to be enriched and fortified with folic acid.

That being said, the best way to make sure that you’re getting your daily requirement is to eat a variety of folate – rich foods. Folate is readily available in many foods, and is easier to convert in the body.

For a quick recap watch the video below.

The Key to good health lies in a balance of the food we eat and the amount we move our bodies. It is a simple equation yet so many of us struggle with our health due to over eating and under performing in the exercise department.

Here are four easy ways to boost activity and increase the quality of food we consume to hopefully improve our quality of life.

1. Make a Snow Fort

Since winter is almost upon us shoveling snow is high on the list of things many northerners dread, but it doesn’t have to be such a dull chore. Shoveling snow is a massive calorie burner, so much so that you can probably indulge in a little bit of warm-up hot cocoa afterward.

Instead of dreading the shoveling process take a little extra effort to amass a large pile of snow in one spot so you can dig out a snow fort for the kids (and us big kids enjoy a good fort too)

Before you know it you have burned off more calories in a couple hours of play than you would have all day!

2. Make a Tropical Fruit Smoothie

Good health and healthy eating do not have to be boring and tasteless. Did you know you can pack a days worth of fruits and vegetables into one healthy smoothie? It’s true.

So break out the ol blender and grab your favorite fruits and vegetables (what? You don’t like vegetables?) no worries because with enough sweet fruit you will barely notice the handful of spinach or kale. In fact, adding a banana to your smoothie actually masks the “vegetable taste” of leafy greens really well.

The good thing about a smoothie is that there are so many combinations of fruits and vegetables you can use that you will never get bored of the flavor. Plus you can add extra protein or superfood powders to spruce it up a bit and add extra nutrients.

3. Supplements are Boring and Not Fun, But…

Yes taking your daily vitamin is not always the most exciting part of the day and who likes swallowing a bunch of big pills anyway? Liquid vitamins to the rescue. These days you can find many vitamins and minerals in an easy to take liquid form.

The liquid form of vitamin D, methyl B12, methylated folate, turmeric, iron (the list goes on and on) are super easy to add to the fore mentioned smoothie. Or to mix things up a bit you can add them to a warm bowl of oatmeal. Even better turmeric lattes are pretty hot right now – settling down with a healthy latte by a crackling fire is my idea of a good time.

4. Move Your Body to the Rhythm

What do you do while cooking that healthy meal or whipping up that gourmet smoothie – you spend time in the kitchen. Kitchen time doesn’t have to be boring either. Crank up the tunes and boogie while moving around the kitchen.

Just make sure you aren’t cooking in the buff if you are using oil in a frying pan – that stuff burns. Plus if you have windows in your kitchen throw on an apron at least.

The point is getting down in the kitchen while cooking makes it fun and you get a good workout.

Speaking of getting down in the kitchen, before you do so make sure you take that methyl folate shake if you are hoping for a bundle of joy come spring…

Nootropics, also known as smart drugs, are supplements that are used to enhance the overall functionality of the brain. These supplements help with creativity, motivation and can improve your memory. The popular supplement can be found through a variety of different distributors but below are a few of the best place to buy nootropics from.

Powder City

Powder City is an online retailer that provides a wide rang of health products for both consumers and businesses. The nootropics that they are offer include some of the more popular brands such as racetam, but they also offer phenibut which can mimic some of the effects of alcohol. Unlike other online shops Powder City sells powder in bulk so you are going to need a scale of some kind to make sure the dosages are right.

The reason that you might want to consider iHerb is that it carries mostly herbal nootropics instead of just powders. You might not be able to find some of the more popular brands offered through this website, but it has a wide variety of different herbs and blends that you can pick from.

Nootropics Depot

Nootropics Depot offers the consumer the choice between getting powder or capsules. They carry all of the popular brands and they even have their formulas that focus more on specific activities. Nootropics Depot is one of the most trusted stores that you can shop from and they will also send you a certificate of analysis if you request.

Amazon carries almost everything that you can image including Nootropics. Shopping through them will give you all of the benefits that you normally get from amazon plus a review system of other consumers to make it easier for you to make an informed purchase. The one downside to using Amazon, is because of recent changes to certain laws surrounding the substance, you are mostly only going to be able to find herbal supplements instead of powder.

Nootropics are a supplement that has been getting a lot of attention recently as more and more people are turning to them to enhance their overall performances. The places listed above off you the ability to cover all of your bases when you are looking to restock your medicine cabinet. While all of them have received mostly positive reviews, you are still going to want to take the time to explore the stores yourself to see which offers are going to work best for you.

Body pains make routine activities a pain to continue. Especially when it comes down to pain in the joints, very little can be done to seek relief. One way to cater this pain is by physiotherapy. However, you also need to combine it with nutrients that aid in the recovery process.

In order to cure joint pains, one of the best things to do is taking joint vitamins alongside physiotherapy. There are several different supplements available that provide important multivitamins when it comes to joint pains and bone diseases. Following are some of the Vitamins you must take if you are suffering from a joint pain.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is one of the most important of all vitamins to be taken if you are suffering from pain in the joints. It is known for aiding issues like blood clots, and is great when it comes to strengthening the bones. In addition to that, it makes sure there isn’t any excessive build up of calcium inside the arteries. Vitamin K can be found in foods like parsley, spinach, lettuce, and soy sauce.

Furthermore, according to research, this vitamin is also known for killing inflammatory cells inside your body. The reduction in these cells cures from joint diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. It is also proven to be great for anyone suffering from knee or hand arthritis.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is one of the most important joint vitamins. It is the key to keeping your bones strong since it assists in absorbing calcium. The absorption of calcium in turn helps the body to prevent osteoporosis. The best thing about vitamin D is that it also regulates the auto immune functions by regulating the required cells.

Vitamin D is not only crucial to cure joint pains but is also the key vitamin to keep the whole body healthy. You can get a good vitamin D intake with Tuna fish, Salmon fish, and Sardines etc. Exposing skin to sunlight will also help in increasing vitamin D levels, which is healthy for the joints.

Vitamin C

Another great vitamin for joints is Vitamin C. It is great for maintaining connective tissues as well as collagen in your body. Furthermore, sufficient amounts of vitamin C also help the body in absorbing essential minerals like iron and folate. These minerals further help in keeping the bones strong and reducing joint pains and problems. Vitamin C also helps in protecting cell damage, ultimately allowing external and internal wounds to heal better. Vitamin C can be found in sufficient amounts in citrus fruits.

It is certainly hard to take different supplements and foods for the intake of different joint vitamins required by the body. Therefore, a great way to cope up with this issue is by taking multivitamin tablets that give your body several minerals and vitamins from a single source. However, it is best to take the multivitamins in addition to other important remedies for effectively healing joints.

One of the most popular supplements touted to improve brain performance is called the Alpha Brain, a product of the Onnit Labs. There are allegations that it improves concentration, memory, mood, enhances mental clarity and grants the much-needed motivation to go through the day. Most of the reviews from the Alpha Brain users are mostly positive with users concurring that the product actually makes them more productive as well as being more focused. The Alpha Brain ingredients that improve cognitive ability are carefully selected and are powerful natural nootropics. That notwithstanding, there have been concerns about the safety of Alpha Brain and if there are any negative side effects that consumers should beware of. So, is alpha brain safe to use?

For a supplement to qualify to be a nootropic, it must pose negligible or no health risk at all to human consumers as well as be neuroprotective. And just like all true nootropics, this supplement is considered very safe to use and is proven to lead to a healthier brain in the long term.

The Alpha Brain capsule consists of eleven notable ingredients. It has Bacopa Monneiri, Huperzine A, Pterostilbene, oat straws, vitamin B6, GABA, AC-11, Alpha-GPC Choline, Serrata and Mucuna Pruriens. All of these ingredients are certified to be safe and very unlikely to cause any serious negative side effects. There have been consistent clinical trials that have proven the efficacy of ingredients such as Alpha GPC, Vinpocetine and Huperzine A to offer neuroprotective benefits and enhance the human neurons health in the long run. Moreover, Huperzine and Vinpocetine are potential treatments for the Alzheimers disease. Owing to the amazing manner that they improve memory and offer antiaging effects. That coupled with the fact that Alpha Brains ingredients are derived from natural sources which are deemed less dangerous as compared to synthetic compounds makes the Alpha Brain nootropic a powerful supplement devoid of any health or cognitive hazards.

Even if Alpha Brain is considered a very safe supplement with little or no serious negative side effects, it interacts with peoples systems differently. Different people have different sensitivities to the ingredients in the Alpha Brain. Some users reportedly experienced mild headaches and some experienced some sensations of pressure within their cerebral cortex. That is most likely due to the choline supplement found in this product. If the headaches and pressure sensations persist, then it is prudent to halt the use of the memory supplement. There is a user who reportedly experienced restlessness and a feeling of being jittery when he used this supplement.

In conclusion, this supplement is completely safe for human use and the few, and insignificant side effects are just isolated cases that do not reflect on the supplements innate qualities.

Cordyceps Sinensis supplements are derived from a caterpillar fungus that is found in the small villages of the indigenous people in the Tibetan plateau and Himalayan regions.

The substance has been used since around 5,000 BC as a medicinal aid and and aphrodisiac among the people and has a long history among the practitioners of folk medicine in the area.

It is used for general well being and is administered to the people for just about any ailment that the villagers come up with.

In studies that have been conducted in the past years it has been shown that Cordyceps Sinensis has very strong anti-inflammatory properties. It also has very strong anti bacterial properties, so the results when the substance is given to the people who are ailing, is usually positive, as it results in the people getting better from their illnesses.

There is also evidence that Cordyceps Sinensis supplements metabolize fats very efficiently too, which causes a boost in energy. This helps to ward off fatigue too, as people take it for that purpose.

The Cordyceps Sinensis supplements have been taken and given as gifts to other people in the community for centuries. It has been known to not only increase energy and reduce fatigue, but also to increase stamina, both sexually and otherwise.

People who offer herbal remedies in indigenous societies base their usage of any substance by many years of experience, so real people have had to experience real results over thousands of years in order for a whole society to have faith and confidence in anything.

The makers of the supplements only need a little bit of the fungus, as it can be replicated in the laboratory. It is used to treat respiratory disorders, coughs, kidney problems, bronchitis, urination at night, anemia, irregular heartbeat, male sexual problems, weakness, dizziness, high cholesterol, liver disorders, sudden weight loss, ringing in the ears and opium addiction.

It is thought that the supplement will help immunity by stimulating specific cells that produce chemicals in the immune system. It has also been shown to fight against cancer by acting directly against the cancer cells themselves. It has been shown that it can shrink the size of tumors, especially in skin cancer and lung cancer. With patients that are taking chemotherapy, it helps to ease the discomfort of the treatment, and may aid in the cancer treatment too.

There is also much interest in its role in athletic performance, as it increases stamina and energy, and reduces overall fatigue. In general, it can be made into a tonic which can be given to increase energy, improve stamina and reduce fatigue.

If a substance enhances the general, overall strength of bodily function at the cellular level, then there is reason to believe that it is good for an overall boost of a person’s health, and that is valuable.