Topical Supplements

Back in October I wrote a blog about supplements that could help improve your skin from the inside out. However, many people have yet to realize the benefits of using vitamins on the outside. As some have learned the hard way, attempting to hide fine lines and wrinkles behind layers of makeup is a losing battle. Better to improve the condition of your skin with supplements!

Vitamins are a part of the human skin and are part of a system of antioxidants that protect the skin from oxidative stress. There has been an increased interest in the use of natural antioxidants, such as vitamins. Vitamins A, C, E, and B3 have been shown to have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These same vitamins are effective for the treatment of photoaging and inflammatory dermatoses, acne, and pigmentation disorders and wound healing.

• Vitamin A also helps to reduce fine lines and wrinkles.
• Vitamin C repairs sun damage and enhance the synthesis of collagen; a critically important skin protein that strengthens structural support and resilience of the skin.
• Vitamin E repairs dry, rough skin with its ability to help retain moisture in the skin.
• Vitamin B assists in retaining moisture and is a milder alternative to acidic exfoliators like glycolic and salicylic acid.
• Vitamin K is another supplement that is effective in controlling skin damage. It repairs dark, under-eye circles and is often used as a treatment for spider veins. Topical vitamin K enters through the pores and helps to clot the blood, and allowing the tissue to heal itself.

In addition to both oral and topical supplements, drinking your daily allowance of water and getting plenty of sleep is important for having healthy skin.
-Community Assistant

Another Reason To Take Your Vitamins

I recently came across an article in Dynamic Chiropractic that reported “46 percent of Americans take at least one prescription drug daily.” I was surprised. Surprised that the number wasn’t higher! It seems that even the healthiest of us, myself included, are medicated in some way. Most of the meds we take help, or at least alleviate, whatever ailment we have. However, there is a catch. Often times nutrients are depleted either when the body has to detoxify the medication or when the medication uses the nutrients to cause the therapeutic effect in the body. Sometimes the medication can change the absorption of the nutrient into the body. The following is a summary of nutrients depleted by commonly used drugs:

Laxatives cause the depletion of Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E and Calcium.

Antibiotics cause the depletion of Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Biotin, Pantothenic Acid (a vitamin B complex), Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Potassium, Magnesium and Zinc.

Cholesterol lowering drugs cause the depletion of Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, Beta-Carotene, Folic Acid, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Iron and Coenzyme Q10.

Colchicine a gout medication, causes the depletion of Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Folic Acid and Iron.

Prednisone and related steroid drugs causes the depletion of Folic Acid, Vitamin D, Zinc, Magnesium, Vitamin C and Calcium.

Aspirin and ibuprofen cause the depletion of Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Iron.
Antacid drugs cause the depletion of Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12, Chromium and Iron.

Oral contraceptive drugs are associated with depletion of Beta-carotene, Vitamin B, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12, Biotin, Pantothenic Acid, Vitamin C, Magnesium and Zinc.

Sedatives and barbiturates are associated with depletion of Vitamin B2, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Folic Acid and Vitamin B12.

The loss of these nutrients may lead to more health issues, ensuing more medications, turning into a Catch 22 of poor health. Taking a multivitamin supplement can restore many of these lost vitamins.

Always consult your doctor before starting a new health regimen.

- Community Assistant

Healthy Beer?

There may be good news for beer drinkers: Research in the US is assessing the commercial possibilities for producing antioxidants in the popular beverage. The antioxidants would be added to brewer’s yeast to produce the antioxidant resveratrol, effectively formed in beer during the fermentation process. In the past wine has also been linked to resveratrol a powerful polyphenol and anti-fungal chemical that occurs naturally under the skin of red wine grapes. Polyphenol, have antioxidant characteristics also found in foods such as berries, tea, olive oil, chocolate, coffee, walnuts, peanuts and pomegranates. Although expert’s advice is to avoid excessive alcoholic consumption, some research suggests consumers could benefit from upping their intake of resveratrol-rich foods. Another benefit, according to Jonathan Silberg, an associate professor at Rice University in Houston, Texas who is working on the study, claims the modified yeast will have little impact on the beers taste because the chemical is odorless and tasteless. Beer that is particularly high in antioxidants may have a longer shelf life, as it may be more resistant to oxidation. Although oxidation is inevitable over time, it can be minimized by providing maximum antioxidant content in the beer. Of course any potential health benefits that may be added to beer through producing resveratrol would not detract from the wider health concerns of consuming alcoholic beverages. My questions is: if I drink this beer and eat peanuts, am I being twice as healthy?

How to Infants Get Their Vitamins?

This blog is dedicated to my new nephew, Ari! Ari was born on Wednesday and I am very excited to meet him next week. On the topic of new born babies, I was interested to see how from the start of life we get our vitamins!

The amount and type of vitamins found in breast milk is directly related to the mother's vitamin intake. Therefore, it is important that the mother takes care of herself and in turn she'll be taking care of her baby!

Mothers want to make sure they are getting a balanced diet with fat-soluble vitamins, such as A, D, E, and K and water-soluble vitamins, such as C, pantothenic acid, riboflavin and niacin.

Since this is so important, some doctors may keep new mothers on their pre-natal vitamins, however, there are also post-natal vitamins made specifically for this cause as well. Make sure to ask your doctor how to keep your baby healthy from the start.

The Common Colds of Winters Past

My first semester at college brought a lot of new experience: living in dorms, living with strangers and living with more germs that I ever thought possible. Within weeks I had a cold that I could not shake, and I was not the only one. The cure, according to other ailing co-eds, was Zinc. Then, when I started my first full time job I experience more new things: working at a desk, eating a desk and more germs on a desk than I ever thought possible. Again, a cold ensued, but this time my coworkers assured me that Echinacea was the new cure for the common cold (though no one knew exactly how to say it, or spell it.) These non-traditional remedies were different from what I had taken growing up: Nyquil and vitamin C.

Now that cold season is creeping up on us yet again, I did some research to find out if any of the remedies I have tried in the past really worked, or if nature just took its course. This is some information regarding these “treatments” according to Mayoclinic.com:

Zinc- Most studies are flawed, giving inaccurate or incomplete results. In studies with positive results, zinc seemed most effective taken as a lozenge or nasal spray in the form of zinc acetate within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms, but warns against Intranasal zinc may result in permanent damage to the sense of smell.

Echinacea- Studies on the effectiveness of Echinacea at preventing or shortening colds is mixed. Some studies show no benefit. Others show a 10 percent to 30 percent reduction in severity and duration when taken for seven to 10 days at the onset of the cold. A study from the University of Connecticut combined findings from 14 previously reported trials and concluded that Echinacea can cut your chances of catching a cold by more than half and shorten the duration of a cold by an average of 1.4 days. Another study from the University Of Virginia School Of Medicine stated that Echinacea extracts had "no clinically significant effects" on rates of infection or duration or intensity of symptoms.

Vitamin C- It appears that for the most part taking vitamin C won't help the average person prevent colds. However, taking 200 milligrams (mg) or more does seems to benefit those who engage in extreme physical exercise or who are exposed to extremely cold environments. Be careful about how much you take; amounts in excess of 2,000 mg a day may cause nausea and diarrhea.

Cough Syrup: Some contain ingredients that may relieve coughing, but the amounts are too small to do much good and may actually be harmful for children.

The latest remedy I tried was an over the counter product, Zicam. Coincidently, this product contains three of the previously mentioned agents in its Cold Remedy RapidMelts® with Vitamin C & Echinacea. If I could have eaten more than one of the RapidMelts they may have helped, but choking down the supplement was not worth the possible reward.

The moral of the story is it's tempting to try the latest remedy, but the best thing you can do is take care of yourself. Rest, drink fluids, and keep the air around you moist. Remember to wash your hands frequently. See a doctor if you symptoms persist longer than 10 days or your condition worsens.