Food Supplements puts back what life takes out.

Food Supplements also known as nutritional substances are preparations intended to fill gaps created by less than perfect eating habits or metabolic changes that occur with ageing. These are designed to provide nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, fatty acids etc. Remember one thing food supplements are not a replacement for healthy living. Many are ignorant of nutritional value in preventing illness and slowing of aging. Take a browse in supermarket many of the foods you will see the term fortified food, means added vitamins and minerals. You are taking your daily food + foods that may have fortified vitamins and minerals + on the top of it taking food supplements. You need to watch very carefully where you are going.

Vitamins affect on the body, most of the time in a better way. Antioxidant prevents oxidation in our body by free radicals which damage cells and cause aging and or mutation of cells which could become cancerous in long run. Research has shown antioxidants prevent cancer. Also antioxidant prevents free radicals from forming artery clogging plaque. They are considered most critical nutrients that will prevent a set of illnesses and increase lifespan.

Anti-inflammatory agents could prevent damages happening to our body, an example is Alzheimer’s disease. Another set chemicals are that act as chelators (or binding agents), these combine with toxic metals and help us to flush them from our body. Yet another set of chemicals are Vasodilators, these dilate blood vessels and to improve flow and circulation.

Food supplements are an important part of our diet. Before you start on something please make sure to consult a doctor. We don’t want excess amounts of nutrients in our body, it will create more problems than good.

You can see many people take these little pills blindly believing these are good for your body. In a way yes these provide vitamins and minerals that are essential for body. Lack of these could make you ill, chronic disorders including cardiovascular diseases. Let us take one example vitamin B, needed by our body to control levels of homocysteine. This an amino acid produced when our body breaks down protein. Homocysteine levels will increase if there is no vitamin B, problem is increased levels could harm our heart. Vitamin B in different forms are need to convert homocysteine into a form that cells can use to build new protein. When you get age the levels of vitamin B absorbed from food reduced (or body is unable to absorb more vitamin B from food) so supplements of vitamin B is required.

Fish Oil, contains Omega-3 fatty acids, research shown taking these will reduce the risk of cancer. Also it is been proven taking fish oil cut heart attack risk dramatically, they are known to decrease LDL levels which is good for our heart. Laboratory tests shown lowering Omega-6 from corn oil and increasing levels of Omega-3 reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Another study shown, some patients took fish oil 6 months before they are scheduled for artery clearing surgery, evidence points that those who took fish oil are less likely to have artery rupture and cause blood clots. Fish Oil also controls triglycerides in blood, after a hefty meal triglycerides in blood increase, but people who took fish oil supplements where 35 / 50 % lower than others.

Fish oil got anticlotting properties so people who got issues with blood clotting must consult their doctor.

Soluble fiber is an indigestible carbohydrate that forms a thick cholesterol trapping gel in your digestive system. Generally you need 10g of these per day usually we take only about 4g. Soluble Fiber reduces cholesterol including LDL which means reduced risk of heart attacks. These fibers forms a thick get at moves slowly through our intestine and binds to cholesterol containing bile acid and help our body to get rid of it. Liver manufactures bile acid to break down fat for digestion, usually most of these cholesterol in these acid is reabsorbed but if soluble fiber able get rid of more of these cholesterol, liver is forced to draw cholesterol from blood stream to more bile acids. So naturally your cholesterol levels in blood drops. 10 grams of soluble fiber can be achieved by eating two small apples.

Take your doctors advice before you start with it, since fiber supplements can affect some medications.

Phytosterols are usually found in soya beans, rice bran and wheat germ, these plant sterols and stanols known collectively as phytosterols. They are good in stopping absorption of cholesterol into blood. The chemical structure of phytosterols is closely resemble that of cholesterol, in intestine they binds with molecules that normally carry cholesterol into the blood stream. Which means the unwanted cholesterol is eliminated during bowel movements.

Please note Phytosterols can reduce levels of fat soluble vitamins,like beta-carotene.

CoQ10 helps convert fats and sugars to energy. These are naturally occurring compound. Its a very powerful antioxidant and can defuse free radicals. which are damaging compounds believed to contribute to the aging process as well as serious health problems including heart disease and cancer. Supplements of CoQ10 can be considered since production of CoQ10 goes down with aging.

There are so many health benefits associated with CoQ10 but these need to be scientifically tested and verified.

Oil is produced from Flax or Linseed, there are basically two varieties of Flax seed. Brown and yellow or golden. Flaxseed oil contains low levels of omaga-3 fatty acids, considered good for lowering cholesterol and to protect your heart (anti-coagulant effect).

Aspirin is not a nutrient and should only be taken with your doctors approval. Experts accepts taking aspirin could reduce the risk of a blood clot and there by protecting your heart. Taking aspirin every day may not be appropriate for everybody no one should take it without consultation with a doctor. Taking daily dose of aspirin shown to reduce risk of cancer.

Food supplements are not replacement healthy food. There are thousands of varieties of multivitamins and food supplements available in market. Many takes these fancy food for body building, weight loss, or just to look young. If you wants start on any food supplement please make sure you consult your doctor and get approval. Dietary information, make sure you understand your daily quota of nutrients. You got your daily meal it contains many nutrients when you take multivitamin it also added up. So it is important to consult a doctor to make sure you are take the right food supplement and correct dosage. Don't take excess nutrients than allowed daily quota. Food supplements does fills the gap in our daily diet, but if you can make adjustment to your daily eating habits to fill the gaps then it is much better. Handle food supplements with care.