Mercola Catalog » optimal health

Chocolate Lovers’ Alert: Chocolate Can be Healthy and Guilt-Free

admin — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 07:26:41 +0000

Many people find it hard to resist chocolate and consider it their favorite indulgence. This is despite the serious health risks associated with overindulgence, such as diabetes and weight gain.

The Dangers of Eating Chocolate

It’s not the cacao in chocolate that can make it unhealthy, but the added ingredients found in most chocolate bars and desserts. Some of these unhealthy ingredients are:

Trans Fat – Can clog your arteries.
Artificial Sweeteners – Have been associated with migraine headaches and weight gain.
High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) – Can elevate your blood sugar to dangerous levels and lead to weight gain and insulin resistance.
Milk or milk byproducts – Can decrease absorption of antioxidants found in chocolate.
Soy Proteins – Weaken your immune system and may cause digestive stress.
Preservatives and stabilizers – Artificial ingredients increase your risk of diseases.
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) – Over-excites cells to the point of destruction.

With the many chocolate brands in the market, it is important to carefully choose a product that does not contain any of these harmful ingredients.

Dark Chocolate for Your Natural Health

Fortunately, finding healthy chocolate is no longer impossible. Dark chocolate contains trans-resveratrol, a potent antioxidant that helps your body neutralize free radicals and protects your nervous system.

Dark chocolate contains cacao, which supports your health by:

Helping improve blood flow in your arteries
Helping your cholesterol levels stay in the normal range
Promoting your brain health
Decreasing your C-reactive protein levels for enhanced heart protection
Sustaining your glucose metabolism

In order to take full advantage of these health benefits, Dr. Mercola suggests you only consume organic dark chocolate. USDA-certified organic dark chocolate, in particular, is carefully manufactured from all-natural, wholesome ingredients.

Fair Trade certification also helps ensure your chocolate uses only pure ingredients and is manufactured using environmentally sustainable practices.

Isn’t it great that you can actually give in to those chocolate cravings and still keep your body in optimal health?

Related Links:
Artificial Sweeteners — More Dangerous than You Ever Imagined
Why You MUST Stay Away From Processed Chocolate

Krill Oil for Women’s Health and Wellness

admin — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:07:23 +0000

Women have unique health needs. Your body requires high production of prostaglandins, hormone-like substances that regulate many of your cellular functions. Because they are highly potent and are active only for a short time, your body needs to support the production of these substances. One of the best ways is through the use of Krill Oil, an Omega-3 fat supplement.

Why Prostaglandins Are Essential for Optimal Health

Health experts like Dr. Joseph Mercola say that prostaglandins support women’s health in many ways:

Controlling your hormonal and digestive juice secretions

Regulating blood pressure levels

Transporting calcium and other substances in and out of cells

Controlling fertility processes

Boosting your body’s immunity

Given the many benefits of prostaglandins, it is vital that you look for a way to sustain them in your system.

Krill Oil and Other Strategies for Giving Your Prostaglandins a Boost

There are several ways of increasing your body’s prostaglandins. Adjusting your diet by limiting your intake of sugars and grains, getting adequate sleep, and eating a lot of vegetables are just some of the things that you can do to improve prostaglandin production.

Apart from these strategies, Dr. Mercola recommends optimizing your Omega-3 fats, essential nutrients that can help improve your joint health and heart health, among many other benefits.

Omega-3 fats can be found in pure krill oil. And in case you’re wondering if there’s a krill oil specifically formulated for women, well there is! Dr. Mercola recommends using Krill Oil for Women with Evening Primrose Oil, which is specifically created to enhance the female body’s prostaglandin production.

What is unique about this supplement is that it contains Evening Primrose, a North American wildflower, has small dark seeds that produce an oil rich in essential fatty acids such as EFA and GLA, which is responsible for helping cell membranes carry out their important functions and promotes the normal growth of all the nerves, muscles, organs and cells all over the body. Scientific studies show that evening primrose oil (EPO) has one of the highest concentrations of GLA.

The addition of evening primrose oil in Krill oil supports your vitality in several ways:

Relief of normal PMS symptoms

Reduce breast tenderness

Support healthy moods

Skin and hair health support

Healthy transmission of nerve impulses

Regulation of optimal metabolic levels

Promote healthy blood pressure levels

Boost calcium absorption, making your bones stronger

Krill Oil for Women also contains antioxidants that help protect your body against diseases.

If you’re somebody who’s seeking optimal health, then Krill Oil supplementation is something to consider. By using this product, you can enjoy the health benefits of a product that’s truly fine tuned to the body and the special fitness needs of a woman.

Vitamin D a Day Comes Easy in a Spray

admin — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:35:07 +0000

Vitamin D, a powerful nutrient that is produced by your skin’s exposure to sunlight, has long been known for promoting your bone health for many, many years. More amazingly, it has also been discovered to reduce your risk of multiple sclerosis, diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, osteoporosis and many types of diseases.

The easiest and inexpensive way of getting your daily dose of Vitamin D is through a little bit of sunshine. People who spend at least 10 to 15 minutes in the sun every day have good chances of obtaining healthy levels of Vitamin D.

But if you are like most Americans who work indoors all day and don’t have the luxury of time to do some tanning here and there, don’t worry because there are other methods you can take.

Alternative Ways of Getting Vitamin D

One option that is available is through the help of a safe tanning bed with UV-B rays. A tanning system that contains these rays can help your body generate Vitamin D upon skin exposure. It is also a practical way of getting Vitamin D when there is not enough sunshine outside, especially in winter.

Another alternative is through supplementation with Vitamin D3. Choosing this route, however, will require some careful consultation with your doctor – you will need to get your blood tested for your Vitamin D levels first to determine exactly how much of the nutrient your body lacks and still requires. Because of the possibility of overdose, it is not advisable to go straight to taking oral Vitamin D without getting a blood test.

With a myriad of Vitamin D supplements widely available on the market, top nutrition experts like Dr. Joseph Mercola stress to choose only those that possess superior quality to help you optimize your health the most.

Vitamin D in the Form of a Convenient, Easy-to-Use Spray

One particular standout in Vitamin D supplements is a product called Sunshine Mist Vitamin D Spray, which allows you to get a dose of Vitamin D3 through an easy-to-use, spray mechanism.

Sunshine Mist Vitamin D Spray contains:

1000 IU of Vitamin D3 in every pre-metered dose

Nano technology feature to allow rapid absorption of D3 into the body

No artificial colors, flavors or preservatives

No sugar, starch, corn, eggs, salt, dairy, wheat, soy and gluten

No aerosol

Natural, spearmint flavor

Benefits of Vitamin D Spray

The Nano technology that is present in Vitamin D3 spray makes this supplement better than a pill, tablet, capsule, gel or liquid form. It converts the D3 in a fine-mist formula that the body can start using right away, delivered straight to your tissues, cells and circulatory system.

You will be glad to know that every dose of the Sunshine Mist Vitamin D Spray supports your:

Immune system health

Heart health

Cell formation and cell longevity

Skin health

Bone health and muscle strength

Improved digestion and food absorption

Healthy moods and feelings

Weight management

These are just some of the many benefits of Vitamin D in spray form. Maintaining sufficient levels of Vitamin D through this natural Vitamin D supplement will help keep your body in optimal health.

Sunshine Mist Vitamin D Spray, a Handy Vitamin D Supplement

Now, you don’t have an excuse not to get your much needed Vitamin D. With Sunshine Mist Vitamin D Spray, it is possible to obtain your optimal dose of Vitamin D even when you don’t have enough time in the sun. It is a handy alternative that you can simply spray into your mouth three times, swallow and let Vitamin D transform and improve your overall health. Isn’t it a great product to have around?

Read more about natural health supplements that are beneficial for your health. Check this site for a lot of interesting articles and practical tips.

The Benefits of Natural Health Supplements

admin — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 10:53:26 +0000

Your body needs sound nutrition to be able to function well. It has to have a balanced diet, sufficient exercise and rest to obtain optimal health. But if you are a person who lives on a poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle, you really have to make up for the health that your body lacks. Nutritional supplements are generally used to compensate for this. In fact, about half of the people in the US take supplements, according to Mercola.com.

Note, however, that not all nutritional supplements have similar quality and benefits. You have to choose your supplement wisely. Dr. Joseph Mercola, one of the most known nutrition experts today, highly recommends that you use natural health supplements instead of the conventional prescription products that are widely available.

Natural health supplements are based on natural ingredients like cocoa, krill, and whole foods. They help you overcome nutritional deficiencies naturally and offer a number of benefits that can improve your health.

Protection from Contaminated Food Sources

Did you know that most of our healthiest food choices are contaminated with pollutants? For example, fish, which contains essential fatty acids, is poisoned with dangerous mercury. Natural health supplements, thus, serve as a better alternative for you to eating some types of food. Because they contain no artificial preservatives or dangerous chemicals , they are safe to consume or to include in your diet. These supplements protect you from the pollution that is spoiling your environment and many food sources.

Provision of Essential Nutrients That Your Diet Lacks

Natural health supplements can supply you with valuable nutrients that your diet does not provide. A supplement may contain any of the following: Vitamins; essential fatty acids; enzymes like CoQ10; and antioxidants, among many others. These nutrients have specific properties that can support and restore the body’s health and minimize the risk of diseases.

Dr. Mercola promotes some of the best natural health supplements that are available today. These are specialized supplements that are formulated for a specific health need – Vitamin E requirement, DHA for brain development, and many others. For example, there is Chlorella, a freshwater algae plant, which is used to help your body’s natural detoxification and support your digestive system.

Also, Dr. Mercola makes it possible for people to access natural health supplements that are extracted from the most exotic, hard-to-find sources. Good examples would be Krill Oil and fish oils like Salmon Oil, both high quality sources of omega-3 fats, which are taken from the oceans and are made into supplement forms to make them more convenient for you to consume.

Preservation of Nutrients that Processed Food Removes

As more and more foods today are processed through modern procedures, they are being stripped the essential nutrients that they naturally contain. Natural health supplements eliminate this problem. By not using food processing methods like over farming practices and pesticide use, they help preserve the nutrients found in organic food just like those supplements from Organic India.

A Healthy Diet Is Still Necessary

Although natural health supplements provide many health benefits, you should know that they aren’t enough to fully support your health. As Dr. Mercola explains, natural health supplements will not completely compensate for a healthy diet. Eating properly – making sure that you consume a well-balanced variety of foods from all the food groups – is still key to optimal health.

If you like this article and want to read more, just visit Mercolacatalog.com for more information and product reviews related to natural health.

Natural Health Products That Can Boost Your Health

admin — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 04:24:07 +0000

Healthy living starts with good nutrition and proper lifestyle. It is about carefully choosing the kind of food you eat and the lifestyle you keep. Renowned physician and natural health expert, Dr. Joseph Mercola, believes that doing so is the key to improving a person’s quality of life.

For years, Dr. Mercola has offered a unique option to obtain optimal health and wellness. He has advocated natural health as a means for people to lead healthy lives.

What Exactly is Natural Health?

Natural health is a special approach to health care that involves the use of natural therapies or remedies to take care of the human body. It is about getting physical exercise, eating organic foods, taking nutritional supplements, and the like to prevent and to cure illnesses.

To make natural health accessible to everyone, Dr. Mercola has created a website called Mercola.com, which contains articles and blogs, among many others, to cover all areas of natural health. He has also created a variety of products that can aid people towards a healthy life.

Doctor-Recommended Natural Health Products

Dr. Mercola’s natural health products are designed to be the best in the natural health field. They cover a wide range of categories: supplements, personal care, audio files, online tests and reports, food and snacks, books, packages, software, electronic, DVDs, Organic India products, pet supplies, and membership programs.

Here’s a peek into each product category:

Supplements – Dietary and vitamin supplements that are made from natural ingredients.

Personal Care – Health and beauty products that enhance the body like sunscreens, lip balm, and body butter.

Audio Files – Audio recordings that discuss health topics like healthy vision, dangers of vaccines, anti-aging, and more.

Online Tests and Reports – Includes the popular Nutritional Typing test to help you determine what foods match your nutritional type.

Food and Snacks – Provides a selection of convenient and healthy foods like Cocoa Cassava bars, raw honey, green tea, Himalayan salt, kefir, among others.

Books – Health books by Dr. Mercola and author health experts.

Packages – Value packs and gift sets.

Software – Dr. Mercola’s favorite computer programs for making your life easier.

Electronic – Health-enhancing home appliances such as tanning beds, juicers and air purifiers.

DVDs – Interesting videos and documentaries on diet, nutrition and other relevant health-related issues.

Organic India products – Organic herbs and teas made by Organic India.

Pet Supplies – Nutritious pet treats, dental bones and toys for managing and supporting the health of your pets.

Membership Programs – The Mercola Inner Circle program gives you exclusive access to a library of information from today’s most in-demand natural health experts.

All these Mercola products are very practical for daily living. They can help improve your fitness and well-being. If you want to learn more about these natural health products, visit this product catalog site for detailed articles and product reviews.