We all like to think that we have steadily beating and rhythmic hearts, when the reality is that at some time or other our hearts will literally skip a beat. For other people having an irregular heart beat is something that they are quite used to, with their hearts beating abnormally quickly or slowly for periods of time. These irregular heart beats are arrhythmias and should be investigated by a qualified medical practitioner. However, for those with an arrhythmia that isn’t serious there are health supplements that can help to control them.

What causes arrhythmia?

In serious cases an arrhythmia can be attributed to coronary heart diseases, thyroid gland problems or even kidney disease. However, they can just as easily be due to a chemical imbalance in the body or even your lifestyle if you’re a heavy smoker or drinker, drink a lot of caffeine or even if you’re just stressed out.

Supplements that can help reduce arrhythmias.

He might give some ladies a heart throb - but not necessarily an arrhythmia!

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An interesting study from Austria has made a direct link between the benefits of sun bathing and the male libido. Perhaps unsurprisingly it involves raising the levels of vitamin D in males, but that in itself is interesting as it is generally true that most of us feel somewhat friskier if the suns been out. It’s clearly not just a question of through sunbathing and feeling nicely relaxed that both male and female libidos are raised - but clearly, even if it is only for males, there is a new physiological benefit to us from the extra dose of vitamin D that we get from the sun.

Sunbathing and testosterone.

I think she'd help most guys libido?

Apparently the Clinical Endocrinology study established in a sample of over 2000 men that those who weren’t deficient in vitamin D had higher levels of the sex hormone testosterone in their blood, than those who were vitamin D deficient; with both groups of men’s testosterone levels dropping in the winter and peaking in the summer. Testosterone is not only essential to men either, in both men and women it is essential for maintaining good muscle strength and plays a part in bone density. So, the obvious conclusion here is that taking a health supplement to promote high levels of testosterone will not only improve a man’s libido but will also improve their general body health.

Take care in the sun.

Needless to say the ‘pc’ busy-bodies have been having their say too on this one, warning us not to over do being out in the sun for fear of risking skin cancers. Fair point it is true to say, but we’re not all incapable of knowing already that 20 to 30 minutes sunbathing is as good as hours and hours of it. Of course, if you have a very fair skin complexion then avoiding too much sun is to be recommended. So, all the more reason to use vitamin supplements and plenty of Omege-3 rich oils, to top up that testosterone. Alternatively of course you can try some of the preparatory health supplement libido enhancers.

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By and large people who read information and articles about vitamins and health supplements do so because they are looking for something to use personally. That usually means the person concerned realizes they are in need of some form of supplement that they are not acquiring through their normal diet. Which brings us to the question of supplements and fussy eaters - if you know someone who is a fussy eater, are they getting the vitamins etc they need through their diet and do they need supplements?

Fussy eater diets.

I saw a program on TV the other day about a woman who had eaten pretty well nothing but cheese on toast and pizzas for years. To look at her she wasn’t overweight or indeed underweight, but she must surely have been one of the world’s fussiest eaters. Anyway, her friend knew that her diet wasn’t doing her any good and that she needed to improve it, now although that is an extreme case there are many people who are fussy eaters and cannot possibly be getting the nutrition they really need. Speaking of which - we all know what fussy eaters children can be and how some  are actually lacking in essential vitamins and minerals etc! So, if you know a fussy eater - until they start to eat a properly balanced diet they really should take vitamin and health supplements, whether an adult or child.

Essential supplements for fussy eaters.

Sure looks like a fussy eater to me?

Without getting into too much detail in this article, you can read plenty more about vitamins and health supplements elsewhere in ‘vitaminsandsupplements‘, there are two absolutely essential supplements you really should start taking immediately. First there’s a multi-vitamin or better still and multi-vitamin and mineral supplement. Taking just one tablet a day can guarantee that you get all the vitamins and minerals you need to maintain a healthy body, despite your fussy eating patterns. Next up is an Omega-3 fatty acid supplement, your body needs what are known as essential fatty acids and an Omega-3 fatty acid supplement is the best way to ensure you get them; this is particularly important if you don’t like eating things like oily fish.

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Another New Year and, I dare say, millions of people will have promised themselves that they will shed those extra pounds with yet another New Year diet resolution. Making resolutions to diet is all well and good, but how many of us actually stick to them? Meanwhile we all put on more and more weight and seemingly become the next statistic in the obesity explosion raging through America.

Appetite suppressants and weight loss.

Apart form a very small proportion of the population the reason we put on weight in the first place is simply that we eat too much. Subsequently scientists are constantly looking for appetite suppressants to stop us from over-eating in the first place - and Citicoline looks like being the latest substance to help regulate the urges we have to eat and the amount of food that we eat. Of particular significance in favor of citicoline is that it is a vitamin like nutrient and not a potentially harmful medication.

Natural appetite supplements.

A natural appetite suppressant from the Kalahari Desert.

Of course, there are already several natural health supplements used as appetite suppressants for people to use as part of their diet program. Although more commonly associated with body-builders, whey protein is an excellent appetite suppressant as well as being excellent for helping to develop muscles. Not only will whey protein suppress your appetite but, by also developing your muscles it will help you to burn off excess fat from your body. A slightly more exotic natural appetite suppressant is hoodia gordonii, a cactus like plant which has been used for centuries by the Kalahari Bushmen, in South Africa. Although the Bushmen would use the raw plant to suppress their desire to eat when out hunting, today it is available in a convenient tablet form. Another of the natural appetite suppressant frequently used is tablets of a bioginate complex made from the seaweed commonly known as Oarweed, Laminaria Digitata.

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Christmas comes but once a year, as the children’s saying goes, but the levels of excitement that they can whip themselves up into seems to be enough to last the whole year. As if that’s not enough in itself to make some kids ill, the long distance drives to visit family and friends for that Christmas get-together or even Christmas Day meal will surely get some kids reacting with travel sickness.

Travel sickness.

Although travel sickness isn’t something that affects only children, as it is something that most people grow out of, it is seen as mainly a problem for the kids. As anyone knows if they’ve ever taken children on a long journey - travel sickness can strike at any time of the year and on any sort of journey, not just by car. Travel sickness is caused by your eyes telling your brain you’re going one way, but your balancing system in the ears trying to convince your brain that you’re going another. Technically speaking, the vestibular system of the inner ear disagrees with the visual signal from your eyes - with the net result of feeling sick, going pale, clammy or both and quite probably giving you a headache.

Natural cures for travel sickness.

Quercetin, a natural health supplement with anti-histamine properties.

Fortunately there are a few natural remedies recommended for travel sickness. Although hard proof as to how this works is thin on the ground - acupressure wrist bands seem to help some sufferers, even if it’s just by a placebo effect. Taking the natural health supplement Ginger before a journey is also recommended, although again apart from being known to settle stomachs, as to how this works is also rather a mystery. One thing that is an established preventative cure for travel sickness is taking anti-histamines an hour before the journey. If you don’t want to use pharmaceutical ones try the health supplement Quercetin, this flavonoid is usually taken with a dose of vitamin C too. Finally, don’t let the kids watch a DVD or read in the back of the car, alternatively have a story playing on their iPods or the car sound system and do try to keep fresh air circulating throughout your vehicle.

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There comes in time in a woman’s life when she will enter the menopause, which can have varying affects from evening time hot flushes to an increase in body weight, depression and even to osteoporosis - a decrease in bone density. In recent years hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been able to counter the worst effects of the menopause, but women are now increasingly wary of HRT due to potential safety issues of its use including breast cancer and heart attacks. So, what are the alternative menopause treatments?

Vitamin A supplements.

Vitamin A supplements are recommended to fight the menopausal effects of hot flushes, depression and fatigue. A vitamin A supplement will also help to counter the effects of osteoporosis, promoting healthy bones, as well as giving your immune system a boost to keep you in good health and fight off diseases.

Is this how you feel in the menopause?

Vitamin D supplements.

Vitamin D supplements are recommended for anyone with weak bones or joints. The risks associated with the menopause of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis makes it almost essential to have a vitamin D supplement in your diet to maintain the levels of vitamin D in your body. This is especially important for women who are unable to spend at least 15 minutes a day in the sun - which can be particularly difficult for anyone living in northerly latitudes during the winter.

Vitamin E supplements.

I’m afraid there’s no kind way of putting this but, on average, if you’re in your menopausal years then you’re probably aged between 45 and 55 years - and I’m afraid you won’t be getting any younger! When going through the menopause your body is sending you a remorseless signal that you are ageing which can feed in to any feelings of depression you might be having. One solution to this could be to take a vitamin E supplement to counter the ageing process. Vitamin E is a key factor in producing anti-oxidants to protect your body cells, helping to keep your skin looking fresh and young - thereby helping you to feel good about yourself.

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As the saying goes “Christmas comes but once a year”, but the stress during the build up to it can take months to get over. Whether it’s getting all the presents, buying and preparing food, meeting those relations or friends you’d really rather not know; the pre-Christmas period can seem anything but the “still and calm” of a Silent Night. However, there are some natural health supplements, other than St John’s Wort, that can help you to alleviate and reduce all that stress you might be feeling.

De-stress yourself this Christmas with these simple tips.

Chamomile.

One of the great natural ’smoothers’ from the health supplements cabinet is chamomile, that can both alleviate anxiety and promote feelings of general relaxation. A naturally occurring herb the dried flowers have been used to brew a relaxing and soothing tea since Roman times. To prepare it simply add one or two teaspoons of the dried flowers to a cup of hot boiled water, leave it to infuse for 5 minutes, then strain and drink. Alternatively, at the end of the day, pour four or five drops of chamomile oil into a relaxing bath.

Valerian.

The rootstock of Valerian is most effective when used prior to sleep, as it is accepted by the medical authorities as being an aid to sleep as well as being a calming agent. Valerian raises the levels of a neurotransmitter, GBA, to reduce anxiety, calming you down after a stressful day and preparing you for sleep. Take Valerian as a tincture, one teaspoon, with a little sugar or honey 45 minutes before you go to bed. Although Valerian isn’t addictive, you shouldn’t use it for more than a few nights at a time.

Black Cohosh.

It is actually the root of the Black Cohosh that is used to treat ‘bad nerves’, such as can arise when you’re under stress. Women in particular find this herbal remedy effective, especially if they have menstrual problems. Triterpenes are the active ingredient in Black Cohosh, so look for tablets containing 2.5% triterpenes. 40mg twice a day should be sufficient to calm those nerves and reduce that stress. But, Black Cohosh works best as a preventative so start taking it now before the pre-Christmas build up gets too manic.

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Developing those perfect and healthy muscles is one of the age old problems, regardless as to whether you’re already a body building enthusiast or are just starting out on the road to get yourself fit. As many of us know it is all too easy to expect, and indeed want, too much and too soon. Taking a non-specific muscle building supplement is not in itself a solution to developing great muscle tone that can be sustained. However, the following are two ‘muscle specific’ supplements that can play a part in developing that great muscle tone we all want.

Creatine Monohydrate.

Undoubtedly the best known of all the specific muscle building supplements is creatine monohydrate. Creatine is essential for good muscle development and maintenance and despite the fact that it is manufactured from amino acids in our bodies; our levels of creatine will be dependant to some extent on the diet we eat. So, as vegetarians in particular will be deficient in muscle creatine. Indeed anyone not eating a high meat protein diet may well struggle to develop and maintain muscle tone, in which case they should consider a creatine monohydrate supplement.

Muscle building supplements can help to develop great muscle tone.

Protein powders.

Protein powders can work for you by adding both calories and protein to your diet in a very cost-effective way. Typically made from milk whey a ten week course of the supplement can add a pound in weight of muscle a week and at the end of those 10 weeks you will find that your muscles perform better. Of course you need to put the hours in at the gym to get the muscle tone you want and, this is important, being full of calories as well as protein, if you take this supplement without exercising you will gain weight.

A word about water.

If you’re one of those guys, or indeed girls, that goes to the gym for a work-out without taking plenty of water - think again. 75% of all your bodies muscle tissue is water, if you get dehydrated whilst exercising you’re simply not giving the muscles a chance to function properly and make all that effort in the gym worthwhile.

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When the Doctor can't help - time to help yourself!

Don’t worry, this isn’t a “Doctor, Doctor my …” joke. It is, however, a piece that may be of interest to anyone with an illness that their physician seems unable to help them with. We all know of friends or family that have that mystery illness which, despite having had all the tests possible done and seen all the specialists imaginable - still cannot be isolated and diagnosed by the experts. Then, possibly following a chance conversation with someone else, the person concerned finds a vitamin or health supplement that alleviates, if not cures the very symptoms they’ve been suffering with.

Damaging free radicals.

Just in case you’ve been living on a desert island without books, a TV or internet access; in a similar way to rust forming on iron as a result of oxidation, so too can our bodies be affected by a process of oxidation caused by what are known as free radicals. Free radicals are known to be responsible for a whole range of cell damage within our bodies and can even attack our DNA.  Even worse - the older we get the more prone to cell damage by free radicals we become, making us more likely to feel ill for no apparent reason and accelerating the ageing process. To fight these effects it is vital that we keep our bodies well stocked with anti-oxidants to counter them.

Fighting free radicals with anti-oxidants.

Anti-oxidants are present in a range of foods and, if you are able to, eating eight servings of fruit and vegetables a day should provide you with the anti-oxidants you need. However, a loss of appetite quite often accompanies an illnesses or general feelings of being unwell that your doctor cannot treat. If you have a loss of appetite then you should take the following vitamin and health supplements to ensure that you get the equivalent amounts of anti-oxidants, that could otherwise have been obtained from your diet. Vitamins E, C and A are essential vitamin supplements; as are the health supplements coenzyme Q10, alpha-lipoic, beta-carotene and bioflananoids.

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It shouldn’t come as any surprise to you to learn that health and vitamin supplements can help you to maintain beautiful looking and healthy hair. For men it’s not even just a question of having healthy hair, but making sure you’re taking the correct amounts of all the essential vitamins and minerals just could help you literally maintain their hair - rather than losing it to male pattern baldness.

Vitamins and healthy hair.

Is it the hair grabbing everyone’s attention?

Maintaining and having healthy hair is essentially about preserving the quality of the hair follicles and the condition of the skin forming your scalp. Whilst maintaining good levels of vitamins in your body, especially vitamins C and B are vital to healthy hair, an excess of one vitamin can have a damaging effect on it. Under normal circumstances taking a multi-vitamin supplement is quite safe for anyone eating a normal and well balanced diet. However, whilst a lack of vitamin A can cause a ‘flaky’ scalp and affect the quality of your hair - an excess of vitamin A is also to be avoided.  Quite simply more than 30 mg of vitamin A per day can actually promote hair loss! Whilst that would be a truly excessive dosage, it is something to be wary of and certainly do not take a vitamin A supplement exceeding the recommended daily dosage.

Other supplements to help with healthy hair.

If you have dry and lifeless hair try adding to your diet a fish oil supplement full of omega-3 fatty acids, or use evening primrose oil to combat dandruff. Although dandruff is commonly associated with a dry scalp, if you should have naturally oily skin but still get a lot of dandruff - try a biotin and vitamin B complex. Not only will this address the dandruff but should also help to strengthen hair and help to prevent hair loss in men. If you are starting to lose your hair a zinc supplement should at least slow down the rate of loss. However, remember that to maintain a proper mineral balance in your body you’ll also need to take a copper supplement along with the zinc. Finally there’s selenium, known to promote healthy hair growth - it can also do the chaps good in other areas too!

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