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| Q.
What is a Vitamin? |
| A.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
gives us the following definition: vi·ta·min;
variant: also vi·ta·mine /'vit-a-min,
Brit also 'vit-/
Function:
noun :any of various organic substances that are essential
in minute quantities to the nutrition of most animals
and some plants, act especially as coenzymes and precursors
of coenzymes in the regulation of metabolic processes
but do not provide energy or serve as building units,
and are present in natural foodstuffs or are sometimes
produced within the body
Vitamins
are carbon-comprised organic chemical compounds the
body needs to consume for growth, repair, metabolism
and overall health. Exceptions are vitamins D, K, choline
and biotin, which technically the body can self-produce.
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| Q.
What is a Mineral? |
A.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language
provides us the following definition for the word mineral:
min·er·al (min er-al) noun/
"1. A naturally occurring, homogeneous inorganic
solid substance having a definite chemical composition
and characteristic crystalline structure, color, and hardness.
2. An inorganic element, such as calcium, iron, potassium,
sodium, or zinc, that is essential to the nutrition of
humans, animals, and plants." Minerals
are inorganic chemical elements that the body needs
for healthy growth and metabolism. They are also involved
in making hormones and enzymes. Minerals are just as
important as vitamins, and in fact work in conjunction
with vitamins to perform many bodily functions such
as bone formation, heart function and digestion.
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| Q.
What is Health? |
A.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
defines health as;
health; pronunciation: 'helth: noun "1:
the condition of an organism or one of its parts in
which it performs its vital functions normally or properly;
the state of being sound in body or mind; especially
: freedom from physical disease and pain. 2: the condition
of an organism with respect to the performance of its
vital functions especially as evaluated subjectively
or nonprofessionally."
In any organism, health is a form of homeostasis. This
is a state of balance, with inputs and outputs of energy
and matter in equilibrium (allowing for growth). Health
also implies good prospects for continued survival.
In sentient creatures such as humans, health is a broader
concept. The World Health Organization defines health
as "a state of complete physical, mental and social
well-being, and does not consist only of the absence
of disease or infirmity."
The most solid aspects of wellness that fit firmly in
the realm of medicine are the environmental health,
nutrition, disease prevention, and public health matters
that can be investigated and assist in measuring well-being.
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| Q.
What is Disease? |
A.
Our friends write in the Merriam-Webster Medical Dictionary…
dis·ease; Pronunciation: diz-'ez; noun
"an impairment of the normal state of the living
animal or plant body or one of its parts that interrupts
or modifies the performance of the vital functions and
is a response to environmental factors (as malnutrition,
industrial hazards, or climate), to specific infective
agents (as worms, bacteria, or viruses), to inherent defects
of the organism (as genetic anomalies), or to combinations
of these." A
disease is any abnormal condition of the body or mind
that causes discomfort, dysfunction, or distress to
the person affected or those in contact with the person.
Sometimes the term is used broadly to include injuries,
disabilities, syndromes, symptoms, deviant behaviors,
and atypical variations of structure and function, while
in other contexts these may be considered distinguishable
categories.
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| Q.
Why are there supplements just for women? |
| A.
The biological rhythms of ovulation, menstruation, contraception,
conception, childbirth, lactation and menopause can send
a woman's system off balance. It's no wonder that women
experience a range of health issues all their own.
Poor
diet, lack of exercise, stress and environmental factors
can further complicate matters. While one should always
consult a health practitioner, the following natural
remedies may be beneficial for certain conditions.
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| Q.
Are there also supplements just for men? |
| A.
The statistics on men's health are alarming. Almost half
of men in the western world are overweight, 13% of them
obese. 80% of men don't exercise the recommended three
times a week and 60% of middle-aged men don't exercise
at all. Many
men drink alcohol, smoke and eat a high-fat, processed
food diet. Two thirds of men do not consult doctors
on a regular basis. It's no wonder that high blood pressure,
abnormal cholesterol levels, stress, coronary disease
and certain cancers are on the rise among males.
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| Q.Please
explain -- what are enzymes? |
A.
According to The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical
Dictionary is defined as follows:
en·zyme; Pronunciation: 'en-"zim Function:
noun
any of numerous complex proteins that are produced by
living cells and catalyze specific biochemical reactions
at body temperatures.
An enzyme is a protein, or protein complex, that catalyzes
a chemical reaction. Within biological cells many chemical
reactions occur, but without enzymes they would happen
too slowly to sustain life. Enzymes speed up reactions
by a factor of one thousand times or more. An RNA enzyme
or "ribozyme" is made of RNA instead of protein.
Generally ribozymes only catalyze RNA splicing.
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| Q.
What are Omega 3 Fatty Acids? |
A.
Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids
found in certain fish tissues, and in vegetable sources
such as flax seeds, walnuts, and canola oil.
Omega-3 fatty acids are classed as essential fatty
acids. These fatty acids were originally designated
as "Vitamin F", until it was realized that
they must be classified with the fats.
The term "omega-3" signifies that the first
double bond in the carbon backbone of the fatty acid,
counting from the end opposite the acid group, occurs
in the third carbon-carbon bond.
Common omega-3 fatty acids in the body are linolenic
acid (18:3), eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5), docosahexaenoic
acid (22:6).
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| Q.
What is a Dietary Supplement? |
A.
Dietary Supplements: Background Information
From the Office of Dietary Supplements • National
Institutes of Health
As defined by Congress in the Dietary Supplement Health
and Education Act, which became law in 1994, a dietary
supplement is a product (other than tobacco) that
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is intended to supplement the diet;
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contains one or more dietary ingredients (including
vitamins; minerals; herbs or other botanicals; amino
acids; and other substances) or their constituents;
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is intended to be taken by mouth as a pill, capsule,
tablet, or liquid; and
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is labeled on the front panel as being a dietary supplement.
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| Q.
How many vitamins should I take per day? |
A.
Please refer to our Vitamin
Intake Table for more information.
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