Calcium inhibits iron absorption. If you need to take iron supplements, which many people do, you might see advice cautioning you not to take them with calcium. When you read cautions like this, you might wonder how much it really matters. For calcium and iron, studies show that the effect depends on how much calcium…
Want to add more antioxidants to your diet? We probably should, since antioxidants help our bodies fight free radicals. High levels of free radicals (i.e., oxidative stress) can damage cells. Oxidative stress is linked to a wide variety of health issues, including cancer and diabetes. Our bodies make antioxidants on their own, but not enough…
Digestive enzymes are an essential part of the digestive process that help our bodies break down and extract nutrients from food. Your body makes these enzymes naturally, mostly in the pancreas but also in the mouth, stomach, and small intestine. You can also get enzymes from some foods or from supplements. If you’re low on…
Should You Take Glutamine Supplements For Muscles or Gut Health? Amino acids are building blocks for protein, and glutamine is one that is abundant in the body. You can get it from food, and your body also produces it naturally. Sometimes, your body might need extra glutamine to recover from certain injuries or illnesses. The…
If you live in the United States, you’ve probably heard about the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) and seen the upside-down food pyramid. Updates to these guidelines happen every five years and guide professional nutrition recommendations as well as provide general tips for healthy eating. You might have some questions about these new guidelines,…
Why Athletes Are Turning to Astaxanthin for Recovery and Cellular Protection Antioxidants help your body fight free radicals. That’s important because too high levels of free radicals (i.e. oxidative stress) are linked to a wide variety of health issues, including diabetes and cancer. Keeping free radicals in check helps your body stay healthy. Your body…
Green drinks in the form of juice, powders, and smoothies are an extremely popular way to increase your vegetable intake and supply essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. As with many other health trends, there is a lot of advice online about how and when to drink them to maximize the benefits. However, not all of…
Traditional medicine has used lion’s mane mushrooms (Hericium erinaceus) for a very long time. Many of the benefits of lion’s mane mushroom are also supported by modern medical research. It’s a great mushroom to add to your supplement routine, either on its own or as part of a mushroom blend. If you want to start…
Your liver is one of the most important organs in your body. It acts as your body’s detox system, filtering your blood to remove toxins. It also helps digest food, break down medications you’ve taken, convert food into energy, and store that energy. In addition, the liver makes proteins to help your blood clot. Given…
Have you heard that you shouldn’t take copper and zinc together because one might cancel out the other’s benefits? I heard that, so I started doing some research. Pretty soon, I also found recommendations that you should take them together because zinc can cause copper deficiencies. Let’s take a closer look at this topic and…
