One of the most important steps you can take to prevent heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's disease is to eat plenty of antioxidant-rich foods. As discussed in a previous article on free radicals, antioxidants protect your health by preventing and repairing damage caused to your cells by excessive free radicals. Read more
Before my parents immigrated to Canada close to four decades ago, my mom was convinced that one of the benefits of living in Canada was the amount of cow's milk that was available. Back in Korea, moms, dads, and grandparents of all ages were sure that their babies and grandchildren could be bigger, stronger, and healthier if they could only have easy access to milk. Read more
Riboflavin is a water-soluble B-complex vitamin that is a key component of two enzymes in your body called flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and flavin mononucleotide (FMN). FAD and FMN are used by every cell in your body to produce energy. FAD is used by other enzymes to protect your body against damage by free radicals.
Magnesium is one of seven minerals that you need in relatively large amounts for optimal health. Most of your body's magnesium is located in your bones and teeth. Your remaining magnesium is present in your soft tissues and the fluids that surround these tissues.
Iron is an essential component of hundreds of enzymes and proteins in your body.
As it is with other trace minerals, a little iron goes a long way. More specifically, your body needs about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of iron at any given time to carry out its everyday metabolic activities. Without this 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of iron in your body on a consistent basis, you could experience significant health challenges.
Folate is found in whole foods and in your body, while folic acid is found in most vitamin supplements. Folic acid needs vitamin C, niacin, and vitamin B12 in order to be converted to its biologically active form.
Although choline is not a vitamin or mineral, it is an essential nutrient for your health. Your body can make small amounts of choline from other nutrients, but you need to have reliable sources of choline in your diet to be at your best. Choline in your body is found mainly in specialized fat molecules called lecithin.
There are two main forms of chromium: chromium-3 and chromium-6. Chromium-6 was made famous as a carcinogen by the movie Erin Brockovich. Chromium-3 is the main form of chromium that is found in foods and used by your body. The information on chromium in this article refers to the properties of chromium-3.
Vitamin B6 is commonly referred to as pyridoxine. It is a water-soluble B vitamin that comes in six different forms. The most active form in your body is called PLP, short for pyridoxal 5'-phosphate. The biological features of vitamin
B6 described in this article refer mainly to PLP.
Being fulfilled is far more important than being successful because success is measured by others who carry values that may be different from ours, while fulfillment is something we feel deep within.