Monthly Archives: August 2021

Must-Have Back-to-School Nutrients for Kids

must-have back-to-school nutrients for kids

Try these must-have back-to-school nutrients for kids.

This year as the kids head back-to-school, we want to give them every head start that we can. Strong immune systems are always important when heading into a busy school year, but this year they are critical. Today let’s talk about the nutrients that are most important, and which foods you can focus on to get them into your child’s diet every day.

Important Nutrients For Kids

Our kids use every bit of fuel we give their little bodies, and they’re not only using it for energy. Good nutrition is shaping the way they grow, how their minds sharpen and awaken, and how their bodies react to the environment around them. That’s why it’s so important to give them the armor they need to face new challenges when they head back-to-school. Every day, your child should be consuming these essential nutrients, whether it be from the food they eat, or from a combination of food and supplements – such as a chewable multivitamin.

Protein – Is essential for growing bodies, it helps build and repair vital tissues that support organs, bones and muscles. Protein also creates energy and helps the body fight off infection. Good sources of protein include:

  • Lean Meat and Poultry
  • Dairy Products
  • Fish
  • Eggs
  • Nuts and Beans

 Carbohydrates – Your child’s most important source of energy and another vital source for building and repairing their body’s vital tissues. The majority of your child’s carbohydrate intake should come from fiber and starches, rather than sugar. Here are some good sources of carbohydrates:

  • Whole-grain Cereals
  • Brown Rice
  • Whole-grain Breads
  • Fruits

Fats – Good fats help fuel your child’s growing body and brain and help it to absorb the essential nutrients it needs. There are essentially three types of fats:

  • Unsaturated Fat – Healthy fat found in avocados, olives, fish, nuts, etc. You should focus on these fats as your child’s primary source of fat.
  • Saturated Fat – Found in meat and animal products such as butter and full-fat dairy. Use these fats in moderation.
  • Trans fat – Found in processed snack foods, baked goods, and fried fast food. These fats should be avoided as much as possible.

Fiber – Very important for helping to regulate your child’s bowels. Gut health is essential for all of us. A daily probiotic like Multi Probiotic Kids by Douglas Labs can be very beneficial for your back-to-school child, as well as a healthy diet including these high-fiber foods (or fiber supplements):

  • Nuts and Seeds
  • Hummus
  • Lentils and Kidney Beans

Essential Vitamins and Minerals – The remainder of your child’s diet should be filled with vitamin and mineral rich fruit, vegetables and whole grains. These are some of the most important daily nutrients for your growing child to help fight off infection as well as grow the mind and body include:

  • Calcium – low-fat dairy, broccoli, spinach, egg yolks and tofu.
  • Folate – Asparagus, spinach, Brussels sprouts, lentils and black beans.
  • Vitamin A – carrots, broccoli, cabbage, squash, and sweet potatoes.
  • Vitamin C – citrus fruits, strawberries, mangos, melons, potatoes and tomatoes.
  • Iron – red meat, beans, nuts and whole grains.

Help arm your child with the fuel they need to head back to school. What are some of your back-to-school must-haves? Tell us in the comments below!

Why You Should Add Curcumin to Your Diet

why you should consider adding curcumin to your diet

Learn why you should consider adding curcumin to your diet.

Ever heard of curcumin? It might not be a term you’re familiar with, but you’ve probably heard the spice, turmeric. Well, curcumin is the ingredient in turmeric that is responsible for many well-known health benefits. Today, we’ll explain more about what those benefits are and why you should consider adding curcumin to your diet.

What is Curcumin?

Curcumin is a polyphenol that is found in the plant, turmeric – which is part of the ginger family. The popularity of turmeric has skyrocketed in recent years because of its reputation of being a powerful antioxidant. But, it’s actually the ingredient, curcumin that makes this spice such a healthy heavy-hitter. Here are just some of the benefits:

  • Powerful anti-inflammatory, great for treating arthritis
  • Antioxidant to boost your immune system
  • May lower your risk of heart disease
  • Helps regulate mood and mental health concerns such as depression
  • Helps speed recovery from sports injuries

How to Use Curcumin

So, the benefits of adding curcumin to your daily routine are clear. But, what is the best way to take it each day? Well, it may seem simple just to eat turmeric with your meals each day. Some people even like to sprinkle it on their coffee in the morning. The problem is, curcumin has a low absorption rate, and the amount of cucumin per serving of turmeric is relatively low to maximize its health benefits. That’s why many people turn to curcumin supplements like Zero Sugar Curcumin Gummies by Nordic Naturals.

The advantage to using curcumin supplements is that many are made using turmeric extract to increase the concentration of curcumin in each dose. An ideal daily dose is between 400mg and 1 gram of curcumin.

Curcumin Absorption

Some studies show that curcumin can more easily be absorbed when combined with a carrier agent. Here are two ways you can increase your curcumin absorption:

  1. Black Pepper – When eating turmeric, try adding black pepper to the recipe. The active ingredient in black pepper is piperine enhances the absorption of curcumin by up to 2000%. This also works for curcumin supplements, which contain piperline in the ingredients list, such as Curcumin 500 with Bioperine by Pure Encapsulations.
  • Use With Fat – Curcumin is fat soluble, which means it dissolves in fat or oil. Using it when you consume high-fat foods could help increase absorption.

There are many proven benefits to adding curcumin to your diet or daily supplement routine. Have you noticed any changes since you’ve tried it? Tell us about it in the comments below!

What is Collagen Loading and Should You Try It?

what-is-collagen-loading-should-you-try-it

Collagen is the most plentiful protein in the body, making up between 25% and 35% of the body’s connective tissue found in the joints, ligaments, skin, and elsewhere!

Collagen is found within, or directly interacts with, the development of hair growth, joint health, eyesight, nail health, fat metabolism, and many other aspects of body composition, health, and wellness.

The body produces collagen, thankfully.

Unfortunately, the body produces less collagen as it ages, which is a big part of why our skin becomes thinner and more wrinkly (this is called “laxity” in the literature.) This contributes to thinning hair and joint aches and pains.

Other factors influence these age-related bodily changes, but collagen is an important facet of healthy aging, so we should understand it.

Fortunately, collagen can be supplemented affordably. Collagen is most often harvested from the bones of cows. That might sound a little gross at first blush, but don’t fear. Bovine skeletons that would otherwise go to waste are boiled until the collagen is extracted. The odorless and flavorless substance is then harvested and turned into a powder, which can be added to food and drinks and consumed by people such as yourself.

How Collagen Loading Allegedly Works

When you first start collagen supplementation, some people suggest a collagen-loading routine.

During this process, you would typically take 3 scoops (or whatever dose you are using) per day for a month, rather than the single scoop per serving than you would consume during regular periods.

The idea is that when you begin a collagen regimen, your body’s collagen stores are depleted, so you should give your body a ton of collagen to make up the difference so that you can jumpstart the “rebuilding” process for things like your health, nails, and skin once more.

The rationale basically concludes that by flooding the body with collagen in the early days, the patient will observe positive changes and will be encouraged enough to continue collagen therapy in the long run, even at the lower doses that follow the initial month of collagen loading.

Is Collagen Loading Safe?

So does collagen loading work, and should you try it?

The first thing to understanding is that too much of anything can be a bad thing. If you have concerns about your health, make sure to speak with your primary care physician to learn more about your individual needs.

As for collagen loading, there is limited research to support whether it works or not. If you look around social media, you will find people who talk about it working for them.

Likewise, athletes who take collagen therapy report improved joint pain following grueling exertion, and studies suggest that the skin in aging mammals can be provided with improved laxity.

To that end, it is important to also understand that any changes to health can take time. Meaning, if you take collagen at any dose, a period of weeks or months may be required to notice any improvements.

Collagen Supplements

So, where do you get supplemental collagen? Fortunately, there is no shortage of natural collagen sources in the world, meaning that supplemental collagen is extremely affordable.

We have several different brands and products to recommend, so check out each to figure out which formulation and price structure works best for your needs.

All of these products provide the highest quality of collagen available, giving you a lot of value for your money. Wherever you source your collagen, however, we wish you the best results possible. Good luck!