Can Vitamin C Help Ease My Stress?

About a month ago I was looking for some information on a search engine and a headline happened to catch my eye. I don't remember the exact wording, but it had Vitamin C and Stress in the title. I thought that was an interesting pair of words to be grouped together so I made a note to go back and search for info on that topic. I recently found some interesting information on the subject and wanted to share it with others. There are several studies on the relationship between reduced signs of stress and Vitamin C consumption.

There are alot of people that agree that there is a greater fear of public speaking than fear of death. I am one of those people. I dread (thinking about) thinking of personally doing any public speaking. I strongly dislike it and try to avoid it whenever possible. So the information I found may be able to help with my own Glossophobia,the fear of public speaking. I am not ashamed to say I had never heard the term Glossophobia before looking into this subject.

In a German research study, they exposed 120 people to the stressful situation of public speaking in combination with math problems of which half were given 1000 mg of Vitamin C. The half that received the vitamin C supplement reported feeling less stressed. The people that were not given the vitamin C supplement showed elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol and significantly higher blood pressure levels. Cortisol is a hormone that is released by the adrenal gland in response to stress. It also increases blood pressure and blood sugar and reduces immune responses. Dr. Stuart Brody who led the research team said, "This kind of high dose of vitamin C improves stress management."

Vitamin C is not produced by the body and the body cannot store vitamin C. While all fruits and vegetables contain some amount of vitamin C, some of the higher sources include citrus fruits and juices, green peppers, tomatoes, broccoli and papaya. An eight-ounce glass of fresh orange juice provides 97 mg of vitamin C. The RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) of vitamin C for adults is 60 mg. It is believed that the current RDA for vitamin C is extremely outdated.

Dr. Brody also said,"this is different from the vitamin C you get from oranges,or even the general powder forms...I'm not sure you would see the same results from natural vitamin C." Is it possible that you may benefit from an increase in the amount of vitamin C you consume to help lower your stress levels? Is there yet another use for the already popular and beneficial vitamin C?

For additional information on this topic, please check out the following links:
Vitamin C Minimizes Stress

Vitamin C: Stress Buster

C Your Way Clear of Stress

*Always consult with your physician before taking dietary supplements.

Best Defense - Dietary Supplement

Brian Francis, Wellness Coach
B. F. Enterprises
www.herbalfix.biz

How Much Will You Gain This Holiday Season?

I was curious about all the statements alot of people make about packing on those unwanted pounds during the holiday season, so I decided to do some research to see if I could find a good, reliable answer. I'm happy to say that I was successful! Before I mention what I found, what is your guess about how many pounds the average American gains during the holiday season? I have to admit that I was wrong in my guess. I guessed about five pounds. A research study shows that the average holiday weight gain is about one pound! I was shocked to find that out. Especially since I thought my guess was slightly conservative. How close was your guess?

The Research was conducted by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development(NICHD) and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases(NIDDK), which are Institutes that comprise the National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Jack A. Yanovski,M.D.,Ph.D.,who was the study's principal investigator said,"Although an average holiday weight gain of less than a pound may seem unimportant, the weight was not lost over the remainder of the year. Dr. Yanovski also said "This is a 'good news/bad news' story." He said,"The good news is that people don't gain as much weight as we thought during the holidays. The bad news is that weight gained over the winter holidays isn't lost during the rest of the year."

This research suggests that finding a way to prevent holiday weight gain may help in the prevention of obesity and obesity-related diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.
So, during this holiday season will you be a little more conscious of your weight? When measurements of 165 of the study's volunteers were taken a year after the study began, they had gained about 1.5 pounds over the course of the year. Is there some truth, related to weight management, to the beliefs that some people have about the way you go into the new year being the way you spend the rest of your year? To read more on this subject click here. Thank you for reading and have a healthy,fun and safe holiday season.

Personal Note: Growing up my grandmother always told me to think twice before you speak once because you can't take the words back once you say them. I want to transfer that thought to eating habits. Think twice before you eat once because those potential pounds may stay with you a lifetime!

Quick Tips: Try to stay physically active to help burn calories and try to watch your portion sizes. Try to eat smaller portions.


Brian Francis,Wellness Coach
B. F. Enterprises
www.herbalfix.biz

How Dangerous Is The Flu For Children?

If you haven't looked into getting your child (or yourself, if you are a parent) vaccinated for the flu yet, then you should try to make arrangements to do so A.S.A.P. or consult your physician to see if you should! Did you know that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) received reports that during the 2007-2008 flu season that 86 children died because of influenza-related complications? I was shocked when I saw that number. It is also estimated that an average of 20,000 children each year are hospitalized because of influenza complications. That was also a very alarming number for me to read.

The CDC recommends that All children aged 6 months up to their 19th birthday get a flu vaccine! They also recommend that people in contact with certain groups of children get a flu vaccine to protect the child(children) in their lives from the flu.

There are three groups that have a greater risk of getting the flu. Those groups are:

1. Children younger than 6 months old

2. Children aged 6 months up to their 5th birthday

3. Children aged 6 months and older with chronic health problems. Examples: asthma,diabetes

Parents and children should get flu vaccinations every flu season to make sure they are protected since the vaccines are updated annually.

I hope the information that I came across and have shared with you is helpful and inspires people to try and make arrangements for themselves and their children to receive flu vaccines. The CDC says that flu seaseon usually peaks in January, so it's not too late yet. Please consult with your physician or pediatrician to see if they recommend you getting a flu shot for yourself or your child. A little bit of prevention can go a long way.Here is a link where you can find more detailed information on this subject. Click Here. I hope everyone has a happier, healthier future! Have a great day.

Brian Francis,Wellness Coach
B. F. Enterprises
www.herbalfix.biz

Ladies, Have You Heard About Choose To Move?

I was doing some research today on the American Heart Association website and came across some interesting information for women. The American Heart Association has started a 12 week program for women. The program follows the lives of 7 women that wanted to change their lives and become healthier individuals. The program is called Choose To Move and it is a FREE physical activity program that provides tips, strategies and information to help you become more physically active and accomplish your goals. Every week there is a new topic of interest to teach you new skills and change your life using a step-by-step approach. Some topics include: Creating A Plan of Action, Avoiding Traps and Trip-ups, De-stressing the Stressed Out and Lapsing and Snapping Back. The program helps you to try and combat cardiovascular diseases,such as heart attack or stroke, which claim the lives of more than 500,000 women yearly. That number is twice the amount of all forms of cancer and is mostly preventable. Become better educated and also receive weekly emails to help you stay motivated when you join. I hope this information has been very useful and possibly inspiring to make a difference in your life. Here is a link to the program where interested women can receive additional information and sign up: Choose To Move or www.choosetomove.org. Have a great day and I wish you a happier, healthier future.

*Always consult your physician before beginning an exercise program.

Brian Francis, CNC
B. F. Enterprises
www.herbalfix.biz

Daylight Savings Time and Heart Attacks?

I like to stay up on current events, especially health related ones. One interesting article I came across was about the link between Daylight Savings Time and heart attacks! Did you know that research suggests a link between the two events? A recent study found that in Sweden there is an increase in the number of heart attacks for a few days after clocks are set forward in the spring and that the number of heart attacks slightly declines the following Monday that clocks are set back an hour in the fall. The cause of the increase is suggested to be related to the minor reduction in sleep. The research on this topic was performed by Dr. Imre Janszky of the Karolinska Institute and Dr. Rickard Lijung of the National Board of Health and Welfare.
The research also found that the risk was greater in women then men and that the effect was more pronounced in people under the age of 65. There are more than 1.5 billion people that live in areas that use daylight savings time. "Our data suggest that vulnerable people might benefit from avoiding sudden changes in their bioligic rhythms," said Drs. Janszky and Lijung.
They presented their findings in the October 30 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.
The National Sleep Foundation estimates that 70 million Americans have sleep problems and they also recommend that people get between seven and nine hours of sleep per night.
In conconclusion, pay attention to the amount of sleep you are getting and the quality of sleep as well. If you find that you are not getting the proper amount and quality of sleep, then take a look at your lifestyle and try to make adjustments to allow you to do so.
If you are experiencing problems with your sleep habits, then here are a couple tips to try to help you. First, make sure your bed-time surroundings are as dark as possible, without causing any safety issues. Try to avoid having a snack close to the time you are planning to go to sleep for the night. I hope this has been interesting and helpful. I wish everyone a much happier, healthier future!For more information on this topic, please click on one of the links below.

Article 1

Article 2

Brian Francis,CNC
B.F. Enterprises
www.herbalfix.biz

I Turned 1 Today!

Hello. I am extremely excited today! November 1st.,today, is my one year anniversery of starting my business as an Herbalife Independent Distributor! The past year has been an amazing journey for me. There were alot of stumbling blocks that had to be converted into stepping stones, but I am thankful for all the experiences, both good and bad, that got me to where I am today. I had some misconceptions about the difficulty level of starting and maintaining a business. I had no idea how challenging things would be at times, but it is in my personality to welcome a good challenge. Through my experiences, I have gained an even greater respect for all business owners no matter what size business you are operating. I would like to congratulate everyone that has decided to pursue their dreams of running their own business! Entreprenuers are a very special group of people and I think sometimes people don't realize how much work and effort it takes to be a business owner. I would also like to thank my family, friends, clients and all of the amazing people that I have had the pleasure of networking with for all of your support and encouragement. I greatly appreciate each and every one of you. In recent weeks I had decided to further my education to better myself and be able to be more efficient at helping others with their health and wellness, so I enrolled in a Certified Nutritional Consultant program. Last night I successfully completed the course which makes today even more of a celebratory occasion! I look forward to many more years of great experiences in both my personal and professional life. I hope everyone has a great day, enjoys the rest of 2008 and has the best year ever in 2009! Happy Birthday, B. F. Enterprises!