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SOLUTIONS
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SOLUTION
If you are one of the millions of people who don’t receive insurance through your work and can’t afford to buy it on your own, you may be living in fear of the day the other shoe will drop. You can handle common colds and anything that can be treated with OTC medications. But what really worries you is a costly emergency-room visit or worse, an illness or injury that requires surgery or long-term treatment that you simply can’t afford. And while you certainly can’t predict injurious accidents, there are a few things you can do to cut down on your risk for major health problems, prevent illness (or catch it before it becomes serious), and get the health care you need for less.
1. Eat fresh nutritious food
Eat less. Eat small, frequent meals. Use half or quarter plates to eat, so your portions look bigger. Drink plenty of plain filtered water (bottled water is an expensive waste and imposes social costs). Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables in season. Eat fish and fish oils. Substantially reduce the amount of red meat and fat you consume, but take into account your genetic and cultural history in figuring out what "substantial is." If you're going to go vegetarian, remember you have to be extremely knowledgeable about what to eat to make up for the meat and fish you'll be missing. If you're a drinker, keep it moderate (by medical standards, not yours) and try to eat a Mediterranean diet, which seems to work well with alcohol.
Study the benefits of spices like turmeric, chili powder, cinnamon, and cumin, and add them to dishes. Use plenty of onion (raw and cooked), garlic (raw and cooked), and peppers of all kinds. Snack on seeds. Sunflower and pumpkin are especially good and cheap. Eat seed cheeses and sprouts. Take a spoonful of blackstrap molasses daily as an all-purpose supplement. Study the benefits of vegetarian, vegan, and raw food diets and make use of them in your diet, in accordance with your constitution and health. Find out which foods work better cooked and which work better raw. Avoid food combinations that are bad for you. Practice eliminating certain foods from your diet to find out if you're allergic to something in them. Many serious ailments have nothing more to them than food allergies.
Learn the healthful properties of common household items like food grade hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, apple cider vinegar, and virgin coconut oil, and make them part of your cleansing routine.
Learn simple home remedies for minor emergencies like burns, cuts, and stings. Learn how to make simple home-made casts. Learn how to stop bleeding with herbal tinctures and applications.
Cost: About $35–50, but it will depend on the quantity
2. Exercise as much as you can and include weight-lifting in your exercise program
Your goal is not to become reed thin but to become fit. Keep track of your BMI (Body Mass Index), which tracks the proportion of fat in your body. People with more muscle burn off fat more easily and carry weight better. Putting on muscle and eating nutritiously is a better way to become shapely than cutting calories randomly and running yourself ragged.
Many clubs and gyms offer free one-day passes. Make use of a few to jump-start yourself until working out becomes a habit and you can do it on your own.
For those on tight budgets, try to get yourself free weights or a simple exercise machine. They can be purchased second-hand for as low as $50–100.
If your budget for exercise is zero, try using household items (bean-bags, boxes, jars, heavy bags, bricks, iron bars) as substitutes for weights.
Incorporate more activity into your daily routine. Fidget. Waste energy. Take the stairs two at a time rather than ride the elevator. Go running with friends. Bike to work instead of driving. Turn on music and dance while waiting for food to cook. Take up gardening. (But make sure it's strenuous and involves digging, carrying stones, squatting and stretching. Pruning roses won't cut it.)
Walk your dog, or offer to walk your neighbor's dog. Coach a soft-ball or baseball.
For older, less fit people, there are inexpensive clubs that are more easy-going than state-of-the-art clubs and work as well. You can find dozens of good exercise routines on the internet. Get a tape of music with a great beat, spread out a mat, and start making a few moves on your own. Even five minutes a day will make a difference.
Avoid buying new clothes when you put on weight. Just suffer the discomfort until you're forced to shed the extra pounds. Wear form-fitting clothes, so there's no place to hide.
Go out of your way to make friends with svelte young things (this is advice to women, not men). Nothing like lively twenty-something friends to keep you motivated
Cost: Between $0–200
3. Handle stress properly
When you feel stress, listen music, go for a walk outside, exercise, take a warm bath, or go to sleep. These are actual therapies and are a lot safer and more effective than antidepressants like Zoloft, which have dangerous side effects.
Exercise is by far one of the safest and most effective antidotes to depression.
Along with exercise, water is an easy therapy to add to your health routine. Drinking it, bathing in it, soaking in it, and swimming in it are all good for you. Water can rejuvenate your skin and give relief to your muscles. Remember that sodas and caffeine do not hydrate you. On the contrary, they dehydrate. So drink plenty of water.
Sleep is probably the most underrated therapy of all. It's not just that problems look much smaller after you've had a sound night's sleep. Your body also heals and rejuvenates itself during sleep. Sleep in a peaceful room with fresh air and no smoke. Don't overeat, fight, or do anything stressful before turning in. Make sure your back is well-supported by your bed and mattress.
Cost: Free
4. Breathe
Yes. Breathe. You'd think we'd all do it naturally. But work makes people lead unnatural lives. They hunch over counters and computers all day long, squeeze themselves into car seats and cubicles, and squint at indecipherable numbers under artificial light, their chests and calves constricted by uncomfortable clothes and their lungs clogged by pollution and smoke.
Little shallow gasps don't feed your blood. Deep slow breathing does Take care to align your body correctly, straighten your spine, center yourself firmly in your solar plexus and breathe slowly and deeply, moving your diaphragm in and out. You may want to take yoga classes to help make it a habit. You'll be surprised at the improvement in your mood and overall well- being. You may even gain height as your spine stretches.
Cost: $5–15/class for beginner yoga
5. Pray, meditate, visualize
Whatever your religious belief, or lack thereof, a strong spiritual life is good for your health. Spend time alone and get to know your own emotions and thoughts. Feeling your emotions rather than running way from them is the sure way to mental health and freedom from addiction. And addiction – whether to food, or to work, or to gambling, or to spending – is the root of most of our dies-ease today. As someone said, it's not what you're eating; it's what's eating you.
As you become more attuned to being alone with your own thoughts, you'll also become more receptive to promptings from beyond your thoughts. What you call those promptings is less important than how much you attune yourself to them. As your conscious life starts drawing more from your subconscious and super conscious, you'll feel stronger and more "in the flow." You'll begin to draw on energy you didn't think you had.
Cost: Free
6. Take vitamins. A daily multivitamin is an excellent supplement to an otherwise healthy lifestyle. For women, look for a product that includes iron (since anemia is fairly common). And everyone should get their daily allotment of vitamin C and zinc to boost immunity and fight off viruses. (For recommendation – see bellow)
a. Schedule yearly maintenance. Even though you don’t have insurance, it’s important to get annual exams for both your physical and oral health so that you can avoid costly problems down the road.
- Find a good clinic. You may not be able to afford the same doctors you saw when you had insurance (although some are willing to do half-price exams if you pay cash). So you should do a little research to find a clinic in your area that offers the services you need along with a sliding fee scale. Most cities also have free clinics, but you might want to call ahead to be sure that you are eligible to receive treatment since your income may exclude you from taking advantage of their services.
- Use Urgent Care. If you are seriously ill or injured and you can’t spend hours waiting in line at the clinic (but you really can’t afford the emergency room) find a local urgent care instead. They can often diagnose and treat your problem for far less cost than going to the emergency room (although there are some instances in which your case may be too serious for them to treat).
- Take advantage of freebies. Some cities (or hospitals) organize free care days in which doctors (and sometimes dentists) volunteer their time in order to give exams to people who do not have insurance. In order to take advantage of these services, you may want to contact local hospitals to see if they offer any free or discount service days, or if they know about any upcoming events in your area. Just be sure to arrive early since there are often long lines and they operate on a first come, first serve basis.
7. Keep positive
Surround yourself with healthy, lively, optimistic people, especially young people. It will give you a more youthful attitude and will wipe off the scowls and furrows of middle-age. Young folks also make better friends than competitive peers
Cut back on sensationalism. Keep track of the news on the internet or through reading. Stop watching TV, which is hypnotic and has a much more disturbing effect on your psyche than the print media. Keep informed about the economy, but look for opportunity in the bad news. Don't just wallow in disaster. It won't help your finances, and it could hurt them, since we usually get more of what we focus on.
As the good book said, "Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8)
(Admittedly, there's not much of any of that going on in the news now, so you may have to look elsewhere for comfort).
Cost: Free
Health is determined by the nutrients you happen to not get.
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SUPPLEMENT
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HOW MUCH
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Vitamin E
Three very large studies found 40% heart disease risk reduction with supplements.
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about 200 IU type 'd', not 'dl'. MIXED 'tocopherols' best. Relaxes arteries. Always take in oil or fatty meal -AJCN: 1-2004]
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Antioxidant; protects blood fats; keeps cholesterol "happy". Prevents blood sticking, clots and artery damage. Like vitamin C, keeps blood and cell fats non-toxic.
Very important. Take during "fattiest" meal. Natural (d) type doubly effective --also consider: mixed "tocopherols" and possibly "mixed tocotrienols". Consider starting with lower dose. IF on Coumadin (warfarin), aspirin and/or high fish oil, use lowest dose: while preventing clotting, you could promote excessive bleeding.
As with the heart-healthy omega-3 oils, E's cardio benefits increase with time. The evidence for prevention is stronger than for E as a cure.
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Vitamin C--not Ester-C
Beneficial roles of very high doses in disease are probable but not well established.
C, easy to take for granted, hard to underestimate!
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1/2 - 4 grams.
At or above lower dose in health, higher in illness.
If prone to oxalate type kidney stones, stay below 1 g, drink sufficient water, consider vitamin B6, low salt, low protein and high calcium foods.
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Anti-viral. At 4 ¢/g, best health bargain around. 99.9% of animals make their own in "mega" amounts as do all plants. We, monkeys and guinea pigs do not. Very high dose is remarkably safe: "..take as much as you like" [from the L. Pauling Institute's Top Ten, May 2000]. Very important. Nature's nitroglycerin, like arginine & vitamin E.
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The B's --No reported toxicity in doses mentioned.
(B2), B6, B12 & folic acid will lower artery toxic homocysteine in anyone.
Take as a multi and not individually unless there is a special reason.
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B1 25-100 mg
B2 25-100 mg
B3 50-600 mg
B6 25-100 mg
B12 100 mcg+
B9 = folic acid 800 - 2000 mcg
Pantothenic acid (B5) 25-200 mg
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They help digest fats and sugars, lower homocysteine (-best in higher than RDA amounts) and reduce plaque.
Very high dose plain B3 niacin (about 0.7g taken after each of meals) is by far the best & cheapest cholesterol "modifying" drug, raising HDL while lowering LDL, Lp(a), fibrinogen and triglycerides -must take with a daily multi. B3 is also good for your liver and brain.
The B's are needed for 100's of processes in the body. Ultra high doses of some have anti-Alzheimer's, schizophrenia & depression links.
The higher doses mentioned resemble Pauling's. Very important. Very high B6 may help carpal tunnel problems.
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Calcium (see minerals, below) + Vitamin D, the sun shine vitamin (very important). I'd use calcium combined with magnesium.
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1.2g Ca + 800IU D prevent bone loss and fracture at age 84! (here's your reference). Calcium is heart healthy: bone, boiled egg shell, oyster shell, dolomite, milk (may be) & soy, and green leaf or cabbage type veggie (which also have the bone-building vitamin K). D = extremely important: fish liver [oil], fatty fish, high-sun on skin; science ref's: "D"-council & Oregon State.
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Magnesium (for more, and for potassium** see minerals, below)
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1/2 - 1 gr.
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Crucial for heart function; it, and potassium** regulate heart beat. Mg is needed for 325 reactions, not least the lowering of toxic blood homocysteine. 90% of Mg is removed from refined grains and rice! Most Americans don't get the RDA of about 0.4 gr. Very important and few side effects.
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Selenium (see minerals, below)
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200 mcg (max. 800 mcg)
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Antioxidant, works with vitamins E and C. A lack causes heart disease, some virus diseases & cancer which are, in part, selenium deficiency diseases. Very important.
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CoQ10 (CoenzymeQ10, or ubiquinone)
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60 to 300 mg
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Essential for heart & blood pressure; larger dose for serious heart trouble or cancer; vital when taking a "statin" drug. Body makes less when older (using most B vitamins and magnesium). Safe but expensive ($1/100mg). Doubly absorbed when chewed in oily food.
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Vitamin F -with the F from Fat ...
An old term that shouldn't be lost.
α-Linolenic; omega-3 (ω-3 or n-3) type oil.
Linoleic; omega-6 (ω-6 or n-6) type oil.
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Omega-3: 1 to 2 tea spoons flax/lin or fish, or 2 table spoons fish or flax oil, soy -only if you can't find fish or flax oil.
Most people get too much n-6.
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True vitamins: needed for heart-health. The only 2 fat types ("poly"-unsaturated) the body can not make itself.
Omega-3 type alpha-linolenic is scarce in the Western food supply but key to heart, general and mental health. Fish oil works like a-linolenic, see: [Good Food] and point 1 in [31 Comments] and lowers triglycerides.
Omega-6 type linoleic (corn, sun, saff, soy, cotton) is rarely lacking and is often excessive in relation to n-3 linolenic. Probably the most common "vitamin overdose" in Western diets at 2x-3x the ISSFAL maximum for most people. The cancer-link keeps on popping up in the high omega-6 research.
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*Minerals are complicated as there are many and it is possible to overdose. Intakes depend on the degree of food processing and amounts in the soil. Plants make vitamins but must mine their minerals -if not in the soil, it won't be in the plant. Here's some info about their roles -not necessarily as supplements- in health and disease.
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MINERAL
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COMMON
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OPTIMUM
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HELPS
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SOURCE
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): low selenium lowers resistance -including to viruses that steal your selenium- making things seriously worse.
Low selenium makes every infection worse since it's needed in your T lymphocyte defense system.
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NE, SE and NW N-Am. & North Europe, New Zealand, parts of China: under 50 mcg/day & often insufficient.
Southern Europe and a central N-S band in N-Am. seem to have adequate amounts in the soil. Large local differences (also: point 14 in Comments).
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200-800mcg.
The higher dose is above what is generally accepted as safe but may well slash the US cancer death rate by about one quarter as well as the spread of AIDS
Zero reported deaths from supplements. Toxicity likely at 2500 mcg/d.
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Cancer, heart disease, heart muscle, muscle, cataracts, blood pressure, some virus diseases, aging
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Overdose risk -as per the top link in the left column- should be weighed against potentially 6 fewer cancer deaths per 100 N. Americans on high dose selenium.
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Some whole grains, fish, Brazil nuts, kidney and, more reliably, supplements:
Twinlab's Daily One Cap, Solaray’s, New Chapter,are Best Buy, almost uniquely contains an excellent 200 mcg, see [Nuts, Bolts] for all sources.
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Silicon
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20 - 50 mg (not well absorbed)
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5 - 10 mg or higher
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Bones, joints, heart, skin, poor (weak) collagen
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Unrefined plants and greens, whole grain, horsetail plant. Dietary fiber (oats, barley, and rice) and wine.
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Chromium
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30 mcg (US) often insufficient
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200-400 mcg
with selenium
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Diabetes; helps insulin, cholesterol, acne, sugar use
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Liver, grains, root veggies, green pepper.
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Vanadium
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10 - 60 mg often insufficient
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100 mcg+
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Diabetes; higher doses replace insulin
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Shell fish, parsley, some processed foods, grains, beans.
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Boron
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1.5 mg often insufficient
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3 - 9 mg
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Bone health, diabetes, infection, arthritis
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Water, fruits, veggies.
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Manganese
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2.5 - 4 mg often insufficient
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5-15 mg
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Bone, cartilage, heart, epilepsy, diabetes, cataracts
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Unrefined vegetarian; not in animal products.
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Copper
The ONLY nutrient deficiency known to raise LDL cholesterol.
Without it artery structure is not made, or repaired!
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0.7 -1.5 mg often insufficient
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1-2 mg (1/10th of your zinc intake)
Like selenium & iron, don't overdose on copper
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Heart, arthritis, hair color, artery bursts (aneurysm, stroke), bad collagen, high LDL, poor clotting, Parkinson's
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Nuts, grains, bracelets, supplements.
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Soft or acidic water: excessive amounts from copper pipes.
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Zinc --Part of 300 enzymes, the nutritional screw drivers, hammers and pliers of our body (protein and fancy oils being the nuts, bolts and batteries, and glucose or fats the fuel).
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7-14 mg Low intake is linked to 1.4% of the world's deaths! [WHO]
Rules 2000 cell functions in addition to those 300 enzymes!
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10 - 30 mg
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Shell fish, nuts, grains, beans, potatoes, fish and meat.
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Molybdenum
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75-250 mcg or less
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? 75-250 mcg
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Organs, enzymes, cancer
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Whole grains, beans, liver.
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Potassium** U.S. (AIM; 2000-9-11): young adults: 3.4 g/d; high fruit + veggies: 8 - 11 g/d; urban whites: 2.4 g/d; often elderly or Blacks: ~1 g/d. 20% of hospitalized patients have low potassium.
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varies; often insufficient --in relation to sodium i.e. kitchen salt; lost in processing.
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2 - 5.6 gr (US RDA)**
Try to get it from your food
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Heart, heart failure, stroke, hypertension, cell function, sweating, diuretics, irregular heart beat**, muscle, fatigue, nerves, etc. etc.
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Bananas, celery, fruits (prune, orange) and veggies (potato, broccoli, beets), meat, fish, salt substitutes.
Zero in: white flour, sugar & fats.
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Sodium (salt)
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most often high or excessive
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1/10th of potassium
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Cell function, always sufficient; raises blood pressure
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Iron I'd only supplement -or use iron fortified foods- if a medical need has been established.
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16 mg (Sweden) often insufficient
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10 - 15 mg
don't overdose
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Blood; premeno- pausal women only; some infants, teens & elderly
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Liver, nuts, grains & greens; vitamin C increases absorption
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Magnesium (see above) Mg has it's own amazing site here. Here's the US N.I.H. and here's a Medline heart disease link.
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300 mg (Sweden)
often insufficient; very important
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500 - 1000 mg (at least half of calcium intake)
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Heart, heart failure, irregular heart beat, bone, PMS, cramps, fatigue, diabetes, stroke, diuretic use, etc.
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Whole grains, nuts, soy, greens, root veggies & supplements
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Calcium (see above)
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500 mg (Belgium)
often insufficient
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1000 - 2000 mg (1-2g)
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Bone, heart, general, blood pressure
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Bone, greens, grains, nuts & milk. Not in meats.
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Mineral needs are complicated because each person's situation is unique while you or your health-advisor will never know which minerals were in the soil where your food was grown, how much was taken up, or by how much milling and cooking reduced their amount.
Each nutrient is important and wise supplementation with some minerals is a practical way to insure that you get the optimum amounts.
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**POTASSIUM "It now appears quite possible that a lack of potassium in the coronary muscles may be the major cause of death from heart disease in humans " [Adelle Davis, '72]. 95% of potassium is inside cells, as opposed to sodium, and magnesium keeps it there. Because raw plant-based diets are high in potassium & low in sodium, well functioning kidneys remove potassium faster than sodium. Disposal of vegetable cook-water, high salt or low magnesium diets, sweating and most diuretics can cause fatal depletions of potassium and/or magnesium. References: 1.) irregular heart beat: JAMA; '99-6-16; 2.) blood pressure: JAMA; '97-5-28; 3.) stroke: NEJM;'87-1-29 [60% of risk at 4.3 vs. 2.4g/d]; 4.) review BMJ; '01-9-1 [10 mmole = ~0.4 g].
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LEFT: LINK TO CARLSON LABS
BELOW: LINK TO GOOD INFO PAGE OF CENTRUM
P.S. High selenium -100-200 mcg- is a bench mark of a great multi. 2009-10-25
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Potency Comparesment of Centrum Vitamins and some fine brand you can find at our store.
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Serving Size: 4 VCapsules
Servings Per Container: 30
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Amount
Per Serving
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% Daily
Value*
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Calories
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7
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Protein
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1 g
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2%
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Carbohydrates
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1 g
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<1%
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Vitamin A Complex (Beta-Carotene, Alpha Carotene, Gamma Carotene, Lycopene)
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6000 IU
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120%
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Vitamin C
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60 mg
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100%
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Vitamin D
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1000 IU
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250%
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Vitamin E Complex (Alpha-tocotrienol, Beta-Tocotrienol, Delta-tocotrienol, Alpha-tocopherol, Beta-tocopherol, Gamma-tocopherol)
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30 IU
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100%
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Vitamin K
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50 mcg
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63%
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Thiamin (B1)
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4 mg
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267%
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Riboflavin (B2)
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4 mg
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235%
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Niacinamide (B3)
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20 mg
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100%
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Pyridoxine (B6)
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4 mg
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200%
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Folic Acid
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400 mcg
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100%
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Vitamin B12
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200 mcg
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3333%
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Biotin
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300 mcg
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100%
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Pantothenic Acid (B5)
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20 mg
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200%
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Calcium
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36 mg
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4%
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Iron
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2 mg
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11%
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Iodine
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75 mcg
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50%
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Magnesium
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43 mg
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11%
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Zinc
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10 mg
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67%
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Selenium
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125 mcg
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179%
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Copper
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1.5 mg
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76%
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Manganese
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2 mg
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100%
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Chromium
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120 mcg
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100%
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Molybdenum
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75 mcg
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100%
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Potassium
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1 mg
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<1%
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Vanadium
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10 mcg
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**
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CoQ10
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500 mcg
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**
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Boron
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1 mg
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**
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RAW Carotenoid Synergy Blend: Beta-carotene, Alpha-Carotene, Gamma-Carotene, and Lycopene
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120 mg
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**
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RAW Antioxidant and Immune Support Complex: Raw Food-Created Beta-Glucans, Raw Food-Created Co Enzyme Q10, RAW Food Created Vitamin U, Raw Food Created Glutathione, Raw Food-Created SOD (Superoxide Dismutase), Raw Mangosteen
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86 mg
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**
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Raw Enzyme and Probiotic Blend: Saccharomyces boulardii, Lactobacillus plantarum, Proteases, Amylase, Lipase, Cellulase, Phytase, Alpha-galactosidase, Hemicellulase, Beta Glucanase, Glucoamylase, Pectinase, Peptidase, Bromelain, Lactase, Papain, Xylanse, Malt Diastase, Invertase
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84 mg
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**
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RAW Organic Fruit and Vegetable Blend: Organic Strawberry, Organic Cherry, Organic Blackberry, Organic Raspberry, Organic Beet Juice, Organic Carrot Juice, Organic Broccolli Juice, Organic Cucumber Juice, Organic Tomato Juice, Organic Kale Juice, Organic Spinach Juice, Organic Cabbage Juice, Organic Cauliflower Juice, Organic Celery Juice, Organic Parsley Juice, Organic Asparagus Juice, Organic Brussels Sprout Juice, Organic Bell Pepper Juice, Organic Garlic Juice, Organic Ginger Juice, Organic Onion Juice.
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20 mg
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**
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RAW Trace Mineral Blend: Ocean-derived trace minerals in a base of green alfalfa grass
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5 mg
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**
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* Based on a 2,000 calorie diet
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** Daily Values not established
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Recommended Use: As a dietary supplement, Adults take 4 capsules daily. Best when taken 2 capsules twice a day. May be taken with or without food. Capsules can be opened. Contents can be taken directly with water or raw juices.
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