The Differences Between Synthetic and Natural Nutritional Supplements

As online dieticians, we always establish the first things first: whole foods. The majority of your nutrition should come from sources of whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables, followed by lean protein and healthy fats. Then, to compensate for the deficiencies in our diet, or damage caused by toxins and free radicals in our body, we need to add multivitamins and anti-oxidants. Some supplements may help ensure that you get adequate amounts of essential nutrients or help promote optimal health and performance if you do not consume a variety of foods in proper amounts. Dietary supplements are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure disease. In some cases, dietary supplements may even have unwanted effects. Then there is this question: Which are better, "synthetic" or food-based "natural" dietary supplements? The proper nutritional program is essential to an effective online diet plan.

As with most research, both sides are supported and rebutted. Currently, the definition of "natural" in foods and dietary supplements has not been established by the government. Therefore, the interpretation can vary greatly. There is a common misconception that "natural" vitamins and minerals are extracted from plants in their pure form and as such are superior to "synthetic" vitamins and minerals, which are made in a laboratory. This can be misleading because it is not possible to extract pure vitamins from plants without considerable amounts of chemical processing. Also, the biological activity of a compound has nothing to do with its source, but is determined by its chemical structure. So really, whether the chemical originates from a leafy plant or a test tube, it is the same compound.

Some vitamin and antioxidant compounds can be efficiently synthesized in factories to produce products that are identical in chemical form to those found in nature and that are pure and fully safe. Some synthetic vitamins are preferentially absorbed over food sources and vice versa.

Folic Acid, for example, is preferentially absorbed and utilized over natural food folates that must go through several conversion processes to be utilized as folic acid.

Vitamin E, a fat-soluble vitamin, exists in eight different forms. Each form has its own biological activity, which is the measure of potency or functional use in the body. Alpha-tocopherol is the name of the most active from of vitamin E in humans. It is also a powerful biological antioxidant. Vitamin E in supplements is usually sold as alpha-tocopheryl acetate, a form that protects its ability to function as an antioxidant, and is sometimes derived from soy. The synthetic form is labeled "D, L" while the natural from is labeled "D." The synthetic form is only half as active as the natural form.

There are no known differences in the biological activity of natural and synthetic L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C). As reported by the Linus Pauling Institute, a study in 68 male nonsmokers found that ascorbic acid consumed as cooked broccoli, orange juice, orange slices, and synthetic ascorbic acid tablets are equally bioavailable, as measured by plasma ascorbic acid.

Most important: since the FDA doesn't regulate nutritional supplements, look for ones that offer purity, safety, effectiveness, bioavailability, and whether natural or synthetic, ones that are best absorbed and utilized by the body. Such standards may be upheld when a product has a GMP (good manufacturing practice) seal on it, is potency guaranteed and may also be reviewed by the following organizations:

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Lose Weight Fast For Your Wedding Day Dress

It’s one of the biggest goals a bride will strive to attain before the big day, getting in shape, And if you’re like most brides, you’d much rather the seams of your wedding dress be taken in, rather than be let out. After all being the center of attention means all eyes will be on the bride, so looking your absolute best is a must? Whether your goals are to lose weight, tone and strengthen your muscles, or increase your stamina and energy, World Class Nutrition.com is an invaluable resource for you to use in getting in shape for your wedding.

There are many ways to achieve your wedding day weight with diets, tonics, powders, and pills. World Class Nutrition.com recommends a combination of diet, supplements and exercise that promotes gradual weight loss in the best. If you have ever tried watching your weight, you probably know the basics: Cut out sweets, eat more fruits and vegetables, choose lean meats and protein, avoid fried and fatty foods, and be sure to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.

You might also know that exercise plays a key role in weight loss, but did you know that if you don’t exercise when you diet, you might end up losing mostly lean muscle tissue? When you diet without exercising, your body uses lean muscle mass for energy. But if you add exercise to your daily routine, your body will turn to those fat stores for fuel. If you’re really serious about getting in shape for your wedding day, you need to strike a balance between healthy eating and exercise.

The formula for weight loss is a simple one: Calories burned must exceed calories consumed. So it makes sense that the best way to begin your new lifestyle is by shaping up your diet. To keep your energy level high enough to plan your wedding, choose a safe, healthy eating plan that targets a loss of 1 to 2 pounds a week, which, for most of us, means consuming about 1200 calories a day. If you have a significant amount of weight to lose before the wedding — say 20 pounds — you’ll need to start your diet between a few months before the big day.

Before you even begin shaping up for your wedding day, Bryan Ashbaugh, of Live Lean Today.com, says it’s important to figure out where you’re starting from. Plan for success by picking a start date. Give yourself a few days to prepare yourself, your schedule, and your kitchen for your lifestyle change. Go through your pantry and throw out, or give away items that could undermine your weightloss efforts, then stock your cabinets with healthy choices.
Keep a journal that includes what, how much, and at what times you eat, as well as any accompanying emotions you experience. Your journal entries can be as minimal as “5 pm lunch, protein shake” or it can be more detailed. As you continue to “journal” your eating habits, patterns will begin to emerge. Understanding the “triggers” behind your cravings and choices will help you better control them. When you reach your start date, be sure to continue keeping a record of what you eat and how much water you drink.

Aerobic Exercise
For brides looking to lose weight, Ashbaugh suggests exercises that use large muscle groups in a rhythmic or continuous manner. Cardio-driven big muscle exercises include walking, running, hiking, swimming, cycling, or cross country skiing and are among the best exercises you can do to burn fat. Exercise at what you gauge to be a moderate pace. Start exercising in 15-minute increments, three times a week. As your endurance improves, increase your exertion level and your length of exercise time. Ashbaugh also says that exercise sessions are beneficial even when they are cumulative. That means you’ll do yourself as much good working out 20 minutes in the morning, at lunchtime and after work as you will by hitting the gym for one long session.

Resistance Training
Whether you have a lot or a little weight to lose, if you’re like most people, you’ll feel better about your body when you tone up. For body sculpting, Ashbaugh says there’s nothing better than resistance or weight training. While some women believe that lifting weights will leave them looking like linebackers, they needn’t worry; women don’t naturally posses enough of the male hormone testosterone to build large muscle mass.

The truth is, resistance training is the perfect complement to aerobic exercises like swimming and walking, and is great for improving bone strength and sculpting the body. Start your resistance training with relatively low weights so that you feel muscle fatigue after one set of 12 to 15 exercise repetitions. Again, as you build endurance, add more weight and increase the number of repetitions in your set.

Flexibility
After every exercise session, McArdle says it’s important to stretch. Not only will stretching keep you safe from serious muscular injury, increasing your flexibility is essential to improving your overall fitness level. Start by holding stretches for 15 seconds at a time, working your way up to 60 seconds.

Spot Reduction
Many of us look at our bodies and see trouble spots: If only that tummy were flatter, those thighs leaner, these arms more toned. Although our body shapes are determined primarily by heredity, Ashbaugh says we can tip the hand of genetics a bit with localized exercises that improve muscle tone. Still, he is quick to caution that in order to really reduce anywhere, you must slim down everywhere. So to trim your arms, abs, and buns, you’ve got to start with a program that benefits your whole body, not just the areas your wedding dress emphasizes. The use of topical fat reducers is a solution that many women have found effective.

Nutrition
Once you’ve begun your workout routine, you may feel that such sweat and strain entitles you to fast food meal with the works and a large order of fries. Don’t be fooled. Remember, the key to weight loss is to expend more calories than you consume, so if you’ve upped exercise only to up calorie intake, you won’t get the results you’re looking for.

In fact, when you get regular exercise, you need to be even more vigilant about what you eat. Your body, having become a more efficient machine, relies on the vitamins and minerals found in healthy food to fuel itself and develop muscle and lean tissue. In addition to lean meats and dairy, fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole grains, add a multivitamin to your daily diet to make certain you get the nutrients you need.

Fit for Life
Once you’ve begun your healthy diet and exercise plan, there’s one big challenge left: Sticking to it. And not just until your wedding day. The key to long-term weight loss is making healthy eating and fitness part of your lifestyle forever. So, why not start your marriage out right by dedicating yourself to a sensible diet and active lifestyle? (If you can involve your spouse in this effort, so much the better.) This doesn’t mean that you can’t ever enjoy food or indulge yourself once in a while. However, you’ll want to avoid reverting to unhealthy eating habits and regaining the weight you’ll have worked so hard to lose. If you find it hard to stay motivated on your own — and most people do — consider seeking out a weight loss organization for advice and support. If you take “weight loss for life” seriously, you’ll feel as good about yourself on your 20th anniversary as you will on your wedding day! Al Alexander and Bryan Ashbaugh have more than 45 years combined in the Diet & fitness industry.