It is universally agreed that a balanced diet is the best way to meet nutritional requirements. All the vitamins and minerals your body needs to function at an optimal level can be found from natural sources. This cannot be disputed. The subject of nutritional supplements, however, brings more polarising views. For those with deficiencies, they are absolutely required to give their body the boost it needs. Others see them simply as a marketing gimmick, cashing in on the health conscious generation.
With so many contrasting views to wade through, it can be difficult to understand the possible benefits. Just what is the truth about supplementing? Well, for starters, let's make a few things abundantly clear. Supplements are NOT to be used as a substitute for clean eating. Their makeup is simply not designed to replicate the micronutrients and essential dietary fibre of whole foods. But when consumed alongside a well-planned diet, there are health benefits to be found in supplements.
So, who are the kind of people that may find the most benefit from supplements?
Vegans, for example, may lack Vitamin B12 as this can not found from plant-based sources.
Pregnant women are advised to take folic acid and iron supplements as a means of increasing their daily intake.
Those with eating disorders or a lack of appetite may need to supplement their nutrient intake to remain healthy.
People whose bodies struggle to break down or absorb nutrients in food.
Bodybuilders and gym goers may need protein supplements for muscle growth and repair.
You should always seek medical advice if any of these issues affect you. Consult a dietician about how supplements may be helpful in maintaining good health. Speak to your doctor about introducing them into your regular diet.
So, you've decided that you'd like to give them a try. What next? Most reputable supermarkets and health stores stock a wide range in powder, liquid and tablet form. You can even find supplements online very easily. Remember always to read the label carefully. You want to look for products specifically designed to provide all the essential nutrients your body needs. The best supplements generally supply an even amount of your recommended daily allowance for all vitamins.
Some supplements contain many different kinds of multivitamins. You may instead choose to take a specific product depending on your needs. You can buy a variety of pills that are specifically targeted towards certain vitamins in which you may be lacking.
Be careful about taking in too much. If you normally have a good diet, you'll likely get a good variety of vitamins and minerals from your food alone. Supplements are designed to give your intake a boost and maybe make up for areas in which you are already lacking. Watch what you eat and adjust your consumption accordingly. Food products like fortified cereals have added vitamins and minerals. Taking too many could be harmful. An overdose of iron, for example, could cause unpleasant side effects such as nausea and vomiting. Always consume supplements before their expiration date.
I absolutely love what uber is doing #uberhungerto check out below what they are doing to help hunger in Toronto.
At Uber, we want to do our bit to help - and help in a way that only Uber can. That's why we've partnered with local restaurant The Goods, along with food rescue organization Second Harvest, to bring meals to those in need on what we're calling #UberHUNGERTO day.
Here's how we kicked it off:
Pay it forward by popping open your Uber app between 11am-2pmtoday on Friday, September 25th, to order a meal through UberEATS. We'll match your order and will ensure someone in need receives lunch.
This is not a one day thing. Uber is committed to aid hunger relief by donating any extra UberEATS meals to local food banks daily.
Silk Meatless Monday Night - Take the Challenge! #MeatlessMondayNight #SidelineMeat
Hey Everyone! Its Alicia Bell here from Train It Right! This post was sponsored by Silk but the opinions are solely my own and do not represent those of Silk. It has been a long wait but it is finally football season! Get ready for NFL Monday night football with your family and friends by hosting a Meatless Monday Night. Myself and Silk are inviting you to take the challenge along side of me. You can use this to kick start a family tradition, and you also can win a giveaway from www.silk.com when join the challenge.
Why join the #MeatlessMondayNight Challenge?
My personal reason for trying the Silk #MeatlessMondayNight Challenge is this football season is because plant based foods keep you active during sports, fitness events and day to day living. There are many benefits of plant based foods but some of the most interesting benefits have been known to include:
1. Lowering your blood pressure
2. Helping with blood sugar levels
3. Lowering your risk of developing cancer
4. Lowering cholesterol
5. Linked to weight loss
And I think those are all good reasons to increase the amount of plant based foods in my diet and so should you. For my very first Silk Meatless Monday Night #MeatlessMondayNight I plan on making a smoothie. You can make your own Silk #MeatlessMondayNight recipe or make mine. Make sure to post your photo and recipe and hashtag #MeatlessMondayNight
Train It Right's Silk Meatless Monday Night Smoothie
Ingredients:
2 Cups Silk Almond Milk (unsweetened) Or Silk Product of Choice
1 Cup Kale
1/2 Frozen or Unfrozen Banana
1 tsp Matcha Powder
1 Scoop Vanilla Protein of Choice (I use Sun Warrior)
1 Cup Ice
Instructions:
Pour Silk Almond milk in first and add in all other ingredients with protein being last. Blend all ingredients into a blender until smooth. And serve with or without a straw!
Happy #MeatlessMondyNight Challenge
Use our store locator to find Silk products in your area.
This conversation is sponsored by Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.
How Jadakiss And Styles P Are Bringing Juice Bars To The Hood [INSIGHTS] I Elite Daily
You don’t have to be a legendary rapper in order to help your community, but it certainly helps.
Jadakiss and Styles P are bonafide hip-hop heavyweights whose careers have spanned three decades, but their legacies may be solidified by something other than their music.
Through their chain of juice bars, Juices For Life, The LOX members are looking to provide a much-needed place for people in low-income neighborhoods to consume something good for them. These neighborhoods are often referred to as “food deserts,” since access to nutritional food is virtually nonexistent.
Styles P said, "In the poorer communities, mostly, the money gets invested in liquor stores and the kind of things we don’t need."
Jadakiss and Styles P are leading by example and looking to put an end to food deserts through their Juices For Life locations, but they aren’t alone.
Jeff Brown, the founder and CEO of Brown’s Super Stores, a chain of grocery stores that offers high quality and nutritional food at affordable prices, said, "What Jadakiss and Styles P are doing, they’re successful, and they don’t need to be concerned about society... They’re deciding to use their success to make a difference for people. I think if we all did that, we’d fix a lot of our country’s problems."
With its three locations, Juices For Life is giving people unprecedented access to nutritional options in the Bronx and Yonkers, New York, with hopes of expanding in the near future.
Producer: Max Grunner
Associate Producer: Shawn Hazelett
Director of Photography: Terence MF Thomas
Camera Operators: Sean H. Horan, Kevin Losani
Editor: John Stish, Kevin Losani
Motion Graphics: Oliver Dudman
Senior Producer: Kevin Losani
Music Courtesy of Extreme Music:
“Mild Shine”
Written by James S. Levine
“Busted Ya Grill”
Written by Matt Smith and Daniel Carl Holter
“Labored Rebirth”
Written by Matt Smith and Daniel Carl Holter
“Hoes Before Bros”
Written by Daniel Suett, Billie Ray Fingers and Bruce Fingers
“Play Your Cards Right”
Written by Daniel Suett, Billie Ray Fingers and Bruce Fingers
What is Elite Daily?
We proclaim ourselves to be the voice of Generation-Y and never disappoint.
As the premier online destination for aspiring men and women alike, Elite offers a forum of peer-to-peer interaction in an increasingly digitalized world.
The site consistently delivers diverse content with a fresh, relevant voice that appeals to the divergent perspectives represented within our ADD generation.
For all video inquires contact: VideoContact @ elitedaily.com
Sacred Lifestyle Magazine
Sacred Lifestyle is a new online community which helps awaken one's spirit, helps enlighten and inspire us while we continue on our journey. They profile Gurus, Spiritual Guides, and Bon Vivants around the world to share their experiences from healing our bodies to enriching the food we consume to personal utopias and sanctuaries + fashion, products and travel. They featured a a bit of our interviews with Julian Lennon, Gotham Chopra, Pamela Anderson to Brigitte Bardot, to Denise Mari from Organic Avenue, etc.
They are also creating an extension to their Magazine, that will be a market called "The Sacred Lifestyle Market."
The Sacred Lifestyle Market
When: Sunday, August 30, 2015
Where: Ashbridge Estate (1444 Queen Street East)
Time: 12Pm to 6pm
The Market includes Vendors of various parts of Lifestyle - Food, Beauty Products, Fashion, Home etc. We will also have Yoga Studios including Union, Lotus Girl and 889 Yoga hosting Yoga classes throughout the afternoon.
Zespri Kiwifruit Media Lunch. Toronto, ON, Canada. June 16, 2015. (Image: Ryan Emberley)
Cook + Learn with Zespri Kiwifruit - Media Launch #Zespri4Life
Back on June 16 I was given the opportunity to attend an amazing event: Cook + Learn with Zespri Kiwifruit. The event was hosted at Nella Cucina on Bathurst St in Toronto. I honestly had no idea that there were so many ways that you could use kiwifruit in cooking. We even had a celebrity chef! We started the lunch off with kiwi cocktails or juices. I obviously chose the alcoholic version as my pre workout hah. It was delicious. Followed by soup, tacos and finally dessert. All were made before our eyes by the talented chef. We all definitely left with a renewed love of kiwifruit and just how healthy and delicious Zespsri is. We also learned it can be used in cooking and not just as a separate fruit. Thank you Zespri for such an amazing event. I had a wonderful time, learned a lot, and I definitely left with my tastebuds feeling satisfied. I really enjoyed learning more about the nutritional benefits and versatility of Zespri Kiwifruit.
* All photos curtsey of Ryan Emberly.
Zespri Kiwifruit Media Lunch. Toronto, ON, Canada. June 16, 2015. (Image: Ryan Emberley)Zespri Kiwifruit Media Lunch. Toronto, ON, Canada. June 16, 2015. (Image: Ryan Emberley)Zespri Kiwifruit Media Lunch. Toronto, ON, Canada. June 16, 2015. (Image: Ryan Emberley)Zespri Kiwifruit Media Lunch. Toronto, ON, Canada. June 16, 2015. (Image: Ryan Emberley)Zespri Kiwifruit Media Lunch. Toronto, ON, Canada. June 16, 2015. (Image: Ryan Emberley)Zespri Kiwifruit Media Lunch. Toronto, ON, Canada. June 16, 2015. (Image: Ryan Emberley)Zespri Kiwifruit Media Lunch. Toronto, ON, Canada. June 16, 2015. (Image: Ryan Emberley)Zespri Kiwifruit Media Lunch. Toronto, ON, Canada. June 16, 2015. (Image: Ryan Emberley)
Hey guys I wanted to share this yummy recipe for a healthy salad! Give it a try and let me know how tasty it was!!
#Zespri4Life Black Rice Salad with Kiwifruit and Cashews
Prep time: 15 minutes
Start to finish: 15 minutes
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 1/2 cups cooked and cooled black or brown rice
2 Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit, peeled and cut up
1 cup quartered strawberries
1/4 cup chopped red onion
2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint
1/3 cup salted cashew pieces
In small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, honey, mustard, salt, pepper and garlic. In large bowl, stir dressing into rice. Stir in remaining ingredients except cashews. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 hours before serving to allow flavors to blend. Stir in cashews just before serving.
6 (3/4-cup) servings
*1 cup uncooked black rice yields 2 1/2 cups cooked rice.
Recipe tip: A serrated peeler works best for peeling kiwifruit.
Serving Size: 1 Serving Calories 210 (Calories from Fat 80), Total Fat 9g (Saturated Fat 1.5g, Trans Fat 0g), Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 270mg, Total Carbohydrate 30g (Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 7g), Protein 4g; % Daily Value*: Vitamin A 0%; Vitamin C 80%; Calcium 2%; Iron 6%.
*Percent daily values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
GIVE IT A TRY! YUM!
Hey Guys! Below is my Beretta Farms Smart Snacking Review:
Smart snacking can be a tricky endeavour. Whether you are hitting the gym mid-day or going right after work, eating for your workout can be difficult to fit into your schedule. This is why responsible snacking is so important! To avoid resorting to sugary granola bars or worse nothing at all, having an arsenal of portable snacks full of protein is key!
I recently had the opportunity to try Beretta's Last Rep Clean and Jerky and their Protein Puck Power Cookie! I totally loved them. ESPECIALLY the Last Rep Clean and Jerky! GRASS FED JERKY! WHEAT?!?! OMG! I love meat. Especially jerky. And this is healthy! What a great healthy snack! The bag was actually packed full and air sealed. I used it for a couple of different times I was running low on energy and needed some protein. It was a lot of servings and stayed very fresh. It also was delicious! By delicious I mean ADDICTIVE. I wish I had more 🙁 You can buy it on their site by the case... I would love a case....HINT HINT. http://www.berettafamilyfarms.com/shop/65-last-rep-clean-and-jerky
Beretta'sLast Rep Clean and Jerky and Protein Puck Power Cookie are great on- the-go snacks made with all-natural ingredients. These snacks provide you with the energy you need to get through your workout or even just your day. I used the puck as my last snack after coaching track and it re-energized me.
GMOs have resulted in MILLIONS of pounds of herbicides #ConcealOrReveal - Train It Right
Just in time for Mother's Day weekend, Just Label It just launched a very special video with some celebrity power to drive home the message that MOMS are a very powerful part of all this--Protecting their babies from all the monsters in the world.
This is also a reminder that GMOs have resulted in MILLIONS of pounds of herbicides, something the World Health Organization has deemed a probable carcinogen, into our air and water creating such an intense public health danger that 60-100% of the rain samples in the MidWest are testing positive for glyhosate via the US Geological Survey. Glyphosate is Monsanto's Roundup, which is spayed on over 78% of GMO crops. It's literally raining carcinogenic herbicides because of the increase of GMOs.
Fitness isn’t all about working out hard in the gym everyday. It's a lifes It is much more than that. It not only includes exercise but diet and hydration. I call water, “liquid courage.” It gives your body life, regulates your core temperature, lubricates joints, gives your skin a healthy glow, and keep you from being bloated. “Liquid courage” is particularly important during exercise. Your body sweats to get rid of toxins and to cool off your body. However, you need to rehydrate yourself before, during and afterwards.
Dehydration can cause drops in blood volume that can cause muscle craps, extreme fatigue and/or dizziness. You should always have a water bottle close by when working out. I always say if your thirsty it is too late. This is because at this point you are already well on your way to dehydration. That means you need to make sure that you are drinking water all day long and not just during workouts. Stay away from juices they contain high amounts of concentrated sugar and no one needs those excess calories. Also note that the body wants to turn sugars to fat. If you are performing endurance exercises for long periods of time you my want to consider something that has electrolytes. I suggest more natural electrolytes such as coconut water rather than powerade or gatorade.
Follow these tips to stay hydrated:
1. Drink at least 2L-4L of water a day
2. Carry a water bottle
3. Avoid prolonged periods in the sun
So keep that “liquid courage” close because it will help you succeed in your health and fitness goals.
