Orion Science Blog

As recently as just a decade ago, it was considered right and proper to add vitamin and mineral supplements to most nutritional plans. The use of anti-oxidants like vitamin C or vitamin E made sense. As the body ages it creates free radicals. These byproducts seemed to be causing destruction at the cellular level.

Consequently, if there were compounds introducing too much deleterious oxygen, one considered removing these free radicals. Thus the push to introduce anti-oxidants into the consumers field of vision. Today, several studies now seem to suggest the use of vitamin C supplements or E, and others may in fact reduce the positive effects of exercise on the body.

To be certain, none of the recent reports indicate that regular ingestion of small doses of anti-oxidants is specifically harmful to the body. However, when combined with a regular exercise regimen, it seems the removal of free radicals actually reverses some of the reason why people exercise.

One set of findings indicates that while free radicals do hasten the death of cells in the body, apparently they perform dual roles. Without these substances cells seem to have a more difficult time repairing themselves. Exercise causes damage to the cells and the availability of free radicals at that time provides a means of conveying cells the ability to fix themselves. Exactly how this works is yet unknown.

What is known, as a result of some studies is the more effective the anti-oxidant therapy is, the lower the number of cell friendly free radicals. Thus the positive effects of exercise are reduced by taking vitamins like C or E.

Another challenging finding deals with insulin resistance. It seems that along with fighting off free radicals, anti-oxidants also cause the body to lower its insulin resistance, a much touted symptom associated with performing exercise. Participants who exercised regularly and did not use additional forms of anti-oxidants had higher levels of insulin resistance.

Health practitioners, doctors, and exercise enthusiasts will all tell you in order to feel better, have more energy, etc., one should actively engage in a health and fitness regime by either going to the Gym, using a home Gym or frequenting exercise classes.  Apparently there is scientific reasons why this is so. The physical stress which exercise creates in the body is counteracted with the manufacture of mitochondria, or energy producing factories.

The number of mitochondria in ones body directly affects fatigue and endurance. As fate would have it, for whatever reason, vitamin C reduces the amount of mitochondria in the body. Again, this directly contradicts the desired effects one hopes to produce by participating in exercise.

Even some of the older studies whose results have been reinterpreted based upon new findings show that Vitamin C and exercise may not necessarily go hand in hand. One such report compared regularly athletic individuals to otherwise sedentary participants. The results of engaging both groups in the same levels of exercise and physical stress showed no increase in the participants bodies requirements for anti-oxidants like vitamin C.

It might be wise to consider whether increasing ones intake of vitamin and mineral supplements specifically marketed for anti-oxidant purposes is the best choice to add to an exercise plan. If true, and most of the studies seem to point towards similar conclusions, ingestion of extra anti-oxidant vitamins may require additional levels of exercise in order to gain the desired results that exercise alone might provide.

Kara Taylor is a freelance writer who is passionate about fitness and health. She believes in preventing disease by staying healthy, and working as a team with her family doctor when she does get sick.

In the past paced, ever-evolving medical age that we live in receiving an x-ray, CT scan or any other test using radiation is relatively common, even for children. But as the number of scans increases the FDA as well as the Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging are suggesting that the amount of radiation children receive over the course of their lifetime could increase their risk of certain cancers later in life.

The article, published by the Boston Globe , stated that while many pediatric hospitals adjust their scanners to produce a lower amount of radiation for children it is not necessarily the case in general hospitals. As part of the recommendation to lower the dose that children receive, the FDA is also recommending that machines have built in adjustments for children of different ages and sizes.

The agency is also calling on parents to track the tests that their children receive. Often the results could be determined with a radiation-free test, only using radiation when absolutely necessary. It’s also a good way to track your child’s exposure to ensure that it doesn’t become excessive. This is of particular importance for children that with serious illnesses that require more tests than the average child.

Experts say that the tests, when necessary, are safe but this is just one more way to ensure that our children lead happy healthy lives .

The quest for health requires of all things – a healthy lifestyle. Easy to say not so easy to do in this world of processed foods and sedentary lifestyles. However there is no getting around this simple rule.

There are two things you must incorporate into your lifestyle if you want to achieve health and increase muscle mass, lose belly fat, develop stamina and all the other benefits of living a healthy lifestyle.

Number one is to undertake regular cardiovascular exercise. Simple huh? Do this four days per week for forty minutes. Cardio can take the form of running, cycling, swimming or any other exercise where you are out of breath and sweating!! Muscle building exercises such as weights and bodybuilding are not cardiovascular and so dont fall in this category. Cardio is suppose to be challenging as the aim is to increase the heart rate for an extended period of time. One benefit of cardio is that it uses up calories and thus aids weight loss.

Number two is to eat only wholegrain, organic, unrefined, or non processed foods. This is important as it will keep your appetite in check and ensure good eating habits. Must of the food found in grocery stores these days has been so refined and added to that many key nutrients have been removed and often replaced with artificial ones as well as chemicals and preservatives. Therefore make a point to eat only wholegrains and organic items. Try to avoid excessive intake of sugars, alcohol and caffeine.

By following these two steps your will improve your well being and ensure that your weight stays at a healthy level. This will help eliminate the need for unhealthy weight loss regimes such as crash diets, fat burning and cosmetic surgery.

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For anybody addicted to any type of drug detox is often necessary before even going to a drug rehab center. The excruciating withdrawal symptoms from opiates can often cause the addict to wait much longer before seeking help. This article from CBS talks about a controversial rapid detox treatment for opiate addicts. This article from choosehelp.com is much more skeptical and talks about some alarming side effects. It seems the treatment is not used for alcohol detox. The cost of $15-20k which is not covered by insurance is extremely prohibitive.