Acai Berry | Acai Fruit | Acai Antioxidants | News

We hear it all the time: Take your vitamins! So we buy a bottle of vitamins at the store according to brand name, price, or packaging appeal. But many of us don’t know what vitamins our bodies need or what each vitamin does. Here is a list of the vitamins that are important to your mind and body, as well as a list of things they do for your health.

• Vitamin A: Prevents or reduces night blindness, cancer, heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol, colds, flu, organ infections, skin wrinkles, age spots, acne, osteoarthritis, cataracts, and more. Vitamin A is an antioxidant that is also known as “Beta Carotene.”
• Vitamin B:
   o   B1: Also known as “Thiamin,” B1 aids in circulation, digestion, energy production, improved muscle tone, brain function, alertness, and more. It is an antioxidant that prevents depression and fatigue.
   o   B2: Also know as “Riboflavin,” B2 promotes healthy hair, skin, and nails. It eliminates dandruff and chapped lips. It also aids in red blood cell formation and the metabolism of carbs, fats and proteins.
   o   B3: Also known as “Niacin,” B3 supports a healthy cardiovascular system, fights stress, blood sugar problems, depression, headaches and bad breath.
   o   Pantothenic Acid: Fights stress, infections, fatigue, toxins and pollutants, arthritis, menopausal symptoms and high cholesterol.
   o   Biotin: Supports cell growth, healthy nerve tissue, healthy skin and hair, and fights baldness, hair graying, muscle pain and blood sugar problems.
   o   B6: Also known as “Pyridoxine,” B6 supports the central nervous system and the brain. It also prevents and reduces heart disease. It supports the immune system and prevents cancer, premenstrual symptoms, muscle cramps, high cholesterol and blindness.
   o   B12: It’s especially important that people who are vegan or vegetarian get plenty of B12, also known as “Cobalamin.” B12 increases energy, prevents anemia, and supports a healthy immune system, nerve function, digestion, memory and balance.
   o   Folate: Also known as “Folic Acid,” Folate protects against heart attacks, birth defects, internal parasites, food poisoning and illnesses.
• Vitamin C: Also known as “Ascorbic Acid,” Vitamin C supports healthy hair, skin, gums, bones and teeth, fights illnesses, cancers, cardiovascular problems, heart disease, high cholesterol, stress and toxins.
• Vitamin D: Supports a healthy immune system, fights osteoporosis, diabetes, colon cancer and hypocalcaemia.
• Vitamin E: Prevents cancer, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, Alzheimer’s and aging. Acts as a powerful antioxidant that promotes healing and protects against cell damage.
• Vitamin K: Supports a healthy cardiovascular system, strong bones, cell growth and healthy organs.

Scientists use a test called the Oxygen Radical Absorbence Capacity (ORAC) assay to determine the antioxidant activity of a food. A high ORAC value indicates the food possesses a high potency of antioxidant activity.

ORAC is the most reliable and accurate way to quantify a food’s peroxyl radical scavenging capacity. Peroxyl radicals can cause tissues or organs to become impaired or inflamed.

The ORAC assay discovered that freeze-dried açai has the highest antioxidant activity against peroxyl radicals of any food ever reported. In fact, açai’s antioxidant activity is 500%–1,000% higher than any fruit or vegetable, based on USDA data. This data indicates that açai has the potential to significantly increase the immune system’s first line of defense against oxidative stress.

A lot of what we eat has to do with how we feel. When we are happy, energetic and active, we eat less, feel healthier, and look better. When we are sad, lethargic and inactive, we eat more, feel worse, and look unhealthy. This is called emotional eating, and the first step to conquering it is to realize that you’re doing it.

One great piece of weight loss advice is to change your pattern of thinking. Instead of thinking about food when you want to lose a few pounds, think about your mood. Here are a few steps to get you started on a weight loss plan that literally makes you smile!

1. Smile! The first step in changing your mood, and therefore your dieting habits, is to smile. Researchers say that smiling even when you’re feeling down will change your perception of things and begin to brighten your mood.
2. Set happy goals. Don’t be unrealistic with your weight loss goals. Make them so easy that you’re sure to succeed. And goals aren’t always about numbers! Instead of looking at the scale and using it as your primary form of measurement, think about recording how you feel. As you lose weight, you should have more energy and feel healthier.
3. Pamper yourself. Weight loss and dieting isn’t about suffering. It’s about having fun while you achieve your goals. Instead of thinking about eating less, think about eating healthier. People who starve themselves to lose pounds and inches are never able to keep that weight off. People who change their eating habits can be successful for life.
4. Remember to laugh at yourself…in a positive way. If you don’t meet a couple of your weight loss goals, laugh! Take confidence in knowing that you will keep trying, and laugh about that third helping of chocolate cake instead of having a guilty conscience. Also remember that laughing helps burn calories! Instead of renting a sad movie, rent a comedy that gives you a good long chuckle.
5. Get some rays. Getting some sunshine (while avoiding sunburn) is a great way to make yourself happy. If you don’t live in a sunny location, invest in a sunlamp. Also make sure you are taking your vitamins. Whenever your body is lacking in nutrients, your mind informs you by making you sad and tired.