AIM For Strong Bones

The adult human skeletal system is typically made up of 206 bones, whereas a newborn baby has more than 300 bones in their body. Some of the bones in a baby are made of regular bone and some are made of cartilage, which is soft and flexible. As we develop and grow, the cartilage also grows and over time slowly hardens into bone. During this process bones fuse together to form larger bones. The change from cartilage to bone occurs until about the age of twenty.

Both men and women have the same number of bones. Our bones give us shape and support, and help to protect our heart, lungs, brain and other vital organs. They team up with our joints and muscles to produce movement, and if we don’t take care of our bones they become weak, brittle and even break. Strong bones are essential for whole body health and wellness.

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and also one of the most essential as it is required for so many bodily functions. Considering that about 99 percent of our body’s calcium is stored in our bones and teeth, it makes good sense to keep our supply topped up. If our daily diet is low in calcium, bone is literally broken down to keep our blood calcium level normal--because calcium plays other critical roles in supporting our bodies’ vital functions such as maintaining our heartbeat and controlling our blood pressure.

Our body continually removes and replaces small amounts of calcium from our bones. If the body removes more calcium than it replaces, our bones will become weaker and have a greater chance of breaking. Because bones have their own ‘calcium bank account’ it’s important we keep this account balanced. If we ‘withdraw’ too much calcium and we’re not ‘depositing’ enough into our ‘calcium bank account’ we run the risk of creating a calcium deficiency, which can lead to an increased risk of fractures, osteoporosis and other ailments.

There are many ways to get calcium in our daily diet and ensuring we’re getting enough, through diet and supplementation, is crucial in maintaining strong, healthy bones. Our diet should include the primary food sources of calcium—dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, kale and cabbage. Sardines, eggs, tofu and low-fat (preferably organic) dairy products are also rich in calcium, which help support a healthy skeletal frame.

It’s also important we get regular exercise and sufficient sleep. Because bones are living tissue, weight-bearing physical activity causes new bone tissue to form, which makes bones stronger. Not only is this type of physical activity good for our bones, it also makes our muscles stronger. By pushing and tugging against each other, and gravity, both our bones and muscles benefit. Some examples of weight-bearing physical activities include: walking, running, dancing, aquafit, rebounding, stair climbing, hiking and weight lifting.

Considering calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body we tend to think it’s only purpose is keeping our bones and teeth healthy. However, this mineral is also needed for the proper function of our heart, muscles and nerves. Recent studies are linking high-calcium diets to weight loss and are suggesting that a diet rich in calcium may even help lower and maintain blood pressure levels.

Recognizing the importance of calcium to our health, The AIM Companies™ formulated CalciAIM™ which provides highly absorbable calcium and other supporting nutrients which are crucial for proper skeletal function and overall wellness.

Carefully formulated to determine the most beneficial types of calcium, the most effective method of delivery, and a combination of nutrients to help achieve superior whole-body health, CalciAIM™ (along with a healthy diet and exercise) can help us have and maintain strong healthy bones. A combination of 3 types of calcium, magnesium, L-lysine, vitamins C & D, zinc, and copper, this unique powder drink mix delivery system provides excellent calcium absorption levels helping in the development and maintenance of our bones,cartilage, teeth and gums.

We all need to AIM for strong bones and CalciAIM™ can help!

For more information about CalciAIM™ please visit My AIM Store website at http://myaimstore.com/awealthofhealth/ where you can read more, download a datasheet and watch a video. As with any supplement it is always recommended to read the literature thoroughly to find out if the product is right for you, and consult your health care practitioner if you have any medical conditions or concerns.

Can’t Beat A Beet

Did you know beets are a natural cleanser helping to remove toxins from the body and nourish the bloodstream? Not only do beets cleanse the liver and purify the blood, they also aid in digestion and stimulate lymphatic activity. Beets contain powerful nutrients that can help protect against heart disease, birth defects, and certain cancers such as colon cancer.

Botanically known as Beta vulgaris, the beet evolved from their wild ancestor known as sea beet, which is a native of the coastlines of Northern Africa, Southern Asia and Europe. The root was carrot shaped and during early times the beet greens were eaten rather than the roots. At first, the ancient Romans were mostly interested in beets for medicine, however they are believed to be one of the first civilizations to cultivate beetroot for food.

Amongst other ailments, the Romans used beetroot in curative broths as a treatment for fever, constipation, and other ailments. They also considered beetroot juice as an aphrodisiac. It wasn’t until the sixteenth century the rounded root shape we’re familiar with today was developed, and became popular in Central and Eastern Europe a couple of hundred years later. Over the millennia beetroot has been used to treat a variety of conditions, especially illnesses related to digestion and the blood. Today the beetroot is still championed as a universal cure-all.

Raw beetroots contain folate, niacin, biotin, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, iron, potassium, vitamin A and vitamin C. They’re low in fat and high in complex carbohydrates, providing our body with fuel and fibre. During pregnancy, folate is important for normal fetal development and folate also aids in the formation of red blood cells. Potassium, along with sodium, helps to regulate the water balance and acid-alkaline balance in the blood and tissues. The pigment batacyanin, which gives beets their rich purple-crimson colour, is a powerful cancer-fighting agent and its effectiveness against colon cancer in particular has been demonstrated in several studies. Iron improves energy, prevents anemia and provides each cell with oxygen to function better, and the iron in beet juice is noted for being more easily assimilated than other forms of iron supplements.

Beets may also help to lower levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) while raising levels of beneficial cholesterol (HDL) which can improve cardiovascular health. Beetroots are also known to have the ability to counter damaging effects on the liver. Over the last four centuries beetroot has been used for the treatment of hepatitis and has been thought to be beneficial for the detoxification of the liver. Theories suggest the high concentrations of betaine found in beets help support and detoxify the liver by limiting fat deposits. Betaine is also known to lessen inflammation and also play a role in reducing homocysteine of which high levels of homocysteine are associated with cardiovascular disease.

We know that fresh fruits and vegetables provide us with a broad spectrum of essential nutrients and fibre necessary for proper digestion, assimilation and whole body health. They provide phytochemicals, enzymes and antioxidants and consuming them the way nature intended in their raw form is usually the best, however, some vegetables do need to be cooked otherwise they would be very hard to eat. Because cooking destroys valuable enzymes, which are essential for the thousands of chemical reactions that occur throughout the body, juicing provides a means to ensure we’re getting the maximum amount of nutrients available.

Available in a ready to mix powder, AIM RediBeets® provides a convenient way to enjoy the benefits beetroot has to offer without all the extra work and mess. The half pound of beets used to make a teaspoon of RediBeets® is residue-free. When the beets are processed to separate the juice and its valuable nutrients from the fiber, the beets are not subjected to high temperatures that may damage their nutrients. AIM uses only the root of red beets and it takes approximately 25 pounds of beets to make one pound of RediBeets® powder.

Considering the powerhouse of nutrition and all the benefits beets have to offer, it makes good sense to consume them as part of our dietary routine to help maintain whole body health, prevent illness and provide us with total wellness. When it comes to good wholesome food, you sure can’t beat a beet!

For more information about AIM RediBeets® please visit My AIM Store website at http://awealthofhealth.myaimstore.com where you can read more, download a datasheet and watch a video. As with any supplement it is always recommended to read the literature thoroughly to find out if this product is right for you, and consult your health care practitioner if you have any medical conditions or concerns. While there is no processed sugar in RediBeets® it is made up of about 70 percent natural sugars. These natural sugars are what give RediBeets® its sweet taste.
Anyone who is diabetic or concerned about blood glucose levels should consult a health practitioner before using AIM RediBeets®.

An Apple A Day

Autumn typically means harvest time in Canada, making it wonderful to see the markets overflowing with colorful vegetables and plenty of fresh apples. One of nature’s finest foods, the apple comes in a variety of colors and flavours sure to please any palate. From McIntosh to Red Delicious, Gala to Cortland the health benefits of apples are countless.

One of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, there are more than 7,500 known varieties of apples. A member of the rose family, it is thought the apple has been around for some 4000 thousand years. And according to some researchers, archeologists have found evidence that us humans have been enjoying apples as far back as 6500 BC.

Apples made an excellent commodity for early settlers as they stored well and had many uses. When dried they were available all year round and apples could be easily turned into cider. In her book The Apple, A History of Canada’s Perfect Fruit, author Carol Martin describes how “apples have been a part of Canadian life ever since the first European settlers arrived in the early years of the 17th century. In the east, Champlain led his tiny colony to Hochelaga (Quebec City) and brought along young saplings to be planted. In the west, Sir George Simpson arrived to found the most westerly Hudson's Bay company fort with apple seeds tucked into his vest pocket. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries horticulturalists across the country worked to develop varieties of eating apples that could withstand Canadian winters.”

Today, people from all countries across the globe are enjoying apples daily making them the most popular fruit in the world. Although apples have endless culinary uses such as pies and dumplings, the best way to obtain the maximum nutrition apples have to offer is by eating them the way Mother Nature intended. Whole raw apples have many health benefits and there are many studies and claims to support this.

Apples contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals and soluble fibre. Because of the powerhouse of nutrients apples provide they can help boost our immune system, help build strong bones and teeth, help repair tissue, help to slow the aging process, reduce the risk of diseases including some cancers, osteoporosis and heart disease, help lower cholesterol, help increase fibre intake, help manage diabetes and help with weight loss.

Apples make a healthy and nutritious snack with many varieties available in the markets all year round. When shopping for apples look for bright, richly coloured apples that feel firm and pick fruit that is free from bruises, holes and soft spots and try to buy organic. Wash them well when you get them home. To keep them crispy store them in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator or a cold cellar but eat them at room temperature for the most flavour. Although some apples taste sweet and others may have a tart or tangy taste, it’s always fun to experiment and try different varieties. How fortunate we are to have this simple fruit so readily available to us daily.

The health benefits from eating apples are enormous and scientific researchers are discovering more and more reasons we should all be eating apples. The next time you’re looking for a snack, remember that old saying and reach for an apple. An apple a day can indeed help keep us healthy.

A Star Is Born

More and more people are realizing the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and health juices have become all and rave with young and old alike. Everything from Tahitian Noni Juice to the ever-popular acai juice, health conscience people are looking for alternatives to the regular juices we have been consuming for decades.

Although regular juices have come along way—no pulp, extra pulp, unsweetened, naturally sweetened, added calcium, from concentrate, not from concentrate, added Vitamin C, contains real fruit juice, and the like—consuming juices that are highly nutritious and in as close a pure and natural state as possible, can have many added health benefits than the regular juices can provide.

One such juice is pomegranate juice. More and more research is finding that pomegranate juice has a higher percentage of antioxidant capacity than red wine, purple grape juice, black cherry juice, blueberry juice, acai juice, cranberry juice, orange and apple juice, and green tea.

AIM Cellstar™ Pomagrape juice contains a concentrate blend of pomegranate juice and pomegranate extract. Although pomegranate is the featured ingredient in Pomagrape, this anti-aging juice is a combination of superfruits including cherry, white grape, strawberry, lemon, apple and pear. It also contains chokecherry extract, elderberry extract, blueberry extract, black currant extract, grape seed extract, hibiscus extract, raspberry extract, and apple extract. Pomagrape has half the sugar of regular juice as it contains only the natural sugars found in the fruit itself along with the addition of stevia, which has zero calories, zero carbohydrates and scores zero on the glycemic index.

With all the natural and nutritious ingredients found in this superjuice, Pomagrape provides antioxidant health, helps reduce the appearance of aging, helps lessen arthritis symptoms, helps to maintain prostate health, aids in mental cognition, and helps improve cardiovascular health.

Another superfruit juice AIM has developed is AIM Cellstar™ Mango Tango, which is a combination of superfruits and herbs, focusing on stimulating the body’s immune system. Mango Tango is a puree blend of mango and mangosteen with a concentrate blend of pomegranate, orange, pineapple, white grape, lemon, apple, pear, camu-camu extract, echinacea extract, hibiscus extract and raspberry extract. It too has half the sugar of regular juices thanks to the addition of stevia, and camu-camu contains more vitamin C than any other known plant in the world. As well as boosting the immune system, Mango Tango can help soothe joint pain, support intestinal health, help fight infection, help prevent urinary tract infection and balances mood.

With Pomagrape’s tart bite and dark ruby red colour, and Mango Tango’s pleasant sweet taste, these superjuices are sure to please. A star is born with AIM Cellstar™.

For more information about AIM Cellstar™ Pomagrape and Mango Tango please visit My AIM Store website at http://awealthofhealth.myaimstore.com where you can read more, download a datasheet and watch a video. As with any supplement it is always recommended to read the literature thoroughly to find out if this product is right for you, and consult a health care practitioner if you have any medical conditions or concerns.

Keep The Bugs Away

December 21st marks the winter solstice, which also happens to be one of my favourite days of the year. Although winter solstice is the shortest day and longest night of the year, it’s one of my favourite days because the daylight hours will start to increase making the days a little longer and the nights a little shorter. It’s also the first day of winter, and for some, that means the cold and flu season.

Although the cold and flu ‘bugs’ seem to be lurking just about everywhere we go nowadays, we can reduce the risk of getting a cold or the flu with antioxidants such as green tea and grape seed extract, proven to neutralize free radicals and support a healthy immune system.

Antioxidants are a broad group of compounds that destroy single oxygen molecules, also called free radicals, in the body, thereby protecting against oxidative damage to cells. They are essential to good health and are found naturally in a wide variety of foods and plants, including many fruits and vegetables. During the winter months however, there is less of a variety of fresh and nutritious foods to choose from, so we need to supplement with a daily intake of antioxidants. (It’s also worth mentioning that free radicals have been linked to many age-related diseases such as cancer, heart attack, stroke and Alzheimer’s disease.) A strong immune system is the best ways to ward off illness, and what better way for our immune system to get a boost then to take a variety of antioxidants.

AIM Proancynol™2000 is a combination of seven antioxidants which work together (antioxidant cycling) to improve each other. AIM Proancynol™2000
combines the proven ability of these seven antioxidant compounds— green tea extract, rosemary extract, grape seed extract, N acetylcysteine, alpha-lipoic acid, lycopene, and selenium—to provide us with the best antioxidant supplementation available.

It may be the cold and flu season but we can fight back this winter and help protect our immune system by eating a healthy diet and supplementing with AIM Proancynol™ 2000. Let’s have a fun, happy and healthy winter season and keep the bugs away!

For more information about AIM Proancynol™ 2000 please visit the AIM website at http://awealthofhealth.myaimstore.com where you can read more, download a datasheet and watch a video. As with any supplement it is always recommended to read the literature thoroughly to find out if this product is right for you, and consult your health care practitioner if you have any medical conditions or concerns.

Tis The Season

The holiday season is upon us and along with it comes season’s greetings, good wishes and the ever-present holiday cheer consisting of plenty of food and drink. It’s hard not to indulge ourselves in all the snacks, large meals and rich desserts we’re continually offered during this festive time, but the consequences of overindulging can leave us feeling not so festive.

Two of the most common physical side effects of overeating are indigestion and heartburn. Our body works hard to digest the food and drink we consume, and the foods we choose to eat can make all the difference in how our digestive system deals with it. Processed, refined and dead foods are ever present throughout the year in the typical North American diet and even more so during festive occasions. Because we’re going to consume foods that may not be all that good for us during the holidays, including digestive enzymes in our diet can help our body to do its job.

AIM PrepZymes® is specially formulated for high-sugar, high-fat diets and is an exceptional digestive supplement containing 8 cultured enzymes—protease I and II, alpha/beta amylase, lipase, cellulase, lactase, maltase and invertase. This unique combination of enzymes has been specifically formulated to help digest a wide range of processed foods including fats, proteins, hidden sugars, diary products and snack foods. AIM PrepZymes® also contains alpine wild garlic and papaya fruit powder which also aid in digestion and provide additional antioxidant benefits.

Large meals, rich desserts and snacks are all part of the holiday menu, so it makes good sense to help our body break down the foods we eat and maintain our digestive health. After all, it ‘tis the season!

For more information about AIM PrepZymes® please visit My AIM Store website at http://awealthofhealth.myaimstore.com where you can read more, download a datasheet and watch a video. As with any supplement it is always recommended to read the literature thoroughly to find out if this product is right for you, and consult your health care practitioner if you have any medical conditions or concerns.

AIM PrepZymes® are best taken immediately before or during meals so they can begin to break down the food before the pancreas becomes overworked by having to secrete more enzymes than necessary. You may take AIM PrepZymes® with other AIM products, however, AIM PrepZymes® will break down the healthy probiotic bacteria in AIM FloraFood®, so it is recommended to take these two products separately with different meals. It is also recommended that those with gastritis or gastric or duodenal ulcers should not use AIM PrepZymes® as it may result in irritation.

Avoid The Flu By Building A Stronger You

With all the hype in the media about the H1N1 flu (or swine flu as it is commonly known) people are lining up in droves to get vaccinated. Although there are people at risk of contracting the virus who have compromised immune systems, I feel (and this is my personal opinion and not meant to deter anyone away from getting the flu shot if they are at risk or feel they should have one) people need to work at building a stronger immune system by focusing on diet, exercise, lifestyle changes and sleep.

Health officials are also concerned this flu strain will combine with other flu strains, which will continually mutate making it more and more difficult to create an effective vaccine. In my opinion, by maintaining a healthy immune system we will be less susceptible to the virus and help protect ourselves from infectious diseases. If this is going to keep mutating then it makes sense to build up a resistance naturally rather than rely on vaccinations and other drugs when a “pandemic” occurs. I haven’t had a flu shot for a number of years now and I also haven’t had the flu. Sometimes I feel a little under the weather or catch the odd cold, but I know this is my body fighting off any attacking viruses.

While washing our hands frequently and keeping surfaces clean helps prevent the spread of the virus to our mouth, nose, eyes and other people, we must also look toward whole body health to minimize the risk of becoming ill. Washing our hands and keeping things clean should be the norm all of the time, not only when there is a flu bug going around. Proper hygiene is also essential to good health.

We can fortify our immune system with a diet rich in bright orange and green fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins such as chicken, fish and eggs, whole grains, nuts and seeds, and plenty of fresh water. We also need to make sure we are getting enough fibre in our diet (25-30 grams daily), and have an ample supply of “friendly bacteria” in our digestive system. Yogurt and kefir can help replenish digestive bacteria but in order to prevent the loss of these good bacteria we need to take a probiotic supplement. Reducing acidic foods (sugar) and increasing alkaline foods (BarleyLife®) will help prevent many illnesses as disease and other health conditions cannot survive in an alkaline environment.

Vitamin D will also help to build a stronger immune system and what better way to get both vitamin D and exercise than to enjoy activities outdoors on a nice sunny day. Although our days are cooler and shorter at this time of year, spending some time outside helps not only our body but our mind as well. Adequate sleep is also essential in preventing illness as our body does its best healing when it is well rested. And last but definitely not least, is a healthy lifestyle. Smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, pharmaceutical drugs and stress are detrimental to good health and well-being and will play havoc on the immune system. These should be avoided as much as possible.

It is also important to realize there are a lot of natural remedies being marketed as “cures” for the H1N1 flu. As far as I am concerned, a product cannot “cure” anything. It is the human body that has the ability to prevent and cure and this is why it is important to provide it with all of the essential ingredients such as proper nutrition, exercise, adequate amounts of rest and a healthy lifestyle.

AIM provides a variety of superior whole food concentrates and nutritional supplements to support a healthy lifestyle, strengthen the immune system, and nourish our cells. Especially during this “pandemic” with the H1N1 flu circulating world-wide our body needs more than just good food. AIM’s key nutritional supplements can promote whole body health and fortify the immune system. Why not avoid the flu, by building a stronger you!

For more information on products AIM carries to help strengthen the immune system, please visit My AIM Store at http://awealthofhealth.myaimstore.com where you can read more, download datasheets and watch videos. As with any supplement it is always recommended to read the literature thoroughly to find out if this product is right for you, and consult a health care practitioner if you have any medical conditions or concerns.