Always research and tell your doctor what you plan to take before you do. Knowledge is power! Never just assume a dietary supplement is good for you just because you think it is ‘natural.’ Certain supplements can also have adverse reactions with the prescribed medications you take too. Read labels, do the research, discuss with your doctor or a professional health care practicioner before you take any vitamin or herbal supplements. You can even overdose on certain vitamins!

Here is the list of the 12 supplements to avoid and why they are dangerous:

The (bold) links in each of the supplements listed will tell you what the supplement is used for and why its dangerous. Sometimes products are listed that include these supplements.

1. Aristolochic Acid – This is a potent human carcinogen. Kidney failure that sometimes require transplant could happen. Deaths have been reported.

2. Comfrey – Comfrey contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) which are toxic to the liver and can cause liver damage, cancer and death.

3. Androstenedione – Increased cancer risk, a decrease in HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol – you want this number high) and very bad long term effects.

4. Chaparral – Considered a dangerous herb that can cause irreversible, life-threatening liver damage and kidney damage, which is often irreversible. Deaths have been reported.

5. Germander – You can have abnormal liver function or damage with this supplement, which is often irreversible. Deaths have been reported.

6. Kava - Abnormal liver function or damage, which is occasionally irreversible. Can also cause skin rashes. Herbs contain components that can trigger side effects and interact with other herbs, supplements or medications. For these reasons, herbs should be taken with care, under the supervision of a health care practitioner qualified in the field of botanical medicine. This is particularly true for kava because there is evidence that it may cause liver damage. Deaths have been reported.

7. Bitter Orange – High blood pressure, increased risk of heart arrhythmias, heart attack and stroke have been reported with this supplement.

8. Organ / Glandular Extracts – Assumed risk of http://kidshealth.org/teen/infections/bacterial_viral/mad_cow_disease.html”>mad cow disease, mostly from brain extracts.

9. Lobelia – This can cause breathing difficulty, rapid heartbeat, low blood pressure, diarrhea, dizziness and tremors. Possible deaths reported.

10. Pennyroyal Oil – Liver and kidney failure, nerve damage, convulsions, abdominal tenderness, burning of the throat. Deaths have been reported.

11. Scullcap – You may get anormal liver function or damage with this supplement.

12. Yohimbe – Change in blood pressure, heart arrhythmias, respiratory depression and heart attack. Deaths have been reported.

Here’s another informative website about whether certain herbs are safe and their side effects.

Since I’m always on the look-out for quality exercise and fitness equipment, I came across this fantastic exercise product that really can help you to lose weight, prevent health problems, control anxiety, reduce stress and help you focus better at work. Who wouldn’t want that?!

Did you know that sitting in a chair all day can make you fat?! Well, its true according to Chairs Destroy Health. Get a TrekDesk Treadmill Desk. Now you can actually exercise at work by walking (no excuses anymore) with a TrekDesk treadmill.

Walking with a TrekDesk will increase your metabolism and the way your body burns fat. No long hours in the gym anymore! Walk your way to health with this innovative treadmill.

Walking reduces your stress hormones and “promotes the production of mood enhancing compounds in the brain such as serotonin” (from the TrekDesk website). Walking on a daily basis has been proven to prevent or restore many kinds of health issues.

To learn more about this wonderful exercise product, click on the TrekDesk ad below:

TrekDesk can boost your energy levels and mental abilities while you work, which will help you focus better so you can attain greater work productivity. So if your excuse has been that you really don’t have time to exercise, the TrekDesk could be the answer to getting in your walk in every day.

You can also get an inexpensive pedometer that counts every step you take in order to help with how far you walk everyday. You should work up to 10,000 steps a day which equates to about 5 miles. Just clip it on in the morning and by evening, you’ll be surprised by how many steps you take during the day.

There are so many ways to stay fit even for those who have physical issues; therefore, there should be no excuses not to do something to keep your body and mind healthy. This goes from kids to Baby Boomers and beyond!

Essential fatty acids are also important for hair health. These are found in foods such as fish, salmon oil, walnuts, eggs, soy, olive oil, flax seeds and flax oil. B12 is a vital nutrient for the hair and can be found in eggs, meat, and chicken. All of the B vitamins are essential to hair growth. A source that contains both omega-3 fatty acids from flax or fish oil and omega-6 fatty acids from evening primrose or borage oil should be added to your dietary supplements.

Other good protein sources are fish, beans, seeds, nuts, yogurt, and eggs. Soy has been known to grow and strengthen hair. I occasionally use soy in the form of tofu, which is great mixed in a stir fry dish.

Vitamin B can be found in beans, green vegetables, beans, seeds and nuts. Eat citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes, melons and berries to get a lot of vitamin C. You can get vitamin E in foods such as nuts, legumes, whole grains, dark green veggies, avocados, and rice bran.

Eat carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, broccoli, cantaloupe and apricots to find a good source of vitamin A. And for your vitamin K intake, eat dairy, asparagus, broccoli, lettuce, brussel sprouts, cabbage, figs, dark green leafy vegetables, oatmeal, soybeans, wheat, yogurt, egg yolks, seafood and liver.

Supplements such as biotin (also called vitamin H or B7) and inositol are needed for hair growth as are certain minerals that include sulfur, magnesium, silica and zinc. Biotin can help to improve both your nails and hair. This nutrient can be found in soy, beans, brewer’s yeast, mushrooms, whole wheat and eggs. Other dietary supplements you can add to your food is brewer’s yeast, wheat germ and two tablespoons of granulated lechithin. These supplements will increase hair growth, keeping it strong and beautiful.

Higher doses of biotin are needed to gain benefits in hair health and fast growth. Its difficult to overdose on biotin and many supplements come in 500 (or more) microgram capsules. You can take biotin by itself or combine it with other B vitamins. B vitamins help to prevent stress, which is a cause of hair loss.

The supplement MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) is excellent for the hair and is a great source of sulphur, which is a very important part of amino acids, the building blocks of hair protein. Green vegetables are a natural source of MSM. This supplement may also help to improve the strength and sheen of hair.

Other Supplements To Prevent Hair Loss

Silica
Silica, a trace mineral that strengthens hair can be taken as a supplement or food. It can be found in foods such as oats, sunflower seeds, rice and potatoes. Some nutritionists recommend taking therapeutic doses of 5-20 milligrams daily but other recommended doses are up to 1,000 milligrams.

Saw Palmetto
This is a natural herb and works at combating hair loss in both sexes. This herb is a small palm that grows in warm climates and produces a red fruit. It lowers the DHT level in our body by blocking 5 alpha-reductose which reduces the development of the chemical dyhydrotestosterone (DHT), which causes hair loss.

Both topical and oral products can be used to reduce DHT levels throughout the body and directly on the scalp. A therapeutic dose of this herb would be 320 to 400 milligrams daily to promote healthy hair growth.

Nettles
Nettle root extract has been used successfully in Europe for treating hair loss. Nettle root capsules can also be used as a treatment for thinning hair. Nettle products are used as a topical treatment to give your hair shine and strength.

This herb can stimulate hair roots to grow, improve scalp circulation, help the flow of oxygen and nutrients into hair follicles, and contribute to hair growth. Clinical trials have given evidence to the effectiveness of nettle root extracts in hair loss treatments that include genetic male-pattern baldness and alopecia areata.

Shou-Wu
This herb has been used by the Chinese for hundreds of years and is a popular herbal remedy for treating hair loss and reversing gray hair. Shou-Wu is usually taken orally as a dietary supplement. Topical lotions of this herb have also been developed for treating hair loss.

Emu Oil
Emu oil is an excellent inflammatory agent. Its rich in lineolic acid (an unsaturated omega-6 fatty acid) and can have a positive effect on different types of hair, skin and scalp disorders.

Always check with a healthcare provider before taking any new supplements because some are not recommended for pregnant women, various medical conditions, or in combination with other drugs. Here is another great resource for other top hair loss treatments.

There are supplements available that can support healthy blood sugar levels such as, biotin, chromium polynicotinate, chromium picolinate, and gymnema sylvestre extract. A supplement that I have found to be very good for blood sugar management is called, LevelRight by NuNaturals.

You can buy this product online at iherb.com. If you are a first-time buyer and you enter this code, MIS539 when you check out, you will receive a $5.00 discount off your first order. Shipping is free if your order is over $60.00. Once you order, you can set up a free account, receive a code to give out to others and receive a discount for yourself as well.

I buy all of my supplements at iherb.com. They carry many different brands and their prices can’t be beat! They also have excellent customer service.  iHerb has been in business for 12 years now. It is a first-class online store with a large selection of over 600 well-known brands and over 16,000 natural products. They offer high quality products and the convenience of online shopping. iHerb’s service is fast and reliable!

Anyone can have trouble sleeping every once in awhile (I know I do!) and at times, using supplements to help you sleep is better than tossing and turning or relying on a prescribed sleep drug or an over-the-counter (OTC) medicine.

FOOD TO AVOID BEFORE BEDTIME
You should first start with your diet, which means that you must cut out caffeine (definitely stop consumption of all caffeine products at least 3 hours or more before you go to bed). Not only does coffee have caffeine, but other sources include sodas, tea, chocolate and cough/cold and OTC medicines.

You should also avoid or cut down on sweets and high sugar foods and beverages. Sugary products interrupt sleep during the night as your blood sugar levels fall, so try to avoid your sweets close to bedtime. You should limit them anyway for obvious reasons.

FOODS THAT HELP YOU SLEEP
You can also try eating foods with carbohydrates which may help you sleep. Whole grain crackers or a piece of grainy bread may do the trick. Eat this light snack right before bedtime.

VITAMINS AND MINERALS TO HELP YOU SLEEP
The following is a list of vitamin, mineral, amino acid, and herbal supplements that may help you sleep better:

1) Magnesium – Eating magnesium-rich foods such as almonds, cashews, pine nuts, blackstrap molasses, dark leafy green vegetables, halibut, tuna, bananas, dried figs, prune juice, milk, low-fat yogurt, whole grains, and chickpeas, to name just a few, are good in helping you sleep. If you are deficient in this important mineral, you may suffer from anxiety, muscle tremors, irritability, constipation, pain and also have trouble sleeping.

2) Calcium – This important mineral can help you sleep when you take it with foods and combine it with a magnesium supplement. That’s why a little warm milk before bed might make you sleepy.

3) Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) - This vitamin may help you sleep. The dose is 50 to 100mg per day. You can get this supplement at any health food store. B6 is needed to make serotonin, which is needed to produce the hormone melatonin.

4) Vitamin B12 – This is a very important vitamin and may help people with insomnia. Your should take 25mg per day. You can also take it with pantothenic acid, also known as vitamin B5. Pantothenic can be found in your B complex vitamins. If you do not get enough B12 in your diet, you may experience memory loss, confusion, and fatigue. Sunflower seeds, bananas, and walnuts are a few of the foods that contain vitamins B12 and B5.

5) Folic Acid – You should take 400 micrograms per day of this supplement because if you don’t get enough of it, you may have trouble sleeping on occasion. Green leafy vegetables, orange juice, fortified breakfast cereals and beans contain this important supplement.

6) Copper – In some studies, it has been found if you take a 2mg copper supplement every day, you may fall asleep quicker and naturally and also wake up feeling more refreshed. Some foods highest in copper are seeds, nuts, vegetables, and shellfish products.

HERBS TO HELP YOU SLEEP

1) Valerian – This herb has been used a long time as a possible treatment for insomnia. Valerian is not thought to be addictive or cause that groggy feeling in the morning like some sleep drugs can do. I’ve tried the Valerian liquid extract an hour before bedtime (this is when you should take it) before and it did seem to help, but it will not work for everyone. It can take around two or three weeks to actually help you sleep, but you definitely should not take it more than three months in a row. This herb is available in liquid, pill, or tea form.

You may also experience a few side effects (I never did) with valerian such as dizziness, headache, or a little indigestion. You should not take this herb if you take a lot of medications, for instance, antihistamines and sedatives, but always check with your doctor first if you are unsure. Of course, you should not drive before you take it, take it with an alcohol beverage, if you have any liver problems, or right before or after any surgery you may have.

2) Lavender – You can buy lavender as a tea or as an essential oil. Lavender oil makes a great massage and/or bath oil. A candle with the lavender scent is also nice.

3) Lemon Balm – This wonderful lemon-scented herb grows like crazy in a garden (I have to keep cutting mine back because it grows so fast. I love its lemon scent when you rub the leaves between your fingers). This calming herb is available as a tea, liquid extract, or in capsules.

4) Chamomile – Make a cup of chamomile tea and sip before bedtime to help you fall asleep. This herb has a very soothing fragrance to it.

OTHER HELPFUL SLEEP SUPPLEMENTS

1) Melatonin – This hormone is found naturally in the body and is secreted by the pineal gland (a tiny gland in the center of your brain). Melatonin helps your body to regulate the times you fall asleep and wake up. Less of it is produced as we get older (it figures), which is why its important to supplement with melatonin. There are no important side effects if you use melatonin for three months or less, but some people with depression or other serious disease should not use this hormone. Pregnant and nursing women should definitely not use it. Melatonin should be taken about 30 minutes before you go to bed.

2) L-Tryptophan – This amino acid is essential and you can’t live without it. Its a precursor to serotonin which is then converted to melatonin. Beware though, even though tryptophan has good benefits, its been associated as a possible cause for schizophrenia for some people who can’t metabolize it properly.

RELAXATION TECHNIQUES FOR INSOMNIA

These types of techniques (and there are many) may help you fall asleep faster, prolong the time you stay asleep, and make you feel like you actually got a good night’s sleep.

1) Meditation – This is a good way to relax before your bedtime. Try to quiet your mind for 10 to 20 minutes before light’s out. You may find repeating a word or phrase, mantra (what I do), will help you meditate or at least begin to relax you. Watching television before you go to sleep is too stimulating so try to avoid this.

2) Reading – Read for 20 minutes or so is another good way to relax before falling asleep. This always works for me.

Visualization Techniques – You can also try visualization techniques such as imagining yourself lying on the warm sand of an exotic beach, listening to the soothing sounds of the ocean while waves splash against the shore. You can also buy relaxing DVD’s (go to page 7 in the Boomer Book Shop to see these DVD’s) to listen to in order to help you fall asleep. They work for me!

Breathing Techniques – Several long, slow deep breathes can help to relax you before falling asleep or doing some gentle yoga moves and stretches, but remember not to do strenuous exercise close to bedtime as it is too stimulating and will keep you awake.

There are many other relaxation techniques, but these few should get you started on the road to peaceful sleeping patterns.

This list of supplements, vitamins, herbs, what to eat, and what to avoid may help you sleep better, but also eating a healthy diet, exercise and de-stressing are other things that you should add to your normal routine. Insomnia plagues so many people, so remember to check with your doctor first before you start taking anything new, especially herbs. Tell your doctor what medications you’re taking and get his advice first, before considering taking a prescribed sleep drug or a natural supplement.