Good nutrition offers more than energy, structural components, vitamins and minerals. There are many other substances found in the foods you eat which have become better known over the last few years.  One is phytochemicals which are found in the colorful parts of fruits and vegetables. Although, they are not required for body functioning, they may have a very powerful impact on your health. For example, quercetin (found in red apples) functions like an antihistamine and has an anti-inflammatory effect.   Resveratrol, found in grape skins and seeds, is a powerful antioxidant.  Antioxidants help to protect your body from the damage that comes from the sun, pollution, smoke, and poor dietary choices.  They are found in the phytochemicals of fruits and vegetables, as well as some vitamins and amino acids.

A healthy diet will provide your body with the right amount of energy, enough raw materials and all of the “little helpers” you need to be healthy.  Good nutrition will also provide phytochemicals and antioxidants that will help keep you feeling young, looking great, and perhaps even disease-free.  An un-balanced, poor choice of foods diet will give your body  too many or too few calories, not enough vitamins and minerals, and can actually make you need more of the antioxidants that you aren’t getting.

Now that you have a better idea of why your body needs food, the next step is to learn more about good nutrition and how to eat a well balanced diet.

Armity A. Simon, MD OB/GYN in Scottsdale, AZ

Taking folic acid before and during pregnancy has been shown to reduce neural tube defects.  The folic acid found in most over the counter multi-vitamins works best for good health.  The best way for women to know that they are getting enough folic acid is to take a multi-vitamin that has at least 400 mcg of folic acid in it every day.

Studies suggest that folic acid may also protect your baby from certain types of other birth defects related to the heart, limbs and face. It’s shown that it may also help protect women and men from types of heart disease and certain cancers.

Folic acid is a B vitamin.  There are a lot of foods high in folate which is the natural form of vitamin B.  Foods such as beans, green leafy vegetables and orange juice.

Make sure to discuss with your doctor what type of multi-vitamin your taking or folic acid supplement to see if it’s right for you.

Armity A. Simon, M.D.  OBGYN, Scottsdale, Az.

Medical research is proving that Vitamin D benefits the brain as well as the bones, and may be a significant factor in helping older people stay healthy and vital. Known as the Sunshine Vitamin because exposure to sunlight triggers synthesis in the skin, it is also available through dairy foods and fatty fish such as halibut and cod. It plays an essential role in the metabolic process, aiding in the absorption of calcium and promoting bone strength. Without adequate blood levels of this important vitamin, bones can become soft, brittle, or misshappen, and deficiency leads to devastating skeletal diseases like rickets and osteomalacia. Research expands the list of Vitamin D benefits Medical science is discovering that building strong bones is just one of many key roles this vitamin plays in overall health. New research is uncovering more and more ways in which strengthens, protects, and enhances body functions.

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Labiaplasty

Labiaplasty (labia reduction and beautification) is becoming increasingly popular among women. Many women suffer from over sized or asymmetrical labia minora (the skin surrounding the opening of the vagina). Some women are born with this condition, and for some it can appear later in life with aging or due to stretching after childbirth. There are multiple reasons that women are requesting labiaplasty. They want to alleviate the discomfort caused by large and/or thick labia. This can interfere with working out, biking, wearing tight fitting clothes and sexual intercourse. Others want to improve the appearance of the labia, which can build confidence and improve self-esteem. Women who have these problems can now have labia surgery to reduce the outward appearance of the labia minora and correct irregularities. Read the rest of this entry »