NORTHRIDGE, Calif., June 6, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As 2012 unfolds and summer approaches, it's important to keep one's health in check. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the past 20 years, the diets of most Americans have changed, consuming too many calories and too few nutrients. This type of diet leads to weight gain (60 percent of Americans are overweight or obese) and 9 out of 10 Americans fall short of many essential nutrients in their diets.
See video from Nature Made® at: http://inr.synapticdigital.com/naturemade/nutritionmonth/
Physician Nutrition Specialist Dr. Melina Jampolis recognized the importance of maintaining a healthy diet year-round, and wrote "The Calendar Diet: A Month by Month Guide to Losing Weight While Living Your Life," a month-by-month plan to make your health a consistent priority.
"Eating a well-balanced diet, keeping to an exercise or fitness routine and properly maintaining one's weight are all tactics to support a healthy lifestyle," said Dr. Melina. "As a doctor specializing in nutrition and weight loss, I developed 'The Calendar Diet' to help people navigate life's challenges using a simple, year-long approach. Outsmarting nutrition roadblocks that can pop up throughout the year can be tricky, therefore the book includes tips on how to maintain a healthy diet and highlights the importance of supplementing your meals with essential nutrients that you may not get adequately from the foods you eat."
When it comes to choosing supplements, Dr. Melina says it is important to look for products carrying the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Verified Dietary Supplement mark, as a way to ensure the product has met stringent criteria for purity and potency. "It is important to go with a reputable brand such as Nature Made, which has rigorous quality control standards in place to ensure what is on the label is in the bottle," said Dr. Melina.
She recommends the following vitamins and supplements as a part of a well-balanced diet:
Vitamin D
For most of her patients, especially those who are overweight or
obese, those who live in northern latitudes, or are at an age
greater than 65, Dr. Melina recommends taking a vitamin D
supplement as this key nutrient plays a supporting role in bone,
heart and immune health. "To determine whether you're at risk for
vitamin D deficiencies, speak with your doctor about having your
levels checked," said Dr. Melina who recommends adults take 1000 -
2000 IU of Vitamin D3 daily to fulfill their vitamin D
requirement.
Fish Oil (Omega-3 Fatty Acids)
Supportive, but not conclusive, research shows that consumption of
EPA and DHA, the Omega-3 Fatty Acids found in fish oil, may reduce
the risk of coronary heart disease. Dr. Melina recommends taking
500mg of Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA daily for optimal health
benefits.
B-Complex
For those people that may not take a multivitamin regularly, taking
a B-Complex supplement to ensure you are getting all the
energy-supporting B vitamins you need on a daily basis is
suggested. In addition, "if you're over the age of 65, you may not
absorb Vitamin B-12 as effectively so a B-Complex can assure
adequate B-12 intake," recommended Dr. Melina. "If you are a woman
of child-bearing age, getting adequate amounts of folic acid, at
least 400 mcg daily, is critical for reducing the risk of neural
tube defects should you get pregnant."
Plant Sterols
Plant sterols are naturally occurring plant compounds that help
lower cholesterol and are found in fruits, grains, nuts and
vegetables. "If you have high cholesterol, you may want to consider
taking a plant sterol supplement such as Nature Made CholestOff
which helps reduce dietary cholesterol absorption naturally," said
Dr. Melina. 1
Always remember to talk to your health care professional about individual nutrient needs. For more information on Nature Made vitamins and supplements visit NatureMade.com, and to order "The Calendar Diet: A Month by Month Guide to Losing Weight While Living Your Life" visit www.drmelina.com.
ABOUT NATURE MADE
Nature Made® is the number one vitamin and supplement brand in the
grocery, drug, club and mass channels. Manufactured by Pharmavite,
Nature Made was the first line of dietary supplements to earn a
third-party quality seal of approval through the United States
Pharmacopeia's Dietary Supplement Verification Program for several
of its products. The dietary supplement industry is regulated by
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade
Commission, as well as by government agencies in each of the 50
states. Nature Made is a Proud Partner of FamilyDoctor.org, an award-winning website featuring
physician-reviewed information on more than 900 health and wellness
topics provided in English and Spanish, including vitamins and
supplements. Visit NatureMade.com for the latest news and offerings.
ABOUT DR. MELINA JAMPOLIS:
Dr. Melina B. Jampolis, M.D. is one of only several hundred board
certified physician nutrition specialists in the United States. A
graduate of Tufts University and Tufts University School of
medicine, she completed her internal medicine residency at Santa
Clara Valley Medical Center, a Stanford University teaching
hospital. She is a member of the American Society for Nutrition and
the Obesity Society. She is a frequent guest on national television
programs including Live with Kelly, Dr. Oz, Fox Business Network
and CNN.
1Products containing at least 400 mg per serving of
plant sterols and stanols, eaten twice a day with meals for a daily
intake of at least 800 mg as part of a diet low in saturated fat
and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. One serving
of Nature Made CholestOff supplies 900 mg of plant sterols and
stanols per serving for a daily intake of 1800 mg.