Magic Johnson's wife in public eye on HIV campaign (AP)

AP - Magic Johnson's normally publicity-shy wife Cookie is emerging lutein 5% nutritional supplement a spokeswoman in a campaign urging black women to get tested for HIV.

Supplements are a great way to ensure you are getting all the necessary vitamins and minerals that your body needs for optimal performance. Ideally, the majority of these needs will be met through the perfect daily diets, consisting of several servings of fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins, that we all follow all the time, right?

If, however, you are one of the very few Americans not following a strict non-obesity-causing meal plan at all times, supplements are a great way to supplement your questionable food choices.

But, how do you know which dietary supplements are safe, or which ones actually work? Unfortunately, the internet has created a perfect environment for drug-peddling scum bags to sell fake and/or dangerous supplements to unsuspecting victims.

This is why you should always do your research before buying any pills, powders, or creams. Search for reviews on any product you're interested in and try to stick to large name-brand companies.

Due to the overwhelming number of different supplements being released all the time, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) cannot possibly oversee every product, so you're pretty much on your own.

USP Verified Supplements

Fortunately, one organization is trying to help: U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP).

The USP rigorously tests and verifies that supplements adhere to the following guidelines:

1. What's on the label is in fact in the bottleall the listed ingredients in the declared amount.
2. The supplement does not contain harmful levels of contaminants.
3. The supplement will break down and release ingredients in the body
4. The supplement has been made under good manufacturing practices.

USP is an independent, not-for-profit organization. No other organization in the U.S. that tests supplements is recognized in federal law as the nation's official standard-setting body for medicines and supplements. USP standards are enforceable by the FDA.

The only downside to the USP: It's completely optional, and the supplement manufacturers have to pay to have their product tested. So, it's important to note that just because a supplement doesn't display the USP logo, it could still be completely safe and effective; it just means they chose not to voluntarily submit to the USP's testing process.

Hopefully, as time goes on, more and more companies will begin submitting to the USP, giving you added confidence in the safety of each supplement. Until then, remember to research any product before you buy: search for reviews on Google, ask members of your gym, talk to GNC or other supplement store reps, etc.

If you're going to take any supplements at all, the two you should research first are Fish Oil and Multivitamins. Both provide some of the most tested and proven benefits of any modern-day "wonder drugs."

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U.S. Obesity Epidemic Continues to Grow (HealthDay)

HealthDay - THURSDAY, July 17 (HealthDay News) -- Despite wide-rangingefforts to encourage Americans to lose weight, the number of U.S. adultswho are obese increased almost 2 percent between 2005 and 2007, a newreport found.

It was my opinion that everybody gets enough nutrients in their diets and that nutritional health supplements were a waste of money. Having played competitive sports for many years, my belief was that women's or men's health supplements are only for athletes or body builders. I was wrong! The health benefits of supplements are for everybody and anybody who lead busy, stressful lives. Physically active or inactive, healthy or unhealthy we can all benefit from an herbal nutritional supplement or natural vitamin supplements. I learned this the hard way through personal experience.

I had not realized that proper nutrition can be difficult to achieve for many people. Healthy living is difficult when most people do not get enough nutrients in their diet. For example, many cannot get the recommended daily allowance of fruit and vegetables each day. Forgetting nutritional supplementation is no longer an option if we want total nutrition. Unfortunately, the problem is bigger than I thought when you consider all the factors that come into play;

Many fresh foods are no longer meeting their optimal nutritional potential. In many cases they are grown in soil that has been farmed excessively and are picked before their prime so they do not over ripen during transportation to market.

• Vitamins and minerals may be lost during storage, preparation and cooking.
• The purchasing and eating of less nutritious processed foods is common for many who do not have to shop and prepare meals from 'scratch'.
• During the busy week when we do cook, our meals may not be varied enough to offer a variety of nutrients.
• We may not change our diet when we need to with age. As we age we need different nutritional supplementation as we digest and absorb certain vitamins and minerals differently.
• Some nutrients are simply hard to obtain. For example, the Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) available in Salmon oil capsules.
• In general, there is a lack of education on nutritional health supplements, healthy food options and cooking.

In my particular case my wife was more at risk. Although, we did eat healthy meals we were not aware of the health benefits of supplements. Unfortunately, we were also dealing with a lot of stress at the time. Stress plays a large role in what nutrients you are using and absorbing in addition to the fact that the 'knot-in-her stomach' was inhibiting her appetite. Many women are more in need of herbal nutritional supplements or natural vitamin supplements simply because they consume fewer calories than men.

As a result this lead to higher levels of stress and fatigue. Weak, she was prone to illness and mood swings. Hair loss, poor skin complexion and digestive system problems followed. It was a vicious circle leading to more stress and fatigue. It took a this extreme situation for us to realize the need for supplements for general health. A necessary solution for many to meet their daily nutritional needs is simply nutritional supplements whether its women's health supplements or multi-vitamins, herbal nutritional supplements or natural vitamin supplements. The benefits are obvious;

• Improved energy
• Reduced frequency of mood swings
• Less prone to fatigue and depression
• More resilient to stress and illness.
• Better overall health as we feel better mentally and physically.

Based upon my wife's fatigue and illness, we had waited too long and she was in need of a nutritionist. In addition to joining a gym (which helped her appetite) my wife was recommended to take a few key women's health supplements;

• Salmon oil capsules because of the benefits of the Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids. General good health, improves brain function even reduces the symptoms of PMS. It has also been shown to help anger, depression and stress.
• A digestive health supplement; as we age and enter different stages of life our nutritional needs also change. Digestive health supplements may be required as our ability to digest certain foods changes with age. Some vitamins and minerals may be consumed very quickly others may not be absorbed into the body as readily. Lactose and gluten (found in wheat products) may be more difficult for our body to process as we age.
• Multi-vitamins or a targeted multi-nutritional kit to promote general health with women's specific needs in mind.

All these nutritional supplements were easy to find and even available on-line which works well with her busy schedule.

My wife's situation was an excellent example of how women are susceptible to the effects of poor nutrition. She has buy pure resveratrol 98 extract the benefits of total nutrition via nutritional supplements and a healthy diet. Today, she is healthy and living a physically active lifestyle. I am grateful that she is such a wonderful role model to our daughters and others who may also be in need of nutritional health supplements and a better, balanced life.

For more information on nutritional supplements, general nutrition, physical activity and stress management please visit www.bamboohealthproducts.com