Vitamins, Herbs, and Nutritional Supplements Melissa McDonley Kaplan University HW499 Bachelor’s Capstone in Health and Wellness Maryanne Oleksowicz May 13, 2011

Viatmins Vitamins are organic compounds essential for growth and nutrition.

Herbs An herb (also called a botanical) is a plant or plant part used for its scent, flavor, and/or therapeutic properties. An herbal supplement is a type of dietary supplement that contains herbs, either alone or in mixtures (NCCAM, 2011).

Nutritional Suppliments Nutritional supplements include vitamins, minerals, herbs, meal supplements, sports nutrition products, natural food supplements, and other related products used to boost the nutritional content of the diet (

Vitamins There are two types of viatmins, Fat soluble and Water soluble. Fat soluble vitamins are: A,D,E, and K. They are closely associated with body lipids and are easily stored. Water soluble vitamins are: C, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, B6, Pantothenic acid, Biotin, Folate, and B12 these can not be store except in tissue saturation ( Williams, 2007).

Herbs There are numerous types of herbs we use daily and do not even realize they have nutritional value. Some of these herbs are: Ginger, Garlic, Green tea, Lavender, Soy, Tumeric, Aloe vera and the list goes on and on. All of these are of some nutritional benefit. These herbs are found in all types of food and recipes we use every day.

Herbs Continued Herbs have also been used in medicine for thousands of years. People have used herbs as medicine since ancient times. For example, aloe vera’s use can be traced back to early Egypt, where the plant was depicted on stone carvings. Known as the “plant of immortality,” it was presented as a burial gift to deceased pharaohs (http://nccam.nih.gov/)

Nutrition Vitamins and Herbs are found in the food and drink we consume daily.

5 Essential Nutrients Fats Carbohydrates

The 5 Essential Nutrients (cont.) They are called macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients are: Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. These supply energy and build tissue. Micronutrients are: Vitamins and Minerals. They are used in much smaller amounts to form specialized structures and regulate and control body processes. As you can see we need to make sure we are regulating the micro and macro nutrients in our bodies.

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References Wiiliams’ Essentials of Nutrition and Diet Therapy Ninth Edition, 2007, Mosby Elsevier Inc. St. Louis, Missouri National Institute of Health http://ods.od.nih.gov National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine http://nccam.nih.gov/

Doctor Make sure before you start any new vitamin supplements or or herbs contact your doctor. Some herbs and be contraindicated with certain medications. Always ask before taking anything new, starting a new diet or new physical exercise.

Information Sources There are numerous web sites for getting information on Vitamins and Herbs. National Center For Complimentary and Alternative Medicine http://nccam.nih.gov Office of Dietary Supplements http://ods.od.nih.gov These sites will give you a lot of useful information.