Is All Laughter Healthy?

As the saying goes, “laughter is the best medicine”. But is it really? Medically speaking, it triggers healthy physical changes in the body and there are studies that show that it helps relieve stress.  They help diminish pain and psychologists believe that humor is the perfect antidote to pain and the best defense mechanism to deal with problems.  Best of all, this is a medicine that is absolutely free!

If we really delve into this question, we find out that most studies supporting the hypothesis are not extensive. There are instances of laughter, however rare, prompting an asthma attack and triggering a stroke as well.  If you are surrounded by people laughing inappropriately or for no reason, you may also be stressed out because of that.

The good news is, there is more evidence supporting the benefits of laughter than there is evidence against it. A good laugh releases endorphins from the brain which result in heart healthy biological reactions in our body. It not only helps in pumping more blood into the system, but also inhibits platelet clumping, reducing the formation of cholesterol.

Laughter yoga is one exercise that uplifts the mood. It may improve muscle tone as well. Laughter can be a useful adjunct to an existing medical treatment. For instance, if someone is going through a chemotherapy, a good laughter shared with people can help one remain sane.  Apart from a medical assistant, humor can help you lighten your burden, help you stay grounded, enhance your relationships, and help you stay focused and alert.

Laughter has an all-round benefit for you and every other person on this universe. Not only is it physically benefiting but mentally and socially as well. It boosts immunity, relaxes your muscles and eases anxiety and fear. People think of you as a friend and an approachable person as laughter helps diffuse conflict.

There are many sources of laughter apart from a funny person in your life. One can get a pet, watch a funny movie or a sitcom, read funny books or simply go for a comedy night. Laughter may not be the magic potion of life and help everyone, but it has more proven benefits than harm. Unfortunately, not many scientists get funding to study the effects of laughter and reach a conclusive hypothesis, but whatever we know of, laughter sure is here to spread the joy.

How to Stay Committed to Your Health & Happiness

Happiness is an endeavor and health is a long term commitment. We need to develop a bent of mind that puts these two over everything else, for a long time. There are no shortcuts to happiness, and health also doesn’t come with a free ride.  We all want to progress and be achievers in life, but in that quest we forget about the things that really matter. The real things being the things that contribute to happiness and a hearty health.

We often resort to the shortcut, a quick fix, because it is presumably easy. While it may give us a temporary sense of achievement and happiness, it does not benefit in the long run. Quick fixes like a crash diet, a vigorous exercise regime, a short term course or a self help book that we read and forget are some things that may give us peace of mind, but what they also do is stall our long term plans of a commitment towards our health and happiness.

It is also necessary to set goals and overcome them on a daily basis. By staying focused on the present, we take steps to improve our future. Short term goals like following a diet, eating vegetables, exercising at least 10 minutes a day and increasing it with each passing day, sleeping at the right time for the right duration, having an early start to the day, to do more of what we enjoy and spend time with the people we love are some of the short term goals that lead to a long term happy and healthy life.

While achieving the short term goals need a considerable push and effort, it eventually becomes a way of life. When we consciously focus on working towards a happy and healthy life every day, we do not see it as an effort after a point. A few points below will help you move forward, from the short term goal setting to committing yourselves to your long term goals.

1.    Start with something that you can do and enjoy. Never opt for diet plans that are hard to keep or a workout regime that you can’t stick to. Sustainability is the key!

2.    Prioritize the things that make you healthy and happy. If you give more importance to things that are bound to make you happy and healthy, you will never undermine them.

3.    Be ready for the initial effort

4.    Never feel guilty for slip ups, but don’t make the slip ups a habit.

How to Build Muscle & Get Ripped-Nutrition & Fitness

A right diet is necessary to get the right nutrition. Hitting the gym and crushing weights won't get you anywhere if you don't get the support from your diet. Eating the right things at the right time along with the right supplements and the right exercise, may also take a while to get you in the shape you want. This is because as you inch closer towards your goal, your plan of action needs to be altered a bit according to the way forward.

The most crucial role in building muscles and getting ripped is played by food. The food that you eat provides you energy to be able to work out. Supplements and good nutrition help with muscle growth and muscle injury recovery. As we exercise, our body undergoes minor tissue damage that is not easily detectable and affects us only in the long run. Supplements help in the recovery of the minor damage, so it doesn’t lead to a major one.

The calorific consumption of the body determines the kind of body, it will develop into. The important thing to build muscles is to eat more calories than you burn which is known as caloric surplus. However, you need to be careful in this case. As if you gain calories more quickly, it will start depositing in your body as fat. It is important to do this progressively and track it regularly.

The next step after building the muscles, comes maintaining the weight. The simple logic being, burn as much as you take. This is called caloric maintenance. Knowing your maintenance caloric intake is the point where you begin. The next step from here is getting ripped!

Often called the caloric deficit, it is the art of burning more calories than consuming them. During the process we use the fat reserves in the body and you tend to lose weight. There has to be a basic weight that you need to have to get started. The weight depends on individual to individual. The process also involves losing fat only, as losing muscle will be a deterrent in more ways than one. To get ripped one must also prepare a nutrition spreadsheet as losing fat without losing muscle is a nutritional challenge. For this purpose, to know the macronutrient breakdown of the food is important. Carbs are also an important part of the diet to get ripped. The next step is choosing the right strength training and cardiovascular activities.

We wish you all the luck in your quest. If you stick to the basic rules stated above with the right monitoring, you are sure to get that muscular body.

How Natural Diet Supplements Can Keep You Out of Trouble

Natural supplements don’t necessarily mean that they are safe and live up to their promise. A little advice from the doctor before you take them is always recommended. Dietary supplements are available in a wide variety in the market, such as, amino acids, vitamins, etc. They are also available in a variety of forms that can be consumed easily. Whether as a pill, powder, capsule or liquids or gel tablets.

Natural diet supplements are not only made from ingredients available naturally, but also treat other ailments. For example, a natural diet supplement like Hydroxycitrate or HCA is a salt derived from the rind of South East Asian plants. It is not only a primary ingredient in leading natural diet supplements, but is also used for treating stomach ailments and joint pains. Research backs the effective role of HCA in lowering the fat absorption and lowering the LDL cholesterol. Another ingredient derived from an Asian plant is the Glucomannan. It is a fiber extremely effective for lowering the blood sugar and diabetes, apart from weight control. The fiber helps in absorption of more water in the digestive tract along with carbohydrates, and aids in weight loss.

As mentioned, ingredients of natural supplements are extracted from nature, a part of a plant, the outer shell of aquatic animals such as crabs or soluble fibers from yeast, bacteria, etc. An ingredient like Chitosan comes from chitin, the main part of the shells of insects. This wonder of a supplement is great for dietary purposes as well as lowering the bad cholesterol of the body.  Whey protein is one of the main constituents of fitness supplements. It not only helps in building muscles and repair muscle tissues from minuscule damage caused by workouts, but also suppresses our appetite and aids in weight loss. Derived from the whey of the milk, it is easily digestible and contains high levels of cysteine, an amino acid.

Concentrated soluble fibers like Beta Glucan, derived from yeast, mushrooms and algae, help control diabetes. In addition to lowering the cholesterol, they are an excellent option for a dietary supplement. We all know that Omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial for our entire body, from brain to heart. One of them is a dietary supplement found in beef or dairy products, called Conjugated Linoleic Acid or CLA. For vegetarians, it is even more important to take this as a supplement as dairy products rich in CLA are still in the process of synthesis.

These naturally derived supplements not only help us control our diet and bring us back in shape but also have additional health benefits. Caution must however be taken in their consumption, as too much of anything is always bad.

6 Signs You Should Invest In Best Weight Loss Supplement

It comes as no surprise that the number of overweight and obese people are increasing by the dozen, around the world. What is surprising is the rate at which this increase is coming into play and the fact that our children are also being affected in large numbers by obesity. The WHO estimates show an increase of an estimated 700 million obese people by the year end.
The available options for losing weight are many in the market, the decision to use them rests with us. Among the options available, weight loss supplements feature higher up in the list. We tell you the six signs why you should be investing in weight loss supplements:

Sign # 1 – Obesity - First and foremost, the reason why you should be investing in a weight loss supplement is obesity. It is not only about the unfavorable physical attributes and the low self-image that you have to live with. But, obesity results in a lot of diseases - high blood pressure, hypothyroidism, diabetes, sugar, etc. are some diseases caused as a result of obesity and can be life threatening.

Sign # 2 - Poor weight management - Obesity is a result of poor weight management. The fluctuations in weight are because of three major reasons which are diet, movement and nutrition.

Sign # 3- Energy loss - Loss of energy increases the risk of depression, blood circulation and results in insomnia. The loss of energy may be due to slow metabolism and low rate of burning of fat in the body. Weight loss supplement helps increase the rate of metabolism in the body and burns the unnecessary fat. This results in increase of energy levels.

Sign # 4 - Fluctuating blood pressure - Even when your body isn’t visibly fat, the stress of your lifestyle can lead to hypertension. The fluctuating blood pressure is a sign of what is coming. The irregularities in health are a result of an irregular and undisciplined lifestyle which can take its toll.

Sign # 5 - When tests are not in your favor - The ‘beyond 30’ part of our lives need regular medical checkups as an assurance that we are doing fine.  Changes in our cholesterol, glucose, thyroid hormones, etc. suggest that a modification in our diet is necessary. Weight loss supplements and a regular diet not only help us lose weight, but also regularize our diet.

Sign # 6 - When you need a change of wardrobe - Last but not the least, when you see that you need to revamp your wardrobe because you don’t fit into your favorite clothes anymore, it’s time to put yourself on weight loss supplements.

5 Ways in Which Yoga Benefits

India is often touted as the land of the Taj Mahal, Yoga and Bollywood. While we do know that the country has more to offer than that, Yoga is definitely one of the best things to have come from India for the fitness conscious.

#1 Many a celebrities have opted for Yoga to lose weight. Soorya Namaskar (Sun Salutations) is one of the most common Yoga postures that help in losing weight. It doesn't just lead to loss of weight, but also contributes to an overall fitness and building of muscles. As a result, the body becomes stronger and fitter.

#2 Yoga doesn’t discriminate, it is for all. Whether you are a child, young or old, yoga can be done by one and all. It's great to practice the art of Yoga with a room that has a diverse group of people. Whether you are an athlete, a celebrity or a housewife, Yoga is for all.

#3 The many faces of yoga include power yoga, hot yoga, relaxation, yoga etc. Whatever is the need of the hour, you can pick a tailor made yoga regime that best helps you. For instance Hatha yoga is for beginners and focuses on basic postures. Power yoga is great for those who need strength and body resistance.

#4 As mentioned, the power yoga increases the body resistance and hence the overall immunity of the body. The postures in Yoga are not just meant to make you look good but also make you feel good. They help in increasing the flexibility of the body. Every posture in Yoga aims to reinforce the muscles around the center of the body, which is the spine. The spine is often called the core from which everything in our body operates. It is only imperative that if the core of the body will improve the posture of the body and alleviate pain like that of neck, shoulder and back.

#5 The Panda spent the entire movie finding inner peace and we don’t have to look far. Yoga not only helps in gaining inner peace but also relieves us from stress, which get accumulated in our body and mind. Pranayama and meditation are two of the most popular Yoga postures that are taught to attain the same. Opting for Yoga as a stress buster, is like taking a road trip or a mini vacation, within ourselves. It is as liberating.

5 Reasons to be Addicted to Health Supplements

Food is the essence of life as we get all the necessary nutrients from it. Researchers and medical practitioners believe that there is no substitute for food and rightly so. But the truth is that our busy lifestyle and habits don’t put the needed nutrients like calcium, potassium, vitamin D, vitamin B 12 etc. on the plate.

Numerous studies have inferred the benefits of health supplements. The effectiveness of supplementing our diet with these nutrients has also evidently benefited people. For instance, vitamin and mineral supplements have helped in fighting chronic illnesses that could have otherwise remain unavoidable.

So who really needs to be addicted to health supplements? We list out 5 types of people who should be addicted to health supplements

1) Women - In addition to a balanced diet, pregnant women also need additional quantities of folic acid from supplements. They should also take prenatal vitamins that include iron. Besides, pregnant women, women who have heavy menstrual bleeding should also opt for health supplements to maintain their energy levels and avoid depletion of vital nutrients (like iron) from their body.

2) Adults over the age of 50 needs multivitamins and additional vitamin B-12 in their diet which can be supplemented through health supplements.

3) If you consume less than 1600 calories a day and don’t eat well, you require health supplements.

4) Vegetarians and Vegans - Vegetarians and vegans do not get the necessary dose of protein and are hence advised to take supplements. Also, people who do not like fish should opt for health supplements.  Fish contains essential fatty acids and proteins which are vital to the body. If you do not like fish and not have regular serving of the same, it is advised to add fish oil to your diet.

5) Have a chronic illness that affects the absorption of nutrients by your body. Illnesses such as food allergies, food intolerance, disease of the liver or the pancreas etc.

A nutritional expert or a coach will help you get the right kind of health supplement in your body. The FDA (The Food and Drug Administration) keeps a list of health supplements that have undergone review and are known to cause side effects. We must stay updated with the list and only take supplements that are FDA approved and also suggested by an authorized practitioner like a dietary expert or a doctor.

3 Easy Ways to Get started on the Road to Good Health

Simple changes, go a long way. It is not only applicable to the world at a larger level, but also for a healthy living. Lifestyle medicine, as experts call it, are simple changes made in our diet, exercise and managing stress, that is the key to a lifelong good health.  There are many manageable ways to take care of ones’ health and we are here to list them out for you.

You can either hire a nutritionist later in your life to shed those extra pounds and get back to shape, or simply follow these 3 easy ways that will help you stay in good health.

1) Eat Right- Pick food over supplements, but make sure you are picking the right food. You should aim for at least 5 servings of vegetables and fruits a day. Raw, steamed or stir fried, have it your way. As far as vegetables and fruits go, you can eat it in small portions. You not only have a reduced risk of cancers, but also other health diseases related to heart, stomach, esophagus, colon, lung and pancreas. The most powerful phytonutrients can only be found in food such as broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, grapes and leafy vegetables. What, when and how much you eat can not only help you stay healthy, but also increases your metabolism and energy levels. A 5-meal (with small portions) a day plan helps you achieve the same.

2) Get some exercise- Walking and running are the most basic exercises one can get. If your busy schedule doesn’t permit you to frequent a gym, just get your exercise the easy way. Don’t keep sitting in front of a laptop for long hours, walk after every meal, climb stairs instead of taking the elevators, go for a morning/evening jog/walk. Studies show that even 10 minutes of exercise make a difference. Sign up for a swing dance lesson or a zoomba class, and make exercise more fun!

3) Get a good night’s sleep- a good 8-10 hours of sleep is required to rejuvenate the brain. If you have trouble sleeping, try relaxation techniques like meditation, therapy tapes or a nice spa. Sometimes a glass of warm milk with a nice hot water bath also helps you relax. A bedtime snack is also shown to push your body towards sleep mode. Snacks like oatmeal, chamomile tea or cherries, help your body to relax and switch on the sleep mode.

10 Ways Health Supplements Can Help You Live to 100

Health supplements have become the necessity of the day. While there is nothing like a balanced nutritional diet, our lifestyle and daily stress make it hard for us to keep our diets in check. Supplements help us to get the much needed nutrients in our body that not only help us in the longevity of life but also help us in leading a healthy life.
Here are 10 ways in which supplements can help one live a long and healthy life:

1) Increases immunity - There are researches that support the decrease of immunity with age. The elderly are more likely to contract infections and diseases than the younger lot. There are a number of vitamins and minerals that have an immune boosting potential. To name a few Vitamins like A, B2, B6, C, D and E and minerals such as Zinc and Selenium acts as immunity booster. Herbs (like aloe Vera) and natural supplements like garlic, ginseng, Echinacea and probiotics also serve the same purpose.

2) Reduce the risk of diseases - Vitamins such as vitamin C are known to keep the cold and flu away. Some vitamins also help in prevention of cardiovascular diseases and prostate cancer.

3) Increases bone density and reduces the risk of fractures - Vitamin D and Calcium supplements help in improving the bone density and strength, which reduces the risk of fractures.

4) Boost energy and beat stress – Coupled with a healthy diet, supplements accentuate the capacity for energy intake and also helps in beating stress.

5) Muscle power - Muscle building supplements help in building muscle mass and hence makes you fitter.

6) Multivitamins, the inexpensive insurance policy - Apart from reducing the risk of many diseases, supplements also help reduce the ill effects of diseases that are a part of your system. Example, Omega 3 fatty acids that are found in fish can be taken by vegetarians who have diabetes or high level of cholesterol.

7) Necessary for pregnant woman - Supplements are necessary for women between the age of 30-55 or while they are pregnant. While specific doses of iron and folic acid helps prevent many diseases in the child, it also helps in developing brain functions.

8) Reduce wrinkles - Tired of spending money on lotions and creams that don’t work? Here is how you can get that wrinkle-free glowing skin. Scientists have found topical collagen supplements to be a good supplement that reduce wrinkles.

9) Helps to get in shape - Obesity leads to many diseases which can be avoided by simply being in shape. Certain supplements help to reduce fat and the bad cholesterol that leads to weight gain.

10) Hair raising truth - Certain vitamins help in prevention of hair loss and stimulate hair growth. Foliate and multivitamins such as biotin helps in hair growth.

One with a Sweet Tooth? Here is how you can still be One…

Sugar cause acne, sweets cause obesity, sweets leads to tooth decay and more! We have heard so many things that tell us to quit this habit. Curb the sweet tooth, but what if we told you that there are sweets (or sweet things) that also contribute to our good health?

Too much of anything is bad. If we have excess of nutrients in our body, they work against us as well. For instance, extra protein (from what our body needs) accumulates in our kidneys and may cause substantial damage to it. Sweets are no different to this rule. Sweets can be a part of a healthy diet only if you keep the portion in check. A wholesome diet with a nutritionist also includes a low calorific value sweet to complete a meal.

What is it that we can have in moderate amounts that can actually help our health and also satiate our craving for sweets?

Chocolate

The women will be happy to read this. An important antioxidant called flavonoids are present in chocolates. Antioxidants protect the body from aging by minimizing free radicals. The free radicals can also cause heart problems. While chocolate is a great source, it also contains added ingredients like fat, sugar etc. It is always better to develop a taste for dark chocolates than white chocolates. But then again, you can have chocolates in moderation to give your health the benefit.

Fruits

Mother Nature has given things to us in plentiful. One from her are fruits that not only keep us healthy, but satisfy our cravings. It is a natural sweet that is highly nutritious, so make it a natural choice of sweet. Grilled fruits like peaches, pineapple and bananas, can be topped with honey to give a sumptuous choice for a dessert. It is healthy and delicious.

Frozen treats

Ever had a fruit juice on a stick? Try freezing it and then having it! Use paper cups to freeze yogurt, fruits and juices and you will get a refreshing and healthy treat. The frozen yogurts available at reputed stores are also a great desert to have. Try making your own and load it with some nutritious nuts.

Popcorn treats

Caramelized popcorn or some with hot chocolate sauce are a great option. It's light in calories and easy to make as well. One can also have popcorn and dip it in honey for a more healthy option.

Do You Recognize These 5 Early Warning Signs of Accumulating Fat?

It happens to just everyone at some point in time. Our clothes don’t fit, we take a size higher in the trial room in stores and we feel the weighing scale is lying. All this is happening because there is a considerable increase in your weight. While most of us concentrate a lot more on how to lose the gained weight, the many diet plans, the diet pills and the excruciating exercise regimes, there is a simple way to avoid all of that. Recognizing the early warning signs of accumulating fat can help us to keep ourselves in check. 

Let us take you through them

1) Bloating- There is an increase in the number of cases of bloating. While some might just be bothersome, others can be because of serious reasons. Bloating should not be ignored and the early signs should be paid heed to, as they are a warning sign of fat accumulation as well. 

2) Lethargy- When your body begins to feel sore even though you haven’t involved yourself in a lot of physical activity that is one sign that your body is accumulating fat. Another tell-tale sign is if you also feel like taking a nap after every meal. Fat deposits decrease the metabolism of the body which in-turn burn the deposited fat at a slower rate. The slow rate of enzymatic reactions produces energy in small bouts, usually lesser than what is needed by the body.

3) Increasing waist and bust lines- When you get up in the morning, feel your stomach. Fat deposits target the waist and the bust first, since those are the areas in the body that have the least movement or exercise. One can find out whether the layer of fat on the waistline is thicker than the previous day by simply flexing the abdominal muscles. 

4) Constant back ache- As we gain weight (primarily on the waist line and bust) our body starts to lean forward naturally and messes up our posture. The back, thereby, automatically leans forward and experiences strain which leads to back ache.

5) Mirror Mirror on the wall- Vanity is a part of human existence and mirrors reflect that very nature of us. We can simply look into the mirror just more carefully, every time we look at it. The emergence of a double chin, the significant weight gain in the waist, bust and thigh muscles can be easily spotted by taking care of what you see every day in the mirror. 

Can an Anti-Aging Vitamin Really Work

As the saying goes, you are only as old as you feel, so does the face you see in the mirror reflect the youthful you? If not, the next question is do the anti-aging solutions or vitamins you are popping promise to deliver what you want. The vitamin based products available in the market enjoy a lion’s share in the market of cosmetics.

The answer to the above questions is mostly Yes and a skeptical, maybe, but never NO. The basic question that arises now is why vitamins? The reasons are two-fold. Many vitamins are powerful anti-oxidants and they boost healthy collagen production, which leads to firmer skin. One of the wonder vitamins belonging to this category is vitamin C. The second reason is vitamins have repairing properties and can reverse the damage to the skin structures.

So what are the various vitamins and their effects on the skin?

Vitamin C

As mentioned earlier Vitamin C boost the production of collagen. It is a potent antioxidant as well and reduces the sun damage and brown spots. It also reduces skin irritation and inflammation and fade the post breakout red marks. For your sunscreen to work on your skin in a better way, the intake of Vitamin C will boost their performance.

Vitamin E

Also called the great defender, Vitamin E regulates collagen breakdown and protects cell walls. It works better with antioxidants or its sources such as Vitamin C. Swallowing the supplements that have Vitamin E (and Vitamin C), one can counter the ill effects of the sun’s UV rays.  Sun, the prime skin ager, can be harsh on the skin and vitamin E protects us from the same.

Vitamin A

A derivative of Vitamin A, Retinoid, have a great track record of reversing the signs of sun damage and aging. The application of a cream that contains retinoid, in the night, makes our skin thicker and build more supporting collagen. It also softens rough patches and reduces dark spots. The effect of Vitamin A is, however, slow. It may take about 3-4 months to actually show any change. Caution must be taken in its application as it can irritate some skin type.

A non-prescription, vitamin A (retinol) is less expensive than retinoid, but also have less research to back them up.

Vitamin B3

Niacin amide or Vitamin B3 is available in many products. It significantly improves the skin elasticity and reduces wrinkles and blotches. It also doesn’t cause any skin irritation and is good for all skin types.

Are you always tired? Know why

Do you embrace the morning sun with open arms or lay low and find it hard to get up? If the answer is the latter, you are not the only one with that complaint. We may account for the fatigue because of the lives we lead. We work hard, we have families to take care of, a social life, the diet and so on and so forth.

According to The Royal College of Psychiatrists, “About one in ten people suffer from fatigue.” While it may be a common problem with common reasons that can be taken care of, but this problem exists in most of our lives with no solution at hand.

Let us start by helping you to find the reason behind those droopy eyes.

Medical Reasons

There are many common diseases that cause fatigue in a person. We might not even know that the disease is also causing the tiredness. For example, UTI is identified with a burning sensation and discomfort, but fatigue is also one of the symptoms of it. When the body doesn’t have enough red blood cells to carry sufficient oxygen to the cells, it is the reason for anemia and also fatigue. It is not the cause of much worry as most of the medical reasons are treatable and can be taken care of with antibiotics.

Lack of sleep

One of the most common reasons for fatigue, lack of sleep sounds simple but really isn’t. Our body needs at least 10 hours of sleep to function well. While 7-8 hours of sleep are also good enough, some adults can function with as less as 5 hours of sleep. Babies, on the other hand, need 16 hours! It is important to acknowledge the minimum sleep requirement of your body.

Not eating enough

While eating sweets may result in peaking your blood sugar and give you the necessary rush to work, it falls as easily as well. Hence it is important to eat right, in the right quantity, and also eat the right things at the right time. Have a well-rounded diet with enough carbohydrates, fats and proteins in your diet. Fibers also help to maintain the digestive system, which is why it is important to include that as well in your diet.

Intolerance to food

Not all food is agreeable to our body. We may be allergic to some and also be intolerant to some. One example is the intolerance to gluten (in the case of celiac disease). In this case one must have a supervised elimination diet which helps you to have the right food.

Peep Into the Constituents of Health Supplements for Kids

The nutritional requirements of children are fulfilled by minerals and vitamins. They are sufficiently provided by a balanced diet and are needed in small quantities by youngsters and adults. However, kids are prone to eating selective and have erratic eating habits. Supplements are available as chewable tablets, syrups or addable agents to milk. Excessive intake of certain supplements can also prove toxic, especially fat soluble vitamins.

Pediatricians recommend certain supplements that are easily available. It is always advisable to take the supplements in recommended dosages, which are best suggested by a doctor.

Following are the supplements that are needed and why, for the better health of your child:

1) Vitamin A - A nutrient that is needed for a healthy skin, tissue repair and also growth. Vitamin A helps in color identification and also night vision. While there are natural sources of vitamin A, supplement assists in easy consumption.

2) The B group of vitamins - The formation of red blood cells and development of metabolism depends on vitamin B and its various subgroups. It is important for the overall development of the child.

3) Vitamin C - Hastens the healing of bones and wounds, vitamin C is essential for a child not just for that. It also prevents cold and flu, strengthens muscles, tissues and skin.

4) Vitamin D - While vitamin D is available naturally by simply soaking the sun, the sun has its own ill effects on the skin. Vitamin D helps in bone and teeth formation and it also helps in the absorption of minerals such as calcium.

5) Mineral intake - Along with the above, supplements are also needed for the intake of minerals such as iron (required for building of muscles, production of blood and increasing susceptibility to infection). Calcium, which is an important mineral for bone development, is also quite often present in supplements recommended for children.

6) Certain dietary supplements like efalex omega 3+6 fish oil helps in the development of the brain and the nervous system in children. It contributes to the development of a healthy heart and skin, and hence is an important supplement for the growth of a child.