Phytonutrients (also known as phytochemicals) are plant compounds found in fresh fruits and vegetables. They have been shown to have tremendous beneficial effects on the body. Among other things, phtyonutrients have been shown by research to have antioxidant, anti-aging and anti-cancer properties. But, unfortunately, the modern diet has become increasingly deficient in these amazing compounds. Here is a list of phytonutrients in food from Wikipedia.

The Missing Phytonutrients

The average American’s fast food, processed, nutrient poor diet is a stark contrast to how we ate in recent history. We have made drastic alterations to our diet, almost exclusively away from phytonutrient rich, fresh green foods and fruits. The lack of these foods are the cause of much pain and suffering from diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

The decreased consumption of phytonutrients is in part caused by the genetic modification and processing procedures of our fruits and vegetables. Today’s produce has been modified to have durable skins for rough cross country travel, and is often picked long before the peak of ripeness in order to endure the sorting, washing, packaging and trucking they have to undergo before appearing in our local grocery stores. All in all, the “fresh” produce we buy is a far cry from the juicy fresh treats we once savored at the local farmers market or roadside produce stand. Given the depleted nature of our fruits and vegetables, the “5-a-day” rule is not sufficient to give our bodies the necessary phytonutrients we need.  See also the Vitamin Professor’s rant about processed foods and the typical American diet, junk food junkies.

The Five Colors Of Optimal Nutrition

According to a recent America’s Phytonutrient Report, there are five color categories that include red, blue and purple, yellow and orange, white, and green. Each color category is said to play a different role in health. White, for instance, tends to inhibits cancer and high cholesterol levels while bolstering heart health. The yellow and orange category contributes to healthy eyes as do greens, which also stem cancer growth. Experts recommend ingesting a diverse selection of fruits and vegetables from all color categories in order to obtain the synergistic benefits from each. (A colorful and diverse mixed salad with all the colors a good example)

According to the report, eight out of 10 Americans  have a “phytonutrient gap” in every color category. The worst deficit is in the blue and purple category where fully 88 percent of Americans are deficient. In the white category, 86 percent are lacking while 79 percent are deficient in the orange and yellow category, 78 percent are deficient in reds, and 69 percent in greens.

The report recommended levels for 14 different phytonutrients and compared levels in the average American diet. These included EGCG, isothiocyanate, lutein and zeaxanthin, isoflavones for greens, lycopene and ellagic acid for reds, allicin and quercetin for whites, anthocyanidins and resveratrol for purples and blues, and alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, hesperitin, and beta-cryptoxanthin for yellows and oranges.

Antioxidants Another Key To Health and Healing

Antioxidants are another reason vegetables and especially fruits are so healing for the body. Our industrialized world constantly exposes us to free radicals: unstable oxygen molecules associated with cancer, heart disease and the effects of aging. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, keeping us healthy. Tufts scientists measured the antioxidant levels of 50 fresh fruits and vegetables, and found berries occupied the top slots. This has largely been attributed to their high anthocyanin content. Anthocyanins give berries their blue and red colors, as well as being powerful antioxidants, three to four times more potent then the traditional antioxidants such as vitamins C and E.

New research is constantly exposing novel health benefits from fresh fruit. Some of these include:

• Tart cherries provide highly effective pain relief and a multiplicity of other health benefits. In 1998, scientists at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan, discovered that the anthocyanin in red tart cherries give 10 times the anti-inflammatory relief of aspirin, without irritating the stomach
• At the meeting of the American Chemical Society in April, 2002, several studies were presented that demonstrated that the antioxidants in cranberries not only help with urinary tract infections, but also appear to possess anti-cancer properties, inhibit the growth of common food borne pathogens and contain antibacterial properties.
• USDA researcher Ronald Prior, Ph.D., determined that blueberries have the highest antioxidant capacity of 40 tested fruits and vegetables, largely due to the anthocyanin flavonoids that give blueberries their dark blue color. Recent laboratory studies suggest blueberries may delay the onset of age-related memory loss.

The ALL ONE Solution

With the growing challenge we face to feed ourselves and our families nutrient rich, high quality food, it is good to know ALL ONE offers economical and convenient ways you can benefit from phytonutrient supplements in multiple formulas and colors. By adding ALL ONE Green Phyto Base and ALL ONE Fruit Antioxidant Formula to your daily routine you will be sure to get two full grams of healing phytonutrients daily. You can alternate days, taking ALL ONE Green Phyto Base one day and then the Fruit Antioxidant Formula the next, or split the dosage, taking half a tablespoon of the Fruit Antioxidant Formula in the morning and one half tablespoon of the Green Phyto Base in the afternoon/evening. However you choose you can rest assured that you and your family are getting the quality nutrition available with noticeable results.

JOIN US: You can buy ALL ONE at your local health food store (see our Store Locator) or purchase online using our secure shopping cart. Check our home page and join our email list below for updates about product specials. On Facebook or Twitter? Join us there as well.

With flu season upon us, there is lots of scare talk out there right now about the dangers of swine flu. It is true that the center for disease control is monitoring the spread of this new strain of flu called H1N1 and there have been some serious cases reported. So the question becomes: What can I do? The basics are simple: Avoid people who are infected. Wash your hand frequently and often. Stay out of crowded places. If you cannot avoid crowded places, a face mask can also help protect against swine flu.

Is there a Swine Flu Vitamin?

When it comes to fighting disease everyone is always looking for a magic bullet. There is no one particular vitamin that will ward off this or any other strain of flu. However, there are a number of nutrients that can help to boost your immune system. A healthy immune system will fight off infection, and make you a much more unlikely candidate to contract this or any other infectious disease.

The 4 Key Nutrients To Boost Your Immune System

Vitamin A. Vitamin a is extremely effective in fighting infections. Although Vitamin A has received much negative press recently it is an invaluable vitamin for a strong immune system. The only danger of vitamin A toxicity is in extremely large doses taken over an extended period of time. The amounts found in our multiple formulations are very safe and very critical to building a healthy immune system.

Vitamin C. The most popular vitamin vitamin C is also necessary in building a strong immune system. Also, the important vitamin C cofactor Bioflavonoids. Bioflavonoids fill up cell receptor sites so H1N1 flu germs can’t get into your cells and cause infection.

Vitamin E. Supports blood flow and transportation of oxygen to every cell. Vitamin E in the therapeutic doses necessary to be effective (400 IU) must be found in supplements. This is an expensive nutrient so read the label! Many companies will put only 30 IU’s in their products. Not enough to do the trick.

Along with these key vitamins the mineral Zinc is also critical to maintaining a strong and efficient immune system to protect against swine flu.

These are but a few of the nutrients required by the body for a healthy robust immune system.

Strong Immune System = No Swine Flu

It has been verified though numerous studies over the years that good eating habits along with supplementation can go a long way to strengthening the body’s immune system. Even the “father of the germ theory” Louis Pasteur stated that the most virulent, germs can not spread to a human being if that person had a strong immune system.

To protect against Swine flu you need more than these 4 vitamins and one mineral.

There are two (2) very important things we have learned in the many decades our family has been in the supplement business.

One (1): If you are deficient in one nutrient chances are very good you are deficient in many. That is why we focused only on high potency complex multiple formulations.

Two (2): Nutrients work together in concert. Studies repeatedly indicate that when nutrients are combined with other nutrients and food cofactors the effectiveness and assimilation of that nutrient is increased. Vitamin C works better in the presence of citrus bioflavonoids, Calcium when combined with vitamin D and magnesium. B6 effectiveness is markedly increased when found in combination with a balanced array of the other B complex vitamins. The absorption of all minerals is maximized when combined with naturally occurring amino acids which are found in protein.

ALL ONE powdered multiples are the most efficient, easy to take, cost effective mode of administration for supplying your body with the important nutrients it needs to have a robust healthy functioning immune system and a healthy immune system is the best insurance to help protect against infections and viruses like the swine flu.

See also:

How to Build Natural Immunity against the Swine Flu

On the road with your immune system.

So you are burning the candle at both ends. Not feeling too great. Two red-eyes in the past month and deadlines pending. No time to get sick, no time to even slow down. But what can you do? This is just the way things are, right? Wrong. Now is when your immune system needs support the most. This is when taking a high quality nutritional supplement on a regular basis really pays off.

For everyday use powdered vitamins and minerals are the supplement of choice because they are pure, high potency and assimilated more easily by the body being recognized as food, not just isolated nutrients. Try it. Give it three months. Three months of consistent, everyday, use of a healthy nutritional supplement. Your get up and go will be running on all four cylinders even if you are running it at unreasonable RPM’s.

The long awaited vacation.
How often have you waited all year for that 1 week on the beach just to come down with a cold your first day away? This is often your body’s way of letting you know it is run down. Finally when given a chance to heal, it takes it.

Now this is the very time you need to give your body more support in the way of nutrition. But this is not always the case. Who wants to have veggies and rice with hot herbal tea when the margaritas and local fare looks much more appealing, it is your vacation after all. This is where making nutritional supplements a regular part of your vacation essentials will help you get the most from your holidays. Often regular vitamin takers stop taking their supplements while on holiday because they understand the effects stress has on their immunity. They take supplements while working hard, but on vacation there is no stress, right? Well maybe parts of it can be pleasurable and complete bliss. But what about the late plane, the traffic to the airport, the lost bags and that person who kept coughing two rows ahead of you? Maybe your immune system still needs the support, what do you think?