As kids, most of us couldn’t wait for the summer; no school, summer camp, and all around fun in the sun. We couldn’t wait to jump into a bathing suit and head outside. Summer was a magical time where we could relax, feel good, cool down and ultimately leave winter behind. Now that we are older, have children, jobs, and a million other responsibilities the summer has lost much of its “magical feeling.” Bathing suit shopping is scary and actually wearing them can mortify! Most of us are self-conscious with the changes our bodies have undergone with time, child birth, stress, and poor eating habits coming full circle back to time. Stop being so uptight America! All Vitamins Plus wants to help YOU to be proactive in getting back those magical feelings of summer and surviving the suit! We have created a challenge for ALL of our customers who want to have a fun, feel-good, and healthy summer this year. Read on for the Surviving the Suit Challenge!

As with all challenges (even though they may seem impossible, most are easy & worth the try,) there are rules…

Rule #1~ Buy a bathing suit that is one size (or two sizes if your up to it) smaller than you are wearing currently.

Then display it on a hanger somewhere very noticeable –next to your mirror, or by your front door-so you’ll be reminded every day of your goal to loose the extra pounds keeping you from enjoying the sunshine. This should be encouraging and trust me-by the time you reach your goal of wiggling into that hot swimsuit, you’ll want to show off what you’ve worked so hard on…yourself!

Rule # 2~ Spend the entire summer shopping only the perimeter of the grocery store.

Think about this. All groceries stores keep the good (for you) stuff around the perimeter. The produce, bakery, meat, and dairy products are not in the middle aisles. These are fresh and usually free of preservatives; artificial flavors and are typically the healthiest for you. The middle aisles are filled with boxes of processed, high caloric, nutrient lacking and FATTENING products. Avoid the aisles, avoid those foods and avoid the need to hide inside!

Rule # 3~ Eat breakfast and fuel your day! There are THOUSANDS of studies that show people have a lower BMI (body mass index) and are healthier than those who don’t.

Even if you are not starving when you wake up, eating breakfast at breakfast time will help your body regulate the snacking and lunch and dinner times. Folks that skip breakfast are not only depriving their brains and bodies of necessary fuel; but are also moving forward lunch and dinner time and are more likely to snack on junk. Eating dinner past 8 pm is one of the worst things you can do for your body; especially if you are trying to shed the extra pounds. P.S. fast food breakfast is NOT recommended!

Rule #4~ Purchase a multivitamin tailored to you and remember to take it everyday!

Multivitamins guarantee you receive the nutrients and minerals that you are probably not getting from diet. Multivitamins improve all body systems, can correct deficiencies and make you feel good in the process. Some folks think why bother, or are taking the same kind for years without really seeing the benefits. Not all of the benefits of multivitamins are readily noticeable; but healthy hair, firm clear skin and a lack of fatigue should indicate the one you are taking is really doing its job. If you don’t notice any of these, give a different brand a try.
Do your research or have us do it for you, to insure the multivitamin you are buying and taking everyday is really the best for YOU.

Rule #5- Recruit A Friend…

Most things in life are better shared-exercise included. Starting an exercise program or actually sticking to it is tough, we know, that’s where the friend comes in. Recruiting a friend benefits not just you, but your friend as well. You will push each other to work harder to reach your goals of surviving the suit. You’ll motivate each other to go further than your goal and having someone to work out with is definitely more fun. The sense of obligation will help to. You will be less likely to skip a workout if you know someone else is counting on you. I am sure someone in your life needs the exercise and is procrastinating for all the same reasons you are. Ask them to join you on a walk, run or a spin class, you may be surprised. If perhaps there really is no one in your life to join forces with-step out of your box and get social. You just never know until you reach out and try. The gal you see waiting to pick up her kids in the car loop line everyday or the guy that buys coffee behind you every Friday might also be looking for a friend and exercising can be a great excuse to start a new relationship.

Surviving this swim-suit season can actually be fun if you are up to the challenge. Start today and you can spend the summer feeling good, and looking good-in that cute new swim-suit!

-Best of luck, from all of us at All Vitamins Plus!

By Tiffany Kelsey & Billie Marie – AVP Staff Contributors

     We have all heard about the importance of eating a well-balanced, nutrient-dense diet rich with fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts and while it is true we should all try to fulfill our nutrient requirements through our diet, the fact is that the typical American diet does not meet this need. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention states that, “surveys indicate that only 33 percent of adults meet the recommendation for fruit consumption and 27 percent get the recommended servings of vegetables.” The ideal diet is not always feasible in our fast paced society and it is extremely difficult for even the most health conscious individuals to get all the nutrients they need from diet alone. Fast food and processed foods (which contain trace amounts of nutrients at best), cooking (which depletes nutrients in most vegetables), along with the “dilution effect” of modern crops (mass produced crops which are grown faster and larger in soil devoid of important nutrients)-leaves us needing a vitamin to supplement our nutritional paucity. In fact, the Council for Responsible Nutrition suggests that, “for millions of Americans who struggle with diet and nutrition, a daily multivitamin provides a safe, affordable and reliable means of filling nutrition gaps and promoting overall health.”

     So what should one look for in a vitamin? There are two distinctly different types of vitamins on the market: Whole Food Vitamins and Synthetic Vitamins. Whole food vitamins are concentrated whole foods derived from plant and animal sources and contain vitamins that are not isolated or fragmented; as compared to synthetic vitamins, which are isolated nutrients. It is the complex structure of the whole food that provides its beneficial activity. The majority of synthetic vitamins are chemical compounds that are not found in nature and do not contain all the constituents that a natural or whole food contains, thus removing its synergistic effect. Synergy means that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, indicating whole food supplements contain all the natural constituents of a vitamin complex as it is found in nature and these parts work together to deliver the most beneficial effects. Nutritionist Judith DeCava explains it perfectly, “separating the group of compounds (in a vitamin complex) converts it from a physiological, biochemical, active micronutrient into a disabled, debilitated chemical of little or no value to living cells. The synergy is gone.” Our bodies have been designed from the beginning to absorb nutrients from whole foods and when we take an isolated fraction of a nutrient at extremely high doses it is more like taking a drug than a vitamin.

     While it is still important to follow a balanced diet, exercise program and drink plenty of water; it is also important to make sure you are fulfilling your daily nutrient needs and a vitamin supplement is a wonderful and convenient way to do this.

By: Julia Gullotti – All Vitamins Plus Staff Contributor

Bisphenol A (BPA) has been in the news and research literature quite a bit within the last year in regards to its safety and issues surrounding its use in various food containers, especially infant bottles. Of course, there is always conflicting evidence and it can be very confusing what to believe when it comes to health information. What is deemed safe one minute is pulled from the market the next, so we feel it is best to look at the most current research and opinions of unbiased individuals; such as those at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Toxicology Program (NTP).

First of all, what is (BPA)? Bisphenol A is a chemical product produced in vast amounts for use in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Polycarbonate plastics have many applications for use, from infant bottles to compact discs and epoxy resins are used to coat metal products such as food cans. The main source of human exposure is through food and beverage consumption. (BPA) enters the body by leaching from the container into the food or beverage that is being consumed and the amount of (BPA) varies depending on the temperature of the food or liquid.

The concern over (BPA) began with animal studies indicating that fetuses, infants and children may be particularly at risk from exposure. As we get older our ability to metabolism and eliminate (BPA) increases dramatically; however, this leaves the younger age groups very vulnerable to its potentially harmful effects as it accumulates in the body. The National Toxicology Program (NTP) within the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) conducts research to be utilized as a resource for governmental health agencies. They use a five level scale of concern when evaluating research information, from highest to lowest: *Serious concern *Concern *Some Concern *Minimal Concern and *Negligible concern.

In the beginning of 2010 the (NTP) issued a report stating, “The NTP has some concern for effects on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland in fetuses, infants and children at current human exposure to bisphenol A.” Some concern is the middle of this five tier scale and indicates that though there is insufficient data from human studies to reach a final conclusion; there are animal studies that showed developmental changes occur in doses similar to human intake. The FDA issued a statement agreeing with this concern, thus ending a long media battle with the FDA and environmental rights groups on the safety of (BPA) exposure to infants and children.

Though there are not concrete conclusions leading to a ban of (BPA), it seems natural to want take steps to avoid exposure where you can. Some ways to decrease exposure is to; limit infants exposure to bottles containing (BPA), reduce consumption of canned foods – opting for frozen or fresh, use a stainless steel water bottle to avoid (BPA) lined metal and plastic water bottles, and steer clear of plastics labeled with #7.

For more information on how to avoid (BPA) exposure or to read more about (BPA) go to:
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
National Institute of Environmental Safety
Environmental Working Group

By: Julia Gullotti – All Vitamins Plus Staff Contributor