Certain nutrients make dynamic duos by amplifying each other's benefits while others work to compliment and enhance the effects of another. This is great to know if you're keen to achieve optimal well being and get more bang for your buck.
Turmeric & Black Pepper
Turmeric is a potent antioxidant that supports digestion, cognitive health, joints and skin amongst many other things. However it isn't easily absorbed by the body and that's where black pepper comes in.
Black pepper believe it or not contains a very varied nutritional profile including magnesium, vitamin K, phosphorous, iron, calcium and fiber. It also works as an antioxidant and has gastroprotective properties. Granted, you'd have to eat a lot of it to get enough of those nutrients but it might be good to know thatt an extra twist of black pepper here and there gives a little healthful boost to your cooking!
So how do black pepper and turmeric work together?
Black pepper contains a substance called piperine, and this increases the bioavailability of turmeric, in other words it makes it easier for the body to absorb. It does this by delaying the breakdown of turmeric in the gut and the metabolism of it by the liver. This, in turn allows it to circulate in the body for longer - the more time turmeric spends in the body the more time your body has to absorb the good stuff from it.
Just Vitamins' high strength Turmeric tablets use a high-potency organic curcumin extract, which is standardised to provide a high level of curcumin (at 95%). Each tablet gives a guaranteed minimum of 475mg of curcumin and is formulated with BioPerine® for optimum absorption.
Prebiotics & Probiotics
Probiotics are big news in the wellness world and quite rightly so, they nourish the gut which is crucial for general health. Scientific research has shown us that there is ongoing communication between your gastrointestinal tract and the brain which is now referred to as the gut brain axis. This means that a healthy gut can benefit your digestive system as well as cognitive functions like mood and depression and even the health of your skin.
What are probiotics?
There are trillions of organisms, both good and bad, in your body and probiotics are the good guys. They help digestion and keep the immune system functioning as well as promoting general well being. Taking a probiotic supplement is a fantastic way to reinforce your gut with the beneficial bacteria is needs to keep your body working in tip top condition.
What are prebiotics?
Prebiotics are a type of dietary fibre that feeds the good bacteria in your gut. Our bodies don't digest this sort of fibre but it's important nourishment for the healthy bacteria that is so critical to our health. Natural sources of prebiotics include chicory root, dandelion greens, garlic, leeks and barley.
Why take them together?
Well just like we wouldn't be able to survive without food, probiotics cannot flourish without nourishment from prebiotics. Another useful analogy is to think of taking probiotics as adding plants to a garden and prebiotics as the fertilizer that helps them to grow.
Just Vitamins Acidophilus Plus+ (5 billion) contains six carefully selected strains for maximum probiotic effectiveness and is formulated with a prebiotic base provides the bacteria culture with the best environment in which to survive, thrive and do their work.
Calcium & Vitamin D
You may not know this but your skeleton renews itself every ten years! Your body does this by continuously remodeling your skeletal system through a process of reabsorbing old bone and creating new. To keep your bones strong through this process you need to ensure that you're getting adequate bone supporting nutrition - calcium and vitamin D are top of that nutrient list.
What does vitamin C do?
Calcium is stored in your bones and teeth and plays a key role in building new bone material. It is also involved in muscle contractions, nerve signal transmission, hormone release and blood vessel function as well as many more.
What does vitamin D do?
Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption in the gut which as we already know if essential for the growth and remodelling of bones. It is also key to a well functioning immune system, as well as many other things.
Why take them together?
These nutrients make such a powerful pairing due to the fact that without enough vitamin D levels in our bodies we wouldn't be able to absorb enough of the calcium we eat - taking calcium on its own simply isn't enough. Vitamin D also helps the body to maintain sufficient levels of phosphate which is another factor in bone growth and remodelling.
Our bodies make vitamin D when skin is exposed to the sun but lack of sun during winter months and the use of sun block limits our ability to do this. Combined with the fact that our skin gets less efficient at synthesising vitamin D as we age it is vital that you get enough of these vital nutrients by taking a combined calcium and vitamin D supplement.
Just Vitamins' Osteo4 has been uniquely formulated to offer a potent blend of four nutrients, Calcium, Magnesium, Vitamin K and Vitamin D, all of which work together to support and maintain your bones.
Vitamin C + Zinc
Separately vitamin C and Zinc are well known for supporting immune health all year round and particularly so during winter months. So why are they better together?
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that is known for its benefits to immune health, heart health and even to eye health. Vitamin C also boasts anti-aging skin benefits due to it's antioxidant properties and it's role in collagen production. Some experts go as far as to say that it's one of the 'safest and most effective nutrients' you can take and it may even support longevity.
Zinc
Zinc is a trace element that helps to stimulate a large number of enzymes in the body. It is best known for supporting immune health by helping to regulate the immune response but also plays a role in fertility, hair growth, brain health and more. Research to date has also suggested that ensuring adequate levels of zinc may reduce our risk of some age-related health concerns.
Why take them together?
Vitamin C and zinc together provides a potent antioxidant combo that reinforces your body’s defenses and overall wellbeing. They work together to support immune health as well as bringing their individual health benefits to the table.
Just Vitamins' Vitamin C & Zinc tablets is specially formulated for immune support and provide 5mg Zinc and 80mg Vitamin C in each tablet.
A healthy balanced diet is the best way to consume all the nutrients we need. Sometimes however this isn't possible and then supplements can help. This article isn't intended to replace medical advice. Please consult your healthcare professional before trying any supplements or herbal medicines.