How to Improve Your Health with Spirulina
Consult with your health care provider before taking any supplement., Add spirulina to a meal to increase its amount of protein., Take spirulina to increase your vitamin intake., Add spirulina to your diet to increase your antioxidants., Use...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Consult with your health care provider before taking any supplement.
Your doctor can tell you whether the supplement will interact with any medications you may be taking.
It is also good to let your doctor know what you are taking so that he or she doesn't prescribe you a medication in the future that will interact poorly with your supplements., Spirulina is a complete protein.
This means that it contains all the amino acids needed by humans to make more protein., Spirulina contains a wide variety of vitamins.
These include:
B Vitamins:
Spirulina is particularly high in thiamin and riboflavin, and contains all the B vitamins except Vitamin B12.
Spirulina contains a substance similar to Vitamin B12 called pseudovitamin B12, which is not active in humans.Spirulina contains significant amounts of Vitamins A, C, E, and K.
Minerals:
Spirulina is particularly high in copper, iron, and manganese.
It also contains significant amounts of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc and selenium. , Some of the substances found in spirulina are very effective as antioxidants.These antioxidants can limit exercise-induced muscle damage and increase endurance.Antioxidants can also decrease inflammatory markers and allergic disorders, such as hay fever (allergic rhinitis).Antioxidants can also potentially prevent pre-cancerous oral lesions from becoming cancer., Spirulina seems to drive the increased production of nitric oxide, a vascular dilator.
This can significantly bring down high blood pressure.Higher doses of spirulina (about 1 tablespoon per day) appear to be needed for this kind of effect. , Spirulina may be useful in the treatment of viral diseases such as hepatitis C and influenza.
This is because of its immune-promoting properties., There are a number of benefits of spirulina both as a nutritional supplement and as an aid to weight loss.
For most of these benefits, 1-4 grams of spirulina a day (about ½ tablespoon) is sufficient.
Many people take spirulina in pill form.
You can take approximately four to six 500mg pills of spirulina spread out throughout the day., Eating these types of foods can help you to lose weight.
The glycemic load of spirulina is 10, making it a low glycemic food.
This is why spirulina is recommended for those with diabetes. 1 cup of spirulina contains 325 calories, with 30% of calories derived from carbohydrates, 48% from protein and 22% from fats. 1 cup of spirulina contains 4 grams of dietary fiber.
Spirulina has also been shown to be effective in reducing blood sugar levels and the levels of A1c, a biomarker used to follow blood sugar control in people with diabetes., This is an important goal for your health that is connected to weight loss as well.
Spirulina provides nutrients that can decrease LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and raise HDL-cholesterol.
This provides protection against heart disease.In addition, the antioxidants in spirulina have been shown to reduce lipid peroxidation, a marker for heart disease and fatty liver disease., Spirulina has been promoted as a weight loss aid, but the FDA has declared that is is ineffective for weight loss.
This means that nothing in the spirulina can induce weight loss.However, because spirulina has a low glycemic index, is relatively low in calories, is highly nutritious, and allows you to feel fuller for a longer periods of time.
Taking a ½-1 tablespoon of spirulina before meals (usually about 1 hour before) can result in significant weight loss especially when combined with increased physical activity.
In fact, spirulina is used in many areas of the world to treat malnutrition., This is important information to know for any supplement you want to take.
One cup (112 grams) of spirulina contains:64 grams of protein 9 grams of fat 0 mg Cholesterol 3 grams of saturated fat
2.3 grams of PUFA (Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids) including 922 mg omega-3 fats and 1404 mg of omega-6 fats. 27 grams of carbohydrate , There are theoretical possibilities that spirulina may boost the immune system and should be avoided by anyone with an autoimmune disorders, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus, SLE), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), among others.
In addition, drugs which suppress the immune system interact with spirulina.
These medications include: azathioprine (Imuran), basiliximab (Simulect), cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), daclizumab (Zenapax), muromonab-CD3 (OKT3, Orthoclone OKT3), mycophenolate (CellCept), tacrolimus (FK506, Prograf), sirolimus (Rapamune), prednisone (Deltasone, Orasone), corticosteroids (glucocorticoids), and others.Since spirulina is a complete protein, it also contains an amino acid, phenylalanine, which may make a condition such as phenylketonuria (PKU) worse., Like other blue-green algae, spirulina can be contaminated by microcystins, which are toxic substances that people should not ingest.
Spirulina can also absorb heavy metals from the environment, which you will then absorb when you eat it.To avoid taking contaminated spirulina, you should only buy it from a reputable brand.
Ask at your local natural food store what brands are best and most well regarded. -
Step 2: Add spirulina to a meal to increase its amount of protein.
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Step 3: Take spirulina to increase your vitamin intake.
-
Step 4: Add spirulina to your diet to increase your antioxidants.
-
Step 5: Use spirulina to decrease high blood pressure.
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Step 6: Add spirulina to your diet to boost your immune system.
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Step 7: Take spirulina daily.
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Step 8: Take spirulina if you want to eat low glycemic and healthy foods.
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Step 9: Add spirulina to your diet in order to help decrease your cholesterol.
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Step 10: Understand that using spirulina for weight loss has not been verified as effective by the FDA.
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Step 11: Know the nutritional content of spirulina.
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Step 12: Be aware of the possible side effects of taking spirulina.
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Step 13: Be aware that spirulina can be contaminated if it is not harvested correctly.
Detailed Guide
Your doctor can tell you whether the supplement will interact with any medications you may be taking.
It is also good to let your doctor know what you are taking so that he or she doesn't prescribe you a medication in the future that will interact poorly with your supplements., Spirulina is a complete protein.
This means that it contains all the amino acids needed by humans to make more protein., Spirulina contains a wide variety of vitamins.
These include:
B Vitamins:
Spirulina is particularly high in thiamin and riboflavin, and contains all the B vitamins except Vitamin B12.
Spirulina contains a substance similar to Vitamin B12 called pseudovitamin B12, which is not active in humans.Spirulina contains significant amounts of Vitamins A, C, E, and K.
Minerals:
Spirulina is particularly high in copper, iron, and manganese.
It also contains significant amounts of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc and selenium. , Some of the substances found in spirulina are very effective as antioxidants.These antioxidants can limit exercise-induced muscle damage and increase endurance.Antioxidants can also decrease inflammatory markers and allergic disorders, such as hay fever (allergic rhinitis).Antioxidants can also potentially prevent pre-cancerous oral lesions from becoming cancer., Spirulina seems to drive the increased production of nitric oxide, a vascular dilator.
This can significantly bring down high blood pressure.Higher doses of spirulina (about 1 tablespoon per day) appear to be needed for this kind of effect. , Spirulina may be useful in the treatment of viral diseases such as hepatitis C and influenza.
This is because of its immune-promoting properties., There are a number of benefits of spirulina both as a nutritional supplement and as an aid to weight loss.
For most of these benefits, 1-4 grams of spirulina a day (about ½ tablespoon) is sufficient.
Many people take spirulina in pill form.
You can take approximately four to six 500mg pills of spirulina spread out throughout the day., Eating these types of foods can help you to lose weight.
The glycemic load of spirulina is 10, making it a low glycemic food.
This is why spirulina is recommended for those with diabetes. 1 cup of spirulina contains 325 calories, with 30% of calories derived from carbohydrates, 48% from protein and 22% from fats. 1 cup of spirulina contains 4 grams of dietary fiber.
Spirulina has also been shown to be effective in reducing blood sugar levels and the levels of A1c, a biomarker used to follow blood sugar control in people with diabetes., This is an important goal for your health that is connected to weight loss as well.
Spirulina provides nutrients that can decrease LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and raise HDL-cholesterol.
This provides protection against heart disease.In addition, the antioxidants in spirulina have been shown to reduce lipid peroxidation, a marker for heart disease and fatty liver disease., Spirulina has been promoted as a weight loss aid, but the FDA has declared that is is ineffective for weight loss.
This means that nothing in the spirulina can induce weight loss.However, because spirulina has a low glycemic index, is relatively low in calories, is highly nutritious, and allows you to feel fuller for a longer periods of time.
Taking a ½-1 tablespoon of spirulina before meals (usually about 1 hour before) can result in significant weight loss especially when combined with increased physical activity.
In fact, spirulina is used in many areas of the world to treat malnutrition., This is important information to know for any supplement you want to take.
One cup (112 grams) of spirulina contains:64 grams of protein 9 grams of fat 0 mg Cholesterol 3 grams of saturated fat
2.3 grams of PUFA (Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids) including 922 mg omega-3 fats and 1404 mg of omega-6 fats. 27 grams of carbohydrate , There are theoretical possibilities that spirulina may boost the immune system and should be avoided by anyone with an autoimmune disorders, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus, SLE), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), among others.
In addition, drugs which suppress the immune system interact with spirulina.
These medications include: azathioprine (Imuran), basiliximab (Simulect), cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), daclizumab (Zenapax), muromonab-CD3 (OKT3, Orthoclone OKT3), mycophenolate (CellCept), tacrolimus (FK506, Prograf), sirolimus (Rapamune), prednisone (Deltasone, Orasone), corticosteroids (glucocorticoids), and others.Since spirulina is a complete protein, it also contains an amino acid, phenylalanine, which may make a condition such as phenylketonuria (PKU) worse., Like other blue-green algae, spirulina can be contaminated by microcystins, which are toxic substances that people should not ingest.
Spirulina can also absorb heavy metals from the environment, which you will then absorb when you eat it.To avoid taking contaminated spirulina, you should only buy it from a reputable brand.
Ask at your local natural food store what brands are best and most well regarded.
About the Author
Jeffrey Reed
Experienced content creator specializing in organization guides and tutorials.
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