Don’t Go Down Without a Fight: Combating the Ageing Process

Ageing is an inevitable process, but that doesn’t mean you have to go down without a fight! It’s never too early or too late to start taking care of your anti-ageing wellness, and, luckily, there are several steps and products that you can use.

 

1. Alternative Treatments: Although alternative treatments are by no means a replacement for a healthy diet and exercise programme, they can help you to feel your best, which encourages you to take better care of your wellbeing. A better term would be “complementary wellness” rather than “alternative,” as these treatments should be used in partnership with your healthy lifestyle. Start off with a good overall system cleansing treatment, as this can get rid of any toxins that may be dragging you down. This lays the groundwork for other treatments, such as acupuncture and hypnosis. If you, as many of us do, suffer from more aches and pains as you age, acupuncture and hypnosis can be a great substitute for using prescription drugs, with none of the associated side effects.

 

2. Your Look-Young Diet: To fight off the effects of ageing, as well as disease, you need plenty of antioxidants, fibre and vitamins. For this you can’t go wrong with fruits and vegetables, but nuts, cereals and spices are also excellent choices for a little antioxidant power. Specifically, you’re looking at:

 

• Vegetables – Kale, red cabbage, peppers, beets, broccoli, chilli pepper, artichoke


• Fruits – Berries, kiwi, pineapple, orange, plum, grapefruit, pomegranate


• Nuts – Pecans, peanuts, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, walnuts


• Cereal – Barley, corn, oats, millet


• Spices – Oregano, cinnamon, turmeric, cloves

 

In addition to this, or, should I say, perhaps more importantly than this, you need to drink a lot of water. The big guy upstairs certainly knew what he was doing when he created helpful H20, as water has monumental wellness benefits. Aside from looking young, drinking lots of water throughout the day can help you lose weight, energise your muscles, aid your bowel function and generally help you to feel better – not bad for something you get out the tap for free.

 

3. Don’t Stray into Temptation: Not only does alcohol and smoking have a disastrous impact on your health, it basically leaves you looking rubbish. This is because indulging in both of these vices significantly dries out your skin, which leads to premature wrinkling. Plus, as we’ve previously covered, your body needs plenty of nutrients to stay young and healthy, but smoking and drinking heavily robs you of these much-needed nutrients, as can some prescription medications. You should avoid alcohol and smoking but you shouldn’t come of the meds if you doctor doesn’t advise it. If you are on medications, make sure to drink plenty of water and try some anti-ageing skin products to combat the skin-drying effects.

 

4. Soak in the Great Outdoors: Getting outside into the fresh air and sun does wonders for your anti-ageing wellness – as long as you do so safely. I’m not saying you should sit outside until you look like an extra from TOWIE, as this will have the opposite you’re looking for. However, while too much sun exposure can have you looking more wrinkly than Yoda, a healthy dose of sunlight can provide some natural vitamin D to your body and mind, which is vital for good health. If you spend more than 15 minutes in the summer sun, or 40 minutes outside in winter, whack on some sun cream, or even sun block. It may not seem necessary in this country, but wearing sun cream every day can be the best thing you do for your anti-ageing wellness.

 

Categories: ageing, ageing wellness, alternative treatments, anti ageing, effects nbsp, nbsp, Sun Cream, Vices, Vitamin D, Water, Wellness

The Science of Weight Loss: New Proven Ways to Shed Pounds

A lot of research has gone into the best ways to lose weight and take care of your wellness, so why do you still feel in the dark about the whole thing? Some of the findings have been, to put it mildly, counter-intuitive, even suggesting completely new ways of dieting. So, if you’ve struggled to lose weight in the past – and, let’s face it, who hasn’t? – then have a go at some new methods, based on the latest research, that work with your body rather than against it.

 

1. Eat on alternate days: The problem with cutting calories on a daily basis is that you’re constantly hungry and miserable. However, you can still lose weight and protect your wellbeing against health concerns without being in a permanent state of semi-starvation. A few years ago, a study at the National Institute on Ageing in Baltimore revealed that giving rats very little food one day and allowing them to eat plenty the next showed virtually all the benefits of a permanent calorie restriction diet. According to Dr. James Johnson, who has set up a website with information on how to do it, the same goes for humans. In fact, researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago have just published the results of a ten-week trial on obese patients, which showed that those on the alternate-day diet lost ten pounds to two stone.

 

2. Turn the heating down: If you’ve been dieting for a while, you may remember a dieter’s dream that went by the name of brown fat. In mice, brown-fat tissue was shown to burn off excess energy to keep you warm – unlike the undesirable white stuff that stores excess energy as fat. Because researchers couldn’t find much brown fat in humans, it kind of fell out of the scene. However, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has put brown fat back on our radar by exposing people to cold temperatures. If you’re cold, your body makes more brown fat and your weight drops. Women kept at 22˚C used up 27 more grams of body fat a day than those at 27˚C – cool!

 

3. Check your testosterone levels: Sorry, this one’s just for the lads. Middle-aged men with a spreading middle area may be producing too much oestrogen. Both men and women produce testosterone and oestrogen – using the former to make the latter – and this is particularly significant for older men. The ageing process causes older men to make less testosterone, as well as turning more of it into oestrogen. This encourages your body to lay more fat around your middle area, which is the place of fat storage that is connected to a higher risk of diabetes and heart disease. Exercising can give you the energy and muscle you need to boost your testosterone and you can also get a prescription for testosterone supplements if your level has become very low. Drinking too much makes your liver less efficient at getting rid of the extra oestrogen, so you might want to consider cutting back at the pub.

 

4. Get more vitamin D: Whether you get out in the sun without sun block, eat more fortified foods or start taking supplements, vitamin D is a superstar for lowering your risk of heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and rheumatism, as well as your weight. In 2008, a University of Minnesota researcher conducted a small trial which showed that those with more vitamin D in their blood lost more weight. For every extra nanogram per millilitre (ng/ml) they lost an extra half-pound.

Categories: alternate days, body, brown, excess energy, heart disease, Lose weight, middle area, older men, Testosterone, Vitamin D, weight

Won-D-ful: Why You Need Vitamin D, and Where to Find it

While you might be learning more and more about why vitamin D is so important to your wellness, getting enough of this crucial nutrient is another matter. Yes, vitamin D can guard your wellbeing against diseases, but the average western diet doesn’t provide enough D power to achieve this, nor does your fear of too much carcinogenic natural sunlight on your skin. According to data collected in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, conducted by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 40% of men, 50% of women and 70% of children have low levels of vitamin D.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have set guidelines recommending you get 400 IUs of vitamin D every day, while anyone under the age of 18 should consume 200 IUs. Not only does vitamin D increase your calcium absorption, which is vital in preventing bone loss, insufficient vitamin D is associated with a higher incidence of chronic and life-threatening conditions such as various cancers, heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and cognitive decline. In fact, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) state that healthy amounts of vitamin D can impede inflammation, which is a key component of many illnesses. So, where can you get your vitamin D fix?

1. Here comes the sun: If you let it, the sun could provide your body with 80% of your daily vitamin D needs but Dr. Mark Hyman, founder and medical director of the UltraWellness Centre in Lenox, Massachusetts, asserts that wearing sun cream blocks about 97% of your body’s vitamin D production. Let’s be clear, no one is saying you should put your skin at risk to melanoma, but you can still take advantage of the sun’s benefits. If you’re fair-skinned, Hyman says you need less than 30 minutes of casual exposure to sun on bright days to meet your daily requirement, while darker-skinned individuals need about two hours.

2. Tastes a bit fishy: Ok, cod liver oil has never had the best reputation in terms of taste, but this fish oil now comes in slightly more palatable flavoured varieties, so you have no excuse for not giving it a second chance. The Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, which conducts nutrition research, points out that 340% of your daily vitamin D needs are in one tablespoon of cod liver oil. As an added bonus, cod liver oil is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which is essential for good health.

3. Gone fishin’: If cod liver oil still doesn’t float your boat, try salmon. You can get this seafood in fresh, frozen or tinned form, but the Alliance for Natural Health USA, an education and advocacy group, asserts that wild salmon contains the highest level of vitamin D found in any food, and four times the amount present in farmed salmon. The US Department of Agriculture’s National Nutrient Database also recommends tuna as a solid source of vitamin D, protein and omega-3s, containing 200 IUs of vitamin D in a three-ounce serving.

4. Got milk: There are natural levels of vitamin D in cow’s milk, whether in skimmed or whole form, but manufacturers often also fortify milk with the nutrient. This is according to the Linus Pauling Institute, who add that one cup contains about 100 IUs.

5. There’s mush-room for vitamin D: In April, the the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology published a study that showed that exposing white button mushrooms to ultraviolet B light for a few hours increases their vitamin D content by 400%. If you buy your mushrooms from a grocers or supermarket, leaving them outside in the sun will increase their vitamin D content, but be warned that the mushrooms will dry out and turn brown after about a day.

Categories: cod liver, daily vitamin, health, linus pauling, Liver, liver oil, milk, Natural, pauling institute, Sun, vitamin, Vitamin D

Sticks and Stones May Break Your Bones: Why You Need Calcium

When you’re a kid, calcium seems to be a big part of your wellness regime. It makes sense; growing kids have growing bones, and those bones need a calcium-strengthening boost. However, your need for this mineral doesn’t end when you’ve finished puberty – it’s only just begun!

 

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in your body, accounting for 2½ pounds of your weight! The vast majority (99%) is in your bones and teeth, but there’s a bit knocking around in your muscles, tissues and body fluids. Therefore, you might be forgiven for thinking that calcium is only useful for building bones, but Robert Heaney, MD, a professor of medicine at Creighton University, in Omaha, notes, ‘it’s used by every cell and tissue in the body’. So what does calcium do for your wellbeing?

 

1. Building bones. This becomes even more important as you age, as older women are more prone to fractures and a bone-weakening disease known as osteoporosis.

 

2. Muscle contractions. This includes the muscles you use consciously (such as your biceps) and those you use unconsciously (like your heart).

 

3. Heart health. According to a study at the Harvard School of Public Health, published in 2008, getting the right amount of calcium could lower your risk of hypertension.

 

4. Weight loss. Researchers at the University of Tennessee, in Knoxville, have noted that attaining your recommended daily allowance of calcium through dairy products may help you to burn fat faster than people who don’t.

 

5. Cancer prevention. The National Institutes of Health have released research which suggests that an adequate intake of calcium may lower your risk of colorectal cancer.

 

So how much is enough? As an adult, you need 1,000-1,200mg of calcium a day – unless you’re pregnant; pregnancy makes your body more efficient at absorbing calcium, so you only need 1,000mg daily. However, as you age, your body is less able to absorb calcium, so you should be aiming for 1,200mg every day once you reach the age of 51 or menopause. Your body will excrete any calcium it can’t use, but you should still go no higher than 2,500mg a day, as this can have a negative impact on your kidney wellness.

 

You can get your daily calcium needs from dairy products, which is the best place to find it. a cup of non-fat milk can give you 302mg, while a cup of low-fat yoghurt can add an extra 245-415mg. Still, if you’re not the biggest dairy fan or you’re lactose intolerant, there are other foods that are bursting with calcium; namely, cooked kale (94mg per cup), raw broccoli (42mg) or three ounces of canned sardines (with bones) in oil (324mg). There are also foods that have been fortified with the mineral, such as breakfast cereals, juices, and many soya products.

 

However, we can’t talk about calcium without mentioning it’s vitamin BFF: vitamin D. This vitamin helps your body to absorb calcium, but more often than not we’re deficient in vitamin D. Your body produces vitamin D when it is exposed to sunlight, so it’s not hard to see why getting sufficient amounts is difficult in this country! Try to spend 10 to 15 minutes outdoors two to three times a week when the sun is shining or, again, turn to fortified foods. If that fails, you can take a supplement to gain your daily intake of 400 I.U. You may also want to consider supplements for your calcium intake if you’re on a low-calorie diet or deficient in the mineral. Remember, you need to consult your GP before taking any new supplement.

 

Categories: absorb calcium, Benefits, body, bones, building bones, calcium, dairy products, nbsp, vitamin, Vitamin D

Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D?

Sometimes it is easy to forget about vitamins. After all, a lot of us take for granted that we are getting the right levels of vitamins into our bodies from the foods that we eat. It can be easy to focus on the obvious stuff like avoiding fats and sugar and getting enough fruit and vegetables that consumes our thoughts when we decide what to eat – but how do we know that we are getting the correct balance of the vitamins and minerals that our bodies crave? It’s a difficult one, but we must all strive to do the best we can with vitamins.

 

This is especially true of vitamin D, which is so crucial to our well-being, both specifically and in general. Vitamin D is extremely important for the health of your skin and your bones and this makes it vital especially for older people who are naturally more fragile in these areas, as with age the bones tend to weak and become more brittle. Vitamin D helps to strengthen bones to fight against this natural ageing process and hopefully avoid any serious complications or injuries that are made more likely with age.

 

Getting enough vitamin D into your body promotes calcium absorption which is naturally going be a very good thing for your bones. However, it’s not all good news, as despite the fact that it is well known how important vitamin is to having healthy bones, a number of expert sources contend that as many 77 per cent of Americans have insufficient levels of vitamin D in their bodies, which is increasing their risks of falls and fractures. And it’s not just the issue that these fractures and falls are bad in the short term – over time they make things much worse.

 

So how should you go about getting the right levels of vitamin D in your body? It’s well known that direct sunlight can provide you with all the vitamin D you need. But in an often sun-barren landscape like the UK, how can we reliably get good levels of vitamin D into our bodies as we age to ensure we don’t end up with brittle bones that are likely to fracture or break if we fall? Well, of course there are certain foods that you can eat which will help you take on board the right levels of vitamin D. However, if you’re looking for a quick fix that could be the perfect way to get the right levels into your body, you could try Caltrate.

 

Caltrate is a supplement that is taken to help boost the amount of vitamin D in your body – the new formula for the pill provides you with even more vitamin D than ever before which really boosts calcium absorption. It’s a very simple solution if you feel that you’re currently not getting enough vitamin D and you’d like to get more in the form of a pill. That way you know you are getting the right amount and it will do wonders for your bones and indeed your overall health.

 

Research has shown that people with lower levels of vitamin D and calcium absorption actually have higher death rates that those who are getting the right amount. This means that using Caltrate or getting your vitamin D from another source could not only help you to have stronger bones and a healthier lifestyle but it could even help you live longer. This is a very good reason to start taking vitamin D more seriously and make room in your life for different methods of getting it into your system.

Categories: bones, calcium, calcium absorption, levels, nbsp, vitamin, Vitamin D

How is Vitamin D Useful for Good Bone Health?

We all know of the importance of calcium where healthy bones are concerned, but most people don’t realise that vitamin D is also vital for healthy teeth and bones. Most foods don’t contain a lot of this nutrient, unless you can source it in fortified bread and cereals, so it can be easy to become deficient in it without realising. Natural sunlight is our best source, but with the fear over sun damage in the past thirty years, this too has become a worry and many people now avoid exposure to sunlight.

A mild lack of vitamin D in the body can cause tiredness and a general feeling of aches in the body, but more severe problems result in rickets or osteomalacia in adults. The treatment for this is vitamin D supplements which are taken routinely to top up the body’s reserves. Your GP may advise these supplements if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding; if you’re over 65 years old; for children up to five years, and those who aren’t exposed to much sunlight. They may also recommend them for people with specific gut, liver or kidney diseases, and for certain people with darker skin. Vitamin D is often overlooked but it is a vital nutrient for good health. There are some foods which contain it, including oily fish such as sardines, trout and salmon, as well as fortified breads and cereals.

Ultraviolet B rays (UVB) in sunlight convert cholesterol in the skin into vitamin D – for people with fair skin, this amounts to around 20 to 30 minutes of sunlight on the face and forearms, around two to three times a week to make enough vitamin D. For people with darker skin, though, the time needed in the sun to make enough vitamin D is much more and this becomes dangerous, as sun damage can lead to other concerns. It’s important to remember that this isn’t the same as sun bathing though – the skin just needs to be exposed to the sun, not tanned or burned by it. Remember that the sun needs to fall directly onto the skin itself, not through a window.

For six months of the year, through October to April, most of western Europe and 90 percent of the UK, lies too far north to get enough UVB rays to make the sufficient amount of vitamin D for good health. The main purpose of vitamin D is to help calcium and phosphorus in the diet to be absorbed by the stomach. These are crucial for our bones and teeth to stay healthy and strong. It’s also been proven that vitamin D can help to prevent other diseases and ailments, such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes. A deficiency in vitamin D can occur in three ways – either the body has a greater need for the nutrient, it’s unable to make the vitamin on its own, or there isn’t enough vitamin D in the diet.

 

Vitamin D deficiency affects around one in six people in the winter and spring in the UK, and a study showed that more than half of UK adults don’t get enough of this nutrient. However, most of these people don’t realise they are deficient, or simply have mild symptoms such as feeling tired more than normal. A simple blood test can diagnose this issue, and if a child is thought to be deficient they may be tested with an x-ray. Your GP can advise you of ways to improve your vitamin D count if you think you may be at risk.

Categories: body, bone health, darker skin, people, people don, skin, sunlight, Symptoms, vitamin, Vitamin D

How Can You Prevent Osteomalacia From Developing?

Vitamin D is important for our health, and a deficiency in this important nutrient could lead to health problems occurring which affect the skeletal structure – these are basically the same condition under two different guises, known as rickets and osteomalacia. Rickets occurs in children, whilst osteomalacia is the term used for the condition when it is diagnosed in adults. Vitamin D can be sourced from your diet or from exposure to natural sunlight. Where your diet is concerned fatty fish, such as tuna, salmon or sardines, are great sources of vitamin D – you can also source it from margarine and fortified bread or cereals. Infant milk formula is also fortified with vitamin D, though human milk is a poor source of this nutrient. Most people however get most of their vitamin D intake from sunlight – studies suggest that the average person has enough vitamin D stored in their body to last two or three years. People who don’t get much exposure to the sun are at risk of becoming deficient in vitamin D, such as people in nursing homes or elderly people who are housebound. Immigrants from Asia and Africa are at risk, as are people who have an illness or lifestyle which makes outdoor activities difficult. Because of our increasingly sedentary lifestyles, vitamin D deficiency isn’t uncommon in today’s society. Some people with intestinal problems, such as coeliac disease or cystic fibrosis, may also become short on supply of this vitamin, as do people with liver disease. It’s also important to remember that an infant’s vitamin D status is dependent on that of its mother, so if the mother is deficient, the child may be born with rickets or early fractures later in their life.

 

Osteomalacia is characterised by bone pains and muscle weakness, as well as fractures occurring. These fractures may take place with hardly any or no trauma at all – these days, patients are commonly identified by a low bone density. In those with rickets, patients may suffer from aches and pains, as well as the visible enlargement of bones at joints, such as in the wrists. Some children with rickets also have convulsions. These conditions can be tested for with a simple blood test which tests for calcium, phosphate and alkaline phosphatase. In order to confirm the diagnosis though, you will require a more specific blood test – this includes the measurement of the levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, which is the main form of vitamin D in the blood, as well as parathyroid hormones. If necessary, patients may also need a bone density scanning. In children, x-rays of the wrists and knees are very helpful, but normal appearances don’t mean that rickets is excluded from the diagnoses.

 

There are various ways to treat vitamin D deficiency, but the most common is with regular daily supplements with or without calcium. An alternative to this is a single large oral dose or injection of the vitamin, which is stored by the body and can last for up to a year before another is needed. This option is advised for those with vitamin D deficiency caused by intestinal problems. Infants who are born prematurely often have bone problems which can lead to spontaneous fractures in their first few months of life. While this is referred to as rickets, there is no proof in this situation that vitamin D is the cause. There are uncommon forms of rickets caused by inborn defects due to the way that vitamin D is handled and absorbed by the body.

Categories: bone health, rickets, Vitamin D

Vitamin D deficiencies May Lead to High Blood Pressure

A new study suggests that there could be a connection between levels of vitamin D in the body and high blood pressure. Vitamin D has traditionally been associated with rickets, which is a disease which leads to the bone tissues not mineralising properly, which makes them soft. New research means that this vital nutrient could play a role in protecting against other health problems, though. The Department of Health has explained that a significant proportion of people in the UK are vitamin D deficient and this has resulted in an increase in the number of cases of rickets in children, and osteomalacia in adults. There are a number of reasons why vitamin D deficiency occurs, in particular amongst those following a vegetarian or vegan diet as they don’t get the natural food sources from animal products, such as fish oils, beef liver and eggs. The body makes vitamin D when it is exposed to natural sunlight, but our increasingly indoor lifestyles and fear of the damages of the sun mean we aren’t exposed to this as much as we used to be.

Research has found that people with high levels of a prehormone known as 25-hydroxyvitamin D had lower blood pressure and were less likely to develop diseases associated with this problem, such as stroke and heart disease. For every 10 percent increase of 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration in the blood, there was an 8.1 percent decrease in the risk of developing high levels of blood pressure. A further study is due to take place in order to analyse this trend further and see if the effects are widespread. There are a number of ways to lower your blood pressure as well, through eating a healthy diet, cutting back on salt and being physically active.

Categories: blood pressure, diet, Vitamin D

Landmark Study Shows Sun Cream Doesn’t Stop Vitamin D

Vitamin D is important for your bones, but it’s a difficult vitamin to attain through food. Hence, wellness experts tell you to go out and get some sunshine on your skin – as this is how your body produces vitamin D – but warn against using sun cream (at least, for the first 10 minutes or so) as you don’t want a barrier between your skin and all that vitamin D-boosting sunshine. However, according to new research from Boots UK, which was recently presented at the prestigious International Investigative Dermatology conference in Edinburgh, sun cream does not compromise your healthy vitamin D production.

The new study, “Sun, Sunscreens and Vitamin D”, was partly funded by Boots UK and is due to be published later in the year. Led by Antony Young, Professor of Experimental Photobiology at St John’s institute of dermatology, King’s College London, the researchers found that participants were able to produce adequate levels of Vitamin D, without experiencing burning, when SPF 15 sunscreen was applied appropriately and correctly.

According to Clare O’Connor, Boots Suncare expert, ‘At Boots UK we know that getting out there is good for us, however vitamin D deficiency is currently a health concern within the UK and there is much debate on the impact sunscreen has on vitamin D production. The findings of our study highlight that the use of sunscreen at the recommended usage level and frequency still allows for the production of significant levels of vitamin D, while ensuring adequate protection from sun burn and the associated visible skin damage. The study provides reassurance to people who want to make the most of the great outdoors this summer that their sunscreen is helping to protect their skin without compromising healthy vitamin D production.’

Professor Antony Young commented, ‘This study shows that using sunscreens in an intense UV environment still allows for significant vitamin D production without any burning of the skin.  It is the first time that such a comprehensive study has been undertaken and it provides new clinical evidence on the impact sunscreen has on vitamin D synthesis.’ This is important for your anti-ageing wellness, as sun cream can reduce the toll that sun damage takes on your skin.

Categories: Research, Sun Cream, Vitamin D

Can Vitamin D Assist in Reducing Blood Pressure?

Vitamin D deficiency is a common problem, but scientists may have found a connection between this very situation and hypertension, which increases the risk of stroke and heart attacks. Vitamin D deficiency is caused by a lack of exposure to the sun, although we can also source it from out diets. The worldwide study suggests that we may be able to reduce high blood pressure simply through higher concentrations of the sunshine vitamin. This vitamin is sometimes called the ‘wonder vitamin’, as it plays an astonishing role within the body – it’s been found to influence all 36 organ tissues in the body, improves wellbeing and helps the body absorb calcium for healthy bones and teeth.  Not only can it assist a healthy skeletal structure, but it can also improve your immune systems strength, hormone metabolism, brain function and your mood. Now scientists believe that it can improve cardiovascular function and blood pressure – the amount of data to support this is mounting as the months progress.

Researchers carried out a study involving more than 155,000 people from across Europe and North America, and found that vitamin D levels are deficient for the majority of people. However, what they also found was that increasing those levels helped to lower their blood pressure, thus helping to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. For every 10 percent increase in vitamin D, there was an 8.1 percent decrease in the risk of developing hypertension. The body doesn’t naturally produce vitamin D and there are very few foods in which contain it. You can buy fortified foods, such as bread and cereal though. In Britain, where more than 16 million people suffer from high blood pressure (many of which unknowingly suffer), this study could serve as a fantastic treatment that could offer numerous other health benefits in the process. Experts have suggested that preventing cardiovascular diseases is vital, and that health professionals need to consider all avenues of treatment.

Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin which is vital within the body. A deficiency in this can lead to numerous health problems, including rickets in children which is a condition in which the child develops soft bones. The average healthy adult should be incorporating around 200 IUs of vitamin D every day, and people over the age of 50 should be consuming even more to combat the breakdown of bone health. Here are some foods which could contribute towards this daily dose.

1. Milk

Milk, in addition to being a rich source of calcium, is also a fantastic source of vitamin D. Given that the two go hand in hand, with vitamin D helping the body to absorb calcium, milk should be a high contender for foods you consume every day. A single cup of milk can provide up to a quarter of your recommended intake – most dairy products aren’t fortified though and contain a very small amount.

2. Cereal

Following on from milk, cereal is often fortified with vitamin D. Check the packaging before you buy to ensure that it does contain it, and make this your breakfast of choice to top up your intake of this wonder vitamin.

3. Salmon

Salmon is well known for being a healthy option when it comes to fish, due to its high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which are great for your health. In addition to this, though, it also serves as a great source of vitamin D. One serving of this fish will provide you with your entire daily dose of vitamin D. Vitamin D foods are hard to come across, so this addition to your diet can be hugely beneficial. Other fish choices to offer similar benefits include mackerel and tuna.

4. Eggs

One egg provides up to 25 IUs of this vitamin, but this is found in the yolk rather than the whole egg, so egg whites offer no health benefits.

5. Orange Juice

To complete your vitamin D-rich breakfast, add in a glass of orange juice. One half of a cup offers 45 IUs of this nutrient, as well as being a great source of vitamin C.

Categories: blood pressure, diet, Vitamin D

Which Supplements Should You Take Over the Age of 50?

When you reach a certain age, you start to take a long, hard look at your wellbeing. Am I exercising enough? Am I going to see my grandchildren graduate? There are things you can do to boost your wellness, but when it comes to vitamin and mineral supplements, there seem to be more questions than answers. So, which ones actually work, and which are a waste of time? According to Pamila Brar, MD, at 50 you should skip multivitamins and vitamin E, and take calcium, vitamin C and vitamin D, but why?

 

In terms of time wasters, Brar explains, ‘Surprisingly, a review of the recent literature actually suggests that for women over 50, taking a multivitamin, especially one containing iron, can be detrimental. While the risk of death was only slightly higher in the vitamin group, a University of Minnesota study certainly raised eyebrows in this regard. A second study, the Iowa Women’s Health Study showed similar concerns.’ In the case of vitamin E, Brar notes, ‘Recent studies have shown increased risk of prostate cancer in men taking this vitamin,’ and ‘vitamin E has blood-thinning effects, so should not be taken with other blood thinners such as Warfarin and Aspirin.’

 

Duly noted. So what about the supplements you should take? Brar comments, ‘Women over 51 should take 1,200 mg of calcium per day, but don’t take it all at one time—divide it up throughout the day since you can’t absorb more than 500mg in one sitting.’ As one in five men over 50 have significant bone loss, you boys should consider a daily dose of 100mg. Brar adds that if you are one of the millions of patients taking acid-blocking medications like proton pump inhibitors ‘calcium carbonate will not be well absorbed, so I recommend calcium citrate.’

 

Brar continues, ‘Having seen this many times in my practice, you will not likely be able to make headway in building new bone and preventing bone loss without ensuring normal levels of vitamin D, which help the body absorb calcium.’ She adds that the widely recommended ‘doses of 400-800 iu per day have also been recommended for mood disorders such as depression and seasonal affective disorder.’ Finally, Brar advises a Vitamin C supplement, as this ‘helps maintain healthy connective tissue, helps our bodies absorb iron and also aids the immune system and acts as an antioxidant.’

Categories: calcium, vitamin c, Vitamin D

What Can Vitamin D Do for your Weight Loss and Wellbeing?

Vitamin D is essential for your bone health, as helping to protect against colds, fight depression and guard your wellbeing against breast cancer and cardiac death, but what about weight loss? Can vitamin D give your diet a kick in the right direction?

Low levels of vitamin D are often observed in people who are overweight and wellness experts believe that the hypothalamus in your brain (which, among other things, regulates hormonal functions) senses low vitamin D levels in your body and responds by increasing your body weight set point and releasing more hunger-stimulating hormones. Vitamin D also may prevent the growth and maturation of your fat cells.

Published in Nutrition Journal, a 12-week weight-loss study published found that increasing vitamin D levels resulted in decreases in fat mass, while a 2012 study found that supplementing with both calcium and vitamin D led to an increase in abdominal fat loss, albeit without increasing total weight loss. In 2010, it was reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that supplementing with vitamin D did not enhance weight loss, but it did improve other markers of health such as decreased triglyceride levels (a risk factor for heart disease) and TNF-alpha, a cellular marker of inflammation.

From this you can see that keeping your vitamin D levels in the optimum range can have great health benefits, but it isn’t the be-all and end-all of weight loss. Still, what can you do to increase your intake of this vital vitamin? From a dietary perspective, fatty fish are the major source, and fortified juices, milk, and cereals can also contribute to your daily intake. Going outside and getting some sun on your skin can help, as your body synthesises vitamin D from UVB rays.

However, your geographic location plays a major role in the UVB rays that you have access to, and even if you do live in the right place, other factors such as pollution and cloud cover can also impact how much vitamin D you will get while out in the sun. This is why vitamin D deficiency is so common in this country, and so you may need to supplement with 1,000 to 2,000 IU of vitamin D a day.

Categories: abdominal fat, Vitamin D, Weight Loss

Heart Health Could be Affected by Excess Vitamin D

Vitamin D has been linked to heart health in previous studies and is generally considered safe, but a new study suggests that excessive consumption of this vital nutrient could more than double the risk of developing an irregular heart rhythm, which is also known as atrial fibrillation. This condition causes excess vitamin D to collect in the bloodstream which can cause blood clots in the heart. Often taken as a supplement due to the body’s inability to produce vitamin D on its own, this could be leading to other health concerns.

The arrhythmia leads to the upper chambers of the heart to quiver which can lead to blood settling and clotting, rather than the heart squeezing the blood into the lower chambers and to the circulatory system. if a clot travels into the bloodstream, it can cause a stroke or a heart attack, as well as being linked to memory-related heath disease such as Alzheimer’s disease. The study was carried out by the Intermountain Medical Centre.

Vitamin D is not produced naturally by the body and is generally created through exposure to natural sunlight or from certain fortified foods. Often people opt for supplements though, to ensure that they get a sufficient dose of the nutrient. However, if you’re eating fortified foods in addition to taking supplements, you could actually be consuming too much vitamin D which could lead to these health problems. As with medications and drugs, taking the correct dosage of vitamins and minerals is important in order to avoid health problems. With vitamin D, levels between 41 and 80 nanograms is advised. Those with levels of 100 nanograms were more than twice as likely to suffer from atrial fibrillation as opposed to those who had normal levels of vitamin D in their bodies. If you’re taking supplements for vitamin D, speak to your GP to ensure you’re getting the correct dose.

Heart Health Could be Affected by Excess Vitamin D

Categories: heart health, Supplements, Vitamin D

Super Smoothie Provides Above and Beyond Your Vitamin Needs

Of all the vitamins and minerals you need to improve your wellness, some are harder to come by than others. Many turn to supplements to give their wellbeing a boost of B vitamins, magnesium and vitamins E and D, but the truth is that there’s a much more natural and delicious way to go about it; Suavva Original Cacao Juice Smoothie.

Produced by Agro Innova, a single serving of Suavva Original Cacao Juice Smoothie contains 270% of the daily reference intake (DRI) needs of the powerful antioxidant Vitamin E and no less than 395% of the DRI of Vitamin D, 156% of Vitamin B9, 60% of Vitamin B1, 27% of Vitamin B6, and 81% of Magnesium. The trailblazing, all-natural health beverage contains a powerful exotic ingredient cacao puree, which is a natural and enjoyable source of these elements.

Having now been introduced to the mass market by its innovative healthy juice manufacturer, the smoothie is ideal for you if you’re a health-conscious consumer, as it provides an excellent alternative to supplements and pills. The smoothies come in four flavours; Original Cacao Juice, Orange Cacao Juice, Mango Cacao Juice, and Chocolate Cacao Juice, and Ecuador Produce, the main supplier of cacao puree to Agro Innova, have recently released laboratory studies which have confirmed the healthy properties of its super premium cacao fruit puree.

You already know by now the monumental benefits that antioxidants, vitamins, and magnesium can have to your wellness. The powerful antioxidant vitamin E helps to restore your cells to their original condition, as well as helping to prevent cancer, heart disease, stroke, cataracts, and some of the signs of ageing. Your body needs vitamin D, on the other hand, to absorb calcium. This helps you to form and maintain strong bones, providing protection from osteoporosis and mortality in women in particular. Vitamin D may also help prevent hypertension (high blood pressure), cancer, and several autoimmune diseases.

And magnesium? The National Institutes of Health states that you need this mineral for more than 300 biochemical reactions in your body. Magnesium works to maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps your heart rhythm steady, supports your healthy immune system, keeps your bones strong, regulates blood sugar levels, promotes normal blood pressure, and is known to be involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis. On top of all this, magnesium may prevent and manage hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. So with all those amazing ingredients and benefits, why wouldn’t you try Suavva Smoothies?

Categories: Suavva Original Cacao Juice Smoothie, Vitamin D, vitamin e

Asthma May be Treated With Sunshine Vitamin

New research suggests that the amount of time you spend soaking up the sunshine could help to reduce the impact asthma has on your body. Vitamin D is created in the body by exposure to sunlight which could affect your symptoms if you suffer from asthma. This is connected to new research which has found that vitamin D calms the overactive element of your immune system which triggers asthma. However, researchers have stated that further studies need to be carried out to see whether treating asthma patients with vitamin D is effective in curing the condition. Asthma is a respiratory disease which affects the person’s ability to breathe, with the airways becoming inflamed and swollen after the immune system generates an overactive response to triggers – common triggers include pollen, pollution and chemicals in the air. Generally, people are treated with steroids for this, but not all people find these effective.

Researchers are surprised by the effect that vitamin D has had on people trying to control their asthma, finding that the vitamin was crucial in helping the immune system to fight infections. However, it was noted that if the levels get too high it can have an adverse effect and strongly implicate the asthma. For steroid-resistant patients, this could be the answer to treating their symptoms and helping them to control this condition. Covering up in the sunshine and using sun cream could, according to researchers, have increased the rates of asthma being diagnosed – however, the message is still important, as too much sun can be extremely bad for you.

Spokespeople from the charity Asthma UK stated that current medications work effectively for the majority of patients, but new research is vital for helping those who can’t control their symptoms with steroids. Many people are also worried about the side effects of the medication, so if vitamin D works to treat the condition, it could serve as a healthier alternative to help them live a normal way of life.

Categories: Asthma, steroids, Vitamin D

Are Your Child’s Bones at Risk Due to Vitamin D Deficiency?

Your children need vitamin D for strong bones and muscles. This is according to the US Bone and Joint Initiative, who note that a deficiency in vitamin D, a nutrient which is mostly made by your body when your skin is exposed to sunlight, can impact your child’s wellbeing by damaging their musculoskeletal system, leading to a greater risk of osteoporosis.

Ellen Raney, MD, of Shriners Hospitals for Children, Portland, explained, ‘A vitamin D deficiency in growing children can keep their bones from growing straight or it can make bones too weak to support a child’s body weight, resulting in broken bones.’ Yet vitamin D deficiency is becoming more and more prevalent. If children do not get enough sunlight on their skin, or certain types of food, they can experience severely stunted growth, arms and legs that don’t grow straight, and bones that are weak and easily broken.

But why do vitamin D deficiencies occur so often? There are a number of reasons why your child may be lacking in the vitamin; he or she might not be going outdoors enough, or wearing sun-cream constantly when they do. The limited availability of vitamin D−rich foods may also be a contributing factor. A good diet is important but it may not be enough; you need to look for specific foods with a Daily Value (DV) of 20% or more of vitamin D. These include fish, such as salmon, cod liver oil and fortified foods such as milk, breakfast cereals and some brands of juice, yoghurt or margarine.

For babies, the American Academy of Paediatrics recommends a daily intake of 400 IU a day of vitamin D during the first year of life, beginning in the first few days. After this, the Institute of Medicine advises that children and adolescents consume a daily intake of at least 600 IU per day. There are many child-friendly forms of vitamin D supplements, such as gummy vitamins or liquid. For more information, consult your family doctor. He or she will be able to determine the correct amount of vitamin D for your children and what, if any, changes to make to their diet and supplementation regimen.

Are Your Child’s Bones at Risk Due to Vitamin D Deficiency?

Categories: Deficiency, Supplements, Vitamin D

Vitamin D: Are Mushrooms the Best Alternative?

You wouldn’t think much of the humble mushroom. Normally flavoursome and delicious in soup or a fry-up, it tends to be the bland addition to any dish – but in new research conducted at Boston University School of Medicine; it has been found that they are an excellent source of Vitamin D. More than that, it has been proven to be just as effective as taking a Vitamin D supplement.

Vitamin D helps to promote bone density, which in turn, helps to prevent osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and osteomalacia. Furthermore, it has been known to help combat the symptoms of flu, cancer, cardiovascular disease, depression and diabetes.

Researchers looked at data obtained from 30 healthy adults who participated in the experiment; they were asked at random to take Vitamin D supplements or Vitamin D2 mushroom powder for 12 weeks. What researchers found was that there was no difference between those taking the supplements to those taking the mushroom powder.

“These results provide evidence that ingesting mushrooms which have been exposed to ultraviolet light and contain vitamin D2, are a good source of vitamin D that can improve the vitamin D status of healthy adults. Furthermore we found ingesting mushrooms containing vitamin D2 was as effective in raising and maintaining a healthy adult`s vitamin D status as ingesting a supplement that contained either vitamin D2 or vitamin D3,” said Michael F. Holick, PhD, MD and the principal investigator of the study, according to Zeenews.

According to their findings, the researchers believe that eating mushrooms serves the same purpose as supplements in enhancing the body’s need for Vitamin D. Furthermore, the mushrooms proved to be more beneficial after being exposed to UBV light, which caused the mushrooms to produce Vitamin D3 and D4.

“Although it has been previously reported that mushrooms have the ability to produce both vitamin D2 and vitamin D4, through our own research we were able to detect several types of vitamin Ds and provitamin Ds in mushroom samples including vitamin D3 which is also made in human skin,” added Holick.

With extra levels of care added to your diet, it is suggested that mushrooms are better, alternative root to chowing down on expensive supplements.

Why burn your money when you can burn your toxins?

Vitamin D: Are Mushrooms the Best Alternative?

Categories: cancer, cardiovascular, diet, Flu, healthy adults, ingesting mushrooms, mushroom, mushroom powder, mushrooms, skin, Supplements, vitamin, Vitamin D, vitamin d2, vitamin D3, VMS

How to Maintain Nerve Function with Five Simple Vitamins

You need vitamins and minerals to maintain your health, but that doesn’t mean they can be chugged down in a one-size-fits-all kind of way. Certain vitamins support certain systems in your body, and enhance your wellness in different ways. One system that’s particularly vital to maintain is your nervous system, as it has something to do with just about every other system your body, and so if you get that on track with the right vitamins, you can keep your wellbeing in lifelong, tip-top shape.

Firstly, your body needs vitamin B6, otherwise known as pyridoxine, in order to use vitamin B12, magnesium and hydrochloric acid. This water-soluble vitamin also helps to keep your levels of potassium and sodium in balance, which plays an important part of regulating your body’s fluids and supporting normal nerve function. Vitamin B6 also benefits your body in the creation of erythrocytes and antibodies, and helps your liver release glycogen, which is essential for energy.

Another B vitamin that is essential for normal nerve function is thiamine, or vitamin B1. It helps your body break down carbohydrates into glucose, which you use for energy, and can also help you maintain a positive mental attitude. Because it’s water-soluble, vitamin B1 has to be replenished every day, as your body will just excrete what ever it doesn’t use. You can find it in wheat, rice, brewer’s yeast and blackstrap molasses.

You need vitamin B12 for the metabolism of your nerve tissue, and it’s found almost exclusively in animal proteins. This means that vegetarians will need to get this vitamin through supplements, as will those with a vitamin B12 deficiency, but otherwise you can find great dietary sources of the vitamin, such as organ meats, fish and dairy products.

Choline is another one of the B complex vitamins that help maintain nerve function, and can be found in egg yolks, liver, brewer’s yeast and wheat germ. Choline is important because it helps your body to use fats and cholesterol, supports the health of the myelin sheaths that protect your nerve cells, and aids the transmission of nerve signals. Finally, vitamin D, which you get from the sunlight on your skin, is synthesised by your body to support a stable nervous system and, as an added bonus, vitamin D also keeps your heart functioning normally.

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How to Maintain Nerve Function with Five Simple Vitamins

Categories: b vitamins, Nerve System, Vitamin D

How Vitamin D Deficiency Affects Children’s Health

Vitamin D is the ‘sunshine vitamin’. It’s known by this nickname because we can get all of our vitamin D needs from exposure to the sun. While this is fine in hot countries, it’s not so great in perpetually drizzling places like the UK. It’s thought that in the winter time, a majority of people in the UK will have a mild vitamin D deficiency. According to new research, this is something that we need to worry about, and this is especially true for children.

 

A new study, released by the Nationwide Children’s Hospital, has shed light on the impact of vitamin D insufficiency in paediatric patients who have low bone density. Vitamin D deficiency is emerging as a serious problem in the world of paediatrics. A mild degree of vitamin D deficiency, which is known as vitamin D insufficiency, can cause rickets in children. The good news is that it can be treated with increased amount of nutritional vitamin D intake as well as increased exposure to the sun.

 

The study looked at 85 patients, and found that a worrying 80 percent showed vitamin D insufficiency. It was also true that all of them had a history of bone fragility or underlying chronic medical conditions that put them at a risk of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis has been thought of as just an adult disease, but is now increasingly seen in children and can often originate during childhood.

 

Vitamin D insufficiency may contribute to low bone mass and it can even make the underlying metabolic bone disease worse if it is not treated. Vitamin D is absolutely essential to the good health of your bones.

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How Vitamin D Deficiency Affects Children’s Health

Categories: osteoporosis, sunshine, Vitamin D

Can Sun Lamps Protect Babies From Osteoporosis?

It’s common knowledge that getting enough exposure to sunlight is very important to the health of our bones. That’s thanks to the fact that sunlight allows our bodies to synthesise vitamin D, which is a nutrient that has been linked to thicker and stronger bones. But now an interesting study has revealed something new about sunlight – it’s important for the health of unborn children too.

A number of medical experts have advised that women who give birth during the winter should use a sun lamp during the last three months of their pregnancy in order to protect their child from the risk of osteoporosis in later life. This suggestion comes after research found that children who are born to mothers whose final three months of pregnancy included at least one summer month were 40 percent less likely to suffer the debilitating bone-wasting condition in their adulthood.

It’s thought that the mother’s exposure to sunlight in this crucial period of the baby’s development ensures that the child gets enough vitamin D to ensure strong bones in the future. Doctors even suggest that women whose last trimester of pregnancy does not fall between May and September should consider taking a holiday in the Mediterranean to guarantee themselves plenty of sunshine.

However, despite the obvious popularity of this suggestion, flying is not recommended in the last trimester of pregnancy, so women could instead use a sunlamp to synthesise the experience of being in the sun. The doctors were quick to point out that this did not mean that they were recommending the use of sunbeds, which actually emit much higher levels of ultraviolet light.

For the research, the team looked at 17,000 patients, mainly female, and 95 percent of whom were white. They found that patients who were under 50 were 40 percent less likely to have developed osteoporosis if their mother’s last trimester of pregnancy included at least one summer month.

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Can Sun Lamps Protect Babies From Osteoporosis?

Categories: osteoporosis, sunlight, Vitamin D