Necessary Nutrients: How to Eat Your Vitamins and Minerals

Although pills seem like the easy fix for your wellbeing, the truth is there’s no substitute for diet and nutrition wellness. Sure, you need vitamins and minerals to keep your body functioning at its best – after all, these nutrients are essential in building strong bones; improving brainpower, mood, and memory; and possibly helping the immune system ward off ailments both large and small. Still, according to Jeffrey Blumberg, PhD, director of the antioxidant research lab at Tufts University, ‘Vitamins should be used only as supplements to the diet, not substitutes for healthy food.’ So let’s take a look at the vitamins you need, and how you can incorporate them into your diet.

 

1. Calcium: You need this mineral for bone health, which is vital as you age. Therefore, you want 1000mg every day before you turn 50, and at least 1200 thereafter. You want to spread your calcium consumption out throughout the day, as your body can’t absorb more than 500 milligrams of calcium at a time. The best daily menu is an eight-ounce glass of skimmed milk, one cup of yoghurt, one cup of cooked spinach, and one fig.

 

2. Vitamin D: Not only do you need this vitamin to absorb calcium, a vitamin D deficiency can lead to osteoporosis, certain cancers, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, and other chronic illnesses. Before the age of 50, you should be getting 200IUs every day, and 400-600IUs after that. Your body produces this vitamin when your skin is exposed to sunlight, so you only need to get out in the sun (without sun cream) for 10-15 minutes three times a week. Otherwise, you can get 200IUs from a 3½ ounce serving of salmon, or two cups of fortified milk.

 

3. Vitamins B6 and B12: These vitamins are vital for the functioning of your blood, nerves, and the immune system, and not getting enough could increase your risk for heart disease and stroke. You need 1.3 milligrams (mg) of B6 and 2.4 micrograms of B12 every day, which you can get from a cup of plain yoghurt and a banana, one ounce of sunflower seeds, and three ounces of roast beef.

 

4. Folic Acid (Folate): If you’ve ever had a baby, you’ll know how important folate is to your baby’s wellbeing. This B vitamin helps to prevent neural-tube birth defects, such as spina bifida, and deficiencies can increase your risk of certain cancers, heart disease, and stroke. You need 400 micrograms every day, which you can get from a ¾ cup serving of fortified breakfast cereal, or a combination of a cup of peas, a cup of cooked spinach, and about five spears of asparagus.

 

5. Vitamin C: As you know, vitamin C is good for you immune system, but it also boosts you “good” HDL cholesterol. You need 75-200mg every day, which you can almost get from just one orange. Other food sources include strawberries, red and green peppers, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, spinach and kale.

 

6. Vitamin E: As a powerful antioxidant, vitamin E is an amazing nutrient, especially with regards to your eye health and the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. You generally need about 22.5IUs a day, but anything up to 150IUs won’t hurt. You can get all you need from a cup of raw broccoli coupled with two ounces of either almonds or sunflower seeds.

 

7. Iron: Iron-deficiency anaemia is common in women, as you lose a lot of the mineral during your periods, especially if you have heavy ones. To prevent this, you need about 18mg a day, which is best attained through a large spinach salad, a cup of lentil soup, and a small (three-ounce) serving of red meat.

Categories: calcium, cooked spinach, heart disease, iron, nbsp, ounce, ounce serving, sunflower seeds, vitamin, vitamin c, vitamin e, vitamins

Supplement Saviour: When is Diet Not Enough?

You know that you need to include all the essential vitamins and minerals in your diet, but what about those nutrients that need a little wellness boost? Most of the research suggesting vitamins and minerals prevent cancer and heart disease has been done in dietary sources of nutrients, rather than supplements, so is there ever any point in taking your vitamins and minerals in pill form? The odds are that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and fortified food will give you everything you need to enhance your wellbeing, while supplements are more of a just-in-case form of health insurance. Let’s take a closer look at the beneficial nutrients, and if they’re best attained through diet, or whether they could use a helping hand.

 

1. Beta-carotene: Your body converts this antioxidant into vitamin A and uses it for healthy vision, good skin and a functioning immune system. You can get plenty from carrots, sweet potatoes, and green peppers, among other foods, but what about supplements? According to a 2004 study, taking your beta-carotene in pill form may actually raise your risk of lung cancer if you’re a smoker, so it’s best to get all the antioxidant you need from your diet.

 

2. Calcium: As you probably know from every yogurt advert ever, you need calcium to maintain healthy bones and stave off osteoporosis. However, if you’re dairy intolerant, or you’re getting sick of kale and canned sardines, supplements aren’t a bad idea as long as you don’t take more than 500 milligrams at a time, and pair them with vitamin D to improve your body’s calcium absorption. However, you shouldn’t pop the pill version of calcium if you’re a female over the age of 70, or if you’re prone to kidney stones. In 2010, a report showed a link between calcium supplements and heart-attack risk in older postmenopausal women.

 

3. Folic acid: Although the jury’s still out as to whether folate combats cancer, heart disease, or mental illness, this B vitamin – found in fortified breakfast cereal, dark green vegetables, legumes, citrus fruit juice, bread, and pasta – is beneficial in preventing neural tube defects such as spina bifida in babies. This is why it’s absolutely vital to get 400mg of folic acid every day, or 600mg if you’re pregnant or lactating. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) advises that this amount should come from food, supplements, or both.

 

4. Iron: As the foods highest in iron are liver and other organ meats, you might find yourself wanting to skip your iron intake altogether. However, as women are particularly prone to anaemia – thanks to that special time of month – this mineral is absolutely critical to give your red blood cells the boost they need to prevent this fatigue-inducing condition. Luckily, there are delicious dietary sources of iron, including lean meats, seafood, nuts, and green, leafy vegetables. Still, Jessica Anderson, a registered dietician with the Coastal Bend Health Education Centre, at the Texas A&M Health Science Centre, says you might need a supplement if you are anaemic, have heavy periods or if your doctor has prescribed one before surgery.

 

5. Potassium: If you have high blood pressure, too much sodium or an irregular heart rhythm, potassium can sort you out. While the mineral is found in bananas, raisins, leafy greens, oranges, and milk, you might want to consider a supplement if you’re of African origin, as you’re at a higher risk for hypertension for hypertension and heart disease. People taking potassium-depleting diuretics for a heart condition might also benefit from supplements, but remember that too much potassium can be harmful to older people and people with kidney disease.

Categories: beta carotene, calcium, diet, dietary sources, folic acid, heart, heart disease, iron, nbsp, pill form, potassium, Supplements

The Eight Osteoporosis Facts that Every Woman Needs to Know

Osteoporosis is a major concern, especially for women over the age of 50. However, this disease can be deadly, and so it is essential you make yourself aware about eight important facts related to osteoporosis, no matter your age.

 

1. You need to discuss bone health with your doctor: Even if you’re still in your 20s or 30s, you should be concerned about bone wellness as the earlier you start, the easier it will be to prevent osteoporosis.

 

2. Smoking does more to your wellbeing than causing cancer: Smoking can make your bones become thinner, which increases your risk of fractures and, in turn, osteoporosis.

 

3. Exercise is essential for good bone health: If you get the recommended levels of exercise, you can reduce your risk of osteoporosis. However, overdoing it will put too much strain on your bones, so consult a doctor or look online for the best plan for you. Weight training and muscle bearing exercises can help prevent the loss of bone mass, while aerobic exercises strengthen your bones and connect tissues.

 

4. Calcium is not just for kids: You may be concerned about the fat content in milk, but this is all in vain. Milk actually aids weight loss as well as improving your bone density, so eat three dairy products a day, or drink two glasses of milk, to get your recommended 1200mg of calcium.

 

5. Be wary of menopause: As soon as your body reaches menopause, it stops producing oestrogen. As this hormone is vital for strong and healthy bones, you need to strengthen and maintain them while you still can.

 

6. Medicines can help, but watch out for side effects: Raloxifene, Biphosphonates and Calcitoni are great osteoporosis treatments, but Raloxifene has been known to worsen hot flashes in post-menopausal women and Biphosphonates can give you runny or constipated stomach.

 

7. It’s good to have heavy bones: The higher your bone density, the less risk you have of osteoporosis, so get a test to find out your risk factor. It is quick, non-invasive and absolutely painless.

 

8. There’s no quick fix or magic cure: As it stands, there’s no reliable cure for osteoporosis. This means that prevention is your best bet.

Categories: bone, bone density, bone health, bones, calcium, exercise, nbsp, osteoporosis, osteoporosis nbsp, risk

How to Get Your RDA of Seven Vital Vitamins and Minerals

You may turn to supplements to get you vitamin and mineral fix, but you’re doing no favours to your wellbeing by avoiding food sources. Food provides much more of the nutrients you get in pills, as well as the fibre that pills lack, which are essential for your cognitive wellness and your immune system (which needs nutrients to ward off big and small illnesses). Jeffrey Blumberg, PhD, director of the antioxidant research lab at Tufts University, explains, ‘Vitamins should be used only as supplements to the diet, not substitutes for healthy food.’ So let’s take a look at the ones you need every day, and how you can include them in your diet.

 

1. Vitamins B6 and B12. These vitamins are vital for the functioning of your blood, nerves, and the immune system, and not getting enough could increase your risk for heart disease and stroke. You need 1.3 milligrams (mg) of B6 and 2.4 micrograms of B12 every day, which you can get from a cup of plain yoghurt and a banana, one ounce of sunflower seeds, and three ounces of roast beef.

 

2. Vitamin C. As you know, vitamin C is good for you immune system, but it also boosts you “good” HDL cholesterol. You need 75-200mg every day, which you can almost get from just one orange. Other food sources include strawberries, red and green peppers, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, spinach and kale.

 

3. Calcium. You need this mineral for bone health, which is vital as you age. Therefore, you want 1000mg every day before you turn 50, and at least 1200 thereafter. You want to spread your calcium consumption out throughout the day, as your body can’t absorb more than 500 milligrams of calcium at a time. The best daily menu is an eight-ounce glass of skimmed milk, one cup of yoghurt, one cup of cooked spinach, and one fig.

 

4. Vitamin D. As you need this vitamin to absorb calcium, a vitamin D deficiency can lead to osteoporosis, certain cancers, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, and other chronic illnesses. Before the age of 50, you should be getting 200IUs every day, and 400-600IUs after that. Your body produces this vitamin when your skin is exposed to sunlight, so you only need to get out in the sun (without sun cream) for 10-15 minutes three times a week. Otherwise, you can get 200IUs from a 3½ ounce serving of salmon, or two cups of fortified milk.

 

5. Vitamin E. As a powerful antioxidant, vitamin E is an amazing nutrient, especially with regards to your eye health and the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. You generally need about 22.5IUs a day, but anything up to 150IUs won’t hurt. You can get all you need from a cup of raw broccoli coupled with two ounces of either almonds or sunflower seeds.

 

6. Folic Acid (Folate). If you’ve ever had a baby, you’ll know how important folate is to your baby’s wellbeing. This B vitamin helps to prevent neural-tube birth defects, such as spina bifida, and deficiencies can increase your risk of certain cancers, heart disease, and stroke. You need 400 micrograms every day, which you can get from a ¾ cup serving of fortified breakfast cereal, or a combination of a cup of peas, a cup of cooked spinach, and about five spears of asparagus.

 

7. Iron. Iron-deficiency anaemia is common in women, as you lose a lot of the mineral during your periods, especially if you have heavy ones. To prevent this, you need about 18mg a day, which is best attained through a large spinach salad, a cup of lentil soup, and a small (three-ounce) serving of red meat.

Categories: calcium, cooked spinach, Food Sources, heart disease, nbsp, ounce serving, spinach, sunflower seeds, vitamin, vitamin c

Easy Recipes to Boost Your Calcium Intake

Calcium is a vital nutrient in the body, and it becomes more necessary as we age. Calcium does far more than just strengthening the skeletal system though, as it also improves the strength of your muscles, nerve transmission and even the functioning of your heart. As people age, the loss of bone becomes more of a concern. This is more common in women than men, especially after the menstrual cycle stops, and can even lead to heart disease and other health problems. It’s advised that people up their calcium intake, as most people don’t get enough, and you can do this with easy and delicious recipes that naturally contain more calcium. A balanced diet that contains plenty of dairy is the best way to ensure that you have enough calcium in your diet to stave off osteoporosis.

 

Baked apples

You may not immediately think of a baked apple as a great source of calcium, but there are ways to improve the more traditional offerings to help your diet and improve your wellbeing. First of all, slice the top off of the apple and core it – top with cinnamon and brown sugar and place in a baking dish, baking at 375 until it is soft and tender. Usually this takes around 40 minutes. Once it’s done, serve with natural yoghurt for a calcium-rich boost.

Mozzarella snacks

Cheese is well known for being a great provider of calcium, but it can be fattening and bad for your health if consumed in large amounts. Mozzarella is a brilliant way to get the best of both worlds, as it’s relatively low in fat but also gives the health benefits you need. Try coating it in breadcrumbs that have been seasoned with herbs and black pepper then baking in the over for a tasty treat. Cut the mozzarella into strips and coat in beaten egg before dipping in the crumbs. Once the cheese has been thoroughly coated (you may need to repeat the process) you can place the strips in the fridge to chill before baking in the oven.

Berry smoothie

Smoothies are loaded with nutrients, from calcium to fibre, fruit and vegetables. For this recipe, combine a cup of yoghurt, a cup of frozen berries, a cup of water and two tablespoons of berry jam – whichever you prefer. Blend together with a blender until it is smooth and enjoy straight away.

Cream of broccoli soup

If you want to load up on veggies quickly, soup is the way to go. This particular soup has the added benefit of calcium in the form of milk. Boil broccoli, sauteed onions, chopped parsley, garlic salt and white pepper together until soft, then blend together. Add two cups of non-fat milk and heat until piping hot.

Omelette and frittata

If you want a quick and easy meal that offers plenty of health benefits, an omelette certainly fits the bill. Mix two eggs with salt and pepper, and add a dash of milk. Once cooked through, you can top with cheese for even more calcium. For a heartier meal with added nutrients, try making a frittata. Mix six eggs this time with seasoning and add milk to make a looser consistency. Fry onions, mushrooms, pepper and sweetcorn in a pan until soft, then add the egg mixture, topping with cheese if you wish. Cook on a slow heat until firm on the bottom, then place in an oven to cook through. You can slice this into wedges and serve with a hearty salad for a delicious meal.

Categories: baking, bones, calcium, calcium intake, cheese, Food, Health Benefits, milk, pepper

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

Could Drinking More Milk Help You to Lose More Weight?

Everyone knows that milk is good for your wellness – it’s packed full of calcium and other nutrients. What you may not know, however, is that it can do more good to your weight-loss regime than any fitness programme.

 

Recent research seems to confirm that as well as being good for your wellbeing, dairy products can really help you to lose weight. Of course, you have to make sure that you only consume the low fat versions of these products, and you also have to make sure that you reduce your daily calorie intake and take plenty of exercise.

 

The recommended amount of dairy to help you lose weight is three servings or 24 ounces. Doctors and health professionals are now backing this idea, and say that dairy promotes weight loss around the middle of the body, which is a particularly tricky area to lose weight from. Drinking milk can also help you to build muscles, and having muscles can help you to exercise, as well as boosting your metabolism.

 

Another benefit to drinking milk and eating dairy products is that they fill you up quicker than other types of food, which means you are able to eat less of them. The proteins contained in dairy products also take a lot longer for our bodies to suggest because they contain water, and this makes us seem fuller faster and for longer.

 

This theory is not without critics, however, as some studies also seem to indicate that an increased intake of dairy products actually causes weight gain not weight loss.

 

For this reason, although the Dairy Council recommends that people should eat three servings of dairy per day, they also recommend that people should not exceed this quota, and should eat no more than three servings, to avoid counteracting the effects of the calcium with the effects of the included fat.

Categories: calcium, Dairy, dairy products, drinking milk, Lose weight, milk, nbsp, products, weight, Weight Loss

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

Vegetarian? Get Munching on These Essential Minerals!

If you’re a vegetarian, you’d be forgiven for thinking that you’re probably getting more nutrients than your meat-eating counterparts. Sure, you have to be careful about ensuring you have plenty of protein, but with all the fresh produce and nuts you’re now eating, you’ve got vitamin and mineral wellness in the bag, right? Unfortunately, a vegetarian diet can be lacking in some essential nutrients, so watch out for these key players in your well-being.

 

Iron – Iron is so essential because it carries the oxygen in your blood, and without it you can become anaemic. You can find this much-needed mineral in two forms of food; heme sources, including meats, fish, and poultry; and the non-heme sources, such as legumes, vegetables, dried fruit, and seeds. Obviously, as a vegetarian you’ll be going for the latter category, but iron from non-heme sources is not as efficiently absorbed and used as that from heme sources. Therefore, the Institutes of Medicine recommends even higher levels of iron for vegetarians. If you’re a vegetarian man or menopausal women, your daily iron target is 14mg, while childbearing vegetarian women should be aiming for a daily dose of 33mg. Go for spinach, kidney beans, black-eyed peas, lentils, turnip greens, molasses, whole wheat breads, peas, and dried apricots, prunes, and raisins.

 

Calcium – Your body needs calcium for muscle contractions, blood clotting, nerve conduction, and bone strength and integrity, to name a few. If you’re under the age of 51, you need roughly 1000mg of calcium every day, and you need an extra 200mg if you’re over that age. As a vegetarian or vegan, you can get the calcium you need from calcium-fortified soy-milk, calcium-fortified breakfast cereals and orange juice, tofu made with calcium sulfate, and certain dark-green leafy vegetables such as collard greens, spinach, turnip greens, bok choy, and mustard greens.

 

Zinc – This mineral is vital for maintaining your senses of smell and taste, supporting healthy skin and hair, and arming your body for resistance to infection. Most people need 40mg of zinc every day, but vegetarians may need 50% more zinc than this – according to the National Institutes of Health – as there is a lower absorption level of zinc from plant foods. Therefore, you need to eat plenty of beans (such as white beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas), zinc-fortified breakfast cereals, wheat germ, and pumpkin seeds.

Categories: breakfast cereals, calcium, calcium fortified, essential minerals, fortified breakfast, heme sources, iron, kidney beans, turnip greens, Vegetarian, vegetarian diet

Which Supplements Are Vital for Your Bones, Baby and Belly?

Nutrition is vital to female wellness, whether you’re working on the wellbeing of your bones, belly or future baby. The good news is, with a healthy, balanced diet you’re already getting everything you need, says Women’s Health Nutrition Expert and Registered Dietitian Keri Glassman : ‘We get a wide variety of nutrients from eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, often in perfect proportions. We rarely over or under do it.’

 

Still, sometimes you need a little extra nutrient power here and there, and that’s where supplements come in. You might need to take certain vitamins or minerals if you’re unwell, pregnant or a vegetarian, or as an insurance policy for those times you eat a bag of doughnuts for breakfast instead of your usual whole-wheat toast. According to Glassman, ‘When considering supplements, women need to think bones, babies, and bellies. Sufficient bone density is needed to prevent osteoporosis, an adequate store of folate is essential for fertility and foetal development, and a healthy waistline lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases. Women must also load up on the nutrients that are essential to prevent chronic diseases in the future.’

 

Bones – As you were told as a kid, calcium is vital for keeping bones strong, but your need for it doesn’t stop just because you’ve stopped growing. Mary Ellen Camire, PhD, a nutrition professor at the University of Maine at Orono, explains, ‘Women start losing bone density in their twenties. Calcium is your single best defence, and you should start taking it now.’

 

Babies – If you’re pregnant, folate is absolutely essential. A deficiency in this B vitamin can lead to serious complications, such as your baby being born prematurely or with neural tube defects. Taking 600mg of folate when pregnant can reduce your baby’s chances of neural tube defects by 72-100%!

 

Belly – As the most studied and most active antioxidant in green tea, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) may help reduce your waistline by fighting weight-causing free radicals. Plus, the antioxidant properties of green tea work to lower your cholesterol (which reduces your heart disease risk) and may help prevent the development and growth of skin tumors.

Categories: Baby, bone density, bones, calcium, Chronic Diseases, folate, green tea, nbsp, neural tube, Supplements, tube defects, Women

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

Long in the Tooth: Could Calcium Extend Your Lifespan?

If you take a calcium supplement to guard your wellbeing against osteoporosis, you may be helping extending your longevity in the meantime. This is according to a large new study by Canadian researchers, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, which found that taking a daily calcium supplement and eating foods rich in calcium may help women live longer.

According to the study’s lead author, David Goltzman, MD, of McGill University in Montreal, Canada, ‘Our study found daily use of calcium supplements was associated with a lower risk of death among women. Our analysis showed that total calcium intake among women was more likely to be beneficial than harmful and that the same was true of calcium intake from dairy sources, non-dairy sources, and supplements. In fact, we observed that supplemental calcium intake up to 1000 mg/d among women was associated with statistically significant decreased mortality.’

For the study, the researchers examined the health of over 9,000 Canadians between 1995 and 2007, during which time 1,160 participants died. The results of the study revealed that calcium supplement-taking women had a “hazard ratio” of 0.78. This means that their risk of dying was roughly 78% compared to women who did not take a calcium supplement. Unfortunately for men, the study found no conclusive evidence that calcium supplements had any impact on the mortality rates of men.

Goltzman explained, ‘Higher amounts of calcium were potentially linked to longer lifespans in women, regardless of the source of the calcium. That is, the same benefits were seen when the calcium came from dairy foods, non-dairy foods or supplements.’ Goltzman’s team surmised that calcium supplements have bee linked to lower cholesterol levels and a lower risk of hypertension, as well as fewer bone fractures, and so there are several possible explanations for the lowered risk of mortality.

However, before you rush out and stock up on calcium supplements, bear in mind that some previous studies have linked calcium supplements to heart disease risk. For example, a recent Annals of Internal Medicine study found that calcium and vitamin D supplements may be detrimental to health, or at least their benefits may be overstated. As it stands, wellness experts recommend that older women take vitamin D and calcium supplements to prevent fractures, but you should consult your doctor before taking any supplement.

Categories: calcium, live longer, Research

Be Informed: The Seven Main Myths of Osteoporosis

Wellness experts estimate that one in two women over the age of 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis – or low bone density. However, while this may make you think that everyone else is safe from the brittle bone disease, this is a myth. In fact, there are plenty of myths surrounding osteoporosis, and ignoring them or being misinformed could be detrimental to your wellbeing.

1. You don’t have to worry about osteoporosis – In fact, About one in two women and up to one in four men over the age of 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis, so, unfortunately, it is likely to affect your wellbeing.


2. Only old, Caucasian women develop osteoporosis – Yes, osteoporosis is common among white women, but men and women of all races and ages can have the disease.


3. If you break a bone from a serious fall or accident, you don’t need to worry about osteoporosis – Actually, broken bones from serious falls or accidents are often related to osteoporosis, and can be the first sign of low bone density in people over the age of 50.


4. If you have osteoporosis, you’ll be able to feel your bones getting weaker – Breaking a bone is often the first clue that you have osteoporosis, as it is commonly a “silent disease.” These broken bones can even occur without any noticeable pain.


5. An osteoporosis test is bad for your wellness, as it’s painful and exposes you to a lot of radiation – While the recommended bone mineral density test uses a central DXA (dual energy x-ray absorptiometry) machine, it uses very little radiation. It is also simple, painless, and takes 5-10 minutes.


6. Bone health shouldn’t be a concern for your children and teenagers – Up to the age of 18, you’re still growing and developing and so you need to build strong bones. Your kids can do this, and prevent osteoporosis, by being physically active and getting enough calcium and vitamin D.


7. Milk, supplements and exercise eliminates your risk for osteoporosis – While these are certainly osteoporosis risk-reducing behaviours, there are many risk factors for osteoporosis and so you could still develop the disease.

Categories: calcium, Myths, osteoporosis

Can Supplements Help in Fight With Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis, which is characterised by having low bone density, is a now national affliction, one that is likely to only get more problematic and become more expensive as the population continues to age. At present there are more than 44 million Americans currently suffering with the disease. The majority of the sufferers are women and it is estimated that one in two women and one in four men over the age of 50 will break a bone due at some point due to their osteoporosis.

We know quite a lot about the causes of osteoporosis and the best ways to prevent it, but occasionally, the information can become unnecessarily confusing. For example, the Institute of Medicine has now recommended women who are older than 50 should supplement their diets with calcium and vitamin D. However, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a health advisory group, recently said there actually isn’t any evidence to suggest that supplementation makes a measurable difference.

It is clear that the current evidence does not suggest that calcium or vitamin D supplementation is effective in preventing fractures. But it has been known for a long time that having good levels of calcium in the diet and sufficient vitamin D are important in maintaining bone health.

And this isn’t the only bad news for advocates of supplementation. Even before the recent publications that suggested that women who take calcium supplementation greater than 800 milligrams daily were increasing their risk of heart attacks and mortality, there were a number of physicians who ardently stated that taking calcium could lead to calcium build-up in the arteries. This shows that supplements might actually be very bad for us.

Can Supplements Help in Fight With Osteoporosis?

Categories: Arthritis, calcium, osteoporosis, supplementation, Supplements, vitamin, Women

Strong Bones, Weak Heart: What Calcium Supplements Do?

You know that calcium is important for your bone wellness, but what about other aspects of your wellbeing? If you take calcium supplements, your heart health could suffer. This is according to the results of a new study, published in the journal Heart, which indicate that if you do take calcium supplements, you should take a second look at your regime.

Calcium is a popular supplement to take in our pill-popping world, as it helps to prevent fractures and brittle bone diseases like osteoporosis. Those who are particularly at risk to these consequences; namely the elderly and menopausal and post-menopausal women, are pushed into taking calcium supplements, but research indicates that this increased intake can put those individuals at risk of a heart attack.

To come to this conclusion, researchers evaluated nearly 24,000 individuals who participated in one arm of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. When they enrolled on the study in 1994 to 1998, all the participants were aged between 35 and 64, filling out food frequency questionnaires to detail their dietary and supplementation habits. The researchers documented a total of 354 heart attacks, 260 strokes, and 267 deaths during the study’s 11-year follow-up.

The results of the study showed that calcium supplementers were 86% more likely to experience a heart attack than study participants who did not take any supplements. However, those who consumed a moderate 820mg of calcium daily from all food and supplements had a 31% lower risk of having a heart attack than subjects in the bottom 25% of calcium intake. The authors also discovered that there was no evidence to prove calcium was either positively or negatively linked to the risk of stroke.

The authors concluded, ‘increasing calcium intake from diet might not confer significant cardiovascular benefits, while calcium supplements, which might raise [heart attack] risk, should be taken with caution.’ Therefore, it seems as though there are clear benefits and risks of taking calcium, and if you want to determine the best course of action for you, you should discuss your calcium requirements with a doctor or knowledgeable professional.

Strong Bones, Weak Heart: What Calcium Supplements Do?

Categories: calcium, calcium intake, Calcium Supplements, heart, Heart Attack, heart attacks, Research, risk, study, Supplements

Are Vitamins Always Helpful for Postmenopausal Women?

When you’re going through menopause, the idea of taking vitamin and mineral supplements to guard your bone wellness may be appealing, but they’re actually ineffective in bone protection and fracture prevention. This is according to a release from the US Preventive Services Task Force, who say that daily supplements that have less than 400 IU of vitamin D3 or less than 1,000 milligrams of calcium do not prevent fractures in postmenopausal women,

It’s drilled into you from an early age that calcium is important to maintain strong and healthy bones, but vitamin D helps your body to absorb the calcium. Available in two forms, vitamin D2 is the more potent version of the vitamin, whilst vitamin D3 is present in very few foods but can be produced by your body if you expose your skin to sunlight. However, as this is an unlikely option in many countries, including the UK, the US Preventive Services Task Force examined previous studies that tested vitamin D3 and calcium supplements in preventing bone fractures in over 36,000 healthy postmenopausal women.

Consisting of volunteer prevention and primary care experts in the private sector, the task force is an independent review panel that assesses preventative screenings, medications and counselling services across the US. They stated that, based on the evidence, or lack thereof, they could not recommend increases in vitamin D3 and calcium consumption through daily supplements to prevent bone fractures. This applies to everyone, including men, though this is a particular knock for postmenopausal women, half of whom will have a fracture related to osteoporosis at some point during their lifetime.

In a press release, task force member and chair Virginia Moyer, MD, MPH, said, ‘Vitamin D and calcium are known to play an important role in maintaining health, including bone health. However, despite the large number of studies done, there are few conclusive answers about the ability of vitamin D and calcium supplements to prevent fractures.’ Task force member Jessica Herzstein, MD, MPH, added, ‘Vitamin D plays a role in a wide range of general health functions, and there appears to be minimal harms in taking vitamin D supplements. Clinicians and patients may take this into consideration when determining whether to recommend or take vitamin D for general health.’

Google+
Are Vitamins Always Helpful for Postmenopausal Women?

Categories: bone strength, calcium, vitamin D3

5 Reasons Why Our Bodies Need Calcium for Good Health

The most abundant mineral in the body is calcium and it is absolutely vital for healthy teeth and bones to develop and stay strong. Calcium is also essential for helping our hearts, nerve endings, muscles and other parts of the body to function properly. Young children need calcium to stop rickets and as we age, calcium is also necessary to prevent the degenerative bone condition osteoporosis developing.

Here are 5 essential things to know about calcium.

1. Calcium is not only important for building strong bones and teeth but it also helps our blood clot normally, lowers high blood pressure and regulates our heartbeat. The body needs other nutrients to absorb calcium properly, including vitamins D and K, magnesium and phosphorous.


2. The best source of calcium is in food, especially dairy products such as milk, cheese and yoghurt. Other calcium-rich foods include dark leafy green vegetables such as cabbage, okra and broccoli, tofu and soya beans, sardines and pilchards, nuts and anything made with fortified flour such as bread.


3. A calcium deficiency can lead to the disease rickets in young children, which is a softening and weakening of the bone. As we reach our 30s, our bone density begins to lessen and so we need to ensure we eat a calcium-rich diet to prevent osteoporosis, a condition that particularly affects older women.


4. Adults need 700mg of calcium every day. If you are calcium deficient because of your diet, you can take calcium supplements but you should not overdose on these as high doses can cause stomach upsets. Don’t take any more than 1500mg per day.


5. The two most popular forms of calcium supplement are calcium citrate and calcium carbonate. Each contains different amounts of the mineral and absorbed differently by the body. If you are considering taking a calcium supplement, consult your GP for advice on which one would work best for you.

Google+
5 Reasons Why Our Bodies Need Calcium for Good Health

Categories: calcium, health, minerals

Are Calcium Supplements Dangerous for Heart Health?

Calcium supplements are a popular way for many people to ensure they get enough of the essential mineral daily. While concerns have been raised in the past about the effects of excess calcium in the blood, two recent studies have now linked calcium supplements to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

The first study, carried out at the US National Cancer Institute, revealed that men who took a 1000mg calcium supplement faced an increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. The same risk did not apply to women taking the supplement. The study involved almost 400,000 people, aged 50-71, who had been followed for 12 years.

The researchers made the point that theirs was an observational study and so they could not make a definitive statement that taking the calcium supplements was what caused the increased risk of death from heart disease in men.

The second piece of research was carried out at Sweden’s Uppsala University and involved studying more than 61,000 women for an average of 19 years. The research, published online in the BMJ, concluded that a high intake of calcium was linked to a greater risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

Calcium is essential for good bone health and is also important for other functions such as blood clotting, helping our nerves send messages and for muscle contraction. As the body cannot produce calcium, we have to get this vital mineral from other sources, such as a balanced diet of food naturally high in calcium. Eating calcium-rich food is the preferred option for getting enough calcium but recently calcium supplements have become a popular way of ensuring you get the right daily intake.

For both men and women, the recommended daily intake of calcium is 1000mg. Women over the age of 50 should take in 1200mg while men over the age of 70 should do the same. As the two recent studies show, any higher concentration of calcium could prove risky to long-term health.

Google+
Are Calcium Supplements Dangerous for Heart Health?

Categories: calcium, cardiovascular disease, Risks

Sun, Food and Exercise: Natural Ways to Prevent Osteoporosis

Though anyone can develop osteoporosis, if you’re a woman, your wellbeing is more at risk to the brittle bone disease. Osteoporosis especially affects older women, as the lessening of oestrogen that comes from menopause, and even perimenopause, weakens bone strength. Experts often discuss how to spot the signs of osteoporosis, or how to treat it, but before you let your wellness get to that stage, why don’t you take natural steps to prevent osteoporosis?

The most obvious cause of osteoporosis is a lack of calcium, as you need this mineral to build healthy, strong bones. Women tend to lose calcium easily from the body, and so eating higher proportions of calcium rich foods, such as milk, dairy products, spinach, broccoli, and seafood, can help you guard against this. When you stop menstruating, or even before this, this is a sign that the oestrogen hormone that protects your bones is in decline. Therefore, you might like to consider adding calcium supplements to your daily regime from as early as the age of 35.

However, having calcium is not the only way to prevent osteoporosis. Your bone health may be badly affected by your weight or lack of exercise. Managing your weight is a great way to make sure that your bones and joints aren’t under too much pressure, and doing this via exercise helps to keep your bones flexible, instead of letting them go rusty. However, don’t crash diet to lose weight because this is one of the worst things you can do for bone health, as well as your overall wellbeing. Crash diets leave out essential nutrients, such as calcium, which means that you’ll actually be doing more harm than good.

Another important thing to watch out for is body pain of any kind. Don’t ignore persistent body pain, especially joint pain, as this can be a precursor to osteoporosis. If you do experience this, consult your doctor as soon as possible and make sure you are tested for any signs of osteoporosis. Finally, sunbathing can be a relaxing way to reduce your risk of the disease, as your body needs the vitamin D produced by sunlight on your skin to process calcium. Every day, get a little bit of morning sun and you’ll have stronger, healthier bones in no time.

Google+
Sun, Food and Exercise: Natural Ways to Prevent Osteoporosis

Categories: calcium, osteoporosis, prevention

Heart Failure Could Be Tackled By Calcium Sponge

A team of researchers at the University of Minnesota’s Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology and the Lillehei Heart Institute have been able to use molecular genetic engineering to optimise heart performance in models of diastolic heart failure. They did this by creating a protein that can aid in high-speed relaxation similar to fast twitching muscles.

Inside the cells of the heart, calcium plays a very important role in controlling and regulating normal heart pump function. However, if you suffer from diastolic failure the calcium signalling process is slowed; calcium levels in your body rise to the peak needed for the squeezing action of the heart but don’t then drop quickly enough for an efficient relaxation period. This is known as diastolic heart failure.

The university researchers were able to pinpoint a specific protein, called parvalbumin – which helps in very fast relaxation of fast twitching muscles in nature. They were able to optimise it to become a calcium sponge for muscles of the heart. As a result, the optimised protein, ParvE101Q, soaks up excess calcium, which then allows the heart to relax efficiently after the contraction.

This is a very positive step forward in the battle against diastolic heart failure. The authors of the research advised that the next step will be determining the best possible delivery mechanism for the protein. If this goes well it should allow the discovery to be used in clinics and be a very useful way to fight the condition.

Heart failure is a common killer of both men and women across the country and the rate of heart failure is increasing as the population of the UK ages. This is a very worrying trend, especially as you are more likely to have a second heart attack if you survive the first.

Google+
Heart Failure Could Be Tackled By Calcium Sponge

Categories: calcium, heart failure, heart health