What Are the Risks of Vitamin D Deficiency? It’s Spring, Go Enjoy Some Sunshine!
I can hardly begin to tell you how happy I am that the spring has finally arrived! My town of Portland, Oregon has broken the dreary, gray spell of the winter, and the nice weather has arrived in full force!
What is it about the shining sun that gives everyone a lift? People always seem to have so much more energy when the clouds break, and I don’t think it’s a happy coincidence. The culprit seems to be vitamin D, one of the super-nutrients that the sun gives us. But what, exactly, does vitamin D do to get this effect?
Recent studies all around the world have shown that vitamin D heavily contributes to your body’s sensitivity to insulin, in turn helping the regulation of blood sugar. This has two really exciting results: firstly, having well-regulated levels of blood sugar keeps your energy up between meals. Secondly, your body’s sensitivity to insulin directly affects the risk of diabetes, and this new research clearly shows that getting a sufficient amount of vitamin D can prevent diabetes, along with a slew of other diseases!
The most well known benefit of vitamin D is its ability to increase your calcium absorption, boosting tooth and bone health. But that’s not all. Vitamin D also protects against cancer, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular disease, multiple sclerosis, and other chronic illnesses.
Although vitamin has been shown to prevent 77% of all cancers, new research published in the British Medical Journal shows that above all, high levels of vitamin D significantly lower the risk of bowel cancer.
Vitamin is also important in day-to-day health, as it arms your T-cells, the immune system cells, which can become dormant without sufficient sources of vitamin D. A strong immune system can prevent those frequent colds and flu viruses that tend to plague us in the colder months.
This, however, means that the time we need vitamin D most, the winter, is the most difficult time to get enough in our systems, since sunlight is the easiest and healthiest way to get vitamin D. If you are unable to get at least 20 minutes of sun exposure a day, you should consider vitamin D supplements. You can also incorporate vitamin D into your diet with foods like fish, cod liver oil, broccoli, and raw milk.
Another reason to take a few minutes to bask in the sunshine? Scientists have found that there is a link between vitamin D deficiency and stored body fat levels, so getting some sun can fight obesity by promoting body fat loss.
According to the March 2010 issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, nearly 60% of the world population is vitamin D deficient, so take out your sunglasses and lemonade and make the most of this wonderful season!
“This entry has been posted as part of Prevention Not Prescriptions Tuesday hosted by The Kathleen Show” Click here and check it out!
Go Ahead, Enjoy That Glass of Wine & the Health Benefits Too!
Whenever I talk to my daughter who is currently studying in Paris, she can’t stop talking about all of the amazing food she’s eating, not to mention the fantastic wine that goes with it. The question that keeps popping into my mind is how is she not gaining so much weight? All she does is eat bread and cheese! What is that French secret???
As it turns out, I’m not the only one asking. For years now, nutritionists and researchers have been trying to figure out what they call the French Paradox: how can people who are infamous for smoking and eating foods with high fat content not only stay fit, but also have such low rates of cancer and heart disease?
Recent studies have found that the food the French eat may not be the key to their bonne santé: it may be what they’re drinking with dinner.
Red wine is not only delicious, but it also packed with powerful antioxidants and a compound called resveratrol. In wine, it comes from the skin and seeds of grapes. Researchers have found that resveratrol combats both the effects of aging and other diseases on a cellular level.
The most exciting research being done shows that resveratrol helps protect your cells from those nasty free radicals, lower your blood pressure, boost your heart health, inhibit the spread of cancer, and even prevent Alzheimer’s.
As great as this all is, the biggest problem seems to be finding a sufficient source of this super-compound. While red wine is a great source, it has been found that you’d need several bottles of wine per day just to achieve the full effect, and of course, all things are good in moderation.
Along with red wine, grapes, cranberries, blueberries, and peanuts are all sources of resveratrol. Working these raw foods into your diet is key to getting resveratrol, as well as a lot of other excellent vitamins. Another thing to keep in mind when you’re doing your grocery shopping is to go for natural foods that are packed with antioxidants, which protect cells from free radicals, and are great tools for fighting the effects of aging. Some of my favorite antioxidant foods include broccoli, beans, artichokes, and strawberries.
Try to add as many of these foods into your diet, and remember, do as the French do, and sip on a glass of red wine with dinner, you know, for health purposes. 
“This entry has been posted as part of Prevention Not Prescriptions Tuesday hosted by The Kathleen Show” Click here and check it out!
What the Heck is CoQ10, and Do We Need to Take it?
Having been a health care practitioner for almost ten years now, I have had my fair share of experience with vitamins, minerals, juices, special powders, superfoods, and dietary supplements in general. I have done it all, from making the daily breakfast smoothie chock full of protein and vitamin powders, to taking a combination of seven or eight vitamins a day, so I know how tedious it can be. I found myself thinking, why can’t I just take a Flintstones chewable like I used to give my daughter? But of course, there is no easy fix or magic pill for a healthy lifestyle.
There is, however, Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10.
CoQ10 is a key nutrient in boosting your cells’ energy levels. Found in every single cell, your body naturally produces CoQ10, but at the age of about 25, the level of production decreases dramatically. Some nutritionists believe that this change in production contributes to a decline in mental and physical energy that a lot of people in their 30s and beyond notice.
Cellular energy is directly linked to so many aspects of health, it’s no surprise to learn that CoQ10 is commonly used in treatment for heart conditions, diabetes, migraines, muscular dystrophy, and many other conditions. Additionally, CoQ10 has been shown to strengthen the immune system and even fight breast cancer. There’s even being research done right now studying the effects of CoQ10 on lifespan and longevity.
One way to incorporate more CoQ10 into your life is through meals. Foods such as spinach, broccoli, peanuts, wheat germ, and eggs are great sources, along with whole grains and the heart, liver, and meat of beef, lamb, and pork. However, as much as I personally prefer to get my nutrients form whole foods, it’s important to note that eating these foods is not usually a sufficient substitute for taking a supplement, so you should consider including both into your healthy habits.
From the research being done, it seems like everyone over 25 should be taking a CoQ10 supplement, even if you already have a healthy diet and lifestyle. In addition to aging, smoking also decreases your body’s ability to produce CoQ10, so smokers should be sure to get their hands on some CoQ10.
CoQ10 is a great addition to your anti-aging arsenal, and can boost your day-to-day energy on a cellular level. I know I’ll definitely be trying it out!
“This entry has been posted as part of Prevention Not Prescriptions Tuesday hosted by The Kathleen Show” Click here and check it out!
