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Sunscreen and Vitamin D Deficiency Linked, Says New Study

If you are like many modern people, you spend much of your life avoiding the sun. We all have heard about the links between ultraviolet light exposure and skin cancer. As a result, even sun worshipers now take precautions to protect their skin from these harmful rays. We wear sunscreen on a daily basis and cover ourselves with hats and long sleeved shirts. However, this avoidance of sunlight may be leading to epidemic levels of vitamin D deficiency.

The Importance of Vitamin D

Vitamin D is one of the most important vitamins, needed for a variety of crucial cell processes. Without it, our immune systems cannot function properly and our teeth become weak. Our nerve and muscle function suffers as well. Most importantly, it is essential in absorbing calcium and maintaining strong bones. Without enough vitamin D, children can develop rickets, a condition in which their bones become so soft that they bend and become malformed. In adults, vitamin D deficiency can lead to weak muscles, as well as osteomalacia and osteoporosis, conditions in which bones become brittle and weak, easily prone to fractures.

Vitamin D is indeed necessary for good health, but it is available in only a small number of foods. This vitamin can be also synthesized in our own skin cells using ultraviolet rays from direct skin exposure. Historically most people got their vitamin D this way. However, in a modern world where an increasing number of people work to reduce ultraviolet light exposure, an equally increasing number are deficient in this important vitamin.

Sunscreen and Vitamin D Deficiency

The recommended daily allowance of vitamin D set by the government is 600 IU for children and adults, with adults age 70 and over needing 800 IU. However, this goal may be too low. New research estimates that modern people who do not receive a great deal of direct unprotected sunlight may need as much as 10 times this amount. The daily allowances were based on a population that gets much more sun exposure than we currently receive. Modern sunscreen use is estimated to reduce vitamin D production in the skin by as much as 99 percent, leaving many people deficient in this key nutrient.

Sunscreen is not the only culprit in our collective vitamin D deficiency. Several diseases that are common in the modern world also can make it difficult for the body to absorb vitamin D from the diet. These include digestive diseases along with chronic kidney disease and even the common type 2 diabetes. These together may be responsible for as many as one million cases of vitamin D deficiency worldwide every year.

In addition, people with certain diets are at risk of a vitamin D deficiency because they do not take in enough vitamin D-rich foods. These at-risk diets include vegan diets as well as diets lacking dairy products, which are fortified with this vitamin.

Could You Be Deficient?

Are you one of the many people who are not getting enough vitamin D? A blood test is the only definitive way to diagnose this, but there are a few signs and symptoms that you can watch for as well. These include:

bone pain
muscle weakness
fatigue
increased infections, especially respiratory infections such as colds and pneumonia
depression
low metabolism
foggy thinking

If you or a loved one have these symptoms, it may be time for a visit to the doctor. You can also find ways to increase your vitamin D intake to see if this relieves your symptoms.

Getting More of the Sunshine Vitamin

The obvious way to get more vitamin D is to get more unprotected sun exposure. However, there are downsides to this as well, including sunburns, accelerated aging and increased rates of skin cancer. If you are not willing to give up your sunscreen, there are several ways that you can get enough of this important nutrient. First, consider getting a vitamin D lamp. These emit wavelengths of light that cause your skin to produce vitamin D, but in controlled amounts that are less likely to cause damage.

Second, add more vitamin D-rich foods to your diet. These include fortified products such as milk, other dairy products, orange juice and soy milk. There are also foods that are naturally high in vitamin D such as beef liver, egg yolks and fatty fish like salmon and tuna. Last, many people take a vitamin D supplement to get the vitamin D that they need without spending time in the sun or changing their diet.

The links between sunscreen and vitamin D deficiency are concerning when we consider how many people are taking steps to protect themselves from the sun. However, there are many ways to get enough of this nutrient in your diet and maintain good health for a lifetime. Whether you decide to spend more time in the sunshine, add vitamin D-rich foods to your plate or simply take a daily vitamin, you can ensure that you get all of the positive health benefits of this important vitamin.

New Research Suggests Chronic Fatigue Syndrome May Begin in Your Gut

May 09 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a common and complex medical issue. New research suggests that gut health may be important in preventing and treating this disease.

All people have experienced fatigue and exhaustion at some point. However, for some people this is a constant condition. Chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as CFS, is on the rise, yet we understand little about how to prevent or treat it. According to a new study, the health of our gastrointestinal system may be a very important factor in whether we develop this and other autoimmune illnesses.

What Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

CFS is a disease in which people are easily tired by even minor physical or mental exertion. While most of us can recover from fatigue with a short rest, people with CFS do not bounce back as quickly. They suffer exhaustion for days on end. In addition, people with CFS also have a variety of other symptoms including a headache, chronic pain, enlarged lymph nodes and difficulty with memory and cognitive tasks.

These symptoms can have debilitating effects on a person’s life. Many people with this disease are unable to maintain a career or even perform basic activities of daily living. More than one million people in the United States are believed to suffer from this disease, yet we still have no definitive test for it, no idea why it happens and very few treatment options. The lack of understanding has even caused some people to believe that this illness is “all in a person’s head.” However, a new study suggests that it could be all in our gut instead.

Links Between Gut Health and Disease

Many studies have come out recently about the importance of your gut microbiome, which consists of the colonies of diverse bacteria that live in your gastrointestinal tract. We are beginning to realize that these bacteria play a very important role in our bodies and may even help prevent and disease. While the presence of bacteria in our guts is necessary and contributes to our health, the balance of these bacteria is very important. Some bacteria have more negative effects than positive and can overgrow under the wrong conditions, crowding out more beneficial species. This imbalance of gut bacteria may be the mechanism behind CFS.

Researchers tested the body fluids of people with CFS for different bacterial markers and compared these to the body fluids of healthy people. The results were surprising: People with CFS had higher levels of pathogenic, or unhealthy, bacteria and lower levels of beneficial ones. Even more surprising, researchers could predict which people had CFS simply by looking for these bacterial markers. Bacterial markers could also be used to predict accurately which people with CFS also had irritable bowel syndrome, a disease that commonly coexists with it.

Inflammation: A Root Cause?

How can bacteria in the gut cause or prevent a disease like CFS? Researchers point out that the bacteria found disproportionately in people with this disease are inherently inflammatory. This may cause a variety of problems, including leaky gut syndrome. The inflammatory markers from these bacteria are present not just in feces, but in the bloodstream of people who suffer from this disease. Inflammation weakens the barriers between the gastrointestinal tract and the bloodstream, allowing these bacteria to affect body systems far removed from the intestines. This explains how bacteria in the gut can have such an immense effect on energy levels and the body as a whole.

This study presents a potential way to identify a disease that currently has no definitive test. In addition, it offers the hope of future treatments for and even prevention of CFS. Doctors may be able to colonize our guts with beneficial bacteria to crowd out the pathogenic ones. In addition, preventing gut inflammation appears to be a very important part of treating this disease. While these therapies are still theoretical, colonizing the gastrointestinal tract with “good bacteria” is already being used successfully to treat conditions such as clostridium difficile (C. diff) infection. The answer to this debilitating disease may be as simple as correcting our microbiome balance.

Maintaining a Healthy Microbiome

Imbalances of gut bacteria have recently been linked to a variety of diseases, leading many people to wonder how they can maintain a healthy GI tract. Unfortunately, the modern Western diet is not conducive to a healthy GI tract. However, there are several things we can do keep that important balance. First, it is important to take in plenty of the good bacteria we need. We can get these from probiotic foods such as yogurt and fermented products, but also from probiotic supplements. Second, it is important to eat foods that feed these bacteria and support their growth, such as high fiber foods. Last, we should avoid antibiotics except where they are absolutely necessary. Antibiotics often kill good bacteria while the species that cause disease tend to be resistant.

Maintaining a healthy GI tract is a very important part of leading a healthy lifestyle. GI imbalances, especially those involving bacteria, have been implicated as the cause of a variety of serious and even life-threatening diseases. While it can be difficult to keep your microbiome balanced in an age of processed foods and antibiotics, the effort may pay off in a longer and healthier life.

Controversial New Findings Spark Debate Over Saturated Fats and Heart Health

May 04 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

New research on saturated fats and heart health has set off a controversy in the medical community. Do saturated fats truly cause heart disease? Or are they really not that bad for you?

Medical advice changes almost by the week. One day we hear that margarine is better, the next day margarine is deadly and butter is the way to go. Sugar similarly has transformed from being a healthy dose of energy to a harbinger of diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Nowhere is this fast and constant shift of opinion so obvious as it is in the area of saturated fats. We have long accepted that they contribute to heart disease and other deadly illnesses. However, new research suggests that this may not be the case. Could we have been wrong about fatty foods like butter and bacon all along?

Saturated Fats and Heart Health

Found in red meat, full-fat dairy products and a variety of processed foods, saturated fat has long been the scapegoat of the nutritional world. Not only is it dense in calories, which can lead to weight gain, but several studies recognized even decades ago that it can clog blood vessels, contributing to both heart attack and stroke.

However, new research is beginning to suggest that the link between saturated fats and heart health may not be as clear as it once appeared. The controversy began anew in 2015 when a study suggested that while saturated fats are bad for the heart, the food compounds that people replace them with may be just as bad.

Is Saturated Fat Actually Bad for You?

Saturated fat and cholesterol are believed to contribute to cardiovascular disease by “clogging” the vessels that move blood around our bodies, similar to the gradual clogging of plumbing that can occur in our home. Because of significant evidence to support this, doctors have recommended for decades that people eat less saturated fat and keep their blood cholesterol numbers low.

A new study, however, shows no connection whatsoever between saturated fat and heart health. Instead, researchers now believe that simple lifestyle changes such as eating wholesome homemade food, getting adequate exercise and controlling stress are healthier than any kind of dietary deprivation. In fact, certain types of high-fat foods, including those rich in plant oils, actually reduce cardiovascular risk. People who eat saturated fats may actually be increasing their heart disease risk simply by eating too many processed items and not enough healthy fats.

However, this remains a controversial study among many doctors and scientists. Leading cardiologists insist that the authors of the recent study finding no correlation between saturated fats and heart disease are guilty of misleadingly compiling data while ignoring studies that prove their theory wrong. These cardiologists point out that the largest and most well-controlled studies have consistently found a link between saturated fats and heart disease for several decades and counting.

Lifestyle Choices for Whole Body Health

Although there is significant controversy about the role of saturated fat in heart disease, most doctors and experts agree on several lifestyle changes intended to improve cardiovascular health. Eating a plant-based, whole foods diet is one of the best things you can do for your health, as it cuts back on “bad” fats and additives while ensuring that you get enough vitamins and healthy fats. Taking a walk, as the study authors suggested, also is a lifestyle decision that will improve heart health and mental health at the same time. Getting enough sleep—while difficult for many people in the modern world—also is generally agreed to be a great decision for heart health.

Promoting Cardiovascular Health the Natural Way

If you want to give your heart an extra health boost, there are many all-natural nutrients and vitamins that have been proven to minimize the risk of cardiovascular disease and protect your heart. Consider adding one of these supplements to your daily regimen:

omega-3 fatty acids to reduce triglycerides, lower blood pressure and prevent atherosclerosis
folic acid to reduce levels of homocysteine, a natural product of the human body that can contribute to cardiovascular disease
B vitamins, which also reduce levels of homocysteine and contribute to better metabolism in general
calcium, which is essential for cardiac muscle function
magnesium for optimal function of nerves that control the cardiovascular system
coenzyme Q10, an antioxidant that protects heart and blood vessel tissues from oxidative damage
L-carnitine that reduces abnormal heart rhythms and the development of angina
grapeseed extract, which contains flavonoids that have been found to protect the heart and reduce cardiovascular disease

Is butter really that bad for you? New research calls this assumption into question. However, all data indicates that our hearts will be healthier if we eat a less-processed diet, get plenty of fresh air and take supplements that provide ingredients with proven cardiovascular benefits. Leading a healthy and well-balanced lifestyle is key to living a long and happy life.

Alarming Link Found Between Insomnia and Heart Disease, Stroke Risk

May 01 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Millions of Americans suffer from insomnia. This common concern may be affecting our health in a variety of negative ways, according to new research on insomnia and heart disease.

Most of us have suffered from at least a short bout of insomnia: You lay awake in bed for hours, watching the clock as a morning of exhaustion draws ever closer. Other people fall asleep quickly but are awakened so often that they do not feel rested in the morning. Insomnia is a temporary problem for most of us, but for some, it is a daily struggle. Not only does this leave insomniacs fatigued, but it also can increase the chance of developing serious illness. According to new research, there is a link between insomnia and heart attacks, heart disease and stroke.

Insomnia: A Modern Pandemic

Why do modern people struggle to get the sleep they need? For some, anxiety and stress are the root cause. Others may simply be more sensitive to the light pollution around us. Several popular medications can also make it difficult to fall and stay asleep. There are so many reasons to stay awake at night that it is a wonder any of us are sleeping well.

Whatever the reason, insomnia can have huge and negative effects on our lives and our bodies. People who do not get enough sleep are usually fatigued and unable to function optimally the next day. They score more poorly on tests of memory and mental aptitude; they are more likely to have accidents such as motor vehicle collisions. In addition, a lack of sleep means higher levels of inflammation in your body and less cell repair. Over time, this can have serious health effects.

Insomnia and Heart Disease

According to new research, our hearts suffer when we don’t get enough sleep. Heart failure is a disease in which our hearts lose the ability to effectively pump blood through our circulatory system. Almost three-fourths of people with heart failure have a long history of insomnia, suggesting that there is a link. In fact, having insomnia increases our risk of developing heart failure by 300 percent. Insomnia also increases the rate of heart attacks. Women appear to be disproportionately affected by insomnia.

The heart is not the organ that can suffer when people do not get enough sleep. Having insomnia leaves people at a 54 percent increased risk of having a stroke, in which the blood supply to the brain is compromised enough to kill delicate brain tissue. Strokes can have lifelong effects such as paralysis, loss of ability to care for oneself and loss of mental faculties. This increased risk is heightened in young people, who have an eight times greater chance of stroke when they suffer from insomnia.

Why Do We Need Sleep?

Why do people with insomnia suffer from so many negative health effects? They miss out on the restoration that happens when we are dreaming. Our cells perform important “cleanup” work when we are sleeping, getting rid of waste products and repairing the damage from the day. People who do not get enough sleep are not getting enough of this important behind-the-scenes cleanup. Like a house that is not maintained, their bodies slowly fall into disrepair that can compromise the health of the overall structure.

The result is that people who do not get enough sleep have higher levels of inflammation and greater amounts of cytokines and other molecules that cause inflammatory reactions. They do not repair DNA as effectively. Over time, these effects can lead to long-term damage to muscles that make up the heart as well as delicate blood vessels. When these tissues break down, heart disease and stroke are the unfortunate results.

Getting the Sleep You Need for Good Health

These links between insomnia and cardiovascular disease show how important it is to get the right amount of sleep. However, this is a struggle for many people. If you are having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, consider the following natural treatments for insomnia:

Keep a routine. Go to sleep and wake up at the same time, even on weekends and vacations.
Practice good sleep hygiene. Use your bedroom only for sleep and sex. Consider implementing a night time routine that calms you and prepares your mind to shut down.
Turn down the lights. Lighting, especially the blue lighting from devices, keeps your brain from making hormones such as melatonin that encourage sleep.
Keep a restful sleeping space. Invest in comfortable sheets and pillows. Make sure the decorations in your bedroom are restful and calming to you.
Avoid caffeine, nicotine and other stimulants in the hours before bedtime.
If stress is keeping you awake, practice yoga or meditation an hour before bed to calm your anxiety level.
Consider taking a natural supplement intended to help with occasional sleeplessness, such as melatonin.
Avoid using sleeping pills and antihistamines like diphenhydramine to sleep. These create dependence and also leave you groggy in the morning.

Getting enough sleep can be difficult in the modern world. Lights and stress never go to sleep, so it is hard for our brains to do so. However, it is important to maintain habits that allow you to shut down and get the rest you need to be happy and healthy. Maintaining a stable sleep schedule is one of the most important lifestyle choices that a person can make to encourage whole body health.

Quercetin Benefits Heart Health and May Protect Against Cardiovascular Concerns

Apr 26 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Most people have heard of the health benefits of vitamin C, vitamin E and calcium. However, there are many compounds that may improve our health that have only recently been discovered. One of these compounds is a flavonoid called quercetin that appears to protect the cardiovascular system by helping to maintain healthy cholesterol and blood pressure within normal ranges while also protecting muscles from oxidation. What is this flavonoid? How can you get more of it in your diet?

Flavonoids: More Than Flavor

Scientists and doctors once recommended getting five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. This advice has been modified recently to a recommendation to eat produce of all the colors of the rainbow. Why is eating colorful foods now considered important? It ends up that the compounds that give fruits and vegetables their color and strong taste also have positive effects on our health. One of these flavonoids purported to benefit our health is a compound called quercetin.

Quercetin is present in strongly flavored vegetables such as capers, chili peppers and onions. In addition, people can get quercetin from leafy greens as well as dark red and purple fruits like black plums. Quercetin’s role in plants is to act as an antioxidant, preventing damage from the sun and pests. In humans it plays much the same role, helping to repair and prevent the damage caused by free radicals. Eating ample amounts of this flavonoid has also been found to help promote healthy cell growth in the past. According to new research, the benefits of quercetin may also include promoting cardiovascular health.

Quercetin Benefits for the Heart, Blood Vessels and Beyond

Several studies on quercetin have linked it to cardiovascular health. Cardiovascular disease is the top killer in the modern world, contributing to around 40 percent of deaths. Much of the damage is caused by free radicals. Our body needs oxygen to perform critical metabolic processes, but this does not come without a cost. These processes create reactive oxygen species, highly reactive ions that can damage the molecules that make up DNA and other cell components. Over time, this damage can lead to atherosclerosis, the hardening and narrowing of arteries that is one of the top contributors to cardiovascular disease.

Quercetin acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize these oxygen compounds and prevent them from causing damage. This antioxidant action can have very tangible results. Men who were given 100mg a day of quercetin had a measurable decrease in their cholesterol. Higher doses were found to lower blood pressure significantly. Even in low doses, quercetin benefits blood vessels by preventing the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, a crucial step in the narrowing of arteries that can contribute to stroke and heart attack.

Healing a Broken Heart?

This data all indicates that quercetin may help to prevent damage to the cardiovascular system. However, new research indicates that this flavonoid may also help heal existing damage. Researchers studied the effects of a quercetin-rich diet on mice with muscular dystrophy, a disease which damages muscles including those that make up the heart. The mice fed a special diet with high amounts of quercetin had less inflammation and less cell damage than mice with muscular dystrophy who were fed a normal diet.

Muscular dystrophy is a rare disease. However, damage to the muscles of hearts and blood vessels is common and contributes to cardiovascular disease. More research will be needed to determine whether quercetin can help to heal cardiovascular damage with causes other than muscular dystrophy, but the evidence is promising.

Are You Getting Enough Quercetin?

Quercetin is present in a wide variety of antioxidant-rich foods, including:

onions of all colors
capers
black grapes
black plums
dark leafy greens
hot peppers
cocoa
sweet potatoes
green herbs such as tarragon
darkly pigmented berries such as lingonberries and blackberries

People who eat a varied, plant-based diet will likely get enough of this compound to enjoy its health effects. However, the standard American diet does not include adequate amounts. Although quercetin is present in a wide variety of foods, these are not foods that most Western people eat in ample quantity. In order to ensure that they are getting a cardioprotective amount of this flavonoid, many people take a supplement that contains quercetin. While it is difficult to find supplements with high enough amounts to get the benefits of quercetin, there are several antioxidant blends on the market that contain it.

The benefits of quercetin are still being studied. However, it appears that this flavonoid may play a very important role in protecting the cardiovascular system as well as other tissues. Whether you get your quercetin from diet or from supplements, it is a good idea to ensure you are getting enough of this little-known nutrient.

The Dangers and Side Effects of Sleeping Pills

Apr 22 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Do you occasionally have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep? If so, you are part of a silent and growing group. Up to one half of Americans suffer from a sleep concern like insomnia. While there are many sleeping pills on the market, many find that the side effects of these are not worth the temporary fix they offer. However, there is good news. If you have sleep problems and are concerned about the short- and long-term side effects of sleeping pills, there may be natural solutions.

Insomnia: A National Epidemic

Americans of every age occasionally have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, and many suffer from insomnia and other sleep disorders. Modern life is full of stress and anxiety that can interfere with sleep. In addition, we live in a world very different from that of our ancestors. There is constant light and entertainment, making it difficult to maintain a healthy circadian rhythm. Even children have plenty of worries and distractions to keep them up at night. The result is that up to half of all people suffer from insomnia and even more have occasional difficulty falling asleep, both of which can have negative effects on your health.

There are many pharmaceutical solutions to help with insomnia and other sleep concerns, but these are highly imperfect. Many people are seeking a safe and long term fix for their sleeping woes.

Are They Worth It? Side Effects of Sleeping Pills

There are many downsides to the medications available on the market to help people sleep. Sleeping pills can sedate you and make it difficult to wake up in the morning or in the case of an emergency. Accidental overdose is a very real and worrisome possibility as well. This is especially true for people with respiratory diseases such as asthma. Sleeping pills can be addictive or habit-forming as well. People who use them may find that they work at first, but that the effects become smaller and smaller. People who try them often find themselves taking increasing amounts of sleep medications to get the same or even smaller effects.

Because there are so many side effects of sleeping pills, many people try to use them only as a last resort. The FDA and other regulatory agencies actually recommend avoiding them and have made the guidelines for prescribing these medications stricter than ever before due to the dangers. Unfortunately this can mean living with sleepless nights. Is there a natural answer to occasional difficulty falling asleep and other sleep concerns?

Melatonin: A Natural Answer

Many people have been able to achieve a healthier sleep cycle using melatonin. In some cases, melatonin can be more effective and have fewer side effects than pharmaceutical sleeping pills. This is due to the fact that it is a completely natural hormone that is already made by your brain. When your body winds down at night, melatonin is released by the pineal gland in your brain to help you fall asleep. Many people have difficulty sleeping due to a deficiency of this important hormone.

Because it is a natural hormone, melatonin has very few side effects. The most common one is sleepiness, which is the very reason so many people take it. Overdoses of melatonin are so rare that they are practically unheard of and dependence is extremely rare because it is not addictive.

Getting the Sleep You Need

In addition to supplementing with melatonin, there are several ways that people with insomnia can get the sleep that they need. Consider making a few lifestyle changes proven to help with insomnia such as these:

1. Save the bed for sleep and romance.

People who read, study, pay bills and perform other tasks in bed are less likely to associate it with sleep and thus may have a hard time settling in for the night.

2. Do not go to bed until you are tired.

Lying awake is stressful and may actually make you stay up even longer than waiting until you are ready for sleep.

3. Meditate in the evening.

Meditation calms you down, brings down the blood pressure and quiets your mind. This is especially important for people who have trouble sleeping due to racing thoughts.

4. Go to bed and wake up at the same time.

This includes weekends. If your body gets into a set sleep-wake cycle, it will be likely to keep it. Sleeping in on weekends actually disrupts your circadian rhythm.

5. Turn down the lights an hour before bed.

This includes your phone and other devices. The blue light from these has been statistically proven to contribute to insomnia and keep your brain from releasing the melatonin that you need for good rest.

6. Consider old wives’ remedies.

If chamomile and hot milk helped your grandmother to sleep, they just might help you as well. These old time remedies are often relaxing and nostalgic, helping you to settle in.

Many people do not need sleeping pills, but rather a relaxing sleep schedule and a few natural solutions. These natural remedies are healthy lifestyle choices that will get you to sleep without the many side effects of sleeping pills.