The editorial linked below appeared in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. It traces the rise in fructose consumption, and the rise in chronic diseases that have come in its wake.
Fructose is a simple sugar found in honey, fruit, table sugar, and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Because of the increase in the consumption of these sweeteners, fructose intake worldwide has quadrupled since the early 1900s.
Over the past three decades, there has been an even greater acceleration in consumption, in part because of the introduction of HFCS. The increase in fructose consumption parallels the rise in obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and kidney disease.
Studies in animals have shown that fructose can induce insulin resistance, elevated triglycerides, abdominal obesity, elevated blood pressure, inflammation, oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, microvascular disease, hyperuricemia, glomerular hypertension and renal injury, and fatty liver. The consumption of large amounts of dietary fructose also can rapidly induce insulin resistance.
Sources:
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition November 2008, 88(5): 1189-1190
(and brought to our attention by Dr. Mercola)
---------
JACQUES' remarks:
Another in many "Experts' Advice, Recommendatiions, die-hard Rules, etc." corrective "Ooooops!"-like retractions, modifications, etc. which deny, contradict, reverse and generally render their previous earth-shattering revelations a hoax, which have even shown to be toxic or lethal ones on occasions! :(
From time to time I feel compelled to bring these to your attention, in keeping with my own raised eyebrow approach to much of what the "All-Knowing (or is it Know-It-All?---LOL) "Experts" like to pontificate to whoever shall listen to and believe in their "carved in stone Truths"---to you and me who, after all, represent a seemingly endless and convenient supply of FREE and willing Lab rats who have usually gone along with, adopted and followed their lead...
...And, when the latter proved erroneous, it was a "no skin off their nose" no-fault goof which a simple retraction would make go away...like sticking their heads in the sands of life - ostrich-like...waiting for the enbarrassing clouds overhead to disappear...
So, today, as usual...I chose to kick the turned up asses of these real "OZ"es.
Have a Great weekend! And my apologies for failing to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving,(I'll tell you why at another time)... I hope was a wonderful one for you and yours!
Your Friend in Welleness and Success,
Jacques
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
The Dark Side of Chocolate: Healthy or Hype?
By Shawn McKee
Staff Writer
We all love chocolate, but there is a side of chocolate most people don't see... the dark side. Unlike its lighter-shaded cousins, dark chocolate has spent years as the "other chocolate." But now it's coming out of the shadows and into the forefront of the chocolate revolution -- and, apparently, finding plenty of support from health-conscious consumers.
The reports of dark chocolate being healthy for one's heart has sent demand for this sweet treat soaring. With sales up 40 percent this year and dark chocolate revenue from last year topping $1.62 billion, according to Mintel International, it's time to recognize the chocolate shade shift.
But is dark chocolate really the answer to your cravings? Well, if you believe the research that has recently surfaced about its antioxidant-rich and flavonol-filled nature, then it could be what you need for your chocolate fix.
The new fervor about the health benefits of chocolate come from -- you guessed it -- research done by chocolate companies. Nearly 80 percent of the research that's fueling the frenzy for dark chocolate as a health food comes from the Mars Corporation. The findings help the marketing for their Dove Dark, CocoaVia, M&M's Dark and limited-time Snickers Dark offerings.
It seems most chocolatiers are no longer afraid of the dark. One in three chocolate product launches this year included dark chocolate.
Is it time to go to the dark side?
According to Pamela Ofstein, eDiets director of nutrition services, dark chocolate "contains epicatechin, which is a compound of plant flavonoids. These flavonoids can help keep cholesterol from gathering in blood vessels and reduce the risk of blood clots."
But before you trade in your granola bar for a chocolate bar, remember that chocolate also contains a high amount of fat and calories per small serving -- 210 calories and 12 grams of fat for a Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate bar.
So adding chocolate to your diet just for the heart-health effects will also add unwanted calories, sugars, saturated fats and pounds. Ofstein recommends one to 1.5 ounces per day of dark chocolate to curb your confection cravings.
The benefits are real, but like most things, dark chocolate works best in moderation.
Americans spend nearly $10 billion a year to buy roughly 1.5 million tons of chocolate. If you need a chocolate fix, go dark because typically the darker the chocolate, the sweeter the health benefits.
Here's how your sweets stack up:
Dark chocolate should be your first choice; with heart-healthy antioxidants called flavonoids and no added milk fat, it's superior to its chocolate cousins.
America's favorite, milk chocolate, has more added sugar and fewer flavonoids than dark chocolate, as well as containing added milk fat, which raises cholesterol levels.
White chocolate contains no flavonoids and has added sugar and milk fat. It's the least healthy of the three.
(Courtesy: GLEE Magazine)
Staff Writer
We all love chocolate, but there is a side of chocolate most people don't see... the dark side. Unlike its lighter-shaded cousins, dark chocolate has spent years as the "other chocolate." But now it's coming out of the shadows and into the forefront of the chocolate revolution -- and, apparently, finding plenty of support from health-conscious consumers.
The reports of dark chocolate being healthy for one's heart has sent demand for this sweet treat soaring. With sales up 40 percent this year and dark chocolate revenue from last year topping $1.62 billion, according to Mintel International, it's time to recognize the chocolate shade shift.
But is dark chocolate really the answer to your cravings? Well, if you believe the research that has recently surfaced about its antioxidant-rich and flavonol-filled nature, then it could be what you need for your chocolate fix.
The new fervor about the health benefits of chocolate come from -- you guessed it -- research done by chocolate companies. Nearly 80 percent of the research that's fueling the frenzy for dark chocolate as a health food comes from the Mars Corporation. The findings help the marketing for their Dove Dark, CocoaVia, M&M's Dark and limited-time Snickers Dark offerings.
It seems most chocolatiers are no longer afraid of the dark. One in three chocolate product launches this year included dark chocolate.
Is it time to go to the dark side?
According to Pamela Ofstein, eDiets director of nutrition services, dark chocolate "contains epicatechin, which is a compound of plant flavonoids. These flavonoids can help keep cholesterol from gathering in blood vessels and reduce the risk of blood clots."
But before you trade in your granola bar for a chocolate bar, remember that chocolate also contains a high amount of fat and calories per small serving -- 210 calories and 12 grams of fat for a Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate bar.
So adding chocolate to your diet just for the heart-health effects will also add unwanted calories, sugars, saturated fats and pounds. Ofstein recommends one to 1.5 ounces per day of dark chocolate to curb your confection cravings.
The benefits are real, but like most things, dark chocolate works best in moderation.
Americans spend nearly $10 billion a year to buy roughly 1.5 million tons of chocolate. If you need a chocolate fix, go dark because typically the darker the chocolate, the sweeter the health benefits.
Here's how your sweets stack up:
Dark chocolate should be your first choice; with heart-healthy antioxidants called flavonoids and no added milk fat, it's superior to its chocolate cousins.
America's favorite, milk chocolate, has more added sugar and fewer flavonoids than dark chocolate, as well as containing added milk fat, which raises cholesterol levels.
White chocolate contains no flavonoids and has added sugar and milk fat. It's the least healthy of the three.
(Courtesy: GLEE Magazine)
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Try My High-Protein Pumpkin Pancakes!
I’m going to do my due diligence today to help you avoid the candy dish and other Halloween - Thanksgiving temptations by giving you a delicious healthy alternative! Try this treat: High protein pumpkin pancakes(aka “pumpcakes”). Enjoy!
Tom Venuto’s “pumpcakes” (pumpkin pancakes)
7.5 oz (212 g) of canned pumpkin
1/3 cup (27 g) oatmeal dry
1/3 cup (40 g) multigrain or whole wheat pancake mix
1 scoop (26 g) vanilla (or plain) protein powder
4 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
Sweetener (brown sugar, stevia or splenda): Optional
Yield: makes 2 large (5 inch wide) pancakes
Nutrition information for 2 pancakes, unsweetened
Calories: 507
Protein: 44.1 g.
Carbs: 69.7 g.
Fat: 5 g.
Bon Appetit!---Courtesy: BurnTheFat Newsletter
Tom Venuto’s “pumpcakes” (pumpkin pancakes)
7.5 oz (212 g) of canned pumpkin
1/3 cup (27 g) oatmeal dry
1/3 cup (40 g) multigrain or whole wheat pancake mix
1 scoop (26 g) vanilla (or plain) protein powder
4 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
Sweetener (brown sugar, stevia or splenda): Optional
Yield: makes 2 large (5 inch wide) pancakes
Nutrition information for 2 pancakes, unsweetened
Calories: 507
Protein: 44.1 g.
Carbs: 69.7 g.
Fat: 5 g.
Bon Appetit!---Courtesy: BurnTheFat Newsletter
Sunday, November 9, 2008
The Magic of Solitude
By: Brian Tracy
The greatest men and women of all ages have practiced solitude regularly. They learned how to use silence to still their minds and tap into their superconscious powers for answers to their questions.
In this newsletter, you learn how you can apply this wonderful technique immediately to improve the quality of your inner and outer life.
The Magic of Solitude
Your feelings, your emotions, are the access point to your inner powers of mind. The most important part in the process of getting in touch with your feelings is to begin to practice solitude on a regular basis. Solitude is the most powerful activity in which you can engage. Men and women who practice it correctly and on a regular basis never fail to be amazed at the difference it makes in their lives.
Most people have never practiced solitude. Most people have never sat down quietly by themselves for any period of time in their entire lives. Most people are so busy being busy, doing something-even watching television-that it's highly unusual for them to simply sit, deliberately, and do nothing. But as Catherine Ponder points out, "Men and women begin to become great when they begin to take time quietly by themselves, when they begin to practice solitude." And here's the method you can use.
To get the full benefit of your periods of solitude, you must sit quietly for at least 30 to 60 minutes at a time. If you haven't done it before, it will take the first 25 minutes or so for you to stop fidgeting and moving around. You'll almost have to hold yourself physically in your seat. You'll have an almost irresistible desire to get up and do something. But you must persist.
Solitude requires that you sit quietly, perfectly still, back and head erect, eyes open, without cigarettes, candy, writing materials, music or any interruptions whatsoever for at least 30 minutes. An hour is better.
Become completely relaxed, and breathe deeply. Just let your mind flow. Don't deliberately try to think about anything. The harder you "don't try," the more powerfully it works. After 20 or 25 minutes, you'll begin to feel deeply relaxed. You'll begin to experience a flow of energy coming into your mind and body.
You'll have a tremendous sense of well-being. At this point, you'll be ready to get the full benefit of these moments of contemplation.
The River of Ideas
The incredible thing about solitude is that if it is done correctly, it works just about 100 percent of the time. While you're sitting there, a stream, a river, of ideas will flow through your mind. You'll think about countless subjects in an uncontrolled stream of consciousness. Your job is just to relax and listen to your inner voice.
At a certain stage during your period of solitude, the answers to the most pressing difficulties facing you will emerge quietly and clearly, like a boat putting gently to the side of a lake. The answer that you seek will come to you so clearly and it will feel so perfect that you'll experience a deep sense of gratitude and contentment.
Trusting Yourself
When you emerge from this period of quiet, you must do exactly what has come to you. It may involve dealing with a human situation. It may involve starting something or quitting something. Whatever it is, when you follow the guidance that you received in solitude, it will turn out to be exactly the right thing to do. Everything will be OK. And it will usually work out far better than you could have imagined. Just try it and see.
You must learn to trust yourself. You must develop the habit of listening to yourself and then acting on the guidance you receive.
Action Exercises
Here are three steps you can take immediately to put these ideas into action.
First, select a specific time and place to sit quietly and practice one full hour of solitude. Don't put it off.
Second, take small periods of silence and solitude during the day, especially when you feel overwhelmed with problems or responsibilities.
Third, take action immediately on the ideas and insights you receive while in solitude. One good idea can save you months and years of hard work. The key is trust.
-----
Jacques' Comments:
The excellent article and techniques above reflect benefits which are commonly derived during and after deep meditation exercises and self-hypnosis.
You have read a number of my remarks interjected within some of my posts. I am referring to those in which I urge participants of my deep self-hypnotic "Modulations" to practice learning to "Listen to your Inner Voice, or Higher Self"---believe, trust and follow these instinctive silent messages from your powerful, all-knowing subconscious mind and you will invariably be directed in the most accurate, safe and beneficial direction. You shall also receive the most perfect guidance imaginable---especially in the area of weight and eating management.
The greatest men and women of all ages have practiced solitude regularly. They learned how to use silence to still their minds and tap into their superconscious powers for answers to their questions.
In this newsletter, you learn how you can apply this wonderful technique immediately to improve the quality of your inner and outer life.
The Magic of Solitude
Your feelings, your emotions, are the access point to your inner powers of mind. The most important part in the process of getting in touch with your feelings is to begin to practice solitude on a regular basis. Solitude is the most powerful activity in which you can engage. Men and women who practice it correctly and on a regular basis never fail to be amazed at the difference it makes in their lives.
Most people have never practiced solitude. Most people have never sat down quietly by themselves for any period of time in their entire lives. Most people are so busy being busy, doing something-even watching television-that it's highly unusual for them to simply sit, deliberately, and do nothing. But as Catherine Ponder points out, "Men and women begin to become great when they begin to take time quietly by themselves, when they begin to practice solitude." And here's the method you can use.
To get the full benefit of your periods of solitude, you must sit quietly for at least 30 to 60 minutes at a time. If you haven't done it before, it will take the first 25 minutes or so for you to stop fidgeting and moving around. You'll almost have to hold yourself physically in your seat. You'll have an almost irresistible desire to get up and do something. But you must persist.
Solitude requires that you sit quietly, perfectly still, back and head erect, eyes open, without cigarettes, candy, writing materials, music or any interruptions whatsoever for at least 30 minutes. An hour is better.
Become completely relaxed, and breathe deeply. Just let your mind flow. Don't deliberately try to think about anything. The harder you "don't try," the more powerfully it works. After 20 or 25 minutes, you'll begin to feel deeply relaxed. You'll begin to experience a flow of energy coming into your mind and body.
You'll have a tremendous sense of well-being. At this point, you'll be ready to get the full benefit of these moments of contemplation.
The River of Ideas
The incredible thing about solitude is that if it is done correctly, it works just about 100 percent of the time. While you're sitting there, a stream, a river, of ideas will flow through your mind. You'll think about countless subjects in an uncontrolled stream of consciousness. Your job is just to relax and listen to your inner voice.
At a certain stage during your period of solitude, the answers to the most pressing difficulties facing you will emerge quietly and clearly, like a boat putting gently to the side of a lake. The answer that you seek will come to you so clearly and it will feel so perfect that you'll experience a deep sense of gratitude and contentment.
Trusting Yourself
When you emerge from this period of quiet, you must do exactly what has come to you. It may involve dealing with a human situation. It may involve starting something or quitting something. Whatever it is, when you follow the guidance that you received in solitude, it will turn out to be exactly the right thing to do. Everything will be OK. And it will usually work out far better than you could have imagined. Just try it and see.
You must learn to trust yourself. You must develop the habit of listening to yourself and then acting on the guidance you receive.
Action Exercises
Here are three steps you can take immediately to put these ideas into action.
First, select a specific time and place to sit quietly and practice one full hour of solitude. Don't put it off.
Second, take small periods of silence and solitude during the day, especially when you feel overwhelmed with problems or responsibilities.
Third, take action immediately on the ideas and insights you receive while in solitude. One good idea can save you months and years of hard work. The key is trust.
-----
Jacques' Comments:
The excellent article and techniques above reflect benefits which are commonly derived during and after deep meditation exercises and self-hypnosis.
You have read a number of my remarks interjected within some of my posts. I am referring to those in which I urge participants of my deep self-hypnotic "Modulations" to practice learning to "Listen to your Inner Voice, or Higher Self"---believe, trust and follow these instinctive silent messages from your powerful, all-knowing subconscious mind and you will invariably be directed in the most accurate, safe and beneficial direction. You shall also receive the most perfect guidance imaginable---especially in the area of weight and eating management.
Friday, November 7, 2008
8 Foods That Get You Going in the Morning
A healthy post-Elections '08 tip for you, dear friends:
Having trouble switching from dreamland to realityville? Head for the kitchen. What you eat can help you be more alert, think more clearly, have more energy, and even be more creative, says Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of Food & Mood. Assuming you’ve clocked at least 7 hours of sleep, these foods will get you up, focused, and feeling like a morning person -- even if you're totally not.
1. A spoonful of sweetness:
A tad of sugar in your coffee or honey in your smoothie stimulates the release of acetylcholine, a brain chemical that enhances memory. But don’t overdo it or you’ll soon feel drowsy. Excess sweetness can raise serotonin levels to a sleep-inducing high.
2. A whole-wheat bagel:
Your primo brain fuel is glucose, the basic building block of carbs. So after a night of fasting, your brain is on red alert for a carb fix. But you don’t need a lot -- half a whole-wheat bagel will rev up your engines. So will a bowl of oatmeal. Pick your fave.
3. Lox on that bagel:
Salmon contains a fat known as DHA, which makes up 97% of the omega-3 fatty acids in your brain. You need lots of it to get your mental decks cleared for action -- part of DHA’s job is to carry away cellular waste products that make your brain feel sluggish.
4. Spicy V8:
Hot and spicy foods amp up blood flow, which is like warming your engines. If tomatoes are too acidic for you in the morning, toss a tablespoon of peeled fresh ginger into hot tea or a cold smoothie for a similar rush.
5. Soy:
It contains compounds called isoflavones that help clear your mind (and fight memory loss, too). Drink a glass of calcium-fortified soymilk, pour it over whole-grain cereal, or toss some chopped tofu into scrambled eggs.
6. Ice water:
A small glass of frosty H2O will get your blood pumping. The cold shock forces your system to defend its normal temperature, which gives your metabolism a slight boost.
7. Coffee:
But of course! Caffeine helps alertness by dampening a chemical called adenosine, which otherwise blocks energy-boosting brain chemicals. As a result, you think faster, drive better, and remember more. Just know your jitter threshold -- getting too wired can undermine your efficiency.
8. If all else fails:
Place a tin of ginger-flavored Altoids, a few Red Hots, or a packet of Listerine strips beside your alarm clock. When the buzzer goes off, pop one or two of them into your mouth before hitting the snooze button. It’s virtually impossible to sleep with that “curiously strong” taste waking up your mouth!
Besides facing the day -- we all have to, eventually -- the real benefit of switching your system to "on" in the morning is that your brain starts buzzing, absorbing interesting info and making sense of the news. And becoming a lifelong learner can make your RealAge as much as 2.5 years younger.
Comments:
According to Consumer Reports - Lox or Smoked Salmon contains NO Omega-3's because the smoking process smokes all the Omega'3's right out of the salmon. There is a technical difference between Lox and Smoked Salmon - Lox isn't smoked its cured. But today, almost all Lox is both cured and smoked. The smoking process is what kills the Omega 3'. So forget the smoked salmon and ONLY buy Lox if you KNOW it's not smoked.
Courtesy: RealAge Newsletter
Having trouble switching from dreamland to realityville? Head for the kitchen. What you eat can help you be more alert, think more clearly, have more energy, and even be more creative, says Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of Food & Mood. Assuming you’ve clocked at least 7 hours of sleep, these foods will get you up, focused, and feeling like a morning person -- even if you're totally not.
1. A spoonful of sweetness:
A tad of sugar in your coffee or honey in your smoothie stimulates the release of acetylcholine, a brain chemical that enhances memory. But don’t overdo it or you’ll soon feel drowsy. Excess sweetness can raise serotonin levels to a sleep-inducing high.
2. A whole-wheat bagel:
Your primo brain fuel is glucose, the basic building block of carbs. So after a night of fasting, your brain is on red alert for a carb fix. But you don’t need a lot -- half a whole-wheat bagel will rev up your engines. So will a bowl of oatmeal. Pick your fave.
3. Lox on that bagel:
Salmon contains a fat known as DHA, which makes up 97% of the omega-3 fatty acids in your brain. You need lots of it to get your mental decks cleared for action -- part of DHA’s job is to carry away cellular waste products that make your brain feel sluggish.
4. Spicy V8:
Hot and spicy foods amp up blood flow, which is like warming your engines. If tomatoes are too acidic for you in the morning, toss a tablespoon of peeled fresh ginger into hot tea or a cold smoothie for a similar rush.
5. Soy:
It contains compounds called isoflavones that help clear your mind (and fight memory loss, too). Drink a glass of calcium-fortified soymilk, pour it over whole-grain cereal, or toss some chopped tofu into scrambled eggs.
6. Ice water:
A small glass of frosty H2O will get your blood pumping. The cold shock forces your system to defend its normal temperature, which gives your metabolism a slight boost.
7. Coffee:
But of course! Caffeine helps alertness by dampening a chemical called adenosine, which otherwise blocks energy-boosting brain chemicals. As a result, you think faster, drive better, and remember more. Just know your jitter threshold -- getting too wired can undermine your efficiency.
8. If all else fails:
Place a tin of ginger-flavored Altoids, a few Red Hots, or a packet of Listerine strips beside your alarm clock. When the buzzer goes off, pop one or two of them into your mouth before hitting the snooze button. It’s virtually impossible to sleep with that “curiously strong” taste waking up your mouth!
Besides facing the day -- we all have to, eventually -- the real benefit of switching your system to "on" in the morning is that your brain starts buzzing, absorbing interesting info and making sense of the news. And becoming a lifelong learner can make your RealAge as much as 2.5 years younger.
Comments:
According to Consumer Reports - Lox or Smoked Salmon contains NO Omega-3's because the smoking process smokes all the Omega'3's right out of the salmon. There is a technical difference between Lox and Smoked Salmon - Lox isn't smoked its cured. But today, almost all Lox is both cured and smoked. The smoking process is what kills the Omega 3'. So forget the smoked salmon and ONLY buy Lox if you KNOW it's not smoked.
Courtesy: RealAge Newsletter
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Vitamin D is a Key Player in Your Overall Health
Vitamin D, once linked to only bone diseases such as rickets and osteoporosis, is now recognized as a major player in overall human health.
In a paper published in the August issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Anthony Norman, an international expert on vitamin D, identifies vitamin D's potential for contributions to good health in the adaptive and innate immune systems, the secretion and regulation of insulin by the pancreas, the heart and blood pressure regulation, muscle strength and brain activity.
Access to adequate amounts of vitamin D is also believed to be beneficial towards reducing the risk of cancer.
Norman also lists 36 organ tissues in the body whose cells respond biologically to vitamin D, including bone marrow, breast, colon, intestine, kidney, lung, prostate, retina, skin, stomach and uterine tissues.
According to Norman, deficiency of vitamin D can impact all 36 organs. Already, vitamin D deficiency is associated with muscle strength decrease, high risk for falls, and increased risk for colorectal, prostate and breast and other major cancers.
An unrelated study also suggests that low vitamin D is associated with Parkinson’s disease. The majority (55 percent) of Parkinson's disease patients in the study had insufficient levels of vitamin D.
Meanwhile, the American Academy of Pediatrics has doubled its recommendation for a daily dose of vitamin D in children, in the hopes of preventing rickets and promoting other health benefits.
The new guidelines now call for children to receive 400 international units (IU) of vitamin D per day, beginning in the first few days of life.
“ … Evidence has shown this could have life-long health benefits," said Dr. Frank Greer of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Sources:
Eurekalert October 9, 2008
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition August 2008, Vol. 88, No. 2, 491S-499S
Archives of Neurology October 2008, Vol. 65, No. 10
Reuters October 13, 2008
Courtesy: Dr. Mercola
----------
Jacques' P.S.:
You may wonder why I post so many health-related articles in this, a basically "Business and $ucce$$"-related Blog.
Very simply that, without overall physical, emotional, spiritual and mental health, the sum total of our business dynamics suffer a lot.
And so, I feel morally, ethically and lovingly compelled to contribute my own balance and harmony posts for "A Healthier Mind in a Healthier Body".
Make this post-Halloween and pre-Election Day weekend a Great One!
Your Friend Always,
Jacques
In a paper published in the August issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Anthony Norman, an international expert on vitamin D, identifies vitamin D's potential for contributions to good health in the adaptive and innate immune systems, the secretion and regulation of insulin by the pancreas, the heart and blood pressure regulation, muscle strength and brain activity.
Access to adequate amounts of vitamin D is also believed to be beneficial towards reducing the risk of cancer.
Norman also lists 36 organ tissues in the body whose cells respond biologically to vitamin D, including bone marrow, breast, colon, intestine, kidney, lung, prostate, retina, skin, stomach and uterine tissues.
According to Norman, deficiency of vitamin D can impact all 36 organs. Already, vitamin D deficiency is associated with muscle strength decrease, high risk for falls, and increased risk for colorectal, prostate and breast and other major cancers.
An unrelated study also suggests that low vitamin D is associated with Parkinson’s disease. The majority (55 percent) of Parkinson's disease patients in the study had insufficient levels of vitamin D.
Meanwhile, the American Academy of Pediatrics has doubled its recommendation for a daily dose of vitamin D in children, in the hopes of preventing rickets and promoting other health benefits.
The new guidelines now call for children to receive 400 international units (IU) of vitamin D per day, beginning in the first few days of life.
“ … Evidence has shown this could have life-long health benefits," said Dr. Frank Greer of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Sources:
Eurekalert October 9, 2008
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition August 2008, Vol. 88, No. 2, 491S-499S
Archives of Neurology October 2008, Vol. 65, No. 10
Reuters October 13, 2008
Courtesy: Dr. Mercola
----------
Jacques' P.S.:
You may wonder why I post so many health-related articles in this, a basically "Business and $ucce$$"-related Blog.
Very simply that, without overall physical, emotional, spiritual and mental health, the sum total of our business dynamics suffer a lot.
And so, I feel morally, ethically and lovingly compelled to contribute my own balance and harmony posts for "A Healthier Mind in a Healthier Body".
Make this post-Halloween and pre-Election Day weekend a Great One!
Your Friend Always,
Jacques
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