Who would have thought vitamin D would become anything more than calcium's friend in absorption and be so diverse in human physiology? Recently, vitamin D has been popping up everywhere in the news. The news ranges from the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency to the abundance of it's positive effects. Here are some examples:
Three highly respected medical journals (see below), among many others, have stated there are approximately 1 billion people worldwide who are vitamin D deficient. One billion? The world's population is 6,900,372,014 as of February 16, 2011 in the afternoon. So, approximately 1/7th of the world does not receive enough vitamin D.
The current role of this humble vitamin in daily nutrition has increased dramatically. Research has uncovered its necessity in flu protection, cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, depression, muscle weakness, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune thyroid disease and autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). This is only the beginning.
So, how does this research affect vitamin D recommendations? According to the February 2011 issue of Better Nutrition (and they aren't the only ones), people should be taking far more than the amount suggested by the National Institute of Medicine - 600 IU's daily. Better Nutrition says, "The committee's recommendation to take 600 IU of vitamin D daily is probably sufficient to maintain strong bones; however, if you want to reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, depression, pain, and colds and flus, you would most likely do better taking at least 1,000 to 2,000 IU of vitamin D each day, maybe more."
When it comes down to brass tacks, it's up to you to decide who is right about how much to take and if you want to believe the vast research that's appeared everywhere, from credible to not-so-credible sources alike, over the past few years. Remember, it's a vitamin that has quickly raised the conservative upper intake levels by the Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health, to 4000 IU's for anyone over the age of 9. There must be something to all this buzz.
Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2007;357:266–281.
Gordon CM, DePeter KC, Feldman HA, et al. Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among healthy adolescents. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2004;158:531–537.
Lips P, Hosking D, Lippuner K, et al. The prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy amongst women with osteoporosis: an international epidemiological investigation. J Intern Med. 2006;260:245–254.
Showing posts with label depression. Show all posts
Showing posts with label depression. Show all posts
Monday, February 21, 2011
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Not Just Physical
Good physical health is important. It is also very important to have good psychological health to defray the various physical problems that can stem from psychological issues. In certain cases, the psychological may need to be addressed for the physical symptoms to be eliminated. Mental status is a process that takes hours, days and often months of analyzing why an individuals brain responds the way they do. Until ghosts of the past or stress is chipped away and exposed, many people go through life in a state of denial, anxiety or unsatisfactory existence, constantly searching for the balance in their lives. Most likely, all that person needs is a release and a feeling of freedom. This sounds simple, but is usually a very complicated process.
Many of you have probably experienced stress, trauma or tragedy in your life. Reflecting on that time, weakened physical health may have occurred simultaneously. Did you start overeating which caused weight gain? Did depression set in and enthusiasm disappear? Did you experience exhaustion and not want to get out of bed? Become irritable, short-tempered or lose focus on the future? Did you have a heart attack, increase in blood pressure, or increase in substance abuse? Psychologists have determined that hardiness and resiliency levels determine how a person responds to life changes and whether they can easily overcome the adversity.
Over the past decade there has been larger, worldly issues that create stress, depression, and anxiety - the war, fear of attacks in the U.S., and a large number of natural disasters. It is difficult for people to be resilient when their home has been destroyed by water, an earthquake, or a family member dies in the war. These all add to the growing psychological problems in the country.
According to the American Psychological Association, "trauma disorders are a common and costly problem in the United States. An estimated 5.2 million American adults ages 18 to 54, or approximately 3.6 percent of people in this age group in a given year, have PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). In 1990, anxiety disorders cost the U.S. an estimated $46.6 billion. Untreated PTSD from any trauma is unlikely to disappear and can contribute to chronic pain, depression, drug and alcohol abuse and sleep problems that impede a person's ability to work and interact with others."
This growing need for solutions to psychological health will also affect a population physically. People can currently address their psychological problems more openly because of increased acceptance in the past few decades. And helping a person's psychological health will also help their physical problems, too.
Many of you have probably experienced stress, trauma or tragedy in your life. Reflecting on that time, weakened physical health may have occurred simultaneously. Did you start overeating which caused weight gain? Did depression set in and enthusiasm disappear? Did you experience exhaustion and not want to get out of bed? Become irritable, short-tempered or lose focus on the future? Did you have a heart attack, increase in blood pressure, or increase in substance abuse? Psychologists have determined that hardiness and resiliency levels determine how a person responds to life changes and whether they can easily overcome the adversity.
Over the past decade there has been larger, worldly issues that create stress, depression, and anxiety - the war, fear of attacks in the U.S., and a large number of natural disasters. It is difficult for people to be resilient when their home has been destroyed by water, an earthquake, or a family member dies in the war. These all add to the growing psychological problems in the country.
According to the American Psychological Association, "trauma disorders are a common and costly problem in the United States. An estimated 5.2 million American adults ages 18 to 54, or approximately 3.6 percent of people in this age group in a given year, have PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). In 1990, anxiety disorders cost the U.S. an estimated $46.6 billion. Untreated PTSD from any trauma is unlikely to disappear and can contribute to chronic pain, depression, drug and alcohol abuse and sleep problems that impede a person's ability to work and interact with others."
This growing need for solutions to psychological health will also affect a population physically. People can currently address their psychological problems more openly because of increased acceptance in the past few decades. And helping a person's psychological health will also help their physical problems, too.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Serious Molds
There are so many species of molds in the world. Some we know as common mushrooms or the type you find on foods in your refrigerator on occasion. Some molds have such extravagant names we dismiss them from our minds, or just throw them into the general category of molds. Here is a little bit of background about specific molds.
Molds are actually fungi, and according to Wikipedia, there are approximately a thousand different species. They get their energy from residing in organic matter, and are typically unseen by the naked eye. It is when molds multiply into colonies that we witness their existence, and is a time when they are harder to eliminate and have become hazardous.
Each species rely on different levels of temperature and moisture. The most common found on foods is Aspergillis, which tends to grow where there is oxygen. One species of Aspergillis multiplies readily on nuts, and produces aflatoxin - a toxin and carcinogen. Other species can be found on grain products and are just as harmful to humans and animals if ingested.
Cladosporium is a common household mold that turns green or black in the presence of moisture, however, is not as detrimental to health as Stachybotrys. This mold is also known as 'black mold' or 'toxic mold'. It rapidly multiplies in moist areas of the home exposing the inhabitants to mycotoxins that affects the lungs, skin, eyes, and mucous membranes of the mouth.
These are just a few species of mold that can cause minor to serious health concerns. The more serious symptoms are chronic fatigue, severe headaches, vomiting, disorientation, depression, rapid heart rate, upper respiratory problems, neurological problems, and even death.
To find out more information on molds and health hazards, go to the following websites:
http://www.bioactivenutrients.com/news/learn-more-fungus/117
http://www.cdc.gov/mold/faqs.htm
http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.html
Molds are actually fungi, and according to Wikipedia, there are approximately a thousand different species. They get their energy from residing in organic matter, and are typically unseen by the naked eye. It is when molds multiply into colonies that we witness their existence, and is a time when they are harder to eliminate and have become hazardous.
Each species rely on different levels of temperature and moisture. The most common found on foods is Aspergillis, which tends to grow where there is oxygen. One species of Aspergillis multiplies readily on nuts, and produces aflatoxin - a toxin and carcinogen. Other species can be found on grain products and are just as harmful to humans and animals if ingested.
Cladosporium is a common household mold that turns green or black in the presence of moisture, however, is not as detrimental to health as Stachybotrys. This mold is also known as 'black mold' or 'toxic mold'. It rapidly multiplies in moist areas of the home exposing the inhabitants to mycotoxins that affects the lungs, skin, eyes, and mucous membranes of the mouth.
These are just a few species of mold that can cause minor to serious health concerns. The more serious symptoms are chronic fatigue, severe headaches, vomiting, disorientation, depression, rapid heart rate, upper respiratory problems, neurological problems, and even death.
To find out more information on molds and health hazards, go to the following websites:
http://www.bioactivenutrients.com/news/learn-more-fungus/117
http://www.cdc.gov/mold/faqs.htm
http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.html
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
