Herbal News Magazine
All About Herbal Medicine, Alternative Health News and Natural Supplements
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Jan 2
Vitamin D is appearing more and more to be the “super vitamin” of our generation. Of course, there are tons of “super nutrients” out there, but there are few vitamins that are proving to be as valuable and indisposable as the multi purpose vitamin D.
Vitamin D is linked not only to improved immunity and flu and cold prevention, but it is also linked to cancer prevention for several different kinds of cancer, including skin cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer (and likely almost all forms of cancer). Why is that? Well, it is showing some powerful abilities to help keep healthy cells from mutating into cancerous cells in many different studies.
Now, vitamin D may also have yet another use in the human anatomy and overall health scope. It may help to prevent diabetes, one of the health conditions that is ravaging America today thanks to an obesity epidemic and processed foods diets running out of control.
In new studies, low levels of this important vitamin are now being linked to an inability to control diabetes (blood sugar) successfully, suggesting that the vitamin plays a role in regulating insulin levels.
The worse the deficiency of the nutrient, the worse the control of diabetes was in patients who were in the study. Although there was a clear link between the two since most study participants had low vitamin D levels as well as diabetes, there was no clear cause and effect relationship, just the noticed factor of low blood levels.
The thought is that vitamin D has an active function in regulating pancreatic cells which regulate insulin production, which is why it may help patients to more successfully control their blood sugar levels.
Perhaps this is all somehow also connected to the strength of the immune system this vitamin helps impart as well as its ability to help fight off cancerous growths in cells. As many studies have proven, it seems that so many functions are interrelated. We have much to learn about this vitamin still, but this much we know – it is crucial to our survival and health in many ways.
This may explain why this vitamin has been flying off the shelves – I noticed many of them were cleared off at the drug store last time I went to replenish my own supply.
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Nov 26
I don’t know why, but I’m very leery to follow the recommendations of the common medical establishment, and when I see “warnings” come out by the AMA or other such associations about vitamins which have a proven health benefit, such as the prevention of cancer, I tend to treat it with extreme skepticism.
Vitamin D, as you know, has increasingly come to the forefront as of late as a great vitamin to take and make sure you get plenty of through natural sunlight exposure (the absolute best way to get your vitamin D since your body is the best fine-tuner of this vitamin when received from this source.
Vitamin D has shown remarkable abilities in cancer prevention as it helps the body to prevent healthy cells from turning “rogue” and evolving into unhealthy cancerous cells. It is especially beneficial when combined with a fatty source such as an omega 3 fat as vitamin D needs fat to be able to absorb optimally into the blood stream.
New “evidence” has been found according to one study, that those with blood levels that were “too high” for this vitamin actually were at a higher risk for atrial fibrillation, or heart arrythmia. This means that the heart sort of loses it’s rhythmic patter of beating and tends to gallop through the chest in an uneven heart beat.
It often feels as if it is squeezing out of control to the person who suffers from arrythmia. I have even experienced it before, when I am having a panic attack or if I’ve eaten garbage such as sweets too much. It’s not pleasant.
Now, as far as “too much vitamin D”. We’re not entirely convinced that the reason for the increase in this heart arrythmia should be attributed to this vitamin being in the blood at “too high levels”. After all, how is it determined what is too high?
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Tagged as: arrythmia, arrythmias, atrial fibrillation, hear beat, heart, levels, too high, vitamin d -
Vitamins and Common Sense
Filed under Vitamins & MineralsOct 31Vitamin supplementation, in moderation, is a good idea for many of us. Due to our fast paced lives, many people don’t always pay attention to getting all of the food groups in to reach our recommended daily allowances of every vitamin everyday. Women, in particular, often go on severely calorie restricted diets and may leave themselves nutritionally short.
The best way to get our nutrition, vitamins and minerals is from the food we eat. Taking a multivitamin suited to our personal needs is a reasonable amount of supplementation. Taking multiple vitamins in megadoses without any indication of a deficiency and without consulting a physician, can actually be harmful to your health.
Even the water soluble vitamins, such as vitamin C and some of the B vitamins like niacin, can cause abdominal discomfort when taken in very large doses. Symptoms from this practice can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and a loss of appetite. Generally speaking, supplementation should be done within the RDA or recommended daily allowance.
During certain times in our life, however, nutritional needs may change and our bodies may require more of a particular nutrient or vitamin. A perfect example of this situation is women during pregnancy. Prenatal vitamins are specifically tailored to their needs providing folic acid which helps to prevent birth defects. Pregnant women usually require more iron also.
Postmenopausal women need to supplement their calcium and vitamin D to prevent osteoporosis. Another concern for older individuals and vegans is getting enough of vitamin B12. All of these situations should be discussed with your physician to determine what amount of supplementation is appropriate for your situation.
Use common sense when purchasing and taking any vitamin for supplementation. Try to select a vitamin with your age and gender in mind. A good rule to follow is to keep it simple. Avoid taking multiple supplements or large doses of any one vitamin unless directed otherwise by a physician.
Vitamin D has been the focus of a lot of attention lately and many of us fear that we aren’t getting enough of this vitamin. But you can get too high of an amount of vitamin D. Symptoms of vitamin D toxicity are gastrointestinal problems, frequent urination and hypercalcemia.
Vitamin A, can be overdone also, and in too high of a dose, can lead to toxicity. Symptoms of vitamin A toxicity are dry skin, hair, eyes and lips. Vitamin K is another one to use caution with as it promotes clotting. This action could interfere with blood thinners and common heart medications.
Always make sure you inform your doctor of any vitamins you are taking and what quantity. If you are having surgery, it is very important that your medical team knows what vitamins you have been taking.
This can have an effect on your bleeding time and how you respond to anesthesia. If and when you take a vitamin supplement, just remember, more is not better. Food is the best vitamin source and if you do supplement, use a reasonable dose. Keep your doctor in the loop as to what you are taking in the way of vitamins.
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Vitamins Harmful? Reports Are All Baseless….
Filed under Alternative & Herbal Health News, Vitamins & MineralsOct 17I just read a great article which exposed the recent reports that have been attacking vitamins and supplements as harmful and useless. It basically exposes these media reports, which have been found in numerous papers and digital media, causing a stir and worry in people who have been taking supplements and vitamins for years and enjoying their great health benefits.
The media reports are completely baseless. They were actually based on a survey study that sent 3 measly surveys to the participants over an 18 year period, and that’s how they received their “data” that taking multivitamins can result in earlier death in women.
This is truly disgusting, and an attempt by pharmaceutically backed media outlets trying the further the cause of their backers, the medical establishment which stands to benefit if the population is sicker and needs their drugs more.
Please read more about this truly appalling miscarriage of journalism, and you will be convinced that these reports are baseless, as I have been.
http://www.naturalnews.com/033883_vitamins_mortality_risk.html
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Aug 26
As a woman, I know what it means to be iron deficient, especially at that time of the month when you lose some of the iron in your body due to the monthly womanly cycle that we all love (yes I’m being facetious).
During this time, and many other times for a lot of women who are chronically short on this important mineral, you can feel really tired, like you’re barely getting through your days and can’t wait for bed every night.
It’s important that you get enough of this vital mineral, and unfortunately many women (and men too), don’t get nearly enough of it. It is one of the primary minerals in prenatal vitamins for this reason – most of us don’t get enough of it in our daily diet.
One of the best ways to get iron in your diet, and one of the foods I love most and could probably eat every single day – is broccoli. It probably doesn’t really matte rif you buy fresh or frozen, since frozen broccoli often maintains a lot of the original vitamins and minerals.
In fact, it may even maintain more in the frozen form than in fresh because it is often flash frozen as soon as it is harvested. I personally like to pair my fresh broccoli with some steamed chopped summer squash. This way, I also get vitamin C in there, which helps my body to absorb the iron.
Pairing your iron sources with any food that contains vitamin C will help your body to absorb it more efficiently, so take note of that when pairing your foods. Liver, which is a food I personally don’t care for, actually contains high amounts of iron as well. In fact, it is the highest iron content found in a meat source – if you can stomach it.
Beef contains iron as well. So do some types of fish and poultry if you happen to be a carnivore like myself. If you are an herbivore (vegetarian), then you can try things like lentils, soybeans, spinach, and of course, my favorite – broccoli.
Anything that is a deep green color will have great iron content. Kale, swiss chard and other leafy greens are excellent for their iron content – kale is probably the best since it is packed with iron and a ton of other high quality vitamins.
Lightly steaming them helps them to keep their iron and vitamin content while over cooking can take a lot of it away, so be mindful not to overcook. of course raw is the best way!
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Tagged as: absorption, best, broccoli, iron, kale, lentils, meat, sources, soybeans, spinach, swiss chard, vegetables, vegetarian, vitamin c
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