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Lack of Vitamin D linked to Teen Health Problems

The following is an article from - TV 3 Lifestyle leads with this article on lack of vitamin D linked to teen health problems.

New research in teenagers links low levels of vitamin D to high blood pressure and high blood sugar, which can lead to ominous early health problems. The "sunshine" vitamin is needed to keep bones strong, but recent research has linked vitamin D to other possible health benefits. The teen study confirms results seen in adults, linking low levels with risk factors for heart disease, the researchers said.

Teens in the study with the lowest vitamin D levels were more than twice as likely to have high blood pressure and high blood sugar. They were also four times more likely to have metabolic syndrome, defined as have three of more conditions that contribute to heart disease and diabetes – including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, big waists and high cholesterol.

The study's leader, Jared Reis of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said more research will be needed to determine if vitamin D is really behind the health problems and whether getting more would make a difference.

"We're showing strong associations that need to be followed up," he said.

The findings were being presented Wednesday at an American Heart Association conference in Palm Harbor, Florida.

A former president of the heart group said there's much to be learned about the apparent connection.

"We're at the tip of the iceberg," said Dr. Robert Eckel.

The body makes vitamin D when exposed to sunlight's ultraviolet rays. Getting about 15 minutes of sunlight a few times a week is generally enough.

Vitamin D is also in fortified foods like milk and in salmon and other oily fish.

The American Academy of Paediatrics recently doubled its recommended amount of vitamin D for children and teens to 400 units daily - the equivalent of drinking four cups of milk. The paediatricians group said kids who don't get enough should take vitamin supplements.

The teen study looked at about 3,600 boys and girls ages 12 to 19 who took part in a government health survey from 2001 to 2004. The researchers used measurements of vitamin D from blood tests.

On average, none of the teens were getting enough vitamin D. Whites had the highest levels, blacks had the lowest levels and Mexican-Americans had levels in between.

One reason for the difference, experts say, could be that it takes fair skin less time to absorb vitamin D from the sun than darker skin. Also, Reis said, blacks may be skipping milk because they are more likely to be lactose intolerant.

Dr. Randal Thomas, director of the cardiovascular health clinic at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, said that it's likely that vitamin D deficiencies in teens stem from unhealthy diets and lack of exercise outdoors.

"If their diet includes chips and soft drinks, they're probably not getting enough vitamin D," said Thomas.

Experts say there are many questions that still need to be answered about vitamin D, including how much people need.

"As time goes on, we're getting a better idea of what we need and how it's functioning in our bodies," said Adrian Gombart, a vitamin D researcher at Oregon State University.

AP

Mobile Phones - do they scare you?

Let’s cut to the chase – I have always been concerned about radiation from mobile phones especially the old ‘brick size ones’. Some of the mobiles I have had I have even felt ear and head heating up on the mobile phone side. When this happened I always cut short any call. This week I received this link to a Popcorn video online – now I am even more worried. Don’t expect long mobile chats from me anymore. Click here to view

Is Organic Enough?

I received the following 2 stories about eating organic and thought I would share them with you.

Laura Brownwood - laura@the-beachhouse.com

In Oregon (1975) I had an organic garden and orchard. For several years I didn’t feed my family anything from a box, bottle jar or can. We grew it, ground it, sprouted it and dehydrated it. For example our salad dressings were made from organic sunflower seeds, seasonings (all organic, most grown in our garden) and lemon juice. My bread I baked was from sprouted wheat, etc, etc, etc.

Then we bought a natural food store where we sold organic everything! I taught nutrition classes and thought we would be getting all that we needed from the amazing food we were eating.

Fast forward to the mid 90's when I have a medical problem. I go six years undiagnosed until I find Sanoviv. After two days they told me I had mercury poisoning and was low in nutrients. If I was low in nutrients, what is the rest of the nation?

The doctor’s gave me a big handful of supplements to take and six years later I am most appreciative of my well-being!

Love this company (USANA) and use almost every single product they manufacture!

Laura Brownwood, Laguna Beach, CA

Joan Baumann - jebaumann@videotron.ca

Years ago, I met Dr. Shiv Chopra* at a health seminar in Montreal. After he finished his lecture, I approached him to ask:

"Dr. Chopra, if we were to eat organic food all year round, would we need to take supplements?"

He gave me a gentle smile and said,

"Sad to say, yes. We live in such a toxic world that even eating organic food is insufficient. You need supplements."

In health, Joan Baumann - Database Administrator www.Nutrisearch.ca

Dr. Shiv Chopra http://shivchopra.com

Wikipidea http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiv_Chopra

Peanut Products Recall

US salmonella outbreak threatens NZ through peanut butter products - This is a copy of a recent article featured on the TV3 Website (Wed, 21 Jan 2009)

There are concerns a salmonella outbreak that has killed at least six people in the United States may spread to New Zealand.

The Kellogg Company is recalling 16 products in the United States after officials confirmed salmonella contamination at a Georgia facility that sold peanut products to 85 food companies.

And Abbott Nutrition has recalled three food bars exported to New Zealand because of the possibility of salmonella contamination.

They are the ZonePerfect chocolate peanut butter bar, the peanut toffee bar and the NutriPals peanut butter chocolate nutrition bars.

Read it for yourself - online TV3 Report

Special Note – if you eat USANA nutritional products please read the following.

USANA continues to manufacture products you can trust! USANA Headquarters assures us that their products that contain peanuts are perfectly safe due to our strict manufacturing guidelines (GMP).

If you wish to read more about the ‘Peanut Products US Recall’ click here to view a complete list and read more on this topic.

Ageing

The following article on ageing is courtesy of the BBC Health Site – and was last medically reviewed by Dr. Rob Hicks in July 2007. First published in March 2000.

Age limits

Modern health, medicine, sanitation and lifestyle have done remarkably little to extend the overall maximum lifespan of the human species, but they have made a difference to the number of people reaching old age in good health.

Why we age

“Ageing is the result of a build-up of damage in our bodies' cells”

Ageing is the result of a build-up of damage in our bodies' cells. It takes a long time for the damage to get to a level where it may harm us, but eventually we can no longer overlook it.

The protein fibres keeping our skin and artery walls elastic go through changes that lead to loss of that vital flexibility. The DNA strands inside our cells get damaged, too. Ultimately, the cells' energy production systems fail.

An important type of damage is oxidisation, the result of attacks by free radicals. Oxidisation rusts metal, makes fat go rancid and causes browning of peeled fruits and vegetables. It also helps to make us age.

Our bodies have evolved powerful antioxidant enzymes to guard cells against free radicals, but these defences aren't 100 per cent.

Role of genes

Longevity tends to run in families. The genes influencing the ageing process seem to be those that influence how well the body maintains and repairs its cells.

The risk of age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's also appears also to have a genetic component.

Lifestyle factors

We can control some aspects of the process

Aging isn't all down to our genes. We can control some aspects of the process.

The lifestyle choices we make are important. We can eat food that burdens our bodies with saturated fats, for example, or we can eat food that's high in natural antioxidants to aid the body's defences.

We can exercise so our natural systems for renewal and repair keep our muscles, lungs and blood circulatory system in good shape, and we can stretch our minds to reinforce the networks of connection between brain cells.

Uncertain future

We know ageing catches up with all of us in the end, but we don't know exactly what lies in store.

Some people keep their mental faculties intact until they're 100, while others can get dementia in their 50s. Some people retain their mobility, but others with conditions such as arthritis find it more difficult.