Vitamin D is the nutrient of the day, year, and even decade. Vitamin D plays a role in maintaining healthy bones, but the sunshine vitamin also helps prevent certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic pain, and neurological disorders.

In these dark, cold winter months, especially if you live in the northern half of the U.S., you’re probably lacking vitamin D. Research suggests that about half of all men and women lack vitamin D and up to 70% of our children are deficient.

Individuals at highest risk for vitamin D deficiencies include:

• Anyone who lives in a cold climate (north of 42° latitude)
• Children and older adults
• Those with dark skin
• Individuals who are overweight or obese

Increasing vitamin D to at least 400 IU per day is the best way to boost vitamin D in the absence of sunlight, and here’s how to do it. Read the rest of this entry »

Exposure to urban pollution may be a cause of high blood pressure, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Dusiburg-Essen in Germany and presented at a meeting of the American Thoracic Society.

“Our results show that living in areas with higher levels of particle air pollution is associated with higher blood pressure,” lead researcher Barbara Hoffman said.

“This finding points out that air pollution does not only trigger life-threatening events like heart attacks and strokes, but that it may also influence the underlying processes, which lead to chronic cardiovascular diseases,” she said. “It is therefore necessary to further our attempts to prevent chronic exposure to high air pollution as much as possible.” Read the rest of this entry »

Telling the truth in America is currently illegal… at least as far as food and supplements are concerned. You see, for decades the federal government has suppressed the free speech rights of food and supplement manufacturers, preventing them from telling the truth about how their products improve health and prevent disease — even when that information is based on peer-reviewed scientific studies published in scientific journals. But right now, three vital pieces of legislation hold the potential to end the era of censorship in America and once again restore freedom of speech to the health industry.

But your help is needed to make this a reality.

The U.S. Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act currently defines anything that cures, treats, mitigates, diagnoses or prevents disease as a drug. This means that making truthful claims about the cancer-preventing properties of green tea, for instance, is illegal because if such claims are true, then green tea is automatically considered an unapproved drug. So farmers, supplement manufacturers and vitamin formulators are forced to remain silent about the health benefits of their products while drug companies are free to run wild making all sorts of bizarre claims about the alleged health benefits of pharmaceuticals. Read the rest of this entry »

The mythical fountain of youth discovered? No, even better! We’ve found proven ways to live a longer, fuller life with help from antiaging guru Henry S. Lodge, M.D., author of “Younger Next Year for Women” (Workman Publishing). Complete this checklist to see if a few new habits could add years — and fun — to your life.

1. How many hours per week do you exercise?
Ideal: At least 2.5

Why it matters: If you log two-plus hours of physical activity a week, you’re up to 30 percent less likely to die in the next 20 years than if you do less or none at all. Exercise — even if it’s frolicking in the surf or dancing to your favorite tunes — helps keep weight and blood pressure in check, lowering your risk for disease.

2. What is your body-mass index?
Calculate yours at Self.com.

Ideal: Under 25

Why it matters: Active women whose BMI (a measure of body fat) falls between 18.5 and 22.9 may be 2.5 times more likely to age free of disease than overweight, sedentary women. Excess body fat secretes proteins and acids that can up your risk for cancer and more. A BMI below 23 is best, but less than 25 is good. Keep on movin’! Read the rest of this entry »