(Bio Med Central) Researchers in Europe report an exercise regimen that includes regular workouts in a heated pool provided significant relief from pain and associated symptoms for patients suffering from fibromyalgia. The randomized controlled study involved 33 female patients, 17 of whom took part in the exercise regimen and 16 who did not.The patients who partook of the aquatic workouts did one hour of supervised exercise three times a week for 8 months. They reported a reduction in pain and improved quality of life in general over the group which did not exercise.
Fibromyalgia is a common chronic disorder which causes extreme pain and tenderness in a patient’s muscles, tendons, and ligaments. No specific cause of the disorder has been identified and there is no known cure at this time. Ninety percent of all fibromyalgia patients are female.
Often debilitating, pain is usually located in the shoulders and the neck area and is often accompanied by feelings of depression and anxiety. Fibromyalgia patients frequently report problems sleeping as well.
Standard treatment to date has included painkillers and sometimes a low-dosage antidepressant. Relaxation techniques and exercise are also often prescribed for the disorder, too, but symptoms often return once the exercise program is stopped.
Researchers Narcis Gusi, faculty member of the University of Extremadura’s Sports Sciences department in Caceres, Spain, and Pablo Tomas-Carus, of the Department of Sport and Health at the University of Evora, Portugal, consider exercise to be a readily accessible and cost-effective form of treatment for fibromyalgia but have not compared the aquatic exercise program against other less expensive exercise alternatives such as walking, tai-chi, and low-impact aerobics.
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Do you suffer from Pain from Arthritis or Fibromyalgia?
Have a question about your health or exercise routine?
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(MedHeadlines) Young women are not getting enough folic acid according the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Only one in three women ages 18-24 takes a daily supplement containing folic acid. Folic acid is essential in preventing birth defects of the brain and spine. This age group accounts for roughly 30 percent of all births in the United States. “Everyone needs folic acid, but it is especially important for women of childbearing age,” explains Heather Hamner, MS, MPH, a nutritional epidemiologist for the CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities Prevention Research Team. “Folic acid has been found to reduce a woman’s risk of having a baby born with a serious birth defect of the brain and spine by 50-70 percent if taken before and during the first three months of pregnancy.” Folate is a water-soluble B-vitamin that occurs naturally in foods including leafy-green vegetables, certain fruits, dried beans and peas. Folic acid is a synthetic form of folate that is found in fortified foods and supplements. The Recommended Dietary Allowance for folate is 400 micrograms per day for everyone age 14 and older. For pregnant women, the recommendation is 600 micrograms; for women who are breastfeeding, it is 500 micrograms.
(University Heath Network) Turmeric has long been used in traditional eastern medicine to prevent scarring in healing wounds. A recent study published in the February Journal of Clinical Investigation entitled “Curcumin Prevents and Reverses Murine Cardiac Hypertrophy” shows that this folk remedy may have a strong foundation in science.
Curcumin, an ingredient in turmeric, has effects deep in the cell nucleus that go beyond what most herbal remedies are capable of. “Curcumin’s ability to shut off one of the major switches right at the chromosome source where the enlargement and scarring genes are being turned on is impressive,” says Dr. Peter Liu, cardiologist in the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre and Scientific Director at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
Cardiac hypertrophy is a strong predictor of future cardiac problems, including heart attack and heart failure. Researchers at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre of the Toronto General Hospital found that when curcumin was given orally to mice with enlarged hearts, it prevented and even reversed the hypertrophy. If the clinical trials prove that curcumin is effective in humans as well, it will offer the possibility of an inexpensive and safe treatment for millions of people.
While the results of the study are exciting, Dr. Liu advises a cautious and moderate approach. “Whether you are young or old; male or female; the larger your heart is, the higher your risk is for developing heart attacks or heart failure in the future. However, until clinical trials are done, we don’t recommend patients to take curcumin routinely. You are better off to take action today by lowering blood pressure, reducing cholesterol, exercising and healthy eating.”
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Have a question about your health?
Interested in using Turmeric in your daily supplement routine?
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A study by the University of Minnesota’s Stroke Research Center presented Thursday at the American Stroke Association meeting found that people who had previously or currently owned cats were less likely to die from heart attack and other cardiovascular disease.The study examined data from 4,435 people, ranging in age from 30 to 75, participating in ongoing research with the National Health and Nutritional Examination Study. The researchers found that over a 20-year period, participants who had never owned a cat were 40 percent more likely to die from heart attack, and 30 percent more likely to die from any kind of cardiovascular disease.
The researchers don’t know exactly what causes the health benefit, but lead study investigator Dr. Adnan Qureshi believes it may be related to the stress-reducing effect a cat has on its owner. He admits, however, that the personality type of a cat owner may be the major contributing factor.
“Maybe cat owners tend not to have high-stress personalities, or they are just the type of people that are not highly affected by anxiety or high-stress situations,” Qureshi said.
Some of the controversy over this study comes from previous studies that showed a greatly increased rate of heart attack survival for dog owners, but no benefit at all for cat owners.
Source: ABC News
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(www.naturalhealthmag.com) Food has many healing properties and can be used to promote heart health. Colorful vegetables and fruits, fatty fish, nuts, seeds, and spices offer combinations of these five cardio-boosting properties.
Anti-Inflammatory Working similarly to the way aspirin does to reduce inflammation of tissues, natural anti-inflammatories like folate and vitamins C and D are vital to heart health because low-grade inflammation of the arteries has been identified as a significant factor in degeneration of the cardiovascular system.
Anitoxidants Vitamins C and E and carotenoids such as vitamin A inhibit the oxidation of blood cells and the creation of damaging free radicals.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids This family of polyunsaturated fats such as ALA, EPA, and DHA has been shown in recent studies to decrease triglyceride levels and the growth rate of atherosclerotic plaque and lower the risk of arrhythmia. The FDA has given "qualified" support to their ability to fight heart disease and prevent heart attack.
Potassium This alkali metal is critical to maintaining smooth-muscle contraction such as a regular heartbeat.
Soluble Fiber Gel-like soluble fiber binds with liver bile and cholesterol, carrying them both out of the body
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Concerned about your diet and your health?
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(www.healthybeingproducts.com) Just half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day significantly reduces blood sugar levels in diabetics, a new study has found. The effect, which can be produced even by soaking a cinnamon stick your tea, could also benefit millions of non-diabetics who have blood sugar problem but are unaware of it.
The discovery was initially made by accident, by Richard Anderson at the US Department of Agriculture's Human Nutrition Research Center in Beltsville, Maryland.
"We were looking at the effects of common foods on blood sugar," he told a New Scientist reporter . One was the American favourite, apple pie, which is usually spiced with cinnamon. "We expected it to be bad. But it helped," he says.
Sugars and starches in food are broken down into glucose, which then circulates in the blood. The hormone insulin makes cells take in the glucose, to be used for energy or made into fat.
But people with Type 1 diabetes do not produce enough insulin. Those with Type 2 diabetes produce it, but have lost sensitivity to it. Even apparently healthy people, especially if they are overweight, sedentary or over 25, lose sensitivity to insulin. Having too much glucose in the blood can cause serious long-term damage to eyes, kidneys, nerves and other organs.
In one lab study, the team said it found that cinnamon contains polyphenols, or antioxidants, that boost proteins that are important in activating insulin, transporting glucose and responding to inflammation.
How to get Cinnamon into your daily Diet:
1. Cinnamon tea or Cinnamon Coffee twice or three times daily after meal.
Ingredients:
1 cinnamon stick or 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 cup of boiling water
1 regular or decaffeinated black teabag or add 3/4 cup of black coffee
Honey, or another sweetener, to taste (optional)
Preparation:
1. Place the cinnamon stick in a cup.
2. Add the boiling water and steep covered for 10 minutes.
3. Add the teabag. Steep for one to three minutes.
4. Sweeten to taste, if desired.
2. Cinnamon bread- sprinkling a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon onto whole wheat bread as a snack can help regular blood sugar levels.
3. Seasoning a high carb food with cinnamon can help lessen its impact. Research has found that cinnamon daily can reduce blood sugar by up to 20%.
Besides cinnamon, Bitter melon which is called Karela in India, is also helpful to reduce suger level, you can take a few slices of bitter melon with salad before taking your lunch or dinner. Other Amazing Elements of Cinnamon Spice:
In some studies, cinnamon has shown an amazing ability to stop medication-resistant yeast infections. In a study published by researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Maryland, cinnamon reduced the proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells.
It has an anti-clotting effect on the blood. When added to food, it inhibits bacterial growth and food spoilage, making it a natural food preservative.
It is also a great source of manganese, fiber, iron, and calcium.
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Have a question about maintaining blood sugar levels?
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(www.healthybeingproducts.com) Everywhere you look this month companies and people are sporting red to support the American Heart Association's Heart Health month. Heart disease prevention and awareness is central to the theme of Valentine's Day. It's also important to note that a healthy smile leads to a healthy heart and visa versa.
The dental history of my own family is something that needs to be addressed- both my parents are scared of the dentist. My own history involves fear of the dentist and orthodontist; however with the links between heart disease and dental health-- I make it a point to see my dentist twice a year for regular check ups and cleanings. No fear is too large to prevent gum disease, tooth lose and heart disease.
What is interesting is a report I came across earlier that links gum disease directly to heart disease. 91% of patients with cardiovascular disease suffered from moderate to severe periodontitis (gum disease), while this proportion was 66% in the non-cardiac patients. This is an alarming fact and more people need to be paying attention to this link.
ADVANCED PERIODONTITIS
Periodontitis seems to influence the occurrence and the severity of coronary artery disease and increases the risk of heart attack or stroke, and the study proposes two hypotheses for this occurrence. One hypothesis is that periodontal pathogens could enter the bloodstream, invade the blood vessel walls and ultimately cause atherosclerosis. (Atherosclerosis is a multistage process set in motion when cells lining the arteries are damaged as a result of high blood pressure, smoking, toxic substances, and other agents.)
Your Dentist can detect heart problems
A dentist may be the first one to suspect health problems, including heart disease. A sore or painful jaw is one indicator of heart disease. There's also a connection between gum disease and heart problems. By eliminating a local infection involving a tooth or the gums, patients have been able to decrease blood pressure medications and improve overall health. New research is suggesting that people with gum disease are at higher risk for heart attacks. If bacteria in the infected gums dislodge, they can enter the bloodstream, attach to blood vessels and increase clot formation. That in turn decreases the blood flow to the heart, increasing chances of a heart attack and aggravating high blood pressure.
Data reveals diseased gums pump high levels of harmful bacterial components into bloodstream!
A study from Journal of Periodontology has confirmed findings that people with periodontal disease are at greater risk of contracting systemic disease such as as cardiovascular disease.
Patients with diseased gums release significantly higher levels of bacterial components such as endotoxins into the bloodstream where they can travel to other organs in the body. The mouth can be a major source of chronic or permanent release of toxic bacterial components in the bloodstream during chewing. Individuals with severe periodontal disease had approximately 4 times more harmful bacterial products in their blood.
The study concludes that this data clearly "stresses the importance of regular dental check ups to ensure a healthy disease free mouth.
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Have a question about heart disease and dental health?
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(www.healthybeingproducts.com)I have a huge affinity to Honey Bees. My name, Melissa, is Greek for Honey Bee and I've always loved these cute little bees that product the sweet syrup I use in my daily tea. Even more important is the healing capabilities of Honey. I've used honey, propolis and royal jelly to help me get over a nasty flu bug or cold and even helped me fight a severe case of mononucleosis a few years ago.
Healing Properties of Honey
The ancient Egyptians used honey as an embalming material and treated cuts and burns with it. The Greek physician Hippocrates cured skin disorders with honey, and the Romans cleaned wounds with it. Even as recently as World War I, doctors treated wounds with honey. With the advent of antibiotics, honey fell out of use for its healing properties, but scientific research is now rediscovering honey's natural healing power.
Treatment with honey is called apitherapy,which includes replenishing energy, enhancing physical stamina and improving immune systems. Honey also is considered to have a calming effect on the mind and promotes sleep. Honey also helps indigestion and has sometimes been used to treat cardiovascular disease and respiratory complaints. A thin coat of honey can be applied on the skin to disinfect and heal minor skin wounds and chapped lips.
Because of its high sugar, low protein composition, honey acts as a natural "antimicrobial" that limits the growth of bacteria by cutting off the supply of water and nitrogen. When honey is applied to a wound, it is diluted with fluids from the damaged tissue and combines with an enzyme added by the bee to form hydrogen peroxide, the same disinfectant found in pharmacies. The naturally occurring hydrogen peroxide promotes healing and reduces scarring as it is slowly released into the wound.
Healing Products of Bees
Propolis: Bees collect this sticky resin from certain flowers and trees, add salivary secretions to it, and use it to build, reinforce, and seal parts of the hive. It is also placed at the hive's entrance so that bees returning to the hive brush up against it as a way of "disinfecting" themselves before reentering the hive. In fact, propolis is sometimes called "nature's penicillin" or "nature's antibiotic." Proponents claim it rejuvenates the body's immune system by disabling viruses and fighting infections. Some advocate it for treating a variety of health problems ranging from headaches, sore throats, and colds to more serious illnesses such as tuberculosis and Parkinson's disease.
Royal jelly: The queen's diet consists exclusively of royal jelly. This creamy substance, secreted by nurse bees (groups of worker bees dedicated to the care of the queen), aids the queen's growth and enhances her fertility level and longevity. The compound is 12-13% protein, 12%-15% carbohydrates, 5-6% lipids. Rich in vitamins and minerals, royal jelly includes the B vitamin pantothenic acid, which is thought to reduce stress. Gamma globulin, an amino acid that helps the immune system fight infection and disease, is also present in royal jelly. Some people believe royal jelly strengthens the immune system, improves skin tone, and increases energy. It is also believed to have anti-viral and antibacterial qualities.
Bee venom therapy: Currently, bee venom therapy is approved in the United States only for desensitization of persons with allergic reactions to bee venom. Supporters of this therapy claim it reduces inflammation in the body using natural anti-inflammatory agents, such as melittin and adolapin, found in the venom. They contend that bee venom can be used to treat systemic inflammations, such as arthritis and asthma, injuries such as tendonitis, and may even minimize some of the symptoms of multiple sclerosis.
Honey creates a moist healing environment that allows skin cells to regrow across a healing wound flush with the surface of the wound, preventing deformity of the skin. (If a dry scab forms on a wound, the skin cells can only grow across the wound deeper down where it is moist.)
*Fights Infection:
Honey's antibacterial quality not only rapidly clears existing infection, it protects wounds from additional infection
*Anti-Inflammatory:
Honey's anti-inflammatory activity reduces edema and minimizes scarring
*Prevent Heart Attacks & Heart Disease:
Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on bread, chappati, or other bread, instead of jelly and jam and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack. Also those who already had an attack, if they do this process daily, they are kept miles away from the next attack.
Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heartbeat. In America and Canada, various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as age the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalizes the arteries and veins.
*Cure Arthritis: Arthritis patients may take daily, morning and night, one cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. If taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured. *Reduce Itching from Insect Bites: Take one part honey to two parts of lukewarm water and add a small teaspoon of cinnamon powder, make a paste and massage it on the itching part of the body slowly. It is noticed that the pain recedes within a minute or two. *Improve Fertility: Yunani and Ayurvedic Medicine have been using honey for thousands of years to strengthen the semen of men. If impotent men regularly take two tablespoon of honey before going to sleep, their problem will be solved.
In China, Japan and Far-East countries, women, who do not conceive and need to strengthen the uterus, have been taking cinnamon powder for centuries. Women who cannot conceive may take a pinch of cinnamon powder in half teaspoon of honey and apply it on the gums frequently throughout the day, so that it slowly mixes with the saliva and enters the body.
A couple in Maryland, USA, had no children for 14 years and had lost hope of having a child of their own. When told about this process, husband and wife started taking honey and cinnamon as stated above; the wife conceived after a few months and had twins at full term. *Additional Therapies:
Some of these include: to lessen the ill effects of radiation therapy in patients with cancer of t the head and neck, to improve oral health, to preserve food, to boost antioxidants, to enhance athletic performance.
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Have a question about this article or the use of honey?
Want to recommend a great natural remedy?
For a free health consultation feel free to email (wellness@healthybeingproducts.com) or call Melissa Gallagher at 727-954-8968.
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Everyone is aware of the alarming statistics of childhood obesity and unhealthy eating and lifestyle habits being exhibited by our children. Yesterday I had a routine doctor's appointment and in the waiting room, there was a video that announced that our children today- ages birth to 16yrs of age- will not surpass the age of death of their parent's generation. Despite major advances in medical technology and modern medicine- obesity is the leading cause of death and will be the leading factor and root cause of death in our children today. According to this video- very much to blame are the abundance of sodas, fast food, processed food and a very sedentary lifestyle.
I can imagine it must be very tough to be a parent in today's world- most mom's and dad's work and the ritual of eating dinner together is a thing of the past with busy family schedules.
Raising Healthy Kids: What Parents Can Do
Researchers have found...
When both parents are physically active, the child is six times more likely to be physically active.
If one parent habitually eats high fat food, the child is twice as likely to be overweight.
If both parents eat high fat foods, the child is three to six times more likely to be overweight.
Communities Raise Healthy Kids: What Communities Can Do
A growing problem in many communities is a lack of sidewalks, parks, biking trails, and community-sponsored recreation. Access to community gardens, farmers' markets, and healthy vending or concession options also is limited. Urban sprawl -- including planned communities, superhighways, and super-shopping centers -- has contributed to this problem. Communities can benefit by examining their infrastructures and working to provide a safe environment that promotes physical activity and access to healthy food options.
Minimizing Unhealthy Dietary Choices
As parents and the caregiver in the family, you are the primary individuals spending your money on grocery shopping and buying the family's meals. It is essential for parents to demonstrate and model the most appropriate and acceptable lifestyle and dietary choices. Healthy fruits, vegetables and "snacky" foods must be available for kids. Avoiding processed foods and high sugar, high fat foods is essential to keep in mind when shopping.
Snacking is a huge source of children's poor diet choices. It is key for parents to involve their children in this integral part of their health.
Here's a guide to healthy snacking with your kids health and taste buds in mind.
1. Read the ingredient list. Words like hydrogenated oil, high fructose corn syrup and "enriched" signify harmful fats and empty calories. And if you can't pronounce the main ingredients on the list, the snack product is probably best left on the shelf.
If a snack is providing 25 percent of a child’s total calories, parents should aim for no more than 600 mg of sodium and between 10 and 15 grams of fat per snack. Sugar is tough because nutrition labels don’t distinguish between naturally occurring sugar and added sugar. You don't want to restrict sugar from whole fruits, veggies or skim or low-fat milk. For sugar, scan the ingredient list and steer clear of snacks with high fructose corn syrup in the first few ingredients.
2. Look for snacks that are high in fiber. "Kids aren't getting enough fiber," says Giancoli. "We’re so used to eating refined carbohydrate products, which are stripped of important nutrients."
Seek out foods with whole grain -- switch from regular pasta to whole wheat, for example. And if your kids turn up their noses, try mixing whole wheat pasta with regular for a smoother transition.
3. Pay attention to serving sizes. Many jumbo chip bags have between three and five servings in one bag -- which can really add up. Look for single snack servings that have between 100 and 200 calories to keep calorie counts and fat grams in check.
4. Offer healthy choices to your kids. And don't give up if they turn food away on the first try. "It might take 10 to 15 times for a kid to try a certain food," says Giancoli. "But if you give up, that demonizes the food for them." And they'll never eat it again -- at least not until they're adults!
Healthy Snack Ideas:
Trail mix. Help kids make their own custom trail mix, advises Mary Friesz, a registered dietitian in Boca Raton, Fla., and author of Food, Fun ‘n Fitness: Designing Healthy Lifestyles for Our Children. Set out raisins, sunflower seeds, nuts (unless you’ll be in a nut-free zone), roasted soy nuts and dried fruit and let the kids scoop ¼ to 1/3 of a cup of their own combo into small bags. Pop in the freezer or fridge to keep fresh, and grab when you’re on the go.
Fruit, veggies and dip. “Most kids love to dip their food, so take advantage of it!” says Mairlyn Smith, a Toronto, Ont., home economist and co-author of The Ultimate Healthy Eating Plan (Whitecap). Mix a bit of cinnamon into French vanilla yogurt and dip fruit into it. Another dip idea: mix low-fat plain yogurt with a bit of regular ranch dressing for lots of flavor without a lot of fat.
Smoothies. Whirl low-fat yogurt, fruit and ice in the blender to create one-of-a-kind – and yummy! Or stir a teaspoon or two of chocolate drink mix into a tall frosty glass of one per cent milk.
Roll-ups.“Turkey or chicken ‘cigars’ were a big hit with my son when he was growing up,” says Smith. Just roll up a thin slice of roasted luncheon meat, such as turkey or chicken, and enjoy. Add a smear of mustard if you want. Or, spread a small whole-wheat tortilla with peanut butter or light cream cheese, roll and slice.
Store-bought picks. Even if you’re pushed for time, you can still make healthy choices. Smith suggests small yogurt cups or lower-fat round cheeses like Baby Bel. Friesz likes the occasional package of “cheese strings,” baked chips and salsa or bean dip, or a small cup of lentil soup. And nothing is easier or more portable than a few whole-grain crackers, pre-washed baby carrots or a piece of fruit!
Smart Snacking Tips
Kids begging for the prepackaged cheese, crackers and lunch meat? Make your own healthier version. Pick up a few reusable containers with dividers, and add fruit, veggies, cheese, whole grain crackers and other good stuff. Add a frozen container of milk, water or 100 per cent fruit juice to keep things cool until snack time.
“Make healthy snacks visible,” advises Friesz. Cut up fruit and veggies ahead of time and put them front and center in the fridge. And make a habit of saying “look in the fridge” first (rather than the cupboard where the sweet stuff likely lives).
“Jazzy names work well,” notes Smith, who found that lunch meat "cigars" were popular in her household. “Ants on a log” – celery spread with peanut butter or low-fat cream cheese and topped with raisins – are good too, says Friesz.
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Have a question about children and healthy diets and wellness programs?
Want to recommend a great natural remedy?
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It's the month of Valentines Day and the American Heart Association's Heart Disease and Cardiovascular Awareness Month. One of the best supplements you can take to improve your heart function and overall heart health is COQ10- CoEnzyme Q10 a compound discovered by the Japanese in the 1970s. It is the most amazing and best supplement to promote heart health, energy production, secure and protect heart and all muscle tissue and improve the function of your heart.
I first came across CoQ10 when I lived in Japan and then again when I was researching how to recover from a terrible and very severe case of Mono. It became clear to me, especially with the history of heart disease in my family, that I should utilize and consume CoQ10 in my daily supplement regime.
As humans age, our CoQ10 levels decrease. The decrease begins around age 20 and it is therefore essential to make up these levels via supplementation form. By taking CoQ10 daily after age 20, an individual can harness the antioxidant properties of CoQ10 and thereby slow the aging process and age related degenerative diseases.
CoQ10 is important to your body- it is found literally in ever cell of your body. CoQ10 plays a key role in producing energy in the mitochondria, the part of a cell responsible for the production of energy in the form of atp. If you remember from biology, this is key in the proper function of our energy systems. It helps us keep our cells young, slows aging and reduces free radical damage. CoQ10 is a little easier to appreciate when you remember that vitamins function as co-enzymes in the body, furthering thousands of essential biochemical reactions. CoQ10 also functions as a powerful antioxidant.
Why People Use CoQ10
Heart failure
Cardiomyopathy
Heart Attack Prevention and Recovery
High Blood Pressure
Diabetes
Gum Disease
Kidney Failure
Migraine
Counteract Prescription Drug Effects
Parkinson's disease
Weight loss
Additional Benefits of CoQ10
Improve immune function in individuals with immune deficiencies (such as AIDS) and chronic infections (such as yeast and other viral infections)
Increase sperm motility leading to enhanced fertility
Be used as part of the treatment for Alzheimer's disease
Reduce damage from stroke
Boost athletic performance
Enhance physical activity in people with fatigue syndromes
Improve exercise tolerance in individuals with muscular dystrophy
CoQ10 and Heart Failure
People with heart failure have been found to have lower levels of CoQ10 in heart muscle cells. Research suggests that CoQ10 may reduce symptoms related to heart failure, such as shortness of breath, difficulty sleeping, and swelling. CoQ10 is thought to increase energy production in the heart muscle, increasing the strength of the pumping action.
Dosage of CoQ10 in Daily Diet
A typical CoQ10 dosage is 30 to 90 mg per day, taken in divided doses, but the recommended amount can be as high as 200 mg per day. Studies of patients with heart disease, cancer, and AIDS indicate that they are routinely deficient in CoQ10.
Therapeutic dosages of CoQ10 for serious diseases range from 200-400 mg. daily, ideally under a physician's supervision. It works in diverse conditions because the basic underlying mechanisms are the same-energy production at the cellular level and antioxidant protection against free radicals. In an interview, Folkers said that CoQ10 is safe and has no negative side effects, though it may decrease the need for other heart medicines.
CoQ10 is fat-soluble, so it is better absorbed when taken with a meal that contains oil or fat.
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Have a question about using CoQ10?
Want to recommend a great natural remedy?
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All my friends know that I get a massage weekly. My preference is deep tissue which focuses on my upper back, shoulders and tight chest muscles which get tense and tighten from stress. Massage is an essential part of your whole health regime as well as illness recovery program. It maintains your physical, mental and emotional well being, especially when it is a regular routine.
Our muscles protect our bones and our organs and are often out of wack due to stress, accidents, and even psychological matters like stress, anxiety and fear. My massage therapist always tells me that she can diagnose what is going on in someone's life by the shape and level of tenseness in a person's muscles.
The Health Benefits of Massage
* Calms the nervous system and promotes a sense of relaxation and well being.
* Reduces tension and anxiety.
* Increases circulation, allowing the body to pump more oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs.
* Stimulates the flow of lymph, the body's natural defense system, against toxic invaders. For example, in breast cancer patients, massage has been shown to increase the cells that fight cancer.
* Increased circulation of blood and lymph systems improves the condition of the body's largest organ - the skin.
* Relaxes and softens injured and overused muscles
* Increases joint flexibility.
* Reduces recovery time, helps prepare for strenuous workouts and eliminates subsequent pains of the athlete at any level.
* Releases endorphins - the body's natural painkiller - and is being used in chronic illness, injury and recovery from surgery to control and relieve pain.
* Reduces post-surgery adhesions and edema and can be used to reduce and realign scar tissue after healing has occurred.
* Improves range-of-motion and decreases discomfort for patients with low back pain.
* Relieves pain for migraine sufferers and decreases the need for medication.
* Provides exercise and stretching for atrophied muscles and reduces shortening of the muscles for those with restricted range of motion.
* Assists with shorter labor for expectant mothers, as well as less need for medication, less depression and anxiety, and shorter hospital stays.
* Prevents and relieve muscles cramps and spasms.
* Massage therapy can also help with pain management in conditions such as arthritis, sciatica, muscle spasms.
Many people who suffer from lupus, arthritis, migraines, high stress jobs, anxiety and even cancer can help reduce stress, improve lymphatic drainage and promote healthy muscles and skin tone.
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Have a question about massage and other forms of body work to relieve pain?
Want to recommend a great massage technique or practitioner?
For a free health consultation feel free to email (wellness@healthybeingproducts.com) or call Melissa Gallagher at 727-954-8968.
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I'm a huge fan of Dong Quai. I was introduced to this amazing female focused herb about 5 years ago when I decided that I wanted to explore other ways of regulating and balancing my female hormones without the help of pharmaceutical drugs like the pill. It has been an amazing herb and when I travel, I never leave home without my Dong Quai Female Balancing Yogi Tea. For many women trying to regulate their periods, deal with hot flashes from menopause and even promote conception...this herb is truly a miracle herb.
Traditionally, dong quai is believed to have a balancing or adaptogenic effect on the female hormonal system. Dong quai does not qualify as a phytoestrogen or have any hormone-like actions in the body. A large part of its actions with regard to premenstrual syndrome may be related to its antispasmodic actions, particularly on smooth muscles.
In China, dong quai (angelica) has been used for several thousand years to treat many kinds of female problems. In traditional Chinese medicine, dong quai is often referred to as the "female ginseng." It is often included in prescriptions for abnormal menstruation, suppressed menstrual flow, painful or difficult menstruation, and uterine bleeding. A traditional use of dong quai was for hot flashes associated with perimenopause. Dong quai is also used for both men and women with cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure and problems with pe-ripheral circulation.
Angelica is described as a herb with "an affinity for the female constitution". It is good for treating anemia and weak glands, regulating monthly periods, correcting hot flashes and vaginal spasms (PMS), and assisting women through the difficult transition of menopause. It is never given to women during pregnancy.
The herb is also able to balance estrogen, tone the reproductive organs and treat endometriosis. At least one of its active ingredients can stimulate brain function and promote alertness. Dong quai can also stimulate the central nervous system, helping to relieve the fatigue and headache that are common to menstrual disorders. It can be used to treat vaginal dryness and hot flashes as well. In addition, dong quai can help return a woman’s menstrual cycle to normal after the use of birth control pill.
Rich in nutrients like vitamins E, A and B12, dong quai has other known benefits as well. It is said to purify blood and promote circulation, as well as provide nourishment to the blood in both men and women. Dong quai is a mild sedative with stress relieving effects that can calm the nervous system and be used to treat insomnia.
In clinical studies, women taking dong quai reported a 25% decrease in the severity of their symptoms. Dong quai is also thought to help prevent a variety of illnesses associated with menopause, including heart disease.
The upper part of the root is considered a great blood builder. The tails of the root is used in emergencies as a blood clot dissolver after serious accidents or for expelling the afterbirth that has failed to appear. The coumarins in angelica are valuable medication for reducing high-protein edemas, such as swelling of the lymph nodes (lymphedema). It is also used for treating psoriasis accompanying arthritis.
Using Dong Quai for Fasting to Promote Pregnancy and Regulate Periods:
Take Dong Quai occasionally, especially if your periods are irregular. Eat a pea-size piece of the root once or twice a day (or prepare the tea and drink one or two cups a day). Do this for three to ten days before your period is due. You may do this as often as every month.
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Have a question about using or supplementing with Dong Quai?
Want to recommend a great herbal remedy for regulating menstrual cycles?
For a free health consultation feel free to email (wellness@healthybeingproducts.com) or call Melissa Gallagher at 727-954-8968.
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I'm a huge fan of Green Tea. I was luckily introduced to this powerful tea when I spent a year teaching English in Tokyo. Each day I would drink about 5-6 cups of this fresh, neon green liquid. All my students and even my employer would pour tea in their morning cup of rice like we do milk with cereal.
Green tea has increasingly become a very popular drink worldwide because of its immensely powerful health benefits. It is extraordinarily amazing what green tea can do for your health. It is recommended that you should drink at least 3 to 4 cups of green tea daily.
25 Healthy Reasons Why you Should Be Drinking Green Tea:
1. Green Tea and Cancer Green tea helps reduce the risk of cancer. The antioxidant in green tea is 100 times more effective than vitamin C and 25 times better than vitamin E. This helps your body at protecting cells from damage believed to be linked to cancer.
2. Green Tea and Heart Disease Green tea helps prevent heart disease and stroke by lowering the level of cholesterol. Even after the heart attack , it prevents cell deaths and speeds up the recovery of heart cells.
3. Green Tea and Anti-Aging Green tea contains antioxidant known as polyphenols which fight against free radicals. What this means it helps you fight against aging and promotes longevity.
4. Green Tea and Weight Loss Green tea helps with your body weight loss. Green tea burns fat and boosts your metabolism rate naturally. It can help you burn up to 70 calories in just one day. That translates to 7 pounds in one year.
5. Green Tea and Skin Antioxidant in green tea protects the skin from the harmful effects of free radicals , which cause wrinkling and skin aging. Green tea also helps fight against skin cancer.
6. Green Tea and Arthritis Green tea can help prevent and reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Green tea has benefit for your health as it protects the cartilage by blocking the enzyme that destroys cartilage.
7. Green Tea and Bones The very key to this is high fluoride content found in green tea. It helps keep your bones strong. If you drink green tea every day , this will help you preserve your bone density.
8. Green Tea and Cholesterol Green tea can help lower cholesterol level. It also improves the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol , by reducing bad cholesterol level.
9. Green Tea and Obesity Green tea prevents obesity by stopping the movement of glucose in fat cells. If you are on a healthy diet , exercise regularly and drink green tea , it is unlikely you'll be obese.
10. Green Tea and Diabetes Green tea improves lipid and glucose metabolisms , prevents sharp increases in blood sugar level , and balances your metabolism rate.
11. Green Tea and Alzheimer's Green tea helps boost your memory. And although there's no cure for Alzheimer's , it helps slow the process of reduced acetylcholine in the brain , which leads to Alzheimer's.
12. Green Tea and Parkinson's Antioxidants in green tea helps prevent against cell damage in the brain , which could cause Parkinson's. People drinking green tea also are less likely to progress with Parkinson's.
13. Green Tea and Liver Disease Green tea helps prevent transplant failure in people with liver failure. Researches showed that green tea destroys harmful free radicals in fatty livers.
14. Green Tea and High Blood Pressure Green tea helps prevent high blood pressure. Drinking green tea helps keep your blood pressure down by repressing angiotensin , which leads to high blood pressure.
15. Green Tea and Food Poisoning Catechin found in green tea can kill bacteria which causes food poisoning and kills the toxins produced by those bacteria.
16. Green Tea and Blood Sugar Blood sugar tends to increase with age , but polyphenols and polysaccharides in green tea help lower your blood sugar level.
17. Green Tea and Immunity Polyphenols and flavenoids found in green tea help boost your immune system , making your health stronger in fighting against infections.
18. Green Tea and Cold and Flu Green tea prevents you from getting a cold or flu. Vitamin C in green tea helps you treat the flu and the common cold.
19. Green Tea and Asthma Theophylline in green tea relaxes the muscles which support the bronchial tubes , reducing the severity of asthma.
20. Green Tea and Ear Infection Green tea helps with ear infection problem. For natural ear cleaning , soak a cotton ball in green tea and clean the infected ear.
21. Green Tea and Herpes Green tea increases the effectiveness of topical interferon treatment of herpes. First green tea compress is applied , and then let the skin dry before the interferon treatment.
22. Green Tea and Tooth Decay Green tea destroys bacteria and viruses that cause many dental diseases.It also slows the growth of bacteria which leads to bad breath.
23. Green Tea and Stress L-theanine , which is a kind of amino acids in green tea , can help relieve stress and anxiety.
24. Green Tea and Allergies EGCG found in green tea relieves allergies. So , if you have allergies , you should really consider drinking green tea.
25. Green Tea and HIV Scientists in Japan have found that EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate) in green tea can stop HIV from binding to healthy immune cells. Green tea can literally stop the HIV virus from spreading.
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Have a question about what teas to drink to address various health concerns or ailments?
Want to recommend a great tea?
For a free health consultation feel free to email (wellness@healthybeingproducts.com) or call Melissa Gallagher at 727-954-8968.
Visit our On-Line Store to save over 65% and get free shipping on Vitamins and Supplements at theHealthy Being Products Store
Valentines Day has passed, yet it's also a Heart Healthy focused month. Too many women die of heart disease each year and if you are reading this one of your family members has been impacted by this disease. I'm very conscious of my risks and desire to not fall victim to this often silent killer in my family.
We may not be able to alter out genes, yet...but we can take the appropriate precautions and measures to improve our heart health at any age.
I'm completely behind the need to create awareness and support Go Red for Women month.
I love their campaign and wanted to share it with my readers. I'll have additional heart disease and heart health related articles and recipes this month.
The ABCs of Heart Disease Prevention
Stop smoking. If you smoke, quit. If someone in your household smokes, encourage them to quit. We know it’s tough. But it’s tougher to recover from a heart attack or stroke or to live with chronic heart disease. Commit to quit. We’re here to help if you need it.
Reduce blood cholesterol. Fat lodged in your arteries is a disaster waiting to happen. Sooner or later it could trigger a heart attack or stroke. You’ve got to reduce your intake of saturated and trans fat and get moving. If diet and exercise alone don’t get those numbers down, then medication is the key. Take it just like the doctor orders. Here’s the lowdown on where those numbers need to be:
Total Cholesterol – Less than 200 mg/dL
LDL (bad) Cholesterol – LDL cholesterol goals vary.
* Low risk for heart disease – Less than 160 mg/dL
* Intermediate risk for heart disease – Less than 130 mg/dL
* High risk for heart disease including those with heart disease or diabetes – Less than 100mg/dL
HDL (good) Cholesterol – 40 mg/dL or higher for men and 50 mg/dL or higher for women
Triglycerides – Less than 150 mg/dL Lower high blood pressure. It’s the single largest risk factor for stroke. Stroke is the No. 3 killer and one of the leading causes of disability in the United States. Stroke recovery is difficult at best and you could be disabled for life. Shake that salt habit, take any medication the doctor recommends exactly as prescribed and get moving. Those numbers need to get down and stay down. Your goal is less than 120/80 mmHg. Be physically active every day. Research has shown that getting 30–60 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week can help lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and keep your weight at a healthy level. But something IS better than nothing. If you’re doing nothing now, start out slow. Studies show that people who have achieved even a moderate level of fitness are much less likely to die early than those with a low fitness level. Aim for a healthy weight. Obesity is an epidemic in America, not only for adults but also for children. Fad diets and supplements are not the answer. Good nutrition and physical activity are the only way to maintain a healthy weight. Obesity places you at risk for high cholesterol, high blood pressure and insulin resistance, a precursor of type 2 diabetes — the very factors that heighten your risk of cardiovascular disease. Your Body Mass Index (BMI) will tell you if your weight is healthy. more
Manage diabetes. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of diabetes-related death. People with diabetes are two to four times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease due to a variety of risk factors, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity and lack of physical activity.
Reduce stress. Some scientists have noted a relationship between coronary heart disease risk and stress in a person's life that may affect the risk factors for heart disease and stroke. For example, people under stress may overeat, start smoking or smoke more than they otherwise would. Research has even shown that stress reaction in young adults predicts middle-age blood pressure risk.
Limit alcohol. Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure, cause heart failure and lead to stroke. It can contribute to high triglycerides, produce irregular heartbeats and affect cancer and other diseases. It contributes to obesity, alcoholism, suicide and accidents. The risk of heart disease in people who drink moderate amounts of alcohol (an average of one drink for women or two drinks for men per day) is lower than in nondrinkers. However, it’s not recommended that nondrinkers start using alcohol or that drinkers increase the amount they drink.
Info provided by: (www.goredforwomen.com)
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Have a question about heart disease or how to prevent cardiovascular disease?
For a free health consultation feel free to email (wellness@healthybeingproducts.com) or call
Melissa Gallagher at 727-954-8968.
Visit our On-Line Store to save over 65% and get free shipping on Heart Healthy Vitamins and Supplements at theHealthy Being Products Store
Growing up we've all heard how we should eat a balanced diet and to avoid sweet and fried foods. Well, now there is scientific research and findings that highlight the role sugar, junk food and skipping meals plays on our moods. From road rage, ADHD and anxiety attacks- our bodies speak to us each time we feel hungry, irritable and lack the essential nutrients to manage and regulate our moods.
This is of special interest to parents raising children with ADHD, Depression and even Autism. Science is showcasing the key role food plays in regulating the body to focus on school work, balance moods and help our kids feel more in control of their environments. As we find- the root of the issue is essential address versus giving our children pharmaceutical drugs that only mask the symptoms.
Food and Mood: The body uses neuronutrients to make neurotransmitters, the brain chemicals that regulate mood. Most neurotransmitters are made from protein building blocks called amino acids, along with vitamins and minerals. Food and supplemental neuronutrients is a major way to improve mood.
Addressing ADHD with Supplementation: Avoiding refined oils found in fries and nearly all packaged foods, fast foods and microwave meals. Instead emphasize fish, so long as it's not deep fried. In addition take: *omega-3 fish oils (3 grams daily) *gamma-linolenic acid (a plant oil 200 mg daily) *GABA (400-500mg, twice daily) *Pycnogenol (100mg, twice daily)
Addressing Anxiety & Panic Attacks: Often the effects of caffeine can mimic the early symptoms of an anxiety attack (jittery, high strung felings, nervousness, worry and tension), it's important to wean off of coffee and colas. Bouts of low blood sugar also can resemble anxiety, so it's good to avoid sugary foods and refined carbohydrates that quickly boost and then drop blood sugar levels.
To ease anxiety and panic symptoms: *A high potency B-complex supplement *Vitamin C *Magnesium citrate (300 mg, twice daily)
Additional alternative & complementary therapies can boost brain levels of GABA resultin gin greater calm and better mental focus include: *GABA (gamma-aminobutryic acid) 200 mg, twice daily *L-theanine (100 mg, twice daily)
Balancing Blood Sugar:
Nowadays, balancing blood sugar is getting more focus and emphasis knowing that pre-diabetes is a condition that develops over a span of 10-20 years. The links between diabetes and heart disease is alarming as now heart disease is the biggest killer of men and women.
High blood sugar suppresses orexin, a brain chemincal responsible for alertness. When blood sugar is low, hunger and irritability increase. Mood swings and physical weakness are also symptoms of blood sugar swings. These all point to poor glucose tolerance, a form of prediabetes.
Stay away from sugary sweets, alcohol, soft drinks, bagels and muffins. Eat lean proteins such as fish and chicked and high-fiber veggies like broccoli, spinach and cauliflower.
A quick mood stabilizer is turkey and cheese- it acts fast.
Eating a diet of healthy whole foods that supply abundant neuronutrients plus a high-potency multivitamin or B-complex supplement. Then try other supplements as needed to mellow your mood.
Having suffered from from long, sunless winters up North and having a history of Osteoporosis in my family I am very conscious of my consumption of Vitamin D. After discussing this with many friends and family members it became apparent that many of us lack this essential nutrient. I found this great article and wanted to share with our readers.
By Rob Stein Washington Post Staff Writer
Many Americans may be suffering from unrecognized deficiencies of a key nutrient -- vitamin D -- that increase the risk of bone problems and perhaps a host of other diseases, a growing number of scientists say.
Pediatricians scattered around the country have been surprised to see children suffering from rickets, a bone disorder caused by vitamin D deficiency that had been largely relegated to a bygone era. A few doctors have come across adults who were disabled by severe muscle weakness and pain, sometimes for years, until they were treated for undiagnosed vitamin D deficiency. And recent studies suggest low vitamin D may be putting the elderly at higher risk for the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis and life-threatening falls and fractures.
But beyond bone and muscle problems, some evidence suggests a dearth of vitamin D may be associated with an array of more serious illnesses, including many forms of cancer, high blood pressure, depression, and immune-system disorders such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes.
In response, many scientists have begun pushing to sharply boost the official recommendations for how much vitamin D everyone should get daily, either by taking supplements, by eating more food that contains the nutrient or from the sun -- a major source of vitamin D.
Suggestions that people get more sun exposure, however, have sparked an unusually intense, and sometimes bitter, debate. Skin cancer experts are alarmed that people will disregard warnings about unprotected sun exposure, making them more vulnerable to what is the most common malignancy.
The debate is complicated by the many uncertainties about vitamin D. Because the nutrient's apparently widespread functions in the body are just now being recognized, little research has been done to try to answer some of the most basic questions, such as how much is needed for optimal health.
"It's a nutrient that's been around for a long time, but it's relatively recently that there's been a lot of evidence emerging that indicates there's more to vitamin D than we thought," said Daniel Raiten of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, who organized a recent conference at the National Institutes of Health to identify the most urgent priorities for more research.
Skin produces vitamin D when hit by ultraviolet light in sunlight. The amount depends on where people live, skin pigment, age and other factors. African Americans and other dark-skinned people, and anyone living in northern latitudes, make far less than some other groups.
With people spending more time indoors, covering up and slathering on sunblock when they are outside, and smog obscuring the sun on many days, the amount of vitamin D people create naturally is probably very low, many scientists say.
"Imagine you're a space alien looking down on Earth. You have these humans who evolved in the Horn of Africa, as nudists living around the equator. They would have been getting lots of vitamin D through their skin. Then they suddenly . . . move north and put on lots of clothes and block out most of their capacity to make vitamin D," said Reinhold Vieth, a University of Toronto vitamin D researcher. "For me it's a no-brainer. We're not getting enough."
Milk and a few other foods are fortified with vitamin D, and it occurs naturally in a few others, such as fatty fish, but most people get very little through their diets.
"All along the northern United States, where we have long winters, a lot of snow, not much sunshine all winter, there is endemic vitamin D deficiency," said Paresh Dandona of the State University of New York at Buffalo, who treated six patients disabled by misdiagnosed vitamin D deficiencies.
A number of studies have found what could be disturbingly low levels of vitamin D in many populations, including children, the elderly and women. One federal study of women nationwide found that perhaps nearly half of African American women of childbearing age may be vitamin D deficient.
It remains unclear whether vitamin D deficiencies are becoming more common because people are shunning the sun and making other lifestyle changes or whether it is a long-standing problem that is only now being recognized.
Vitamin D appears to interact with virtually every tissue in the body. Moreover, the incidence of certain diseases seems to vary depending on sun exposure and vitamin D levels.
For example, many cancers, most notably breast, colon and prostate cancer, seem to increase the farther you get from the equator, where exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun is greatest.
"The highest rate of prostate cancer is among African Americans, followed by countries in northern Europe. How are blacks like Scandinavians? They don't look alike, but in some important ways they have to be alike," said Gary G. Schwartz, a cancer researcher at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. "One way that they are alike is both groups have very low levels of vitamin D."
While there could be many other explanations, the idea that vitamin D may help prevent malignancies has been buttressed by animal and laboratory studies indicating it can act as a brake on cell growth, preventing the uncontrolled cell division that is cancer.
Similarly, vitamin D appears to damp down the immune system, and researchers have also found associations among sun exposure, vitamin D levels and the incidence of "autoimmune diseases" such as multiple sclerosis, lupus and diabetes, in which the immune system attacks the body.
Some studies suggest vitamin D can reduce blood pressure, which would cut the risk for heart disease and strokes -- the nation's leading causes of death. Others suggest that low vitamin D levels may contribute to depression and other psychiatric conditions.
"It's a major health problem," said Michael F. Holick, a Boston University scientist who is the most prominent proponent of the role of vitamin D in health. "Everybody has always associated vitamin D deficiency with rickets in children, and after childhood you don't have to worry. There's nothing further from the truth."
Holick and others argue that instead of the 200 to 600 international units a day that current recommendations suggest, most people should be getting at least 1,000 units a day. In a controversial new book, "The UV Advantage," Holick recommends exposing the hands, face, arms and legs to the sun for five to 15 minutes a day a few days a week, which he says would be enough to generate that amount without increasing the risk for skin cancer. Many people are not getting even that amount of sun exposure on a regular basis, Holick and others say.
"There's no question that chronic, excessive exposure to sunlight and sunburning incidents markedly increases your risk for skin cancer. But there's little evidence out there that if you practice safe sun exposure, it would increase your risk for skin cancer or wrinkling," Holick said.
But dermatologists and skin cancer experts argue that those recommendations are irresponsible and have little firm scientific support.
"Dr. Holick says vitamin D is a cure-all magic pill. If everyone took vitamin D, there would be no more cancer. But there's no evidence that is true," said James Spencer, vice chairman of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York.
"Ultraviolet light contained in sunlight causes skin cancer and wrinkles. That's beyond dispute," Spencer said. "We already have an epidemic of skin cancer in this country."
Barbara Gilchrest, who chairs the dermatology department at the Boston University School of Medicine, said she asked Holick to resign his position in her department in February because of his views and because he receives some funding from the tanning-parlor industry. "He has, in my opinion, an enormous conflict of interest that he refuses to acknowledge," Gilchrest said.
Holick, who kept his other academic positions at the university, acknowledges he receives funding from the tanning industry, but he says it is a small portion of his budget and comes with no strings attached. "The dermatologists get a lot of money from the sunscreen industry and no one ever questions them about that," he said.
Many experts who believe vitamin D deficiencies play an important role in a range of diseases say people can get enough safely by taking vitamin D supplements, sidestepping the contentious sunlight debate.
"There's a lot of emotion in this fight, which is unfortunate," said Hector F. DeLuca, who studies vitamin D at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. "This is a very important issue. We really need to address two important questions: Are we getting enough vitamin D? I believe we are not. The other one is: What's the best way to get it? That's a matter of debate."
Others, meanwhile, say much more research is needed to figure out how much vitamin D people need and the best way to get it.
"We're a long way from making any definitive statement that Group X has a serious problem," NIH's Raiten said. "The evidence seems to imply that we need to look at it carefully, but I don't think we're in a position of being able to make any specific recommendations."
The patients who partook of the aquatic workouts did one hour of supervised exercise three times a week for 8 months. They reported a reduction in pain and improved quality of life in general over the group which did not exercise.
The study examined data from 4,435 people, ranging in age from 30 to 75, participating in ongoing research with the National Health and Nutritional Examination Study. The researchers found that over a 20-year period, participants who had never owned a cat were 40 percent more likely to die from heart attack, and 30 percent more likely to die from any kind of cardiovascular disease.
When both parents are physically active, the child is six times more likely to be physically active. 
