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Saving Big Bucks With Vitamin D3

by Paula Gallagher | September 30, 2010

By now, I hope that we have conveyed how important vitamin D is for our overall health. However, according to  a report published in the March 4 issue of Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology, if Northern Europeans were to have adequate vitamin D3 levels, there would be a 17.7% decrease in direct and indirect healthcare costs, saving hundreds of billions of dollars/Euros per year.

The report estimates vitamin D3 supplementation would reduce the incidence of type 1 childhood diabetes by a relative 78%; hip fractures by 26%; all cancer among postmenopausal women by 35%; seasonal flu and common cold incidence by 90%; and overall mortality by 7%. Other studies show mortality rates would be reduced by 10-20%, increasing life expectancy by about 2-3 years.

But it isn’t just Northern Europeans who are deficient in vitamin D3. Americans are also at great risk of vitamin D deficiency. The fear of skin cancer and lack of dietary sources are a couple of reasons that deficiencies are becoming commonplace. This same report states that for every dollar spent on vitamin D supplementation, $20 healthcare dollars would be saved. For more information about how supplementation could save big money, read The Missing Link-In Healthcare Reform.

The previous information was obtained from Bill Sardi’s article A Decade Of Vitamin D Supplementation Would Save $4.4 Trillion Over A Decade; Would Save $1346 Per Person Per Annum.

Tags: healthcare, vitamin D3
Posted in Nutritional Supplements |
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Could Gluten Be Affecting Your Health?

by Carmen Ugas | September 29, 2010

Something interesting happened to me a couple of weeks ago. It was almost 10 pm on a weeknight, I had just gotten home from a school meeting I had to go to after work. I was exhausted and hungry and did not want to go to bed with an empty stomach. Needless to say I didn’t get a chance to cook that night and it was one of those weeks when I hadn’t yet gone grocery shopping, so without thinking much about it, I popped a slice of bread in the toaster and ate it.

The next day I woke up with achy joints, which is what I experience every time I consume gluten. No surprise there. As the morning went by, I was working on something that required focus and attention to detail, and I found myself getting confused easily and not being very patient about it; after it happened for the third time, I started thinking that something was up because this was not the usual “me.” I was experiencing brain fog, irritability, and lack of clarity… and then it hit me that I had consumed gluten the night before. Even though this type of reaction was a first for me, I couldn’t think of anything else it could be. From what I’ve read on this topic, these symptoms are common for gluten-sensitive people. I was amazed!

Of course, everybody can react differently to gluten, and my experience doesn’t need to be your experience. The thing is, there are so many different ways you might react that it can easily be confused with other diseases. In other words, you may be gluten sensitive and not even know it! To make matters worse, gluten can be found in dozens of different foods and not only in bread and pasta.
(more…)

Tags: gluten, gluten intolerance, health, joints
Posted in Diet |
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Supplements You Shouldn’t Live Without

by Paula Gallagher | September 28, 2010

This past Friday, Dr. Oz told his viewers what supplements he takes. Not surprisingly, they align very well with what Village Green Apothecary has been saying for years. He particularly targeted women over 40. The supplements he recommends  are:

1. Mutlivitamin: Only 1% of the population gets enough essential nutrients from diet alone, so a comprehensive multivitamin/mineral should be part of everyone’s routine. Divided doses are better because you get the most out of them.

2. Calcium: Important for muscles, teeth and bones, many women are not getting enough of this important nutrient. Add magnesium to calcium and you have an important foundation for strong bones. The best way to get calcium is a combination of food sources and supplements. (more…)

Tags: calcium, CORE, DHA, epa, magnesium, multivitamin, omega 3, vitamin D3
Posted in Nutritional Supplements |
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Brain Health – A Comprehensive Approach

by Paula Gallagher | September 28, 2010

Healthy brain function requires many important nutrients as well as an active, social lifestyle. Factors such as aging, emotional stress, and exposure to free radicals affect cognitive health. A diet rich in antioxidants and essential fatty acids is very important to enhancing memory, cognitive skills, learning ability, mood, and stress tolerance.

Read the rest of the article here.

Tags: brain health, supplements
Posted in Health Concerns, Nutritional Supplements |
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Lose Belly Fat With Cherries

by Paula Gallagher | September 24, 2010

We probably all have an inch to pinch around the waistline and we all want a way to get rid of it. Well, according to a study from the University of Michigan Cardiovascular  Center, a cherry-enriched diet significantly reduces weight and fat. Cherries contain powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins, which can turn on a fat burning enzyme. Dried, frozen or juiced, the equivalent of a cup of cherries, seems to do the trick.

I wouldn’t give up your exercise routine just yet. Eating a healthy diet and exercising for 30 minutes a day is important for vitality and health. This is just the cherry on top.

Tags: cherry, weight loss
Posted in Diet, Health Concerns |
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