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Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Gestational Diabetes

by Paula Gallagher | April 12, 2011

It has been a while since we have had some information on one of our most popular topics, vitamin D, the “sunshine vitamin.” A new study out of Australia has shown that there is a connection between low vitamin D levels and gestational diabetes. Vitamin D is one of the important vitamins during pregnancy; researchers recommend that a pregnant woman should regularly get tested for vitamin D deficiency.

The study involved 147 women at Westmead Hospital’s gestational diabetes clinic. More than 40% of the women had lower than average vitamin D levels at the start of the study. The research was led by Dr. Sue Lynn Lau and Dr. Jenny Gunton from Sydney’s Garvan Institute of Medical Research, with Dr. Neil Athayde and Professor Wah Cheung from Westmead Hospital. The researchers noticed that the women with the worst blood sugar control were also those with the lowest vitamin D levels. The findings are published in the latest issue of the Medical Journal of Australia.

Gestational diabetes carries a whole list of complications including premature labor and birth, blindness, increased risk of both mother and baby developing type 1 or 2 diabetes within 10 years, and a very large birth weight baby (over 12 pounds). Low vitamin D levels can also cause the newborn to have weak bones, which can be broken more easily by a fall during childhood and adulthood.

If you are pregnant or are thinking of becoming pregnant, talk to your doctor about supplementing with vitamin D3.  I am 32 weeks pregnant and I take 2000IU per day.  It is also something you would want to continue after your baby is born.  If you choose to nurse, you will also need to give your infant vitamin D, as well.

Tags: diabetes, osteoporosis, pregnancy, premature birth, vitamin D3
Posted in Health Concerns, Nutritional Supplements |
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New Guideline for Vitamin D Intake: Is It Enough?

by Paula Gallagher | January 7, 2011

An increase in the recommended dietary allowance of vitamin D has been called for in new guidelines issued by the Institute of Medicine.

The new recommendations call for 600 international units (IU) daily, with 800 IU recommended for the elderly. The researchers note, however, that most Americans receive the necessary amount of vitamin D already and that taking more is not necessarily better. These researchers believe that taking more than this has no extra benefit on bones. However, there have been countless studies showing the benefits of vitamin D for decreasing cancer risk and improving the immune system.

Here is Dr. Jerry Teplitz’s view on the new guidelines. While a committee of the National Institute of Standards and Technology reviewed the research on vitamin D and recommended increasing the amount of vitamin D from 400 IU per day to 600 IU per day, there are still questions about how they reached that decision and whether the dose increase is high enough.

Well, it turns out the members of this committee did not include any of the top researchers on vitamin D. This means that those with the most expertise on the subject were not involved in the decision-making process. (more…)

Tags: bone loss, cancer, osteoporosis, vitamin D3
Posted in Health Concerns, Nutritional Supplements |
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Non-Dairy Foods for Healthy Bones

by Margo Gladding | December 24, 2010

Many people fear that if they are unable to eat dairy products, they will not be able to get enough calcium in their diet. Rest assured that you can get plenty of bone-building nutrients from a wide variety of non-dairy foods. Bones need a myriad of nutrients beyond calcium, such as vitamin D, phosphorus, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin K, protein, magnesium, healthy fats, zinc, manganese, and boron. Here are some examples of bone-nourishing foods:

1) Vegetables (provide calcium, vitamin K, vitamin C)

• Leafy green vegetables: kale, collards, mustard greens, arugula, bok choy, parsley, watercress, mesclun, spinach, Swiss chard, turnip greens, dandelion greens, beet greens
• Broccoli, cabbage, carrots, zucchini, acorn or butternut squash, celery, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts

2) Protein (supports collagen)

• Beans, free-range chicken, fresh ocean fish, sardines, anchovies, oysters, organic eggs, grass-fed meat (more…)

Tags: bones, calcium, osteoporosis, vitamin d, vitamin k
Posted in Diet, Nutritional Supplements |
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Fighting Osteoporosis Naturally

by Paula Gallagher | June 3, 2010

My mom was diagnosed with osteoporosis about 10 years ago. Ever since then, I have been looking closely at my habits to make sure that I do not succumb to this “silent disease.” Since there are no symptoms (hence silent disease), many people do not realize they have osteoporosis until there is a bone break. So I feel it is important to be proactive about strengthening your bones and doing what you can not to end up as one of the 10 million Americans who have it.

Here are some risk factors that increase your chance for osteoporosis. This list came from NIH (National Institutes of Health).

Risk factors you cannot change include:

• Gender. Women get osteoporosis more often than men.
• Age. The older you are, the greater your risk of osteoporosis.
• Body size. Small, thin women are at greater risk.
• Ethnicity. Caucasian and Asian women are at highest risk. Black and Hispanic women have a lower risk.
• Family history. Osteoporosis tends to run in families. If a family member has osteoporosis or breaks a bone, there is a greater chance that you will too.

(more…)

Tags: Exercise, healthy bones, osteoporosis, vitamin D3
Posted in Health Concerns, Nutritional Supplements |
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Calcium Confusion – Keeping Bones Strong

by Paula Gallagher | January 14, 2010

Calcium can be very confusing. Hopefully I can clear up some of the confusion and we can get you on the road to strong bone health. The goal is to make sure that you get at least 1200 mg of calcium, 600 mg of magnesium and 1000 IU of Vitamin D.

As we age, our bone density decreases and diseases such as osteoporosis can occur. The best way to avoid this, or decrease the chance of this disease, is by making sure your bones are strong now. Exercise, Diet and Supplementation are all important in maintaining bone health. (more…)

Tags: bone guardian, bone health, osteoporosis, vitamin d
Posted in Nutritional Supplements |
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