Health Benefits of Vitamin D

Getting enough Vitamin D in your diet is essential to having a healthy body. It is recommended to get 200 to 600 IU of vitamin D each day from foods, such as fish and low fat fortified dairy products. It is also recommended to get 10 to 15 minutes of direct sunlight each day and to take vitamin supplements.

Getting enough vitamin D can be very beneficial health wise. It can help- to relieve backaches, reduce the risk of cancer, and reduce the risk of diabetes. The vitamin is very important when it comes to calcium absorption in the body and is needed for bone growth and to maintain healthy bones.

Lower Blood Pressure with Potassium

It is found that eating potassium rich foods, such as bananas, baked potatoes, tomato paste, lima beans, yogurt, fish, citrus fruits, leafy green vegetables, and cantaloupe, can lower blood pressure levels by speeding up the body's sodium excretion. Potassium is also important because it is a mineral that helps the kidneys to function correctly. Depending on what medications you are taking, potassium supplements can also be used to lower blood pressure.

Fight Cancer with Soy

Soy contains compounds called isoflavones that can prevent the growth of tumors and block the stimulation of cancer cells through hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone. There are also other substances in soy, such as saponins, phenolic acids, phytic acid, phytosterols, and protein kinase inhibitors, that have anticancer properties. There are isoflavone supplements currently available on the market in pill form.

Pediatricians Double Vitamin D Recommendation

The American Academy of Pediatrics has doubled its recommendation for the daily dose of vitamin D that children should take to try to prevent diseases, such as rickets, and they say that this decision could have life-long benefits. It is now recommended that children receive 400 international units of vitamin D per day, starting in the few days of their life.

Not getting enough vitamin D can result in the disease rickets, which causes bone-softening, stunted growth, and skeletal deformities if it is not corrected while the child is young. Babies that are breast-fed have a big risk of being vitamin D deficient but these babies can be given supplements of the vitamin.

Good sources of vitamin D include exposure to sunlight, vitamin D fortified milk, fortified cereals, tuna, mackerel, and sardines.

Ways to Prevent Memory Loss

Memory loss usually starts at 16 years old and it is a common problem for people by the age of 40. There are things that can be done to prevent it.

Regular exercise can help to prevent the arterial aging that plays a part in memory loss. Exercise uses concentration and coordination, which are two things that require the use of brain neurons and keep them active.

There are some nutrients that fight memory loss. Omega-3 fatty acids help to keep the arteries clear and improve the process of message-sending brain neurotransmitters. They are found in fatty fish, such as salmon and mahimahi. It is recommended to eat 13 ounces of fish each week or take two grams of fish oil supplements, DHA, each day.