We all as individuals have to grow......Mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. But you ask where do I start. It will depend on what is going on in your life right now. Are you feeling out of sorts with your health? Are you emotionally drained? Are you physically out of shape? Are you mentally fatigued?
Let's take a look and see where you are and let's find out what you need to do to start. Everyone is different and we may all start the road too Personal Growth in different arenas.
As a nutritionist I usually start with a health awareness questionnaire and move from there. Someone with health related issues is going to have a tough time getting their head into the game when it comes to self development and personal growth. They can have a lack of motivation and self esteem, especially if they are overweight, and everyone should know that being overweight leads to many health related problems including but not limited to heart disease, diabetes, gastrointestinal diseases, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and the list goes on. When someone has ill health they are usually nutrient deficient because healthy bodies don't get sick and diseased.
Do to the fact that the majority of people cannon get all the nutrients their bodies need from the food they eat. The food is devoid of those nutrients because of the way the masses of food is produced. Even if one eats, organic and home grown, we are so depleted, we would have to devour way too much food. So I would start someone out on a healthy eating plan, not a diet, because diets don't work, but a plan that will teach a way of eating for a lifetime. And no it is not difficult to achieve. It is about reprogramming the mind and how we think about food and find the foods that work for us and eliminating those that don't. This is an important step with personal growth because we are what we eat. And once someone realizes this they can then start the process of change and growth...Not in inches or pounds but mental growth and awareness. Education is key.
With us all having our own habits we need to be able to look at who we are and look to what can be changed to make us a stronger person spiritually, mentally and physically. Nutrition is key to our health and wellness, for without it obesity, allergies and asthma, hearth disease, diabetes are all increased risk factors. What we do now will not only effect us but our children and their children. When we are teaching the next generation how to be better people by addressing their own needs we create a healthier generation moving forward.
So we start with just ourselves? What do you think? Wouldn't changing a whole family be a great idea? Obesity is at an all time high in our children....You and I together can make changes....One person, One family or One child at a time. It is not all about what we eat, it is not all about what we do, it is not all about exercise, it is not all about what we think...It is all about all of these working together to make the change in people's personal growth. Are you ready to grow? Let's work together to make these changes.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Vitamin D the Necessary Supplement for The Cold and Flu Season
Vitamin D and Heart Disease, Diabetes, Colds, Flu, Cancer etc.
The Buzz word out there today in the wellness industry is Vitamin D
What should you know about Vitamin D to get the benefits from it? Keeping in mind not all Vitamin is created equal...I've put together a couple of articles to give you the information you need to decide if Vitamin D is for you or not....Basically everyone needs extra Vitamin D. So read on and let me know your thoughts.
The Simple Inexpensive Way to Radically Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease
Low levels of vitamin D are known to nearly double the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with diabetes, and researchers now think they know why.
Diabetics deficient in vitamin D can't process cholesterol normally, so it builds up in their blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. New research has identified a mechanism linking low vitamin D levels to heart disease risk, and may lead to ways to fix the problem, simply by increasing levels of vitamin D.
Vitamin D inhibits the uptake of cholesterol by cells called macrophages. When people are deficient in vitamin D, the macrophage cells absorb more cholesterol, and can't get rid of it. The macrophages get clogged with cholesterol and become what scientists call foam cells, which are one of the earliest markers of atherosclerosis.
Macrophages are dispatched by the immune system in response to inflammation and often are activated by diseases such as diabetes.
Sources:
Science Daily August 26, 2009
Heart disease is one of the leading killers in the United States, so making sure you’re getting enough vitamin D is a step nearly everyone should be taking.
Low levels of vitamin D in your blood have long been correlated with higher risk of heart disease and heart attacks, and a previous study found women who take vitamin D supplements lower their risk of death from heart disease by one-third.
It’s also been suggested that the more sunlight you get, the better your cardiovascular health will be the more sunlight you get, the better your cardiovascular health will be, as there are a number of physiological mechanisms triggered by vitamin D production through sunlight exposure that act to fight heart disease, such as:
· An increase in your body's natural anti-inflammatory cytokines
· The suppression of vascular calcification
· The inhibition of vascular smooth muscle growth
Why this is Crucial to Know if You Have Type 2 Diabetes
Just about EVERYONE can benefit from optimizing their vitamin D levels, but if you have type 2 diabetes it is absolutely crucial that you do so.
Nearly 8 percent of the US population, or 24 million people, has diabetes, and another 57 million have pre-diabetes, which puts them at an increased risk of the disease.
So one in five people in the US alone are in the diabetic group and can benefit from this approach.
Heart disease is extremely common in people with diabetes. The American Diabetes Association states that more than 65 percent of people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke, and with diabetes, heart attacks occur earlier in life and often result in death.
If you have low vitamin D levels on top of type 2 diabetes, this can nearly double your risk of cardiovascular disease, according to the study in Circulation above. This occurs because diabetics deficient in vitamin D can't process cholesterol normally, so it builds up in your blood vessels, increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke.
Further, vitamin D deficiency is widespread around the world, but in women with type 2 diabetes, the likelihood of low vitamin D levels is about one-third higher than women without diabetes.
So not only do people with diabetes have an increased likelihood of heart disease, they also are more likely to be deficient in vitamin D -- a very slick double-edged sword.
The solution, fortunately, is extremely simple: optimize your vitamin D levels.
Vitamin D Can Boost Your Health All Around
Vitamin D is not “just a vitamin,” but rather the only known substrate for a potent, pleiotropic (meaning it produces multiple effects), repair and maintenance seco-steroid hormone that serves multiple gene-regulatory functions in your body.
There are only 30,000 genes in your body and vitamin D has been shown to influence about 3,000 of them. Receptors that respond to the vitamin have been found in almost every type of human cell, from your brain to your bones. And researchers keep finding health benefits from vitamin D in virtually every area they look.
Can vitamin D help you prevent cancer? You betcha.
Fight Cold and Flu? Yes!
Help prevent obesity? It sure can.
Tackle depression and asthma and rheumatoid arthritis? Yes, yes and yes!
In fact, researchers have calculated that simply increasing levels of vitamin D could prevent diseases that claim nearly 1 million lives throughout the world each year, as the widespread vitamin D deficiency seen today is fueling an astonishingly diverse array of common chronic diseases.
Take Action Before it’s Too Late
Do you know what the most common symptom of heart disease is?
Sudden Death:
There are absolutely no indications of a problem, no signs like chest pain or shortness of breath. You simply have NO symptoms at all before getting struck by the chest pain that kills you.
There are more than 300,000 deaths EVERY YEAR in the U.S. alone from sudden cardiac death, which is a tragedy made even more upsetting because it is one that does NOT have to happen.
Heart disease, just like type 2 diabetes, is one of the easiest diseases to prevent and avoid, BUT you simply must be proactive.
Assess your heart disease risk factors. If you have type 2 diabetes, you should know you’re at an increased risk already and simply move ahead to my recommendation below. For the rest of you, one of the most important risk factors will be your HDL and cholesterol ratio.
Keep in mind that your total cholesterol level is just about worthless in determining your risk for heart disease, unless it is close to 300 or higher. And, perhaps more importantly, you need to be aware that cholesterol is not the cause of heart disease. If you become overly concerned with trying to lower your cholesterol level to some set number, you will be completely missing the real problem.
In fact, I have seen a number of people with levels over 250 who actually were at low heart disease risk due to their HDL levels. Conversely, I have seen even more who had cholesterol levels under 200 that were at a very high risk of heart disease based on the following additional tests:
· Your HDL/Cholesterol ratio
· Your Triglyceride/HDL ratios
HDL percentage is a very potent heart disease risk factor. Just divide your HDL level by your cholesterol. That percentage should ideally be above 24 percent. Below 10 percent, it’s a significant indicator of risk for heart disease.
You can also do the same thing with your triglycerides and HDL ratio. That percentage should be below 2.
So where do you go to get the best Vitamin D on the market??? More to follow..Or drop me an email...nenutrition@gmail.com
Thanks and until next time, BE HEALTHY~~~~~
The Buzz word out there today in the wellness industry is Vitamin D
What should you know about Vitamin D to get the benefits from it? Keeping in mind not all Vitamin is created equal...I've put together a couple of articles to give you the information you need to decide if Vitamin D is for you or not....Basically everyone needs extra Vitamin D. So read on and let me know your thoughts.
The Simple Inexpensive Way to Radically Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease
Low levels of vitamin D are known to nearly double the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with diabetes, and researchers now think they know why.
Diabetics deficient in vitamin D can't process cholesterol normally, so it builds up in their blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. New research has identified a mechanism linking low vitamin D levels to heart disease risk, and may lead to ways to fix the problem, simply by increasing levels of vitamin D.
Vitamin D inhibits the uptake of cholesterol by cells called macrophages. When people are deficient in vitamin D, the macrophage cells absorb more cholesterol, and can't get rid of it. The macrophages get clogged with cholesterol and become what scientists call foam cells, which are one of the earliest markers of atherosclerosis.
Macrophages are dispatched by the immune system in response to inflammation and often are activated by diseases such as diabetes.
Sources:
Science Daily August 26, 2009
Heart disease is one of the leading killers in the United States, so making sure you’re getting enough vitamin D is a step nearly everyone should be taking.
Low levels of vitamin D in your blood have long been correlated with higher risk of heart disease and heart attacks, and a previous study found women who take vitamin D supplements lower their risk of death from heart disease by one-third.
It’s also been suggested that the more sunlight you get, the better your cardiovascular health will be the more sunlight you get, the better your cardiovascular health will be, as there are a number of physiological mechanisms triggered by vitamin D production through sunlight exposure that act to fight heart disease, such as:
· An increase in your body's natural anti-inflammatory cytokines
· The suppression of vascular calcification
· The inhibition of vascular smooth muscle growth
Why this is Crucial to Know if You Have Type 2 Diabetes
Just about EVERYONE can benefit from optimizing their vitamin D levels, but if you have type 2 diabetes it is absolutely crucial that you do so.
Nearly 8 percent of the US population, or 24 million people, has diabetes, and another 57 million have pre-diabetes, which puts them at an increased risk of the disease.
So one in five people in the US alone are in the diabetic group and can benefit from this approach.
Heart disease is extremely common in people with diabetes. The American Diabetes Association states that more than 65 percent of people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke, and with diabetes, heart attacks occur earlier in life and often result in death.
If you have low vitamin D levels on top of type 2 diabetes, this can nearly double your risk of cardiovascular disease, according to the study in Circulation above. This occurs because diabetics deficient in vitamin D can't process cholesterol normally, so it builds up in your blood vessels, increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke.
Further, vitamin D deficiency is widespread around the world, but in women with type 2 diabetes, the likelihood of low vitamin D levels is about one-third higher than women without diabetes.
So not only do people with diabetes have an increased likelihood of heart disease, they also are more likely to be deficient in vitamin D -- a very slick double-edged sword.
The solution, fortunately, is extremely simple: optimize your vitamin D levels.
Vitamin D Can Boost Your Health All Around
Vitamin D is not “just a vitamin,” but rather the only known substrate for a potent, pleiotropic (meaning it produces multiple effects), repair and maintenance seco-steroid hormone that serves multiple gene-regulatory functions in your body.
There are only 30,000 genes in your body and vitamin D has been shown to influence about 3,000 of them. Receptors that respond to the vitamin have been found in almost every type of human cell, from your brain to your bones. And researchers keep finding health benefits from vitamin D in virtually every area they look.
Can vitamin D help you prevent cancer? You betcha.
Fight Cold and Flu? Yes!
Help prevent obesity? It sure can.
Tackle depression and asthma and rheumatoid arthritis? Yes, yes and yes!
In fact, researchers have calculated that simply increasing levels of vitamin D could prevent diseases that claim nearly 1 million lives throughout the world each year, as the widespread vitamin D deficiency seen today is fueling an astonishingly diverse array of common chronic diseases.
Take Action Before it’s Too Late
Do you know what the most common symptom of heart disease is?
Sudden Death:
There are absolutely no indications of a problem, no signs like chest pain or shortness of breath. You simply have NO symptoms at all before getting struck by the chest pain that kills you.
There are more than 300,000 deaths EVERY YEAR in the U.S. alone from sudden cardiac death, which is a tragedy made even more upsetting because it is one that does NOT have to happen.
Heart disease, just like type 2 diabetes, is one of the easiest diseases to prevent and avoid, BUT you simply must be proactive.
Assess your heart disease risk factors. If you have type 2 diabetes, you should know you’re at an increased risk already and simply move ahead to my recommendation below. For the rest of you, one of the most important risk factors will be your HDL and cholesterol ratio.
Keep in mind that your total cholesterol level is just about worthless in determining your risk for heart disease, unless it is close to 300 or higher. And, perhaps more importantly, you need to be aware that cholesterol is not the cause of heart disease. If you become overly concerned with trying to lower your cholesterol level to some set number, you will be completely missing the real problem.
In fact, I have seen a number of people with levels over 250 who actually were at low heart disease risk due to their HDL levels. Conversely, I have seen even more who had cholesterol levels under 200 that were at a very high risk of heart disease based on the following additional tests:
· Your HDL/Cholesterol ratio
· Your Triglyceride/HDL ratios
HDL percentage is a very potent heart disease risk factor. Just divide your HDL level by your cholesterol. That percentage should ideally be above 24 percent. Below 10 percent, it’s a significant indicator of risk for heart disease.
You can also do the same thing with your triglycerides and HDL ratio. That percentage should be below 2.
So where do you go to get the best Vitamin D on the market??? More to follow..Or drop me an email...nenutrition@gmail.com
Thanks and until next time, BE HEALTHY~~~~~
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Nutrition and Comprehensive Cancer Care: Mesothelioma
Proper Nutrition Essential in Comprehensive Cancer Care
By Jack P. Bleeker
Proper nutrition is important for all individuals, but can be critically important for those who are battling cancer. For this reason, proper nutritional regimens are now being included in comprehensive cancer treatment plans and are a staple of integrative oncology. While proper nutrition cannot, in and of itself, cure cancers, it can provide strength and health to a patient who will need it as they battle their disease. It is not only symptoms of aggressive cancers like mesothelioma, but also their treatment with methods like chemotherapy that will demand proper nutrition.
Malnutrition can be extremely harmful to a cancer treatment regimen, and must be kept in mind when considering each individual patient’s treatment roadmap. Cachexia and anorexia are common causes of malnutrition in cancer patients. Nearly all patients who develop extensive disease will battle anorexia, with common symptoms being weight loss and loss of appetite. Cachexia is a debilitating wasting syndrome causing weakness and loss of weight and is particularly common in those battling cancers of the lung (such as plural mesothelioma), pancreas, and gastrointestinal tract. Cachexia is similar to starvation in healthy individuals, but cancer patient’s bodies are unable to make the adjustments to slow down the use of nutrients.
Proper eating habits for those battling cancer and undergoing cancer treatment can help fight the breakdown of muscle strength, enhance tissue reconstruction, and stave off infection in those with compromised immune health. Those who are able to maintain their health through nutrition and exercise will typically be eligible to receive more aggressive dosages of chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Each individual patient’s treatment plan will require the advice of cancer specialists and physicians who are able to make an assessment of the patient’s overall health. Dr. David Sugarbaker of the Brigham and Womens Hospital and Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA will work closely with each of his patients battling thoracic cancers, including malignant mesothelioma, and develop an individual mesothelioma treatment guide, including recommendations on proper cancer nutrition.
While malignant mesothelioma is far from the only cancer that demands proper nutrition in patients, it is particularly important given the current lack of a mesothelioma cure in those patients battling this aggressive later-stage disease. That being said, all cancer patients will benefit from the strength and overall health that proper and sound recommendations doctors and nutritional specialists can provide them with. Cancer patients as well as family members and caregivers seeking further information about proper nutrition in cancer care should seek the advice of these individuals and apply them to a patient’s particular circumstances and needs.
Reference
National Cancer Institute. Overview: Nutrition in Cancer Care 2005
Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard University. Nutritional Resources Overview . Boston, MA 2009
Mesothelioma information courtesy of Mesothelioma.com
By Jack P. Bleeker
Proper nutrition is important for all individuals, but can be critically important for those who are battling cancer. For this reason, proper nutritional regimens are now being included in comprehensive cancer treatment plans and are a staple of integrative oncology. While proper nutrition cannot, in and of itself, cure cancers, it can provide strength and health to a patient who will need it as they battle their disease. It is not only symptoms of aggressive cancers like mesothelioma, but also their treatment with methods like chemotherapy that will demand proper nutrition.
Malnutrition can be extremely harmful to a cancer treatment regimen, and must be kept in mind when considering each individual patient’s treatment roadmap. Cachexia and anorexia are common causes of malnutrition in cancer patients. Nearly all patients who develop extensive disease will battle anorexia, with common symptoms being weight loss and loss of appetite. Cachexia is a debilitating wasting syndrome causing weakness and loss of weight and is particularly common in those battling cancers of the lung (such as plural mesothelioma), pancreas, and gastrointestinal tract. Cachexia is similar to starvation in healthy individuals, but cancer patient’s bodies are unable to make the adjustments to slow down the use of nutrients.
Proper eating habits for those battling cancer and undergoing cancer treatment can help fight the breakdown of muscle strength, enhance tissue reconstruction, and stave off infection in those with compromised immune health. Those who are able to maintain their health through nutrition and exercise will typically be eligible to receive more aggressive dosages of chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Each individual patient’s treatment plan will require the advice of cancer specialists and physicians who are able to make an assessment of the patient’s overall health. Dr. David Sugarbaker of the Brigham and Womens Hospital and Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA will work closely with each of his patients battling thoracic cancers, including malignant mesothelioma, and develop an individual mesothelioma treatment guide, including recommendations on proper cancer nutrition.
While malignant mesothelioma is far from the only cancer that demands proper nutrition in patients, it is particularly important given the current lack of a mesothelioma cure in those patients battling this aggressive later-stage disease. That being said, all cancer patients will benefit from the strength and overall health that proper and sound recommendations doctors and nutritional specialists can provide them with. Cancer patients as well as family members and caregivers seeking further information about proper nutrition in cancer care should seek the advice of these individuals and apply them to a patient’s particular circumstances and needs.
Reference
National Cancer Institute. Overview: Nutrition in Cancer Care 2005
Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard University. Nutritional Resources Overview . Boston, MA 2009
Mesothelioma information courtesy of Mesothelioma.com
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
Do you feel miserable and just don't know why? Do you experience the sudden onset of a migraine headache, mental confusion, stinging eyes, fatigue or congestion? And your doctor cannot find anything wrong. Then it may just be that you are suffering from multiple chemical sensitivity.
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: What’s That?
If you have multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), you may be miserable but have no idea why. That’s because MCS has a range of symptoms that are triggered by exposure to chemicals. MCS can be ignited by a major event, such as a chemical spill, or by long-term exposure to chemicals found in carpet, paint, cosmetics, detergents, and everyday household cleaners. It can even be caused by exposure to natural substances in plants or perfumes, which many of us keep around our houses or that float around in poorly ventilated offices.
Listed Below are MCS Symptoms:
The varied symptoms of MCS are experienced differently by each person who has them and are easy to confuse with other medical conditions. Some of the most common symptoms include:
• Headaches
• Rashes
• Depression, anxiety and anger
• Joint and muscle pain
• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Stuffy head/congestion
• Sneezing
• Breathing problems
• Confusion
• Dry mouth and dry eyes
• Insomnia
• Digestive difficulties
Many people with MCS may also lack the enzymes they need to rid their bodies of the toxic chemicals. In fact, in a number of recent studies, researchers have uncovered a genetic difference in people’s ability to detoxify chemicals. “Genetic differences are among the most promising explanations,” Johnson says, noting that eventually laboratory tests may be available to confirm a MCS diagnosis.
What can you do?
“Don’t assume that ill health is inevitable,” Johnson urges. “If you don’t feel well and can’t figure out why, take a look around you and question each product you use.”
To learn more, check out alisonjohnsonmcs.com.
I am available to help you sift through the myriads of alternative health care that is available today that will help you deal with MCS. Call me: Catherine Lajoie-Houle, Nutritionist, 207-449-3015
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: What’s That?
If you have multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), you may be miserable but have no idea why. That’s because MCS has a range of symptoms that are triggered by exposure to chemicals. MCS can be ignited by a major event, such as a chemical spill, or by long-term exposure to chemicals found in carpet, paint, cosmetics, detergents, and everyday household cleaners. It can even be caused by exposure to natural substances in plants or perfumes, which many of us keep around our houses or that float around in poorly ventilated offices.
Listed Below are MCS Symptoms:
The varied symptoms of MCS are experienced differently by each person who has them and are easy to confuse with other medical conditions. Some of the most common symptoms include:
• Headaches
• Rashes
• Depression, anxiety and anger
• Joint and muscle pain
• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Stuffy head/congestion
• Sneezing
• Breathing problems
• Confusion
• Dry mouth and dry eyes
• Insomnia
• Digestive difficulties
Many people with MCS may also lack the enzymes they need to rid their bodies of the toxic chemicals. In fact, in a number of recent studies, researchers have uncovered a genetic difference in people’s ability to detoxify chemicals. “Genetic differences are among the most promising explanations,” Johnson says, noting that eventually laboratory tests may be available to confirm a MCS diagnosis.
What can you do?
- It is necessary to use Powerful Antioxidants to help rid the body of the toxins that are causing so much distress.
- DNA testing is now available that will help determine if you have the ability or not to detoxify the chemicals or toxins in your body.
- Go green in your home. Use cleaning products, laundry soap, and beauty products that are chemical-free.
“Don’t assume that ill health is inevitable,” Johnson urges. “If you don’t feel well and can’t figure out why, take a look around you and question each product you use.”
To learn more, check out alisonjohnsonmcs.com.
I am available to help you sift through the myriads of alternative health care that is available today that will help you deal with MCS. Call me: Catherine Lajoie-Houle, Nutritionist, 207-449-3015
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Vitamin D and Heart Disease
The Buzz word out there today in the wellness industry is Vitamin D
What should you know about Vitamin D to get the benefits from it? Keeping in mind not all Vitamin is created equal...I've put together a couple of articles to give you the information you need to decide if Vitamin D is for you or not....Basically everyone needs extra Vitamin D. So read on and let me know your thoughts.
The Simple Inexpensive Way to Radically Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease
Low levels of vitamin D are known to nearly double the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with diabetes, and researchers now think they know why.
Diabetics deficient in vitamin D can't process cholesterol normally, so it builds up in their blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. New research has identified a mechanism linking low vitamin D levels to heart disease risk, and may lead to ways to fix the problem, simply by increasing levels of vitamin D.
Vitamin D inhibits the uptake of cholesterol by cells called macrophages. When people are deficient in vitamin D, the macrophage cells absorb more cholesterol, and can't get rid of it. The macrophages get clogged with cholesterol and become what scientists call foam cells, which are one of the earliest markers of atherosclerosis.
Macrophages are dispatched by the immune system in response to inflammation and often are activated by diseases such as diabetes.
Sources:
Heart disease is one of the leading killers in the
Low levels of vitamin D in your blood have long been correlated with higher risk of heart disease and heart attacks, and a previous study found women who take vitamin D supplements lower their risk of death from heart disease by one-third.
It’s also been suggested that the more sunlight you get, the better your cardiovascular health will be the more sunlight you get, the better your cardiovascular health will be, as there are a number of physiological mechanisms triggered by vitamin D production through sunlight exposure that act to fight heart disease, such as:
· An increase in your body's natural anti-inflammatory cytokines
· The suppression of vascular calcification
· The inhibition of vascular smooth muscle growth
Why this is Crucial to Know if You Have Type 2 Diabetes
Just about EVERYONE can benefit from optimizing their vitamin D levels, but if you have type 2 diabetes it is absolutely crucial that you do so.
Nearly 8 percent of the
So one in five people in the
Heart disease is extremely common in people with diabetes. The American Diabetes Association states that more than 65 percent of people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke, and with diabetes, heart attacks occur earlier in life and often result in death.
If you have low vitamin D levels on top of type 2 diabetes, this can nearly double your risk of cardiovascular disease, according to the study in Circulation above. This occurs because diabetics deficient in vitamin D can't process cholesterol normally, so it builds up in your blood vessels, increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke.
Further, vitamin D deficiency is widespread around the world, but in women with type 2 diabetes, the likelihood of low vitamin D levels is about one-third higher than women without diabetes.
So not only do people with diabetes have an increased likelihood of heart disease, they also are more likely to be deficient in vitamin D -- a very slick double-edged sword.
The solution, fortunately, is extremely simple: optimize your vitamin D levels.
Vitamin D Can Boost Your Health All Around
Vitamin D is not “just a vitamin,” but rather the only known substrate for a potent, pleiotropic (meaning it produces multiple effects), repair and maintenance seco-steroid hormone that serves multiple gene-regulatory functions in your body.
There are only 30,000 genes in your body and vitamin D has been shown to influence about 3,000 of them. Receptors that respond to the vitamin have been found in almost every type of human cell, from your brain to your bones. And researchers keep finding health benefits from vitamin D in virtually every area they look.
Can vitamin D help you prevent cancer? You betcha.
Fight Cold and Flu? Yes!
Help prevent obesity? It sure can.
Tackle depression and asthma and rheumatoid arthritis? Yes, yes and yes!
In fact, researchers have calculated that simply increasing levels of vitamin D could prevent diseases that claim nearly 1 million lives throughout the world each year, as the widespread vitamin D deficiency seen today is fueling an astonishingly diverse array of common chronic diseases.
Take Action Before it’s Too Late
Do you know what the most common symptom of heart disease is?
Sudden Death:
There are absolutely no indications of a problem, no signs like chest pain or shortness of breath. You simply have NO symptoms at all before getting struck by the chest pain that kills you.
There are more than 300,000 deaths EVERY YEAR in the
Heart disease, just like type 2 diabetes, is one of the easiest diseases to prevent and avoid, BUT you simply must be proactive.
Assess your heart disease risk factors. If you have type 2 diabetes, you should know you’re at an increased risk already and simply move ahead to my recommendation below. For the rest of you, one of the most important risk factors will be your HDL and cholesterol ratio.
Keep in mind that your total cholesterol level is just about worthless in determining your risk for heart disease, unless it is close to 300 or higher. And, perhaps more importantly, you need to be aware that cholesterol is not the cause of heart disease. If you become overly concerned with trying to lower your cholesterol level to some set number, you will be completely missing the real problem.
In fact, I have seen a number of people with levels over 250 who actually were at low heart disease risk due to their HDL levels. Conversely, I have seen even more who had cholesterol levels under 200 that were at a very high risk of heart disease based on the following additional tests:
· Your HDL/Cholesterol ratio
· Your Triglyceride/HDL ratios
HDL percentage is a very potent heart disease risk factor. Just divide your HDL level by your cholesterol. That percentage should ideally be above 24 percent. Below 10 percent, it’s a significant indicator of risk for heart disease.
You can also do the same thing with your triglycerides and HDL ratio. That percentage should be below 2.
So where do you go to get the best Vitamin D on the market??? More to follow..Or drop me an email...nenutrition@gmail.com
Thanks and until next time, BE HEALTHY~~~~~
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Simple Changes in Food Choices
Are you and your family healthy? On medications? Having trouble concentrating? Needing to change something but not sure where to start? This is the place.
There are many things you can do, simple things to change your health and your families health, one step at a time. 1st learn to read labels. Eliminate the following from your diet's:
HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP
HYDROGENATED OILS
MSG
ASPARTAME
This is where you should start today this month to make changes. More to come.
There are many things you can do, simple things to change your health and your families health, one step at a time. 1st learn to read labels. Eliminate the following from your diet's:
HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP
HYDROGENATED OILS
MSG
ASPARTAME
This is where you should start today this month to make changes. More to come.
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