Vitamin D: Asthma and Influenza

Vitamin D Helps Fend Off Flu, Asthma Attacks: Study

SOURCE: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, online March 10, 2010

(Reuters Health) - In a study of Japanese schoolchildren, vitamin D supplements taken during the winter and early spring helped prevent seasonal flu and asthma attacks.

The idea for the study, study chief Dr. Mitsuyoshi Urashima, told Reuters Health, came from an earlier study looking at whether vitamin D could help prevent the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis. The researchers in that study noticed that people taking vitamin D were three times less likely to report cold and flu symptoms.

This led Urashima, of Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, and colleagues to randomly assign a group of 6- to 15-year-old children to take vitamin D3 supplements (1,200 international units daily) or inactive placebo during a cold and flu season.

Vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol, is more readily absorbed by the body and more potent than vitamin D2, or ergocalciferol, the form often found in multivitamins.

During the study, conducted between December 2008 and March 2009, 31 of 167 children taking placebo caught influenza A, the most common form of the virus, compared with only 18 of 167 taking vitamin D.

The vitamin D group was 58 percent less likely to catch influenza A, the researchers report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Vitamin D also appeared to suppress asthma attacks in children with a history of asthma. Two children taking vitamin D had asthma attacks during the study, compared to 12 children taking placebo. Urashima admitted to being a bit surprised by this finding and hopes to confirm it in a randomized trial targeting children with asthma.

Dr. Adit Ginde, of University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, who was not involved in the study, told Reuters Health: "This is the first time a study has been done that rigorously shows that vitamin D supplementation can reduce a type of influenza in a dedicated clinical trial." Ginde and colleagues published a study a year ago showing that asthmatics with lower vitamin D levels were at five times the risk for colds and flu.

In the Japanese study, vitamin D supplementation did not prevent influenza type B, which tends to appear later in the flu season than the "A" flu variety.

Ginde said there is no solid explanation for why vitamin D prevented influenza A and not influenza B. "The immune system fights different viruses in different ways. This finding needs to be explored in more detail," Ginde said.

Based on the current study, giving kids vitamin D supplements during the winter may help reduce cases of influenza A, the researchers conclude. Urashima suggests that children could take 1,200 IU per day starting in September to prevent flu and asthma attacks during the flu season.

Taking one tablet of Cataplex D morning and evening will supply you with 1600 IU's of vitamin D.

Don

Sleep - not to long; not to short seems to be the key

Not more than eight (8) and not less than six (6) hours a night maybe the key in maintaining weight, living longer and reducing your risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Women's study finds longevity means getting just enough sleep

ScienceDaily (2010-10-01) -- A new study, derived from novel sleep research 14 years earlier, suggests that the secret to a long life may come with just enough sleep. Less than five hours a night is probably not enough; eight hours is probably too much. ... > read full article
 
Sleep Duration Related To Having Metabolic Syndrome

ScienceDaily (2008-05-01) -- Short and long sleepers are more likely to have metabolic syndrome, or a combination of medical disorders that increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. According to the results, the odds for having the metabolic syndrome increased by more than 45 percent in both short and long sleepers. ... > read full article

Aerobic exercise relieves insomnia

ScienceDaily (2010-09-15) -- Millions of middle-aged and older adults who suffer from insomnia have a new drug-free prescription for a more restful night's sleep. Regular aerobic exercise dramatically improves the quality of sleep, mood and vitality, according to a new study. ... > read full article


Long sleep duration linked to an increased risk of metabolic syndrome in older adults

ScienceDaily (2010-06-10) -- Participants reporting a daily sleep duration of eight hours or more including naps were 15 percent more likely to have metabolic syndrome. This relationship remained unchanged after full adjustment for potential confounders. Participants who reported a short sleep duration of less than six hours initially were 14 percent more likely to have metabolic syndrome; this association disappeared after controlling for potential confounders. Participants were 29,310 people 50 years of age or older in Guangzhou, China. ... > read full article
 

Chronic Insomnia With Short Sleep Duration Is Significant Risk Factor For Hypertension

ScienceDaily (2009-04-09) -- A new study is the first to demonstrate that chronic insomnia with objectively measured short sleep time is an independent and clinically significant risk factor for hypertension. ... > read full article
 

Short, Long Sleep Duration Is Associated With Future Weight Gain In Adults#

ScienceDaily (2008-04-04) -- Both short and long sleeping times predict an increased risk of future body weight and fat gain in adults. Short and long duration sleepers were 35 percent and 25 percent more likely to experience a 5 kg weight gain, respectively, as compared with average duration sleepers over six years. The risk of developing obesity was elevated for short and long duration sleepers as compared with average duration sleepers, with 27 percent and 21 percent increases in risk, respectively. ... > read full article
 

Too Much Or Too Little Sleep Increases Risk Of Diabetes

ScienceDaily (2009-04-23) -- Scientists have found that people who sleep too much or not enough are at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance. The risk is 2.5 times higher for people who sleep less than seven hours or more than eight hours a night. ... > read full article

Sleep May Be Factor In Weight Control

ScienceDaily (2009-05-19) -- Could sleep be a critical component to maintaining a healthy body weight? According to new research, body mass index is linked to length and quality of sleep in a surprisingly consistent fashion. ... > read full article
 
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine offers the following tips on how to get a good night's sleep:


•Follow a consistent bedtime routine.

•Establish a relaxing setting at bedtime.

•Get a full night's sleep every night.

•Avoid foods or drinks that contain caffeine, as well as any medicine that has a stimulant, prior to bedtime.

•Do not bring your worries to bed with you.

•Do not go to bed hungry, but don't eat a big meal before bedtime either.

•Avoid any rigorous exercise within six hours of your bedtime.

•Make your bedroom quiet, dark and a little bit cool.

•Get up at the same time every morning.
 

 

Valerian Root and Passion Flower can also assist in calming you down at bed time; Valarian Root Complex from Mediherb Valerian Complex contains Valerian, Passion Flower and Zizyphus spinosa. Together these herbs and their constituents can help the body to: support nervous system health and obtain relief from occasional sleeplessness; use one to two tablets 20-30 min before bed . The use of a blood sugar stabilizing product such as A-F Betafood from Standard Process can also assist in sleep maintenance; by assisting the body in creating glycogen stores thus providing a constant source of fuel during sleep; use two to four tablets 20-30 min before bed time. Increased lactic acid and its subsquent build up is also a strong adrenal stimulant causing patients to awaken and then being unable to return to sleep.Cataplex B can assist this condition. (from Walther).

Book - "The Promise of Sleep" Dr William C. Dement, M.D., Ph.D. great resourse.

Review  - Healthful sleep has been empirically proven to be the single most important factor in predicting longevity, more influential than diet, exercise, or heredity. And yet we are a sleep-sick society, ignorant of the facts of sleep--and the price of sleep deprivation. In this groundbreaking book, based on decades of study on the frontiers of sleep science, Dr. William Dement, founder and director of the Stanford University Sleep Research Center, explains what happens when we sleep, when we don't, and how we can reclaim the most powerful--and underrated--health miracle of all.

Don

Probiotics - Lactic Acid Yeast

Lactic acid bacteria are among the most important groups of microorganisms used in food fermentations. They contribute to the taste and texture of fermented products and inhibit food spoilage bacteria by producing growth-inhibiting substances and large amounts of lactic acid. As agents of fermentation LAB are involved in making yogurt, cheese, cultured butter, sour cream, sausage, cucumber pickles, olives and sauerkraut, but some species may spoil beer, wine and processed meats.

Fermentation of Foods by Lactic Acid Bacteria
Many human foods are plants or animal products which have been fermented by lactic acid bacteria, since these bacteria possess properties that can benefit food production or conversion. The acidic and organoleptic properties of fermented foods result from the metabolic activities of these microorganisms. Foods such as ripened cheeses, fermented sausages, sauerkraut and pickles have not only a greatly extended shelf life compared to the raw materials from which they are derived, but also aroma and flavor characteristics contributed directly or indirectly by the fermenting organisms.

Because they obtain energy only from the metabolism of sugars, lactic acid bacteria are restricted to environments in which sugars are present. They have limited biosynthetic ability, having evolved in environments that are rich in amino acids, vitamins, purines and pyrimidines, so they must be cultivated in complex media that fulfill all their nutritional requirements. Most are free-living or live in beneficial or harmless associations with animals, although some are opportunistic pathogens. They are found in milk and milk products and in decaying plant materials. They are normal flora of humans in the oral cavity, the intestinal tract and the vagina, where they play a beneficial role.

Recent research suggests that reestablishing the balance between the number and proportion of different bacterial species present in the gastrointestinal tract can normalize the permeability, motility, metabolism, immune response and other functions of the gut. One natural way to achieve this goal is by ingesting adequate number of selected species of lactic acid bacteria (i.e. Lactobacilli, Streptococcus) and Bifidobacteria.


Lactic Acid Yeast from Standard Process
Purpose: Convert Carbohydrates in food to lactic acid, thereby acidifying the GI tract and inhibiting pathogenic bacterial growth. (Lactobacillus acidophilus, the analogous bacterium, only converts milk sugar to lactic acid.) Promotes intestinal absorption of Ca.


From the Clinical Reference Guide: Intestinal flora support, acidification of GI tract, converts all carbohydrate to lactic acid, protein and mineral (especially Ca, Zn, Fe) assimilation.

USE: Disruption of intestinal flora, antibiotic therapy adjunct, flatulence (2 hrs after meals), halitosis, toxemia, malassimilation disorder, constipation.

Question: What actually is yogurt?

John Courtney: Yogurt is a bacillus that is naturally found in sour milk—one of many. To make yogurt you would sterilize milk then seed it with a culture of whatever bacillus you choose. Different strains of bacillus produce different flavors. Yogurt is good for you but sour milk is even better because it hasn't been cooked. Tests have been conducted showing the effects of pasteurization. The bacteria count in pasteurized milk is way down real low compared to raw milk. But if you keep both under ideal conditions and test again after 12 to 48 hours the bacteria count in the pasteurized milk will be much higher than in the raw milk. Why? Because the protective factors normally found in milk are destroyed by cooking allowing the bacteria to increase. So pasteurized milk is a very inferior product— it often causes constipation along with other problems. Most of the nutrients which were present in the milk to begin with are destroyed or rendered unacceptable to the human body by the pasteurization process. So much for that. The lactic acid yeast organism that we use in our Lactic Acid Yeast wafers does the same thing that lactic acid bacillus does with one difference. Lactic acid bacillus only changes milk sugar to lactic acid whereas lactic acid yeast organism changes any carbohydrate to lactic acid. I don't think anyone else uses the lactic acid yeast organism; other companies use lactic acid bacillus. We also put a few additional food factors into Lactic Acid Yeast to make sure that it builds the patient up.

Reasearch Studies Supporting the Efficacy of Lactic Acid Yeast (Probiotics)

Gionchetti P. et al. Oral bacteriotherapy as maintenance treatment in patients with chronic pouchitis. Gastroenterology 2000; 119(2):305-309.

Gionchetti P. et al. Prophylaxis of pouchitis onset with probiotic therapy. Gastroeterology 2003; 124(5):1202-1209

Venturi A. et al. Impact on the composition of the fecal flora by a new probiotic preparation. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 1999; 13(8):1103-1108

Campieri M. et al. Combination of antibiotic and probiotic treatment is efficacious in prophylaxis of post-operative recurrence of Crohn's disease. Gastroenterology 2000; 118:A4179

Delia P. et al. Prevention of radiation-induced diarrhea with the use of VSL#3, a new high-potency probiotic preparation. Am. J. Gastroenterology 2002; 97(8):13-15.

Kim HJ. et al. A randomized controlled trial of a probiotic, VSL#3, on gut transit and symptoms in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2003; 17:895-904

Bazzocchi G. et al. Changes in symptoms, distension-stimulated colonic motility and in fecal microbiological features after oral bacteriotherapy in patients with diarrhea-predominant IBS (D-IBS) or with functional diarrhea (FD). Am. J. Gastroenterology 2002; 97(9):A847

Mimura T. el al. Once daily high dose probiotic therapy maintains remission and improved quality of life in patients with recurrent or refractory pouchitis. Gastroenterology 2002; 122:A81

Brigidi P. et al. Effects of probiotic administration upon the composition and enzymatic activity of human fecal microbiota in patients with irritable bowel syndrome or functional diarrhea. Res. Microbiol. 2001; 152:735-41.

Balfour RB. Editorial: Probiotics in Chronic Pouchitis: Restoring Luminal Microbial Balance. Gastroenterology 2000: 119(2):584-585.

Katz JA. Editorial: Prevention is the Best Defence: Probiotic Prophylaxis of Pouchitis. Gastroenterology 2003; 124(5):1535-1537.

Some Vitamin D Refernces Various Topics

Vitamin D References:

Alvarez JA and Ashraf A. Role of Vitamin D in Insulin Secretion and Insulin Sensitivity for Glucose Homeostasis. International Journal of Endocrinology, vol. 2010, Article ID 351385, 18 pages. 2010.

Annweiler C, Schott AM, Allali G, et al. Association of vitamin D deficiency with cognitive impairment in older women: cross-sectional study. Neurology. 2010 Jan 5;74(1):27-32. 2010.

Barnard K and Colón-Emeric C. Extraskeletal effects of vitamin D in older adults: cardiovascular disease, mortality, mood, and cognition. Am J Geriatr Pharmacother. 2010 Feb;8(1):4-33. 2010.

Bischoff-Ferrari HA, Giovannucci E, Willett WC, Dietrich T, Dawson-Hughes B. Estimation of optimal serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D for multiple health outcomes. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Jul;84(1):18-28. 2006. PMID:16825677.

Blaney GP, Albert PJ and Proal AD. Vitamin D metabolites as clinical markers in autoimmune and chronic disease. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2009 Sep;1173:384-90. 2009.

Buckley LM, et al. Calcium and vitamin D3 supplementation prevents bone loss in the spine secondary to low-dose corticosteroids in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Intern Med 1996; 125:961-968 1996.

Campbell FC, Xu H, El-Tanani M, et al. The yin and yang of vitamin D receptor (VDR) signaling in neoplastic progression: operational networks and tissue-specific growth control. Biochem Pharmacol. 2010 Jan 1;79(1):1-9. 2010.

Chen TC, Chimeh F, Lu Z, et al. Factors that influence the cutaneous synthesis and dietary sources of vitamin D. Arch Biochem Biophys. 2007 Apr 15;460(2):213-7. 2007.

Chiang KC, Chen TC. Vitamin D for the prevention and treatment of pancreatic cancer. World J Gastroenterol. 2009 Jul 21;15(27):3349-54. 2009.

Chun RF, Adams JS, and Hewison M. Back to the future: a new look at 'old' vitamin D. J Endocrinol. 2008 Aug;198(2):261-9. Epub 2008 May 21. 2008.

Davis CD. Low dietary copper increases fecal free radical production, fecal water alkaline phosphatase activity and cytotoxicity in healthy men. J Nutr. 2003 Feb; 133(2):522-7 2003.

Davis ND, JL Armstrong. KW Myers. Bering Sea salmon food habits:. Final Report to the Yukon Drainage Fisheries Association. SAFS-UW-0311. Fisheries Research Institute, School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle. December 2003, p.34. 2003.

Dawson-Hughes B, et al. Effect of vitamin D supplementation on wintertime and overall bone loss in healthy postmenopausal women. Annals of Internal Medicine 1991; 115(7):505-512 1991.

Dietrich T, Joshipura KJ, Dawson-Hughes B, Bischoff-Ferrari HA. Association between serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 and periodontal disease in the US population. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Jul;80(1):108-13. 2004. PMID:15213036.

Evans D. High Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency in HIV-Positive Men. Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vol 27, No 13 (May 1), 2009: pp. 2151-2156. 2009.

Feskanich D, Willett WC and Colditz GA. Calcium, vitamin D, milk consumption, and hip fractures: a prospective study among postmenopausal women. Am J Clin Nutr 2003 Feb;77(2):504-11 2003.

Garland CF, Garland FC, Gorham ED, Lipkin M, Newmark H, Mohr SB, Holick MF. The role of vitamin D in cancer prevention. Am J Public Health. 2006 Feb;96(2):252-61. Epub 2005 Dec 27 2006. PMID:16380576.

Gilchrest BA. Vitamin D and Health in the 21st Century: an Update. Sun exposure and vitamin D sufficiency. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 88, No. 2, 570S-577S, August 2008. 2008.

Gilsanz V, Kremer A, Mo AO, et al. Vitamin D Status and Its Relation to Muscle Mass and Muscle Fat in Young Women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010 Feb 17. [Epub ahead of print] 2010.

Giovnnucci E, Liu Y, Hollis BW, et al. 25-hydroxyvitamin D and risk of myocardial infarction in men: a prospective study. Arch Intern Med. 2008 Jun 9;168(11):1174-80. 2008.

Gocek E and Studzinski GP. Vitamin D and differentiation in cancer. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci. 2009;46(4):190-209. 2009.

Gordon CM, Feldman HA, Sinclair L, et al. Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among healthy infants and toddlers. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2008 Jun;162(6):505-12. 2008.

Harris SS. Symposium: Optimizing Vitamin D Intake for Populations with Special Needs: Barriers to Effective Food Fortification and Supplementation. Vitamin D and African Americans. American Society for Nutrition J. Nutr. 136:1126-1129, April 2006. 2006.

Hollis BW, Wagner CL. Nutritional vitamin D status during pregnancy: reasons for concern. CMAJ. 2006 Apr 25;174(9):1287-90. 2006. PMID:16636329.

Houghton LA and Vieth R. The case against ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) as a vitamin supplement. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Oct;84(4):694-7. 2006.

Hunter D, et al. A randomized controlled trial of vitamin D supplementation on preventing postmenopausal bone loss and modifying bone metabolism using identical twin pairs. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research 2000; 15:2276-2283 2000.

Jorde R, Sneve M, Torjesen PA, et al. No significant effect on bone mineral density by high doses of vitamin D3 given to overweight subjects for one year. Nutr J. 2010 Jan 7;9:1. 2010.

Kulie T, Groff A, Redmer J, et al. Vitamin D: an evidence-based review. J Am Board Fam Med. 2009 Nov-Dec;22(6):698-706. 2009.

Kumar J, Muntner P, Kaskel FJ, et al. Prevalence and Associations of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Deficiency in US Children: NHANES 2001-2004. Pediatrics, Sep 2009; 124: e362 - e370. 2009.

Leventis P and Patel S. Clinical aspects of vitamin D in the management of rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatology 2008; 47:1617-1621. 2008.

Motsinger-Reif AA, Antas PRZ, Oki NO, et al. Polymorphisms in IL-1, vitamin D receptor Fok1, and Toll-like receptor 2 are associated with extrapulmonary tuberculosis. BMC Medical Genetics 2010, 11:37 (2 March 2010) 2010.

Rovner AJ and O'Brien KO. Hypovitaminosis D among healthy children in the United States: a review of the current evidence. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2008 Jun;162(6):513-9. 2008.

Schwartz GG, Blot WJ. Vitamin D status and cancer incidence and mortality: something new under the sun. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2006 Apr 5;98(7):428-30. 2006. PMID:16595770.

Ullah MI, Uwaifo GI, Nicholas WC, et al. Does Vitamin D Deficiency Cause Hypertension? Current Evidence from Clinical Studies and Potential Mechanisms. International Journal of Endocrinology, vol. 2010, Article ID 579640, 11 pages, 2010. 2010.

Upreti P, Mistry VV, and Warthesen JJ. Estimation and Fortification of Vitamin D3 in Pasteurized Process Cheese. Journal of Dairy Science 2002, Vol. 85 No. 12 3173-3181. 2002.

Weber KT, Weglicki WB, and Simpson RU. Macro- and micronutrient dyshomeostasis in the adverse structural remodelling of myocardium. Cardiovasc Res. 2009 Feb 15;81(3):500-8. 2009.

Weenink JJ, Oudemans-van Straaten H, Yap HT, et al. High prevalence of severe vitamin D deficiency in intensive care patients. 30th International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency MedicineBrussels, Belgium. 9-12 March 2010. Critical Care 2010, 14(Suppl 1): P588doi:10.1186/cc8820. 2010.

White JH. Vitamin D Signaling, Infectious Diseases, and Regulation of Innate Immunity. Infection and Immunity, September 2008, Vol. 76, No. 9, p. 3837-3843. 2008.

William B. Hall, Amy A. Sparks, and Robert M. Aris. Vitamin D Deficiency in Cystic Fibrosis. International Journal of Endocrinology, vol. 2010, Article ID 218691, 9 pages, 2010. doi:10.1155/2010/218691 2010.

Higher Dairy Calcium Intake and Increased Serum Vitamin D are Related to Greater Diet-induced Weight Loss

Higher dairy calcium intake and increased serum vitamin D are related to greater diet-induced weight loss, Israeli study finds

ScienceDaily (2010-09-22) -- A new study conducted by researchers in Israel reveals that higher dairy calcium intake and increased serum vitamin D are related to greater diet-induced weight loss. ... > read full article
 
Previous article.....
 

Diet Rich In Calcium Aids Weight Loss In People With Calcium Deficient Diets

ScienceDaily (2009-03-19) -- Boosting calcium consumption spurs weight loss, according to a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, but only in people whose diets are calcium deficient. ... > read full article
 
another reason to maintain protein and calcium intake during a weight loss program

How To Lose Weight Without Losing Bone

ScienceDaily (2008-06-06) -- A higher-protein diet that emphasizes lean meats and low-fat dairy foods as sources of protein and calcium can mean weight loss without bone loss -- and the evidence is in bone scans taken throughout a new study. ... > read full article
 
So with these thoughts in mind -- consider having those of your clients who are embarking on a weight loss program get their Vitamin D status checked and maintain their calcium and protein intake.  Standard Process NEW Bone Health daily fundimentals packets may assist your clients in this area in that they have Calcifood wafers and Cataplex D in them. If your clients are embarking on a purification program then the addition of Whey Pro Complete can help them provide the minimum protein required for optimal uptake of calcium. Dietary protein intakes at and below 0.8 g/kg were associated with a probable reduction in intestinal calcium absorption http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12936953.  The combination of all three (Vitamin D, Calcium, Whey Protein) resulted in weight loss regardless of levels of calories from fat or sucrose http://www.nrjournal.com/article/S0271-5317(08)00188-7/abstract.
 
other Calcium/Protein links:
 
http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/133/3/852S
 
http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/75/4/609
 
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12612169
 
Don
 
 
 

Food Falicies

Check the Fine Print for these Common Food Fallacies


Bonnie Taub-Dix, registered dietitian, weight loss expert, and author of the new Read It Before You Eat It interprets the often-misleading markers on your favorite snacks.

Catches Your Eye: 0g trans fat
Look Closer: Trans fat-up to 0.5 grams in each unreasonably tiny portion

Why: “This is a labeling loophole,” says Taub-Dix. “Under FDA regulations, this claim is true even for products containing trans fat. Look at the ingredients on the back-if ‘hydrogenated oil’ or ‘partially hydrogenated oil’ are listed, it does have trans fat. Under current FDA regulations, manufacturers can include this label as long as the product contains less than 0.5 grams trans fat per serving.”

Catches Your Eye: Gluten-free
Look Closer: Trace amounts of wheat protein

Why: “Even though a product may have been fine for your allergy before, manufacturers change formulas, and it may no longer be safe. If you have food allergies, check the ‘May Contain’ statement under the ingredients every time. The eight allergens manufacturers must acknowledge are: milk, eggs, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, soy, and fish.”

Catches Your Eye: Vegetarian
Look Closer: A product that may contain fish

Why: “Vegetarians and vegans often look for kosher foods with the label ‘parve’-meaning the product contains no meat or dairy products. What they may not realize is that these items can still contain eggs, fish, or honey.”

Catches Your Eye: Organic
Look Closer: No information about nutritional content.

Why: “Many people feel ‘organic’ equals ‘healthy.’ Don’t be fooled: ‘Organic’ only reveals how it was grown and processed; it doesn’t communicate anything about the product’s nutrients or whether or not it was grown locally. Thirty percent of ‘organic’ products are imported from China. The organic versions of some produce are better because inorganic produce is more likely to be contaminated with pesticides.”

Catches Your Eye: All Natural
Look Closer: A definition meant for meat and poultry, applied to everything from potato chips to frozen yogurt.

Why: “The USDA created this label for meat and poultry; it has not been defined by the FDA. If you see it on anything other than meat and poultry, it has virtually no significance. Sugar is natural, so it’s OK to label something with a lot of sugar as ‘all natural’.”

Vitamin D and Athletic Performance

Bioletics www.bioletics.com.

An optimum level of vitamin D is an absolute essential for any athlete. Recent research has proven that vitamin D boosts immunity, hormonal activity, brain function and metabolism. It promotes muscular strength, speeds recovery and enhances both reaction time and balance.

In order to understand how vitamin D may impact your athletic performance, it is important to know that the active form of vitamin D is actually a hormone that, in many ways, acts like testosterone or growth hormone. It works directly at the cellular level of your body, directing all physical processes related to growth, repair and performance.

Although vitamin D can be obtained in small amounts from the food we eat, the sun is a better source. When UVB rays penetrate the skin, they unlock the body’s ability to make its own supply of vitamin D.

The human body can make thousands of units of vitamin D with the proper amount exposure to sunlight. When sunbathing during the summer months, the body can naturally produce about 20,000 IU’s of vitamin D—the same amount of vitamin D in 200 glasses of milk or the equivalent of that found in about 50 multivitamins.

Most athletes, however, don’t come close to getting enough sun to satisfy their bodies’ vitamin D needs—not even those who spend several hours training outside every day. Approximately 75% of all athletes are vitamin D deficient. Chances are, you’re deficient in vitamin D, too.

Your body requires 4,000 IU’s daily, just to maintain its current vitamin D level. In order to actually raise it, you’ll need to increase your amount of sun exposure (which isn’t always practical or possible, especially during the winter months) or take an oral vitamin D3 supplement.

A few words of advice:

Do NOT take vitamin D2 supplements. This unnatural from of vitamin D is 50% less effective than vitamin D3 and is metabolized into potentially-toxic substances. Vitamin D2 is very expensive and only available by prescription

Two very important things to remember:

1. It is absolutely essential that you get your vitamin D levels assessed regularly (a simple finger stick is all that’s required). While the body will not produce more vitamin D than it needs, it is possible to take too much vitamin D orally.

Optimal levels of vitamin D fall within the range of 50-65 ng/ml (nanograms per milliliter). To safely and accurately determine your needs, first establish your baseline level. After following a vitamin D supplementation program for three months, repeat the assessment. Once your levels have reached an optimal range, switch to a maintenance dose. Then, consider assessing yourself at regular intervals in March (following winter when your level is likely to be at its lowest) and August/September (when it is likely to be a its highest).

An inexpensive, at-home assessment kit can purchase at www.bioletics.com

2. There is no optimal dose of vitamin D. Because you are a biologically-unique individual, your need for vitamin D (from either the sun or supplementation) will be different from any other athlete’s. The approximate dosage of vitamin D needed to maintain a blood level between 50-80ng/ml is 1,000 units of vitamin D3 per 25 pounds of body weight daily. But it may take double—or triple—that amount to raise your level if it is very low.

We are only beginning to realize what our bodies have intuitively known for thousands of years—the sun provides us with tremendous healing and performance potential. Restoring optimal vitamin D levels with regular and managed exposure to UV light and/or oral supplementation is one of the most important things you can do for your athletic body.