Is Stretching Good or Bad?

From eNewsletter 4/22/2024

DID YOU KNOW that the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene may help with breast cancer prognosis? According to a study in Nutrients, not only can it help women during treatment, but also may be highly beneficial for prevention if women screen for VDR gene polymorphisms.

There were three other new vitamin D studies you should know about.

A huge study from The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which followed subjects for over 13 years, demonstrated a 19% to 25% increased risk of all-cause dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and vascular dementia for those with vitamin D deficiency and a 10% to 15% increased risk of those with vitamin D insufficiency. Regular users of vitamin D and multivitamins had 17% and 14% lower risk, respectively.

According to a Nutrition Journal, there is a significant association between lower serum 25 (OH)D concentration and increased all-cause mortality among adults with hypertension. Furthermore, the study found that vitamin D supplementation had a strong correlation with reduced all-cause and CVD mortality.

Treatment with eldecalcitol (an active vitamin D treatment) has the potential to prevent the onset of sarcopenia among people via increasing skeletal muscle volume and strength, which might lead to a substantial risk reduction of falls, according to a study in The Lancet.

To read the rest of today's issue, please go to this page.

Men Must Prep for This

From eNewsletter 4/17/2024

DID YOU KNOW that pregnant women eating modern diets are missing key nutrients needed for them and their babies?

A study from PLOS Medicine that examined more than 1,700 women found most were missing vitamins, many found in animal protein, including B12, B6 and D, folic acid and riboflavin which are essential for the development of fetuses in the womb.

According to the lead author, "The push to reduce our dependence on animal protein to achieve net-zero carbon emissions is likely to further deplete expecting mothers of vital nutrients, which could have lasting effects on unborn children. Our study shows that almost every woman trying to conceive had insufficient levels of one or more vitamin, and this figure is only going to get worse as the world moves towards plant-based diets. People think that nutrient deficiency only affects people in underdeveloped countries, but it is also affecting the majority of women living in high-income nations."

One positive result of the study showed that quality prenatal supplements reduce vitamin insufficiencies during the preconception, pregnancy and lactational periods.

To read the res of today's issue, please go to this page.

All Fiber Is Not Created Equal

From eNewsletter 4/15/2024

DID YOU KNOW that producing a weak smile for as little as 500 milliseconds is enough to induce the perception of happiness from others, according to a study in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience?

Why is this important? There's plenty of research that shows even the act of forcing yourself to smile even when you're not happy lifts your mood. This study shows that you can potentially lift other people's moods or at least their perception of your mood as well by cracking a smile.

We all need to promote a little more happiness and it doesn't cost us much. A Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences study found that while higher earnings may improve life evaluations within a given cultural context, income has limited value for emotional well-being once basic needs are met. Happiness came from strong family bonds, social participation, health and wellbeing, connection to nature, and spiritual fulfillment.

To read the rest of today's issue, please go to this page.