Live Younger Now!

Some say there is no need for supplementing the diet with vitamin, mineral, and herbal supplements.  The Metzenbaum Congressional study revealed that every age group had nutrient deficiencies below the recommended level.  The “no need for supplement” naysayers base their position on the belief that we can get all of our nutrition from food.  That statement is perhaps true but no one, according to Metzenbaum, eats properly and if we did the daily caloric intake would be more than our lifestyle could burn off.  Finally, the challenge:  Plan three well balanced meals per day based on the current food guide pyramid for one week.  Then go to your favorite grocery store and shop, on paper, for the items needed for the menus planned.  You will discover that the cost is prohibitive.  Food supplements provide nutritional insurance.  They are not a substitute for eating as well as we can.

For months now I have been posting info regarding various health and wellness ideas.  I have posted articles about supplementation, cancer, exercise, eating vegetables, anti-aging, resveratrol, benefits of whole grains, stress, sleep, children, etc.  I have featured current studies from peer reviewed sources.  I have not received dialog that I felt was from people who were interested in preventative health.  So I am changing what I am posting for awhile.  Feel free to engage in dialog here.

There is so much junk science available that one has to be more questioning about the study proffered.  Ask some basic questions:

1. How many people were part of the study?
2. How long did the study take?
3. What were the other parameters involved?

Here is an example:  50 people (too few involved) over 3 weeks (not long enough) studying people who exercise 3 or more times per week and the effects of their exercise on their coming down with a cold (another parameter might be that people who exercise eat better, or get more rest, etc.)  OR, could the scientist be doing research primarily to receive research grants from some entity looking to back their current position.

We are too eager to accept the science if the science gives credence to our preconceived accepted truths.  We need to have more open minds and challenge the veracity of any scientific study.

“A great way to prevent a cold may be to go for a jog.  Researchers who studied the respiratory health of 1,000 adults for 12 weeks found that those who exercised five or more times a week got fewer that half as many colds as peers who exercised only once a week.  Plus, the fittest participants had less sever cold symptoms.”  Source:  British Journal of Sports Medicine, published online Nov. 1 2010

“Older people who walk 72 blocks a week, or roughly 6 to 9 miles, don’t lose as much brain function or gray-matter tissue as seniors who walk less, a study found.  Previous research has shown that brains shrink with age, which may cause memory loss.  It’s long been hypothesized that exercise may help prevent mental deterioration with age; this study suggests that gray matter may be the key to that protection.  Study participants (average age: 78) needed to walk the full 72 blocks to get the benefit, but walking more didn’t provide an additional help.”  Source: Neurology, published online Oct. 13, 2010  For information on anti-aging products click here.

“A great way to prevent a cold may be to go for a jog.  Researchers who studied the respiratory health of 1,000 adults for 12 weeks found that those who exercised five or more times a week got fewer than half as many colds as peers who exercised only once a week.  Plus, the fittest participants had less severe cold symptoms.”  Source: British Journal of Sports Medicine, published online Nov. 1, 2010  For information related to fortifying the immune system click here.

In this study of over 520,000 participants from 10 western European countries, the results show a strong association between low 25-hydroxyvitamin D blood concentrations and increased risk of colorectal cancer. More research is needed to determine if increasing 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations (through diet, supplements, or sun expo…sure) can effectively decrease the risk of colorectal cancer.  For a great Vitamin D3 supplement click here.

“It’s a smart idea for girls to walk to school.  Researchers concluded this after analyzing the test scores of 1,700 teens and then asking them how they got to school.  Girls who walked or biked to school did better on tests than those who commuted by car or bus.  (The findings weren’t true of boys, though.)  Plus, the longer the walk or bike ride, the better the girls’ test scores were.  The connections stood even when the researchers took the teens’ outside activity into account.  Still, cause and effect is unclear; smart girls may just choose to walk or bike to school.” Source” Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, published online Dec. 6, 2010

“Hard-core endurance athletes like those depicted in sports-drink commercials may need these sugary beverages to support their intensive training.  Nutritionally, though, sports drinks aren’t much difference from sweetened carbonated beverages.  A recent study found that normal teenagers with otherwise excellent health habits also drink these calorie-heavy products even while eschewing soda.  The authors blame the popular misconception that sports beverages are a part of a healthy life style.”  -Source: Pediatrics, published online Sept. 27, 2010.  For information on sports drinks that are better formulated click here.

“There’s been a lot of debate about the merits and potential dangers of low-carbohydrate diets, but new research suggests that they may be healthy–so long as they are rich in veggies.  Researchers tracked a large group of middle-aged participants over more than two decades, assessing their dietary profiles along the way.  When lumped together, low-carbohydrate diets were associated with an increased risk of death compared with diet higher in carbs.  However, low-carb diets that emphasized vegetables were associated with a lower risk of death than low-carbohydrate diets that were heavy on animal products.” Source: Annals of Internal Medicine, Sept. 7, 2010  For more information on plant based food supplements click here.