TabsMagic

Vitamin D is appearing in the news a lot recently, mostly due to deficiency of it. There have been several opinions abounding on what is the correct recommended daily amount of Vitamin D and also what is the best source of vitamin D.

Professor emeritus of biochemistry and biomedical sciences, Anthony Norman is an internationally recognised expert on vitamin D. He says that there is insufficient Vitamin D intake for over half the people of Western Europe and North America.

Professor Norman described his fears about vitamin D lack, saying, “Elsewhere, it is worse. Given that two-thirds of the people are vitamin D-insufficient or deficient. It is clear that merely eating vitamin D-rich foods is not adequate to solve the problem for most adults.”

Vitamin intake is measured in ‘IUs’ (international units) and the daily recommendation fro vitamin D is 200 for people up to 50 years old, 400 for those between 51 and 70, and 600 for those over 70.

Norman wants to up those recommendations considerably. He said: “There is a wide consensus among scientists that the relative daily intake of vitamin D should be increased to 2,000 to 4,000 IU for most adults.”
Norman described how it could be done, saying “A 2000 IU daily intake can be achieved by a combination of sunshine, food, supplements, and possibly even limited tanning exposure.”

There are some very pressing reasons why an increase in the dosage of vitamin D would be beneficial to health, or at least getting the majority of people up to the current RDA. Norman revealed that “Several studies have reported substantial reductions in incidence of breast cancer, colon cancer and type 1 diabetes in association with adequate intake of vitamin D, the positive effect generally occurring within five years of initiation of adequate vitamin D intake.

Even though economic conditions are far from good, the sales of alternative medicines are rising. The Daily Mail, a UK newspaper reported a study that revealed how the alternative medicine market in the UK has grown by 18% in the last two years making it worth £213 million yearly. In the next four years that is forecast to rise to £282 million.

What is especially interesting in the study is that the rise in purchases of alternative medicines also includes categories that are not so well known such as Indian ayurvedic medicine.The U.S. has also experienced a rise in sales to the tune of $639 million but at a lower percentage rate of 10%. As some sources were not included in the figures they could be higher still.
The reasons for the growth in spending on alternative medicines according to the study group Mintel, is that governments and the people have greater acceptance of alternative treatments and medicines than only a few years ago. Acupuncture is even available via the National Health for example.

Another reason is that in many cases alternative medicines or treatments are less expensive, particularly in the U.S. than seeing a doctor and getting a prescription. From a study paper conducted by the Associated Press it was stated that, “climbing sales of herbal medicines have paralleled the tanking economy.”

One more reason is that with an increasing number of people having mood disorders but not wanting to depend on potentially harmful psychiatric drugs, they are looking to homeopathy treatments like St John’s Wort which is being used to help relieve depression. In 2008 in the UK 1.5 million people bought this remedy.

In December the U.S. National Institutes of Health released the results of their study which revealed that 18% of American study respondents said they had use nonvitamin, nonmineral products for their health care, with 25% foregoing or delaying conventional medical treatment due to the cost.

Self-employed bookkeeper, Cathy Birleffi said “The doctors are so much higher [in cost]; the insurance isn’t paying as much.” She and her husband now look to herbal remedies to treat their health problems.

More and more experts are agreeing that seaweed can be categorized as a superfood. That claim is being supported by investigations that reveal that seaweed, which is a variety of algae, contains more calcium than cheese, more fibre than you will find in prunes and more iron than a sirloin steak. All these comparisons are weight for weight.

Other important vitamins and minerals contained in seaweed are potassium and iodine and it is the sole plant that is a source of vitamin B12. The most recent studies on seaweed revealed that its bioactive substances aid in reducing blood pressure and cholesterol, plus its ability to deal with free radicals that are the cause of cancer.

The American Association for Cancer Research has recently published their initial research that revealed how extracts of seaweed was able to inhibit cancer cell growth that would otherwise lead to lymphoma. They were interested to know the connection between seaweed and cancer reduction on account of the Japanese who eat more seaweed per capita than any other nation and have low cancer rates in their women.

The University of Newcastle conducted research that showed how seaweed fibres (alginates) were responsible for reducing the absorption of fat by the body and could thus be considered a viable weightloss ingredient.

From Newcastle University, research associate in human nutrition, Dr Iain Brownlee said: “We’ve found that by adding these natural fibres to food products, up to 75 per cent of the fat we consume could simply pass through the body – so in theory it could be used to fight obesity. Alginates could be used in place of the fat that gives food its flavour. In tests, people have actually preferred bread with small levels of alginate in it – so it’s not something you have to force yourself to eat.

Stress killing you?

Stress is recognised as the biggest killer in modern society.
It can be argues that stress is what allows your body to be susceptible to diseases such as cancer and arthritis, immune system problems and many physical disorders.
It will also effect you mentally and cause you problems in how you conduct your life with respect to relationships and general decisions and choices that you have to make.

It can make you tired, irritable, depressed, nervous, hyper, hungry, overweight, underweight, lethargic, controlling, indecisive, tearful, have bad skin, bad hair, bad nails, ……

It can make you snappy and cause you to hurt those that you love and care for.

Stress can ruin your life.

People suffer stress for a multitude of reasons, life is stressful, there is no way around that, but you can help minimise your stress levels and learn to minimise the detrimental effects that stress has on you, your body and your family.

I can help you do this. I work as problem solver and stress management consultant. I can help you identify the reasons that you feel stressed, work out how to stop them, or work with you to help you control the effect that it has on your life.

I work as a nutritionist, personal trainer and sports massage therapist so can physically help to to counteract the bad effects that stress my have had on you such as comfort eating, nutrition deficiencies, over or under your optimum weight or fitness level or muscular tensions.

A panel of medical experts advised the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate sodium use. The panel drawn from the Institute of Medicine concluded their analysis by recommending the FDA to limit the amount of sodium that can be used in processed food.

A separate report, but equally direct, from the Journal of the American Medical Association attacked the amount of sugar added to foods, saying that cardiovascular disease risk factors were much more likely to be higher.

From Emory University, researchers pored over the data from the government, on 6,000 Americans in order to determine their blood lipid levels and nutritional information. They discovered that the amount of sugar intake was between 3 to 46 teaspoons per day and that most of it came from sweeteners added to pre-prepared food. Sugars from fruits did not get included in the research.

“In the United States, total consumption of sugar has increased substantially in recent decades, largely due to an increased intake of ‘added sugars,’ defined as caloric sweeteners used by the food industry and consumers as ingredients in processed or prepared foods to increase the desirability of these foods,” stated the report.

Too much sugar in the diet raises the levels of triglyceride or bad cholesterol as opposed to good cholesterol which translates as higher risk to the heart and circulatory system.

It is advised to take notice of labels before buying prepared food to determine how much sugar is in the contents.

Truth be known that this is true of many things regarding nutrition, we no longer cook as a nation, we consume, this takes the control aspect out of what we eat.

Further to what has already been said on the topic of vitamin D, I have been looking at a report today that again shows just how important this ‘D’ is for diet….

A study that has just been released reveals that 59% of study subjects had insufficient Vitamin D. In the study designed to test for the levels of Vitamin D in the blood stream, it was also found that nearly 25% of volunteers had serious Vitamin D deficiencies.

Not enough Vitamin D leads to reduced muscle strength, more body fat and several other health problems so proper Vitamin D levels are seen as an important indicator of good health.
So basically whatever your mission in life is, muscle gain, weight loss or just overall happiness it would seem that you can be limiting your chances of success by not getting enough D in your diet…
Co-director of the Musculoskeletal Axis of the Research Institute of the MUHC, Dr. Richard Kremer who also led the study said “Vitamin D insufficiency is a risk factor for other diseases,” adding that “Because it is linked to increased body fat, it may affect many different parts of the body. Abnormal levels of Vitamin D are associated with a whole spectrum of diseases, including cancer, osteoporosis and diabetes, as well as cardiovascular and autoimmune disorders.”
Eek!! Get me some quick!!

What amazed the researchers was that the study subjects were all young and healthy women living in California and as such were in a prime location and age group to be getting plenty of exercise, good diet and exposure to the sun, the trigger for Vitamin D production.

Dr. Kremer said “We are not yet sure what is causing Vitamin D insufficiency in this group.” He did suggest that “High levels of Vitamin D could help reduce body fat. Or, fat tissues might absorb or retain Vitamin D, so that people with more fat are likely to also be Vitamin D deficient.”

Further studies are being requested to more fully investigate the phenomena discovered.

The study received funding from several U.S. and Canadian organizations and the results were published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism

The problem with this study is that it seems to rule out the main source of vitamin D- the sun- as a limiting factor as all the participants in the study lived in sunny California, so that suggests that there is more to it than what was before thought. We used to think that get a good quota of ‘safe’ sunlight and you would be ok, but this now seems less so the case. So other good vitamin D sources?

Here are the top ten;

Good Morning?

So my first mistake was to brave taking the puppy (Werm) out when there was a break in the rain- we got soaked – sodden wet through.

We arrive at the back door resembling a pair of drowned rats to find I have managed to lock myself out!!

Soaking, shaking, freezing and a whining puppy at my feet looking at me wondering what she had done to warrant such blatant cruelty…

So donning my best bedraggled and sodden charm I convince some builders working on a local house to let me borrow a large step ladder….

Too embarressed to accept their offers of help, I haul it home- and set to clambering up to the second floor window that I know is unlocked. There was the moment of  no return when the ladder fell away as I danged in the hard place between the last rung and the window sill – but I survived and am now inside, with a hot cup of earl gray, a dog in blankets (still shivering) and feeling much happier.

My point- other than why do these thing only happen to me?!

Had I not been as fit as I am – I ould still be out there shivering…

I would have lacked the strength to carry a heavy ladder, the agility to climb it, the upper body and core strength needed to haul myself up, and the flexibility to maneuver myself through the window and gracefully down the other side without breaking either my neck nor the pot plant….

What tasks have you achieved recently that have been made possible by your fitness level- or indeed what ones would have been a whole lot easier had you been fitter?

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So, not all of us are exercise fanatics….

But a necessary evil that it is, what is it that drives you to get up and do it, obviously for many of my personal training clients I am that push- but the reason that people seek the aid of a personal trainer varies greatly…..

Reasons range from general fitness and weight loss to impending wedding, a bikini holiday, a special dress to get into, a looming marathon, wanting to keep up with the grandchildren,  doctors orders…………..

What is it that gets you off the sofa?

After my routine Wednesday night spin class last night I got into a discussion which a few of the attendees as to why they come to spin classes.

The sharp contrast between one couple was as distinct as it could be.

”I just love it!!! It gives me a real buzz!” compared with:

”I absolutely hate every second! It’s just the only way that I can make myself do any exercise is if you are there yelling at me Tabs”.

Some people hate exercise.

No, a lot of people hate exercise – just some refuse to admit that their sole reason for the gym membership is because without it they would have hit 20 stone by now.

In my opinion the more virtuous person is he that hates every second but still has the discipline to make himself do it! The few that actually do enjoy exercise should think themselves very lucky.

One of my biggest weight-loss and fitness-gain achievements was a lady who’s very first words to me were;

‘ I hate every second of exercise, I hate that you are going to make me do it, I hate that I am paying you to put me through torture,…………………… but know it is the only way I am going to get this weight off!’

We got on famously, she lost 4 stone, she still exercises, she still hates every second of it. She loves her size 10!

It was her honesty that let me as a trainer know how to deal with her from the start.

I have a harder time with the ‘in denial’ cases. The ones that come to me overweight or unfit, but they start the introduction with ‘i love exercise but…..’

No buts, if you loved exercise you would do it, full stop.

So it makes life easier for both trainer and client if the client is really honest about their attitudes to exercise.

I can usually find even the most avid exercise hater something which is exercise related that the don’t despise. If there really is nothing movement involved that they can abide then I will be driven and motivated enough to physically drag them, kicking and screaming, to a slimmer, fitter, healthier body.  I may use bribes, blackmail, threats, lies and all underhand measures at my disposal. But I will get them there.

Some hate me, not that it bothers me, in fact it probably spurs me on

But all love the result!!!

Tabs

P.s. If you’re the type that enjoys exercise, book a session or two- we’ll soon change that!!