Attention to bone health is important for all ages, not just older adults. Researchers are finding a number of factors that can affect bone from conception forward. The dietary and lifestyle habits of a mother can affect the bone status of her unborn child. The years of childhood and adolescence, are when bones become longer and stronger. During middle and older age, the goal is to maintain the bone that has been acquired.
Through all these stages, nutrition is key. Vitamin D appears to play a large role beginning during pregnancy. Pregnant women need to cover their own needs as well as the needs of their child. With all the new research on this important vitamin, there is controversy as to exactly what that requirement should be, but many suggest at least a baseline intake of 1000 IU a day, some say as much as much as 2000 or more, especially for a mom of multiples. (more…)
Summer is the time to spice it up! Many spices contain strong antioxidants that help mitigate the damage caused by sun exposure. Spices are also rich in antioxidants: Antioxidants help prevent skin cancer by reducing inflammation, decreasing free radicals and preventing thymine dimmers.
People suffering from the flu may be at higher risk for having a heart attack, especially those with heart disease and diabetes, British researchers report.
Showering may be bad for your health, say US scientists, who have shown that dirty shower heads can deliver a face full of harmful bacteria. Tests revealed nearly a third of devices harbour significant levels of a bug that causes lung disease. Levels of Mycobacterium avium were 100 times higher than those found in typical household water supplies. M. avium forms a biofilm that clings to the inside of the shower head, reports the National Academy of Science.