Hyvin
A Natural Health and Wellness Blog

Here is a new plug for antioxidants: they may help with noise-induced hearing loss! At least they did in one animal study reported by Reuters Health. Researchers theorize that “the pre-exposure treatment may have helped by suppressing the development of cell-damaging substances called free radicals. The post-noise doses, in turn, may have lessened harm to the auditory nerves.” The nutrients used in the study were vitamins A, C and E, plus magnesium.

I’ve known about the role of calcium in reducing the risk of colorectal cancer for a long time. It’s confirmed by another study in the March 2007 edition of American Journal of Epidemiology. Although there were some differences between men and women, Reuters Health reports that the researchers concluded there are “protective roles for calcium, vitamin D and dairy products”. As one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers, it would seem to be a good idea to incorporate an easy preventative measure for colorectal cancer.

Here’s another one for the multiple health benefits of nutrients: Vitamin A consumption seems to be linked to a lower risk of stomach cancer, according to research published in the Feb. 2007 issue of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The Vitamin A can also be in its pre-cursor state of carotenoids for this to be true, according to the Reuters Health report of the study.

I understand why research needs to look at single nutrients and single disease states or health challenges. That’s not, of course, how the body functions, however. A smorgasbord of vitamins, minerals and fats (the good kind!) make up the raw material for the body to do everything it needs to do to maintain health. Which is why I believe so strongly in providing guaranteed sources of that smorgasbord through supplementation to be hyvin (well)!

Research has demonstrated that zinc can play a life-saving role for children in the developing world. As reported in the March 17 issue of The Lancet, zinc supplementation reduced the rate of mortality and the cases of pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria. According to the HealthDay report of this research, zinc is believed to play an important role in healthy immune system function.

If zinc supplements can do that much for those with so many challenges to their immune function, I know I wouldn’t want to be without them for myself and my children!

From HealthDay News: “Even a short period of calcium and vitamin D supplementation can greatly reduce the risk of stress fractures (overuse injuries to the bone) in women, a U.S. study finds.” Conducted on female U.S. Navy recruits, the study found that 25 percent more of those getting placebos suffered stress fractures than the group taking the supplements and was reported in San Diego in February 2007 at the annual meeting of the Orthopedic Research Society.

Gonna’ join the armed forces, begin track and field workouts or otherwise increase bone usage in a big way? (spring is coming!) Take your calcium and Vitamin D supplements (the latter helps the body absorb the former, which is vital for bone formation and repair).

Have you seen news headlines that new research shows the mineral selenium does NOT reduce prostate cancer risk as was previously believed? The press can be so unreliable. What the study in question found was that there was no statistically significant association between selenium levels alone and prostate cancer risk, BUT selenium levels DID correlate “with a lower likelihood of prostate cancer in men who reported a high vitamin E intake (more than the average of 28 IU per day) and those taking multivitamins.”!! (Reuters Health)

That isn’t surprising. Vitamin E and selenium work synergistically together to provide anti-oxidant protection. And the baseline of nutrients in a multivitamin provides additional immune support. Nutrients do not work in isolation, but work together for the overall health of the body.

So, this study, reported in the Jan. 2007 edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition bodes better news than you may have read elsewhere.

Women losing weight are encouraged to take calcium and Vitamin D supplements so that they will see the maximum reduction of bad cholesterol and maximum increase of good cholesterol associated with that weight loss, per research in the January 2007 edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Researchers noted that calcium intake is typically low among overweight women, there are a number of benefits to women losing weight from calcium intake, and women who are trying to lose weight should be sure to get adequate amounts of every other vitamin and mineral, as well as calcium and vitamin D, because of the various benefits of general supplementation on weight loss. (Reuters Health)

This is a nice acknowledgement of the critical role of nutrition and supplementation for good health.

Nutritional support for optimal learning can make a huge difference to a child in the classroom. Here’s a little quiz: Did you know that if a person’s blood sugar level is too low, it can cause the brain to act sluggish, making it difficult to learn and even behave appropriately? Did you know that B-Complex is essential for the brain and nervous system? Did you know that Lecithin is necessary for brain neurotransmitters and has been shown to improve memory and brain function?

Did you pass the quiz? Well, these are only a few of the nutrients that are important for learning support. And it makes sense, doesn’t it? The body and brain work as a unit and they both need nutrients to function as designed. It’s up to us as parents to learn what the kids need so they can learn!

Pancreatic cancer is deadly. According to the American Cancer Society, only 5 percent of patients will survive more than 5 years after diagnosis. Easy, inexpensive preventative measures are a welcome piece of good news amidst this picture.

And new research suggests one such measure: People who took supplements containing the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance of Vitamin D (400 IU a day) had a 43-percent lower risk of pancreatic cancer! Writing in the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, researchers explained why they took a look at the role of Vit. D: “Vitamin D has shown strong potential for preventing and treating prostate cancer, and areas with greater sunlight exposure have lower incidence and mortality for prostate, breast, and colon cancers, leading us to investigate a role for Vitamin D in pancreatic cancer risk.” Being sure to take a multi-vitamin/mineral with the RDA of Vit. D seems to be a VERY wise component of your program to be hyvin (well).

If you’re thinking the body produces Vit. D itself, that is true, but as the Reuters Health report of this research explains, “Vitamin D is produced by the body when sunlight hits the skin, but most Americans do not get enough sunlight to produce the needed amount. “

The Sept/Oct 2006 issue of Positive Thinking magazine cites Neurosurgeon Arthur Winter, M.D., coauthor of Smart Food in listing vitamin E, the B vitamins and iron as nutrients that can improve your memory. The Memory Upgrade article states: “The vitamins energize, and iron helps carry oxygen to the brain.” It also mentions omega-3 fatty acids as being helpful for memory function, and the studies demonstrating increased mental alertness from the herb ginkgo biloba.

So, if you’re concerned about memory function, some basic supplements can help. Now you just have to remember to take them .