Vitamin Information Center

We can get the vitamins and minerals our body needs by eating a balanced, varied and colourful diet.

But there is one vitamin that we can make ourselves, simply by exposing our skin to sunlight.

Vitamin D is made in the skin after interaction with UVB rays and plays a vital role in the build up of bone density.

The importance of vitamin D extends further – it affects immune function, helping to avoid colds and flu and it protects against cancer and the development of diabetes.

A recent study by experts at Harvard Medical School has added to the evidence that a low vitamin D status is linked to an increased risk of heart disease.

Vitamin D may also help regulate blood pressure and be involved in reducing inflammation.

The amount of vitamin D made by our skin depends primarily on the amount of sunlight, which, in turn, depends on:

The latitude we live at – the south has the advantage over the north

The season – summer wins over winter

The time of day – mid-day comes out tops.

Vitamin D production also decreases as we age – it is slower in dark-skinned people and is lower in obese people as vitamin D is thought to be stored in fat, which makes it less readily available.

To ensure our vitamin D levels are kept topped up we need to get out more, whatever the weather as it doesn’t have to be bright sunshine.

By exercising at the same time we will doubly benefit our hearts.

It pays to create opportunities – walk to work, alight from the bus a couple of stops earlier, walk the kids to school, go for a lunchtime walk, get out at the weekend to garden, bike or hike.

Remember not to cover up too much, just leave some skin exposed so that you can actually restore those vitamin D levels.

As springtime sunrays strengthen, 10 to 15 minutes uncovered or with a low sunscreen factor before 11am and after 3pm could be enough to boost our vitamin D status without tanning or burning.

Sunlight is the cheapest way to top up your vitamin D but there are a few foods that contain vitamin D:

Oily fish such as sardines, fresh tuna, salmon, trout, mackerel and kippers – eating two portions of oily fish a week will also provide you with heart-healthy omega 3 fats

Eggs and shiitake mushrooms

Cod liver oil

Fortified breakfast cereals.

For more information and advice about healthy living, contact Heart Research UK on 0113 297 6206 or email lifestyle@heartresearch.org.uk

Life normally includes anxiety at different points. However, if you are constantly anxious for no reason you can figure out, and if your anxiety is difficult to control and long-lasting, you may have an anxiety disorder. The components in this natural treatment formula are designed to relieve anxiety as well as general nervousness. Included are powerful botanicals which have been proven to ease tension and facilitate peaceful sleep. St. John’s Wort Extract, Hops Extract, and Valerian Extract are some of the botanicals included in this formula.

Anxiety has many related unpleasant symptoms and associations. These include restlessness (as well as fatigue); trouble concentrating; irritability; muscle tension and sleep problems. St. John’s Wort Extract helps to maintain a steady mood and supports mental health. Hops Extract and Valerian Extract can act as sedatives, inducing sleep and relieving anxiety and tension.

When people reach middle age, the gel-like vitreous begins to liquefy and contract. The vitreous gel pulls away from the back wall of the eye, causing a posterior vitreous detachment. It is a common cause of floaters, and it is more common for people who are nearsighted, have undergone eye surgery, have had laser surgery of the eye, or have had inflammation inside the eye.

Anxiety has many related unpleasant symptoms and associations. Some of the symptoms of anxiety include restlessness, and also, contrarily, fatigue. Other symptoms are difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, and sleep problems. St. John’s Wort can facilitate a steady mood and support mental health. Hops Extract and Valerian Extract can act as sedatives, inducing sleep and relieving anxiety and tension.

St. John’s Wort Extract helps to maintain a steady mood and supports mental health. Hops Extract and Valerian Extract can act as sedatives, inducing sleep and relieving anxiety and tension. Valerian Extract should be taken 30 minutes before bedtime. Skullcap Extract has historically been used as a sedative for people with nervous tension and insomnia, and may therefore be helpful in the natural treatment of anxiety disorder. Chamomile Extract contains active constituents that contribute to smooth-muscle relaxing action. People with anxiety disorder (also known as Nervousness or Panic Attacks) are often deficient in essential nutrients, including Calcium, Magnesium, and B Vitamins. Zinc is an essential mineral that is a component of enzymes that protect against free radicals caused by anxiety, and may be important in the natural treatment of anxiety disorder.

The ingredients in this formula include St. John’s Wort Extract. St. John’s Wort has a positive effect on mood and mental health. Hops Extract and Valerian Extract act as sedatives and can serve to induce sleep and relieve anxiety and tension. Valerian Extract should be taken 30 minutes before going to sleep. Historically, Skullcap extract has been used to calm those with nervous tension and insomnia. Therefore it is likely to be helpful in the natural treatment of anxiety disorder. Chamomile Extract contains active constituents that contribute to smooth-muscle relaxing action. Anxiety is sometimes exacerbated when the body is lacking essential nutrients. Lack of such nutrients as Calcium, Magnesium, and B Vitamins may contribute to anxiety. Enzymes that protect against free radicals contain Zinc, which may be important in the natural treatment of anxiety disorder.

Amazed by the healing power of Aloe Vera?

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A French epicurean once said, “Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.” But can eating certain foods make you smarter, happier, or more able to constructively respond to stress? Could junk food lead to a junk attitude? Connections are being made all the time between the foods we eat and the way we feel, think, and act. Continue Reading…

Though many people have not even heard of Lupus, it is common - more common than some well-known diseases such as multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and leukemia. But because not much is known about the disease, treatment of lupus is made more difficult. What is lupus, exactly?

Diagnosis and treatment of lupus is made more complicated by the fact that currently, there is no one single test that can positively identify the disease. In fact, lupus is often mistaken for other diseases with some similar symptoms, such as multiple sclerosis or arthritis. In fact, lupus is an auto-immune disease in which the body essentially “turns” on itself. When this happens the body creates antibodies that attack the body rather than protect it.
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VITAMIN D & CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH

The more that we understand about how Vitamin D works in the body, the greater becomes our appreciation of its myriad health-related effects.  Previously, this essential vitamin was considered primarily in terms of its important role in the absorption of calcium.  (Calcium not only provides strength for our bones, but also plays a critical role as a cofactor in thousands of vital chemical reactions occurring in every cell in our body.)  Unique among vitamins, our bodies can actually create Vitamin D as a result of exposure to natural sunlight.  However, variations in exposure to sunlight and in skin pigmentation, and in the availability of adequate Vitamin D in our diets, results in wide variations in the level of the active form of Vitamin D in the blood of individuals.  Because of these variations, an estimated one-third to one-half of all adults, and especially older adults, have low blood levels of this crucial vitamin. Continue Reading…