Newborns Are Dying from Vitamin D Deficiency?

“I had not been informed of the need for infant vitamin D supplementation, or that we were at greater risk due to having dark skin, and I had no idea how catastrophic the effects of a vitamin deficiency can be.”

You Need More Than Calcium Supplements for Healthy Bones

As a child, I was always told I needed calcium for strong bones. So, I drank lots of milk and made sure to eat foods rich in this mineral. As an adult, I took calcium supplements. I figured I was doing what I was supposed to be doing from a nutritional standpoint in order to protect my bones.

5 healthy reasons you may want to choose gelato over ice cream

Gelato recently went viral after i-Creamy, a gelato store in Sydney, Australia, posted the most gorgeous photos of their flower-shaped gelato on Instagram. However, though beautiful, it’s the health benefits we’re most excited about.

What you should know before reaching for the calcium supplements

Calcium supplements are pretty popular, but they may not be helping your health like you think they are. Many people take them for their bones, but research shows “the more the merrier” just isn’t the case with calcium. Taking in excess calcium (more than you need) in the form of supplements or food won’t make your bones less likely to break. Plus, calcium supplements may cause bloating, constipation, interference with medications, and particularly in men, greater heart attack risk (due to vascular calcification).

What is a coronary calcium scan?

Calcium isn’t always a good thing. You want it in your bones, but not so much in the form of kidney stones or in your heart. After all, calcium buildup in your heart is a risk factor for heart disease. But now, there’s a new way to find out if that’s happening.

Not all kidney stones are the same

If you’ve read our previous post about kidney stones, titled “Everything you need to know about kidney stones,” you probably have a good handle on what they are, the risk factors and how you can best prevent them. Now, you’re ready to go a little more in-depth and learn about the types of kidney stones. Not all kidney stones are made up of the same crystals.

Too much of a good thing? Make sure you’re not overdosing with vitamin D

There are new studies every week, it seems, linking low vitamin D levels with various illnesses and diseases. And with deficiency being so widespread, it’s no wonder vitamin D sales are booming. But even with vitamin D, you can still have “too much of a good thing” and end up overdosing from taking too many supplements. Interestingly, you don’t have to worry about vitamin D overdose from sunshine exposure, because your skin stops making it from sunlight when there is enough. So, how much is too much vitamin D?

Loading up on excess calcium isn’t doing much to prevent bone fractures, studies show

Did your mom tell you to drink a glass of milk with every meal? Seems calcium has gotten a big push, touted as the best way to grow strong bones and prevent bone fractures. And while calcium is an important nutrient, if you’re loading up on supplements and calcium-rich foods for your bones as an adult, you may not be reaping as many benefits as you think. So we dug a little further to learn more.

Sports nutrition guide for high-intensity athletes

In my younger days, I was a track and field athlete. But I had no idea about sports nutrition. However, I did pay attention to what made me perform better or worse. Having more carbs was fine, especially for running, jumping and other cardiovascular exercises. But fats and greasy foods made my body more sluggish. A runner might eat more carbohydrates because his muscles will use them for energy, whereas fats and proteins are converted to energy much slower.

Milk with every meal? Probably not ideal

The milk industry, with its star-studded advertisements, tells you to drink milk every day for strong bones. But then you hear things to the contrary – that your body doesn't digest milk well and you’re probably allergic, it’s inflammatory, it contains hormones – the list goes on. Each side is armed with research showing that milk is either good for you or that it isn't, leaving everyone else confused. Let’s make sure you have all the facts.

Everything you need to know about kidney stones

Kidney stones can be unpleasant, to say the least. But if you know what symptoms to watch for, how to prevent them and what your treatment options are, you’ll have the upper hand when it comes to fending off kidney stones.

How much magnesium do you really need?

By now, there should be no dispute that magnesium is an extremely important mineral for optimal health. Every organ in the body, especially the heart, muscles and kidneys, needs magnesium. It is required for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body and is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body. Around 50-60 percent of all the magnesium in the body is found in the skeleton, about 27 percent is found in muscle, 6-7 percent is found in other cells, and less than 1 percent is found outside of cells. It is required for healthy teeth and bones, activating enzymes and energy production.