vitamin d

If you keep up with health headlines, you know vitamin D is a bit of a celebrity lately: Low vitamin D levels are common in otherwise healthy children, putting them at risk of rickets, or soft bones.   High vitamin D levels seem to reduce the risk of breast cancer.   Low vitamin D levels are associated with high death rates from breast and colon cancer Read more...

In 1996, Dr. Walter Willett of Harvard University authored a report in the Journal of The National Cancer Institute stating that after reviewing the worldwide evidence, approximately 50 percent of breast cancer cases could be avoided if women in North America engaged in more prudent nutrition and lifestyle practices. It has been shown consistently that having a full-term pregnancy and Read more...

WASHINGTON -- Half of all older Americans will have bone-thinning osteoporosis or be at high risk of getting it by 2020 -- unless they start strengthening their bones now with a boost of calcium, vitamin D and exercise, the surgeon general warned Thursday. Weak bones, from osteoporosis and a variety of other bone diseases, aren't a natural part of aging, Surgeon General Richard Carmona Read more...

Now is a good time to clear up some of the myths about sun tanning. First, a few good things about sunshine: It can help fight depression, provide the body with Vitamin D, improve a person's overall well-being and encourage healthy activity like exercise. But, like anything, too much of it is a bad thing. Suburban dermatologists, along with the American Academy Read more...

QUESTION: I know women's bodies go through lots of changes during menopause, but I don't hear much about how that affects my diet. What should I be getting more of? Less of? Are there any foods I should avoid altogether? ANSWER: When a woman reaches menopause, dietary requirements do change, but the changes aren't dramatic. Iron needs are lower, since iron is no longer lost in menstrual blood, Read more...

By Debra Rouse An all-around healthy diet is, of course, important for anyone, but prediabetics should pay special attention to foods that provide vitamins and minerals their bodies may be lacking -- some of which could actually help ward off diabetes. Think D for Diabetes Protection A number of studies have shown that vitamin D intake is associated with a lower risk of type 2 Read more...

By Suzy Cohen, R.Ph.QUESTION: I drink lots of milk, so I don't think I have to worry about a hip fracture anytime soon, but I'm over 50 and my doctor says I have some bone loss. Can you tell me about treatments? ANSWER: It's a myth to think that drinking lots of milk will protect you from osteoporosis. The ads sound convincing, but cow's milk may not be the best source of calcium for everyone. Read more...

Doctors are now paying more attention to what they believe to be an under-reported and under-diagnosed problem of osteoporosis in men. The vast majority of research has been on reducing or preventing bone density loss in women. One of the newest and most effective treatments is Fosamax, a daily pill that is expensive and can cost $60 a month or more. Clinical studies show it is safe for men Read more...

Whitehall-Robins Healthcare has remixed its Caltrate formula to help women get through menopause. The company's Caltrate 600-plus-Soy contains soyisoflavones, which the company claims can help a woman's body support the changes it goes through during menopause, along with calcium for stronger bones and Vitamin D, which aids calcium absorption. Dr. Clare Hasler, executive director of Read more...