Doubling the Dose of Vitamin D
The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends doubling the dose of vitamin D for children to 400 International Units per day (the old recommendation was for 200 International Units per day). Vitamin D is important for healthy bone formation. Children who are deficient in vitamin D can develop rickets, a bone-softening which is a disease that results in malformed bones. Vitamin D deficiency has also been linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular and other diseases in adults.
Most children will need supplements to reach this level because there really aren't many foods high in vitamin D except for milk that has had vitamin D added, and it would take four 8-ounce glasses of milk every day to get that much vitamin D. Breast-fed infants are especially at risk because breast-milk is a poor source of vitamin D.
So why don't many foods contain this important vitamin? Because your body makes vitamin D after your skin has been exposed to the sun. Since there are concerns about getting skin cancer from too much sun exposures, many people avoid the sun completely, which leaves them deficient.
Photo © Chris Chidsey
How To Make Weight Loss Easy
Well, at least easier. About two-thirds of people in the United States are overweight or obese. That needs to change. Losing weight really doesn't have to be difficult as long as you eat a healthy diet with lots of fiber. Here's how.
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Daily Nutrition TipPhoto © Andres Virviescas
Eggs in a Healthy Diet
Eggs were taken off of many people's diet food lists because they contain a lot of cholesterol. That's unfortunate, because eggs also contain lots of important nutrients. Actually, there are plenty of studies showing that eating one egg each day will not raise your cholesterol or lower your HDL, so almost everyone can enjoy eggs as part of a healthy diet.
Today's Nutrition Tip
Photo © Pontus Edenberg
Can Pizza Be Healthy?
Pizza is delicious and certainly very popular. Unfortunately pizza is frequently part of a high-fat and high-calorie diet and that leads to obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Most people think of a pizza dripping with extra cheese and lots of greasy high calorie meats like sausage and pepperoni. While pizza really can't be a staple part of a healthy diet, you can make healthier pizzas that are lower in fat, higher in fiber and actually offer some good nutrition by choosing whole grain crusts and lots of vegetables.
Read how to make a healthier pizza.
More About Pizza
Daily Nutrition TipPhoto © Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Quiz - Which Fast Food Item is Worse?
Fast foods are cheap and ready to eat almost as soon as you finish placing your order. Unfortunately, fast foods are also high in fat, calories, sugar and sodium, but low in all of the good nutrients your body really needs. Interestingly, the fast food restaurants have very cool websites with interactive sections where you can build your favorite fast food meal and find out just how fattening and unhealthy it is. I guess the availability of that knowledge doesn't reduce the popularity of fast foods.
Of course, you can also use those websites to hunt for healthier selections at fast food restaurants. I used some of that information to create an interesting and informative quiz for you, Which Fast Food Item is Worse?
Photo © Emre Nacigil
How Bad Is BPA?
Bisphenol A (BPA) is found in hardened plastics in a wide variety of products, including some food and beverage containers. Some experts have been concerned about the potential danger of this chemical because lab animals exposed to BPA develop health problems.A recent study found a correlation between the amount of BPA found in the urine and the likelihood of also having heart disease and diabetes.
Does that mean you should stop using plastics? Well, maybe...or maybe not. The problem with a study like this is that it doesn't really prove BPA causes heart disease or diabetes, it just shows that people who have more BPA in their systems also had more chronic disease. Maybe because they ate lots of processed packaged foods that just happen to be packaged in plastic.
The FDA has the authority to regulate the use of plastics containing BPA. As of now, the FDA does not recommend people avoid plastics, but does suggest concerned parents may switch to glass baby bottles.
If you are concerned about exposure to BPA, the NIH has these suggestions:
- Don’t microwave food in plastic polycarbonate food containers. Pyrex is an excellent BPA-free alternative (buy direct).
- Plastic containers that contain BPA usually have a #7 on the bottom.
- Reduce your use of canned foods -- cans may be lined with plastic material.
- Use glass, porcelain or stainless steel containers, particularly for hot food or liquids.
- Use baby bottles that are BPA free (buy direct).
Photo © Getty Images/David McNew/Staff
Make Your Own Cookbook - How Cool Is This?
Do you like cookbooks? I do too, but I get tired of paging through all of them to find the recipes that I use the most. I guess I could just cut them out and paste them in a notebook, but who wants to ruin a perfectly good cookbook?
Today I found a site that takes care of that problem. At TasteBook you can create your own personalized cookbook.
You design your cover, choose recipes (they have thousands to choose from - or add your own) and in a few days you will receive your personalized cookbooks for about $20.00 each.
How about this for a great gift idea? Make a cookbook with your favorite healthy recipes to give to family and friends. How do you know when a recipe is healthy? Check out the ingredients and cooking methods or browse through the ready-made healthy cookbooks available on Tastebook.
Photo © Tom Seawell
Obesity - What Was the Tipping Point?
Right now in the US, about one-third of the population is obese. This wasn't the case 30 years ago. Sometime between then and now, we changed the way we eat. So what happened?
We know why so many people are obese. Too much food, with lots of calories, over-processed with lots of sugar and unhealthy fats. And lack of physical activity is also takes part of the blame.
But why did this happen? What was the tipping point that turned us into a bunch of chubby lemmings ready to plummet off the cliff into an abyss of obesity-related chronic disease? And more important now -- what is the tipping point that will get us back to a healthy weight?
Why Are Fad Diets Bad?
You know those commercials you see on TV for fat-burning pills or the articles in magazines raving about weight loss diets? Most of these diets are just fad diets that make promises they just can't keep.
Fad diets promise quick and easy weight loss as long as you follow the strict rules or buy dubious products. Learn how to spot a fad diet and choose to eat good foods as part of a healthy lifestyle instead.
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Photo © Getty Images / Don Farrall
Breast-fed Babies and Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamin D has been a popular topic in nutrition this past year because people who have low levels of vitamin D also tend to have a greater risk of diseases such as multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease - mostly found in older adults. But a recent study also shows that breast-fed babies are very likely to be deficient because human milk to normally low in vitamin D, which is crucial for healthy bone development so babies who do not get enough may have weaker bones. The human body makes vitamin D when it is exposed to sunlight. How much sunlight do you need? A few minutes of sun exposure two or three times per week is probably sufficient for most of us. People who avoid sunlight, always use sunscreen, or have darker skin can take vitamin D supplements or consume foods such as milk and cereals that are fortified with vitamin D.
Just keep in mind that when you take vitamin D supplements, more is not necessarily better. Vitamin D is toxic is massive amounts because your body can store it fairly well. Just take the amount stated on the bottle, or talk to a healthcare provider first.
Photo © Sam Hatch