You've heard of vitamin C and D being important for your health, but what about magnesium.
Magnesium is one of those minerals that's important to keep our bodies healthy. It's used for anything from keeping our muscles and nerves working well to supporting a strong immune system. But now it looks like it might also help prevent us from getting diabetes.
A new study found those of us who consumed the most magnesium either in foods or from a vitamin supplement developed diabetes only half as often. The researchers involved in this study think the diabetes risk is lower with magnesium because it helps our body process sugar.
There are a variety of ways to get this important mineral. Your best food sources are green leafy vegetable, nuts and seeds, some beans and unrefined grains--like whole wheat. You can also get it from most multivitamins. But like always, the more you get from natural sources the better.
The current recommendations for women depend on age and pregnancy, but are around 310 to 350 mg per day. For men around 400 to 420. Most of this should come from food. But you also need to be careful and not take in too much from supplements or vitamins. Overdosing on magnesium can cause problems like weakness and an irregular heartbeat.
So your best bet is to load up on the green leafy vegetables. A salad a day can help keep the diabetes away.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Kids Need More Water
It's free, readily available, but something most of us don't use as much as we should. We're talking about plain old water. There is one group that needs to drink more H2O.
It's the kids. They aren't drinking as much water as they need too and that can have some long term consequences.
A new study, just published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that only up to 60 percent of boys and just over half of girls aged 2 to 19 drank the minimum amount of water that was recommended by the US Institute of Medicine. Researchers found that instead, children are obtaining much of their needed water intake from sweetened beverages. That means they are also taking in more calories during the day they don't need---which helps contribute to the ongoing obesity epidemic.
We can't live without water, but the secret is to make sure all of us, but especially our children, are drinking plain old water instead of other drinks during the day. One way to do this is to get rid of other sweetened drinks in the house---and I'm not just talking about sodas, but any kind of sweetened beverage, even sweetened juices. The goal is to get them back on a "water to quench my thirst" habit and away from the countless sodas they tend to drink.
It's the kids. They aren't drinking as much water as they need too and that can have some long term consequences.
A new study, just published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that only up to 60 percent of boys and just over half of girls aged 2 to 19 drank the minimum amount of water that was recommended by the US Institute of Medicine. Researchers found that instead, children are obtaining much of their needed water intake from sweetened beverages. That means they are also taking in more calories during the day they don't need---which helps contribute to the ongoing obesity epidemic.
We can't live without water, but the secret is to make sure all of us, but especially our children, are drinking plain old water instead of other drinks during the day. One way to do this is to get rid of other sweetened drinks in the house---and I'm not just talking about sodas, but any kind of sweetened beverage, even sweetened juices. The goal is to get them back on a "water to quench my thirst" habit and away from the countless sodas they tend to drink.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Sitting & Eating Dinner With Kids
We celebrate many different holidays throughout the year. Today has been declared National Family Day, and in particular, a day to eat dinner with your children.
Study after study has shown the great benefit of something we used to take for granted---the family meal. Sitting down with your kids and talking about the day is a great way to keep connected with them and find out what's going on in their lives. It also helps in more ways than you'd probably think. Children who eat at least 3 sit-down dinners with their family every week are also less likely to smoke, drink or use drugs. They also tend to do better in school and are less likely to have sex at an early age.
Granted, we all have busy schedules and with a busy day at work, hectic after school activities and homework, it gets harder to sit down together and eat a meal. The important part isn't what's served but what's talked about at the table. Use this as an opportunity for your children to share what "they" want to. They might not want to talk about everything that went on that day, especially if something is particularly bothering them so don't push the issue. Just let them know your there to listen. And when they do bring up controversial subjects, like drugs or sex---don't judge them since that will just cause them to tune out, but give them your beliefs and then listen. So, tonight sit down with the rest of the county and enjoy a meal with the most important people in your life.
Study after study has shown the great benefit of something we used to take for granted---the family meal. Sitting down with your kids and talking about the day is a great way to keep connected with them and find out what's going on in their lives. It also helps in more ways than you'd probably think. Children who eat at least 3 sit-down dinners with their family every week are also less likely to smoke, drink or use drugs. They also tend to do better in school and are less likely to have sex at an early age.
Granted, we all have busy schedules and with a busy day at work, hectic after school activities and homework, it gets harder to sit down together and eat a meal. The important part isn't what's served but what's talked about at the table. Use this as an opportunity for your children to share what "they" want to. They might not want to talk about everything that went on that day, especially if something is particularly bothering them so don't push the issue. Just let them know your there to listen. And when they do bring up controversial subjects, like drugs or sex---don't judge them since that will just cause them to tune out, but give them your beliefs and then listen. So, tonight sit down with the rest of the county and enjoy a meal with the most important people in your life.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Unwanted Medications
Most of us have expired or unwanted medicines laying around the house. These pills are an increasingly easy target for abuse. But this weekend, there is an easy way to get rid of them.
Prescription drug abuse continues to be a growing problem, especially with teenagers and young adults. And most of them get the drugs from their families own medicine cabinet. Chances are most of us don’t really know how many pills we have in any medicine bottle, so if a few were taken we probably wouldn’t even notice. So besides putting them out of reach, you also need to make sure any expired, unused or unwanted medicines are gotten rid of. That can often times be easier said than done.
This weekend the Drug Enforcement Agency has partnered up with local public health and law enforcement offices to make it easy and anonymous. They are holding a “Take Back” campaign across the county this Saturday, September 25th. There will be sites set up around the Colorado Springs, Woodland Park, Fountain, Pueblo, Canon City and La Junta areas where you can drop off old or unwanted medications. This will be a great time to clean out your medicine cabinet and remove any drugs you no longer need, especially narcotic type medications that might prove to much of a temptation for some.
For more information about when and where this will be taking place this Saturday go to www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov.
Prescription drug abuse continues to be a growing problem, especially with teenagers and young adults. And most of them get the drugs from their families own medicine cabinet. Chances are most of us don’t really know how many pills we have in any medicine bottle, so if a few were taken we probably wouldn’t even notice. So besides putting them out of reach, you also need to make sure any expired, unused or unwanted medicines are gotten rid of. That can often times be easier said than done.
This weekend the Drug Enforcement Agency has partnered up with local public health and law enforcement offices to make it easy and anonymous. They are holding a “Take Back” campaign across the county this Saturday, September 25th. There will be sites set up around the Colorado Springs, Woodland Park, Fountain, Pueblo, Canon City and La Junta areas where you can drop off old or unwanted medications. This will be a great time to clean out your medicine cabinet and remove any drugs you no longer need, especially narcotic type medications that might prove to much of a temptation for some.
For more information about when and where this will be taking place this Saturday go to www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Reasons To Get Flu Shot
It's flu shot time again but this year there are a couple of very good reasons to get it.
I don't think it's anything any of us look forward to, and lately it's been a little controversial, but now there are two more great reasons to get the flu shot every year.
For children---researchers found that last year those getting the H1N1 “swine” flu not only ended up getting hospitalized more often than those with the regular flu but these children also ended up having seizures more often. This year the CDC is recommending shots for all children 6 months and older. The vaccine now contains protection for both the H1N1 swine flu and the regular flu in one shot instead of two like last year.
But it's not just kids benefiting from the flu shot. A separate study found that for middle age and older adults, the flu vaccine seemed to protect them from heart attacks. And surprisingly, the earlier in the season adults got their shot last year, the less chance they had of having a heart attack. Experts think part of the reason is because the vaccine protects adults from an inflammation brought on by the flu that can affect the heart.
So if you were looking for a good reason to get the flu shot this year you now have two very good ones.
I don't think it's anything any of us look forward to, and lately it's been a little controversial, but now there are two more great reasons to get the flu shot every year.
For children---researchers found that last year those getting the H1N1 “swine” flu not only ended up getting hospitalized more often than those with the regular flu but these children also ended up having seizures more often. This year the CDC is recommending shots for all children 6 months and older. The vaccine now contains protection for both the H1N1 swine flu and the regular flu in one shot instead of two like last year.
But it's not just kids benefiting from the flu shot. A separate study found that for middle age and older adults, the flu vaccine seemed to protect them from heart attacks. And surprisingly, the earlier in the season adults got their shot last year, the less chance they had of having a heart attack. Experts think part of the reason is because the vaccine protects adults from an inflammation brought on by the flu that can affect the heart.
So if you were looking for a good reason to get the flu shot this year you now have two very good ones.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Arthritis Supplements
Millions of us take supplement to help with arthritis. But do they work or are you just wasting your money?
The supplements we're talking about are glucosamine and chondroitin. Over the last 10 years or so, these supplements have become best sellers, reaching sales of almost 2 billion dollars in 2008. But studies haven't really backed up claims that they can help with ailing joints. And this new report is no different. A research team looked to see if any of the more than thirty 800 people taking glucosamine or chondroitin---in various studies---had any improvement in their joint pain or if these supplements even helped rebuild their arthritic joint like some manufacturers claim.
The researchers found these supplements didn't have any effect on these people's painful joints. In other words, those taking the supplements and those not taking them had the same outcome. But although the doctors involved in this study do want manufacturers of these supplements to reevaluate the claims they make about arthritis pain relief or cures---they also are saying that for people taking the supplements---even though their study showed no benefits of glucosamine or chondroitin---they are harmless enough that if you think they might be helping to go ahead and continue to take them.
The supplements we're talking about are glucosamine and chondroitin. Over the last 10 years or so, these supplements have become best sellers, reaching sales of almost 2 billion dollars in 2008. But studies haven't really backed up claims that they can help with ailing joints. And this new report is no different. A research team looked to see if any of the more than thirty 800 people taking glucosamine or chondroitin---in various studies---had any improvement in their joint pain or if these supplements even helped rebuild their arthritic joint like some manufacturers claim.
The researchers found these supplements didn't have any effect on these people's painful joints. In other words, those taking the supplements and those not taking them had the same outcome. But although the doctors involved in this study do want manufacturers of these supplements to reevaluate the claims they make about arthritis pain relief or cures---they also are saying that for people taking the supplements---even though their study showed no benefits of glucosamine or chondroitin---they are harmless enough that if you think they might be helping to go ahead and continue to take them.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Day Care & Eczema Link
Early day care attendance might also mean a greater chance of eczema.
According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, 10 to 20 percent of all infants and young children here in the U.S. experience some symptoms of the skin disease eczema.
Past studies have shown a connection between eczema and daycare with some showing it increases the chances of getting this skin condition and others showing it lessens the chances. But German researchers noticed a peculiarity about their country, namely that east German children had more eczema than west German children. They also noted that over half of east German children attended daycare and only 6 percent of west German children did. So the researchers wanted to see it the increased eczema rates and day care were somehow connected.
Of all the things they looked at, only daycare attendance during the first two years of life came up as a risk factor for a child developing eczema.
Experts think this might be happening because children in a daycare are thought to be exposed to more microorganisms and allergens than at home. What the researchers didn't know was whether the type of daycare or the amount of time spent in daycare had any effect on this. They are calling for more research to get a better idea.
According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, 10 to 20 percent of all infants and young children here in the U.S. experience some symptoms of the skin disease eczema.
Past studies have shown a connection between eczema and daycare with some showing it increases the chances of getting this skin condition and others showing it lessens the chances. But German researchers noticed a peculiarity about their country, namely that east German children had more eczema than west German children. They also noted that over half of east German children attended daycare and only 6 percent of west German children did. So the researchers wanted to see it the increased eczema rates and day care were somehow connected.
Of all the things they looked at, only daycare attendance during the first two years of life came up as a risk factor for a child developing eczema.
Experts think this might be happening because children in a daycare are thought to be exposed to more microorganisms and allergens than at home. What the researchers didn't know was whether the type of daycare or the amount of time spent in daycare had any effect on this. They are calling for more research to get a better idea.
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