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Balanced diet
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The more the merrier right? Overtime people have continuously believed that vitamin supplements help the human body sustain a healthier body and well-being, however, have failed to realize the harm that vitamin supplements can do to the body; this is indicated by Paul Offit, the author of “The Vitamin Myth.” He states that over time researches and various studies have proved that Linus Pauling, the soul of the vitamin myth, statements of what vitamin supplements could do for the human body and or life. For example, the National Cancer Institute in 1994, researched smokers who were given various supplements over a period of time however those who were given supplements eventually showed signs of a more dangerous health state than those who did …show more content…
In 2011, the University Of Minnesota took women who take vitamins daily and studied them(Offit, Paul., 2013). The result was the same in that there was no supporting evidence that favors Pauling’s claims and statements. In conclusion, the general public believed the words of a man who had no specific evidence to support his own claims over researches done by trusted establishments who had evidence towards their own claims against Linus Pauling. Vitamin D is essential in many aspects especially during growth periods such as adolescents and infancy as indicated by Winston Koo and Nitin Walyat who are the respective authors of “Vitamin D and Skeletal Growth and Development”. Vitamin D is essential for the body as it helps development organ cells; without the development of organ cells, the body cannot fight against harsh diseases and it will eventually cause severe diseases which can lead to delayed growth rate(Koo, Winston ., 2013, p.188).. Children who drink breast milk are more prone to vitamin D deficiency because breast milk does not contain as many vitamins as mineral (Koo,
Michael Pollan, an American author, journalist, activist, and professor of journalism at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism (Michael Pollan), writes in his book In Defense of Food, the dangers of nutritionism and how to escape the Western diet and subsequently most of the chronic diseases the diet imparts. In the chapter “Nutritionism Defined” Pollan defines the term nutritionism. Pollan’s main assertion being how the ideology of nutritionism defines food as the sum of its nutrients, and from this viewpoint Pollan goes on to write how nutritionism divides food into two categories, with each macronutrient divided against each other as either bad or good nutrients, in a bid for focus of our food fears and enthusiasms. Finally, Pollan concludes that with the relentless focus nutritionism places on nutrients and their interplay distinctions between foods become irrelevant and abandoned.
Her findings from this research was praised as she concluded that small supplementary feeding with fruits, milk and wheat germ improved the growth of school children. She also found out that the over dosage of Vitamin D produced brittle bones and calcification of soft tissues. If that wasn’t enough, she continued her extensive research and showed that pantothenic acid is essential for normal pigmentation of hair and skin. Lastly she was intelligent enough to prove that the bone density of woman decreased between 50 and 65 years of
Brownstein, Joseph. “Some common vitamin supplements could increase death risk, study finds.” 10 October 2011. Vitals on mnsbc.com. Web. 11 January 2012. http://vitals.msnbc.msn.com/_news
These include diseases such as rickets which is caused by a lack of vitamin D. A lack of calcium leads to poor growth in children. At this tender life stage this is a very negative thing because children are still at the peak of their physical development. The malnutrition could have caused stunting which is because the malnutrition hinders growth in their height and weight. Sometimes stunted growth can be permanent and a child may never be able to return to a normal height or weight.
With all the unregulated dietary supplements being sold and recommended, our health insurance costs will continue to rise. If the product causes severe side effects, it should no longer be permitted to be sold in stores. The only way to touch the minds of many people is to inform them of the dangers of consuming dietary supplements. Disposing of all incorrect information in product labeling and ingredient lists is important. People need to recognize the faults that plague many advertisements. In addition businesses should promote safe products instead of the harmful ones that they advocate for. The United States Congress should consider regulating dietary supplements to maintain safety. If people are aware of the many lies companies present, then dietary supplements will be one less problem to worry about.
Calcium can be absorbed through two major transport systems: active transport and passive diffusion; about 60% of calcium is absorbed in the small intestine (duodenum and proximal jejunum) (1,2). An important player in calcium absorption is Vitamin D, more specifically in the intestine calcium absorption. Vitamin D in calcitriol form was historically limited to muscle tissue of bones, the kidneys, and the intestine. However, it is now know that calcitriol plays an important roll is other tissue function such as the brain, heart, skin, colon, central nervous system, and pancreas, when receptors were found on these tissues as well. Vitamin D can be obtained in a multitude of ways such as through the sun, supplementation, fortified food sources such as milk and grains, as well as in animal products. This paper will review the ways that Vitamin D maintain calcium levels, types of calcium absorption via vitamin D, vitamin D’s effects on calcium absorption (primarily in the intestine) during deficiency, calcium absorption via vitamin D in the elderly, healthy women, and pregnant women. It is important to focus on women because women overall have a lower bone density than men as well as experience drastic estrogen changes later on in life which both directly correlate with calcium and vitamin D consumption and absorption.
...risk breast milk only has a very small amount of vitamin D. this was found as a problem also in the 16th centaury because it was normal for you child to drink mostly your milk two years into their life. An ABC NEWS reports looked at 380 kids below the age of 2 and 12% were deficaint in vitamin D and 40% dint have the desirable amount in their body, report by Dustin Lushing,. So although not many kid suffer from rickets it is still a problem in some areas that have a lack of education about the disease and how important the right amount of vitamin D is and sun in moderation.
Since ancient times vitamin D has been the predominant cause of bone deficiencies.1 However, it was not in till the seventeenth century when both Dr. Daniel Whistler and Professor Francis Glisson made the first scientific description of a vitamin D deficiency.2 During the mid-seventeenth century there was an increase amount of children that were diagnosed with the bone disease called rickets.2 The cause of the rickets was determined to be associated to the lack of sunlight. A German researcher Kurt Huldschinsky came to the conclusion that when infants were exposed to ultraviolet light rays they became cured of rickets2. He stated that a substance in the skin was the potential source of the cure.2 In 1922, American scientist Elmer McCollum proved that when cod liver oil was heated; the beneficial effects of vitamin A in the oil were reduced.2 However, the oil remained effective in curing rickets leading McCollum to reason that a nutrient different from vitamin A was present in the oil. As a result, he named this nutrient vitamin D, which became the fourth vitamin to be discovered and named.2 Additionally, shortly after 1918, vitamin D was also discovered by an accidental experiment that included a group of scientists curing dogs affected with rickets by feeding cod liver oil to them.1
A well-balanced diet contains all the necessary vitamins, and most individuals who follow such a diet can correct any previous vitamin deficiencies. However, persons who are on special diets, who are suffering from intestinal disorders that prevent normal absorption of nutrients, or who are pregnant or lactating may need particular vitamin supplements to bolster their metabolism. Beyond such real needs, vitamin supplements are also often popularly believed to offer "cures" for many diseases, from colds to cancer; but in fact the body quickly eliminates most of these preparations without absorbing them. In addition, the fat-soluble vitamins can block the effect of other vitamins and even cause severe poisoning when taken in excess.
The American Dietetic Association’s position statement on Nutrition and Athletic Performance, written in conjunction with the Dietitians of Canada and the American College of Sports Medicine, makes specific references to the effects of Vitamin D, both independently and in reference to other micronutrients who are influenced by Vitamin D within the body. The American Dietetic Association’s position statement also describes that Vitamin D is required for a myriad of functions within the body, which include adequate calcium absorption, regulation of serum calcium and phosphorous levels, promotion of bone health, and regulation of homeostasis and development of the nervous system and skeletal muscles 1.
When it comes to supplements, I feel that there is a lot of misleading health benefits from actually taking them. As I learned from monitoring my own nutrient intake, our diet sometimes is lacking of important vitamins and minerals. There are so many supplements that promise curse and longevity by taking their pill, however, their claims have not been to my standards scientifically supported. In contrast, vaccines still have a negative stigma or attitude concerning side-effects which sway parents away from having their children receive these lifesaving vaccines. There is volumes of clinical research that supports the benefits of vaccines against deadly diseases and dispels most concerns over any serious
Rickets is a bone disease that occurs in children as a result of a Vitamin D deficiency. This disease, which was nearly eradicated in the early 20th century, has become a re-emerging health concern for various countries in the past ten years. Certain factors such as poor nutrition as a result of low socioeconomic status or high concentrations of melanin in the skin can increase the chances of getting rickets. Sufficient Vitamin D levels are crucial to the functioning of the body, especially in the absorption of calcium. This essay will examine the causes, symptoms, pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of rickets; as well as the importance of Vitamin D and calcium in the prevention and treatment of this disease.
If you frequent health forums or fitness blogs, you'll have read the word “macros” before. The word is short for macronutrients. That leads to the question, “what are macronutrients?”
Vitamin B, a family of eight different vitamins is good for health. They play a big role in treating as well as preventing heart diseases. In fact, it helps in bringing down the risk of stroke. Regular intake of Vitamin B in old age helps in keeping memory sharp and thus improves their lifestyle. People who are urging for that perfect body consider Vitamin B supplement and intake as a blessing and a booster for a faster result. You might be happy to know that it even has drastic performance in preventing breast as well as colon cancer. Hence the popularity quotient of Vitamin B supplements in all age groups is increasing day by day.
... into four different groups. The first group was given 400IU/day vitamin E alone, the second; 200ug/day selenium alone, the third; both and the fourth group; a placebo. The men were monitored over a median of six years. 529 men developed prostate cancer in the placebo group as compared to the 620 men in the vitamin E group who developed the disease. 575 men in the selenium group developed prostate cancer and 555 men in the combination group. The risk of prostate cancer in the United States is currently 16%. The results of the study showed that the risk of prostate cancer increased by 1.6% in men taking the vitamin E supplementation [6].