Vitamin D has been received much attention in recent months. While natural health practitioners have long integrated vitamin D in the treatment of certain health issues, the Canadian Cancer Society now recommends all Canadians to supplement with vitamin D during winter months.

Vitamin D is produced naturally by the body. People get most of their vitamin D from sunlight. After being exposed to adequate amounts of sunlight, the skin produces vitamin D, which is then converted to its active form by the kidneys. Studies suggest that as we age, we tend to produce less vitamin D.

You can also find good amounts of vitamin D in certain kinds of fish that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as cod liver oil.

Some supplements use synthetic vitamin D2. A much better form is the natural and bioavailable vitamin D3 which is more effective and stays longer in the system.

A new study suggests a midday siesta may help cut the risk of cardiovascular disease related to stress.

Researchers say there is little downside to taking a nap in the middle of the day and it may be an easy way to cut your risk of dying from heart disease.

“The siesta is a victim of progress. Most of us aren’t in the position to take a daily nap,”  says Dimitrios Trichopoulos, MD, a study author. “But our research suggests that the practice could help protect the heart, and we need further studies to find out if this really is the case.”

Trichopoulos says the research stemmed from the comparison of lower  heart disease death rates  in Mediterranean and Latin American countries where midday siestas are part of the culture, compared to the much more labour- intensive society in North America.

You might not be inclined to reach for a cloudy glass of apple juice over the more common choice of clear apple juice.  But by doing so you may be denying yourself four times the amount of disease-fighting antioxidants.

These are the findings in a Study published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, where researchers compared the polyphenol content of cloudy vs. clear juices made from Idared and Champion apples.

Polyphenols are  antioxidants found in plants  believed to provide a variety of healthy benefits including fighting heart disease and cancer. Red wine, dark chocolate, and red berries also contain polphenols.

If you are over fifty, folic acid supplements could improve your memory while slowing the insidious effects of age on the brain. New Scientist reveals a study done by Jane Durga and colleagues at Wageningen University, Netherlands in which over 800 men and women, between the ages of 50 and 70 took part.

It was found that folate, also known as B9 precipitated good results on memory tests in the participants, who had moderately low folate levels.

As a result of the findings, it is suggested people could use more supplementation than was previously recommended.

Experts warn increasing folic acid can mask a vitamin B12 deficiency especially in older people causing serious health problems, including nerve damage.

Memory tests before and after the experiment showed those who took the supplement performed as well on a sensitive test of memory as people five years younger – and, on some parts of it, seven years younger. There was about a two-year gain in tests of reaction speeds, information processing, and overall thinking. Taking folic acid also led to a significant reduction in levels of homocysteine, a blood chemical linked to both heart disease and dementia.

A high percentage of body fat, may increase inflammation in your body, especially if the percentage is over 30%. Your body can appear thin when you have a higher body fat content.

Body fat may release inflammatory chemicals, note researchers Antonino De Lorenzo, MD, and colleagues, who didn't test that theory in this study. De Lorenzo works at Rome's University of Tor Vergata. Chronically high levels of inflammation have been associated with a host of health problems, including heart disease and arthritis.

Those who were overweight or obese had the highest levels of blood fat(LDL) and bad cholesterol (triglyceridestriglycerides), which are both inflammatory chemicals. Web MD reports on a study published in the January issue of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Causes for disorders such as stroke, migraine, and Alzheimer's disease have been pinpointed by Scientists at the University of Vermont. The study was published November 1, 2006 in the prestigious journal Nature Neuroscience.

Blood flow disorders occur when the supply of oxygen and glucose, as well as which is provided through an intricate network of blood vessels in the brain is interrupted.

The quest to understand brain function continues, elevation of blood flow increases to meet the metabolic needs of the neurons required by various activities, such as analytical thought, playing music, sight, hearing, walking. Extracellular potassium contained inside and outside of the cells, permit changes in blood flow in the brain, as well as other organs and tissues.

This is the time when we all renew our promise to be healthier and get back in shape. What you eat is always a good start, but hold on you could be sabotaging healthy food with artery clogging fats and  pilling on the calories. Shape up the new year with simple healthy changes everytime you eat.

An article on WebMD, suggests  six simple ways to help avoid sabotaging healthy food  to ensure you get the most nutrients, heart health and control your weight everytime you sit at the table.

Extras such as dips, sauces and what we cook our food can be the culprits in adding unneccessary fats and calories to otherwise healthy foods. But good for you food doesn't have to taste bland.

'Healthy food doesn't have to be flavorless,' says Ellie Krieger, host of the Food Network's Healthy Appetite show. 'Food does not need to be loaded with fat, sugar, or calories to be delicious,' she says.

From a Science Daily Article, comes news of the possibility of therapies which could help the brain repair itself after a stroke. Stroke is the number one cause of disability in adults.

Research results from the Department of Neurology at the UCLA Geffen School of Medicine have linked angiogenesis the development of new blood vessels and neurogenesis, the birth of new neurons.

The molecular signals have also been identified. These discoveries are promising for the development of clinical applications which may help to repair the brain after stroke.

Usually caused by a blockage in an artery carrying the blood to the brain, stroke creates a lack of oxygen, damaging brain function. You may experience temporary or permanent damage to the area controlled by that part of the brain. Currently within weeks of having a stroke, new neurons appear from other areas of the body to aid the regeneration process.

At this time of year, many are willing to pack on an extra few pounds and loosen their belts just to enjoy those tasty holiday treats. Again and again and again. Holiday gluttony added to lack of excercise and for some, it can be a recipe for disaster.

In an article, experts at UT Southwestern Medical Center say it's a particulary dangerous time for those who are already overweight or obese. That's because diabetes is a metabolic disorder linked to obesity and it's described as the 'silent killer' which means symptoms aren't sudden but build up over time.

"The obesity epidemic is surging and people don’t realize they’re setting themselves up to develop diabetes. They’re like ticking time bombs,” said Dr. Manisha Chandalia, an endocrinologist at UT Southwestern. She says “Without treatment, high levels of blood sugars in the body can damage blood vessels and nerves over time, leading to high cholesterol, hypertension, stroke, kidney disease and amputations.”

We may be closer to finding the fountain of youth, thanks to 15-year-old Afghan boy.   It was learned he possessed a mutation in a gene responsible for the enzyme which is crucial in repairing DNA damage in cells. The genetic flaw caused him to age prematurely and die essentially of old age before completing puberty.

"What we say is [that] both are valid and that, in particular, damage to DNA contributes to aging," says Jan Hoeijmakers, a geneticist at the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and lead author of the study, which comprised teams from four different institutions in Europe and the U.S. "Damage accumulates ... but it is modulated by your genetic makeup. If you have better repair and/or slower metabolism, you age slower."

The boy was studied in the 1990's, when admitted to a hospital in the Netherlands. His condition, now known as XPF-progeroid syndrome resulted in aging prematurely causing death of old age while still in puberty. His symptoms included hypertension, hearing and vision loss, kidney failure, anemia and sensitivity to light.