Time for vitamin D

Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, meaning it is stored and transported in fat and the body can store it. Vitamin D comes from two sources: food and sunlight. The skin can synthesize vitamin D from UVB rays from the sun (UVB rays are the ones responsible for sunburn). Food sources include  salmon, sardines, mackerel, milk, fortified cereal, fortified orange juice, and eggs. Other fortified foods may also have smaller amounts of vitamin D.

Vitamin D has many functions in the body and may actually act more like a hormone than a vitamin. The most well-known function of vitamin D is to help the body use and absorb calcium for bone health. Vitamin D is also important for immunity, prevention of cancer, blood pressure regulation, and insulin secretion. There is some research out there about vitamin D's role in muscle strength, depression, heart disease, prevention of diabetes, and autoimmune disease prevention.

Vitamin D recommendations were changed in 2010. Some experts still argue that the recommendations are not high enough. Vitamin D recommendations are measured in IU, or International Units, which is just a unit of measure. Recommendations for vitamin D are:

• Infant up to 12 months - 400 IU
• Children and adults (age 1 to age 70) including pregnant and breastfeeding women - 600 IU
• Adults  age 71 and up - 800 IU

It is tough to get the recommended amount of vitamin D from food alone. That's where the sun comes in handy. Although it is a good idea to wear sunscreen when in the sun, that prohibits the skin from receiving the UVB rays it needs to make vitamin D. Just 5-10 minutes in the sun (without sunscreen) three times a week will a fair skinned person all the vitamin D they need. If sunburn is a concern within that short amount of time, then sunscreen is necessary and a supplement may be useful. Here in Missouri, we cannot get vitamin D from the sun's UVB rays between November through March, so a supplement may be needed during that time.

Some groups are at risk for vitamin D insufficiency:

• Breast-fed infants - because breast milk does not have enough vitamin D, a supplement may be necessary, ask your physician.
• Individuals with dark skin - dark skin does not synthesize vitamin D as well, more sunlight or a supplement may be necessary. 
• Older adults - older adults do not synthesize vitamin D in their skin as well and they may spend more time indoors (especially if in a care facility), a supplement may be necessary.
• Obesity - obesity increases the risk of vitamin D deficiency, because more body fat stores make stored vitamin D less available, a supplement may be necessary.

Vitamin D supplements are fairly inexpensive and have a range of amounts from 400 IU to 2,000 IU. The Linus Pauling Institute recommends the following supplement amounts:

• Infants - 400 to 1,000 IU daily
• Children - 600 to 1,000 IU daily
• Adults - 2,000 IU daily

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a supplement of 400 IU of vitamin D daily for infants, children, and adolescents. Of course, a supplement may not be needed in the months of April through October if they are getting a small amount of sunlight (without sunscreen for a short time). If sunburn is a concern within that short amount of time, then sunscreen is necessary and a supplement may be useful.

In healthy individuals, vitamin D toxicity is unlikely in amounts under 10,000 IU. This could only occur from a supplement, vitamin D from the sunlight will not cause toxicity. The upper level intakes are set conservatively for vitamin D, but they are:
Infants (0 to 6 months) - 1,000 IU
Infants (6 to 12 months) - 1,500 IU
Children (1 to 3 years) - 2,500 IU
Children (4 to 8 years) - 3,000 IU
Children (9 and up) and all adults - 4,000 IU

As with any supplement for adults or children, you should consult with your health care provider before beginning vitamin D supplementation.

Reference:
Linus Pauling Institute, vitamin D

Walk those calories away

A recent study came out that illustrated that people who ordered from a menu that listed the minutes an average person would have to walk briskly to burn that particular food ordered less food than menus with calories listed or a menu with no calorie or exercise count. The study also showed there was no difference in the amount ordered by those viewing a menu with calories listed and a menu with no calories listed.

Here is an infographic that shows the amount of walking the average person would have to do to burn off certain foods. This is based on holiday foods and meals, but I thought it was a good illustration of some typical foods.

Would this influence your food decisions? Does this make you think twice about any indulgences you have?

References:
CBS News article on research study about menus listing calories vs. exercise vs. neither
Walking Away the Holiday Calories infographic

Healthy and tasty recipes

Are you looking for some new and healthy recipes? Need something new for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert? The Missouri families website has a big list of healthy and tasty recipes, here are some recent examples:

• Dark chocolate bread pudding
• Black bean nachos
• "Sneaky" grilled cheese (with hidden vegetables for kids)
• Cajun chicken strips
• Italian eggplant bake
• Carrot couscous
• And many more!

For more information:
Missouri Families website
Missouri Families Fox 4 Healthy Habits recipes
Missouri Families Grow Eat Grow sample recipes

Are these leftovers still good?

I get a lot of questions from people asking if their leftovers are still good, if the meat in their freezer is still good, or how long certain foods keep in the refrigerator.

I found this really neat infographic that used information from USDA and FDA that can help answer all those questions. Hopefully you will find it as useful as I have. If you want to share with others, send the blog address to them or send them the original website.

The Shelf Life of Food infographic by LindsaySnowOsborn.Original webpage at http://visual.ly/shelf-life-food. 

Garlic Day

Today is known as Garlic Day. Do you use this tasty addition to your recipes?

There may be a relationship between garlic and lowering total cholesterol and triglycerides, while also raising good cholesterol (HDL). Garlic dates back thousands of years to ancient cultures.

Garlic is usually planted in October (will be ready in late June or early July) or in very early spring (to be ready in the fall). It usually takes 9 or 10 months from the time of planting to have a crop.

Garlic is an inexpensive way to add flavor to almost any dish. It can be stored for up to three months in a cool, dark location. Do not freeze or refrigerate unpeeled garlic.

For a stronger garlic flavor, mince or chop the garlic very finely and put into dishes near the end of the cooking time. The smaller the garlic is chopped, the stronger the flavor will be.

For a lighter garlic flavor, add whole cloves while cooking and remove just before serving. The longer they cook, the less flavorful they will be.

If you don't have fresh garlic, you can substitute dried garlic, but the flavor will not be near as good. For 1 clove garlic, you should use 1/8 tsp garlic powder.

Garlic can be roasted, frozen, dried, or stored in wine or vinegar, or stored in oil (with extreme caution). The University of California Davis has information and instructions on all of these techniques in their publication Garlic: Safe Methods to Store, Preserve, and Enjoy.

If you have researched the health benefits of garlic and believe you want to try a garlic supplement, may sure you talk to your physician and/or pharmacist before adding it.

Health and wellness quotes

I love quotes. A short quote can be full of meaning and resonate with us. One of my favorite health and welless quotes is "The greatest wealth is health." - Virgil. Here are some others that I like:

"Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity." -John F. Kennedy

"To keep the body in good health is a duty, otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear." -Buddha

"To me, good health is more than just exercise and diet. It’s really a point of view and a mental attitude you have about yourself." -Albert Schweitzer

"Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very far." -Thomas Jefferson

"The patient should be made to understand that he or she must take charge of his own life. Don’t take your body to the doctor as if he were a repair shop." -Quentin Regestein

"In order to change we must be sick and tired of being sick and tired."  -Author Unknown

"Leave all the afternoon for exercise and recreation, which are as necessary as reading. I will rather say more necessary because health is worth more than learning." –Thomas Jefferson

"If I'd known I was going to live so long, I'd have taken better care of myself." -Leon Eldred

"If you have health, you probably will be happy, and if you have health and happiness, you have all the wealth you need, even if it is not all you want." -Elbert Hubbard

"A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book."-Irish Proverb

"Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind and spirit. When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open."  -B.K.S. Iyengar

"Health is not valued until sickness comes." -Thomas Fuller

"It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver." –Mahatma Gandi

"The part can never be well unless the whole is well."  -Plato

And one more, but a funny one: "Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon." -Doug Larson

What are some of your favorite health and wellness quotes?

Quote to make you think

Saw this poster on Twitter today:

“What fits a hectic schedule better, exercising 30 minutes a day, or feeling lethargic 24 hours a day?” - Unknown