Vitamin Sunshine: Reducing Arthritis Risk

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The sunshine vitamin, or vitamin D, might help prevent rheumatoid arthritis

My favorite things to read about in the health world are natural remedies. It’s like eating chicken soup and drinking hot tea when you’re sick—it just leaves me feeling warm and fuzzy inside. I’m lucky enough that I don’t suffer from arthritis (yet), but I do know plenty of people who have. Rheumatoid arthritis is particularly scary, especially for women. It can be incredibly painful and happens when the body’s immune system begins attacking the joints. We do not yet know why this happens.

But a new study brings light—literally—to the situation. There’s a chance that the “sunshine vitamin,” or Vitamin D, may reduce the risk for developing rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers from Harvard Medical School conducted two separate surveys of over 100,000 women. The first group was monitored beginning in 1976 and the second in 1989.

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Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the body attacks its own joints

Researchers estimated the women’s UV-B radiation exposure based on where they had lived and then compared it to their overall health. Their findings were mixed, but researchers remain optimistic. In the 1976 group, women who got more sunlight were up to 21% less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis. There seemed to be no affect on the 1989 group.

“Our study adds to the growing evidence that exposure to UV-B light is associated with decreased risk of rheumatoid arthritis,” the report reads, continuing on to suggest that “differences in sun protective behaviors” might be the reason for the discrepancy between the two groups of women.

But Dr. Chris Deighton, President of the British Society for Rheumatology cautions, “We cannot advocate everybody sitting in the sunshine all day to protect from rheumatoid arthritis, because UV-B burns people and increases the risk of skin cancer.”

Another professor in the UK, Alan Simlan echoed Deighton’s sentiment, but with a peppering of encouragement. In lieu of additional studies, he recommended that people “go out in the sunshine for up to 15 minutes in the summer months and expose their face and arms to the sun to top up their vitamin D levels.”

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Spotlight: Energy Supplements & Vitamins

Life moves quickly these days, and it always seems like there isn’t enough time in a day to get all the things done we needed or wanted to. We’re tired and run down sometimes, and going to the grocery store seems to scream a singular solution: energy bars, pills, drinks, and more. But do you really know what you need versus what you’re getting?

There are multiple types of energy supplements and vitamins available for purchase, and they accomplish different ends because they affect your body differently. And you might not even “need” one at all.

Stimulantsbasically rev up your metabolism. Stimulants include caffeine, guarana, yerba mate, kola nut, green tea, capsaicin (red pepper), Asian ginseng, and Bitter Orange (synephrine). These will help pick you up when you feel groggy or sluggish in the middle of your day. Caffeine is one of the most potent and effective stimulants. Many natural alternatives to caffeine still contain it or something similar to it; most have the same or similar effects as caffeine. They will give you a temporary boost in energy when you need it.

Substances that affect energy metabolism are a different kind of “energy” supplement. This category includes products like Coenzyme Q10, B vitamins, folic acid, thamine, niacin, Creatine, carnitine, and amino acids. Rather than temporarily boosting our metabolism, these products change the way our bodies process and convert nutrients to energy. Eating a healthy, balanced diet will generally get you the same effects as taking these supplements. Taking them on their own isn’t proven to increase energy except in those who are deficient in those substances. In those who are deficient, taking supplements could be of some benefit to your energy levels.

 

Calories, much to the disbelief of many, are not the same thing as fat. Calories are, simply put, energy. Carbohydrates (including sugars) are easy for our bodies to break down and absorb as energy, and that’s generally what energy drinks, bars, and gels are full of. The problem is that with too much sugar, our bodies’ glucose levels get spiked and we experience an insulin surge—which can cause problems on its own. For athletes working their bodies hard, carbs can give them the boost they need to refuel or recover. But when you’re not exercising, that spike in glucose will likely quickly lead to a crash, which will make you feel sleepy. And those calories you don’t burn will get converted into fat.

When choosing whether or not to use a supplement, consider whether or not you have a medical condition that would affect you adversely. Some supplements could be dangerous for you. Remember that many of the “energy” supplements haven’t been scientifically studied—or they may just be straight sugar and carbs.

Consider whether or not you really need it before you try it, too. If you’re regularly going on just a few hours of sleep, constantly taking energy supplements could not only be less than optimally effective, it could be dangerous. As I’m sure you’ve heard before, the best way to boost energy is to get enough sleep and exercise and eat a healthy diet.

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Foods That Reduce Stress

If you’re like me, you get hungry when you’re stressed out. And with how much I’ve let stress pile on in the past, it’s quite literally a miracle that the pounds didn’t also pound on. I go for the chocolate, particularly hot chocolate, cookies, and sugary coffee drinks when I feel the need to relax a little. And while some studies have shown that some dark chocolate can be good for you, I don’t think they meant in the amount I want to consume it in.

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My main concern isn’t the chocolate itself, anyhow. It’s the sugar that it comes loaded with—and which can actually exacerbate stress, gives me headaches, and is overall a bad thing to have too much of. In fact, many “fast,” “easy,” and “convenient” foods that people turn to when eating out of stress are incredibly unhealthy, the eating of which can contribute to stress levels.

Since I like to munch on something when I’m stressed or working a lot, I try to surround myself with healthy snacks. And I was super excited when I found this list of foods that can actually help reduce stress levels. Who knew I’d be able to use my snacking habit to combat stress in a healthy way? Consider eating these foods when you’re stressed (or when you want to prevent stress):

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Oranges—Vitamin C can reduce stress and regulate blood pressure and cortisol levels, which often rise when you’re stressed. It also keeps your immune system healthy so you don’t get sick, something I have a tendency to do when stressed.

Sweet Potatoes—Besides being one of my favorite foods ever, sweet potatoes make me feel like I’m eating sweets and carbs when really I’m packing my body with vitamins, betacarotene, and fiber.

Dried Apricots—These delicious little guys are full of magnesium, a natural muscle relaxer and stress-reducer (just don’t eat too many, since they’re pretty sugary).

Almonds, Pistachios & Walnuts—Almonds have high levels of B and E vitamins, and pistachios and Walnuts have been found to reduce blood pressure.

Turkey—L-tryptophan, an amino acid, is found in turkey. It tells the body to release serotonin, which is a natural mood booster and relaxer.

Spinach—Like apricots, spinach is packed with magnesium. If you don’t get enough magnesium, it can trigger migraines and fatigue, both bound to increase stress levels. So eat up!

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Salmon—I was never a huge fish fan, but I do like Salmon. That’s a good thing, since it’s full of Omega-3 fatty acids, which help fight heart disease and regulate stress hormones, cortisol, and adrenaline.

Avocados—Avocados are a great source of monosaturated fats and potassium, which can help lower blood pressure. It can also prevent symptoms of stress like muscle twitches and spasms.

Green Vegetables—Any dark green vegetable, such as spinach, broccoli, kale, and beans, is full of vitamins. When we get stressed out, our bodies are sapped of vitamins and energy. Remembering to eat healthy greens when stressed can go miles in keeping stress under control.

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10 Perks of Drinking Beer

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Most people know all about the harmful effects of drinking too much beer, but did you know that there are some great benefits that come with drinking beer in moderation? Just like a glass of red wine a night can be good for your health, so too can drinking a nightly brewski.

While keeping in mind that bingeing on any type of alcohol has more negative effects than positive, consider the following benefits:

Because beer has high levels of silicon (especially pale ales) drinking it in moderation can help strengthen your bones. This is true for up to two beers a night. Beware, though: those who drank more than two beers a night actually had a higher risk for fracturing bones. 

Like wine, beer can also contribute positively to heart health. A pint of beer daily has been shown to reduce the risk for heart disease, though bingeing increases the risk. It’s also been shown that moderate drinking reduces the risk of heart attacks and death from cardiovascular disease by up to 40%. This is because beer contains HDL, which can help raise good cholesterol and prevent artery clogs. This also means a lower risk of stroke.

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A brewski or two a night can also boost kidney health. The risk for kidney stones can be reduced by nearly 40%, though researchers are unsure whether this is due to alcohol’s high water content or the hops’ ability to slow calcium leeching from our bones.

Drinking beer also helps prevent brain health problems like Alzheimer’s and dementia by up to 20 percent. Moderate drinkers also have a reduced cancer risk, since beer and wine are both high in antioxidants. Beer-marinated steak was found to have 70% fewer carcinogens as well, which researchers theorize is due to the beer’s sugars.

Since beer contains high levels of vitamin B6, B12 and folic acid, drinking one or two a night leads to boosted vitamin levels. Drinking small amounts of alcohol also increases insulin sensitivity, so adults who have one or two per day have a 25% reduced risk for developing type 2 Diabetes.

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Lastly, drinking beer helps lower blood pressure, meaning a lower risk for heart attack and other stress-related problems. Moderate drinkers tend to live a longer life as well, since they are at a reduced risk for so many health problems.

This is good news for the people who are involved in ownership of the big brewery companies.  People like Peter Coors and Eric Molson are still involved in the family companies that bear their names. Brian Grossman is heavily involved in his father’s Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, and breweries like the Bavaria Brewery often act as important parts of the portfolios of families like the Santo Domingos (which include members Tatiana and Andres Santo Domingo.)

All of these effects are relevant only for one or two drinks per day. Drinking more than that often has an adverse effect, putting beer drinkers at a higher risk for some problems. But for moderate drinkers—rejoice (and don’t feel bad for having a pint or two)!

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