Category Archives: Nutrition

Excessive Amounts of Vitamin D Linked to Kidney Damage

Used for its wide-ranging purported benefits from reducing cancer risk to maintaining healthy bones and teeth, vitamin D is readily available to the public in the form of supplements and over-the-counter formulations. Declared a global epidemic in 2010, vitamin D deficiency continues to affect billions of individuals worldwide. However, new research indicates the potential toxicity of excess amounts of vitamin D. The common perception that consuming increased amounts of the vitamin can only lead to added benefits may be wrong, as recent evidence reveals it can actually lead to increased harm on the body, specifically kidney failure.

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The Truth Behind Fish Oil Supplements

Fish oil supplements have long been promoted as an easy addition to the diet for individuals looking to protect their heart health, ease inflammation, improve mental health and even to increase longevity. They are one of the most commonly consumed dietary supplements, taken for their rich levels of omega-3 fatty acids and widely believed health benefits. Americans are estimated to spend more than $1 billion a year on over-the-counter fish oil products and companies nationwide are incorporating omega-3 fatty acids into dairy products, cereal, juice, and hundreds of other food items.

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The Connection Between Meal Timing and Weight Gain

With obesity rates on the rise, researchers continue to examine potential factors affecting body weight and BMI other than caloric intake and physical activity. Currently, there is a range of options for targeting obesity including surgery, medication, and even psychological interventions however, the majority are costly or invasive endeavors. The development and prevalence of wearable monitoring technologies has dramatically increased the data available to researchers and clinicians, providing an opportunity for improved personalized patient care, prevention strategies, and treatment methods dependent on individual lifestyle habits. Stemming from extensive personal monitoring, recent research implicates the power of small lifestyle changes such as sleeping habits and meal times and their effects on weight gain.

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