Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

Researchers from Oregon State University have conducted the first study to look at the effects of both frailty and low levels of vitamin D on mortality risk. They found that mature adults who are frail and have low levels of vitamin D are 3 times more likely to die prematurely than those who are not frail and have high levels of vitamin D.

They suggested that people who are considered pre-frail could benefit from increasing their levels of vitamin D and possibly prolonging or avoiding the transition to frailty.

Frailty was defined as meeting three or more of the five frailty criteria. Pre-frailty was defined as meeting two or more. The five frailty criteria are:

1. Low BMI

2. Slow walking

3. Weakness

4. Exhaustion

5. Low physical activity

The researchers examined data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which included more than 4,300 participants over the age of 60. The participants were assigned to one of four groups, depending on their vitamin D serum levels. The lowest level had less than 50 nanograms per milliliter of vitamin D in their blood while the highest had levels of at least 84.

The study was published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition on June 13, 2012.

Vitamin D has been associated with a wide range of health benefits, including improved kidney health, reductions in skin cancer, reducing the risk of osteoporosis, improved cardiovascular health,combating diabetes, and improving age related eye degeneration.

Dietary vitamin D can be found in milk, fortified cereals, fish, and eggs. Your body also processes vitamin D from the sun but it becomes harder for our bodies to process vitamin D as we age. This can be a particular problem for people living in the northern hemisphere, where sunlight is scarce for much of the year. A high quality vitamin D supplement is always a good option if you feel that you’re not getting enough through diet and sun.

Frailty is not really a disease but rather a combination of the natural aging process and a variety of medical problems. Many of the causes of frailty, such as depression, vascular disease and vitamin deficiency, are treatable and even reversible through a combination of appropriate medical treatment, maintenance of a good diet and a good exercise regime.

Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

An extensive British study recently discovered a correlation between the development of pancreatic cancer and low blood levels of selenium, vitamin C and vitamin E. Participants with the highest intakes of selenium, vitamin C and vitamin E were 67% less likely to develop pancreatic cancer compared to those with the lowest intakes.

Additionally, people in the top 25% intake of selenium had a 50% reduced risk of developing pancreatic cancer compared to those in the bottom 25%.

The researchers examined data from the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer (EPIC) study. The study included 23,658 participants between the ages of 40 and 74 who completed daily food diaries for one week, and then were followed for 10 years.

While they could not determine a causal relationship between nutrient intake and the prevention of pancreatic cancer, they believe the reduced risk is due to the high antioxidant properties of these essential nutrients. They theorize that the antioxidants play a protective role by knocking out the pro-oxidants that cause the damage that leads to cancer.

This study was conducted by researchers at the University of East Anglia in the UK. Their findings were published online ahead of print on July 23, 2012, in the journal Gut.

Antioxidants fight the damage done to cells by free radicals in the body. Previous studies have shown that vitamin E intake is associated with lower cholesterol, healthier skin, maintaining a proper hormonal balance, and preventing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Vitamin C has been associated with immune system function, heart health, brain health, eye health and improved mood. Selenium is important for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and immune dysfunction.

Dietary vitamin C can be found in oranges, kiwis, guava, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cantaloupe and green peppers. Dietary sources of vitamin E include sunflower seeds, breakfast cereal, tomatoes, dried herbs, and dried apricots. Some foods rich in selenium are Brazil nuts, mushrooms, garlic, sunflower seeds, walnuts, raisins, pork and fish.

Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

A recent analysis of the daily recommendation for vitamin C intake found that the current recommended daily values are much lower than they should be. Currently the RDA is 75 mg for women and 90 mg for men. These levels were derived from the levels necessary to prevent scurvy.

The researchers believe the levels should be raised to 200 mg per day for adults. They also criticized the trials used to determine optimal vitamin C levels. They say they are too short term to truly measure the value of vitamins, which may take a long time to show their beneficial effects.

The researchers found that 25% to 33% of the people in the US and Canada are vitamin C deficient when measured by the current RDA. If the recommended amount of vitamin C were to be increased, the number of people with deficiencies would be much higher.

Previous studies have suggested that higher vitamin C intake is associated with lower blood pressure, lower risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease and even a potentially lower risk of dying from cancer.

The researchers were based at the Linus Pauling Institute. Their findings were published on June 14, 2012, in the journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition.

In addition to the ailments listed above, vitamin C has been linked with immune system function, brain health, eye health and improved mood. It can be found in high levels in citrus fruits and dark leafy greens such as cantaloupe, oranges, kiwis, papaya, broccoli and kale.

If you have trouble integrating those foods into your diet, consider adding a high quality supplement.

Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

A recent study focusing on bacteria present in the digestive systems of elderly adults suggests that having a variety of different microbes in your gut could result in healthier aging. Lower bacterial variety was found to be associated with increased frailty and several chronic conditions, including obesity and inflammatory diseases.

The researchers examined the fecal matter of 178 mature adults, some of whom were living in residential communities and some of whom were living in long-term care facilities. They found that individuals who were still living independently had a wider variety of gut bacteria than the ones in care facilities.

They attribute this difference in bacterial composition to the availability of a wider variety of foods in a residential setting compared to in a long-term care facility.

The research was conducted at University College Cork and the Teagasc Food Research Center in Ireland. The results were published online ahead of print on July 13, 2012, in the journal Nature.

Having a varied composition of bacteria in your digestive system is essential for staying healthy. Previous studies have linked healthy gut bacteria with strengthening the immune system and reducing the risk of chronic disease.

The best way to make sure you have a good variety of bacteria in your system to eat a varied diet. Good dietary sources of gut bacteria include yogurt, milk and sauerkraut. A high quality probiotic supplement is also a great source but if you choose this option, be sure it is packaged to block light, air and moisture which can easily kill probiotics.

Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

New research has found that eggs contain much more vitamin D than they did 30 years ago. In fact, one medium sized egg can provide 66% of the daily recommended allowance of vitamin D.

Over the course of four years, researchers in the United Kingdom examined 3,000 eggs from caged and free-range chickens. They found that the vitamin D content of eggs was actually 70% higher than the levels found in research conducted 30 years ago. They also found that the selenium levels of eggs had doubled and that eggs have 20% less fat, more than 20% less saturated fat and 13% fewer calories.

The changes in the nutritional values of eggs is believed to be a result of improvements to hen feed and an increase in the ratio of egg white and egg yolk in an average egg.

Eggs were previously thought to raise cholesterol, but since the discovery of “good” (HDL) cholesterol and “bad” (LDL) cholesterol, it has been shown that eggs contribute to good not bad cholesterol.

The study was conducted by researchers with the UKFoodComp, which includes a partnership between the British Nutrition Foundation, Royal Society of Chemistry, Laboratory of the Government Chemist and Eurofins Laboratories. It was released on the British Egg Industry Council website on July 18, 2012.

The simplest option for adding more eggs to your diet would be eating them for breakfast. Be careful how you cook your eggs though. Adding unhealthy ingredients to them may negate some of the positive health benefits.

Another healthy option is to add sliced boiled eggs to dishes such as a green salad or low-fat quiche.

Emma McGowan NatureCity author & contributor

Many athletes turn to sports drinks like Gatorade to replenish much needed nutrients during exercise. However, these drinks can be full of sweeteners and artificial ingredients, making them not necessarily the best choice for your health.

Bananas may be a natural alternative to sports drinks. A recent study suggests that bananas are just as effective as Gatorade in providing nutritional support to trained cyclists.

14 trained male cyclists completed two 75 kilometer cycling time trials for the study. Half of them consumed 0.2 g/kg of carbohydrates in the form of bananas every 15 minutes, while 7 others consumed an equivalent amount of carbohydrates in the form of Gatorade. All were able to complete the time trials with no difference in performance.

Blood samples were taken pre-, post- and one hour post-exercise. The two groups showed equal changes in serum metabolite, indicating that the two interventions were providing the same nutrient levels to the cyclists. In addition, changes in blood glucose, inflammation, oxidative stress and immune measures were comparable between the two groups.

Researchers from North Carolina Research Campus conducted the study and it was published online ahead of print on May 17, 2012, in the journal PLoS ONE.

Bananas are also a great source of potassium, which previous studies have shown may lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of certain types of stroke and balance cholesterol levels.

Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

According to recent research, high intake of vitamin E may significantly reduce the risk of liver cancer, even in people with family history of the disease. The results were the same for dietary intake and supplement consumption.

The researchers examined data from the Shanghai Women’s Health Study, which took place between 1997 and 2000, and the Shanghai Men’s Health Study, which took place between 2002 and 2006. In total, 132,837 people participated in the study.

To determine vitamin E intake, the researchers administered food-frequency questionnaires. They found that the individuals who consumed the most vitamin E had a noticeably lower risk of developing liver cancer than those who consumed the least vitamin E.

The study was conducted by researchers at the Shanghai Cancer Institute and Vanderbilt University. Their results were published online ahead of print on July 17, 2012, in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin with high antioxidant content. Previous studies have shown that vitamin E is associated with lower cholesterol, healthier skin, maintaining a proper hormonal balance, and preventing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Emma McGowan NatureCity author & contributor

A recent study suggests that extracts from green tea and grape seed may slow down some enzymes that digest starch, which could potentially provide a viable natural alternative to current treatments for type-2 diabetes.

The researchers examined the effects these extracts on alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase, two enzymes that are essential in the breakdown of starches in your digestive system. In someone with type-2 diabetes, these enzymes digest starches at a faster rate, leading to dangerous spikes in blood sugar.

Keeping blood sugar at a manageable level is essential for type-2 diabetics, as changes in blood sugar can cause damage to the cardiovascular and neurological systems. Blood sugar is usually treated with prescription medicines, which have been shown to cause diarrhea and other stomach problems.

The researchers found that grape seed and green tea both inhibited alpha-glucosidase, but only grape seed inhibited alpha-amylase. They believe that the effects seen here were a result of the high catechin levels—particularly epigallocatchin gallate—found in these extracts. Catechins are a type of antioxidant.

Results of the study, conducted by researchers at the Linus Pauling Institute were published online ahead of print on June 15, 2012, in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Catechins have been linked to other health benefits including lower cholesterol, weight loss, improved heart health, aiding in digestion and decreased risk of neurodegenerative diseases. They can also be found in red wine, apples, and berries.

Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

Although a way to reverse the effects of Alzheimer’s has proven elusive, recent studies suggest that there may be ways to slow down the advancement of the disease, especially if it’s caught early. Two recent studies suggest that consuming a combination of DHA omega-3 fatty acid, choline and uridine may markedly improve memory in individuals with early onset Alzheimer’s.

For the first study, conducted by researchers at the Alzheimer Center at VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam, included 225 participants with diagnoses of mild Alzheimer’s. Over the course of three months, the volunteers were assigned either a cocktail of the nutrients listed above or a placebo. At the conclusion of the study, the supplement group showed a 40% improvement in verbal-memory, while the placebo group showed only a 24% improvement.

The second study was conducted by the same researchers using the same nutrient supplement was administered, but this time the volunteers were followed for six months. At the conclusion of the study, the supplement group showed changes in brain patterns that seemed to indicate that the brain was functioning in a healthier manner, while no changes were noted in the placebo group.

Additionally, both the placebo group and the supplement group showed verbal-memory improvements in the first three months, just as in the first study. However, the placebo group actually showed a decline in the second three months, while the supplement group continued to show improvements.

The researchers believe that the nutrients stimulated synapse growth. Synapses are the connections between brain cells that are often destroyed by Alzheimer’s.

The studies were published online ahead of print on July 9, 2012, in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Previous studies have shown that consuming high levels of vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin B and vitamin E may also slow the advancement of Alzheimer’s. Keep an eye out for future studies about nutritional interventions for this devastating illness, as new research is being released every day.

Emma McGowan NatureCity author & contributor

Breast cancer strikes over 200,000 American women per year and approximately one fourth of those diagnosed succumb to this potentially fatal disease. While the causes of cancers are never definitively known, a recent meta-analysis suggests that eating foods rich in carotenoids – such as fruits and vegetables – may reduce the risk of developing breast cancer.

Carotenoids are the phytochemicals that provide the bright red, orange or yellow coloration to many fruit and vegetables. They serve as antioxidants and can be a good source of vitamin A. They have been shown in previous research to protect against cardiovascular disease, some cancers and macular eye disease.

The researchers found that when carotenoid levels were measured in participant’s blood, results were quite dramatic. Each additional 100 micrograms of total carotenoid per dL of blood intake was associated with a 22% reduced risk of breast cancer. As far as specific carotenoids are concerned:
• each additional 50 micrograms of beta-carotene per dL of blood was associated with a 26% reduced risk;
• each additional 10 micrograms of alpha-carotene per dL of blood was associated with a 18% reduced risk;
• each additional 25 micrograms of lutein per dL of blood was associated with a 32% reduced risk.

The researchers for this study were based at Imperial College in London, UK. They published their results online ahead of print on July 3, 2012, in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

If you want to get more carotenoids in your diet, the easiest way is to make sure that your meals contain a variety of colors. Include as many fruits and vegetables as possible and switch it up now and then. The beneficial actions of carotenoids are optimal when a variety of carotenoids are consumed together.