The Digest - May 10

Here's the latest & most interesting from the studies and articles I've read over the week:  

• Is there anything Vitamin D can't do??
• When was the last time you took an honest look at your relationships?
• You should know this if you drink sugary drinks.
• Iron supplements in pregnant women adversely affect newborn health.
• This cancerous chemical sprayed on food cannot be washed away. You HAVE to read this one.

• More and more studies are released every few weeks highlighting the benefits of Vitamin D. This is especially relevant since most people are deficient in Vitamin D, and this is due primarily to 2 main factors: (i) lack of sun exposure, and (ii) low fat diets and cholesterol medication, since the body uses cholesterol as the raw material to manufacture Vitamin D (with sun exposure being the catalyst). This very interesting study just revealed another aspect of Vitamin D supplementation: a significant positive impact on blood glucose and HbA1c (key indicator of risk of diabetes). This suggests that supplementing with Vitamin D may help people at risk of diabetes because of lifestyle or genetics (such as me) by keeping blood glucose levels in check. I wrote an extensive piece on Vitamin D a couple of years ago if you're interested to read more.^

• Do you ever get the feeling that your relationship feels aimless? Our minds are bombarded with so many inputs and distractions daily that sometimes we can't take the necessary step back to look at our relationships and make a proper assessment of their health. I'm not referring strictly to romantic relationships, but also to professional and social relationships. This article may help you put things in perspective, prompts you to ask questions about the health of your relationships, and also proposes suggestions on how to fix certain (potentially fatal) problems.^

• Last week we talked about how a fast-food meal can have dramatic effects on your physiology within 5 days! A new study was just released that highlights the impact of sugary drinks (your typical soft-drinks) on heart disease after only 2 weeks: significant increases in triglycerides, cholesterol and uric acid, all major indicators of cardiovascular risk. ^

• While I'm a fan of supplementation under certain conditions and requirements, one of the supplements I almost never recommend is Iron. Studies I've read in the past have indicated that it's extremely hard to actually be iron-deficient because of diet, but rather people with low ferritin often suffer from malabsorption or other problems unrelated to iron intake from diet. Unfortunately, many ObGyn doctors blindly recommend iron supplements to pregnant women regardless of their ferritin status. This new study indicates that not only is iron supplementation not required for non-anaemic pregnant women, but may even be harmful to the newborn child, causing a number of problems, including a low birth weight.^

• What would you do if you found out that a cancer-causing chemical sprayed on fruits and vegetables cannot be washed off and will stay stable in the food for up to a year? That's what Glyphosate is, and it's the most widely used herbicide globally. Recently, the World Health Organization indicated that it believes that Glyphosate is a "probable carcinogen". Yet because the WHO does not have any enforcement capabilities, it remains widely used throughout the world. This well-written article is a "must read" for anyone who cares about what they put in their body. I often write these summaries for those who don't want to read entire studies or articles, but in this particular instance, I do highly recommend that you take the time to read this one for the sake of your health and the health of your loved ones.^

As usual, any questions / comments, hit reply.