health briefs Take Magnesium to
Metabolize Vitamin D Vitamin D can’t be metabolized without sufficient mag- nesium levels. Thus, it remains stored and inactive for as many as 50 percent of Americans on nutrient-poor diets, reports a research review in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association. “Without magnesium, vitamin D is not really useful or safe,” says study co-author Mohammed S. Razzaque, Ph.D., a professor of pathology at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, in Erie, Pennsylvania. As a consequence, taking vitamin D supplements can increase a person’s calcium and phosphate levels, even if they remain vitamin D deficient, he explains; and that can lead to vascular calcification if their magnesium levels aren’t sufficient.
The magnesium factor may explain why vitamin D supplementation doesn’t necessarily help vitamin D deficiency-related disorders such as skeletal deformities, cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome. Natural sources of magnesium include almonds, cashews and other nuts, bananas, beans, broccoli, brown rice, egg yolks, fish oil, green vegetables, mushrooms, oatmeal, soybeans, sweet corn, tofu, whole grains, and pumpkin, sesame, sunflower and flax seeds.
Turmeric Helps Heal Skin Ailments
Turmeric, with its renowned anti-inflammatory, antimi- crobial and antioxidant properties, seems to improve a number of skin conditions when taken topically or orally, concludes a review of clinical studies published in Phytotherapy. Researchers at Drexel University, in Philadelphia, and the University of California, Sacra- mento, selected the 10 strongest clinical studies on turmeric out of 234 published. They concluded that this spice, with its active ingredient curcumin, was effective in treating acne, oral lichen planus (mouth inflammation), pruritus (itchy skin), pso- riasis, radiodermatitis (a side effect of radiation treatment), diabetic microangi- opathy (bleeding of small blood vessels) and diabetic edema (swelling). Studies on other skin conditions were either inconsis- tent or ineffective, the report concluded.
Mediterranean Diet Cuts Risk of
Holding Hands Reduces Pain
Holdings hands with a loved one reduces physical pain, report researchers at the University of Colorado and University of Haifa that studied the brainwaves of 22 heterosexual couples between ages 23 and 32. When in each other’s presence, the couples’ brainwaves tended to synchronize, especially in the alpha mu band, a measure of focused attention; holding hands amplified this effect and markedly lowered pain levels. The more empathetic the man was to the woman’s pain, the more their brain activ- ity synced and her pain decreased. Men that were less empathetic did not produce the same effect.
Prostate Cancer In a five-year study published in The Journal of Urology of 2,000 older Spanish men, those following a Medi- terranean diet rich in fish, boiled potatoes, whole fruits, vegetables, legumes and olive oil that was low in juices had a significantly lower risk of aggressive prostate cancer compared to those eating a Western diet. This protective effect was not found in diets higher in fatty foods, red and pro- cessed meat, refined grains and sweets. The research- ers also reviewed other science to date, confirming the protective effect of the Mediterranean diet as well as “healthy” and “prudent” diets, all consisting of greater portions of fruits and vegetables.
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