A noteworthy study¹ was published last month in the prestigious British Medical Journal. Researchers from Harvard found that from among a large population of women who lived at least until 70 years of age, those at an unhealthy weight during midlife encountered many more health concerns later on, including ongoing health disturbances, poor cognitive function, and other issues associated with poor physical and mental health.

They also found that those women who were lean at age 18, and maintained a healthy weight during midlife, did the best in terms of achieving optimal health throughout the years. Specifically, in this study, which involved over 17,000 women, those considered to be at an unhealthy weight in 1976 (when the study first began) had significantly reduced odds of healthy survival. Women at an unhealthy weight had incredible 79% lower odds of healthy survival compared to those who were the leanest.

A related study² published earlier this summer in the Journal of Gerontology found that individuals at an unhealthy weight in midlife were found to have lower memory and thinking skills in old age compared to those who were at a healthy weight. The researchers did not feel it was directly connected to increased prevalence of poor cardiovascular health, but thought that there were probably other mechanisms to explain this.

The prestigious European Journal of Clinical Nutrition recently published a study³ regarding folate. The study looked at 596 patients with abnormal cellular growth in the colon rectal area in comparison to 509 healthy individuals. Researchers found that those women who consumed the most folate had about a 2/3 lower risk of developing this condition compared to women who consumed the smallest amount of folic acid. For unclear reasons, increased folic acid intake does not seem to significantly affect the risk in men.

Finally, a couple of interesting studies were presented last month at the American Heart Association 63rd High Blood Pressure Research Conference. In the first study⁴, researchers out of Michigan analyzed data from 559 Caucasian women between the ages of 24 and 44, starting in the year 1992. The researchers took blood pressure readings annually throughout the study, which ended in 2007. It was found that women in their pre-change of life stage who had vitamin D deficiency in 1993 were three times more likely to develop elevated poor blood pressure compared to those who had normal levels of vitamin D.

The second study⁵ presented at the conference examined the development of poor blood pressure in men who consumed a high fructose diet. The study involved 74 men, average age 51, who consumed 200 grams a day of fructose in addition to their regular diet. It was found that those who were on the fructose diet had an increase in elevated unhealthy blood pressure.

The dangers of unhealthy weight are myriad. Imagine that by eating a little more every day and increasing your waist size, not only to do you increase your risk of poor cardiovascular health and elevated blood sugar, but also poor memory. Unfortunately, in this country, unhealthy weight has become epidemic. There are literally tens of millions of people in this country who are overweight. Unhealthy weight, however, is something that you can get under control if you just make a little effort. I remember years ago I was at a dinner and was sitting next to an attorney from Great Britain who told me that the secret to avoiding unhealthy weight. He called the diet PDTBF, which stands for "PUT DOWN THE BLOODY FORK!"


The key to proper weight management is simple: take in less food and burn more calories. Before you reach for those M&Ms or sweet calorie laden dessert, stop for a moment and think, "Is it worth it?" Yes, you'll get a temporary sugar rush and it will certainly taste good as it is going down. However, a half hour or forty-five minutes later, you may start to feel the negative effects in your serum blood sugar and, of course, your waistline and butt will quickly tell the tale. A successful approach to healthy weight management is avoiding simple sugars and increasing whole grains, leafy green vegetables, mono-unsaturated fats, healthy lean meats and fish.

Vitacost offers a brand called Best of All™ which includes thirty-nine healthy snack foods such as almonds, pumpkin seeds, ginger slices and many other items that are both healthy and delicious. For example, Best of All Tamari Almonds gets a rating of 4.9 stars out of 5.0 stars. Just read some of the reviews from satisfied customers. One customer writes, "All the products from this company are fresh and yummy and the price is yummy, too." Another customer states, "These almonds are fresh, healthy and delicious." And another customer writes, "I absolutely love these almonds. The seasoning is terrific. I will be a repeat buyer of this product forever." When is the last time you said something like this about a dessert or a snack food? Yes, you do get that temporary sugar fix, but at a huge price. Imagine for a moment as you sit down to that large meal and sugar laden dessert, that you are sowing the seeds of potential cognitive loss down the road.

The studies on vitamin D, like the one I mentioned above, never cease to amaze me. I continue to feel that vitamin D is the single most important nutrient that we can consume. The benefits of vitamin D go far beyond bone health. NSI® (Nutraceutical Sciences Institute®) offers a wide selection of vitamin D products. Our Synergy line of products, of course, also contains excellent doses of this important nutrient, as well.

1. Sun Q, Townsend M, Okereke O, et al., Adiposity and weight change in mid-life in relation to healthy survival after age 70 in women: prospective cohort study, British Medical Journal, Published online September 29, 2009.

2. Dahl A, Hassing L, Fransson E, et al., Being Overweight in Midlife Is Associated With Lower Cognitive Ability and Steeper Cognitive Decline in Late Life, Journal of Gerontology, Published online April 6, 2009.

3. Kim J, Kim D, Lee B, et al., Folate intake and the risk of colorectal cancer in a Korean population, European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Published online June 24, 2009.

4. Griffin F, Sowers M and Gadegbeku C, Vitamin D deficiency in younger women is associated with increased risk of high blood pressure in mid-life, Presented at the American Heart Association 63rd High Blood Pressure Research Conference, Chicago, September 2009.

5. Johnson R, Perez-Pozo S, Schold J and Lopez Lillo J, High-Sugar Diet Increases Men's Blood Pressure, Presented at the American Heart Association 63rd High Blood Pressure Research Conference, Chicago, September 2009.

To review all NSI Synergy visit:
http://www.vitacost.com/NSI-Synergy/


To review all Best of All™ products visit:
http://www.vitacost.com/Best-Of-All