plements can thin your blood and may cause bleeding complications. Ask your Peoples Pharmacist if taking a fish oil supplement is right for you.
.....Another related trio of supplements I take are Calcium, Magnesium and Vitamin D. We all know about calcium and its effect on bone health, but calcium is also helpful for PMS, high blood pressure, and possibly colorectal cancer. The more I learn about vitamin D and magnesium, the more I recommend them to people. It was first thought that Vitamin D was only used in the body to promote calcium absorption and bone formation. Almost every part of the body uses Vitamin D and there is emerging evidence that this vitamin D may help treat high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, migraines |
, polycystic ovary syndrome, multiple sclerosis, cancer, low back pain and reduce the frequency of falls in the elderly. It is unclear how much Vitamin D we should take in a day. It used to be suggested that one get 400 units a day, but currently this amount is thought to be too low. I recommend people take about 1000 units a day, if they are concerned about their Vitamin D intake. It is true that your body can make enough Vitamin D of its own, when it is exposed to sunlight. You need to get at least 20 minutes of direct exposure to your face, arms and upper chest every day. This time becomes longer if you live in a northern climate (like Canada), wear sunscreen, are elderly or have dark skin. I can think of perhaps three days last month where I |
might have gotten enough sunlight to make enough vitamin D.
 .....Magnesium is a mineral that is often overlooked. This mineral is responsible for over 300 functions in the body; from energy production to bone formation. One thing that has been shown, in several studies, is that people tend not to get enough magnesium in their diet. That is why I usually recommend that people take a calcium and magnesium supplement; to ensure that they get
Ian Lloyd...Continued On Page 6 |
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