minerals

Two new scientific studies have reinforced the importance of vitamin D, sometimes called the sunshine vitamin, to our health and wellbeing. Scientists working in Sweden and Australia have found links to suggest the introduction of vitamin D can improve pain and fatigue during cancer treatment while a lack of it can be connected to cardiovascular disease.

Winter is the time to bolster your immune system against the bugs and infections that abound at this time of year. From spices to nuts and chocolate we can make changes to our diet that can give us a ring of confidence during those short days and long nights. Here are the foods that can help our internal protection system:

Balancing diet and exercise are vital to ensure strong, healthy bones into later life, especially for women who can suffer bone loss due to the menopause. The Royal Osteoporosis Society has estimated that three million people in the UK are affected by the condition meaning that someone living with osteoporosis is more likely to fracture a bone after a fall or bump. According to public health experts, the basis for healthy bones starts with a balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D.

It has happened to us all. We are enjoying the summer weather in short sleeves and shorts, and, before we know it, we have been targeted and bitten by a bug. Insect bites in Britain are mostly harmless, but they do sting and nip. While we may not notice a bite at first, the lumps under our skin a few hours later are a tell-tale sign we have provided a take-away for a flying assailant. Creams and ointments can help, but did you know that there are natural items around at home that could help soothe the itching?

Did you know that there are ways of creating bespoke treatments from your store cupboard which could save you not only a trip to the beauty counter but money too? Aromatherapists Amy Galper and Christina Daigneault’s book, Plant-Powered Beauty, aims to provide the inspiration to do just that and show you how to create your own beauty products.

The mighty baobab tree isn’t just a magnificent specimen reaching up to 30 metres (almost 100ft) tall. It is also a giant in nutritional terms. This exotic dried fruit could be a powerful ally in the fight for fitness due to it’s high fibre content and ability to convey the feeling of being full up, which Oxford Brooks University researchers say can in turn help maintain a healthy bodyweight

Our bodies are able to detect and protect against illness and disease, but there are simple changes we can make to boost our chances of remaining well. Starting with what we eat is essential. Here is a quick guide to the bodyguard foods packed with the nutrients vital for our immune system:

With the UK Government requesting guidance on the use of Vitamin D throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, here are a few Vitamin D health foods and supplements you should consider taking.

The nutrients that help your self-defences stay fighting fit. Our immune systems are immensely complicated. At least six different cell types are involved in protecting our bodies from in-coming disease and illness threats.

Magnesium is a key to more than 300 chemical reactions that keep our bodies healthy. It is to be found in all human tissue, especially bones, for which it has a major importance. It is key to providing us with energy from the food we eat yet it also helps muscles relax and is linked to improved sleep. It keeps the nervous system in balance and helps control inflammation.

If you are having a bad hair day it may well be an early warning that there is something wrong with your diet. Our hair reacts extremely quickly to deficiencies in what we are eating. Hair cells are the second fastest-growing part of the body (the first is bone marrow) and as such they rapidly begin to suffer if they are denied their essentials.