Fruit for Wrinkles?

Another post from my fave doctor, Andrew Weil, MD.

I've long recommended eating berries for their health-protective fiber and antioxidants. But new information about ellagic acid - an antioxidant found in numerous fruits, especially raspberries, strawberries and cranberries (as well as vegetables and nuts) - points to berries' potential as a topical application to help prevent collagen destruction and moderate the inflammatory response. A great deal of well-designed research shows that many compounds in berries, whether applied to the skin or eaten in the form of whole fruit, are among the most protective nutrients your body can utilize. Until topical ellagic-acid-based preparations are widely available, eating berries regularly is one of the best, not to mention tastiest, moves you can make for overall health.

Tip: Please remember that this article and many, many others are not necessarily conclusive. A huge amount of what one reads is not based in fact. Dr. Weil is suggesting that there MAY be a potential benefit to ellagic acid. Unlike may authors, Dr. Weil does rely on research not anecdotal evidence.

4 Lifestyle Steps to a Healthy Heart

Once again, I am posting something from Dr. Andrew Weil. Though it is not directly related to your skin, it is very important to maintain a positive and healthy lifestyle.

Maintaining the right mix of healthy lifestyle habits is the best way to achieve optimal cardiovascular function. Incorporate the following into your daily routine to help promote the health of your heart:

1. Exercise. Regular exercise helps maintain the health of blood vessels, strengthens the heart muscle itself, and can help reduce heart disease risk factors including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, and stress. Aim for 30 minutes a day of moderate aerobic activity on most days of the week. For individual guidance, consult a personal trainer.
2. Lose weight. If you are overweight or obese, even modest weight loss can significantly lower cardiovascular risks.
3. Don't smoke. Smoking is the major preventable risk factor for heart disease, and has negative health consequences for your entire body, from your taste buds to your energy levels to your skin. Seek support and guidance in quitting.
4. Manage stress. Uncontrolled stress can raise blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and homocysteine levels. Practice breath work, meditation, guided imagery, visualization or another relaxation technique, and participate in regular moderate exercise (including yoga and T'ai chi), stay social, and laugh often.

Tip: Is your level of Vitamin D high enough. A simple blood test at your next doctor's visit can tell you. Vitamin supplements are simple to find and use. Read some of my earlier posts to learn more.

Two Ways to Prevent Dry Skin

You can tell that I am a big fan of Dr. Andrew Weil.

If dry weather tends to make your skin tight, scaly and flaky, consider supplementing with essential fatty acids. Evening primrose oil and black currant oil are both good sources of GLA (gamma-linolenic acid), which helps promote skin, hair and nail health. The usual dose is 500 mg twice a day and you won't see immediate results, but in six to eight weeks you'll begin to notice positive changes.

Andrew Weil, MD

Vitamin D - - AGAIN!!

More from Dr. Andrew Weil

Vitamin D and Asthma

More and more we hear that we should wear sunscreen or sunblock due to the hazardous effects of the sun. However, actions always leads to consequences. In this case, less exposure to the sun limits our bodies' ability to produce Vitamin D. I have posted several different posts regarding Vitamin D. Feel free to look back at the others.

If you suffer from asthma, take note: the lower your levels of vitamin D, the worse your symptoms may be. What's more, low vitamin D levels also appear to influence how much benefit you'll receive from treatments - the lower the levels, the poorer the response to steroidal asthma medications. These results were demonstrated in a small study of 54 asthma patients at the National Jewish Health Center in Denver. The investigators suggested that vitamin D supplements might improve matters for patients with low levels of "D," but the study wasn't designed to test whether this intervention actually would work. However, it did show that vitamin D levels were also lowest among the patients who were the most overweight. The study was published in the Jan. 14, 2010, online edition of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. I recently raised my recommendation of 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily to 2,000 IU because of emerging evidence that the higher dose is more appropriate to help maintain optimum health. The asthma study adds to what we already know about the importance of vitamin D.

Vitamin D and Your Heart

More from Dr. Andrew Weil

Need (another) reason to keep your vitamin D intake up? New research suggests that low levels of this essential nutrient can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Researchers in Utah followed 27,000 men and women over the age of 50 who had no history of heart disease. After a year, they found those with the lowest levels of vitamin D were:

1. 77 percent more likely to die than those with adequate levels of vitamin D.
2. 45 percent more likely to develop coronary artery disease than those with adequate levels of vitamin D.
3. 78 percent more likely to have a stroke than those with adequate levels of vitamin D.
4. Twice as likely to develop heart failure than those with normal levels of vitamin D.

The study, from the Intermountain Medical Center, was presented at the Nov. 16, 2009, session of the American Heart Association's Scientific Conference. Dr. Weil recommends 2,000 IU of vitamin D per day.

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/TIP03585/Vitamin-D-and-Your-Heart.html