ScienceDaily: Vitamin D May Reduce Falls In Elderly Nursing Home Residents
New research suggests that reducing the number of falls suffered by seniors in nursing homes may be helped by taking a vitamin, along with other measures known to decrease falls. According to a study in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, seniors taking a high daily dose of vitamin D experienced 72 percent fewer falls compared to those taking a placebo.
Add in the calcium from D-fortified milk, and if they do fall they’re less likely to get hurt.
Is work making you fat? - Smart Fitness - MSNBC.com
Given that many people spend a big chunk of their waking hours at work, “your job certainly could be contributing to weight gain,” says Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist at the American Council on Exercise.An ACE-commissioned study found that, not surprisingly, people whose work is largely conducted while sitting behind a desk, such as secretaries, lawyers and teachers, get little physical activity during the day.
The article recommends using a restroom that is farther away, taking a couple flights of stairs at lunch or holding informal meetings during a walk. I like the last one, as it also affords an opportunity for sunshine and fresh air.
Other ideas are to use a stand-up workstation or take occasional breaks to stretch your legs. Furthermore, taking stairs can also be a morning routine when you arrive at work. Even though I have worked as high as the 20th floor, sometimes I would take the stairs 3 or four flights before catching the elevator for the rest of the ride.
MedlinePlus: A Little Sun Might Shield Against Skin Cancer
It’s a puzzle to scientists, but a new study suggests that the main cause of deadly skin cancer — sunlight — might also help protect against the disease.The key could lie in the amount of ultraviolet B (UVB) light the skin absorbs — enough to stimulate a healthy, vitamin D-linked immune response in the skin but not so much that it boosts skin cancer risk.
The article suggests that half an hour to an hour daily could be just right. (Probably also depends on proximity to the equator.)