Most Children Not Getting Enough Vitamin D

A Washington, D.C., dermatologist was unable to identify her 14-year-old son’s severe vitamin D deficiency even after he complained of constant pain, headaches, exhaustion, body aches and stomach pain — classic signs of severe vitamin D deficiency, NBC News-Washington reported in a televised story Tuesday.

“Because Benjamin’s an active tennis player she (his mvitaminddeficient316other) thought he’d just pulled a muscle or strained something,” NBC-Washington reported after talking with Dr. Marilyn Berzin, Benjamin’s mother. She is a Washington, D.C., dermatologist whose web site states she is considered “to be one of Washington, D.C.’s leading cosmetic dermatologists.” The web site encourages people to always apply sunscreen with at least an SPF15 rating.

Based on video images of Berzin and her son — who both appear pale in the story — it is likely they don’t get a lot of sun.

It was the stomach pain that got Dr. Berzin to take her son to a pediatrician, NBC reported. “Doctors tested him for everything from arthritis to muscular dystrophy to Lyme disease,” the story reported. The tests ultimately showed he was severely deficient in vitamin D and was put on 50,000-international-unit-weekly supplements for an eight-week period.

“Within about two to three weeks he started feeling a lot better — he grew immediately about two inches,” Dr. Berzin said in the NBC-Washington report.

The story did correctly report that 70 percent of children are believed to be vitamin D deficient, and that kids not getting outdoor sunlight like they used to is most likely the cause. But doctors in the report only recommended 400 IU of vitamin D daily.

While the story did not mention Benjamin’s vitamin D level, it is likely that it was below 10 ng/ml, based on the symptoms he reported and the level of vitamin D prescribed to him. The number of children below 10 ng/ml has increased significantly in the past generation, according to government data — levels so low that childhood rickets, virtually eradicated in the mid-20th century, is making a resurgence. Overzealous sun avoidance is believed to be the cause.

“While the dermatology lobby has been advising people they don’t need to get sun exposure to make vitamin D – even though sun is the natural and intended way to make vitamin D and getting full-body summer sun makes more than 100 times the vitamin D supplemented into a glass of milk — here’s an example of a dermatologist who clearly didn’t know anything about vitamin D deficiency and it was hurting her own family,” Smart Tan Vice President Joseph Levy said. “We are glad that Dr. Berzin and her family are in better health> Hopefully dermatology can learn something from this story.”

To watch the NBC-Washington report click here.

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TOP 12 Reasons Fitness is Good for you!

2011 Can be your Fittest year yet!

It's the first week of January and many of us are still recovering from the "Holiday Blues". We're familiar with those feelings of low energy, residual "hang-overs" from too much rich food, fun & frolic! Many of us have vowed to make a change in our lifestyle: we're going to eat better, exercise more, take better care of ourselves...! The list goes on...
Why would we want to adopt fitness into our lifestyle this year? Here's Pro-Fit Health Club's Top 12 Reasons why Fitness is good for you!

1. MORE ENERGY! Exercising boosts your energy! If you feel more energetic, you will want to be active, because you can!
2. FEEL BETTER ABOUT YOURSELF! Exercising makes you feel better in general, and better about yourself. We've all felt that guilt when we aren't as active as we know we should be. Empower yourself and exercise- you feel better that you did!
3. DE-STRESS! Especially after the hectic holiday season, many of us are feeling stressed and ready for a another holiday! Give your body the opportunity to vent that pent-up stress and you will feel "lighter" emotionally!
4. IMPROVED ATTITUDE/MOOD! Exercising releases endorphins, the "feel-good" hormones. You're actually a nicer person & you actually feel better if you exercise regularly!
5. IMPROVED RELATIONSHIPS! A more pleasant person is nicer to be around. If you're not on edge or irritable, you'll get along better with your family & friends, co-workers etc.
6. CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITIONING! Your heart & lungs need regular exercise to stay in shape. For overall health & wellness, give yourself the best means of staying in shape with regular workouts. Moderate exercise is good for just about everyone!
7. IMMUNE BOOSTER! Exercising boosts your immunities, not to mention helping to prevent or improve other health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, obesity, etc.
8. INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY! Want to accomplish more in your day? Exercise has been shown to increase your productivity by as much as 15-30%!
9. BE STRONGER! Simple tasks like opening doors or food jars can become difficult when you lose your strength. Resistance training is an important element to all exercise programs.
When your muscles stay strong, living is much easier.
10. BE ON YOUR GAME! Exercising keeps you mentally alert and thinking more clearly than if you weren't active. Research has actually proven that a brain protein, BDNF, (which helps nerve cells connect faster & increases your brain's ability to learn) increases when you exercise. Literally, use it or lose it!
11. EAT BETTER! When we take better care of ourselves and exercise, we're more inclined to eat better too. It's a positive cycle of supporting our exercise program with good nutrition habits and back again. Perpetuate the benefits of exercise with eating well at the same time and you will see your results faster, which in turn will motivate you to continue exercising... It's all good!
12. SAVE MONEY! Healthier people make fewer trips to the doctor's office, need to take less time off work/school, spend less money on drugs & medications etc. Our bodies want to be healthy. Do yourself a favour and exercise, eat well & treat your body with the respect it deserves! The rewards will be incredible!

Good luck to you! May 2011 be your fittest year yet! (We can help!!)

The Salty Truth About Sodium & Your Food

As a culture, we’ve become very conscious of carbs, fats (both good and bad) and calories… but few people pay much attention to sodium. It’s been called the forgotten killer.

Sodium is a necessary ingredient in the human body, but most of us are getting way too much. The general consensus is that we should aim for 1,500 mg of sodium each day. The average American consumes nearly 3x times the recommendation. It’s bad news, as excess sodium has been linked to:

• high blood pressure
• heart disease and stroke
• pre-hypertension
• water weight gain (when you feel and look bloated)

Because of the health issues caused by high-salt diets, excess sodium is blamed for 150,000 annual deaths in the United States. It’s a staggering – and sobering – number. Much of the sodium we consume comes from processed and packaged foods. Go to your cupboard and grab a can of anything. Check the nutrition information. Shocking, isn’t it? As a result, I’ve found myself trying new recipes and moving away from canned and processed foods. The convenience just isn’t worth it – and nothing beats food cooked with love.