- or are you wasting money on the wrong supplements?

It is only natural to expect a nutritional supplement to be absorbed and deliver an effect. However, for this to happen, you must look for products with documentation. Countless multivitamin products and supplements with Q10, selenium, chromium, magnesium, and iron have very poor quality and are not properly absorbed. Our ageing process alone impairs the uptake of vitamins and minerals, and the same is the case if we lack essential fats, have too high calcium levels, or use antacids and other types of medicine – so this also needs to be taken into account.

According to a large American study, a high dietary intake of vitamin D and calcium is associated with a lower risk of early-onset menopause, where the menstrual periods cease before a woman reaches 45 years of age. Premature menopause affects around 10 percent of women, and the condition increases the risk of impaired fertility, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and earlier cognitive impairment. The prevention of these diseases is also a matter of getting enough sunshine, magnesium, and omega-3.

It is widely established that women of childbearing age have high levels of estrogen that protect them against cardiovascular disease. However, if they have type 1 diabetes, having high estrogen levels actually increases their risk of these diseases. A group of scientists is therefore planning to investigate whether nutritional supplements with antioxidants can protect diabetics against cardiovascular disease and the premature death caused by these ailments.

The majority of chronic ailments, including autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and cancer, involve inflammation. Science has known for a long time that omega-3 fatty acids counteract inflammation. A study from the University of Illinois, USA, shows that the process is controlled by cannabinoids, which the body itself can produce but are also found in cannabis oil. In other words, it is possible to activate the body’s cannabinoid receptors in the immune system and nervous system by means of large quantities of fish oil, which contains the most active forms of omega-3.

Children and youngsters who are exposed to lots of sunlight and have plenty of vitamin D in their blood are much less likely to develop sclerosis later in life, according to a new study. In fact, there is a reason why sclerosis is more prevalent at northern latitudes. During the winter, the sun sits too low in the sky for us humans to be able to synthesize vitamin D in the skin. However, one must also realize that the intensified use of sunscreen can block the skin’s production of vitamin D. It is therefore essential to get plenty of vitamin D from sun exposure or to take a vitamin D supplement, as this may help prevent diseases such as sclerosis that take years to develop.

People who suffer from dry eyes have reduced tear production. The condition has become increasingly common because of all the hours we spend staring at screens from devices like smartphones, computers, tablets etc. Dry eyes are irritated, and the problem may cause damage to both your eyes and eyesight. However, a team of scientists from the Hokkaido University in Japan has demonstrated that healthy fats such as omega-3 are able to protect the eyes and repair damage. You can also find other useful tips on natural ways to prevent and treat dry eyes.

Eat plenty of oily fish from clean oceans or take a fish oil supplement to make sure that you get enough of the essential omega-3 fatty acids. It lowers your risk of premature death by protecting you against atherosclerosis and a number of other diseases. In fact, blood levels of omega-3 tell a lot more than levels of cholesterol, according to a new study that is published in Journal of Clinical Lipidology.

Having high blood levels of vitamin D lowers the risk of several cancer forms, according to a new study of Japanese adults. The study is the first to take a closer look at how vitamin D affects an Asian population. Over the past decades, numerous studies have pointed to vitamin D’s role in cancer prevention. Meanwhile, other studies have demonstrated that there is widespread vitamin D deficiency. There is even evidence suggesting that our need for the nutrient exceeds the official recommendations, at least if we want to protect ourselves against cancer.

- find the right balance and make sure to get enough of the essential vitamin

It is a known fact that too much sun gives you wrinkles and increases your risk of skin cancer. However, fearmongering and new lifestyle habits have resulted in widespread vitamin D deficiency, especially because of getting too little sun exposure and using too much suncream. This could have grave consequences. Several studies show that people who stay out of the sun have an increased risk of neurological disorders, sclerosis, and premature death from heart disease and cancer. Make sure to expose yourself to sufficient amounts of sunlight during the summer period, so your skin can synthesize enough vitamin D – but be responsible. If this is a challenge, vitamin D supplements are a good alternative.

- and that is really bad for your health

Vitamin D comes in different forms that all need magnesium to be activated in order for the vitamin to be able to benefit all the cells and tissues in the body. Unfortunately, many people lack magnesium, and that makes vitamin D ineffective. Vitamin D also increases the uptake of calcium, but with too little magnesium in the organism, the risk of atherosclerosis increases, as does the risk of osteoporosis, impaired immune resistance, and metabolic syndrome (an early stage of type 2 diabetes.) All of this was observed in a study that is published in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association.