When you think about summer you think about outdoor fun…beaches, lakes, boating, hiking and all the BBQ’s and picnics that fill up your schedule. Though it is a great time to leave some of those daily responsibilities behind, there are a couple tips to keep in mind to stay protected from the sun while enjoying your favorite activities. Sun Block, After Sun Soothers and homemade Sunburn Remedies can hep you enjoy your days without any unnecessary discomfort.

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With vitamin E, keeping the family together is important.

In previous AllStarHealth blogs, we’ve made the point that  Vitamin E isn’t really one vitamin, it’s a group of 8 distinct vitamins, all of which have distinct functions and most of which are present when you obtain vitamin E from whole foods. The best vitamin E supplements now reflect this and contain a full range of vitamin E forms, for a full range of vitamin activity and protection. But for decades, most vitamin E supplements have contained just one form, d-alpha-tocopherol, based on the fact that this form is the most abundant in the blood and most body tissues. More recent research has shown that the other forms of vitamin E  have their own distinct benefits that don’t apply to a-alpha-tocopherol, including protection from breast cancer according to a recent study.

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Antioxidants are among the most popular of all dietary supplements and include many familiar nutrients like vitamins C and E.  Antioxidants have a wide-range of health benefits that all stem from their ability to  neutralize unstable chemicals  (known as ‘free radicals’)  that damage delicate cellular structures by oxidizing them, just like bleach ruins fabric.  Exercise also has a wide-range of health benefits that stem from the fact that it improves body strength and functions. But paradoxically, exercise and antioxidants may not go well together. (more…)

Curcumin supplements are good for you. Unless you smoke.

In a study reminiscent of the back-and-forth over whether beta carotene increases lung cancer risk in smokers or not, a study now suggests that curcumin too can increase the risk of lung cancer development when cancer-promoting factors like smoking, or a history of smoking, are present.  As a possible mechanism for this effect, the researchers suggested that curcumin may  promote cancer in smokers by accelerating the formation of free radicals in damaged lung tissue.

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Vitamin E's benefits are a matter of balance, which most vitamin E supplements don't provide.

Vitamin E is a supplement category that really hasn’t caught up to the latest research, as we discussed in this blog post from January. As we explained then, vitamin E isn’t one compound but a family of eight compounds, 4 tocopherols and 4 tocopherols, each with specific and unique roles to play.  However, most vitamin E supplements only contain one form, alpha tocopherol.  The best vitamin E’s are those few that contain all eight compounds, but these remain a stubbornly small portion of the vitamin E supplement market. Customers and brands alike may not like the higher prices of full-spectrum vitamin E’s, but there’s growing evidence of their superiority. A soon-to-be published study highlights adds more evidence for a special, protective role of gamma and the other tocopherols, all of which are definitely lacking in most vitamin E supplements and multis. (more…)

Statin drugs lower cholesterol, but also lower your body's production of valuable Co Q-10. And that's not the only reason you should be taking Co Q-10 for elevated LDL cholsterol.

Dear AllStarHealth,

Why is it recommended that people who have high-cholesterol take Co Q-10? Co Q-10 doesn’t lower cholesterol.  Or does it?

Thank you,

Heather B.

Boulder, CO

Dear Heather,

It’s true that Co Q-10 isn’t a dependable way to lower cholesterol, but if you have high LDL cholesterol levels, it’s probably still a good idea for you to take it anyway. Here’s why. (more…)

Vitamin E has taken some heat in the mainstream press.

Dear AllStarHealth,

I’ve always taken vitamin E because there’s a family history of heart disease and a few of my nutrition books say it’s beneficial.  But in the last few years I’ve come across conflicting information about vitamin E including some recent news stories that say it doesn’t help and can actually be harmful to use vitamin E supplements.  So what’s the story?

Thanks,

Mike W.

Novato, CA

Dear Mike,

Once upon a time, the type of vitamin E supplement in question wouldn’t have mattered because they were all the same. At this point in time, however, it really depends on what kind of vitamin E supplement we’re talking about. (more…)

Cellphones save you time and let you keep in touch while bombarding your brain with microwave radiation. Certain nutrients may offer protection.

Nutrients that can protect against cellphone radiation? A weight-loss drug that fights cancer? Find out more in this edition of the One-Minute Nutrition Research Roundup. (more…)

Peroxide lighteners and dyes chemically damage hair. A new study shows how alpha lipoic acid protects hair when formulated into hair dyes. Huge implications for that industry.

If you’re one of the millions of people who use commercial hair dyes to lighten or perm your hair, you  already know that the peroxide in those products damages your hair. A new study shows that by adding an inexpensive antioxidant to a peroxide hair dye, the hair is protected without affecting the results. This is a golden opportunity for that industry to launch a new generation of better, healthier products. (more…)