Why Shorter Days Call for a Dose of Vitamin D

It is officially winter in our household because I have pulled out the vitamin D supplements. My daughter was too young last winter to remember that she added a vitamin to her morning routine, but my boys knew what it signaled. Instead of gobbling down the vitamins without query as they did last winter, my boys fired questions my way as to why they had to take them. I guess this is what teenagers do: They question their parents about everything, even the things they have taken for granted for…

Read More

Shorter Sleep May Increase Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Drinks

People who sleep five or fewer hours a night are likely to drink significantly more sugary caffeinated drinks, such as sodas and energy drinks, according to a new study. “We think there may be a positive feedback loop where sugary drinks and sleep loss reinforce one another, making it harder for people to eliminate their unhealthy sugar habit,” said Aric A. Prather, assistant professor at the University of California San Francisco. “This data suggests that improving people’s sleep could potentially help them break out of the cycle and cut down…

Read More

Shorter Sleep May Increase Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Drinks

People who sleep five or fewer hours a night are likely to drink significantly more sugary caffeinated drinks, such as sodas and energy drinks, according to a new study. “We think there may be a positive feedback loop where sugary drinks and sleep loss reinforce one another, making it harder for people to eliminate their unhealthy sugar habit,” said Aric A. Prather, assistant professor at the University of California San Francisco. “This data suggests that improving people’s sleep could potentially help them break out of the cycle and cut down…

Read More

Air Pollution Tied to Shorter Survival With Lung Cancer

Exposure to air pollution has long been associated with an increased risk of lung cancer, and a new study suggests it might also be tied to a faster death from the disease. Researchers examined cancer registry data on more than 350,000 people diagnosed with lung cancer in California and found patients who lived in communities with higher than average levels of air pollution typically died sooner than their peers who lived in places with cleaner air. Patients with lung cancer may be a new subgroup of people susceptible to the…

Read More