Older men and women with lower levels of vitamin D in their blood are more prone to depression. Vitamin D, produced by the body when skin is exposed to sunlight, is also found in oily fish. Low vitamin D levels have been linked to heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and severe asthma. In older people, insufficient vitamin D has been linked to fractures, and greater frailty.
Healthy recipe
Carrot and sesame date shake
Ingredients: 1 medium carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped, 3 dates, pitted, 1 tablespoon lightly toasted sesame seed, 1 tablespoon wheat germ, 1/3 cup fresh orange juice, 2 or 3 ice cubes Place all of the ingredients in a blender along with a few ice cubes if desired and blend till smooth.
Fitness Funda
Yoga helps cancer survivors sleep better and have more energy, reported researchers at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting. For the study, researchers randomly assigned more than 400 survivors to one of the two groups. Most had been treated with chemotherapy for breast cancer. One group did gentle Hatha yoga and restorative yoga twice a week for a month. The other was only monitored, following standard practice. Those who did yoga were able to cut back on sleeping pills and recorded a 22 per cent increase in sleep quality on a commonly used scale.
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