• Researchers gave evidence that boosting vitamin D intake could help reduce the risk of breast cancer. (American Association for Cancer Research 4/2006)
• CA scientists found that risk fell steadily with increasing blood levels of vitamin D. The highest levels correlated with a 50% reduced risk of breast cancer, compared with the lowest amounts
• To reach a blood level of 52 ng/mL, you would need several times the recommended intake, which is 400 international units (IU) of vitamin D per day for women ages 50-70.
• A 2nd study, by Canadian researchers, found that women who spent more time outdoors or got more dietary vitamin D in their teens and early adulthood were 25%-45% less likely to develop breast cancer.

• Although not yet peer-reviewed, the data are consistent with mounting evidence that increased vitamin D helps prevent many types of cancer, including breast, ovarian, colon, and prostate cancers.
• Vitamin D is a hormone whose manufacture begins in the skin with exposure to the sun's ultraviolet B rays. With enough sun, we wouldn't need dietary vitamin D.
• But dependence on the sun is a problem. Skin cancer is one worry. Sunscreens help with that concern, but they also block the rays that spur vitamin D synthesis in the skin. Moreover, people who live above 40 degrees north latitude - in Boston, for example - can't make enough vitamin D from sunlight in the winter.
• Other factors influence the amount of vitamin D you can make from sunlight. The darker your skin, the more sun exposure it needs. And as we age, our skin becomes less capable of triggering vitamin D synthesis
• Natural food sources of vitamin D - primarily fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel - are limited. Fortified foods (milk and some breakfast cereals) supply modest amounts.
• Excessive amounts: Can lead to kidney stones or kidney damage, weak muscles and bones, excessive bleeding and other problems. Excessive amounts usually come from supplements, not food or overexposure to sunlight.

MYTH: All you need is the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamins.

• Certain vitamins in excess of the minimum can improve health and weight loss. But be certain to not consume too much of any vitamin, as high doses are toxic.

MYTH: You should try to get 100% of the RDA of vitamins and minerals.

• Believe it or not with the specific exception of vitamins A and D you should try to get MORE than the RDA value. The RDA value is based on the amount of nutrients that are needed to keep a person from developing diseases or dieing from deficiency.
• Anyone trying to lose or gain weight shoot for more than the RDA values. How much of each item is debated by nutritionists, but do a little research and decide what sound best for you.

FACT: Calcium on its own isn't very helpful.

• Your body uses magnesium to process calcium and if you don't have enough to process the calcium you take in it will go right through your body.
• So if you drink say fruit juice that has had 100% calcium added to it it's highly likely depending on the amount of magnesium in your diet that it isn't all getting processed.
• A good calcium source, whether food or a pill will have a 1:2 ratio of magnesium and calcium
  
  Vitamin / Mineral warning from the FDA

1. Chromium Picolinate Supplements
   Consumers are advised not to take chromium in this form, because this has potential to cause cancer. However, having 10mg a day or less in total of chromium in the form of supplements or food is unlikely to cause any harm.
2. Vitamin C Supplements
   Doses of over 1,000mg a day can cause abdominal pain and diarrhea.
3. Calcium Supplements
   Doses of over 1,500mg a day can cause abdominal pain and diarrhea.
4. Iron Supplements
   Doses of over 17mg a day can cause abdominal pain and diarrhea.
5. Beta-carotene, Nicotinic Acid (a B vitamin), Zinc, Manganese and Phosphorous Supplements
   High doses above the RDAs guidelines, taken over long periods, may have an irreversible harmful effect.
6. Vitamin B6 Supplements
   No more than 10mg a day should be taken. High intakes can lead to a loss of feeling in the arms and legs.

1 lb Grass Fed Ground Beef or Organic Ground Bison or 1/2 lb of each
1/3 Cup Bread Crumbs
1/3 Cup Imported, Grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese
2 tblsp Cream or 1/3 Cup Ricotta Cheese
1 Clove Garlic through a Garlic Press
1 tblsp Minced Onion
1 tsp Sea Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper

Combine all of the above ingredients. Mix well. Divide the mixture into 12 to 15 meatballs. Brown in hot olive oil or add to your favorite sauce recipe.

• Calcium for Stronger Bones
  
  Despite the WHI findings, scientists agree that the mineral is essential for building healthy bones. Many of the women in the study probably were getting enough calcium from food already or using bone-boosting hormone therapy, so a supplement offered no added benefit.
  
  Bottom line: A supplement will be helpful if you don’t like dairy, fortified OJ, or other calcium-rich foods like kale. And remember, supplements are absorbed best in small doses—500 milligrams or less.
  

• Folic acid for healthy babies
  
  It prevents birth defects in the brain and spine.
  Bottom line: If pregnancy is a possibility (either now or in the near future) get 400 micrograms every day from fortified cereals, pasta, and bread, or from supplements. Prenatal multivitamins have it, or you can buy folic acid pills. Those may be absorbed better than when you get the nutrient in foods.
  
  
• Iron for energy
  The mineral carries energizing oxygen to your cells, but you lose some during your period. Getting fewer than 18 milligrams a day could leave you dragging. (Postmenopausal women need only 8 mg, and pregnant women need 27 mg.)
  
  Bottom line: An iron-rich diet—a cup of beans, a serving of lean beef, a cup of spinach, and fortified cereal—makes sense. If you don’t eat those foods, try a supplement and talk to your doctor about how much iron is right for you.
  
• Caffeine
  
  Why Try it? A stimulant, caffeine speeds up metabolism and can ward off listlessness from dieting. It may suppress appetite, too, and boost the power of other weight-loss ingredients.
  
  Why not? More than 400 milligrams per day (equivalent to three to four cups of coffee) won't help you lose more weight and could bring on jitteriness, headaches, and insomnia. Unfortunately, most products don't reveal their caffeine quantities in easy-to-understand terms; a typical daily dosage of some supplements might have as much caffeine as 30 cans of Coke (1,200-plus milligrams). Skip it if you have high blood pressure or heart disease, or if you're pregnant or nursing.
  
• Green Tea or EGCG
  
  Why try it? EGCG (It's green tea's main antioxidant -- the same stuff that may protect against cancer and heart disease -- and is available in green tea supplements. It appears to work synergistically with the caffeine in green tea to boost metabolism. And a few small studies suggest it'll help you burn about 4 percent more calories (about 80) a day and specifically burn fat.
  
  Why not? EGCG has no risks, but the caffeine in green tea may lead to jitters if you drink coffee or take a caffeine supplement, too.
  
• Chromium
  
  Why try it?Chromium (Your body needs this mineral for the hormone insulin (which lets cells turn sugar into fuel) to work effectively) seems to slightly limit weight gain in people with diabetes or pre-diabetes. And in one study, people who didn't have insulin trouble lost about three pounds more in 10 weeks using chromium than those who didn't. But experts say the mineral may be most useful for people with insulin resistance.
  
  Why not? Years ago, there were health concerns about one form: chromium picolinate. Later studies found it to be safe, though, says Adriane Fugh-Berman, M.D., associate professor in the complementary and alternative medicine master's program at Georgetown. But case reports have linked chronic use of 600 micrograms or more per day to kidney and muscle damage.
  
  
• Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)
  
  This fatty acid is a natural substance found in meat and dairy products.
  
  Why try it? In one trial, women lost 9 percent of their body fat in a year -- and gained muscle, too. In another study, men and women lost about 6 percent of their fat after 6 months. Losing fat can make weight maintenance easier, because you burn more calories when you have less of it.
  
  Why not? CLA may raise cholesterol and worsen insulin resistance.
  
• 5-HTP
  
  An amino acid that your body eventually converts into serotonin, the brain chemical thought to be lacking in people with depression. It's shown promise as a natural antidepressant.
  
  Why try it? 5-HTP may increase levels of a hormone that tells your brain when you're full.
  
  Why not? If you're also taking antidepressants or migraine drugs called triptans, 5-HTP may overstimulate your nervous system and lead to muscle spasms or tremors.
  
• L-dopa or L-tyrosine
  
  Your body turns the amino acid L-tyrosine into L-dopa and then turns L-dopa into dopamine, another brain chemical linked to cravings and pleasure.
  
  Why try it? Low dopamine levels may lead to overeating, says John Williamson, Ph.D., of the National Center for Natural Products Research at the University of Mississippi. And researchers discovered years ago that Parkinson's disease patients given L-dopa lost weight. What's more, L-dopa may trigger production of human growth hormone, which builds muscle and reduces fat.
  
  Why not? Some people experience nervousness, heart palpitations and tremors after even low doses.
  

• Multivitamins for overall health
  
  An NIH expert panel couldn’t uncover any persuasive evidence for or against multis. Yet some studies suggest the pills may be useful for preventing cancer, and doctors at Harvard University think all adults should take them.
  
  Bottom line: Multivitamins aren’t cure-alls, but they are cheap and safe. It’s OK to take one daily.
  
• Vitamin D for boosting immunity
  
  Already valued as a proven bone-builder, D may have another upside: Large doses—1,000 to 2,000 inter-national units (IU) a day—may bolster your infection defenses while lowering the risk of autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis. The recommended daily amount is 200 IU for adults younger than 50. A cup of milk has 100 IU.
  
  Bottom line: A supplement may help you tap into D’s high-dose potential.
  
• Selenium for lowering cancer risk
  
  Ten years after a major study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that 200 micrograms of selenium cut the risk of cancer deaths in half, the issue isn’t settled. Most Americans easily get the recommended daily amount (70 micrograms) from meat, fish, eggs, and cereals.
  
  Bottom line: You’ll need a supplement if you want to reach the 200-microgram mark.

What Not to Buy

• E for fighting heart disease
  
  A powerful antioxidant that helps protect your body’s cells, vitamin E should prevent heart disease by stopping cholesterol from oxidizing, a key step in atherosclerosis. But study after study has found no such benefit. You can get E from nuts, seeds, olive oil, and beans (and most multivita¬mins).
  
  Bottom line: Kicking a smoking habit, exercising, eating more fruits and veggies, and maintaining a healthy weight are the real ways to reduce your risk for heart disease.
  
• Beta-carotene for preventing cancer
  
  Your body gets beta-carotene from foods like carrots and squash. Like vitamin E, beta-carotene is a protective antioxidant. And it’s been touted as a cancer fighter. But studies show the nutrient actually increases the risk of lung cancer in smokers, while neither helping nor harming nonsmokers.
  
  Bottom line: Beta-carotene supplements seem useless. To lower your cancer risks, eat more fruit, vegetables, and whole grains.
  
• C for treating colds
  
  Your cuts won’t heal, and your cartilage, bones, and teeth won’t stay healthy without vitamin C. But there’s no clear evidence that C supplements can treat or prevent colds. More than the recommended 75 milligrams a day (easily found in fruits and veggies) may give you just vitamin-rich urine. Very high doses may cause tummy turbulence.
  
  Bottom line: Got a cold? Skip the C pills and stick with chicken soup, proven to open your nasal passages and fight inflammation.
  
• Cascara
  This is a natural laxative -- not a safe way to shed pounds.
  
• Dandelion
  It's a natural diuretic, so you lose only water weight.
  
• Ephedra
  The Food and Drug Administration banned it in 2004; now, court challenges hope to put it back on the shelf. Ephedra increases the risk of heart problems and stroke.
  
• Garcinia
  There are possible links to liver damage.
  
• Hoodia
  There's been lots of hype about hoodia gordonni, a cactuslike South African plant with appetite-suppressing chemicals (in one study, people who took it ate 1,000 fewer calories a day).
  
  But the hoodia in that test isn't available right now, says University of California, Los Angeles, expert and Health Advisory Board member David Heber, M.D., Ph.D. He says the hoodia products in stores or online probably contain other hoodia types that don't work -- or none at all.
  
  The British company Phytopharm, which has a global patent on hoodia for weight loss, says real products are years away.
  
  Bottom line: The available hoodia products may be safe, but they're useless.
  
• Usnic acid
  Found in some bodybuilders' formulas, it's been linked to severe liver damage.

• Try to take your vitamins first thing in the morning
• If you are taking your water-soluble and your fat soluble vitamins together, then you may want to take them with lunch
• If you take them separately, just make sure you take the fat-soluble vitamins with food