Vitamin D deficiency video and questions for nutrition class

Dr. Heaney Video Presentation Questions

After watching the video presentation by Dr. Heaney on Vitamin D (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emjCzaHtSrg), please briefly answer the following questions. This video goes into more depth that you will be expected to know. I am not concerned that you memorize lots of details, but rather you get a sense of what type of research is going on in the area of Vitamin D. This is also a good example of the shift in mindset related to the role of vitamins.
Questions to answer while watching the video presentation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emjCzaHtSrg),

1. How do Dr. Heaney’s views of “deficiency” differ from more traditional methods of viewing deficiency? (2 pts)

2. What diseases does Dr. Heaney suggest are related to suboptimal vitamin D levels? (2 pts)

3. What are Dr. Heaney’s views on the Tolerable Upper Limit (potential of toxicity) of Vitamin D? (1 pt)

4. What do the studies that Dr. Heaney reports on suggest about the prevalence of suboptimal vitamin D levels (you don’t need to provide any specific numbers, just a general idea of prevalence)? (1 pt)

5. What are the two forms of Vitamin D that Dr. Heaney references? (1 pt)

6. What does Dr. Heaney feel is the minimum level serum 25(OH)D should be to support body systems (in nmol/L)? (1 pt)

7. What does Dr. Heaney suggest as an optimal Vitamin D intake? How does this compare to the current AI? (1 pt)

NOTE: IOM stands for Institutes of Medicine – they set many standards for health recommendations

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Fiber Choice Weight Management in sugar free strawberry

As the case is with many people after weight loss surgery, I too tend to run (no pun intended) a little on the (WARNING TMI) constipated side. I cannot stand the yucky wanna be tang fiber liquids. I was appalled to see the amount of sugar in the "fiber" cookies. But luckily I found Fiber Choices sugar free version of chewable fiber tablets with green tea extract. They are actually tasty and almost treat like (think Smarties). The most important thing though is that they actually WORK!!!! They not only have made things better in the bathroom they have also helped curb my appetite and scare away the snackies. I really recommend them!

Click espresso protein drink in mocha

We ordered two 16 oz (14 servings each) tubs from www.drinkclick.com and received a free shaker. We used the promotional code, mm ,to get this deal. (Thanks Melting Mama). I hate coffee. I don't drink it EVER so I would be a bad one to do this review but husband loves his coffee. He drinks coffee all day and before bed, seriously. When we received this, he was very skeptical. I had to ask him for days to try it. He has had the one container open for all of THREE DAYS and look at how much is gone! He likes it a lot. His only complaint is that it doesn't come in more flavors. He did say it can have lumps when made as a cold drink but this isn't a problem when it is made hot. He says it is pretty filling but wishes it had a little more protein (it has 15 grams per serving but this still is a lot more than regular coffee) but he likes the fact it has added vitamins. I think we will order more and I hear it is coming to Costco. Yeah! no more shipping!

Kirkland Signature Sugar-Free Calcium Chews

I'd probably take my vitamins more regularly if they all tasted like chocolate. I found these at Costco for $11.79 for a bag of 150 soft chews. Each piece has 20 calories, 4 gms of carbs, 3 grms of sugar alcohols, 200 international units of Vit D, 40 mcgs of Vit K, 500mg of Calcium, 20 mgs of sodium. It also has no artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, yeast, or gluten. They recommend taking 3 a day. (one chew has 50% of rda calcium, Vit D, and Vit K) These are chewy and though the chocolate flavor is very mild, it is still pretty good. I liked them and will be buying them again.

Maramor Chocolates Dark Chocolate Squares with Omega 3

check out their website here!
I have been wanting to try these for awhile and now that I can no longer locate my Coco Via Dark Chocolate covered Almonds, I decided to take the plunge. They are very good. They have 50 calories, 105 mg omega 3, approx 3 grms sugar, 4 grms fat each. The "serving size" is for 3 squares but I am only doing one a day. It is really good chocolate and easy packaged to take in your lunch for a treat that is healthy. I love dark chocolate for satisfying my chocolate cravings. It isn't as sweet as milk chocolate but it is healthier and more satisfiying. I found these at my favorite GNC in Anchorage ($14.99 minus 20% gold card discount) and am including the photo of the address so locals can go check it out. The store honors the gold card discount everyday. They also stock lots of low carb bars (think ISS Oh Yeah! wafer bars) and shakes. I think I will continue to buy these as a nice daily treat that keeps me from feeling chocolate deprived. Besides omega 3's help your heart, brain, and eyes.

free omega 3 sample!

get your free sample here!

GNC's Womens ultra mega VS GNC's prenatal formula with iron

Sorry the Women's ultra mega bottle is so beat up, it came from Colorado, in fact it was one of my last Colorado purchases before we left. It had 180 tablets (90 days worth). Yes, they should be long gone but I also has some natures made prenatal that didn't stink so I took them first and now that they are gone and I have been taking the stinky green pills for awhile, I bought the prenatal formula ones to take, which by the way don't stink. I am being very serious here, the ultra megas smell, when I am not eating much, my sense of smell is very heightened (just like when you are pregnant, heck maybe that is why the prenatal don't stink?), and taking two green stink pills a day is not easy when you smell everything twice as intensely. Okay other than the smell factor; the prenatal have 50mgs less of vit C, 80 iu less of vit E, 20.5 mgs more of Thiamin, 20.7mgs more of riboflavin, 17mgs less of niacin, 70mgs less of vitamin B-6, 400mgs more of folic acid, 76 mcgs lessof vitamin B-12, 265mcgs less of biotin, 74mgs less of pantothenic acid, equal amounts of calcium, 3mgs less of iron, equal amounts of iodine, equal amounts of vitamin A, equal amounts of vitamin D,50mgs less of magnesium, equal amounts of zinc, 130mcgs less of selenium, equal amounts of copper, equal amounts of manganese, 120mcgs les of chromium, 148mcgs more of boron, 115mcgs more of choline, 20mcgs more of inositol.
The Ultra Mega's have; 8mcgs of vitamin K, molybdenum 75mcgs, alpha-lipoic acid 25mgs, green tea leaf extract 10mgs, cranberry concentrate 10mgs, silica 4mgs (hey, isn't that clay or sand?!?), lycopene 950mcgs, lutein 950mcgs, zeaxanthin 50mcgs, asaxanthin 50mcgs, vanadium 10mcgs that the prenatal formula doesn't have any of. Price, GNC's Women's Ultra Mega multivitamin 180 tablets (90 servings)$31.99 without gold card. GNC's prenatal formula with iron 60 caplets (30 servings)$9.99 without gold card. So basically they are roughly the same price but unfortunately although it is stink free, the prenatals have surprisingly less vitamin wise, especially of the vitamin B-12. They also advertise a "prenatal program on their site that has 30 days supply for $10 more but I would have to do a side by side comparison to see what exactly your $10.00 is buying you before I would recommend it. I feel compelled to recommend the Women's Ultra Megas after doing this side by side compairison of the two because for the same price, they really do offer more but it doesn't matter what a vitamin has in it if you won't take it anyway, so I must say, if smells bother you, look for something else, if they don't head off to GNC for your ultra megas today.

GNC Mega Men preformance & Vitality vitapacks

I purchased these at GNC for my husband. It was approximately $50 for a thirty day supply. They are basically; 2 mega men multivitamins packaged with an omega complex gelatin capsule, 2 whole oat capsules, one prostate formula softgel, virility formulal caplet, and two capsules of arginine in each daily vitapack. Yes, folks that is a total of 9 pills/caplets/softgels/ huge horse pills each day!!! My husband is able to tolerate these huge pills but I am not sure many post op wls patients would be able to. I personally think taking 9 of anything each and everyday for the rest of my life is pretty unrealistic for me. I have a hard enough time trying to remember to take my thyroid medication everyday much less the prenatal vitamins I was recommended by the nutritionist (I will review them soon). As for his energy, it seems to be up. He says he feels a little better on them and his labs are way better than mine in the vitamin department so they must be helping. I just don't know if a $50.00/ 9 pill a day habit is practical for everyone. Can we really utilize 500% of our daily vitamin C capacity? what about 3333% of Thiamin, or 2941% of riboflavin (vitamin B-2)? It does have 950 mcgs of lutein which is very good for diabetics and 50 mcgs of vitamin B-12 (833%) which all post wls patients need. It has 120 mgs of DHA, 180mgs of EPA (both are heart healthy omega 3's which are especially important if you don't eat much fish or flax seeds)and 30mgs of GLA (omega 6 that helps regulate triglyceride levels). It has 100 mgs of horney goat weed powder, guess this is the "sexual health" part of the formula?!? It does only contain 20% of the daily recommended Calcium (200mgs) and only 50% of the daily recommended Vitamin D (200iu. I guess this is one of the bigest difference between the woman's multivitamin and the mens. For the men reading this out there, you are far more susceptible to bone and joint deterioration after weight loss surgery than an average man because of the malabsorption issues so you might want to beef up your calcium even if you are taking a "man's" multivitamin.