This is a new format for the blog.  Each week I plan to update the blog with new research done in the general field of nutrition and health.  In addition to this I will be posting blogs specifically related to lupus so please keep checking back for new content.   * Research finds that women may reduce heart disease risk by eating omega 3 rich oily fish.  Read more about it here  .  For evidence based articles that I have previously written on heart disease please click here   * Research finds that stroke risk in women may be reduced by eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruits and wholegrains.  Read more about it here.    For evidence based articles that I have previously written on stroke please click here   * Research reviews the risk of stroke, diet quality, overeating and weight.  Read more about it here   * Research finds that an intermittent, low-carbohydrate diet may be superior to a standard, daily calorie-restricted diet for reducing weight and lowering blood levels of insulin.  Read more about it here   * Dr Briffa writes an evidence based article about calcium, vitamin D and fat.  To read it click here   Posted by Ani Richardson

The clocks will go back an hour this weekend and although I enjoy the extra hour in bed there was a report (1) last year which argues the health benefits of not putting the clocks back in winter but still putting them forward in the spring. The report, published in the British Medical Journal says this would be a simple and effective way to vastly improve our health and well-being.   Putting the clocks back means it is lighter by the time most people get up to start their day, however it also means that we are deprived of an hour of daylight in the afternoon and this may impact health by limiting our time for outdoor activities. It is thought that leaving clocks alone as winter approaches would allow an extra hour of daylight in the afternoon and could boost levels of vitamin D as well as encouraging people to exercise more. Many people in the UK have lower than optimal levels of vitamin D and deficiency has been linked to many health problems (please read my previous blog posts for more information about vitamin D).   The author of the report (1), Mayer Hillman, found that switching to Central European Time, which is Greenwich Mean Time plus one hour (GMT+1) in the winter and GMT+2 in the summer, would give most adults around 300 extra hours of daylight a year. Hillman writes that research shows people feel happier, more energetic and have lower sickness rates in the longer,….

On Monday  I wrote about vitamin D and depression.  Today, as I sit at my desk, I can see that Autumn is here and winter will follow.  Colds are not an inevitable part of the season and I wanted to write a bit about how vitamin D might be important in boosting our immune systems in order to prevent colds.  A study (1) looked at the association of vitamin D levels in the body and prevalence of colds/flu. Previous studies have found that vitamin D is very important for the immune system. The authors of this study wanted to look at the link between blood serum vitamin D levels and the risk of colds/flu. The researchers looked at data from 18883 individuals aged 12 and above.   Lowered vitamin D levels (1) were significantly associated with recurrent bouts of colds and flu. Participants with the lowest vitamin D levels were about 40% more likely to report having a cold/flu than those with the highest vitamin D levels. In addition to this the, association seemed to be stronger in individuals suffering from asthma (or other respiratory tract problems such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Asthma patients with the lowest vitamin D levels were five times more likely to have had a recent respiratory infection. This study only showed an association and the authors called for further randomised studies in order to solidify the evidence, but the findings certainly support a role for vitamin D in the prevention of common respiratory infections….

Vitamin D has be widely researched over the last 5-10 years and I have written a lot about it previously here.  Low levels of vitamin D in the blood have been linked to poorer mood and reduced brain function, or cognition. Lack of the sunshine vitamin has also been implicated in Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).  Research in the areas of vitamin D and brain function is still building and the relationship cannot be fully explained yet.   Two studies in 2008 linked low vitamin D status, as measured by low circulating blood levels of vitamin D, with depressive symptoms. One study (1) was carried out in overweight and obese individuals and the other (2) in older adults (aged 65 – 95 years). Both studies found that there was an association between depression status and severity with decreased serum (blood) vitamin D levels. In the study with overweight/obese participants high-dose vitamin D supplementation led to significant improvements in depressive symptoms, compared to placebo, during the study. The studies so not prove a causal relationship between low vitamin D and depression but they do add to the mounting evidence which suggests a very real link. Further, larger studies will be needed to verify the information and investigate this exciting association further.     In 2007 a review paper was published (3) which suggested that vitamin D deficiency may play a role in depression and other mood and mental health disturbances, especially in the elderly where low vitamin D levels are commonly found…..