Children’s food allergies have been on the rise for quite some time, with no clear explanation as to why. Some experts blame GMOs, others the timing of introducing foods to kids or the frequency with which we consume certain staples—such as wheat, dairy, soy, and corn. Evidence shows that most kids acquire food allergies within their first couple years of life, which may explain why researchers recently found that kids who started multivitamin supplements earlier (in this case, before age 4) showed a 39 percent reduction in food allergy risk, while older children saw little or no change to allergy risk when taking the same multivitamins. Take away? Multivitamins can in fact help reduce allergy risk, but only if they’re started early.

Recently, CNN reported that an alarming 70 percent of children in the U.S. may be seriously lacking in vitamin D and it’s estimated even fewer U.S. adults may have adequate vitamin D levels to prevent osteoporosis, heart disease, dementia, and cancer. (Women, read up on the latest from Christiane Northrup on vitamin D and breast cancer protection.) Should you beef up on vitamin D–rich foods, get more sun, or pop a supplement? Harvard researchers say go ahead and take the vitamin D supplement—it’s the surest way to know you’re getting enough.

With a daughter starting kindergarten and a 2-year-old headed off to preschool (like such a big boy!), I’ve begun to pay more attention to health alerts, such as those about H1N1 virus outbreaks. Although up until now I’ve managed to take swine flu news (and press releases, so many press releases!) in stride, H1N1 is inching its way up my list of concerns. Today I spoke with Chicagohealers.com practitioner Martha Howard, MD, a holistic doctor who recommends a number of simple strategies and natural remedies to boost immunity and combat the H1N1 swine flu virus. more

If you’re a gum chewer, or a parent of a child prone to ear infections, you may have heard of xylitol. But even so, you may not know exactly what it is. (I didn’t.) It sounds like it was concocted in a laboratory, right? Which is where the confusion starts. A few weeks ago, I attended a conference which brought together top researchers, dental experts, and editors such as myself to learn the latest about this naturally occurring sugar. I left the event feeling guilty that I don’t regularly give xylitol to my two kids. more

Melatonin is a fantastic sleep aid, and I’ve used it occasionally to help reset circadian rhythms after staying up too late too many nights in a row (hello motherhood!). But this week, about to embark on a week-long trip to Rome, I wanted to find out the best way to take melatonin to counter the effects of hurtling through space and landing in a completely different eating … I mean time zone. more

I love a cool glass of pomegranate juice. It tastes delicious and, unlike a can of soda, it provides plenty of antioxidants. Now researchers have found the fruit may reduce inflammation, which has been linked to several conditions like heart disease, osteoporosis and Alzheimer’s. more

According to the latest report, approximately 75 percent of—yes, folks, that’s 3 out of 4!—Americans have low vitamin D levels. This isn’t good news considering the sunshine vitamin’s link to a vast array of health benefits. Vitamin D supports heart and bone health, and can help ward off cancer, dementia, and even the common cold.

How do you know if you need more vitamin D? more

Certainly not on their own. But scientists say that all of the publicity around omega-3s could contribute. The approximate date for collapse of commercial fisheries? 2050. To learn about good vegetarian omega-3 options go here. And stay tuned for more about supplements and sustainability in a few weeks.

Last week, Elisa, Nancy, and I had the chance to meet some of the natural-product industry’s top trendsetters and innovators at Natural Products Expo West. We found tons of exciting (and delicious) new natural products to share with you and dialed into some of the industry’s hottest trends. Here are some of my favorites. more

We know a little sunshine keeps us warm and helps our body produce vitamin D, and maybe we even take vitamin D supplements to compensate during winter months. Now researchers from the University of Maine are saying adults need four times the current recommended daily dose of vitamin D during the winter. more