Health Benefits of Common Aspirin

Has your doctor told you to take a low dose aspirin every day? Many of us are advised to add a simple “baby” aspirin to our daily diet in order to reduce the risk of heart disease and other problems. Can a simple and old fashioned remedy like a baby aspirin save our lives?

Should Everybody Take a Daily Aspirin?

In light of mounting evidence that show that a daily aspriin might be effective in reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke, colon cancer and even Alzheimer’s disease, should everybody take one? Well, the thing about aspirin is that since it has been around so long, it is one of the most studied medicines on the market, it is cheap, and it is easy to buy at a drug store, convenience store, or almost anywhere. But some people cannot tolerate this therapy because of other side effects.

Some People Should Not Take Aspirin

But some people cannot take aspirin, and others may be able to take an aspirin once in awhile, but cannot take daily aspirins. Even a baby aspirin can have dangerous side effects, so we are cautioned to consult our doctors before starting a daily aspirin therapy.  It may also be more dangerous if you are taking other medications. Please ask your doctor about low dose aspirin therapy!

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Could You Suffer From a Vitamin D Deficiency?

I was very surprised when my own doctor told me that my last blood test showed that I was deficient in vitamin D. I take an over 50 vitamin supplement, and had never considered this myself. Rather than being satisfied with 1,000 IU which was in my multi-vitamin (and is 4x the RDA), I was advised to take 5,000 IU. So now, along with my regular vitamin supplement, I take another small white pill to boost up my vitamin D levels.

I am not alone in getting this recommendation, and one recent US study suggested that 3/4 of Americans need to take supplements.

What is Vitamin D?

This vitamin is actually a hormone. It is naturally found in some foods like fish, eggs, and fortified milk. Our bodies can synthesize it in the present of sunlight. But these days, when we take care to cover exposed skin with sunscreen, or do not spend a lot of time outside, it may be very common to lack enough of this essential nutrient.

Why is Vitamin D Important?

The following comes from the Mayo Clinic.

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