Vitamin D or vitamin that can be obtained from food or produced by human skin who is exposed by sunlight, play an important role in improving the body’s immune system.

The presence of vitamin D is very crucial for the body. Therefore, the weapon T cells of the body, the cells that attack and destroy bacteria and viruses that lodged in the body. Scientists at the University of Copenhagen have found that vitamin D was very important to activate the human immune system. Without vitamin D intake is sufficient, killer cells of the immune system (T cells) will not be able to react and fight serious infections in the body.

Well, that T cells can detect and kill foreign pathogens such as bacteria and viruses, the cells must be triggered first and then transformed from inactive cells and become dangerous killer cells are ready to find and destroy all the attackers.

The researchers found that T cells depend on vitamin D in the activation process. Thus, the body will be vulnerable if the deficiency of vitamin D in the blood. Researchers from the Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, Professor Carsten Geisler said, when dealing with T cells of foreign pathogens, these cells will be held device or antenna signal, known as the vitamin D receptor, which will search for vitamin D.

“This indicates the T cells must have a vitamin D or the activation of the cells will stop. If the T cells are unable to find enough vitamin D in the blood, they will not even begin to mobilize, “said Professor Carsten, as quoted reuters.com.

The results of these discoveries made scientists believe that providing much needed information on the immune system will help regulate the immune response.

This is important because not only to fight the disease, but also in relation to the body’s immune and organ transplant rejection. After an organ transplant, T cells can attack the donor organ as “foreign attackers”. In autoimmune diseases such as arthritis or Crohn’s disease, the fragments of T-cells (cells to attack foreign body) leads to the body to attack itself.

For the research team, identified the role of vitamin D in the activation of T cells has become a major breakthrough. Scientists have long known that vitamin D is important for the absorption of calcium and vitamin has also been involved in diseases such as cancer and multiple sclerosis. But what was revealed is how the true role of vitamin D is essential to activate the human immune system.

Carsten further said, the findings could help overcome the illness and even disease outbreak. The study will also be very useful in developing a new vaccine, which works exactly as the basic formation of the human immune system. And responding well suppress the body’s natural defenses in critical situations (as in the case of organ transplants and autoimmune diseases). Benefits of vitamin D is also recognized by other researchers Chris Griffiths from Queen Mary. Chris said, vitamin D helps increase the body’s immune system’s ability to fight infection.

“We found that a single dose of vitamin D that is large enough to improve one’s immunity against the bacteria.”

Until now there has been no significant research on the optimal intake of vitamin D needed by the body in one day. However, experts recommend for men and healthy women aged 14-50 years, it is recommended to take vitamin D as much as 5 micrograms or 200 international units (IU) per day. Once the age of 51, the recommended intake increased to 10 micrograms or 400 IU per day. Furthermore, at the age of 71 increased to 15 micrograms (600 IU).

The problem, perhaps there is still much to trivialize the role of vitamin D is. Sometimes people only consider the intake of fat, protein, and carbohydrates, but not much notice the little things like vitamins, particularly vitamin D. Macro nutrients are needed, but micro-nutrients are also very important in preventing disease, maintaining the immune system, ensure the body’s energy levels, and various roles of vitamins and other antioxidants.

Vitamin D include vitamin fat-soluble, and are required to maintain the body’s general health. But because these vitamins are fat soluble and stored in fat cells of the body, this vitamin can be toxic if consumed in excess amount. Vitamin D can be found in some foods, including milk, cod liver oil, salmon and mackerel, tuna and sardines, cereals fortified with vitamin D, eggs, and margarine.

Another way the easiest to get this vitamin is silent for a moment in the sun in the morning. Besides drinking milk, this is one of the easiest ways to ensure that you get vitamin D intake is sufficient.

Not necessarily every day if you’re busy. But every person is recommended to get exposure to sunlight for 15 minutes, 2-3 times per week. Make sure as many parts of the body exposed to sunlight. This is to enhance the absorption of vitamin D by the skin.

Enjoy a relaxing moment does not complete unless accompanied by a nutritious cold drink. No bullet unsure exactly full of drinks vitamins, because they now you can switch to a delicious smoothie.

As summarized by Carefair, this popular drink turned out to have various properties. Not only consumed when gathered with friends or family, but also can be useful to cure various diseases. Smoothie is a beverage made from fresh fruit processing, milk, yogurt, and ice cubes.

You do not need to buy expensive smoothie machine to get special smoothie concoction. If you want a practical way, you only need a few key elements which consist of fruits and vegetables to maintain good health.

How to perform? This is actually quite simple. Fruits and vegetables contain many substances that help improve the health of the body when consumed. The main components of fruits and vegetables are antioxidants, which can help fight free radicals and preventing cell damage, protects the body against some types of cancer, and also contain fiber, which acts to reduce the risk of breast cancer and colon cancer.

If you are a smoker, it’s time you stop smoking early on, because smoking can lead to health problems very seriously. When you are in the process stopped, then you can throw away your smoking habit by eating smoothies.

Medical research has found that dietary supplementation with a mixture of orange and carrot juice can reduce oxidation in cigarette. To process your smoothie you can mix 0.5 cup fresh orange juice, 0.5 cup of carrot juice, 1 cup 0.5 in pineapple fruit diced 1 plus 0.5 cups of fruit cantaloupe cubes also, as well as box 3 ice cubes then blend it until smooth.

In addition to regulate the diet, people with diabetes also should be diligent in exercising. Because, exercise helps the body to absorb the maximum sugar circulating in the body. But, doesn’t exercise also trigger excretion of sweat that quickly makes you thirsty? Especially when fasting, can people with diabetes exercise?

“Do not always identify exercise with excessive sweat, especially for people with diabetes,” said Dr. Michael Triangto, SpOK, sports medicine specialist from Slim + Health Sports Therapy.

Thus, exercise that is suitable is not aerobic and aerobic gymnastics. Because aerobic exercise has a movement repeatedly with a short time, it is more difficult. As a result, people with diabetes will easily lose breath and accelerate decline in blood.

Then, what kind of exercise is aerobics? Michael mentions, brisk walking or biking can be a relaxing choice. But, before doing the exercise, Michael reminded to see if there are other diseases that accompany diabetes.  One could have done a good exercise for diabetes, but not for other disease.

That’s why before exercising it s should first be defined what purpose and for what goals to be achieved is to stay healthy during fasting and after fasting, it must be done according to the health value. Parameters for this, he said, is the measurement of heart rate with the formula 220 minus age in years. The results of the formula is 100% of heart rate and for people with diabetes, the limit is 50-70% of maximum heart rate.

For example, people with diabetes aged 30 years, so maximum is 190 beats per minute. Thus, heart rate limits when walking or cycling is a leisurely 80-133 per minute. That means, he explains, is less than 80 means the exercises done is less helpful, but if it is more than 133, it could be dangerous.

When talking about the benefits, exercise which is done regularly and for long periods can help the muscles to absorb sugar, or glucose that circulate in the body. Therefore, people with diabetes is difficult to absorb sugar, it takes a higher insulin to absorb the glucose.

“And with the muscles that are aerobic,  the body has a better sensitivity of glucose”. As a result, blood sugar levels can be more stable and for people with early diabetes, regular exercise can help them break away from medicine addiction.

Research by experts indicates that bananas have a substance that has the potential to slow down HIV infection. This finding is expected to open a new window in the treatment of prevention of HIV infection which the cure has yet not been found.

Researchers from the University of Michigan Medical School are interested in lectins, chemicals that are naturally in plants, because of its ability to stop the chain reaction of various types of infections. Laboratory test results show, BanLec, lectins found in bananas, as effective as anti-HIV medicines at this time.

A new way to stop the spread of HIV is absolutely necessary. We have a number of new HIV infections exceeds the number of individuals who received antiretroviral drugs, namely 2.5 to 1. In fact, there are no signs of an HIV vaccine would appear in the near future.

At present the use of condoms is still the main method of HIV prevention when it is used consistently and correctly. Other prevention strategies are also effective to prevent transmission through the vagina and rectum by using a drug that prevents HIV entry into target cells.

Research conducted by Michigan State University researcher shows how lectins can identify the attackers from outside the body, such as viruses, and attacks it as a pathogen, can be developed to identify the HIV virus.

Besides having the same potential anti-HIV medicine currently available, the banana lectins are also much cheaper to produce as a medicine that can reach the wider community.

“The problem for anti-HIV medicines is the ability of the virus to mutate and become resistant. However, it can be prevented by lectins. Lectins can be attached to the sugar found in various points of HIV-1 and it is estimated that the virus needs multiple mutation to get it, “said Erwin J Goldstein, PhD, professor of biological chemistry.

Eating enough fiber foods (dietary fiber) every day is an easy way to live healthy. Fruits and vegetables are important to store variety parts for degenerative diseases prevention, in addition to supporting efforts to maintain weight.

Fiber is divided into water-soluble and non-soluble. Components of water-soluble food fiber can form a gel by absorbing water. Examples of this type of fiber is pectin, gums, musilase acid, alginates and gelatin.

What are main functions of water soluble fiber?
- Pursue the process of digestion in the intestine, so the acquisition of energy is reduced.

- Could make you full longer.

- Slowing the rise in blood sugar, so less insulin is needed to convert glucose into energy.

- Helps control weight by slowing the emergence of hunger.

- Improve digestive health by increasing the movement of the large intestine.

- Reduce the risk of heart disease.

- Increase bile acids, fat, and cholesterol, and gets it out of the body.

Meanwhile, food fiber which is insoluble can not be dissolved, either in water or in the digestive tract. Outstanding properties is its ability to absorb water and improve the texture and volume of feces.

The main function of insoluble fiber is to shorten the transit time of food in the intestine and increase fecal mass, reducing the risk of hemorrhoids and colon cancer.