Does Vitamin D Help Our Bones and Our Muscles? A PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN BENEFIT OF VITAMIN D
As the weather cools and the days
or the kidneys. To learn more about what factors affect this vitamin’s rate of absorption and activation in the body, researchers observed the levels of inactive vitamin D in 116 women ages 20–74. What they found was that women with higher muscle mass had lower levels of inactive vitamin D, while women with lower muscle mass had higher levels of inactive vitamin D. The conclusion researchers drew was that active vitamin D might help optimize muscle strength. While that conclusion is not ironclad, vitamin D’s other well-known benefits still make it worth getting your daily dose. It can aid weight loss, enhance mood, support cardiovascular health, boost the immune system, and strengthen bones, among many other benefits. So, its potential muscle-boosting properties are just another reason to get more vitamin D. To get more of this important vitamin in your diet, try adding salmon, mushrooms, and even canned tuna to your menu. Also, as winter approaches, it might be time to start taking a vitamin D supplement. Whether you’re 20 or 74 years old, it’s never too late to find ways to strengthen your muscles.
get shorter, we can’t rely as much on the sun for our daily dose of vitamin D. The
primary function of vitamin D is regulating the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body. These nutrients are necessary for strengthening our bones and teeth, which becomes increasingly important as we age and our bones naturally become more brittle. While these benefits of vitamin D are well documented, did you know that getting your daily dose of vitamin D can also contribute to healthier muscles? A few years ago, researchers published a study that seemed to show that vitamin D could potentially help people gain muscle mass. While the research team said their results weren’t conclusive, their findings were certainly interesting.
Vitamin D enters the body in an inactive form. It doesn’t become active until it comes in contact with the right enzymes in either the liver
2 Ways for Families to Leave Property to Children
When you draft a will or living trust, and as your family grows and new children and grandchildren are welcomed into the fold, you may decide to add these minor children as beneficiaries. However, this comes with its own set of challenges. That is, children under 18 cannot legally inherit property. However, families can pursue certain options to ensure their children or grandchildren have access to certain assets. Here are two common options: Uniform Transfer to Minor Act (UTMA) Through UTMA, you can designate a custodian to manage property intended for minor children. The custodian manages and distributes the property for the child’s benefit as defined by you. Once the minor beneficiary reaches a certain age (21 in most states), custodianship ends and the remaining property is distributed to the child. This is a great, cost-effective option when younger children are involved. When older children are involved, a trust may be a better choice. Trusts Trusts are generally more f lexible. Setting up a trust for your children or grandchildren is similar to setting up a UTMA custodianship.
Your will or living trust designates a trustee to manage and distribute property you wish to leave to your minor
children. The trustee has a fiduciary obligation to follow the specific instructions in your will or living trust.
One major benefit of trusts is the ability to customize them. You can designate which expenses are to be covered by the trust (health, education, support, etc.), at what age the beneficiaries will inherit the property outright, when distributions should be withheld (in instances of irresponsible behavior), and what the requirements for educational distributions are (such as maintaining certain grades). If you establish a trust for this purpose, you have two primary options: a family pot trust or separate trusts for each child. A family pot trust can benefit all living children and can stay active until the youngest child reaches a certain age. In separate trusts, you can tailor each trust share based upon a child’s individual needs. Some children may require more than others. It also allows you to divide and distribute your property equally.
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