Vitamin D is a nutrient best known for its contributions to bone health. According to Mayo Clinic, it also regulates many other cellular functions with properties including:

• Anti-inflammatory
• Antioxidant
• Neuroprotective 

“Vitamin D is actually a hormone,” says Bernard Kaminetsky, MD, medical director, MDVIP. “And like most hormones, it has multiple important functions.”

Whether you’re trying to prevent heart disease or manage it, we’ve got the recipe for you! In fact, we’ve got thousands of recipes that are heart-healthy, and they’re all on MDVIP Connect!

Monkeypox has gotten a lot of media attention lately. But what is it and how is it transmitted?

Danish researchers first identified the monkeypox virus in 1958 in monkeys imported from Singapore. It wasn’t until 1970 that the first human case was diagnosed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, one of the 10 countries in western and central Africa where the virus became endemic. 

The fat around your waist, snuggled up to your organs and clinging to your thighs and backside isn’t just a nuisance. It’s actually a remarkable component of your body composition. Fat has many benefits, such as giving you energy, manages cholesterol and blood pressure, helps escort some vitamins to the places they need to go and protecting your vital organs. 

But fat isn’t all one type or even one shade. Different types of body fat have different roles in your body – and they can cause different problems. Here’s what you need to know about fat. 

Do you struggle with knee pain? If you do, you know the problem is more than just pain. When your knees hurt, you can’t move very well. And your ability to perform daily activities, including walking, are compromised. 

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the United States. Americans drink about 400 million cups of coffee every day. That’s more coffee than soda, juice and tea combined.

Type 2 diabetes is one of the biggest public health issues. About 1 in 10 Americans have type 2 diabetes and a third have pre-diabetes, which if left untreated will become type 2, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The good news is: Eating a healthy diet can lower your risk.

Type 2 diabetes is a serious disease with grim complications such as nerve damage, vision problems, kidney disease, skin conditions, lower limb amputations, hearing impairment, sleep apnea, dementia and heart disease – the leading cause of death in the U.S. 

As Covid-19 transitions from pandemic to endemic, it’s left another major public health issue in its wake -- significant weight gain. The U.S. was dealing with an obesity epidemic long before Covid hit. Between 2017 and 2018, about 42 percent of American adults were obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But the pandemic has exacerbated the problem. 

Cannabis is a group of plants with psychoactive properties that are used to produce industrial hemp, CBD oil, and medical marijuana. Unfortunately, many people don't realize that cannabis plants can absorb a lot of dangerous heavy metals.

How Does the Brain Work

Your brain is composed of networks of neurons – electrically excitable cells. These networks are the building blocks of your nervous system and the basis of brain activity. They transmit information to and from your brain and the rest of your body to help you think, feel and interact with your environment.