Non-whites lack vitamin D due to dark skins (China Daily) OTTAWA -- Ethnic people other than whites have insufficient levels of vitamin D and are thus at a higher risk of debilitating diseases such as osteoporosis, cancer and diabetes, according to a Canadian study released Wednesday. [News Source]

High proportion of non-white students found to have insufficient vitamin D: study (The Canadian Press via Yahoo! Canada News) TORONTO - A study of vitamin D levels in more than 100 University of Toronto students has found a much higher proportion of non-white participants had insufficient levels of the vitamin in their blood compared to white students. [News Source]

Investment in biofuels shows foresight. Zimbabwe and the whole world should switch from using fossil fuels to biofuels. [News Source]

The anti-estrogenic diet. Certain chemical compounds in our food wreak havoc on our health, causing weight gain, estrogen disorders in women, sterilization in men and sometimes cancer. Author Ori Hofmekler of The Warrior Diet, wants his "Anti-Estrogenic Diet" to rid us of those problems. [News Source]

Biofuels will boost prices on food. A year ago, the world awakened to the fact that a major structural change was underway in agriculture. [News Source]

EU-level cut in emissions a good goal, minister says. Japan should set a medium-term emissions cut target comparable with the European Union's to fight global warming beyond 2012, Environment Minister Ichiro Kamoshita suggested Tuesday. [News Source]

Excess folate worsens B12 deficiency effects: study (Nutraingredients.com)

12/19/2007 - The effects of vitamin B12 deficiency may be exacerbated by too much folate, suggests a new study from Tufts University. Over 10,000 subjects were included in the new study, which found that levels of homocysteine and methylmalonic acid are at much higher levels in individuals who have a combination of vitamin B12 deficiency and high blood folate levels than in individuals who are …

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Where do we go from here? Modern life can in fact drive degenerative or reverse evolution, where genes that make us resistant to starvation, or to once life-threatening disease and infections, and even ones that give us good sight and hearing, lose their value and disappear. [News Source]

Ministry wants more CO2 reports from firms. The Environment Ministry will drastically increase the number of companies obliged to report their emissions of greenhouse gases, a plan certain to come under fire from the business community. [News Source]

Prenatal alcohol exposure may prime kids’ taste. The results of two new animal studies suggest that when women drink during pregnancy, their children may become particularly drawn to the taste and smell of alcohol. [News Source]

Vitamin B12 Function May Be Diminished By Excessive Folate (Medical News Today) In a study of adults aged 20 and over, researchers at Tufts University showed that homocysteine and methylmalonic acid are at much higher levels in individuals who have a combination of vitamin B12 deficiency and high blood folate levels than in individuals who are also vitamin B12 deficient but have normal folate levels. [click link for full article] [News Source]

Are you getting enough vitamin D? (The Globe and Mail) The sunshine vitamin: Researchers sound alarm over shortage among non-whites [News Source]