Health

Prevention, nutrition, fitness, and mental wellbeing explained clearly, with practical guidance for a healthier, more balanced life.

Health means more than the absence of illness: it covers the body, the mind, and the habits that keep both in balance over a lifetime. This hub gathers knowledge on prevention, nutrition, movement, sleep, and mental wellbeing.

What You'll Find Here

Articles range from medical basics and nutrition tips to practical guides for building more movement into daily life. Mental health, sleep, and stress management are recurring topics too, alongside current findings from research and medicine and practical prevention advice for every age.

Whether the question is which screening makes sense at a given age, how to eat a more balanced diet, or how to manage stress better, this hub serves anyone looking for reliable information to make daily choices with more confidence.

Frequently asked questions

What does health mean?

Health is a state of physical, mental and social well-being — not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Dental supplementary insurance: what it covers and when it pays off

Statutory insurance only pays a fixed subsidy for dental prosthetics. Supplementary dental insurance closes the gap — if the benefits, waiting periods and reimbursement rates are right.

Article August 17, 2026

Do supplements help you live longer? The evidence

Multivitamins and antioxidants promise a longer, healthier life. Large studies paint a soberer picture, with a few clear exceptions.

Article June 28, 2026 4 min read

FitLine’s Nutrient Transport Concept: claim versus proof

FitLine markets a "patented" Nutrient Transport Concept. What is actually protected, what patents prove and what they do not.

Article June 28, 2026 4 min read

What is FitLine? An evidence-first guide to the brand

FitLine is a supplement brand sold through direct selling. Who is behind it, what you actually buy and what the evidence says about the claims.

Article June 28, 2026 4 min read

FitLine PowerCocktail

The PowerCocktail is FitLine’s best-known product, a daily multi-nutrient drink that PM-International positions as the entry point to its range.

Article June 28, 2026

FitLine

FitLine is PM-International’s in-house line of food supplements and cosmetics, sold through direct selling and marketed around its Nutrient Transport Concept.

Article June 28, 2026

PM-International AG

PM-International is the direct-selling group behind the FitLine supplement brand, founded by Rolf Sorg in 1993 and headquartered in Schengen, Luxembourg.

Article June 28, 2026

Retirement Is a Strategic Mistake: Four Moves to Make at 60

Retirement may already be obsolete. Four moves to make at 60 that compound: healthspan over lifespan, a 30-year plan, purpose, and AI skills.

Article June 9, 2026 6 min read

Vitamin D: the sunshine vitamin

You've probably heard vitamin D called the "sunshine vitamin," and there's a good reason for that. Unlike pretty much every other vitamin, your body can actually make it when you're out in the sun. Pretty cool, right?

Article May 3, 2026 5 min read

Editorial — opinion, essays, editor's notes

Welcome to the BAVIDA Experts Hub. The place where professionals, researchers, practitioners, and innovators come together to exchange knowledge, explore new ideas, and collaborate on solutions that move the world of health forward.

Article April 22, 2026 2 min read

Happy New Year! Cultivating well-being together in 2026

The focus in the health world has shifted from generic "resolutions" to personalized longevity, nervous system regulation, and bio-harmony. Since today is January 1st, your members are likely in a "reset" mindset but may be weary of the typical, high-pressure fitness tropes.

Article April 22, 2026 2 min read

Eating disorders — when weight-loss culture turns harmful

The boundary between health-conscious behavior and disordered eating has never been harder to identify.

Article April 22, 2026 7 min read

Reversing blood-stem-cell aging via lysosomal pathway

Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have achieved a significant advance in regenerative medicine by reversing the aging process in blood-forming stem cells in mice.

Article April 22, 2026 5 min read

Mindfulness — present-moment training for stress reduction

From corporate boardrooms to university classrooms, mindfulness meditation has evolved from ancient practice to scientifically validated intervention. Modern research reveals how brief daily sessions reshape brain structure, reduce workplace burnout, and improve cognitive performance.

Article April 22, 2026 8 min read

Vitamin D Council — research and advocacy

The VDC was founded in 2003 by John J. Cannell, MD, who observed that many patients in a maximum-security psychiatric hospital were vitamin D deficient. The Council grew to become a trusted global resource for evidence-based research, education, and guidance about vitamin D's role in health.

Article April 22, 2026

Vitamin D Day — annual awareness initiative

November 2. Every year. It's Vitamin D Day. The hormone precursor is finally getting attention. And it needs it. The discovery is credited to multiple scientists. Their work formed the foundation of what we understand today.

Article April 22, 2026 6 min read

Could vitamin D be the key to slowing aging?

What if the key to slowing down the aging process was as simple as getting enough vitamin D? A landmark study published this year in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that vitamin D supplementation may do exactly that—by protecting the very structures that keep our cells young.

Article April 22, 2026 4 min read

NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS)

NIH office publishing evidence-based fact sheets on dietary supplements — vitamins, minerals, herbal products — for consumers and clinicians.

Article April 22, 2026

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND)

Largest US association of registered dietitians — publishes evidence-based nutrition guidelines and credentials RDs since 1917.

Article April 22, 2026

Linus Pauling Institute — bavida

Oregon State University research centre studying micronutrients and chronic disease — publishes the Micronutrient Information Center as a free reference.

Article April 22, 2026

American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (AACE)

US professional body for clinical endocrinologists. Publishes practice guidelines on diabetes, obesity, thyroid, and metabolic health that frame mainstream care.

Article April 22, 2026

The Endocrine Society — international professional body

Global professional body for endocrinologists since 1916 — publishes clinical guidelines and core journals for hormonal disease and metabolism.

Article April 22, 2026

Vitamin D & Me!® — CRN Foundation Education Initiative

CRN Foundation education initiative on vitamin D — covering deficiency, supplementation, and clinical evidence in plain language for consumers and professionals.

Article April 22, 2026

GrassrootsHealth Nutrient Research Institute

Non-profit research institute running D*action — a citizen-science study mapping vitamin D status to health outcomes, with an advocacy lean toward higher target levels.

Article April 22, 2026

Vitamin D Deficiency — clinical research review

For a number of reasons, many people aren’t getting enough vitamin D to stay healthy. This is called vitamin D deficiency.

Article April 22, 2026 4 min read

Vitamin D Sources — clinical research review

The two main ways to get vitamin D are by exposing your bare skin to sunlight and by taking vitamin D supplements. You can’t get the right amount of vitamin D your body needs from food.

Article April 22, 2026 20 min read

Vitamin D and Physiology — clinical research review

When vitamin D comes into your body, it goes through all sorts of processes and is turned into different forms to be effective. In this article, we’ll teach you a little about this process, and how vitamin D works in the body.

Article April 22, 2026 6 min read

Vitamin D Levels — clinical research review

Nearly every cell in the body contains a vitamin D receptor. Research shows vitamin D plays an important role in skeletal, immune, developmental and cardiovascular health. Thus, maintaining optimal vitamin D levels is vital for overall health.

Article April 22, 2026 5 min read

Vitamin D and Acne — clinical research review

Acne is a disorder of the glands which lubricate the skin, called sebaceous glands. When these glands become blocked, bacteria overgrow and causes skin lesions.

Article April 22, 2026 9 min read

Vitamin D and Toxicity — clinical research review

Although most people take vitamin D supplements without any problems, it’s possible to take too much. This is called vitamin D toxicity.

Article April 22, 2026 6 min read

Vitamin D and Pharmacology — clinical research review

Pharmacology is the branch of medicine that is focused on the use and study of drugs and their actions.

Article April 22, 2026 9 min read

Vitamin D and Melanoma — clinical research review

Melanoma is a type of cancer originating in the melanocytes. Melanocytes are cells that produce melanin, which gives skin its pigment (color).

Article April 22, 2026 20 min read

Vitamin D and Parathyroid Glands

When most people think of calcium, they think it’s most important for bone health. But actually, calcium is most important for your nervous and muscular system.

Article April 22, 2026 6 min read

Vitamin D and Pregnancy — clinical research review

Getting the right nutrients and eating well when you’re pregnant or breastfeeding is important for your baby’s growth and development.

Article April 22, 2026 8 min read

Vitamin D and Asthma — clinical research review

Asthma is a lifelong lung disease that makes it difficult to breathe. There are tubes or airways, which carry air to and from the lungs to the mouth and nose.

Article April 22, 2026 15 min read

Vitamin D and Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is a malignant tumor, which is caused by a group of cancerous cells growing in either the colon or rectum.

Article April 22, 2026 16 min read

Vitamin D and Vitamin K — clinical research review

Vitamin K describes a family of compounds with a common chemical structure. Review of vitamin D's interaction with vitamin K and combined supplementation.

Article April 22, 2026 7 min read

Vitamin D and Gastric Cancer — clinical research review

Stomach (gastric) cancer is a moderately important cause of disease and death. Review of vitamin D's potential role in prevention and disease progression.

Article April 22, 2026 11 min read

Vitamin D and Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)

Heart failure is also called congestive heart failure (CHF). CHF occurs when the heart can no longer pump enough blood to the rest of the body.

Article April 22, 2026 9 min read

Vitamin D and Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is one of several cardiovascular diseases. The others include stroke, congestive heart failure, and peripheral artery disease.

Article April 22, 2026 19 min read

Vitamin D and Leukemia — clinical research review

Leukemia is a cancer of the blood or bone marrow. The disease causes an abnormal increase of white blood cells. There are many types of leukemia.

Article April 22, 2026 8 min read

Vitamin D and Ovarian Cancer — clinical research review

Ovarian cancer is cancer that starts in the ovaries. As it has few symptoms at first, it is often diagnosed at more advanced stages.

Article April 22, 2026 11 min read

Vitamin D and Tuberculosis — clinical research review

Tuberculosis is a respiratory illness that usually affects the lungs, but can also infect the kidney, spine, or brain. Tuberculosis can be either dormant or active.

Article April 22, 2026 13 min read

Vitamin D and Respiratory Infections

Respiratory infections are any infection in the throat, sinuses, airways, or lungs. The respiratory tract is the part of the body that is involved with breathing.

Article April 22, 2026 15 min read

Vitamin D and Hypersensitivity

For most people, supplementing with vitamin D is a safe and healthy practice. Review of rare hypersensitivity reactions, contraindications, and dose adjustments.

Article April 22, 2026 4 min read

Vitamin D and Depression — clinical research review

We all feel fed up, miserable and sad at certain times in our lives. Most of the time, these feelings last for a few days, or maybe a week,

Article April 22, 2026 13 min read

Vitamin D Testing — clinical research review

Having blood tests to measure the amount of vitamin D in your blood is the only way to know if you’re getting enough vitamin D or not. The blood test you need is called a 25(OH)D blood test.

Article April 22, 2026 14 min read

Vitamin D and Minerals — clinical research review

The way that vitamins and minerals work in your body is interconnected. How well vitamin D works depends on the amount of other vitamins and minerals that are present in your body. The other vitamins and minerals needed to help vitamin D work well are called cofactors.

Article April 22, 2026 9 min read

What is Vitamin D? — overview and clinical context

Vitamin D is important for good overall health, strong bones, and immune function. Overview of synthesis, sources, deficiency risks, and supplementation guidance.

Article April 22, 2026 5 min read

Vitamin D and Autism — clinical research review

As the reader will see below, there is compelling evidence that low vitamin D status during pregnancy is a major cause of autism,

Article April 22, 2026 14 min read

Vitamin D and Eczema — clinical research review

Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a chronic skin disorder that causes inflammation and red, dry, rough, and itchy skin.

Article April 22, 2026 14 min read

Vitamin D and Multiple Myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a cancer of the plasma cells. They are white blood cells that normally produce antibodies.

Article April 22, 2026 7 min read

Vitamin D and Hypertension — clinical research review

Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is elevated.

Article April 22, 2026 12 min read

Vitamin D and Lung Cancer — clinical research review

Lung cancer is a cancer starting in the lungs. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States.

Article April 22, 2026 12 min read

Vitamin D and Breast Cancer — clinical research review

The answer is a resounding YES, not only because there are positive clinical trials showing that vitamin D prolongs life,

Article April 22, 2026 19 min read

Vitamin D and Renal Cancer — clinical research review

Each year, kidney (renal) cancer affects approximately 61,000 Americans and kills about 13,000. Review of vitamin D research on kidney cancer outcomes.

Article April 22, 2026 11 min read

Vitamin D and Cervical Cancer — clinical research review

Cervical cancer starts on the surface of the cervix. This is the lower part of the uterus (womb), which opens at the top of the vagina.

Article April 22, 2026 7 min read

Vitamin D and COPD — clinical research review

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most common lung diseases. There are two main forms of COPD:

Article April 22, 2026 12 min read

Vitamin D and Cognitive Impairment

Cognitive dysfunction is defined as unusually poor mental function. This causes confusion, forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating.

Article April 22, 2026 10 min read

Vitamin D and Dental Caries — clinical research review

Dental caries, also known as tooth decay, is a tooth infection caused by bacteria that leads to a loss of the hard tissues of your teeth.

Article April 22, 2026 11 min read

Vitamin D and Fibromyalgia — clinical research review

Fibromyalgia is a chronic syndrome of body-wide pain. Tender points are the joints, muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues.

Article April 22, 2026 6 min read

Vitamin D and Endometrial Cancer

Endometrial cancer is cancer that starts in the endometrium, the lining of the uterus (womb). Each year, endometrial cancer affects approximately 46,000 U.S.

Article April 22, 2026 11 min read

Vitamin D and Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic progressive neurological disease. It is linked to decreased production of dopamine, a nerve transmitter.

Article April 22, 2026 14 min read

Vitamin D and Periodontal Disease

Periodontal disease (PD) is a chronic gum condition. Bacteria cause the gums to swell, redden, and bleed. Connective tissue holding the teeth into the jaw bone may become damaged.

Article April 22, 2026 10 min read

Vitamin D and Prostate Cancer — clinical research review

The prostate is a small gland found in men. It is about the size of a walnut and is part of the reproductive system.

Article April 22, 2026 14 min read

Vitamin D and Preeclampsia — clinical research review

Preeclampsia is a condition which occurs only during pregnancy and a short post-pregnancy period. It causes increased blood pressure and protein in the urine.

Article April 22, 2026 12 min read

Vitamin D and Sepsis — clinical research review

Sepsis is a severe illness. It is caused by a bacterial infection that begins anywhere in the body and moves to the blood. The bloodstream is soon overwhelmed by bacteria.

Article April 22, 2026 10 min read

Vitamin D and Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a condition that causes memory problems and other cognitive functions that cause unpredictable changes in behavior.

Article April 22, 2026 13 min read

Vitamin D for Professionals — clinical research review

The marker for vitamin D status is 25-hydroxyvitamin-D [25(OH)D], a metabolite of vitamin D3. Review of measurement methods, reference ranges, and interpretation.

Article April 22, 2026 9 min read

Vitamin D and Anaphylaxis — clinical research review

Anaphylaxis is a very severe hypersensitivity to an allergen. Allergens are any substances that cause allergies. This condition affects many systems of the body at the same time.

Article April 22, 2026 5 min read

Vitamin D and Osteoporosis — clinical research review

Osteoporosis is a condition where you lose too much bone or don’t make enough bone to replace the bone that you normally lose.

Article April 22, 2026 18 min read

Vitamin D and IBD — clinical research review

Inflammatory bowel disease is a chronic disease that causes inflammation in all or part of the digestive tract.

Article April 22, 2026 14 min read

Vitamin D and Anemia — clinical research review

Anemia occurs when the body has a low number of red blood cells (RBCs). These cells carry oxygen throughout the body. Fewer RBCs limit the body’s oxygen level.

Article April 22, 2026 6 min read

Vitamin D and Influenza — clinical research review

Yes, you should — studies show that vitamin D helps reduce the risk of colds and flu. Review of clinical evidence on immune response and seasonal infection.

Article April 22, 2026 17 min read

Vitamin D and Type I Diabetes — clinical research review

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. It is a condition where your own immune system attacks certain cells called beta-cells.

Article April 22, 2026 13 min read

Vitamin D and AIDS (HIV) — clinical research review

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The immune system begins to fail. This leads to life-threatening infections.

Article April 22, 2026 16 min read

Vitamin D and Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is a condition where the body’s immune system attacks the nerves in the brain and spinal cord.

Article April 22, 2026 15 min read

Vitamin D and Type II Diabetes

Type II diabetes is a condition in which the body has a hard time managing sugar. Review of clinical research on vitamin D status and insulin sensitivity.

Article April 22, 2026 16 min read

Vitamin D and Lupus — clinical research review

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), or lupus, is a chronic disease that affects many systems in the body, such as the skin, heart and muscles.

Article April 22, 2026 15 min read

Vitamin D and Esophageal Cancer

Esophageal cancer is a moderately important cause of disease and death. In the United States each year, it affects about 17 thousand people and kills approximately 15 thousand.

Article April 22, 2026 11 min read

Vitamin D and Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is cancer of the pancreas, the organ that produces insulin. Approximately 44,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas each year.

Article April 22, 2026 12 min read

Vitamin D and Pneumonia — clinical research review

Pneumonia is a lower respiratory infection that affects the lungs. Pneumonia can usually be treated at home in a few weeks.

Article April 22, 2026 12 min read

Vitamin D and Rickets — clinical research review

Rickets is a condition that affects the development of bones in children. It causes soft weak bones, which can become bowed or curved.

Article April 22, 2026 19 min read

Global Obesity Observatory — bavida

For over 20 years, the World Obesity Federation has been collating country-specific data to create this freely accessible resource that serves researchers, policymakers, and public health professionals around the globe.

Interactive April 22, 2026

World Mental Health Day — bavida

October 10. Every year. This is when the world talks about mental health. Richard Hunter, Deputy Secretary General of the World Federation for Mental Health, started it in 1992. Twelve countries joined in. Today? Over 150 countries recognize the day.

Article April 22, 2026 5 min read

United Patients Alliance (UPA)

UK patient advocacy group pushing for evidence-based access to medical cannabis for chronic pain, MS, epilepsy, and related conditions.

Article April 22, 2026

First Steps ED (Talk ED / ABC)

First Steps ED is a multi-award-winning eating disorder charity. Following the consolidation of services in the UK in 2025, First Steps ED officially incorporated the mission and assets of Talk ED (formerly Anorexia Bulimia Care), creating a robust network for early intervention and peer support.

Article April 22, 2026

Open Source Health Records — bavida

Open source software has gained significant popularity in various industries due to its collaborative nature, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness. In healthcare, open source technology empowers organizations to customize and enhance software solutions according to their specific needs.

Article April 22, 2026

One Health Platform — human, animal, environmental health

International organisation advancing the One Health framework — the working principle that human, animal, and environmental health are inseparable problems.

Article April 22, 2026

National Obesity Observatory (NOO)

English public-health body whose obesity data and methods — now continued within the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities — anchor UK weight-trend evidence.

Article April 22, 2026

Men get eating disorders too — bavida

Men Get Eating Disorders Too – this statement may come as a surprise to some, but it’s important to recognize that eating disorders are not exclusive to women. Men can and do suffer from these conditions, but there is a lack of awareness and understanding about the issue.

Article April 22, 2026