Your Health: Infants need a little extra vitamin D

Infants need DMost infants - especially breast-fed babies - need vitamin D supplements, following the latest recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics.Three out of four infants - both breast- and bottle-fed - are not getting the recommended 400 International Units a Day, according to a study in "Pediatrics."A previous study in "The Archives of Internal Medicine" also found three-quarters of adults and two-thirds of children don't get enough vitamin D from food and sunshine alone. African-Americans and older folks are especially likely to have a deficiency.Federal officials are now considering whether even people who take vitamin supplements are getting enough vitamin D.A lack of vitamin D weakens bones and may play a role in diabetes, cancer, and other conditions.Ban e-cigs?A state lawmaker has proposed banning electronic cigarettes, which deliver nicotine without tobacco.State Sen. Mattie Hunter, a Democrat from Chicago, proposes making their sale a petty offense punishable by fine until they are fully evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Advocates of battery-powered, smokeless e-cigarettes say they are much safer than tobacco because they don't contain cancer-causing tar and other chemicals.The FDA is concerned about the safety of e-cigarettes. A small FDA sample found one cigarette contained toxic diethylene glycol, an ingredient in antifreeze, and others contained carcinogens, but there's been no comprehensive evaluation.Crohn's colitis Advances in research are leading to new therapies for people with Crohn's disease and colitis - painful, incurable diseases of the digestive tract that often require surgery.To update the latest research and treatments, the Crohn's Colitis Foundation of America will hold a teleconference Tuesday, March 30.Dr. Stephan Targan, who gets federal grants for research at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, will lead the discussion for patients, families and caregivers.He'll address advances in immunology, infusions and clinical trials.Free registration is available at ccfa.org or (877) 547-5641.Health fairThe Kane County Health Department will hold its fifth annual African-American Health Fair from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 27.The event will feature free health screenings until 10:30 a.m., speakers on men's and women's health, a children's health fair, and exhibits and vendors.Some of the health screenings require fasting for 8 hours beforehand.The fair free will be held at West Aurora High School, 1201 W. New York St., Aurora.For information and to RSVP, call Toya Johnson at (630) 518-8379 or e-mail Toya.Johnson@Provena.org.Block on cancerNationally recognized author Dr. Keith Block has been emphasizing personalized, integrated cancer care for 30 years.Co-founder of the Block Center for Integrative Cancer Treatment in Evanston, and author of "Life Over Cancer," he believes in treating the body, mind and spirit.Centegra Health System will host Block discussing the latest holistic treatments for cancer from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 7 at the McHenry County College Conference Center, 8900 Northwest Highway, Crystal Lake.Centegra radiation oncologist Dr. Terrence Bugno, who is board-certified in holistic medicine, will lead a question-and-answer session.For information, see centegra.org or call (877) 236-8347.