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Need coffee? K-cups are the most convenient and fastest way to get your daily dose of caffeine in the morning. Great for people always on the go, K-Cups are a godsend to working people and stay-at-home parents everywhere.

Available in grocery stores and other retail stores nationwide, K-Cups have come to dominate the coffee industry. With tons of K-Cup options and accessories available, you can find any flavor and type of coffee you can imagine, making for a whole lot of options, and with K-Cup refill filters, you can use any brand of coffee you prefer and save money. If you are interested in learning more about K-Cups where to get them at the best prices, read more below.

When they first came out, there were only a few choices of K-Cups available, now there are literally hundreds to choose from. You can find Keurig brand K-Cups at most stores including popular flavors such as Keurig’s Donut Shop coffee. If you aren’t sure which cups you might like, you can purchase a variety sample pack, just like the ones you might find included with your Keurig machine. If you already have a coffee brand you prefer, you can find both home-brew brands like Folgers and Café Bustelo, and coffee shop brands like Starbucks, Peet’s Coffee and Dunkin Donuts in a variety of their flavors. With these conveniently ready-to-brew pods, you can make coffee almost instantly – just turn on your Keurig coffee machine, load the pod, press the button and you’ll have a piping hot cup of coffee in less than a minute.

How You Are Overpaying Now

When it comes to replenishing your supply, there are a few different ways to go about it. The most expensive way is to buy your K-Cups in the store. Often, you’ll find K-cups in packs of 10 for around $6 or $7, but this is not the most economical option. This brings you to $0.70 per cup of coffee…

How to Save Now

When it comes to saving money, the key is to buy the larger boxes because, the more you buy, the more you can save in the long run. While the packs of 10 are great for trying out certain flavors, you can buy larger boxes of 60 to 75 K-Cups for $35 to $40 in wholesale stores like Costco, in some grocery stores like Ralphs, or even online from websites like Amazon. Doing this could bring you to $0.50 per cup of coffee or less, saving you almost a quarter each cup that you drink. If you are anything like our staff at GoodFind, that savings adds up very quickly.

With Amazon, you can subscribe and save on K-Cups, having your preferred brand and flavor ordered and shipped to you automatically each month. Another option for subscription services is to use Keurig’s Auto-Delivery service that allows you to buy all Keurig branded cups as often as you like with a savings of 25% off. There’s also premium coffee subscription services like Coffee cargo, where you can try premium coffees that you can’t get anywhere else.

Other Options

Another great way to fill up is with refillable options. With K-Cup refillable pods and filters, you can use literally any coffee you prefer, because you can add your own ground coffee into the pod. This is a great way to get that same fresh ground taste right out of your Keurig machine. Refillable K-Cups called GoodCups can be purchased through Amazon and are loaded into the same spot where you would put your disposable K-Cups. Coffee Bean N Leaf Brews makes another great refillable coffee pod that is completely reusable and dishwasher safe. Of course, Keurig also makes their own refillable pod: the Keurig My K-Cup that allows you to use your own gourmet coffee by adding it to the filter provided. Replace the filter with the pod loader attached to your machine and you are ready to go. Using any refillable pod is not only a great way to have your favorite coffee not available in disposable cups, but it’s also great for the environment too!

Keurig Green Mountain said it plans by 2020 to change the plastic composition in the billions of K-cup single-serving coffee containers it sells annually, making them more lucrative to recyclers while removing one of the nagging complaints that mountains of the little pods are piling up in landfills.

“Our goal is 100 percent Keurig K-cup pods diverted from landfills by curbside recycling,” said Monique Oxender, the coffee brewer’s chief sustainability officer. “The consumer is going to brew it, peel and empty it, and pop the pod into the recycling bin in the same behavior they would do with a yogurt cup. We want them to make it a habit.”

Need coffee? K-cups are the most convenient and fastest way to get your daily dose of caffeine in the morning. Great for people always on the go, K-Cups are a godsend to working people and stay-at-home parents everywhere.

Available in grocery stores and other retail stores nationwide, K-Cups have come to dominate the coffee industry. With tons of K-Cup options and accessories available, you can find any flavor and type of coffee you can imagine, making for a whole lot of options, and with K-Cup refill filters, you can use any brand of coffee you prefer and save money. If you are interested in learning more about K-Cups where to get them at the best prices, read more below.

When they first came out, there were only a few choices of K-Cups available, now there are literally hundreds to choose from. You can find Keurig brand K-Cups at most stores including popular flavors such as Keurig’s Donut Shop coffee. If you aren’t sure which cups you might like, you can purchase a variety sample pack, just like the ones you might find included with your Keurig machine. If you already have a coffee brand you prefer, you can find both home-brew brands like Folgers and Café Bustelo, and coffee shop brands like Starbucks, Peet’s Coffee and Dunkin Donuts in a variety of their flavors. With these conveniently ready-to-brew pods, you can make coffee almost instantly – just turn on your Keurig coffee machine, load the pod, press the button and you’ll have a piping hot cup of coffee in less than a minute.

How You Are Overpaying Now

When it comes to replenishing your supply, there are a few different ways to go about it. The most expensive way is to buy your K-Cups in the store. Often, you’ll find K-cups in packs of 10 for around $6 or $7, but this is not the most economical option. This brings you to $0.70 per cup of coffee…

How to Save Now

When it comes to saving money, the key is to buy the larger boxes because, the more you buy, the more you can save in the long run. While the packs of 10 are great for trying out certain flavors, you can buy larger boxes of 60 to 75 K-Cups for $35 to $40 in wholesale stores like Costco, in some grocery stores like Ralphs, or even online from websites like Amazon. Doing this could bring you to $0.50 per cup of coffee or less, saving you almost a quarter each cup that you drink. If you are anything like our staff at GoodFind, that savings adds up very quickly.

With Amazon, you can subscribe and save on K-Cups, having your preferred brand and flavor ordered and shipped to you automatically each month. Another option for subscription services is to use Keurig’s Auto-Delivery service that allows you to buy all Keurig branded cups as often as you like with a savings of 25% off. There’s also premium coffee subscription services like Coffee cargo, where you can try premium coffees that you can’t get anywhere else.

Other Options

Another great way to fill up is with refillable options. With K-Cup refillable pods and filters, you can use literally any coffee you prefer, because you can add your own ground coffee into the pod. This is a great way to get that same fresh ground taste right out of your Keurig machine. Refillable K-Cups called GoodCups can be purchased through Amazon and are loaded into the same spot where you would put your disposable K-Cups. Coffee Bean N Leaf Brews makes another great refillable coffee pod that is completely reusable and dishwasher safe. Of course, Keurig also makes their own refillable pod: the Keurig My K-Cup that allows you to use your own gourmet coffee by adding it to the filter provided. Replace the filter with the pod loader attached to your machine and you are ready to go. Using any refillable pod is not only a great way to have your favorite coffee not available in disposable cups, but it’s also great for the environment too!

Keurig Green Mountain said it plans by 2020 to change the plastic composition in the billions of K-cup single-serving coffee containers it sells annually, making them more lucrative to recyclers while removing one of the nagging complaints that mountains of the little pods are piling up in landfills.

“Our goal is 100 percent Keurig K-cup pods diverted from landfills by curbside recycling,” said Monique Oxender, the coffee brewer’s chief sustainability officer. “The consumer is going to brew it, peel and empty it, and pop the pod into the recycling bin in the same behavior they would do with a yogurt cup. We want them to make it a habit.”

Running relieves stress, strengthens your immune system and keeps you in shape! In the U.S. alone, more than 64 million people went jogging or running in 2016. Even with all the great benefits and growing popularity running can also cause a lot of extra stress on your feet, legs, and back. This is especially true if you are not wearing quality running shoes. 

Trying to find good running shoes isn’t always easy, but these three running shoe retailers will help you find the best possible shoes to keep you running for as long as possible.

TOP 3 RUNNING SHOE RETAILERS

These top 3 retailers provide not only get great running shoes but also help you save by having better prices than most other retailers. The top three running shoe retailers are Finish Line, Running Warehouse, and Road Runner Sports. All three of these retailers offer the latest running shoes from well known brands like Nike and Adidas. They also offer lesser known brands if you are interested in trying new brands or prefer a particular fit or style. For those experienced runners  who know a certain brand and shoe is perfect, you can find those shoes at a much lower price at these top retailers.

Do these retailers only sell shoes?

No, you can find many running and athletic accessories as well as athletic clothing in all three places. Their deals include items like socks, insoles, headbands, hats, shorts, and other apparel that makes running more comfortable and keeps you stylish.

What kind of shipping cost can be expected?

Running Warehouse offers free two-day shipping and free returns. You can opt to have a package of one to four pounds shipped overnight for $9.99. Road Runner Sports also offers free shipping. Finish Line’s shipping is a bit more complicated. If your package contains only new, non-sale items and the subtotal comes to over thirty dollars, they offer free shipping. If the order includes any discounted items, either sale or discontinued, there is a flat rate shipping charge of seven dollars. Some of their premium shoes are not included in either deal.

What about returns?

Finish Line offers returns up to 45 days. You only need to go online and pick the item you wish to return from your purchase history. You then receive a return label to print out and return your item free. Running Warehouse offers a full 90-day money back guarantee and will give you a return label to use for free shipping. Road Runner will refund any returns on new items within sixty days. For exchanges, VIP members can exchange new or used footwear within ninety days. For those who are not members, the exchange on new or used footwear is within forty days.

What is the Road Runner VIP program?

Road Runner offers a program that normally costs $28.99 a year, although they often run specials that allow new members to get their first year as low as $1.99. VIP members get access to deals not available to the general public. They also get a guarantee that they will get the best price anywhere in the country on a certain pair of shoes, a ten percent discount on all items at all times, a full ninety days to try shoes, socks, and insoles and a guaranteed return if they aren’t what you want.

How to find the right shoe for you

WHAT IS PRONATION, AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?

Picking the right shoe for your running style is as important as the retailer. That is why you should understand pronation and how it impacts your shoe selection.  Pronation is part of the natural movement of the human body and refers to the way your foot rolls inward for impact distribution upon landing. Understanding your pronation type can help you find a comfortable running shoe.

• Underpronators (supinators) need a lot of cushioning to avoid impact injuries
• Neutral pronators can wear a wide variety of shoes
• Overpronators should look for support or structured cushioning shoes
• Push Off: pressure on smaller toes on outside of foot
• Injuries: plantar fasciitis, shin splints, ankle strain
• Foot type: high arches

CHECK WEAR PATTERNS ON YOUR SHOE

For Underpronators/Supinators:

The outside of your running shoes show the most wear. If you put your running shoes on a flat surface, you may notice a slight outward tilt.

For Neutral Runners:

The soles of your running shoes show wear in an S-shaped pattern, from the outer (lateral) heel to the big toe. If you put your shoes on a flat surface, you may not notice any tilt. 

For Overpronators:

Extra wear on the inside of the heel and under the ball of the foot, especially the big toe. If you put your shoes on a flat surface, you may notice an inward tilt. 

After years of low interest rates, there is a pricing war happening for online savings accounts. Long gone are the days of 0.01% APY. If you are willing to open an online savings account (which is FDIC insured), you can now easily get a 1.85% APY or higher.

Interest rates are only increasing online: traditional brick and mortar banks continue to pay very low rates. A typical savings account at a big bank only pays 0.01% APY. The best online banks offer perks like no minimum balance, ATM access and much higher interest rates than the average savings account. Here are the best online savings accounts (and this post is updated regularly).

1. High Rate: Goldman Sachs Bank USA – 1.85% APY, no minimum balance (but no ATM access)
Our advertiser Marcus by Goldman Sachs, the consumer bank of Wall Street giant Goldman Sachs, offers a 1.85% APY on deposits. There is no minimum balance and there are no transaction fees. Upon opening the account, you can deposit funds via electronic transfer, wire transfer, or deposit by check. You can get access to your funds via electronic transfer or wire transfer. Goldman has been investing heavily in Marcus, its online consumer bank. Marcus is already offering some of the best savings accounts and personal loans in the market, and further expansion is expected. The savings account has consistently been paying one of the highest rates in the market. With a 1.85% APY, you can get one of the highest rates in the market from a well-known brand. The maximum deposit is $1,000,000 and deposits are FDIC insured up to the $250,000 limit.

2. High Rate: Synchrony Bank – 1.85% APY, no minimum balance (and ATM access)
Synchrony Bank pays a healthy 1.85% APY. There is no minimum balance requirement and no monthly fee. In addition to the great rate, you can get an ATM card. Most internet-only banks require you to transfer funds electronically, which can take a few days. If you ever need quick access to your funds, the ATM card makes access easy. You might not recognize the Synchrony brand, but it is a large, well-capitalized business. Synchrony used to be a part of General Electric (GE), and was spun out as a separate company. Unfortunately, the digital experience is not the best and there is no app.

3. High Rate: Barclays Bank – 1.85% APY, no minimum balance
Online Savings Account from BarclaysBarclays is a large, old British bank, based in London and with more than 325 years of history. Although Barclays is huge in the United Kingdom, it is a challenger brand in the US. Barclays offers savings products with highly competitive rates. These deposits are used to fund their rapidly growing American credit card business. The online savings account has a 1.85% APY with no minimum balance to open and no monthly fees. Your deposits are FDIC insured up to the legal limit. The Barclays website has a good look and feel. And you can have the confidence of keeping your money with one of the world’s largest and oldest universal banks.

4. Top Choice: Ally Bank – 1.85% APY, no minimum balance and you can get a free checking account
Online Savings Account from Ally BankAlly is a bank without branches that has consistently been paying high interest rates on savings accounts. Ally has no minimum balance requirement and will pay 1.85% APY. Even better, you can open a free checking account (also with no minimum balance requirement). This makes access to your savings account incredibly easy – because you can transfer funds online (or via the app) and have immediate access via checks, debit cards and ATMs. With an Ally account, you will have access to their full suite of expanding (and market-leading) products.

5. High Rate: American Express National Bank – 1.80% APY, no minimum balance (and no fees)
High Yield Savings Account from American Express National BankOur sponsored advertiser, American Express National Bank, offers a Personal Savings account, which earns a 1.80% variable APY. The account charges no monthly fees and requires no minimum deposit, making it an affordable account to open. You must fund your account within 60 days of applying for the account, and the FDIC insures your deposits up to $250,000. Overall, the account is a great option for anyone who wants the flexibility of earning a high interest rate on a sum of money you’ve stashed away, minus the withdrawal restrictions of a certificate deposit.

6. Highest Overall Rate: Northfield Bank – 2.25% APY, $0.01 minimum to open
Northfield Bank is headquartered in Woodbridge, NJ and is mainly a brick-and-mortar bank with locations in Staten Island and Brooklyn, NY and New Jersey. However, they are currently offering an online savings account, which they have named the Platinum Savings Account, with an incredible 2.25% APY. The APY applies to balances below $100,000. If your balance exceeds $100,000 the APY will drop to 0.90%. While you’ll only need a penny to open the account, you’ll need to maintain an average daily balance of $2,500 per statement cycle. If the average daily balance falls below $2,500, you’ll be charged with an $8 fee. If you currently have an account with Northfield Bank, you won’t be able to open this account as they require new money only. This bank does have a mobile app, so you can conveniently manage this account on the go.

Note: Northfield Bank is primarily a brick-and-mortar institution that is trying to offer online options to consumers nationwide. A little patience may be required when filling out the online application and funding the account. If you’re not comfortable with depositing funds with an institution that is learning its way through online banking, we recommend choosing a more established online bank found within this list. We would be remiss, however, if we didn’t include this incredibly high-rate online savings account to this list.

7. High Rate: Vio Bank – 2.10% APY, $100 to open
Vio Bank is the online division of MidFirst Bank, a national private financial institution. MidFirst Bank has over $15 billion in assets. Vio Bank was recently created and launched strong with a High Yield Online Savings account offering 2.10% APY on all balances. You only need $100 to open the account. You can fund the account via ACH. There are a few limitations to keep in mind: incoming ACHs take anywhere between two to five business days to post and the online bank may place a hold your ACH for two or three business days. When you’re ready to transfer funds out of the account, you’ll be limited to $2,000 per outgoing ACH. You’ll also be limited to transferring an aggregate monthly total of $6,000 via outgoing ACHs. As is with every other savings account, you’ll also be limited to making six withdrawals per monthly statement cycle. The good news (aside from the high APY) is that Vio Bank doesn’t charge a monthly maintenance fee. You’ll have to do all of your banking online for the time being as this online bank doesn’t currently have a mobile banking app, but according to the website, it’s coming soon. Fortunately, Vio Bank’s website is mobile friendly so it should be fairly easy to do your online bank from a smart phone.

8. High Rate: Salem Five Direct – 2.05% APY, $100 to open
Salem Five Direct is the online bank division of Salem Five Cents Savings Bank, a community bank based in Salem, Massachusetts. Salem has been around for more than 150 years and all deposits are insured by the FDIC up to the legal limit. You only need $100 to open this account, and there are no monthly maintenance fees. However, they do have a few limitations to be aware of. First, according to their online banking agreement, Salem Five Direct limits the dollar amount of their External Transfers to $5,000 per transaction, $5,000 in aggregate per day, and $20,000 in aggregate per month. So, if you decide to have more than one account with them, like their money market account, they’ll look at the aggregate amount of External Transfers conducted from both the savings account and money market account. Second, account holders are limited to six withdrawals per statement cycle due to Federal Regulations. If you exceed the six withdrawal limit, they’ll charge you $10 per additional transaction. Finally, the web and mobile experiences are not great. But, if you give them a call (which we have done), you will get friendly service from a community bank. While this bank does offer one of the best rates for an online savings account, we want you to be aware of their limitations.

9. High Rate: Citizens Access – 2.00% APY, $5,000 minimum balance amount
Citizens Access is the online division of Citizens Bank. This division was recently created to provide the best savings rates to consumers. While the online division is brand new, the bank its backed by isn’t. Citizens Bank has been around for a while and has grown to have over $122 billion in assets. While you need to deposit and maintain a minimum balance of $5,000 to earn the 2.00% APY, you’ll be funding an account that comes with no fees. If your balance happens to fall below $5,000, the APY will drop to 0.25%. One downside to this online-only bank is that they don’t currently have a mobile banking app. This means that you’ll have to do all of your banking through their website. Luckily, their website is mobile-friendly.

10. High Rate: Utah First Federal Credit Union – 2.25% APY, $50 minimum balance amount
Utah First Federal Credit Union was established in 1935 during the Great Depression by German immigrants in Salt Lake City, Utah. They were trying to bring their families to America but were having trouble acquiring the funds they so desperately needed. So, with just $115, this resilient group built a credit union so that they could say ‘yes’ to those in need within their community. While this credit union had a humble beginning, they currently hold over $377 million in assets, have multiple locations in the state of Utah, and serve many more through a co-op network. Anyone can become a member by donating $5 annually to the Community of Volunteers of Utah. Once you become a member, you can open a Dedicated Savings Account with a $50 deposit to start earning the 2.25% APY.

11. High Rate From A Credit Union: Alliant – 1.80% APY, $5 to open and ATM access.
People love credit unions. Because credit unions are owned by their members, you can get a higher interest rate on your savings (and lower interest rates when you borrow). Alliant is one of the best credit unions in the country, offering some of the best rates on your savings. In addition, Alliant has a great website and digital experience. Anyone can join the credit union and you only need $5 to open the account. Be aware, however, that when you go to apply for this account, Alliant will pull a soft credit inquiry for all applicants. Alliant also mentions that if you have a credit freeze, you won’t be able to apply unless you temporarily release the freeze.

Runner-Up: For Small Balance Savers – Digital Federal Credit Union – 5.12% APY up to $1k
Primary Savings from Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU)Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU) currently offers a nice account for people who are just starting to save. You can earn an APY of 5.12% with their Primary Savings Account. You will only earn that rate on deposits up to $1,000. Once you have more than $1k, you should consider other accounts on this list. It is a credit union – and your deposits are insured by the NCUA up to the legal limit. Anyone can join the credit union by donating to one of their participating organizations such as Reach Out for Schools, which has a membership fee of $10. You’ll be able to join one their participating organizations when you go to open your account with DCU. DCU is also part of a nationwide CO-OP network that allows their members to have access to shared branches and surcharge-free ATMs throughout the U.S.

How to Find the Right Account For You
Take a moment to calculate how much you could earn using our free saving account comparison tool. Enter your zip code and how much you have to save and you’ll see the best savings accounts for you and save more this year. If you have a large balance, the tool might find better options than the no minimum balance options we’ve listed here.

If you are willing to lock your money into a longer term, consider a certificate of deposit. You can find the best CD rates here.

Your money deserves more than 0.01%. At that rate you’re basically giving a free loan to the bank, not a favor they’d return to you!

Running relieves stress, strengthens your immune system and keeps you in shape! In the U.S. alone, more than 64 million people went jogging or running in 2016. Even with all the great benefits and growing popularity running can also cause a lot of extra stress on your feet, legs, and back. This is especially true if you are not wearing quality running shoes. 

Trying to find good running shoes isn’t always easy, but these three running shoe retailers will help you find the best possible shoes to keep you running for as long as possible.

TOP 3 RUNNING SHOE RETAILERS

These top 3 retailers provide not only get great running shoes but also help you save by having better prices than most other retailers. The top three running shoe retailers are Finish Line, Running Warehouse, and Road Runner Sports. All three of these retailers offer the latest running shoes from well known brands like Nike and Adidas. They also offer lesser known brands if you are interested in trying new brands or prefer a particular fit or style. For those experienced runners  who know a certain brand and shoe is perfect, you can find those shoes at a much lower price at these top retailers.

Do these retailers only sell shoes?

No, you can find many running and athletic accessories as well as athletic clothing in all three places. Their deals include items like socks, insoles, headbands, hats, shorts, and other apparel that makes running more comfortable and keeps you stylish.

What kind of shipping cost can be expected?

Running Warehouse offers free two-day shipping and free returns. You can opt to have a package of one to four pounds shipped overnight for $9.99. Road Runner Sports also offers free shipping. Finish Line’s shipping is a bit more complicated. If your package contains only new, non-sale items and the subtotal comes to over thirty dollars, they offer free shipping. If the order includes any discounted items, either sale or discontinued, there is a flat rate shipping charge of seven dollars. Some of their premium shoes are not included in either deal.

What about returns?

Finish Line offers returns up to 45 days. You only need to go online and pick the item you wish to return from your purchase history. You then receive a return label to print out and return your item free. Running Warehouse offers a full 90-day money back guarantee and will give you a return label to use for free shipping. Road Runner will refund any returns on new items within sixty days. For exchanges, VIP members can exchange new or used footwear within ninety days. For those who are not members, the exchange on new or used footwear is within forty days.

What is the Road Runner VIP program?

Road Runner offers a program that normally costs $28.99 a year, although they often run specials that allow new members to get their first year as low as $1.99. VIP members get access to deals not available to the general public. They also get a guarantee that they will get the best price anywhere in the country on a certain pair of shoes, a ten percent discount on all items at all times, a full ninety days to try shoes, socks, and insoles and a guaranteed return if they aren’t what you want.

How to find the right shoe for you

WHAT IS PRONATION, AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?

Picking the right shoe for your running style is as important as the retailer. That is why you should understand pronation and how it impacts your shoe selection.  Pronation is part of the natural movement of the human body and refers to the way your foot rolls inward for impact distribution upon landing. Understanding your pronation type can help you find a comfortable running shoe.

• Underpronators (supinators) need a lot of cushioning to avoid impact injuries
• Neutral pronators can wear a wide variety of shoes
• Overpronators should look for support or structured cushioning shoes
• Push Off: pressure on smaller toes on outside of foot
• Injuries: plantar fasciitis, shin splints, ankle strain
• Foot type: high arches

 

CHECK WEAR PATTERNS ON YOUR SHOE

For Underpronators/Supinators:

The outside of your running shoes show the most wear. If you put your running shoes on a flat surface, you may notice a slight outward tilt.

For Neutral Runners:

The soles of your running shoes show wear in an S-shaped pattern, from the outer (lateral) heel to the big toe. If you put your shoes on a flat surface, you may not notice any tilt

For Overpronators:

Extra wear on the inside of the heel and under the ball of the foot, especially the big toe. If you put your shoes on a flat surface, you may notice an inward tilt.

Would you believe that the majority of the population — up to 90 percent of adults in the U.S. — is believed to have a vitamin D deficiency?

Many physicians are starting to take this vitamin deficiency very seriously; in fact, vitamin D is one of the most recommended supplements by physicians today in order to treat and/or prevent vitamin D deficiency symptoms. Most adults are believed to be at least somewhat deficient in vitamin D, however, people with dark skin, people who live in northern regions of the world where less year-round sun exposure is experienced and those who are overweight have an even greater chance of experiencing vitamin D deficiency symptoms.

According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the newest statistics demonstrate that more than 90 percent of people with darker skin pigments (including African-Americans, Hispanics and Asians) living in the United States now suffer from vitamin D insufficiency, while 75 perfect of the white population is deficient.

As the population of overweight and obese adults and children has risen steadily over the past several decades, so has the incidence of vitamin D deficiency symptoms. Sadly, vitamin D deficiency is correlated with increased risks of developing common cancers, autoimmune diseases, hypertension and various infectious diseases, too.

A 2017 study recently revealed that occupation can also play a big role in vitamin D levels. Researchers found that shift-workers, health care workers and indoor workers are at a high risk of developing vitamin D deficiency due to reduced outdoor time and sunlight exposure.

Luckily, there are ways you can naturally increase your vitamin D levels and decrease your risk of developing health conditions like heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other vitamin D deficiency symptoms. Spending time in the sun, without sunscreen, is your surest way to get enough vitamin D, and eating vitamin D-rich foods also helps improve your blood levels. Read on to understand just how much time you need in the sun and what foods will help you to avoid a vitamin D deficiency symptoms.

What Is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that’s stored in the liver and fatty tissues. This means that increased body fat has the ability to absorb vitamin D and keep it from being used within our body. Vitamin D is somewhat different than other vitamins because our bodies make most of our vitamin D on their own, rather than solely relying on food sources. Because vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means if you supplement, you’ll need to take your pill with a healthy fat, such as avocado slices.
The way our bodies make vitamin D is to convert sunshine into chemicals that are used by the body. In particular, when UV-B sunshine rays land on the skin, a substance in the skin called 7-dehydrocholesterol is literally converted into vitamin D3.

7-dehydrocholesterol or the cholesterol in our skin — and very similar to cholesterol itself — converts “previtamin D” and makes it into usable vitamin D3, which is sometimes also called provitamin D.

What Causes Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms?

It’s worth repeating that 50 percent to 90 percent of most people’s vitamin D comes from casual sunlight exposure. Your skin makes vitamin D when it comes in contact with the ultraviolet B (UVB) rays from the sun. Therefore one of the biggest reasons that a growing population is experiencing vitamin D deficiency symptoms is because of our modern, primarily indoors lifestyle. This contributes to the two most common causes of vitamin D deficiency symptoms:

1. Lack of Sun

While years ago people spent more time outdoors, walking to do errands and even working outside, today we see a different situation. Most children spend unprecedented hours inside — watching television, playing video games and surfing the internet. Similarly, most adults work indoors, exercise inside gyms and spend their free time inside their homes where they are sheltered from the sun.

With all this time indoors, it’s no wonder we don’t get enough of the “sunshine vitamin” and vitamin D deficiency affects over a billion people worldwide. Traditionally, the human vitamin D system begins in the skin, not from the foods you eat. Although food sources of vitamin D can help raise your levels and prevent a deficiency, the sun is your most effective way to sustain proper vitamin D levels.

2. Sunscreens

Not only are we failing to get enough time outdoors in the sun, but when we do, many of us wear sunscreen nearly the entire time. As the risk for developing skin cancer has also risen in recent years, doctors strongly encourage the use of sunscreen for children and adults, even through the winter months and when sun exposure is generally limited.
Alarmingly, some research shows that when you wear sunblock SPF 8, you reduce your body’s ability to make vitamin D by 90 percent. If you choose a sunblock with a higher SPF of 30 (which is the number normally recommended by doctors), you reduce your body’s ability by up to 99 percent. This results in further deficiencies because even though we spend time outdoors, the sunscreen doesn’t allow our bodies to convert vitamin D from the sun. Research also shows that certain health conditions, such as abdominal obesity, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance and hypertension, also increases a person’s risk of vitamin D deficiency.

Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms

There is a great body of evidence that shows that people with vitamin D deficiency are at an increased risk of developing health complications and conditions like cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, various types of cancer, immune disorders and adverse pregnancy outcomes. According to several scientific studies and reviews, a vitamin D deficiency symptoms can be linked to the following health problems:
• osteoporosis
• heart disease
• high blood pressure
• cancer
• autoimmune diseases
• depression
• insomnia
• arthritis
• diabetes
• asthma
• multiple sclerosis
• chronic pain
• psoriasis
• fibromyalgia
• autism

Researchers suggest that anyone with these health conditions or the following symptoms should be tested for vitamin D deficiency:
• weakness
• chronic fatigue
• depression
• trouble sleeping
• anxiety
• weak or broken bones
• weakened immune system
• inflammation and swelling

The only way to know if you are deficient in vitamin D is to have your doctor perform a test, called a 25-hydroxy vitamin D test. This will tell you if, and how severely, you are deficient. When your doctor performs a blood test and gives you the results for your vitamin D levels, keep these numbers in mind:
• 50+ equals a good level of vitamin D
• 30–50 means you want to supplement with vitamin D, work on spending more time in the sun and add vitamin D foods into your diet
• less than 30 means you are very deficient and definitely want to take immediate action to bring those levels up

Talk with your doctor about supplementing with higher doses of vitamin D if you are severely deficient or have a very low level according to the tests. When your doctor performs a vitamin D test, specify that you would like to have the 25-hydroxoyvitamin D test done, sometimes also called the 25(OH) D test.
Some other types of vitamin D tests can show normal or even elevated levels of vitamin D, which are actually inaccurate and can hide a serious deficiency, so the 25(OH) D test seems to be the most accurate when determining your true vitamin D levels.

How Much Vitamin D Should You Be Getting?

Adults need 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D each day (800 IU if you’re over age 70), which can be sourced through diet, sunlight, or supplements. Because very few foods have enough vitamin D to reach those levels, and sunshine can be unreliable in certain climates, many Americans turn to vitamin D supplements to get their fill.

Men and women relying on sourcing vitamin D through diet alone typically don’t exceed 288 IU a day on average.3 But when supplements are added, they get closer to the 600 IU goal. Consider this: Women between ages 51 and 70, who averaged 156 IU through the diet-only approach, reached 404 IU with the help of supplements.

Believe it or not, we’re nearly halfway through 2018. That means there’s only a few months left in the year to get hyped about upcoming gadgets! Don’t worry, though, because we’ve got a list for you. Today, we’re looking at the ten most anticipated gadgets of 2018! Get ready to get hyped, because these things are awesome!

Nintendo 64 Classic

Photo Credit: Venture Beat

After a patent filing for the name, Nintendo has made no indication they’re working on the N64 Classic. However, the odds that they aren’t are incredibly low. The NES and SNES Classic mini-consoles sold through their entire production runs and were immensely well-received. Well, except for how hard it was to find them. However, recently Nintendo has addressed the supply issues and the mini-consoles can be found for MSRP on most store shelves. If they were to follow this trend with a miniature N64 console, we’d be ecstatic, and this writer would have one on launch day. Come on Nintendo, make it a reality so I can throw money at you!

Atari VCS

Photo Credit: Engadget

Consider us cautiously optimistic regarding Atari’s upcoming console. The console was a Kickstarter success, but so was the Ouya, and we all know how that turned out. Similarly, the last time Atari released a console, it didn’t exactly go well. You may have noticed that the Atari Jaguar was the very last console they released. Well, until the VCS, that is. If it ever releases. The concept, however, seems awesome: a retro-inspired, modern console. It’ll play both old Atari titles and brand-new games. Older titles will ship with the console, and you can download new ones. It’s aiming to be the best of both worlds! Let’s just hope it doesn’t collapse under its own ambition.

New MacBooks

Photo Credit: PC Mag

While there’s no definitive word on this front, we’re due for a new MacBook release. Apple’s flagship laptop has been somewhat lacking in love lately, largely lagging behind their phone releases. However, there’s still a ton of Mac users out there who’d love a shiny new machine to edit videos and create content on. There’s no better computers for content creators than Mac, and they deserve a powerful enough laptop to keep up with their demanding software. A new processor and some more RAM wouldn’t be a bad thing, but expect to pay that Apple Tax.

Apple Watch Series 4

Photo Credit: NY Mag

While the Apple Watch has been around since 2015, it’s seen little in the way of design updates. The Series 3 watches look largely the same as the Series One. Series Four is rumored to bring a suite of changes to the wearable tech. One such change is the removal of buttons in favor of solid-style nubs that use haptic feedback. These will likely help waterproof the watch, as well as make it more durable in general. Other rumored changes include a dedicated watch face store and larger display. In any event, we’re excited to find out more!

Google Pixel Watch

Photo Credit: cnet.com

When the Pixel phone was released, it was clearly an answer to the iPhone. Google has been attempting to take bites out of Apple at every turn. As such, it only makes sense that Google would like to go head-to-head with the Apple Watch. The Pixel Watch is currently just a rumor, but with Google confirming the resurrection of Wear OS, we’d be surprised if we didn’t hear news of a Google-branded watch to go with the Google-branded OS. Maybe a launch for the watch could come alongside the new Pixel 3 this Fall? Time will tell, pun intended.

Nintendo Switch Online Features

Photo Credit: Gearnuke

The Switch is getting its much-hyped paid online service this fall. There are a few notable features coming with the service. The first is cloud back-ups for game saves, a much-requested feature of the system. The second is the introduction of Netflix-style retro game rentals. Anyone who pays for the $20 per year service will be able to play the retro titles, some of which will have new online multiplayer functions. Of course, if you don’t have the service, you won’t be able to play Fortnite or Splatoon 2 against your friends. As such, many will be getting the service regardless of what games are offered through it.

Google Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL

Photo Credit: cnet.com

Google’s Pixel phones have impressed on the Android side of things. If ever there was a contender for “best camera,” it’s the Pixel 2. As such, we’re excited to see what kinds of tech will be jammed into the third generation of Pixel phones. Google’s newest Android OS, Android P, will likely release with the new Pixel phones. We can expect them in the fall of the year, just in time to compete with the new iPhones and the new Galaxy phones. This fall will be a bit of a phone battlefield.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

Photo Credit: Forbes

Samsung’s next phone is as hotly anticipated as any phone this year. Many notch-haters would rather get a Galaxy Note, as it won’t sport any notch at all. Another big draw is the headphone jack, which many phones are foregoing in favor of waterproofing. The Note is also rumored to have an in-screen fingerprint scanner, although rumors are contradictory at the moment regarding the scanner. That said, Samsung fans are excited about the newest entry in the Galaxy family. Android has some stellar phones coming out this year!

2018 iPad Pro

Photo Credit: Apple

Simply put, tablets aren’t cool anymore. The company responsible for inventing the massive smart-device would like to change that, though. There’s currently no word on a potential iPad Pro for this year. However, one rumors as to what it would look like: unlocking with Face ID, sporting no home button. It may even incorporate an OLED screen and carry some variation of the Bionic chip. Changes like that could make for a very appealing (and expensive) iPad indeed. We’ll see if the rumors come true!

Most Anticipated Gadgets of 2018: New iPhones

Photo Credit: Digital Trends

This year’s iPhone lineup is set to be stellar. Rumor has it that we can expect to see three models this year, two of which will sport OLED screens. Those two phones are clearly an iPhone X-2 (ha) and an iPhone X Plus. That third one is most likely a less-expensive phone with an LED screen. Maybe an iPhone 9? Time will tell. What is certain, though, is that people are excited! The iPhone X is the best phone in the world, by a wide margin, so we’re expecting big things from Apple this year.