Category: Anti-Aging and Longevity

SMOKING…….JUST THE FACTS

  • Smoking weakens the immune system by inhibiting cellular immunity.
  • Tobacco smoke contains carbon monoxide, a substance that is toxic to the brain.
  • Tobacco smoking is associated with a higher incidence of gingivitis and tooth loss.
  • Tobacco smoke contains cadmium, a heavy metal that can cause high blood pressure, kidney stones, and other toxic symptoms.
  • Tobacco smoke induces the formation of free radicals – highly reactive molecules that can bind to normal, healthy cells and destroy them.
  • Smokers have a higher incidence of peptic ulcer disease, a decreased response to anti-ulcer medications, and a higher mortality from peptic ulcer.
  • Female smokers are at higher risk of developing osteoporosis.
  • Female smokers are at higher risk for premature menopause.
  • Smoking accelerates skin aging and wrinkle formation.
  • Smoking causes a decrease in penile blood flow and can cause impotence in males.
  • Smokers have a three to five-fold increase in coronary artery disease compared to non-smokers.
  • Smoking is associated with the development of urinary tract cancer, bowel cancer, pancreatic cancer, cervical and uterine cancer – and yes, lung cancer.
  • Smoking is a potent risk factor for atherosclerosis.
  • 40% of heavy smokers die before they reach retirement age.
  • Nicotine causes adrenaline release, which can cause anxiety, heart palpitations, diarrhea, and high blood pressure.
  • Hydrogen cyanide, a chemical in tobacco smoke, causes inflammation of the bronchi which leads to bronchitis. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema often eventually result.
  • The adrenal stimulation caused by nicotine can aggravate hypoglycemia. Eventually, adrenal exhaustion results.
  • The American Lung Association reports that 350,000 Americans die each year from cigarette smoking. This is more than the combined deaths from illegal drugs, traffic accidents, suicide, homicide, and alcohol.

Don’t Kid Yourself.
Smoking tobacco is incompatible with a healthy lifestyle.

 

Vitamins and Mineral Supplements

Your Concise Guide To Nutritional Supplements

Definitions

Vitamins are organic compounds that are necessary for human life and health. Vitamins cannot be manufactured in the body (vitamin B12 is an exception) and so must be obtained from diet.

Minerals are inorganic ions (metals) that are also necessary for life and health. Minerals are not manufactured in the body and so must be obtained from diet.

Trace minerals are minerals necessary to the body in extremely small, or “trace,” amounts.

Accessory nutrients are substances that are not absolutely necessary for life and health (as vitamins and minerals are), but that participate with vitamins and minerals in numerous biochemical reactions.

Vitamins: What You Should be Taking, and Why

Taking vitamins is a wise health and prevention measure. Deficiencies of vitamins and minerals cause many diseases. Adding vitamins and minerals in supplemental form is an inexpensive “insurance policy” against some of the worst diseases of modern times.

A deficiency of vitamins and minerals are associated with these diseases:

A deficiency of antioxidant vitamins and minerals (especially beta carotene, vitamins C & E, and selenium) is associated with higher incidence of cancers of the colon, breast, prostate, mouth, lungs and skin. Some researchers believe that antioxidant vitamin and mineral deficiencies may be related to higher incidence of all cancers.

A mineral deficiency, especially magnesium and potassium but also calcium, is associated with high blood pressure.

Deficiencies of vitamins E, C, B6, B12, folic acid (a B vitamin), and bioflavonoids are associated with cardiovascular disease. The connection between vitamin E and heart health is so well established that conventional medical cardiologists are instructed to recommend vitamin E to their patients.

Healthy bones, and the prevention of osteoporosis, depend on sufficient levels of minerals, including calcium, magnesium, boron, zinc, copper, B vitamins, and vitamin D.

In males, benign prostatic hypertrophy is associated with decreased levels of zinc. Zinc deficiency also correlates to decreased immune function. Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and diabetes (high blood sugar) occur more frequently in people who are chromium deficient. After diabetes is present, low levels of vitamins A, C, E, plus zinc, selenium, choline, bioflavonoids and B complex vitamins are associated with more complications from the disease.

This list could go on for pages, but you get the idea. A deficiencyof key vitamins and mineralsare correlated with disease. Such vitamin deficiencies are also common in the modern American diet. Depleted soils result in lowered vitamin and mineral content in produce AND Americans eat less fresh produce than ever before. Much of our food is highly processed, removing not only vitamins and minerals but also fiber and enzymes.

The best health insurance may not be an expensive medical policy, but the addition of sufficient vitamins to fill in the gaps in our day-to-day nutritional status.

Some people take a wide array of individual and/or exotic supplements, but these should NOT replace a basic, healthful level of vitamin supplementation. I have listed the best and most complete formulas for basic multiple vitamin and mineral supplementation. I recommend this for all adults over age 18. If you have a special medical condition, consult an holistic physician for further recommendations. (See Telephone Consultations with Dr. Myatt)

Basic Vitamins and Minerals Supplement Program (For health maintenance in healthy individuals OR as the basis of a health program in those with known health problems). 1) Multi Vitamin / Mineral formula without iron (unless your doctor has specifically told you to take iron). There is no such thing as a good multiple vitamin supplement in a single pill. Optimal daily dosage levels of essential vitamins and minerals do not fit into one tablet or capsule. Expect to be taking 6 to 9 capsules or tablets to fulfill Optimal Daily Doses of key vitamins.

Modern Dietetics In A Nutshell

Nutritional Deficiencies

It has long been recognized that the human body will not function efficiently without vitamins and minerals. In fact, serious diseases and death result when nutrient levels become too low. Because vitamins and minerals are necessary for every chemical reaction in the body, an excess or deficiency can greatly alter physical function.

“RDA’s” (nutrient levels recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture) are sufficient to prevent serious deficiency-caused illnesses. (Rickets due to vitamin D deficiency, for example). They are not sufficient for optimal health and well-being.

Many scientists today agree that higher levels of certain nutrients are necessary to protect us from disease. It is also an accepted fact that even small deficiencies of nutrients can result in a decline in physical health, often before modern medicine can name a “disease.” Such deficiencies are called “subclinical,” (meaning “before they are a diagnosable illness”) and are the precursors to more serious illness.

The Standard American Diet (S.A.D.) is typically excessive in calories while being deficient in vitamins, minerals, and accessory nutrients. This is probably due to several factors: easy availability of refined-flour, high sugar foods; extensive processing of foods (which removes nutrients and fiber); and plant foods grown in mineral-deficient soils.

In addition, increased environmental exposure to toxic substances increases the body’s need for certain nutrients, especially antioxidants. (See Antioxidants.)

To ensure that you are obtaining optimal dietary nutrient levels, examine your current diet in view of the vitamin/mineral/accessory nutrient guide below. Keep a three-day diet diary to assist in calculating your baseline level of nutrient intake. Then, make dietary changes and take nutritional supplements as needed to ensure daily optimal nutrient intake.

Which Vitamin Formula is Right For You?

If you are a: Multiple Formula Antioxidants Comments Man Maxi Multi OR Once Daily MyPacks Included in Maxi Multi and MyPacks A separate antioxidant is usually needed with other multiples, not with these. Woman of Childbearing Age Nutrizyme with iron (see comment) OR Once Daily MyPacks Included in Maxi Multi and MyPacks Take a multiple WITH iron if you have heavy menstrual flow. Post-Menopausal Woman Maxi Multi OR Once Daily MyPacks Included in Maxi Multi and MyPacks Take additional Cal-Mag Amino to total 1200-1500 mg calcium per day if you are at risk for Osteoporosis. Senior Maxi Multi OR Nutrizyme with iron (see comments) Included in Maxi Multi and MyPacks Take a formula with iron only if directed to do so by your doctor. Children Children’s Multi-Vitamin and Minerals Children’s Antioxidants Specially formulated for children ages 4-12.

Vitamins

vitamin major functions major deficiency associations optimal adult dose range best food sources cautions/
notes vitamin A bone formation
skin health vision night blindness, dry eyes,
skin diseases 5,000-10,000 IU fish liver oils Do not take more than 50,000 IU per day for 3 months without medical supervision.

beta-carotene

converted to vitamin A in the body; antioxidant ulcerative colitis, skin diseases, smoking 10,000-50,000 IU green and yellow vegetables; carrots Use only natural beta-carotene; high doses may cause yellow skin (harmless).

vitamin D

increases calcium absorption;
decreases overall mortality rate osteoporosis, rheumatic pains, dental disease,
cancer,
impaired immunity 800-5,000 IU or as
directed by a physician. SUNSHINE! fish liver oil egg yolk The current daily dose of 400IU may be be set too low for optimal health.

vitamin E (tocopherol)

cellular respiration; antioxidant heart disease neurological aging 200-800 IU wheat germ oil, nuts, whole grains, egg yolk Doses over
800 IU day may elevate triglycerides.

vitamin K

blood clotting factor; bone formation osteoporosis 20-100 mcg broccoli, spinach, green tea, green cabbage, tomato Do not supplement if you are on anti-epileptic medication.

vitamin C

collagen synthesis, anti-viral, wound healing, antioxidant joint pain/arthritis, atherosclerosis, bleeding gums, decreased immunity 300-3,000 mg broccoli, red pepper, citrus fruits, cabbage At high doses, vitamin C will loosen the bowels.

vitamin B1 (thiamine)

energy processes fatigue, mental confusion, neuropathy 5-100 mg eggs, berries, nuts, legumes, liver, yeast Nontoxic.

vitamin B2 (riboflavin)

energy processes, wound healing, activates other B vitamins infection, cataracts, blurred vision, eye surgery 5-100 mg green leafy vegetables, eggs, organ meats Nontoxic. Higher doses will make urine a harmless, bright yellow.

vitamin B3 (niacin)

energy processes depression, tension headaches, memory loss 20-100 mg milk, eggs, fish, whole meal wheat flour Doses greater than 50mg may cause a skin flush. Take high doses only with doctors supervision.

vitamin B5(pantothenic acid)

energy processes; adrenal gland function allergies, morning stiffness; fatigue; muscle cramps 10-1,000 mg eggs, yeast, liver No known toxicity.

vitamin B6(pyridoxine)

energy processes; antibody formation insomnia, irritability, atherosclerosis 5-200 mg wheat germ, yeast, whole grains Oral contraceptive use increases need for this vitamin.

Folic acid

red blood cell formation, RNA/DNA synthesis fatigue, depression, atherosclerosis 200-800 mcg beans, green leafy veggies, yeast Do not take with Phenobarbital or dilantin.

vitamin B12

red blood cell formation; energy processes atherosclerosis, memory loss, GI symptoms 10-1,200 mcg fermented soy products; root veggies Nontoxic.

Biotin

energy processes; blood sugar regulation muscle pain, depression 300-600 mcg egg yolks, whole wheat No known toxicity.

Minerals

Mineral: functions deficiency associations adult dose range food sources cautions

*Calcium

bone & tooth formation; heart & muscle function osteoporosis, bone spurs, muscle cramps, rheumatism 200-1500 mg barley, kale, unrefined grains; milk, green veggies Prolonged excess may cause a mineral imbalance.

*Magnesium

energy processes, nerve function, enzyme activation stress, senility, osteoporosis, insomnia 150-600 mg avocados, almonds, whole grains, grapefruit Doses over 400 mg can cause diarrhea in some people.

Potassium

pH balance, nerve function stress, atherosclerosis, high blood pressure 1800-5625* mg * a normal diet should contain sufficient potassium potato peel, bananas, beans, almonds, whole grains Do not take high supplemental doses (food Sources are O.K.) when taking heart medicine without physician guidance.

Sodium

pH balance, nerve function Excess is more common and is assoc with high blood pressure limit daily intake to 1,500 mg okra, celery, black mission figs Very few people (athletes, diarrhea /vomiting) need to supplement.

Phosphorus

energy production, bones/teeth, B Vit. activation tooth/gum disorders, impotence, equilibrium 300-600 mg barley, beans, fish, lentils, dark green veggies Prolonged, large doses can cause calcium deficiency or mineral imbalance.

Iron

Red Blood cell production dizziness, depression, anemia 10-30 mg blackberries, cherries, spinach Do NOT take iron unless told to do so by your doctor. Iron excess is associated with health problems.

*Zinc

co-factor in numerous metabolic processes prostate enlargement, immune deficiency; atherosclerosis 15-50 mg wheat germ, wheat bran, pumpkin seed, avocado, sea food Large doses (50mg, day) can cause a copper deficiency & other mineral imbalances.

*Copper

Red blood cell production; skeletal, heart & muscle function osteoporosis, digestive function, nerve disorders 2-3 mg green leafy veggies, almonds, beans, sea food Higher doses can be toxic.

*Manganese

glandular function, bone & ligament health  diabetes, asthma, digestive disturbance 2-10 mg nuts, seeds, avocados, grapefruit, apricots High doses may create other mineral imbalances.

*Chromium

glucose metabolism; blood sugar regulation; heart function atherosclerosis, diabetes, hypoglycemia, high cholesterol, overweight 200-500 mcg whole grain cereals, molasses, meat, yeast Nontoxic at therapeutic levels.

*Selenium

antioxidant, synergistic with vitamin E cancer prevention; aging 100-200 mcg bran, whole grains, tuna, broccoli, onion Prolonged excess may be toxic. * indicates minerals most often deficient in the diet. Other minerals not marked with a * usually do not need to be supplemented. Other minerals and trace minerals include: molybdenum, flourine, chlorine, cobalt, silicon, boron, sulphur, vanadium

ACCESSORY NUTRIENTS

Bioflavonoids – compounds found in most plants in association with vitamin C. Bioflavonoids are potent antioxidants. Higher dietary levels are useful in heart disease and atherosclerosis, bleeding gums, weak immune system, inflammation, varicose veins, hayfever.

CoQ10 – (ubiquinone) A naturally-occurring compound in the human body that is a vital co-factor in energy production. Conditions benefited by increased CoQ10 levels include: cardiovascular disease, angina, congestive heart failure, mitral valve prolapse, immune deficiency, obesity, diabetes, periodontal disease, cancer, muscular dystrophy. Also use in longevity and rejuvenation programs.

Fiber – Plant cell walls present in whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables. This part of the plant is usually lost in processing. Fiber deficiency is associated with numerous illnesses: obesity, atherosclerosis, diabetes, gallstones, varicose veins, constipation, diverticulosis, irritable bowel, colon cancer, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

FOS (fructooligosaccharides) Naturally- occurring sugar-like substances that act as food to friendly GI bacteria. In human body cells, this substance is not utilized as energy (or as a true sugar), but to probiotic gut bacteria, FOS is a banquet. The addition of FOS to probiotic formulas (as in Enterogenic concentrate, product # 218), helps good bacteria re-colonize the GI tract faster and more plentifully.

Friendly bacteria – (probiotics) The naturally-occurring bacteria of the colon help protect us from many conditions, including candidiasis, allergies, constipation, B12 vitamin deficiency. These good bacteria are damaged or destroyed by dietary imbalances, antibiotic and other drug use. Replacement of good bacteria results in improved colon function.

Glucosamine sulfate – A naturally occurring substance that has been found to be highly effective in treating osteoarthritis. It acts both to reduce pain and to stimulate joint repair.

5-Hydroxy-Tryptophan-(5-HTP)
5-HTP is the intermediate metabolite of the amino acid L-tryptophan. This amino acid intermediate participates in the body’s production of serotonin. It also stimulates increased endorphin, melatonin, norepinephrine and dopamine production. These brain chemicals (neuro-transmitters) help increase energy, improve mood and sleep, and decrease appetite. Useful for insomnia, mood disorder (anxiety/depression) and weight loss programs.

L-Carnitine – an amino acid that is crucial to normal energy production and fat metabolism. Carnitine has been shown to benefit atherosclerotic heart disease and high cholesterol and triglycerides. Improves fat metabolism throughout the body.

L-Glutathione – A tri peptide (3 amino acids) that acts as a potent antioxidant in the body. Supplementation is useful in allergies, cancer prevention, liver detoxification, cataracts, heavy metal toxicity, longevity and rejuvenation.

Omega-3 Oils are derived from fatty fish and flax seeds. These fatty acids are anti-inflammatory and have a positive effect on cardiovascular disease, including high cholesterol and high blood pressure, allergic and inflammatory conditions (including psoriasis and eczema), autoimmune diseases, cancer, neurological disease, menopause, general health enhancement.

Omega-6 Oils found in evening primrose, black currant, borage and a number of vegetable oils. Although supplementation is popular, these oils increase arachadonic acid levels (an inflammatory substance). Only diabetics need to supplement very small doses of this oil. (less than 500mg/day).

OSTEOPOROSIS


Prevent or Reverse the “Bone Thinning Disease”

Osteoporosis means, literally, “porous bone.” It is a bone-thinning disease that affects an estimated 28 million Americans. Osteoporosis is called a “silent” disease because it comes on with few or no symptoms. Often, a fall resulting in a fracture is the first evidence of weakened bones. Other symptoms and signs of osteoporosis include a decrease in height, spontaneous hip or vertebrae fractures, and back pain.

In elderly women, complications from hip fracture that result in death are far more common than death from breast cancer, yet few people realize the potential seriousness of this condition. Although osteoporosis is more common in post-menopausal women, it also occurs in younger women, men, and in all age groups. White and Asian women are at greatest risk because their bones tend to be less dense to begin with.

What Causes Osteoporosis?

There are a number of factors that can be involved in the development of osteoporosis. These include:

  • Lack of vitamins and minerals. Osteoporosis is caused by a demineralization of bone. Although calcium is one of the major bone minerals, there are a number or other minerals found in normal bone. These include boron, copper, magnesium, manganese, silicon, strontium and zinc. Vitamins B6, K, D, C and folic acid are also needed for normal bone mineralization. A deficiency of any of these can accelerate bone loss.
  • Gastric acid or digestive enzyme deficiency. Hydrochloric acid (gastric acid) and digestive enzymes are necessary for the assimilation of minerals, yet more than half of the general population over age 60 is deficient in one or both of these digestive functions. A gastric acid self-test is indicated for anyone with osteoporosis regardless of age.
  • Lack of physical activity. Exercise that stresses bone causes an uptake of minerals. Conversely, immobility leads to a demineralization of bone. Exercise alone has been shown to increase bone mineral density.
  • Dietary factors. Certain dietary factors can hasten the loss of minerals from bone. These factors include diet high in sugar and starch, excess phosphorus in the diet (as found in soda pop, processed foods, and meat), excess alcohol consumption, and possibly excess caffeine consumption (more than two cups per day).
  • Cigarette smoking.
  • Certain drugs, especially adrenal steroids (cortisone and prednisone).
  • Heavy metal toxicity. Certain heavy metals, which may be introduced into the body through cigarette smoke, drinking water, and a number of other sources, can trigger demineralization of bone by displacing the normal bone minerals. A hair mineral analysis is accurate for evaluating toxic mineral levels. Because there is substantial evidence that fluoride found in drinking water and toothpaste contributes to destruction of bone, use of pure (non fluoridated) water and alternative toothpaste is highly advisable.
  • Stress. Perhaps because perceived stress changes digestive and assimilative abilities, although the exact mechanism is unclear. Stress also increases adrenal steroid hormone output, see factor # 6 above.
  • Sex hormone imbalance. Alterations or decline in sex hormones, including estrogens, progesterone, testosterone and DHEA are significant factors in bone demineralization in both men and women.
    A female hormone profile or male hormone profile should be performed to evaluate potential sex hormone deficiencies and imbalances, especially in those over age 40.
  • Food allergies. When a person is allergic or intolerant to a food, they are unable to digest it completely. Incompletely digested food plus  possible antibodies created by food reactions damage the villi of the duodenum (the finger-like projections of the intestine that are vital for the absorption of nutrients). This reduces the amount of nutrients that are absorbed into the bloodstream.

    Which nutrients are most effected? Calcium, iron, iodine, all B complex vitamins, vitamin C, most water-soluble vitamins, and most of the trace minerals such as zinc, boron, manganese and magnesium— many of the same vitamins and minerals necessary for bone health.

  • Other factors. These include genetic predisposition and various disease states.

What About The New Drugs for Osteoporosis?

A new class of drugs, the bisphosphonates, cause a bone-rebuilding response that is 5% greater than placebo in most women who use them. For some, this is enough of an effect to help prevent fracture. For others, the drugs alone are insufficient to prevent consequences of osteoporosis. Bisphosphonates have side-effects that can be problematic, including GERD (heartburn), diarrhea and immune suppression (one side effect that is rarely mentioned). Their best use appears to be in cases of cancer, to prevent bone destruction.

Read “The Ugly Truth About Bone-Building Drugs” here

Obviously, osteoporosis is not caused by a bisphosphonate deficiency! There are, however, ways to reverse osteoporosis. This is because bone is a living, growing tissue, not a static material as some people wrongly believe. I recommend consultation with myself or another holistic physician for evaluation and recommendations for preventing or reversing osteoporosis. When the potential causes (as listed above) are carefully evaluated and discovered, osteoporosis can be halted and even reversed through non-drug methods.

Diet And Lifestyle Recommendations

  • Eat a nutritious diet. Emphasize soy products, nonfat yogurt and milk, and green leafy vegetables.
  • Avoid soda pop (“pop is slop”) and use alcohol and coffee in moderation if at all.
  • Exercise regularly, especially weight-bearing exercise. Walking and running are some of the best exercises for increasing bone strength.

Primary Support

  • Maxi Multi: 3 caps, 3 times per day with meals. Optimal doses (not minimal doses) of B complex vitamins, C, D, K, calcium, magnesium, vanadium, zinc, and boron are particularly important for strong bones. A “once per day” vitamin supplement does not supply anything close to an optimal daily dose of the necessary bone nutrients.
  • Cal-Mag Amino: Post-menopausal females take 1 cap, 3 times per day with meals in addition to the 1,000:500 mg from Maxi Multi. (Target: 1200-1500 mg/day calcium, 500-800 mg/day magnesium for post-menopausal women. Men and peri-menopausal females get sufficient calcium/magnesium/boron from Maxi Multi).
  • Strontium: 1 capsule, 1-2 times per day with or between meals (take separately from calcium).  One capsule per day is advised for prevention, 2 caps per day for those at high risk of osteoporosis or in already-established cases of osteoporosis. NOTE: Maxi Multi does not contain strontium. There is evidence that strontium should be taken away from calcium and magnesium for best absorption.
  • Vitamin D: Vitamin D increases calcium absorption. Deficiencies of Vitamin D are associated with cancer, osteoporosis, rheumatic pains, and dental disease. Please learn more in our Vitamin D Special Report. Daily adult dose range: 800-2,000 IU. Doses as high as 10,000 IU may be needed to normalize vitamin D levels. Vitamin D testing is easy and convenient and inexpensive – find Vitamin D tests here.
  • Vitamin K2: a blood clotting factor, it is also important in bone formation. Major deficiency associations include osteoporosis. The optimal adult dose range is 45 to 65 mcg. Vitamin K2 helps to direct calcium to the bone and out of blood vessel wall plaques.

Additional Support

  • Follow the recommendations for menopause if you are a peri-or post-menopausal female, or for male menopause if you are a male.

Dr. Myatt’s Comment

If you have already been diagnosed with osteoporosis, it is best to consult an alternative medicine physician who can order a hormone profile test, evaluate risk factors, and get you on a precise program for bone-remineralization.  Osteoporosis is a reversible condition when treated correctly. Natural hormone replacement therapy is safe and effective for aiding bone loss but must be conducted with a physician’s guidance.

Osteoarthritis (OA, Arthritis)


Safe, Natural Support For This Painful Condition

Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease, is a common occurrence in people over age fifty. Weight-bearing joints are most often affected. Early symptoms include pain and stiffness that are worse in the morning or after inactivity. With progression of the disease, movement causes aggravation of symptoms.

Osteoarthritis is caused by a combination of factors, including wear and tear of cartilage, free radical damage to joint material, lack of nutrients, dietary imbalances and dehydration. Drugs used to treat arthritis, NSAIDS, provide temporary symptom relief but accelerate the underlying disease process. They should be used only for short periods of time while corrective measures are being initiated.

Diet And Lifestyle Recommendations

  • Eat cold water fish (salmon, mackerel, halibut) in preference to chicken, beef or pork; eat plenty of green vegetables.
  • Avoid known food allergens. The nightshade family of vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, potato) are specific allergens for many people with arthritis. Consider an elimination/challenge diet to evaluate.
  • Achieve and maintain a normal weight. Excess weight puts extra wear and tear on joints.
  • Exercise regularly. Studies have shown a decrease of painful symptoms and an increase in mobility in people who exercise regularly. See BACK PAIN for specific low back exercises.
  • Drink 64 ounces of pure water daily.
  • Do not smoke. Smoking generates high levels of free radicals.

Primary Support

  • Maxi Multi: 3 caps, 3 times per day with meals. Optimal doses (not minimal doses) of vitamin A, C, E, B5, B6, niacin, pantothenic acid, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, selenium, boron and vanadium are especially important.
  • Omega 3 fatty acids:
     Flax seed meal, 2 teaspoons per day with food
    OR
    Flax seed capsules    : 2-4 caps, 3 times per day (target dose range: 6-12 caps per day)
    OR
    Flax seed oil    : 1 tablespoon per day
    OR
    Max EPA     (Omega-3 rich fish oil): 1-2 caps, 3 times per day with meals (target dose: 3-6 caps per day).
  • Glucosamine Sulfate: (750mg, pharmaceutical grade): 2 caps, 2 times per day for 6 weeks, then 1 cap, 2 times per day after that. (target dose: 3,000 mg for 8 weeks [until significant improvement is noted] then 1,500 mg per day for maintenance).
  • Grape Seed extract (PCO’s): 50-100 mg, 3 times per day. (Target dose: 150-300 mg per day).

Additional Support

  • MSM (fundamental sulfur): 1,000 mg, 2-3 times per day with meals.
    AND
  • Turmeric: 1 cap, 2-3 times per day between meals, OR Feverfew: 1 cap, 1-2 times per day.

For acute symptoms (While waiting for Glucosamine Sulfate to take effect)

  • Bromelain: 2 caps, 3 times per day between meals for 4 weeks, then 1 cap, 3 times daily thereafter.

Dr. Myatt’s Comment

If self-help measures fail to give improvement in three months, please consult an holistic physician. This is one condition that can be greatly helped and even cured through natural medicine. I am available for telephone consultations. 

Vitamin D A Special HealthBeat News Report


Vitamin D – You have been reading about it in the news, and you have wondered what is real and what is hype.

Dr. Myatt and Nurse Mark have researched and prepared this special report for HealthBeat News Readers.

Vitamin D — The Short Course

1.) Vit D is produced in our bodies in response to sun exposure. Vit D is also available from food and supplements.

2.) Vit D is FAR more important to health than was previously realized. I’m talking FAR more important.

3.) Vit D deficiency is widespread, including North America, even in sunny climates like Arizona. Many people who think they are getting enough Vitamin D from sunlight are mistaken.

4.) How to Optimize Vit D Levels for Good Health:

I.)  Vit D test, supplement accordingly, re-test

II.) Supplement at 5,000IU for 3 months, then test your levels.

III.) Don’t test, run the risk of being deficient, but take at least 2,000IU total per day. (This is still an extremely conservative dose, but much higher than the RDA of 400IU which hasn’t been changed yet to reflect the newer findings about Vit D). 

5.) Natural ways to obtain Vit D: Foods, supplements and sun exposure.

Vitamin D — Nutrient of the Decade: Are You Getting Enough?

The Consequences of Low Vitamin D

Vitamin D is called “the sunshine Vitamin” because our bodies make it in response to sun exposure.

Vit D is necessary for normal bone formation in both children and adults. In children, deficiencies of Vit D lead to rickets. In adults, deficiencies are associated with osteoporosis and osteomalacia (soft bones), decreased muscle strength and increased risk of fall. (1,12,14,22,43-48)Until recently, the bone-protecting effect was  about all that Vit D was known for, but the past decade of medical research has changed all that.

The newly appreciated Vitamin D deficiency risks include:

1.) heart disease: myocardial infarction, high blood pressure, heart failure, myopathy, sudden cardiac death, stroke (11,13-26, 30, 49-50)

2.) blood sugar problems: glucose intolerance, diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome (13-14,19,23-24,27-29)

3.) cancer prevention and improved cancer survival rates (7,8,11,14,15,24,31-37)

4.) upper respiratory tract infections, influenza and tuberculosis (24,30,38)

5.) cognitive impairment and low mood (38-40)

6.) autoimmune disease (multiple sclerosis, RA, systemic lupus erythromatosis (SLE) (15,24,26,29,30,32,41,42)

7.) misc. diseases: psoriasis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease

8.) urinary incontinence (54)

9.) and all-cause mortality! (5,6,7,24,30,51)

How “significant” are these associations? Here are some of the conclusions of various studies and meta-analyses (lots of studies looked at together) concerning Vit D. Italics are mine for emphasis.

“Research strongly supports the view … Vitamin D status would have significant protective effects against the development of cancer …. cancers of the breast, colon, prostate, ovary, lungs, and pancreas…” (8)

“High levels of Vitamin D among middle-age and elderly populations are associated with a substantial decrease in cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.” (9)

“Low levels of [Vitamin D] are independently predictive for fatal strokes” (10)

“It is estimated that there is a 30 to 50% reduction in risk for developing colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer by either increasing Vitamin D intake or increasing sun exposure…” (11)

“Oral Vitamin D supplementation between 700 to 800 IU/d appears to reduce the risk of hip and any nonvertebral fractures in ambulatory or institutionalized elderly persons” (12)

” 28 studies including 99,745 participants … highest levels of serum [Vit D] were associated with a 43% reduction in cardiometabolic disorders (cardiovascular disease, diabetes and metabolic syndrome) …” (9)

Are Your Vitamin D Levels Optimal? (Vitamin D Deficiency is Widespread)

One billion people worldwide are estimated to be Vit D deficient, and the problem affects us here in the United States as well. (2) One study found that more than half of North American women receiving drugs for prevention or treatment of osteoporosis were Vitamin D deficient. (1) Another study found 48% of pre-adolescent girls to be Vit D deficient (3). Other studies have found that 40% to 100% of older men and women in both the United States and Europe are Vitamin D deficient.[2] Because of the importance of Vit D and how widespread Vit D deficiency is, an estimated $100 to $200 billion is spent (wasted) each year on diseases which may really just be Vitamin D deficiencies. [4]

Age, overweight, dark skin color, use of sunscreen, and overprotection from the sun’s rays are causes of decreased production of Vit D in response to sunlight. (52,52)

How Much Vitamin D Should You Take?

Ideally, you should take whatever amount of Vitamin D puts you in the “optimal” range. Since the amount will be highly variable depending on age, sex, race, weight, daily sun exposure and diet, there is no “one size fits all” answer. Instead, blood testing of Vitamin D levels and increasing intake until optimal levels are reached is the surest way to obtain optimal concentrations of Vitamin D in the body.

Deficiency Insufficiency Sufficiency * Optimal Excess (Toxicity) <20ng/ml 20-32ng/ml 32-100ng/ml 40-80ng/ml > 150ng/ml

* – conventional medicine says that 30 ng/ml is “sufficient.” Chart references (59-62)

At the wellness Club we believe the most accurate and effective way to embark on a program of Vit D supplementation is to perform a Vit D test, supplement Vit D in accordance with the results, and then re-test in 3 months at which time your daily doses of Vit D can be fine-tuned for maintenance. March (right now!) is the best time to test initially because Vit. D stores tend to be lowest in this month.

The Vitamin D Council, a non-profit group dedicated to Vitamin D research and education recommends people take 5,000 IU per day for 2-3 months, then perform a Vitamin D test. They then suggest adjusting the dosage so that blood levels are between 50-80 ng/mL (or 125-200 nM/L) year-round. (55)

Alternately, some people opt to supplement without knowing their initial Vit D levels. A dose of 2000IU is quite conservative but certainly safe for almost anyone. In cases of significant Vit D deficiency conservative dosing such as this may take considerable time to rebuild healthy stores of this important Vitamin.

For those who wish to calculate their own Vit D requirements, 100 IU of Vitamin D could be expected to raise blood level of 25(OH)D by 1 ng/ml. (11)

Can too much Vitamin D can be toxic? Research shows that massive doses may eventually cause toxicity. One source found that in adults a sustained intake of 50,000 IU daily could produce toxicity within a few months (58) and 40,000 IU per day in infants has been shown to produce toxicity within 1 to 4 months. (56) That is ten times the recommended dose for each of those age groups! Vitamin D testing is good insurance that will allow you to safely fine-tune your dosage to your actual needs. Be careful though, since not all testing is the same and lab references and standards vary – be sure that you are comparing “apples to apples” and obtaining useable results when you are tested.

The 25-hydroxyVitamin D blood test (25(OH)D blood test) is a test that measures the amount of calcidiol circulating in the blood. This is the most accurate measure of the amount of Vitamin D in the body. The Wellness Club offers Vitamin D testing – performed by a lab that adheres to standardized references and values so that you know what you are getting when you receive your results. This can is performed at home with a “spot” (finger stick) blood test. Other tests that require a blood draw are also available.

How to Get to Your Optimal Vitamin D Levels

Start Vitamin D supplementation eight to twelve weeks before testing. Dr. John Cannell of the Vitamin D Council suggests a starting dose of 1,000 IU per 25 pounds of body weight. For example, a 150 pound person would take 6,000 IU Vitamin D per day. (150 divided by 25 = 6; 1,000IU x 6 = 6,000). Maintain this dose for 8-12 weeks, then test.

This dose may or may not put you in the optimal target range, but it certainly won’t put you in any “toxic” range. Remember, most adults can safely take up to 10,000IU per day and still be far away from Vitamin D toxicity which typically appears at 40,000-50,000IU taken for several months.

Although this dose should theoretically put you in an optimal range, numerous personal variations alter Vitamin D requirements. Some people will need a higher dose than this calculation affords. However, taking the calculated dose should at least put you “in the ballpark” for optimal dosing.

When you test results come back, you can use the number to help you know whether or not you need to increase your Vit D dose and by how much. It is estimated that each 1,000 IU increase in supplemental Vitamin D will generally produce a 10 ng/ml increase in the Vitamin D blood level (8). If your test result shows that you are 10ng/ml below your target, increase daily Vit D intake by 1,000IU per day for a total of 7,000IU per day from the above example. Continue this dose and re-test in another 3 months to verify that you are now in your optimal range.

Congratulations! You have found your optimal daily Vitamin D intake needed to maintain optimal Vitamin D blood levels.

How to Obtain Vitamin D Naturally

Exposure to sun is the most natural way to boost Vit D levels. Medical scientists have found that the skin produces approximately 10,000 IU of Vitamin D in response to as little as 30 minutes of unprotected summer sun exposure. (57)

Vitamin D can be obtained from food too. Since rickets in children is such a crippling but preventable condition, governments have long encouraged the “fortification” of dairy products and breads and cereals with token amounts of Vitamin D. In the United States and Canada, for example, fortified milk typically provides 100 IU per glass.

It is difficult to obtain optimal levels of Vitamin D from food alone.

Food IUs per serving* Percent DV** Cod liver oil, 1 tablespoon 1,360 340 Salmon (sockeye), cooked, 3 ounces 794 199 Mushrooms that have been exposed to ultraviolet light to increase vitamin D, 3 ounces (not yet commonly available) 400 100 Mackerel, cooked, 3 ounces 388 97 Tuna fish, canned in water, drained, 3 ounces 154 39 Milk, nonfat, reduced fat, and whole, vitamin D-fortified, 1 cup 115-124 29-31 Orange juice fortified with vitamin D, 1 cup (check product labels, as amount of added vitamin D varies) 100 25 Yogurt, fortified with 20% of the DV for vitamin D, 6 ounces (more heavily fortified yogurts provide more of the DV) 80 20 Margarine, fortified, 1 tablespoon 60 15 Sardines, canned in oil, drained, 2 sardines 46 12 Liver, beef, cooked, 3.5 ounces 46 12 Ready-to-eat cereal, fortified with 10% of the DV for vitamin D, 0.75-1 cup (more heavily fortified cereals might provide more of the DV) 40 10 Egg, 1 whole (vitamin D is found in yolk) 25 6 Cheese, Swiss, 1 ounce 6 2 *IUs = International Units.

**DV = Daily Value. DVs were developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help consumers compare the nutrient contents of products within the context of a total diet. The DV for vitamin D is 400 IU for adults and children age 4 and older. Food labels, however, are not required to list vitamin D content unless a food has been fortified with this nutrient.

Table courtesy of the U.S. Government National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements

Although cod liver oil is high in Vitamin D, it is also high in Vitamin A which interferes with Vit D uptake, so cod liver oil is not the best supplemental form of Vit D. Keep daily intake of pre-formed Vitamin A to a maximum of 5,000IU per day so as not to interfere with Vitamin D absorption. Beta carotene does not appear to interfere with Vit. D uptake.

Vegetarians need to be sure they are getting plenty of sunshine, because other than tiny amounts that may be found in UV-irradiated mushrooms, there are no vegetable sources of Vitamin D.

The Bottom Line on Vitamin D

Achieving Optimal Vitamin D  levels appears to be one of the most important things we can do for our overall health and life expectancy.

Please click on the image below enjoy an interesting and instructive video which discusses the relationship between Vitamin D and Cancer.

alt

References

1.) Holick MF, Siris ES, Binkley N, et al. Prevalence of Vitamin D inadequacy among postmenopausal North American women receiving osteoporosis therapy. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2005;90: 3215-3224.
2.) Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2007;357:266-281.
3.) Sullivan SS, Rosen CJ, Halteman WA, Chen TC, Holick MF. Adolescent girls in Maine at risk for Vitamin D insufficiency. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005;105:971-974.
4.) GrassrootsHealth. The Vitamin D deficiency epidemic. A call to D*action. http://www.grassrootshealth.org/daction/epidemic.php. Accessed May 8, 2009.
5.) GrassrootsHealth. Disease incidence prevention by serum 25(OH)D level. http://www.grassrootshealth.org/_download/disease_incidence_prev_chart_101608.pdf. Accessed May 8, 2009.
6.) Autier P, Gandini S. Vitamin D supplementation and total mortality. Arch Intern Med. 2007;167(16):1730-1737.
7.) Thomas L. Lenz. Vitamin D Supplementation and Cancer Prevention. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2009;3(5):365-368.
8.) Ingraham BA, Bragdon B, Nohe A. Molecular basis of the potential of Vitamin D to prevent cancer. Curr Med Res Opin. 2008 Jan;24(1):139-49.
9.) Parker J, Hashmi O, Dutton D, Mavrodaris A, Stranges S, Kandala NB, Clarke A, Franco OH. Levels of Vitamin D and cardiometabolic disorders: systematic review and meta-analysis. Maturitas. 2010 Mar;65(3):225-36. Epub 2009 Dec 23.
10.) Pilz S, Dobnig H, Fischer JE, Wellnitz B, Seelhorst U, Boehm BO, März W. Low Vitamin d levels predict stroke in patients referred to coronary angiography. Stroke. 2008 Sep;39(9):2611-3. Epub 2008 Jul 17.
11.) Holick MF. Vitamin D and sunlight: strategies for cancer prevention and other health benefits. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2008 Sep;3(5):1548-54. Epub 2008 Jun 11.
12.) Bischoff-Ferrari HA, Willett WC, Wong JB, Giovannucci E, Dietrich T, Dawson-Hughes B. Fracture prevention with Vitamin D supplementation: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. JAMA. 2005 May 11;293(18):2257-64.
13.) Anagnostis P, Athyros VG, Adamidou F, Florentin M, Karagiannis A. Vitamin D and Cardiovascular Disease: A Novel Agent for Reducing Cardiovascular Risk ? Curr Vasc Pharmacol. 2010 Feb 25. [Epub ahead of print]
14.) Holick MF. Vitamin D: importance in the prevention of cancers, type 1 diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Mar;79(3):362-71.
15.) Holick MF. Vitamin D and sunlight: strategies for cancer prevention and other health benefits. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2008 Sep;3(5):1548-54. Epub 2008 Jun 11.
16.) Judd SE, Tangpricha V. Vitamin D deficiency and risk for cardiovascular disease. Am J Med Sci. 2009 Jul;338(1):40-4.
17.) Kendrick J, Targher G, Smits G, Chonchol M.25-HydroxyVitamin D deficiency is independently associated with cardiovascular disease in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Atherosclerosis. 2009 Jul;205(1):255-60. Epub 2008 Nov 11.
18.) Lee W, Kang PM. Vitamin D deficiency and cardiovascular disease: Is there a role for Vitamin D therapy in heart failure? Curr Opin Investig Drugs. 2010 Mar;11(3):309-14.
19.) Martins D, Wolf M, Pan D, Zadshir A, Tareen N, Thadhani R, Felsenfeld A, Levine B, Mehrotra R, Norris K. Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and the serum levels of 25-hydroxyVitamin D in the United States: data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Arch Intern Med. 2007 Jun 11;167(11):1159-65.
20.) McConnell JP, Foley KF, Vargas GM. HypoVitaminosis D: a new risk marker for cardiovascular disease. Clin Lab Sci. 2009 Fall;22(4):240-6.
21.) Mertens PR, Müller R. Vitamin D and cardiovascular risk. Int Urol Nephrol. 2009 Dec 29. [Epub ahead of print]
22.) Murlikiewicz K, Zawiasa A, Nowicki M. Vitamin D–a panacea in nephrology and beyond] Pol Merkur Lekarski. 2009 Nov;27(161):437-41.{article in Polish]
23.) Parker J, Hashmi O, Dutton D, Mavrodaris A, Stranges S, Kandala NB, Clarke A, Franco OH. Levels of Vitamin D and cardiometabolic disorders: systematic review and meta-analysis. Maturitas. 2010 Mar;65(3):225-36. Epub 2009 Dec 23.
24.) Pilz S, Dobnig H, Nijpels G, Heine RJ, Stehouwer CD, Snijder MB, van Dam RM, Dekker JM. Vitamin D and mortality in older men and women. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2009 Nov;71(5):666-72. Epub 2009 Feb 18.
25.) Pilz S, März W, Wellnitz B, Seelhorst U, Fahrleitner-Pammer A, Dimai HP, Boehm BO, Dobnig H. Association of Vitamin D deficiency with heart failure and sudden cardiac death in a large cross-sectional study of patients referred for coronary angiography. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2008 Oct;93(10):3927-35. Epub 2008 Aug 5.
26.) Wu PW, Rhew EY, Dyer AR, Dunlop DD, Langman CB, Price H, Sutton-Tyrrell K, McPherson DD, Edmundowicz D, Kondos GT, Ramsey-Goldman R. 25-hydroxyVitamin D and cardiovascular risk factors in women with systemic lupus erythematosus. Arthritis Rheum. 2009 Oct 15;61(10):1387-95.
27.) Baz-Hecht M, Goldfine AB. The impact of Vitamin D deficiency on diabetes and cardiovascular risk. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes. 2010 Apr;17(2):113-9.
28.) Cheng S, Massaro JM, Fox CS, Larson MG, Keyes MJ, McCabe EL, Robins SJ, O’Donnell CJ, Hoffmann U, Jacques PF, Booth SL, Vasan RS, Wolf M, Wang TJ. Adiposity, cardiometabolic risk, and Vitamin D status: the Framingham Heart Study. Diabetes. 2010 Jan;59(1):242-8. Epub 2009 Oct 15.
29.) Holick MF. Sunlight and Vitamin D for bone health and prevention of autoimmune diseases, cancers, and cardiovascular disease. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Dec;80(6 Suppl):1678S-88S.
30.) Ginde AA, Scragg R, Schwartz RS, Camargo CA Jr. Prospective study of serum 25-hydroxyVitamin D level, cardiovascular disease mortality, and all-cause mortality in older U.S. adults. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2009 Sep;57(9):1595-603. Epub 2009 Jun 22.
31.) Grant WB. How strong is the evidence that solar ultraviolet B and Vitamin D reduce the risk of cancer?: An examination using Hill’s criteria for causality. Dermatoendocrinol. 2009 Jan;1(1):17-24.
32.) Holick MF, Chen TC. Vitamin D deficiency: a worldwide problem with health consequences. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Apr;87(4):1080S-6S.
33.) Holick MF. Vitamin D: its role in cancer prevention and treatment. Prog Biophys Mol Biol. 2006 Sep;92(1):49-59. Epub 2006 Mar 10.
34.) Ingraham BA, Bragdon B, Nohe A. Molecular basis of the potential of Vitamin D to prevent cancer. Curr Med Res Opin. 2008 Jan;24(1):139-49.
35.) Pilz S, Dobnig H, Winklhofer-Roob B, Riedmüller G, Fischer JE, Seelhorst U, Wellnitz B, Boehm BO, März W. Low serum levels of 25-hydroxyVitamin D predict fatal cancer in patients referred to coronary angiography. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2008 May;17(5):1228-33. Epub 2008 May 7.
36.) Pilz S, Tomaschitz A, Obermayer-Pietsch B, Dobnig H, Pieber TR. Epidemiology of Vitamin D insufficiency and cancer mortality. Anticancer Res. 2009 Sep;29(9):3699-704.
37.) Ginde AA, Mansbach JM, Camargo CA Jr. Association between serum 25-hydroxyVitamin D level and upper respiratory tract infection in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Arch Intern Med. 2009 Feb 23;169(4):384-90.
38.) Annweiler C, Schott AM, Allali G, Bridenbaugh SA, Kressig RW, Allain P, Herrmann FR, Beauchet O. Association of Vitamin D deficiency with cognitive impairment in older women: cross-sectional study. Neurology. 2010 Jan 5;74(1):27-32. Epub 2009 Sep 30.
39.) Cherniack EP, Troen BR, Florez HJ, Roos BA, Levis S. Some new food for thought: the role of Vitamin D in the mental health of older adults. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2009 Feb;11(1):12-9.
40.) Wilkins CH, Sheline YI, Roe CM, Birge SJ, Morris JC. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with low mood and worse cognitive performance in older adults. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2006 Dec;14(12):1032-40.
41.) Cutolo M, Otsa K. Review: Vitamin D, immunity and lupus. Lupus. 2008;17(1):6-10.
42.) Kamen DL, Cooper GS, Bouali H, Shaftman SR, Hollis BW, Gilkeson GS. Vitamin D deficiency in systemic lupus erythematosus. Autoimmun Rev. 2006 Feb;5(2):114-7. Epub 2005 Jun 21.
43.) Bischoff-Ferrari HA, Willett WC, Wong JB, Giovannucci E, Dietrich T, Dawson-Hughes B. Fracture prevention with Vitamin D supplementation: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. JAMA. 2005 May 11;293(18):2257-64.
44.) Bischoff HA, Stähelin HB, Tyndall A, Theiler R. Relationship between muscle strength and Vitamin D metabolites: are there therapeutic possibilities in the elderly? Z Rheumatol. 2000;59 Suppl 1:39-41.
45.) DIPART (Vitamin D Individual Patient Analysis of Randomized Trials) Group. Patient level pooled analysis of 68 500 patients from seven major Vitamin D fracture trials in US and Europe. BMJ. 2010 Jan 12;340:b5463. doi: 10.1136/bmj.b5463.
46.) Houston DK, Cesari M, Ferrucci L, Cherubini A, Maggio D, Bartali B, Johnson MA, Schwartz GG, Kritchevsky SB. Association between Vitamin D status and physical performance: the InCHIANTI study. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2007 Apr;62(4):440-6.
47.) Kwon J, Suzuki T, Yoshida H, Kim H, Yoshida Y, Iwasa H. Concomitant lower serum albumin and Vitamin D levels are associated with decreased objective physical performance among Japanese community-dwelling elderly. Gerontology. 2007;53(5):322-8. Epub 2007 May 29.
48.) Pfeifer M, Begerow B, Minne HW. Vitamin D and muscle function. Osteoporos Int. 2002 Mar;13(3):187-94.
49.) Judd SE, Nanes MS, Ziegler TR, Wilson PW, Tangpricha V. Optimal Vitamin D status attenuates the age-associated increase in systolic blood pressure in white Americans: results from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Jan;87(1):136-41.
50.) Pilz S, Dobnig H, Fischer JE, Wellnitz B, Seelhorst U, Boehm BO, März W. Low Vitamin d levels predict stroke in patients referred to coronary angiography. Stroke. 2008 Sep;39(9):2611-3. Epub 2008 Jul 17.
51.) Melamed ML, Michos ED, Post W, Astor B.25-hydroxyVitamin D levels and the risk of mortality in the general population. Arch Intern Med. 2008 Aug 11;168(15):1629-37.
52.) Jacobs ET, Alberts DS, Foote JA, Green SB, Hollis BW, Yu Z, Martínez ME. Vitamin D insufficiency in southern Arizona. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Mar;87(3):608-13.
53.) Park S, Johnson MA. Living in low-latitude regions in the United States does not prevent poor Vitamin D status. Nutr Rev. 2005 Jun;63(6 Pt 1):203-9.
54.) Low Vitamin D Levels Tied to Incontinence. WebMD March 22, 2010 http://www.webmd.com/urinary-incontinence-oab/news/20100322/low-Vitamin-d-linked-incontinence.
55.) The Vitamin D Council. Vitamin D Council
56.) Wikipedia: Vitamin D. Wikipedia Vitamine D
57.) Holick MF. Environmental factors thatinfluence the cutaneous production of Vitamin D. Am J Clin Nutr. 1995 Mar;61(3 Suppl):638S-645S.
58.) Vieth R. Vitamin D supplementation, 25-hydroxyVitamin D concentrations, and safety. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999 May;69(5):842-56.
59.) Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2007;357:266-281.
60.) GrassrootsHealth. Disease incidence prevention by serum 25(OH)D level.Grassroots Heaalth. Accessed May 8, 2009.
61.) Dall T, Anderson J. Vitamin D: merging research into clinical lipid practice. Lipid Spin. 2008;6(3):4-8.
62.) Heaney RP. What is a Vitamin D deficiency?Grassroots Health Vitamin D deficiency. Accessed May 8, 2009.

 

 

Saturated Fats and The Big Fat Lie 


“For every complicated problem there is a solution that is simple, direct, understandable, and wrong.” — H.L. Mencken

 Everybody knows that saturated fats are unhealthy, just like everybody knew once upon a time that the earth was flat. The saturated fat myth has seriously compromised the heart-health of Americans, and it’s all based on a Big Fat Lie. Here’s how this fairy tale came to be….

How Bad Science (And Urban Health Legends) Get Started

Once upon a time, not so very long ago in a place called Nebraska (where the corn grows as high as an elephant’s eye) there lived a handsome young man who was very wealthy and powerful and kept himself very fit. This young man worked hard making millions of dollars in the construction industry and he loved to eat hamburgers. Though he was a very happy young man with a fine family and a successful business, all was not well. One day the young man became very sick. He suffered a heart attack, and almost died.

The young man’s doctors were very skilled and they saved the his life, but this turn of events frightened the young man very much and he set out to discover why such a dreadful thing happened to him. He found out that his blood cholesterol was high and his doctors told him that this was the cause of his heart attack. Without questioning whether this was true or not, the young man made up his mind to ensure that this would never happen again. He set out to learn as much as he could about heart disease and cholesterol, and quickly decided that the foods he was eating were to blame for his troubles. You see, the experts at that time believed that certain kinds of fats called saturated fats would cause high blood cholesterol and dangerous buildups of a substance called plaque in peoples blood vessels. The young man listened carefully to these “experts,” and being a fine young man who wished to help others avoid the troubles that he had experienced, he decided that he would do everything in his power to make sure that saturated fats never ever harmed anyone again.

The young man wrote many letters and spent much of his own money to take out big newspaper ads telling people how they were being poisoned by saturated fats. He made a lot of people believe in the same things that he believed – that is, that saturated fats were bad and would make them sick and had no place in a healthy diet. The young man’s efforts were quite successful and many big companies were forced to change the way they cooked their foods. They stopped using the saturated fats, and began to use fats that were created especially for them by big industries in big factories. They said that these fats were healthier, and the young man was pleased.

The young man became very popular, and dedicated the rest of his life to his mission of spreading the word about “bad saturated fats” and cholesterol to all who would listen. He didn’t live happily ever after, but he did live a long life, and became known as “America’s Number One Cholesterol Fighter” before he became sick with heart failure and passed away just a few years ago.

While this sounds like a fairy tale, it really isn’t. Philip Sokolof was a handsome and wealthy young man who suffered a heart attack that was blamed on high cholesterol and who dedicated himself and his millions to becoming a self-described “amateur cardiologist” and championing the cause of removing the saturated fats that he believed caused elevated blood cholesterol levels from the American diet. While his intentions were good, his science was shaky (he was a high school graduate, not a biochemist or a doctor – much less a cardiologist) and his misguided campaign resulted in the replacement of stable, healthy saturated fats with artificially created trans fatty acids that we now know as extremely dangerous “trans fats.”

Big Business (Can You Say “Proctor and Gamble”?) Helps Promote the Sat Fat Myth

While Sokolof was largely responsible for the vilification of saturated fats in America, he was not alone. The campaign against saturated fats actually began many years earlier, and Sokolof’s efforts were going on at the same time as the efforts from other political organizations were gathering momentum. A few years prior to Sokolof’s efforts, in 1986, the American Soybean Association began a campaign protesting the importation of competing palm and coconut oils. Two years later the “watchdog” organization, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, took up the cry against saturated fats with the publication of a booklet that was later found to contain mistakes, errors of biochemistry, and erroneous statements about the fat composition of foods. This concerted campaign against saturated tropical oils paid off, and ” fats” have been considered poison ever since by mainstream medicine and nutrition “experts.”

To discover why saturated fats have been given such a bad rap we need to go a little further back into history – perhaps as far back as the riverboat days of Mark Twain, but at least to the Second World War, when Japanese forces occupied much of the south Pacific and supplies of most of the tropical oils in the US were cut off for a number of years. Americans turned to home-grown substitutes: polyunsaturated oils such as corn, peanut, cottonseed, and a product of the aforementioned American Soybean Association, soy oil. As the use of these oils grew the growers and industries involved in their production became more powerful and eager to protect their market at any cost.

At this same time, in the early 1950′s, America began to notice a sharp increase in rates of cardiovascular disease and researchers were looking for answers. A study conducted by a Russian researcher found that rabbits, fed with animal fats (cholesterol) added to their feed developed fatty deposits in their skin and other tissues, including their blood vessels. (I’ll bet those normally vegetarian bunnies wondered what they were being fed!) Another sensational study relied on autopsies of American soldiers that had died in the Korean conflict and found that many of those examined had buildups of arterial plaque – atherosclerosis. (Which surely couldn’t have had anything to do with the military diet of the day, right? Or with the popularity of cigarette smoking?) This study, which made major news at the time, overshadowed other studies of the period which showed similar degrees of atherosclerosis in populations which had less mortality from heart disease despite high fat and high meat diets, or that ate far more vegetarian diets and suffered similar degrees of atherosclerosis, and generally indicated that the thickening of the arterial walls is a natural and unavoidable process. The press took the headline-grabbing autopsy results and ran with them using their usual logic of “the rooster crows every morning, and then the sun rises: therefore, the crowing of the rooster is what makes sunrise happen!”

During the 1960′s the attack on saturated fats continued with unabated vigor: despite scientific studies showing a decided lack of benefits companies such as Mazola and Proctor and Gamble promoted their vegetable oil creations as being especially healthy, and medical journals of the day promoted Fleischman’s unsalted margarine as being especially good for patients with high blood pressure. The American Medical Association was initially skeptical of all this hype but after the American Heart Association published its dietary guidelines damning animal fats and praising vegetable oils the AMA quickly fell into line. In 1966 a little self-help book called “Your Heart Has Nine Lives” advocated the substitution of vegetable oils for butter and other so-called “artery clogging” saturated fats. This book was sponsored by makers of Mazola Corn Oil and Mazola Margarine – no surprise – and was widely and freely circulated.

And that brings us to the handsome young man with his clogged arteries. Despite volumes of evidence to the contrary, saturated fats have been the “fall guy” for coronary artery disease since the 1950′s when in fact, as early as 1956 one researcher had suggested that the increasing use of hydrogenated vegetable oils might be the underlying cause of the CAD epidemic. Unwilling to stand idly by and let profits be imperiled by such things as health or humanitarian concerns, the massive and powerful edible oil industry in the United States has obfuscated, bullied, manipulated, and outright lied to protect it’s burgeoning market share. Supporting the flawed science of Philip Sokolof and pressuring legislators to adopt the anti-saturated fat / tropical oils legislation that he promoted was just good business.

Setting the Record Straight about Sat Fats

So, just what are these so-called saturated fats, where do they come from, and what are they used for? Well, the answers to these questions might be a surprise – sat fats are not what we have been led to believe. The most exact answers to the question “what is a saturated fat?” require some tedious and complicated science, and there are varying degrees of saturation. It is easier to simply think of the properties of “hardness” of fats.

A fat that is fully “saturated” would be as hard as wax, and quite indigestible. Fats that are almost totally “unsaturated” are very liquid, easily absorbed, and not at all common in the natural food supply. This “hardness” of fats is also dependant upon temperature. Many fats are liquid when warm, and solid when cold. Butter, for example, is quite hard when refrigerated, but soft at room temperature. Animal fats such as beef fat, lard, or chicken fat, while usually called “saturated fats” are actually not so: they are mixtures of naturally occurring fats and are actually less than half “saturated.” So-called “saturated fats” include things such as cocoa butter, dairy fats (milk fats and butter for example), palm oil, and tallow. Even breast milk is high in saturated fats! Monounsaturated fats include most animal fats, olive oil, canola oil, and peanut oil. Polyunsaturated fats include corn, cotton, and soybean oils, borage and primrose oil, flax seed oil, and fish oil.

Then there are the “modified” oils: oils that have been altered through a process called “hydrogenation” to make them more useful for certain applications. Margarine is a perfect example of hydrogenation: liquid oil such as cottonseed oil or corn oil, something that humans would never eat in nature, is altered to make it more solid and hard at room temperature. Crisco is another example – the name stands for CRyStalized Cottonseed Oil. The degree of hydrogenation is varied according to the desired use of the oil. Heavily hydrogenated oils might become stick margarine, while less hydrogenated or “partially hydrogenated” oils would become “spreads” or other “food products.”

Then there are the “trans fats” that have been in the news lately. These are fats that have had their molecular geometry altered, either on purpose or accidentally, and they are with very few and minor exceptions, not found in nature. Trans fats, when eaten by humans, tend to have some very bad effects on our bodies as they enter our cells and change how the cell walls function. Effects of trans fats in humans (and animals too) range from unfavorable changes in cholesterol levels to causing blood to become more “sticky”, to reduced ability to utilize insulin and increased blood sugar levels and increased weight, to alterations in hormone balances, and more. Trans fats are really only a very small step away from polyunsaturated fats – many polyunsaturated fats can be turned “trans” simply by heating them too much in cooking!

So, what does all this mean in more practical terms? It means that we must choose our fats carefully, and use them wisely. It means that we must cautiously weigh the claimed benefits of the vegetable-based hydrogenated “designer fats” that are so very commonplace in our modern “fast foods / prepared foods” diet against the known benefits of those traditional and natural fats that have been a part of mankind’s diet for millions of years.

We humans have evolved over the millennia as creatures that are well-adapted to, and in fact require, animal fats and proteins in our diets for optimal health – the claims of the vegetarian and vegan folks notwithstanding. Indeed, our very first meal, at our mother’s breast, supplied us with a high energy drink that gave our tiny bodies the cholesterol needed for development, and a special fat called Lauric Acid. This Lauric Acid, which is also found in the now-vilified tropical oils coconut oil and palm kernel oil has very strong antifungal and antibacterial properties and helps our tiny infant bodies develop strong immune systems. We are very well equipped to utilize fatty acids in the form of saturated fats such as dairy fats, and monounsaturated fats such as animal fats and olive oil. It is only with the advent of modern industrial processes that polyunsaturated fats such as corn and soybean oils have been available for our consumption – though fish oils (a form of polyunsaturated animal fat) have historically been considered to be healthy.

Why You Should Eat Butter and Lard

Butter, as another example, has a far healthier composition as a saturated fat than the synthesized creations that are the various margarines. Being a combination of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats it is not as “stable” as margarine – that is, it will turn rancid (a form of turning “trans”) if not refrigerated. But then, who would eat rancid butter? It also contains a variety of health-giving vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.

Does anyone remember the jar of bacon grease that was a fixture in every kitchen before the days of “spray-on” cooking oils, non-stick fry pans and fat-phobia? My mother carefully saved the grease from the morning bacon, and it was used to cook all sorts of wonderful things, from our morning eggs to delectable entrees and even desserts. We keep a jar of bacon grease in our own kitchen – it is far healthier than the canola oil and soy lecithin and “propellants” (your guess?) that are in our can of “no stick cooking spray.”

Then there is our obsession with “vegetable oils” as found in the aforementioned Crisco shortening. It is interesting to note that Proctor and Gamble, perhaps seeing the writing on the wall, or perhaps in a belated fit of conscience, has sold off the Crisco name and product. This “all vegetable oil” creation, once made from cottonseed oil, is now made from canola oil which must be hydrogenated (as was the cottonseed oil) to make it semi-solid. Smuckers, the new owners of Crisco, claims “Our entire line of Crisco Shortening products have been reformulated to contain zero grams trans fat per serving”. Can anyone reading this remember the days when lard was used? All-natural, no-trans-fat lard that made such wonderfully fluffy pastries and flaky pie crusts? Do we really think that humans are well-equipped to consume the kinds of oils that require bushels of rape seed or corn or soybeans per gallon to produce? Any more than we might be equipped to consume petroleum oils – no matter how they are “modified”?

Just like our handsome young man who made it his life’s mission to vilify healthful fats, we live in a fairy-tale world where we are led to believe that with a little help from chemistry and science we can fool mother nature into allowing us to consume “food products” that our bodies were never intended to have to deal with. Unfortunately, life in that fairy tale world is having very real and very serious consequences for Americans and people around the world who are buying into the anti-sat-fat fantasy being promoted by the vegetable oils industry. We are gambling our health and our lives and our future on a grand industrial experiment, and it is paying off with increasing rates of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and more.

At the beginning of the last century, most of the fats in our forefathers diet were either saturated or monounsaturated, mostly from butter, lard, tallow, coconut oil and small amounts of olive oil. Today most of the fats in our diet are polyunsaturated from vegetable oils mostly from soy, as well as from corn, safflower and canola. Before 1920 coronary heart disease was a rarity in America, causing no more than 10% of all deaths. Today heart disease accounts for at least 40% of all deaths. Is there a connection? We believe there is, and a growing body of scientists, researchers, and health care professionals is beginning to stand up to the politically correct diet dogma that is dictating low fat diets and vegetable fats instead of animal or tropical fats. For a historically interesting end to this article we go back to 1956 when Dr. Dudley White, in a television interview, noted that heart disease in the form of myocardial infarction (heart attack) was almost nonexistent in 1900 when egg consumption was three times what it was in 1956 and when corn oil was unavailable. When pressed to support the low-fat, vegetable oil based “Prudent Diet”, Dr. White replied: “See here, I began my practice as a cardiologist in 1921 and I never saw an MI patent until 1928. Back in the MI free days before 1920, the fats were butter and lard and I think that we would all benefit from the kind of diet that we had at a time when no one had ever heard the word corn oil.”

Former surgeon general Dr. C. Everett Koop even said, during congressional hearings in 1988: “the coconut scare is foolishness. . . To get the word to commercial interests terrorizing the public about nothing is another matter.” Could it be that it is time to turn away from the dangerous designer oils and fats of Big Industry and return to the animal and tropical fats that served our ancestors so well? We think it is!

Finally, let’s look briefly at this current medical fad that demands that we reduce cholesterol levels in our bloodstream to the lowest possible levels. Remember, cholesterol is essential to life; so essential that your liver will make it “de novo” – from new – if your body senses that it doesn’t have enough of this precious material. Even conventional medicine, in the form of The Framingham Report – the oldest, longest, and biggest study into heart disease in history – determined that when total serum cholesterol is reduced below 160 the risk of heart disease actually increases. Even more interestingly, the Director of The Framingham Study, Dr. William Castelli said in the July 1992 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine “At Framingham, we found that the people who ate the most saturated fat, the most cholesterol and the most calories weighed the least, were more physically active and had the lowest serum cholesterol levels.” We can only imagine the dismay that this information must have cause for Philip Sokolof; he must have been aware of it as it was published over a decade before his death. Nevertheless, Sokolof persisted in his efforts to vilify saturated fats and remove cholesterol from the American diet and we can only guess as to why he would continue these efforts in the face of research showing them to be wrong, even harmful. Was he simply too stubborn to accept the facts that proved him wrong, or was he too fully caught up in the whirlwind of Big Politics, Big Industry, Big Agriculture, and Big Pharmacy to be able to change? We’ll never know…

References
1.) Sokolof article http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/11/26/health/main585849.shtml
2.) Sokolof death http://www.blogofdeath.com/archives/000902.html
3.) D Groom, “Population Studies of Atherosclerosis,” Annals of Int Med , July 1961, 55:1:51-62; W F Enos, et al, “Pathogenesis of Coronary Disease in American Soldiers Killed in Korea,” JAMA , 1955, 158:912
4.) “Hydrogenated vegetable oils might be the underlying cause of the CAD epidemic”
A Keys, “Diet and Development of Coronary Heart Disease,” J Chron Dis, Oct 1956, 4(4):364-380
5.) Excerpt from “The Coconut Diet: The Secret Ingredient That Helps You Lose Weight While You Eat Your Favorite Foods” by Cherie Calbom http://www.enotalone.com/article/3242.html
6.) http://easydiagnosis.com/articles/oiling.html “The Oiling of America” by Enig and Fallon – many rerferences following this 4 part series.
7.) http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/skinny.html#lipid
The Weston A Price Society Enig & Fallon article “The Skinny on Fats”
8.) Framingham Study reports re: total cholesterol <160:
“There is a direct association between falling cholesterol levels over the first 14 years and mortality over the following 18 years” (11% overall and 14% CVD death rate increase per 1 mg/dL per year drop in cholesterol levels). Anderson KM JAMA 1987
9.) The Honolulu Heart Study:
“Our data accord with previous findings of increased mortality in elderly people with low serum cholesterol, and show that long-term persistence of low cholesterol concentration actually increases the risk of death. Thus, the earlier that patients start to have lower cholesterol concentrations, the greater the risk of death.” Lancet Aug 2001.

 

Kick Butt


A 5-Point Program to Stop Smoking for Good

Chronic (daily) tobacco use (smoking or chewing) is one of the most health-harming habits anyone can engage in. (Daily bungee-jumping might be more harmful). And it’s not “just” lung disease: the effects of smoking cause premature aging and damage from head to toe.

In case you don’t know about the other “non-lung” problems caused by smoking, read Smoking: Just the Facts^ (The link opens in a new window). Then come back here to learn what you can do to either:

A.) help protect yourself from many of the harmful effects of tobacco use,

OR (better yet)

B.) stop smoking altogether.

Tobacco is a highly addictive substance. Some say that it is one of the most difficult drugs to quit. Here is my 5-point plan for making your “stop smoking” decision easier and surer.

1.) Decide on a “quit date.” Whether you plan on decreasing your tobacco use gradually or quitting “cold turkey,” have a “quit date” selected and stick to it.

In practice, I have observed higher success rates among those who quit “cold turkey,” but pick a plan and stick with it no matter which method you choose.

2.) Keep a “smoking triggers” diary for one week. Write down when you tend to smoke. Is it on work-break? After meals? When driving?

Whatever your “triggers” are, you’ll need to plan alternate activities. For example, if you usually smoke at work breaks, plan to take a brief walk around the building or outdoor area instead.

Nature abhors a vacuum. If you don’t have other activities planned, you’ll revert to your habitual “smoking times,” even when you don’t physically crave a cigarette.

3.) Take a high-quality multiple Vitamin/Mineral Supplement. Smoking depletes B complex vitamins, antioxidants and other nutrients. These nutrients not only protect from some of the harmful effects of smoking, but they are involved in the production of neurotransmitters.

Imbalances in neurotransmitters – aka “brain hormones” – are a common cause of cravings. Taking a high quality multiple vitamin/mineral formula helps balance these brain chemicals and reduce cravings during withdrawal from tobacco.

NOTE: You need an Optimal Dose vitamin formula (6-9 capsules per day), not a “minimal Dose one-per-day formula. Here is a chart to show you optimal doses of individual nutrients: Optimal Dose Vitamins and Minerals

4.) Neurotransmitter Testing. Smoking alters the levels of Neurotransmitters (NT’s). It may also be that alterations in NT levels contribute to initial tobacco addiction.

For example: some people smoke because it increases energy levels. Low energy, in turn, can be cause by low epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (nor-adrenaline) NT levels. If these NT levels are low, normalizing them by natural methods can overcome the “energy rush’ offered by smoking.

Serotonin, epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine, GABA, PEA and histamine can all be involved in the addiction/craving cycle. A simple urine test which measures levels of these important “head hormones” can allow us to balance brain chemistry naturally and break the addictive cycle without low energy, nervousness and other symptoms many “quitters” experience.

Natural alternatives to “head meds” exist, and they can be used to balance brain chemistry once the results of your test are in.

5.) “How Bad Do You Want It”? as the Don Henley tune asks

Make sure your list of “why I want to quit” is a strong one. You’ll use this to remind yourself to stay firm when waves of cravings roll through.

It’s fine to want to quit for someone else, but be sure to have some “me” reasons on the list as well. Here are a few to get you started. Feel free to use any of those that apply to you!

Save money, improve breathing, decrease risk of heart disease, slow the aging process, live long enough to enjoy retirement (or the grandkids), set a good example for the grandkids (or your own children), not smell like stale smoke all the time, be free of addiction, have more energy, move with greater ease.

By following this 5-point program, anyone who really wants to quit can do so. I’ve got hundreds of successful “quitters” in my practice, a testimony to the success of this program and the power of genuine motivation.

 

Are you ready to feel younger and more energetic than you have in years … or maybe even your entire life ?


Detoxify Your Body from the Harmful Effects of
Environmental Pollutants, Intestinal Waste and Parasites,
Drugs, Food Additives and Impure Thoughts
and Increase Your Health, Vitality and Life Expectancy Today!

From: The Desk of Dr. Dana Myatt
To: Sincere Health-Seekers Everywhere

Hidden Toxins are Everywhere,
Including Your Body

The world around us is filled with toxic chemicals. We encounter these chemicals in the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, the cosmetics we apply to our skin, the household cleaners we scrub with, the pesticides and synthetic fertilizers we spray or sprinkle in our gardens and dozens of other sources. Other toxins are actually produced in our bodies, the end-result of cellular metabolism (cell waste products). There is really no escaping exposure to toxins, and in addition to the internally-derived toxins, many of the external toxins also find their way into our bodies.

How do we know that humans absorb any significant amount of these toxins? Since 1976, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) started measuring levels of environmental toxins found in people. (The National Adipose Tissue Survey, or NHATS). The study looked at fat samples from people all over the country and measured the level of toxins present. In 1982, for example, they looked for 54 different environmental toxins, and their results were shocking. Five toxic chemicals were found in 100% of the samples and another 9 toxins were identified in 91 percent of all samples. These toxins included nasty chemicals like benzene, toluene, chlorobenzene, DDE and dioxins. PCB’s, substances which are highly toxic to the immune system, were found in 83% of all samples. A total of 20 toxic chemicals were identified in 76% of all samples— and remember, these “samples” were fat tissue taken from real people! “Environmental toxins” aren’t just in the world around us, they are in our own bodies.

Toxins Have Been Killing You Slowly For Years

The question isn’t “does your body contain toxic chemicals,” but rather, how many of these chemicals are in your system and what effect do they have on your health?

Toxins in the body are known to cause cancers, neurological diseases, autoimmune conditions, deceased immune function, allergies, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple chemical sensitivities and fibromyalgia. And those are just the diseases that we KNOW are associated with body toxicity! There are many other conditions that appear to be associated, if not outright caused, by the accumulation of toxins in the body. Fatigue, headache, anxiety and depression, skin conditions (acne, eczema), rashes, Attention Deficit Disorder and even heart disease are all related to stored toxins in the body.

Imagine What Can Happen When
These Toxins are Removed

If you suffer from an illness, removing stored toxins in the system will go a long way toward cure. In many cases, detoxification IS the cure, especially when the disease is caused primarily by toxicity.

Even if you feel perfectly well, the presence of toxins in your body decreases your level of health and vitality. A gradual but certain decline in immune function, for example, might not be noticeable at first. But why wait until you have allergies, or catch colds more often, or are diagnosed with cancer? Regular detoxification will not only help prevent disease but will also reveal new levels of energy and stamina you didn’t even know you were missing!

What is Involved in a Detoxification Program?

In order to understand what a “good detoxification program” looks like, you need to know a little bit about how the body processes toxic substances. There are five major organs of detoxification and all five of these must be functioning in top form in order to properly remove toxic substances. These organs include the colon (large intestine), liver, kidneys, lungs and skin. Of these five, the liver and colon are considered the two “major players” in the detoxification process. Toxins that are not removed are stored in fat, bones, soft tissue and individual cells (which means every place in the body)!

SO, a thorough detoxification program must get all five detoxification organs in top form AND must pull toxins out of storage.

Total Body Detoxification
Produces Faster and More Impressive Results
than “Bowel Cleansing” Programs

There are a number of “detoxification programs” on the market. Many are downright silly, but some are pretty good. The problem that I see with all of them is that most only address one detoxification system. As you’ve just learned, there are five detox organs which all work together to process and remove toxins from the body. Why would we think that a great “detox program” would involve only one of the five?

For example, there is a popular “bowel cleansing program” on the market. As far as bowel cleansing goes, this is a good program. But even thoroughly cleaning the bowels does not ensure that the liver’s detox pathways are working correctly, and the liver must process toxic chemicals into non-toxic chemicals long before they reach the bowel. Nor will a “clean colon” pull stored toxins out of fat, bone and soft tissue. A well-functioning colon, accomplished by some form of “colon cleanse,” is certainly part of a good detox program, but it is not the whole of it. If you want to really remove toxins from your body, a Total Body Detoxification program is the only way to go.

Forget Fasting, Coffee Enemas,
and Eating Tofu Burgers—
Real Detoxification is Easier Than You Might Think

I won’t try to fool you: a Total Body Detoxification program requires more work than simply swallowing a couple of supplements and drinking a special tea. After all, if toxins are still coming in at a brisk pace (for example, by way of impure food), then all the cleansing in the world won’t be able to remove poisons faster than they are introduced. A real detoxification program requires attention not only to the eliminative organs, but also to removing sources of incoming toxins.

On the other hand, the body is a remarkably forgiving organism when we give it a break, and a Total Body Detoxification is not as difficult as you might think. Although in extreme cases, extreme measures are sometimes necessary, most people can safely and effectively detoxify without doing strange and difficult things like coffee enemas, fasting, daily hour-long saunas or strenuous exercises. A few special nutritional formulas and supplements, several simple daily health practices, some minor but important diet changes and a positive attitude are all that is necessary to perform a powerful “detoxification program” which will remove much of the toxic waste that has accumulated in your body. As a result, you will find yourself feeling stronger and more energetic. Many little “nagging problems” will disappear, and even if you don’t have any current health complaints, you will be hedging your bet against disease.

Design a “Do It Yourself”
Total Body Detox Program

Don’t be stupid: if you have a serious medical condition, get professional help and guidance for your detoxification program. If you are in otherwise good health and want to undergo a Detox Program for preventive measures, here are my guidelines.

First, remember that you have five organs of elimination, all involved in the detox process. A Total Body Detox program will get each of these five organs in better working condition. Here’s how.

General Diet and Lifestyle:

Diet: Don’t eat junk! No sugar, white flour, soda pop, fruit juice (unless fresh made and even then, there’s more benefit in the fresh fruit). Milk isn’t a health food, but cheese is OK. Plenty of protein and non-starchy vegetables with modest fruit (berries are best). Blueberries, salmon, lemons, “greens” (kale, beet green, etc.), walnuts, garlic and onions, cruciferous veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts) and tomatoes (especially tomato paste) are Super Foods. Knock yourself out.

The “phytonutrients” in plants are important all the time, but especially during detoxification where they regulate liver enzymes, improve bowel function and serve as antioxidants. The recommended daily intake is 10-18 servings of veggies per day, preferably organic. I have found this level of intake all but impossible to obtain without supplementation. A green food concentrate such as Greens First, one scoop per day (it tastes great in a Super Shake, mentioned below), provides the nutrient equivalent of 10+ servings of veggies. Although I highly recommend this formula on a daily basis, it is especially important during a Total Body Detox program.

Lifestyle:

I.) Exercise: 30 minutes minimum of exercise that gets you breathing harder than usual, preferably outdoors.

II.) Sunshine: minimum 10 minutes per day of “real” sunlight. The scare stories about sunlight causing cancer are unfounded (unless you are foolish and stay out for hours until you burn).

III.) Sleep: 8 hours per night, especially during Detox but in general, 8 hours is a healthful routine.

Now for the specific organs of detoxification:

For the LUNGS: Daily deep breathing exercises, performed for 10 minutes, twice per day. (This assumes that you have good air to breathe. If you live in a polluted city, these exercises should be performed in a building with a good air purifier, or next best, get to a park or place with a lot of trees and green growing things. Plants purify the air.) Breathing exercises can include aerobic activity (which increases the depth of respiration), singing, blowing up balloons, or deliberate “belly breathing.” (A true deep breath should make the belly expand).

For the Kidneys: Pure H2O (that would be water!), 64 ounces per day or more if you are working outdoors doing sweaty manual labor. The kidneys remove water-soluble toxins. When the urine is dilute (from drinking sufficient water), the toxins are diluted and do not damage the kidneys or bladder on their way out of your system. But with too little water intake, the toxins removed by the kidneys can be sufficiently concentrated so as to damage kidney function. When this happens, the kidneys become less able to remove toxins.

If you own a well, do you have it tested annually? Don’t assume that your well water, which was good last year, remains so over time. An annual water test is highly recommended, even in areas of known water quality. If you live in a city or drink municipal water, don’t (drink the water, that is)! Purified water or spring water is an alternative, or purchase a water filter for your home drinking water.

For the SKIN: Daily skin brushing, using a soft-bristled skin brush (available at most health food stores) or a loofah (but use this only in the shower; it is too coarse to use dry). The skin brush, however, should be used on dry skin. Brush from head to toe, excluding the face. A “tip to toe” skin brushing should take about 5 minutes. Follow with a warm (not hot) shower and use pure soap. (Castile soap is a good one, but Dove and Ivory are acceptable). Saunas and steam baths are also highly skin-detoxifying if you have them available.

Surprising at it may seem, the skin is the largest organ of elimination in the body. Sweat (or perspiration if you’re a female), has the same composition as urine only more dilute. Be assured that if you have skin problems such as acne, eczema, psoriasis or other irritations, you have a condition of internal toxicity that needs to be corrected. When the liver, kidneys and colon are not able to remove toxins efficiently, the skin “picks up the slack,” and those removed toxins cause skin diseases of all types.

For the LIVER: As one of the two MAJOR detox organs, the liver deserves special attention. Here is how to increase the detoxification processes of the liver.

Protein. The liver has a high requirement for protein. With today’s foolish government-blessed “food pyramid” recommending 6-12 servings of carbohydrate foods per day, many people are actually protein deprived. Inadequate protein slows the liver’s detox abilities to a grinding halt. Be sure to get high quality protein every day, beginning with breakfast. Like steak and eggs? Go for it. Eggs in any form, especially farm-raised eggs cooked with yolks still runny, are a liver-lovin’ treat. Beef, fish (especially salmon) and wild game are the healthiest meats. Whey, especially the kind processed with the immune factors intact, is a “Super Food” for the liver. I recommend during a Total Body Detox that you have one Super Shake every day, either as a meal replacement or for a snack.

Special nutrients. The liver’s detoxification pathways require particular nutrients including vitamin B6, B12, folic acid, magnesium, methionine and inositol. Certain herbs also help stimulate liver detoxification, including milk thistle, dandelion and black radish. My favorite formula which contains these important liver detox nutrients and herbs in the correct amounts is Lipotropic Complex. Any detoxification program should include these liver-protecting and stimulating substances.

For the Colon: As the second MAJOR detox organ, the colon also deserves special attention.

Fiber. Soluble and insoluble fiber should be taken daily, not just during detox. The minimum recommended daily intake of fiber is 25 grams (but 40+ is better). The Standard American Diet (S.A.D.) contains an average of 10 grams. Some foods that you might think are high in fiber, such as lettuce, actually contain very little fiber. Most people get a lot less fiber than they think, but good colon health depends on adequate fiber intake.

There are a number of fiber formulas available. The best ones include both soluble and insoluble fiber. Read labels and aim for an additional 10 grams of fiber per day from supplemental fiber. (Start by adding 5 grams per day for a few days, then increase to 10. A sudden increase in fiber consumption can cause intestinal discomfort). An easy, inexpensive way to get this amount of both types of fiber is to include 2 TBS. of crude wheat bran (providing 6 grams of insoluble fiber) and 1 ounce of oat bran (providing 4.5 grams of soluble fiber) per day. This can be made into a hot breakfast cereal or get creative and try a muffin recipe that includes both. (And send me the recipe when you develop a good one)! Ground flax seed meal can also be added, as it includes both types of fiber AND important Omega-3 fatty acids.

Activated charcoal. As great as increased fiber is at improving bowel movements and hence the elimination of toxins through the bowel, nothing compares to activated charcoal for it’s ability to adsorb toxins and carry them out of the body. Nothing. During a Total Body Detox program, when the body is releasing toxins at a fast rate, you should consume 10 grams (1 TBS.) of activated charcoal twice per day OR (alternate plan), 20 grams at bedtime. This would require 40 capsules of charcoal per dose. For this reason, I recommend a bulk powdered charcoal/bentonite formula call Enteraklenz (listed below under “Five Proven Formulas”).

Charcoal is messy. It sticks to everything it touches, which is why it is so amazing at removing toxins. The easiest way that I’ve found to take it is to put it in a screw-top jar with some crushed ice and water and shake, then drink with straw. a bit more water can be added when you are done to “rinse” the ice and get the last bit of charcoal. And yes, your teeth and tongue will be black when you finish, but a good tooth-brushing (preferably with baking soda instead of toothpaste which contains toxic fluoride) will take care of this in short order. The inconvenience is well worth the health benefit of this amazing detoxifier!

Five Proven Formulas
That Detoxify and Rejuvenate
The Entire Body

As you have seen, much of a Total Body Detox can be accomplished by diet and lifestyle improvements. Fiber can be easily obtained by eating a combination of wheat and oat bran, thus avoiding expensive supplements. Still, there are several formulas which perform Detox functions above and beyond what can be obtained from food and lifestyle practices alone. I believe that these five supplemental formulas should be a part of any serious Total Body Detox program.

1.) For the Liver: Lipotropic Complex, providing the necessary nutrients and support herbs to enhance liver detoxification pathways. Dose: 1 cap, 3 times per day with meals.

2.) For the Bowel: Entraklenz, a combination of charcoal and bentonite, a highly absorptive clay. Above and beyond the increased fiber, this formula provides a super-high-test toxin binding substance that will tightly bind and carry released toxins out of the bowel via the stools. (NOTE: your stools will be black, so don’t get spooked! It’s the charcoal). Dose: 1 TBS, 2 times per day or 2 TBS, once per day (next best). Continue for 3 weeks.

3.) For Cellular Detox: Chlorella. This particular algae increases removal of cellular waste products plus it binds and removes many heavy (toxic) metals from the system. Dose: 2 caps, 3 times per day with meals.

PLUS:

Multiple vitamin/mineral formula with antioxidants. A High-potency, hypoallergenic multiple vitamin/mineral/trace mineral formula supplying target doses of antioxidant vitamins, B complex vitamins, selenium, magnesium, calcium and molybdenum, all of which are particularly important to detoxification. Make sure that your multiple provides optimal doses of these nutrients. (See optimal dose chart here). Maxi Multi is formulated to contain target levels of all of these nutrients. Please note: if you take separate formulas, expect to take a minimum of 9 capsules per day to obtain therapeutic daily doses. There is no such thing as a “one a day” vitamin formula. Small amounts of these nutrients are called “fairy dust” because they are insufficient to do anything important in the body but they make the supplement label look impressive!

High Omega-3 Fish oil: Dose: 2 caps, 3 times per day with meals OR take 1 TBS. of fish oil with a meal.

What about Laxatives and Parasite Formulas?

Many “bowel cleansing” programs include laxatives and an herbal “parasite formula,” but I don’t generally recommend them as a necessary part of a good Total Body Detox program.

The increased fiber intake plus more veggies and less junk food normalizes bowel function, whether one tends toward diarrhea or constipation. If you are not having at least one generous bowel movement a day after several days, try adding 3A Magnesia to your program. Begin by taking one capsule with dinner. If you do not have a happy B.M. the next morning, take 2 caps the next evening with dinner. Increase by one capsule per day until you have a generous bowel movement in the morning. Again, many people will not need this with the addition of fiber, veggies and Omega-3 oils.

As to parasite formulas, most herbal capsules are not strong enough to eradicate common parasites. The addition of high fiber and charcoal does a number on many such pests anyway. If bowel or systemic symptoms persist after the detox program that lead you to believe you may have intestinal parasites, a simple stool evaluation should be performed so that targeted therapy (as opposed to shotgun therapy), can be initiated.

Still Have Questions?

This is the “beta” draft of my Total Body Detox protocol, so this page may still contain unanswered questions. (I pushed to get the draft done today so my eager-to-detox friends Rene and Allison could get started)! 😉  If you have questions (simple ones!), please email me. If you have complicated questions or a serious medical history that requires supervision during detox, I am available for medical consultations by telephone. Either way, I wish you a health and happiness-producing Total Body Detoxification Program!

P.S. The “Full Monty” Total Body Detox program should last 3-4 weeks, but continue the multi vitamin/mineral formula, Omega-3 fish oil and wheat/oat bran combination indefinitely— they are part of an ongoing healthy lifestyle!

In Health,

Dr. Myatt

 

Sex Hormone Balance:


For Serious Anti-Aging and Disease Prevention

In both males and females, a decline or imbalance of the sex hormones is associated with a wide variety of health problems.

Imbalanced or decreased sex hormones in women can cause:

  • Acne or oily skin
  • Bloating
  • Bone loss
  • Breast disease including cancer
  • Cancer (hormone-related: breast, ovary, uterus)
  • Decreased fertility
  • Depression
  • Endometriosis
  • Excess facial and body hair
  • Heart disease
  • Heavy or painful periods
  • Hot flashes
  • Irregular periods
  • Irritability
  • Loss of muscle mass
  • Loss of scalp hair
  • Low libido
  • Memory lapses
  • Menstrual irregularities
  • Mood swings
  • Nervousness
  • Night sweats
  • Osteoporosis
  • Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
  • Poor concentration
  • Sleep disturbances
  • Tender or fibrocystic breasts
  • Urinary incontinence
  • Vaginal dryness
  • Weight gain

Imbalanced or decreased sex hormones in men can cause:

  • Bone loss
  • Decreased mental clarity
  • Decreased muscle strength
  • Decreased stamina
  • Decreased urine flow
  • Depression
  • Erectile dysfunction
  • Heart disease
  • Hot flashes
  • Increased abdominal fat
  • Increased urge to urinate
  • Irritability
  • Low sex drive
  • Mood swings
  • Night sweats
  • Poor concentration
  • Sleep disturbances

Youthful hormone balance, achieved with natural (“bio-identical”) hormone replacement therapy is considered a main-stay of anti-aging and longevity medicine.

Best Test for Sex Hormone Balance

The sex hormones can be tested in blood, saliva or urine. Urine provides the most accurate results, saliva is next best and blood testing is least accurate. Here’s why:

The sex hormones are released in “pulsed” doses throughout a 24-hour period. One hour, the output may be high, the next hour it may be low. This is a normal pattern for both sex and adrenal hormone excretion.

A blood sample gives us only a “photograph” of the hormones present at the time the blood is drawn. It tells us nothing about the 24-hour average of hormones (which is the real number we are concerned with). Blood testing is the least accurate measure of sex and adrenal hormones.

Saliva, which reflects an “average” of the 24-hour hormone content of the blood, is the next most accurate.

Because a 24-hour urine test “captures” both the highs and lows of hormone output for an entire 24-hour time period and averages them, this method of hormone testing is in my opinion the “Gold Standard” of hormone testing.

I currently recommend urine hormone testing for any patient who has concerns of hormone balance (which should be everyone over age 35-40!). Saliva testing is next best but does not appear to be as accurate.

What’s Your EQ?

Do you know what your EQ — estrogen quotient — is? You should, because this may be the single most important piece of information for preventing breast and prostate cancer. Here’s why:

Estriol (E3) is a “good” estrogen and higher levels of estriol are associated with less cancer risk. Estriol appears to block many of the effects of the carcinogenic estrogens, estradiol (E2), estrone (E1), and other related “pro-carcinogenic” estrogens. How do you find out if you have enough estriol to protect you from cancer? You calculate your EQ.

Studies done in the 19060’s and 1970’s showed that women with an EQ above 1.0 had a significantly lower risk of breast cancer. Many women today have EQ’s of less than 1.0, and breast cancer rates are on the rise. This is no coincidence.

Although the EQ ratio has been best-studied in women, it appears that a similar ratio may be predictive for prostate cancer in men.

I now recommend that my patients who have hormone testing done have the EQ performed at the same time. The results, if unfavorable, are easily improved with dietary changes, supplements, iodine therapy or other natural measures. Where cancer is concerned, “prevention” trumps “early detection” every time.

Learn more about urinary sex hormone testing, The “Gold Standard” of hormone testing, here: Comprehensive Plus Hormone Testing

 

Bio-Identical (Natural) Hormone Therapy Under Attack:


The Next Loss of Health Freedom

What is Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy (nHRT)?

Although synthetic and horse-urine derived hormones have been the standard in conventional medicine for years, such forms of hormone replacement therapy are unsafe. Higher risk of heart disease and hormones-related cancers are the most worrisome side effects of conventional hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Most holistic physicians prefer to use natural HRT (nHRT), an alternative that actually reduces the risk of heart disease, hormone related cancers, osteoporosis and premature aging.

Natural hormone replacement therapy is conducted by first performing a female hormone profile. Such testing of the entire complement of female hormones including estriol, estrone, estradiol, progesterone, testosterone and DHEA is almost NEVER done in conventional medicine. Instead of using a “generic” prescription, the holistic physician can instead use the results of the female hormone profile to write a custom-tailored hormone prescription for each patient. These customized hormone prescriptions are filled by “compounding pharmacists” who specialize in making custom formulas.

Unlike conventional HRT which uses high doses of estradiol and synthetic progesterone almost exclusively, nHRT typically encompasses all the sex hormones and in doses that attempt to duplicate the hormone pattern that a woman had in her younger years. This is a very different and much safer approach to hormone replacement therapy.

Thousands Helped with nHRT

Thousands if not hundreds of thousands of women and men have been helped with nHRT.
Not only is bio-identical hormone replacement safer than conventional HRT, it also works better for many people.

Women who have not found relief from menopausal symptoms with the unnatural hormones typically prescribed often feel better than they have in years once they are switched to natural hormone replacement. Further, duplicating the hormone pattern of youth has proven to be a potent anti-aging strategy employed by many holistic and longevity physicians.

Why Big Pharmacy Wants nHRT Outlawed

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, makers of Premarin® and Prempro® (the dangerous synthetic and horse urine-derived hormones), recently petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requesting severe restrictions on the compounding and dispensing of bio-identical hormones. If granted, these restrictions would put an end to all natural hormone replacement therapy.

Although “bio-identical hormones” appear far safer than conventional hormone therapy, Big Pharmacy and their lap dog, the FDA, are trying hard (and will probably win) at making natural, safe, bio-identical hormones illegal. Hey — if the competition cuts into profits, why not just destroy it?