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| Vitamin D deficiency: an epidemic |
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| One Life Chiropractic |
October 2009 |
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EVENT!!
Hormones 101
Dr. Kristy Allen has been asked by Emerita to give a lecture on Hormones, what they are, how they work and natural ways to approach replacement therapy.
Join us at the Market Cafe, upstairs in the Pittsford Wegmans Tuesday, October 13th from 6:30-8:00pm.
Tickets are $10 and available at One Life Chiropractic and the Wegmans Service Desk.
Get your tickets today. seating limited! |
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Greetings-
We all notice that the days are getting shorter. This brings many changes to our lives and daily routines. One that affects our bodies drastically is the amount and quality of natural light we receive from sunshine. Our October newsletter focuses on vitamin D3, the 'sunshine vitamin.'
Vitamin D has received a lot of press recently, and with good reason! With increasing research, scientists are finding that previous recommendations on Vitamin D intake is outdated and that deficiency is epidemic in countries across the globe. Deficiency has been linked to significantly higher rates of 16 forms of cancer, as well as heart disease, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis, infection, several autoimmune diseases, depression and many other conditions and diseases.
Outdated Recommended Daily Intake combined with misconceptions about sun exposure and the increased use of sunscreen have contributed to a gradual decline in serum levels of vitamin D since the 1930's.
In the October issue of our newsletter, learn about conditions that can be prevented with adequate vitamin D, how to know if you are deficient, how to increase your vitamin D levels and even how to take action in initiatives to increase research on this vital nutrient to change public health misconceptions and change future recommendations.
In good health naturally,
Dr. Kristy Allen
Dr. Patricia DeJoy
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Optimal Dosage
Current RDA of 400 IU were set in the 1930's as the minimal dose to prevent Rickett's and Osteomalacia, which were common at that time. Unfortunately, these values have never been updated and are far lower that the doses that are necessary to prevent cancer, heart disease and infection. Most adults need
5000 IU and up to 10% of the population needs even more than that. While overdosing is a worthwhile concern, it is highly unlikely when we consider that on a sunny summer day, it is possible for our bodies to naturally produce 20,000 IU/day.
The recommended dose was recently increased for infants and children from 200 IU to 400 IU/day as the result of current research. While it is impossible without a blood test to know exactly how much Vitamin D you need to achieve optimal serum levels, a general rule of thumb is 35 IU per pound of body weight.
There are currently 2 blood tests for Vitamin D levels and one is more accurate than the other. Make sure that your doctor orders 25 (OH)D or 25 hydroxyvitamin D NOT 1,25 (OH)D. When you receive your lab tests, you need to know how to interpret the results. While your tests might state that you are in the "normal" range, again, this does not insure optimal levels to prevent cancer, heart disease, etc. Anything under 20 ng/ml is considered serious deficiency with an increased risk of 16 cancers (the equivalent of 1 million lives per year), multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, to name a few. An optimal range is 50-65.
If you can't get enough sunshine (it is virtually impossible with Rochester latitude and weather) you will need to know how to get the most out of your supplement. There are 2 forms of Vitamin D; natural and synthetic. Vitamin D3 is the form that our bodies produce and D2 is synthetic. When ingested, both forms have to be converted to an active form. D3 is converted 500 times faster and is the superior form for supplementation. Vitamin D2 is still common in prescription Vitamin D and is also the form that milk and orange juice are fortified with. Studies have produced questionable results on the efficacy of Vitamin D2 and have even linked it's use to an increased risk of certain diseases. More good news: Vitamin D is one of the least expensive supplements out there!
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Vitamin D Can Boost Your Immune System
By now, you've seen our display on Swine Flu Prevention. Nutri-West has a bevy of immune boosting supplements such as Total Virx, Total Multimune and Sago-C 500; also CW#15 which has been shown to eliminate a virus within 24 hours after symptoms first appear. What we want you to consider, especially now that the sun is setting earlier and earlier in upstate NY, is boosting your Vitamin D levels. Our body's own Vitamin D levels drop naturally during flu season due to the decrease in sunshine exposure. Unable to be protected by the body's own antibiotics, we become more vulnerable to contracting colds, influenza and other respiratory infections.
A recent study of Vitamin D by Dr. John Cannell, published in the Cambridge University Press' Journal of Epidemiology and Infection, showed evidence that low Vitamin D blood levels during the winter can account for the increased transmissibility of the influenza virus. Increased levels of Vitamin D can help prevent traditional influenza infections by strengthening the immune system. So stop in and ask about which of our Vitamin D supplements would be best for you!
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 Vitamin D and Bone Health
You know that we need calcium for strong bones, but did you know that it is our good friend Vitamin D that is responsible for helping your body absorb and effectively utilize the calcium? Osteoporosis is a condition that affects more than 10 million Americans and recent research shows that over 70 percent of women ages 51-70 and nearly 90 percent of women over 70 are not getting an adequate intake of Vitamin D.
Other than basking in the sunshine, the most efficient ways to increase your Vitamin D intake is with proper daily nutrition, engaging in weight bearing exercise, and taking a high quality supplement like Metagenics D3 5000. The best natural sources of Vitamin D come from certain fish (salmon, tuna, sardines, mackerel), eggs, cod liver oil and shiitake mushrooms. Most dairy products, soy milk and orange juice are fortified with supplemental vitamin D during processing.
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 Vitamin D and Cancer Prevention
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. While doing research on Vitamin D we were overwhelmed by the number of studies showing that increased consumption of vitamin D in areas that lack sunshine can also boost our natural defense against cancer. Studies have shown that women may not be getting a sufficient amount of cholecalciferol, or vitamin D3, an active form of the vitamin, which is a powerful anti-cancer agent. The recent edition of the journal Nutritional Reviews sites that Vitamin D may help prevent cancer in several ways, including maintaining healthy cells with normal life spans, discouraging out of control cell reproduction, and hindering the formation of new blood vessels for tumors. |
Vitamin D and Depression
Another area of vitamin D research is its relationship to depression. Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is a situational mood disorder brought on by decreasing daylight in the winter months. High doses of vitamin D during these months have proven to be a very effective natural remedy for SAD, leading most practitioners to believe that normal neurotransmitter function depends in part on adequate vitamin D synthesis.
Vitamin D levels are inversely related to those of melatonin, another mood-regulating hormone. Melatonin helps modulate your circadian rhythms, with darkness triggering melatonin secretion by the pineal gland within your brain, bringing you down gently at night for sleep. Insomnia, mood swings and food cravings are influenced by melatonin. | |
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Upcoming Event
Tuesday, October 13th, 6:30pm - 8:00 pm at the Market Cafe, upstairs in the Pittsford Wegmans Emerita is hosting a Women's Health Lecture Series on Natural Hormone Replacement. Dr. Kristy Allen will be giving a "Hormones 101" lecture: How to know your body, what hormones are, what they do and natural hormone replacement therapies.
Tickets $10 available at One Life Chiropractic and the service desk at the Pittsford Wegmans.
Register today, limited seating. |
Welcome back Peggy Logue!!!
Most of you know her as Peggy Gordon. Well, she has had some changes in her life. The first one is, she was married on August 12th, the second she is now living in the Auburn, NY area, and the final change is she will be here at One Life every Thursday for appointments on the Meridian Stress Assessment equipment. For those of you that aren't familiar to the benefits of Meridian Stress Assessment, I invite you to read the article posted on our website, www.onelifechiropractic.com. Click on the "Stress Assessment" under Complementary Therapies on the left side of the screen.
Her regular fees are $80.00 for the initial assessment, which last about one hour and $60.00 for a follow up visit, which takes about 45 minutes. However, if you mention this article when you make your appointment, she will deduct $10.00 from your visit. So call now to schedule your appointment. Peggy looks forward to working with you and all your nutritional needs.
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Contact Info
One Life Chiropractic 3300 Monroe Ave. Suite 213 Rochester, NY 14618 585-385-5870 www.onelifechiropractic.com
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| Save 20% on already low prices! |
Metagenics D3 5000, Metagenics Iso D3,
and Nutri-West Vitamin D 400 IU Supplements
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| Offer Expires: October 31, 2009 | |
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