Archive for the ‘Vitamins’ Category

Simple Steps to Boost Mood

Saturday, August 7th, 2010

If a sunny disposition doesn’t come naturally for you, there are several steps you can take to improve your mood.

1) Take a high-quality fish oil supplement daily. Multiple studies have linked a high intake of fish and other omega-3 fatty acids to low rates of depression and improved sense of well-being. Make a point to eat fish two or three times a week. Wild Pacific salmon, sardines, herring, and small (white chunk, not albacore or steaks) tuna are good sources of omega-3s that contain minimal amounts of contaminants. I also recommend taking 2–8 g (2–8 standard capsules) of fish oil per day.

2) Have your hormone levels checked. When I see a patient suffering with depression, I always check thyroid, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone levels. Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all formula for natural hormone replacement. You’ll need to work with a physician knowledgeable in individually compounded bioidentical hormones.

3) Try these supplements. SAMe (S-adenosyl-L-methionine) is an amino acid that increases levels of serotonin and other neurotransmitters in the brain. It’s safe and well tolerated, and improvements are often noted within days. The recommended dose is 200–600 mg twice a day. 5-HTP, another amino acid derivative, is a direct precursor to serotonin. For mood enhancement, take 50–100 mg twice a day. (Both of these supplements are best taken on an empty stomach.) St. John’s wort is also effective for mild to moderate depression. Be aware that this herb interacts with a number of prescription drugs, so look into possible contraindications if you’re on any medication. I recommend 300 mg two or three times a day. Note: There’s no magic bullet that works for everyone, so experiment with these supplements one at a time and see what works for you.

4) Get outside and get some exercise. Have you ever wondered why getting out in the sunshine just makes you feel better? It’s actually because sunlight increases serotonin production and stimulates the manufacture of vitamin D, which has pervasive effects on the brain. While you’re outside, engage in some type of physical activity. Go for a jog. Ride a bike. Play tennis or a team sport. I realize that the last thing you feel like doing when you’re depressed is exercising, but study after study shows that it is the ultimate mood booster. Even a brisk walk will do wonders for your disposition.

5) Put on a happy face. A few years ago, I wrote an article in my monthly newsletter Health & Healing on “smile therapy.” Simply smiling—whether you feel like it or not—stimulates the release of feel-good hormones and neurotransmitters. If you can make that smile real by thinking about something that makes you happy, so much the better.

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Posted in Alternative Medicine, Depression, Diet, Exercise, Foods That Heal, Vitamins, Wellness | No Comments »

A Sweet Cure From the Kitchen

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

Throughout history, people have used herbs, spices, and other non-drug remedies to prevent and treat a variety of health concerns. Let’s take a closer look at one of my favorite “kitchen cures.”

Mentioned in Chinese texts dating back to 2700 BC, cinnamon has made appearances in the Bible, graced the tables of ancient Romans, Greeks, and Egyptians, and been deemed at one time a gift fit for a king. Today, cinnamon’s medicinal benefits, as well as its culinary uses, keep it in high esteem—and for good reason.

This spice improves insulin sensitivity and has profound effects on blood sugar. German researchers gave patients with type 2 diabetes who were on oral drugs either an aqueous extract of cinnamon (the equivalent of 3 g of cinnamon powder) or a placebo daily. After four months, the group taking cinnamon experienced a 10.3 percent reduction in blood sugar, compared to the placebo group’s drop of 3.4 percent. This effect was even more pronounced in an earlier study, in which blood sugar levels fell 18 to 29 percent with doses of 1 to 3 g of cinnamon per day.

A recent study confirms that cinnamon also lowers blood pressure, a benefit I’ve been hearing about for some time from my patients and readers. Marsha, a Health & Healing subscriber from Memphis, reported that taking a cinnamon extract and drinking cinnamon tea lowered her blood pressure from 215/110 to an average of 125–135/60–70! In addition, it has been shown to drive down triglycerides 23 to 30 percent and LDL cholesterol 7 to 27 percent over a 40-day period.

Cinnamon’s other purported benefits range from curing the common cold and relieving arthritis to improving memory and warding off insects. Although I’m not certain these claims will pan out, the wide-ranging benefits of this spice make it a worthy addition.

But don’t just add ground cinnamon to your food. Research suggests that chemicals in saliva render it ineffective. Furthermore, whole cinnamon contains some undesirable compounds that are eliminated when it is mixed in hot water. Therefore, I recommend taking a water-soluble cinnamon extract, drinking cinnamon tea, or adding cinnamon to ground coffee before brewing. The suggested dose is a quarter to a half teaspoon twice a day.

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Posted in Diabetes, Diabetes Treatment, Diet, Foods That Heal, Nutritional Supplements, Prevention, Vitamins, Wellness | No Comments »

Supplements Reduce Health Care Costs

Thursday, March 25th, 2010

Although legislation revamping our health care system has been signed into law, debate continues to rage, and one topic of discussion is how we’re going to pay for it all. There is no doubt that health care costs are out of control. Annual spending is more than $8,000 per person, and government statisticians predict that by the year 2018, it will exceed $13,000 for every man, woman, and child. That’s 20 percent of our gross domestic product!

We must get a handle on this. Sure, we need to tackle inflated prices, inefficient and inappropriate care, poor management, and waste. But, according to a study based on an extensive review of the medical literature, targeted use of nutritional supplements could save more than $24 billion in health care costs over five years. Here are some of the study’s findings.

• If everyone age 65 and older took calcium and vitamin D supplements, approximately 776,000 hospitalizations for hip fractures could be avoided. Estimated savings: $16.1 billion.

• If people in that same age group took 1,800 mg of fish oil daily, we’d be able to cut back on 374,301 hospitalizations for coronary artery disease. Estimated savings of hospitalization plus physicians’ fees: $3.2 billion.

• If just a quarter of the women of childbearing age not taking folic acid took 400 mcg every day, 600 families could be spared the heartbreak of having a baby with spina bifida or other neural tube birth defects. Estimated savings, minus the cost of supplements: $1.4 billion.

• If people with macular degeneration took 6–10 mg of lutein with zeaxanthin daily, 190,927 of them might be able to remain independent and stay out of nursing homes due to vision loss. Estimated savings: $3.6 billion.

Routine use of just a handful of supplements would result in astounding savings, not only in money but in pain and suffering as well. The government conducts public health campaigns encouraging people to get vaccinations, to say no to drugs, and to wear seatbelts. Why not broadcast the benefits of nutritional supplements? Insurance companies require only a small co-payment for drugs, hospitalizations, and surgeries. Why not help pay for supplements, too?

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Posted in Alternative Medicine, Medical Politics, Vitamins | 1 Comment »

Vitamin E for Diabetes

Monday, March 15th, 2010

More bad news about Avandia, a popular drug prescribed to patients with diabetes. Several studies have found that, compared to other drugs, Avandia increases risk of heart failure by 60 percent, heart attack by 40 percent, and death in patients age 65 and over by 30 percent. We’ve known for some time that this drug is killing people, but the FDA has refused to even strengthen its label warning, let alone take it off the market. Even worse, patients are being recruited for long-term studies of this dangerous drug!

If you have type 2 diabetes, avoid this drug like the plague. Diet, exercise, weight loss, and targeted nutritional supplements are the best way to control blood sugar. And to protect against diabetic complications, nothing beats nutritional supplements. Approximately 40 percent of people with diabetes have a gene variation (haptoglobin (Hp) 2-2 gene) that increases oxidative stress and doubles or triples their risk of cardiovascular disease. Israeli researchers found that when these people took 400 IU of vitamin E daily, their risk of cardiovascular events such as stroke, heart attack, and death fell by 50 percent! Vitamin E’s benefits were so profound the study was terminated early so all study participants could benefit.

Genetic tests are available, but my recommendation to anyone with diabetes is to take at least 400 IU of natural vitamin E every day. In fact, because other studies suggest that this vitamin protects against the onset of diabetes, I encourage everyone, regardless of health status, to take natural vitamin E.

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Posted in Dangerous Drugs, Diabetes, Vitamins | 1 Comment »

Natural Solutions for Conquering Colds

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

A sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headache, and sneezing—the common cold is just no fun. Head to any supermarket or drug store and you’ll be overwhelmed by the vast number of products at your fingertips. But these over-the-counter remedies have their drawbacks—from treating symptoms you don’t have to being only marginally effective.

Though I know it sounds trite, prevention is always the best medicine. That’s why you should wash your hands regularly and/or use hand sanitizer often, get plenty of sleep, stay away from sick people, stay hydrated, and take a high-potency multivitamin and mineral supplement. After all, a good offense is the best defense.

But sometimes, you just can’t avoid getting sick. If you do, here are a few natural steps you can take to conquer the common cold.

  • Boost Your Vitamin C Intake. At the first sign of a cold, take 500-1000 mg of vitamin C and continue doing so every hour that you are awake. Some gastrointestinal distress can occur with high doses so if you are sensitive, try taking smaller doses—500 mg every two hours for the first day and moving up to higher, more frequent doses on subsequent days. 
  •  Try Echinacea. Echinacea extracts can be tricky because there are so many different brands and delivery systems. The important thing is to look for a standardized product and use as directed. 
  • Use Zinc Lozenges. If you think you are coming down with something, start sucking on zinc lozenges every two hours. They’ve been shown to reduce cold duration by an average of three days compared to placebo.
  • Your Mom Was Right, Eat Chicken Soup. This folk remedy has more than word-of-mouth to support it.  A landmark study published in the medical journal Chest demonstrated chicken soup’s symptom-fighting ability and other research has shown that chicken soup acts on white blood cells to prevent them from causing inflammation and congestion.
  • Break a Fever With Cayenne Pepper. Despite its fiery taste, cayenne is a cooling herb with a long history of use as a fever reducer. Cayenne is a natural decongestant, which works much like cold and flu medications to restore free breathing. Add some to your chicken soup for added benefits or simply take a bite of hot pepper. This will quickly clear your airways and, as an added bonus, will provide a healthy dose of infection-fighting vitamin C.
  • Drink Ginger Tea. Ginger tea boasts myriad health benefits from relieving nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea to boosting immune function due to its high zinc content. To make ginger tea at home, grind a one-inch slice of fresh ginger and squeeze the juice of half a lemon. Add to a cup of steaming hot water, along with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.

Let me know how these remedies work for you and if you have solutions of your own, I’d love to hear them. Email me at testimonials@whitakerwellness.com. Here’s wishing you and your family a healthy remainder of the cold season.

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Posted in Alternative Medicine, Immune System, Vitamins | No Comments »

Early Use of Multivitamins Keeps Allergies at Bay

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

There are several reasons to take a potent multivitamin and mineral supplement. Research shows that shoring up your nutrient status can bolster the immune system, reducing incidence of colds, flu, and sick days taken from work. A good multi can also help stave off chronic illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes. And new research shows that starting children on multivitamins early may prevent allergies down the line.

In the October issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, scientists reported the results of a study examining the correlation between allergies and multivitamin use in more than 2,400 8-year-old children. They found that the kids who began taking a multi before or at age 4 were less sensitive to food allergens. The children taking vitamins also had a decreased risk of developing allergic rhinitis (allergies). The researchers concluded that early use of multivitamin supplements had the potential to reduce risk of allergies in school-age children.

For more on this study, click here.

Parents and grandparents, this is one more reason to start your kids on vitamins early. But even if you or the children in your life didn’t get a jumpstart, there’s no time like the present. I believe that a potent daily multivitamin/mineral combination is the foundation for good health.

Don’t be fooled by those one-a-day multis out there. Most only offer the paltry RDAs (recommended daily allowances), and I don’t believe these amounts are adequate. Instead, look for a combination product that contains the following (or similar) daily dosages:

Vitamin A – 15,000-20,000 IU (mostly as beta-carotene)
Vitamin C – a minimum of 1,000 mg
Vitamin D – a minimum of 800 IU
Vitamin E – 400 IU
Vitamin B6 – 60-75 mg
Vitamin B12 – 150 mcg
Folic Acid – 400-800 mcg
Calcium – a minimum of 500 mg, preferably 1,000 mg
Zinc – 15-30 mg balanced with 1-2 mg of copper
Magnesium – 500 mg

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Posted in Allergies/Asthma, Alternative Medicine, Vitamins, Wellness | No Comments »

Can Vitamin D Keep Your Immune System in Tip-Top Shape?

Friday, October 16th, 2009

With all the talk of the H1N1 virus and flu season upon us, people are searching for ways to bolster their immune systems and stay healthy. Could the key to better immunity lie in a simple vitamin?

John J. Cannell, MD, an innovative physician and founder of the Vitamin D Council, had a “eureka” experience a few years ago that resulted in a theory that’s now rapidly gaining ground: Vitamin D deficiencies underlie a vulnerability to influenza and other infectious diseases, and boosting levels of this vitamin protects against infection.

Here’s how it came about. In early 2005, an influenza epidemic ran rampant through the California maximum-security psychiatric hospital where Dr. Cannell was working. In his ward, however, nobody got sick. His patients were no younger or healthier than the others, and they had mingled with infected patients and been treated by the same nurses. The only difference was that his patients had been taking 2,000 IU of vitamin D each day for several months.

A light bulb went off in Dr. Cannell’s head. Since then, he’s gathered a wide body of research that backs his theory in spades. (Visit his website, http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/, for more information.) 

In addition to its role in immune function, vitamin D is active in tissues throughout the body. Research shows that deficiencies in this vitamin can lead to a number of other health problems including:

• Cardiovascular complications
• Type 1 diabetes in children
• Parkinson’s disease
• Osteomalacia (softened bones) and osteoporosis
• Cancer
• Depression
• Rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune conditions
• Increased mortality rates

I could go on, but here’s all you really need to know: To prevent flu and other infectious illnesses, and to bolster your overall health, you need to increase your level of vitamin D.

Over the years, as more benefits of the “sunshine vitamin” have emerged, my suggested dosages have slowly crept up. Here are some general guidelines. (Please note, higher doses may be necessary to raise blood concentrations to protective levels.) For infants, 1,000–1,800 IU; for children ages 1 to 12, 2,000 IU; and for adults, 2,000–4,000 IU per day—or more, if needed. Get your 25 (OH)D blood level tested through your doctor and take enough supplemental vitamin D3 to bring your level into the 50-70 ng/mL range.

Vitamin D is perfectly safe at these levels and, for short periods of time, in much larger doses. High-dose vitamin D may be required to overcome deficiencies, but it should be taken only under the care of a physician.

Posted in Alternative Medicine, Immune System, Vitamins | No Comments »

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