By The Numbers: Vitamin D

0-25 - Level of vitamin D (measured in nanograms per milliliter, or ng/mL) that gives a diagnosis of Vitamin D Deficiency Syndrome, when accompanied by two or more of the following: osteoporosis, heart disease, hypertension, autoimmune diseases, certain cancers, depression, chronic fatigue, or chronic pain.

50 - Minimum acceptable blood level of vitamin D (in ng/mL) for optimal function.

75-125 - Ideal level (in ng/mL) of vitamin D.

200 - Amount of IUs (international units) recommended by the US Food & Drug Administration per day for adults to prevent osteomalacia - not for optimal health.

400 - Amount of IUs recommended by the US Food & Drug Administration per day for children to prevent rickets - again, not for optimal health.

5,000 - Amount of IUs recommended for adults to boost Vitamin D levels by 50 ng/mL within 3 months.

10,000 - Amount of IUs recommended for adults to boost vitamin D levels by 100 ng/mL within 3 months.

20,000 - Average amount of IUs generated by individuals when sunbathing in the summer with maximum skin exposure, for roughly 15 minutes.

156,000–2,604,000 - Amount of IUs a man unknowingly took daily for 2 years, which produced one of the few documented instances of vitamin D toxicity. He recovered with sunblock, steroids, and discontinuing the (poorly measured) vitamin D supplement.

Source: Vitamin D Council

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Do you have health issues that aren't being adequately addressed by conventional medicine? Naturopathic care may be the answer you're looking for. Visit my website for more information about naturopathic medicine, and begin your journey toward optimal health!

Best Wedding Procession Ever

It's been a busy week here, so instead of leaving you empty-handed, I wanted to post this fun video. Everyone's wedding processions should be so fun.

Enjoy!

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Do you have health issues that aren't being adequately addressed by conventional medicine? Naturopathic care may be the answer you're looking for. Visit my website for more information about naturopathic medicine, and begin your journey toward optimal health!

September 11 - A Day of Remembrance

I’ve been watching footage taken eight years ago today of the attacks on the World Trade Center. It’s hard to blink back tears as I see the repeated videos of the planes flying into the twin towers, and try to imagine what people are feeling at that moment…in the towers, on the ground, across this land of ours. These are absolutely horrific scenes that are forever emblazoned into the minds of everyone in this country.

These are difficult videos to watch. It’s been one thing over the years to see explosions on TV movies that don’t mean anything. But on these videos, thousands of people, going about their business on what originally looked like a gorgeous, cloudless, eventless Tuesday morning, suddenly and brutally saw their lives cut short. Families and friends of those killed collapsed in sorrow and anguish, and thousands of New Yorkers and millions of Americans threw aside plans that suddenly seemed insignificant, and offered whatever support they could, be it aid on the spot, or prayers from afar.

It would be remiss for me to not mention the firefighters and police forces who did all they could to save lives that day; many of them sacrificed their lives to do so. It would also be remiss not to mention the attack on the Pentagon, which killed nearly 200 people. Finally, it would be remiss not to acknowledge the attempted attack on the Capitol or the White House that was successfully foiled by brave plane passengers well away from Washington, DC, in the small town of Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Neither of these attacks were as visible as the attacks in New York City, but each was horrific in their own right.

The last time an attack by foreign interests was carried out on American soil was December 7, 1941 “a date which will live in infamy,” when Japanese forces attacked Pearl Harbor on the (then) territory of Hawaii. That attack thrust our country into World War II and changed our history forever. And eight years ago, the attacks on American soil thrust us directly into a new age where terrorism, not officially declared war, has become the most diabolical means of international aggression. September 11 has become one of the most pivotal days in our nation’s history, one in which some semblance of innocence and optimism about our future has been forever lost.

I have no intention of making this blog into a political soapbox; this is not what you come here to read. The reasons behind this attack are multifaceted and some theories are controversial. But I feel it is important that we take time out today to honor – however we can – those whose innocent lives were taken on September 11, 2001.

May we never forget.

The Common Cold, the Flu, and Probiotics for Children

Calling all parents! Especially those who are concerned about their children getting colds and (swine) flu this season!

Can you imagine a drug that could decrease your child's sick time this season by half...possibly more? Well, it's not a drug. It's a supplement of the beneficial bacteria in your intestines that actually can help to increase your child's immunity this season.

A colleague of mine recently shared something he read in the journal Pediatrics. The most recent issue (August 2009) showed the results of a study that examined 326 children between the ages of 3 and 5. These children were divided up into three groups. They received one the following supplements twice a day for six months:

• A placebo.
• A probiotic supplement consisting only of Lactobacillus acidophilus (commonly found in yogurt).
• A combination probiotic supplement with L. acidophilus and another strain, Bifidobacterium animalis lactis.

It appears that probiotics are not just for intestinal problems. The findings of this study were astounding. Children given the probiotics suffered significantly fewer fevers, less coughing, and less runny/stuffy noses throughout the cold season. And the children given the combination probiotic supplement saw the fewest fevers and coughing/runny nose incidents. How much less?

• Fever incidents: 53% fewer with single probiotic; 72% fewer with combo probiotic.
• Coughing incidents: 41% fewer with single probiotic; 62% fewer with combo probiotic.
• Runny nose incidents: 28% fewer with single probiotic; 59% fewer with combo probiotic.

Needless to say, children on probiotics did not need to go on antibiotics as often when they got sick, and they needed to stay home from day care or school less often.
To get these probiotics, your best choice is to consult a naturopathic doctor who carries these probiotics. Often, probiotics found over the counter do not contain what they say they do. Naturopathic doctors usually have access to the highest quality supplements, often only available to health care professionals. Where can you find a naturopathic doctor? Well, for one, there's the one who wrote this article! I do carry a combination probiotic product in an online store like the one in this study. If you are interested, feel free to contact me for more information. If you would prefer to see a naturopathic doctor in person that may be near you, you may check out the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians online directory.
May you and your children be healthy and happy this season!
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Do you have health issues that aren't being adequately addressed by conventional medicine? Naturopathic care may be the answer you're looking for. Visit my website for more information about naturopathic medicine, and begin your journey toward optimal health!