Low Vitamin D...Are You At Risk?

On my annual doctor visit my doctor suggested having a Vitamin D test done to see if my levels were normal...funny thing is that I had just been reading about how they are finding out that tons of people are showing a deficiency in this vitamin! Its not surprising to hear this because of all the worry about skin cancer and avoiding the sun as well as not eating a balanced diet. What surprised me the most is that they are finding low levels of this vitamin in kids as well as people who are out in the sun. So, of course I said I wanted the test done...to me its kind of exciting to see where I am at! I knew I was fine but its always nice to see it on paper...lol! I'm silly like that!

In case you are not familiar with this lovely vitamin...here is the scoop!

There are two levels of vitamin D deficiency, also called hypovitaminosis. There is severe vitamin D deficiency and then there is a less obvious problem of Low Vitamin D.

In severe Vitamin D deficiency its called Rickets in children and Osteomalacia in adults which is softening of the bones but before it gets to that level there are a few obvious symptoms besides bone pain and muscle weakness...these symptoms are extremely common and since they can be caused by many other problems they are often overlooked by doctors.

Thing is chronic pain should make health care providers always suspect symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency!

Low Vitamin D is so subtle you won't even know you are low until you have the blood test. Some of the first symptoms of Low Vit D could be:

Colds and Flu

Periodontal Disease and Cavities

Depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder

Osteoporosis

Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathy

High Blood Pressure

Lung Cancer

Ovarian Cancer

Colon Cancer

Breast Cancer

Asthma

Multiple Sclerosis

Chronic Pain

Fibromyalgia

Arthritis

Many Autoimmune Diseases

PMS

While these are complicated and serious diseases and obviously other factors are involved, one common risk factor for all of these is a low vitamin D level! While the low levels of Vitamin D found in these diseases doesn't necessarily mean they cause these diseases, it does make one wonder what the relationship is!

The American Society of Anesthesiologists released a report in 2007 that stated approximately one in 4 patients who have chronic pain issueswere also found to have low levels of vitamin D. I find this very interesting!

This vitamin does a lot more than promoting bone formation...did you know that it also regulates parathyroid hormone secretion from the parathyroid gland? This allows the body to maintain normal calcium levels to allow the nervous and muscular systems to function properly!

So, you may be wondering what the blood test is called...you have to ask for it since it is not on your regular CBC or Chem panel. Its called The 25- hydoxy Vitamin D test. I highly recommend getting this test done because you never know:) After all its only a vitamin if you are deficient, so that means supplementing with vitamins, not meds so its a good thing!

To your health!

Time to Detox

A lot of people I work with are doing detoxes and its made me want to try one but I was skeptical about starting one mainly because I would not be able to workout due to lack of food and energy but alas I found one that I am excited about!!! Its more of a lifestyle and changing the way you eat instead of depriving yourself of food! How cool is that? A detox where you can still eat! I have been reading tons of good stuff on Dr. Joshis Holistic Detox. I just got the book which explains everything and why certain foods are not good for you. I have never been one to "diet" or do any of those fad things when it comes to food. My main goal is to gain more energy and feel good. I want to wake up in the morning and feel full of energy. So with that said...here is the low down on the detox:)

Dr. Joshi lays out an interesting approach to eating and to living that helps increase energy, lose weight and create a healthier lifestyle. The emphasis is on breaking bad habits and eliminating the chemicals and toxins that have crept into modern foods. The plan is to rebalance the body’s pH by eliminating acids.

The 21-Day Detox Program:

Throughout the Detox book, Joshi stresses the importance of listening to the body, understanding why it craves certain things and learning to differentiate between bad and good cravings. The initial 21-day plan works to change the palate so that cravings are reduced and the cycle of binging on junk food is stopped. By reducing the intake of acidic foods, the body is able to regain its more natural slightly alkali state. This enables it to eliminate toxins more readily and to break down fat more effectively.

The basics are:
· No wheat, gluten or yeast
· No sugar, chocolate or sweets
· No dairy (except plain yoghurt; goat’s milk and soy products are allowed)
· No fruits or fruit juices but bananas
· No artificially produced flavourings like ketchup, vinegar, mustard
· No red meat
· No nightshade vegetables (aubergines, courgettes, mushrooms etc)
· No toxins such as alcohol, caffeine, carbonated drinks, decaf coffee, cigarettes etc. Although this begs the question “what can I eat?” there are a surprising amount of meals that can be made following the Detox and there is no severe limit as to portion size.

What is allowed:

· Fresh leafy green vegetables and salads
· Eggs (3-4 a week)
· Vegetable juices
· Brown rice, lentils and pulses
· Olive Oil
· Soy products and tofu
· White meats and fish

The book contains various charts and guides in order to monitor cravings, test the body’s current pH levels, evaluate the tongue, calculate the individual’s Ayurvedic Profile and BMI (body mass index) rating. There are also charts of what foods to avoid and what to increase, shopping guides, tasty recipes and a 3-week plan for the Detox. Joshi does stress that the first 48 hours can be the most difficult and this is when symptoms such as nausea, headaches and irritability can occur as the body begins to release toxins trapped in the blood stream.

With all that said...I am super excited to start my new journey and eat even cleaner! Plus I want my skin to look good too:) which is a bonus to all the clean eating!

Time to step it up in the kitchen and take it to a new level! Are you in????

To get Dr. Joshi's Holistic Detox click here

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Epsom Salts for Pain?

A while ago at work there was this patient who had chronic foot pain and with all the treatments she had, there was no relief. She ended up having an MRI done only to discover that it was a normal study. Frustrated she went to a podiatrist and what he told her to do amazed me but it worked...she is now pain free. What was it he told her to do? Soak in Epsom Salts for 2 weeks...that's it. How cool is that?

So my next thought was how and why does this work? So, in my quest for knowledge I came across tons of info regarding these wonderful salts. I always knew that soaking in a tub full of hot water with a few cups of Epsom Salts was good for relaxing muscles and drawing toxins from the body, but I could never figure out why. It wasn’t until I spent some time at the Epsom Salt Industry Council web site that I learned that Epsom salts—made of the mineral magnesium sulfate—are also a sedative for the nervous system. When magnesium sulfate is absorbed through the skin, such as in a bath, it draws toxins from the body, sedates the nervous system, reduces swelling, relaxes muscles, is a natural emollient, exfoliator, and much more. How awesome is that and inexpensive to boot:) Can't beat that!

About Magnesium. ..it can be ingested as a nutritional supplement, but studies show that a wide variety of factors - the presence of specific foods or drugs, certain medical conditions, even the individual chemistry of a person's stomach acid - can interfere with their effectiveness. All of the subjects in a recent study experienced increased magnesium levels from soaking in a bath enriched with magnesium sulfate crystals, commonly known as Epsom Salt.

Raising your magnesium levels may:

Improve heart and circulatory health, reducing irregular heartbeats, preventing hardening of the arteries, reducing blood clots and lowering blood pressure.

Improve the body's ability to use insulin, reducing the incidence or severity of diabetes.

Flush toxins and heavy metals from the cells, easing muscle pain and helping the body to eliminate harmful substances.

Improve nerve function by regulating electrolytes. Also, calcium is the main conductor for electrical current in the body, and magnesium is necessary to maintain proper calcium levels in the blood.

Relieve stress. Excess adrenaline and stress are believed to drain magnesium, a natural stress reliever, from the body. Magnesium is necessary for the body to bind adequate amounts of serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical within the brain that creates a feeling of well being and relaxation.

While increasing your magnesium levels, Epsom Salt also delivers sulfates, which are extremely difficult to get through food but which readily absorb through the skin. Sulfates serve a wide variety of functions in the body, playing a vital role in the formation of brain tissue, joint proteins and the mucin proteins that line the walls of the digestive tract. Sulfates also stimulate the pancreas to generate digestive enzymes and are believed to help detoxify the body's residue of medicines and environmental contaminants.

A few more uses for these salts:

Add one or two cups of Epsom salts to warm bath water for a soothing and stress-reducing soak.

Massage a handful of Epsom salts over wet skin to cleanse, exfoliate, and soften the rough spots.

Use a warm salt-soaked compress to reduce swelling from scrapes, use a cold compress to take the sting out of insect bites.

Gotta love this stuff:) Off to soak!

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