Ah, January has arrived, and with it, the height of cold season. While there’s no “cure” for the common cold, there are ways to reduce the chances of catching one, and increase your body’s ability to fight back if you do.

 My winter battle plan includes a full arsenal of cold-fighters, starting with prevention, and finishing with a few key vitamins and supplements to help send colds packing. Here’s how I do it:

Avoid Sugar and Processed foods

Sugar decreases immune function.

Sleep. A lot.

Sleep: It’s free, it’s easy and it’s a key building block of total health, so make an effort to get some zzzz for 7- 8 hours. Think you can’t squeeze another hour out of your busy day? Well, consider the time lost when a cold takes hold, and then commit to going to bed just 15 – to – 30 minutes earlier every night. The more time you allow your body to repair itself with restorative sleep, the stronger your body will be.

Clean up your act.

Think about where your hands go in the course of a day: subway poles, escalator handrails, ATM’s, office phones, computer keyboards, restroom doorknobs, copy machines, communal coffee pot at the office, etc. – all fantastic sources of germs. To keep them at bay:
 

• Around town, hold bus and subway poles with gloved hands, or use a bit of coat sleeve as an impromptu mitten.
• At the office, wash hands with hot water and soap frequently, and wipe down your phone, desk and keyboard daily.
• In-between washes, remove surface grime with portable packs of hand-wipes. Look for natural wipes with little or no alcohol. I like Herban Essentials lemon-scented towelettes, not only because they smell like summer, but they’re also naturally antibacterial and antiseptic.
  Avoid antibacterial soap because of the risk of creating resistant bacteria.

Water your nose.

With heaters cranked up in the winter, nasal passages get dried out and crack, making the nose an easy entry point for germs. Clean out your sinuses and keep nasal passages moist with a neti pot (sea salt and water) or Saltaire available from Duane Reade or simple saline mist treatment, every day.

 Another tip? To add moisture without the hassle of a humidifier, try putting a pan of water on the radiator before bed, leave the bathroom door open when showering, or consider skipping the dry cycle on the dishwasher, open it to air-dry and release steam into the kitchen.

Know your alphabet.

A is for Andrographis, one of my favorite ways to stimulate the immune system. This is my preferred herb for preventing and treating colds. For prevention take 2-3 grams a day and for treatment of acute colds use up to 6-9 grams a day.

B is for Bacteria, that is good bacteria or probiotics. Take a probiotic daily (look for one with 10-20 billion organisms). A strong immune system relies heavily on having a strong foundation in the gut.

C is for Vitamin C, the classic immunity booster that can often help to fend off more serious infections. But you need high doses. So if you are willing, take at least 2 grams 3-4 times a day.

D is for Vitamin D, the best immune system regulator that can help arm your body to fight colds. Probably the most important thing you can do to prevent colds is to optimize your Vitamin D level. Most people need at least 2,000 units a day in the winter and usually more, but please have your blood level measured and take the appropriate dose.
 
E is for Echinacea. Although recent studies have suggested that it is not as effective as originally thought, it can sometimes be helpful.

The Recommended Dietary Allowance or RDA (sometimes referred to as Recommended Daily Allowance) is defined as “the average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (approximately 98 percent) healthy individuals”.

Most physicians (who practice Nutrition) and researchers consider the RDA an overly conservative and antiquated dietary standard. The RDA was designed by the federal government as a guideline for “practically all healthy persons,” but it’s easy to question whether Americans can be considered healthy-
In fact, the very concept of an RDA may be flawed. Forty years ago, Roger Williams, Ph.D., who discovered the B-vitamin pantothenic acid, developed the concept of “biochemical individuality.” Williams contended that people need the same nutrients-but that they are highly individualistic in the amounts they need. For one person, 100 milligrams daily of vitamin C might be sufficient for health; for another, 3,000 milligrams. In other words as we are all so different, so biochemically unique, our nutrient needs differ. As much as 10 fold for different people. And for optimal functioning, most people will need extra nutrients.

What’s a better way to assess a person’s nutritional needs?

Instead of minimum or recommended levels of nutrients, the late Nobel laureate Linus Pauling, Ph.D., emphasized the concept of optimal nutrition-that is, providing the body’s cells with levels of vitamins and minerals that help them function at their best. It is like putting premium gas instead of regular fuel into your body.

Determining your optimal intake requires a little experimentation as everyone is a little different. My experience has shown me that almost everyone in this day and age needs a good multi that has way more than the recommended RDA’s. For example, Pauling often recommended that people take anywhere from 100 to 300 times the RDA level of vitamin C for optimal health. Determining your optimal intake requires a little experimentation-everyone is a little different.

First, you need to set some clear objectives that you want to achieve with supplements. Second, you need to assess whether specific supplements help you feel better.

For example, if you’re in your 20s, eat well, and are in good health, your objective might be “dietary insurance.” You may not need much more than a multivitamin supplement and a little extra vitamin C.
On the other hand, if you’re in your 30s and face a lot of stress at home or at work, “stress management” might be an objective. In this case, you might do well taking a high-potency B-complex supplement. The B-complex has long been considered the anti-stress supplement.

My basic recommendations for supplements to sustain wellness are a good multivitamin with good amounts of the B vitamins, at least 2,000 IU of vit D, a good fish oil and a probiotic.

There is a lot of misunderstanding about what a detox is and how to do it, so let me explain how I understand detoxification.

Detoxification is what your body does naturally to neutralize, transform or get rid of unwanted materials or toxins. It is a primary function of the body, constantly working and interacting with all other functions of the body. So when I am talking about detoxification, it is about improving and optimizing the function of your body’s own detoxification systems. This is done by decreasing the amount of toxins we put into our bodies while at the same time supporting our body’s detoxification and elimination systems with the nutrients it needs to function properly.

As a culture we are very aware of our external cleanliness. We clean our teeth daily, we bath and wash our hair daily or every other day and we like to look and smell clean because it makes us feel better. Similarly, I see detoxification as internal cleansing. The problem is that it’s often hard to know when our internal cleansing mechanisms are not functioning well. Unlike other parts of our body it is very hard to know how well our liver is working, and our liver is the main detoxification organ. Apart from synthesizing and secreting bile, the liver acts as a filter for toxins and bacteria in the blood and chemically neutralizes toxins, converting them into substances that can be eliminated by the kidneys.

Although it is mostly ignored by our current medical system, the detoxification system is a key component of our body’s functioning. Most of the molecules made by our bodies every day, are for getting rid of waste products. We need hundreds of enzymes, vitamins and other molecules to help rid the body of unwanted waste products and chemicals. We need to manufacture these molecules to help take the good from what we ingest and get rid of the unwanted. Although the bulk of the work is done by the liver and the intestinal tract, the kidneys, lungs, lymphatic system and skin are all involved in this complex detoxification system.

The purpose of a detoxification program is primarily to support these organs of elimination so that toxins present in the body can be metabolized and excreted. Time and time again I’ve seen the benefits a good internal cleanse can bring.

I think an effective detoxification system is necessary for good health and in response to the many requests I’ve had, I have put together my own programs based on what I’ve seen working in my practice.

I have been putting my patients on “detoxes” for the last 20 years and seen incredible results. I designed a two week detox with all the components I feel are necessary to optimize your body’s detoxification systems. This is now available for everybody online.

The questions surrounding supplements continue to grow and though knowledge and understanding have also grown, pharmaceutical companies continue to hamper this quest by spending more and more money on their own studies and funding lobbyists that try to hamper our pursuit of a more natural approach to health. There is no doubt that the drugs we have developed are saving lives but they could save many more lives if they were part of an integrative lifestyle combining a healthy balance of diet, exercise, necessary supplements, and when these fail, pharmaceutical medications.

In integrative medicine we speak about the “core” nutrients. These are the vitamins and minerals that we all require. I generally start people on a multivitamin and mineral complex first. There are many out there so selecting an appropriate combination is not that difficult. Some of the new age-targeted formulas combine most of a person’s needs into one formula for ease of use. So a women’s formula for women over forty will include more calcium, magnesium and trace minerals than a formula designed for younger women. This simplifies what a person needs and often taking fewer products increases compliance. The next core nutrient necessary is a good healthy source of essential fatty acids, also known as EFA’s. EFA’s are essential because we cannot make them. We need to ingest them so that our bodies can then use them as raw materials for other things we do make. These include cholesterol (much needed), hormones, prostaglandins (messengers that help us control all sorts of processes in the body, including inflammation). There are so many problems with the environment and this includes our water. Eating fish that is not contaminated has become a problem and there is nothing in the literature that leads me to believe that things will change any time soon. Keeping your “ toxic burden “ low is the only thing we can control in trying to prevent cancer and other autoimmune diseases that seem to be growing in numbers in spite of all the new “ scientific advances”. In order to get the omega 3’s that you can get from one or two capsules of oil a day, you would probably need to eat 4 to 6 servings of fish a week, and thereby risk exposure to elevated levels of mercury, arsenic, cadmium, and lead. If you ate farm raised fish, than you increase your risk of exposure to dioxins ( carcinogens ) and PCB’s ( also carcinogens ). The amount of fish oil a person should take also varies according to need.

The next core nutrient is a probiotic. This is what many people commonly refer to as “acidophilus” but in reality is a whole family of beneficial bacteria that is comprised of many different “friendly” bacteria that thrive throughout the gastrointestinal tract, starting in the mouth and ending in the rectum. For women without any serious or chronic gut issues, eating a good organic yogurt containing live cultures of friendly bacteria, on a regular basis, is adequate.

For women, the big question today is about calcium. While we have all become conscious of our need for calcium many people are unaware of the need for magnesium, adequate amounts of vitamin D and the need for other trace minerals that aid in absorption. The amount of minerals that are needed varies from person to person. Women after the age of forty should begin to get bone density studies done to assess their need for minerals. The average woman needs 1000mg of calcium a day, 400 to 800mg of magnesium a day, and at least 2000 units of vitamin D3 but we are finding more cases of severe deficiency and under medical guidance we use as much as 10,000 units a day. If the bone density test, also called a Dexa scan, shows osteopenia or the beginnings of osteoporosis than I increase the calcium to 1200 to 1500mgs a day and increase the magnesium accordingly. I often request that patients have their vitamin D levels measured because many people supplementing with calcium and magnesium are still showing signs of progression of their bone density issues. In our search for answers why, the question of the right amount of D has come to be a new insight into possible failures of other therapies. In osteopenia and osteoarthritis, weight resistance exercise is essential for stopping progression.

There are a million supplements on the market and I encourage all women to try and get as much of their nutrition from food and then target the remaining imbalances with the supplements that are necessary. I encourage all my patients to eat as organically as possible. We need to reduce our exposure to chemicals. As long term studies are limited, I assume that all chemicals are bad and try to reduce them every where possible. Animal protein like chicken, fish, beef, and pork, as well as all dairy carry a heavy burden of toxins with them. First they contain the herbicides and pesticides from the foods they are grown on, and second they are usually given hormones and antibiotics to maximize the yield. All of these are passed to us when we eat these things. I implore all people to buy as much of their foods organically but animal derived products especially. With ovarian and breast cancer on the rise, you have to question the “estrogen dominant “ nature of society due mostly from the consumption of xeno estrogens and phyto estrogens from the food supply. With vegetables and fruits I take an aggressive approach to washing them before I consume them.

Although I believe whey protein, which comes from dairy is a great source of protein, I do not believe dairy is healthy in general. We have all been brainwashed to think that dairy products strengthen bones and stave off osteoporosis. But this is not the case. Walter Willett, M.D., professor of preventive medicine at the Harvard School of Public Health and his colleagues analyzed dietary information gathered from nearly 80,000 women, ages 30 to 55, over a 12-year period. They found no evidence that women who consumed one to three servings daily of milk or other calcium-rich foods–like cheese or yogurt–reduced their risk of hip fractures, the standard measure for osteoporosis. The findings became even more dramatic when the Harvard researchers examined women who consumed three or more servings of dairy a day and found that none had any added protection against bone fractures. The data shows that Vitamin D appears to be much more important than calcium in preventing fractures. And interestingly, countries with lowest rates of dairy and calcium consumption (like those in Africa and Asia) have the lowest rates of osteoporosis.

So, apart from being the source of whey protein, there do not appear to be any other benefits of dairy and to make matters worse, dairy seems to have detrimental effects to your health. Milk should be for calves (baby cows), most humans have a problem digesting it. I cannot tell you how many patients I have seen over the years whose chronic constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, arthritis, chronic sinusitis and allergies cleared up when they stopped eating dairy. When people come to see me in my practice and I put them on a diet, I almost always remove dairy.

So this what I suggest?

Don’t rely on dairy for calcium. Rather eat lots dark green leafy vegetables, sea vegetables, canned salmon or sardines with bones, sesame seeds and nuts.

And you can always take a Calcium supplement.

For healthy bones, exercise frequently and supplement with at least 2,000 IU’s of vitamin D as well. Get your vitamin D levels checked!!

Try this test and see how you feel. Remove dairy for 2-3 weeks and see how you feel. Then introduce it again and see how you feel. Most people feel better when they remove it and worse when they re-introduce it. If you don’t seem to have a problem with dairy, then I suggest using only small amounts of organic dairy products, preferably fermented products like unsweetened yogurt and kefir, and preferably raw if possible (hard to get in most states).

This general panic about the flu this year raises some important questions about how you can protect yourself and your children- Deciding on vaccination is a complex question. As you know I prefer to approach each child individually and yet public health policy is demanding that we make decisions without regard to personal situations. We are still gathering info on the swine flu- It is spreading very quickly which in NO WAY means it is more deadly than any other flu- its just that there are more numbers! This will naturally increase the numbers of very sick among the not-so-sick. The elderly seem to be at less risk due to ‘herd immunity’ from the 70′s swine flu epidemic. This naturally shifts our focus to children and pregnant women. We have now seen over 200 cases of h1n1 in our practice and so far and they all seem to be very mild, (3-4 days of fever). But it’s still THE FLU! And that must be taken seriously. Most of the information that is being put out on the media is based on hospitalized patients (the sickest cases) and is meant to scare you into following the CDC guidelines without question. Fear does not help make rational decisions. The flu is never something to be taken lightly. Every year 35,000 people die in the US from the flu. If there is any history of underlying respiratory, cardiac or immune disorder then one should consider getting the flu vaccine.

The H1N1 influenza is spreading very fast. Once we reach a critical mass of people exposed to this flu, we as a community will develop what’s called ‘herd immunity’ which means even if we don’t get it we develop some immune protection. This is a fascinating phenomenon that demonstrates the power of the human community. I hope, in light of how quickly it is spreading, that this will happen before the seasonal flu begins.

General Preventive Measures for Flu season

Adults

Maintain a healthy immune system. Many forms of supplements will fortify immunity so that an attack by viruses will be less successful. If you tend to get acute illnesses easily, then begin a program of immune strengthening. A good herbal and antioxidant immune enhancing supplement will help build the strength of your system. These formulas are usually built around the herb Astragalus, a potent herb for augmenting the body’s protective defenses and stabilizing the exterior against invasion by pathogens and physical stresses such as cold and wind. Other supplements have similar immune enhancing properties.

Vitamin D3 is essential for a prevention program. Adults need 5,000 IU when midday sun exposure is not possible, infants need 1,000 IU, and older children need 2,000 IU.

Mushrooms: Several species of mushrooms have significant immune stimulating effects. Each contains high percentages of polysaccharides, long chain sugar molecules that regulate immunity. They activate white blood cells and stimulate complements and antibodies. These mushrooms include reishi (ganoderma), maitake (grifola), shiitake (lentinus), polyporus, and tremella. Many preparations of mushroom combinations in tablet, powder, or liquid extract form are available at major health food stores.

Colostrum is an excellent source of immune system stimulants. Colostrum contains a host of factors that stimulate the immune system and help to prevent illness. Immunoglobulin IgA coats the intestinal lining preventing attack by pathogens. Lactoferrin locks onto iron releasing it to red blood cells and depriving bacteria of the iron they need for reproduction. Lysozyme destroys microorganisms on contact. Cytokines boost T-cell activity and stimulate production of your baby’s own protective immunoglobulins. Polysaccharides bind to bacteria and block their attachment to mucus membranes. Take two capsules twice a day through the winter months.

Vitamin C at 2-4 grams per day prevents inflammation and maintains the body’s vigilance against infection.

Vitamin A is essential to immune function and mucous membrane integrity.

Zinc has potent immune protective effects. Take 25 mg zinc per day, but if you continue zinc for an extended period of time you will also need to take copper to prevent a deficiency (10:1 ratio of copper to zinc). Get a supplement that contains both.

Immune supplements for adults

Mushrooms (reiki, mitake, shiitake)

Colostrum – 4 capsules

Vitamin C – 2-4 grams

Vitamin D – 5,000 IU

Zinc – 25 mg with copper 2 mg

Influenzinum is a specific preventive for the flu. You can begin taking Influenzinum (9C, 12C, or 30C) if you are exposed to the flu. Take one dose each week for four weeks at that time, or you can take it once a week for four doses during the flu season.

The flu, like other respiratory viruses is spread through droplet transmission from human to human. You can minimize your exposure by not shaking hands. Frequent hand washing will also prevent you from inadvertently inoculating viruses into your nose and eyes. Simply avoiding touching your nose, mouth, and eyes during flu season will also help reduce your exposure. Of course, as common courtesy everyone should cover their mouth when they cough or sneeze to prevent transmission of viruses.

Get plenty of sleep, eat well. Eat warm foods during the winter. Soups and stews are excellent sources of concentrated nutrients. Exercise regularly despite the cold weather. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables for their vitamin and antioxidant content. Stay warm and avoid getting chilled.

Immune System Supplementation for Kids

Children can take a few simple, specific supplements to maintain a strong and vital immune system during the fall and winter months when colds and flus predominate.

Omega-3 fatty acid supplement in the form of fish oil capsules or liquid fish oil will establish healthy cell membranes that prevent inflammation and resist toxins and attack by pathogens.

Vitamin D is essential for kids as well as adults to maintain immune function.

Vitamin E will ensure that fatty acids are maintained at optimum efficiency once they are absorbed into cells. In addition, vitamin E has anti-inflammatory effects and increases resistance to infection. Use only natural vitamin E (d-alpha-tocopherol), not the synthetic form (dl-alpha-tocopherol). A mixed tocopherol form of vitamin E is best because children need the gamma as well as the alpha forms. An appropriate dose is 100 mg for children under two and 200 mg for children aged 2-12.

Vitamin A is needed for proper mucous membrane function. It is essential for the growth and repair of body tissues, and for efficient digestion of protein. Vitamin A promotes good eyesight, strong bones and teeth, and a vital immune system. White blood cells, T -lymphocytes, and every cell in the important mucosal barriers of the respiratory, digestive, and urinary tracts require vitamin A.  A diet containing significant amounts of fruit and fat will help ensure adequate vitamin A intake. Whole milk products, butter, and free range eggs will help maintain necessary levels of this important nutrient. Use organic sources. For those who may not be getting enough vitamin A, a supplement is essential.

The recommended daily amount (RDA) of vitamin A is 1,000-2,000 IU for children, depending on their age (1,000 at one year of age, 2,000 by age nine). Primitive diets probably maintained 10 times that amount. One egg contains 300 IU, one cup of whole milk or whole milk yogurt contains about 225-250 IU of vitamin A. One tablespoon of butter contains 350 IU of A. The amount of vitamin A may vary by the season and the feed of the animals.

Colostrum is great for children as well as adults.

Zinc stimulates immune function, prevents infections, and acts as a cofactor in many enzyme reactions, including the creation of antioxidants. Normal dosage is 10-20 mg. per day. If zinc supplementation is continued over a prolonged period of time, it should be given in conjunction with copper in a ratio of ten to one to prevent copper deficiency.

Vitamin C has anti-inflammatory effects, antioxidant activity, and antibiotic qualities. A daily supplement of vitamin C during the winter months will round out the immune system prevention program. Use 500 mg for children under 3 years old and 1,000 mg for older children.

The easiest way to give supplements to children is through powdered sources mixed in a blender with fruit, fruit juice, yogurt or milk (rice milk for younger children and children with milk sensitivities), and honey (for children over 12 months old). Capsules can be opened and dumped into the blender. Children can chew oil-based supplements in soft gels or you can stick a pin into them and squirt out the contents onto something they will eat.

Immune Supplements for Children-Daily Dosage

* (d-alpha-tocopherol or  mixed tocopherols)

Elderberry syrup and osscillococcinum are extremely helpful as soon as your child gets sick.

Homeopathics considerations during illness:

Osccillococcinum 3 X a day for 2-3 days

Belladonna early then Gelsemium

Bryonia if prefers not moving

Rhus Tox if prefers movement

Eupatorium with myalgia + tender eyeballs

Research from the Journal of the American Medical Association reports that after removing all menopausal women from a study who might have had osteoporosis, 7% had osteoporosis and 42% had osteopenia. Are Fosimax and some of the other drugs the answer? I think not.

Research on vitamin D demonstrates that optimizing vitamin D is as effective as commercial medications. Regular exercise, which is not optional for any of us, also helps keep bones strong and healthy.  An Israeli study echoes that giving just 500 mg of magnesium daily increased bone density.  Further, trace nutrients that we find in fresh whole foods, vitamin K, vitamin C, potassium, copper, manganese, zinc, silicon, boron, and fluorine all play a role in bone building. Stress causes bone loss by changing our internal pH; as we become more acidic, our body takes minerals out of our bone-bank-account to alkalize our cells and blood.

The Pearls:

• Get your vitamin 25-OHD (vitamin D) level checked by your doctor. Optimal levels are 45 or 50 and above. If less, take 2000 to 4000 IU of vitamin D daily, or even more with your doctor’s approval.

• Move your body- weight bearing exercise shows the greatest return, but any movement helps build your bones and keeps you happy too.

• Take a bone building supplement. Make sure that it has calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, manganese, vitamin C and other bone building nutrients. My favorite is Perque Bone Guard.

• Eat lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and organic meats and poultry. These will provide the trace nutrients that will keep your bones healthy and happy.

• Get some pH paper and check your first morning pH. Optimal is 6.5-7.5. If your pH is consistently lower, focus on eating more alkaline balancing foods like fruits, vegetables, lentils, yams, vegetable juices, greens and more.

• And finally, what’s good for your bones is also great for you!

There is an old Italian saying “Where the sun does not go the doctor does.”

For about the last 25 years, doctors (dermatologists in particular) have demonized sun exposure and repeatedly told us it is bad for you and causes cancer. But is that true? In the last few years, numerous studies have shown that modest exposure to sunlight may actually be good for you, helping the body produce the vitamin D it needs to keep bones healthy and protect against cancer, including skin cancer. Though repeated sunburns–in children and very fair-skinned people–have been linked to melanoma, there is no credible scientific evidence that moderate sun exposure causes it. Since it’s almost impossible to get adequate amounts of vitamin D from food alone (including fortified milk and fatty wild fish), sun is your best source. I’m not suggesting you go bake in the sun with your suntan oil or go to tanning salons. But getting some sun without getting sunburned makes healthy sense.

We evolved in the sun; we were made to get some sun, not to live our lives indoors and slather on sunscreen every time we go outside. If the sun is shining where you are today, get out and enjoy it, talk about a free natural treatment! All you need is a little common sense when heading outdoors, do it gradually and always avoid sunburn.

Special Note: Remember to take antioxidants when you sit in the sun, as these can help prevent skin cells from sun damage.

What is vitamin D?

Although it’s called a vitamin, vitamin D is really a hormone and not actually a vitamin. Vitamins cannot be produced by your body, we get them from dietary sources, whereas vitamin D is made in your body. It’s your body’s only source of calcitrol (activated vitamin D), the most potent steroid hormone in the body.

What does vitamin D do?

Like all steroid hormones, vitamin D is involved in making hundreds of enzymes and proteins, which are crucial for preserving health and preventing disease. It has the ability to interact and affect more than 2,000 genes in the body. It enhances muscle strength and builds bone. It has anti-inflammatory effects and bolsters the immune system. It helps the action of insulin and has anti-cancer activity. This is why vitamin D deficiency has been linked with so many of the diseases of modern society. Because of its vast array of benefits, maintaining optimal levels of D is essential for your health

Where do I get vitamin D from?

Only about 10% of your vitamin D comes from diet, so it is nearly impossible to get adequate amounts of vitamin D from your diet.

The only 2 reliable sources of vitamin D are the sun and supplements.

Sunlight exposure is the only reliable way to generate vitamin D in your own body. Vitamin D is produced by your skin in response to exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun. In fact, this is such an efficient system that most of us make 20,000 units of vitamin D after only 20 minutes of summer sun without suntan lotion. That’s 100 times more than the government recommends per day! There must be a good reason why we make so much in so little time.

But these rays cannot penetrate glass to generate vitamin D in your skin, so you don’t generate vitamin D when sitting behind a glass window, whether in your car or at home.

Also sunscreens, even weak ones, almost completely block your body’s ability to generate vitamin D.

The other reliable source is supplements. Most important is that you take vitamin D3, (cholecalciferol) the active form of vitamin D. Do not take vitamin D2 as it is not as biologically active nor as effective, and nor as safe as vitamin D3. And taking the right amount is crucial, most doctors tend to under dose. The current recommendations from the Food and Nutrition Board of the U.S. Institute of Medicine: from 200 to 600 IU/day depending on one’s age, are way too low. These values were originally chosen because they were found to prevent osteomalacia (bone softening) and rickets

How much sunshine do you need?

All living things need sun, the key is balance. Too much sun exposure can cause melanoma and skin aging, while too little creates an inadequate production of vitamin D. The amount needed depends on the season, time of day, where you live, skin pigmentation and other factors. As a general rule, if you are not vitamin D deficient, about 20 minutes a day in the spring, summer and fall on your face and arms or legs without sunscreen is adequate. It doesn’t matter which part of the body you expose to the sun. Many people want to protect their face, so just don’t put sunscreen on the other exposed parts for those 20 minutes.

If you live north of 37 degrees latitude (approximately a line drawn horizontally connecting Norfolk, Virginia to San Francisco, California) sunlight is not sufficient to create Vitamin D in your skin in the winter months, even if you are sitting in the sun in a bathing suit on a warm January day! The further you live from the equator, the longer exposure you need to the sun in order to generate vitamin D

Can I take cod liver oil to get my vitamin D?

Although Cod liver oil contains a fair amount of vitamin D, it also contains high amounts of vitamin A. Vitamin A antagonizes the action of vitamin D and can be toxic at high levels.

What are other food sources of vitamin D?

• Fatty wild fish like mackerel, salmon, halibut, tuna, sardines and herring
• Fortified milk, orange juice and cereal
• Dried Shitake mushrooms
• Egg yolks

To get adequate amounts of vitamin D from food, you would have to eat at least 5 servings of salmon a day or drink 20 cups of fortified milk.

My doctor prescribed Drisdol, 50,000 IU per week. What is it?

Drisdol is a prescription of 50,000 IU tablets of vitamin D2 or ergocalciferol. Ergocalciferol is not vitamin D but it is similar. D2 is not normally found in humans and most studies show it does not raise 25(OH)D levels as well as (cholecalciferol or vit D3) does. If you are vitamin D deficient, the best thing to do, is to take vitamin D3

What about the use of tanning beds to get my vitamin D?

I tend not to recommend them because we don’t really know if they are safe. Because the light sources vary with different tanning beds, it makes them unpredictable and possibly unsafe. In addition, most commercial tanning beds emit an unknown amount of EMF and because one is so close to the actual bed, it may be an unnecessary high dose. Theoretically both these problems could be overcome, but in reality they usually are not.

Why is there an epidemic of vitamin D deficiency?

It is estimated that anywhere from 30 to 100% of Americans, depending upon their age and community living environments, are deficient in Vitamin D. More than half of all American children are vitamin deficient. Supposedly almost 3/4s of pregnant women are vitamin D deficient, predisposing their unborn children to all sorts of problems. Worldwide, it is estimated that the epidemic of vitamin D deficiency affects one billion people. In my practice over 80% of patients whose vitamin D levels I check are deficient.

No one is exactly sure why this is happening apart from the fact that we spend too much time indoors and when we go out into the sun, we lather sunscreen on ourselves. I think it must be more than that. But whatever the reason, the reality is we have a major epidemic on our hands.

How much vitamin D do I need?

How much vitamin D you need varies with age, body weight, percent of body fat, latitude, skin coloration, season of the year, use of sun block, individual variation in sun exposure, and – probably – how ill you are.

As a general rule, old people need more than young people, big people need more that little people, fat people need more than skinny people, northern people need more than southern people, dark-skinned people need more than fair skinned people, winter people need more than summer people, sun block lovers need more than sun block haters, sun-phobes need more than sun worshipers, and ill people may need more than well people.

What I and many of my colleagues around the country are finding is that even people spending what we thought was adequate amount of time in the sun, are still showing up with low blood vitamin D levels. I am not sure why at this stage but there is an easy and cheap solution…vitamin D supplementation.

Here are some guidelines:

• If your blood level is above 45ng/ml and for maintenance, I recommend 2,000-4,000 IU daily depending on age, weight, season, how much time is spent outdoors, where one lives, skin color and obviously blood levels. In other words if you are older, larger, living in the northern latitudes during the winter, are not getting sun and have dark skin, I recommend the higher maintenance dose.
• If your blood level is 35-45 ng/ml, I recommend you correct it with 5,000 of vitamin D3 a day for 3 months under a doctor’s supervision and then recheck your blood levels.
• If your blood level is less than 35 ng/ml, I recommend you correct it with 10,000 of vitamin D3 a day under a doctor’s supervision and then recheck your blood levels after 3 months. It takes a good 6 months usually to optimize your vitamin D levels if you’re deficient. Once this occurs, you can lower the dose to the maintenance dose of 2,000 – 4,000 IU a day.

What are the symptoms of vit D deficiency?

There is no clear pattern of symptoms. In fact many people remain asymptomatic despite low levels. But here are the more common symptoms

• Fatigue
• General muscle pain and weakness
• Muscle cramps
• Joint pain
• Chronic pain
• Weight gain
• High blood pressure
• Restless sleep
• Poor concentration
• Headaches
• Bladder problems
• Constipation or diarrhea

What diseases are associated with Vit D deficiency?

Vitamin D deficiency has been shown to play a role in almost every major disease. This includes:

• Osteoporosis and Osteopenia
• 17 varieties of Cancer (including breast, prostate and colon)
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Obesity
• Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes
• Autoimmune diseases
• Multiple sclerosis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Osteoarthritis
• Bursitis
• Gout
• Infertility and PMS
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Fibromyalgia
• Chronic Pain
• Periodontal disease
• Psoriasis

What about vitamin D toxicity?

It is impossible to generate too much vitamin D in your body from sunlight exposure: your body will self-regulate and only generate what it needs. Although very rare, it is possible to overdose and become toxic with supplementation as vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin and therefore stored in the body for longer periods of time. Therefore if you are taking 5,000 IU or more daily, you should have your blood levels monitored approximately every 3 months.

What blood test should I have to check my vitamin D levels?

The only blood test that can diagnose vitamin D deficiency is a 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25 OH vitamin D). Unfortunately, some doctors are still ordering the wrong test, 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D. In fact a common cause of high 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D is a low 25(OH)D or vitamin D deficiency. So when doctors see the 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D is normal or high and tell their patients that they are OK, they are often vitamin D deficient.
Your doctor should do this test for you. Unfortunately even some of the labs, in particular Qwest, have had problems with correct results, usually giving erroneously high results.

If you don’t want to go through your doctor, the ZRT lab does a blood spot test that you can order without going through a doctor.

What is the ideal blood level of 25 hydroxy vitamin D?

The current ranges for “normal” are 20 to 55 ng/ml. These are much too low!!! They may be fine if you want to prevent rickets or osteomalacia, but not for optimal health. The ideal range for optimal health is 50-80 ng/ml.

How often should I have a 25 hydroxy vitamin D blood test?

At least once a year especially at the beginning of winter. If you are supplementing, I suggest you monitor your vitamin D levels approximately every 3months until you are in the optimal range. If you are taking high doses (10,000 IU a day) your doctor must also check your calcium, phosphorous, and parathyroid hormone levels every 3 months.

It is estimated that anywhere from 30 to 100% of Americans, depending upon their age and community living environments, are deficient in Vitamin D. More than half of all American children are vitamin deficient. Supposedly almost 3/4s of pregnant women are vitamin D deficient, predisposing their unborn children to all sorts of problems. Worldwide, it is estimated that the epidemic of vitamin D deficiency affects one billion people. In my practice over 80% of patients whose vitamin D levels I check are deficient.

No one is exactly sure why this is happening apart from the fact that we spend too much time indoors and when we go out into the sun, we lather sunscreen on ourselves. I think it must be more than that. But whatever the reason, the reality is we have a major epidemic on our hands.

How much vitamin D do I need?

How much vitamin D you need varies with age, body weight, percent of body fat, latitude, skin coloration, season of the year, use of sun block, individual variation in sun exposure, and – probably – how ill you are.

As a general rule, old people need more than young people, big people need more that little people, fat people need more than skinny people, northern people need more than southern people, dark-skinned people need more than fair skinned people, winter people need more than summer people, sun block lovers need more than sun block haters, sun-phobes need more than sun worshipers, and ill people may need more than well people.

What I and many of my colleagues around the country are finding is that even people spending what we thought was adequate amount of time in the sun, are still showing up with low blood vitamin D levels. I am not sure why at this stage but there is an easy and cheap solution…vitamin D supplementation.

Here are some guidelines:

• If your blood level is above 45ng/ml and for maintenance, I recommend 2,000-4,000 IU daily depending on age, weight, season, how much time is spent outdoors, where one lives, skin color and obviously blood levels. In other words if you are older, larger, living in the northern latitudes during the winter, are not getting sun and have dark skin, I recommend the higher maintenance dose.
• If your blood level is 35-45 ng/ml, I recommend you correct it with 5,000 of vitamin D3 a day for 3 months under a doctor’s supervision and then recheck your blood levels.
• If your blood level is less than 35 ng/ml, I recommend you correct it with 10,000 of vitamin D3 a day under a doctor’s supervision and then recheck your blood levels after 3 months. It takes a good 6 months usually to optimize your vitamin D levels if you’re deficient. Once this occurs, you can lower the dose to the maintenance dose of 2,000 – 4,000 IU a day.

What are the symptoms of vit D deficiency?

There is no clear pattern of symptoms. In fact many people remain asymptomatic despite low levels. But here are the more common symptoms

• Fatigue
• General muscle pain and weakness
• Muscle cramps
• Joint pain
• Chronic pain
• Weight gain
• High blood pressure
• Restless sleep
• Poor concentration
• Headaches
• Bladder problems
• Constipation or diarrhea

What diseases are associated with Vit D deficiency?

Vitamin D deficiency has been shown to play a role in almost every major disease. This includes:

• Osteoporosis and Osteopenia
• 17 varieties of Cancer (including breast, prostate and colon)
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Obesity
• Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes
• Autoimmune diseases
• Multiple sclerosis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Osteoarthritis
• Bursitis
• Gout
• Infertility and PMS
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Fibromyalgia
• Chronic Pain
• Periodontal disease
• Psoriasis

What about vitamin D toxicity?

It is impossible to generate too much vitamin D in your body from sunlight exposure: your body will self-regulate and only generate what it needs. Although very rare, it is possible to overdose and become toxic with supplementation as vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin and therefore stored in the body for longer periods of time. Therefore if you are taking 5,000 IU or more daily, you should have your blood levels monitored approximately every 3 months.

What blood test should I have to check my vitamin D levels?

The only blood test that can diagnose vitamin D deficiency is a 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25 OH vitamin D). Unfortunately, some doctors are still ordering the wrong test, 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D. In fact a common cause of high 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D is a low 25(OH)D or vitamin D deficiency. So when doctors see the 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D is normal or high and tell their patients that they are OK, they are often vitamin D deficient.
Your doctor should do this test for you. Unfortunately even some of the labs, in particular Qwest, have had problems with correct results, usually giving erroneously high results.

If you don’t want to go through your doctor, the ZRT lab does a blood spot test that you can order without going through a doctor.

What is the ideal blood level of 25 hydroxy vitamin D?

The current ranges for “normal” are 20 to 55 ng/ml. These are much too low!!! They may be fine if you want to prevent rickets or osteomalacia, but not for optimal health. The ideal range for optimal health is 50-80 ng/ml.

How often should I have a 25 hydroxy vitamin D blood test?

At least once a year especially at the beginning of winter. If you are supplementing, I suggest you monitor your vitamin D levels approximately every 3months until you are in the optimal range. If you are taking high doses (10,000 IU a day) your doctor must also check your calcium, phosphorous, and parathyroid hormone levels every 3 months.