Currently viewing the category: "vitamin D"

Low Dietary Vit D Stroke Risk for Japanese-American Men

By On · Add Comment · In direct sunlight, japanese american males, rickets, stroke prevention, vitamin D, vitamin D deficiency

Whoa, check it: Japanese-American men with diets low in vitamin D had greater risk of stroke later in life. This according to recent long-term study looking at 7,400 Japanese-American men living in Hawaii. Just another confirmation that the sun nutrient, vitamin D, is paramount in maintaining health and wellness.

The study, which began in the mid-to-late-1960s, looked at Japanese-American men between the ages of 45 and 68, and examined and interviewed them about their dietary habits at that time. The men were then followed up with 34 years later, whereby 960 were found to have died of stroke. The men with the lowest vitamin D in their diets had a 22% greater risk of stroke, and a 27% greater risk of ischemic stroke (blood-clot type). No difference existed for hemorrhagic (bleeding) stroke, however.

“Our study confirms that eating foods rich in vitamin D might be beneficial for stroke prevention,” said study author Dr. Gotaro Kojima, a geriatric medicine fellow at the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu. He also stated that it is unknown at this time whether these results could be extrapolated to women or other ethnic groups.

So here I present just another study showing the importance of vitamin D supplementation, and again I ask how there can still be so many “authorities” unconvinced of the need to supplement. True, vitamin D can be found in foods like fortified milk, breakfast cereals, fatty fish and egg yolks, which are all good sources. And, of course, nothing beats the vitamin D production of our skin from the exposure to direct sunlight.

The good doctor Kojima does point out that synthesizing vitamin D from the sun becomes more difficult as people age, so older people especially should increase their dietary intake, and in my opinion take a good D supplement.

Once again, I’d like to point out that many experts, myself included, believe that the recommended blood D levels are too low; and while they may prevent some diseases, like rickets, optimum levels are almost 2-3 times more than the medical and dietary standards.

So Japanese-American men (and all people for that matter) need to get adequate sunlight (15-20 minutes sans sunscreen daily), eat vitamin D rich foods, and supplement. Hey, you can follow the authoritarian naysayers and skip supplementation, OR you can just freakin’ supplement. Which do you think comes with a heavier price to pay if wrong? Well then…nuff said.

Dry Brush for Health & Beauty

By On · Add Comment · In dry brush massage, dry brushing, epidermis, Erewhon Natural Foods, impurities, lymphatics, nervous system, skin, vegetable fiber brush, vitamin D
I would love to share with you a health and beauty secret practiced in the spas of Europe and Russia, and that I have been doing regularly for years. The first is called dry brush massaging, and it is a stupendous way to care for your skin and other systems.

Dry brush massage, or dry brushing as I call it, is using a dry vegetable fiber brush to lightly scrub the dead skin cells off your body. Very much like a body scrub spa treatment here in the U.S., dry brushing is a way to stimulate the skin and remove the upper epidermal layer, leaving a fresh, rosy complexion to your body.

I like to use a vegetable fiber brush that you can get at most health food stores. In Los Angeles I like Erewhon Natural Foods near CBS on Beverly Blvd., which right down the street from my West Hollywood chiropractic office. You can also use a loofah or a coarse sponge if you have one lying around, but make sure it’s dry.

Starting with the soles of your feet, brush vigorously in rotational motions, and brush your entire body. When first starting the practice, go lightly, as your skin will be sensitive. You’ll want to be extra careful around the genitalia, axilla (armpits), and neck, which are very sensitive; and DO NOT brush the face (dry brush is too rough for the facial skin, and a good exfoliating scrub should do fine here). You want to brush until your skin becomes warm, glowing and rosy.

Five to ten minutes of dry brushing should be fine. The best time for dry brush massage is first thing in the morning or right before bed. I think dry brushing once a month is plenty, but I know some people do it more often. I do, however, think that more than once per week is excessive–moderation is key here.

The skin is the largest eliminative organ of the body (in size, not function). This surprises some to hear, but our skin is specifically designed to excrete impurities (along with its protective, sensory and other functions). When dead skin cells accumulate on the outer layers, the pores of the skin can become clogged, preventing the excretion of impurities and wastes. Further, vitamin D is produced in the deepest epidermal layers of the skin in response to sun absorption, so keeping the outermost layers as desquamated (sloughed off) as possible should help on this end too.

Finally, regular dry brushing can energize the lymphatic and circulatory systems, stimulating the movement of vital fluids. It will also stimulate the nervous system, helping you reconnect with the sensory receptors on the surface of your skin, and act as a vitality rejuvenator. Dry brushing also stimulates oil production from the glandular system, giving your skin a healthy sheen.

Dry brushing is a wonderful health and beauty practice sure to increase vitality, beautify your complexion, and improve your overall health. It’s a powerful natural anti-aging technique that I’ve been taking advantage of for years. Visit your local health food store and purchase a dry brush today. Dry brush for health, wellness and ageless beauty–you’ll be pleasantly amazed at the results.

*I refuse to entertain notions of cellulite removal from dry brushing as the suggestion of such is absurd.

Women Over 50: Health Choices

By On · Add Comment · In breast reduction, calcium, chiropractic, chiropractor, cosmetic surgery, exercise, health, hormone replacement therapy, infections, vitamin D

Ladies: Are you over 50 and considering a boob-reduction?  Hope you’re healthy then, because a recent study shows that you’re at an increased risk for infection. That’s right. And on top of that, women over 50 also have a higher rate of wound-healing problems as compared to younger women, leading to a higher rate of repeat surgery to remove areas of dead skin (debridement). Something to think about if you’re considering a slash to the sag.

The study conducted at Johns Hopkins University looked at 1,192 women who had breast reduction surgery between 1999 and 2009 and found that the post-surgery infection rate for women over 50 was 2.7 times higher than for those under 40.
Researcher believe that the differences are due to age-related changes to hormone levels. Yes, of course! And the reason is that they found older women on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) were less likely to have post-surgery infections. Further, women who had undergone hysterectomy or removal of the ovaries, both of which result in large decreases in hormone levels, had higher rates of infection. Accordingly, the study’s authors conclude that doctors should investigate any factors that might effect hormone levels in women considering breast reduction surgery, and that hormone replacement therapy might be warranted in women with reduced hormone levels.
So why would I say “hope you’re healthy?” Because health isn’t simply which chemical or hormone we’re missing. When the body is in a state of wellness, it’s missing nothing. Why not instead encourage older women to do some things that might improve their health overall? Why not encourage younger women now to maintain their health to their best ability?
Spoke to a lovely lady this evening in my practice who told me that she does what she does cosmetically because it makes her feel better about herself, which in turn, motivates her to do other right things for herself (like exercise and eat well, etc). While I certainly understand where she’s coming from on an emotional level, I’d say it’s somewhat illogical reasoning: You alter yourself through surgery so that you feel better about yourself, and then you exercise and eat well?
Ladies, your body is yours to do what you deem appropriate. But I assure you that by doing the right things:

  • Exercising regularly
  • Drinking lots of water
  • Eating whole, natural foods
  • Supplementing with vitamin D and calcium
  • Visiting your chiropractor regularly
  • Getting regular body work
  • Being aware of your body (through gyno checkups and breast self-exams)
  • Minimizing alcohol and tobacco use
  • Practicing safe sex
  • Getting plenty of rest
…you should be healthy for years to come. And if you are in your fifties and pick up these habits now, your highly intelligent body will rebalance itself. If you don’t feel better about yourself then, it’s time for me to hang up my hands (sorry, I’m a chiropractor: it’s all I could think of…). At the very least, if you decide to get that breast reduction after all, then you’ll be in the best shape to handle the surgery.

Oral Steroids Linked to Vit D Deficiency

By On · Add Comment · In osteomalacia, rickets, steroid medication, sun, sunscreen, vitamin D, vitamin D deficiency, vitamin D insufficiency

People that take oral steroid medications, particularly children, could be at an increased risk for serious vitamin D deficiency. So says a recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.  Some conditions people take these drugs for are asthma, certain types of arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmune diseases like Crohn’s disease, lupus and multiple sclerosis.

Researchers looked at nearly 23,000 Americans in a government health survey, and found that those using oral steroid medications were twice as likely as non-users to have a severe vitamin D deficiency. Eleven percent (2,530 people) of those on steroids had a vitamin D level below 10 ng/mL–far below the minimum requirement to remain healthy. That compared with five percent (1,150 people) of study participants not on steroids.

Blood levels of vitamin D lower than 10 ng/mL:

associated with the most severe deficiency diseases: rickets in infants and children, and osteomalacia in adults. A concentration above 15 ng/ml (37.5 nmol/L) is generally considered adequate for those in good health. Levels above 30 ng/ml (75 nmol/L) are proposed by some as desirable for achieving optimum health, but there is not yet enough evidence to support this. ~ Wikipedia (as of 10/31/11)

The link was especially strong among children. Steroid users younger than 18 were 14 times more likely to have a vitamin D deficiency than kids not taking the medications.

The authors of the study point out the findings do not prove causality, but this should alert doctors and parents to keep an eye on vitamin D levels of the children taking these drugs.  Something else parents can do is make sure their children are out in the sun as much as possible. Some parents may inadvertently keep their asthmatic kids indoors, but I think this is a mistake. Lots of sunshine is necessary for the production of vitamin D. At the very least, the inhaler should be countered each time with a good vitamin D supplement.

As the severity of vitamin D insufficiency in North America is dismissed, data showing its pervasiveness continues to accumulate.  The smart reader will continue to get plenty of sun-screen free sun, and supplement if necessary (not so for those getting sun daily). And making sure that if you or your child are on oral steroids, you get your blood vitamin D levels checked.

Choose Wisely: More on Vit D

By On · Add Comment · In body mass index (BMI), breast cancer, high density lipoprotein (HDL), obese, vitamin D, vitamin D deficiency
Two more reports out today showing a further necessity for improving vitamin D levels in North Americans–specifically women and children.  The first, a study showing that women with breast cancer and low vitamin D levels have more aggressive tumors and poorer outcomes, while the second showed vitamin D deficiency is common in American children and linked with obesity.

The first study conducted at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) tracked 155 women who had surgery for breast cancer between January 2009 and September 2010.  Researchers looked at blood vitamin D levels of the women one year before and one year after the surgery.  They found an association between low vitamin D levels (less than 32 milligrams per milliliter of blood) and poor scores on every major biological marker used to predict a breast cancer patient’s outcome.

This is the first study to look at the link between vitamin D levels and breast cancer progression. Previous studies have concentrated on vitamin D deficiency and the risk of cancer development only.

The second study looked at vitamin D levels in 237 healthy obese and non-obese white and black children, aged 8 to 18; they found most to be vitamin D deficient.  But equally interesting is that they found low D levels in these children to be associated  with higher body mass index (BMI) and fat levels, and lower levels of “good” high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.

You know, both of these studies really bring up only one thought in my mind–how are there still ‘experts’ claiming that supplementing with vitamin D is unnecessary?  A story published last year in the New York Times (which shockingly, some people still take as gospel) declared just that–that recommendations for vitamin D supplementation were primarily fueled by the vitamin industry.  I’m aghast that so-called respected media outlets (?) and health authorities are passing this advice.  They paint vitamin D proponents as dangerous…really?  I guess the old adage ‘for non-believers, no proof is sufficient’ really rings true.


I hope that people are wise enough to see the evidence before us.  Simple: most North Americans are not getting enough vitamin D; vitamin D insufficiency can lead to a plethora of health problems; children are at serious risk; and we don’t even know to what extent low vitamin D levels are affecting human health.

Choose your authorities wisely, people.  Hold onto the old guard experts and expect much of the ‘same-old, same-old’ for your health future.

Essential Vitamins for Total Body Wellness

By On · Add Comment · In essential fatty acids, healthy diet, nutrients, nutritional health, nutritional supplements, sports chiropractic, vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamins, whole foods

Vitamins are an important part of nutritional health, but they are not meant to stand alone.  Vitamins are to supplement a healthy diet, one rich in whole, natural foods.  However, I believe that receiving all the necessary nutrients from the diet alone, in this day and age, is nearly impossible.  To enjoy optimal health, then, supplementing with good vitamins is essential. 

Watch the video below to find out what I call the basics as far as vitamin supplements go.  You’ll also get a basic understanding of how each vitamin works to bring you optimal nutritional health.

For more on essential fatty acids, vitamin B, vitamin C, and vitamin D, you can check my chiropractic website to get the most up-to-date nutritional information.  And if you are looking for a nutritional consultation, you can call my Los Angeles sports chiropractic office to set one up.

When it comes to great health, your nutrition is vital; and supplementing with essential vitamins is the wisest choice to make.

Skin Cancer Salons

By On · Add Comment · In melanoma, skin cancer, sun, tanning salon, UV bed, vitamin D, World Health Organization

Well, it’s that time. Sun’s coming out and you know what that means–go to the tanning salon to get your starter tan. For some people, tanning in a UV bed is a year long practice. Well indoor tanners beware: Tanning beds can up your risk of skin cancer.

British cancer experts report that melanoma, a deadly type of skin cancer, is now the leading form of cancer found in women in their 20s. And based on the current numbers, they predict that it will be the the fourth most common cancer for men and women of all ages by 2024. What makes this especially worrying is that people in their 20s are not generally susceptible to melanoma–it’s usually found in people over 75.

This trend is thought to be the result of heavy tanning salon use. According to one researcher,

“Spending time on sunbeds is just as dangerous as staying out too long in the sun. The intensity of UV rays in some sunbeds can be more than 10 times stronger than the midday sun.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended that tanning beds be regulated because of their potential to damage DNA. 29 states have regulations against minors using tanning beds without the consent of a parent.

It never ceases to amaze me this tanning salon phenomenon. Someone please tell me, what’s wrong with the sun?!?! Oh no, I gotta be tan…now! Whatever. I personally take the middle ground here: Humans need sun–it provides us with vitamin D. And based on a recent report that Americans on average are low in their D levels, we need more sun.

But the fear mongers (in this case, dermatologists) have been working hard, and have been pushing this “stay out of the sun (and have every freckle burned off)” agenda. So what have people done? They either avoid sun altogether (porcelain dolls) or they go nuts inside the tanning booth (tanorexics). Yeah, yeah, yeah…don’t bother telling me about the Magic Tan. Everybody knows you’ve been sprayed–it’s not fooling anyone.

Listen, we all need sun. Get out and enjoy it. Use sunscreen and don’t allow yourself to get burned. Simple sun-enomics. Avoid the tanning salons, or increase your risks of getting skin cancer. Simple as that.

Vitamin D Prevents Arterial Disease?

By On · Add Comment · In blood flow, blood vessels, narrowing, occlusion, PAD, peripheral arterial disease, vitamin D

You all know how I feel about vitamin D–I think supplementing with it is essential to good health. Vitamin D is necessary for bone growth and maintenance, proper immune function, and the regulation of many important metabolic functions like sugar regulation and parathyroid function. Now new findings suggest that vitamin D may protect against peripheral arterial disease.

Peripheral arterial disease, or PAD, is a disease of the blood vessels where blood flow is diminished due to hardening of the arterial walls which leads to narrowing or occlusion of the vessel. Diminished blood flow of PAD occurs most often in the leg and can lead to cramping, numbness and discoloration. Left untreated it could eventually lead to amputation.

The research was based on a government survey of 4,839 adults. Vitamin D levels were measured in the adults, and they found that the people in the lowest 25 percent of vitamin D levels were 80 percent more likely to have PAD than those in the highest 25 percent. Hmmm…very interesting.

It might be a little premature to make the connection between high vitamin D levels and a lowered risk of PAD. These findings may simply be due to the people with the highest vitamin D levels were just healthier overall. Perhaps they were regular exercisers, and perhaps they spent a lot of time outdoors. Vitamin D is produced in the skin when exposed to sunlight. Perhaps the group with the highest vitamin D levels eat well and perhaps some of them take supplements. These are all things which would need to be distinguished in a more specific research project. But these recent results are encouraging. Hey, I wouldn’t be surprised. Vitamin D is amazing; and there are probably many other health benefits that we don’t know of yet with some known vitamins and nutrients. I take vitamin D supplements regularly and so should you. If these findings regarding PAD are found to be correct, then you’ll be ahead of the game.

More Benefits to Vitamin D

By On · Add Comment · In amputations, blindness, children, high blood sugar, insulin, kidney failure, type 1 diabetes, vitamin D

You’ve probably read my earlier post on vitamin D and therefore know how important I think it is to the overall health of an adult. But new findings show that supplementing vitamin D early on is also very healthy for children. According to a British study, giving infants extra vitamin D (that is, above and beyond what they are getting from milk and sunlight) reduced the risk of children developing Type 1 diabetes by almost 30%.

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body is unable to produce enough insulin to bring sugar into the cells. As a result, sugar builds up in the blood and damages various tissues and organs. Along with regular tobacco and alcohol use, high blood sugar is one of the most damaging conditions known to man–it leads to many diseases and disorders including amputations, blindness, kidney failure, and the list goes on and on and on…

Once a person develops Type 1 diabetes, they have it for life, and they’ll have to give themselves insulin shots forever. Isn’t it comforting to know that by just supplementing with a little vitamin D, your child stands a greater chance of warding off this dreaded disease? It does to me. So guess whose little angel is getting daily vitamin D supplements?

Vitamin D-Fence

By On · Add Comment · In calcium, cancer, type 2 diabetes, vitamin D, vitamin D3

Exciting news out of Finland: Vitamin D may provide protection against type 2 diabetes. In a recent study conducted by the National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, people with higher blood levels of vitamin D had a 40 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those with lower levels of the vitamin.

And in another study, vitamin D was shown to lower the risk of developing many cancers. Wow! This study, conducted at Creighton University Medical School in Omaha, Nebraska, looked at 1,179 postmenopausal women who were free of any known cancers 10 years before the study started. The women were separated into three groups; one took calcium supplements, another, calcium supplements plus 1,100 IU vitamin D, and the third took placebo pills. After four years, the group taking the calcium plus vitamin D showed a 60% lower risk of developing cancer. But even more exciting was that after seven years, the risk was lowered by 77%. Booyah!

These finding show the mega-importance of taking a daily vitamin D supplement. According to this and other studies, taking three times the RDA levels of vitamin D3 (much better than the D2 derivative) will provide the beneficial effects. In practical terms it means taking 1,000 IU vitamin D3 every day. As experts point out, though, you never want to take more than 2,000 IU a day, as this can cause liver and kidney damage, among many other problems.

Vitamin D can be found naturally in fish and fish oils, and it is added to milk, cereals and orange juice. But the main source of vitamin D is the sun–ultraviolet rays stimulate the skin to produce vitamin D. Although the American Cancer Society acknowledges the finding “are intriguing”, they are currently cautious about recommending supplementation. Most Americans, however, are deficient in this essential nutrient; and with the concerns about people getting “too much” sun, it stands to reason that supplementation is a must.

Just think, something as simple as supplementing with vitamin D can significantly lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and many cancers (breast, colon and ovarian). In my mind, it’s a no-brainer. And the low cost of supplementation makes it an even more obvious health choice. According to Edward D. Gorham, adjunct professor of family and preventive medicine at the University of California, San Diego and a researcher on two vitamin D/cancer studies, “There’s enough evidence to recommend that people take 1000 IU of vitamin D every day. Doing so would only cost about 5 cents per person per day and could prevent several thousand cancer deaths each year.” If that ain’t enough to get you supplementing, nothing will.

Get Smart!

By On · Add Comment · In alternative, alternative therapy, calcium, conventional wisdom, cow's milk, health practices, medical paradigm, mommy, natural health, phytates, soy, soy milk, tooth decay, vitamin D

My wife told me today of a mommy she met at the park. The mommy asked my wife if she gives my daughter soy milk. My wife said no – we don’t drink it so she didn’t really see the point in starting my daughter on it. The mommy then said she only gives her child soy milk, and never cow’s milk, although she has been noticing her child’s teeth were decaying.

Now, pediatricians will o.k. a child’s drinking soy milk instead of cow’s milk if the soy product is fortified with vitamin D and calcium. That’s because soy milk is not as great a source of these two nutrients. Furthermore, soy milk contains compounds – called phytates – that decrease the absorption of calcium and other minerals. Vitamin D is necessary for proper bone development, immune function and cell growth. Calcium is necessary for healthy bones, muscles, blood vessels, and nerves. Both nutrients play a major role in tooth development and health. Deficiency in either can cause weakened or underdeveloped bones and teeth, including tooth decay.

O.k. here’s my problem with what my wife told me. I think there is a major cultural shift happening in this country, and it’s towards natural health. I’m all for natural health – heck, I’m a chiropractor, for crying out loud (and I did write a book about it – The Six Keys To Optimal Health) – however, I think that if you are going to do things naturally, you’ve got be smart about it.

You see, the medical paradigm is actually the safest alternative for people who do not want to think for themselves. On a purely statistical basis, medical wisdom is the safest, lowest maintenance way to care for your body. Do what your doctor tells you and, for the most part (probably around 75% – I’m pulling this number out of my keester, but it’s more for illustrating a point, anyway), you should be o.k. True, for the minority of people, following the conventional wisdom might be harmful, useless, or minimally beneficial at best. So for these people, thinking outside of the box is often necessary.

That’s where “alternative” health practices originated (and in this case we’re discussing natural, but it can just as well mean any other alternative therapy – magnets, leaches, exorcisms, whatever); they came from man’s desire to heal himself outside of what he was told worked, but, unfortunately, hadn’t for him (or his parents, brothers, sisters, cousins, etc.). As the alternative therapy began helping more people, it began to rise within the mainstream, moving closer, itself, to becoming conventional wisdom.

Here’s the point: if you are going to practice natural or alternative health methods, be informed. Don’t give your child a product without knowing everything about that product, and definitely do not substitute a well-known health product (vitamin/nutrient) for one of today’s latest health-food flavors of the month. I know, I know, soy is safe – I just said it, didn’t I? However, if you notice your child’s teeth decaying – WAKE UP! Either look it up and educate yourself, or call your pediatrician or dentist and find out if there’s a vitamin deficiency causing it.

The bottom line is this – if you are going to be the master of your own health, then you gotta know the way to do it: read the instructions, watch the demonstration video, take the weekend seminar. If you don’t have the time to buck up, then just do what conventional wisdom (read: modern medical science) tells you – it’s simply the safest way to go.

Copyright © 2013 Dr. Nick Campos - All Rights Reserved.