Vitamin D: Did you know?

Vitamin D has been getting a lot of media attention lately, as more and more research highlights just how important it is to our overall health. Last year, even the Canadian Cancer Society made the surprising move of recommending that all people supplement with vitamin D, suggesting it can slash cancer risk by 60%. This month, the National Post reported on a study showing that kids who get a vitamin D supplement are 30% less likely to develop type 1 diabetes in later life than those who don’t get vitamin D. The type 1 (juvenile) disease is most common among people of European descent, and the incidence is rising at about 3% a year.

Many people think that if we’re outside a few times per day and eat a healthy diet, we’ll get enough — but that’s not the case, especially for us here in Canada (or most of North America, for that matter). Our latitude is such that, for a good part of the year, the rays of the sun simply cannot strike our skin with enough intensity to manufacture adequate levels. And non-fortified food sources of vitamin D are actually quite scarce.

I received an informative e-newsletter from Dr Michael Murray, ND, the other day. It’s all about vitamin D and he outlines some interesting and helpful information. Here are a few tidbits:

• Vitamin D has protective effects noted against certain cancers (particularly breast and prostate), autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes, and heart disease.
• A new study shows vitamin D reduces cellular aging, to the effect that a 70 year old women with higher vitamin D levels would have the biological age of 65 years.
• 40% of the U.S. population is vitamin D deficient (that usually means Canadians, too — perhaps even more so in our northern latitude).
• 42% of African American women of childbearing age are deficient in vitamin D.
• 48% of young girls (9-11 years old) are vitamin D deficient.
• 60% of all hospital patients are vitamin D deficient.
• 76% of pregnant mothers are severely vitamin D deficient
• 80% of nursing home patients are vitamin D deficient.
• From the latitude of San Francisco northward—or from Buenos Aires southward—for 3 to 6 months a year, no amount of exposure will generate substantial vitamin D in even the palest skin.
• Fish such as wild salmon, mackerel, and sardines are good sources of vitamin D3, while fortified foods include milk, orange juice, and some breads and cereals (D2).
• The vitamin D levels in farmed salmon are 75% less than wild caught salmon from Alaska.
• Dosages in the range of 800 to 2,000 IU per day are now recognized as being safe levels.
• The drugs cholestyramine (Questran®), colestipol (Colestid®), phenytoin (Dilantin®), phenobarbital, and mineral oil all interfere with the absorption and/or metabolism of vitamin D. Corticosteroids like prednisone also increase the need for vitamin D.
• Vitamin D supplementation must be used with caution when using digoxin (Lanoxin®) and thiazide diuretics.

This isn’t meant to be a place to make sales pitches, but really — for just pennies a day, there’s no reason we shouldn’t all be taking a safe vitamin with so much to offer. And with the new liquid versions available, it’s also easy to give kids. My own kids like it, and they’re pretty picky!

Broccoli for bladder cancer

I have a relative with bladder cancer (now in remission) so this story caught my eye today. Researchers found that a compound in broccoli sprouts cut cancer rates in laboratory animals by an impressive 50%. They say that “although this is an animal study, it provides potent evidence that eating vegetables is beneficial in bladder cancer prevention.” To read about the study in more detail, click here.

My relative has been a life-long vegetable avoider, so one can’t help wonder if there’s a connection. Then again, he’s an older male, a former smoker and worked for 30 years around solvents — all of which are major risk factors for bladder cancer. His first symptom came as blood in the urine after going for long runs. The motion of jogging created some friction in the bladder that likely caused the bleeding to occur earlier than it might have in a more sedentary person.

The broccoli compound in the study is glucoraphanin, the precursor of sulforaphane. Sulforaphane also helps the body detoxify xenoestrogens that can cause breast and ovarian cancers, and is part of the formula by Lorna Vanderhaeghe called EstroSense.

The best shaving cream ever!

There’s this little box sitting on one of our cosmetics shelves in the store containing a product called UltraShave. I don’t think very many of our customers have even noticed it yet, but I have to say it’s the best shaving cream I’ve ever used, whether natural or “regular.” My wife uses it, too, and a few female staff members have sampled it as well. So far I’ve only heard great feedback. What’s nice about it is that it’s very moisturizing, gives a very close shave, somehow protects from nicks and cuts, and allows you to see where you’re shaving because it’s transparent on the skin. There are no animal products, no parabens or peteroleum products. The inventor claims it’s so pure you can actually eat it — I haven’t tested that yet! It’s a bit pricey, but does last a while and seems to make razors last a bit longer as well. If you’d like to learn more, visit the website here.

I also came across a video of some guy shaving with UltraShave – not sure who he is, but, oddly, it’s somehow interesting to watch! You can see that the product goes on very clear and gives a very smooth shave.

Home remedy for nail fungus

I like reading about and publishing research-backed natural solutions, but now and again I hear about “home remedies” that make a lot of sense, too. After all, so many research-backed remedies started out as home remedies! Here’s one for tackling nail fungus, as reported on the People’s Pharmacy (www.peoplespharmacy.org), a very interesting and informative website from award-winning authors and educators Joe and Terry Graedon:

Vinegar Soak Helps Fight Nail Fungus
A professional foot care nurse who sees around 200 patients each month recommends adding a cup of cider vinegar to a warm water foot bath and soaking for 10 minutes daily. “The solution seeps up under the nail, reaching the affected area better than some of the painted on remedies which are sold over the counter.”

This nurse also alerted us to the value of Vicks VapoRub applied daily on and around the nail. She says it “gradually penetrates the affected nail, softening the debris, and enables easier removal while it seems to prevent fungal invasion into the newly emerging nail.”

I might recommend Olbas Salve rather than Vicks, however; Olbas uses peanut oil and parrafin as the main base, whereas Vicks uses petroleum and turpentine.

For tons more home remedies, or to sign up for the Graedon’s weekly newsletter, visit their site.

Scary plastics: Bisphenol A and your kids’ kids

For those following the Bisphenol A controversy (or those new to it) find a link below to a recently published “backgrounder” posted on the CBC website. This horrible chemical is found in hard plastics (such as baby bottles, polycarbonate (eg, Nalgene) water bottles, the lining of infant formula cans, white dental fillings, etc) and is known to play havoc with human hormone receptors. The scary thing is, it’s thought to be most damaging at very small concentrations, rather than large amounts. This isn’t normally how harmful things affect us, and so the plastics industry (and even Health Canada) continues to say the chemical is safe at “normal exposure.” But what’s considered “normal exposure” if even trace amounts can start affecting our bodies in potentially irreversible ways?

And it’s not just a bunch of us “health nuts” who are concerned. Even the scientists are worried about the far-reaching affects of Bisphenol A (BPA) on our generation, and potentially our children’s children:

Yale researchers who published a study last month say this: “If pregnant women are exposed to the estrogen-like properties found in BPA, it may impact female reproductive tract development and the future fertility of female fetuses the mother is carrying.”

Scary stuff. To get involved and help get BPA banned, check out the campaign spearheaded by the Canadian group Environmental Defence here.

The Peanut Mill now carries plastic baby bottles and cups made without BPA, as well as glass baby bottles.

Oh yes – and here’s that CBC story I was referring to!

Cancer & Chemotherapy Support

I’m often asked in the store for suggestions on how to help people deal with the difficult side effects of chemotherapy. I’m happy to have come across this article by Dr Michael Murray, ND, a couple of years ago. He gives some great advice on how to prepare the body for the harsh effects of the drug, and how to adjust your diet and lifestyle to help minimize the discomfort. I’ve met Dr Murray personally and feel that he’s not only a well-studied author and clinician, he’s a genuinely good guy interested in helping people in any way he can. I hope his article helps.

Welcome!

Welcome to my personal blog, an offshoot of The Peanut Mill’s official website, www.thepeanutmill.com.

My aim is to use this space as a repository of the helpful, interesting and sometimes astounding natural health information I come across on a regular basis – whether by seeking out the latest research news for our store newsletter or hearing the testimonials directly from our own customers. A handy “filing system” like this blog will not only help me keep track of information, but hopefully our interested customers as well, and anyone out there on the web, for that matter.

That said, I must also make a disclaimer: I’m not a medical professional and in no way intend the information on this blog to be used to diagnose or treat a medical condition. The information posted here is also not necessarily endorsed by The Peanut Mill Ltd. My intention is simply to compile and share information that I personally deem worthy of consideration.

Thanks for stopping by, and happy reading!