Monthly Archives: December 2010
Wellness doctor and chiropractor in Jacksonville Beach Florida takes a look at Vitamin C.
| December 27, 2010 | Posted by Dr.John under Jacksonville beach nutrition |
Vitamin C is one of the most important nutrients in the human body. Vitamin C has been linked as a cure for everything from diabetes, to cancer, as well as the common cold. Most species of animals produce their own vitamin C, but humans along with the other primates and guinea pigs, do not.
Vitamin C is important for the creation of collagen, which is found in bones and ligaments, blood vessels and tendons. It is also important in the creation of neurotransmitters or brain chemicals (serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine) which control our moods, mental clarity, and pain levels. Vitamin C also helps reduce cholesterol and gallstones. It helps synthesize carnitine, an amino acid used to convert fat to energy. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant and protects cells from oxidative damage or free radicals.
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin C is currently only 90 mg a day for adults. The RDA is actually the-Recommended Disease Allowance-just enough to keep you from getting Scurvey, but not enough to create optimal health. Prevention of chronic disease requires higher levels of vitamin C consumption. Since vitamin C is not stored in the blood, it is best to divide the dose and take it multiple times throughout the day. Diabetes Researchers at the Addenbrooke Hospital in England looked at blood levels of vitamin C in medical records of many individuals. They discovered that those with the highest rate of vitamin C in their blood had a 22 percent lower diabetes rate.
Vitamin C’s greatest advocate was Linus Pauling. Dr. Pauling won a Nobel Peace Prize for efforts against nuclear weapon proliferation, and a Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Pauling began research with vitamin C in 1966 and first championed it as a cure for the common cold. Pauling suggested that the correct dosage of vitamin C was 10 to 12 grams a day. ??While I wouldn’t want to negate Pauling’s work, after all he is one of the greatest biochemists of any generation, 12 grams is a lot. As a wellness consultant I recommend my patients experiment with high doses if they wish, but as a preventative measure 2-3 grams of vitamin C is probably plenty for most folks.
Vitamin C and Cancer:
A National Institute of Health study reported that vitamin C was not preventative with cancer, but that research studied oral intake of the vitamin, and the body can process vitamin C only in small amounts. When research is done on vitamin C given by injections, both tumor growth and weight were reduced by 53 percent in 75 percent of the cancers in mice, from ovarian, pancreatic and brain.
The current recommendation from the U.S Department of Agriculture and the National Cancer Institute is five to ten servings of vegetables or fruit per day. Cancers particularly decreased by the intake of vitamin C are those in the mouth, throat, vocal chords, stomach, rectum, colon, esophagus, and lungs. A study of 870 men over 25 years showed that only 83 mg of vitamin C per day reduced lung cancers by 64 percent, compared to individuals who consumed less than 63 mg. per day.
If you would like to learn more about how you can get and stay healthy, Click Here to sign up for my free Health Matters Newsletter.
As natural health care provider and chiropractic physician in Jacksonville Beach FL, I see my job as educating, coaching, and nurturing my patients to better health and wellness.
Yours In Health,
Dr. John
JACKSOVILLE BEACH WELLNESS DOCTOR AND CHIROPRACTOR ADVISES PATIENTS ON HOW TO TREAT DIABETES NATURALLY.
| December 18, 2010 | Posted by Dr.John under Jacksonville Beach Natural Diabetes Treatment |
Over 230 million people suffer with type 2-diabetes worldwide. The World Health Organization relates that the incidence of type 2 diabetes (formerly known as adult-onset diabetes) related deaths has risen to 3.2 million annually which is equivalent to deaths related to HIV/AIDS. It’s estimated that by the year 2030 as many as 350 million people will suffer lifestyle related disease. Long-term outcome for those with the disease isn’t good. People with type-2 diabetes have an average life expectancy 15 years less than those without diabetes. Heart disease and stroke account for about 65% of deaths in people with diabetes. The risk of stroke is also found to be 2 to 4 times higher in people with diabetes. Unfortunately, the news has gone from bad to worse with the warnings about the dangers of two common diabetic drugs, Avandia and Actos.
A meta-analysis which looked at four long-term trials comprising 14,291 people, found that Avandia increased risk of heart attack by 42 percent and doubled the risk of heart failure. The Actos meta-analysis looked at nineteen trials comprising more than 16,000 patients. It found that Actos lowered the risk of heart attack, stroke, and death by 18 percent, but raised risk of heart failure by forty percent. Not good.
Other commonly used diabetic drugs known as sulfonylureas (DiaBeta, Micronase, Glynase, Diabinese, Glucatrol, Orinase, Tolinase, and Amyrel) are also associated with an increased risk of heart attack and strokes. Orinase has been shown to increase the risk for heart attack and stroke by 300 percent and increases the risk of death from all illnesses by 250 percent over those taking a sugar pill. These drugs carry a warning label, which states, “The administration of oral hypoglycemic drugs has been reported to be associated with increased risk of cardiovascular mortality as compared with treatment with diet alone or diet plus insulin. ”Insulin sensitizers or enhancing drugs including Metformin (Glucophage) and Phenformin are known as biguanides. Metformin is now the most commonly prescribed oral anti-diabetic drug in the world. It works by increasing insulin sensitivity in the liver. It also has a number of other beneficial effects, including weight loss, reduced cholesterol-triglyceride levels, and improved endothelial function.
Metformin is tolerated better than many other anti-diabetic prescription drugs. And I believe it to be the safest of the diabetes-drugs. However, it’s not without potential health risks. Those taking Metformin should be made aware that it’s associated with lactic acidosis. Lactic acidosis is a rare but serious complication that can occur due to glucophage accumulation and is fatal 50% of the time. Phenformin was pulled from the market in 1977 due to an increased risk in developing lactic acidosis, Metformin has avoided being banned by the FDA and most doctors including myself believe this medicine is the safest of the diabetic drugs. Unfortunately Metformin doesn’t slow down the ravages of diabetes, namely arteriosclerosis and increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart disease. I’ve discovered that my patients who follow my advice and take additional nutritional medicines along with their Metformin enjoy the best health. And even better, many of my patients are able to avoid or discontinue Metformin after following my advice below.
The majority of patients, some ninety percent are non-insulin dependent type 2 diabetic, and suffer from poor diet, obesity, and inactivity, not from a lack of insulin. I encourage my patients with type 2- diabetes to try neutraceutical therapies instead. Certainly I recommend insulin therapy for those patients who need it but I also recommend they use the nutritional supplements below as well. Since patients who use insulin develop a tolerance for it and must use more and more over time (eventually becomes ineffective), the goal for those using insulin should be to use the least amount as possible. Combining the appropriate nutritional medicine recommendations below along with insulin therapy helps to reduce the amount of insulin needed on a daily basis.
In the fight against type 2-diabetes there are dozens of safe and effective neutraceutical therapies. I’ll mention a few of my favorites below. Corosolic acid is found in the leaves of the banaba plant that grows in the Philippines. Subjects using a corosolic acid preparation called Glucotrim each day for two weeks experienced a 30 percent drop in blood sugar levels. Researchers considered both levels of blood sugar reduction significant. Corosolic acid may be defined as a phyto-insulin or insulin-like plant extract. And how about this for a potential side effect, subjects receiving the corosolic acid seem to show an increased tendency toward weight loss (an average weight loss of 3.2 pounds). Gymnema sylvestre, an Indian herb used in Ayurvedic medicine, lowers the 2-hour postprandial (after meal) plasma glucose (blood sugar) concentrations, by 13 percent (207 vs. 180mg/dl). Gymnema Sylvestre research reveals that it lowers HbA1c from 10.1% to 9.3%. This is as good if not better than common diabetic drugs. And with no side effects! Studies that show that alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) speeds the removal of glucose (sugar) from the blood of people with diabetes and that this antioxidant may prevent kidney damage associated with diabetes. And several studies suggest that treatment with ALA may help reduce pain, burning, itching, tingling, and numbness in people who have nerve damage caused by diabetes. In several studies, the mineral biotin has been shown to enhance the performance of insulin. Biotin supplements can also increase the activity of an enzyme, glucokinase, which the liver uses early in the process of utilizing blood sugar. Biotin plays a valuable role in regulating blood sugar. Chromium is an essential mineral for human nutrition and aids in the normal function of insulin. In 12 out of 15 controlled studies of people with impaired glucose tolerance, chromium supplementation was found to improve some measure of glucose utilization or to have beneficial effects on blood lipid profiles.
With regard to diet, typically as a rule of thumb I suggest avoiding all refined, or “white foods” (breads, cereals, pasta, etc.). Starchy, refined foods should be used only as a special treat and not part of the normal diet. When eating carbohydrates, including fruits and vegetables, try to eat them with a protein to slow their absorption and the resulting spike in blood sugar. For this same reason, avoid sweet drinks and fruit juices. As always, keep an eye on food portions. In addition, I challenge my Jacksonville Beach patients to exercise at least 30 minutes each day and make sure they take a high quality multivitamin/mineral.
The type 2- diabetic dilemma – do they suffer with the advances of unchecked diabetes, including risk of heart attack, stroke, and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease death? Or do they take conventional anti-diabetic drugs and increase their risk of heart attack, stroke, and death from cardiovascular disease? – Now it becomes clear. Take drugs (Metformin or insulin), which tend to be the safer of the diabetic medications, only if you need it and begin taking safe all natural nutritional therapies that have been clinically proven to help prevent or reverse type 2 diabetes. This along with a good diet and exercise has been shown to be the most effective, natural way to treat and prevent type 2 diabetes.
If you would like to learn more about how you can get and stay healthy, Click Here to sign up for my free Health Matters Newsletter.
As natural health care provider in Jacksonville Beach FL, I see my job as educating, coaching, and nurturing my patients to better health and wellness.
Yours In Health,
Dr. John
