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Vitamin D Could Save Your Life!

Dear Readers,

Vitamin D deficiency is becoming alarmingly common since the misguided medical advice to avoid sunshine (which makes over 90% of our Vitamin D). Vitamin D is not only a vitamin, but also an important hormone, with deficiencies causing widespread problems. In fact, Vitamin D deficiency:

1. Is estimated to cause severe immune dysfunction, causing 85,000 extra cancer deaths a year in the US.

2. Increases osteoporosis.

3. Increases pain in chronic pain conditions.

4. Not only increases osteoporosis, but also the risk of falling.

5. Significantly increases the risk of Multiple Sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and diabetes.

In addition to the above, treatment with Vitamin D can also improve lung function and help people with asthma, while also decreasing the risk of heart disease, hypertension and stroke.

Because Vitamin D is stored in the fatty tissue (fat soluble) instead of being washed out in the urine (water soluble), it is possible to overdose if you get too much. This unnecessarily scares people away from getting the optimal dose, as even 10 times our current RDA ("Ridiculously Low Allowance") of 400 IU/day for Vitamin D is safe (consult your physician if you have an unusual condition that results in high blood or tissue calcium levels). For those with decreased bone density (see Treating Osteoporosis Naturally), I recommend 2,000-4,000 units a day. Otherwise, 1,000-2,000 units a day is optimal. Most importantly, remember to go for walks and get your sunshine—which is good for you. For optimal health, AVOID SUNBURN—NOT SUNSHINE.

Read more »

Special Report

As part of our ongoing look at health care reform, it is helpful to look at the misinformation often disseminated through the media. Much of this often simply parrots the misleading biases against Natural Medicine taught in medical schools. Sadly, The New York Times, hot on the heels of its article suggesting that Fibromyalgia is not a real disease, has done another piece suggesting that natural medicine is dangerous. The article ignores the over 200,000 U.S. deaths from prescriptions each year (no longer newsworthy) and that harm from natural remedies is so rare that it is news. I know that "dog bites man" (like news that a medication kills someone) is so common that it is not news and "man bites dog" (like an herbal hurting someone) is. It would be nice, though, to see The New York Times actually offer the truth instead of only the sensational—especially when so many lives are at stake. Though I am certain their writer meant well, she seems to have forgotten what investigative journalism in support of the public is.

To see the letter I wrote to the editor in response, click here.

This issue, we report on 4 recent studies and research reviews showing that Vitamin D deficiency is very common—even in sunny states like Texas and Hawaii. These studies also show that having optimal Vitamin D levels likely prolongs life as well as health, and may even decrease the risk of autism.

Use of Vitamin D in Clinical Practice

This recent review discusses the recent discovery—from a meta-analysis of 18 placebo controlled trials—that taking Vitamin D helps people to live longer. It also talks about how Vitamin D can help your body fight infections. Read more »

Could Vitamin D Deficiency Contribute to Autism?

This report concludes that "widespread gestational (during pregnancy) and/or early childhood Vitamin D deficiency may explain both the genetics and epidemiology of autism. If so, much of the disease is iatrogenic (medically caused), brought on by medical advice to avoid the sun." In addition, a study funded by our foundation showed that a simple acupressure technique called NAET resulted in 23 of the 30 autistic children being back in regular schools after 1 year. Read more »

Vitamin D May Reduce the Risk of Falls

Most of us know that Vitamin D deficiency can cause loss of bone density (see "Natural Treatments for Osteoporosis") and broken bones. Did you know that Vitamin D deficiency has been shown in repeated studies to actually even increase the risk of your falling? Read more »

Vitamin D Deficiency Common in Sunny States

Recent research showed that Vitamin D deficiency is even common in my home state of Hawaii and even my "adopted" home state of Texas. It is important to get plenty of sunshine (not sunburn) and a good idea to get Vitamin D in your multivitamin—regardless of where you live. Read more »

Q: If I can't take a vitamin powder for my multivitamin, what tablet do you recommend? Is it true that taking vitamins just makes expensive urine? Read more »