Vitamin A, The forgotten.

For much of our lives we have been told how important Vitamin A is for eyesight, and it is in its Bata Carotene form, but vitamin A is so much more. Those of you that follow my blog and YouTube channel know there are current American deficiencies in Vitamin D, and you know that I stress the importance of supplementing Vitamin D3 in the amounts of 1000ui to 5000ui per day. What few point out is that when you supplement with Vitamin D in large amounts it can lower Vitamin A levels.
Things to know about Vitamin A and D are that they are both fat soluble, which means two things: one, the vitamins are stored in fat cells, and two, they are best to take with an oil or fat for better absorption.
“Adults need about 1000 IU vitamin D daily to avoid vitamin A toxicity. This can be supplied by a dose of a recommended brand of cod liver oil that provides 10,000 IU vitamin A, which is a completely safe dose of natural vitamin A.” (Sally Fallon Morell)
Vitamin A works in with the function of stem cells, it tells these cells what they are to be just as a growing fetus needs Vitamin A to tell the stem cell to be a heart cell. Vitamin A is needed even more in persons undergoing chemo- therapies; also, there could be a big link with all the problems of ADD and ADHD due to a lack of vitamin A during gestation and after. Vitamin A is involved in mental functions such as focus, and I’m a big believer that it is a controlling part of telling stem cells to make new nerve cells.
“Vitamin A, which is essential for your immune system just like vitamin D, is also a precursor to active hormones that regulate the expression of your genes, and they work in tandem. For example, there is evidence that without vitamin D, vitamin A can be ineffective or even toxic. But if you’re deficient in vitamin A, vitamin D cannot function properly either. At least 2,000 genes, or nearly 10 percent of your genes, have been identified that are directly influenced by vitamin D, which in turn impact a wide variety of health issues, from preventing the common cold and flu to inhibiting at least sixteen different types of cancer. There’s even evidence linking vitamin D to the process of brain detoxification of heavy metals such as mercury. Widespread vitamin D deficiency has also been strongly linked to the childhood epidemics of autism, asthma, and diabetes, both type 1 and 2.” (Sally Fallon Morell)
The best way to get your vitamin A is with Cod liver Oil. Do not use some generic brand but rather fermented Cod Liver Oil such as Green Pastures, which still makes it the biblical way. You want a 10 to 1 Vitamin A to D ratio. How should you take this, and when since Vitamin A can be toxic? I would take the recommend dosage every three or four days, and on those days don’t take your Vitamin D, since Cod Liver Oil will have 100ui of Vitamin D. Remember that Vitamin D is taken every day.

“Vitamin A plays a vital regulating role in the immune system. Vitamin A deficiency leads to a loss of ciliated cells in the lung, an important first line defense against pathogens. Vitamin A promotes mucin secretion and microvilli formation by mucosa, including the gastrointestinal tract mucosa. Vitamin A regulates T-cell production and apoptosis (programmed cell death) (Nutrition Reviews 1998;56:S38-S48)”.
“Lack of vitamin A interferes with optimal function of the hippocampus, the main seat of learning. Scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in San Diego, California, found that removing vitamin A from the diets of mice diminished chemical changes in the brain considered the hallmarks of learning and memory (Proc Natl Acad Sci, Sep 25, 2001 98(20):11714-9)”. In simple terms, you need Vitamin A to make thyroid hormones. The lack of Vitamin A in America could be a major cause of all the thyroid issues that plague Americans. Included in this is how Vitamin A works with insulin sensitivity because T3 is a controller of making insulin work.
Vitamin A and stem cells Vitamin A tells these cells what they are to be just as in a growing fetus needs Vitamin A to tell the stem cell to be a heart. The importance of Vitamin A is needed even more in persons under going chemo- therapies; also there could be a big link with all the problems of ADD and ADHD due to a lack of vitamin A during gestation and after. Vitamin A is involved in mental functions it gives you focus.
It is important to know antibiotics, laxatives, and some cholesterol-lowering drugs interfere with Vitamin A absorption.
Sources of Vitamin A
• Animal livers
• Apricots
• Broccoli
• Cantaloupes
• Carrots
• Collards
• Fish livers and fish liver oils
“The US Recommended Daily Allowance of vitamin A is currently 5,000 IU per day (and may possibly be lowered to 2500 IU per day). From the work of Weston Price, we can assume that the amount in primitive diets was about 50,000 IU per day, which could be achieved in a modern diet by consuming generous amounts of whole milk, cream, butter and eggs from pastured animals; beef or duck liver several times per week; and 1 tablespoon regular cod liver oil or 1/2 tablespoon high-vitamin cod liver oil per day.” (Sally Fallon Morell)
For more information click on the link below
http://www.westonaprice.org/abcs-of-nutrition/167-vitamin-a-saga

Long-term strength training and insulin.

I have been telling clients and people that are interested in weight loss the importance of strength training along with a healthful diet and cardiovascular training. The three go hand-in-hand. It is that simple. Strength training for improving one's health and body composition, including the long term effects on insulin sensitivity, is equally important to cardiovascular training. Click on the link to see the study by
Hernán Jiménez O, Ramírez-Vélez R, concerning this.

Hernán Jiménez O, Ramírez-Vélez R.
Source
Programa de Profesional en Deporte y Actividad Física, Escuela Nacional del Deporte, Cali, Colombia.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
To assess the effect of long-term strength training on insulin sensitivity, lipid profile, and body composition in overweight and obese subjects.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:
A prospective, randomized, interventional study in 16 overweight or obese subjects aged 18-35years who were investigated before and at the end of 8weeks of strength training. The experimental group (n=8) followed a strength training program consisting of 4 sessions per week at 50% to 80% of repetition maximum (RM), estimated through the 1RM test. The control group (n=8) did not perform the training program. Glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-C, VLDL-C, and LDL-C levels and arterial index were determined. Insulin sensitivity was measured by calculating HOMA-IR (Homeostatic Model Assessment-Insulin Resistance). Indicators of body composition included weight, height, waist circumference, body fat, fat weight, muscle mass, somatotype chart and distance.

RESULTS:
At the end of intervention, the experimental group showed a decrease of insulin sensitivity (3.5±0.9 vs. 2.9±1.2; p=0.04), LDL-C (106.9±20.8 vs. 95.5±14.2; p=0.03), and arterial index (4.0±0.6 vs. 3.5±0.5; p=0.01), as well as an increase in HDL-C levels (43.7±8.8 vs. 46.9±5.6; p=0.04), while the control group remained stable. There were no significant differences between groups in body composition, somatotype chart and distance after training.

CONCLUSIONS:
In overweight and obese subjects, strength training for eight weeks improved insulin sensitivity and lipid profile without altering body composition.

Copyright © 2011 SEEN. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Is your vegetarian diet really healthy?

So you have decided to go vegetarian for healthful reasons or because of your love of animals. Maybe you just buy into the misinformation about red meat and meat in general, but whatever your reason is you’re now a vegetarian. You’re not eating meat, so you don’t get as must iron as you once did. Your B12 levels are low, and your amino acids are incomplete. That’s on the inside. On the outside you’re pointing out to all your friends that you’re losing weight, but that’s the thing, you’re losing weight and not fat; there is a big difference between losing weight and losing fat. With weight loss you lose muscle, and your goal and focus should be fat loss.
The problem in your quest to be a vegetarian is you failed to learn the importance of protein and fats, including saturated fats, but wait you say, I’m getting my protein from soy, and that is a major problem. The health risks of American soy products are well hidden by the soy makers and the FDA. The adulterated soy that is sold in this country is an endocrine disruptor and possibly more harmful than BPA’s. Included in this quest of yours to be a vegetarian is eating the boxed soy meals in the frozen section of your grocery store. That’s great; too bad you replaced healthy meats with chemicals. Sorry, but eat a bunch of chemicals, and vegetarian it makes you not. Eating pizzas and bean burritos from taco bell without meat on it also does not make a vegetarian out of you; that makes you a crappy eater. Far too many people that choose the vegetarian lifestyle eat foods that promote an unhealthy diet such as chips and sugar-filled snacks.
So what is a vegetarian to do? Well, you need to learn some basics about complete proteins and how to mix your foods to get that full amino acid, protein profile for muscle building and use supplements to get your Omega-3 fatty acids. Almonds, walnuts, and pecans are great sources of fats. For proteins, hemp protein, rice protein, and pea protein are excellent choices, but the key is to stay away from non-fermented soy. If you can get fermented soy, that is good since the phytoestrogen are removed.
The three most important steps in becoming a healthful vegetarian are:
• Learn how to make a complete protein out of incomplete proteins
• Stay away from non-fermented soy
• Learn the importance of supplements and EFA (Essential fatty acids).

Obesity is it your only risk?

With the growing concerns over the rise of obesity many people focus on the wrong risk factor which is the weight gain, now weight gain is a risk, but by ignoring some real risks, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease that lead to premature death rates which totaling 250,000 per year which can be avoided by taking action. A sad reflection is that most people who have one of these preventable diseases don’t only have one; they have more. This not only affects you; it affects your family and society with high insurance rates and longer wait times in doctors’ offices. It is a troubling situation which can be controlled by you, and the key word here is you. No government, friend, or magic pill can help. It is about you making yourself important and doing what is right.
Health benefits from exercise are seen with the minimum effort of 2-3 RPE (Rating of perceived exertion), or an easier way to gauge your effort is to ask yourself if you can talk with comfort. If so, your exertion is about 2, and you need to walk at this level for 15 minutes continually five days a week. That is the minimum for health benefits. If you up the time and effort, you can see weight loss as well. But the goal here is to point out the health benefits, not weight loss. You can even improve your health benefits by changing your diet to eating more healthful such as eating protein within the first 15 minutes of waking and eating a small meal every two and half to three hours and not eating carbs with your last meal of the day.
So today, not tomorrow, go for a walk with your friends, pet, or even your loved ones for a minimum of 15 minutes five to seven days a week.

Codex and your health.

Like many in America I take vitamins and minerals along with other supplements ranging from fish oils to protein powders. I take these all without a doctor’s prescription and in the amounts that I choose, but could this be threatened? Could I have to go to my doctor to get a prescription for protein powder, and would it be only .08 grams per pound of body weight as the USDA recommends, or could it be that dreaded soy or something made in a lab that is synthetic? The answer is yes, Codex is already written into the 1996 Health insurance bill. A rider was written and contains within that is the world health organization codex that seeks to put medical and health in the hands of the United Nations. One major part of this is the multination pharmaceutical corporations, mostly German who are fearful of the encroachment of vitamins and minerals into the drug market places.
The supplement market is an 18 billion dollar industry that the FDA, FTC and AMA don’t have their hold on. That’s a lot of money that they are losing. Leaders in the industry say they need to protect us from the risks of the supplement market. If they’re so concerned with our health and safety then why are cigarettes and alcohol still legal to buy? Or why are so many prescription drugs released to the public with life ends effects? Don’t be fooled; it’s not about our safety; it’s about their profit.
So what will Codex mean to you?
No dietary supplement can be sold for preventive use or therapeutic use.
No dietary supplement sold as food can exceed the potency levels set by the commission.
Codex regulations for dietary supplements would become binding.
All new dietary supplements would automatically be banned unless they go through the Codex approval process.
One example is in Canada: you cannot get melatonin, a simple, natural sleep aid that your own body produces, without a prescription.
We have started the prescription fish oils. For $200.00 a month you can get your doctor to prescribe fish oils, or you can get the same fish oils at a health food store for $30.00 a month. Under Codex you will HAVE to get them through your doctor.

setting of goals

Drink your sleep troubles away: tart cherry juice helps beat insomnia

This is a re-post from Muscular Development Magazine Online

Drink your sleep troubles away: tart cherry juice helps beat insomnia
by S. L. Baker, features writer

(NaturalNews) Millions of Americans have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, resulting in excessive fatigue and even more serious consequences. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC): "Insufficient sleep is associated with a number of chronic diseases and conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and depression...it is also responsible for motor vehicle and machinery-related accidents."

Of course, Big Pharma has come up with a huge array of supposedly easy solutions for those who have a hard time getting enough shut-eye. All you have to do is pop a pill such as the heavily hyped Sonata, Rozerem, Lunesta or Silenor and you'll soon be snoozing away happily, the drug advertisements promise. Of course, you might decide that's not the healthiest idea if you check out the side effects which can include hallucinations, thoughts of suicide, loss of coordination, fever, "sleep driving" while not fully awake and memory problems.

But here's good news for people wanting a more sensible, safer way to help sleep problems. Researchers say they've found what could be a natural and tasty solution for insomnia -- drinking tart cherry juice daily.

In a pilot study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food, scientists from the University of Pennsylvania, University of Rochester and the V.A. Center of Canandaigua tested the effects of tart cherry juice on the sleep habits of 15 older adults. The research subjects drank 8 ounces of the beverage every morning and night for two weeks. Then, after a two week "wash out" period of no juice, the study participants were switched to another juice drink containing no cherry juice.

The results? During the weeks the study participants drank the cherry juice, there were significant reductions in reported insomnia severity when compared to the weeks when they were consuming the non-cherry juice drink. What's more, drinking the tart cherry juice appeared to help people sleep through the night better, without waking up.

In a statement to the media, the researchers noted that tart cherries' natural sleep-enhancing benefits could be the result of their relatively high content of melatonin -- a natural antioxidant that has been shown in previous research to help induce sleepiness at night and wakefulness during the day.

In addition to normalizing sleep, scientists are discovering other health benefits of tart cherries and tart cherry juice, too. For example, University of Michigan research published last year in the Journal of Medicinal Food, suggests tart cherries may help to control weight and to prevent metabolic syndrome, the cluster of symptoms including high blood pressure and high cholesterol that ups the risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Oregon Health and Science University's Department of Medicine researchers have also found that drinking tart cherry juice for 7 days before and during a strenuous running event minimizes post-run muscle pain. Their study was published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.