Is Vitamin D a Fad?

I receive numerous health articles every week. As expected, the topics vary widely from acne

medicines to zinc deficiency. In the past few weeks, though I've noticed a steady stream of articles that declare the benefits of vitamin D and point out the many problems that can occur when our vitamin D levels are too low.

Interest in Vitamin might be a coincidence or a reflection of writing that gravitates toward a popular topic - a fad. It is also possible that research and study is pointing to a valuable lesson, that vitamin D (actually a seco-steroid, not a true vitamin) is one of the most important substances in our body.

We make vitamin D ourselves - and we can adsorb it in foods and supplements (the D3 form). In addition to recognizing how valuable it is, we must investigate why so many of us are sufferiong from the effects of a deficiency.

The basic issue seems to rest with two health theories that scare us into action. 

• One, cholesterol is bad for us. 
• Two, sunshine can cause cancer.

The fact remains that we make vitamin D in our skin through the interaction of cholesterol with sunlight. Making every effort to lower our cholesterol levels and avoid the sun might be exerting negative influence on our vitamin D production. Ya think? Therefore, blindly following modern medical wisdom is probably making us ill. 

Think about it.

The Compounder offers several quality Vitamin D products.

Here's a list of recent articles I've received.

• Vitamin D Deficiency Aggravates Asthma
• Vitamin D Might Help Kids With Eczema
• Finally: Missing link between vitamin D, prostate cancer
• More Evidence: Vitamin D Protects Cognition
• Vitamin D Deficiency May Be Linked With Aggressive Prostate Cancer

Treating a cholesterol level of 283?

QUESTION: I am trying to lower my cholesterol - I think there are a few factors as to why it is too high - Wellbutrin - which I used to quit smoking and my thyroid. At 283 my doctor gave me the long face and said I ABSOLUTELY have to be on them. I tried them once before and the leg cramps were unbelievable. So I made a deal with him to check back in 3 months. (I also have a thyroid issue) So diet change, exercise and off the Wellbutrin..Is there anything else I can do?

RESPONSE: Without getting too detailed, I need you to understand that I completely disagree with the IDEA that we all need to lower our cholesterol levels (283 is not TOO HIGH in my book). In fact, low cholesterol is by far more dangerous than higher levels. EVERY hormone in the body begins life as cholesterol. Using any method to reduce cholesterol - especially drugs - depletes the raw ingredient that is used to make all of the other hormones. Thyroid problems are to be expected when the cholesterol is removed - as are a host of other diseases, including cancer.

Wellbutrin might have been helpful, but you should have stopped using it by now. If not, please ask your doctor to help you quit using it.

The primary diet changes are simple but not easy. Disease is often grounded in internal inflammation. There are many inflammatory substances, but two you can do something about are sugars and wheat. Simple, huh? Yes, but it is difficult to remove those drugs from your diet. Yes, they're natural - or at least USED to be natural. There have been so many changes over the years that they are more toxic today than ever before.

When I say eliminate sugars I also mean all artificial sweeteners. Honey, however, is nutritious - but not if you devour it at the rate most of us consume sugar (over 70 pounds per year on the low side).

Drink plenty of water (especially before going to bed) - not bottled. City water is okay if its filtered (reverse osmosis to remove fluoride).

You understand that exercise is important. It strengthens muscles and reduces inflammation. 30 to 40 minutes three days a week. BRISK walking is very good, as is light weights.

I have written extensively on these issues on our website (http://www.thecompounder.com/) so I haven't gone into details about WHY in this email. Just the basic conclusions. Doctors disagree with this approach and honestly BELIEVE cholesterol is dangerous. It isn't, but efforts to lower levels with drugs are very dangerous. 

My Top Three Worst Drugs!

There are many (legal) drugs - too many - and they all pose a threat to health, even when used according to the approved instructions.

Before I share the top three worst, I want to reiterate my basic concern about excess drug use. Of course, the people taking the drugs are at risk for harmful side effects. But, probably more importantly, those of us who don't take drugs directly can also suffer side effects from the tons of drugs routinely dumped into our drinking water supply.

As much as we'd prefer it, drugs do not get "used up" or inactivated in the body of the person who used it on purpose. Metabolized drugs can even have more toxicity than the original. Regardless of the precise mechanisms, our water supply is becoming increasingly contaminated with excreted drugs.

The drugs and chemicals in our water remain in the water because our water treatment systems are incapable of removing them. Why doesn't the government report on the levels of drugs in the water? They'd probably have to if they actually tested for them. Rather than alarm us with facts, they merely decide to not do the test. That means there are many chemicals getting into our bodies that we don't know about - and that nobody wants to tell us about. This will only be reversed when we all stop taking so many drugs - or stop urinating and defecating. Any volunteers?

Back to the main topic, the top three worst drugs.

First on my list are the statin drugs. These chemicals are offered to practically everyone. It seems that the accepted cholesterol levels fall a little every year - meaning that more and more of us are prescribed drugs to meet those lower levels. Cholesterol has not been shown to cause any illness, yet we all seem fixated on our blood levels and how to push them lower and lower. Statin use is unnecessarily high and it's hurting all of us.

The FDA recently announced that the highest dose statin pills should only be used with extreme caution. There is a high risk of myopathy (muscle weakness), liver damage, and joint pain that is particularly associated with the highest dose pill, the one that's 80mg. The serious side effects are not just associated with that one strength pill. They are also found in people taking lower doses, especially if they have been using them for extended periods of time. That's practically everyone who takes statins - and then a bunch of us who are getting our doses from the water supply.

Second in line are the PPI drugs (Proton Pump Inhibitors). These are the drugs used to reduce the levels of acid in our stomach. Somehow we've gotten the idea (false, by the way) that our heartburn and GERD are CAUSED by too much acid. That's why the drug makers have been selling us toxic chemicals (PPIs)

designed to block the formation and release of acid.

Truth be told, acid reflux happens when the digestive systems pushes and squeezes our stomach contents - probably in response to insufficient acid and digestive juice - and some of the acidic material gets up into our esophagus. The actual treatment and prevention of gastric reflux is to INCREASE acid, the use of digestive enzymes, and consuming plenty of clean water - not coffee, tea, soda pop, fruit juice, or milk. Just water - perhaps with a tablespoon of lemon juice. Using PPIs hampers our ability to digest food and extract nutrients. In addition, they can become a habit. But, it seems far easier to swallow a PPI than to eat correctly.

Third are the hormone drugs - especially the estrogens (menopause hormones and birth control pills) and environmental substances that mimic estrogen activity in our body (soy, plasticizers, pesticides, to name just a few). There are numerous articles that explain the potential risks associated with consumption of synthetic hormone replacement drugs. Even cancer has been directly associated with estrogen and estrogen activity.

While bio-identical hormones have become "all the rage", there is evidence that they are generally no safer than the commercial versions. In the case of cancer, for example, it is likely that estrogen can stimulate the growth of cancer cells - in the people who take it intentionally and those of us who get it second hand (unknowingly). Estrogen makes cells grow - it can make us fat. It can cause anxiety and many of the symptoms associated with menopause. It is associated with anxiety and depression. It can counteract the effect of testosterone and be responsible for the feminizing of men - low sperm counts are probably associated with estrogen activity.

There you have it. The top three worst drugs. I avoid them and my fervent hope is that more and more people will do likewise.

IS THERE A NEW CHOLESTEROL DRUG?

I don't support the use of drugs to reduce cholesterol. Yes, I understand there is a correlation between elevated cholesterol and serious health conditions, but I am not convinced that cholesterol causes disease. Actually, the evidence supports just the opposite.

I am in the minority on this position. One drug company that has led the way with cholesterol-lowering drugs is trying a new tactic. They are planning to use a non-prescription vitamin (niacin) coupled with an experimental drug to lower cholesterol levels while controlling some of the side effects caused by niacin.

While this might restore sales for the drug sellers, I'm not sure this is such a good medical idea. More...