Vitamin D production requires ultraviolet B spectrum light (280-315 nm wavelength). Cholesterol from our diet and that produced in our liver is modified then transported to the skin where it is stereochemically altered by UVB light and heat, returned to the liver and further modified to 25-hydroxy … [Read more...]
Diet and the “Anthropologic Rule of Thumb”
Dietary recommendations seem to change year after year. The food industry sends us an endless stream of choices and provides reasons for why we should choose their products. They even invent new food categories and meal times. In an effort to simplify decision making and ignore the noise, we … [Read more...]
Stand Up 2 Cancer – The Solution
I briefly watched the three network program aired on September 5th entitled Stand Up 2 Cancer. Hollywood sure knows how to put on a fundraiser, and raise money fast. All the money they raised goes to the Entertainment Industry Foundation. The EIF then grants money for research and education. Let’s … [Read more...]
Live Long and Prosper
This week saw the publication of another study showing a 26 percent greater all-cause mortality with vitamin D levels below 17.8 ng/mL when compared to vitamin D levels above 32 ng/mL in adults older than 20 from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III (1988-1994). This … [Read more...]
Bacteria: Friends or Foes?
Much of medicine, health, and the food industry focus on bacteria as a source of disease. The general message the public gets is more bugs are more problems. Kill the bugs, solve the problem. Unfortunately this message fails to inform us that without bugs we would not exist. Bacteria and viruses are … [Read more...]
Sudden Cardiac Death
Last week saw the publication of another study associating heart attacks with very low vitamin D levels this time in men. Dr. Giovannucci analyzed the Health Professions Cohort followed at Harvard University and found that men with vitamin D levels below 15 ng/mL had twice as many heart attacks as … [Read more...]
Revisiting Insulin
Two very important diabetes research studies were published in the New England Journal of Medicine this week, the ACCORD and ADVANCE studies. See this editorial reviewing this research or download both studies to read the complete articles. The message is clear. Higher insulin levels lead to … [Read more...]
Forgiveness Prevents War
Did anybody watch 20/20 on Friday before Memorial Day Weekend? The segment about revenge had one clear message, forgiveness. This is an appropriate message for a Memorial Day weekend. Forgiveness is a challenge in a society that celebrates revenge; good conquering apparent evil in a grand … [Read more...]
Insulation from Insulin
Insulin is a member of the growth hormone family. Its primary purpose is to take up glucose, protein, and fat. Without insulin your glucose levels go up and we call this diabetes. However, the strongest stimulus for the release of insulin is NOT SUGAR or carbohydrates. PROTEIN is the most potent … [Read more...]
King Corn, King Acid
I saw a documentary titled King Corn on PBS this past weekend, produced by independent film makers Curt Ellis and Ian Cheney. Their film is a personal experience with American agriculture, specifically the corn industry. They leased and acre of land and planted corn to sell for feed and corn syrup. … [Read more...]