Its true, one or more deficiencies in your diet could be making it tougher for you to lose weight. The chart below summarizes some of the nutrients you need to maintain a healthy weight. Click here for larger version of the chart with the references. If you are ready to test yourself for these and more nutritional deficiencies to see if your diet is giving you everything you need, come in for a Micronutrient Test. On sale from now until the end of April.
Depressed? It may be from a vitamin deficiency.
Did you know that a vitamin or mineral deficiency in your diet could be causing your depression? Today I will discuss a few common dietary deficiencies which can cause depression, and how I identify and treat them. Hopefully this information can help you or someone you know.
The evidence for what I will present comes from two places: the scientific research, and my own experience using a blood test to detect deficiencies.
For 4 years now I have been running a nutritional blood test, which looks for cellular levels of 37 micronutrients. These are minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and other nutrients our bodies need to be optimally healthy. I have learned a lot from this test. I think it is a great tool for finding the underlying nutritional causes of poor health, and preventing future health problems.
There is evidence that at least 20 different nutrients which, when low, can contribute to depression. Once corrected, they have been shown to alleviate depression. I think good nutrition is the basis for all good health and making sure you are getting everything you need from your diet is very important. That is why I advocate a whole foods diet, and that is why I test. Now I will share with you a few of those nutrients which when low have been shown to increase depression.
Lets start with Vitamin B12. This is an essential vitamin for maintaining your energy levels. Low B12 will often make you tired, it also contributes to psychiatric disorders including depression. It is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies of vegetarians and vegans.
Folate. The lower your body’s folate levels, the worse your depression can get. On top of that some of us genetically do not convert folic acid (the common form of folate in vitamin supplements and processed foods) into active folate in our bodies. I also test for that conversion problem, called MTHFR. If you have it, you are more prone to depression, Alzheimer’s, and many other conditions. Fortunately, there are special supplements you can take if you have this genetic condition.
Chromium. This is a mineral I often see low when I test patients because our soils are depleted of chromium. This means it is challenging to get enough in your diet. Low chromium levels make it very difficult for your body to properly regulate blood sugar levels. Low chromium can be a reason why your blood sugar crashes and you get cranky when you haven’t eaten in a while. It also increases levels of serotonin in your brain, the “feel good” chemical that many antidepressant drugs target. A good source of dietary chromium is freshly ground organic black pepper.
Selenium is another mineral which has been depleted in our soils and therefore in our food supply. Low selenium contributes to poor thyroid function, and hair loss. Supplementing it has shown promise in alleviating post partum depression.
Magnesium. This mineral is deficient in the diets of many Americans and low levels are strongly linked to depression. Muscle cramps, brittle nails, and headaches are just a few other symptoms of magnesium deficiency. Fortunately, cocoa and chocolate are high in magnesium. Many of the best sources include leafy greens, beans and whole grains but the levels of magnesium in these foods are falling due to agricultural priorities of higher yields and profits over nutritional quality of food. Buy local. Buy organic, or biodynamicaly raised foods for the best nutrient levels.
These are just a few of the nutritional deficiencies which the research links to depression. How do you know if you have one of these deficiencies? There are signs and symptoms of these deficiencies but they often overlap making it difficult to tell which one you need. I do a blood test to see how much of each of them you have in your cells. This way we have a scientific measure of your levels. Then I can recommend the right dosage of the right form of only the ones you need. Your best defense against all nutritional deficiencies is to eat the highest quality whole unprocessed foods you can find, grown in the highest quality soils. I also recommend a food-based multivitamin and multimineral because I have yet to see someone with optimal levels of all of the nutrients in the test who doesn’t take supplements.
Of course nutritional deficiencies are only one piece of the puzzle of depression. However, I feel they are a piece that has been overlooked for far too long, causing a great deal of suffering.
References for the information in this article are available upon request.
Stop legislation which prevents labeling of GMO's in your food
Reposted from WAPF.org
Deny Americans the Right to Know Act (DARK Act)
Last week, the Senate Agriculture Committee voted to undermine states’ rights and deny you the right to know what’s in your food. By a vote of 14-6, the Committee approved S.2609, Senator Roberts’ version of the DARK Act to prohibit mandatory state labeling of genetically engineered (GMO) foods.
The next step is the full Senate, and we have to stop this disastrous bill there!
There’s talk of a “compromise,” which is likely to include a proposal for QR codes — patterned boxes on a package that you can scan with a smart phone, which then takes you to the company’s website which you have to search to find out whether or not the food has GMOs.
Your Senators need to hear from you now: Tell your Senators to oppose S. 2609, or any compromise that doesn’t result in mandatory, on-package physical labeling of GMOs.
There’s a reason why we call the bill that passed the House last summer the Deny Americans the Right to Know Act (DARK Act). This bill would prohibit any state from labeling GMOs and make federal labeling voluntary – which has been the law for the last 14 years and is a failed policy.
Tell your Senators that voluntary labels don’t work, and they must reject the DARK Act.
TAKE ACTION
Call or email both of your U.S. Senators to urge them to oppose Senator Robert’s bill or any bill that pre-empts state laws for labeling GMOs.
You can look up who your Senators are and find their contact information:
Online: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
Phone: 202-224-3121
Here’s a sample script for a call:
Hi, my name is ___, and I am a constituent. I urge Senator _____ to vote against S.2609, which would block mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods. I urge the Senator to stand up for both states’ rights and individuals’ rights to know.
We have a right to know what is in our food so that we can make educated decisions about the food we eat. The free market can only work when consumers have the information they need to make informed choices among different products.
Contrary to what you hear from industry, GMO food labeling will NOT increase food prices. Companies frequently change labels for all sorts of reasons, without passing those costs on to consumers; even Campbell’s Soup has said GMO labeling will not increase the price of their products. The increased cost often repeated by big food and chemical company lobbyists includes the cost of switching to non-GMO ingredients to avoid labeling – which simply points out that these companies know that many consumers would not be buying their products if they knew they contained GMOs. This is fraud, not a free market.
The use of a bar code or QR code is not a valid substitute for mandatory labels. Over a third of all Americans don’t even own smartphones and could not read such codes. And many of those who own smartphones are not familiar with QR code and wouldn’t even know that the information was available.
I urge Senator ___ to vote against S.2609 or any bill that would block state laws for mandatory physical labels on GMO foods.
A phone call is more effective than an email. If you do send an email, please replace the opening few lines with your own personalized message – personal messages have more impact than form emails.
You can also download a fact sheet on the House version of the DARK Act at http://farmandranchfreedom.org/hr-1599-fact-sheet to send as an attachment to your email, or as a follow up to your call.
What Doctors really know about vaccines
I just came across this article which gives a good summary of what doctors learn about vaccines in medical school. Most people assume they learn about vaccine effectiveness and risk. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The article talks a bit about that, and gives some basic information on types of vaccines and additives.
The following quote is from the article in the Vaccine Reaction;
When we participate in pediatrics training, we learn that vaccines need to be given on schedule. We learn that smallpox and polio were eliminated by vaccines. We learn that there’s no need to know how to treat diphtheria, because we won’t see it again anyway. We are indoctrinated with the mantra that ‘vaccines are safe and effective’ —neither of which is true.4
Want to grow a garden but don't have a yard? Join a Community Garden.
Community Gardens are a wonderful way to not only have space to grow your own super healthy foods, but to meet other people in your community who are like minded. Generally, a community garden is a plot of land divided into small garden plots. You "rent" a plot for the growing season which usually includes your water needs. Then you plan, plant, weed, tend, and harvest from your plot. They are wonderful places to visit, and you meet so many lovely people when you become involved. The Grace Shehi garden by Basalt High school is taking applications for this summer. See the flyer here.
KDNK Senior Matters interview
I had a lovely chat with Diane Johnson, host of Senior Matters, on my beloved local radio station KDNK. Her show is all about helping seniors of all ages live healthier happier lives. We discussed natural ways to avoid getting sick this winter, how to stay hydrated and tips on how to eat more healthily. If you missed it you can listen to the recording here at KDNK.org.
Preventing the flu…naturally
I get a little cranky this time of year with all the advertising, which sounds like harassment to me, about getting a flu shot. Statistically the flu shot does a dreadful job of actually preventing the flu, and it carries a lot of very serious risks, including death. I propose some alternatives to the flu shot for preventing the flu. Alternatives which, like all things I recommend to my patients, promise to do no harm. I want to help you not just avoid the flu, but be healthier and stronger in general. Doesn't that sound good?
Lets get started. Step one- Get you rest. Sleep is a time for repair and rejuvenation of your body. Many people suffer from poor sleep or not enough of it. I help my patients every day find the underlying causes of poor sleep and correct them without drugs. If you are not sleeping well, seek help.
Reduce your stress. I just can't say this one enough. Most Americans suffer from too much stress and it wears us down leaving us more prone to illness. There are thousands of ways to do it. Just do it.
Eat well. Cook your food, from scratch. Avoiding packaged and processed foods is one of the best things you can do for your health. Buy whole foods, a nice rule for the grocery store is not to buy anything with more than 5 ingredients. Then bring it home and cook it!
Consider some extra support. Many people ask me about supplements to help prevent winter ills like the flu. Here are a few of my favorites;
Vitamin A- animal sourced- Eat liver. I recommend getting your vitamin A in the biologically available form found only in animal foods like liver and cod liver oil. We have been told that eating orange veggies like carrots which are high in beta carotene will give us all the Vitamin A we need. For most of us this is not true. Genetics plays a role in how well you make that conversion. Because of our genes, many of us can only convert beta carotene to Vitamin A 30% as well as the rest of the population. Another huge problem is that healthy thyroid function is crucial to your ability to make this conversion. If your thyroid gland is underperforming- which is INCREDIBLY common, forget it. You will not be able to use that beta carotene. I do nutritional blood testing all the time and over and over I see vitamin A low. These patients are much more likely to report that get "every bug that is going around". To protect yourself from all viral illnesses like shingles, colds, and the flu, make sure you are getting adequate vitamin A in your diet. Eating liver and onions once a week can go a long way towards preventing the flu. Pasture raised or wild caught meats of course are best. Or take a cod liver oil supplement.
Oscillococcinum- this is a homeopathic remedy which when used at the first signs of flu can nip it in the bud. I recommend you keep it in your medicine cabinet so you can take it anytime you start to feel the aches and fatigue of something coming on, or whenever someone at work or home has the flu to prevent you from getting it.
Chicken soup- This old fashioned remedy is truly a super food. I recommend making it the way Sally Fallon does with some vinegar to make sure you extract the minerals from the chicken bones. Click here for a recipe.
Chicken Stock Recipe
Chicken Stock Recipe
This recipe if from one of my favorite cooks books, Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon.
Make this stock and drink by the cup to heal the intestinal lining, strengthen bones, recover from illness, ease inflammation, and maintain vibrant health. Use as a base for homemade soups.
1 whole free-range chicken or 2 to 3 pounds of bony chicken parts, such as necks, backs, breastbones and wings*
gizzards from one chicken (optional)
2-4 chicken feet (optional)
4 quarts cold filtered water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 large onion, coarsely chopped
4 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
1 bunch parsley
*Note: Farm-raised, free-range chickens give the best results. Many battery-raised chickens will not produce stock that gels.
If you are using a whole chicken, cut off the wings and remove the neck, fat glands and the gizzards from the cavity. Cut chicken parts into several pieces. (If you are using a whole chicken, remove the neck and wings and cut them into several pieces.) Place chicken or chicken pieces in a large stainless steel pot with water, vinegar and all vegetables except parsley. Let stand 30 minutes to 1 hour. Bring to a boil, and remove scum that rises to the top. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 6 to 8 hours. The longer you cook the stock, the richer and more flavorful it will be. About 10 minutes before finishing the stock, add parsley. This will impart additional mineral ions to the broth.
Remove whole chicken or pieces with a slotted spoon. If you are using a whole chicken, let cool and remove chicken meat from the carcass. Reserve for other uses, such as chicken salads, enchiladas, sandwiches or curries. Strain the stock into a large bowl and reserve in your refrigerator until the fat rises to the top and congeals. Skim off this fat and reserve the stock in covered containers in your refrigerator or freezer.
Surviving Prostate Cancer are we over diagnosing and over treating?
I just found out a documentary has been produced about prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment. I encourage you to at least watch the three and a half minute trailer for Surviving Prostate Cancer. Some quotes from the movie:
"We've had an epidemic of prostate cancer diagnosis" -Julian Whitaker M.D.
230,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer per year in the US
"We have not had any reduction in overall death rate from prostate cancer because of the [conventional] treatment" -Julian Whitaker M.D.
The death rate from prostate cancer has not changed since 1930
Did you get that? Hundreds of thousands of men are being diagnosed with prostate cancer. Being scared to death. Having their prostates poked, prodded, and removed. Undergoing chemo and radiation which carrys lots of risks not the least of which is cancer... And it's not working! It is making tons of money for doctors, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies.
Many doctors, including myself, have looked at the research and seen that men are being over treated. Many men live to a ripe old age and die of something which has nothing to do with their prostate. Even though on autopsy the cellular changes that meet the current definition of cancer are found. There are many doctors who argue that the diagnosis criteria need to be changed. Many cellular changes in breast and prostate tissue have been shown not to cause long term harm, yet are lumped under that same CANCER label. This means that even if these cellular changes were to remain untreated they would never be life threatening. Yet because they have the "C" word in their name; chemo, radiation, and surgery are regularly recommended. These treatments can cause serious long term harm and reduction in quality of life. Many men who undergo treatment for prostate "cancer" become impotent and incontinent. Here is an article from the Wall Street Journal detailing some of the controversy.
We need to take a harder look at this issue. We are over diagnosing and over treating these much less dangerous conditions and still missing the really dangerous ones. By the way I am not saying you don't treat at all. There is no doubt we should act when life threatening cancers are found. The lifestyle changes of Naturopathic Medicine can make a huge difference whether you have mild or severe cellular changes going on. Truly, we should act long before that by avoiding chemicals in our food, water, skin care products, and environment, and leading healthy lifestyles. Whether the cellular changes do or do not meet a current diagnostic criteria, basic care from a Naturopathic Doctor can help you treat and prevent any abnormal cellular changes.
Cell Phone use during pregnancy, should you be concerned?
There are so many things to worry about when you are pregnant. I hate to add more worry, but I think it is important to be aware about the concerns over cell phone use and developing babies. Here is a short video exploring the issue.
Smart Meters Being installed in Carbondale today
I just got a call from a friend who lives here in Carbondale. She came home and there was a man there who said he was going to change her electric meter. She is aware of the dangers of smart meters, so she asked "is it a smart meter?" he said "Oh no it's an enhanced meter". Before she could realize what was going on she had a smart meter on her house. Feeling violated she called me. "They pulled a fast one on me didn't they?" she asked. They sure did. Just like they said they would. When people in the community started educating themselves about smart meters and opposing them, the utility decided they would just change the name. It's working. People are being fooled into having this technology installed on their homes without informed consent to the risks. In communities all across the US, Canada, and around the world, these meters have caused skyrocketing electric bills, home fires, and sickness in residents and neighbors. They are vulnerable to hacking and therefore a threat to your privacy and the security of our electric grid. Please get informed. For more information, and letters you can send to the utility check out this page.
FDA fast tracks more untested vaccines for pregnant women, despite deaths
In a November 2015 meeting the FDA proposed fast tracking approval for more vaccines for pregnant women. Since 2006 the CDC has recommended a flu shot for every pregnant woman during every pregnancy. Since 2011 they have recommended the Tdap shot during every pregnancy. These vaccines were never tested for safety in pregnant women before these recommendations. The FDA is now fast tracking approval for RSV and 3 doses of Hep B during pregnancy. This would be fine if we knew they could not harm mother or baby, but that simply isn’t true. Babies have died after their mothers were given flu shots. You should be informed of the possible risks and benefits of any medical intervention before agreeing to it. This includes vaccines.
Barbara Loe Fisher, president of the National Vaccine Information Center attended that public meeting on the newly fast tracked vaccines and gave her comments. I encourage you to click here and read them in their entirety.
According to Fisher “Women getting pregnant and delivering babies in America today have more than twice the risk of dying during pregnancy, childbirth or within one year of giving birth than they did three decades ago”.
TWICE the risk. It is a little know fact that infant and maternal mortality statistics in the US are terrible, now a proposal to inject even more toxins into pregnant women’s bodies. I keep wondering when it will end.
You have no legal recourse if your health or the health of your child is damaged by a vaccine or vaccine ingredient. That’s right. Your child could be killed by a vaccine and you cannot sue the doctor, or the pharmaceutical company. Your only recourse is the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program where the US Court of Federal Claims decides if you have in fact been injured or killed by a vaccine and can dole out monetary awards from a fund created by a $.75 fee added on to every vaccine sold. So the company manufacturing the vaccine, and those promoting and injecting the stuff have ZERO liability, ZERO! They don’t even pay the $.75 fee, you do.
For infants and children, injuries from the Tdap vaccine (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis) get the most monetary awards through the program. This means of all childhood vaccines this one causes the most damage to health as determined by VICP. For adults, the influenza vaccine is the cause of the majority of awards.
So bottom line. You have no legal recourse if you are injured by a vaccine. No one takes responsibility. There is a court, which determines if you have been injured or killed by a vaccine. They can give you money for those damages, but not one is held accountable. The two vaccines which receive the largest share of these monetary awards, because they have been proven to cause harm, are recommended by the CDC and FDA to be given to every pregnant woman during every pregnancy. And did I mention these vaccines were not tested in pregnant women before they started receiving them?
The FDA has granted fast track approval for an RSV vaccine for pregnant women and 3 doses of Hep B vaccine. These would be added to the CDC recommended schedule also without adequate study.
So if it didn’t sound crazy enough let me tell you one more thing. Every year the flu vaccine is new, and during the 2009/2010 flu season the swine flu was a widely publicized health threat. VAERS, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, our only system for tracking negative outcomes after vaccination, reported a 4,250% increase in fetal death reports for pregnant women following the vaccine. Keep in mind that VAERS is completely voluntary and therefore it is estimated only 10% of vaccine reactions are reported to them. The flu vaccine is new every year, so we don’t know how dangerous it will be year to year. Click here for an article from greatergoodmovie.org with more details on this.
So what can you do? Do your research, find a health care provider who is informed on this issue and not simply repeating the false mantra that vaccines are safe. Ask holistic minded people and health care providers where to get information. I recommend visiting www.NVIC.org or scheduling a vaccine consultation with me. One hour of your time, so much peace of mind.
Parents using Americans with Disabilities act to get Wi-fi out of school
Parents in Maryland are fighting Wi-fi in their child's school. Their child, and many other children, became ill after an upgrade to the Wi-fi network in their school. Their child was diagnosed with Electrical Hypersensitivity. Symptoms of Electrical Hypersensitivity include severe headaches, skin symptoms including prickling and burning sensations and rashes, fatigue, stress, sleep disturbances, muscle aches, nausea, nose bleeds, dizziness and heart palpitations. Here is a link to an article about their fight. For more information on Electrical Hypersensitivity visit the EMF safety network here. For more details and references on electromagnetic radiation sources and health effects check out this report Wi-fi in Schools Radio Frequency Radiation Health Risks with facts from all over the world on health impacts, and calls for tighter regulation.
Why doesn't our government protect our health as well as we would hope? Follow the money.
I knew the pharmaceutical industry had a lot of influence in government, but I was still surprised to read in this article that the pharmaceutical industry spends double what the oil and gas industry spends on lobbying. In the linked article Robert F. Kennedy Jr. asserts that this is why congress is dragging its feet on investigating accusations that the CDC falsified data to hide a 240% increase in autism rates for African-American boys after MMR shots. For a comparison of spending on congressional lobbying by industry look here. I have come to understand that when something is being recommended, or mandated, that doesn't seem quite right, it is very important to follow money to see who might be behind it. The list of lobbying dollars by industry provides some very interesting fodder. I was also shocked to see the electric utilities at number 3 on this list. That is very interesting in light of the current effort to force dangerous smart meters on everyone in the country.
Another screening of the Smart Meter Documentary Take Back Your Power
I will be helping to host another free screening of the award winning documentary Take Back Your Power on Thursday September 10th, 7pm at the Glenwood Springs Library. If you have not yet seen this film please join us for the screening and discussion. Local utility companies are installing new electric smart meters in our valley and their safety record is questionable. Learn about the possible threats to your wallet, home, and health from these meters, so you can make an educated choice about this new technology.
Radio Show
I was interviewed last week by local Stephanie Stanfield PhD on her Making Shifts Happen Blog Talk radio show. The topic- Why should I choose a Naturopathic Doctor? She does a lot of work and teaching here in the valley with holistic approaches to stress management. She asked me about my background, training, what homeopathy and Bach Flower remedies are, who I help, and some tips for living a healthier life, including a description of my Micronutrient testing.
Potluck! You are invited to a traditional foods meal Weston A Price Style
I have been the local chapter leader for the Weston A Price Foundation for a little while, and finally I am hosting the first event for the Roaring Fork Valley chapter, a potluck. Who is this Weston A Price fellow and why does he have chapters you ask? Read on. For details about the food, skip to the bottom.
Weston A Price was a dentist, and a meticulous researcher. He looked all over the world for answers to why some people had dental cavities, and others didn't. He was able to document very convincingly how diet effected dental health. Populations who ate traditional whole foods diets with essential high fat animal foods were free from dental cavities, and many other diseases. When those peoples incorporated the "modern" foods white flour, white sugar, and processed vegetable fats, their dental health deteriorated rapidly. Dr. Price documented over and over that whether the diet was primarily plant based like the Polynesians, dairy based, like the Swiss, or primarily animal based and incredibly high in saturated fat like the Inuit people, as long as they were eating traditionally and consuming high quality fatty animal foods, particularly seafood, they were free from dental disease. He went on to identify what he called fat soluble activators in these foods which he felt were the key substances. You will recognize a few of these fat soluble activators as Vitamin A, and D, found only in animal fats. He also did clinical trials feeding people cod liver oil and butter to restore them to health. Of course his work flies in the face of conventional diet dogma, but I can not remember that last factual thing I heard about diet or health in the news... That is another topic.
Weston A Price Chapters
The foundation has a network of chapters and chapter leaders all over the world. The chapter leaders serve to connect members with the farms and ranches it their area producing food in line with the nutritional principles the Weston A Price Foundation supports. Some chapters meet and hold events like this potluck. For more information please go to the website.
The food- September 2nd at Sustainable Settings
You are cordially invited to a potluck for people interested in this traditional foods way of eating. Weston A Price members in the area are invited. Those who are interested in learning more about Weston A Price, his research, and where to find the highest quality animal foods locally, are also invited to attend. If you are not familiar with Weston A Price, please go to the website WestonAPrice,org. If you don't know what to bring you can look up recipes from Sally Fallon's cookbook Nourishing traditions, or give me a call. Please RSVP to tell us who will be coming and what you plan to bring on our Facebook page Weston A Price Foundation Roaring Fork Valley chapter, or call the office at 970-236-6178 for details.
Vaccine Questions? Join me at the carbondale library for coffee talk
I will be participating in a panel discussion on vaccines August 26th at 6:30pm at the Carbondale Library. This discussion is part of the library's coffee talk series, bringing you timely information and discussions. There will also be free desert and delicious coffee from my friends, and sponsors of coffee talk, Rock Canyon Coffee. Please bring your questions about vaccines, or simply sit in and soak up some information while enjoying a yummy treat and fabulous coffee.
Sunscreen, not as safe as you think
According to one of my favorite consumer protection groups EWG, more than half of the sunscreen products for sale in the United States would be prohibited for sale in Europe. Their rules restrict the chemicals in these products to protect European citizens. Why aren't American products safer? Follow the money. Manufacturers fight any restrictions on their products including one the FDA has tried to implement preventing them from claiming more that 50 SPF. After SPF 50 there is no increase in sun protection. Even if it says SPF 110 on the bottle it offers no more protection than the SPF 50 bottle next to it. Manufacturers want no restrictions on their use of cheap ingredients even though they can cause endocrine disruption and cancer.
But doesn't sunscreen prevent skin cancer?
The research results are mixed. Some say sunscreen helps reduce skin cancer, some say it doesn't. And some, myself included, think that if you are slathering on sunscreen loaded with carcinogens you may not be doing yourself any favors. Severe sunburns do increase your risk for skin cancer. But regular sun exposure, which does not lead to a burn may be protective. Remember Vitamin D? It protects against cancer. And exposure to the sun without sunscreen gives your body a chance to make some of it's own Vitamin D. Notice I did not say all. After seeing hundreds of test results from folks who get plenty of sun I am certain you need to consume foods with bioavailable Vitamin D to get optimal levels, particularly in Colorado.
Several studies have shown that people who wear sunscreen as their only sun protection burn more often than those who also use clothing and hats to protect themselves.
So what should I do?
Get out in the sun, and if you are out for quite a while wear a hat and long sleeves for some of that time to help protect yourself, or seek shade.
Check the EWG sunscreen report for recommendations on safer sunscreens, they rank products based on their safety to help you make safer choices.
Check out the EWG report on sunscreen here. http://www.ewg.org/2015sunscreen/.
New study showing links with antidepressant use and birth defects
A common class of antidepressants- SSRI's (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors) have been suspected by many as being unsafe in pregnancy. Studies have been done and papers published with varying results. This recent paper concluded that the use of the popular drugs Paxil, and Prozac, aka Sarafem, in pregnancy, correlate with higher rates of birth defects. These drugs were never studied in pregnant women before their wide spread use. This is a tricky thing about research that many people do not understand. It can be very frustrating for a pregnant woman to get a straight answer about whether drugs will affect her developing child. This is because clinical trials of drugs with pregnant women simply are not done. If we do not know if the drug will harm a baby, how do we ethically enroll pregnant women in a study on them? And then there is the liability. Drug companies do not like to get sued. Intentionally testing a drug, which might harm an unborn child, is something they would like to avoid. Doctors, faced with pregnant patients whom they feel need medication, have very little information to help their patients decide. This leaves pregnant women with a tough choice between medicating themselves, and possibly exposing their child to risk, or suffering from sometimes debilitating conditions. If they choose the drugs, they, and their babies become guinea pigs.
So what we have is a long list of drugs, which were not tested in pregnant women, but are used by them without the kind of data gathering which takes place in clinical trials. This means it can take years, even decades to discover the terrible consequences of those drugs.
With all things in health I want us to have the information we need to make educated choices. More studies like the one I linked above can be done to track the women who do choose to use medications in pregnancy so we can learn how their children fair.
So what is a mother to do? Torn between suffering with a health condition, and the worry of possibly harming their child if they take a drug. My advice, don't take chances. Seek a knowledgeable, qualified, alternative healthcare practitioner who has treatments which we know are safe for moms and babies.
My preference is to use herbs, homeopathy, Bach flower remedies , physical medicine, hydrotherapy, and other therapies which have stood the test of time. We have been using herbs, acupuncture, and Ayurvedic medicine in pregnancy for thousands and thousands of years. We have a very good idea of what effects they may or may not have on a pregnant mother and developing baby. Drugs which have been on the market a few years to even a few decades are simply too new for me to trust.