Does Lack of Vitamin D Cause Winter’s Deadly Toll

With abundant documentation, it is evidence that more people die in winter than any other season. It doesn’t seem to matter where people live. They can live in the colder northern states or in warmer climes.

This puzzle was presented at the International Congress of Biometeorology where a study was released claiming that people do not die because it is cold, but because it is winter. The study was presented by Robert E. Davis, a University of Virginia environmental scientist.

One theory is that winter mortality might be related to vitamin D deficiencies, from lack of sunlight. “It may be a contributing factor,” said Peter Hoeppe, an environmental scientist with Ludwigs-Maximilian University in Munich, Germany. Yet, Heoppe could not explain how vitamin D deficiency might kill at a specific time of year.

Biometeorology disciples have long considered winter to be a time full of aches, and pain, and blahs. But, Davis’ study of mortality rates has cast an even darker shadow on the season.

There are many factors to consider: the frigid cold and heart disease; climatic factors such as El Nino and resulting warmer weather and storms; wind chill and frostbite; and being indoors and passing on diseases.

Summarized from: PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER (Philadelphia, PA)
Dec. 22, 2002, n.p. © KNIGHT-RIDDER NEWSPAPERS. Distributed by KNIGHT-RIDDER/

Doctors Change Stance - Now Recommend Daily Vitamin

AMA to Change Stance; Doctors Now Urging Adults to Take Multivitamin Every Day
Reversing a longstanding anti-vitamin policy, the Journal of the American Medical Association is advising all adults to take at least one multivitamin pill each day. Scientists’ understanding of the benefits of vitamins has rapidly advanced, and it now appears that people who get enough vitamins may be able to prevent common chronic illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis, according to Drs. Robert H. Fletcher and Kathleen M. Fairfield of Harvard University, who wrote JAMA’s new guidelines.
The last time JAMA made a comprehensive review of vitamins, about 20 years ago, it concluded that normal people shouldn’t take multivitamins because they felt people received all of the nutrients they need from their diet. They added that only pregnant women and chronically sick people may need certain vitamins. Researchers now hope that JAMA’s endorsement will result in more people benefiting from a daily vitamin.
Dr. Jeffrey Blumberg, chief of antioxidant research at Tufts University’s Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging said, “It’s nice to see this change in philosophy that’s saying we can make public health recommendations based on this really compelling set of data.”
Blumberg said the JAMA recommendations are also important because they underscore a growing concept among nutrition experts that the recommended daily allowances, or RDAs, for many vitamins are set too low. RDAs essentially were established to prevent symptoms of vitamin deficiency disorders, he said. But there is growing evidence that higher levels of many vitamins are necessary to achieve optimum health. The National Academy of Sciences is revising its recommendations based on the new evidence.
Dr. Michael Sitrin, director of the University of Chicago’s clinical nutrition research center, said there is a growing conviction that taking a multiple vitamin a day would improve overall health. Fletcher and Fairfield said efforts to get people to eat healthier diets have not been very successful. The nation’s doctors need to upgrade their nutrition knowledge and tell patients to take multivitamins.
The Harvard researchers reviewed more than 150 studies to determine the health benefits of nine vitamins. They concluded that suboptimal levels of folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12 are a risk factor for heart disease, neural tube defects and colon and breast cancer; low levels of vitamin D contribute to osteoporosis and fractures; and inadequate levels of the antioxidant vitamins, A, E, and C may increase the risk of cancer and heart disease.
Although the articles did not specifically recommend vitamins for children, Fletcher said they probably should take a daily multivitamin for the same reason as adults. “The old advice was that you ought to take a vitamin pill while you’re growing up, but once you are an adult, you don’t need to take them anymore,” he said. “The new evidence counters that advice.”
Fletcher said most popular over-the-counter brands of multivitamins are sufficient and cheap, costing $20 to $30 per year. However, men and non-menstruating women should probably avoid multivitamin tablets that contain iron, because it may increase the risk of hemochromatosis, a blood disorder caused by excessive iron.
High potency vitamins should also be avoided because excessive amounts of fat-soluble vitamins, such as A and K can accumulate in the body and become toxic.
Source: CHICAGO TRIBUNE June 19, 2002, n.p. © 2002, Knight-Ridder Newspapers. Distributed by Knight-Ridder / Tribune Information Services

You be the judge..... just for fun

Dont lose the Message

July 10, 2008

Pain (any pain--emotional, physical, mental) has a message. The information it has about our life can be remarkably specific, but it usually falls into one of two categories: "We would be more alive if we did more of this," and, "Life would be more lovely if we did less of that." Once we get the pain's message, and follow its advice, the pain goes away.
Peter McWilliams, Life 101

Every pain and ailment we experience may
indeed carry with it a deeply needed answer
to a problem we are currently experiencing
in life. When you lose, dont lose the lesson.
Be still enough to listen.............

-DJW

Summer Sizzling Stress

“Drag your thoughts away from your troubles… by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it.” - Mark Twain

Health tips: Fighting stress (Sarasota, FL, July 8, 2008)

You can have a major impact on reducing stress's adverse effects by spending time with friends, meditating, keeping physically active and joining groups that share your interests. In fact, these will give back 30 of the 32 years that a really bad run of major life stresses can steal from you.
And you can get some back by simply enjoying yourself: Laughing a lot, which reduces anxiety, tension and stress, can make you between 1.7 and 8 years younger than your calendar age.
-- Drs. Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz

These are stressful times. The economy is squeezing our extra
cash right out of our pockets. But lets not forget friends family and
laughter. These are the things that matter most. They also keep
us healthy. So lets have a summer of fun, and sizzle the stress away.
-Dr. White

Self Hypnosis for pain

As I see it, you do one of two things: You build health or you produce disease in yourself
-Adelle Davis

(bbc news) July 7, 2008 Patient undergoes arthroscopic knee surgery without anesthesia

Self-hypnosis patient undergoes op
9 hours ago
A pensioner who went under the surgeon's knife using self-hypnosis as her only pain relief insisted she was not brave.
Bernadine Coady, 67, of March, Cambridgeshire, underwent a one-hour knee operation at the private Orthopaedics and Spine Specialist Hospital, in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire.
She allowed television crews to film the surgery, performed by Ahmed Shair.
Afterwards, in an interview with the BBC, she described the procedure as "absolutely wonderful" and said she only felt "tugging and pulling".
"It wasn't painful," she said. "I just feel the tugging."
She added: "It's not bravery. Anyone can do it if you could just train your mind. It's all in there."
A hospital spokeswoman said the exploratory operation, aimed at curing Ms Coady's knee pain, was the third time she had been under the surgeon's knife without painkillers.
"The first two were for foot problems," she said. "She has known Mr Shair for a long time and she came with the express wish that she wanted to be operated on using self hypnosis. She has gone home looking very happy so I presume it was a success."
The spokeswoman added: "Ms Coady is the only patient we've operated on in this way. If anyone else wanted to come along and have the procedure we would look at it on an individual basis."

Now that is a powerful mind
If Ms. Coady can have surgery (cutting and sawing) on her body surely we
can use mind techniques to improve our daily health.........
The Mind is Super Powerful>>>>I think we can manage many our pains/health
concerns with meditation and you might check into "Self-Hypnosis"
-Dr. White

Music as an Alternative Therapy for Pain

“Pain is a silent epidemic,” said Celeste Johnston, past president of the Canadian Pain Society and associate director for research at the McGill School of Nursing. About 17% of Canadians suffer chronic pain from such ailments as osteoarthritis, lower back pain, fibromyalgia, migraines and menstruation.

Last year alone, Canadians spent more than $2 billion purchasing prescription, over-the-counter, and herbal medication to alleviate their pain. However, recent reports about the side-effective of COX-2 inhibitors like Vioxx and Celebrex and the addictive potential of Oxycontin have spurred public interest in alternatives.

Researchers are studying alternative therapies, ones that traditionally were thought to be taboo by medical experts, said Dr. Marc Ware of the McGill University Pain Centre. Beyond drug therapy, other alternative treatments can include relaxation techniques, physiotherapy psychotherapy, acupuncture, yoga, massage, and even music therapy.

A University of Montreal study measured the effects of music on pain relief. The results of the study showed that music triggers emotional reactions in listeners, and these feelings can decrease their pain up to15%. In the study, university students were exposed to painful stimuli while listening to different types of music. The degree of pain relief was directly related to the musical tastes of the subjects. When the study subjects listened to music they liked, their pain was eased more than if they listened to music they disliked or to no music at all.

In addition to music therapy, researchers are studying other alternative, non-pharmaceutical ways to reduce pain.

Summarized from: SPECTATOR (Hamilton, Canada) Jan. 14, 2005, p.A10
(Original article by Ross Marovits)

Back pain has many causes, treatments

Back pain is almost as inevitable as taxes and death. At some point in life we may have back pain due to overuse, injury, strain, bone loss, aging, illness, automobile accident or falls.

It may be acute, recurring, or last a lifetime. It will always cause physical misery and mental strain. The good news is that most back pain will go away over time with self care. But there are times when a professional is needed. I advises someone who has recently experienced a back injury to seek professional help as soon as possible.

Non-surgical treatment of back pain utilizes a combination of many resources, including chiropractic adjustments, massage, exercise, physical therapy, and even some meditation techniques.

Self care treatment could be a simple as walking tall to relieve putting too much pressure on your spinal disks. Back strain may be relieved by keeping activities to a minimum for a few days and even bed rest. Back support cushions or rolls that take pressure off the spine can help. If cold doesn’t give your back relief, try heat. Soak in a hot bath tub for 20-30 minutes a few times a day or apply a hot pack. For back pain from a saggy mattress slip a sheet of plywood between the mattress and box spring. Pillows between the knees while sleeping on your side may help. When getting out of bed, roll out carefully and slowly using side muscles.

Being overweight and having back pain are inseparable, especially when the weight is around the waste. This added weight stresses soft back tissues and compresses disks.

Practice mind techniques to alleviate pain such as yoga. It is a good way to relax muscles. Biofeedback and progressive relaxation training can help the pain.

Feel free to post any questions you may have on back pain.