Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Cherry Picking Season is Almost Here!

If you love fresh cherries, have I got the tip for you! For the past several years, my family and I have gone cherry picking. It's a lot of fun and it's easy to get to. The place we love is Villa del Sol. It is just a few miles off the 14 freeway. Go north towards Palmdale and exit Palmdale Blvd. Make a left and go about 5 or so miles. It will be on the right hand side.

The people there are really friendly and you can eat as many cherries you want without paying. The cherries are never sprayed with bad stuff so you can just dust them off and pop them in your mouth.

Picking cherries is fun! Just make sure you PICK ONLY THE FRUIT - LEAVE THE STEM ON THE BRANCH! If you pick the stem, no cherry will grow in that spot next season. You can also cut the stem in half to harvest the fruit, but it's easy just to pick. Be forewarned, though! Picking is fun and you can easily get carried away. You must pay for all cherries you pick and plunk in the bucket they provide for you. Each inch or so in the bucket is about a pound, and it can add up quickly!

Go to http://www.upickcherries.com/ for more info. If you want to go and are coming my way, swing by and I'll ride with you!

Amazing Vitamin D

This vitamin's main function is to keep blood levels of phosphorus and calcium in balance to support bone mineralizaiton, proper nerve and muscle and cell functions. It acts as a hormone that enhances the absorption of calcium and phosphorus in the small intestine.

Inadequate blood levels of Vitamin D can lead to osteoporosis because it reduces calcium absorption.
There is evidence that it also blocks growth and differentiation of cancer cells. Vitamin D has also shown to be influencial in helping autoimmune conditions.

Look at all the conditions Vitamin D is helpful in:
Osteoporosis prevention and treatment
Cancer prevention
Diabetes prevention
Polycystic ovary disease
Depression and other mood disorders
Gum disease prevention
Psoriasis
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Fibromyalgia
Immune Function

In our lifestyles of going from the "cage to the cave" (home to office or vice versa), we don't get outdoors enough to enjoy the sunshine. Top that with improper use of sunscreens/sunblocks and we really have a problem. I have seen low blood levels of Vitamin D in several of my patients.

Correcting the problem is easy; get out more and enjoy HEALTHY sun exposure. Take Vitamin D supplements. They are very inexpensive. Make sure you get them in the D3 form.

If you want some more info on the subject, you can visit http://www.lanisimpson.com/category/vitamin-d/

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Bone Mineral Density Tests

It is a good idea for women to get a Bone Mineral Density test around the age of 35. This gives you a good baseline density level before perimenopause starts to set in. Most DEXA scans come with easy-to-read graph reports. Even if you forget what the doctor said, you can refer back to the graph and see the results.
In case your report is not so user-friendly, here is a chart that shows how to read the scores. Where ever you are on the list, make sure you discuss with your doctor the appropriate diet, lifestyle, and supplement changes you need to make to ensure strong bones for life!



PCBs in Fish Oil Supplements

I was reading about an article regarding certain omega-3 fish oil supplements that were contaminated with PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls). There was a study done on 10 randomly selected products from a health food store. The levels of PCBs found ranged from very low to amounts high enough to caus concern. Now there is a lawsuit filed against CVS, GNC, Now Health, Omega Protein, Pharmavite, Rite Aid, Solgar, and Twin Lab due to their high concentrations of contaminants. Remember that these products were randomly selected for testing, so there could be other companies that are contaminated.

There is an "acceptable" upper limit for PCBs in fish oil: .09 ppm. Unfortunately, since we do live in a toxic world, it is nearly impossible to remove all the contaminants. I have always said to make sure you know where your supplements are sourced from and how they are processed. The two brands of fish oil I have recommended are Metagenics and Nordic Naturals. They are both made in small batches and have high turnover, which means they aren't sitting on a shelf somewhere for a long time. Also, Metagenics will not ship on a Thursday or Friday to make sure the oils aren't sitting somewhere over the weekend in the heat! That's quality control!

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Gallbladder Cleanse

If you have never done a gallbladder cleanse, this is a simple one:

http://lifeevents.org/gall-bladder-cleanse.htm

The only thing I would add to this is to eat 6 apples or drink 6 glasses of unfiltered apple juice per day for 5 days right before you start the cleanse. The malic acid in the apples helps soften the gall stones and decreases any chance of the stones lodging in the bile duct.
I think it is a good idea to cleanse at the beginning of spring to help the body cleanse of some heavier foods we eat in the winter. NOTE: If you know you have active gallbladder inflammation, DO NOT do this or any other cleanse. If you are in doubt, ask your medical doctor. I want this information to help, not harm!