Articles by Dr Z

What Are The Latest Findings In The Field Of Osteoporosis?

When the prestigious American Medical Association in it's journal (JAMA) issues a wake-up call, conventional physicians usually pay attention. In a recent issue JAMA has indicated that a very large scale study has shown that those with osteoporosis have four times the chance of breaking a bone within a year, than those that do not have this disease. The lead researcher indicated that "there is under-diagnosis and treatment" of this problem.

The breaking of a bone, especially the hip, is a most serious matter and often tragically leads to a downward slope which debilitates an individual. The complications of such fractures sometimes involve blood clots which may be most serious and sometimes fatal.

What can be done about this situation? Nutritionists and wholistic physicians advise women, especially those over fifty, to take a proper dose of calcium daily. People who may be prone to this disease (individuals who are thin or of small frame or with a history of osteoporosis in the family) should probably start much earlier. In fact, it is probably a good idea for even young girls to put the "money (calcium) in the bank (bones)" early in life. Among negative factors are lack of exercise, cigarette smoking and the ingestion of soft drinks containing phosphoric acid (see label). When children do a science experiment and put a chicken bone in a soft drink and in a few days it dissolves, this is the work of phosphoric acid. Certain foods may also contribute to the lack of calcium absorption in the system and chief among these are rhubarb and chocolate.

It is most urgent that all users of drugs like Fosamax realize that unless they take calcium and other co-factors (Vitamin D), Fosamax alone is of little value. This is because Fosamax helps to get the calcium into the bones. If there is no calcium present, little benefit will be seen.

In so far as calcium supplementation is concerned, it is important to remember that while osteoporosis is mainly a problem with women, approximately two out of every ten patients are men. This would indicate that males should also be alert in this area.

Another key factor is the ingestion of a sufficient amount of Vitamin D. With many individuals limiting exposure to the sun because of the risk of skin cancer, Vitamin D should usually be obtained from a nutritional supplement. It is not imperative that the Vitamin D be taken together with the calcium. As long as the body receives its daily dose of Vitamin D, whether from a calcium supplement containing Viamin D or a multi-vitamin, the absorption will be proper. Most physicians feel that the proper dosage factor here of Vitamin D is between 400 and 800 IU daily. Doses over 1000IU should be under the care of a physician.

What are the best forms of calcium? Here we come to an area in which different experts have come up with different answers. Most nutritionists feel that calcium citrate is the preferred form of calcium. This form of calcium contains approximately 25% elemental calcium. It is very important to understand what is meant by "elemental" calcium. For example if a tablet has 1000mg of calcium citrate total, of this only 250mg is pure calcium. The other part of the product is the "citrate" part which does not add any nutritional benefit, but is necessary since one cannot ingest pure calcium. All minerals have both the "elemental" part and the "base" and it is important to understand how much actual active mineral is delivered by the specific form being taken. An advantage of calcium citrate is that acid is not required in the stomach for absorption.

Another form of calcium, calcium carbonate, contains 40% elemental calcium but a possible draw-back here is the fact that if individuals are lacking in stomach acid (as is sometimes the case of older people) the absorption of calcium carbonate is greatly limited.

In addition to calcium and Vitamin D, there are several other nutrients of great importance for calcium metabolism. These include magnesium, silica and boron. While many physicians are under the impression that as people get older they must loose calcium, this is not necessarily so. A comprehensive program organized by a physician and nutritionist stressing diet, supplements, exercise and life style can probably cut the toll of osteoporosis by over 90% thus saving lives and the quality of life for many individuals.

Those interested in a free sample of the product I have designed which may be helpful in this area should call 1-800 777-3737 and ask for a sample of Fem-Cal Citrate.

Environmental Toxins Who Should Be Concerned?

Some areas of nutrition are virtually universally agreed upon. All experts would hold that if an individual were to be fed a diet (artificially constructed) which would be totally lacking in Vitamin C, Vitamin B1, and Vitamin B3, there would be a virtual certainty of the development of Scurvy, Beriberi, and Pellagra.

Other aspects of nutrition are not so well defined. As a rule of thumb, the present author would suggest that individuals who do not have specific health concerns in the areas of breathing difficulty, becoming pregnant, autoimmune diseases, rare types of infections, inflamations and irritations, skin problems, digestive problems and mental disorders might well discount most of the concerns in the area of environmental toxin. However, those afflicted by any of the above situations would do well to be concerned with the sea of toxins in which we live. There are virtually thousands and thousands of articles, reports and other types of evidence indicating that sensitive individuals may be at risk from various environmental factors. What is the logical approach for those who wish to minimize this type of exposure?

1. Food Intake – Food Intake is a major area in the ingestion of toxic elements. A close reading of labels is essential and individuals should avoid all foods which contain artifical flavors, artificial preservatives, artificial colors and similar substances. It is always best to use fresh produce as opposed to prepared or preserved food. It is generally wise for sensitive individuals to avoid red meats especially in light of the large amount of meat which has been treated with hormones, pesticides, growth factors and antibiotics. The more natural a diet is, the less chance there will be for environmental damage.
2. Personal Hygiene – There are literally thousands of items which are used in personal hygiene - soaps, hair sprays, deodorants, etc., etc. The best policy here is to minimize as much as possible the use of such elements. The author recently spoke to a leading Ophthalmologist, who dealt with a patient who developed an extemely serious inflamation of the eyes. The physician finally traced this problem down to the use of a hair spray, which when discontinued resulted in the patients recovery. When the lady in question resumed the use of this hair spray six months later, her condition returned. She then discontinued the use of the offending material and her eyesight was saved. The best soaps and shampoos would seem to be baby soaps and shampoos containing the least amount of irritants.
3. Household Cleaners, Etc. – While it may seem hard to believe, many of the household cleaners, detergents and soaps, etc., commonly used can pose problems to sensitive individuals. There comes to mind a case of a person who developed severe stomach problems traced to the fact that the detergent used to wash the dishes was quite irritating and not completely rinsed off. It is important to note that there is almost always a film left on the dishes after washing by hand or machine and an extra rinsing in the machine with water only or an extra hand rinsing will in most cases remove the majority of the detergent.
   
   Rug cleaners often present serious problems to some people and indeed, while the author is fond of the designs found in beautiful rugs, it is probably a wise step for sensitive individuals to live in a rug-free house, as well as a drug-free house (remember: narcotics are toxins too).
4. Over The Counter (OTC) Medications – Americans are in the habit of utilizing a huge amount of OTC medications. Many of these may be harmless, while others may present serious problems. To cite a common example, the universally used pain killer aspirin may produce severe allergic manifestations in certain sensitive individuals. Almost all the liquid medications used for fever in children are loaded with artificial dyes, colors, preservatives and sugar. It would seem a pity that some enterprising pharmaceutical manufacturer does not see fit to produce a fever medication for children which would be free of these substances. A rule of thumb here would be that sensitive individuals try to avoid as much as possible OTC medications unless they are most essential and are relatively free of toxic elements.
   
   Very often a nutritional subsitute can be found for various medications. (The author is happy to recommend such substitutes to those who send questions to this magazine).
5. Other Sources of Problems – The widely used toxic chemicals prepared for the control of lawn pests and unwanted grasses may provoke great difficulty in sensitive individuals. This also holds true for the various sprays used to control hornets, wasps, etc. Those who have houses with lawns and are suffering from unusual problems are well advised (and the author does love a beautiful lawn) to replace the lawn with decorative pebbles or avoid the use of these pesticides, sprays and defoliants.
6. Toxic Emissions – Individuals living in an area which features chemical plants or heavy highway traffic which gives off toxic emissions might have to consider moving to a less polluted area. Another area of concern may be those living in close proximity to high tension electricity wires. Here too, where there is a family history of malignancies, moving may be a viable alternative. An especially complex area involves the potential injection of toxins in infants via vaccination and innoculations of childhood. The vast majority of physicians approve these procedures. However, there is a significant minority of concerned professionals who believe that the large increase in such maladies as Autism, Childhood Asthma, and Youthful Overweight may be related to these vaccines. The final decision here must be made by the parents after consultation with the physician. However, one area which would seem sensible is for parents to insist on the use of single dose (rather than multiple dose) vials. This is because single dose vials usually do not contain mercury-containing preservatives found in the multi-dose vials. Mercury is a culprit in developmental problems.

It is to be hoped that this article does not present an overly pessimistic view of the situation. It is possible, with prudent judgement and consultation with experts, to live a normal life for even the most sensitive individuals.

Consumers should also make it their business to pressure giant companies to minimize the use of offending elements and to produce products for sensitive consumers which would help rather than hinder their health profile.

The question has often been raised: Are there any special nutrients which can be of help to individuals who are sensitive to environmental toxins? The key point here is to avoid the irritants often found in many popular nutritional formulas. Things to be avoided are: Lactose, Yeast, artificial dyes, Titanium Dioxide preservatives, Sulfites, synthetic colors and Gluten. The author, as Chief Chemist of Freeda Vitamins, has been able to design a full line of nutrients which are made without these offending elements.

As to a special formula for sensitive individuals, much success has been found with Freeda's Anti-Allergy Formula. This combination contains Vitamin B5 (which produces natural compounds in the adrenals to fight inflamation), buffered Vitamin C (to strengthen the immune system), and Quercetin (a non-citrus bioflavonoid which works as a natural anti-histamine).

Those interested in a free sample of the product I have designed which may be helpful in this area should call 1-800 777-3737 and ask for a sample of Anti-Allergy.