Multiple Benefits of Vitamin C

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is the antioxidant that most people think about when they are asked if they take vitamins. Because it is awater soluble vitamin, your body doesn’t store it so it needs to be replenished daily. Scurvy, caused by a vitamin C deficiency, is the disease known to soldiers and sailors for centuries before the reasons for the disease were discovered during the 20th century.

Vitamin C has many beneficial properties – perhaps some you didn’t even realize. Did you know, for instance, that vitamin C is a natural antihistamine? Many people with allergies find that taking 2,000-3,000 mg per day in divided doses reduces their allergy symptoms. Vitamin C also has some natural anti-viral properties which is why some people find these larger doses helpful when they have a cold.

Did you also know that Vitamin C is required for collagen formation? Consequently, it can be helpful for the skin, as well as cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and even bones. It also aids in the reduction of inflammation, improves gingivitis, enhances iron absorption, and expedites wound healing. Vitamin C is depleted by cigarette smoking, and it is recommended that for every pack of cigarettes smoked, at least 500 mg of vitamin C be consumed to reduce oxidative stress.

Vitamin C is concentrated in the adrenals and is part of the adrenalin molecule which is why, when combined with the B-complex vitamins, it is so helpful for stress.

Much of the Vitamin C content of food is destroyed by heat so the best sources are uncooked fruits such as citrus (oranges, grapefruit, tomatoes, limes, and lemons). Other delicious fruits such as strawberries, kiwi, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, watermelon, pineapple, and papaya are also good sources. Small amounts of C will also be found in red and green peppers as well as lightly steamed green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli. Brussel sprouts are a surprisingly good source containing about 50 mg in a cooked, half-cup serving.

To avoid stomach upset, I often recommend Vitamin C be taken in buffered form. It must also have some bioflavonoids to make it work fully. Lipoic acid, another antioxidant, helps to recirculate the C so it lasts longer in the body. One of the few supplements that fit this criteria is Natur-Tyme Vitamin C – always ahead of the game! A food-based Vitamin C is also excellent but the doses are typically lower.

With its multiple benefits, I must ask, have you taken your Vitamin C today?

Repairing Adrenal Burn-Out

By  CARRIE LOUISE DAENELL, N.D.

What can you do to balance your energy and repair adrenal burn-out? First, consider healthful lifestyle choices: eating right (limiting alcohol and comfort foods, especially those high in sugar and fat), getting plenty of rest, and exercising regularly. Second, the proper use of dietary supplements can help reduce the cortisol levels associated with the over production of stress hormones, enhance your body’s immunity, as well as increase and ground your energy levels. 

Because stress takes such a toll on your immune system, choose nutritional supplements that support both the immune system and the adrenal glands. Vitamins A and C, as well as the mineral, zinc, help boost the immune system, which can be weakened during times of chronic stress. Vitamin C can also help reduce inflammation caused by stress and excess cortisol. 

Other support includes licorice, which extends the life of the cortisol already released, thus giving the adrenal glands a break from having to produce more; and purified adrenal extract, a glandular nutrient containing vitamins, enzymes, and co-factors to help repair adrenal function. Fatigued to Fantastic! Adrenal Stress End, from Enzymatic Therapy, incorporates all these essential nutrients and glandulars in one formula. 

For stress reduction, Rhodiola rosea, an herb native to Russia, has been shown to improve focus and energy while decreasing fatigue and irritability. Sixty-four percent of participants in a clinical trial reported that Rhodiola supplementation helped them gain energy, focus, and improve their mood. Enyzmatic Therapy’s Rhodiola Energy provides the necessary support. 

We know that taking B vitamins can be an important nutritional strategy for managing our stressful lives. The more stress we have, the more B vitamins our bodies use; therefore, we require more to maintain optimal health. Vitamins B6 and B12, folic acid, thiamin, pantothenic acid, niacin, and riboflavin are crucial for building energy for they support the conversion of carbohydrates to glucose— the body’s main source of fuel. They also play an important role in the function of the nervous system and in the development of healthy skin and hair. Pantothenic acid specifically is known to activate the adrenals, and a deficiency causes adrenal dysfunction. Being “water soluble,” your body does not store B vitamins so you can take them every day. Your body will use what it needs and discard any excess. A good source is Multi-B Complex from Integrative Therapeutics. 

By making smart choices and using appropriate dietary supplements, you can recharge your adrenals and your life!

Excerpted from Repairing Adrenal Burn-Out .

Push Back Your Clock of Aging

By Roslyn Rogers, CNC

The balancing of hormones for men and for women has become a very important message for health! The reason is that our hormones are chemical messengers that tell our bodies what to do, when to do it, and why! Our hormones rule over the endocrine system, consisting of the pituitary, hypothalamus, thyroid, and adrenal glands. If one hormone is out of balance, we can experience many different uncomfortable symptoms that we might not even think are related to our hormones, but certainly are.

Some symptoms that can occur from hormonal imbalances are: aches and pains, sleeplessness, moodiness, fatigue, osteoporosis, wrinkling skin, even weight gain and water retention, as well as many others.

Why are we experiencing these imbalances?

A big part of the answer is that everyday we use so many things that are made from petroleum. The byproducts from petroleum can act as strong estrogens, getting into our cells causing unpleasant symptoms as well as estrogen-dominant cancers. Petroleum can be found in shampoos, conditioners, body lotions, cleaning products, fabric softeners, perfumes, and in the exhausts from cars and planes. One way to protect ourselves is to shop for products that don’t have parabens in them, as parabens are petroleum-based.

Some of the most popular food that we eat also contain estrogens. Cows are given the hormone of estrogen to make them grow bigger and fatter faster. So make sure that when using dairy (milk, cheeses, yogurt), and buying meat, they are without hormones. Chickens and eggs also need to be antibiotic and pesticide free to ensure that what we eat will not create an abundance of harmful estrogens that can cause our cells to proliferate or grow.

What can we do to resolve these imbalances?

Use a natural bio-identical hormone cream that comes from a wild yam plant. These creams are put onto thin-skinned areas, and very often, in a short period of time, these symptoms go away (for women and men as well)! As I travel around the U.S. meeting people, I have learned, especially from women, that when they begin to balance their hormones, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, night sweats, lack of their libido, PMS, and forgetfulness, are all a thing of their past. When men become more balanced, their libidos come back, weight is easier to manage, and their prostate glands are in better shape.

Thyroid Disorders Rampant – Part II

By Carol B. Blair, BS, DiHom, CNC, Wellness Educator

In my last blog, I discussed hypothyroidism and some key nutrients that can help this condition.

There are many other factors that can play into hypothyroidism. Gluten intolerance, unfermented soy, raw cruciferous vegetables, plasticizers and phthalates, dysbiosis in the GI tract (which is why probiotics have become one of my pillars of good health), estrogen dominance, and liver or kidney issues that slow down conversion of T-4 to T-3 are other possible factors contributing to hypothyroidism.

For the adrenals, you might consider extra B and C vitamins as a starting point. Most of the C in your body is stored in the adrenals and can be depleted quickly under stress. Pantothenic acid, also known as B-5, is very important for stress which is why I often direct people toward B-Healthy because it has 250 mg. of this particular vitamin in addition to all of the other Bs. As I pen this, we are also adding 5MTHF (the active form of folate) which will make this superior to just about any B vitamin on the market! Of course, there are many other adrenal and stress supplements available.

Some of my favorite thyroid supplements include Thyroid Support by Gaia, MegaFoods’ Thyroid Strength and Enzymatic Therapy’s Metabolic Advantage. All of these contain tyrosine, iodine, and herbs that support the thyroid and can help with that important T-4 to T-3 conversion. Eating seaweed is the best way to get iodine and minerals, but if that is not your taste, then consider a kelp supplement. Thyadine and Potassium Iodide are good liquid iodine supplements that are well absorbed. Coconut oil is also thought to aid thyroid function.

Acupuncture, dry brushing of the skin, juicing, detoxifying, and exercise are all other options for improving thyroid function. Remember also that our livers are very toxic today so be sure to work on that, too!

Much can be done for sub-clinical hypothyroidism and if you have been stressed for a long time, you could be suffering from this under-diagnosed condition. At the very least, work on your liver and stress levels, and if you want some additional support, please call me for a free consultation. Having had borderline thyroid issues for many years, I have been able to avert the Rx for the most part and I would be glad to share my insights with you.

Thyroid Disorders Rampant – Part I

By Carol B. Blair, BS, DiHom, CNC, Wellness Educator

In our society today, thyroid disorders have become rampant, especially among women since they have larger thyroids than men as well as more hormonal fluctuations. In this article, I will focus on hypothyroidism (low-functioning thyroid), which is often under-diagnosed. Typically, only the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is measured. My naturopathic doctor, however, looks at the entire clinical picture and uses the blood test as confirmation only. Further, she suggests that most individuals feel better when the TSH is on the low end of the range on the blood test. TSH is produced by the pituitary gland, but gets its message from the hypothalamus, and the hypothalamus can nearly shut down when stress occurs. When my brother died of a Coumadin bleed three years ago, my thyroid went into a rapid downward spiral. I was able to get it back on track in a few months with natural supplements.

One of the best gauges of a thyroid issue is the old Brody Barnes test of symptoms along with basal body temperature. Take your temperature first thing in the morning before you get out of bed. If your temperature is 97.4 or below, discuss it with your doctor because you likely have thyroid AND adrenal problems. If you try to correct the thyroid first, you will end up with more issues. You need to work on the adrenals and the thyroid simultaneously.

The thyroid is a hard-working gland that affects every cell in the body. Hypothyroidism has over 40 symptoms. Some of the most common are thinning hair, inability to lose weight, constipation, dry skin, leg and foot cramps, goiter, depression, cold intolerance, impaired memory, high cholesterol, and infertility. There are many more!

Iodine is one of the key nutrients for the thyroid. A combination of iodine and the amino acid, tyrosine, makes T-4 which must be converted to T-3, the active hormone in the body. This requires good liver function, and there are many supplements including glycine that can help in this regard. When we are stressed, the adrenal hormone, cortisol, often becomes elevated and interferes with the body’s ability to convert T-4 to T-3; this conversion also requires adequate selenium, zinc, copper, iron, and vitamin D3 at the very least.

In the body, the halogens, fluoride, chlorine, and bromine (from bromated flour) can all fill iodine receptor sites reducing the availability of iodine. Fluoride also binds to selenium making it unusable. Factor in that selenium and zinc are also quenched by mercury, arsenic, and cadmium as well as the day-to-day detoxification of chemicals, and you have the makings for hypothyroidism.

Check back next Thursday for Part II of this article.