Healthy by Nature radio show this week: Conditions like chronic fatigue, frequent joint or muscle pain, high triglycerides, a big waistline and/or diabetes are often the result of eating too many sweets and simple starches (which quickly turn into sugar). Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, integrative physician and author talks about kicking the habit. His new book is Beat Sugar Addiction Now! Dr. T is also wrote the best seller, From Fatigued to Fantastic. Click here to find podcasts, show archives and ways to listen nationwide.

  More isn’t always better
Listener question: “Dear Martie, I just received notification that a calcium and magnesium supplement I’ve been taking has been recalled due to an error in the manufacturing formula.  Instead of the 600IU of [Vitamin] D3 per daily serving I thought I was taking, I was actually taking 30,000 to 40,000IU of D3 per day for almost a month.  Yes, I am having some of the symptoms described in the recall letter such as bone aches, nausea, metallic taste, equilibrium problems, etc.  Of course, I have discontinued use of the product, but what other course of action should I take to address this overdose of D3 and the apparent symptoms?” M. F. S.

 My 2 Cents: Drinking too much water can kill us as can breathing too much pure oxygen – we can overdo almost anything. (Money and love may be exceptions, a theory I’d love to personally test.)  But, it is usually quite hard to overdo Vitamin D.  When the source of D is sunlight, the body automatically shuts down its production when it has a sufficient supply. Vitamin D from supplements follows another pathway and so doesn’t have that built-in protection. Even so, supplements of up to a whopping 10,000 IU a day have been shown to be generally safe. However, taking a million+ units a month, as was the case with this manufacturing error, is definitely asking for trouble.

 Vitamin D₃ from dietary supplements isn’t toxic in its own right. The side effects are a result of it bringing too much calcium into the system. Fortunately, the side effects are reversible. Check out the non-profit Vitamin D Council for reliable guidance on handling an overdose as well as lifesaving information about the benefits of maintaining optimum levels.

 I’d add these suggestions to their recommendations: Supplemental magnesium (e.g. 400-800mg/day) and Vitamin B6 (50-100mg/day) is a combination that is useful for reducing kidney stones, bone spurs and other signs of calcium excess outside of bones. Magnesium is widely deficient and every bit as important to bone strength as calcium. I believe in balancing any single B such as B6 by taking a B complex another time of the day. (Too much of a single B may interfere with the absorption and utilization of other B’s.)  

 It would be unfortunate if this listener, having been frightened, overcompensated and suffered the dangerous effects of being too low in Vitamin D.  So, I also suggest that she get her blood level tested and once they return from excess, make sure they don’t dip below the optimum range of 50-80 nmol/L.

 This was a brand known most for being inexpensive. The higher quality the brand, the more likely it is that the company tests every component after manufacturing a product and can avoid dosing errors.

 Great Resources: Database of Vitamins/Minerals/Herbs. Database of Health Conditions.

Stress / Kitchen tip
Frequently reminding ourselves to be grateful for our blessings and focusing on the positives in our lives can greatly reduce stress. Even small positives can bring a smile if we notice and acknowledge them. Frankly, I’m not the best at staying “in the moment” and following that advice, but one day was an exception. I had just put liquid dish soap into a pan and was putting the bottle away. Apparently, I hadn’t pushed the closure all the way down and must also have accidentally applied a little pressure. Out of the top burst a cloud of itty bitty bubbles. They floated around quite a while because they were so tiny. As they caught the light from over the sink, I grinned at the little rainbow globes. Now, making those bubbles on purpose is my reward for washing the pans. Let your inner child try it sometime.
 

My first book : Natural Alternatives to Nexium, Maalox, Tagamet, Prilosec & Other Acid Blockers. Subtitle: What to Use to Relieve Acid Reflux, Heartburn, and Gastric Ailments.

My latest book : Aloe Vera-Modern Science Sheds Light on an Ancient Herbal Remedy

Copyright 2011 Martie Whittekin, CCN