vitamin Archives - Family Health Advocacy

Calcium Without Vitamin K2 Is A Heart Breaker

July 22, 2020February 14, 2020 by Mrs. Annette Presley, RD

What is vitamin K2 and why is it so important? Well, when you think of bone health, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Calcium, right? Don’t get me wrong, we all need calcium, but it has a dark side that most people don’t know about. Popping calcium supplements may just break your heart.

It’s not enough to just take calcium, we need to aim it at the bones. If we take calcium willy nilly without paying attention to where it goes, it will end up in our soft tissues, like arteries and joints. The last place we want calcium is in soft tissues as it can increase risk for heart attacks, strokes, and pain.

Vitamin D is another popular nutrient that is really big in the research world and is now even being prescribed for hospitalized patients. The doses can range anywhere from 1000 IUs daily to 50,000 IUs weekly. Vitamin D increases the absorption of calcium.

If you take calcium with vitamin D, you will absorb more of the calcium which might seem like a good thing. But, if you don’t have enough Vitamin K2 on hand, the calcium will end up where you don’t want it.

Everything You Need To Know About Vitamin K2

What Is Vitamin K2?

K2 activates a protein called matrix GLA. It removes calcium from soft tissues and it also activates osteocalcin which holds calcium to bone. So, if you have a lot of calcium, you need K2 to direct it.

Think of parking attendants at large events; they tell you where to put your car. K2 tells you where to put calcium. Contrary to some belief, when it comes to calcium, where it ends up is what counts. Not how much you have.

Below are some tips to support healthy bones without risking a heart attack.

Get Calcium From Food First

Good food sources for calcium include;

Sardines
Salmon with soft bones
Green leafy vegetables
Broccoli
Dried beans and peas
Sesame seeds
Dairy for those who can tolerate it

Limit Calcium Supplements To 500 mg Daily

Take Vitamin K2

You can take up to 300 mcg daily of MK-7. In foods, K2 is found in natto (a fermented soy product), gouda and edam cheese. In addition, butter from grass fed cows.

Take Vitamin D If You Need It

It’s safe to take 1000 IUs of vitamin D daily and some people need 50,000 IUs weekly. Before taking high doses of D, you should get your levels tested and work with a physician. Supplemental D should be in the D3 (cholecalciferol) form. Not the D2 (ergocalciferol) form. Also, you should have your levels checked every year or two. Learn how K2 + Vitamin D boosts your immune system.

Click here to read, Top 5 Natural Flu Busters !

Get Adequate Magnesium

Magnesium helps to convert vitamin D to it’s active form. A deficiency exacerbates inappropriate calcification, so you’ll end up with more calcium getting in your soft tissues. You especially need magnesium if you take a proton pump inhibitor for acid reflux.

Click here for more information about the importance of magnesium!

Final Thoughts

When it comes to bone health, Vitamin K2 is the nutrient you want to pay the most attention to. Calcium is only good if it is aimed appropriately. K2 is the bow that shoots the calcium arrow into the bone.

Mrs. Annette Presley, RD

Annette Presley RD, LD, is a functional nutritionist, author, speaker, and entrepreneur. She enjoys helping people live their lives well so they can stay out of hospitals and spend more time with their families and doing the things they love.

www.annettepresley.com

Scientific Key To Anti-Aging

January 18, 2022October 29, 2018 by Dr. Nenos Damerchie, DC

Years ago, I found myself in the company of intellectuals having breakfast on the outskirts of New York. During our meal, I noticed one of my colleagues pleading with a friend to take this ‘special supplement’ to help with his health. This is a very familiar scenario for many health professionals. Dealing with the outrageous claims made by some supplement companies is, dare I say, a problem. Firstly, you don’t want to give people false hope when they are in crisis mode requiring medical attention. Secondly, some claims are just outright false or at the very least misleading. However, this was a person with a PhD from a very prominent university in America, so I continued to listen.

The term “cellular repair” kept coming up. After realizing she had been using the supplement herself, I couldn’t help but think that anti-aging could be affiliated as one of the effects of this supplement. From all the years I’ve known her, I would definitely describe her appearance as a person who hadn’t aged in decades.

I was interested in learning more about this wonder supplement. Therefore, I began to look into the contents and research behind its claims. In short, what I came across was intriguing.

The Role Of NAD+ And Sirtuins

Researchers have demonstrated that cellular health is dependent on two things: A coenzyme called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). And proteins called sirtuins that are dependent on NAD+.

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide is a vital coenzyme that exists in all of your cells. It ensure that your cells function properly. A coenzyme is like a “helper” molecule. It binds to other enzymes to help cause reactions at the molecular level (3). The supply of NAD+ in the body is critical in supporting our health. Also, it plays an important role in processes like DNA repair. NAD+ is also used for the following processes and mechanisms:

– Energy production (ATP)
– Chromosome Stability
– Immune Cell Signaling
– Energy Enzyme Activity
– Brain Health
– Longevity

During the aging process, NAD+ levels drop dramatically. Sirtuins are proteins that depend on NAD+ levels to function. Sirtuins have been implicated in influencing a wide range of cellular processes. Examples include anti aging, inflammation, stress resistance, energy efficiency and alertness. Furthermore, it can also control or influence circadian rhythms and mitochondria (1). Too sciency right? Let’s just say, sirtuins are very important proteins. Regardless if you have a scientific background or not, it’s important that we all try to understand a little more about the chemicals that we put on and in our bodies. So many of use potentially harmful chemicals without giving it a second thought especially when it comes to the fight against aging. Click here to learn more about what chemicals are you putting on your face.

Important Discoveries

During an e-mail exchange with the company that produces the supplement, they revealed to me that “there are two notable discoveries worth mentioning. During the year 2000, it was demonstrated that many critical cellular metabolic processes are NAD+-dependent. However, in 2013, it was demonstrated that declining NAD+ levels, leading to poor mitochondrial and cellular health, could be reversed.”

Wait what? The reason we age and eventually die is because mitochondria fail to repair, and our cells die (4). If research has demonstrated that this process can be reversed, could we theoretically live forever or at least longer?

“Based on these findings, researchers were able to pinpoint natural compounds that help our cells to produce NAD+ and stimulate sirtuin activity at a level we once had. This supplement is targeting your cellular health to ensure they have what they need to continue to function at an optimal level of health.”

Well that seems promising doesn’t it? In reality that’s what all this really is, a start with promising test results. Clinical trials are mostly conducted by the company’s own research scientists own bias may be a factor when interpreting these results.

Clinical Trial Results

The company directed me to their website to read about the results. Their first full-scale double blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial (the gold standard of drug testing). Conducted throughout 2016, the results of the study showed that in participants taking the recommended dose of this supplement, NAD+ levels increased from baseline in whole blood by an average of 40%. This at four weeks and maintained that increase for the duration of the trial. Forty percent is a significant increase and deserves further investigation.

It’s important to note that a majority of the studies on NAD+ demonstrating positive outcomes like improved muscle function, DNA damage repair, and cognitive function were tested on mice and worms. They have yet to look at similar effects in humans. So at best, the results show the potential for significant benefits in humans.

Another thing to note is that you may not necessarily feel the benefits of adequate NAD+ levels in the body. This because it is hard to feel your cells repairing accumulated damage. However, if what this supplement claims to do is true, it is equally important to recognize the benefits derived at a cellular level. Even if they don’t manifest themselves in a way that we can feel and see. The same can be said for stem cell therapy, another regenerative treatment that aims to turn back the clock. These treatments, like NAD+, work at the cellular level to repair damage and support energy levels to help you look and feel younger. For further information about Myths vs Reality when it comes to anti-aging supplements click here Click here for further information about Myths vs Reality when it comes to anti-aging supplements.

Sources:

1. HTTPS://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/SIRTUIN
2. PREYAT N, LEO O (MAY 2013). “SIRTUIN DEACYLASES: A MOLECULAR LINK BETWEEN METABOLISM AND IMMUNITY”. JOURNAL OF LEUKOCYTE BIOLOGY. 93 (5): 669–80.
3. HTTPS://WWW.ELYSIUMHEALTH.COM/EN-US/KNOWLEDGE/SCIENCE-101/EVERYTHING-YOU-NEED-TO-KNOW-ABOUT-NICOTINAMIDE-ADENINE-DINUCLEOTIDE-NAD
4. J CLIN INVEST. 2013 MAR 1; 123(3): 951–957. PUBLISHED ONLINE 2013 MAR 1. DOI: 10.1172/JCI64125

Dr. Nenos Damerchie, DC

Dr. Nenos has been a Hamiltonian since 1990. He completed his undergraduate education at the University of Western Ontario and earned a Bachelor of Health Science degree with Honors. It was in his first year of university that he learned of a profession called Chiropractic. At the time, Dr. Nenos was considering pursuing medicine. Shortly after speaking with many prominent chiropractors and eventually becoming a patient himself, he realized that there was more to this profession than just neck or back pain.

After deciding to pursue Chiropractic he attended the only English speaking school in Canada, the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC) in Toronto Ontario. He was actively involved at the college which ultimately earned him the Raymond Moss Award. While attending CMCC he was also honoured to receive a grant from the Canadian Institute of Health Research to conduct research in the field of anatomy. He graduated with a Doctor of Chiropractic Degree in 2008 and shortly after began practicing as an examination doctor in one of the busiest Chiropractic Clinics in the Golden Horseshoe Area. Shortly after Dr. Nenos followed his heart and decided to open Tree of Life Chiropractic in his hometown of Hamilton.

Dr. Nenos is actively engaged in the community. He served as Canadian Director of the Assyrian Medical Society for a period of time, a humanitarian organization dedicated to serving children, families, and their communities stricken by the war and famine in the Middle East. The organization’s leadership is based on accountability, transparency and honesty which is a reflection of his practice. He is also a runner and triathlete and competes mainly in half marathon distances (21.1 Km). Today, Tree of Life Chiropractic is blessed to serve patients from Hamilton and surrounding areas. He is also the health expert on the local TV show Hamilton Life and can be seen on Cable 14 producing content for his own health show. He is passionate about topics of health relating to the spine and nervous system, nutrition, mind, and exercise.

“My passion is helping people transform their lives by adopting a healthy lifestyle.”

~ Dr. Nenos Damerchie

www.treeoflifechiro.ca

Antioxidants – Can They Be Boosted With Chiropractic Care ?

July 22, 2020September 17, 2018 by Dr. Casey Sinclair, CFMP, DC

One of the biggest misconceptions about chiropractic is that it’s ALL about the neck and low back pain. While their care IS beneficial and chiropractors do help a lot of people suffering in pain, the true benefit of chiropractic care is that it helps your body function better and optimally. By caring for the spine and nervous system, I have had the privilege of helping so many people achieve better health and a better quality of life so they can continue to do the things they love! I spend countless hours reading research to better understand how the chiropractic adjustment and how removing nervous system interference can accomplishes JUST THAT! In doing so, I read a very interesting study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics which demonstrated that chiropractic adjustments can BOOST antioxidants! Now, if you are someone who has yet to see a chiropractor, not knowing if it’s for you or what to expect, take a look at this link If I go to the Chiropractor, do I have to go forever? and explore how chiropractic can help you!

Why The Fuss About Antioxidants?

Most people nowadays are familiar with antioxidants and know enough to know that they are GOOD and that they are important to your health. However, here’s WHY antioxidants are so important. Most people are blasted with different types of stress every single day from poor nutrition to exposure to toxins. Most people are overworked and over-stressed working sedentary jobs, working 40-60 hours a week, trying to meet the next deadline and getting very little exercise. All of these stressors lead to the buildup of oxygen-containing toxic waste in your body. These are known as free radicals. Free radicals lead to the breakdown of cells. The more free radicals, the more cellular breakdown. This process is called “oxidative stress”. Click here For more information on the importance of antioxidants and get a list of the top 10 antioxidant rich fruits.

What Is Oxidative Stress?

Oxidative stress leads to conditions like cardiovascular disease and cancer and causes accelerated aging, a lowered immune system, and harms the nervous system. We cannot completely avoid free radicals and oxidative stress but we can offset their impact on our health by ensuring a healthy daily consumption of antioxidants through proper nutrition. But get this, the study I am referring to looked at 23 patients that were in pain and received chiropractic adjustments over the span of 5 weeks. Blood samples were taken from each patient before and after receiving their adjustments and researchers found a significant increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase anti-oxidant levels! Now obviously this is a preliminary study that warrants further research but the results are exciting nonetheless. It illustrates that taking care of your spine and nervous system with chiropractic care enhances your body’s ability to heal and function properly.

I hope that any of my readers that are under chiropractic care find this potential benefit as interesting as I do!

You’re one step closer!,

Research Reference:
Kolberg C, Horst A, Moraes MS, et al. Peripheral oxidative stress blood markers in patients with chronic back or neck pain treated with high-velocity, low-amplitude manipulation. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2014 Original source

Dr. Casey Sinclair, CFMP, DC

Dr. Casey Sinclair, D.C. is a leading holistic healthcare doctor trained in functional medicine. He has extended his reach around the world by co-founding Family Health Advocacy, a health advocacy group lead by doctors and health professionals providing resources and education on global health matters. He has been fortunate to act as health a consultant to some of the largest companies in North America and as a professional speaker he’s had the privilege of speaking to thousands of people. Dr. Casey is an advocate for people suffering with chronic pain and fibromyalgia and has authored a book on the subject.

familyhealthadvocacy.com