How to take care of yourself?

Following Monday’s newsletter and blog, I received wonderful feedback from mothers who agree wholeheartedly with the sentiment of taking care of ourselves so that our loved ones are not responsible for our care.

However, the question reamins – HOW?

How do we find the time? How do we value ourselves enough to make this a priority? How do we ensure consistency? Many readers talk about starting with great intentions. Perhaps these new behaviors last a few days, weeks or even months and then fall by the wayside. Why bother to start something new when you know it’s going to end this way? Worse, we always feel guilty when we cannot keep our commitments to ourselves.

Here are a few tips:
1. Don’t start anything new in a panic. In other words, don’t let anxiety or guilt or fear drive a new venture. If you start trying to eat less or exercise more out of guilt or fear, it will usually end badly!
2. Take an inventory of where you are at the moment. Sit down and take a good look at what your life is about today. A good way to do this is to use a balance wheel. This is a tool that divides your life up into various areas – such as health, finance, relationships, mothering, career, diet etc. You then give yourself a score for each area. On my website I offer a free balance wheel that you can fill out yourselves. Please go to: www.themommyblues.com and find it on the top left corner.
3. Once you are clear about what is working and what is not working, pick NO MORE than one area to begin with. Tackle the easiest area first. I ask you to it like this because you are more likely to be successful with an easier task. Success raises your self-esteem and your trust in yourself. If you keep going with small successes, you will get there and have the resources to deal with the larger, more difficult challenges in your life.
4. Get a buddy or a coach or a therapist or counselor – someone you can be accountable to. You could pick a friend and meet once a month to work on  your balance wheels. Or you could hire a coach. If the areas are particularly tricky or painful or challenging, hire a therapist. I offer ecounseling, telephone counseling, skype counseling and f2f (face-to-face counseling).

Over the next few weeks, I will visit this topic again! I believe it is critical and fundamental!

Good luck with your balance wheels!

 

If we don’t take care of ourselves..

I heard a very powerful thing the other day. A friend of mine said to me: “Well, if we don’t take care of ourselves, someone else is going to end up doing it.”

It got me thinking because when I usually hear people talking about taking care of themselves – it sounds something like: “Well, if I don’t take care of myself, no-one else is going to!” But that is not true actually, when we don’t take care of our emotional and physical needs we end up placing the burden of our care on someone else. Often it is our partner, spouse, or children who end up taking on our care.

Take Joanne for example. She suffers from chronic depression and anxiety. However she will not go and see a therapist or get medication for it. She thinks that medication is bad for her and will not subject her body to it. She also knows that in the absence of medication, exercise can help; going outside in the sunlight can help; and eliminating some foods like sugar can also help.

But Joanne is too depressed to tackle these things or keep them up for any consistent and effective length of time. She ends up feeling guilty and bad about herself. She cannot function effectively at home and to make herself feel better she takes headache pills and eats sugar to numb herself out. In this state, she finds it very hard to get things done around the house and also at work. Her husband, Jim, ends up taking on most of her share of the parenting and housework. If this goes on, Joanne’s children will end up having to take care of her and in effect raising themselves. As her situation continues to deteriorate she will need care from outside the family. At some point she might imagine that she is too much of a burden to everyone and think of ending her life.

If she does that, her family will almost surely never get over the loss. And the cycle of depression will continue.

As mother’s we owe it to ourselves to put our emotional and physical health first. Yes! First! Even before our family because being a mom takes enormous amounts of patience, tolerance, flexibility, consistency, commitment and energy.

And to manage all this, we need to be well. Very well.

If you are a mother, answer these three questions:

1. What was the last thing you did for your emotional or physical health?
2. What have you been putting off doing for your health that needs doing?
3. Write down when you will get it done – date and time. Make a commitment to yourself and do it.

Take great care of you. There is only one you -  and you are irreplaceable to your children.

All the best,
Kim

5 Steps to SMARTER New Year’s Resolutions

5 Steps to SMARTER New Year's Resolutions

New Year’s Eve is upon us – a magical time for setting new goals and making changes.  Would you like to harness some of that magic for yourself?

Following these five steps will increase your chances of reaching your goals next year, and being successful at what you desire.

Traditionally, the end of the year is a time for making resolutions. Very often these are things we have struggled with all year, and not been able to achieve. And so, we think that by re-invoking them on New Year’s Eve they will be imbued with some kind of magic – and they will happen!

Now, I do think there is a bit of truth to that belief. There IS some mystery and magic in ritual and symbol that we don’t always fully understand. So choosing a special day when millions of other people are also deciding to make some kind of change is a good idea! But it’s not enough.

Here are 5 tips for more successful resolutions –  resolutions that have a very good chance of being followed through.

1.  Choose your New Year’s Resolutions Consciously and Seriously

Setting goals is part of all of our lives, but often it is done unconsciously and with very little purpose and direction. Many of us make choices by default. Today, right now, choose a goal consciously and purposefully. Give it due consideration.

Think about your understanding of goals. A goal is well-defined. Like a target, it gives you clarity, motivation and focus. Having goals gives you a better chance of being successful.

Do you want your goal to be about making a change, forming a new habit, developing a skill, learning something new, stopping something old? What is your goal? For mothers, does your goal have to do with better parenting, better self-care?

2. Align your Goal with your Values

When you goal is aligned with your values, it has a better chance of being realized.  Your values are what you esteem and give worth to. They determine where you spend your money, time and energy. So before, settling on a goal, spend a few moments deciding whether it is, in fact, part of YOUR value set. If it isn’t, it’s going to be very difficult to be consistent with it.

What are your top 5 values? Write them down..

3.  Be SMART about your Resolution or Goal.

You need to write it down. Clearly. Use the SMART method. In other words, make sure that it is specific (S), measurable (M), attainable (A), realistic (R) and has a time-frame (T). The more defined and specific, the better.  Then you will know for certain whether you are achieving it or not. Most goal experts advise you to read it morning and night, so write it down and keep it where you can see it daily.

4.  Make a PLAN of Action.

If you don’t plan, you plan to fail. It’s really as simple as that. Not creating an action plan is defaulting to not following through. So step 4 is to create the action plan. All you need to do is write down the steps required to achieve the goal. You can start from the end (the final product) and work backwards or you can start from the present, and write down the very next step. Keep going and keep asking yourself, “What is my next step?” Write down each tiny step – that will be your action plan.

5. Create a BACKUP Plan

In the final step, you are going to think through all the obstacles that could get in the way of following through on your resolution. Think of what you have tried in the past and what has stopped you. List them all, and then write down in advance what you will do to overcome them this time. How youwill not let them become excuses for abandoning your goal. Be proactive and prepared. We’re all human, after all, and prone to distraction and fatigue and inconsistency!

So what structure could you create to help you stay on track? Be creative and serious about it. This is your life you are planning – not just a goal!

My very best wishes to you for a wonderful New Year full of realized goals and dreams!

Kim Richardson

 

Telemedicine? the way of the future?

Psychotherapists, counselors and psychoanalysts have used the telephone for psychotherapy treatment for many years. Talk therapy is certainly possible and effective using the telephone and made even more effective with the lowered costs of video equipment and Skype.

In my counseling practice I have offered telephone therapy to clients who move away from my location. And in most coaching practices in the USA, the use of the telephone is standard (less so in Australia and the Netherlands).

Video skype is a great option for new clients that I cannot see face-to-face. I have a colleague who uses Skype for couples therapy. On my website, clients can download a collection of writings about the effectiveness of telephone treatment

Here is a report on telemedicine and the increasing use of the internet in the medical field:

Healthcare reform needs better choices: report

Mon Jul 20, 2009 8:16pm EDT

By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor

a WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Telemedicine, workplace clinics and finding ways to help people stay healthier may be more important for reforming the U.S. healthcare system than insuring everyone, according to a report to be released on Tuesday.

Incentives will be needed to encourage people to change their ways before they develop heart disease, diabetes and other so-called lifestyle diseases that now eat up so many medical resources, consultant Pricewaterhouse Coopers said in the report.

“Cranking up supply to increase access is likely not the answer. The United States now spends more than any nation on healthcare and has a record number of clinicians in the workforce,” the company said in a statement.

“Instead, solutions will lie in new models of care and in using technology, incentives and behavior change to unclog the jammed access points.”

Congress is working on legislation that would set up a government-run health insurance plan to compete with private insurers, provide coverage to many of the 46 million uninsured and try to stem runaway medical costs.

President Barack Obama, trying to rally support for reform efforts, said on Monday lawmakers must overcome their differences and enact reform now because spiraling healthcare costs were weighing on American families.

The PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Health Research Institute team conducted 37 in-depth interviews with officials at healthcare providers, the Veterans’ Administration, community health centers and other groups, read other studies and commissioned an online survey in April of 1,000 consumers.

They found half of those surveyed would be likely to seek healthcare online. “In Hawaii, more than 1,000 health plan members have engaged in an online consultation with physicians since the service was launched in 2009,” the report reads.

The Veterans Health Administration has said it has reduced use of its system by 30 percent over six years using telemedicine — remote consultation, diagnosis and sometimes even treatment using video or online links.

HEALTHCARE AT WORK

“Ten percent of employers surveyed by PwC in 2009 said that they’re providing worksite clinics, up from 1 percent in 2008,” the report adds. “Of consumers surveyed by PwC, 37 percent said they’d be likely to use a worksite clinic, and 36 percent said they’d be likely to use a retail clinic.”

One frequently cited problem is the overuse of expensive emergency departments. Half of those surveyed said they had visited an emergency room for a need other than an emergency during the last 12 months. “Medicaid patients use hospital emergency departments twice as much as the uninsured,” the report reads.

The use of emergency departments rises with the ratio of people with insurance. States with the most people lacking health insurance had lower rates of emergency department use — a finding that challenges the common wisdom that uninsured people and illegal immigrants are clogging hospital emergency rooms.

Hospitals often encourage this behavior, the report found. “Many hospitals are marketing and expanding their EDs as a way to increase admissions,” the report reads. “About one-third of patients who go to EDs were admitted for an inpatient stay.”

“It’s clear that access to insurance coverage does not translate into access to care,” Dr. David Chin, leader of the PricewaterhouseCoopers Health Research Institute said in a statement.

The study also said people will have to be encouraged to lose weight, eat healthier foods and exercise more — behaviors linked to diabetes, heart disease and fully one-third of all cancers.

More thoughts about swine flu

I have received Dr. Mercola’s weely ezine for about 8 or more years now. I was also a patient of his and was completely healed from graves disease and graves eye disease by following a whole concoction of his various treatment protocols.  I did not radiate my thyroid and nor do I take medication for it. My graves is in remission.  Secondly, his suggestion to add primrose oil to my daughter’s diet whenever she broke out in eczema has worked every time and now, at 8, she rarely has it. I share this only as background for why I value his ezine, and will usually consider his suggestions carefully.

Like many parents, I am worried about swine flu, but I am also worried about the safety of the vaccine.

Here is Mercola’s opinion and health advice.

Do NOT Let Your Child Get Flu Vaccine — 9 Reasons Why

Posted by: Dr. Mercola

October 06 2009 | 66,219 views (by 10am october 6, 2009)

This year it is more important that you protect your children and loved ones from the flu vaccines than influenza itself. This article on Lew Rockwell discusses how:

1. The swine flu is simply another flu. It is not unusually deadly.
2. This is the first time both seasonal and pandemic flu vaccines will be administered. Both seasonal flu and swine flu vaccines will require two inoculations. This is because single inoculations have failed to produce sufficient antibodies. This is an admission that prior flu vaccines were virtually useless. Can you trust them this time?
3. Adjuvants are added to vaccines to boost production of antibodies but may trigger autoimmune reactions. Some adjuvants are mercury (thimerosal), aluminum and squalene. Why would you sign a consent form for your children to be injected with mercury, which is even more brain-toxic than lead?
4. This is the first year mock vaccines have been used to gain FDA approval. The vaccines that have been tested are not the same vaccines your children will be given.
5. Over-vaccination is a common practice now in America. American children are subjected to 29 vaccines by the age of two. Meanwhile, veterinarians have backed off of repeat vaccination in dogs because of observed side effects.
6. Modern medicine has no explanation for autism, despite its continued rise in prevalence. Yet autism is not reported among Amish children who go unvaccinated.
7. Researchers are warning that over-use of the flu vaccine and anti-flu drugs like Tamiflu and Relenza can apply genetic pressure on flu viruses and then they are more likely to mutate into a more deadly strain.
8. Most seasonal influenza A (H1N1) virus strains tested from the United States and other countries are now resistant to Tamiflu (oseltamivir). Tamiflu has become a nearly worthless drug against seasonal flu.
9. Public health officials are irresponsible in their omission of any ways to strengthen immunity against the flu. No options outside of problematic vaccines and anti-flu drugs are offered, despite the fact there is strong evidence that vitamins C and D activate the immune system and the trace mineral selenium prevents the worst form of the disease.

For even more reasons, please review the full article on LewRockwell.com.

Sources:

LewRockwell.com September 16, 2009

Living Wisdom E-Newsletter, September 2009

New York Times September 18, 2009

Dr. Mercola’s Comments:

According to a recent New York Times article, more than three million doses of swine flu vaccine will be available in the U.S. by this week.  I just returned from the 4th International Vaccine Conference with NVIC in Washington D.C. this past weekend and many people there told me that they were already administering the vaccine in their state. I hope to provide important updates from that conference in the upcoming weeks, as there were some outstanding speakers.

Rest assured that there’s plenty of confusion and misdirection when it comes to flu vaccinations this year. And, as you can tell from the list above, you have every reason to question the validity of the information you’re given by government health authorities about the swine flu vaccine.

Fortunately, even conventional doctors and infectious disease experts are starting to speak out and take a stand against the current recommendations. In the video above, infectious disease expert Dr. Kent Holtorf goes on the record stating that neither he nor his children will take the swine flu shot, because the health risks are simply too high.

Confusion and Irrational Conclusions Reign

First of all, nearly all of the swine flu vaccines that will be made available in October will be a nasal spray type that contains live virus’, which is not recommended for pregnant women, people over 50, or those with asthma, heart disease or several other health problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The nasal spray causes a much greater immune reaction, and since it contains live virus’ they may multiply too quickly if your immune system is already compromised.

The injectable vaccine will supposedly contain only killed and fragmented virus components, but in order to “make it more effective” it also contains adjuvants; ingredients designed to cause a greater immune reaction by lowering your immune function.

Some of these adjuvants, such as thimerosal and squalene, have already been shown to carry considerable health risks.

While I’m glad the CDC offers some warning about the FluMist vaccine, what about the fact that none of the coming vaccines have undergone any form of safety testing? Some media reports have stated vaccines will be approved following a five-day safety review. What safety data could possibly be gleaned in a matter of five days?

And what about the possibility that people who have received seasonal flu vaccines may be twice as susceptible to contracting the swine flu?

Health officials everywhere are now recommending each man, woman and child get as many as four flu shots this season; two doses for the swine flu, and one or two doses for the seasonal flu, depending on whether you’ve ever had a flu shot before.

Is it really prudent to mass-administer an untested swine flu vaccine along with a seasonal flu vaccine that may increase your chances of contracting the swine flu?

And, last but certainly not least, while the number of swine flu cases is increasing, the severity of the flu is decreasing, with many doctors and health experts stating it’s actually turning out to be a much MILDER version than your average seasonal flu.

So where is the logic in this season’s vaccine campaign?

Evidence-Based Science Swept Under the Rug

The fact of the matter is that there are mountains of peer-reviewed papers demonstrating that the very basis of vaccine theory is wrong — and provably so.

Evidence-based science shows, again and again, that when it comes to preventing infectious diseases, antibodies on their own cannot, and do not, equal immunity.

For example, years of scientific research, assembled by researcher Judy Wilyman, have demonstrated how ineffective the whooping cough vaccination really is, and why it is nothing short of madness to continue to claim that whooping cough vaccination will lead to a decline in this disease.

Another example is the PhD thesis of a researcher from Tasmania named Arlette Mercae. Her thesis is an in-depth look at the way in which assumptions made about vaccine-induced immunity have led to a vaccination policy that is not based in science, ignores research that disagrees with the accepted premise that vaccines induce immunity, and, by pushing ahead with more and more vaccines, may be doing untold damage to the human race.

In a world where science-based evidence supposedly rules the roost, the vaccine industry has managed to turn scientific evidence on its ear and indoctrinated the entire health care system, and the general public, into believing a lie based on flawed assumptions.

It’s time to wake up from our advertisement-induced collective slumber and begin to review the folklore of conventional vaccine recommendations with a more critical eye.

And, we need to do it fast, because even though the swine flu vaccine is still optional, there are disturbing indications that a mandatory vaccination policy is brewing.

As reported in the Living Wisdom newsletter, some of the recent events that point toward the possibility of mandated vaccinations include:

1. The State of Massachusetts had passed legislation that would fine citizens $1,000 a day, or up to 30 days in jail for each day they refuse to take the swine flu vaccine if the swine flu is deemed a public health emergency. (However, that law changed when they allowed a philosophical exemption – so now all they have to do is say they don’t want it.)
2. France may be introducing compulsory vaccination against swine flu after the 28th of September, and secure vaccination facilities are being set up in every region to be used as vaccination centers with no exemptions available.
3. Greece has announced that it is considering the introduction of compulsory vaccination for the swine flu vaccine.

Why Did Baxter Patent Hybrid Flu Vaccine a Year Ahead of Outbreak?

Interestingly, despite the fact that health authorities around the world were “shocked” at the emergence of this never-before-seen hybrid flu strain, Baxter had patented a flu vaccine covering these now infamous strains on August 28, 2008.

Baxter’s patent # US20090060950A1 includes “more than one antigen… such as influenza A and influenza B in particular selected from of one or more of the human H1N1, H2N2, H3N2, H5N1, H7N7, H1N2, H9N2, H7N2, H7N3, H10N7 subtypes, of the pig flu H1N1, H1N2, H3N1 and H3N2 subtypes, of the dog or horse flu H7N7, H3N8 subtypes, or of the avian H5N1, H7N2, H1N7, H7N3, H13N6, H5N9, H11N6, H3N8, H9N2, H5N2, H4N8, H10N7, H2N2, H8N4, H14N5, H6N5, H12N5 subtypes.”

As you may recall, the first swine flu case in Mexico didn’t emerge until mid-March, 2009, and the mixture of human-avian-swine viruses was considered to be quite an anomaly and not likely to occur through natural mutation…

Three months later, Austrian investigative journalist Jane Burgermeister filed criminal charges against Baxter AG and Avir Green Hills Biotechnology of Austria for producing and releasing live bird flu virus’, alleging it was a deliberate act to cause and profit from a pandemic.

She also filed criminal charges with the FBI against the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations (UN), and several of the highest ranking government and corporate officials, charging them with bioterrorism and attempts to commit genocide.

For the latest updates on her legal action, you can read her personal blog or look at her most recent video.

Reminder: How to Protect Yourself without Dangerous Drugs and Vaccinations

There will always be threats of flu pandemics, real or created, and potentially toxic vaccines will continue to be peddled as the solution until enough people realize there’s a better, safer, saner way.

You can break free of the drug-solution trap right now by following these natural health principles. I have not caught a flu in over two decades, and you can avoid it too, without getting vaccinated, by following these simple guidelines, which will keep your immune system in optimal working order so that you’re far less likely to acquire the infection to begin with.

• Optimize your vitamin D levels. As I’ve previously reported, optimizing your vitamin D levels is one of the absolute best strategies for avoiding infections of ALL kinds, and vitamin D deficiency is likely the TRUE culprit behind the seasonality of the flu– not the flu virus itself.This is probably the single most important and least expensive action you can take.I would STRONGLY urge you to have your vitamin D level monitored to confirm your levels are at a therapeutic level, which is between 50-65 ng/ml. I also recommend using a reliable vitamin D lab like Lab Corp, if you’re in the U.S. Sometime this fall, we hope to launch a vitamin D testing service through Lab Corp that will allow you to have your vitamin D levels checked at your local blood drawing facility, and relatively inexpensively.

  If you are coming down with flu like symptoms and have not been on vitamin D you can take doses of 50,000 units a day for three days to treat the acute infection. Some researchers like Dr. Cannell, believe the dose could even be as high as 1,000 units per pound of body weight for three days.

  However, most of Dr. Cannell’s work was with seasonal and not pandemic flu. If your body has never been exposed to the antigens there is chance that the vitamin D might not work. However the best bet is to maintain healthy levels of vitamin D around 60 ng/ml.

• Avoid sugar and processed foods. Sugar decreases the function of your immune system almost immediately, and as you likely know, a strong immune system is key to fighting off viruses and other illness. Be aware that sugar is present in foods you may not suspect, like ketchup and fruit juice.
• Get enough rest. Just like it becomes harder for you to get your daily tasks done if you’re tired, if your body is overly fatigued it will be harder for it to fight the flu. Be sure to check out my article Guide to a Good Night’s Sleep for some great tips to help you get quality rest.
• Have effective tools to address your stress. We all face some stress every day, but if stress becomes overwhelming then your body will be less able to fight off the flu and other illness.If you feel that stress is taking a toll on your health, consider using an energy psychology tool such as Meridian Tapping Techniques, which is remarkably effective in relieving stress associated with all kinds of events, from work to family to trauma.
• Exercise. When you exercise, you increase your circulation and your blood flow throughout your body. The components of your immune system are also better circulated, which means your immune system has a better chance of finding an illness before it spreads. You can review my exercise guidelines for some great tips on how to get started.
• Take a good source of animal based omega-3 fats like krill oil. Increase your intake of healthy and essential fats like the omega-3 found in krill oil, which is crucial for maintaining health. It is also vitally important to avoid damaged omega-6 oils like trans fats found in most processed foods, as it will seriously damage your immune response.
• Wash your hands. Washing your hands will decrease your likelihood of spreading a virus to your nose, mouth or other people. Be sure you don’t use antibacterial soap for this — antibacterial soaps are completely unnecessary, and they cause far more harm than good. Instead, identify a simple chemical-free soap that you can switch your family to.
• Eat garlic regularly. Garlic works like a broad-spectrum antibiotic against bacteria, virus, and protozoa in the body. And unlike with antibiotics, no resistance can be built up so it is an absolutely safe product to use. However, if you are allergic or don’t enjoy garlic it would be best to avoid as it will likely cause more harm than good.
• Avoid hospitals and vaccines. In this particular case, I’d also recommend you stay away from hospitals unless you’re having an emergency, as hospitals are prime breeding grounds for infections of all kinds, and could be one of the likeliestplaces you could be exposed to flu bugs of all kinds.As a side note, please beware that 21 different pediatric Tylenol products have been recently recalled due to the possibility of bacterial contamination. So, if your child comes down with cold or flu symptoms, make sure you do not give him or her a potentially contaminated product.Better yet, help your child recover using more traditional cold and flu remedies, such as, hydrogen peroxide solution in the ear, zinc lozenges, high quality raw honey, or a homemade cough syrup. For more information and instructions, please see this previous article: Is Honey More Effective Than Cough Medicine?

Last but not least, if you do end up being coerced to take the swine flu shot, I strongly recommend you review Dr. Blaylock’s recommendations, which may alleviate some of the associated health risks.

Source: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/10/06/Why-You-Should-NOT-Vaccinate-Your-Children-Against-the-Flu-This-Season.aspx

Related Links:

What to do If You Are Forced to Take Swine Flu Shot

Warning: Swine Flu Shot Linked to Killer Nerve Disease

Many Health Workers Won’t Take Swine Flu Vaccine

Mothers worrying about swine flu as school begins

I know I worry about my children contracting swine flu and I found this article from Jo Mercola’s newsletter very useful and interesting. I am pasting it in here for you to see! Don’t stop reading till you see his comment at the end. Here’s to healthy kids with good immune systems.

Kim

Canada Looks at Vitamin D for Swine Flu Protection

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has confirmed that it will be investigating the role of vitamin D in protection against swine flu.The agency started a study last year on the role of vitamin D in severe seasonal influenza, which it said it will now adapt to the H1N1 swine flu virus.

Part of the researchers’ goal is to understand whether vitamin D levels are in any way responsible for the fact that most people with seasonal influenza develop a mild illness, but a small minority go on to develop severe symptoms.

According to PHAC, results from its study will indicate the extent and nature of the role of vitamin D in severe seasonal influenza.

Sources:

NutraIngredients August 10, 2009

Dr. Mercola’s Comments:

Canada appears to be one of the first countries to literally “see the light.”

Over the course of at least three flu seasons, Canada’s public health agency plans to analyze the impact vitamin D levels have on flu severity and, if they find a correlation between severe flu cases and vitamin D levels, will then decide whether vitamin D can be used to lessen serious cases of seasonal flu. While the study started out focused on seasonal flu, the agency is now adapting the study to the swine flu virus.

This is exactly the type of research that stands to make a real difference in public health, with the unfortunate aspect being that it may take years to bear out.

I highly suggest you don’t wait for their results to come in, as there is already overflowing evidence showing that your vitamin D levels play a role in your likelihood of getting the flu.

Vitamin D is a Powerful Flu Fighter

Dr. John Cannell, founder of the Vitamin D Council, first introduced the hypothesis that influenza is merely a symptom of vitamin D deficiency in the paper Epidemic Influenza and Vitamin D, published in the journal Epidemiology and Infection two years ago, followed up with another study published in the Virology Journal last year.

The findings were confirmed by a new study — the largest and most nationally representative of its kind to date — that involved about 19,000 Americans. It found that people with the lowest blood vitamin D levels reported having significantly more recent colds or cases of the flu.

In conclusion, lead author Dr. Adit Ginde stated:

“The findings of our study support an important role for vitamin D in prevention of common respiratory infections, such as colds and the flu. Individuals with common lung diseases, such as asthma or emphysema, may be particularly susceptible to respiratory infections from vitamin D deficiency.”

There is so much compelling evidence, that I believe optimizing your vitamin D levels is one of the absolute best strategies for avoiding infections of ALL kinds, and vitamin D deficiency is likely the TRUE culprit behind the seasonality of the flu — not the flu virus itself.

How do You Know if Your Vitamin D Levels are Optimal or Deficient?

In the United States, the late winter average vitamin D level is only about 15-18 ng/ml, which is considered a very serious deficiency state. It’s estimated that over 95 percent of U.S. senior citizens may be deficient, along with 85 percent of the American public.

Unless you are getting daily sun exposure on a large portion of your body, it’s imperative to have your vitamin D levels checked on a regular basis. This is especially important if you’re taking a vitamin D supplement.

It’s important to realize, however, that what’s conventionally considered normal is NOT the same as optimal. I strongly believe you could avoid colds and influenza entirely by maintaining your vitamin D level in the optimal range, as noted in the chart that follows.

(Holick MF. Calcium and Vitamin D. Diagnostics and Therapeutics. Clin Lab Med. 2000 Sep;20(3):569-90)

The ideal way to increase your levels is by getting safe sun exposure. The next best option would be to use a safe tanning bed. The third route you can take is to use a vitamin D3 supplement, but because it’s possible to overdose from this type of vitamin D, you should be sure to have your levels tested regularly to remain in the therapeutic range.

For adults, the appropriate dose is likely 4,000-5,000 units per day, but it could be even higher. In fact, according to Dr. Heaney, your body requires 4,000 IU’s daily just to maintain its current vitamin D level. So in order to actually raise your levels, you’d have to increase either your exposure to sunshine, or supplement with oral vitamin D3 (which, again, I do not recommend without having your levels tested).

When you go in for your vitamin D blood test, if you’re in the United States be certain your test is performed at a lab like Labcorp, which uses the gold standard Diasorin test for checking vitamin D levels.

Also be sure you order the correct test. 25(OH)D, also called 25-hydroxyvitamin D, is the better marker of overall D status. It is this marker that is most strongly associated with overall health.

You Can Use Vitamin D to Treat the Flu, Too

As I said earlier, if you were to maintain your vitamin D levels within the optimal range shown above, you would likely avoid being affected during the cold and flu season entirely.

That said, if you are coming down with flu-like symptoms and have not been on vitamin D you can take doses of 50,000 units a day for three days to treat the acute infection. Some researchers like Dr. Cannell believe the dose could even be as high as 1,000 units per pound of body weight for three days.

However, most of Dr. Cannell’s work was with seasonal and not pandemic flu. If your body has never been exposed to the antigens there is chance that the vitamin D might not work.

Ultimately, your best bet is to maintain healthy levels of vitamin D around 60 ng/ml year-round. To find out even more important information about vitamin D, I strongly recommend you watch my one-hour free vitamin D lecture along with my video on vitamin D’s role in flu prevention.

Related Links:

Avoid Flu Shots With the One Vitamin that Will Stop Flu in Its Tracks

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