Has Staying Out Of The Sun Put Your Health At Risk

I remember the first time I had heard that I may have been misinformed about the dangers of sun exposure. I was in a health food store with a friend looking for vitamin D (this was recommended to her after chemotherapy). The nutritionist told us that one of the best sources of vitamin D was getting into the sunshine. This went against all information I had received over the years of staying out of the sun. I come from a family that is fair skinned and has struggled with skin cancer, so this initially do not set well with me. He went on to say that our body receives D in the purest form from the sun, and as long as we don't bake we should try to catch a few rays when we can. It is interesting to me that in the following article put out by Dr. Mercola, instead of being warned about the dangers of too much sun, we are being warned about the dangers of not enough exposure to vitamin D because of hiding from the sun. Our body needs it and craves it. Some of us really can't go out in the sun, but one thing we can do is optimize our vitamin D levels with just the right supplements. Getting a natural (closest to what we can get from the sun) rather than synthetic supplement will make the difference. The natural is D3 (cholecalciferol), which is the same vitamin D your body makes when exposed to sunshine.

Dr. Mercola writes:

When it comes to the benefits of optimizing your vitamin D levels, the evidence is simply overwhelming. Research shows you can drastically reduce your risk of cancer and countless other chronic diseases by getting safe sun exposure, using a safe tanning bed, or taking a high-quality supplements. Yet, a great deal of people around the world have heard nothing of this great “discovery.” It’s even likely that your doctor is among them, which is why it’s so important to educate yourself.

As a result of flawed assumptions about sun exposure, and the subsequent recommendations, a vast majority of people are deficient in vitamin D. It’s thought that over 95 percent of U.S. senior citizens may be deficient, along with 85 percent of the American public.

Read more...

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/10/10/vitamin-d-experts-reveal-the-truth.aspx

Are You Ingesting A Toxic Blend

I want to introduce this segment by sharing that my mother, who has been in heaven for 15 years now, left this life due to a bad call by the medical team during a hospital stay for a broken hip. The medications they administered for pain shut down her breathing and ultimately ended her life. She suffered from pulmonary problems and was on oxygen, which should have been the first clue not to give her a pain medication with the side effects that clearly warn of breathing difficulties. Im sure the hospital did not mean to hasten my mother's death, or cause her undo suffering, but the truth is that is exactly what happened. The problem is that the medical world has been so indoctrinated in routine care that personalization to the patients is missing. Not to mention the desensitization towards the side effects accompanying commonly prescribed medications.

Of course, medicine is crucial and many times needed–there is no debate about that. It is not my intention to argue or paint an ugly picture of something so important and life-saving as the progression of modern medicine. It is, however, my desire to address the overuse, and negligent prescribing that is occurring across the country by the health care industry that is not only unnecessary, but dangerous to the person who takes it in trust.

It's time to take charge--be our own advocate! We need to ask questions and do our own research before taking a prescription medication. Access to technology (and therefore answers) is easy in this day and age. Look up side effects, also look up drug interactions as well as interactions to pre-existing health conditions–these three simple steps could spare harm to your body, and even life itself. Don’t be afraid to say no.

Below is a link to a well done news report on a drug interaction that could have been prevented. It is eye opening and will make you ask the important question–what am I being prescribed?

https://youtu.be/j4bYng7X7Kk

The Danger Of Dental Fillings

Dr. Mercola writes this on the hidden triggers of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s:

Dental amalgam is a primitive, pre-Civil War product that is 50 percent mercury, still commonly used in dental fillings.

Half of all North American dentists still use amalgam for its quick and easy profits, then pass the bill for damages on to the rest of us – damages to health, as well as to the environment.

Mercury Undercover discusses the mountain of evidence about mercury contamination, as reported by doctors, scientists, environmental experts and mercury-poisoned survivors.

The disturbing issues brought to light in this film will make you think twice before ordering a “catch-of-the-day” or planning your next dental procedure.

American dentistry’s 150-year affair with mercury is a tale of profits first, people last.

Read more: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/04/07/dangers-of-mercury-contamination.aspx

Taking Charge Of Your Own Health

Taking charge of our own health is a necessary mindset for this day and age. Countless variables in the

medical world influence the well-being of our bodies--both negatively and positively. The health care industry itself has become very much a business, and one that is disjointed (a doctor for one thing and another for something different).

When a health crisis entered my life a few years back (within a few months) I was in the office of seven different types of doctors: a hematologist, rheumatologist, gastroenterologist,  urologist, neurologist, neuro-surgeon, internist. Each one had their own ideas as well as limitations in knowledge. Needless to say my head was spinning. In my cabinet still lies a box with prescribed medications I never used from several of these visits. As I read the labels, having already had a bad reaction to a medication, I could not in good conscience allow myself to ingest any more drugs into my system--unless absolutely necessary and with certain reason. Besides these drugs major surgery was suggested that came with the possibility of severe complications.

It was clear to me (more than ever) that it was time to take charge of my own health--not that I should make decisions without knowledge that could put myself in danger. But rather I would need to begin to become educated in my options and what the potential risks and benifits would be for the decisions that the doctors were trying to make on my behalf. As my sister Joan would say, "People must take control of their health; inform themselves; and become their own advocate." That is what this blog is all about--to inspire the advocate in you! Not only to get informed about your health issues themselves, but the wonderful world of natural alternative and options that can greatly benefit and strengthen your body, and come along side your doctors advice. There should be no conflict in attending to this side of your health from the medical world. As a matter of fact, this is a great litmus test to see if your physician is a truly a good fit for you.