New Findings About Vitamin D, An Often Overlooked Cause of Fatigue, Depression and Chronic Disease

Vitamin D is being researched more and more and deficiencies have been found to be rampant in our Western World. Vitamin D is called the Sunshine Vitamin because your body can make it when exposed to sufficient sunshine.

Vitamin D3 is actually a steroid hormone formed when your skin is exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. UVB converts a cholesterol derivative in your skin into vitamin D3.

Controversy abounds about just the right amount of sunshine needed to produce adequate Vitamin D, and most experts are now recommending testing and supplementation for those that are low.

If you live in the tropics and spend most of your time outdoors, chances are good you have plenty of vitamin D. If you live in Alaska, or Seattle, chances are that you don’t. For those of us in between, how do we know?

A simple blood test can test for vitamin D levels. I’ve been recommending that you can rely on mother nature if you are exposed to sun over 25% or more of your body 20 minutes or more each day. On the days when this is not true, take a supplement. Liquid D3 seems to be the most effective.

Today I ran across an article by Dr. Joe Mercola and I was shocked at the title, which said that exposure to sunshine could decrease your vitamin D levels.

Turns out that window glass  filters out the majority of UVB radiation, but it minimally filters out UVAs. Vitamin D3 is formed from exposure to UVB rays.   UVA radiation destroys vitamin D.

Whoa, hold on. Being indoors not only keeps you from making the Vitamin D you need but destroys the Vitamin D you already have! Wow.   This is actually a clever method that nature has to prevent Vitamin D overload. It helps destroy excess vitamin D when you’re outside a lot.

When you are outside, you get BOTH UVA and UVB, so there is a balance. When you’re exposed to sunlight through windows you get the UVA but almost no UVB. To make matters worse, UVA increases oxidative stress. So working indoors and driving in a car can lead to health challenges. All the more reason to retire to the beach.

UVA is a primary player in skin cancer. It also what causes you to tan and leads to photo aging of your skin.

Dr. Leonard Smith discovered that increasing his vitamin D levels resulted in the resolution of skin conditions such as moles and basal cell carcinoma.

Vitamin D and Showering

Another interesting tidbit about Vitamin D that Dr. Mercola wrote about was the association between Vitamin D levels and showering with soap.

It turns out that the Vitamin D3 formed on the surface of your skin does not immediately get absorbed into your bloodstream. It actually takes up to 48 hours to absorb the majority of the vitamin D you made as a result of sun exposure.

So, if you shower with soap, you’ll wash away a lot of the vitamin D3 your skin generated. Since you are not likely to want to go so long without a shower, Dr. Mercola recommends that you reserve the soap for your armpits and groin, and wash the rest of your body with plain water. I usually do that anyway, so I’m happy to hear that there’s a benefit beyond saving money on soap!

In summary, here’s how to ensure that you get adequate Vitamin D levels:

• Get safe outdoor sun exposure or use a tanning bed, 20 minutes a day. Just be careful to avoid getting sunburned.
• If you can’t or won’t get adequate sunlight, take a liquid Vitamin D3 supplement. Just be sure to get your vitamin D levels checked regularly, to be sure you are dosing porperly. You can get the testing done without a doctor’s prescription at www.directlabs.com.
• If you shower after sun exposure, avoid soaping exposed areas for for at least two days, to maximize the absorption of vitamin D in your skin.

Vitamin D needs to be taken seriously. Deficiencies can lead to many health challenges including heart disease, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, hypertension, arthritis, depression, inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, PMS, Crohns Disease, cancer, MS and other autoimmune diseases.

So go have some fun and get your vitamin D levels optimized.

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

Green Foods for Energy: Chronic Fatigue and Exhaustion Don’t Have a Fighting Chance

By now you know how much I proclaim the magic of green foods in keeping you vibrant, energetic and strong.  You’ve probably heard me say that we should eat like the chimps.

My friend Alicia Ojeda of EZrawfoods101.com sent me the following very green recipe that I thought I’d share.  Alicia doesn’t mind.  She wants to share the message of green too.

Alicia is a gifted chef and instructor.  She was trained in living foods cuisine at Living Light Culinary Institute

I’m not sure chimps eat avocados, but they do eat their greens.

Greenamole

Great for getting extra greens in your guac!

* 2 ripe avocados,
* 2 green onions sliced thin
* 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed thru garlic press
* 1/2 small jalapeno chili, minced or 1/8 tsp cayenne
* 1 tsp kelp powder or dulse flakes
* 1 cup kale, spinach or broccoli, or peas  pulsed in food processor or  chopped fine with ¼ tsp salt
* ¼ bunch cilantro rough chopped
* 1/2 tsp Sunfire Salt
* 1/2 tsp ground cumin
* 1 tbsp lime or lemon juice

Place avocado flesh in a bowl and smash slightly with a fork or potato masher, stir in remaining ingredients.  Mix well. Adjust seasoning to taste (I like mine spicier!).  Serve with chips, your favorite salsa, on a bed of  greens, or to accompany your favorite Mexican meal.

If you like this recipe, you may be interested in Alicia’s Mediteranean Feast Class, happening this Sunday at 10AM Central time in Austin, Texas

Here is a link for Sunday’s Mediterranean Feast class - Register for Alicia’s Mediteranean Feast Class  through this special link and get a discounted price of $65 ($10 off).

Class description:
Learn how to prepare these delicious delectables: Creamy Hummus & Tabouli, Falafel with Tahina Sauce, Greek Salad, Carrots with Moroccan Spices, Dolmas with Middle Eastern Marinara, and Shaved Apple Torte. Also learn valuable culinary tips & techniques to save you time in the kitchen.

Bio for Alicia:
Chef Alicia Ojeda is a classically trained professional chef who is passionate about gourmet vegan raw & living food cuisine.  Her resume includes working for Bon Appetite Management Co., Chef Manager at Sony Music, Executive Chef at DreamWorks Studio, Banquet Chef at The Getty Center, Executive Chef for Living Light Culinary Arts Institute, R&D/Production Coordinator for Roxanne’s Fine Cuisine, and she’s recently been added to the staff of Beets Cafe (opening in Austin, Texas Summer 2009).

Enjoy .

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

Raw Foods Diet: Chia Porridge for Breakfast

Yesterday we had an amazing gathering of Raw Foods Diet enthusiasts meet at my home in Austin Texas to welcome Annmarie and Kevin Gianni of the Renegade Health Show.  Annmarie delighted all of us with this raw food prep demo of chia porridge.  Enjoy.

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

www.FreshnFunLiving.com

Kevin Gianni on the Raw Food Diet for Vibrant Health

We had an amazing display of what delicious and beautiful foods you can eat on a raw foods diet.  Tables were lined with foods of all sorts – salads, wraps, pie, marzapan, fruits, guacamole, dips and chips…the list goes on.  Most people expect  a raw foods diet to be boring, but tonight’s amazing display proves otherwise.

Kevin Gianni an his wife Annmarie were our special guests tonight.  They’ve been traveling across the nation in their vegetable oil powered RV, the Kale Whale, spreading the word of health.  Kevin did an inspiring talk and presented his model of health:  raw foods as the primary nutrition, know yourself, take action  …the other 2 are escaping my brain right now.  He was entertaining, empowering and right on.  Annmarie demonstrated making a delicious chia porridge and a strawberry parfait.  Quick and easy raw foods recipes.

I took some video footage and I’ll post some of it tomorrow.

What’s your view on the raw food diet?  Comment below!

Green Celebrations: St. Patricks Day and Green Smoothies

Here’s a traditional recipe, with the undesirable ingredients highlighted and vegan gluten free substitutes written to the side:

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups  white flour — 2 cups whole grain non-gluten flour
  
• 2/3  tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup  sugar  1/3 cup agave or honey or date paste
  
• 1 teaspoon salt (whole, unrefined)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 tablespoon chia seed soaked in 4 tablespoons water
• 1   cups buttermilk   1 cup nut milk, seed milk or rice millk
  
• 1/4 cup melted butter 1/4 cup coconut oil
  

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F .   Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
2. Combine dry ingredients.
3. Blend the wet ingredients, excluding the butter or oil,add to the flour mixture and mix just until moistened.
4. Stir in the melted butter/oil.
5. Pour intogreased and floured pan, and bake for 65 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the bread comes out clean.
6. Cool on a wire rack.

I have a hankering for a raw vegan dehydrated version of Irish Soda Bread.  Will you help me create one?

Post your comments below with your Raw vegan Dehydated Irish Soda Bread recipe.  You just might be the winner.

(extra points given for including green ingredients)

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie