lettersfromgrandma.com
AVIAN FLU-H5N1 UPDATE 1/5-17/2008
I HAVE PUT MYSELF IN THE POSITION OF A READER WHO IS TRYING TO FOLLOW THE PREVIOUS ADVICE ON EATING CORRECTLY TO STRENGTHEN THE IMMUNE SYSTEM TO PROTECT AGAINST ILLNESS. THESE ARE MY NOTES:
To view the “previous health advice,” please click HERE and scroll down to the chart.
I have cut down on my intake of junk food (I can’t say no to ice cream), have processed foods as rarely as possible (I don’t have boxed or refined foods in my home but probably have them when I eat out) and in an effort to follow my previous suggestions in the food chart, I have been using the following foods to increase my immunity:
FOR ZINC I have had oysters once, every day I have a few of all the nuts and seeds listed and have oatmeal twice a week. I do not feel secure that I get 25 mg of zinc a day in order to strengthen my immunity.
FOR VIT C I found (I went to 4 stores before I found them at a Whole Foods store) and bought a guava, which turned black when I let it ripen on the counter—it didn’t get soft and was very hard and unpalatable. I use red and green peppers, broccoli and brussel sprouts at least once a week and plan on getting some of those greens. At this time I do not feel that I get 3 grams of Vit C a day in order to strengthen my immunity. I have located and ordered (but not received) acerola berry powder from one of the four sources that I will elaborate on below.
FOR VIT A/BETA CAROTENE I find that I am confused about the difference in the two—but I have used raw carrots and spinach in my usual salads every day, have had quite a bit of butternut squash due to a fabulous recipe that I will write below, have had cantaloupe, broccoli and plan on having beef liver which I would enjoy to a certain extent. I do not feel secure that I am getting 20,000 IU or 6 mg Vitamin A or 60 mg Beta-Carotene.
FOR VIT D-I have a story: during my recent routine physical I requested a Vit D blood level which came back dangerously low at 12.9 nmol/L. My doctor wanted to bring it up to at least 32 nmol/L as quickly as possible with a prescription for thirteen 50,000 unit pills to be taken one, once a week for 13 weeks and then have blood level checked again. I asked the pharmacist about the prescription and was told it was synthetic Vit D. Of course I wanted a natural food source which the pharmacist advised would be more difficult to bring my blood level up to par. I read the cod liver oil bottles at a health food store and found several that did not even list the Vit D values, several that listed the Vit D at 200 IU (international units) and finally found Carlson’s Norwegian Cod Liver Oil listed Vit D at 400 IU, Vit A at 7,000 to 1,2000 and Vit E at 10 IU per 1 teaspoonful and independently tested for purity and potency. It is lemon flavored, very palatable (must be refrigerated after opening) and I will take 4 teaspoonsful per day for a total of 11,200 IUs per week plus sit in the sun 10 minutes per day (I am in a sunny area). I believe that, since the cod liver oil and sunshine are natural sources of Vit D and will be highly absorbed, I will bring my blood serum levels up to 30 to 50 nmol/L by March 1st when I will repeat my blood test for Vit D and report back to you. So I feel certain that I have Vit D covered in my diet. As of January 17, 2008, I have had to lower my intake of the cod liver oil to 2 teaspoonfuls daily due to diarrhea. That successfully cured the situation. PLEASE NOTE: PAGE 5 OF THE LIFE EXTENTION VIT D REPORT STATES: VITAMIN D TOXICITY IS VERY UNLIKELY IN HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS TAKING LESS THAN 10,000 IU A DAY BUT NOTE PLEASE THE WARNINGS FOR SYMPTOMS OF NAUSEA, VOMITING, POOR APPETITE, CONSTIPATION, ATTACK.AND WEAKNESS, AND SIGNS THAT INCLUDE HEART ARRHYTHMIAS, KIDNEY STONES, AND ELEVATED BLOOD LEVELS OF CHOLESTEROL, CALCIUM, OR LIVER ENZYMES. PEOPLE WITH HIGH BLOOD CALCIUM LEVELS, AND THOSE WHO USE DIGOXIN OR OTHER CARDIAC GLYCOSIDE DRUGS SHOULD CONSULT A PHYSICIAN BEFORE USING SUPPLEMENTAL VIT D.
FOR SELENIUM I have had 6 Brazil nuts a day and canned tuna once a week. I do not feel confident that I am getting 100 mcg.
FOR EXERCISE I have walked 4 times for 30 minutes duration.
FOR STRESS REDUCTION I feel that I am under minimum stress but have thought about a few minutes meditation daily. I do have times of prayer that is somewhat similar.
FOR HYGIENE I continue my usual excellent practices of hand washing, etc.
THOUGH I FEEL THAT MY IMMUNE SYSTEM IS REAPING SOME BENEFIT FROM HEALTHY FOODS, I DOUBT THAT THERE IS ENOUGH BENEFIT TO PROVIDE ANY REAL PROTECTION FROM AN ACTUAL DISEASE ASSAULT. ALSO I MUST INCREASE THE EXERCISE AND I MUST STOP THINKING ABOUT MEDITATION AND ACTUALLY DO IT.
I HAVE FOUND, PURCHASED AND USE THE FOLLOWING VITAMINS FROM FOOD SOURCES (IT IS DIFFICULT FINDING FOOD BASED VITAMINS-SOME CLERKS DON’T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE AND RECOMMEND OTHER VITAMINS EVEN THOUGH THE STORE MAY CARRY THEM ON OTHER SHELVES) AS NOTED IN RED.
*New Chapter Organics Selenium Food Complex www.newchapter.info serving size 1 tablet supplies 200 mcg. I am taking ½ pill a day.
*New Chapter Organics Zinc Food Complex serving size 1 tablet supplies 30 mg. I am taking 1 pill a day.
Vitamin C sources:
Acerola Berry (highest food source of Vit C)
*Jean’s Greens, Schodack, NY – 518-479-0471
Acerola berry extract powder – 25% Vit C – 1 lb for $22.00. (ordered 1/12/08 and will let you know how it turns out.)
*www.frontierherb.com 800-669-3275
16oz. Foil pouch acerola powder item 2678 $37.90
not organic from South America
*Viridian Organic Acerola Powder 50 grams 20.85Euros delivery 6.99 Euros Is that $42.00?
¼ teaspoon =1 gram=189 mg Vit C
18% Vit C. Synergistic bioflavinoids rutin and hesperidin. I wonder if there’s any maltodextrin?
It appears that I would use ¾ teaspoon per day so a bottle would last each adult about 2 months. Use would go up if Avian Flu became active and go way up if we got sick.
*Dr. Ben Kim Acerola Cherry Powder $39.00 plus $10.00 shipping. (amla berries??) 17.63 oz bottle – 500 grams – trace maltodextrin.
1.5 teaspoon=270 mg Vit C.
THE FOLLOWING ARE NOTES ON A PHONE CONVERSATION:
*If we had to get large amounts of Vit C into our blood system and didn’t mind if it were ascorbic acid the following is a new product taken orally that was explained to me as protected from stomach acids and extremely highly absorbable: livonlabs.com Cherrie Owemby in Henderson, NV 866-682-6193
Lipo-spheric Vit C in a gel form;1000 mg in a packet
Ckproducts.com told me about the above ajchanne@yahoo.com He suggested calling Cherrie (above) for the product and mention CCHA—probably so he could get credit. I think his name was AJ. He went on to say relative to strengthening the immune system that sugar sedates the immune system for at least 4 hours, eat neither fried foods nor alcohol. He suggested Olive Leaf and Selenium, 200 micrograms—a few Brazil nuts daily-higher to begin with- and zinc. PERSONALLY I WOULD PREFER TO INCREASE MY INTAKE OF NATURAL VIT C THROUGH THE ACEROLA BERRY POWDER.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH & CRANBERRY SALAD
One large butternut or small Hubbard squash, pumpkin or sweet potatos – baked but still firm enough to peel and cube
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
1/3 cup dried cranberries – chopped if too big
2 stalks celery diced
½ red bell pepper diced
4 scallions cleaned, trimmed and sliced thin
¼ cup dried currants
Whisk together dressing – scant ½ cup cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
Scant 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons stone ground mustard
salt and pepper
Pour over squash mixture and fold all together gently but thoroughly and sprinkle chopped parsley on top
Please feel free and contact Grandma directly at
lettersfromgrandma@yahoo.com.
Thank you!