What Is Osteoporosis

A Hippocrates Health Institute article: WHAT IS OSTEOPOROSIS 

Osteoporosis is characterized by an increase in porosity of the bones and a corresponding decreased bone mass, resulting in an increased risk of fractures of the bones. Osteopenia is a term used to denote bone loss that is not as severe as osteoporosis. Risk factors for osteoporosis include sedentary lifestyle, cigarette smoking, excessive alcohol intake, family history of the disease, and various medical conditions such as: rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease, hyper thyroidism, diabetes, chronic lung disease, Cushing’s syndrome, and hyper para-thyroidism.

According to the International Osteoporosis Foundation:

• Worldwide, osteoporosis causes more than 8.9 million fractures annually, resulting in an osteoporotic fracture every three seconds [1].

• Osteoporosis is estimated to affect 200 million women worldwide – approximately one-tenth of women aged 60, one-fifth of women aged 70, two-fifths of women aged 80, and two-thirds of women aged 90 and above [2].

• Osteoporosis affects an estimated 75 million people just in Europe, USA, and Japan [3].

• Worldwide, one-in-three women over age 50 will experience osteoporotic fractures, as will one-in-five men aged over 50 [4],[5],[6].

• Nearly 75% percent of hip, spine, and forearm fractures occur among patients 65 years old or over [6].

• By 2050, the worldwide incidence of hip fracture in men is projected to increase by 310 percent and 240 percent in women, compared to rates in 1990 [7].

• Osteoporosis takes a huge personal and economic toll. In Europe, the disability due to osteoporosis is greater than that caused by cancers (with the exception of lung cancer) and is comparable or greater than that lost to a variety of chronic noncommunicable diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and high blood pressure related heart disease [8].

Dietary factors that affect osteoporosis:

Refined sugar. Hamsters fed a high-sucrose diet (56% of calories) developed osteoporosis [9]. In young rats, the replacement of starch by sucrose in the diet interfered with bone development [10]. In an observational study, consumption of large amounts of candy was associated with low bone mineral density (BMD) in both men and women [11].

There are many possible ways in which consuming refined sugars could lead to bone loss. Since refined sugars are essentially devoid of micronutrients, eating refined sugar decreases the intake of various vitamins and minerals that are important for bone health. Sugar is acidic to the body and the body will use calcium from bone and teeth to reduce acidity in the body, thus weakening the bones.

Cola beverages. In observational studies, higher intake of cola drinks was associated with lower bone mineral density in women and a higher incidence of fractures in adolescent girls [12],[13]. The apparent adverse effect of colas on bone health could be due in part to their content of phosphoric acid, which may cause calcium to be released from bone in order to buffer the acidity. The caffeine in cola drinks may also be a factor.

Caffeine. Ingestion of a single dose of caffeine transiently increased urinary calcium excretion in both men and women in a dose-dependent manner [14],[15],[16]. Many [17],[18],[19] observational studies found that a higher intake of caffeine was associated with lower bone mineral density, more rapid bone loss, or increased risk of hip fracture.

Sodium. In a short-term study, high intake of sodium chloride increased urinary calcium excretion in healthy postmenopausal women in a dose-dependent manner [20]. High salt intake has also been associated with increased urinary excretion of hydroxyproline, which is indicative of increased bone resorption [21]. In a study with rats, the addition of 1.8 percent sodium chloride to the drinking water significantly decreased bone mineral density [22]. An observational study found that higher sodium intake was associated with more rapid bone loss especially in postmenopausal women [23].

Carbonated beverages. Excessive phosphorous reacts with the calcium to form an insoluble compound and inhibiting absorption of calcium from the digestive system, phosphorus causes bone loss. It also causes calcium losses from bone by metabolizing to phosphoric acid, which has to be neutralized with calcium. Excessive phosphorous is contained in soft drinks, cheese and chocolate drinks.

Milk. Milk is widely promoted as a food that is good for our bones. However, a 12-year prospective study of 77,761 female health professionals found that the incidence of hip fractures was higher by 45 percent in women who consumed two or more glasses of milk per day than in those who consumed one glass or less per week [24].

Nutrients to support strong bones:

Calcium. Calcium is a major component of bone tissue. Adequate calcium intake is important both early in life for achieving optimal peak bone mass and later in life for slowing bone loss. Green juice, leafy greens, sesame seeds, seaweeds (kelp) and broccoli sprouts are great sources of calcium.

Magnesium. It is impossible to build bone without magnesium. Magnesium is necessary for numerous bone-related reactions including the conversion of vitamin D to its bioactive form, which is necessary for calcium absorption. Several studies have shown that about 80 percent of the American population get only two-thirds of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of the required magnesium. Additionally, the (RDA) for magnesium is known to be too low. Kelp, almonds and legumes are great sources of magnesium.

Vitamin D. Vitamin D enhances the intestinal absorption of calcium and phosphorus, promotes bone mineralization, and is involved in regulating serum calcium and phosphorus levels. Vitamin D deficiency in adults causes osteomalacia, which is characterized by softening of bones, bone pain, and muscle weakness. A lot of older people do not get enough vitamin D because they tend to stay out of the sun. Fenugreek sprouts, shiitake mushrooms, sunflower sprouts and the sun are great sources of vitamin D.

Manganese. Manganese is required for bone mineralization and for synthesis of the organic matrix on which calcification takes place. A study reported in Science News found that osteoporotic women had serum manganese levels of only 25 percent of that of the control group. Spinach, pumpkin seeds and hazelnuts are great sources of manganese.

Vitamin K. A study in Clinical Endocrinology found that vitamin K supplementation reduced urinary calcium losses in osteoporosis patients by 18 to 50 percent. Green leafy vegetables, spring onions, asparagus and olive oil are great sources of vitamin K.

Vitamin C, strontium, silicon, folic acid, boron, and other nutrients also play important roles. Calcium metabolism is very complex and requires adequate amounts of many nutrients. To prevent and support the healing of osteoporosis you first have to reduce calcium losses by drastically reducing your intake of sugar, salt, phosphorous, and caffeine. Secondly, you have to consume the right amounts of nutrients that support formation of new bone such as calcium, magnesium, manganese, boron, vitamin D, and other key nutrients.

Exercise to strengthen bones:

Weight-bearing exercise, in addition to slowing or reversing bone loss, may increase strength and balance, thereby reducing the risk of falls. Exercise, especially weight bearing exercise, will actually increase bone mass and reverse bone loss. A three-year study of older women at the University of Wisconsin showed that a control group of sedentary women lost three percent of bone density while the group that exercised gained two percent.

The best way to achieve strong bones is to eat a plant-based diet consisting of a variety of fresh, unprocessed, organic vegetables, whole grains and sprouts. Take high quality, whole-food nutritional supplements which contain the essential bone-forming nutrients. Get regular exercise, including an essential weight-bearing program.

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[1] Johnell O and Kanis JA (2006) An estimate of the worldwide prevalence and disability associated with osteoporotic fractures. Osteoporos Int 17:1726.

[2] Kanis JA (2007) WHO Technical Report, University of Sheffield, UK: 66.

[3] EFFO and NOF (1997) Who are candidates for prevention and treatment for osteoporosis? Osteoporos Int 7:1.

[4] Melton LJ, 3rd, Atkinson EJ, O’Connor MK, et al. (1998) Bone density and fracture risk in men. J Bone Miner Res 13:1915.

[5] Melton LJ, 3rd, Chrischilles EA, Cooper C, et al. (1992) Perspective. How many women have osteoporosis? J Bone Miner Res 7:1005.

[6] Melton LJ, 3rd, Crowson CS, O’Fallon WM (1999) Fracture incidence in Olmsted County, Minnesota:

comparison of urban with rural rates and changes in urban rates over time. Osteoporos Int 9:29.

[7] Gullberg B, Johnell O, Kanis JA (1997) World-wide projections for hip fracture. Osteoporos Int 7:407.

[8] Johnell O and Kanis JA (2006) An estimate of the worldwide prevalence and disability associated with osteoporotic fractures. Osteoporos Int 17:1726.

[9] Saffar JL, Sagroun B, De Tessieres C, Makris G. Osteoporotic effect of a high-carbohydrate diet (Keyes 2000) in golden hamsters. Arch Oral Biol 1981;26:393–397.

[10] Tjaderhane L, Larmas M. A high sucrose diet decreases the mechanical strength of bones in growing rats. J Nutr 1998;128:1807–1810.

[11] Tucker KL, Chen H, Hannan MT, et al. Bone mineral density and dietary patterns in older adults: the Framingham Osteoporosis Study. Am J Clin Nutr 2002;76:245–252.

[12] Tucker KL, Morita K, Qiao N, et al. Colas, but not other carbonated beverages, are associated with low bone mineral density in older women: The Framingham Osteoporosis Study. Am J Clin Nutr 2006;84:936–942.

[13] Wyshak G, Frisch RE. Carbonated beverages, dietary calcium, the dietary calcium/phosphorus ratio, and bone fractures in girls and boys. J Adolesc Health 1994;15:210–215.

[14] Hollingbery PW, Bergman EA, Massey LK. Effect of dietary caffeine and aspirin on urinary calcium and hydroxyproline excretion in pre- and postmenopausal women. Fed Proc 1985; 44:1149.

[15] Massey LK, Berg T. Effect of dietary caffeine on urinary mineral excretion in healthy males. Fed Proc 1985; 44:1149.

[16] Bergman EA, Massey LK. Effect of dietary caffeine on urinary calcium in estrogen replete and estrogen depleted women. Fed Proc 1986; 45:373.

[17] Barrett-Connor E, Chang JC, Edelstein SL. Coffee-associated osteoporosis offset by milk consumption. JAMA 1994; 271:280–283.

[18] Rapuri PB, Gallagher JC, Kinyamu HK, Ryschon KL. Caffeine intake increases the rate of bone loss in elderly women and interacts with vitamin D receptor genotypes. Am J Clin Nutr 2001; 74:694–700.

[19] Hernandez-Avila M, Colditz GA, Stampfer MJ, et al. Caffeine, moderate alcohol intake, and risk of fractures of the hip and forearm in middle-aged women. Am J Clin Nutr 1991; 54:157–163.

[20] Zarkadas M, Gougeon-Reyburn R, Marliss EB, et al. Sodium chloride supplementation and urinary calcium excretion in postmenopausal women. Am J Clin Nutr 1989; 50:1088–1094.

[21] Antonios TFT, MacGregor GA. Deleterious effects of salt intake other than effects on blood pressure. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol 1995; 22:180–184.

[22] Chan AYS, Poon P, Chan ELP, et al. The effect of high sodium intake on bone mineral content in rats fed a normal calcium or a low calcium diet. Osteoporosis Int 1993; 3:341–344

[23] Devine A, Criddle RA, Dick IM, et al. A longitudinal study of the effect of sodium and calcium intakes on regional bone density in postmenopausal women. Am J Clin Nutr 1995; 62:740–745.

[24] Feskanich D, Willett WC, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA. Milk, dietary calcium, and bone fractures in women: a 12-year prospective study. Am J Public Health 1997; 87:992–997.

Article by Tom Fisher RN, BA, Nurse Supervisor at Hippocrates Health Institute

11 "Healthy", but Really Unhealthy Foods!

Nutrition is full of nonsense. You will find bold health claims for all kinds of foods, most often based on zero evidence. Here are the top 11 “health foods” that are actually very harmful.

1. Fruit Juices

The fruit juices you find at the supermarket aren’t always what they seem. They may have small amounts of real fruit in them, but often they are little more than water, artificial flavor and sugar. But even if you’re drinking real fruit juice, it is still a bad idea. Fruit juice is like fruit with most of the good stuff removed. All that is left is the sugar and a few vitamins. Orange juice, for example, contains the same amount of sugar as Coca Cola. There’s no fiber in it, no chewing resistance and nothing to stop you from downing massive amounts of sugar in a short amount of time. Eating too much sugar is associated with all sorts of diseases. These include obesity, type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease and many others (1, 2, 3). It is much better to avoid fruit juices and eat real fruits instead.

Bottom Line:  Most fruit juices contain the same amount of easily digestible sugar as sugar-sweetened soft drinks. It is best to eat whole fruits instead.

2. Whole Wheat

It is true that whole wheat is healthier than refined wheat. But this does NOT mean that whole wheat is healthy. It’s kind of like saying that because filtered cigarettes are healthier than unfiltered cigarettes, everyone should be smoking filtered cigarettes. It’s flawed logic. There are plenty of good reasons to avoid wheat … both the refined and the whole variety. For example, wheat is the main source of gluten in the diet and a large part of the population may be gluten sensitive (4, 5, 6). The immune system of susceptible individuals attacks the gluten proteins in the digestive tract. This can cause damage to the lining of the digestive tract, pain, bloating, tiredness, stool inconsistency and other nasty symptoms (7, 8, 9). One study shows that wheat fiber can make you Vitamin D deficient, making you burn through your stores of this important vitamin much faster (10). Another study shows that whole wheat raises small, dense LDL (the truly “bad” cholesterol) by a whopping 60% (11).

Bottom Line: Whole wheat is rich in gluten and can cause digestive problems and various symptoms. It may also cause Vitamin D deficiency and elevated small, dense LDL cholesterol.

3. Agave Nectar

In the health food aisle at the supermarket, you will definitely find some “sugar-free” products that are sweetened with Agave. This sweetener is touted as a healthy alternative to sugar because it is natural has a low glycemic index. But the harmful effects of sugar have little to do with its glycemic index, it is harmful primarily because it is loaded with unnatural amounts of fructose. Too much fructose in the diet can cause all sorts of problems, especially in people who don’t exercise much. All fructose is metabolized by the liver. If the liver is full of glycogen the fructose will be turned into fat (11, 12). This can cause non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and all kinds of metabolic problems like resistance to the hormones insulin and leptin, which will ultimately lead to obesity and diabetes (13, 14, 15, 16).

While regular sugar is 50% fructose, the fructose content of Agave is as high as 90%. If anything, agave is even worse than sugar!

Bottom Line: Agave nectar is loaded with fructose and therefore causes all the same problems as regular sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup.

4. Sports Drinks

Sports drinks were designed for athletes who have just finished an intense training session with massive sweating and glycogen depletion. For this reason, sports drinks contain:

• Water – to replenish lost fluid.
• Electrolytes – to replenish electrolytes like sodium that were lost via sweat.
• Sugar – because athletes need energy after an intense workout.

You don’t need any additional electrolytes unless you’ve been doing a very intense workout and most people are already eating too much sugar. One bottle of Gatorade contains over 30 grams of sugar. You’re better off sticking to plain water, which you should certainly drink plenty of, especially around workouts.

Bottom Line: If you’re not doing super intense workouts, then you should avoid sports drinks. They are not needed and contain sugar.

5. “Heart-Healthy” Vegetable Oils

As the fear of saturated fat took hold of the world, consumption of all kinds of nasty ingredients increased. Prime examples are industrial seed- and vegetable oils like soybean, corn and cottonseed oil. These oils are extracted from seeds using very harsh processing methods and include high heat, bleaching and the toxic solvent hexane. These oils contain very large amounts of Omega-6 fatty acids, way more than humans ever consumed throughout evolution. We need small amounts of these fatty acids in the diet, such as the amounts found in meat and nuts.

However, if we eat way too much like is the case with Western populations, this causes problems (17). Eating too much of these fats can lead to inflammation, which is a leading cause of many chronic diseases (18). These oils get incorporated into our body fat stores and cellular membranes, where they are highly sensitive to oxidation and damage. To top it all off, the industrial vegetable oils that you find in the supermarket contain 0.56-4.2% of their fatty acid as trans fats, which are highly toxic (19). (This does not apply to olive oil, which is good for you!)

Bottom Line: Vegetable oils are unhealthy and lead to inflammation. They are potential key players in the epidemic of Western diseases.

6. Low-Fat or Fat-Free Foods

It ain’t the fat, people! Despite the last decades of propaganda against saturated fats, they have now been proven to be harmless (20, 21). When the anti-fat message first came out, food manufacturers started producing “healthy” products that were low-fat or fat-free. The only problem is that foods that have had the fat removed taste like crap. The food manufacturers then loaded their products with chemicals, artificial sweeteners and massive amounts of sugar. What they basically did was remove the good stuff (fat) and replace it with bad stuff (sugar). This is how they managed to turn perfectly healthy foods like yogurt into very harmful products filled with unhealthy ingredients.

Bottom Line: Avoid everything labelled “low-fat” or “fat-free.” These are highly processed products loaded with sugar and other harmful substances.

7. Gluten-Free Junk Foods

Many people have started to avoid gluten, a protein found in wheat, spelt, rye and barley (and a few other grains). Almost a third of the U.S. population currently wants to cut back on gluten or go gluten-free. Food manufacturers have caught up on the trend and have started offering all sorts of gluten-free “health foods.” The problem with these foods is that they’re usually not healthy at all.

Instead of a gluten grain, they’re made with other starches like potato starch, tapioca starch or some others. These starches are usually highly refined, void of nutrients and spike blood sugar fast, just like wheat. But these products are often also loaded with sugar and other harmful or artificial chemicals. This does NOT apply to foods that are naturally gluten free, like meats or vegetables. If a product says “gluten-free” on the package, then it’s probably bad for you.

Bottom Line: Gluten-free foods are highly processed foods that are not much healthier than their gluten-containing counterparts. It’s best to avoid them.

8. Margarine and Fake Butters

“I wish butter tasted more like margarine, said nobody ever.” – Danny J. Albers. Another side effect of the anti-fat hysteria is a plethora of so-called “healthy” butter alternatives. The most notable example of these is margarine. It used to be loaded with trans fats, now it tends to contain processed vegetable oils instead. Butter consumption went down, margarine consumption went up.

The problem with this is that butter is healthy. Margarine is NOT. Grass-fed butter, in particular, is an excellent source of the fatty acid butyrate and Vitamin K2, both of which can have powerful positive effects on health (22, 23). Margarine is a processed food with harmful ingredients that can make you sick. In one large study, replacing butter with margarine lead to a drastically increased risk of death from heart attacks (24). This is one great example of where blindly following the mainstream advice can put you in an early grave.

Bottom Line: Margarine is a processed food that contains unhealthy, artificial ingredients. Avoid it, use real grass-fed butter instead.

9. Energy Bars

Energy bars are in the same boat as sports drinks – most people don’t need them. If you’re an elite athlete who desperately needs to keep protein intake high and eat every 2-3 hours, then these bars can definitely be convenient. However, most people don’t need to eat that often and these bars don’t contain anything that you can’t get from real foods.

Energy bars and protein bars are often highly processed products. Even though they may be higher in protein than chocolate bars, they often still contain the same unhealthy ingredients. Sugar, white flour, artificial flavor… you name it, they’ve got it. Of course, there are some healthier brands available, but if you want to avoid the crap then you must read labels!

If you’re starving and far away from home, then healthier types of energy bars can certainly be better than a burger and a coke, but your money is still better spent on real foods.

Bottom Line: Energy and protein bars are often highly processed products. Most people don’t need them and they tend to contain sugar and other nasty ingredients.

10. Low Carb Junk Foods

As people have changed their mind on fat being the root of all evil, some people have started cutting back on carbs instead. Again, food manufacturers have caught notice and brought all sorts of low-carb junk foods to the market. Even though something is low in carbs and can help you lose weight, it may still be very unhealthy. Great examples are the low-carb Atkins bars. These are nasty, highly processed products that nobody should be eating. Just check out the ingredients list for this Atkins Advantage bar. This isn’t food. If you’re going to do a low-carb diet, stick to real, unprocessed foods.

Bottom Line: There are some low-carb processed foods on the market that are extremely unhealthy and loaded with artificial ingredients.

11. “Healthy” Breakfast Cereals

Most highly processed breakfast cereals are not healthy. In fact, they are among the worst foods you can eat. They’re often loaded with sugar and refined carbohydrates. Then the manufacturers fortify them with some synthetic vitamins and put tiny amounts of whole grains in the mix, then market their products as healthy. Don’t be fooled by the labels… low-fat, fat-free, whole grain, etc. Just check the ingredients list on these products, they’re usually loaded with sugar. Starting the day with a high-sugar cereal will set you up for a blood sugar crash later in the day, followed by hunger, cravings and another high-carb meal.

12. Anything Else?

If the packaging of a food tells you that it is healthy, then it probably isn’t.

Article source : http://eatlocalgrown.com/article/12322-top-11-health-foods-that-are-not-healthy.html?c=tca

Vitamin K2, Vitamin D and Calcium

Doing more research on the bones, I discovered the new vitamin that everyone seems to be suddenly talking about -- Vitamin K -- is very important for bone health and interaction with other dependent vitamins and minerals. Vitamin K is fat-soluble, and I'm deficient in fat (triglycerides this past summer dropped to 25, which is very low and a little dangerous as it's under 40). My Vitamin A, a fat soluble vitamin, has been very low for a long time, so perhaps my Vitamin K is too. Hmmm. 

Vitamin K is broken into three vitamins actually: K1 from green leafies and other similar sources, K2 from animal-based and even fermented food and is bacterial so especially vegans (am nearly vegan) with candida struggle with getting this one adequately, and then K3 is synthetic so avoid. 

Anyway, to have a better understanding of the importance of this little-understood vitamin, read Dr. Mercola's article:

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin most well known for the important role it plays in blood clotting. However, many do not realize that there are different kinds of vitamin K, and they are completely different.

The health benefits of vitamin K2 go far beyond blood clotting, which is done by vitamin K1, and vitamin K2 also works synergistically with a number of other nutrients, including calcium and vitamin D.

Dr. Kate Rheaume-Bleue, a naturopathic physician with a keen interest in nutrition, has authored what I believe is one of the most comprehensive books on this important topic, titled: Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox: How a Little Known Vitamin Could Save Your Life

"I tuned in to the emerging research about K2 early in 2007," she says. "Not long before, I had read Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Weston A. Price. When I learned about vitamin K2, I thought:

"Hey, you know what? I'm sure Price talked all about this in his book." I went to the book, looked through it, and didn't find any reference to vitamin K2. I was really stumped.

A little bit later in 2007, I read a brilliant article by Chris Masterjohn that links vitamin K2 to Price's work on Activator X.

Once I realized that link, the light bulb went on about how important this nutrient is, and how overlooked it's been for so long. It really provides the missing piece to the puzzle of so many health conditions, and yet it was being completely overlooked, despite the overwhelming amounts of modern-day research."

What's So Special About Vitamin K2?

Vitamin K is actually a group of fat-soluble vitamins. Of the two main ones, K1 and K2, the one receiving the most attention is K1, which is found in green leafy vegetables and is very easy to get through your diet. This lack of distinction has created a lot of confusion, and it's one of the reasons why vitamin K2 has been overlooked for so long.

The three types of vitamin K are:

1. Vitamin K1, or phylloquinone, is found naturally in plants, especially green vegetables; K1 goes directly to your liver and helps you maintain healthy blood clotting
2. Vitamin K2, also called menaquinone, is made by the bacteria that line your gastrointestinal tract; K2 goes straight to your blood vessel walls, bones, and tissues other than your liver
3. Vitamin K3, or menadione, is a synthetic form I do not recommend; it's important to note that toxicity has occurred in infants injected with this synthetic vitamin K3

It also plays a role in removing calcium from areas where it shouldn't be, such as in your arteries and soft tissues.

"K2 is really critical for keeping your bones strong and your arteries clear," Rheaume-Bleue says.

Now, vitamin K2 can be broken into two additional categories, called:

1. MK-4 (menaquinone-4), a short-chain form of vitamin K2 found in butter, egg yolks, and animal-based foods
2. MK-7 (menaquinone-7), longer-chain forms found in fermented foods. There's a variety of these long-chain forms but the most common one is MK-7. This is the one you'll want to look for in supplements, because in a supplement form, the MK-4 products are actually synthetic. They are not derived from natural food products containing MK-4.
   The MK-7 – these long-chain, natural bacterial-derived vitamin K2 – is from a fermentation process, which offers a number of health advantages:
   1. It stays in your body longer, and
   2. It has a longer half-life, which means you can just take it once a day in very convenient dosing

How Much Vitamin K2 Do You Need?

The optimal amounts of vitamin K2 are still under investigation, but it seems likely that 180 to 200 micrograms of vitamin K2 should be enough to activate your body's K2-dependent proteins to shuttle the calcium where it needs to be, and remove it from the places where it shouldn't.

"The most recent clinical trials used around those amounts of K2,"Rheaume-Bleue says. "The average person is getting a lot less than that. That's for sure. In the North American diet, you can see as little as maybe 10 percent of that or less. Certainly, not near enough to be able to optimize bone density and improve heart health."

She estimates that about 80 percent of Americans do not get enough vitamin K2 in their diet to activate their K2 proteins, which is similar to the deficiency rate of vitamin D. Vitamin K2 deficiency leaves you vulnerable for a number of chronic diseases, including:

Osteoporosis	Heart disease	Heart attack and stroke
Inappropriate calcification, from heel spurs to kidney stones	Brain disease	Cancer

"I talked about vitamin K2 moving calcium around the body. Its other main role is to activate proteins that control cell growth. That means K2 has a very important role to play in cancer protection," Rheaume-Bleue says.

"When we're lacking K2, we're at much greater risk for osteoporosis, heart disease, and cancer. And these are three concerns that used to be relatively rare. Over the last 100 years, as we've changed the way we produced our food and the way we eat, they have become very common."

Researchers are also looking into other health benefits. For example, one recent study published in the journal Modern Rheumatology1 found that vitamin K2 has the potential to improve disease activity besides osteoporosis in those with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Another, published in the journal Science2, found that vitamin K2 serves as a mitochondrial electron carrier, thereby helping maintain normal ATP production in mitochondrial dysfunction, such as that found in Parkinson's Disease.

According to the authors:

"We identified Drosophila UBIAD1/Heix as a modifier of pink1, a gene mutated in Parkinson's disease that affects mitochondrial function. We found that vitamin K(2) was necessary and sufficient to transfer electrons in Drosophila mitochondria. Heix mutants showed severe mitochondrial defects that were rescued by vitamin K(2), and, similar to ubiquinone, vitamin K(2) transferred electrons in Drosophila mitochondria, resulting in more efficient adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production. Thus, mitochondrial dysfunction was rescued by vitamin K(2) that serves as a mitochondrial electron carrier, helping to maintain normal ATP production."

The Interplay Between Vitamin K2, Vitamin D, and Calcium

As I've discussed on numerous occasions, vitamin D is a critical nutrient for optimal health and is best obtained from sun exposure or a safe tanning bed. However, many are taking oral vitamin D, which may become problematic unless you're also getting sufficient amounts of vitamin K2. Dr. Rheaume-Bleue explains:

"When you take vitamin D, your body creates more of these vitamin K2-dependent proteins, the proteins that will move the calcium around. They have a lot of potential health benefits. But until the K2 comes in to activate those proteins, those benefits aren't realized. So, really, if you're taking vitamin D, you're creating an increased demand for K2. And vitamin D and K2 work together to strengthen your bones and improve your heart health.

... For so long, we've been told to take calcium for osteoporosis... and vitamin D, which we know is helpful. But then, more studies are coming out showing that increased calcium intake is causing more heart attacks and strokes. That created a lot of confusion around whether calcium is safe or not. But that's the wrong question to be asking, because we'll never properly understand the health benefits of calcium or vitamin D, unless we take into consideration K2. That's what keeps the calcium in its right place."

IMPORTANT: If You Take Vitamin D, You Need K2

This is a really crucial point: If you opt for oral vitamin D, you need to also consume in your food or take supplemental vitamin K2.

"There are so many people on the vitamin-D-mega-dose bandwagon, taking more and more of vitamin D. And it could absolutely be causing harm if you are lacking the K2 to complete the job to get the calcium where it's supposed to be,"Rheaume-Bleue warns.

"We don't see symptoms of vitamin D toxicity very often. But when we do, those symptoms are inappropriate calcification. That's the symptom of vitamin D toxicity. And it is actually a lack of vitamin K2 that can cause that..."

While the ideal or optimal ratios between vitamin D and vitamin K2 have yet to be elucidated, Rheume-Bleue suggests about 150-200 micrograms of K2 will meet the need for the "average" healthy person.

"My earlier recommendation was not taking into account people who were doing high dose of vitamin D supplementation," Rheaume-Bleue says. "That's where it gets a little bit more technical. It seems that for the average person, around 200 to 280 micrograms will activate your K2 proteins and do a lot of good for your bones and your heart. If you're taking high levels of vitamin D... then I would recommend taking more K2."

The good news is that vitamin K2 has no toxicity. No toxic effects have ever been demonstrated in the medical literature.

"The reason why K2 doesn't have potential toxic effect is that all vitamin K2 does is activate K2 proteins. It will activate all the K2 proteins it finds. And if they're all activated and you take extra K2, it simply won't do that. That's why we don't see a potential for toxicity the way we do with vitamin A or D," she says.

If You Need Calcium, Aim for Calcium-Rich Foods First

For those who are calcium deficient, Rheaume-Bleue recommends looking to food sources high in calcium, before opting for a supplement. This is because many high calcium foods also contain naturally high amounts of, you guessed it, vitamin K2! Nature cleverly gives us these two nutrients in combination, so they work optimally. Good sources of calcium include dairy, especially cheeses, and vegetables, although veggies aren't high in K2.

Additionally, magnesium is far more important than calcium if you are going to consider supplementing. Magnesium will also help keep calcium in the cell to do its job far better. In many ways it serves as nutritional version of the highly effective class of drugs called calcium channel blockers. If you do chose to supplement with calcium, for whatever reason, it's important to maintain the proper balance between your intake of calcium and other nutrients such as:

• Vitamin K2
• Vitamin D
• Magnesium

The Importance of Magnesium

As mentioned previously, magnesium is another important player to allow for proper function of calcium. As with vitamin D and K2, magnesium deficiency is also common, and when you are lacking in magnesium and take calcium, you may exacerbate the situation. Vitamin K2 and magnesium complement each other, as magnesium helps lower blood pressure, which is an important component of heart disease.

Dietary sources of magnesium include sea vegetables, such as kelp, dulse, and nori. Few people eat these on a regular basis however, if at all. Vegetables can also be a good source, along with whole grains. However, grains MUST be prepared properly to remove phytates and anti-nutrients that can otherwise block your absorption of magnesium. As for supplements, Rheaume-Bleue recommends using magnesium citrate. Another emerging one is magnesium threonate, which appears promising primarily due to its superior ability to penetrate the mitochondrial membrane.

How Can You Tell if You're Lacking in Vitamin K2?

There's no way to test for vitamin K2 deficiency. But by assessing your diet and lifestyle, you can get an idea of whether or not you may be lacking in this critical nutrient. If you have any of the following health conditions, you're likely deficient in vitamin K2 as they are all connected to K2:

• Do you have osteoporosis?
• Do you have heart disease?
• Do you have diabetes?

If you do not have any of those health conditions, but do NOT regularly eat high amounts of the following foods, then your likelihood of being vitamin K2 deficient is still very high:

• Grass-fed organic animal products (i.e. eggs, butter, dairy)
• Certain fermented foods such as natto, or vegetables fermented using a starter culture of vitamin K2-producing bacteria. Please note that most fermented vegetables are not really high in vitamin K2 and come in at about 50 mcg per serving. However, if specific starter cultures are used they can have ten times as much, or 500 mcg per serving.
• Goose liver pâté
• Certain cheeses such as Brie and Gouda (these two are particularly high in K2, containing about 75 mcg per ounce)

"An important thing to mention when it comes to cheese (because this becomes an area of confusion), [is that] because cheese is a bacterial derived form of vitamin K2, it actually doesn't matter if the cheese came from grass-fed milk. That would be nice, but it's not the milk that went into the cheese that makes the K2. It's the bacteria making the cheese, which means it doesn't matter if you're importing your brie from France or getting it domestically. Brie cheese, the bacteria that makes brie cheese, will make vitamin K2," she says.

Fermented vegetables, which are one of my new passions, primarily for supplying beneficial bacteria back into our gut, can be a great source of vitamin K if you ferment your own using the proper starter culture. We recently had samples of high-quality fermented organic vegetables made with our specific starter culture tested, and were shocked to discover that not only does a typical serving of about two to three ounces contain about 10 trillion beneficial bacteria, but it also contained 500 mcg of vitamin K2.

Note that not every strain of bacteria makes K2. For example, most yoghurts have almost no vitamin K2. Certain types of cheeses are very high in K2, and others are not. It really depends on the specific bacteria. You can't assume that any fermented food will be high in K2, but some fermented foods are very high in K2, such as natto. Others, such as miso and tempeh, are not high n K2.

Pregnant? Make Sure You're Getting Enough Vitamin K2

Last but not least, while vitamin K2 is critical for the prevention of a number of chronic diseases listed above, it's also vital for women who are trying to conceive, who are pregnant, and for growing healthy children. "K2 plays a very important role throughout pregnancy (for the development of teeth for both primary and adult teeth, the development of proper facial form, healthy facial form, as well as strong bones), then again throughout childhood to prevent cavities, and through adolescence as the skeleton is growing," Rheaume-Bleue says.

Vitamin K2 is needed throughout pregnancy, and later while breastfeeding. It may be particularly important during the third trimester, as most women's levels tend to drop at that time, indicating there's an additional drain on the system toward the end of the pregnancy. Since vitamin K2 has no toxicity issues, it may be prudent to double or even triple — which is what Rheaume-Bleue did during her own recent pregnancy — your intake while pregnant.

The Autoimmune Protocol

I find this article particularly interesting as it points to the fact that the medical world tends to isolate the autoimmune diseases when, however, they really should be considered together as they all are the result of rewritten DNA which causes the body to attack its own tissue. Also, autoimmune diseases all stem from deficiencies and/or bacteria, and of course the bacteria runs wild because of the deficiencies ... causing a giant chain reaction to ensue, therefore, the importance of having a "protocol" to treat the deficiencies AND the bacteria to reduce or eliminate the attack.

A very insightful article, but I do want to point out that I do not endorse the supplements listed here. My take on supplements, unless they are in their most natural whole and living form, which 97% of the supplements aren't but are chemical creations by pharmaceutical companies, is that they add to the chemical load in the blood, which the liver has to clean, causing further stress to the liver. I promote careful selection of whole foods, oils in their natural state like in the nut or avocado, and eating as much raw as possible to load the body up on enzymes which support digestion, metabolism, etc. In any regard, the following article has some good insights and discussion of vitamins and minerals needed to support a healthy immune system and to counter-respond to the autoimmune attack. 

It is not ironic at all that autoimmune protocol is very similar to protocols for eliminating systemic candida from the body, especially as untreated candida bacteria is clearly a route to an autoimmune disease. Entries I've already written related to the this connection are: Infectious Diseases: Candida Species, Daily Candida-expunging Protocol, Biamonte Ctr - Treating Candida, part I, Biamonte Ctr, Treating Candida, part II, and a very interesting entry, The 5 Stages of Candida, as well as a few entries indirectly connected too.

The Autoimmune Protocol by Regerative Nutrition

Introduction

Autoimmune diseases result from the body's immune system being incorrectly activated to defend against organs, tissues or substances that are naturally present in the body. These body components are attacked by the immune system as if they were bodily invaders. Essentially, the body attacks it's own cells. There are many different autoimmune conditions (over 100), just like there are many cancers, however unlike cancers, each autoimmune condition tends to be individually named and treated as a singular condition rather than grouped together under the auspices of "autoimmune". Regardless of what organ or part(s) of the body come under attack (and hence the name given to the condition) there are common underlying contributing factors with all autoimmune diseases. It is these underlying factors that we seek to address. The purpose of this article is to provide a broad, stepped, approach to dealing with the underlying factors of autoimmune conditions. We also provide recommendations that are specific to many autoimmune conditions, these recommendations can be found in the health conditions list here, but these recommendations are made for support of the main protocol detailed here, not in place of it.

Product A-Z 

 By Health Condition  

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Natural Vitamins & Minerals

Autoimmune conditions include but are not limited to:

Lupus, Type 1 Diabetes, Scleroderma, Celiac, Multiple Sclerosis, Crohn's Disease, Autoimmune Hepatitis, Graves' Disease, Myasthenia Gravis, Myositis, Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS), Uveitis, Polymyositis, Raynaud's Disease, Demyelinating Neuropathies, Osteo-Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis (also the rarer forms of arthritis e.g. Reiter's, Behcet's and Sjogrens Syndromes), Ankylosing Spondylitis, Migraine and cluster headaches, Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, M.E. (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), Asthma, Psoriasis, Macular Degeneration, Hypertension, Sciatica, Prostrate Inflammation, Emphysema, Cystitis (especially Interstitial Cystitis) and all inflammatory bowel diseases.

Many other chronic health disorders are increasingly being recognized as having an auto-immune component, including diseases traditionally recognized as 'degenerative' such as Alzheimer's and certain Circulatory Disorders.

The underlying causes of autoimmune diseases

1. Infections known and unknown

Infections of various types, known and unknown (but usually Candida Albicans overgrowth) contribute to auto-immune disorders. Eliminating these chronic infections, even if you don't know they are there, is essential to achieve freedom from or at least amelioration of auto-immune disorders.

2. Heavy metals and other toxins

After infections, the most important and prevalent underlying cause of autoimmune disorders is body toxicity (heavy metals, pesticides etc).

The Autoimmune Protocol 

Step 1 :  Essential supplementation for Support through the stages of elimination

• Zell Immunocomplex
• Vitamin D3
• Immuno Calm OR
• Kalawalla: Supplied only as a back up for those who cannot tolerate liquorice. Immuno Calm should always be the first choice over Kalawalla alone.

It is beneficial to start with these remedies as the first step, as they will calm the immune system before you start on the elimination of underlying causes. By calming the immune system initially one should be more able to tackle the requirements of the coming stages of elimination. These remedies should be maintained throughout all steps of the programme. We suggest that these be introduced at least 2 weeks before you proceed with Step 2, longer if after 2 weeks you are not yet responding and demonstrating a noticably calmer immune response.

Step 1 should also include one of the anti-infection remedies from Step 2. We suggest that Iodine be selected, as you will use this throughout all 4 steps.

Step 2 :  Dealing with the underlying infection(s)

We have complete information on dealing with infections in our separate article here.

In brief, this article suggests the use of the following specific anti-infection remedies/supplements:-

• Iodine - Lugol's 7% Solution
• Olive Leaf Extract
• Colloidal Silver
• Vitalyza 3 - Elemental Silicon

Supporting the action of these above remedies is dealt with in Section 1 of the article which relates to boosting the immune system. In brief, this article suggests the use of the following remedies/supplements:-

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D3 (Which you should already be using since Step 1)
• Zell Immunocomplex (Which you should already be using since Step 1)

Note: Remember to continue with the Step 1 remedies throughout this step.

There are some additional measures that can be taken in dealing with Candida Albicans overgrowth. Please see the full article here.

Note on Iodine: this should be continued after the completion of step 2, as it has a continuing role in immune system function. For more details of its use in this regard see Step 4 below, where you may wish to replace or enhance the Lugol's solution with Seagreens, another source of Iodine with the additional benefits of many nutrients and trace elements.

Step 3 :  Dealing with the underlying toxicity

We have complete information on dealing with heavy metal toxicity etc. in our separate article here.

In brief, this article suggests the use of some of the remedies you will already be using at this point with one additional remedy/supplement:-

• Deep Cell Detox

Deep Cell Detox is a combination remedy, consisting of Seagreens, MSM, Alpha Lipoic Acid and Acetyl L Carnitine.

Note: Remember to continue the Step 1 remedies throughout this step and the Iodine from Step 2.

Step 4 :  Normalising and supporting the immune system

Research suggests that the three most important, identifiable, components for immune system integrity are Vitamin D, Iodine and Vitamin C. It is commonly believed, by researchers, that deficiencies in these three immune system essentials are widespread, to the point that the vast majority of people living in northern climates are significantly deficient. In addition, Zell Immunocomplex is an essential broad-acting nutritional remedy for rapidly creating a competent immune system. Seagreens is a useful but non-essential add on to the protocol at this point. It can be introduced to either replace or supplement the Iodine.

By the end of Step 3 you will already be using all 4 of these supplements. At this point, these 4 are all you need, however for continuing improvements to your overall health we would suggest that as a minimum you adopt the Core Regime Essentials, better still the full Core Regime.