Spice Up Your Life: Winter/Spring 2010

Letter from the Editor

This is my last official newsletter on natural hormones as I retired Dec. 16, 2009. I have trained two wonderful NP's at the office, Rachelle Jones from Idaho Falls and Rebecca Jeppson from Sugar City. Rachelle has already attended a great conference on natural hormones and Rebecca is scheduled to attend one this spring. I am always available by phone to the NP's as well as Jill from Jolley's Pharmacy in SLC.

Vitamin D has been hitting the news recently. We have always known that if you don't have sufficient Vitamin D, you cannot absorb calcium, so you become more at risk for osteoporosis. What we did not know is that it has so many other benefits as well. This wonderful vitamin has been known to help with heart disease, osteoporosis, fertility, fatigue, immunity and who knows what else.

Who is at risk?

  • the elderly-vitamin D precursors decrease with age as well as limited exposure to sunshine
  • dark skinned people-higher melanin levels block the action of sunlight on Vitamin D precursors in the skin
  • people with limited sunlight exposure-that would be those of us who live in northern climates or work indoors
  • musculoskeletal pain sufferers-people with hypothyroidism, chronic low back pain, fibromyalgia and non-specific musculoskeletal pain
  • overweight people-vitamin D is locked in fat stores and so they have lower levels of circulating vitamin D
  • breast fed infants, and children with limited sunlight exposure-infants who are breast fed often are deficient in Vitamin D because their mother is
  • routine vitamin D screening has been recommended as a routine part of the annual physical examination-deficiency may be present even if you have no symptoms; I have personally tested almost 100 women and only 6 have had sufficient levels of Vitamin D
Testing can be accomplished with a Blood Spot test, or with a typical blood draw both of which can be obtained at the office.

Treatment is easily accomplished with supplementation of a prescription strength Vitamin D: 50,000 IU once weekly for 3 months and usually requiring one refill. At which time we would retest your Vitamin D levels.

It took me 1 year until I was at normal range. The range of normal Vitamin D3 levels is 32-100. Optimum level is 50-75. The lowest number I have gotten back on testing is a 6. Most women feel better with treatment. I can't say I feel any different, however, I feel well most days anyway.

This is just one piece of your amazing puzzle. Be sure and contact Rachelle or Rebecca for more information.

I am hoping that this New Year brings you good health and peace. That you will come to realize you are important and that taking care of YOU is your #1 job.

Thanks. Carol