You may recall that in my wrapup of the low-carb cruise, I mentioned Dr. Mary Vernon’s presentation about the effects of different breakfasts on kids: the kids who ate eggs maintained steady blood sugar for the next several hours, while the kids who ate instant oatmeal experienced a blood sugar spike, then a dip, then a return to normal blood sugar levels — but only because their bodies pumped out plenty of epinephrine, the “fight or flight” hormone.
I can rarely fall asleep before midnight, and it was probably 2:30 AM before my brain finally shut down last night, so I slept in this morning and missed the Great Easter Basket Hunt of 2010. But according to my wife, my daughters and my neice found their baskets, indulged in chocolate and jelly beans, then spent a good part of the morning snapping and occasionally screaming at each other. Glad I missed it.
We also got to witness the apparent wonders of vitamin D again this weekend. My four-year-old woke up crying last night with a runny nose, a cough, and an earache. Along with a small dose of children’s Tylenol for the pain, we gave her 20,000 IU of vitamin D. She has no symptoms whatsoever today … although we’ll see if the morning sugar-fest brings them back. We keep the girls on a good diet, but we don’t want to be food Nazis, so my wife elected not to take away the Easter candy.
It’s only anecdotal evidence, but this is the third or fourth time this year one of us has experienced symptoms of an infection, then quickly recovered after a punch-out dose of vitamin D. Sure beats relying on drugs.
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Interesting post. Of course just about anyone with experience of kids and sugar knows that it makes them crazy…maybe not all kids but just about everyone I’ve known.
Also, that vitamin D story parallels my experience as well. Since I upped my vitamin D to 3-5,000 units a day, or 1-50,000 IU a week, I haven’t been sick in any way for three years, which is unusual for me.
A couple of days ago, I started to feel a little bit of a tickle in my throat and some pain in swallowing. For me, this is the harbinger of a sort throat and maybe more. And in the past, once it starts, it is impossible to stop.
This time I immediately downed a 50,000 IU vitamin D cap, and the next morning I was completely fine. No pain, no tickle, nada.
I have never in my life found a way to stop a “cold” once the process starts. I could mitigate it, but not stop it. But vitamin D stops it…cold. Amazing stuff.
That’s been my experience as well. A big dose of vitamin D seems to deliver a knockout punch.
Milk chocolate or dark chocolate? If your daughters have a consistently low level of sugar in their diet the more palatable bitter chocolates will be.
I’m pretty sure it was whatever they use to make chocolate bunnies, but the evidence eaten hours ago. Fortunately, it wasn’t much.
I never truly appreciated how important sunshine was until recently. Actually, I pretty much avoided it. We haven’t had a lot of sun here in New England as of late (wow!), but what a way to spend Easter, soaking up the vitamin D while the egg hunt went on. At least the kids had to earn that sugar.
As it turns out, that’s probably why doctors 100 years ago told people with various diseases to move to the sunshine states. They might not have understand the vitamin D connection, but they knew sunshine helped.
Interesting post. Of course just about anyone with experience of kids and sugar knows that it makes them crazy…maybe not all kids but just about everyone I’ve known.
Also, that vitamin D story parallels my experience as well. Since I upped my vitamin D to 3-5,000 units a day, or 1-50,000 IU a week, I haven’t been sick in any way for three years, which is unusual for me.
A couple of days ago, I started to feel a little bit of a tickle in my throat and some pain in swallowing. For me, this is the harbinger of a sort throat and maybe more. And in the past, once it starts, it is impossible to stop.
This time I immediately downed a 50,000 IU vitamin D cap, and the next morning I was completely fine. No pain, no tickle, nada.
I have never in my life found a way to stop a “cold” once the process starts. I could mitigate it, but not stop it. But vitamin D stops it…cold. Amazing stuff.
That’s been my experience as well. A big dose of vitamin D seems to deliver a knockout punch.
Gotta story for you.. an older couple we know have two small children – 6 years and 4 years old. They also have three other children who are all in their 20s. The husband is 50 and wife is 49. I asked the wife how she managed to get pregnant at 45 and then again at 47 and this is what she told me.
Her doctor told her after her third child, who is now 21, she would never have any more kids because of problems with Polycystic Ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Doctor seems to be right, as 15 years go by with no pregnancies. Then she and her husband decide to lose some weight and so they put themselves on the Atkins diet. After a couple of months on Atkins, she comes up pregnant, at 45 years old. Needless to say, they were both quite shocked.
Then two years later, they decide to have a sibling for the 2 year old, and the doctor tells her she can’t get pregnant again. But her husband says oh yea? Let’s go back on Atkins. They do, and bingo, she gets pregnant again. Interesting, huh?
Very interesting. The theory I’ve heard that seems to make sense is that fat and protein signals the body that the food supply is good and it’s okay to reproduce.
Milk chocolate or dark chocolate? If your daughters have a consistently low level of sugar in their diet the more palatable bitter chocolates will be.
I’m pretty sure it was whatever they use to make chocolate bunnies, but the evidence eaten hours ago. Fortunately, it wasn’t much.
I never truly appreciated how important sunshine was until recently. Actually, I pretty much avoided it. We haven’t had a lot of sun here in New England as of late (wow!), but what a way to spend Easter, soaking up the vitamin D while the egg hunt went on. At least the kids had to earn that sugar.
As it turns out, that’s probably why doctors 100 years ago told people with various diseases to move to the sunshine states. They might not have understand the vitamin D connection, but they knew sunshine helped.
Gotta story for you.. an older couple we know have two small children – 6 years and 4 years old. They also have three other children who are all in their 20s. The husband is 50 and wife is 49. I asked the wife how she managed to get pregnant at 45 and then again at 47 and this is what she told me.
Her doctor told her after her third child, who is now 21, she would never have any more kids because of problems with Polycystic Ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Doctor seems to be right, as 15 years go by with no pregnancies. Then she and her husband decide to lose some weight and so they put themselves on the Atkins diet. After a couple of months on Atkins, she comes up pregnant, at 45 years old. Needless to say, they were both quite shocked.
Then two years later, they decide to have a sibling for the 2 year old, and the doctor tells her she can’t get pregnant again. But her husband says oh yea? Let’s go back on Atkins. They do, and bingo, she gets pregnant again. Interesting, huh?
Very interesting. The theory I’ve heard that seems to make sense is that fat and protein signals the body that the food supply is good and it’s okay to reproduce.
Fat is vital not only for having babies, but feeding them. There’s areson God made huiman breast milk 41% saturated fats. I just got back from a family easter thing and I saw that one of them is feeds her 18 month old low fat milk! Sad sad sad.
Fat is vital not only for having babies, but feeding them. There’s areson God made huiman breast milk 41% saturated fats. I just got back from a family easter thing and I saw that one of them is feeds her 18 month old low fat milk! Sad sad sad.
I began supplementing with vitamin D3 over a year ago, and had not gotten sick in all that time while taking 5000 IU a day. And THEN, three days before the Low Carb Cruise – I suddenly began feeling under the weather, sore throat, runny itchy nose, watery eyes, headache. Was I bummed! No sickness in over a year, and then to get sick just before the cruise I had waited for for so long.
So I immediately began to supplement with D3 – 20000 IU a day for the next three days, and by the day the cruise sailed I was feeling great again – and didn’t even have to lie when they asked me if I was suffering from cold symptoms, as by then I was not and was raring to go. 🙂
Amazing, isn’t it? I’ve gone up to 100,000 IU in a single day when I’ve felt an infection try to take hold. It’s delivered a knockout blow every time so far.
My kids have outgrown Easter baskets, although they do still ask for a little Easter candy. They both picked out a chocolate bunny this year and ate it on the way home. LOL So this year I didn’t have to deal with wigged out kids and fighting over who had what in their basket. We actually had a peaceful day- like Easter should be.
I’ll have to try the Vit. D therapy next time one of us starts getting sick.
The vitamin D seems to do the trick. Alana never did get any symptoms return, despite the Easter candy.
I began supplementing with vitamin D3 over a year ago, and had not gotten sick in all that time while taking 5000 IU a day. And THEN, three days before the Low Carb Cruise – I suddenly began feeling under the weather, sore throat, runny itchy nose, watery eyes, headache. Was I bummed! No sickness in over a year, and then to get sick just before the cruise I had waited for for so long.
So I immediately began to supplement with D3 – 20000 IU a day for the next three days, and by the day the cruise sailed I was feeling great again – and didn’t even have to lie when they asked me if I was suffering from cold symptoms, as by then I was not and was raring to go. 🙂
Amazing, isn’t it? I’ve gone up to 100,000 IU in a single day when I’ve felt an infection try to take hold. It’s delivered a knockout blow every time so far.
My kids have outgrown Easter baskets, although they do still ask for a little Easter candy. They both picked out a chocolate bunny this year and ate it on the way home. LOL So this year I didn’t have to deal with wigged out kids and fighting over who had what in their basket. We actually had a peaceful day- like Easter should be.
I’ll have to try the Vit. D therapy next time one of us starts getting sick.
The vitamin D seems to do the trick. Alana never did get any symptoms return, despite the Easter candy.
What brand of vitamin D do you give your daughters? I get tired of swallowing pills and wonder what the alternatives are.
We just get the store brand at Walgreens, the gelcaps. They usually take a 2000 IU gelcap in the morning, but if I’m going for a knockout dose, I give them four of my 5000 IU gelcaps.
What brand of vitamin D do you give your daughters? I get tired of swallowing pills and wonder what the alternatives are.
We just get the store brand at Walgreens, the gelcaps. They usually take a 2000 IU gelcap in the morning, but if I’m going for a knockout dose, I give them four of my 5000 IU gelcaps.
I’ve read a little about the above UL vitamin D intake stuff. I currently take in anywhere from 5,000-10,000 IU a day.
I wonder, where have you read information on this? I’m always interested in further reading, and would like to read thisstuff. especially the knock out 50 and 100 thousand IU doses. It’s very interesting.
There’s information all over the place, but a good place to start is here:
http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/
Dr. Cannell mentions taking 100,000 IU or more when he feels an infection coming on in this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0BgxNstkFI&feature=related
We take Carlson’s vitamin D3 drops which are completely flavorless. They are available in 1000iu and 2000iu. The kids like taking them, think it is fun to get a drop or two on their tongues. One bottle lasted 4 of us an entire winter. Can be bought from amazon.com.
http://www.amazon.com/Carlson-Ddrops-2000-Iu-Bottle/dp/B001LF39DS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=grocery&qid=1270628278&sr=8-2
This is the first winter we have supplemented with vitamin D3 and it is also the first winter we have not been really sick. The kids got mildly sick a couple of times, but only for 3 days, rather than the two long weeks of being very sick which seemed to be the norm. My husband and I felt like we were coming down with something a couple of times, but it never developed into a full-blown illness, so we are believers!
Personal experience has made me a believer as well.
I’ve read a little about the above UL vitamin D intake stuff. I currently take in anywhere from 5,000-10,000 IU a day.
I wonder, where have you read information on this? I’m always interested in further reading, and would like to read thisstuff. especially the knock out 50 and 100 thousand IU doses. It’s very interesting.
There’s information all over the place, but a good place to start is here:
http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/
Dr. Cannell mentions taking 100,000 IU or more when he feels an infection coming on in this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0BgxNstkFI&feature=related
We take Carlson’s vitamin D3 drops which are completely flavorless. They are available in 1000iu and 2000iu. The kids like taking them, think it is fun to get a drop or two on their tongues. One bottle lasted 4 of us an entire winter. Can be bought from amazon.com.
http://www.amazon.com/Carlson-Ddrops-2000-Iu-Bottle/dp/B001LF39DS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=grocery&qid=1270628278&sr=8-2
This is the first winter we have supplemented with vitamin D3 and it is also the first winter we have not been really sick. The kids got mildly sick a couple of times, but only for 3 days, rather than the two long weeks of being very sick which seemed to be the norm. My husband and I felt like we were coming down with something a couple of times, but it never developed into a full-blown illness, so we are believers!
Personal experience has made me a believer as well.
Looks like I’ll be getting some Vitamin D for me and the boys.
Normally I can knock out a cold with a nice smattering of Vitamin C and Echinacea, but it takes some work.
Vitamin D apparently helps the Vitamin C to work as well.
Looks like I’ll be getting some Vitamin D for me and the boys.
Normally I can knock out a cold with a nice smattering of Vitamin C and Echinacea, but it takes some work.
Vitamin D apparently helps the Vitamin C to work as well.
You gave your four year old 20,000 IUs?! Wow, I guess it’s ok for my 5’10”, 140 lb ass to take more then 1,000 IUs a day for supplement purposes, seeing as how I almost never get any sun. I wouldn’t know how much though.
Yeah, we go that high for a day if the girls have an infection. I take 5000 IU every day, but up it to 50,000 if I feel a cold coming on.
You gave your four year old 20,000 IUs?! Wow, I guess it’s ok for my 5’10”, 140 lb ass to take more then 1,000 IUs a day for supplement purposes, seeing as how I almost never get any sun. I wouldn’t know how much though.
Yeah, we go that high for a day if the girls have an infection. I take 5000 IU every day, but up it to 50,000 if I feel a cold coming on.
I just read a Paleo blogger today who says some people get weird calcification type symptoms if they’re eating Paleo and take too much vitamin D. He spoke of someone he’d treated (he’s some kind of altmed practitioner, I think) who had been on something like a 5000 IU daily dose, and then she came down with a stone in one of her salivary glands. He put her on some kind of Chinese herbal remedy and dropped her vitamin D dose down to something like 1000-2000 IU and the stone shrank. Her regular MD was amazed. She’d been told she would need surgery but, of course, didn’t want it.
I didn’t think to ask him how her vitamin K intake was doing. It’s possible that was the culprit, and she wasn’t getting enough. Plant foods seem to contain a lot of it, but not in the most optimal form. But if you should find calcium in your body winding up in odd places and your K intake is fine, you may need to cut back as far as regular daily D supplementation goes.
Here’s dude’s blog if you’re curious.
http://donmatesz.blogspot.com
Thanks for the tip about dealing with infections, though. I’m going to have to remember that.
Interesting. I haven’t heard of anyone overdosing on vitamin D, especially from 5000 IU. At some point I’ll get the test and figure out where I’m at.
I just read a Paleo blogger today who says some people get weird calcification type symptoms if they’re eating Paleo and take too much vitamin D. He spoke of someone he’d treated (he’s some kind of altmed practitioner, I think) who had been on something like a 5000 IU daily dose, and then she came down with a stone in one of her salivary glands. He put her on some kind of Chinese herbal remedy and dropped her vitamin D dose down to something like 1000-2000 IU and the stone shrank. Her regular MD was amazed. She’d been told she would need surgery but, of course, didn’t want it.
I didn’t think to ask him how her vitamin K intake was doing. It’s possible that was the culprit, and she wasn’t getting enough. Plant foods seem to contain a lot of it, but not in the most optimal form. But if you should find calcium in your body winding up in odd places and your K intake is fine, you may need to cut back as far as regular daily D supplementation goes.
Here’s dude’s blog if you’re curious.
http://donmatesz.blogspot.com
Thanks for the tip about dealing with infections, though. I’m going to have to remember that.
Interesting. I haven’t heard of anyone overdosing on vitamin D, especially from 5000 IU. At some point I’ll get the test and figure out where I’m at.
On the subject of Vitamin D may I direct everone’s attention to the Vitamin D Council. This site has an extensive literature on the various conditions that may, or are, associated with Vitamin D. The abstracts of the actual references and sometimes the full reports can be found on Pubmed (google it).
I found it very interesting and informative. It is clearly an under-researched area but then it is not patentable so Big Pharma, their KOLs (key opinion leaders) and dependent associations and charities are not interested.
Dr Marcia Angell (ex-Editor-in-chief of the NEJM) has commented on the adverse effect of Big Pharma’s involvement (and interference) in research. Frightening!
Here’s the link:
http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/
On the subject of Vitamin D may I direct everone’s attention to the Vitamin D Council. This site has an extensive literature on the various conditions that may, or are, associated with Vitamin D. The abstracts of the actual references and sometimes the full reports can be found on Pubmed (google it).
I found it very interesting and informative. It is clearly an under-researched area but then it is not patentable so Big Pharma, their KOLs (key opinion leaders) and dependent associations and charities are not interested.
Dr Marcia Angell (ex-Editor-in-chief of the NEJM) has commented on the adverse effect of Big Pharma’s involvement (and interference) in research. Frightening!
Here’s the link:
http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/