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More Good News About Niacin. Studies are confirming that Niacin can reduce atherosclerosis and raise good cholesterol and lower triglycerides and bad cholesterol. Niacin is good for joints and osteoarthritis as well. If you can slowly build up a resistance to the flush, Niacin can be a great prevention and treatment for cardiovascular disease as an alternative to statin drugs like Crestor and Lipitor. It may be even better in some cases. A baby aspirin before dosing can reduce the flush. Also, very gradual dosing at 100mg intervals weekly can be a way to build tolerance to the flushing. This technique might be uncomfortable, but it is safe. Diabetics need to see if Niacin affects their blood sugar, and high doses should be monitored by your doctor. No flush Niacin (Inositol) is not as effective. Slow release forms of Niacin are available by prescription and over the counter.

Allergy Patients and “Neti Pots.” Make sure you wash your neti pots well. You can seed infections from poor cleaning; we have seen a few cases of this. If you keep them clean there should be few problems. Clean neti pots with salt water and/or vinegar periodically. Following a neti pot rinse, drop a few nasal drops of xylitol (X-clear) into each nostril, which makes it more difficult for allergens to attach to the nasal mucosa. You can purchase X-clear at your local health food store and some pharmacies. By the way, if you haven’t tried a neti pot for your allergy symptoms, you may be surprised how well it can work!

Fast Food Update. Do you think grilled chicken at KFC is better for you? Think again! According to Columbia Analytical Services (CAS), a certified environmental testing laboratory, all chicken tested revealed substantial amounts of PhIP, a chemical formed in meats that are pan fried, barbecued or grilled at significant heat. This chemical is linked to prostate, breast and colon cancer. Some amounts of MeIQ, another carcinogen, were also found. Barbecuing creates many carcinogens in your meat as well, so be careful about too much grilling. Chicken tops the list in quantities of these chemicals formed, which may surprise many of you. Chicken is still a good alternative to red meat just eat chicken in moderation. Organic free range meats are always healthier and safe.

The Scoop on Vitamin D. After years of debate, the importance of Vitamin D is finally being recognized. It is like our “inner sun,” improving immune function, strengthening bones and even preventing cancer. In some cases fibromyalgia, skin problems, fatigue, flu prevention and chronic viral problems respond to Vitamin D replacement. It is good to get Vitamin D levels checked by your doctor. Many people have low levels and can benefit from taking Vitamin D. However, taking too much can make your bones too hard and brittle. For adults, 2,000 units of Vitamin D3 is a good dose to prevent deficiency. (We prefer D3 over D2.) For children, 400 units a day are adequate. A few foods have Vitamin D such as milk, which contains 100 units per cup. Cod liver oil, salmon and mackerel are foods richest in Vitamin D. Humans rely on the sun to help manufacture most of our Vitamin D needs. The sun and ultraviolet light convert Vitamin D in the body, but you need to be careful about too much exposure. As a general level, we target patients to about 60-80 ng/ml. Toxicity can occur towards 150 ng/ml. The proper test is called a 25 Hydroxyvitamin D Level. If you are deficient in Vitamin D, you may require much higher loading doses for several months before returning to a maintenance dose. This protocol must be done under the supervision of your doctor.

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