Sunday, October 18, 2015

Healing and Faith: Accounted for in Medicine





Although there are some things not in your control, you have more control over the outcome (your healing) than you think. Faith plays a role in medicine. Part of it is documented in science as the placebo and nocebo effect. (It is so powerful that they have to account for it in most studies, to prevent it from skewing the studies.) Beyond science and medicine, your faith plays a much bigger role in your healing than you think. What is faith? It's probably not what you think.

What faith really is - http://stanzo.blogspot.com/2015/10/what-faith-really-is.html


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Tuesday, July 28, 2015

SpirFit.org is Back Up and Running

Our website at SpirFit.org is up and running again.  Feel free to contact us if you have any problems with our site.  Thank you.

Monday, July 27, 2015

For Eyes, Lutein and Zeaxanthin Foods




As at least one eye doctor has informed me, almost everyone will develop some type of eye disease leading to blindness, if they live long enough.  The few who do not develop these eye diseases as they get older are those who have the habit of eating 5 to 9 servings of fruits and/or vegetables a day, especially fruits and vegetables that contain lutein and zeaxanthin.  Such fruits and vegetables include oranges, carrots, brocolli, brussel sprouts, spinach, cantaloupes, nectarines, and papayas.

"Lutein and zeaxanthin are non-provitamin A carotenoids. They are antioxidants that are concentrated in the macula of our eyes. Eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables that are rich in lutein and zeaxanthan may reduce the risk for macular degeneration [as well as other eye diseases].  It’s important to get our antioxidants from foods! Beta-carotene supplements have been found to have no effect on risk for these eye diseases."  



If you want to make it simpler, I (personally) just go with the (previous) USDA recommendation of 5 to 9 servings of vegetables and/or fruits per day.  In addition to healthier eyes, another good effect from this simple practice is having better skin, getting slimmer, and looking younger than your age.  Also, with this simple practice, you are less likely to get other serious and common diseases as you get older.

To make it even easier, one way to fulfill this quota is to simply aim for 3 servings of fruits and/or vegetables per meal.  For example, have one apple + one orange + one serving of spinach before you eat the rest of the meal. (The rest of the meal would likely be less healthy).

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1217


Disclaimer: Consult your doctor before making use of information on this site or anywhere online.  The information here is only for educational purposes and not meant to treat any disease.  Use the information here at your own risk.  If you choose to use the information on this blog or website, you agree that the author or any entity associated with this blog and website are not liable for any consequence of your use or misuse of the information.



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Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Iron Supplementation for Borderline Anemic and Others





People take iron supplementation (along with folate and vitamin B12) for a variety of reasons, such as borderline anemia, pregnancy, preparation for pregnancy, attention deficit, menstrual bleeding, and fatigue.

Iron Overdose and Poisoning
Here's the first thing you need to know about iron supplementation. Inappropriate iron supplementation may lead to iron overdose, iron poisoning, and even death (especially in children) which are not as uncommon as you may think.




Daily Iron Requirements
You need a strategy that includes both iron-rich food and supplementation, not just supplementation alone.  You need both food and supplementation to effectively replenish your iron stores in your blood (to normalize hemoglobin and hematocrit levels).  People with the highest needs (such as anemics and pregnant women) require approximately 27mg of iron per day.  Other females (with lower requirements) need about 18mg per day.  Most males need approximately 10mg of iron per day.  Your supplementation of iron should not exceed 27 mg of iron per day.  You can (and should) get a little bit more from food, in addition to supplementation.  Generally, you cannot overdose on iron from FOOD that naturally contain iron.


What You Do For High-Iron-Need Cases (such as borderline anemia and pregnancy)

  1. Everyday, take a multivitamin with approximately 27mg of Iron, 800mcg of Folate/Folic Acid, and 2.6mcg of Vitamin B12  (such as Centrum Prenatal, even if you are not a pregnant female.  If not Centrum Prenatal, choose another well-known brand from a well established company.)
  2. Eat two of the foods from the list/table below (of foods with iron, folate, and vitamin B12)
  3. As much as possible, eat a fruit high in vitamin C (such as orange, kiwi, or mango) immediately after eating iron-containing foods.  For example, you can eat an orange after snacking on cereal containing iron.
  4. Aim to have 5 to 9 servings of vegetables and/or fruits each day


http://www.centrum.ca/products/centrum-prenatal



Foods with Iron, Folate, and B12

Iron Folate B12
Fortified Cereals ~ 18 mg ~ 100 mcg ~ 6 mcg
Spinach ~ 3mg ~ 131 mcg
Fish ~ 1 mg ~ 12 mcg ~ 3 mcg
Chicken ~ 1 mg ~ 12 mcg ~ 0.3 mcg
Fortified Cereals ~ 18 mg ~ 100 mcg ~ 6 mcg
Nuts ~ 1 mg ~ 20 mcg
Beef ~ 2 mg ~ 7 mcg ~ 0.5 mcg
Beans ~ 1 - 6 mg ~ 40 mcg ~ 1 mcg





What You Need to Do If You Are a Lower-Need Case
  1. Daily, take a multivitamin with 10 - 18mg of iron.  (Choose a well-known brand.  I take Centrum.)  
  2. Eat two of the foods from the list/table above  (of foods with iron, folate, and vitamin B12)
  3. As much as possible, eat a fruit high in vitamin C (such as orange, kiwi, or mango) immediately after eating iron-containing foods.  For example, you can eat an orange after snacking on cereal containing iron.
  4. Aim to have 5 to 9 servings of vegetables and/or fruits per day.


If the 1-2-3 Above Is Not Sufficient
Keep in mind any nutritional strategy for iron may require a month to a year before your body's iron reserves are fully replenished (depending on the individual case).  You have to persist in continuing with the appropriate 1-2-3-4 habit above.  If the 1-2-3-4 above is not sufficient, add the following:

5. When taking your multivitamin and when eating the foods with iron (on the list above), avoid milk, antacids, other food with calcium, tea, coffee, and caffeine.  Calcium and caffeine inhibit the absorption of  iron.

6. Eat oysters or other seafood occasionally, but only occasionally.  Oysters and other seafood contain a good amount of iron, but they are generally considered unhealthy and may in the long term cause other health problems.  Therefore, eat seafood only occasionally.  Remember to eat an orange or something with vitamin C immediately after eating iron-rich foods.


Conditions Helped by Iron Supplementation

To see which conditions are more well-established (in science literature) to be helped by iron supplementation, go to - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/912.html#Effectiveness


Disclaimer: Consult your doctor before making use of information on this site or anywhere online.  The information here is only for educational purposes and not meant to treat any disease.  Use the information here at your own risk.  If you choose to use the information on this blog or website, you agree that the author or any entity associated with this blog and website are not liable for any consequences of your use or misuse of the information.



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