April 1, 2008 - Potential Interactions between
Natural Health Products and Prescription Drugs in
Children
The Toronto Star reports on a new study done out of
Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children regarding health
product and drug interactions in children
www.thestar.com/living/article/407647
The Naturopathic Perspective
 |
Naturopathic Doctors are Primary Care Providers,
leaders in natural medicine and well versed with
respect to the potential interactions of drugs
OTC and natural health products. |
|
|
Naturopathic Doctors treat children (and adults)
with a wide variety of health care concerns. As
a part of any patient assessment Naturopathic
Doctors review all current medications and
ensure that any prescribed natural health
products are safe and effective when taken alone
or in combination. |
|
|
NDs advise all patients to inform all health
care providers of the drugs and/or natural
health products their children are taking and
are available for consultation. |
December 19, 2007 - Vitamin D
A recent article in the Globe and Mail looks at a
University of Toronto study on insufficient vitamin D
levels in non-white Canadians.
www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071219.wvitamin19/BNStory/specialScienceandHealth/home
The Naturopathic Perspective
|
|
Adequate amounts of Vitamin D can be achieved
through sunlight exposure to bare arms hands,
legs and face at least 3-5 times per week,
depending on geography, season, age and
ethnicity. |
|
|
The Canadian Cancer Society has recommended,
“Whites should take supplements containing 1,000
international units (IU) a day during the fall
and winter. Those with dark skin, who don’t go
outside frequently or wear full body clothing
for cultural or religious reasons, such as
veiled women, should take 1,000 IU year-round.”
The Public Health Agency of Canada recommends
200 IU Vitamin D per day for those aged 1-50,
400 IU for those aged 51-70 and 600 IU for those
aged over 70. The current maximum safe dose in
Canada is set at 2000 IU per day. |
|
|
Maintaining optimal Vitamin D levels has been
recently shown to decrease mortality rates and
increase life expectancy by 3-5 years as well as
reduce the incidence of certain cancers by over
60%. |
|
|
Low levels of Vitamin D have been linked to
musculoskeletal disorders, cancers, autoimmune
disorders, infectious diseases, and other
conditions like hypertension, autism, psoriasis,
pre-eclampsia, and low birth weight in infants.
|
|
|
A sunscreen of an SPF 8 rating or higher applied
according to manufacturers instructions will
decrease the body’s synthesis of Vitamin D by
80-95%. |
|
|
Certain medications significantly decrease the
body’s level of Vitamin D. |
|
|
Working with a Naturopathic Doctor can help one
determine how to achieve optimal Vitamin D
levels. |
