The question of supplements is a tricky one. I'll present both sides of the argument, and you choose which seems right for you.
Opposed Some say that all supplements are poison. The molecular structure of the desired nutrient is not in a form that is useful to your body. It may be absorbed, but the body doesn't know what to do with it, and it winds up stressing the kidneys and liver as your body tries to excrete the substances.
In Favor Some say that supplements are necessary and beneficial in this age of nutrient poor food. The supplements provide nutrition that may be missing from our food. Supplements that are compounded to mimic the natural state of the desired substance may be more beneficial than pure substances (example, chelated minerals, in which the mineral is bound to protein molecules, like it is normally found in foods we eat.
The best way to determine if you need a supplement is by blood or other test. Do not go by the adage, "gee, this sounds like a good one, and my friend Bob likes it...."
C
omments on some supplementsCalcium loss from bone tissue is a common side effect of Prednisone. It is also a common side effect of the Standard American Diet, which is high in sugar and dairy products. If you choose to supplement calcium, choose a chelated version in gel caps or chewable tablets. Other forms of the mineral may not digest and will pass out in your feces. It is also advisable to simultaneously take Vitamin D & Magnesium, as these are essential to metabolizing calcium. Vitamin D is especially important if you do not get out in the sun and manufacture your own.
Dairy products such as milk are poor sources of calcium and Vitamin D. The calcium is present, but not available to your body due to the high protein content of the dairy product. Vitamin D may or may not be present, despite the advertising claims.
How to read your blood test to determine your calcium balance
The standard CBC test lists calcium, and your doctor will look at that number to determine if you have sufficient calcium in your blood. It will be indicated as being within an accepted range or higher/lower than that range.
That is one method, but a better method is to compare the ratio of calcium to phosphorus. The ratio of calcium to phosphorus should be roughly 2.5. That means if calcium measures 10, phosphorus should be 4 (10/2.5=4).
If the ratio is less than 2.5, which is what most of us on Prednisone will find, it means that Calcium is being taken from bone tissue, and should be supplemented in addition to eating high calcium vegetables, such as broccoli and kale. Further information can be found in Nancy Appleton's books, "Lick the Sugar Habit" and "Healthy Bones: What You Should Know About Osteoporosis."
Example:
Calcium = 8
Phosphorus = 4
Ratio: 8/4 = 2 which is less than 2.5
The bodies pH is vital in determining the correct calcium supplement
Calcium is required by volume and weight more than any other mineral in the body.
No other mineral has received more notoriety over the years, yet remains so misunderstood. If your look around you will find many forms of calcium. How do you determine what is the best type of calcium for your needs?
Calcium Functions
The Liver and Calcium
There is not an organ, next to the brain, that has more responsibility in the body than the liver. The liver is the organ which is responsible for making all of the primary building and maintenance material for the rest of the organs and tissues in the body. Also included in the livers functions is the manufacturing of vital digestive enzymes.
Another function of the liver is processing waste. The liver is responsible for chemically adjusting the cell waste so that the kidneys can extract it from the blood. If this function is impaired, the body will soon poison itself.
For the liver to function correctly it requires three primary item, water, oxygen and calcium. If any, or all, of these are lacking or below the amounts needed, the liver will be inhibited from functioning at its optimum
Because calcium is the vital link, in controlling acid-alkaline balance in your body's chemistry, a deficiency in calcium causes the body to misuse the calcium that it does have available. This causes the pH of the body fluids, as reflected in urine and saliva, to either drift too high or too low. The body tries to control this change by taking calcium that is stored in body tissue like bones, teeth, cartilage and muscles. If this doesn't work, the body will then deposit the calcium in the wrong areas.
Calcium Compounds are not all the Same
The media has been touting for years that we need calcium, but has never addressed the fact that calcium compounds are different and react differently in the body based on the acid-alkaline balance. For example;
Calcium carbonate - calcium, carbon and oxygen,
Calcium Sulfate - calcium, sulfur and oxygen,
Calcium hydroxide - calcium, hydrogen and oxygen.
These are three examples of the seven basic groups of calcium. What and how other elements are attached, to calcium, will determine the reaction of the calcium on a living item. The type (or types) of calcium needed can only be determined by measuring the acid/alkaline ratios determined in a "pH test".
Calcium compounds will react in one of three ways on the basic chemistry of your body.
1. Calcium will influence your body in an alkaline direction. Or
2. Calcium will influence your body in an acid direction. Or
3. Calcium will supply need that will maintain a healthy acid base ratio.
Acidosis
Acidosis is the tendency of the body to be over acid. This occurs when the body loses its alkaline reserve. Persons who have diabetes often suffer from acidosis. The symptoms of acidosis are insomnia, rheumatoid arthritis, migraine headaches, hard dry stools, sensitivity of teeth to vinegar and acid fruits. The causes of acidosis are kidney, liver, and adrenal disorder, improper diet, anger, stress, and excess niacin, vitamin C, and aspirin.
Although it might seem that citrus fruits would have an acid effect on the body, the citric acid they contain actually has an alkaline effect in the system, converting to carbon dioxide and water.
Alkalosis
Alkalosis occurs when the body is to alkaline. It is often the results of excessive intake of alkaline drugs such as sodium bicarbonate for the treatment of gastritis or peptic ulcers. It can result in high cholesterol, endocrine imbalance and osteoarthritis. The symptoms of alkalosis include creaking joints, bursitis, allergies, chronic indigestion and menstrual problems. Alkalosis occurs less often than acidosis. Alkalosis may cause calcium to build up in the body, such as in bone or heel spurs.
Calcium
A calcium deficiency may result in the following symptoms: muscle cramps, brittle nails, eczema, aching joints, increased cholesterol levels, rheumatoid arthritis, tooth decay and numbness in the arms and/or legs.
Without knowing your body's chemistry, it is impossible to accurately determine the correct calcium. There is a strong probability of picking a calcium that will make your pH worst rather than better. This is simply because of the odds. There are many "calcium supplements". Chances are the main ingredient, especially the less expensive ones, is calcium carbonate from either ground limestone or oyster shell. Oyster shell calcium is the poorest of the supplemental forms. Depending on how fine the grind was, ground limestone is better but not really the best.
Do not buy calcium supplements that have magnesium as part of the ingredients. Magnesium is a stable mineral in the body. Magnesium needs should be met separately from calcium. Dolomite should not be used as a calcium supplement because the calcium In dolomite is not readily available to your body's chemistry. Also don't buy combination supplements for there calcium content. Calcium supplements should be just the appropriate calcium by itself and should be taken without other minerals.
Vitamin C and vitamin D are also important vitamins for working with the body's pH and calcium balance. If your system is strongly acid taking large doses of Vitamin C would drive the system farther acid causing strain on your body's systems. Vitamin D has the same effect on an alkaline system. The urine and saliva pH test will determine if your body intact requires additional vitamins. Remember, your pH numbers are the key to knowing what mineral nutrients your body needs -- especially calcium. The ideas pH range which maintains the best calcium and mineral uptake, along with the best utilization, is 6.3 to 6.5.
More on Calcium Types
Again the most common calcium supplement found is calcium carbonate, from ground limestone or oyster shell, or calcium phosphate and calcium lactate. Others include calcium citrate, calcium aspartate, calcium orotate and calcium gluconate.
The best forms of calcium are pure calcium gluconate, calcium lactate, and calcium citrate. In order for the calcium to react correctly in the body to control the acid-base balance the correct type must be used.
Calcium lactate is used as a strong acidifying calcium. The others are fairly neutral in their acid-base reaction, but are very usable calcium. Calcium carbonate (Tums) neutralizes the stomach acid needed for calcium absorption. Calcium taken with iron reduces the effect of both minerals. Insufficient vitamin D intake or excess phosphorus and magnesium hinders the uptake of calcium. A diet that is high either in protein, fat or sugar also affects calcium uptake. The average American diet of meats, refined grains, and soft drinks (high in phosphorus) leads to increased bone loss in adults.
Determining your average pH
Using a very narrow band pH paper measure the pH of a fresh sample of your urine and saliva and record the results. Do this two times per day for seven days at the same time of day. The best time for the test is about two hours after a meal. When testing the saliva it is best to wait at least a half hour after eating or drinking anything. At the end of seven days you should have fourteen pH readings of each your urine and saliva. Add each group of fourteen up and divide by fourteen. This will determine your average urine pH and saliva pH. It is best to retest pH after four to six weeks on a calcium plan to determine if it is correctly effecting your bodies acid-base and to adjust you calcium intake. When your bodies pH is stable, between 6.2 and 6.6 less frequent testing would need to be done.
The chart helps to determine which type of calcium would be most useful for your bodies pH. The second calcium is the one that helps correct acid-base imbalance. Another calcium - calcium citrate, is indicated as a back up for females who require additional calcium. In addition it indicates if vitamin A (acid-reacting) or vitamin D (alkaline-reacting) should also be taken to move the pH back toward the idea range. Additionally vitamin B-12, kelp, digestive enzymes and CoQ10 are recommended based upon the saliva pH tests.
Since most people are unable to obtain enough calcium from food alone, a calcium supplement is recommended. Find the suggested dose for your age group and subtract the amount you receive from food from that number.
Additionally, for good health a good multi-mineral supplement is very valuable. There are 66 different elemental minerals which our bodies require to function at it's peak. If any are missing the functions that require them cease, no matter how abundant and available the rest of the minerals may be.
This is a matter of opinion (i.e. company direction) and individual need. Calcium that is chelated with an amino acid is absorbed best, and is just as easy on the digestive system.
The amino acid L-Lysine is needed for calcium absorption, while taking iron with calcium (as in a multi-vitamin formulation) reduces the effect of both minerals. Too much calcium can interfere with the absorption of zinc, and vice versa.
Calcium supplements are more effective when taken in smallish doses spread throughout the day and at bedtime, less effectively when taken as one megadose. The level of electrolytes in the body also affects calcium absorption, i.e. if they're OK, the calcium is "not needed" and shunted to the kidneys for excretion.
Several vitamin companies use D1-calcium-phosphate in their products, but do not list it on the label. This form of calcium is insoluble and interferes with the absorption of nutrients in a multi. This again is an argument for the use of amino-acid chelated-calcium for those who wish to supplement.
Of course, those with kidney stones or a history of kidney disease should not supplement with calcium. And, although the connection has not been verified, those taking calcium channel blockers (a medicine for angina/hypertension) should avoid supplementation.
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Prednisone also leaches potassium from the body, and supplementation is advised.
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In addition to blood tests, hair analysis can determine long term mineral deficiencies, as well as spot potential dangers from heavy metal toxicity. Supplementation may help, but will not address the cause of why you have these deficiencies. Minerals are interdependent on each other. Too much of one may cause a lack of another. For a better understanding of this phenomenon, see Nancy Appleton's books.
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Take a gel cap or chewables. Some mainstream tablets pass through the digestive system without breaking down. Beware of vitamins that contain strange sounding herbs. These herbs are often stimulants which contribute to the "I feel great" feeling and all the testimonials about the product.
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There are strong correlations between chronic illness and lack of essential fatty acids (EFAs) in the diet. Essential fatty acids are natural acids found in natural foods that are essential for our bodies to function.
Essential fatty acids do not store very well, and with the advent of the modern supermarket and long shelf life, food manufacturers removed the EFAs and substituted heated and chemically altered oils into our foods
To supplement EFAs, the best sources are cold pressed flax seed, borage seed, hemp & evening primrose oils. No oil should ever be heated above 212, as the chemical structure of the fat changes, and it becomes toxic.
Fish oils are also a viable source of EFAs, but they have been heated and contain high amounts of pollutants.
For further reading, refer to Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill by Udo Erasmus.
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Some natural health advocates indicate that DHEA should be supplemented while on Prednisone, since the Prednisone suppresses the natural secretion of this hormone from the adrenal glands. Blood and saliva tests are available to test your DHEA level. If you choose to take DHEA, it is best to take it in the sublingual form, as most of the hormone is transformed into testosterone when it passes through the digestive system.
8/25/97: While some people have reported neutral or positive results by taking DHEA, I personally experienced a negative result. My body converted too much of the DHEA into estrogen, which in turn caused my thyroid gland to start shutting down. I developed a condition known as Euthyroid on Estrogen. My TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) levels dropped to close to zero, while my serum levels of T3 and T4 were elevated. Upon ceasing DHEA, my thyroid function started to return to normal, and continues to do so after 2 months off DHEA.
The use of hormones as theraputic agents is in its infancy. In effect, we are testing the safety and effectiveness of these compounds. Any and all claims made by manufacturers and marketers must be taken in this context.
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This herbal combination may be useful as a Prednisone replacement/adjunct. The maximum recommended dosage of Bromelain is 1000mg 3x daily. There is no information available concerning a maximum dose of Curcumin. Curcumin is an extract of the Indian spice Tumeric. It is used in Aruyvedic and Chinese medicine as a blood thinner and liver cleanser. For further information, refer to "Natural Alternative's to Prescription and Over-the-Counter Medication" by Michael Murray.
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Echinacea helps prevent viral infections and is considered an immune system stimulant. In general, it is not recommended (contraindicated) for people with autoimmune illnesses such as pemphigus.
Goldenseal is also an immune stimulant and is generally contraindicated for pemphigus except when applied topically to open blisters, where the anti-bacterial action will help reduce the bacterial infection.
Milk Thistle assists in liver drainage and detoxification, and stimulates the growth of new cells. It is recommended for people taking prescription medication to help the liver.
Licorice Root is anti-bacterial, anti-viral and is anti-inflammatory. It assists the liver, spleen and kidneys in the detoxification process.
Stinging Nettles help with auto-immune illnesses such as arthritis, gout, eczema and (minor) skin complaints.
Cat's Claw (uņa de gato) as been receiving popularity as an aid to auto-immune illnesses, especially Chron's Syndrome, but as of yet there is little objective information available about it and it's appropriateness to pemphigus.
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There is sufficient evidence that auto-immune disease may be triggered by partially digested food passing through the intestinal membrane into the blood stream, where the immune system is activated to defend against it.
Human beings are the only species which eat foods that do not possess digestive enzymes. This is because we cook our food. Therefore, our bodies are called upon to manufacture digestive enzymes to aid in the digestion of our food. If our bodies are unable to manufacture sufficient enzymes, partially undigested food may find it's way into the blood.
Until this problem can be remedied by a transition to a primarily raw foods diet, a temporary solution is to take digestive enzymes with every meal. Vegetarian enzymes can be taken between meals as well. These enzymes may pass through the digestive system into the blood, where they can help digest the partially digested food.
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Known as the 'good bacteria' that live in our intestinal tract, the many forms of acidophilus are essential to a healthy digestive system. It is important to use a type of acidophilus that will survive the stomach acid on their way to the intestines. Acidophilus can also be emplanted in the colon via a retention enema. FOS (Fructo xxxxx sacarides) feed the acidophilus, and promote healthy colonies of the bacteria.
Candida overgrowth results when the acidophilus colonies become weak and they get overrun by the candida organism.