Recipe of the Month
Remember our recipes are courtesy of Chef Kelly (kellychez@gmail.com). If you have recipes you would like to share or convert to follow the rules of The Vitamin D Cure send them to contact@thevitamindcure.com .
Sesame Chicken & Snow Peas Rice Bowl
2 tsp. Toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp. Fresh ginger, peeled & minced
2 tsp. Fresh lemongrass, peeled & minced (optional)
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1 pound Chicken breasts, skinless & boneless, cut into 1-in. cubes
2 cups Fresh snow peas (may substitute shelled or whole edamame (green soybeans))
2 cups Frozen bell pepper stir-fry mix
2 Tbsp. Low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp. Mirin (sweet rice wine)
1 tsp. Toasted sesame oil
¼ tsp. Potato starch (may substitute cornstarch)
½ cup Green onions, cut diagonally into ¼ in. pieces
2 tsp. Dark sesame seeds
½ tsp. Sea salt
2 cups Hot cooked brown or wild rice
Preparation:
1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet (or wok) over medium-high heat. Add ginger, lemongrass, and garlic; sauté 1 minute until mixture becomes fragrant.
2. Add chicken; sauté 2 minutes. Add snow peas and stir-fry mix; sauté another 3 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil and potato starch, and whisk to combine. Add to pan; cook another minute.
4. Remove from heat and stir in green onions, sesame seeds and sea salt.
5. Serve over rice.
Yield: 6 servings (2/3 cup chicken mixture and 1/3 cup rice)
Vitamin D and Diet in the News
This month’s Archives of Internal Medicine has three very important articles about vitamin D and diet that further confirm the messages in The Vitamin D Cure. Vitamin D deficiency is becoming more prevalent due to changes in our lifestyle. Supplementation is effective at reducing fractures from vitamin D deficiency. And protein is not the enemy. Lean protein is an ally especially when combined with 2-3 times as much green produce.
Demographic differences and trends of vitamin D insufficiency in the US population, 1988-2004.
The prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency appears to be rising. Comparing serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), collected during 1988 through 1994, with NHANES data collected from 2001 through 2004 (NHANES 2001-2004). The authors sought to evaluate US population trends in vitamin D insufficiency. The mean serum 25(OH)D level was 30 (95% confidence interval [CI], 29-30) ng/mL during NHANES III and decreased to 24 (23-25) ng/mL during NHANES 2001-2004. Accordingly, the prevalence of 25(OH)D levels of less than 10 ng/mL increased from 2% (95% CI, 2%-2%) to 6% (5%-8%), and 25(OH)D levels of 30 ng/mL or more decreased from 45% (43%-47%) to 23% (20%-26%). The prevalence of 25(OH)D levels of less than 10 ng/mL in non-Hispanic blacks rose from 9% during NHANES III to 29% during NHANES 2001-2004, with a corresponding decrease in the prevalence of levels of 30 ng/mL or more from 12% to 3%. National data demonstrate a marked decrease in serum 25(OH)D levels from the 1988-1994 to the 2001-2004 NHANES data collections. Racial/ethnic differences have persisted and may have important implications for known health disparities. These findings are consistent with the digitalization of our society, lack of sun exposure, and inappropriate use of sunscreen discussed in The Vitamin D Cure.
Prevention of nonvertebral fractures with oral vitamin D and dose dependency: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Antifracture efficacy with supplemental vitamin D has been questioned by recent trials. Dr. Bischoff-Ferrari performed a meta-analysis on the efficacy of oral supplemental vitamin D in preventing nonvertebral and hip fractures among older individuals (≥65 years). She included 12 double-blind randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for nonvertebral fractures (n = 42 279) and 8 RCTs for hip fractures (n = 40 886) comparing oral vitamin D, with or without calcium, with calcium or placebo. Consistently, pooling trials with a higher received dose of more than 400 IU/d resolved heterogeneity. For the higher dose, the pooled RR was 0.80 (95% CI, 0.72-0.89; n = 33 265 subjects from 9 trials) for nonvertebral fractures and 0.82 (95% CI, 0.69-0.97; n = 31 872 subjects from 5 trials) for hip fractures. The higher dose reduced nonvertebral fractures in community-dwelling individuals by 29% and institutionalized older individuals by 15%, and its effect was independent of calcium supplementation. Hence, nonvertebral fracture prevention with vitamin D is dose dependent, and a higher dose should reduce fractures by at least 20% for individuals aged 65 years or older.
Meat intake and mortality: a prospective study of over half a million people.
This study was designed to determine the relations of red, white, and processed meat intakes to risk for total and cause-specific mortality. The study population included the National Institutes of Health-AARP (formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons) Diet and Health Study cohort of half a million people aged 50 to 71 years at baseline. Meat intake was estimated from a food frequency questionnaire. Red and processed meat intakes were associated with modest increases in total mortality, cancer mortality, and cardiovascular disease mortality. However, higher white meat intake which included poultry and fish were associated with modest decreases in total mortality, cancer mortality, and cardiovascular disease mortality. These results confirm the results of other studies regarding the benefits of lean meats or fish intake on overall health and longevity.
Vitamin D Success Story
Please share your successes at success@thevitamindcure.com or online at Amazon. Your success story has a powerful impact on motivating others to change their lifestyle.
I started very painful arthritis in 1987 and was diagnosed with RA in 1991. I went into remission after 4 years of Gold shots, also diagnosed with FMS (Fibromyalgia) in 1995. Then in 2007 was diagnosed with RA again. This time the doctor checked my Vitamin D levels and found I had no Vit D at all. She ordered 50,000 units of vitamin D for 1 month checking regularly, then renewed it another month. Finally the levels have gotten back to normal. I have endured over 20 years of pain, and will always have some pain, but am way better now! I am about 80% free of pain now!
Pete….@aol.com