DOC MAC's "The Pause Blog"
A BLOG THAT HELPS OPTIMIZE OUR THIRD ACTS
THE VITAMIN HORMONE
“You hear about a deficiency in Vitamin D being an epidemic, but we seem to ignore it. If you want to lose weight and be hormonally right, you better optimize your vitamin D levels.”
You can be happy, look great, be healthy, and have peace of mind even though you are in your “Third Act” of life.
The next step we took to be "Pause Awesome" was to test our Vitamin D levels, and then if the levels were not in the high normal range, we took action to ensure they were.
Here are the tools we have used so far
We Discovered our Pause Score
We Discovered our P/E Ratio (women) or T/E Ratio (men)
We Supplemented with DIM to Route Our Estrogen
We Supplemented with Progesterone (women) or Tribulus (men)
We Avoided Consuming the Ubqitous Phytoestrogen Soy
We Avoided Products with the Xenoestrogen Paraben.
VITAMIN D AND CHRONIC INFLAMMATION
You have seen me repeatedly write that the crux of living a long and healthy life is to reduce chronic inflammation.
There are numerous reasons that I am so concerned with chronic inflammation. The primary reason is that chronic inflammation is the primary source cause of hormone disruption. Remember…
“We are nothing more than a reflection of our hormones.”
With that said, I will repeat another statement I make a lot.
“Chronic Inflammation will be the most likely cause of our deaths.”
Chronic inflammation is the primary source cause of most cancers, if not all, diabetes, heart disease, strokes, and Alzheimer's. There are high odds that one of these diseases will be the cause of our death.
To live a long, high-quality, hormonally correct life, you must work daily at taming chronic inflammation,
“Having high normal levels of Vitamin D helps tame chronic inflammation.”
In one study, researchers examined the vitamin D and C-reactive protein levels of 294,970 unrelated people. After analyzing the data, the researchers found that vitamin D-deficient participants had elevated CRP levels.
C-reactive protein is the way doctors measure chronic inflammation.
“C-reactive protein (CRP) is a protein made by the liver. The level of CRP increases when there's inflammation in the body. A simple blood test can check your C-reactive protein level.”
Later in today’s course, I will supply you with a link to purchase a test kit from Amazon to test your Vitamin D level and C-reactive protein.
Having optimal Vitamin D levels is crucial while you are in Phase One of HOPE because our purpose during Phase One is to optimize our gonadal hormones and weight.
“Researchers have discovered specific molecular and signaling events by which vitamin D inhibits inflammation. Low levels of vitamin D failed to inhibit the inflammatory cascade, while levels considered adequate did inhibit inflammatory signaling.”
VITAMIN D AND OUR GONADAL HORMONES
“As you consume the meso-menu, you will lose your excess weight--all of it. But to keep your weight off, you must optimize your gonadal hormones.”
Like hormones, every cell in your body needs Vitamin D.
To be the best you can be, there must be a balance between progesterone and estradiol in women and testosterone and estradiol in men.
If there is an imbalance between these two hormones, you will most likely become estrogen-dominant. The symptoms of estrogen dominance are…
Weight Gain
Weight Loss Resistance
Sleeping Disorders
Hormonal Induced Anxiety
Hormonal Induced Depression
Loss of Interest in Being Intimate
Loss of Motivation to be Social
VITAMIN D AND ESTRADIOL
Science has proven that Vitamin D improves your PE and TE Ratios by reducing estradiol levels.
A study was done with 218 menopausal women who had insufficient vitamin D levels at the beginning of the study. Half of the women were randomly selected to participate in a weight loss program that included daily supplementation with vitamin D; half of the participants received a weight loss regimen and a placebo. This is what the researchers found.
“At the end of the year-long study, the researchers found that those in the vitamin D group whose blood levels of the nutrient rose the highest – from inadequate at baseline to normal, or replete levels – had a corresponding drop in circulating estrogens and other sex hormones that are a known risk factor for breast cancer. The reduction in sex hormones among the women with the highest levels of vitamin D was observed even after taking into account how much weight the women lost, showing that the vitamin D had an independent effect on hormone levels, regardless of pounds shed.”
VITAMIN D AND PROGESTERONE
Studies also show that Vitamin D works synergistically with progesterone and that Vitamin D can act as if it was progesterone.
As mentioned above, during Phase One, we work hard at improving the balance between estradiol and progesterone (women) estradiol and testosterone (men) to Create the you–you desire to be. We have already seen how Vitamin D can reduce estradiol, which allows us to correct our P/E ratios more quickly. Vitamin D also works like progesterone when needed.
“Vitamin D shows several physiological activities during gestation in perfect synchrony with progesterone or also acting, in some cases, as a substitute. The molecules mutually help and reinforce the activity exerted by each one.”
VITAMIN D AND WEIGHT LOSS
Again, during Phase One of HOPE, we aim to lose any excess weight we may have, especially our belly fat. Belly fat possesses enzymes that convert your fat-burning hormones into estradiol, a strong fat-storing hormone.
The most important action we can take to balance our gonadal hormones is to lose our belly fat.
Numerous studies verify that having optimal levels of vitamin D helps us lose weight, especially belly fat, and Vitamin D also helps us maintain weight loss.
Losing weight, especially belly fat, also increases our vitamin D levels. That is definitely a double win.
“Getting enough vitamin D can keep your hormone levels in check and may help enhance weight loss and decrease body fat. In turn, losing weight can increase vitamin D levels and help you maximize its other benefits, such as maintaining strong bones and protecting against illness.”
VITAMIN D2 vs. VITAMIN D3
There are two sources for vitamin D supplementation: vitamin D3 and vitamin D2. Both can be used to correct vitamin D deficiency, but most doctors recommend D3 because it is more effective.
Vitamin D3 is animal (human) based.
Vitamin D2 is plant-based.
Since humans produce Vitamin D3, supplementing with D3 is more synchronized with our body’s production.
Vitamin D2 may be better for your beliefs if you are a vegan.
HOW IS VITAMIN D PRODUCED?
"Vitamin D (also referred to as calciferol) is produced endogenously when ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunlight strike the skin and trigger vitamin D synthesis.
Vicky and I know the best way to increase Vitamin D3 is to expose our skin to morning sunlight. We sunbathe for 10 minutes daily (for our skin type) (we are both Latin) in the morning sunlight. The morning sunlight is the safest.
GOOD HABIT: Expose as much skin as you’re comfortable with to the morning sun at least three times a week for 5 to 15 minutes. The amount of time depends on your skin color. The darker your skin, the less time you will need.
FOODS RICH IN VITAMIN D
We can also obtain Vitamin D from our foods like fatty fish and fortified dairy. The problem is that eating your way to vitamin D sufficiency is challenging.
The foods with the most Vitamin D that are allowed while on Phase One of The HOPE Protocol are…
Cod liver oil
Salmon
Swordfish
Tuna
Sardines
Beef liver
Egg yolk
Most dairy and processed cereals are fortified, and I do not like fortifying foods with Vitamin D because that makes them human-made food. Recall the heart and soul of The HOPE Protocol is to eat God-made foods and avoid human-made foods.
VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY
You are considered deficient in Vitamin D when you have less than 30 nmol of Vitamin D per liter of blood.
Vitamin D deficiency occurs for many reasons:
The darker your skin, the less your skin will be able to produce Vitamin D.
The older we are, the less Vitamin D we produce.
Our fat traps Vitamin D, so the more fat we have, the less circulating Vitamin D we will have.
The less fish we consume, the less vitamin D we have.
The less we expose ourselves to sunshine, the less Vitamin D we will have.
Using sunscreen will block our body's ability to produce Vitamin D.
The further you live from the equator, the lower your vitamin D level will be.
People deficient in Vitamin D:
Suffer more often from colds and flu.
Suffer from chronic fatigue.
Have back, joint, and muscle pain.
Are more likely to suffer from depression.
Heal slowly.
Suffer from accelerated bone loss.
Suffer from hair loss.
Have malfunctioning thyroids
Are more likely to be overweight
THE VITAMIN D TEST KIT
If you are a menopausal woman, the odds are high that you have a low vitamin D level. It is essential to have your levels tested.
Today, most doctors routinely check Vitamin D levels, but if your doctor hasn’t, you can check it yourself with a simple testing kit. This test kit will also test your C-reactive protein, which is the best way to measure chronic inflammation. I have provided you with an Amazon link below to purchase this kit inexpensively.
OPTIMAL VITAMIN D LEVELS
The Institute of Medicine has placed the recommended dietary allowance, or RDA, for Vitamin D at 600 international units (IU) per day for young adults and 800 IU per day for adults older than 70.
But, the Endocrine Society recommends up to 1,500 to 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily for adults. That is the society that researches our hormones.
The correct dose of vitamin D for your body depends on your particular blood level of Vitamin D.
VITAMIN D AND K2
Recent research has found that if you supplement with Vitamin D, it is a good idea to take it with K2.
This mainly has to do with bone health. Vitamin D ensures that calcium is more easily absorbed. K2 ensures that the calcium integrates better within the bone. The two of them work synergistically to improve bone health.
“One in two postmenopausal women will have osteoporosis, and most will suffer a fracture during their lifetime.”
Vitamin K2 has also been found to promote improved arterial blood flow and increase arterial flexibility. Vitamin K2 is obtained from meats, cheeses, and eggs and synthesized by bacteria. If you lack these foods, purchasing a vitamin D3 supplement combined with K2 is a good idea.
“One randomized controlled trial conducted with postmenopausal women who suffered from weak and brittle bones found that after two years of supplementation with vitamin D3, vitamin K2, or both, the women who received both vitamin D3 and K2 experienced better bone mineral density compared to the other groups that took only vitamin D3 or vitamin K2.”
Brain MD
Here are two links, one with K2 and one without.
VITAMIN D DOSING
I aim for my Vitamin D levels to be in the upper range of normal.
According to the National Institute of Health, the normal range for vitamin D is 50 nmol/L (20 ng/mL) to 125 nmol/L (50 ng/mL).
If we cannot reach a high normal Vitamin D level by sunbathing, this especially happens in the winter; we supplement with Vitamin D3.
Vicky takes 1000 IUs daily, and I take 2000 IUs daily.
Be sure to take vitamin D only under the care of your healthcare practitioner.
SUMMARY
Test your Vitamin D levels, and If you are deficient, here are three actions you may take to elevate your Vitamin D Level:
Sunbathe at least three times a week with maximum skin exposure for 5 to 15 minutes, depending on your skin color, and without sunscreen.
Eat more seafood and liver.
Supplement with a Vitamin D supplement
Lose Weight and Feel Great FOR FREE!
If you are overweight and in menopause or andropause, I leave three open spots in my roster to coach three of you through our Hormone and Weight Optimization Program for FREE for one week.
I offer this free coaching program for the skeptics. This way, they can see the effectiveness of our HOPE For Menopause and HOPE For Andropause Systems and receive first-hand experience on how quickly and easily you can lose weight and feel great.
The features of our coaching program include:
Daily Accountability
Twenty-four-hour problem-solving availability via texting
The HOPE QuickStart Course filled with easy instructions
Two Motivating Phone Consults
The Benefit
Lose weight quickly and feel great in one week.
BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE!
TRANSFORM YOUR BODY
These spots fill quickly.
"Procrastination is the seed to failure."
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THIS WEEK’S US-IE
Paso Robles
This last week, we went wine tasting with our RV Club in Paso Robles. We had a blast!
Nothing is better for your hormones than social outings.
And remember...
"IT'S ALL ABOUT YOUR HORMONES!"
"Because when your hormones are balanced, your weight, health, and mind will follow."
🍷 Doc
© 2023 | Doc Mac Coaching
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