Over the weekend, a Cleveland Clinic doctor�s anti-vaccine blog post sparked a social media furor, prompting the prestigious medical center to issue a statement reaffirming its trust in vaccines.
In an�op-ed on�Cleveland.com, entitled “Make 2017 the year to avoid toxins (good luck) and master your domain,” Dr. Daniel Neides, the medical director and chief operating officer of the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute, questioned whether vaccines have contributed to a rise in neurological diseases like autism and ADHD and argued that ingredients in them are harmful to newborns.
“Does the vaccine burden � as has been debated for years � cause autism?” he wrote. “I don’t know and will not debate that here. What I will stand up and scream is that newborns without intact immune systems and detoxification systems are being over-burdened with preservative and adjuvants in the vaccines.”
He also wrote:�”Some of the vaccines have helped reduce the incidence of childhood communicable diseases, like meningitis and pneumonia. That is great news. But not at the expense of neurologic diseases like autism and ADHD increasing at alarming rates.”
Neides suggested spreading out and delaying the shots in children to reduce kids� exposure to the chemicals he claimed were toxic.
The response on social media from doctors and others in the scientific community to Neides’s shockingly unfounded claims�was swift and forceful.
Vaccines Revealed by Cleveland Clinic Doctor
Large-scale studies involving thousands of participants in several countries have failed to establish a link between childhood vaccinations and autism. And there�s just no good evidence for the “too many, too soon” argument Neides makes. Babies� immune systems are strong enough to tolerate the shots, and researchers haven�t found evidence for an�association between the number of vaccines kids get in the first two years of life and neuropsychological outcomes later on.
Delaying and refusing vaccines, however, can increase a child�s risk of disease as well as�vaccine-preventable outbreaks. (You can read a detailed debunking of Neides by Tara Haelle over at Forbes, as well as my own reporting on the pseudoscience of the vaccine-autism link.)
The Cleveland Clinic responded last night, distancing itself from the doctor, and Neides�s blog has since been removed from the news site.
Vaccines have long been a trusted source for good health among the population, however, a recent blog post by a Cleveland clinic doctor revealed the truth about vaccines and their effects on overall health and wellness. Questioning whether vaccines have contributed to an increase in neurological diseases, Dr. Daniel Neides thoroughly described the reasons for his reasoning.
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Exceptional sign language interpreting services are available throughout Texas to help provide proper assistance for the deaf community. Communication is important when visiting a doctor’s office or when seeking legal representation and having a team of the best interpreters in the region can make a difference when relaying important information to other parties.
A variety of services are available according to each individual’s needs and best interests, helping to accommodate anyone requesting sign language interpreting services.
For Hearing Callers:
Voice to TTY/VCO/HCO/STS
7-1-1 or 1-800-735-2988
Voice to CapTel
1-877-243-2823
Spanish-to-Spanish
7-1-1 or 1-800-662-4954
Spanish-to-English
7-1-1 or 1-888-777-5861
For Deaf Callers:
TTY to Voice
7-1-1 or 1-800-735-2989
ASCII to Voice
7-1-1 or 1-800-735-2991
Spanish-to-Spanish
7-1-1 or 1-800-662-4954
Spanish-to-English
7-1-1 or 1-888-777-5861
900 Dialing Access
1-900-230-2303
For Deaf-Blind Callers:
TeleBraille to Voice
7-1-1 or 1-877-826-9348
For Hard-of-Hearing Callers:
Voice Carry-Over
7-1-1 or 1-877-826-1789
For Speech-disabled Callers:
Speech-to-Speech
7-1-1 or 1-877-826-6607
Hearing Carry-Over
7-1-1 or 1-800-735-2989
For individuals of the deaf community whom are in need of sign language interpreting services to communicate in a medical office or for legal representation, the above site offers countless of services in Texas for a variety of individuals needing their services. Dr. Alex Jimenez’s chiropractic offices can offer these sign language interpreting services whenever and wherever they’re needed. We take pride in helping to accommodate to all of our patients to improve their experience and ensure they receive the proper medical attention and legal representation.
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
En Voz Alta was started by Mary Ceglio, In August of 2004, in an effort to bring children wit hearing loss and their families together.� However, the parents of children with hearing loss who attended the first meeting, wanted more than just a social outlet.� They wanted to further the developmental, educational, social and emotional growth of children with hearing impairment through education, advocacy and support.
In May of 2005, En Voz Alta was introduced to area professionals at a luncheon sponsored in conjunction with Texas Tech Health Sciences Center.� An alliance between the parents of En Voz Alta and the professionals of the community was formed and committees were established.
�As a result, En Voz Alta held three bi-national symposiums on hearing loss in El Paso in November 2006, February 2010 and March 2014 in cooperation with:
Early Childhood Intervention (E.C.I.)
Region 19 Education Service Center
Regional Day School Program for the Deaf
Paso Del Norte Children’s Development Center
Regional Day School Program for the Deaf
Southwest ENT Associates
Texas Tech Health Sciences Center
University Medical Center
Volar Center for Independent Living
Ysleta Independent School District, and
Other area school districts
In May of 2005, En Voz Alta was introduced to area professionals at a luncheon sponsored in conjunction with Texas Tech Health Sciences Center.� An alliance between the parents of En Voz Alta and the professionals of the community was formed and committees were established.
En Voz Alta became a Focus Fund with the El Paso Children’s Hospital Foundation in November of 2010.� It continues to serve the El Paso community in large part due to the dedicated hard-working members of the En Voz Alta Advisory Council and its many volunteers.
Growing up as a child with hearing loss can be difficult if the proper services to aid them are not available. En Voz Alta is a special program which was started to support children with hearing loss and their families, providing them with the necessary environment for growth.
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Chiropractic care is a well-known alternative treatment option which focuses primarily on the structure and function of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system. When an individual is involved in an accident or a previous condition has become aggravated over time, causing injury, chiropractic treatment can help.
Injury from an accident or condition can often cause complications to the structures of the body, most commonly the spine, resulting in spinal misalignments, or subluxations, that can lead to the impingement or compression of the nerves, followed by the altered function of the nervous system and the organs surrounding the affected area. After a careful diagnosis, a chiropractor will utilize various natural treatment techniques, such as spinal adjustments and manual manipulations, to correct any possible misalignments and restore the original function of these structures. While chiropractic care has been utilized to treat back pain and neck pain caused by injuries or underlying conditions, there are other non-musculoskeletal disorders which may benefit from this form of alternative treatment.
Treatment Study for Cervicogenic Hearing Loss
Cervicogenic hearing loss is a disorder which, as the name suggests, causes complications closely regarding the function of the vertebral artery relating to its supply of blood to the auditory system. There�s also been suggestions indicating that the reduction of blood supply to the audio/vestibular mechanism may occur as a result of the placement of the spine and its reduction of blood supply to audition. Several research studies have been conducted, however, demonstrating the clinical effect and safety of chiropractic care in treating cervicogenic sudden hearing loss disorders.
From January 2011 to October 2013, 90 individuals diagnosed with cervicogenic sudden hearing loss were divided at random into two groups: the treatment group and the control group; according to a random number table produced by SPSS 19.0 software. In the treatment group, there were 17 males and 28 females, ranging from ages 31 to 62 years old; the course of disease was from 1 to 3 days; and pure-tone audiometry scores ranged from 46.5 to 77.8 dB. Scores for the Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire (NPQ) for the treatment group were from 17 to 31. In the control group, there were 15 males and 30 females, ranging from ages 28 to 64 years old; the course of disease was from 1 to 3 days; and pure-tone audiometry scores ranged from 48.1 to 75.0 dB. Scores for the Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire for the control group were from 20 to 29 scores.
The patients of the control group were treated with 10 mg of a dexamethasone intravenous drip, 3 days later, which was then decreased to 5 mg, 3 days later again. With a methycobal intravenous drip of 500 ?g, treatment continued for 10 days. The patients of the treatment group were treated with chiropractic additionally, except for the therapeutic methods of the control group. The chiropractic treatment used on the individuals included local muscle loosening, attacking point, bilateral pulling of the atlantoaxial joint and continuous treatment for 10 days. The pure-tone audiometry scores and NPQ scores were compared between the two groups after completing treatment.
After the treatment, pure-tone audiometry scores and NPQ scores of the treatment group had improved respectively, which displayed significantly better results than those of the control group. In conclusion, compared with routine methods for treating individuals with cervicogenic sudden hearing loss, additional chiropractic care was determined to help improve hearing and relieve neck pain effectively.
The Side Effects of Vaccines Revealed
As a healthcare provider, Dr. Patrick Gentempo has been searching for the truth behind the effects of vaccines on the general population. When making critical decisions about you and your children�s health, it�s essential to have the correct knowledge of all medical procedures you�re being involved in, including the administration of mandatory vaccines, among others.
Identified as a disorder causing significant loss of hearing due to a spinal misalignment that causes a decrease in blood supply from the vertebral artery to the auditory system. A compression or impingement of the structures surrounding the spine can lead to various complications, however, chiropractic has demonstrated substantial benefits towards treating cervicogenic hearing loss.
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Deaf Services Unlimited gives you easy access to American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting and captioning services. They believe the best way to serve the Deaf community and provide the best interpreting services is being part of the Deaf community. This is at the core of our values.
Deaf Services Unlimited’s commitment to providing businesses, educational institutions, medical providers, and civic & cultural events with extraordinary interpreting services is hallmarked by an experience that is easy, comfortable and positive for all involved. If you�re carrying your tablet or computer, you�ve already got an interpreter with you. Take�a look at what DSU Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) can provide for your organization.
Deaf Services Unlimited is your first and only call when a customer, patient, or client who uses sign language to communicate comes to you for services.
Deaf Services Unlimited only hires nationally certified interpreters and each interpreter abides by the Code of Professional Conduct as defined by the NAD-RID Code of Professional Conduct.
We have specialists working�in legal, medical, employment, education, business and performing arts settings. DSU interpreters have interpreted at universities; insurance and financial institutions; large medical centers and small, private practices; political arenas; national seminars; law enforcement, legal and court systems; and national touring concerts and theater productions.
Deaf Services Unlimited is your expert resource for interpreting services.
Here�s what we offer:
Top quality interpreting services in American Sign Language, English-based�Sign Language and spoken English.
Nationally Certified Interpreters
Available for purchase through General Services Administration (GSA)
Coordination of services provided by our professional staff
One-time requests
Ongoing appointments
Larger community events
Video Remote Interpreting (VRI)
100% compliant
Specialties
Team Interpreting (Including Certified Deaf Interpreter Teams)
Deaf-Blind Interpreting (Includes tactile and other modes of communication)
Deaf Services Unlimited can provide help and services, such as American Sign Language interpreting as well as captioning services, to aid the Deaf community, especially when they are in need of medical and legal representation. Effective communication between two parties can help prevent confusion, properly communicating your needs to receive the care you need. The Injury Medical & Chiropractic Clinic is here the help you with these services as needed. �Dr. Alexander Jimenez takes great pride with�each patient requiring hearing assisted services�in order to understand each clinical case and provide safe, effective and comfortable treatment.
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Gathering an abundance of information from reputable directories and resources is essential to provide individuals with the appropriate knowledge and awareness to seek the best healthcare professionals in the region when needed. There are many chiropractic directories and health resources, just like the ones above, which focus on explaining procedures and diagnosis in detail as well as those that help individual’s understand which are the best recommended steps they should take if they’re ever in need.
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
The following resources have been assembled to provide you with more chiropractic wellness care information available on the internet.
Gathering an abundance of information from reputable directories and resources is essential to provide individuals with the appropriate knowledge and awareness to seek the best healthcare professionals in the region when needed.
There are many chiropractic directories and health resources, just like the ones above, which focus on explaining procedures and diagnosis in detail as well as those that help individual’s understand which are the best recommended steps they should take if they’re ever in need.
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at (915) 850-0900.
Spinal Evaluation: Every year, approximately 400 million drivers and their passengers are at a potential risk of being involved in an unfortunate automobile accident. An estimated 10 percent of these individuals will experience injuries and property damages from a car wreck every 10 years.
Fortunately, a large majority of these auto accidents only result in minimal property damages and minor injuries. However, a considerable amount of individuals who�ve suffered an affliction to their personal health and wellness may require medical involvement to determine if they�ve experienced underlying injuries or developed any possible conditions as a result of the auto collision. In fact, anyone who has been in a moderate or high velocity automobile accident should be evaluated by a spine specialist, such as a chiropractor or even an orthopedic surgeon.
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Spinal Injuries from Auto Collisions
Almost half of all spinal injuries occur due to an auto accident. High speed automobile collisions can have devastating consequences on the overall health of the spine and its surrounding structures. If the spinal cord becomes damaged, it can cause irreparable damage, even paralysis. Spinal vertebrae displacement or fractures can cause impingement or compression against the spinal cord, which may lead to focal weakness or numbness. Spinal cord contusions from a vertebral bone dislocation or fragment may cause injury to the delicate blood vessels surrounding the spine, often resulting in permanent disability.
Direct trauma to the spine caused after an individual is involved in an auto accident can result in long-term disability or paralysis if not managed effectively. If you have been in a major car accident, receiving a spinal evaluation is urgently important. While most common symptoms, including neck and back pain, can take up to 24 hours, even days and weeks to manifest, if no noticeable symptoms develop, it�s still important to seek an immediate evaluation from a qualified healthcare professional who specializes in spine care.
How Minor Accidents Can Cause Spinal Injury
Symptoms from trauma during a car wreck may not show up for hours, even days after the accident. For instance, a concussion can develop symptoms as many as 24 to 48 hours after the initial incident. Whiplash functions in the same manner. Even if you do not feel symptoms immediately after a car accident, symptoms of whiplash may eventually develop several hours to various days after the motor vehicle accident, commonly characterized by neck pain and headaches.
Whiplash is caused by a sudden, back-and-forth jerk of the head, in any direction, often caused by rear end or front end collisions. Unfortunately, half of all people who experience whiplash may have neck pain symptoms for at least one year after the accident, if not treated immediately or accordingly by a healthcare professional.
If you have symptoms such as neck pain, muscle tightness, muscle spasms, headaches focused in the back area of the head, or any difficulty moving your neck or turning your head, you may have suffered whiplash syndrome. It is fundamental to have an evaluation by a spine specialist, often referred to as a car accident doctor, a physician who is experienced in evaluating car accident injuries. Be sure to seek care from a locally experienced and qualified spine specialist, such as Dr. Dean Smith, orthopedic surgeon, to achieve the best possible care for your automobile injuries.
Dr. Dean Smith is a highly regarded, local, orthopedic surgeon who performs minimally invasive spinal surgeries for those whose option for recovery lies in this procedure. Minimally invasive spinal surgeries use a very small incision which reduces damage to surrounding tissues and muscles as compared to traditional surgical techniques. Additionally, this type of procedure can reduce pain and recovery time after the surgery. It’s important to seek the proper care for your specific needs.
Minimally Invasive Spine Seminar
Spine Surgeons for Car Accident Injury
Spine surgery is not always needed after an accident, chiropractic care and physical therapy can effectively help restore an individual�s spinal health after experiencing injury or aggravating a previous condition, however, until you are evaluated by a spine specialist, one can often not be certain. Correspondingly, not every healthcare professional has the necessary experience and qualifications to properly diagnose and treat the injuries or conditions associated with motor vehicle accidents, such as whiplash or more serious spine damages.
When seeking the most appropriate spine care after suffering an automobile accident, it�s essential to find a provider who�s had years of practice evaluating and treating those who�ve been harmed in a traffic collision. While only a small number of these patients may eventually need the services of a spinal surgeon, seeking the knowledge of the right orthopedic surgeon who can provide a comprehensive spinal evaluation to formulate an appropriate treatment plan can help provide the individual with the proper peace of mind they deserve.
Early Intervention After an Auto Injury
Being involved in an automobile accident can result in property damages and injuries, such as whiplash, which can challenge an individual’s lifestyle. Although symptoms may not immediately develop, it’s fundamental for people to receive a spinal evaluation after a traffic collision to determine the presence of any possible health complications and follow through with the proper treatment.
For more information, please feel free to contact us at�915-850-0900�.�
According to Dr. Dwight Lundell, former Chief of Staff and Chief of Surgery at Banner Heart Hospital in Arizona, people shouldn�t be taking statin drugs. �We physicians, with all our training, knowledge and authority, often acquire a rather large ego that tends to make it difficult for us to admit when we are wrong. So, here it is. I freely admit to being wrong. As a heart surgeon with 25 years of experience, having performed over 5,000 open-heart surgeries, today is my day to right the wrong with medical and scientific facts�, quoted Dr. Dwight Lundell.
His statement directly targeted the field of cardiology, disassociating the practice of prescribing medications to lower cholesterol and a diet which severely restricted fat intake. A wide number of doctors in the field of cardiology have become exposed to the teachings of numerous scientific literatures, frequently attending education seminars, all of which have persisted that elevated levels of cholesterol in the blood will generally lead to heart disease. However, this notion appears to be inaccurate.
Debating publically on the issue, Dr. David Brownstein, and others, have recognized how badly mistaken the field of cardiology can actually be. As a matter of fact, inflammation in the artery�s walls is the real cause of heart disease. In other words, if there�s no inflammation present in the body, cholesterol shouldn�t be able to accumulate in the wall of the blood vessels, which can potentially cause heart disease and strokes. If there�s not enough magnesium in the body, inflammation can occur and it�s this inflammation which can then cause cholesterol to become trapped.
Instead of statin drugs, magnesium should be the foundation drug for the prevention and treatment of heart disease, diabetes and arteriosclerosis; functioning as a natural calcium antagonist to regulate blood pressure and irregular heartbeats.
Chronic inflammation has been recorded to result after the overload of simple, highly processed carbohydrates, such as sugar, flour and all products made from them, as well as the excess consumption of omega-6 vegetable oils, such as soybean, corn and sunflower, which can be found in many processed foods. Low magnesium, however, and excessive irregular breathing, may reduce the levels of CO2 and O2 found within the body, both of which can lead to systemic inflammation.
Many healthcare professionals utilize calcium channel blockers, statin drugs and other controversial substances to lower cholesterol but their side effects can include suppressing already low levels of magnesium within the body. Magnesium is the absolute medicine for cardiologists and its pharmaceutical properties cannot compare to any other allopathic drug.
Although magnesium is readily available for its immediate use in emergency departments, its potential is rarely appreciated or harnessed. Magnesium chloride and magnesium bicarbonate are two of the most recommended forms of the substance. Magnesium chloride can be found in the form of oit and it can be used both orally and typically and magnesium bicarbonate is for oral use with all of an individual�s water.
Low Levels of Magnesium Can Harden Arteries
Dr. Russell Blaylock stated, �There is evidence that magnesium deficiencies may play an important role in atherosclerosis, also referred to as the hardening of the arteries. A research study conducted on experimental animals determined that magnesium supplementation prevented the deposit of lipids in the walls of the aorta, restricting the formation of plaque, which is a major factor in atherosclerosis.
The researchers of the study examined 29 men with an average age of 72.5 years, who experienced impaired insulin sensitivity, to conclude whether there was any relation between ionized magnesium and lipids in the blood, such as cholesterol. Conclusively, they found that the level of blood-ionized magnesium, but not total blood magnesium, corresponded closely with levels of LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol, both of which could be potentially harmful. Magnesium is a powerful anti-inflammatory component which has been expected to help prevent cholesterol from oxidizing, which is why it has been demonstrated to reduce atherosclerotic plaque in experimental animals.
Dr. Blaylock continued his research by explaining how he came across a study from 1959 that displayed several extraordinary findings regarding the interrelationship between calcium, magnesium and atherosclerosis.
Researchers acknowledged from earlier studies that feeding animals large doses of magnesium considerably reduced the amounts of lipids deposited into the valves of the left side of the heart and in the aorta. This research study not only considered the lipid deposits in the wall and valves of the heart, but also, it looked into the calcium deposits found within the kidneys, which are common in people with kidney disease associated with atherosclerosis.
More Nutrition Facts
Dr. Dwight Lundell further identified that consuming excessive amounts of omega-6 can cause the membrane of the cells to produce chemicals known as cytokines, which can directly cause inflammation in the body. The average American diet is composed of an extreme imbalance of omega-6 versus omega-3. The disproportion ratio ranges from 15:1 to as high as 30:1, in favor of omega-6. That�s an overwhelmingly large amount of cytokines which can have the potential to cause inflammation within the body. In today�s food environment, a 3:1 ratio of omega-6 versus omega-3 would be optimal and healthy as well as ideal.
There is no denying the unavoidable truth that the more prepared and processed foods we consume, the more inflammation we cause in the body. The human body was neither designed to consume nor process foods loaded with sugars and saturated in omega-6 oils. One tablespoon of corn oil can contain up to 7,280 mg of omega-6 while soybean can contain up to 6,940 mg. As an alternative, olive oil or butter from grass-fed beef may be utilized to improve an individual�s intake of these substances, helping to promote overall health and wellness.
Inflammation is a process caused when the white blood cells release a substance as an attempt to protect the body of harmful bacteria and viruses. In some instances however, inflammation can be induced by consuming unhealthy foods, which may lead to various types of complications. In fact, research studies have concluded that issues caused by increased levels of cholesterol within the body can be sourced from inflammation within the arteries.
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Dr. Alex Jimenez, El Paso chiropractor, has helped hundreds of his patients recover from injuries and/or conditions after being involved in an automobile accident or other unfortunate incident. From the first step of treatment to recommending and guiding people to the most suitable and qualified healthcare providers and legal representatives, Dr. Jimenez has supported many patients into recovery.
Find a doctor or hospital in Texas quickly and easily using the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas Provider Finder. Search for a doctor by name, location or specialty to find a doctor in your area to meet your health care needs.
When you need to find a doctor, take the time to research your options. Follow the steps to help find the doctor that meets your needs.
Make a List of Potential Doctors
Start with the network. Health plans like HMOs and PPOs use a certain group of doctors and health care professionals. This is called a provider network. Before you see a doctor, search Provider Finder� for doctors in your provider network. Register or log in to Blue Access for Members, our secure member website, for a personalized search experience based on your health plan and network.
Ask your family and friends for doctor references.
Check local resources. Check with local hospitals to see if they have a referral service. If you’re moving to a new area, ask your current doctor to help you find a qualified doctor near your new home.
Research and Narrow Your List
Ask questions. Contact the doctors on your list and ask for information about their background. Some of these questions might include:
What is the doctor’s training and education?
How long has he or she been in practice?
What is the doctor’s age and gender? (If important to you)
Is the doctor board-certified? (This requires specialty training.)
Check for complaints. Contact your state’s department of insurance and see if the doctors you are considering have had complaints filed against them.
Go online. Search online for articles and reports about the doctors you are considering.
Meet Your Doctor(s)
Meet and greet. Once you’ve narrowed your list to a handful of doctors, set up appointments so you can get to know the candidates. Bring a list of questions and be prepared to discuss any concerns. Some offices charge a small fee for a meet and greet, but it could be well worth it.
Make your choice. By now you should have a pretty good idea of your prime candidate. Save your research, just in case you decide to switch doctors later. But, if you’ve done everything outlined here, chances are you’ve found the right doctor for you!
After being involved in an unfortunate accident which causes injury or aggravates a previous condition, finding the best health provider in the region is important. Blue Cross Blue Shield has made every effort to effectively appoint individuals to the best, most appropriate doctors and hospitals, to ensure the patient finds the finest care they deserve and restore their health.
For more information on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
According to Dr. Alex Jimenez, doctor of chiropractic, aside from regularly visiting a chiropractor to ensure the spine and it’s surrounding structures are functioning accordingly, a balanced nutrition consisting of vitamin C rich food sources is essential to promote the overall health of the cells. Vitamin C supplements can also be used to help increase the levels of vitamin C in the body.
Vitamin C is naturally produced in a majority of living organisms, with the exception of guinea pigs, primates and humans. Even dogs and cats can produce their own vitamin C from the food they�ve ingested which is then metabolized into glucose.
Most animals and plants are capable of synthesizing their own vitamin C through a biochemical pathway which is dependent on 4 different types of enzymes that function to convert glucose to vitamin C. �In mammals, the glucose is extracted from stored sugar, known as glycogen. The transformation into vitamin C is produced in the liver.
Humans, on the other hand, need to consume vitamin C rich food sources to make up for what the body can�t produce on its own, otherwise, people may be at risk of developing severe health complications. In fact, glucose and vitamin C share a connection between the body�s immunity and overall cellular health. Consuming the proper levels of vitamin C is ultimately essential. The following 5 key points can help individuals effectively increase their vitamin C intake levels.
Contents
Glutathione Recycles Vitamin C
Humans lack the L-gulonolactone oxidase enzyme which is fundamental for the last step of vitamin C synthesis. For humans, a sufficient amount of vitamin C is required in order to build healthy tissue collagen and promote strong immune functions.
In the case low levels of vitamin C are reached, the body will function by recycling the oxidized version of vitamin C. This redox cycling is carried out by the master antioxidant glutathione. The vitamin C redox cycle will continue as long as there�s enough glutathione present in the body.
The Nobel prize winning chemist Linus Pauling discovered that white blood cells need very high doses of vitamin C in order to function effectively. In the late 1960�s, he developed the understanding of using high doses of vitamin C to combat the common cold. �This technique has worked effectively for many individuals; however, there is more to the story when it comes to vitamin C.
The GAA Theory
The glucose-ascorbate-antagonism, or GAA, theory was discovered in the 1970�s by Dr. John Ely, which proposed that elevated levels of glucose compete and effectively restrict vitamin C from entering cells because both of these share very similar chemical makeups. Glucose and vitamin C are dependant of the pancreatic hormone insulin and its signaling effects to enter into the cells.
The Glut-1 receptor activates in response to the production of insulin which is an important element to allow both glucose and vitamin C to enter the cell. However, because glucose is believed to have a greater affinity for the insulin receptor, the greater the content of sugar circulating the blood allows for less vitamin C to enter the cell.
White Blood Cells and Insulin Pumps
From all the other cells found within the body, white blood cells contain the most number of insulin pumps, containing up to 20 times the amount of vitamin C as any other cell. As a result, they need 50 times more vitamin C to be present inside itself than in the blood plasma to handle the oxidative stress that occurs when they encounter a pathogenic substance.
When white blood cells encounter pathogenic bacteria and viruses, they must ingest or phagocytize these organisms in order to neutralize them. �The phagocytic index measures how effective a particular white blood cell is at destroying viruses, bacteria & cancer cells. �Elevated levels of sugar in the blood can impair this phagocytic index. �As a matter of fact, a blood sugar of 120 reduces the phagocytic index by 75%.
Vitamin C and the HMP Shunt
Glucose and vitamin C, otherwise known as ascorbic acid, are also fundamental to function on the hexose monophosphate, or HMP, shunt. The HMP is a biochemical pathway that produces NADPH, a necessary substance for white blood cells utilized to create superoxide and other reactive oxygen species which oxidize and destroy pathogens.
Vitamin C activates this important shunt while glucose inhibits it. This HMP shunt also produces ribose and deoxyribose which provide important raw materials for the formation of new white blood cell RNA/DNA.
Vitamin C is ultimately essential in this process because not only does it help produce NADPH but it also regulates the quantities so the white blood cell does not create excessive oxidative stress in its attempt to protect the body.
When the immune system is under attack, it often requires a rapid production of new immune cells. If the levels of sugar in the blood are high enough to where it turns off the HMP shunt, it will subsequently reduce the quantity of RNA/DNA and the amount of new immune cells formed.
Proper Vitamin C Level Food Sources:
The current adult RDA for vitamin C is 60 mg, however, it is recommended to intake at least 200 mg from food and ideally supplement with another 500mg -1 gram daily. �In cases of chronic disease, higher dosages can be recommended by a healthcare professional.
5 Ways to Increase Your Vitamin C Levels
1) ��Avoid Sugar: For the reasons mentioned above, avoid consuming sugar as much as possible by following a nutrition plan that contains lower amounts of carbohydrates.
2) �Use Vitamin C: �Load up on high quality vitamin C that also contains bioflavonoids with it to prevent illness � Approximately 1-2 grams per day is great for supplementation.
3) �Vitamin C Rich Foods: �Consume low sugar whole food forms of vitamin C such as bell peppers, broccoli, lemon, lime, & green leafy veggies as much as possible.
4) �Intermittent Fasting: �Combining intermittent fasting with vitamin C supplementation and lemon water can be of great benefit for improving blood sugar regulation and immunity.
5) �Boost Glutathione: Natural strategies and key supplements such as super glutathione, can help boost glutathione levels in the body. �Glutathione helps to recycle vitamin C and it may be more fundamental as a supplement than vitamin C, although vitamin C can be of great benefit.
Vitamin C is a fundamental substance for optimal body health and, because human�s can�t produce it on their own, consuming vitamin C rich food sources and/or adding supplements to a balanced diet can help keep this vitamin on a healthy level. Aside from being a well-known remedy to relieve the common cold and boost immunity, vitamin C is essential towards cell health.
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
IFM's Find A Practitioner tool is the largest referral network in Functional Medicine, created to help patients locate Functional Medicine practitioners anywhere in the world. IFM Certified Practitioners are listed first in the search results, given their extensive education in Functional Medicine
