"Exhaustion", Epstein Barr Virus, Chronic Fatigue, per Dr. Oz on 2/17/10

The woman whose sister had written to the Dr. Oz show (link provided later) said it feels like carrying bowling balls around when she walks.  She appears to be 'fine' and 'well', and attractive, articulate woman with 'the lights on' in her eyes.  Her voice wavers with fighting back emotion, which makes her 'believable' and for me, I'm pleased they have chosen someone who appears so 'healthy'.  Yet is not.  Initially she said she had lost her job, a 20 year relationship and lost the joy and desire to do things.  They returned to her and this concept at the end of the segment for Dr. Oz to reiterate that the audience and 'everyone' cared about how she does, to which she responded 'I do care, and I have hope.  I won't give up hope.  I have hard days when I feel like giving up and I will not I promise'. 

And while the show had tested a whole row of people for Vitamin D and Epstein Barr, they didn't include this woman in any of it that I saw, and so I go away hoping that the woman who was nominated by her loving sister and then was so generous as to share what was very difficult for her to share actually gets some testing and treatment.  Because we all might care about her right now as we watch, but the real deal is going to be what SHE is able to pull together with her support system -- the YOU model of the home page, essentially.  Whatever her resources she puts around her, with perhaps the help of her sister or another patient advocate.  And we can hope she learned from the segment, which included the following which I'm including here for your information. 

Most people end up, by the age of 40, having had EBV but rarely know it.  EBV is what causes 'mononucleosos".  If a person has it in childhood, they might not know they have it.  (My sister, then I had it when we were 15 and 8, but our mother thought we had 'mumps', which I only found out when I had to prove I'd had mumps when going to college, and I'd not had them!  But by then I'd had chronic fatigue and my titres for EBV were through the roof, so I knew I'd had that in the past.)  There is an association with EPV and lymphoma as well, which has to do with the way blood cells that are protectors in the immune system can morph into cancern when exposed to EBV. 

Dr. Oz then shared time with Sandra Fryhofer, MD, Internist from Emory univeristy, who 'somewhat made her name' in research with vitamin D.  She said when one goes to the doctor for 'exhaustion', the first thing is to discuss lifestyle: sleep, exercise.  Then to check for anemia, diabetes, hepatitis, and thyroid disorder.  After that, screening tests for cancer, infectious disease such as Lyme, and immune diseases such as RA, lupus, MS. 

Then they turned their attention to something we've found to be a huge interest area and being called 'epidemic' in patients here in sunny western Colorado by some providers: Vitamin D.  "It is a vitamin as well as a hormone that has direct effect ont the immune system", she said.  there are Vitamin D receptors on the nerve endings, which is imporant in M.S, she said.  "So you might want to get your level checked."  About 3/4 of people are vitamin D deficient in their opinion and experience.  That's consistent with what I have learned previously via local 'integrative/functional medicine' educators as well.

How to get Vitamin D:  Foods: While we might think of milk and enriched orange juice, an 8 oz glass only has 100 IUs!  Salmon and fatty fish are good sources.  Cod liver oil is a good supplemental source.  She recommends people take 1,000 IUs of Vitam D3 per day.  THE SUN:  15 minutes in the sun per day, with sunscreen on the face and hands so as to not cause too much damage on these cosmetic areas, but by exposing the skin of the chest, arms, legs (and I might add back if you turn away from the sun for a part of the time) was what he suggested. 

Ironically, nothing about supplemental pills.  But I know I take them.  You can get a sense for what is recommended by the experts that provided the video content for Lumigrate videos by looking at the Products tab, and we provide a link to an ethical Colorado 'Vitamin Cottage' (which is now going to being called 'Natural Grocers' as they expanded over the past 50+ years).  So I don't know why they didn't include them in this segment.  I might suggest that if people want to have some top shelf training on supplements, Lumigrate's seminar on the Video tab (now $0.00, just an hour of your time to watch) is and excellent resource for people who want to learn via video seminar.   Just click on the Videos tab and follow the process!  When you think of it, if it allows you to know best what 'to do' it'll more than pay for itself in reduced supplements costs and future health costs. I also suggest people consider letting their providers know about it as this is an area many are realizing they have 'information deficit disorder' in with growing requests from the public/their patients.

This was very good to see Dr. Oz including the topic of 'exhaustion'.  

Heart disease, cancer and diabetes have been linked to Vitamin D deficiency, he says at the end.  And may I say at the end that I hope the woman who was on the show finds her way to Lumigrate and our facebook groups and fan pages and she can help us learn AND know that we care about her too!  (And have information that can help her, we'd like to think!) 

Link to Dr. Oz' website:  www.doctoroz.com

Link to the Products area that goes with the Lumigrate videos: www.lumigrate.com/page/products

Mardy's Note, 3/13/2011.  I add to please look for our podcast to appear any day now in the Podcast area of Lumigrate, currently located in Forums, the second one from the very top.  We're working with ITC Compounding and Wellness Pharmacy which has excellent quality supplements at really good prices AND expert advise of the two pharmacists Allan Jolly and Gary King.  They also do consulting with medical providers or consumers that want extensive information for a reasonable charge.  I've ordered from them online as their website has good information and then when I went to their facility I was appreciative for the opportunity to speak with Allan and Gary about what my regimen was needing and encourage people to call them.  Their website is: www.itcpharmacy.com.

There also is much good info posted by others now about Vitamin D, so Search on it from within Lumigrate.com to get the list for MORE. Our 2011/12 Cold/Flu topic focuses on vitamin D -- currently in a section way near the top so EVERYONE who comes to the forums will see it (since most everyone cares about cold/flu information no matter how well or not they are).  

I've posted something from Dr Mercola about the sun and skin and Vitamin D, as well.  And we'll have MORE soon on that topic as it's of much interest as people are learning about the SUN's importance then trying to make the best choices for their overall inside/outside health!   Live and learn!  Learn and Live Better!! ~~ Mardy