Cholecalciferol; Vitamin D3

Garden of Healing®
SUPPLEMENT ADVISOR

Cholecalciferol; Vitamin D3

QUESTION:

Dear Garden of Healing® Supplement Advisor:

I have heard that there are different forms of Vitamin D. Is there a preferred form?

ANSWER:

Vitamin D is an inexpensive, over-the-counter dietary supplement. There are two forms to be aware of, D3 and D2.

The most useable form of vitamin D is D3 or "Cholecalciferol", and not D2, so read your labels carefully.

Supplementing with 5,000 IU of "Cholecalciferol" or D3 every morning is a good strategy.

Many studies have concluded that D is good for people, especially those who have high insulin, prediabetes, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, pancreatitis, breast or prostate cancer and heart disease.

Low vitamin D is associated with depression, fatigue, osteoporosis, heart disease, hypertension, autoimmune disease, cancers and chronic pain.

Back in 2001, The Lancet found that infants who took 2,000 IUof vitamin D daily, experienced a lower risk of developing type 1 diabetes.


© 1996-2009 The Garden of Healing® Company. All Rights Reserved.

What can we do with a surplus of vegetables from our gardens?

Garden of Healing®
THE NOURISHED SELF

What to do with garden leftovers?

QUESTION:

Dear Garden of Healing® Nourishing Yourself:

All the housewives in my neighborhood and I plant vegetable gardens, and in the Fall we have an abundance of food; too much food, in fact. Our oversupply is so great we cannot give it away to our families and friends. We are amazed at how much food a small investment in the Spring can make, but what do we do with all this food?

ANSWER:

It's great to hear that you're all nourishing yourselves with garden bounty you planted yourselves. It is amazing how much food can be grown for only $50 to $60.

How about starting a small neighborhood organization that delivers the surplus once a week to one of the many local food banks in your town?

They always need food for distribution to people with disabilities, AIDS and the homeless.

Once you're all set nourishing yourselves you also can nourish other people in your community. It's a great way to re-connect to your community and to use it as a means to donate much-needed food to people who are not as fortunate as you.

Good luck, but you probably don't need any more good fortune than you already have going for yourselves right now.

- The Nourished Self.


© 1996-2009 The Garden of Healing® Company. All Rights Reserved.

Can Catnip be Dried?

Garden of Healing®
HERBS

Can Catnip be Dried?

QUESTION:

Dear Garden of Healing® Herbs:

I planted a bit of catnip outside this year. Will it grow back next year? Can I dry the leaves for use during the winter? And if so, how does one do this?

ANSWER:

Catnip is perennial, so it should grow back.

But, you've missed the optimum time for harvesting the leaves to dry.

The book "Herbs: 1001 Garden Questions Answered" recommends picking the leaves before the flowers bloom.

You will need to dry the leaves on a screen in a cool, well-ventilated place that's dark or at least out of direct sunlight, the book says.

You can then either chop the leaves or rub them with your fingers to release more scent.


© 1996-2009 The Garden of Healing® Company. All Rights Reserved.

Can Black Tea Lower Blood Glucose?

Garden of Healing®
DOCTOR

Can Black Tea be used to Lower Blood Glucose?

QUESTION:

Dear Garden of Healing® Doctor(s):

I have diabetes and hear alot about green tea for all that ails you. What about the benefits of black tea? Can black tea be used to lower blood glucose?

ANSWER:

Black tea may help to reduce blood glucose because it contains a compound called a polysaccharide. This compound works like the common type 2 diabetes drugs Precose and Glyset in how they slow down glucose absorption in the body. These were the results of a report in the Journal of Food Science.

Black tea contains more of this polysaccharide compound than either green or oolong tea, according to Haixia Chen and colleagues of Tianjin University, China, who conducted the study.

Whether drinking regularly brewed black tea can treat or prevent diabetes remains to be seen since the polysaccharides used in this study were not brewed, rather they were chemically extracted from the tea.


© 1996-2009 The Garden of Healing® Company. All Rights Reserved.

What's the difference between D.O.'s and M.D.'s ?

Garden of Healing®
DOCTOR

The difference between D.O.'s and M.D.'s

QUESTION:

Dear Garden of Healing® Doctor(s):

What is the difference between a D.O. and an M.D.? Can I use a D.O as a primary-care doctor?

ANSWER:

There is very little difference between them, except for a letter. Doctors of medicine and doctors of osteopathy are educated in very similar ways, except D.O.'s are trained in manipulative therapy. This involves moving and stretching a patient's joints and muscles to treat musculoskeletal complaints, such as pain in a person's neck or lower back.

This training reflects how D.O.'s also used to differ from M.D.'s in taking a more holistic approach to patient care, addressing the underlying causes as well as the symptoms of a person's medical problems.

These days, however, most M.D.'s have adopted the D.O. philosophy, virtually eliminating the difference.

If you are looking for a primary-care physician, it's more important to find someone who is board certified in either internal medicine or family medicine.

Both specialties mean the doctor is able to handle all the typical ailments you're likely to come in with.


© 1996-2009 The Garden of Healing® Company. All Rights Reserved.

Time-Release Vitamins and Supplements

Garden of Healing®
SUPPLEMENT ADVISOR

Time-Release Vitamins

QUESTION:

Dear Garden of Healing® Supplement Advisor:

What are time-release vitamins and how do they work? Are they better than regular vitamins?

ANSWER:

There's really no evidence to suggest that time-release vitamins are better than your usual multi-vitamin, multi-mineral.

Of course, getting nutrients from food is always the best way to stay healthy. Some professionals believe that if you're eating a balanced diet that includes whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies, and healthy sources of proteins, there's no reason to take vitamins at all.

If you take sufficient vitamins and minerals "time release" is not necessary.

Think of it this way; just do multiple dosing throughout the day yourself. This will save you money as time-released supplements are generally more expensive.

Some people "pulse" vitamin C throughout the week; do the same with your multi during the day.

Time-release is mostly a gimmick. Manufacturers want to differentiate their products from competitors by inferring special features that will make you more likely to purchase.

In the case of vitamins E and C; these may be more potent in their natural forms, but the difference is not significant. Some supplements, like folic acid, are actually better absorbed in their synthetic form.


© 1996-2009 Garden of Healing®. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome to Garden Quest !

Welcome to Garden Quest !