Vitamin D: best source is sunlight, treats radiation poisoning

Mercola offers this article:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/11/25/why-sunlight-is-your-best-source-of-vitamin-d.aspx

He says that a study on people with repeated respiratory infections found that cod liver oil also contains vitamin A, and that vitamin D and A compete with each other metabolically, so if you have too much vitamin A in your vitamin D supplement, you are not getting as much use out of the D. "Vitamin A and vitamin D compete for each other’s function. For example, even the vitamin A in a single serving of liver can impair vitamin D’s rapid intestinal calcium response." Mercola calls the amounts of vitamin A in the supplements "detrimental".

A separate study from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene suggests that one form of vitamin D (calcitriol, aka 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D) may be one of your body's main protections against damage from low levels of radiation. Calcitriol is the active form of vitamin D might be an appropriate protective agent before or after a low-level nuclear incident!! Calcitriol is involved in cell cycle regulation, hence affects proliferation, differentiation, encourages apoptosis and autophagy, and inhibits angiogenesis.

Peter Schiff on our Economy

As usual, this point of view is outrageous to the talking heads of the television....but it is real, just wait, time will prove him right.

Orthopedics: Elbow Conditions and Exams

LATERAL EPICONDYLITIS
--most common overuse injury of elbow (90% of elbow tendonitis)
--inflam, microscopic tears, fibrosis of the extensor carpi radialis brevis tendon
--"tennis elbow" -- from backhand, mind you
--S/Sx: PAIN: lateral elbow, w/ gripping, resisted wrist ext, forearm supination, ext of mid finger
--pain: gradual onset, intermittent
--pt may report weakness, tenderness
--dt degeneration, tendonosis, periostitis
--at jct of common extensor and lateral epicondyle of humerus
--usu no visible swelling or inflam
--AROM and PROM usu normal
--trigger points in extensors of wrist
--PROGnosis: good with conservative care (3 months or less to good as new)
--Tx: pain control, anti-inflam, rest, avoid aggrav, exercise as tolerated, ice, ultrasound, laser, splint, manip, forearm soft tissue tx, ergonomic changes
( more )

Orthopedics: Wrist Conditions and Exams

CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME
--CTS-->median nerve compression neuropathy (pinkie & 1/2 ring finger not involved)
--swelling, inflam, pressure in tunnel
--ETIO: trauma, overuse (flex, ext, gripping, keyboard), constriction (tenosynovitis of flexor tendons, RA, osteoarthritis, ganglion or neuroma) systemic conditions (diabetes, pregnancy, obesity, hypothyroid, renal dz)
--S/Sx: pain in wrist and hand, burning, numnbness and tingling in fingers, weak thumb abduction (thenar atrophy), usu worse at night, mb retrograde pain to elbow/shoulder), "flick sign"=relief by flicking wrist as if shaking down thermometer, often bilateral but greater on one side
--Tx: avoid aggrav, ice/heat, ultrasound, laser, brace, anti-inflam, local injx
--Dx: nerve conduction velocity test 84% true positive, 95% true negative
--Tx: surgical release 80% success
--Dx: Phalen's test, Tinel's sign, weak thumb abduction, thenar atrophy
( more )

Hereditary Diseases now more detectable in utero

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7742873.stm
A new serum testing technique allows researchers to compare the mothers genes with the child's, and get a better idea if the child will inherit any of several hereditary diseases. In Britain 1/25 people carries the gene for cystic fibrosis. Up until now the only way to test for CF in a fetus was amniocentesis. The new genetic testing can also detect beta thalassemia or sickle cell disease.