Question

Two separate lab tests have shown my vitamin B6 levels are 53.4, but they should be in the range of 5-30. I do not take any vitamin B6 supplements, but I am taking a herbal spray that contains various herbs. Could my abnormally high vitamin B6 levels be due to the herbal spray or could it be something else that is causing it?

Answer

High vitamin B6 is paralleled by a higher protein intake. Could this be what is happening? A low protein intake means there may be a deficiency in vitamin B6 – it is as simple as that.

The herbal supplement should not make a difference. If the supplement does not contain any vitamin B6, then there should not be an issue with it. You should contact the manufacturer to make sure.

Please note that the information provided is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or treat medical conditions. Consult with your medical physician regarding appropriateness of using supplements in your healing process.

Question

I have had a throat exam and found out I am allergic to grains, rice, corn and sugar. I am a protein type person. I am having a hard time finding food to eat. I was told by the doctor to eat 85% protein 10% vegetables and 5% carbohydrates. Can you help?

Answer

A super food to concentrate on is quinoa (a seed native to South America originally). Millet is also a low reaction food that is totally nutritious. Quinoa is particularly high in protein, so may be really suited to you and versatile in the kitchen. You should have more of a look on internet for suitable recipes.

The question is, are you a vegetarian or meat eater? I recommend finding a nutritionist who is prepared to give you some sample daily menus so you can plan a proper eating regime with these tough restrictions.

In Canberra, Australia we have a whole bakery devoted to quinoa, soya and tapioca.

The other approach is to get a session from a Bodytalk practitioner in your area to assess and treat your digestive system (and possibly other bodily systems), to find the real cause of your food intolerances.  You have to look outside the square, as everything in your body is linked to everything else.

Please note that the information provided is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or treat medical conditions. Consult with your medical physician regarding appropriateness of using supplements in your healing process.

Question

My child is 5 months old she has mild eczema – face, scattered on belly, back and arms. She is being breastfed only. What could I have been I eating that could contribute to her skin condition? Are there any foods that I should avoid? What are solanaceous foods?

Answer

Try taking Omega 3 in the form of “Pure” fish oil or organic flaxseed oil yourself, to help deal with your daughter’s intolerances.

Wheat and dairy (cow’s milk) are common reactionary foods. It is wise to avoid these foods during pregnancy, as there is evidence that they may contribute to the development of asthma and eczema in the child. Always supplement with omega 3 during pregnancy, as this may prevent allergies in the future.

You can also try to eat foods high in Omega 3 fatty acids, which are mainly oily fish such as salmon and trout. You should review the information on omega 3 fatty acids to learn more about this vital nutrient.

In addition to this, recent studies show that mothers who have a diet that closely follows the Mediterranean diet, tend to have children who are less at risk for developing allergies, eczema, dermatitis. This diet correlated the mother’s diet to the child’s risk for a number of allergic conditions such as eczema. A Mediterranean diet is one which recommends plenty of vegetables, legumes, wholegrains, fish (high source of omega 3 fatty acids).

Solanaceous foods are those foods which belong in the nightshade family – eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes.

Please note that the information provided is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or treat medical conditions. Consult with your medical physician regarding appropriateness of using supplements in your healing process.

Question

I am in my 60’s and recent x-rays have shown an arthritic right hip. How can I best prevent this from further deterioration and what supplements can help to repair cartridge?

Answer

The two main and best supplements recommended by doctors and alternative health practitioners alike for arthritis, are chondroitin and glucosamine. Chondroitin is a component of carriage, while glucosamine plays an important role in cartilage formation and repair.

The chondroitin and glucosamine supplements are available in chemists (pharmacies) and health food stores (and even some supermarkets). Try a good brand. Most of the arthritis supplementation includes both chondroitin and glucosamine together in the one tablet.

Another supplement that may help with the pain of arthritis is the essential fatty acid – Omega 3 supplements. Omega 3 may ease the pain of joint inflammation, as well as assisting with better blood flow to all areas of the body.

A good all-round multi-vitamin could be a good idea to start too.

There are some foods which can exacerbate the pain and inflammation of arthritis – some people do better not eating food from the nightshade family (potato, eggplant, tomato, peppers, capsicum), others do better reducing their level of protein from animal sources, while yet others do better avoiding dairy. You should try to monitor how you feel when you eat certain types of foods to try to help you get a better outcome.

Make sure you talk to you doctor before you start taking any type of supplement, to ensure it does not impact on any other medication you are taking or any other condition you may have.

Always follow the dosage instructions on the supplement label and do not take more than is recommended.

Please note that the information provided is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or treat medical conditions. Consult with your medical physician regarding appropriateness of using supplements in your healing process.

Question

I am 5’5″ (1.65m) and weight one 138 pounds (63kg). I would like to weigh 125 pounds (57kg). How many calories should I eat a day?

Answer

I am assuming you are female and would like to lose a little weight judging from your height and weight.

If you would like to lose weight, the easiest way to do this is to exert a little more energy than you take in. You can do this through either diet or exercise, but a combination of diet and exercise is the best way to achieve weight loss.

Our recommended calorie intake shows the amount of calories you need to eat each day for each age group (and gender). Use this as a starting point for your weight loss plan.

Your diet should aim to include high quality protein at every meal, so that your body can get enough of the amino acids it requires to function properly and to help you burn fat – the more lean tissue you have, the more your body will burn fat, even when you are resting, compared to someone with less lean tissue. Our dietary guidelines show exactly what is considered to consist of a good diet – this is a guide only.

You should aim for 1-2 kg (2-4 pounds) of weight loss each week, in order to maintain this long-term.

Please note that the information provided is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or treat medical conditions. Consult with your medical physician regarding appropriateness of using supplements in your healing process.

Question

I am really finding it hard to work out what supplements my family and I need. We all eat well, but I think maybe not all the required nutrients are absorbed from our food and maybe we do not eat enough fruit and vegetables. I would also know what supplements should be taken together and which ones apart. I take a good multivitamin supplement but I am not sure if I need more of specific nutrients.

Answer

You seem like you are doing everything right to keep yourself and your family healthy. If you eat a lot of natural foods (especially vegetables and fruits), plus whole grains, low fat dairy and protein, plus some good fats each day, then you are going a long way to preventing ill health and disease. Exercise should also be a regular feature of your daily activities. Taking a multivitamin supplement will only boost your levels of nutrients if they are too low or deficient in some way.

If you would like to know your levels of the vitamins and minerals, you can do a variety of blood tests, which your medical practitioner can organise for you. You can also do a hair analysis which tests for a variety of nutrients and also any heavy metals or other detrimental factors in your body. This test can be organised by an alternative health practitioner.

• Recommended daily intake of all the vitamins
• Recommended daily intake of all the minerals
• Recommended daily intake of all the amino acids

The pages above also list the tolerable upper levels of these nutrients, so you can see what is the potential maximum for each.

Just remember, with most water soluble vitamins, if your body does not require them, they are normally excreted through the urine. But, the fat soluble vitamins are stored in the fat cells, so can have a potentially negative effects if too high levels are taken over a long time. Please check the levels of all the supplements you take.

Please note that the information provided is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or treat medical conditions. Consult with your medical physician regarding appropriateness of using supplements in your healing process.

Question

I am interested in my 26yr old son trying GABA. He has a totally controlled epilepsy, on Tegretol, but has a tendency to early sleep ‘startles’, like a tendency to have a mild seizure. What dose would you suggest for GABA and is it worth trying please?

Answer

Taking a GABA amino acid supplement is not worth it, especially when your son is already on Tegretol.

Tegretol or Carbamazepine affect the GABA receptors in the brain, so taking more GABA, is still not going to get through. GABA may not even cross the blood- brain barrier.

The body actually synthesises its own GABA from glutamate using glutamic acid, another non-essential amino acid which occurs in proteins. Due to the fact that glutamic acid is “non-essential”, the body actually recycles this amino acid. Therefore, it doesn’t really matter if the diet is low in dietary protein as the body can create its own.

Please note that the information provided is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or treat medical conditions. Consult with your medical physician regarding appropriateness of using supplements in your healing process.

Question

I’m wondering about people taking several vitamins and adding GABA amino acids to that as well. Would a GABA amino acid supplement be necessary for someone not eating a lot of proteins?

Answer

GABA is a non-essential amino acid, so it can be created in the body from the other essential amino acids. It’s probably not necessary to supplement with GABA unless you have a specific deficiency of that particular amino acid.

You need to eat protein foods at each meal to ensure you get enough of the essential amino acids. The protein article on this site explains the necessity of eating protein. If you do not eat meat, there are vegetarian alternatives which will ensure you get all the necessary essential amino acids.

If you do not eat much protein, you should try to find a supplement that includes all the 9 essential amino acids. Talk to your doctor about supplementation. If you lack the essential amino acids in your diet, you are at risk of ill health.

Please note that the information provided is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or treat medical conditions. Consult with your medical physician regarding appropriateness of using supplements in your healing process.

Question

I was reading your article about isoleucine and it states that high doses of isoleucine may cause some side effects. I was hoping you could show me how much isoleucine (as a supplement) would be considered a high dose?

Answer

Isoleucine is one of the essential amino acids, which means we need to take it in the form of the food we eat each day. Most people generally get enough isoleucine from their diet,, but some people can become deficient and may need to supplement their diet.

If you want to take an isoleucine supplement, the RDA is 12 mg per kg of your weight (adults).

eg: a 90kg man = 12 mg/kg* 90kg = 1080mg = 1.08g

The upper limit is set at 5-10g, but some people may not need to reach that level to experience some side effects.

As isoleucine is an essential amino acid, it does not appear to have many dangerous side effects, but any supplementation should be taken at the lower dosage first and increased as long as you do not experience an adverse reaction. You should always inform your doctor about all the supplements you take, so they are aware of this and can advise you according to your particular situation.

Please note that the information provided is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or treat medical conditions. Consult with your medical physician regarding appropriateness of using supplements in your healing process.