Who is at fault?

I recently overheard a discussion about a young man who injured his foot under a fairly unusual set of circumstances. He suffered a broken foot, the fracture being just below the ankle on the outside of the foot, however it was the way in which he broke the ankle that was the focus of the conversation. Specifically, some interesting questions about who is liable and/or responsible for picking up the tab for the young man's medical expenses, which included a visit to the emergency room, to office visits with an orthopedist with at least one more scheduled, x-rays, a cast, crutches and an Aquashield water-proof cast protecter (a device used to keep casts from getting wet while showering and/or from rain).

The young man was enjoying some adult beverages with his friends at a one of the popular establishments in the college town in which he lives (he is a 21 year old senior in college, for what it's worth). When closing time rolled around, a bar employee hastily ushered everyone out of the high-ceiling second-floor establishment and onto the staircase leading to the exit. This created a crowd of people near the top of the staircase.

One of the more inebriated gentlemen towards the back of the pack stumbled, creating a domino effect of people tumbling down the stairs. The young man who sustained the broken foot was positioned toward the front of the pack when the collision occurred, and sustained the injury during the fall - possibly due in part to the weight of the other people who fell on top of him as his foot was positioned awkwardly due to the fall.

The question that was being debated was whether or not the bar should be held liable for the young man's medical expenses incurred as a direct result of the injuries he sustained in a fall that occurred under circumstances in which an unsafe number of people were herded onto a staircase by employees of the establishment. Does the fact that employees of the establishment in a sense were responsible for the crowd at the top of the stairs that prompted the fall render them liable for the medical bills for injuries to patrons hurt in the fall?

At first glance, this seems like a fairly easy question. However, there are other factors that could have contributed to the man's broken foot. For example, was the man getting sufficient amounts of calcium, vitamin d3 and magnesium through his diet and/or supplements? It has long been established that these three nutrients help to built and maintain strong, healthy bones, and that deficiencies of any and/or any combination of the three renders one more vulnerable to osteoporosis, broken bones and a host of other diseases and conditions, especially in the case of vitamin d3 (the form of the vitamin obtained through sunlight and more recently supplements). It has been shown that when people are deficient in vitamin d, the likelihood they'll be stricken with a whole host of diseases, illnesses and other health maladies skyrockets.

Can it be proven that the injury occurred in the fall? Does it have to be proven outright, or would overwhelming circumstantial evidence be sufficient to win a decision in court?

All-in-all, is the young man responsible for footing the entire bill for the more than one thousand dollars in medical expenses incurred as a result of the fall, or should the establishment at which the injury occurred pay for some or all of the man's expenses?

I welcome any and all input from those qualified to answer a question such as the one posed here.

Vitamin D3 and Chronic Hair Loss

Vitamin D3 May Help Reverse Chronic Hair Loss

By: Peter Egan

Chronic Telogen Effluvium: Can Vitamin D3 Reverse It?

A particularly interesting post appeared on the Vitamin D3 blog Wednesday, April 24, 2013. Unlike the other articles and news stories detailing scientific research and clinical trials in terms normal people can understand, this post was actually a lengthy comment submitted by a reader in response to an article confirming a link between vitamin D deficiency and alopecia, a form of premature hair loss.

The lady detailed her experience with Chronic Telogen Effluvium, a hair loss condition considered to be among the most severe, with little known about the condition, its cause or how to fix it.

According to "Elle", she had tried every solution under the sun to try to regrow her hair after being diagnosed with chronic telogen effluvium to no avail. She checked her own records from all of the blood tests she'd had conducted over the years, and was shocked to learn that despite her doctor(s) never once mentioning anything of the sort, her vitamin D levels were alarmingly low in each test in which they were measured.

For the past three months, she has been on an intensive vitamin D3 supplement regimen, and claims that her hair has not only stopped falling out, but also has started to grow back.

Good Doctors vs Bad Doctors

In my experience growing up in a family that eats, sleeps and breathes healthcare and medicine (father owns several healthcare-related companies; mother is a primary care nurse practitioner and is also the owner of a Covington skin care spa; and a sister who is a MD (ENT, to be specific), I have a few thoughts about an article I came across at About.com about (no pun intended) how to distinguish good doctors from the not-so-good ones. I take exception to the title of the article, which is why I will refrain from using it here.

The article mentions a survey that was obviously conducted in such a way that doctors would appear to be dishonest creeps once the results were in. Not surprisingly, the survey was conducted by Massachusetts-based researchers, most affiliated with Harvard University.

I'd like to see the context and the way in which the questions were presented and phrased before taking any statistics from the study at face value. There surely must have been more information provided to the doctors surveyed than the minimal information reported in the 'Patients.About' article. No doctor would answer the questions supposedly asked without context. The author of the piece included a link to the abstract, but offered nothing by way of details in terms of the use "gotcha!" questions in conducting the survey.

"Good" Nurse Practitioner Pam Egan

That said, I somewhat agree with the 6-point plan for patients proposed as a solution to a problem the article claims exists (although this author has his doubts about the size, scope and nature of the problem, if it even exists at all). The alleged problem is doctor dishonesty, and the six-point plan suggests such things as seeking second opinions, trusting one's intuition and urging patients to not 'put up with arrogant doctors...'. To read the entire piece, see the above link (for more practical reading, continue on with this piece).

To begin, there is this thing called Google these days, and anyone in the civilized world can use it to access any information that exists in the world to be presented at the user's fingertips at the speed of light. Anyone taking a medication for which the person has any questions, it never hurts to do a little self-research to compliment the information provided by the doctor and/or manufacturer of the drug.

Additionally, intuition is an extremely important and often overlooked component of finding the best doctors. If you feel uncomfortable around your doctor, it's probably not because he or she is wearing a white coat and has loads of credentials that may make he or she appear to be some sort of authority figure to some patients. If one feels uncomfortable around his/her doctor, there's probably a good reason --- even if one cannot pinpoint the exact source of the discomfort.

Patients should always ask about treatment options. If a doctor does not provide all or at least most of the credible information available via the internet, it may be time to either ask the doctor the reason why he or she omitted one of more treatment options for whichever condition or disease the patient was diagnosed. If the answer is unsatisfactory, it may be time to find a new doctor.

I would take patient reviews of physicians with a grain of salt. As a business owner, I am well aware of the myriad of tactics, tricks and paid services businesses (inevitably including some physicians, clinics and other healthcare professionals) use to artificially control and/or manipulate their own respective reputations. This may come in the form of reviewing oneself under a different name, or exchanging friendly reviews with other businesses, professionals, etc. Other tactics include writing false negative reviews of competing businesses/professionals and paying companies to manage reputation. A number of companies have cropped up over the past 18 months purporting to specialize in "reputation management", for what its worth.

Furthermore, there are myriad reasons why a legitimate customer may leave a disproportionately negative review of a company or individual. Some customers, clients and patients lack the degree of honesty and integrity necessary to be credible when writing a review of a business, person or organization. Just look at this example of an incident involving a couple of scam artists and a used bedside commode.

I wouldn't seek a second opinion unless the health or medical issue/condition/disease was very serious, or if I intuitively felt as though the doctor was (or may be) wrong.

I wouldn't attempt to self-diagnose, which is essentialy what differential diagnosis is when conducted by the patient; but I would research the symptoms. If another condition seemed more plausible than the diagnosis issued by the physician, then it would be time to seek a second opinion.

One final means of weeding out bad doctors is to talk with them about nutrition. The days of reactionary 20th Century medicine are over. The amount of research that has been conducted involving the relationship between nutritional deficiencies and propensity for disease is staggering, and probably more than double the amount of such information available just ten years ago when vitamin D supplements contained a plant-based form of the nutrient that is not well absorbed by humans (vitamin D2, ergocalciferol), but which is cheaper to produce than the more bioactive (readily absorbed for use by the body) form used in most supplements today (vitamin D3, cholecalciferol).

21st Century physicians should not be averse to discussing the role of nutrition in the big picture of one's overall health. The information is readily available, and slowly but surely the stigma long assiciated with doctors, nurse practitioners and other healthcare professionals making claims regarding nutrition (or the lack thereof) as a contributing factor to disease are (or at least should be) long over. The peer pressure physicians face with regard to the role of nutrition in medicine has started to subside in recent years, and a genuinely good primary care, family/general practice doctor who is well informed will ask his or her patients if they'd like to have a blood test conducted to measure one's nutrient levels in order to identify any potentially harmful deficiencies.

Be very wary of those general/family practice and/or primary care doctors who either won't speak in depth about the role of nutrition towards overall health, or who pooh-pooh the notion that vitamins and supplements can help to prevent disease and/or other health maladies.

Following the advice outlined above should help patients find a good doctor who is trustworthy as well as informed.

What is Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol), and Why is it Important?

Vitamin D3 - Cholecalciferol

Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) - The Nutrient of the Century

Vitamin D3 is a form of vitamin D. It is also referred to as cholecalciferol and calciol. Cholecalciferol is the raw form of the nutrient that humans obtain through exposure to sunlight. Calciol is the form the nutrient takes after it has been processed for use by the body.

Vitamin D3 is a secosteroid and a fat-soluble hormone. It is structurally similar to steroids such as testosterone, cholesterol and cortisol.

Humans can obtain vitamin D3 is a variety of different ways. First, the nutrient is naturally present in certain foods such as eggs and cold water fish such as mackerel, salmon and sardines. The primary means through which humans ingest vitamin D3 is direct exposure to sunlight, hence why it is commonly referred to as the "sunshine vitamin." Individuals who cannot obtain enough vitamin D3 through sun exposure and diet are advised to take a high-quality vitamin D3 supplement.

It is important for those who take vitamin D supplements to make sure the supplements they are taking are of vitamin D3 and not vitamin D2. Vitamin D2, also known as ergocalciferol, is made from plant-based materials. It is synthetic, and is not as bioavailable (also known as "bioidentical") as is D3. Cholecalciferol is five-times (or 500%) more bioavailable than Ergocalciferol, which means that D3 is converted into a usable form by the body at a rate five times faster than is the case with D2.

Vitamin D3 supplements have been shown to help to prevent a laundry list of diseases and illnesses.

Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D deficiency, also known as vitamin D insufficiency, is a condition involving chronically low levels of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol in the blood.

Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with an increases propensity for diagnosis of more than 30 different diseases, illnesses and health problems.

The complete list of diseases and ailments linked to vitamin D deficiency is below:

• Breast Cancer
• Skin Cancer
• Prostate Cancer
• ADHD
• Alzheimer's
• Autism
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Allergies
• Parkinson's Disease
• Depression
• AIDS
• Fibromyalgia
• Rickets
• Influenza
• H1N1 Flu
• Various Autoimmune Disorders
• Osteoporosis
• Lung Transplant Rejection
• Asthma
• Childhood Obesity
• Chronic Pain
• Tooth Loss
• Gingivitis
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Arterial Stiffness
• Metabolic Syndrome
• Heart Disease
• High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Lupus
• Psoriatic Arthritis

For more information about diseases associated with vitamin D deficiency, please see the article about vitamin D deficiency appearing at the Vitamin D3 Blog.

Video: What is Vitamin D Deficiency?

Additional Vitamin D3 Resources

• Vitamin D3 Questions
  Forum for the discussion of topics related to Vitamin D, and in particular, Vitamin D3. If you have any questions pertaining to cholecalciferol (D3), this is the place to ask them and get them answered promptly.
• Information About Vitamin D3 - Cholecalciferol
  Vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol, is a specific form of vitamin D that humans and other animals generate as a byproduct of exposure to sunlight. The nutrient is sometimes classified as a "fat-soluble hormone".

Vegan Blogger Misleads Readers About Vitamin D

The ease of publishing on the web has granted a new, powerful voice to millions of people around the world who were previously restricted to communicating amongst those within speaking distance.

As with any technological breakthrough, most people will use the technology for good or at the very least benign purposes. However, as with any technology, blog publishing has its share of individuals who use it for, shall we say, less than benign purposes.

This brings me to Ginny Messina, some crackpot vegan blogger who likes to write about health and nutrition-related topics. She no doubt enjoys the platform and the subject matter, however she is woefully lacking in credibility and credentials, a fact that became painfully obvious during a recent post on her blog (not named here due to my policy of not linking to agents of misinformation).

In the post, Messina was blabbing about fat-soluble hormones. Vitamin D is considered to be a fat-soluble hormone as well as a vitamin.

As most readers here are aware, I am something of an expert on the subject of vitamin D, and there may be no one more qualified to speak about the subject than my mother Pam (whose abbreviations are too many to list here).

One of Messina's readers cited a paragraph from the Vitamin D3 Blog in the comments section of her post about fat-soluble hormones. In an attempt to dismissively undermine what she perceived to be a blogger in competition with herself, she flat-out lied to the reader in an effort to contrast the post from the Vitamin D3 Blog --- a blog whose authors are fully qualified to discuss matters such as the one I'm about to get into.

Ginny Messina told her reader that no significant difference between vitamin D2 and D3 exists. This is flat-out incorrect, and could not be any further from the truth. She then went on to insult the authors of the post being cited by the reader in suggesting they were "confused" about the subject.

Well, I happen to know for a fact that said authors are far more qualified to be speaking on matters such as vitamin D2 vs. D3 than some vegan crackpot with no particular educational or clinical qualifications. Messina is dead-wrong in her assertions about vitamin D3, and for that she is being heretoforth called out.

Vitamin D3 is indeed a more bioavailable and otherwise superior form of vitamin D than D2. This is true in spite of whatever uninformed crackpot bloggers like Ginny Messina have to say about it.

Ginny, I suggest you start to read up on the topics you blog about before you around spouting off a bunch of misinformation, lies and dismissive rhetoric that directly contradicts the scientific findings of every single study that has every been conducted on the topic. You're out of your element, and you would be doing your readers a service by ceasing to blog about matters which you know nothing about.

Endocrine Society Emphasizes Vitamin D3 Supplementation

Endocrine Society Emphasizes Vitamin D3 Supplementation

The Endocrine Society has published a new set of recommendations regarding daily vitamin D3 intake. In the recommendation, which was published in the June online edition of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, the organization essentially recommends that almost everyone participate in a daily vitamin d supplement regimen. The amount of the nutrient taken by each person would depend on the person's age and his or her potential risk of developing vitamin D deficiency.

The research that led to the mass-recommendation noticed that vitamin D deficiency was widespread across all age groups, hence why the organization issued a broad recommendation that everyone supplement with vitamin D, and with those most vulnerable to deficiency directed to take the highest dosages.

Vitamin D deficiency is a health condition in which a person's blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, also known as calcifediol, are severely depleted for a recurring or prolonged period of time. The condition can contribute to the development and/or worsening of more than two dozen illnesses and various medical conditions.

The condition can be corrected by taking two specific measures:

1. Make it a point to sunbathe whenever possible, soaking up as much of the sun's rays as is possible without overdoing it. Let your body tell you when you've had enough, unless you've been drinking alcohol, in which case you will want to return to the shade after a predetermined period of time so as to make sure you're not being overexposed.
2. Take a daily, high-quality and high-potency vitamin D3 supplement.

The latter of the two options comes with the least amount of associated risk. While vitamin D3 toxicity is always a remote possibility, it is highly uncommon and should not be a concern so long as you take the supplement according to your doctor's instructions.

Vitamin D3 is available from some food sources like eggs and milk, but in order to obtain the amount recommended by the Endocrine Society a person should be sunbathing and/or supplementing in addition to eating a diet rich in D3.

Vitamin D2 is not as effective or efficient a form of the nutrient as is D3. Ideally, when shopping for vitamin D3 supplements, consumers will be diligent to check the labels to see what form of vitamin D the supplement contains. The recommendation of this author is to go with D3 instead of D2 whenever possible.

Domain Name PanaxGinseng.net Sells

I am pleased to announce that PanaxGinseng.net has been purchased in a private sale that is being brokered by Sedo. The domain fetched $775 before commission.

While I personally feel that it might be worth up to $3,000, I agreed to accept the offer for a variety of reasons. These include the fact that my domain portfolio has become a little too top-heavy, the fact that I had no immediate plans to develop the domain, as well as the fact that the overhead for maintaining such a large portfolio is becoming prohibitively burdensome in this tough economy.

In the coming weeks and months, I plan to begin aggressively marketing about 200 of the names in my portfolio in hopes of trimming down on the number of domains I hold that I don't plan to develop in the near future. If you're looking to add inventory, or if I just happen to have a domain name you want, now would be a good time to submit an offer on it.

Full Story: Panax Ginseng Domain Name Has Sold

Vitamin D3: It's More Important Than You Think

Vitamin D3: It's More Important Than You Think

Vitamin D3, also known as (cholecalciferol), is the most bio-available form of Vitamin D, which is essential for skin, bone and immune health.

Vitamin D3 is far more important to every day health and the prevention of long-term illness than a vast (but rapidly shrinking) majority of people currently understand. In moderation, the sun can be both extremely therapeutic as well as a major force helping to ward off illness. Of course, you don't want to overdo it. As we all know, too much sun exposure can be hazardous to your health and to your skin.

It has long been established that supplementing with Vitamin D3 may help lower blood pressure and cholesterol in patients struggling with high levels of either and/or both.

Vitamin D3 is the single most important vitamin for bone health. It plays a vital role in the synthesis of calcium and magnesium in the bones. A few of the many, many diseases resulting from Vitamin D Deficiency are rickets, osteoporosis and heart disease.

I personally do not supplement with D3 during the summer months when I wear as little as possible when outdoors (I have relatively dark skin for a white guy, and I generally do not burn). However, come winter, Vitamin D3 is a daily staple and a major part of my nutritional supplementation regimen.

Worldwide Interest in Vitamin D3 Soaring

Worldwide Interest in Vitamin D3 Soaring

In light of new research that shed light on the myriad health benefits offered by Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol), the mainstream news media as well as scientific journals have finally caught on to this groundbreaking research, leading to an exponential swelling of public interest in the topic.

Esteemed Nurse Practitioner and Health Columnist Pamela Egan has been years ahead of the curve in making known the medical and scientific facts underlying the health miracle that is Vitamin D3 for quite some time now (at least several years now). She has written numerous articles appearing on many different websites (including her own - PamelaEgan.com), as well as in newspapers, magazines and health journals describing the differences between D3 and other forms of the nutrient, as well as why the former is so far superior to the latter.

Nurse Practitioner Egan has been on the forefront of Vitamin D3 research and deserves to be credited as a pioneer in the media, writing years ago what the medical establishment has only recently began to recognize and accept as fact, which has been partially responsible for the swelling of interest in the topic over the past few months.

Shown below is a 'Google Insights' graph, depicting the swelling of interest surrounding the topics of the benefits offered by naturally healthy levels of Vitamin D3 and the dangers of Vitamin D3 Deficiency over the course of the past six years (when Pam first began writing on the topic).