NOTE: I no longer support the Vitamin A as poison theory. I do not recommend it to anyone, especially children. All information in this article is purely to help you understand what it is based on. It is possible to get too much Vitamin A by overdosing supplements or liver. But that doesn’t happen often and can be quickly remedied if it does by stopping the supplements. Vitamin A from animal sources (retinol) is an essential part of a nourishing diet. Beta Carotene can cause carotenemia (as my son had) but will not overload the body with Vitamin A. Retinol is required for regulating both copper and iron. I encourage you to research and make your own decisions. You can read our update/why we turned and ran from the Vitamin A Detox Diet HERE.
Are There Vitamin Impostors?
I will preface this by saying that you need to have an open mind. Forget what you know about nutrition for just a moment and listen.
We’ve all been taught since grade school that we need vitamins. They are important for our health. There are water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins (A, B, C, D, E, K, etc.). There are lots of important minerals as well (calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, etc.). We get these vitamins and minerals from our food. Our bodies use them to function well. Pretty straight forward.
But what if I told you there were a couple impostors in that list?
It is well-documented that Vitamin D is actually not a vitamin. It is a hormone. [source] Yet, people are supplementing with “Vitamin” D left and right. Somehow we’ve been told that everyone is Vitamin D deficient. Here’s a little secret…you’re not! And if your Vitamin D truly is low (you can find out with a blood test), supplementing is not the solution. A low level of Vitamin D (low is below 25 ng/dL. Ideal is 25-40 ng/dL…don’t think you need sky high Vitamin D levels) is an indicator that something is not working properly in your body (often times a Vitamin C deficiency). So you need to figure out what that is and fix it. Supplementing is like putting on a band aid. It might change your symptoms, but it’s not actually fixing anything. Here is what is actually happening.
Supplementing with Vitamin D is like taking hormone replacement therapy. And people are doing it to their children!! Even infants. Vitamin D drops, cod liver oil, multi-vitamins. You don’t need it. The excess fills your liver and then gets stored in your tissues (joints, digestive tract, kidneys, skin, etc.). You wouldn’t give your baby estrogen or testosterone drops. So why give hormone D drops?
Think about DHEA. Most people consider it good for health…but that doesn’t mean we call it a vitamin!
Isn’t Vitamin D Good For Your Bones?
Wrong again. Actually quite the opposite. One of the roles of Vitamin D is to maintain calcium levels in the blood…not the bones [source]. So it does whatever it takes to maintain that balance, including drawing calcium from your bones. All that extra Vitamin D you’re taking displaces the calcium in your bones. So if you want to guarantee that you have weak bones and teeth and that you will develop osteoporosis, keep taking Vitamin D supplements. Or keep drinking tons of Vitamin D fortified milk…and see if you develop arthritis or kidney stones.
Ok, that was kind pf a tangent. I just wanted to give you an example of a common health claim that is totally bogus. This post is really not about Vitamin D. It does relate to the rest of the post, though. If you want to learn more here are some great articles.
- Why Don’t Vitamin D Supplements Work as Expected
- Should You Really Be Taking Calcium and Vitamin D Supplements?
- These Two Supplements Can Hurt More than Help Your Bones
- Vitamin A: Bone Poison?
Is Vitamin A Really a Vitamin?
Now for the real heart of the matter. Vitamin A. Is it really a vitamin?
Let me start at the beginning.
After my fourth was born I started having some odd symptoms. I was already experimenting with my diet to help my nursling feel better and nurse better. So I was very observant of how I felt and how he felt in relation to what I ate.
I started noticing the symptoms appeared when I ate desiccated liver. That was odd. I’ve always thought liver was a super food loaded with nutrients (like Vitamin A and D). Knowing that it is one of the highest sources of Vitamin A I started to wonder if you could get too much Vitamin A.
I stopped eating liver and felt a little better. Ok. Maybe I didn’t need it or I wasn’t tolerating it. No big deal.
Then I happened to see this post from Matt Stone…all about Vitamin A. Good timing I thought. It was interesting. And helped me decide to stop the desiccated liver completely. Back to my crazy life trying to figure out why my kids won’t eat.
Then I saw Dr. Garrett Smith, ND post on Facebook about how Vitamin A is toxic. I started following him a few years ago at the suggestion of my Nutritional Therapy Practicioner (NTP), but hadn’t seen any posts from him in well over a year (and you know how picky Facebook is…why would I happen to see this one?).
I watched one of his videos and thought it was interesting, but a little out there. Carrots and spinach are bad for you? Avoid egg yolks? I don’t know about that. Those are super nutritious!
I was elbow deep researching histamine intolerance and methylation. So I focused on that and figured I’d ignore the Vitamin A stuff. It just sounded a little too strange for me.
Breastfeeding Challenges
At the same time my son continued to struggle with breastfeeding. My four-year old was not doing well either. She had an eye infection, followed by a month of full body hives and then stomach aches and poor appetite. She was back to hardly eating. It was getting so bad we had her pediatrician order a bunch of blood work.
I was praying daily for wisdom. I was on a low histamine diet since many of my symptoms match histamine intolerance. But I knew that was just a temporary fix. Not a true solution.
God Gives Wisdom if You Ask!
Over the next few weeks I saw daily posts about Vitamin A toxicity. I tried to ignore it. But God wouldn’t let me. It was on the top of my feed every time I got on Facebook. Ok, ok. I’ll listen to the information.
And that started our new journey of healing. The more I read and listened, the more it made sense.
And it explained all of my symptoms, all of my son’s symptoms and every other feeding challenge we have faced over the last ten years. Every. Single. One.
What is Vitamin A Toxicity?
So this is where I’m starting (hopefully you made it this far to get to the heart of the post!). Today I’m telling you a little bit about Vitamin A Toxicity (Hypervitaminosis A) and giving you some resources in case you want to dig in for yourself. If you want to hang back and just watch how it goes for us, that’s fine too. I’m not trying to tell you what to do. I’m just giving you the information.
And I will forewarn you…once you read about it you can’t unread it. And it could change your views on health and nutrition forever.
A quick Dr. Google search will tell you that hypervitaminosis A is a real condition[source]. You can have hypervitaminosis of any vitamin (true vitamin or substance called a vitamin) really. Yes, hypervitaminosis D is very real too! The list of symptoms hypervitamimosis A is lengthy. It includes:
- Drowsiness
- Irritability
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Increased pressure on the brain/headaches
- Blurry vision or other vision changes
- Swelling of the bones
- Bone pain
- Poor appetite
- Dizziness
- Sensitivity to sunlight
- Dry, rough skin
- Itchy or peeling skin
- Cracked fingernails
- Skin cracks at the corners of the mouth
- Mouth ulcers
- Yellowed skin (jaundice)
- Orange skin (carotenemia)
- Hair loss
- Respiratory infection
- Confusion
- Softening of the skull bone
- Bulging of the soft spot on the top of an infant’s skull
- Double vision
- Bulging eyeballs
- Inability to gain weight
- Coma
- Fluid-filled cysts
- Autoimmune disease
- Autism
- ADD/ADHD
- Picky eater/refusal to eat
- Oily skin and hair
- Osteoporosis
- Eczema
- Food intolerance/food allergy
- Cradle cap
- Asthma
Did you catch all that? Crazy, huh? And those aren’t even all of them.
Another search will tell you that pregnant women should not get too much Vitamin A because it can cause birth defects. I wish I had known that! Sadly I listened to the WAPF pregnancy guidelines that claims you shouldn’t worry about too much Vitamin A. Just one example of something they got SO wrong.
Where Does Vitamin A Come From?
Vitamin A is found in many common “healthy” foods today:
- sweet potatoes
- carrots
- liver
- egg yolks
- dairy
- brightly colored vegetables
- pork and lard
- avocado
Really most foods have at least a little Vitamin A. Meat and grains are probably the lowest in Vitamin A. And the body can handle a little.
The problem arises when the liver gets saturated. Which, you can see, won’t take long if you eat a healthy diet by today’s standards or from a traditional diet. The WAPF dietary guidelines for pregnancy would give a woman an overabundance of Vitamin A! Truly excessive amounts.
Initial symptoms usually impact the skin (dry skin, eczema), hair (thinning, graying), eyes (dry, red, itchy, poor vision) and bones (osteoporosis, weak bones and teeth, joint pain). But as the toxicity continues it will gradually break down other systems. The inflammation reaches the intestines (think Crohn’s, Colitis, IBS, leaky gut, food allergies), the brain (cranial pressure/migraines, ADHD, Autism, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s) and other important organs (thyroid, kidneys and heart).
Does that sound like you or anyone you know? Or everyone?
Where “Healing” Diets Fail
And what is the solution these days? A “healing” diet like GAPS, AIP, Keto, Nemecheck. Where you load up on brightly colored fruits and veggies, bacon, lard, egg yolks, liver, sweet potatoes, unrefined coconut oil. Are you seeing the irony here?
What if our “Eat the Rainbow” mentality was actually doing more harm than good? In the plant and animal world bright colors are a sign of poison (called aposematism). Plants are brightly colored to keep animals from eating them (should we be doing the same?). Animals that are poisonous are often brightly colored (think snakes and frogs). It is a warning sign. Yet we have come to see them as the holy grail of nutrition!
You may be thinking, “But we have soil nutrient depletion and other factors now.” True. But they aren’t enough to cause such a drastic increase in health problems and autoimmune diseases and conditions like autism in recent years.
Is a Standard American Diet Less Toxic?
And what about people that don’t eat healthy? What about people on the Standard American Diet?
Well, they don’t have it much better. Somehow the government has thought they know better than we do what our bodies need. For the past fifty plus years now our foods have been fortified. All pasteurized milk must be fortified with Vitamin A and D. Most grains/flours, cereals, milk alternatives, yogurts and snack foods are fortified. We’re all told to take multi-vitamins and random supplements without any kind of testing.
Everyone worries about not getting enough vitamins and minerals. But we are bombarded with them…certain ones at least. And it’s causing so much overload and imbalance. Excessive supplementation will not fix anything. It will just make problems worse. God designed our bodies to get nutrition from food and to maintain balance. Our bodies now have to compensate for all of the over-supplementing and it is causing big problems (you can read more about the dangers of supplements HERE).
Unless you and your children somehow fall in the middle (no processed/fortified foods AND no abundance of veggies and traditional foods) you probably have Vitamin A Toxicity. That’s right. Just about everyone has it.
What About Vitamin A Deficiency?
But wait. Isn’t Vitamin A deficiency really serious? That depends on your view. IF Vitamin A is actually a vitamin and IF the established symptoms are truly from a deficiency, then yes. The problem is those could both be false assumptions.
Are you still with me? Do you think I’ve lost my mind yet?
In the 1930’s when Vitamin A, the first vitamin, was discovered, the experiments were done incorrectly. The scientists were actually loading the rats with Vitamin A instead of depriving them! They were poisoning the rats instead of inducing a deficiency.
If you look at the symptoms of Vitamin A deficiency and the symptoms of Hypervitamonosis A (listed above) you’ll notice something odd…they are the same! Whether or not that’s possible I’m not sure. Whether Vitamin A deficiency is actually a condition I don’t know. I’m not sure there have ever been any true studies to prove it. Would you actually go blind without Vitamin A? I don’t know. It would take a long time to actually get it all out of your system (could be 5+ years!). How did everyone not go blind hundreds of years ago without supplements and without orange veggies?
It turns out that Vitamin A may actually not be a vitamin at all.
Our bodies can handle some. But too much is toxic. Where that threshold lies is different for everyone and depends on the health of your liver (this is key!).
That rainbow we’ve been told to eat…could be acting more like poison if you are overloaded. (side note – the “five a day” and “eat the rainbow” campaigns were completely arbitrary recommendations).
Now What?
I don’t like to leave you hanging. I just told you that you could be poisoning your family after all! But I also don’t want to overwhelm you with information. And this could take a while to digest.
Plus I’ve got homework for you.
I’ve got more posts coming on other factors that contribute to Vitamin A Toxicity, what happens to Vitamin A in your body and what you can do about it. That’s really what we all want, right? A solution!
There is one. And I have a new book that will help guide you through it. This could be the definitive guide to solving all of your feeding challenges. I know that is a bold statement. But I truly believe it.
I also want you to do some reading and research of your own. And you may know just about as much as I do if you actually do all the reading. So if you just can’t wait, get started!
Engineers Are the Best Problem Solvers
All of this information started with some personal experimenting from an engineer named Grant Genereux (I truly believe engineers make some of the best doctors since our passion is finding root problems and coming up with a solution. Yes, I am an engineer too). He was diagnosed with eczema, an autoimmune condition, and told he would have it for the rest of his life and there was nothing he could do for it.
Not an acceptable answer for an engineer.
He healed his own autoimmune condition and wrote two very detailed books about his research on Vitamin A.
They are totally free and totally worth reading every word. I could not pull myself away. If you really want to understand Vitamin A Toxicity I suggest you read his books. At the very least his second book, Poisoning For Profits. It will blow your mind.
To be fair, I also wanted to point out that often times engineers are Analytical Eaters (see my Eating Styles for more details), myself included. Analytical Eaters tend to get in food ruts and cause excesses and deficiencies. So whether or not Grant had created a severe Vitamin A Toxicity in himself I don’t know. Just an observation on my part. So he may just be one more extreme case, not the norm.
Here are his FREE books:
Extinguishing the Fires of Hell
I know, not everyone has the time or interest to read 400-page books on vitamins.
Here is another great blog post from Butter Nutrition about the symptoms of Vitamin A Toxicity.
So, Is Vitamin A a Toxin?
I applaud you if you made it to the end of the post. And even if you do now think I’ve gone completely mad I hope this at least got you thinking. Let it sit a while and come back to it if you need to. That’s what I had to do. And lots of praying for wisdom. But I feel this is truly where God is leading me.
Big changes are always hard. Changing your perspective on health and nutrition is very hard. But change can also be good.
As I said at the start of the post, I’m always researching, learning, and experimenting. After a year on the Vitamin A Detox Diet I’m still not fully clear on my views on Vitamin A.
I truly believe that it is toxic in certain doses (and probably lower than people think) and that a state of toxicity is quite easy to reach these days with fortification, supplements, superfoods, glyphosate, and other toxins.
I also think the health of your liver and your body’s ability to detox is of utmost importance and a key factor in the whole equation. But whether or not Vitamin A is a toxin I’m not sure.
Unfortunately most scientific studies are done in the extremes. They are either trying to prove the impacts of toxicity or deficiency. But we are supposed to live in balance. There are no studies in the balance zone. What that balance is, I’m not sure. Do we need certain amounts of Vitamin A to balance other things? Does eliminating all high Vitamin A foods create other imbalances? There is a LOT we still don’t know. Just because there are studies that show the seriousness of Vitamin A Toxicity does not mean there can’t also be a deficiency? I’m not sure a true Vitamin A Deficiency study has ever been conducted!
Bio-individuality and listening to your own body is also critical. Regardless of any scientific study or prescribed diet, you have to do what works for you and makes you feel your best.
After a year on the Vitamin A Detox Diet we are learning that we have developed some serious vitamin and mineral deficiencies and most symptoms have returned. We are adding in foods that we tolerate and finding a new balance.
I think it’s very dangerous to tell people to avoid vitamin A via foods. You would basically have to supplement with synthetic A for long periods of time to reach those levels (or eat 5 pounds of liver daily for months). Many systems in the body need Vitamin A to work properly. Also, beta carotene needs to be separated out from true Vitamin A or retinol when adding up levels to possibly get to a toxic range. They are not the same. Here is what I found when doing my research on this issue a few weeks ago via PubMed (not individual’s opinion articles):
Toxic levels associated with Vitamin A are currently established at 25,000IU per kg of body weight for an acute toxic dose (meaning taken within a short period of time). With an average adult weighing in at 160lb or 72kg, this would mean a dose of 1,800,000IU would be a toxic dose.
The chronic toxic dose (taken every day over 6-15 months) is 4,000 IU per kg of body weight, or 288,000IU daily for an average-sized adult. The above food sources total only 64,988IU, or 45,813IU without liver.
I would urge you to do your own research on the subject using scientific research.
Thank you for your feedback, Christina. I appreciate it. Like I said at the start of the post I am not telling anyone what to do. I am telling you what I am doing and the research I have done. If you don’t agree with it, feel free to ignore it. But if you are truly curious about the misconceptions about Vitamin A I urge you to read the books I linked to (they are free). They will show why most of the current research is actually inaccurate.
Did you look at any research from Dr. Hakan Melhus, Christina? He saw chronic toxic effects in people consuming only double the RDA of vitamin A, and advises against consuming it in supplement form.
https://youtu.be/eXcMmclEO8c <— There’s an interview with Dr. Melhus in this this clip from a documentary on excessive use of vitamin supplements. It’s emphasized that an intake greater than 1500 mcg of vitamin A daily may result in increased risk of bone fracture.
https://annals.org/aim/article-abstract/712324/excessive-dietary-intake-vitamin-associated-reduced-bone-mineral-density-increased
Thanks for sharing! I truly believe that Vitamin A has a significant impact on bones. Check back tomorrow. I’ve got a whole post about it going up!
Please how long to get rid of this pison, I took acutane is killing me, food allergies, microscopic colitis, unable to gain weight, inflammation all over the digestive tract. I am desperate please how long to get this aout of my boy I am only on turkey and rice. Please please let me know. Do you think it can help reverse somehow this?
It’s hard to say. There is still a lot we don’t know. I only support the diet for 3-6 months. But there are people that are on it for 2+ years. I believe that long causes other deficiencies. So you have to do what works for you.
How are you these days Ingrid? Were you able to detox the Accutane?
Very interesting. I’ve always shied away from synthetic vitamins in foods and supplements in general, but I do love to eat veggies when they’re in season. Hopefully I’ll have time to read those books and articles you linked to!
I hope you get a chance to read them, Raia! I think you’ll really enjoy it. The veggie thing is probably the hardest part to grasp. Don’t think of it as veggies being “bad.” Think of it as carotenoids in some veggies that can cause harm. I hope you’ll come back to read the next few posts in the series too!
Interesting! Having had kidney stones in the past I learned the hard way that not all plants are necessarily healthy for us to eat. I just read the Plant Paradox and that book reiterated what my doctors had already told me, basically there are some plants that are better avoided.
Fascinating! My dad has had a horrible time with kidney stones his whole life. He was just in the hospital again last week! Over and over and over. But he won’t change his diet 🙁 Glad you figured that out. Any you care to share?
Mary, I’m glad you have found something that seems to be helping you and your family. I hope it continues to be a good thing for you. I certainly haven’t done a lot of research on vitamin A, and I hope to look at your links when I have time (homeschooling six kids over here…) But initially I have some concerns.
First off, I gotta say that it DOES makes sense that one could get too much vitamin A. You can get too much of anything. Iron is an example that comes to mind of something that you can have either too little or too much. The symptoms of excess iron are actually pretty similar to those experienced by people with low iron. Thyroid hormone is the same. It’s not accurate to say that the symptoms of being low on something couldn’t be the same as the symptoms of having too much.
I appreciate Dr. Price’s research, but I think the application isn’t always wise. The liver is a small part of any given animal, and people who are hunting animals and consuming liver as a delicacy aren’t actually eating that much of it, or (probably) getting it very often. Not like what we wealthy moderns can do if we are willing to shell out the money buying liver supplements. It seems more than reasonable that pushing the liver every day, or even several times a week is excessive and could result in an imbalance.
Where I really can’t follow is the idea that vegetables are poison… Sorry. I just don’t think that’s reasonable. Why would God have made such a variety of beautiful vegetables if they were all terrible for us? Maybe it’s my Christian bias, but I don’t think that makes sense. Nor do I think experience and study bear this out.
Just look at the Ingalls family. Actually, your mention of them is probably the reason I felt the need to comment. I’ve always loved Laura’s stories, but their health is not something to get excited about. Charles Ingalls was born in New York State and lived in the East until he was 32. The diet that Laura describes in Little House in the Big Woods is most likely what he ate for the first half of his life. Wild meat, lard, lots of veggies… Your classic traditional diet. This foundation did seem to stand him good stead health-wise when he went West and had a more limited diet. Laura and Mary were born during this early part of his life, so this is the diet that they were conceived on and with which they were nourished in their toddler years. Then the family went West and cornbread and salt pork became the staple. This is the diet that the third sister, Carrie, was grown on. Unlike the story in Laura’s novels, Carrie was actually born on the great plains in Kansas. She was always a sickly person. Check out this picture where you can see how thin Carrie is compared to the older girls. You can also see that she was a mouth breather, which, I’m sure you know, can be a sign of numerous health issues. Poor kid! https://www.google.com/search?q=Laura+ingalls&client=ms-android-verizon&prmd=inv&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjvmo_S55ngAhVkilQKHYO8C6oQ_AUIEygB&cshid=1548999244618&biw=360&bih=512#imgrc=QJq8az4FxCQH0M
Then the fourth Ingalls child, Freddie, was born in Minnesota and died at nine months. We don’t know why he died, but he certainly can’t be held up as an example of vibrant health due to diet. Grace, the final child in the family seemed to fair better, though by the time she was five the Ingalls had settled DeSmet, South Dakota, where there was a train station and, thus, access to more food options. Of course once settled they could also garden again and actually have vegetables to eat. So Grace would have had a wider diet for more of her formative years than her older sister, Carrie, who spent more than her first decade on a diet of simple carbs and occasional meat. In the end, three of the four sisters died of complications from diabetes. We are indebted to families like this who worked hard and sacrificed much to settle the West, but they are not an example of health or healthy eating habits. Unfortunately, using an example like this, which isn’t well researched, makes all of your other statements and conclusions have less weight.
I do hope you continue to have success dealing with your families challenges, but watch out for the classic pendulum swing–after finding faults in one way of looking at nutrition, simply going as far away from THAT as possible. Because you have a public platform from which to speak, it’s even more important to be sure that what you are communicating is accurate.
Thank you for your thoughtful response, Amy! I do hope you will get a chance to read Grant’s books. They explain things a lot better than I do.
I realize that the vegetable thing is a big hangup for most people. It seems logical to get too much liver, etc. But veggies? How could that be? I’m not saying vegetables are bad at all. In fact we still eat a lot of veggies. I had a pile for breakfast and lunch today! The issue is in the carotenoids of some veggies. While that would not be a problem if we weren’t already overloaded (like people weren’t 100 years ago), sadly we are now with everything fortified. Also, glyphosate plays a HUGE role in all this. I hope you’ll read my post about that and how it relates to Vitamin A. Finally, the root issue is that retinoic acid is a toxin. The body turns retinol into retinoic acid. It is the same stuff used in chemical peels, acne drugs and chemotherapy. Basically it is eating away at our tissue from the inside. And carotenoids split into TWO retinol molecules in the body…double the impact of animal sources of Vitamin A. Also we aren’t getting enough of the protective vitamins and minerals like vitamin c, e and k. Even 100 years ago people didn’t try to “eat the rainbow” or get “5 a day.” Those are modern slogans with a purpose from a marketing standpoint.
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The more I dig into this the more twisted and crazy it gets. I know it’s hard to grasp. But there is something to it. And part of it is related to our current toxic overload in general (GMOs, glyphosate, chemicals, processed food, synthetic vitamins, etc.)…not any flaw in God’s good design. I still have to do more research on vegetable types and consumption in the past. But I do know that we don’t eat how people used to. We have such diversity now when really we should be eating what’s grown locally/what our ancestors ate. Like everyone shouldn’t be eating piles of avocados if they aren’t native to your heritage (just one example). We do eat a lot of bananas, and sometimes I wonder if we shouldn’t. I need to research what my own ancestors ate too (maybe a future post:) ).
I no longer jump blindly into any kind of prescribed diet (done that too many times). I have entered this with extreme caution (and constant prayer and seeking God’s guidance) and for the first time am working with a doctor instead of just doing stuff on my own. And I assess all the time. If at any point I feel like things are getting worse instead of better I’ll jump ship and admit it was a flop. But for now I really believe there is validity to it and that over the next few years you’ll start hearing more about it.
I still whole-heartedly believe in real food and caring for God’s creation and our bodies. It’s not really much different than before. Just adjusting some food choices. And being more of a critical thinker when it comes to health.
Again, thank you for your feedback! I don’t expect anyone to jump on board right now. I just want to create awareness and let others follow our journey. If it resonates with you then I’m here if you have questions.
Amy, Really? Mary has made it very clear that she is just sharing what SHE found and is not a doctor and not telling anyone what they should do. And she is very careful about the way she presents everything. I for one deeply appreciate what she has done and her style in doing so. I did appreciate your information about the Wilder Family’ diet. I wrote a one act play inspired by The Little House on the Prairie, a rather shocking comedy. I did not use the Laura or her family, or any person she ever wrote about. But I had to dig deep into researching the kind of homes they had then and what they ate and how they prepared it. I know they ate what was called ground cherries or choke cherries,which grew wild and it has been years and I cannot remember exactly what they were. My play takes place on the first year of staking a claim and the sod had to be turned over two years in a row to be able grow any crops. So my characters had to live on supplies shipped on by railroad and eggs from the chickens they raised. I do remember the scene in The Long Winter where they ground up wheat planting seeds in the coffee grinder to bake into a kind of bread and ate the remaining potatoes with no butter. And at the beginning of spring Laura was longing for greens, I do not remember if they had dandelion greens then, but I do remember them having little new potatoes and peas. And yes in that book poor Carrie got the best of the food and was always given the lightest tasks to try to help her regain her health, while Pa would say that Laura was strong as a little French horse when she helped with bringing in the hay. I wonder if there could have been a way to save Mary’s eye sight.
Thanks for the clarification, Mary. I’m a binge researcher, so I’ll put this in the queue to look into soon.
A vitamin can also be called a micronutrient. A micronutrient is a nutrient that the body need to avoid disease and maintain body function. Vitamin D helps to absorb calcium and phosphorus from the intestines. This helps to avoid the need to pull calcium from the bones. Calcium is a very important nutrient in the blood as a low level can cause seizures, which is not uncommon, especially in infants who have low vitamin D and calcium levels due to inadequate intake/endogenous supply. Vitamin D is very important to Maintain a healthy skeletal system and immunity.
Thank you for your feedback, Mary. I hope you’ll read the links at the top of the post related to Vitamin D to see my stance on the topic. I do believe that God created the human body so amazingly well that breastmilk gives an infant exactly what he needs. So if breastmilk is low in Vitamin D there is a reason for it and we don’t need to try to force more (unnatural) Vitamin D on a child simply because we think it’s good.
Exciting, thanks for sharing this! I am at the same point as you. Just started Dr. Smith’s vitamin a detox program with my nursing 1 year old (have been battling crazy eczema for most of her life) and having an appt with him in a couple weeks to go over hair and blood tests. Seriously, so exciting to read Grant’s books! An answer to prayers.
Thanks for chiming in, Katie! I hope you have great results. We are 3 1/2 months in and my nursling’s skin is starting to turn the corner!! His little bit of eczema went away after about a month. But the constant diaper rash is all of a sudden gone.
Look, the problem with Matt Stone and most diet gurus is that they are always looking for a Super food. Then people find it (Vitamin D, Vitamin A, etc) and start eating large amounts of food or vitamins containing that “super food”. Then one day, it turns out you’re getting too much of it and you start calling it poison. I’m sorry, but the trick is to eat a little bit of everything and not a lot of any of it. In other words, just eat a wide variety of foods and you’ll be ok. Look, I was on the diet hamster wheel most of my life. The search for the Super Food should stop. It’s a religion and The Superfood du jour is the god…a god who sooner or later bites the faithful in the ass.
I think this is a very valid point, Thomas. The problem right now is that most people have overdone on “Vitamin” A whether from intentional food choices or from unknown supplementation in their food. Once the body is detoxed then going back to a balanced diet is the way to go. I’ll be writing more on that soon.
Totally agree with Thomas! Not too long ago we ate what was available to eat locally and never questioned why or if it had enough nutrients. Sure some things have changed since then such as the use of chemicals and soil depletion of minerals and nutrients, but I agree that food has become a religion and profiting from it has become big business! Start tuning into your own body and tuning out what other’s think they know is best for you! Your ancestry, the climate you live in, the foods that are most fresh, the state of health you are in, your age and many other factors determine what foods your body does best on!!!
Exactly, Susan!
Thank you. These diets are pseudo-science. I’m sure people without all this allowed list of foods ate what God provided. It’s not like you can take a non-existent plane to go get things that are ONLY grown on the other side of the country. Or make a fruit tree bear fruit when it’s out of season.
I agree with the issues related to vitamin A, but I think it can still be very individual and based on other factors (epigenetics and previous diet loads, etc) as to whether one person will be affected from sources like carrots and dairy. I think the caution with this new and relevant info is not to make anyone instantly afraid of any one food, which I know most recovering orthorexic nutrition nuts can easily do 😏.
I also question the unequivocal vilifying of vitamin d supplementing in northern climates. I have seen convincing research about the role of adequate magnesium status when supplementing, and I have personally not seen my levels go up until I really took that seriously, but I did still need an external source of D in the winter in order to feel my best, and it definitely feels better to have those levels be in range. As dangerous as it can be, I think looking at the physiological reason for it and what can be done is worth considering.
Absolutely everyone reacts differently based on current health status and genetics. The cool thing is that each body also is able to heal those things when the toxin is removed.
do you think I can reverse food intolerances, and all the inflmmation in my digestive tract post accutane course. Plase let me know I have been 1.5 years post accutane. Still shedding, mor and more fod intolerances, unable to gain weight
Hi Mary,
Thanks so much for writing about this and your journey with it. I was sent here by Matt Stone. I’ve been reading Matt Stone’s stuff since 2014 when I was a recovering health nut. I haven’t read Grant’s book yet just waiting and reading/watching all of you guys guinea pig yourselves haha!
Personally, the only change I made immediately was to stop buying carrots. For some reason, that just felt right.
Have you ever wondered what the Egyptians and Israelites health was like when they were in 7 years of famine and only had the stored up grain for food??
Once again, thank you for writing your experience!!
Thanks for commenting, Jacqui! Yes I am very curious about diets of the past! I’m trying to research that right now. Not saying they were healthy. But I do think our abundance of all varieties of food is a problem.
Yes, I’m willing to be the guinea pig this time around 🙂 That’s what I keep telling everyone. I’m just sharing info and our journey. If it doesn’t resonate with you, move on. And if you like what you hear, keep asking questions.
I would definitely advise that all breastfed babies continue to take vitamin D drops (400 iu) and ignore this advise. In the UK there have been a few deaths in babies who did not supplement and became chronically deficient, rickets has made a comeback as well.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180626112955.htm
Some parents were arrested on suspicion on child abuse when the bruising was in fact caused by low vitamin D. The only way for the mum to get adequate vitamin D (400iu) in their breastmilk is by taking 6400 iu which is a high dose but very safe for the mum: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/136/4/625
Its important to remember that vitamin A & D compete for the same receptor so too much of one without the other causes an imbalance. This is the reason they found that vitamin A supplements were causing brittle bones, it was knocking out the vitamin D and therefore reducing calcium absorption.
Also magnesium is key, a study from Dec 2018 found that magnesium optimizes vitamin D status, raising it in people with deficient levels and lowering it in people with high levels. Magnesium deficiency shuts down the vitamin D synthesis and metabolism pathway https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/12/181214093837.htm
And finally when you consume foods like carrots and sweet potatoes they do not contain vitamin A in the form of retinol, they contain beta carotene which the body can convert into vitamin A (although 50% of women have a genetic polymorphism which reduces their ability to carry out this conversion) However the body self regulates the amount of beta carotene it converts into vitamin A preventing toxicity so really no need to worry about eating carrots etc a few times a week, quite the opposite in fact.
I realize this is the common belief right now about beta carotene. But if you really dig into the science (really a quick search will show it too) you’ll see that beta carotene is actually split into TWO retinol molecules in the body. Also, I think rickets is really a Vitamin A issue. But yes, A and D are very much connected. I myself got fooled into supplementing Vitamin D for a while. Know what it did…gave me a mouth full of cavities!
This helped me stop all supplementation:
What I Wish Someone Had Told Me In Medical School About Nutrition
by Michael Klaper, MD
https://youtu.be/IvlaQJImt9w?t=34m2s
I’m not a vegetarian or vegan, but I watch information from all dietary camps.
This topic is frustrating, because I’d also listened to Andrew W. Saul, PhD for several years and he’s advocates mega-dosing vitamins, as well as juicing fruits and vegetables — especially carrots!
He’s done this himself for 40+ years and is in good health. He offers a course called the MegaVitamin Formula (that I’ve bought and completed) and he takes a lot of supplements — including 50,000 IU daily of Vitamin A from fish oil…IN ADDITION to juicing 1.5 to 2.0 quarts of carrot juice daily. Plus, a multivitamin (without Vitamin A, interestingly) three times daily and a B-complex supplement twice per day. And, because he’s a devotee of Linus Pauling, Dr. Saul takes 18,000 mg (yes, 18 g) of Vitamin C daily in divided doses.
That seems like a lot to me (okay, it seems insane), as I don’t think our diets could naturally provide that much through whole foods.
From what I’ve briefly read on the topic, our bodies don’t just store the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K — we store ALL vitamins, to some degree or another.
All the years I spent on expensive “high quality” supplements that I not only probably didn’t need…but, may have been harmful and contributed to some of my current health challenges.
Rats.
Totally agree, Charlie. Not sure when we decided everyone is everything deficient and we need to supplement like mad. To me the goal of supplementation is to give very targeted nutrients based on testing. And use them short term. The ultimate goal being no supplements, just food.
Oh well. I don’t need an excuse to continue to eat lots of potatoes. But I love my carrots. At least my daughter not liking them has made us eat less of them.
I really believe Vitamin C is so important. That’s the only vitamin I supplement. It’s helped me with my allergies. I also take folic acid and iron as we are half vegetarian. But only once a week.
Interestingly enough, I just don’t feel right about eating pork. I prefer white fish, beef, and chicken. Now I see why.
This is a fascinating idea. I first read it on Matt Stone’s website as he really helped me stop dieting, but I thought he’d gone nuts. Maybe there is some truth in it.
Welcome, Kathy! Matt helped me get my health back a few years ago too. Restored fertility and metabolism. It’s funny how when we actually listen to our bodies and eat intuitively instead of eating what “we should” we actually make better choices. I believe Vitamin C is so important too.
I discovered Grant’s books a couple years ago and what I try to do with nutritional information is to stop and think through it with logic in terms of how nature provides nutrients to us. So this is what I came up with. When you stop to think about it, preformed Vitamin A is only found in animal sources meant for infant animals such as milk and egg yolks or from the livers of animals. I have read that Mother’s initial milk contains the most vitamin A, but then it tapers off after a couple of week. The same with a cow’s milk or I would expect any mammal’s milk. It appears the baby is inoculated with an initial dose of Vitamin A to supply the empty liver stores, but then tapers off in the milk supply. It has been awhile since I read Grant’s books but from what I recall the liver has a limited capacity to store vitamin A and after that it spills over into the blood and is stored in other tissues and becomes poisonous. So like most everything, the poison is in the dose. To me it makes sense that once the infant animal is weaned, or develops from a yolk, it no longer needs preformed vitamin A because once it is consuming its adult diet, it can make vitamin A itself AS NEEDED from plant sources. I do not believe the body would continue to make a substance that is toxic in excess, so if stores of Vitamin a are full, the body would not continue to convert beta carotene into vitamin A. I am only making a conclusion based on my own thought process that could be flawed without further study, but this makes sense to me, because NO OTHER ADULT animal continues to consume milk except humans!! So they would not continue to get preformed vitamin A, only if they ate the livers of other animals! So now think about this…what animal eats the livers of other animals? Predator animals or carnivores and they need to replenish their vitamin A stores from time to time because they do not eat plant sources of beta carotene! See the logic in this? Raw cow’s milk without added vitamin A would contain less vitamin A than a cow’s first milk so perhaps it is not a worry of getting too much preformed A. Only pasteurized milk that is fortified is perhaps the problem. However as you pointed out, many foods are being fortified with preformed vitamin A even non-dairy foods you wouldn’t suspect like orange juice and almond milk! I grew up on a small self sustaining farm in the 1960s and we were organic before it ever became popular. We ate most parts of the animal including the liver. We didn’t eat liver every day or every week! Just once in awhile when we butchered. I think we get obsessed with nutrition and start to over dose on it thinking more is better when it is not. So in conclusion, it seems logical to me that preformed vitamin A is meant for infants in the beginning of their life to inoculate their liver with a supply to last them until they are old enough to make vitamin A as needed from plant sources. Why else would a mammal’s milk contain it in the first weeks of production? As far as if it is actually a vitamin, well I think that is plausible as well. Researchers and health professionals alike have always drawn conclusions that are ultimately proved wrong and this could be one of them. There are so many factors involved in health, it is short sighted to draw a conclusion from Weston A Price’s research and claim that one particular nutrient was the reason traditional people had good dental health and good health in general I believe Grant suggested “A” was used as a kind of natural chemo agent by the body which explains why it would be toxic to the body in amounts more than the liver’s capacity to store it. By fortifying foods and eating too much of foods like liver, and possibly other foods that contain preformed vitamin, we are overdosing and over riding the body’s normal regulatory control of the substance. If you are eating a carnivorous diet, without much plant food, like an Inuit, then maybe like other carnivores you may need to eat some liver from time to time! I would avoid it at all costs in supplemental form because the studies bare out that it can be toxic in excess. It is documented that eating polar bear liver, high in vitamin A can kill you! I won’t provide the link but you can google it for yourself! There is no doubt of “A”s potential to be toxic, vitamin or not!
I like the way you think, Susan! I too keep trying to think through it all logically while also reading through the scientific literature. There is plenty we still don’t know. But it’s exciting to be figuring out a way to help so many overcome illness. A big factor in all of it is glyphosate. Without glyphosate and government regulated fortification we wouldn’t be in this mess.
“What if our “Eat the Rainbow” mentality was actually doing more harm than good? In the plant and animal world bright colors are a sign of poison (called aposematism). Plants are brightly colored to keep animals from eating them (should we be doing the same?). Animals that are poisonous are often brightly colored (think snakes and frogs). It is a warning sign. Yet we have come to see them as the holy grail of nutrition!”
My problem with your comment above from your article is that God didn’t create us animals. He created man in His image. We don’t have to wander the earth afraid of brightly colored food and vegetables. He has given us a variety of beautifully colorful food to enjoy 😊. Things start to get confusing when we think we need to get inside the head of an animal and do what an animal would naturally do.
That is true, Kelli. But we can still observe them to understand how things work. If we can’t look to animals for insight then all medical scientific studies done with animals can’t be trusted. And a lot of our medical knowledge has been gained that way.
I am currently researching the history of food. I really don’t know if we used to have all of this brightly colored food. A lot of the produce we see now used to be white. WE made it colored. Not God.
How did we make it colored?
We added Vitamin A – beta carotene! https://www.treehugger.com/lawn-garden/why-carrots-are-orange-and-5-non-orange-carrots-grow-your-garden.html
Sure we can observe. Acting like an animal is a lot different than learning from them in studies, etc. though.
I’m curious, what produce are you referring to that used to be white?
So we can apply knowledge about how an animal behaves/reacts to certain conditions to our lives…but that isn’t the same as acting like them? That doesn’t make sense to me. I will share more about vegetables after my research. I know carrots were not orange to start. And they were just different all around. Much thinner. I’m investigating others. I also know that tomatoes (possibly all nightshades) were ornamental at first, not consumed.
I’ve been following Matt Stone, through whom I’ve found Dr. Garrett Smith, since my oldest child was born in 2013. I credit so much of my changed thinking on health to him and his research! However one thing that is a little challenging at times is trying to apply everything I learn to pregnancy specifically. Since then I’ve had four pregnancies and three births since (one loss at 17 weeks), and plan to have more if God will bless us in that way, and a question I can’t seem to find a good answer to is whether I really need a prenatal vitamin or not. Is it doing more harm than good? My two oldest children had severe tongue ties. After this I at least became aware of the whole folic acid/folate thing, changed my vitamin to a better quality one, and baby number 3 had no tongue tie whatsoever. But going forward I’ve really begun to question the idea of prenatal vitamins being essential to a healthy pregnancy, especially since I’ve been following all the Vit A stuff. For now, while I’m not actually pregnant, I’ve just been taking a folate supplement and nothing else. Do you have any insight or thought on this? Or do you have any reading from a good source on it?
Hi Rachel,
It is so hard to navigate all of the health info out there! Knowing what I know now I personally would skip a prenatal and stick with individual supplements that your body needs. I just published a post on tongue ties and Vitamin A that you can read here: https://justtakeabite.com/2019/02/17/teething-tongue-ties-flat-spots-growing-pains-vitamin-a-bones-tissues/
I’m not an expert on supplements. I’d work with a practicioner on that. In my opinion HTMA (hair analysis) is the best route.
Having read Grant Genereux’s material, Garrett Smith’s forum material and now this article, I am filled with regret at having encouraged my daughter to drink liver ‘shakes’ every 2 or 3 days while pregnant and after her baby was born for several months. (Thank goodness she did not add FCLO to the mix though she had consumed that some years ago and always eaten massive amounts of rainbow foods). An episode of jaundice for several days the baby experienced when he was a few days old and a severe allergic reaction to egg yolk as a first food for him lead me to suspect that there may be Vitamin A toxicity. I am looking forward to information in your new book on how to deal with this, but in the meantime I wonder if you can give any pointers based on your experience with your “nursling” on how to feed a baby (now 10 months) and mother who may be Vitamin A toxic, while ensuring they are well nourished? Any thoughts on this that can help prevent further misguided action would be much appreciated.
I feel for you and your daughter, Rhonwen! My little one is 10 months also! I ate desiccated liver almost daily in my 2nd and 3rd trimester.
Start by making sure there is no supplemental Vitamin A or D in their diet. Read labels carefully. Then limit Vitamin A intake (organ meats, egg yolks, milk/yogurt, red/orange/yellow and most green veggies, pork, lard. That will give a good start.
She can also contact Dr. Smith (link in the post) and work directly with him.
I hope the book will be ready soon. I wrote it two months ago…just waiting on others for editing.
Thank you so much for your very quick reply, Mary, and for increasing awareness of this issue and of how so many of us have probably been led astray. I am feeling a bit confused about butter. I see from your reply to Anne that you, like the Butter Nutrition lady, think that butter is the one dairy product that can still be consumed on a low Vitamin A diet. Yet butter apparently has about 2500 IU per 100g (97 mcg RAE per tbsp). Is your positive view of butter because of the butyrate content of it and, if so, how does that (butyrate) cancel out the toxic effects of the large dose of Vitamin A?
You can choose lighter colored butter to minimize Vitamin A. But I think the real benefit is the Vitamin K, which is hard to come by in most foods. It is very protective against Vitamin A. It’s why cod liver oil combined with butter oil is less dangerous than plain cod liver oil. Vitamin K is a critical part of the diet, and it is also depleted by Vitamin A. So you either need butter or a supplement.
Where did you get the idea that vitamin K is protective from vitamin A? I did not see it mentioned in Grant Genereux’s work.
Hello Mary, thank you for your willingness to share your experiences with the low vitamin A diet. I am also a client of Dr. Smith’s and seeing remarkable results such as my thyroid antibodies are now in the normal range, my facial hair is softer and no more hot flashes for this post-menopausal woman. I have other benefits as well but just want to thank you for your sensitive but intelligent approach to the idea that vitamin A may be a root cause of many of our modern day diseases.
You’re so kind, Virgi! I’m glad you are finding healing on the diet!! It is pretty amazing. I hope more people catch on!
I followed you here from a comment you left on the WAPF Instagram page…at first I scoffed at the idea of vitamin a toxicity but now I’m wondering….I started taking a very well reviewed desiccated liver pill(s) a couple of weeks ago and I have noticed that my skin is incredibly flushed. I can see and feel it in my cheeks. I have been assuming it was a good thing (color=vibrance?) but maybe not…I really purchased the supplement to help my child who I suspect has severe methylation issues and who definitely has a damaged gut from years of abx for ear infections, etc (I know better now, just trying to fix the damage). Now I’m wondering if I’ll actually be doing her harm if I add the powder to her smoothies. I will certainly be looking at all of your links above. In addition, my breastfed 14 month old has developed a bad patch of eczema on the corner of her mouth and I’m putting 2/2 together and will at least try pulling the liver. I also recently started buying boatloads of kerrygold again and shoveling it down all 5 of my kids’ throats in the name of nutrition 😫I really hope that isn’t causing the issue. Anyways, thanks for the food for thought🤗pun intended!
Welcome, Anne! Sounds like you are a very observant mama! And open minded. It saddens me how many people are being led astray by some of the WAPF health claims (cod liver oil, liver, etc). I fell for them too. And now my kids and I are paying the price. I would definitely stop any liver or vitamin a supplements. They will cause skin issues for sure. It goes right along with the methylation stuff. If you detox from “vitamin a” the methylation issues should resolve.
As for the butter, that is totally fine. The Vitamin K in it is very healing and protective. My kids eat it by the spoonful 🙂 But that is really the only dairy that is ok.
Definitely take the time to read all the info. I’m here if you have questions.
Hello Mary, thank you for sharing your research on Vitamin A. My Mum, Rhonwen, contacted you in an earlier reply. We are eating low Vitamin A at present, however, I have concerns regarding doing this while breastfeeding. While detoxing would our excess Vit. A go into our breast milk? Can this cause detox symptoms for our little one? Did your nursling have any obvious detox symptoms while you were/are detoxing Vit. A? Thank you for your help.
On another note, regarding your reply to my Mum about the Vit. K content of butter, the Japanese fermented soybeans, Natto, are extremely high in Vit. K MK7 so it is a good way to get it. Nice to add some coconut aminos or tamari to it to make it a tad more tasty 🙂 You may know all this but thought I would share in case not.
Natto — 261% DV per serving
1 ounce: 313 mcg (261% DV)
100 grams: 1,103 mcg (920% DV)
Butter — 2% DV per serving
1 tablespoon: 3 mcg (2% DV)
100 grams: 21 mcg (18% DV)
Regardless of your diet you will detox Vitamin A through breastmilk. It’s just a matter of how quickly/how much at a time and for how long. So I recommend not being too aggressive with things that speed up the detox (don’t do saunas, overly strenuous exercise, drink alcohol, use liver cleansing herbs, that sort of thing). But sticking to the diet seems to be fine. And you can take things that are protective like Zeolite. I have not noticed any symptoms in my son. And it gives me peace of mind knowing that me giving him Vitamin A through my milk will be much shorter because of the diet.
I have never eaten natto. So it’s not something I’ve really looked into. I actually take a Vitamin K supplement myself.
Hi Mary,
Thank you for this information. I am just curious with this question, did you have a blood test to determine if the vitamin a in your blood was too high? If so, was it? Just curious if that even is something that can be done as I am interested in checking my own. Thank you for your help with this I am just curious with this question, did you have a blood test to determine if the vitamin a in your blood was too high? If so, was it? Just curious if that even is something that can be done as I am interested in checking my own. Thank you for your help with this
Currently there is no good blood test for Vitamin A Toxicity. The blood level of Vitamin A does not tell you what is in your liver. So your blood level could be high or low while you are toxic. You have to base the diagnosis on other factors.
If this works for you and your family, good for you.
If we look at some of the longest lived, healthiest people on the planet, they’re not eating like this, but only time will tell.
I would like to note that although loosely based on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s diaries, the Little House books were works of fiction, edited by Laura’s daughter, Rose, to reflect her views of the day. Many of the well know speeches of Pa likely never happened.
Rose also dealt with significant mental health issues, and the Ingalls line completely died out. Rose didn’t have children, and none of Laura’s sisters had children. There was also type 2 diabetes in the family. Grace and Carrie died of diabetes complications. Laura also had diabetes.
The TV series and books were much more fun. 🙂
I realize they did not have the perfect diet/perfect health. It’s just an example of how different things are now.
Hi Mary,
I have been supplementing with LITERALLY every vitamin and mineral there is (each in separate bottles) as part of a long-term experiment (even pure forms of individual amino acids!); and I have literally developed a sense of when my body needs a certain nutrient.
Based on what I have learned so far, I agree with you about “Vitamin A” and “Vitamin D3” completely.
“Vitamin D3” should be avoided at all costs, no matter what. They don’t tell you that “Vitamin D3” displaces ALL of the minerals in your bones, not just CALCIUM. What they it’s good for seems to be nothing more than pulling ZINC and COPPER from your bones to help your immune system . . . not the CALCIUM. (So this means that if a person never consumed much ZINC or COPPER in the past, “Vitamin D3” will do them literally no good . . . only harm.)
CALCIUM is good for the immune system only to kill off a fever and/or chills. (The next time you have a fever, take a little Lysine with Calcium, and the fever will magically go away within minutes . . . because the CALCIUM will block ZINC and IRON, two minerals that viruses feed on). The body’s true line of defense is sufficient Hydrochloric acid (HCl). Both ZINC and COPPER are required before HCl is produced. The body uses l-histidine to produce HCl, bile, saliva, and all other manner of bodily fluids, but before it does, it must have both sufficient ZINC and COPPER. Those who take “Vitamin D3” supplements give the body the ability to easily mine for these minerals in the bones (like you said). But MANGANESE (a neurotoxin in large quantities) and CALCIUM are also mined from the bones as well. If someone had a life-long favorite snack which is rich in MANGANESE, then taking “VITAMIN D3” would give that person a very high chance of become IRON deficient, as MANGANESE is also stored in bones! So the studies which say that “VITAMIN D3” does this or “VITAMIN D3” does that, there is really no way to determine what it will do for (or should we say “TO”) you, because the mineral composition of our bones is dependent on our unique diet history. Crazy stuff!
I would be bold enough to say that the source of all “autoimmune” conditions is due to an excess of displaced CALCIUM in the body. So the very thing they say is good for autoimmune health (“Vitamin D3”) is actually FEEDING the “disease”, because it pretty much uses up ZINC.
Without ZINC, the body is literally hesitant to produce DHEA and Glutathione (because it puts a lot of stress on the body to have DHEA or Glutathione in the blood with no ZINC to process them . . . believe me), both of which are (as you know) are crucial for health. (So if you see a S-Acetyl Glutathione supplement does not have ZINC, you need to take EXTRA ZINC with it. Same for DHEA supplements.) ZINC is one of the most-needed minerals, but yet so rare in foods. And there are so many plant byproducts and toxins which ruin the absorption of the ZINC they have. DHEA, glutathione, NAG, calcium, HCl production, etc., all heavily depend on ZINC availability. That is, if you ever hear “how nutritious a plant food is”, I am willing to bet a fortune that there is SOMETHING in the plant food which counteracts ALL of the nutrients which it does contain. Crazy, but true. For example, I’m sure you have heard the phrase, “the peeling is the most nutritious part of the vegetable/fruit”. Well, just investigate what ELSE there is in that peeling which will pretty much bind to those nutrients in your gut and you end up absorbing very little of those nutrients!
Regarding “Vitamin A”.
I have discovered that “Vitamin A” will build up much faster in the body when NOT consuming “Vitamin D3” supplements and/or not getting sunlight. I find that “Vitamin D3” is more like a protecting agent for those who consume foods which have a lot of “free iron”, but at the same time (as you said), it ruins bone density. (And as I said previously, it can cause IRON deficiency as well.) I personally have found it to also ruin absorption of food in general (e.g., lowering stomach acid production which ruins the absorption of fats and proteins), CAUSE INFLAMMATION, brain fog, etc.
I don’t know much about the bad effects of “Vitamin A” than what you listed, but I recently quit supplementing with “Vitamin D3” (I was only taking about 1000 IU a day), and I am convinced that if people are NOT getting sunlight (which is a good thing, IMO) and they are NOT supplementing with “Vitamin D3”, then they should not supplement with “Vitamin A”. “Vitamin A” should only be supplemented if there is a severe skin infection, burn, etc. Otherwise the body does not use it. But even then, those (unfortunate) individuals may not have to supplement with “Vitamin A”, as I have found that Omega 3 fats (e.g., walnuts) seems to “release” stored “Vitamin A” from the liver into the body. And I’m not really sure now (I can’t trust any of the “science” I’ve heard at this point), but “Vitamin A” may only be blocking something which uses up or blocks ZINC, COPPER, and IRON. They say that “Vitamin A” ruins bone formation, but I am thinking it does the opposite. It HELPS bone formation by removing CALCIUM from the blood and helps to deposit it into the bones (where it gets help from Vitamin C, MANGANESE, COPPER, ZINC, MAGNESIUM, vitamin K2, SILICA, Vitamin B1, and Vitamin B6). So I’m guessing that if someone gets a skin burn, “Vitamin A” will help them recover INDIRECTLY. But the direct way to recover could be with l-histidine + ZINC + COPPER + Vitamin C + NAG.
In summary, I found that if we get exposed to excess sunlight (intentional sunbathing or unintentional sunburns), “Vitamin A” is the (unnecessary-indirect) anecdote to the “Vitamin D3” our liver produces. In order to counteract the “side effects” of “Vitamin D3”, “Vitamin A” can be used (assuming does not have excessive “Vitamin A” stored in the body already). However, to be sure that there is no “Vitamin A” stored in the body, one should be consume Omega 3 fats (the apparent “transporter” of “Vitamin A”). It appears that Omega 3 fats can be a good thing (if the nutrients stored in the liver are in good proportions), or it could be a very BAD thing because it could cause “liver dumping” into the blood rather than “liver dumping” into the stool.
Most of what I wrote are theories of mine, but I am more convinced that there is more truth to them (even if they are not 100% accurate) than the majority of nutrition science I have unfortunately believed in until a few years ago.
Thank you for sharing all of your thoughts, Chris! I’m sure there is a lot of truth to it. And I believe that listening to our own bodies is one of the best ways to understand health and nutrition. I’ll have to re-read your comment a few times to let it all sink in 🙂 Lots of great ideas!
Did you notice more cavities while detoxing the vitamin D3? I used to take 15,000 ius per day while pregnant and ended up with a boatload of cavities! So bad that I had several extractions and now wear partials😪. But I just can’t seem to get them to stop. It seems like when I lose weight my cavities get worse even though I feel better. But I think I read once that when you lose weight your vitamin d levels go up? What do you think? Thanks.
I had a lot of cavities after taking Vitamin D as well. After my 3rd was born I had 7 cavities at my next check up! Since doing a lot of detoxing I’ve only had a few. The way I see it is that rebuilding bone takes a LONG time. It is one of the last things to heal. So it will take quite a while to get strong teeth and bones back.
I see that Mary replied, but I would just like to throw in my two cents. Yes, I have heard that people who have less fat have higher “vitamin D3” levels. (And those with a lighter natural skin color do as well.)
Personally, I have NEVER had cavities. However, from my experience from taking 2000 IU of “vitamin D3” for six years straight, “vitamin D3” depletes your MAGNESIUM levels like no other, and therefore, indirectly causes a sluggish thyroid (e.g. HYPOthyroidism and possibly parathyroid issues). A sluggish thyroid means LOWER stomach acid. Lower stomach acid means less mineral (and vitamin B12), protein, and fat absorption. Teeth are made of minerals. Fat and protein control hormones (and just about everything). So yeah.
But let me get one thing straight. There is NO SUCH THING as disease. I am convinced that a “disease” is nothing more than the result of a prolonged mineral, vitamin and/or hormone imbalance. Once that balance is restored with proper supplementation, the body will begin to heal itself. I can recall from my own experience that a problem I had with my body five years ago that NEVER got better until recently. Once that problem was FIXED, then it started to work on another problem which began before THAT problem did (like 7 years ago). Crazy stuff.
Another factor for cavities is saliva (which alkalizes the mouth). If you happen to have “dry mouth”, then I have both heard (and witnessed for myself) that malic acid supplements stimulate the excretion of saliva. There is a supplement called magnesium malate (I recommend TABLETS) which contains both the needed magnesium you need (15000 IU of “Vitamin D3” a day, wow!) and the malic acid. (Malic acid also helps produce cellular ATP. So, it’s an energy booster as well.) If you do have dry mouth, let us know. There is something else I can mention in my next reply which can also help with this which also helps address another problem which could be one of the root causes of your cavities.
Now that’s for saliva. How about for the gums? If you have irritated gums, I have found that taking copper gluconate gets the inflammation down very quickly. (But if you supplement with copper, you will eventually need to supplement with zinc and iron as well. So once you’re balanced, I recommend taking a supplement which contains a good ratio of copper gluconate, zinc gluconate, and Ferrous gluconate (which is iron gluconate) or just quit the copper supplementation. Now, note that bamboo silica, Sulbutiamine, and vitamin C help build it up the gums. (Note: silica depletes vitamin B1 levels in the body very quickly. Too quickly for a regular B1 or B-complex to resupply. If you have heard that the only fat-soluble vitamins are A, “D”, E, and K, you have been misinformed. Sulbutiamine was developed by the Japanese. It’s a fat-soluble form of B1 which is very bioavailable and last a lot longer in the body than the normal water-soluble form of B1).
Now, why do I mention vitamin C? You think you’re taking enough? Probably not. You have heard of scurvy, right? Who in history got scurvy? Sailors. What were sailors exposed to excessive amounts of? Sunlight/”Vitamin D3″. Ironic, isn’t it? Now, if you don’t like to take excessive amounts of vitamin C (you probably need at least 2 to 3 GRAMS, daily — spaced throughout the day), there is actually a NON-ACIDIC form of vitamin C (Sodium Ascorbate Powder) that you can buy on Amazon. Be sure to also take a Vitamin E supplement (with Mixed Tocopherols, where the E vitamins’ names have a d-alpha, d-gamma, etc. , NOT with prefix dl-. d- means non-synthetic, dl-means synthetic.) to help ABSORB the vitamin C. (I suggest 400IU of vitamin E for every 1.5-2 grams of Vitamin C you take.)
If you have low stomach acid (gastro-reflux, heart burn), let us know. All I am going to say is DON’T take ANTACIDS! That actually makes the problem WORSE. Your stomach is telling you that it (or the esophageal sphincter) need certain nutrients to properly digest your food. By taking an antacid, you are just telling your body, “well, don’t worry about digesting the food . . . let it go to the colon undigested . . . I want to develop leaky gut syndrome and possibly colon cancer . . . ). If you do have low stomach acid, your thyroid needs HELP to produce sufficient stomach acid to absorb fats, protein, vitamin B12, and all minerals. Without them, you will continue to get cavities. I did not want to elaborate in this post, as it’s not a “one supplement fixes all” for the thyroid. You need a COMPLETE FORMULA.
@Mary,
I forgot to mention that the source of “Vitamin D3” from supplements (cholecalciferol) is actually the key ingredient in RAT POISON! But at the same time, rats only come out at night anyway (smart little buggers!). But it’s IRONIC that almost all scientific studies ARE DONE ON RATS, right? So if “Vitamin D3” is RAT POISON, why on earth do they recommend it to humans if they are determining what’s good for us from RATS? LOL.
Also, I wonder if people who are exposed to radiation are just producing very toxic levels of “vitamin D3”. That could be partially true!
Your transparency is appreciated and admirable. You were doing your best to help people, based on what you knew at the time. There’s a lot of information, it’s difficult to interpret, there are conflicting opinions, and things change.
Thank you!
Hi,
Being an Accutane survivor, all this information is very precious. I am suffering from neck pain and eczema, other side effects like depression and anxiety were slowly reduced after stopping the pill. I am thinking of going on this diet. I am although scared about the period when all symtomps comes back. What to do then exactly? I first just simply want to get out of this toxic state, will 2-3 months be enough?
I’m sorry to hear you are struggling Sans. I can’t give you medical advice. I recommend working with a practitioner or doctor to get healthier.