Month: May 2020

Terry Golombick’s new website

/ Margaret / 5 Comments

Now, I don’t usually do this sort of thing, but I’m making an exception today because I have such a HIGH regard for Dr. Terry Golombick. If you don’t know who she is, just do a search of my blog…In a nutshell, she was in charge of the Australian MGUS and SMM curcumin patient trials…so, lots of experience, there…

Terry has recently relaunched her website and is offering consultations specifically for MGUS and SMM folks who live in or near Sydney, Australia. I think it’s WONDERFUL…

Anyway, here’s the link for those lucky Sydney-dwellers: https://www.mgustherapy.com/

But even if you do NOT live in or near Sydney, have a look at her website, which has some very interesting information. For example, how about those three case studies, eh? Nice! 🙂 

Take care, everyone! And…WEAR A MASK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. the photo in this post is of a purple Allium (ornamental). It’s so tall…and so pretty…to the point that some of my friends think it’s fake, hehe. Nope, it’s real. And it’s in my garden! BTW, I took this photo from above…

Reaching out to all MGUS, SMM, MM patients and caregivers

/ Margaret / 2 Comments

Last week I was contacted by Stephen Quinn, a Ph.D. student at Queen’s University in Belfast. He informed me about a study called IMPaCCT whose intent is to look at the effect that the current Covid-19 crisis has had, and is having, on pre-cancer, cancer and rare disease patients and their caregivers. The researchers, which include Stephen, hope to be able to use this data to inform patients and caregivers, as well as publish their findings in scientific journals.

He asked for my help in reaching out to smoldering myeloma and MGUS patients. Of course! So, how can we help? By taking their online SURVEY. I am about to do that, in fact. It should take about 20-30 minutes. No big deal, if we can help others, right? So please do it!

Here’s the direct link: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/IMPACCTsurvey?fbclid=IwAR0JwWQPa8Md6VjJ_3KBCDBGGdZEClXB77SqK348s7Gh-hDbEns9_B7qgE0

Please note that if enough people respond to the survey, this Queen’s University group will be able to provide pre-publication information to charities/groups so that they can better support their members during these challenging times.

So this is really important. Please take the survey! Thanks, everyone! 

More important news on vitamin D and coronavirus

/ Margaret / 3 Comments

On March 27, I published a post about some findings of a team from the University of Turin (Italy) showing that low levels of vitamin D might increase:

  1. your risk of being infected with Covid-19
  2. your risk of having complications if you already have the virus

The University of Turin data also showed that vitamin D can counteract lung damage caused by hyperinflammation.

Well, now a research team led by Northwestern University has found a “strong correlation between severe vitamin D deficiency and mortality rates.” Their results are based on data from hospitals in several countries, including Italy.

Incidentally, I got this information from an easy-to-read Science Daily article, which you can check out for yourself at this link: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/05/200507121353.htm?fbclid=IwAR20hJJCU7d2WQj27sdIny3UgwYlrKZDlnR6gnbccXrBPiNu6QkSkspKQCk

So it seems as though vitamin D will lower your risk of having severe complications and of dying from the virus…once you’ve contracted it, of course. Here’s an important excerpt from the article: “Not only does vitamin D enhance our innate immune systems, it also prevents our immune systems from becoming dangerously overactive. This means that having healthy levels of vitamin D could protect patients against severe complications, including death, from COVID-19.”

According to the lead researcher, vitamin D might actually cut “the mortality rate in half.” Wowsie!

Interestingly, the lead researcher also says that, while vitamin D “may reduce complications and prevent death in those who are infected,” it will not prevent you from actually getting the virus. Hmmm. That doesn’t make much sense to me. I mean, if your body has adequate levels of vitamin D, it should be better equipped to resist against the virus. But…who knows?

Anyway, whatever! I mean, even if vitamin D doesn’t give us the slightest protection from coronavirus, let’s not forget that keeping our vitamin D levels in the NORMAL range is absolutely essential for us myeloma folks. So let’s keep ’em in that normal range no matter what…

That said, please don’t exaggerate with your vitamin D daily intake: too much of a good thing may not necessarily be a…good thing, indeed, it probably isn’t!!!, as I have said repeatedly here on the blog. So please be careful…and don’t overdose!

I hope everyone is OKAY! Stay Safe!!!

P.S. That’s the photo of a flower from my garden…Nothing to do with the post, of course, but…it’s so pretty!