Special thanks to Segun for sharing my birthday with my family & friends.
Consider Vitamin d3
COVID Vaccine Interview
By Steffanie Rivers
Pharmaceutical companies created corona-virus vaccines in record time – less than ten months. Now states across America are tasked with getting vaccine shots into the arms of millions of people with the same urgency, because the numbers of COVID-19 infected and deaths continue to rise daily.
Despite all the politicians and medical professionals endorsing the COVID-19 vaccine and encouraging people everywhere to take it, there’s one doctor who said he won’t take it. Dr. L. Ray Matthews is a retired trauma/critical care surgeon and director of Surgical Critical Care at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. Steffanie Rivers interviewed Dr. Matthews about his work in preventative health maintenance and why he thinks taking the corona-virus vaccine is not the best defense against contracting COVID-19. He advocates using something else that will protect against COVID-19 and other viruses most people don’t realize are just as deadly.
Steffanie: You’re known as the premiere expert in the benefits of vitamin D3. Why is vitamin D3 important to our bodies for preventative health maintenance?
DR. MATTHEWS: First of all, vitamin D3 is actually a hormone that controls 3,000 out of 30,000 human genes (10% of our DNA). Hormone/vitamin D3 regulates our immune response system and inflammatory response systems. Vitamin D3 increases the white blood cell count (B-cells, T-cells, monocytes) to help the body fight off bacterial, fungical, and viral infections plus cancer cells. The inflammatory response system reduces inflammation by decreasing IL-6, Tumor Necrotic Factor (TNF), and C-Reactive Protein (CRP) which reduces the cytokine storm associated with corona-virus infections.
In laman terms, vitamin D3 regulates the human immune system and controls a significant portion of our human DNA. The trouble is most people don’t eat nutritious food and don’t take supplements, therefore their vitamin D3 intake is low.
Steffanie: Most Black and Brown people believe their melanin prevents them from having to worry about the need to maintain optimal vitamin D3 levels. Is that true?
DR. MATTHEWS: The opposite is true. Melanin is a natural sunscreen that protects you from the sun. Melanin blocks 95% of vitamin D3 production. As a result, people of color’s vitamin D3 levels tend to run 30% lower than lighter skinned people. This alone makes people of color more susceptible to corona-virus and most chronic diseases of aging such as heart disease, strokes, higher maternal/fetal mortality rates, cancer and many more chronic diseases.
Steffanie: What are signs that a person is vitamin D3 deficient?
DR. MATTHEWS: Signs and symptoms of vitamin D3 deficiency are fatigue, insomnia, joint pain, muscle pain, frequent fractures/broken bones, recurrent infections, brittle nails, hair loss, memory loss, lack of focus, and poor wound healing.
Steffanie: List ailments that can be prevented by taking vitamin D3.
DR. MATTHEWS: That is a very long list. Almost all diseases of chronic aging can be slowed down with vitamin D3 such as heart disease, strokes, cancer, and many other diseases.
Steffanie: Some people drink milk to get their vitamin D3, is that the best way? Others are lactose intolerant and need to absorb in other ways, and what’s the optimal daily amount of vitamin D3 needed?
DR. MATTHEWS: Ninety percent (90%) of vitamin D3 production comes from the sun striking the skin producing a chemical that goes to the liver and kidneys to make vitamin D3. Only ten percent (10%) of vitamin D3 comes from the diet. As a result, most people need sunlight (apply sunscreen after 15 minutes of exposure to avoid skin cancers) and supplements. Supplements come in liquid, chewables, soft gels, capsule, or tablet form. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) requirements for vitamin D3 is 600 international units for younger adults and 800 IU for older adults; however, in my first manuscript published on vitamin D3, we challenged that as being too low based on our present technology society. In an agricultural society fifty years ago, people spent most of their time outdoors (more sunlight) and did not have sunscreen. Today we spend most of our time indoors (less sunlight) and use sunscreen.
Depending on an individual’s lifestyle and what part of the country/world they live in vitamin D3 supplementation will be different. Outdoors people might need less supplementation than people who spend more time indoors or who live in colder, less sunny climates.
Steffanie: Can a person take too much Vitamin D3?
DR. MATTHEWS: Vitamin D3 toxicity is very rare. A person will have to take more than one million IU in a short period of time. Vitamin D3 deficiency is more dangerous than vitamin D3 toxicity. Vitamin D3 levels less than 18 ng/ml increases the risk of death by thirty percent (30%) from all causes including corona-virus.
Since the levels of vitamin D3 decreases in the human body with age, coupled with less physical activity, low supplementation and under-nourishing diets, it’s no wonder the health of African-Americans have been more negatively affected by corona-virus. Yet many African-Americans are suspicious of government-sponsored medical mandates and shy away from taking vaccines.
Steffanie: Ask many African-Americans if they will take the COVID-19 vaccine and the answer is NO! I’m sure you understand why they are hesitant. Do you and your family and friends plan to take the vaccine, why or why not?
DR. MATTHEWS: I took all the required vaccines during my 31-year medical career. I knew all the long term side effects because it took 5-20 years to make a vaccine prior to the mRNA corona-virus vaccines. The long-term side effects of the mRNA vaccines are unknown. I will stick with the vitamin D3 for now.
Steffanie: In relation to the COVID-19 virus and the vaccine: Why do health officials (like those on the president’s health panel) rarely talk about preventative maintenance? Is their focus more on selling a vaccine than on the benefits of using cheaper and more accessible supplements?
DR. MATTHEWS: In the world of medicine, the big money is in intervention rather than prevention; however, a study found that 70% of doctors take supplements but do not tell their patients.
Steffanie: The adage ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’ could help people build their immune systems to reduce chances of viral infections, and save them sick time and money spent on aftercare. What does your ‘ounce of prevention’ look like when it comes to building one’s immune system? What are some ‘old faithful’ products you suggest people keep in their homes at all times?
DR. MATTHEWS: A worldwide expert virologist once said that there are 1,400 viruses that have the potential to become a pandemic. Do you take 1,400 shots every year, or do you make the immune system stronger to fight off all infections? I would recommend vitamin D3, zinc, and vitamin C. These are natural supplements with minimal side effects. I worked around some of the most contagious infectious diseases on earth and did not catch any infections during my 31-year medical career.
Steffanie: Most Black men do little in preventative healthcare maintenance. They shy away from going to doctors appointments, and they rarely take supplements. They spend more time on outward physical appearance – working out at fitness centers – than on caring for their body’s internal systems. What’s the best way to change that?
DR. MATTHEWS: Women are usually more health conscious than men. You have to encourage their mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters to be more proactive in their men’s health. Men tend to listen to them.
Steffanie: Please add any information you want to include that wasn’t asked.
DR. MATTHEWS: If given the opportunity, I can help to bring the corona-virus pandemic under control worldwide in three months. I understand the biology, patho-physiology, biochemistry, and pharmacology of corona-virus and vitamin D3. I call vitamin D3 God’s miracle vitamin.
Steffanie Rivers is a free-lance journalist living in the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex. Email her at info@SteffanieRivers.com with your comments, questions and speaking inquiries.
New Year Edition
We revised to include Faces of Extraordinary in our Edition. Special thanks to so many that makes EPA special. View the edition on scribd.
Men & Women of hOnor
We are celebrating our leaders of 2020. This group of successful leaders stand front and center and we honor them!
To view the News Paper visit SCRIBD
Award Winning
Thanks to Dr. John Williams for making sure laExpose’ is recognized for the years of work for the prestigious Presidential Award.
Merry christmas
- Order Your Holiday Magazine on Amazon
- Carla’s Turkey Dressing
- Ingredients
- 1 pan of cornbread & 4 pieces of toast
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1 small onion
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons dried sage
- salt and pepper to taste
- Prepare the corn bread and toast according to directions. Cool and crumble. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 9×13 inch baking dish. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and saute the celery and onion until soft. In a large bowl, combine the celery, onions, 3 cups crumbled corn bread, eggs, chicken stock, sage and salt and pepper to taste; mix well. Pour in greased baking dish.
Life is art
MY LIFE IS ART. ART IS MY LIFE
Being an artist isn’t just about putting pencil to paper, or brush to canvas. Art can and does mean so much more than that, to so many people. Art is a way of seeing the world, a way of expression, oftentimes a compulsion: we simply must create!
Art may be a way to explore your world or your imagination. Art may inspire a beginning painter to take steps into learning a new medium, or an accomplished artist to experiment with a new technique. Art is teaching, art is learning. Art can be exciting, empowering, and an expression of love.
Art can be a challenge: both frustrating and rewarding at the same time, leading to a sense of accomplishment — or a determination to do more. Art can be a message: of politics, of peace, of brutality or beauty. Art can be an escape, an idealization, or simply a means of play. Art can be anything and everything you let it be.Write that down…
ARTIST’S BIOGRAPHY
AMB. DR. PRINCE KOJO-HILTON (Art Director / Production designer)
Amb. Dr. Prince Kojo-Hilton is a multi-talented visual artist with almost eighteen years professional experience that has gained him both local and international recognition. He is a product of the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI) with a major in Art Direction and Production Design (2014).
Due to his hard work, passion and incredible creativity ability, he had a rare opportunity as an understudy to Johnson Edu (his Uncle); at the Technical Department of the National Theatre of Ghana which helped launch his career to another level. His understudy was in the areas of Scenic design, Props Design, Make- up and special effects design, Set Design and Construction. He has used his skills on a number of projects and he has gained the accolade of the first ever artist to create the first ever man made Volcano in Africa. This was for the Guinness’ Big Eruption Concert in Accra, Ghana. He has worked on a number of Films, TV Commercials, TV studio Sets, Music Videos, Theatre Productions and several live Stage events.Adding to his prehistoric repertoire, he has worked as a Scenic Artist with Hollywood Directors of The Matrix Trilogy (the Wachowskis) on the science fiction series ‘Sense 8’which was shot in Nairobi, Kenya in 2014. Kojo has worked with most of the multimedia firms and production houses of great renown in Accra, Ghana and across Africa. His passion and dedication to duty has caused him to accomplish staggering results within a short space of time.With regards to awards, Kojo has won several. Notable amongst them are The Osagyefo Pan African Eminence Art Director/ Production Designer Award 2016; The World Leader Laureate, a PENTASI B’ AWARD 2018 and The 40 Under 40 Award 2019 for the Theatre and Arts category. He also won an Honorary Award from the School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana, Legon, in 2017. Other recognitions include nominations for The Global Art Awards; under the category of Ultimate Best Global Mixed Media Artist Award 2017 in Dubai. Yale University also awarded him a Citation of Inspiration in 2018. In 2019 in Nigeria, he was celebrated as a Living Legend by the World Institute of Peace and became the recipient of the World Icon of Peace Award, in 2018 two of his best stage design works were selected and displayed at the Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space (in Czech Republic) as African Section for Set Design and Costume.Dr. Kojo – Hilton is a strong art advocate, for the past 17 years has single handedly trained and mentored many young talents in Ghana, Nigeria, Gambia, Kenya, South Africa etc.He is the former Greater Accra Regional chairman for Ghana Association of Visual Artists (GAVA) 2017- 2019.He received the Pan African Republic Honorary Award 2019 and is currently The Pan African Art Ambassador, a Lifetime achievement Award. In 2020 Kojo-Hilton received an Honorary Doctorate license No. 43/2018 from International Forum for Creativity and Humanity – Kingdom of Morocco, same year he was awarded Extraordinary People Awards – USA, In Visual Artist Award of Honor.Events and Projects founded by Amb. Dr. Kojo-Hilton includes; Supports Arts Foundation(SAF), Visual Art Students Empowerment Project (VASEP), PKH Art Africa, Hilwood Studio, The Arts Legendary Wall of Fame Honours, The CombArt Show, Hilton Honorary Art Awards, Pan African States University of Art (PASUA) The community Art Festival.
Holiday issue
While shopping grab our holiday magazine on Amazon!
As a bonus let me share my sisters favorite holiday main dish!
- Carla’s Turkey Dressing
- Ingredients
- 1 pan of cornbread & 4 pieces of toast
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1 small onion
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons dried sage
- salt and pepper to taste
- Prepare the corn bread and toast according to directions. Cool and crumble. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 9×13 inch baking dish. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and saute the celery and onion until soft. In a large bowl, combine the celery, onions, 3 cups crumbled corn bread, eggs, chicken stock, sage and salt and pepper to taste; mix well. Pour in greased baking dish.
Moms pound cake
- Buttermilk Pound Cake
- Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter
- 3 cups white sugar
- 6 eggs
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease one 9 or 10 inch tube pan. Mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter with sugar. Mix in the In a large bowl, beat butter with sugar. Mix in the eggs, one at time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the lemon and the vanilla extracts. Gently mix in flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake 90min.
- More details on Scribd.
Happy Holidays
