VPF News

Summer 2010

Annual Drawing Winners Announced

The VP Foundation's Annual Drawing was held on June 6, 2010, to honor Dr. Clive Solomons on his 79th birthday.

Dr. Solomons is a retired biomedical research scientist, of Denver, Colorado. He originated the research linking vulvodynia, fibromyalgia, interstitial cystitis, and irritable bowel – one and the same syndrome – with periodic hyperoxaluria and connective tissue instability.

Thousands of people continue to enjoy recoveries as the result of effective treatments he developed during 1986-1999. These include a low oxalate diet.

John A. Edwards, Ph.D., clinical psychologist and member of the board of directors of The VP Foundation, drew the winning tickets. Three long-standing members of the Foundation – from Oceanside, California; Ray, North Dakota; and Waynesville, North Carolina – purchased winning tickets.

A financial report of income generated by the 2010 Drawing, and reports of the winners' recoveries will be published in The VP Foundation Newsletter, Number 34. This issue is scheduled to be mailed to VPF members in September.

Are You Taking Enough Calcium Citrate?

The primary focus of the next issue of The VP Foundation Newsletter will be calcium citrate therapy. Executive Director, Joanne Yount, explains that the Foundation is quite concerned about the numbers of sufferers who are experiencing less than full recoveries due to inadequate calcium citrate intake.

Ms. Yount advises, "The VPF encourages members to reread Answers to Questions about calcium citrate dosage in Newsletter 30. This article includes detailed guidelines for taking calcium citrate. (To order this and other back issues, go to The VPF Newsletter.)

"In addition, I encourage members to talk with their regional VPF Leaders. The Foundation's Leaders have recovered on treatments developed through Dr. Solomons' research. They are available for personal communication, to help guide members through multi-layered treatment steps to recovery."

According to Ms. Yount, "The upcoming issue of the VPF's Newsletter will also be chock-full of research data on the oxalate content of foods, beverages, and natural supplements." University of Wyoming Professor of Human Nutrition, Michael Liebman, Ph.D., and graduate assistant Joseph Okombo, M.S., are testing popular menu items from national restaurants such as Wendy's and Applebee's.

Special food, beverage, and supplement requests made by VPF members through the VPF office in Graham, North Carolina, are also being analyzed for oxalate content. One such request, Honeybush Tea by Strand Tea Company, has proven to be quite low in oxalic acid content at 0.5 mg. per 8-ounce cup. Taste testers report that Honeybush, like Rooibos, is a refreshing and "very agreeable" tea.

Uplifting personal letters of recovery, and information about harmful drugs to avoid, including reviews of helpful periodicals such as Worst Pills, Best Pills, published by Public Citizen, Washington, DC, will round out this next issue.

To become a member and receive The Foundation Newsletter, go to Memberships.