ARTICLES

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Simply Magnesium (November 2009)

Skin Deep - a natural approach to skin complaints (Summer 2008)

Spring cleaning for the mind and body (Mar 2007)

SIMPLY MAGNESIUM

What if you discovered a supplement that could significantly help in the prevention of heart disease, cancer, strokes, osteoporosis and dementia?

A supplement that’s a key player in working with depression, fertility, chronic fatigue and adrenal support?

Would you be interested?

And what if that supplement wasn’t a hi-tech formula, or an obscure tropical plant extract…

…but simply magnesium.

It’s time to remind ourselves of the power of mineral that is essential to every cell in your body.

Magnesium is in practically every multi and formula out there, because it is required for so many fundamental processes, not least the absorption of many other nutrients, the production of enzymes and prostaglandins, and the manufacture of ATP, our energy molecule. But are we taking the right form of magnesium? And are we taking enough?

First, let’s remind ourselves of why magnesium is so crucial to every aspect of our wellbeing.

Magnesium and energy
The 8th most abundant element on the planet, magnesium is the brightly burning spark that underpins our energy levels. Magnesium is required for the production and stability of the ATP molecule, which provides energy for basic bodily processes. These range from processing and transporting nutrients, to making enzymes, and activating cellular pumps so that important substances can move in and out of each cell. The sodium-potassium pump, for example, is the mechanism by which nerve cells carry signals, and is also fundamental to maintaining the balance and flow of electrolytes across the cell membrane. Without this electrolyte exchange, which also includes the calcium-magnesium pump, we cannot maintain a sufficient pH, electrical charge or flow of hydration for the many important activities of the cell to function efficiently.

Our detoxification processes also require energy supplied by the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) molecule. So without enough magnesium, toxicity will build help in our cells and deaden their functions still further. We will slowly poison ourselves.

As we are essentially a community of approximately 100 trillion cells (embedded or floating in various types of matrix), if our cells are lacking energy and underperforming, then so are we.

Magnesium and cellular health
A healthy cell is one where the nutrients are able to enter and be utilised, toxins are able to be eliminated, and the environment supports the cell’s chemical activities. If the cellular pumps are working well, which requires magnesium for ATP production and also relies on the quality of oils in the cell membrane, then the cell will be able to maintain the correct balance of magnesium, calcium, potassium and sodium within the cell. If they are not, then potassium and magnesium will be lost, and calcium and sodium levels will build up in the cell. Cellular processes reliant on magnesium and potassium, including DNA synthesis, enzyme manufacture and energy production, become sluggish, while processes that utilise calcium, such as muscle contraction and nerve excitability, become overactive.

At the same time, the environment or “test tube conditions” of the cell change, that is, its pH (acid-alkaline balance), temperature, hydration and light availability. This will stultify many other cellular activities, and together with the increased toxic load, will lead to chronic inflammation 1 and impaired function. The cell becomes increasingly stagnant, contracted and disconnected as the cell membrane becomes less able to hear and respond to external information. With the reduced ability to maintain a healthy balance and flow of electrolytes, the charge across the cell membrane changes, which directly affects the cell’s ability to hold and produce quantum energy from light particles.2

Magnesium and cancer prevention
The membrane itself will by this stage contain fewer oxygen-attracting phospohlipids (made from essential fatty acids), which has huge implications for how we produce ATP during cellular respiration and how the cell behaves. When there is a 40% reduction in oxygen availability for the ATP process, the cell will use up more glucose to make its energy molecules, and the cell will revert to foetal behaviour and start to multiply3. And indeed, the general effects on the body of impaired cell function and detoxification, including the change in pH and the slowing of the metabolic rate, will include a reduced ability to take up oxygen in the lungs and by the blood. Otto Warburg, awarded 2 Nobel prizes for his work on cancer, said that “Cancer has only one prime cause. The prime cause of cancer is the replacement of normal oxygen respiration of body cells by an anaerobic (oxygen-less) cell respiration.”

Other researchers have sought to prove DNA damage as the root cause of cancer4. Apte & Sarangarajan explain how the p53 tumour suppressor gene is mutated in over 50% of tumours. The p53 gene is usually activated when oxygen levels are low (hypoxia)5, to prevent the cell from multiplying as Kremer describes and to induce cell death (apoptosis) – mutant p53 cells found in these tumours, however, show a resistance to hypoxia-induced apoptosis6. The body would usually work hard to repair such damage, or kill off the damaged cell, but in some cases this is not possible, perhaps due to the nature of the damage or the lack of certain resources. Magnesium is one of the nutrients crucial to DNA production and stabilisation7, and zinc is also important for DNA repair and p53 expression8.

Many other researchers point to the pH disruption in cancer cells9, the alterations in cellular communication via light emission10, and extreme stagnation and toxicity. We have seen the pivotal role magnesium plays with all of these aspects, together with potassium, oils and their supporting nutrients. Magnesium is also essential for the production of glutathione, which is important in our detoxification pathways.

Magnesium relaxes muscles
The same relationship between intracellular magnesium and calcium governs how well our muscles work: calcium helps muscles to contract, and magnesium helps them to relax. Muscle tissue usually contains more magnesium than calcium, and muscles low in calcium are prone to cramps and spasms. Magnesium may therefore be greatly beneficial to conditions such as chronic back pain, leg cramps and IBS. Indeed, constrictions in the muscle, nerve and connective tissue cells may contribute not only to muscle spasms, but also to poor postural alignment, as the skeletal structure is manipulated out of place. In my opinion, good hydration and nutrition is therefore a useful adjunct to many forms of bodywork.

Low levels of oxygen and an imbalance in intracellular calcium and magnesium levels have also been linked to fibromyalgia.

In addition, the importance of magnesium to cellular integrity and function described above shows just how crucial magnesium is to general tissue health in the body, including the tissue lining the bowel. Together with zinc, vitamin C and essential fatty acids, magnesium can help reduce the inflammation and repair damage to the inside of the digestive tract, and so help with IBS, Crohn’s disease, colitis and many conditions arising from malabsorption in the gut. To avoid the occurrence or reoccurrence of bowel disorders such as IBS, Crohn’s disease and colitis, we need to ensure that our intestines have the resources they need to stay healthy, and the correct magnesium:calcium ratio to avoid spasms and help the bowel move in a way that helps prevent stagnation and fermentation.

Oestrogen and progesterone levels influence magnesium levels, which explains why the menstrual cycle is often accompanied abdominal cramping, including “Mittelschmerz” (mid-cycle cramping) where progesterone peaks in week 3.

Magnesium and blood vessels
A lack of magnesium can also cause contractions in the arterial walls, which contain smooth muscle tissue. In some people, this can lead to headaches and migraines, where the blood vessels in the head and neck are constricted. In one study, 3000 patients given at least 200mg supplemental magnesium daily reported an 80% reduction in their migraine symptoms.

Reduced levels of magnesium can also contribute to circulatory problems in other parts of the body, such as the extremities in Raynaud’s syndrome, where the hands, for example, become very cold and pale due to extreme vasoconstriction of the periphery blood vessels.

Magnesium and heart disease
Coronary arteries also contain smooth muscle tissue, and so need calcium to contract and magnesium to dilate. Only 3mm or less in diameter, these arteries depend on magnesium to dilate them so that they can carry oxygen-rich blood from inside the heart to the heart muscle, which also needs a correct balance of magnesium and calcium to regulate our heartbeat. In fact, magnesium expert Mildred Seelig cites several studies that show magnesium to be beneficial in the treatment of arrhythmia11 .

Magnesium is not the only nutrient needed to prevent heart disease. We also know the importance of essential fatty acids, vitamin E, vitamin C, Co Q10 and other supplements, but many would cite magnesium as being the most important. A CDCP12 19 year test showed that heart disease was a higher risk factor in those with magnesium deficiency, and a 5 year study in Taiwan showed a lower incidence of stroke death in areas where there was more magnesium in the water13. Magnesium deficiency has been shown to increase platelet aggregation, which contributes to the kind of clotting seen in heart attacks, pulmonary embolism and strokes.

An early sign of magnesium deficiency is degradation of elastin in the subendothelium of the arteries, the part of the lining which lies next to the smooth muscle. When this happens, the artery walls lose their elasticity, and inflammation occurs. Newer thinking around heart disease proposes that the cholesterol and calcium is sent to areas of damage in the arterial wall as a kind of plaster, presumably until the body had found a way to heal the damage. These plasters as rigid, however, and so not a good longterm solution14. If we don’t have the nutrient stores, ability and energy to bring resources to this area and heal it, then the oxygen and blood rich coronary arteries gradually get weakened and blocked, and are unable to feed the heart muscle, leading initially to angina pain.

In up to 30% angina patients, however, the arteries are not badly blocked, and in 40-60% sudden deaths from heart attack, there is no prior artery blockage, no clots and the heartbeat has been normal15. Could these be caused by muscle spasm due to lack of magnesium?

Magnesium and osteoporosis
Many practitioners reach for the calcium when osteoporosis is diagnosed, perhaps with some vitamin D to aid absorption. But just as important, if not more so, is the actual placement of calcium in the body. Calcium placement is ultimately governed by magnesium.

The body will maintain homeostasis of the blood above everything else. If blood calcium is low, then the parathyroid will pull calcium out of the bones to stabilise blood levels. But if the diet is sufficiently high in calcium-rich vegetables and pulses, then why would the blood calcium levels be so low?

We need to look back to electrolyte exchange at the cell membrane again. If the calcium-magnesium pump isn’t working efficiently, due to a lack of magnesium bound ATP and a lack of serum magnesium, then calcium will build up in the cells and have restricted access back into the blood. Magnesium also helps calcium to be laid down in the bone in the form of calcium phosphate crystals. Moreover, magnesium actually helps calcium to be absorbed in the first place. So with osteoporosis, magnesium should really be top of our list of supporting nutrients, and calcium may not be appropriate at all.

Kidney and gallstones
85% of kidney stones are made from calcium phosphate or calcium oxalate, and gallstones are largely calcium bilirubinate or calcium carbonate combined with cholesterol (present in the gallbladder as a component of bile). Ideally we would like calcium to stay in solution rather than be bound up in this way to form stones. It is magnesium that helps calcium to stay in solution in the body. In addition, healthy urine usually contains levels of citrate that will prevent the formation of oxalates in the kidneys16.

So taking magnesium citrate would be a logical choice here for the prevention of stones. At the same time you would need to address pH (also assisted by magnesium) and the general health and function of the kidney/ gall bladder tissue cells.

Magnesium and the brain
I have already mentioned the role of magnesium and calcium in sending nerve signals. Neurotransmitters in the brain use magnesium, calcium and zinc to stimulate and regulate electrical activity. Calcium-rich brain cells can fire excessively, which will deplete their energy, and sometimes lead to seizures, or even cell death. Magnesium will lower the threshold for those seizures, and so reduce the likelihood that they will happen.

Dr Carolyn Dean tells of a Florida high school football team ill-advisedly given calcium supplements to help with leg cramps before a game. Remember that calcium competes with magnesium for absorption, and also acts antagonistically to magnesium in the body. After playing strenuously on a hot day, 8 members of the team suffered full blown seizures, and 2 had repeated seizures. Others reported symptoms including disorientation, blurred vision, problems walking, muscle twitching, nausea and weakness. The worst affected had also had magnesium depleting fizzy drinks and fast food before the game17.

Brain cells damaged by toxicity, trauma or stress will also fire inappropriately. Chemicals such as food additives, pesticides, herbicides, solvents and cleaning products can all cross the blood-brain barrier and poison brain cells. Magnesium can help to protect the brain from the toxic effect of these chemicals.

Heavy metals compete with magnesium in the small intestine and brain, and so as well as depleting magnesium, they will be depleted by magnesium if there is enough there. Magnesium also plays an important role in detoxifying our cells from heavy metals, not least though production of detoxifying glutathione. Studies have shown that magnesium will in fact protect the whole body from heavy metals18. With the increase in links between heavy metals and conditions such as Parkinson’s19, Alzheimer’s20, dementia, MS, ME, autism21, ADHD etc., magnesium would be a strong contender for consideration when looking at supplementation for brain health, alongside essential fatty acids and zinc.

Magnesium is also required for the production of serotonin, making it a useful nutrient for those with depression, and also for the production of dopamine, low levels of which are associated with Parkinson’s disease.

Magnesium and anxiety
Magnesium deficiency has been related to anxiety22, panic attacks23 and palpitations24. We have already looked at magnesium and heart health, but we must also look at the role of the adrenals here too.

What I often refer to as an “adrenal lifestyle”, i.e. with stressful jobs, repeated heavy exercise or adrenaline sports, burning the candle at both ends, running on empty – all of these deplete magnesium levels by putting a strain on the adrenals. Adrenal stress will lead to increased loss of magnesium and potassium via the kidneys, as aldosterone signals that they should hold onto fluids via sodium retention – thus also contributing to high blood pressure.

Additionally, magnesium is a co-factor for the hormones, prostaglandins and enzymes required to service the adrenals (alongside zinc, essential fatty acids, vitamin C, vitamin E, a variety of B vitamins and amino acids – B5 is a particularly good adrenal support, as are B6 and vitamin C). Adrenal depletion will also put a strain on thyroid, and indeed the rest of the endocrine system.

Stress in itself will have a contracting effect on the whole body, and chronic stress will lead to the kind of stagnating effect discussed earlier. The cells respond to stress by restricting the flow across the cell membrane. The purpose of this seems to be to hold onto water by impeding the flow of water (each molecule of sodium will have 28 molecules of water following it), so the cell membrane alters in a way that inhibits the action of the pumps. This will reduce intracellular magnesium and potassium levels and increase calcium and sodium levels, with all of the potential ramifications already discussed and more. So when we talk about stress-related illness, we are referring to specific biochemical processes that can be assisted by the addition of magnesium.

Blood sugar, diabetes and insulin
One of the roles of calcium in the blood is to regulate blood sugar25. We have already seen how magnesium deficiency can lead to calcium misplacement, and this will impact on how well we can hold our blood sugar levels. Magnesium supplementation has also been shown to improve insulin response and glucose tolerance.

Refined sugar has 95% less magnesium and so uses up our own magnesium reserves to help digest it. If we don’t have enough magnesium to do this, we form pyruvic acid and abnormal sugars that impede ATP production in the brain and nervous system. So we would certainly be advised to avoid refined sugar, and where blood sugar is a more pronounced issue, magnesium would be part of a team of nutrients that would need to be looked at, including chromium, cobalt, copper, zinc, iodine and oils.

Magnesium and women
We have already seen how oestrogen and progesterone affect magnesium levels, and this is relevant for both menstruating women and women going through menopause. There have been a number of studies showing magnesium to be therapeutic due to its ability to relax muscles and blood vessel walls, and also to reduce PGF2 alpha, a prostaglandin which stimulates contraction of the uterine muscle.

In one study, 192 women took 400mg magnesium daily for PMS with the following results: 95% reported reduced breast pain and weight gain, 89% had a decrease in nervous tension and 43% experienced fewer headaches. Pre-menstrual mood swings have also been shown to benefit from magnesium supplementation, perhaps because of its effect on serotonin levels26.

Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) have lower magnesium levels and higher calcium levels, and magnesium is a useful supplement for all areas of fertility work, particularly in providing raw materials for prostaglandin production, which regulates menstrual activity, and in maintaining healthy tissue cells.

Pregnancy
Magnesium requirements increase during pregnancy, labour and breastfeeding. The developing baby requires magnesium for its own ATP production, manufacture of enzymes and hormones, prostaglandins and to maintain its own electrolyte balance during the production of its own healthy cells. The mother needs increased magnesium intake to provide for all of this, and also to service her own increased levels of hormones, prostaglandins, enzymes and ATP, as well as increased uterine and breast tissue. In terms of labour, if magnesium is deficient, then the cervix may have a hard time dilating and the pelvis may find it difficult to relax and widen. Seelig also links magnesium deficiency with many conditions relating to pregnancy, including spontaneous abortion, preeclampsia, postpartum uterine cramps, placenta abnormalities in eclampsia, intrauterine growth retardation and foetal hypoxia27.

Magnesium and ME
A double blind placebo controlled test of randomly chosen chronic fatigue patients showed a significant increase in energy levels and emotion handling after 6 weeks of intramuscular magnesium sulphate.

In my own practice, I have repeatedly found magnesium to be a crucial factor within the various programmes I have put together for individual ME/chronic fatigue patients. I believe this works on the following levels:

* Increasing ATP production helps provide energy and shift sluggishness on all levels
* Regulating blood sugar levels also helps with energy levels throughout the day
* Releasing the vasodilation and muscle restriction on the neck so common with ME patients relieves headaches and migraines
* Clearing the toxic load has beneficial consequences for whole body; magnesium particularly helps protect the brain and kidneys from the effects of toxic damage
* Magnesium strongly supports the integrity of muscle and nerve tissue, which is often a problematic area with ME.
* Restoring the magnesium/calcium balance in nerves can also help to redress problems of heightened sensitivity to noise and light
* Restoring the balance and flow of electrolytes across the cell membrane allows clearer communication within the body and with its environment, and helps bring more oxygen and light into the body28.

Sources of magnesium
Shellfish have the highest levels of magnesium, followed by nuts and seeds. Dark green leafy vegetables are also good sources of magnesium, as are pulses, cauliflower and avocado. Wholegrains contain useful amounts, but processing will reduce their levels, for example 80-85% of their magnesium is lost during milling of wheat into flour, and white rice contains 83% less magnesium than brown rice. The process of freezing vegetables will often reduce their magnesium content too. It is also worth noting that minerals will leach into the water when boiling vegetables, so it is good practice to use the water to make gravy and sauces.

In addition, soil levels of magnesium have fallen, leading to reduced uptake by plants and animals through the food chain. McCance and Widdowson show a 24% drop in vegetable magnesium levels, a 16% reduction in fruit, and a 10% drop in meat, between 1940 and 199129. In fact the soil loss is probably greater than these statistics suggest, as the vegetables in the 1940 study were boiled for much longer times. Broccoli, for example, was boiled for 45 minutes in the 1940 study, but for only 15 minutes in the 1991 study.

Magnesium absorption and uptake
Magnesium needs a high level of acidity in the stomach to convert it into a usable form. Approx 50% (in some cases up to 75%, but in others much lower) is absorbed in the small intestine, providing there is adequate hydration (magnesium is water soluble) and enough functioning protein transport molecules in the GI wall. Magnesium absorption is inhibited by calcium, phosphorous, potassium, sodium, lactose, supplemental iron, high doses of supplemental zinc, phosphates (for example in fizzy drinks), caffeine, alcohol, oxalic acid and phytic acid. Free fatty acids can also reduce absorption, as can high protein levels; however many of the protein rich foods are also high in magnesium. Magnesium is also inhibited or depleted by diuretics, the contraceptive pill, insulin, digitalis, some antibiotics such as tetracycline, cortisone and cardiac glycosides30. Magnesium is excreted largely by the kidneys, but also in the gut, and as we have seen, stress will increase magnesium loss.

For best uptake by the cells, magnesium requires an alkaline environment and good levels of vitamin B6.

Magnesium supplementation – dosage and form
So now we come to the big question: how much to take, and what is the best form?

How much to take varies hugely from person to person. Factors include age, the person’s current magnesium status, diet, soil magnesium levels, the health of the small intestines and kidneys in particular, and all the other factors for absorption discussed above. In addition, higher levels are needed by pregnant and lactating women. The Reference Nutrient Intake(RNI) recommended by the government is 300mg for men and 270mg for women, but many would agree that this falls far short of actual requirements. Elson Haas estimates that an average diet usually supplies around 120mg31, and many practitioners have found it appropriate in some cases to supplement up to 600-800mg on top of this. Toxicity is rare, as excess magnesium is usually excreted. A B6 supplement is often prescribed alongside magnesium to improve uptake by the cells.

The form of magnesium you take is also important. Many supplements contain carbonates and oxides, as these are cheaper forms. However, these forms will also reduce the stomach acidity, and therefore how well absorbed the magnesium is. The Nutrigold Newsletter “The Truth About Mineral Supplementation” cites a 1990 study by Lindberg et al where magnesium citrate was shown to be 4-4.5 times more absorbable than magnesium oxide. Using Lindberg’s data it can be calculated that yeast-enriched supplements marketed as “like the form in which they are present in foods” are only a tenth of the value for money compared to magnesium citrate supplements32. Magnesium oxide is also a laxative, and so I would not recommend its use in therapeutic doses.

Magnesium sulphate is the form of magnesium in Epsom salts, and enough is absorbed transdermally to help relax the muscles wonderfully in a warm bath. Its absorption in the gut, however, is so poor that it will instead attract water into the colon, and so like magnesium oxide, has a laxative effect.

Magnesium chloride is widely available for internal and transdermal use, and is the form that the stomach converts magnesium into, so is useful where stomach acids levels are lower. The body then needs to convert magnesium into citrate form for use in the Krebs cycle. In fact the body creates 1.5kg of citrates daily, so supplementing magnesium in citrate form would not significantly upset the balance of citrates. The body’s own aspartate pool is much smaller, however, and so supplementing with magnesium aspartate may have a more unbalancing effect.

Finally it’s worth noting a 2005 study comparing absorption of organic and inorganic forms of magnesium, where the organic forms (including citrate, gluconate and aspartate) were shown to be better absorbed33. Overall, magnesium citrate would seem to be the most beneficial form to take that is readily available34.

Magnesium supplementation should be increased gradually and mindfully. As magnesium will increase the detoxification pathways in the body35, we need to make sure that the routes of elimination can cope with the extra workload. This may require additional support for the lymphatic system, blood, liver, kidneys, lungs, skin and/or colon. A good practitioner will be able to look at the whole picture in this way, and provide assistance on all levels to help you take appropriate levels of magnesium in a way that your body work best with it.

1 Mark Sircus tells of a Medical University of South Carolina study of blood inflammation levels, using C-reactive protein as a marker, in 3800 men and women, which showed that those who got consumed than 50% of the RDA for magnesium (310-420mg) were almost 3 times more likely to have dangerously high CRP levels. (“Inflammation and Systemic Stress” 2008)

2 Johanna Budwig and Mae Wan Ho have shown how the electrons in the cell membrane capture and hold quantum energy from light; FA Popp has shown how the body can produce its own light; Vladimir Voeikov has shown how free radicals, including oxygen ions, come together to produce light.
J Budwig “Flax oil as a true aid against heart infarction, cancer and other diseases” 3rd edition Apple Publishing 1994; MW Ho “The Rainbow and the Worm” World Scientific Publishing 1998; M Rattemeyer, FA Popp, and W Nagl, Naturwissenschaften 68 (1981): VL Voeikov “Reactive oxygen species (ROS): pathogens or sources of vital energy? Part 2. Bioenergetic and bioinformational functions of ROS” Journal of alternative and complementary medicine 2006

3 H Kremer “The Silent Revolution in Cancer and AIDS Therapy” Xlibris 2009

4 Links between DNA damage and cancer have been explored by Link & Poulsen (“Cancer risk and oxidative DNA damage in man” Journal of Molecular Medicine 1996) and Wiseman & Halliwell (“Damage to DNA by reactive oxygen and nitrogen species” Biochem Journal 1996)

5 or during DNA damage, the expression of certain oncogenes or cytotoxic stimulus

6 S Apte & R Sarangarajan “Cellular Respiration and Carcinogenesis” (Humana Press 2009)

7 J Anastassapoulos & T Theophanides “Magnesium–DNA interactions and the possible relation of magnesium to carcinogenesis. Irradiation and free radicals“ Oncology Hematology April 2002

8 E Ho, C Courtemanche & BNAmes “Zinc Deficiency Induces Oxidative DNA Damage and Increases P53 Expression in Human Lung Fibroblasts” J. Nutr. Aug 2003

9 Such as Drs Gerson and Simoncini

10 See Budwig above, and Mae Wan Ho’s “The Rainbow and the Worm” World Scientific Publishing 1998

11 MS Seelig “Magnesium Deficiency in the Pathogeneisis of Disease” Goldwater Memorial Hospital 1980

12 Centers For Disease Control and Prevention in the US

13 Dr Carolyn Dean “The Miracle of Magnesium” Ballantine Books 2003

14 85% of such plaques form near junctions in the arteries, where there is more need for protection against overstretching, and they never occur where arteries pass through bony structures that already prevent overstretching

15 Dr Carolyn Dean “The Miracle of Magnesium” Ballantine Books 2003

16 Ettinger et al “Potassium-magnesium citrate is an effective prophylaxis against recurrent calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis” J. Urology Dec 1997

17 Dr Carolyn Dean “The Miracle of Magnesium” Ballantine Books 2003

18 M Speich et al “Correlations between magnesium and heavy metals in blood and sixteen tissues of rabbits.” Magnes Res. Sep 1989

19 EB Montgomery “Heavy metals and the etiology of Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders” 1994

20 The occupational histories of 185 people with Alzheimer’s disease were compared to 303 people without the disease. Results showed that individuals were up to 3.4 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s if they had worked in jobs exposing them to high levels of lead – either by breathing lead dust or from direct skin contact.

An Ontario study involving 668 autopsy-verified Alzheimer’s brains showed an increased risk by a factor of 2.5 in people drinking water with more than 100 micrograms of aluminium.

21 SJ James et al “Metabolic biomarkers of increased oxidative stress and impaired methylation capacity in children with autism” Amer J Clin Nutr 80 2004

22 MS Seelig MS, et al “Latent tetany and anxiety, marginal magnesium deficit, and normocalcemia.” Dis Nerv Syst. Aug1975

23 Dr Carolyn Dean “The Miracle of Magnesium” Ballantine Books 2003

24 EM Haas “Staying Healthy With Nutrition” Celestial Arts 1992

25 Martin L Budd “Low Blood Sugar” Thorsons 1984

26 Dr Carolyn Dean “The Miracle of Magnesium” Ballantine Books 2003

27 MS Seelig “Magnesium Deficiency in the Pathogenesis of Disease” Goldwater Memorial Hospital 1980

28 Drs Johanna Budwig and Mae Wan Ho have shown how the electrons in the cell membrane capture and hold quantum energy from light; FA Popp has shown how the body can produce its own light; V Voeikov has shown how free radicals, including oxygen ions, come together to produce light.

29 D Thomas “A study on the mineral depletion of the foods available to us as a nation” 2003

30 Dr Carolyn Dean “The Miracle of Magnesium” Ballantine Books 2003

31 EM Haas “Staying Healthy With Nutrition” Celestial Arts 1992

32 LG Plaskett, “The Truth About Mineral Supplementation” Nutrigold 2000

33 C Coudray et al “Study of magnesium bioavailability from ten organic and inorganic Mg salts in Mg-depleted rats using a stable isotope approach” Magnesium Research vol 18 December 2005

34 magnesium acetate is also a cheap, readily absorbed form, but has a rather unpleasant taste.

35 by increasing glutathione levels, aiding in the production of ATP and helping to drive electrolyte exchange at the cell membrane

Copywright Nutrigold Ltd. November 2009

SKIN DEEP - A NATURAL APPROACH TO SKIN COMPLAINTS

Our skin is our interface with the world: through our skin we receive impressions and sensations, and we express our internal state. We receive nutrients and expel waste. It protects us from harmful aspects of our environment, and helps us keep our inner balance.

Beauty, as well as health, is described in terms of clarity and luminescence of the skin. In a world where this is judged rather than just observed, it’s easy to see why our first impulse upon seeing a rash, boil, wart or dry patch, is to get rid of it as quickly as possible. So that expression and response to our current state is suppressed.

Any such “blemish” can be a real clue as to what’s going on internally. An overwhelmed or stagnant liver will encourage the body to eliminate toxins through other exits, and the skin is the largest of these. So any outburst on the skin would suggest that the liver needs a bit of extra support.

A blister on the heel might just be about the new shoes, but persistent mouth ulcers would tell me that there are high levels of sodium in the tissue cells. As would cold sores, or anywhere where there is inflammation or irritation, such as with psoriasis.

A meridian chart may tell us more – for example, a wart on the index finger, along which the colon meridian runs, may well point to intestinal problems. A rash on the knee may relate to a bladder irritation. Put together with information gleaned from a carefully taken case history, we might well gain a good idea of what’s actually going on beneath the surface.

Generally speaking, it will be about the body’s need to eliminate toxins and waste that have been released from the cells, either during the body’s nightly cleanse or during a detox. These toxins and waste, such as excess sodium and calcium, heavy metals and so on, are then carried through the lymph and blood, arrive at the liver for processing, ideally get squeezed out with the bile into the intestines, and finally leave the body when we empty our bowels.

Quite often, though, this route of elimination is stagnant, dehydrated and overworked, especially the liver, and so the body provides alternative routes out. The skin, as the largest of these, is a common next step. We can release toxins and waste directly from the blood and lymph into the skin, then out of the body, whether through sweat, rashes, boils, warts or eczema.

So to suppress this activity through creams, steroids and antibiotics may give us instant relief, but it also means that:
a) we no longer have clues as to what’s really going on and what stage we are at with this;
b) those toxins and excess materials are then pushed deeper into the body.
The irritation and unsightliness may be gone, but where have we pushed it to?

Skin is one of the organs that relates to the Chinese metal element, alongside colon, lungs and mind. The metal element is one of five states that help us to understand where we’re at and what’s going on. Metal element often has a sense of protection, setting boundaries and putting our barriers up, just as the skin provides that boundary between us and our environment. Metal element is also about purity – seeking utmost cleanliness and perfection. To do that, the organs involved can help us rid ourselves of whatever is getting in the way of health and wholeness. When out of balance, they can, however, be very adept at holding on, rather than letting go of what we no longer need.

Colon is at the lowest level of metal element, so an imbalance will show itself there first of all, perhaps with something like constipation, reflecting that need to let go. If you imagine the body as a doughnut, with the digestive tract as the hole in the middle, we can see an instant connection between the colon and the skin. They both act as border control to decide what may or may not enter or leave the body.

If the colon imbalance is pushed deeper, through suppression or further stress, it will move to skin level, from there to lungs. The lungs are another opportunity to release, through breathing or coughing for example, and are also another place where we can hold on for longer than is sometimes healthy. Grief and sadness are held in the lungs.

If the imbalance is allowed to go further, the next step is from lungs to mind. When we develop in the womb, the skin and brain are formed from the same layer of ectoderm cells, so the connection is there from before we are born.

Whichever level we have reached, we can use the skin as a route out to alleviate the stress and toxicity on those deeper organs. Suddenly, a rash or boil may not seem such a bad alternative. In fact, we may even welcome these expressions with gratitude for cleansing our inner organs.

While in the east the skin is known as the “third lung”, in the west we sometimes refer to it as the “third kidney”. Both are referring to its ability to eliminate waste, and both make sense. Our kidneys excrete excess materials through urine, which is largely made up of blood plasma, tissue salts and urea (a byproduct of breaking down protein that is so healing, incidentally, that it is used in many dermatitis and mastitis creams as well as beauty products). Sweat is made of a similar concoction. Night sweats and some rashes can point to overloaded kidneys needing some support.

So the key things here with most forms of skin complaint are:

Hydration: to help the toxins flow from cellular level, through the lymph and blood to the liver, and then right out of the body, preferably through the intestines. In my practice, I also work with naturopathic techniques to help keep these routes clear and energised. These can vary according to each person, as they are not always appropriate, but may involve dry skin brushing, castor oil packing and enemas. Hydration will also help the flow of nutrients to the skin to make it vibrant, elastic and healthy.

Oils: a spectrum of good quality oils will also assist in keeping the body hydrated at all levels. Omega 6 is very good for the skin, but if there is not enough omega 3 as well, this may result in the production of prostaglandins that cause inflammation. Avoid damaged fats by choosing only the highest quality cold pressed unsaturated oils (olive, flax, hemp etc.) for dressings, and cooking only with saturated fats (such as coconut oil and butter ghee).
Reducing toxins: to take the pressure off our liver and kidneys, eat fresh, organic food to avoid pesticides and other chemicals, and avoid alcohol and cigarettes.

Reducing stress in the diet: this might involve temporarily reducing or avoiding wheat, all gluten, dairy, caffeine and/or sugar. All these will dehydrate and encourage stagnation more than flow and release of toxins, in some people more than others. In cases of psoriasis, avoid all members of the nightshade family: potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers and aubergines. Make dietary changes gradually to avoid overwhelming the liver.

See a professional: such as a natural nutritionist who can help you understand what’s lying beneath your skin condition, and suggest ways to support your whole body so that your skin no longer needs to works so hard at keeping us healthy and clear.

Published in Healthwise magazine, summer 2008

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SPRING CLEANING FOR THE MIND AND BODY

Shrove Tuesday is traditionally a time to use up the last of our winter stores (which making pancakes fulfils rather nicely) before embarking on a spring fast for Lent. A lot of religious practices have practical implications, and this is no exception.

You may remember me writing a couple of months ago that January is not an ideal time to detox – we were in semi-hibernation mode, which is all about storing, holding on, and curling up by the fire. The time to start running about and releasing the toxins that have built up over the winter is spring, when the whole of nature starts to unfurl and raise itself up from the blanket of winter. The spring equinox on March 21st marks that change in energy, and that’s what the traditional Lent fast – whether we give up everything or just the chocolate and stodge – is so good at preparing us for and seeing us through.

As we yawn and stretch out way into springtime, our bodies start to open up on very deep level, at the level of our cells – where we hold toxins, excess sodium and calcium, and unresolved emotions and memories – and we go into a natural detox to throw off the accumulations of winter. This can be quite overwhelming, as our lymph, blood, liver and consciousness are hit with this sudden onslaught, and a fast around this time would help clear a way and create a space for all of this to come out and wipe the slate clean, so we can happily run about and be active in the livelier, warmer months.

Fasting comes with a caveat though, be it a juice fast, a rice fast, or whatever level you take it to. We’re not the same creatures we were a few hundred years ago. Our world is more chemical and we have more to offload. We don’t seem to be that good at letting go of things, either, and instead, push things deeper into our cells, or bury things in protective layers of fat.

Some of us may need a lot of fat to quarantine all our toxicity in. Some of us may dump toxins, including excess sodium and calcium, into non-life threatening places such as joints (which then become achy and inflamed) or as kidney and gallstones. Sometimes the load gets pushed onto skin, lungs or reproductive organs. Eventually it may move deeper and manifest as more life-threatening conditions. This is all going to need a helping hand to come out, and some special support for whichever organs are most strained.

We can also no longer rely on our climate to match the seasons we’re in. If we’re still quite cold in March, then however much our cells open up and release, our lymph and blood will be too thick and sluggish to cope with it. In actual fact, average core body temperatures have dropped so significantly over the years that many people are permanently in that winter mode of contracting, slowing and holding on. So a fast or modern-style detox regime may be all too much for us. Overwhelming the lymph, blood and liver can lead to headaches, rashes, irritability, craving, lethargy, bloating and more. In this time where our bodies are going into detox, whether we like it or not, what we most need is a programme that helps to support our routes of elimination, as everything released from our cells tries to find a way out.

This programme will be individual to you, as we are all different, and one man’s meat is another man’s poison. So that detox in a box, or book, or magazine, may need to be adapted to suit you. To really surf that equinox wave, get a tailor-made programme from a natural nutritionist or naturopath who takes the time to understand where you’re at, and can help you get to where you want to be.

DETOX DOs AND DON'Ts

Foods to avoid: The obvious ones like chocolate, sweets, biscuits, cakes, alcohol, fried foods, and damaged fats including many processed vegetable oils and margarine (a little bit of unsalted organic butter is much better, and contains butyric acid, which actually helps declog our cells of damaged transfats.)

Breakfast: Detoxing can play havoc with our blood sugar levels. To avoid blood sugar related headaches, dizziness, nausea, cravings, irritability, lack of energy and dehydration, we need regular protein, alongside a good balance of oils. This is particularly important at breakfast, so start the day with something like fish, eggs, soaked nuts and seeds, or a good, hearty soup. Quinoa porridge is also great, quinoa being a “complete” protein containing all the essential amino acids (see www.naturalrecipes.co.uk for recipe).

Green Juicing: Juicing green vegetables is fantastic, as these help clear and revitalise our weary, overloaded livers. Green juices also provide a fantastic array of nutrients, including potassium and magnesium, which help push toxins out of the cells and maintain hydration throughout the body.

Fruit juices: Fruit juices and smoothies are tasty and nutritious, and will give you that sugar buzz you may be craving after giving up your chocolate – but may also give you that sugar crash, leading to those blood sugar problems listed earlier and a loss of all that beneficial magnesium and potassium.

Eating seasonally and organic: This will put less strain on the body’s digestion process and so is especially important when trying to clear and refresh the body.

Raw vs. cooked: If the weather’s still cold, then a 100% salad or raw food diet may not be ideal either. Start meals with something raw for their amazing enzyme value – sprouted seeds and pulses are great for this – but make sure you still include warming and cooked foods if the weather dictates or if your digestion is weak.

Go veggie?: Some people thrive on a balanced diet of grains, pulses and vegetables, and if that’s you, then go for it. Others will feel terrible on the same diet and it won’t be conducive to health and vitality at all. Blood group theory points to the Os as being more inclined to need some animal protein in their diets and less able to deal with grains, but this seems to be true of some As and Bs as well.

Gluten-free: There’s a lot of undiagnosed gluten sensitivity out there, so wholemeal pasta, cous cous and rye bread may not be the way forward. Instead, try quinoa, millet, rice, polenta and buckwheat pancakes, If you’re not sure, see a good nutritionist for specialist advice.

Naturopathic techniques: A programme of techniques, such as skin brushing, packing and enemas, will help clear and support the organs of limination that may be struggling. A natural nutritionist or naturopath will be able to suggest what’s right for you.

Published in Insight City News, March 2007

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