Are you confused about what to eat? What constitutes
a healthy diet for you as an individual? Or how food can support your
body and mind? This six-week course will introduce you to the key
principles of nutrition, and how we respond to the natural seasons
and cycles, with plenty of food ideas and ways to incorporate them
into your life.
Next course:
6 Thursdays starting 22/03/12
7-9pm at Evolution Arts, Brighton www.evolutionarts.org.uk
Preventing Osteoporosis & Strengthening
Bone Density Part 1
Preventing Osteoporosis & Strengthening
Bone Density Part 2
Preventing Osteoporosis & Strengthening
Bone Density Part 3
Focus
on injury
Preventing and dealing with injury from the inside out
When you’re dealing with sprains, breaks, cuts and inflammation,
nutrition isn’t necessarily the first thing that comes to mind.
And yet your body needs more nutrients than ever at this time to provide
raw materials and co-factors for its immediate response to injury, and
for the entire wound healing process.
Not only that, but certain foods and diet styles can contribute to long
term inflammation and make it harder for your body to heal itself. So
you may want to keep this article in your first aid kit alongside your
bandages and plasters, to remind yourself that injuries have a better
chance of healing quickly and thoroughly with the right approach to
diet.
I was impressed recently with a friend who changed his diet in response
to breaking his leg quite badly in a road traffic accident. The speed
of his recovery was surprising to his health professionals – but
not to me, as his approach made perfect sense. His commitment to literally
getting back on his feet again inspired him to give his body plenty
of protein, vitamins, minerals and other vital nutrients, and to avoid
anything that would get in the way of healing his wounds and making
healthy new tissue.
In fact, with a diet that is supportive of your tendons, muscles, bones
and other tissue, you may be less likely to injure yourself in the first
place – be it from sports injuries, repetitive strain injury or
breaks resulting from weakened bones.
The most important place to start is with hydration. One of the main
components of cartilage, tendons and other types of connective tissue
is ground substance, a gel-like fluid that has the capacity to hold
an incredible amount of water. If this ground substance is well hydrated,
then the tissue is less likely to damage easily, is able to clear debris
and inflammation much more easily, and is also able to get the nutrients
and materials required to make healthy new tissue to the right place.
Hydration starts with drinking good levels of good quality water, but
also involves a number of other factors, such as how stressed you are
and your levels of other nutrients. Good levels of magnesium and potassium
are crucial here, and require at the very least a high vegetable intake.
Magnesium is also necessary, alongside good oxygen levels and co-enzyme
Q10, in making energy from the food you eat to fuel the whole process
of getting better.
A high quota of vegetables will also ensure a broad spectrum of other
vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients necessary for healthy tissue and
wound healing, as well as helping to keep your pH level in balance.
If your diet is too acidic, your body may choose to dump the excess
acidity into your tissues and joints instead of water – with the
result that your cartilage, tendons and other connective tissues become
brittle, dry and sometimes damaged and painful. This is not the way
to prevent or heal injury!
It is therefore also good to avoid an acidic diet, so you should consider
keeping sweets, fizzy drinks, caffeine, alcohol, highly processed foods
and convenience foods to a minimum. Protein-rich foods such as meat,
fish, nuts, seeds and pulses are also acid-forming, but should not be
avoided as proteins are essential as building blocks for healthy new
tissue, as well as for making hormones and enzymes that trigger wound
healing and general turnover of tissue cells.
Once the body has gone through the necessary process of inflammation,
which kick starts injury healing, it may need help to calm down again
to avoid long term pain and aggravation. Instead of turning straight
to anti-inflammatory medication for this, you may be interested to explore
effective natural anti-inflammatories. Zinc and omega 3 oils are among
the best here, and both are also required, along with vitamin C, to
make healthy new connective tissue. Aloe vera can also be useful, both
internally and as an external compress.
This is a brief glimpse of how we can influence tissue health and wound
healing with diet. To find out more about how to prevent and deal with
injury from the inside out, come to my workshop at the Dragonfly Clinic
on Tuesday 20th March 2012 at 8pm (£10). Booking is essential:
Call the Dragonfly Clinic on 01273 311711.
Focus
on Adrenals
Always running around, or running on empty? Learn how to support your
adrenals to maintain energy, balance stress levels and avoid ill health.
28% of 1996 Summer Olypmics participants and 10% of 1998 Winter Olympians
reported overtraining as a significant reason for their competitive
difficulties.1
Overtraining, overworking, traumas and stress can all drain your adrenals,
to the extent that this may affect your performance and your health.
You may already be noticing some symptoms. Do you rely on coffee, sweet
foods or a hectic schedule to push you through the day? Or perhaps you
have low energy, or hyper energy, aching muscles or joints, low blood
pressure, low sex drive or find it difficult to deal with stress.
If you carry on in this direction, you run the risk of not just poor
sports performance, but also chronic fatigue, hormonal problems ranging
from infertility to depression and a host of other health problems.
Your adrenals sit on top of your kidneys, and release hormones that
regulate your stress response. So if you are juggling a hectic work/life/family
schedule, for example, or faced with any kind of stress, you will be
firing off a lot of “fight or flight” hormones. These will
send messages to your body to prepare for physical exertion: so energy
and resources get diverted away from your digestive system and reproductive
organs, for example, and sent instead to your heart, lungs and the muscles
in your arms and legs. Actual physical exertion, such as running and
heavy training, can elicit a similar response.
In the process, your body will be using up a great deal of proteins,
essentially fatty acids (omega oils), and a whole array of minerals
and vitamins, as well as fuel. If you don’t have the resources
and energy to provide these, or replenish your stocks afterwards, then
you may be playing a dangerous game. There may come a day when energy
just falls completely flat – and then it’s much harder to
then pick things up and get going again.
The Chinese talk about depleting your Jing energy. Jing is the ancestral
vitality passed down to you through the generations, and it is your
responsibility to conserve as much of it as possible. Once it’s
gone, it’s gone. To avoid depleting your Jing essence, you need
to make sure you have enough energy and vitality from food sources and
from breathing well to support your daily activity. Interestingly, your
Jing essence is said to be housed in your kidney-adrenal area.
The wisdom you can take from this is to make sure we have enough stores
of energy and resources before we go for that run, set off for the gym
or launch into another hectic day. That way, you are always in credit.
Tip no. 1: ALWAYS start your day with a protein-rich breakfast, be it
a nut-based smoothie or a vegetable omelette
Tip no. 2: Eat plenty of fish, vegetables, nuts and seeds to provide
adrenal supporting nutrients
Tip no. 3: Never exercise on an empty stomach, or on a full stomach.
Have a light snack maybe half an hour or so before.
Tip no. 4: Schedule in times to rest, relax and recover. It may feel
strange to be “doing nothing”, but you are actually paying
into your bank of vitality – which will make you even more productive,
and a good deal happier, than if you just push on through.
Tip no. 5: Keep hydrated – or your body won’t be able to
transport nutrients and hormones to where they need to go if. Aim for
around 1.5-2 litres spread throughout the day.
To find out more about how and why to nourish your adrenals, come to
my workshop at the Dragonfly Clinic on Tuesday 17th January 2012 at
8pm (£10). Booking is essential: Call the Dragonfly Clinic on
01273 311711.
1. Shane M. Murphy The Sport Psych Handbook,Human Kinetics 2005
Published in The Whistler, January 2012
Nutrition through the seasons:
Winter
Winter is a time of stillness. Birds, animals, insects
and plants all withdraw, leaving us with a quieter, calmer environment.
There is gentle activity below the surface, nourishing the roots and
preparing the soil for springtime. Our own natural tendencies are also
to curl up and slow down, and we would traditionally sleep more and
be less active (but not completely stagnant) as the daylight hours recede.
This time of natural contraction and rest would ideally give us time
to contemplate and take stock of where we’re at.
Most of us live in a world where we are not able to respond to nature’s
cycles so freely. It may be that work gets in the way, or family, or
both. We often end up pushing ourselves too hard through busy, stress-filled
days, perhaps relying on caffeine or sugar to help us through. Work
patterns and family/social demands don’t necessarily change from
season to season in our current set-up, and so we don’t often
have the luxury of calming things down in the winter months.
Something has to give, however, as our resources will only stretch so
far. When we push ourselves artificially through our energy barrier,
we are using up vital nutrients to produce more energy, and to make,
for example, our “fight or flight” hormones. In particular
we put a strain on our adrenals, which is why we sometimes call this
behaviour “running on our adrenals”. Our adrenals sit on
top of our kidneys, and respond to stress by sending out hormones that
tell our bodies to prepare for emergency activity.
In this state, we are a coiled spring, ready to jump into action. Blood
has shifted from the lower priority areas (such as digestion and reproduction)
to the heart and muscles. Oxygen and nutrient-rich blood also diverts
from the frontal lobe of our brain, our area of logic and discernment,
to parts of the brain where we behave instinctively and instantaneously:
we act before we get a chance to think about it.
At cellular level we are equally coiled and contracted. So much so that
fluids carrying nutrients, messages and waste in and out of the cells
become trapped inside them – water being such a precious commodity,
we choose to hold onto it rather than let it flow around, and potentially
out of, the body.
This is a very useful state if we are in a life-endangering situation,
but to spend time living our lives in this condition can be disastrous
on many levels.
Our natural state is a moving picture of cycles within cycles. We ideally
start the day fresh, clear, connected and relaxed, fluids flowing freely
through the body. As the day progresses our cells get steadily more
contracted (and acidic) and all movement slows down; then overnight
our cells have the opportunity to gradually open out and cleanse as
that flow increases again. Just like flowers open and close, just like
the movement of breath, we expand and contract in a 24-hour cycle. We
can also plot a similar expansion and contraction through the lunar
cycle, and then through the cycles of the seasons (and also through
our life cycles, and the cycles of our universe). Summer is our time
of outward expression and expansion, and winter is our natural, gentle
spiralling inwards.
If we can gently support that movement, then we are more likely to be
able to stay healthy within that cycle. So when winter comes, we can
help our internal fluids – our blood, our lymph – to maintain
a gentle flow, calmer perhaps than in summer, but not stagnant or stuck.
If we try to push against the natural flow, the stress response may
be so great that we become too contracted. With our adrenals firing,
our activity becomes focussed on priority areas such as the heart, outer
muscles, and more instinctive parts of the brain. We may then digest
our foods less easily and absorb nutrients less efficiently; we may
also experience constipation or other bowel problems; we might struggle
with short term memory, or working things out; or fertility may become
more difficult.
At cellular level we are less able to perform fundamental, vital functions
to keep us healthy. These range from repairing cell tissue to making
energy to detoxifying the cells. So we become increasingly acidic, stagnant,
toxic, and worn out, and under function on all levels.
In winter, then, it is important that we keep ourselves nourished, rested
and hydrated – where fluids are gently flowing around the body.
We may not immediately be able to take the stress out of “life”,
but we can certainly start by taking the stress out of our foods. Eating
seasonally can help us to do this. We have evolved to thrive on the
food that naturally grows around us right now. Root vegetables can help
to keep us grounded and contain vital nutrients that are less available
in the winter months. Dark leafy vegetables such as kale, chard and
winter greens help us to alkalise and are also rich in an abundance
of minerals and other nutrients.
Slow cooked casseroles and oven bakes gently add warmth and break down
the fibrous structure of foods so that we can more easily digest them.
Soups and stews keep us hydrated too. While in summer we might soak
beans and lentils and then sprout them to match the high vibration of
the season, in winter we soak them and then gently cook them for as
long as we can.
Fruit also carries a high vibration, and needs a fast digestion to deal
with them. Fruits in winter are traditionally dried or cooked so they
are not too harsh for our slower winter digestion. Remember that this
will also concentrate their sugars, so we need to eat less of them than
if they were raw.
A good variety of foods, balancing protein, vegetables, oils and carbs
in an appropriate way, can help to replenish the resources being drained
by our daily stresses and strains.
Gentle exercise can help to keep the blood and lymph moving without
stressing the adrenals, and walking outdoors can enable us to maximise
the shorter hours of sunlight available to us. I also use and teach
naturopathic techniques to help keep the body flowing, clear and energised
throughout the year, but especially in the colder months.
And sometimes we just need to pause for breath – breathe deeply
and take in the beauty of winter skies and simplicity of the landscape,
before you go about your day.
Published in Holistic Living magazine, September 2010
Preventing Osteoporosis,
Strengthening Bone Density
and why calcium supplements may not be the key
Did you know that...?
60,000 people a year are treated for hip fracture in the UK.
The incidence of osteoporosis trebles in women around the age of menopause,
and can double again as women get older.
The number of both men and women being diagnosed with osteoporosis before
the age of 40 is steadily increasing.
It is never too early to start supporting our bone density, both through
diet and weight bearing exercise. Our bone density tends to peak in
our 20s, and then we all need to be more proactive in strengthening
our skeletal structure. So what can we all do to improve the health
and density of our bones? And why is it that menopausal and post-menopausal
women are at greater risk for osteoporosis?
Calcium deficiency is often cited as the major cause of low bone density,
and frequently advice is given to add more calcium to the diet, or where
osteoporosis or osteopaenia (low bone density) is already diagnosed,
calcium supplements are usually prescribed - often with Vitamin D, but
without other key cofactors and trace elements like magnesium). However,
a lesser known fact is that we appear to have plenty of calcium in our
diets, so perhaps we need to dig a little deeper into this controversial
subject. In addition, recent research and media coverage has highlighted
the possible connection between calcium supplements and the potential
increased rate of heart attacks, a very negative finding considering
most people take a food supplement to support longevity. We feel that
this could be partially due to the wide spread use of food supplements
that focus on delivering large amounts of calcium in the poorly absorbed
form of calcium carbonate , an inorganic compound that our bodies may
not utilise very well. This could possibly explain the researchers’
conclusion that excess calcium from supplements may leave deposits on
the arteries that “increase vascular calcification and thereby
cardiovascular events” . They had not noticed this effect with
increased dietary calcium. More on calcium later.
Vitamin D is usually the next port of call. We have long known of its
importance for avoiding rickets, softening of the bone in children and
teenagers, as vitamin D helps the body to absorb calcium and phosphorous
in the gut, both of which are needed for a strong bone matrix. Vitamin
D is known as the sunshine vitamin, as we use sunlight to help manufacture
it in the skin; we can also get vitamin D from oily fish.
Inactivity is another major factor. Our bones are continually adapting
their density and structure to meet our current needs. So regular weight
bearing exercise, such as walking, will send messages to the bone cells
to increase density in the areas feeling the impact most, i.e. the legs,
hips and spine, which together with the wrists are the main target areas
for osteoporosis. Spending your days sitting at the computer/ on the
sofa/ in the car, bus, train or taxi, on the other hand, sends signals
that you don’t need strong bones in those areas. Postmenopausal
women who walk for at least 6 hours per week have a 55 % reduction in
risk of hip fracture (41 % in women who walk for 4 hours a week) compared
to those who walk for less than 1 hour a week . And one study noted
that professional tennis players can have up to 25% greater bone density
in their serving arm than in their other arm.
Bones are living tissue
That’s the beauty of our bones: they are not fixed, solid objects,
but living tissue, constantly changing and renewing. In a live body
they are much softer and more pliable than you would imagine. Minerals,
fluids and other nutrients are continually and dynamically moving in
and out of them – in fact, one of the main functions listed for
bones in anatomy books is storage of mineral reserves, which can be
released when needed elsewhere. As we have seen, bone tissue is also
continually being laid down or destroyed to reshape your structure as
you place varying demands on it. So the good news is that you can feed,
nurture and strengthen your bones just as you can the rest of your body.
Bone tissue, made up of osteocytes, is a form of connective tissue,
as is much of your flesh and blood. The bone matrix these cells are
suspended in is made up of 65% mineral salts (calcium, phosphorous,
magnesium, boron, sulphur and strontium) plus collagen and ground substance.
So as with all connective tissue, bone cells need good levels of oils,
amino acids, electrolytes, water and other supporting nutrients to stay
vital and strong. They need a healthy flow of blood, lymph and interstitial
fluids to carry these nutrients and messages, such as hormones, towards
them, and to carry waste and toxins away. Bone matrix needs good levels
of calcium and other minerals needed either for bone matrix ingredients
or for the process of forming the matrix, such as zinc, copper and manganese.
E.M. Carlisle wrote various papers in the 1970s and 80s describing silica’s
role in placing calcium into the bone matrix, and also in the production
of collagen. Silica can be found in wholegrains, root vegetables and
beets, alfalfa, nettles and horsetail. Collagen also requires vitamin
C, and ground substance likes to be well hydrated.
The problem with calcium
Depletion of any of these nutrients can contribute to bone degeneration.
So why do we focus so much on calcium? Well, calcium phosphate does
make up 70% of the weight of our bones , so for strong healthy bones,
we need to make sure this substance is available to them. This can be
a problem, however, even when there is plenty of calcium in the diet.
When we eat calcium-rich foods – for example, sesame seeds, almonds,
green leafy vegetables and broccoli – the body first of all needs
to absorb it in the small intestine, for which it needs good levels
of vitamin D.
The parathyroid then regulates how much calcium is kept in the blood
– this is important as calcium enables muscles to contract, so
it’s needed in the blood to keep the heart beating. Blood calcium
levels have also been linked with nervous system function and with blood
sugar regulation . Any calcium that is surplus to the blood’s
strict requirements can be released for use elsewhere in the body.
The next most important use we have for blood sugar is to buffer acidity.
So if our tissue cells are too acidic, which is increasingly the case
for many of us, we will send any surplus calcium there first.
So the bones will only receive calcium if there is enough left over
after that. What’s more, if we need more calcium to buffer acidity
than is surplus to the blood’s requirements, the parathyroid will
actively pull calcium out of the bones, thus decreasing bone density.
This is often why nutritionists with a holistic approach will recommend
a regular detox to help the body maintain a healthy alkaline balance
at cellular level.
Menopause
As we get older, unless we are actively keeping on top of all of this,
we have a tendency for resources to dwindle, and for there to be an
increasing strain on the endocrine system, which includes the parathyroid
glands. In fact our bone density peaks in our 20s, and we tend to start
laying down less bone after that. Then as women hit the menopause, they
start to produce less oestrogen, which is greatly involved in stimulating
bone formation. It’s no wonder that post-menopausal women are
more affected by loss of bone density than anyone else. Calcium placement
both at cellular level and within the bone matrix is much more likely
to be impaired.
Magnesium
In addition, stress of any kind – whether emotional, physical
or environmental – seems to cause the cells in the body to become
more acidic, and to literally hold onto calcium as it moves in to buffer
that acidity. Magnesium is particularly involved in calcium placement
at cellular level, and as a nutrient is often very low in the diet due
to over processed foods and the general depletion in most minerals noted
by McCance & Widdowson over their 50 year survey of the composition
of foods . Magnesium is also noted to be depleted by stress, fizzy drinks,
red wine and other alcoholic drinks, and some diuretics and antibiotics.
So we can see that osteoporosis and other incidences of low bone density
is not usually so much of a calcium deficiency issue as a calcium misplacement
issue. In which case the traditional approach of giving calcium supplements
isn’t really going to help. Magnesium would be a much more logical
focus for a programme.
Important note: Magnesium really could be the most significant, often
forgotten nutrient that is key to our bone health. However, it would
be advisable to avoid inorganic forms of magnesium, such as magnesium
oxide, that are poorly absorbed and mainly work as a laxative.
The problem with calcium supplements
In fact, focussing on calcium can bring its own problems. To begin with,
most supplements provide calcium in the form of calcium carbonate or
dolomite, which contains calcium carbonate. As previously stated, calcium
carbonate is an inorganic form of calcium which is poorly absorbed by
our bodies when compared to the less commonly available calcium citrate.
Furthermore, calcium carbonate can have a detrimental effect on stomach
pH, which can affect the absorption of many nutrients, including calcium
and the other important cofactors and trace elements like magnesium,
boron, manganese to name but a few. It doesn’t make sense to me
on any level to be taking calcium carbonate, either on its own or as
part of a multi.
Even if you’re taking a more absorbable, organic form, such as
calcium citrate, you need to be aware that calcium ideally needs to
be supported by a good source of magnesium, so any multi or formula
that contains calcium needs to contain additional magnesium. It is also
worth noting that to get the balance right, which ideally be twice as
much magnesium as calcium, then you need to supplement these nutrients
in a form that are more or less equally absorbed. So for example, a
formula delivering 100mg calcium citrate would ideally need to contain
200mg magnesium citrate – if it contained 200mg magnesium oxide
then the quantity of actual magnesium absorbed would usually be too
low.
A nutritional approach
If we are eating plenty of green leafy vegetables, broccoli, cauliflower,
nuts and seeds, then we should be getting sufficient calcium in our
diet together with some magnesium to help with calcium placement –
although additional magnesium may need to be supplemented (again, in
an organic form, such as magnesium citrate ). Green leafy vegetables
are also rich in vitamin K, which is also important for bone density.
One study reports that nurses eating their green leafy vegetables, broccoli
and other green vegetables every day had almost half the amount of hip
fractures compared to nurses eating their greens only once a week or
less. Contrary to what we may have been brought up believing, dairy
products such as milk and cheese are not ideal sources of calcium due
to the low levels of magnesium present.
A good nutritional approach to either preventing or addressing low
bone density will need to focus on improving magnesium levels and absorption
(and thereby helping to improve calcium placement), as well as ensuring
adequate vitamin D and Vitamin K, together with an alkalising and hydrating
diet and general endocrine support. If calcium appears to be deficient
rather than misplaced, then you would need to address how well the gut
is absorbing nutrients, and perhaps only then look at further calcium
supplementation in citrate form as part of a balanced formula.
Each of us will benefit from a slightly different programme according
to our individual make-up. Good nutrition is not just about getting
all the right nutrients on our plate, but also ensuring that we are
absorbing, transporting and utilising the nutrients within those foods.
Then as we lighten the load of our diet, alkalise and rehydrate, and
our biochemistry starts to function more efficiently, our detoxification
pathways will increase. This will give our liver and other aspects of
our routes of elimination (such as lymph, colon, skin, lungs and kidneys)
more work to do, so changes need to be gradual and supported. You may
well benefit from a programme tailored for you by a nutritional therapist.
Bearing this in mind, here are some general guidelines you may find
useful and some practical ideas for how to incorporate dietary changes
easily and enjoyably.
Include:
• A good variety of vegetables and salads, of varying colours
but highlighting greens. Choose organic or biodynamic where possible,
and make sure they make up at least 2/3 or your meals. Also get into
the habit of regular vegetable juicing.
• Plenty of nuts and seeds.
• At least 2 vegetarian days a week, and at least 1 vegetarian
meal a day – ensure you have complete proteins by combining legumes
with grains, seeds or nuts.
• A daily walk
You may also benefit from avoiding wheat, or perhaps gluten (wheat,
rye and barley, plus many oats are contaminated with gluten). In any
case, grains, pulses, nuts and seeds should be rinsed well and soaked
overnight in water. This will reduce phytates and deactivate any enzyme
inhibitors, so you can make the most of the nutrients they contain.
Menu suggestions
You will each have your own likes, dislikes and requirements, which
will change seasonally and as you change. You may find the following
useful as part of a nourishing, hydrating, alkalising diet:
Breakfast:
Wheat-free muesli (soaked overnight in water) with homemade almond
milk
Superseed smoothie – with nut milk, pumpkin seeds, sunflower
seeds, sesame seeds, plus avocado or banana to thicken and raw honey
or berries if you need to sweeten it
Quinoa or rice porridge with ground nuts and seeds
Soft poached egg on a bed of rocket and baby spinach with a lemon and
flax oil dressing
Lunch/Dinner:
Try to have your main meal earlier in the day and a smaller, lighter
meal for dinner.
Chicken or tempeh stir fried in coconut oil with mixed vegetables
Broccoli and almond soup
Quinoa salad with watercress, grated carrot, pumpkin seeds and spring
onions.
Green salad with warm lentils and tahini sauce
Fresh, wild, oily fish and salad
Lentil and kale daal with shortgrain brown rice
To drink:
Water – gradually increase to 1.5-2 litres daily, best at room
temperature and between meals, and never more than 1 litre in the space
of an hour, so don’t gulp it down.
Herbal teas - nettle tea is rich in silica
A glass of fresh vegetable juice – invest in a good masticating
juicer if you can
Supplements:
This will vary from person to person, but you may want to highlight
essential fatty acids, especially omega 3, as well as magnesium citrate,
vitamin D and other supporting nutrients.
As a general support for those of all ages, you could look at a multi
that is rich in magnesium citrate, while also delivering a full range
of B vitamins and trace minerals together with some omega 3 oils, such
as a good quality flax, fish or krill oil, and plenty of sunshine.
For those at higher risk, you should consider a formula that supplies
a good balance of magnesium citrate (and calcium citrate ( an approximate
balance of 2-1 in favour of magnesium). This formula should also deliver
a balanced blend of vitamin E, zinc, vitamin C, manganese, boron, copper,
chromium, vitamin K, folic acid and vitamin D. I would also suggest
that one should consider taking alongside such a formula a well absorbed
form of omega 3 such as fish and krill oil.
Should you need a more detailed approach, or should you have any questions
or concerns that are not addressed in this article, you are always welcome
to contact our nutritional advice team on 01395 227850 (9.00am –
5.00pm Monday – Friday) Alternatively if you would like a more
personalised approach, addressing dietary recommendations, lifestyle
changes etc., we would suggest you consider consulting a qualified nutrition
adviser or therapist. Which you can do by either asking us for details
of your local practitioners, or contacting The Federation of Nutritional
Therapists on 0870 312 0042 or by emailing them at admin@fntp.org.uk
www.fntp.org.uk/
This newsletter was co-written with and for Nutrigold Ltd.
The Autumn
Equinox:
preparing the body to harness its potential
Equinoxes are a time of great potential for change, but they can also
push us into a healing crisis, and feel like a tidal wave sweeping us
off our feet. To really harness the equinox’s potential, we need
to stay clear, focussed and connected. Kirsten Chick offers a nutritional
approach to help you find a clear way forward.
Autumn is a beautiful season with copper leaves swirling around us as
nature prepares to settle down for the colder months. We are very much
a part of nature, and have an innate drive to respond to these seasonal
changes.
Starting in the spring and early summer, our environment has been experiencing
a distinctive upwards thrust, as plants shoot and flowers unfold. We
too can use this energy to unfurl from our winter contraction, and gather
momentum as we spiral outwards to match the blazing energy of the sun.
Now it’s time to start drawing ourselves into our centre again,
spiralling gently inwards. We breathe in, gather ourselves in to reflect,
and protect against the harsh winter to come.
Many of us are not so responsive to the seasonal cycles, however. We
may not open fully as we uncoil in the spring, but stay a little contracted.
It’s a natural, protective stress response to stay coiled, ready
to spring into action – to fight or to flee. It accompanies the
modern state of living on our adrenals: depleted and bombarded by ongoing
stresses. Perhaps a difficult relationship or a stressful job; added
to toxins in our water, food, medicines and air, and electromagnetic
interference all around us.
As we hold on tightly our very cells contract, and we gradually become
more toxic and stuck.
It is at this point that the extraordinary energy of an equinox can
create the shift we need to free ourselves up and move forward again.
The autumn equinox, which falls this year at 4.09am on Thursday 23nd
September, is the fulcrum point at which that seasonal change in direction
occurs: from spiralling out to spiralling in. As such, it is a moment
of infinite possibility.
There’s something special about the pause between the breath out...
and the beginning of the next breath in. It’s a pause filled with
potential, an opportunity for change like no other.
As we discover from Bird & Tompkins in “Secrets of the Soil”,
when you stir water first in one circular direction and then the other
to create an energising vortex, the true magic occurs at the point when
the direction is changed and brief chaos ensues. Within that turbulence,
hundreds of tiny vortices are created, energising the fluid with the
vibrancy of as many little tornados.
So when we notice the energy of the seasons spiralling first outwards
and then inwards, we can start to understand how the equinoxes, those
moments of directional change, can bring us the energy of a multitude
of vortices to help us shift stuck emotions, patterns and toxicity.
We know from millennia of experience that the force of this shift can
often lead to a healing crisis. A healing crisis is what happens when
toxicity – be it toxins, waste materials or unresolved emotions
– is suddenly released from the cells, and quickly overloads the
body’s routes of elimination. Acute episodes such as rashes, diarrhoea,
colds and flu can be quick to appear to help take the load off the thickened
and struggling lymph.
The Chinese word for crisis, literally translated, means “danger-opportunity.”
With any healing crisis, we can use it as an opportunity to free ourselves
of what’s being shifted – or we can suppress the uncomfortable
symptoms and push ourselves into a more chronic state. We can do this
with suppressive medications, by bingeing on certain foods, or by keeping
ourselves constantly busy. We can even do this with alternative approaches
that focus only on alleviating symptoms.
So as we approach the autumn equinox, it is important that we take time
and space to support ourselves. Natural Nutrition offers a wholistic
approach to this. The approach helps you to make connections, recognise
your patterns, and create space to move forward, offering dietary advice
and simple naturopathic techniques to support you on your way.
The first step would be to gradually remove as much stress as possible,
so the body can breathe and move freely again and so fully hydrate.
We think hydration is about drinking enough water, but actually it’s
more to do with how well that water flows in and out of our cells, nourishing,
cleansing and carrying information.
We can’t always remove external stresses in our lives, but we
can take much of the stress out of our diet. Look at the quality and
quantity of water you are drinking. How many preservatives, additives,
transfats and pesticides are in your food? How much sugar, caffeine
and alcohol?
When we eat fresh, clean, seasonal produce, preferably locally grown,
we are connecting back into nature’s cycles. We have evolved to
thrive on the food that grows around us in each season, and have developed
cooking habits to match. In the summer, our faster, fiery digestive
system loves cooling salads, and works well with raw vegetables and
quickly digesting fruits. As the weather gets colder, however, or if
we are stuck in a colder, more contracted internal condition, our digestive
system slows down and our bellies need more fire. Soups and bakes are
often much more suited to autumn/winter energy in our Northern European
climate.
We can also use the energetic of food to support us. Fruit and vegetables
grown above the ground have a higher vibration; whereas root vegetables
and proteins, especially animal proteins, are much denser and therefore
more grounding. Chinese Five Elements theory teaches us that that bitter
leaves, such as kale, can also help draw our energy downwards, and that
pungent foods, such as onions and garlic, are especially supportive
in the autumn months.
Above all, take some time out, connect in and give yourself the attention
and support you need to make the most of this golden opportunity.
Published in Holistic Living magazine, September
2010
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.
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 always 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.
