Posts Tagged ‘magnesium deficiency’
Warm milk has long been a highly recommended folk remedy for insomnia. Regarding this, William Sears, M.D. says: “Calcium helps the brain use the amino acid tryptophan to manufacture the sleep-inducing substance melatonin. This explains why dairy products, which contain both tryptophan and calcium, are one of the top sleep-inducing foods.”
Calcium is directly related to our cycles of sleep. In one study, published in the European Neurology Journal, researchers found that calcium levels in the body are higher during some of the deepest levels of sleep, such as the rapid eye movement (REM) phase. The study concluded that disturbances in sleep, especially the absence of REM deep sleep or disturbed REM sleep, are related to a calcium deficiency. Restoration to the normal course of sleep was achieved following the normalization of the blood calcium level.
This health tip is brought to you by http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com, maker of the effective natural insomnia remedy Sleep Minerals II. Sleep Minerals II contains highly absorbable forms of calcium, magnesium and Vitamin D — all combined in a softgel with carrier oils for fast assimilation.
Wendy R. of Honolulu, Hawaii says: “My friends know that I’ve had insomnia for a very long time. Surprisingly, I received the Sleep Minerals II and took it and I actually slept. This thing really works. I wanted to say, its funny, but people know I have insomnia and once in a while a co-worker will ask me how I slept. In the past, if I ever got a good nights sleep I’d say “I slept like a baby”, but that’s the wrong analogy. Those little guys get up every two hours. I am actually beginning to sleep like an adult — a much-rested adult.”
For more information on Sleep Minerals II visit http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com/html/sleep_remedy_for_insomnia_help.html
Vitamin E is famous for it’s health benefits to glands and organs, however it may not be generally known that vitamin E is a proven remedy for hot flashes. Adelle Davis, the first nutritionist to base her recommendations on science-based studies, says: “During the menopause the need for vitamin E soars ten to fifty times over that previously required. Hot flashes and night sweats often disappear when 50 to 500 units of vitamin E are taken daily, but they quickly recur should the vitamin be stopped.”
One study supporting vitamin E is from the University of Iran, published in Gynecologic and Obstetric Investigation in 2007. 400 IU of vitamin E in a softgel cap was given to the participants daily for four weeks. A diary was used to measure hot flashes before the study and at the end. The researchers concluded that vitamin E is effective and is a recommended treatment for hot flashes.
This article is provided to you by http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com, maker of the effective natural sleep remedy “Sleep Minerals II”. This insomnia remedy contains highly absorbable forms of magnesium and calcium, the best-known minerals for relaxation and rest.
Wendy R. of Honolulu, Hawaii says: “My friends know I’ve had chronic insomnia for a very long time. I received the Sleep Minerals II and took it and I actually slept. This thing really works and the company really knows what its doing. I wanted to say, its funny, but people know I have insomnia and once in a while a co-worker will ask me how I slept. In the past, if I ever got a good nights sleep I’d say “I slept like a baby”, but that’s the wrong analogy. Those little guys get up every two hours. I am actually beginning to sleep like an adult — a much-rested adult.”
For more information on Sleep Minerals II, visit http://www.nutritionbreakthroughs.com/html/sleep_remedy_for_insomnia_help.html
White Rice Increases Risk of Diabetes – Magnesium and Fiber Lost in Processing
Posted on: July 2, 2012
The British Medical Journal recently published a study on the health effects of eating nutrient-deficient white rice. In an analysis of several studies, the researchers found that higher white rice consumption was associated with a significantly elevated risk of type 2 diabetes. This association seems to be stronger for Asians than for Western populations. A dose-response analysis showed that for each serving per day of white rice, this consumption was associated with an 11% increase in risk of diabetes in the overall population.
Compared with minimally processed whole grains such as brown rice, white rice has a lower content of many nutrients including fiber, magnesium, vitamins, and healthy plant chemicals. These are lost during the refining process when the outer covering is removed and brown rice is converted to white. Some of these nutrients, especially insoluble fiber and magnesium, have been associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes in studies. Thus, a high consumption of white rice may lead to increased risk of diabetes because of the low intake of beneficial nutrients.
Comments from the blog author, Nutrition Breakthroughs:
When we eat highly processed foods, our bodies will then need to take the missing nutrients out of our tissues in order to assimilate the deficient food. This includes fast foods, pastries, cakes, cookies, sodas, and other foods made from highly processed white flour or white sugar. Whole grain brown rice and other whole grains are a better alternative as they retain many of their natural vitamins.
One particularly important nutrient that removed from processed foods is is magnesium — one that much of our population is deficient in. Mildred Seelig, M.D., the leading medical researcher on magnesium says: “Many people needlessly suffer pain – including migraines and muscle cramps – because they don’t get enough magnesium.”
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center web site, inadequate magnesium also appears to reduce serotonin levels in the brain. One study found that magnesium was just as effective as an antidepressant drug in treating depression. In addition, researchers at Stockholm’s Karolinska Institute in Sweden reported that for every 100 milligram increase in magnesium intake, the risk of developing type-2 diabetes was decreased by 15 per cent.
Chronic insomnia is also one of the main symptoms of magnesium deficiency. Sleep in magnesium deficiency is usually agitated with frequent nighttime awakenings. On the other hand, a high magnesium diet has been found to be associated with deeper, less interrupted sleep — from a study done at the Human Nutrition Research Center in North Dakota.
This information is brought to you by http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com, maker of the effective natural insomnia remedy Sleep Minerals II. Sleep Minerals II contains powerful forms of the best known minerals for relaxation and sleep — calcium and magnesium — combined with vitamin D. The ingredients are formulated in a softgel, which makes them more quickly absorbable than tablets or capsules.
Wendy R. of Honolulu, Hawaii says: “I’ve had chronic insomnia for a very long time. I received the Sleep Minerals II and took it and I actually slept! This thing really works. I wanted to say, its funny, but people do know I have insomnia and once in a while a co-worker will ask me how I slept. In the past, if I ever got a good nights sleep I’d say “I slept like a baby”, but that’s the wrong analogy. Those little guys get up every two hours. I am actually beginning to sleep like an adult — a much-rested adult.”
For more information on Sleep Minerals II visit http://www.nutritionbreakthroughs.com/html/sleep_remedy_for_insomnia_help.html
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Credit: The British Medical Journal http://www.bmj.com/content/344/bmj.e1454
By Jack Saari, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Human Nutrition Research Center
The most naturally colorful place in a supermarket is the produce department. Recent studies indicate that those colors are sending us a message. It seems that the color-producing chemicals in fruits and vegetables, nature’s packaging scheme, are advertising the health benefits of those plants.
What are these chemicals? A term coined to describe plant chemicals is phytonutrient, ‘phyto’ meaning plant-based. Some phytonutrients, colors or pigments, may already be familiar to you. These include lycopene, which makes tomatoes red; lutein, the color of corn; and beta-carotene, which gives carrots their orange color. The green color of chlorophyll is evident in leafy vegetables, but in many cases hides the presence of other pigments such as lutein and beta-carotene.
Other chemicals may be less familiar, for instance, the broad class of compounds called anthocyanins, which impart the vibrant reds (strawberries, cherries), blues (blueberries) and purples (grapes, plums) to many fruits. How do these colored chemicals protect us? A clue is provided by how they protect plants. While plants need light to survive, excess light energy can be destructive. In times of plant stress, light energy beyond what plants can use causes formation of highly reactive oxygen radicals. This so-called oxidant stress can damage the plant. In agricultural terms, this reduces yield.
Carotenoids in plants, in particular, lutein and zeazanthin, have been shown to prevent this damage by acting as antioxidants. Many of the colored phytonutrients have structures that make them good antioxidants. To increase yield, plant scientists are trying to find ways to increase the amounts of these naturally protective chemicals in crops.
Nutritionists in turn are trying to increase the amounts of plant-based foods in our diets. That’s because the colored phytonutrients can do for us what they do in plants. Many diseases have at their core the excess production of oxygen radicals. These radicals can mutate DNA to cause cancer. They can oxidize LDL (bad cholesterol) to promote atherosclerosis. Oxygen radicals can trigger clotting, which can lead to strokes and heart attacks.
Excess light, in addition to damaging plants, can damage the eye. In general, aging is thought by many scientists to result from accumulation of oxygen radical damage. Scientists are finding that consumption of plants with their high concentrations of antioxidant phytonutrients can combat many of the diseases mediated by oxygen radicals.
But fighting oxidant stress may not be all they do. Research is beginning to show effects of phytonutrients on cancer growth, hormone function, immune response, inflammation and blood vessel function that are independent of their antioxidant nature. From these findings, it is not surprising that consumption of tomato products has been linked to reduction of both cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Foods containing alpha- and beta-carotene, such as carrots and spinach, have been shown to reduce coronary heart disease. Lutein and zeazanthin, present in corn, carrots and dark green vegetables, are also components of the eye’s macula and thus essential for prevention of macular degeneration. Consumption of blueberries has been shown to improve memory, coordination and balance in aging rats. Strawberry extracts have been shown to prevent aging as simulated by a high oxygen environment in rats. Sour cherries appear to benefit arthritis sufferers by reducing inflammation.
And don’t ignore white. Though unpigmented vegetables such as garlic and white onions may lack colorful pigments, they nonetheless contain important protective phytochemicals.
Another side benefit of adding colorful plant-based foods to your diet is that they replace high-calorie foods in your diet. Along with exercise, this can contribute to weight reduction. As we know, excess weight is a risk factor for both cancer and heart disease.
How many servings of fruits and vegetables should we eat a day?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommendation (mypyramid.gov) actually is five to nine servings a day three to five of vegetables and two to four of fruit.
You may balk at the idea of nine servings, but don’t be distressed by the number. Serving sizes are not that big. Most would fit in the palm of your hand. The key is variety, not bulk.
So get healthier. Go out and color your diet.
Comments from the blog author Nutrition Breakthroughs: When deciding what to eat, seek out brightly colored fruits and vegetables for greater health. Good eating leads to good health for all parts of your body, including your heart and brain, and leads to higher levels of energy during the day and better, deeper sleep at night.
This article is provided to you by http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com, maker of the effective sleep remedy for insomnia help “Sleep Minerals II”. Sleep Minerals II contains highly absorbable forms of magnesium and calcium, as well as Vitamin D and healthy oils. If you need to get better, deeper sleep, visit this link:
http://www.nutritionbreakthroughs.com/html/sleep_remedy_for_insomnia_help.html
via: http://www.ScienceDaily.com
Elevated blood pressure or hypertension is a major risk factor ….from cardiovascular and renal (kidney) disease. Causes of hypertension include (but are not limited to) smoking, sedentary lifestyle, a diet high in sodium and an inadequate intake of other minerals such as potassium, calcium and magnesium.
“Until now, there’s been inconclusive evidence regarding the effect of magnesium supplements on blood pressure,” said Lindsy Kass, Senior Lecturer and registered nutritionist at the University of Hertfordshire. “So we conducted an ….analysis by analysing data from twenty-two trials involving 1,173 people to assess the effect of magnesium on blood pressure.”
In the trials, the magnesium supplementation doses ranged from 120 to 973 mg with between 3 to 24 weeks of follow-up. Although not all individual trials showed significance in blood pressure reduction, by combining the trials, the overall data indicated that magnesium supplementation reduced both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. With the best results observed at the higher dosages.
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Comment from the blog author Nutrition Breakthroughs:
According to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, magnesium deficiency can also contribute to insomnia. The Dept. says that:
“Researchers have found in both human and animal studies that magnesium deficiency results in sleep disturbances, such as agitated sleep and frequent periods of awakenings. This has been related to changes in electrical activity in the brain. It looks like magnesium is important for a good night sleep.”
Sleep Minerals II from http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com is an effective sleep remedy for insomnia that contains absorbable forms of magnesium and calcium. For more information on Sleep Minerals II, visit this link:
http://www.nutritionbreakthroughs.com/html/sleep_remedy_for_insomnia_help.htm
The type of foods we eat in the evening can have a pronounced effect on the quality of our sleep. One of the keys to a restful night’s sleep is to calm and relax the brain, rather than stimulating it. Certain foods are a natural insomnia remedy that contributes to restful sleep, while others keep us alert and awake. The calming foods contain the amino acid tryptophan, which is a precursor to the sleep-inducing substances serotonin and melatonin. Two recent studies confirm that eating more carbohydrates than protein increases tryptophan production, while eating a higher protein ratio increases tyrosine – an amino acid related to a stimulated, alert frame of mind.
One key study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, is titled “High-Glycemic-Index Carbohydrate Meals Shorten Sleep Onset”. The glycemic index measures the effect of different types of carbohydrates on blood sugar levels. Researchers at the University of Sydney Australia gave two different kinds of meals to the study participants, a few hours before bedtime. They found that a carbohydrate-based, high glycemic index meal resulted in a significant shortening of the time needed to fall asleep, compared with a low glycemic meal. (Feb. 2007, Vol. 85, No. 2).
In another study done at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, scientists honed in on specific measurements of tryptophan vs. tyrosine in the brain, based on whether carbohydrates or proteins were eaten at breakfast. Blood samples were collected after the meals, and the researchers concluded that a carbohydrate-rich diet raises tryptophan levels, while high-protein foods depress it. (Amer. J. of Clinical Nutrition, Jan 2003, Vol. 77, No. 1).
For those who need to stay alert and sharp during the day, high protein, medium-carbohydrate meals are best eaten for breakfast and lunch. For dinner and bedtime snacks, eat a meal or snack that is high in healthy carbohydrates, with a small amount of protein that contains just enough tryptophan to relax the brain.
According to William Sears, M.D., “The best bedtime snack is one that has both complex carbohydrates and protein, and perhaps some calcium. Calcium helps the brain use the tryptophan to manufacture melatonin. This explains why dairy products, which contain both tryptophan and calcium, are one of the top sleep-inducing foods.”
Dr. Sears recommends that foods high in carbohydrates and calcium, and medium-to-low in protein, make the most ideal sleep-inducing bedtime snacks. Some examples are whole-grain cereal with milk, hazelnuts and tofu, oatmeal and raisin cookies with a glass of almond, rice, or regular milk, or a peanut butter or almond butter sandwich with ground sesame seeds.
Sesame seeds are rich in tryptophan. Other foods that are high in tryptophan, which can be combined with healthy carbohydrates to become natural sleep remedies, are whole grains, lentils, chickpeas, beans, eggs, sunflower seeds, and miso. As always, it’s best to stay away from caffeine, sodas and nicotine in the evening.
The well-known nutritionist Adelle Davis writes about the roles of calcium for sleep in her book “Let’s Eat Right to Keep Fit”. She discusses a natural insomnia remedy and says: “A calcium deficiency often shows itself by insomnia, another form of an inability to relax. The harm done by sleeping tablets, to say nothing of the thousands of dollars spent on them, could largely be avoided if the calcium intake were adequate.”
Sleep remedies containing highly absorbable, quick acting forms of calcium and magnesium, such as Sleep Minerals II from http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com, can be helpful with both falling asleep and staying asleep during the night. This natural sleep remedy contains six types of calcium, three forms of magnesium, boron, Vitamin D, Vitamin K and horsetail herb – all combined in a softgel with carrier oils. Oils such as evening primrose have been shown to increase mineral absorption, reduce calcium excretion, and increase bone density.
Veronica R. of British Columbia, Canada says, “Sleep Minerals II has worked wonders for me. Before I started taking it, I would fall asleep and wake up in the middle of the night and not be able to get back to sleep (after going to the bathroom). Now I take this in the middle of the night and have had no problems going back to sleep. I don’t have to be awake for 2 or 3 hours every night. I’m so happy I took the chance to try it. I don’t like taking over-the-counter drugs. With Sleep Minerals II, I don’t feel sleepy at all during the day.”
In conclusion, bedtime snacks and dinners that are high in carbohydrates, low-to-medium in protein, and contain calcium, will help you relax in the evening and set you up for a good night’s sleep. An effective natural sleep remedy such as Sleep Minerals II can also be taken before sleep and during the night if you find yourself waking up and unable to go back to sleep. Here’s to your good sleep.
For more information on Sleep Minerals II, visit http://www.nutritionbreakthroughs.com/html/sleep_remedy_for_insomnia_help.html
Studies Show Calcium and Magnesium Help Sleep, Bones, Heart, Stomach, Muscles, Menopause, Migraines and More
Posted on: May 6, 2012
Calcium and magnesium are the most famous of all the minerals due to their vast array of benefits to our health. Dr. Linus Pauling, the two-time Nobel Prize winner said: “You can trace every sickness, every disease, and every ailment to a mineral deficiency.” Studies have proven calcium to increase bone health, reduce high blood pressure, relax the nerves and muscles, and prevent colon cancer and kidney stones. Magnesium is an effective nutrient for strengthening heart health, reducing diabetes, and treating migraines, insomnia and depression.
Calcium and magnesium were discovered by the British chemist Sir Humphry Davy in the early 1800’s. Regarding stomach and colon health, a 2007 study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that calcium protects high-risk people from developing the polyps (growths in the colon) that can lead to cancer in the large bowel. The researchers found that the risk reduction occurred during the study and also lasted a full five years after the calcium supplementation ended.
Calcium supplements were shown to help prevent kidney stones in a 2008 study at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine. The theory of how this works is that dietary calcium binds with a waste product in the stomach called oxalate, which comes from foods like spinach, strawberries, nuts and tea. Most kidney stones are made of oxalate. When calcium is taken, the calcium and oxalate bind together, crystallize, and exit the body long before there’s a chance for the oxalate to form into kidney stones.
Mildred Seelig, M.D., the leading medical researcher on magnesium says: “Many people needlessly suffer pain – including fibromyalgia, migraines and muscle cramps – because they don’t get enough magnesium.” According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, inadequate magnesium also appears to reduce serotonin levels in the brain. One study found that magnesium was just as effective as an antidepressant drug in treating depression. In addition, researchers at Stockholm’s Karolinska Institute reported that for every 100 milligram increase in magnesium intake, the risk of developing type-2 diabetes decreased by 15 per cent.
Studies have found that people with migraine headaches have low concentrations of magnesium in their body. The word “cephalalgia” literally means head pain or headache. In a German study of 81 migraine patients published in the journal “Cephalalgia”, 42 percent of the people taking oral magnesium reduced both the duration and intensity of their migraine attacks. They also reduced their reliance on medications to control migraines.
James F. Balch, M.D., author of Prescription for Nutritional Healing, writes: “A lack of the nutrients calcium and magnesium will cause you to wake up after a few hours and not be able to return to sleep.” Chronic insomnia is one of the main symptoms of magnesium deficiency. Sleep in magnesium deficiency is usually agitated with frequent nighttime awakenings. On the other hand, a high magnesium diet has been found to be associated with deeper, less interrupted sleep. This was shown in a study done by James Penland at the Human Nutrition Research Center in North Dakota.
Nutritional supplements containing calcium and magnesium can also double as an effective sleep remedy. An example of a well-balanced mineral supplement is Sleep Minerals II from http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com. This natural insomnia remedy contains six forms of calcium, three forms of magnesium, boron, Vitamin D and Vitamin K – all combined in a softgel with carrier oils. Oils such as evening primrose have been shown to increase mineral absorption, reduce calcium excretion, and increase bone density.
Sandra M. of La Verne, California says: “I have been using Sleep Minerals II for several months now and I see a marked improvement in my sleep. I have struggled with anxiety, depression and sleeplessness for nearly 15 years – increasingly so in the last 10 years. I’ve tried everything on the market including herbal teas, melatonin, GABA, Ambien, Lunesta, and others. Nothing has worked like Sleep Minerals II.”
The best thing about supplementing with calcium and magnesium is the large list of studies showing they support virtually every part, organ and system in the body.
For more information on Sleep Minerals II visit http://www.nutritionbreakthroughs.com/html/sleep_remedy_for_insomnia_help.html
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