Category: Magnesium

Pain

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Pain blog image

Do you suffer from debilitating pain? Pain can sometimes be a gift, a message sent from the Central Nervous System to the Brain. It is the body’s way of letting us know that something is wrong, of protecting us from continuing to injure ourselves, making things worse, and, sometimes, telling us that it is time to see a health care professional. There is a TV commercial for a pain drug that says, “When the body says no, ‘……’ says yes.” But, in order to be safe, when the body’s wisdom tells us “no”, we should respond accordingly.

 

Pain after a cut, bite, fall, injury, or a medical procedure is short term and is referred to as acute. In these cases, inflammation is the body’s way of healing and repairing the injured tissue. But, if it continues longterm, even permanently, it is labeled as chronic. Chronic pain is often described as lasting many months after the injury or medical procedure has healed. In most of these cases, the primary origin is excess inflammation. The names given to many painful conditions end in “itis”, denoting inflammation. In the case of arthritis, it involves inflammation of the joints. Inflammation also increases when under stress.

 

Pain may be mild, moderate, severe, constant, occasional, sore, dull, throbbing, sharp, aching, pulsing, stabbing, annoying, uncomfortable, debilitating, or even unbearable. When seeing a doctor or a therapist, being able to identify the type and location of pain can help with the diagnosis and sometimes indicate a particular condition. Some people can point directly to the tiny spot where the pain is felt. Yet, for others, it is in the left shoulder, or in the head, or in the right knee. It may even be referred pain felt, for example, in the right hip and originating from the left side of the neck. Pain can impact our daily activities, work, emotional and psychological well-being, and social activities. 

 

For many, it is worse in the morning and is accompanied by stiffness. Lack of movement during the night can increase morning inflammation. A gentle morning exercise routine may help minimize this discomfort. Doctors used to recommend complete bedrest during painful periods, but this is no longer the case. For most types of chronic conditions, movement and increased blood flow has been seen to promote healing and reduce pain.

 

Waking with a sore neck may be due to a poor sleeping position or to the type of pillow being used. Also, sore backs, are often the result of poor posture. Try standing with your feet pointing straight ahead with a slight pelvic tilt, tummy tucked in, head comfortably forward, shoulders back. This is how to align the spinal chain properly with the joints stacked evenly, one above the other. Your weight will be evenly placed and you will no longer be compensating for a weak area by putting extra pressure on the healthy side. Use your muscles rather than your joints wherever possible.

 

Running shoes may be the best type of footwear, offering additional support, and resulting in a reduction in back pain. When bending, hinge at the hips instead of at the waist. Lift with your knees, never your back, and do not twist your body to reach for something that is off to the right or left. If sitting for hours at a desk or computer, ensure that you have a proper chair, that your arms are at a height that doesn’t put strain on your shoulders, and that you get up every half hour to move.

 

To minimize pain, naturally, deep breathing exercises, meditation, or relaxation techniques can be extremely helpful. One breathing exercise that can be done in bed each morning before rising involves lying down, eyes closed, one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach. Focus on the breath moving slowly, in through the nose and out through the nose. The count of four for each is comfortable for most. Feel the breath move in, through, and out of your body for even 10-15 minutes. This can be followed by gentle exercises, like bending your knees and moving your legs from one side to the other. Gently and comfortably, move and bend your arms and your legs.

 

There are also many safe physical exercises that result in increased blood flow which will help minimize pain. Some of these include Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and Feldenkrais. Stress reduction, 7-8 hours of sleep, and therapies such as massage, acupuncture, osteopathy, and myofascial release can also help tremendously in minimizing pain. Exercise programs that strengthen your abs and glutes, in a safe manner, are extremely helpful.

 

Magnesium is an important supplement that will relax the muscles and improve sleep. A daily vitamin D supplement will improve immunity and strengthen bones and muscles. Also, Boswelia, SAMe, MSM, and fish oil may help reduce chronic pain. Both turmeric, added to food or taken as a supplement, and tart cherry juice, combined with water as a drink one hour before bed, have anti-inflammatory properties.There are also homeopathic remedies that may reduce pain and inflammation including Arnica, Belladonna, Bryonia, Rhus tox, and Ruta. For these, the symptoms must match the remedy. Like cures like. So, please read about the remedy first.  And, also, there are essential oils like Lavender, Peppermint, Copaiba, and Pan Away applied to the body and/or diffused through the room which may promote muscle relaxation, restful sleep, and reduce pain. As CBD becomes legal, there will also be many ointments, creams, and oils on the market that can offer relief.

 

It is important to stay well hydrated, and to eliminate, or at least, reduce the consumption of coffee, alcohol, and tobacco. Remember to eat a nutritious, well-balanced diet, low in sugar, processed foods, hydrogenated fats, and carbonated drinks. All food that increase inflammation, like nightshades, will increase pain.

 

Related NPP Webinars:

Gilda Rovan, BA, RHN, ROHP Certified Biotherapeutic Drainage Practitioner

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Bone Health: Osteoporosis

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Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is not just A Calcium Deficiency!

 

What is holding you up?  Bones are made up of at least a dozen minerals and more. We need to have these minerals, all in perfect proportion, in order to have healthy bones and healthy bodies. Before we start rebuilding the bone, and adding calcium, magnesium, potassium and all of the other important minerals and supplements, we must address the original cause of bone deterioration.

 

Osteoporosis is a “silent disease” where the bones become less dense, weak, and brittle. Its name comes from the latin – “osteo” meaning bone and “poras” meaning porous. For many adults, a slight fracture is the first indication that there is a problem. We may experience a minor bone break due to a benign event, possibly after a cough or a sneeze, increasing the probability of future fractures.

 

Today we are living longer. Seniors have become one of the largest population groups throughout the world. As children, our body breaks down old bone and replaces it with new bone tissue. By our early 30’s, bone mass no longer increases and we need to preserve our bones for as long as possible. As we move toward middle age, and our hormones become depleted and out of balance, our bones naturally lose their density every year. Our ability to build bone diminishes, resulting in thinner and more fragile bones that will break more easily. For women, this has become a serious concern during perimenopause, as the estrogen levels decline, and, particularly, after menopause. Men begin to lose bone around the age of 60–70. Hip and knee replacements are now very common for both women and men.

 

 

Early Warning Signs:

  • Loss of height
  • Changes in posture; ie stooping forward
  • Bone fractures, particularly after age 50
  • Lower back pain

 

Risk Factors include being female; being Caucasian or Asian; a genetic predisposition; a history of irregular periods; eating disorders; early menopause; poor nutrition; lack of exercise; tobacco and/or alcohol use; a PH below 6.5; low body weight; a small, thin frame; Kidney Disease; Celiac Disease; IBS; Prednisone; Cortisones; and other Drugs.

 

Fortunately, there is a tool that can determine bone loss, using T score ratings. This is suggested for women every two or three years after menopause. This Bone Density test, also known as DEXA, uses x-ray to measure the density of the bones in your wrists, hips, or spine, three areas most at risk, and also, the neck.

 

T Scores: 

  • A score of -1.0 or above is normal
  • A score of -1.0 and -2.5 is considered Osteopenia
  • A score below -2.5 is diagnosed as Osteoporosis

 

Today our systems are assaulted by more toxins than ever before. Toxicity inhibits the body from working effectively. Whatever we can’t eliminate, we store. As we become more toxic, we also become more acidic. The body then leaches minerals, particularly calcium, from the bones in order to become more alkaline. How do we reverse this process? We make changes that will begin to move our body in the direction of healing. That is what Natural Nutritionists strive to do for every client that walks through their clinic door.

 

Doctors use medication, orally or by injection, like Fosamax, Actonel, etc to increase bone density while also recommending weight bearing exercise. In men, testosterone therapy has been used to increase bone density. Women were given estrogen therapy for decades until a large number of studies discovered a correlation between hormone replacement therapy and an increase in the risk of blood clots, heart disease, and hormone related cancers, like breast and ovarian.

 

Natural therapy protocols include supplements, weight bearing exercises, an alkaline diet, and a cleaner, more active lifestyle. In my practice, I use Biotherapeutic Drainage to promote the body’s ability to eliminate toxins, by making the liver, kidneys, and other major emunctories more efficient, through the use of combination homeopathic remedies. Once the body is less toxic, it becomes more alkaline and is better able to absorb and assimilate the nutrients necessary to build strong bones.

 

A link has been found between thyroid disease and osteoporosis. Thyroid hormones can affect the rate of bone loss. Too much thyroid hormone, like thyroxine, prescribed for years, may speed up the rate at which bone is lost. The body’s osteoblasts may in turn be unable to replace the bone loss as quickly as required.

 

In the Nurses’ Health Study including 122,000 women, risk factors for chronic diseases, like osteoporosis, were analyzed. It found that “women with the highest consumption of dairy products actually had substantially more fractures than women who drank less milk”.

 

Our NPP Webinar, Osteoporosis, includes:

  • Bone formation and integrity
  • Underlying issues
  • Warning signs
  • Rebuilding the bones with Nutrition, Supplements, Biotherapeutic Drainage, Tissue Cell Salts, Diet, and Lifestyle Changes

 
Our NPP Webinar, Hormones, includes:

  • Foods to balance hormones
  • The Endocrine System
  • Adrenal & Thyroid Nutritional Support
  • Thyroid and Osteoporosis

Gilda Rovan, BA, RHN, ROHP Certified Biotherapeutic Drainage Practitioner

*Audio link for those in need or who prefer to listen to our blogs:

Sleep Issues

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Sleep Issues Blog

The first sign of a problem with the brain is shortened sleep, in particular, napping during the day and not sleeping through the night. With even one hour loss of sleep per night, the brain slows down, we become more emotional and our thinking slows down. What is the major cause of sleeplessness? For most, it is chronic stress and anxiety, resulting in elevated cortisol levels, particularly in the evening, keeping us from enjoying a proper night’s sleep.

 

Sleep affects every organ system. The body does not do well without an optimal 7 to 8 hours per night. The more sleep deprived we are, the less effective our immune function, the more prone we become to injury and accidents and, even, to serious medical conditions, such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

 

27% of sleep deprived people are more likely to become overweight. Sleep is vital for learning and memory so is necessary for education and maximum productivity in the workplace. Sleep allows for the body to balance itself.

 

There are four major sleep cycles. In general, we go from falling asleep, to light sleep, to deep sleep, to REM sleep. These cycles are repeated many times throughout the night. Earlier cycles have longer periods of deep sleep and later cycles, more REM sleep. Deep sleep makes us feel refreshed and keeps us healthy. During REM sleep, the brain becomes more active, the body more relaxed, and most of our dreams occur. “REM sleep is important to your sleep cycle because it stimulates the areas of your brain that are essential in learning and making or retaining memories.” Longer periods of REM sleep occur in the morning hours.

 

Suggestions for improved sleep include going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day, even on the weekends; sleeping in a totally dark, quiet, and comfortable space; removing all electronic devices, particularly computers, tablets, and cell phones from the room where you sleep; avoiding caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco for at least 3 to 4 hours before bedtime; keeping all daytime napping short and before 4 or 5 pm. Try not to go to sleep hungry or stuffed. If you do wake up during the night, avoid checking the clock or looking to see if you have any new texts or emails. In a study of 20 volunteers, after 8 weeks of meditation and yoga, novices in meditation expressed 2209 new genes, most improving health and the body’s response to psychological stress.

 

Magnesium before bed is a great, safe source of calming and relaxation. Bananas are loaded with magnesium. You can enjoy a banana tea by washing a banana, removing the tips, cut it in half and boil it, with the peel on, in 3-5 cups of water for 4-5 minutes. Pour the liquid into a tea cup, add cinnamon and a little honey and enjoy! You may find that you sleep like a newborn baby.

 

NPP Related Webinars:

Gilda Rovan, BA, RHN, ROHP Certified Biotherapeutic Drainage Practitioner

*Audio for those in need or who prefer to listen to our blogs:

Magnesium

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Magnesium blog

 

BENEFITS:

Relaxes every muscle in your body – including the heart

Relief from Insomnia

Reduces anxiety, depression, stress, sadness

Necessary to get calcium into the bones

Regulates blood pressure

Supports Insulin metabolism

Blood vessel constriction – may prevent migraine headaches

Improves PMS symptoms

 

Magnesium, as a macromineral, is essential for the bones, muscles, heart, brain, the immune system and the nervous system.

 

Foods rich in magnesium include dark chocolate (64 mg/oz), avocado (58 mg), nuts (82 mg/oz), legumes, tofu, whole grains, fatty fish, leafy greens, bananas, and seeds. 1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds offer 307 mg and sunflower seeds, 129 mg.

 

As a supplement, in a capsule, Magnesium is taken to bowel tolerance. If you experience diarrhea, nausea, or cramping, back off by one. With calcium, the recommended dose is a 2:1 ratio of calcium to magnesium but for women, a 1:1 ratio or even a 1:2 ratio is often more beneficial, particularly for those experiencing PMS.

 

Magnesium can also be taken as a Tissue Cell Salt, small tablets that are dissolved in the mouth. Mag Phos 6X is excellent for muscle pain, restless leg, and, for some, as a sleep aid. The body uses what it needs and expels the rest without causing bowel disturbances.

 

Women have often been referred to as “mag wasters” meaning that they lose an unusual amount of magnesium throughout the day.  Magnesium loss is also experienced by Massage Therapists, both men and women, who often experience muscle cramps in their hands and fingers.

 

In our “Heart & Stroke – Women vs Men” webinar, we focus on how a woman’s heart differs in size, heart rate, and also the contrast in structure of the arteries and valves resulting in a substantial difference between the two sexes in terms of risks, symptoms, care, diagnosis, and treatment. We discuss how Magnesium helps to keep calcium in solution preventing it from precipitating out into artery walls which would result in the building of plaque. Also, how magnesium prevents Aluminum buildup in the body. Magnesium is essential for a healthy heart, maintaining a steady heartbeat and a normal blood pressure.

 

In our “Adrenal Fatigue” webinar, we discuss Adrenal burnout and exhaustion due primarily to stress, emotional, physical, and environmental. We discuss the importance of Magnesium, the inhibitory mineral for the Sympathetic Nervous System. Magnesium activates the parasympathetic nervous system which is instrumental in keeping you calm and relaxed.

Gilda Rovan, BA, RHN, ROHP Certified Biotherapeutic Drainage Practitioner

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